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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents

Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 28, 2020

Registration No. 333-239726


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549



AMENDMENT No. 2
TO
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933



Rocket Companies, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  7370
(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  84-4946470
(IRS Employer
Identification Number)

1050 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 373-7990

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant's principal executive offices)



Jay Farner
Chief Executive Officer
1050 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 373-7990

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)



With copies to:

Scott A. Barshay, Esq.
Rachael G. Coffey, Esq.
John C. Kennedy, Esq.
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
1285 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019-6064
(212) 373-3000

 

Michael Kaplan, Esq.
Shane Tintle, Esq.
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-4000



Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

           If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, please check the following box.    o

           If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

           If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

           If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

           Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company" and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer o   Accelerated filer o   Non-accelerated filer ý   Smaller reporting company o

Emerging growth company o

           If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.    o

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

               
 
Title of each Class of Securities
to be Registered

  Amount to be
Registered(1)

  Proposed
Maximum
Offering Price Per
Share(2)

  Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Offering
Price(1)(2)

  Amount of
Registration Fee(3)

 

Class A common stock, par value $0.00001 per share

  172,500,000   $22.00   $3,795,000,000   $492,591

 

(1)
Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Includes 22,500,000 shares that the underwriters have the option to purchase. See "Underwriting."

(2)
Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, based on an estimate of the proposed maximum aggregate offering price.

(3)
The registrant previously paid $12,980 of the registration fee in connection with a prior filing of this Registration Statement.



           The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

   


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        For investors outside the United States: neither we nor the underwriters have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus or any free writing prospectus we may provide to you in connection with this offering in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. You are required to inform yourselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to this offering and the distribution of this prospectus and any such free writing prospectus outside of the United States.

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

    1  

RISK FACTORS

    36  

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    88  

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

    92  

USE OF PROCEEDS

    98  

DIVIDEND POLICY

    99  

CAPITALIZATION

    100  

DILUTION

    102  

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

    105  

SELECTED HISTORICAL COMBINED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA

    115  

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

    117  

BUSINESS

    181  

MANAGEMENT

    227  

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

    233  

PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

    246  

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

    248  

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

    261  

SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

    268  

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

    271  

UNDERWRITING

    275  

LEGAL MATTERS

    282  

EXPERTS

    282  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

    282  

INDEX TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

    F-1  



        Through and including                           , 2020 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers effecting transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to a dealer's obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.



        We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectuses we have prepared. We and the underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give to you. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the shares offered hereby, and only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus is current only as of the date hereof, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of the shares of Class A common stock. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may have changed since that date.

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TRADEMARKS, TRADE NAMES AND SERVICE MARKS

        This prospectus contains references to our trademarks and service marks, such as Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans, and to those belonging to other entities. Solely for convenience, trademarks and trade names referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ® or ™ symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the rights of the applicable licensor to these trademarks, service marks and trade names. We do not intend our use or display of other companies' trade names, trademarks or service marks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies.


INDUSTRY AND MARKET DATA

        We obtained the market and competitive position data used throughout this prospectus from our own research, surveys or studies conducted by third parties and industry or general publications. Industry publications and surveys generally state that they have obtained information from sources believed to be reliable, but do not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of such information. While we believe that each of these studies and publications is reliable, neither we nor the underwriters have independently verified such data and neither we nor the underwriters make any representation as to the accuracy of such information. Similarly, we believe our internal research is reliable but it has not been verified by any independent sources. Our estimates involve risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in this prospectus. Except as otherwise specified, such data is derived from Inside Mortgage Finance, Mortgage Bankers Association, Euromonitor Economies and Consumers Annual Data, and the U.S. Census Bureau. Except as otherwise specified, market share information is calculated based on one to four family mortgage originations as reported by the Mortgage Bankers Association.


BASIS OF PRESENTATION

        Unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus to (i) the "Issuer" refers to Rocket Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation, (ii) the "Company," "we," "us," "our" and "Rocket" refer to the Issuer and its consolidated subsidiaries, (iii) "RHI" refers to Rock Holdings Inc., the sole stockholder of the Issuer prior to the consummation our initial public offering and the principal stockholder of the Issuer after the consummation of our initial public offering, (iv) "Holdings" refers to RKT Holdings, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company, the Issuer's direct wholly-owned subsidiary, (v) "Quicken Loans" refers to Quicken Loans Inc. prior to April 15, 2020 and to Quicken Loans, LLC after April 15, 2020, (vi) "Combined Businesses" or "Rocket Companies" refers to 12 subsidiaries of Rock Holdings Inc., all of which will be contributed to Holdings in connection with our initial public offering in the reorganization transactions (Quicken Loans, Amrock, EFB Holdings Inc., Lendesk Canada Holdings Inc., LMB HoldCo LLC, Nexsys Technologies LLC, RCRA Holdings LLC, RockTech Canada Inc., Rock Central LLC, Rocket Homes Real Estate LLC, RockLoans Holdings LLC, and Woodward Capital Management LLC) and (vii) "Rocket Mortgage" refers to either the Rocket Mortgage brand or platform, or the Quicken Loans business, as the context allows and (viii) "Amrock" refers to Amrock Inc. before July 10, 2020 and Amrock, LLC after July 10, 2020. We were formed as a Delaware corporation on February 26, 2020 and, prior to the consummation of the reorganization transactions and our initial public offering, did not conduct any activities other than those incidental to our formation and our initial public offering.

        All financial information presented in this prospectus are derived from the combined financial statements of the Combined Businesses included elsewhere in this prospectus. All financial information presented in this prospectus have been prepared in U.S. dollars in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP"), except for the presentation of the following non-GAAP measures: Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA.

        The Company reports financial and operating information in two segments: (1) Direct to Consumer and (2) Partner Network.

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

        The following summary contains selected information about us and about this offering. It does not contain all of the information that is important to you and your investment decision. Before you make an investment decision, you should review this prospectus in its entirety, including matters set forth under "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," and the historical financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus. Some of the statements in the following summary constitute forward-looking statements. See "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements." Certain percentages and other figures provided and used in this prospectus may not add up to 100.0% due to the rounding of individual components.


COMPANY OVERVIEW

        We are a Detroit-based company obsessed with helping our clients achieve the American dream of home ownership and financial freedom. We are committed to providing an industry-leading client experience powered by our award-winning culture and innovative technologies. We believe our widely recognized "Rocket" brand is synonymous with providing simple, fast, and trusted digital solutions for complex personal transactions.

        Since our inception in 1985, we have consistently demonstrated our ability to launch new consumer experiences, scale and automate operations, and extend our proprietary technologies to partners. Our flagship business, Rocket Mortgage, is the industry leader, having provided more than $1 trillion in home loans since inception while growing our market share from 1.3% in 2009 to 9.2% in the first quarter of 2020, a CAGR of 19%. We have also expanded into complementary industries, such as real estate services, personal lending, and auto sales. In each of these gigantic and fragmented markets, we seek to gain share and drive profitable growth by reinventing the client experience.

        Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, purposefully created a strong cultural foundation of core principles, or "ISMs", as a cultural operating system to guide decision making by all of our team members. At the heart of the ISMs is a simple, yet powerful, concept: "Love our team members. Love our clients." Our team members put the ISMs into action every day. The result is an empowered and passionate team aligned in a common mission. This has led FORTUNE magazine to name us to their list of "100 Best Companies to Work For" for 17 consecutive years.

        Our launch of the Rocket Mortgage online platform in 2015 revolutionized the mortgage process as the first end-to-end digital experience, leveraging decades of technology investment and innovation. Rocket Mortgage is the simplest and most convenient way to get a mortgage. This digital solution utilizes automated data retrieval and advanced underwriting technology to deliver fast, tailored solutions to the palm of a client's hand. Our Rocket Mortgage app, which clients use to apply for a mortgage, interact with our team members, upload documents, e-sign documents, receive statements, and complete monthly payments, has a 4.9 star rating on the Apple App Store.

        Rocket Mortgage technology extends well beyond the app, seamlessly serving clients and client-facing team members across the entire front-end user experience. Rocket Mortgage technology also facilitates the origination, underwriting, closing, and servicing process in a manner designed to sustain positive ongoing client relationships. We have also built proprietary sales technology that allows us to more effectively connect with and win potential clients. Building off this technology, we developed Rock Connections, our sales and support organization, which supports both Rocket Mortgage and several other external partners.

        Rocket Mortgage offers clients speed and simplicity backed by industry-leading automation created through our proprietary software platform and centralized operations. Traditionally, a single

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processor sequentially performs most loan origination functions. Our process separates these functions to create specialization among team members, automates key steps and prioritizes workflow. Our technology provides our client specialists visibility into the loan process and enables our loans to close faster and more efficiently than industry averages. In 2019, we closed 6.7 loans per month per average production team member, compared to the industry average of 2.3 according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. In 2020, our year to date average has grown to 8.3 loans per month. The result is an unmatched client experience that has earned us recognition as #1 for Mortgage Origination by J.D. Power for the past 10 years—every year we have been eligible for the award.

        We believe our national Rocket brand establishes a competitive advantage that is difficult to replicate. In our industry, we are the only company of scale with significant digital-first brand recognition. Since our inception, we have invested over $5 billion in marketing, including $905 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Our in-house marketing agency has a long history of creating bold and visible events and campaigns, including the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic in 2011—a NCAA Men's Basketball game that raised proceeds for military charities and was attended on Veterans Day by President Obama; the Quicken Loans Billion Dollar Bracket for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in 2014, in collaboration with Warren Buffett; the annual Rocket Mortgage Classic—the first ever PGA TOUR event in Detroit; and recently a prominent Super Bowl Squares campaign and our latest Super Bowl ad, featuring actor Jason Momoa, was ranked the fifth best Super Bowl ad by USA Today's Ad Meter.

        We also reach potential clients through highly targeted marketing strategies. Our scale and data analytics provide distinct advantages in the efficiency of our marketing initiatives. We utilize data gathered from inquiries, applications and ongoing client relationships to optimize digital performance marketing to reach the right clients with the right solutions. Continuing our growth in digital marketing, in 2017 we acquired Core Digital Media, a top social media and display advertiser. Our specialized marketing capabilities allowed us to generate inquiries from more than 20 million potential clients in 2019.

        In 2010, we made the strategic decision to invest in loan servicing. Servicing the loans that we originate provides us with an opportunity to build long-term relationships and continually impress our clients with a seamless experience. We employ the same client-centric culture and technology cultivated in our origination business towards our servicing effort. The result is a differentiated servicing experience focused on client service with positive, regular touchpoints and a better understanding of our clients' future needs. As a result of our operational excellence, in 2019 we achieved overall client retention levels of 63%, and refinancing retention levels of 76%, which is approximately 3.5 times higher than the industry average of 22%. In 2020, our year to date average has grown to nearly 75% overall client retention. Additionally, we have been recognized as #1 for Mortgage Servicing by J.D. Power for the past six years—every year we have been eligible for the award.

        Our growth potential is significant. The U.S. residential mortgage market remains highly fragmented. As the largest mortgage originator according to Inside Mortgage Finance, we serve 9.2% of an over $2.0 trillion annual market. As adoption of online mortgages increases, we expect to drive further market share growth. Of the clients that applied using our online platform or app, 75% are first-time homeowners and/or Millennials. As a result, we expect our growth to accelerate. As these groups mature and continue to demand a more digital experience, we anticipate that their previous positive experiences with Rocket Mortgage will result in repeat business and further growth of our Company.

        One of our strategic priorities is to grow partnerships with other preeminent companies and professionals whose clients benefit from our solutions. We continue to expand our network of

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high-quality influencers, which include mortgage professionals in the Quicken Loans Mortgage Services (QLMS) network and State Farm and Farmers agents. In addition, we have marketing partnerships with Fortune 500 companies such as American Express, Intuit and Schwab. Our partners rely on our trusted brand and technology to deliver the Rocket experience to their clients. To support this effort, we leveraged our Rocket Mortgage technology to develop Rocket Professional, our proprietary platform that enables our partners to offer our best mortgage options to their clients and provide real-time management of loan applications.

        The speed and efficiency of our platform is further enabled by our relationship with our subsidiary Amrock. Amrock is a leading provider of title insurance services, property valuations and settlement services. This business complements our mortgage origination platform with digital appraisal and closing services integrated throughout our Rocket Mortgage technology and processes. This provides a seamless experience for our clients, from their first interaction with Rocket Mortgage through closing.

        We have incubated and organically grown an ecosystem of businesses that creates substantial growth opportunities. Rocket Homes, our proprietary home search platform and real estate agent referral network, helps match Rocket Mortgage clients with highly rated agents, and the coordinated home buying experience improves the certainty of closing. Rocket Homes participated in more than 30,000 real estate transactions in 2019. Rocket Loans, our prime personal loan business, underwrote approximately 25,000 closed loans in 2019 (a year-over-year increase of over 30%). Rocket Auto, our auto sales business that was previously part of Rock Connections, facilitated nearly 20,000 used car sales in 2019, its second full year of operation. We believe our success in the United States can be leveraged in the Canadian mortgage market, a market of approximately $761 billion CAD of annual mortgage originations, and have invested in Lendesk and Edison Financial, two Canadian mortgage business startups.

        We have demonstrated a track record of creating value through profitable growth with a capital-light business model. For the year ended December 31, 2019, our total revenue, net was $5.1 billion and net income attributable to Rocket Companies was $893.8 million, representing a 22% and 46% growth from the prior year, respectively. Over the same time period, Adjusted Revenue was $5.9 billion, Adjusted Net Income was $1.3 billion, and Adjusted EBITDA was $1.9 billion. For reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to their most comparable U.S. GAAP measures, see "Summary Historical and Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial and Other Data" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measures."

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MARKET OPPORTUNITY

        We participate in large markets that are changing rapidly. We believe we are well positioned to capitalize on ongoing shifts in market demographics and consumer demands.

We are at the center of the largest consumer asset class in the United States

        According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, there is approximately $10.7 trillion of residential mortgage debt outstanding in the United States as of December 31, 2019. Furthermore, the mortgage industry had total originations of $2.2 trillion in 2019 and has averaged $2.0 trillion in annual originations since 2000. Mortgages are almost always the most significant financial product in a consumer's life and loan servicing creates ongoing relationships with clients through their homeownership lifecycle.

The mortgage industry is highly fragmented.

        The top five companies in the retail mortgage market only comprised 17.3% of total originations in 2019 according to Inside Mortgage Finance. This fragmentation results from the legacy of a decentralized brick-and-mortar presence for mortgage originators, which limits originators' ability to invest in technology and process automation.

        The fragmentation in the mortgage industry contrasts with many other consumer-facing industries where leaders hold a higher market share. As technology continues to create significant differentiation in the competitive landscape for mortgage origination, we believe there will be ongoing opportunities for scalable platforms that combine a superior client experience with faster speed to close to increase their market share.

Consumers increasingly expect a higher level of service and technology-driven user experiences.

        In today's on-demand society, consumers expect a technology-based user experience and process in all their financial interactions. They increasingly desire to have the convenience of speed and simplicity at their fingertips, even for their most complex financial transactions. This provides a significant opportunity for those companies that can improve user experiences while also delivering transparency and certainty.

The home buying experience is positioned for disruptive change.

        Legacy practices permeate not just mortgages, but the entire home buying experience. The process remains opaque for most consumers, as they are forced to coordinate with multiple parties for many different services. A seamless, integrated approach between the real estate agent and the mortgage originator provides the consumer a streamlined experience that achieves a higher certainty of closing and an overall positive sentiment, which can lead to future transactions with our Company.

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OUR STRENGTHS

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Culture

        We define our culture through 19 ISMs. Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, created the ISMs as the guiding principles and philosophy for our team members. The ISMs are more than catchy phrases; they are the operating system that acts as the blueprint for all our decision-making and builds the foundation of our culture.

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        Each of our approximately 20,000 team members is empowered to apply the ISMs in all aspects of their work and life. The ISMs define our culture and how we conduct business, and this combination of an empowered team with a common, well-defined mission provides us with a significant strategic advantage in the market.

Always Raising Our Level of Awareness

        "Our future, growth, innovation and success starts with the thousands of eyeballs of our team members."

        Everything starts with awareness. We challenge our team members to be alert and observant, really listening to and understanding the needs of our clients, and to deliver actionable innovations that improve the client experience and process. Our culture asks not only for ideas, but also drives for execution. The result is a group of empowered professionals creating unrivaled experiences for our clients.

        We were pioneers in centralizing and digitizing the mortgage experience. We were also one of the first in our industry to recognize the changing client demands and use the internet to deliver fast and simple mortgages, from this initial idea to our modern solutions like Rocket Mortgage and Rocket Professional, our proprietary platform. The awareness and hyper-focus of our team members drives these innovative solutions and our success.

Every Client. Every Time. No Exceptions. No Excuses

        "Every client means 100% of our clients all of the time, not most of the time."

        We value our clients and serve them with an unmatched sense of urgency and importance. We maintain a policy that every client will receive a callback within 24 hours. Our clients have acknowledged the positive experience they have with us in our closed consumer surveys, with approximately 94% recommending us. Our superior client experience is evidenced by our net promoter score (NPS) score of 74, a measure of consumer satisfaction, as compared to the average NPS of 16 for the mortgage origination industry according to J.D. Power. Our award-winning client experience has resulted in other world-class consumer-facing organizations, such as State Farm, Farmers, American Express, Intuit and Schwab, seeking to partner with us.

Obsessed with Finding a Better Way

        "Finding a better way is not something we do on the side or when we get the time. Rather, it's a key priority for every one of our team members."

        We empower our team members to create the processes and programs that will continue to drive our growth. Team members know their opinion is not only welcome but expected, from providing input on how to improve our existing business to pitching a completely new company idea.

        Our obsession with finding a better way is amplified through our constant improvement "Mousetrap Team," and our platform for new ideas "The Cheese Factory." Mousetrap Team members are tasked with closely examining each step of the borrowing process to make it more efficient. Major successes from this team include the development of proprietary technology that prioritizes each step of the loan process based on a client's propensity to close and the development of a texting platform that allows clients to communicate directly with their mortgage banker, reducing delays due to response times. The Cheese Factory and its internal "Pitch Day" competition, both encourage and reward team members for bringing forward ideas.

        Our Product Strategy team continues carrying that momentum, analyzing consumer trends and best practices, and then delivering products under the Rocket umbrella that meet the emerging and

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future needs of our clients. This team has demonstrated its ability to translate our Company's mission and goals into client-focused solutions and experiences. Recognizing the market opportunity to extend our Rocket Mortgage technology and process to our Partner Network, this team successfully led the development and launch of our partner platform Rocket Professional. Combining business and technical savvy, our strategists revolutionize the way we interact with consumers on our never-ending mission to find a better way for everything we do.

We Are the They

        "There is no 'they.' We are the 'they.' One team. United. All in the mission together. No corporate barriers. No boundaries. Just open doors, open minds and an open culture rooted in trust."

        Our organization emphasizes cooperation, respect and teamwork and minimizes hierarchy and bureaucracy, all to achieve better client results. Our team members and leaders, across our ecosystem, are all aligned towards the common goal of helping our clients and providing an amazing client experience. We recruit, train and develop our team members to all align to this philosophy. We do so with the contributions of our robustly staffed training team that focuses on the development and growth of team members. The group has been recognized by Training Magazine as part of the "Training Top 125" for excellence in training and development.

        Our unity extends beyond the walls of our organization to the communities we call home. Our "for more than profit" approach includes positively impacting our communities through creating jobs and reinvesting dollars and time into our cities. From education and housing stability initiatives to entrepreneurship programs, our team members are at the forefront of growth—both in our business and the communities in which they live, work, and play.

Technology, Data and Automation Innovation

        We built a fully integrated technology platform implemented across our ecosystem to provide a seamless and efficient experience for our team members, clients and partners. We have found that the most powerful approach to improving the client experience is to identify the pain points in the process and create scalable technology-driven solutions for each one.

        Our leadership and approximately 2,500 technology team members focus on technology along three axes. First, we leverage advanced algorithms and decision trees along with intuitive front-end design to provide an exceptional client interface and service. Second, we use technology and analytics to automate as many steps of our operations as possible to increase our team members' productivity, minimize process lags and errors, and ultimately drive significant improvement in client outcomes on a massive scale. Third, we develop our technology with a view to offer it to external partners in a seamless manner, enabling further growth of our ecosystem.

        We have strategically developed our technology in modules to facilitate agile enhancements. This enables us to effectively scale during market expansion, efficiently onboard partners, and grow into new client segments and channels, with less time and investment than our competitors.

        Additionally, our cutting-edge technology systems are powered by a significant amount of data. In 2019, we had interactions with over 20 million prospective clients. We have long-term mortgage servicing relationships with approximately 1.83 million client loans. Our technology and data science teams are proficient in leveraging this rich data to streamline the client experience, to improve the efficacy of our marketing campaigns, and to offer products and services suited to each client's specific circumstance.

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Client Leads by Year (in millions)

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Digital-First Brand and Marketing

        Our investment in the Rocket brand has made it nationally recognized as a simple, fast, and trusted digital solution for clients and partners. We invest in a range of targeted marketing campaigns that leverage our brand to acquire new clients and position our brand as the technology-driven solution for consumers.

        We have over 250 experienced marketing team members in our in-house advertising agency focused on every aspect of the client lifecycle. We create and execute innovative marketing strategies to identify and reach target audiences, engage with interested clients, and promote the client experience. We also rely on our Core Digital Media business, a leading online marketing and client acquisition platform, to generate additional leads. We have invested considerable capital in our brand. Since our inception, we have invested over $5 billion in marketing, including $905 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.

        While we increase brand awareness through sophisticated marketing, there is no better brand builder than a positive client experience. By providing a positive upfront origination experience, coupled with award-winning servicing over the life of the loan, we establish a long-term relationship with our clients. Servicing a client's loan allows us to remain in contact with our clients and stay current on their financial needs. For example, we rely on insights gained from servicing to offer solutions to clients when they can benefit from a more cost-effective mortgage. As a result of this approach, in 2019 when clients chose their next mortgage, we had overall client retention levels of 63% and refinancing retention levels of 76%, which is approximately 3.5 times higher than the industry average of 22%. In 2020, our year to date average has grown to nearly 75% overall client retention.

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2019 Refinancing Retention

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Source: Black Knight Mortgage Monitor.

(1)
Retention rate is the total unpaid principal balance ("UPB") of our clients that originate a new mortgage with us in a given period divided by total UPB of the clients that paid off their existing mortgage and originated a new mortgage in the same period. This calculation excludes clients to whom we did not actively market due to contractual prohibitions or other business reasons.

Superior Economic Model

        We earn the majority of our revenues from the upfront origination of each mortgage through origination fees and the sale of mortgages into the secondary mortgage market. Additional revenue is earned through recurring fees from servicing these same mortgages. We also earn fees from real estate agent referrals in Rocket Homes; origination, gain on sale, and servicing fees in Rocket Loans; and fees from facilitating auto sales in Rocket Auto.

        We believe our platform and technology create a significant financial advantage. Our brand effectiveness and marketing capabilities optimize client acquisition investments and our automated processes reduce unnecessary costs across the origination process. We create significant operating leverage through automation. We can scale quickly and efficiently which allows us to grow both the number of transactions and transaction profitability.

        Our business model is high-velocity, capital light and cash generating. We originate mortgage loans that are sold either to government-backed entities or to investors in the secondary mortgage market. Most sales occur within three weeks of origination, in turn requiring minimal capital. Of the $145 billion of mortgages we originated for the year ended December 31, 2019, 91% were sold to government-backed entities. For the year ended December 31, 2019, our net income attributable to Rocket Companies was $893.8 million and our Adjusted Net Income was $1.3 billion.

        Our business has minimal credit exposure as we sell our mortgage loans to investors in a matter of days. We also do not have direct credit exposure to the servicing portfolio since we do not own the underlying loans that are being serviced. Additionally, our automation and process efficiency are designed to increase data transparency and quality, thereby limiting potential liabilities that could result from errors in underwriting and servicing.

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Highly Adaptable and Scalable Platform

        We can scale quickly and efficiently which allows us to increase both the number of clients we provide solutions for and our profitability. Our proprietary loan origination platform allows us to originate, underwrite and close loans in all 50 states over the internet. Additionally our centralized loan processing centers give us greater control over the client experience and allows us to take advantage of economies of scale. Our loan funding capacity is generally sourced from repurchase agreements with large financial instituitions as counterparties, cash generated from operations and proceeds from the fixed-income bond market resulting in a diversified funding strategy. As our business continues to grow, we regularly reassess our funding strategy and we believe we have the ability to access the appropriate amount of capital to support our growth from internally generated cash flows and our various debt agreements. We do not intend to use the proceeds from this offering to fund the growth of our business. For more information, see "Use of Proceeds".

        Our size and technologies allow us to utilize specialized sub-groups to automate the processing and review of data and documents based on a set of predetermined rules-based workflows. Specialization in each step of the origination process allows us to create experts in each task, enabling our team members to rely on their expertise to quickly solve problems and provide greater certainty to close for our clients. This task-based specialization also results in shorter training time for new team members, enabling us to quickly ramp up operational capacity. Our approach is a true differentiator, allowing us to quickly scale the workforce to match demand and the size of the pipeline.

        Our platform provides us the capacity to close a substantially higher amount of loans per month based on current resources without significant investment in infrastructure. This centralized structure and scalable platform also allows Rocket Mortgage to quickly adapt to the evolving regulatory environment and market changes.

        Our scale, together with our high-quality, geographically diverse originations, and efficient platform, allows our experienced capital markets team to achieve superior secondary market execution. Our capital markets team aggregates pools of loans to obtain the best pricing for sales into the market. At the same time, our Capital Markets team uses proprietary technologies in addition to outside information services to hedge interest rate positions until loans are sold. Over the last decade we have generated consistently strong margins, which we believe are attributable to the high-quality loans generated from our business model, combined with our experienced management and capital markets teams.

High-Quality Team Member Experience

        Our culture creates an environment where team members know their opinions are valued and curiosity is encouraged. This collaborative atmosphere empowers our team members and keeps them engaged, making us stronger, faster, and more innovative as a company. Our internal surveys show approximately 95% of our team members believe the work they do contributes to the success of our Company.

        Our high-quality workplace culture creates significant opportunities to attract and retain talent. We encourage our team members to build a long-term career within our Company and focus on a common mission. Our commitment to the cities where we live, work, and play, attracts team members who are similarly focused on building a strong community, further benefitting our cultural identity.

        In addition to the recognition we received from FORTUNE magazine, our operations in Phoenix, Cleveland and Charlotte have been recognized as top workplaces in 2019 in local business publications. Of our approximately 20,000 team members, approximately 1,500 team members have been with us for over 10 years.

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Strong, Collaborative Senior Leadership Team

        Our senior leadership team's vision has reshaped the mortgage landscape and fueled our substantial growth while consistently reinforcing our culture. This long-tenured team has been with us for an average of 24 years. Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, has provided us with steady leadership during our entire 35-year history and served as Chief Executive Officer from 1985 until 2002. Jay Farner is our current Chief Executive Officer and has been with us for 24 years. Bob Walters is our President and Chief Operating Officer and has been with us for 23 years. Julie Booth is our Chief Financial Officer and has been with us for 16 years. Angelo Vitale is our General Counsel and Secretary and has been with us for 23 years. This team has led us through a variety of housing and economic cycles, and have found ways to take advantage of broader industry disruption to continue our growth and success.

        We are focused on developing and promoting talent from within, which has enabled us to develop both the current team of senior leaders as well as the next generation of leaders. Prior to becoming Chief Executive Officer, Jay Farner served as our President and Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President of Web Mortgage Banking before that. In these roles, Jay personally led the building of Rocket Mortgage and brand strategy, as well as online performance marketing and the creation of the centralized banking teams. Prior to becoming President and Chief Operating Officer, Bob Walters served as our Chief Economist and Executive Vice President leading Capital Markets and Servicing. In these roles, Bob oversaw the teams responsible for developing our capital markets capabilities, launching servicing and transforming our client experience and operations teams. Prior to becoming Chief Financial Officer, Julie Booth served as our Vice President, Finance and initiated the creation and development of the Treasury, Procurement, and Internal Audit functions over the years. Angelo Vitale has served as Chief Executive Officer of our subsidiary Rock Central and as our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. In these positions, Angelo has been responsible for our legal functions, including regulatory compliance, commercial real estate leasing and enterprise risk management.

OUR GROWTH

Rocket Mortgage Market Share ($ in billions)

GRAPHIC

        We have significant opportunity for continued growth as we advance and leverage our technology, brand, scale, and commitment to providing an exceptional client experience.

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Expand Our Lead in Our Core Market

        We are the largest retail mortgage originator in the U.S. according to Inside Mortgage Finance, with $145 billion in originations in 2019. We originated $51.7 billion in the three months ended March 31, 2020, which is a 23% CAGR from originations of $25 billion in 2009. We are the scaled leader in the U.S. mortgage industry with market share of 9.2%. Of total originations in 2019, $39 billion, or 27%, were to clients purchasing a home. This would make us the fourth largest retail originator based on purchase volume alone. We will continue to invest significantly in our brand, technical capabilities and our award-winning client experience, which we expect will support a considerable increase in our market share of the mortgage origination and servicing industry. Our superior client experience is evidenced by our net promoter score (NPS) score of 74, a measure of consumer satisfaction, as compared to the average NPS of 16 for the mortgage origination industry according to J.D. Power.

Market Demographics Will Drive Growth

        As consumers increasingly gravitate towards a digital experience, we believe Rocket Mortgage can uniquely address their needs. In particular, we stand ready for an expected increase in Millennial homeownership rates, which at approximately 32% significantly lags the rates of Generation X and Baby Boomers. Homeownership remains a top priority among approximately 70% of Millennials and their homeownership rate should trend higher as they continue to build wealth. These consumers increasingly demand a fully digital experience.


RocketMortgage.com Site Visits (in millions)

GRAPHIC

Our Partner Network Should Generate Significant Growth

        We expect our partner network to support further growth. We have aligned our brand with other high-quality consumer-focused organizations, which we believe will provide us with a differentiated efficient client acquisition channel that our competitors cannot easily replicate. We have formed relationships with influencers who utilize our platform with their clients, such as State Farm and Farmers, and marketing partners who refer their clients directly to us, such as American Express, Intuit and Schwab. We have a robust pipeline of potential partners that we are working to onboard in

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2020 and beyond. Our technology is designed to be easily adaptable, which allows us to seamlessly onboard partners and begin originations in a short time period.

Our Ecosystem Creates Substantial Growth Opportunities

GRAPHIC

        Our ecosystem is a series of connected businesses centered on delivering better solutions to our clients through our technology and scale. The total addressable market for our ecosystem of businesses, including markets for mortgage originations in U.S. and Canada, personal loans, home sales, used auto sales, and real estate advertising amounts to approximately $5.5 trillion.

        We actively created a number of businesses in markets where we believe our core strengths will drive success, including:

    Amrock: Amrock is a leading provider of title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services, Amrock uses proprietary technology that integrates seamlessly with the Rocket Mortgage technology and processes. This provides a digital, seamless experience for our clients with speed and efficiency from their first interaction with Rocket Mortgage through closing. Amrock facilitated over 444,000 settlement transactions in 2019.

    Rocket Homes: Through its online home search platform and real estate agent referral network, we provide ancillary services around the real estate point of sale. According to the Consumer Federation of America, the real estate point of sale market has approximately $100 billion of annual sales in the United States.

    Core Digital Media: Core Digital Media is a top digital social and display advertiser in the mortgage, insurance and education sectors, Core Digital Media generated approximately six million client leads for mortgage and other industries in 2019. This business enables growth for our broader ecosystem offering unique insight into the market that allows us to introduce innovative marketing programs designed to increase the conversion rates for online leads. We also leverage Core Digital Media's capabilities in cross-marketing our products and services to clients across our ecosystem.

    Rocket Loans: We launched our personal unsecured loan origination business in 2016 and focus on clients with prime credit scores. According to TransUnion Industry Insights Report, the personal unsecured lending market in the United States has approximately $162 billion of outstanding balances, which have grown at a 16% compound annual growth rate ("CAGR") since 2016.

    Rocket Auto: The sales capabilities in our Rock Connections business has fueled our early success in auto sales, with Rocket Auto facilitating nearly 20,000 used car sales in 2019. According to Edmunds, the consumer auto sales market in the United States had approximately 40.8 million used auto sales units in 2019.

    Lendesk: Our first investment into the Canadian mortgage market, Lendesk is a startup that offers a suite of products to digitize and simplify the Canadian mortgage experience.

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    Edison Financial: Our second investment into the Canadian mortgage market, Edison is a digital mortgage firm that will use Lendesk's Spotlight as its lender submission platform. We believe our success in the United States can be leveraged in the Canadian mortgage market, a market of approximately $761 billion CAD of annual mortgage originations.

        Each of these businesses benefits from its relationship with Rocket Mortgage and in many cases Rocket Mortgage also benefits from these relationships. For example, our experience has shown that a relationship with a Rocket Homes' partner agent significantly increases the likelihood that we will close a Rocket Mortgage loan. Similarly, we have found that a significant number of personal loan leads from Rocket Loans have turned into mortgage refinance transactions once we are able to spend time with the clients to understand their needs better.


RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Business Update in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

        We are closely monitoring the public health response and economic impacts of COVID-19. There is significant uncertainty related to the economic outcomes from this global pandemic, including the response of the federal, state and local governments as well as regulators such as the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).

        Despite this, we believe we are well positioned to continue serving our clients in the same award-winning manner as in the past based on our recent success in transitioning to a remote work environment and our strong balance sheet that can provide liquidity for continued growth amid the significant volatility. This is demonstrated by our record mortgage origination volumes in March, April, May and June 2020. Additionally, we have taken proactive measures to protect our team members, ensure the continuity of business operations and maintain our strong liquidity position.

Team Member Safety

        We are focused on the safety and wellness of our team members. In March, we moved to a remote work environment for over 98% of our team members. Many of our team members have had the ability to work from home for years, making a shift like this an easier transition than it would have been otherwise. For essential team members coming into the office, we have imposed additional restrictions for their protection including prohibiting visitors' access to our offices, increasing cleaning, providing protective masks and testing. Our senior leadership team participates in a daily call to plan and execute response activity as well as receive health and economic updates, discuss business operations, and team member wellness. We also have a dedicated group focused on monitoring conditions and making recommendations to senior leadership on necessary changes.

Business Operations and Liquidity

        While the financial markets have demonstrated significant volatility due to the economic impacts of COVID-19, interest rates have fallen to historic lows resulting in increased mortgage refinance originations and favorable margins. Our automated, scalable platform and processes enable us to respond quickly to the increased market demand. However, the extent and severity of economic impacts due to COVID-19 are not yet known and, as a result of these factors being outside our control, our origination volumes may decrease in the future.

        Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, and despite this uncertainty, we have seen substantial growth in our business and we have undertaken key steps to position our platform for continued success and as a result of these actions realized several substantial achievements.

    Materially increased our cash position

    Negotiated $3.75 billion of increases in loan funding capacity with our current lending partners

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    Achieved record Adjusted EBITDA.

    Reduced turn times on originations to record lows

    Stepped up verification of key metrics such as employment and income to ensure the highest quality underwriting standards are maintained.

        In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the "CARES" Act) was signed providing clients with GSE and government agency backed mortgages the ability to request a forbearance plan. As of June 30, 2020, we had approximately 98,000 clients on forbearance plans, which represents approximately 5.1% of our total serviced client loans.

        As a servicer, we are required to advance principal and interest to the investor for up to four months on GSE backed mortgages and longer on other government agency backed mortgages on behalf of clients who have entered a forbearance plan. We are able to utilize funds from prepayments and mortgage pay-offs from other clients to fund these principal and interest advances prior to remitting those funds to the agencies. To date, we have been able to fund all required principal and interest advances with these pay-off funds and have not had to use any corporate cash or draw on any facilities in order to fulfill principal and interest advances related to forbearances.

        While these advance requirements may be significant at higher levels of forbearance, we believe we are very well-positioned in terms of our liquidity. As of May 31, 2020, we had $2.6 billion of cash and cash equivalents and $1.22 billion in undrawn lines of credit. We are in ongoing discussions with our lending partners around additional advance financing and will continue evaluating the capital markets as well, which would further supplement our liquidity should the need arise. Although the forbearance activity noted above has not yet had a material impact on our cash flows, we expect servicing advances to grow over time and believe they could become material. Actual servicing advances will be driven by the number of clients entering into forbearance plans, the amount of time clients spend in the forbearance plans (most have the ability to extend forbearance plans for up to one year), and the level of successful resolution of forborne amounts at the end of forbearance periods all of which will be impacted by the pace at which the economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

        Protecting our cash position and maintaining sufficient liquidity is a top priority. We maintain diversified liquidity sources to allow us to fund our loan origination business, manage our day-to-day operations and protect us against foreseeable market risks. To support our increased origination volumes in 2020, year to date through June 2020, we negotiated increases totaling $3.75 billion from seven different counterparties for our loan funding facilities, of which $2.75 billion are temporary. Additionally, we added a new counterparty with an aggregate line amount of $0.4 billion. Our subsidiary Quicken Loans entered into a commitment letter in June 2020 with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. ("JPM") and Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. ("MSSF") where JPM and MSSF will arrange and syndicate a senior unsecured revolving credit facility in an aggregate amount of up to $1.0 billion, with a maturity of three years from the closing date of this facility. To date, Quicken Loans and the arrangers have received commitments from lenders, subject to customary closing conditions, of up to $950 million. Further, Quicken Loans has finalized separate terms sheets for two new mortgage loan repurchase facilities for aggregate mortgage loan origination capacity of $2.0 billion. Subject to the negotiation and execution of definitive agreements, we expect these two facilities to be available in the third quarter of 2020. There is no assurance that we will be able to successfully negotiate and execute the definitive documentation for such facilities. We continue to pursue additional loan funding capacity to fund our origination volumes as needed.

        While we appreciate that we are facing an unprecedented set of circumstances today, we believe that we have taken the necessary steps to position the Company for success in both the near term and into the future. We are extremely proud of our team members and what they have

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been able to achieve amidst this challenging environment. We look forward to continuing to serve our clients and helping them through these unprecedented times.

Preliminary Estimated Financials Results as of and for the Three Months and the Six Months Ended June 30, 2020

        Our financial results for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2020 are not yet complete and will not be available until after the completion of this offering. Accordingly, we are presenting certain preliminary estimated unaudited financial results as of and for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2020. The unaudited estimated financial results set forth below are preliminary and subject to revision based upon the completion of our quarter-end financial closing processes as well as the related external review of the results of operations for the three months and the six months ended June 30, 2020. Our estimated financial results are forward-looking statements based solely on information available to us as of the date of this prospectus. As a result, our actual results for the three months and the six months ended June 30, 2020 may differ materially from the preliminary estimated financial results set forth below upon the completion of our financial closing procedures, final adjustments, and other developments that may arise prior to the time our financial results are finalized. You should not place undue reliance on these estimates. The information presented herein should not be considered a substitute for the financial information to be filed with the SEC in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2020 once it becomes available. For additional information, see "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors."

        We had $72.3 billion in originations for the second quarter of 2020, an increase of approximately 40% from originations of $51.7 billion in the first quarter of 2020. Our market share grew by 30% to 8.7% for the six months ended June 30, 2020 from 6.7% for 2019. Additionally, during the second quarter of 2020 we had $92.0 billion of net rate lock volume, an increase of approximately 64% from net rate lock volume of $56.1 billion in the first quarter of 2020. We also organically grew our servicing portfolio by 10% to $378.2 billion and 1.93 million client loans as of June 30, 2020, from $343.6 billion and 1.83 million client loans as of March 31, 2020.

        For the second quarter of 2020, based on preliminary results, we estimate that our total revenue, net was between $4.93 billion and $5.13 billion and net income was between $3.35 billion and $3.55 billion, the midpoint of these ranges representing an approximately $3.66 billion and $3.35 billion increase from the prior quarter, respectively. Over the same time period, Adjusted Revenue was between $5.20 billion and $5.42 billion, Adjusted Net Income was between $2.76 billion and $2.93 billion, and Adjusted EBITDA was between $3.71 billion and $3.95 billion.

        The increases in total revenue, net and net income for the three-months ended June 30, 2020, as compared to the three-months ended March 31, 2020, were driven by an increase in gain on sale margin. Gain on sale margin increased from 3.25% for the three-months ended March 31, 2020 to a preliminary range of 5.10% to 5.25% for the three-months ended June 30, 2020. We believe that the elevated level of gain on sale margin experienced during the second quarter of 2020 was impacted by generally favorable market conditions and the low interest rate environment which led to increased demand for mortgages and capacity constraints in the industry. Increased rate lock volume noted above also contributed to our improved performance. As of the date of this prospectus, we have seen the favorable market conditions continue which has led to continued strong demand and origination volume. We do not know how long these favorable market conditions will continue going forward. There is no assurance that these results are indicative of our results in any future period.

        Our preliminary estimated results contained in this prospectus have been prepared in good faith by, and are the responsibility of, management based upon our internal reporting for the three months and the six months ended June 30, 2020. Ernst & Young LLP has not audited, reviewed, compiled

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or performed any procedures with respect to the following preliminary financial results. Accordingly, Ernst & Young LLP does not express an opinion or any other form of assurance with respect thereto.

        We have presented the following preliminary estimated results as of and for the three months and the six months ended June 30, 2020:

 
  As of June 30,  
 
  2020   2019  
($ in millions)
  Low   High   (Actual)  

Cash and cash equivalents(1)

  $ 1,600   $ 1,800   $ 609  

Funding facilities

  $ 15,600   $ 15,800   $ 7,648  

Other financing facilities & debt

  $ 2,500   $ 2,700   $ 2,570  

Total equity

  $ 5,400   $ 5,600   $ 2,232  

 

 
  For the Three Months
Ended June 30,
  For the Six Months
Ended June 30,
 
 
  2020   2019   2020   2019  
($ in millions)
  (Actual)   (Actual)  

Closed loan origination volume

  $ 72,324   $ 31,961   $ 124,028   $ 54,280  

 

 
  For the Three Months
Ended June 30,
  For the Six Months
Ended June 30,
 
 
  2020   2019   2020   2019  
($ in millions)
  Low   High   (Actual)   Low   High   (Actual)  

Total revenue, net

  $ 4,930   $ 5,130   $ 938   $ 6,300   $ 6,500   $ 1,569  

Net income (loss)

  $ 3,350   $ 3,550   $ (54 ) $ 3,450   $ 3,650   $ (353 )

Adjusted Revenue(2)

  $ 5,195   $ 5,415   $ 1,329   $ 7,310   $ 7,530   $ 2,282  

Adjusted Net Income(2)

  $ 2,760   $ 2,925   $ 260   $ 3,415   $ 3,580   $ 282  

Adjusted EBITDA(2)

  $ 3,710   $ 3,945   $ 396   $ 4,635   $ 4,870   $ 477  

(1)
During the three months ended June 30, 2020, the Company made distributions of $1.6 billion to RHI.

(2)
We define "Adjusted Revenue" as total revenues net of the change in fair value of mortgage servicing rights ("MSRs") due to valuation assumptions. We define "Adjusted Net Income" as tax-effected earnings before stock-based compensation expense and the change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions, and the tax effects of those adjustments. We define "Adjusted EBITDA" as earnings before interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt, income tax, and depreciation and amortization, net of the change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions and stock-based compensation expense. We exclude from each of these non-GAAP revenues the change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions as this represents a non-cash non-realized adjustment to our total revenues, reflecting changes in assumptions including discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, mostly due to changes in market interest rates, which is not indicative of our performance or results of operation. Adjusted EBITDA includes interest expense on funding facilities, which are recorded as a component of 'interest income, net', as these expenses are a direct operating expense driven by loan origination volume. By contrast, interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt is a function of our capital structure and is therefore excluded from Adjusted EBITDA.

For a more specific and thorough discussion on Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA, see "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measures."

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The following table presents a reconciliation of Adjusted Revenue to total revenue, net.
Reconciliation of Adjusted Revenue to Total Revenue, net
  For the Three Months
Ended June 30,
  For the Six Months
Ended June 30,
 
 
  2020   2019   2020   2019  
($ in millions)
  Low   High   (Actual)   Low   High   (Actual)  

Total revenue, net

  $ 4,930   $ 5,130   $ 938   $ 6,300   $ 6,500   $ 1,569  

Change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions(a)

    265     285     391     1,010     1,030     713  

Adjusted Revenue

  $ 5,195   $ 5,415   $ 1,329   $ 7,310   $ 7,530   $ 2,282  

(a)
Reflects changes in assumptions including discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, mostly due to changes in market interest rates.

    The following table presents a reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income to net income attributable to Rocket Companies.

 
  For the Three Months
Ended June 30,
  For the Six Months
Ended June 30,
 
 
  2020   2019   2020   2019  
Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income to Net Income Attributable to Rocket Companies
($ in millions)
  Low   High   (Actual)   Low   High   (Actual)  

Net income (loss) attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 3,350   $ 3,550   $ (54 ) $ 3,450   $ 3,650   $ (353 )

Adjustment to the provision for income tax(a)

    (814 )   (868 )   13     (843 )   (897 )   86  

Tax-effected net income (loss)(a)

    2,536     2,682     (41 )   2,607     2,753     (267 )

Non-cash stock compensation expense

    29     38     8     58     67     17  

Change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions(b)

    265     285     391     1,010     1,030     713  

Tax impact of adjustments(c)

    (70 )   (80 )   (98 )   (260 )   (270 )   (181 )

Adjusted Net Income

  $ 2,760   $ 2,925   $ 260   $ 3,415   $ 3,580   $ 282  

(a)
The Issuer will be subject to U.S. Federal income taxes, in addition to state, local and Canadian taxes with respect to its allocable share of any net taxable income of Holdings. The adjustment to the provision for income tax reflects the effective tax rates below, assuming the Issuer owns 100% of the Holdings Units (as defined below).
 
  For the Three Months
Ended June 30,
  For the Six Months
Ended June 30,
 
 
  2020   2019   2020   2019  

Statutory U.S. Federal Income Tax Rate

    21.00 %   21.00 %   21.00 %   21.00 %

Canadian taxes

    0.01 %   0.01 %   0.01 %   0.01 %

State and Local Income Taxes (net of federal benefit)

    3.76 %   3.76 %   3.76 %   3.76 %

Effective Income Tax Rate

    24.77 %   24.77 %   24.77 %   24.77 %
(b)
Reflects changes in assumptions including discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, mostly due to changes in market interest rates.

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(c)
Tax impact of adjustments gives effect to the income tax related to non-cash stock compensation expense and change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions at the above described effective tax rates for each year.

    The following table presents a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income.

 
  For the Three Months
Ended June 30,
  For the Six Months
Ended June 30,
 
 
  2020   2019   2020   2019  
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income
($ in millions)
  Low   High   (Actual)   Low   High   (Actual)  

Net income (loss)

  $ 3,350   $ 3,550   $ (54 ) $ 3,450   $ 3,650   $ (353 )

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt

    32     34     33     65     68     66  

Income tax provision (benefit)

    19     21         20     22     (1 )

Depreciation and amortization

    15     17     18     32     33     35  

Non-cash stock compensation expense

    29     38     8     58     67     17  

Change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions(a)

    265     285     391     1,010     1,030     713  

Adjusted EBITDA

  $ 3,710   $ 3,945   $ 396   $ 4,635   $ 4,870   $ 477  

(a)
Reflects changes in assumptions including discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, mostly due to changes in market interest rates.


REORGANIZATION TRANSACTIONS

        Prior to the commencement of the reorganization transactions described below and this offering, all of the outstanding equity interests of Quicken Loans, as well as all or a majority of the outstanding equity interests in our other operating subsidiaries, that historically have operated our businesses, were directly or indirectly owned by RHI.

        Prior to the completion of this offering, we will consummate an internal reorganization, which we refer to as the "reorganization transactions." In connection with the reorganization transactions, the following steps have occurred or will occur:

    the Issuer was incorporated in Delaware on February 26, 2020, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of RHI;

    Holdings was formed in Michigan on March 6, 2020, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of RHI;

    Quicken Loans Inc. converted to a Michigan limited liability company on April 15, 2020;

    subsequent to March 31, 2020 and prior to the completion of the reorganization transactions, the Combined Businesses will have made cash distributions to RHI in an aggregate estimated amount of $3,878 million (including $1,618 million on or before June 30, 2020 as referenced above), of which $1,164 million were for the purpose of funding tax obligations (the "Pre-IPO Distributions");

    in July 2020, RHI contributed to Holdings the interests it held in certain of the Combined Businesses;

    in July 2020, Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, contributed $20.0 million to Holdings and became a member of Holdings;

    prior to the completion of this offering, RHI will contribute to Holdings the interests it holds in (a) Quicken Loans, LLC and (b) the remaining Combined Businesses. As a result, Holdings will become the direct holder of the interests of Quicken Loans and of all the Combined

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      Businesses, which are RHI's direct and indirect subsidiaries through which it conducts the following businesses and activities: (i) our title insurance services, property valuations and settlement services business, (ii) our real estate agent network, (iii) our home search website, (iv) our client care center, (v) our auto sales business, (vi) our personal loan business, (vii) our support services provider, (viii) our loan securitization business, (ix) our Canadian mortgage business and (x) our Canadian technology service provider;

    prior to the completion of this offering, the Issuer will become the sole managing member of Holdings;

    prior to the completion of this offering, we will amend the operating agreement of Holdings and provide that, among other things, all of the existing equity interests in Holdings will be reclassified into Holdings' non-voting common interest units, which we refer to as "Holdings Units." Holdings will issue an aggregate of 1,985,479,966 Holdings Units to RHI and Dan Gilbert, which assuming an initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus) is expected to consist of 1,984,534,499 Holdings Units issued to RHI and 945,467 Holdings Units issued to Dan Gilbert;

    prior to the completion of this offering, we will amend and restate our certificate of incorporation and we will be authorized to issue four classes of common stock: Class A common stock, Class B common stock, Class C common stock and Class D common stock, which we refer to collectively as our "common stock." The Class A common stock and Class C common stock will each provide holders with one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, and the Class B common stock and Class D common stock will each provide holders with 10 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. The holders of Class C common stock and Class D common stock will not have any of the economic rights (including rights to dividends and distributions upon liquidation) provided to holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock. These attributes are summarized in the following table:
Class of Common Stock
  Votes   Economic
Rights
Class A common stock     1   Yes
Class B common stock     10   Yes
Class C common stock     1   No
Class D common stock     10   No

      Our certificate of incorporation provides that, at any time when the aggregate voting power of the outstanding common stock or preferred stock beneficially owned by RHI or any entity disregarded as separate from RHI for U.S. federal income tax purposes (the "RHI Securities") would be equal to or greater than 79% of the total voting power of our outstanding stock, the number of votes per share of each RHI Security shall be reduced such that the aggregate voting power of all of the RHI Securities is equal to 79%.

      Shares of our common stock will generally vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders. There will be no shares of Class B common stock and no shares of Class C common stock outstanding after the completion of this offering;

    prior to the completion of this offering, we will issue RHI and Dan Gilbert a number of shares of our Class D common stock in exchange for a payment by RHI and Dan Gilbert, as applicable, of the aggregate par value of the Class D common stock received equal to the number of Holdings Units held by RHI and Dan Gilbert, as applicable;

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    prior to the completion of this offering, each of RHI and Dan Gilbert will be granted the right to exchange its or his Holdings Units, together with a corresponding number of shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock, for, at our option, (i) shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock or (ii) cash from a substantially concurrent public offering or private sale (based on the price of our Class A common stock in such public offering or private sale);

    prior to the completion of this offering, we will issue an aggregate of 322,273 shares of Class A common stock at the purchase price per share equal to the initial public offering price (assuming an initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the number of shares to be issued will equal the purchase price divided by the price to public in this offering)) to Dan Gilbert and certain entities affiliated with Dan Gilbert (the "Gilbert Affiliates"), in exchange for an aggregate of $6.8 million in cash which we will contribute to Holdings for an equal number of Holdings Units; and

    prior to the completion of this offering, we will enter into an acquisition agreement with RHI and its direct subsidiary Amrock Holdings Inc. pursuant to which we will acquire Amrock Title Insurance Company ("ATI"), an entity through which RHI conducts its title insurance underwriting business, for total aggregate consideration of $14.4 million that will consist of 685,714 Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock of RHI valued at the price to the public in this offering (assuming an initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the number of shares to be issued will equal the purchase price divided by the price to public in this offering) (such acquisition, the "ATI acquisition"). ATI's net income for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $4.7 million. The consummation of this acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals. We expect the ATI acquisition will close in the fourth quarter of 2020.

For more information, see "Organizational Structure."

        After the completion of this offering, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus), we intend to use the entire aggregate amount of $3,079 million of the net proceeds from this offering (or $3,541 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and before deducting offering expenses, to acquire a number of Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock from RHI equal to the amount of such net proceeds divided by the price paid by the underwriters for shares of our Class A common stock in this offering (150,000,000 Holdings Units or, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, 172,500,000 Holdings Units). We do not intend to use any proceeds from this offering to acquire any Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock from Dan Gilbert.

        We estimate that the offering expenses (other than the underwriting discounts) will be approximately $14.7 million. All of such offering expenses will be paid for or otherwise borne by Holdings. For more information, see "Use of Proceeds."

        The following diagram depicts our organizational structure following the reorganization transactions, this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering (assuming an initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus) and no exercise of the underwriters' option to

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purchase additional shares). This chart is provided for illustrative purposes only and does not purport to represent all legal entities within our organizational structure(2):

GRAPHIC


(1)
Includes the Combined Businesses other than Quicken Loans, which are our direct and indirect subsidiaries through which we will conduct the following businesses and activities: (i) our title insurance services, property valuations and settlement services business, (ii) our real estate agent network, (iii) our home search website, (iv) our client care center, (v) our auto sales business, (vi) our personal loan business, (vii) our support services provider, (viii) our loan securitization business, (ix) our Canadian mortgage business and (x) our Canadian technology service provider. After the ATI acquisition closes, which we expect to happen in the fourth quarter of 2020, ATI will become one of our subsidiaries through which we will conduct title insurance underwriting business.

(2)
This chart does not depict the shares of Class A Common Stock held by Dan Gilbert and the Gilbert Affiliates. Dan Gilbert and the Gilbert Affiliates, through their ownership of Class A common stock, hold 0.04% of the voting power of, and 0.21% of the economic interest in, the Issuer.

        In connection with the reorganization transactions, we will be appointed as the sole managing member of Holdings pursuant to the operating agreement of Holdings. Because we will manage and operate the business and control the strategic decisions and day-to-day operations of Holdings and will also have a substantial financial interest in Holdings, we will consolidate the financial results of Holdings, and a portion of our net income (loss) will be allocated to the non-controlling interest to reflect the entitlement of RHI and of Dan Gilbert to a portion of Holdings' net income (loss). In addition, because the Combined Businesses will be under the common control of RHI before and after the reorganization transactions, we will account for the reorganization transactions as a reorganization of entities under common control and will initially measure the interests of RHI in the

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assets and liabilities of Holdings at their carrying amounts as of the date of the completion of the reorganization transactions.

        Upon the completion of this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering, assuming no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares (based on an assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus)), we will hold approximately 8% of the outstanding Holdings Units, RHI will hold approximately 92% of the outstanding Holdings Units and approximately 79% of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock, Dan Gilbert will hold approximately 0.05% of the outstanding Holdings Units and approximately 1% of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock, the Gilbert Affiliates will hold approximately 0.04% of the combined voting power of our common stock, and the investors in this offering will hold approximately 20% of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock. See "Organizational Structure," "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions" and "Description of Capital Stock" for more information on the rights associated with our capital stock and the Holdings Units.

        The purchase of Holdings Units (along with corresponding shares of our Class D common stock) from RHI using the net proceeds from this offering, future exchanges by RHI or Dan Gilbert (or its transferees or other assignees) of Holdings Units and corresponding shares of Class D common stock or Class C common stock for shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock, and future purchases of Holdings Units (along with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock) from RHI or Dan Gilbert (or its transferees or other assignees) are expected to produce favorable tax attributes for us. These tax attributes would not be available to us in the absence of those transactions. In connection with the reorganization transactions, we will enter into a tax receivable agreement with RHI and Dan Gilbert that will obligate us to make payments to RHI and Dan Gilbert generally equal to 90% of the applicable cash savings that we actually realize as a result of these tax attributes and tax attributes resulting from payments made under the tax receivable agreement. We will retain the benefit of the remaining 10% of these tax savings. There is a possibility that under certain circumstances not all of the 90% of the applicable cash savings will be paid to the selling or exchanging holder of Holdings Units at the time described above. If we determine that such circumstances apply and all or a portion of such applicable tax savings is in doubt, we will pay to the holders of such Holdings Units the amount attributable to the portion of the applicable tax savings that we determine is not in doubt and pay the remainder at such time as we reasonably determine the actual tax savings or that the amount is no longer in doubt. See "Organizational Structure—Holding Company Structure and Tax Receivable Agreement" and "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Tax Receivable Agreement."


RISK FACTORS

        Participating in this offering involves substantial risk. Our ability to execute our strategy also is subject to certain risks. The risks described under the heading "Risk Factors" immediately following this summary may cause us not to realize the full benefits of our competitive strengths or may cause us to be unable to successfully execute all or part of our strategy. Some of the more significant challenges and risks we face include the following:

    technology disruptions or failures, including a failure in our operational or security systems or infrastructure;

    cyberattacks and other data and security breaches;

    our dependence on macroeconomic and U.S. residential real estate market conditions;

    changes in interest rates and U.S. monetary policies that affect interest rates;

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    our reliance on our loan funding facilities to fund mortgage loans and otherwise operate our business;

    our ability to sell loans in the secondary market to a limited number of investors and to the government sponsored enterprises ("GSEs") (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac), and to securitize our loans into mortgage-backed securities ("MBS") through the GSEs and Ginnie Mae;

    our ability to comply with complex and continuously changing laws and regulations applicable to our business, and to avoid potentially severe sanctions for non-compliance;

    disruptions in the secondary home loan market, including the MBS market;

    changes in the GSEs, U.S. Federal Housing Authority, U.S. Department of Agriculture ("USDA") and U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs ("VA") guidelines or GSE and Ginnie Mae guarantees;

    our ability to maintain or grow our servicing business;

    intense competition in the markets we serve; and

    failure to accurately predict the demand or growth of new financial products and services that we are developing.


OUR PRINCIPAL EQUITYHOLDER

        Following the completion of the reorganization transactions and this offering, RHI will control approximately 79% of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock. As a result, RHI will control any action requiring the general approval of our stockholders, including the election of our board of directors, the adoption of amendments to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and the approval of any merger or sale of substantially all of our assets. Because RHI will control more than 50% of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock, we will be a "controlled company" under the corporate governance rules for Exchange-listed companies. Therefore we will be permitted to, and we intend to, elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements of the Exchange. For more information on the implications of this distinction, see "Risk Factors—Risks Related to This Offering and Our Class A Common Stock," "Management—Controlled Company," and "Principal Stockholders."

        In addition to being our principal stockholder, RHI is the majority stockholder of several other businesses, including a technology services provider (Detroit Labs) and the preeminent online dictionary (Dictionary.com). For more information on RHI, see "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions."

        Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, is the majority stockholder of RHI and serves as the chairman of RHI's board of directors. Dan is passionate about building great American cities and has invested billions of dollars into properties and community programming in Detroit and Cleveland. Dan is also the majority shareholder of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association, the majority shareholder and founder of the real estate investment firm Bedrock and the controlling shareholder and founder of the unicorn online startup StockX. For more information on Dan, see "Management."


CORPORATE INFORMATION

        We were incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware, on February 26, 2020. Our principal executive offices are located at 1050 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226. Our telephone number is (313) 373-7990. Our website is located at ir.rocketcompanies.com. Our website and the information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website will not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in, and are not considered part of, this prospectus. You should not rely on our website or any such information in making your decision whether to purchase shares of our Class A common stock.

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THE OFFERING

Issuer

  Rocket Companies, Inc.

Class A common stock outstanding before this offering

 

322,273 shares.

Class A common stock offered by us

 

150,000,000 shares.

Option to purchase additional shares

 

We have granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 22,500,000 shares of Class A common stock. The underwriters may exercise this option at any time within 30 days from the date of this prospectus. See "Underwriting."

Class A common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering

 

150,322,273 shares (or 172,822,273 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full).

 

If, immediately after this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering, RHI and Dan Gilbert were to elect to exchange all their Holdings Units and corresponding shares of Class D common stock for shares of our Class B common stock and any such shares of our Class B common stock were then converted into shares of Class A common stock, 1,985,802,239 shares of our Class A common stock would be outstanding (8% of which would be owned by non-affiliates of the Company) (or 1,985,802,239 shares (9% of which would be owned by non-affiliates of the Company) if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full).

Class B common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering

 

None.

Class C common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering

 

None.

Class D common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering

 

1,835,479,966 shares. Shares of our Class D common stock have voting but no economic rights (including rights to dividends and distributions upon liquidation) and will be issued to RHI and Dan Gilbert in the reorganization transactions in an amount equal to the number of Holdings Units held by RHI and Dan Gilbert, as applicable. When a Holdings Unit, together with a share of our Class D common stock, is exchanged for a share of our Class B common stock, the corresponding share of our Class D common stock will be cancelled.

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Voting rights

 

Except as described below, each share of our Class A common stock entitles its holder to one vote per share.

 

Except as described below, each share of our Class B common stock entitles its holder to 10 votes per share. No shares of Class B common stock will be issued and outstanding upon the completion of this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering.

 

Except as described below, each share of our Class C common stock entitles its holder to one vote per share. No shares of Class C common stock will be issued and outstanding upon the completion of this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering.

 

Except as described below, each share of our Class D common stock entitles its holder to 10 votes per share.

 

All classes of our common stock with voting rights generally vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders. Upon the completion of this offering, all of our outstanding Class D common stock will be held by RHI and Dan Gilbert. See "Description of Capital Stock.

 

Our certificate of incorporation provides that, at any time when the aggregate voting power of the outstanding common stock or preferred stock beneficially owned by RHI or any entity disregarded as separate from RHI for U.S. federal income tax purposes (the "RHI Securities") would be equal to or greater than 79% of the total voting power of our outstanding stock, the number of votes per share of each RHI Security shall be reduced such that the aggregate voting power of all of the RHI Securities is equal to 79% (such provision, the "Voting Limitation").

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As a result of the Voting Limitation, (a) each outstanding share of Class D common stock held by RHI will initially be entitled to 0.33 votes per share (or 0.38 votes per share if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full), representing an aggregate of 79% of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock upon the completion of this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering; (b) each outstanding share of Class D common stock held by Dan Gilbert will initially be entitled to 10 votes per share, representing an aggregate of 1% of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock upon the completion of this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering (based on an assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus)) and (c) each outstanding share of Class A common stock, including those held by the Gilbert Affiliates, will initially be entitled to one vote per share, representing an aggregate of 20% of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock upon the completion of this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering (based on an assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus)). Without the Voting Limitation, RHI would have approximately 99% of the combined voting power of our common stock.

Exchange and conversion rights

 

Holdings Units, together with a corresponding number of shares of Class D common stock or Class C common stock, may be exchanged for, at our option (as the sole managing member of Holdings), (i) shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock, as applicable, on a one-for-one basis or (ii) cash from a substantially concurrent public offering or private sale (based on the price of our Class A common stock in such public offering or private sale), subject to customary conversion rate adjustments for stock splits, stock dividends and reclassifications.

 

Each share of our Class D common stock is convertible at any time, at the option of the holder, into one share of Class C common stock.

 

Each share of our Class B common stock is convertible at any time, at the option of the holder, into one share of Class A common stock.

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Each share of our Class B common stock and Class D common stock, as applicable, will automatically convert into one share of Class A common stock or Class C common stock, as applicable, (a) immediately prior to any sale or other transfer of such share by a holder of such share, subject to certain limited exceptions, such as transfers to permitted transferees, or (b) if RHI, the direct or indirect equityholders of RHI and their permitted transferees own less than 10% of our issued and outstanding common stock. See "Description of Capital Stock."

Use of proceeds

 

We estimate that our net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $3,079 million (or approximately $3,541 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares), after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions, based on an assumed initial offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus).

 

We intend to use the entire aggregate amount of the net proceeds from this offering to acquire a number of Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock from RHI equal to the amount of such net proceeds divided by the price paid by the underwriters for shares of our Class A common stock in this offering (150,000,000 Holdings Units at the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus or, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, 172,500,000 Holdings Units). We do not intend to use any proceeds from this offering to acquire directly any Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock from Dan Gilbert.

 

We estimate that the offering expenses (other than the underwriting discounts) will be approximately $14.7 million. All of such offering expenses will be paid for or otherwise borne by Holdings.

Controlled company

 

Upon completion of this offering, RHI will continue to beneficially own more than 50% of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock. As a result, we intend to avail ourselves of the "controlled company" exemptions under the rules of the Exchange, including exemptions from certain of the corporate governance listing requirements. See "Management—Controlled Company."

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Dividend policy

 

We do not intend to pay cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. However, we may, in the future, decide to pay dividends on our common stock. Any declaration and payment of future dividends to holders of our common stock may be limited by restrictive covenants in our debt agreements, will be at the sole discretion of our board of directors and will depend on many factors, including our financial condition, earnings, capital requirements, level of indebtedness, statutory and contractual restrictions applicable to the payment of dividends and other considerations that the board of directors deems relevant. See "Dividend Policy."

Listing

 

We intend to list our Class A common stock on the Exchange under the symbol "RKT."

Risk factors

 

You should read the section titled "Risk Factors" and the other information included in this prospectus for a discussion of some of the risks and uncertainties you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in our Class A common stock.

Directed share program

 

At our request, the underwriters have reserved for sale, at the initial public offering price, up to 5% of the Class A common stock for sale to our directors, officers, employees and other individuals associated with us and members of their families. The sales will be made, at our direction, by UBS Financial Services Inc., a selected dealer affiliated with UBS Securities LLC, an underwriter of this offering, through a directed share program. We do not know if these persons will choose to purchase all or any portion of these reserved shares, but any purchases they do make will reduce the number of shares available to the general public. Participants in the directed share program who purchase more than $1,000,000 of shares shall be subject to a 25-day lock-up with respect to any shares sold to them pursuant to that program. This lock-up will have similar restrictions and an identical extension provision to the lock-up agreements described herein. Any shares sold in the directed share program to our directors, executive officers or selling stockholders shall be subject to the lock-up agreements described herein. Any reserved shares of Class A common stock that are not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same terms as the other shares of Class A common stock offered by this prospectus. See "Underwriting—Directed Share Program" for more information.

        Unless we indicate otherwise, the number of shares of our Class A common stock outstanding after this offering excludes:

    an aggregate amount of 37,319,659 shares of Class A common stock we expect to issue pursuant to equity-based awards in connection with this offering under the Rocket

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      Companies, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the "2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan") including 14,520,034 restricted stock units and stock options to purchase 22,799,625 shares of our common stock at an exercise price equal to the price to the public in this offering. The foregoing amounts are based on the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. For more information on the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, see "Executive Compensation;"

    additional shares issuable pursuant to equity-based awards with respect to an aggregate amount of 57,417,183 shares of Class A common stock, that we expect to remain available for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan following the completion of this offering. For more information on the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, see "Executive Compensation;" and

    1,835,479,966 shares of our Class A common stock reserved for issuance upon the exchange of Holdings Units (together with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock) into shares of Class B common stock and the conversion of our Class B common stock into Class A common stock.

        Unless we indicate otherwise, all information in this prospectus assumes (i) that the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase up to 22,500,000 additional shares from us and (ii) an initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus).

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SUMMARY HISTORICAL AND PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED
FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA

        The following tables set forth our summary historical and pro forma condensed combined financial and other data for the periods presented. We were formed as a Delaware corporation on February 26, 2020 and have not, to date, conducted any activities other than those incidental to our formation and the preparation of this prospectus and the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

        The condensed combined statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 and the combined balance sheet data as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 have been derived from the audited combined financial statements of the Combined Businesses included elsewhere in this prospectus. The condensed combined statements of income for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 and the combined balance sheet data as of March 31, 2020 and 2019 have been derived from unaudited condensed combined financial statements of the Combined Businesses also included elsewhere in this prospectus and which, in the opinion of management, include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of the results for the unaudited interim periods.

        The unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of income for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019 gives effect to (i) the reorganization transactions described under "Organizational Structure," (ii) the creation or acquisition of certain tax assets in connection with this offering and the reorganization transactions and the creation of related liabilities in connection with entering into the tax receivable agreement with RHI and Dan Gilbert and (iii) this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering, as if each had occurred on January 1, 2019. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet as of March 31, 2020 gives effect to the three above items as if each had occurred on March 31, 2020. See "Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Information."

        The summary historical and pro forma condensed combined financial and other data presented below do not purport to be indicative of the results that can be expected for any future period and should be read together with "Capitalization," "Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Information," "Selected Historical Combined Financial and Other Data," "Management's

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Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and the combined financial statements and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 
  Pro Forma
Three
Months
Ended
March 31,
2020
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,
   
   
   
   
 
 
  Pro Forma
Year Ended
December 31,
2019
  Year Ended December 31,  
Condensed Statement of Income
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017  

Revenue

                                           

Gain on sale of loans, net

  $ 1,822,109   $ 1,822,109   $ 727,246   $ 4,911,307   $ 4,911,307   $ 2,927,888   $ 3,379,196  

Servicing fee income

    257,093     257,093     224,606     950,221     950,221     820,370     696,639  

Change in fair value of mortgage servicing rights ("MSRs")                    

    (991,252 )   (991,252 )   (475,701 )   (1,596,631 )   (1,596,631 )   (228,723 )   (569,391 )

Interest income, net

    34,583     34,583     23,439     115,834     115,834     101,602     56,609  

Other income

    244,302     244,302     132,182     739,168     739,168     588,412     586,829  

Total revenue, net

    1,366,835     1,366,835     631,772     5,119,899     5,119,899     4,209,549     4,149,882  

Expenses

                                           

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

    724,875     683,450     457,778     2,247,760     2,082,058     1,703,197     1,686,811  

General and administrative expenses

    193,566     193,566     165,839     683,116     683,116     591,372     540,640  

Marketing and advertising expenses

    217,992     217,992     208,897     905,000     905,000     878,027     787,844  

Depreciation and amortization

    16,115     16,115     18,105     74,952     74,952     76,917     68,813  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt

    33,107     33,107     33,082     136,853     136,853     130,022     77,967  

Other expenses

    124,589     124,589     48,420     339,549     339,549     214,754     215,870  

Total expenses

    1,310,244     1,268,819     932,121     4,387,230     4,221,528     3,594,289     3,377,945  

Income (loss) before income tax

    56,591     98,016     (300,349 )   732,669     898,371     615,260     771,937  

(Provision for) benefit from state and local income tax

    (1,069 )   (736 )   1,004     (13,764 )   (5,984 )   (2,643 )   (1,228 )

Net Income (loss)

  $ 55,522   $ 97,280   $ (299,345 ) $ 718,905   $ 892,387   $ 612,617   $ 770,709  

Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest

    (52,274 )   441     327     (677,104 )   1,367     272     (8 )

Net income (loss) attributable to Rocket Companies, Inc. 

  $ 3,248   $ 97,721   $ (299,018 ) $ 41,801   $ 893,754   $ 612,889   $ 770,701  

 

 
  Pro Forma
as of
March 31,
2020
  As of March 31,   As of December 31,  
Condensed Balance Sheet Data
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017  

Assets

                                     

Cash and cash equivalents                   

  $ 1,115,459   $ 2,250,627   $ 149,073   $ 1,350,972   $ 1,053,884   $ 1,417,847  

Mortgage loans held for sale, at fair value

    12,843,384     12,843,384     7,328,466     13,275,735     5,784,812     7,175,947  

Interest rate lock commitments, at fair value

    1,214,865     1,214,865     372,105     508,135     245,663     250,700  

Mortgage servicing rights, at fair value

    2,170,638     2,170,638     3,001,501     2,874,972     3,180,530     2,450,081  

Other assets

    3,783,900     2,839,405     1,744,830     2,067,513     1,288,557     2,006,842  

Total assets

  $ 21,128,246   $ 21,318,919   $ 12,595,975   $ 20,077,327   $ 11,553,446   $ 13,301,417  

Liabilities and equity

                                     

Funding facilities

  $ 11,423,124   $ 11,423,124   $ 6,249,132   $ 12,041,878   $ 5,076,604   $ 6,120,784  

Other financing facilities & debt

    3,496,878     3,496,878     2,472,880     2,595,038     2,483,255     2,401,055  

Other liabilities

    6,367,921     2,749,498     1,596,494     1,937,489     1,212,691     1,942,791  

Total liabilities

    21,287,923     17,669,500     10,318,506     16,574,405     8,772,550     10,464,630  

Total equity

  $ (159,677 ) $ 3,649,419   $ 2,277,469   $ 3,502,922   $ 2,780,896   $ 2,836,787  

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Table of Contents

 

 
  Pro Forma
Three
Months
Ended
March 31,
2020
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,
   
   
   
   
 
 
  Pro Forma
Year Ended
December 31,
2019
  Year Ended December 31,  
Non-GAAP measures and Other Data
(Units and $ in thousands)
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017  

Non-GAAP measures

                                           

Adjusted Revenue(1)

  $ 2,110,162   $ 2,110,162   $ 952,751   $ 5,909,800   $ 5,909,800   $ 3,882,912   $ 4,231,219  

Adjusted Net Income(1)

  $ 655,135   $ 655,135   $ 22,165   $ 1,300,984   $ 1,300,984   $ 243,672   $ 552,789  

Adjusted EBITDA(1)

  $ 919,623   $ 919,623   $ 80,323   $ 1,939,780   $ 1,939,780   $ 529,198   $ 1,032,952  

Rocket Mortgage Loan Production Data(2)

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Closed loan origination volume

  $ 51,703,832   $ 51,703,832   $ 22,318,791   $ 145,179,577   $ 145,179,577   $ 83,121,668   $ 85,541,358  

Direct to Consumer origination volume

   
31,759,729
   
31,759,729
   
15,417,737
   
92,476,450
   
92,476,450
   
64,152,307
   
70,938,189
 

Partner Network origination volume

   
19,944,103
   
19,944,103
   
6,901,054
   
52,703,127
   
52,703,127
   
18,969,361
   
14,603,169
 

Total market share

    9.2 %   9.2 %   6.9 %   6.7 %   6.7 %   5.0 %   5.0 %

Gain on sale margin(3)

    3.25 %   3.25 %   2.64 %   3.19 %   3.19 %   3.55 %   3.97 %

Servicing Portfolio Data

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Total serviced unpaid principal balance ("UPB") (includes subserviced)

 
$

343,589,601
 
$

343,589,601
 
$

324,423,525
 
$

338,639,281
 
$

338,639,281
 
$

314,735,582
 
$

279,059,691
 

Total loans serviced (includes subserviced)

    1,827.8     1,827.80     1,770.00     1,802.2     1,802.2     1,726.0     1,546.5  

MSR fair value multiple – period end(4)

   
2.19
   
2.19
   
3.35
   
3.01
   
3.01
   
3.80
   
3.43
 

Total serviced delinquency rate (60+days) – period end

    0.92 %   0.92 %   0.74 %   1.01 %   1.01 %   0.74 %   1.47 %

Other Rocket Companies

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Amrock gross revenue

    N/A     N/A     N/A   $ 558,622   $ 558,622   $ 407,076   $ 480,758  

Amrock settlement transactions

    165.9     165.9     73.9     449.9     444.9     315.3     388.5  

Rocket Homes gross revenue

    N/A     N/A     N/A   $ 43,068   $ 43,068   $ 35,576   $ 33,490  

Rocket Homes real estate transactions

    6.0     6.0     6.1     30.3     30.3     21.9     20.0  

Rockethomes.com average unique monthly users

   
271.3
   
271.3
   
30.0
   
180.0
   
180.0
   
17.1
   
N/A
 

Rocket Loans gross revenue

   
N/A
   
N/A
   
N/A
 
$

24,751
 
$

24,751
 
$

17,482
 
$

8,821
 

Rocket Loans closed units

   
4.0
   
4.0
   
4.4
   
25.7
   
25.7
   
19.6
   
11.6
 

Rock Connections gross revenue

   
N/A
   
N/A
   
N/A
 
$

114,052
 
$

114,052
 
$

109,246
 
$

74,717
 

Rocket Auto car sales

    8.3     8.3     3.6     20.0     20.0     9.7     0.1  

Core Digital Media gross revenue

   
N/A
   
N/A
   
N/A
 
$

237,239
 
$

237,239
 
$

204,989
 
$

95,326
 

Core Digital Media client inquiries generated

   
1,416.33
   
1,416.33
   
1,736.41
   
5,970.68
   
5,970.68
   
6,710.60
   
5,814.63
 

Total Other Rocket Companies gross revenue

  $ 302,643   $ 302,643   $ 199,979   $ 977,732   $ 977,732   $ 774,369   $ 693,112  

Total Other Rocket Companies net revenue(5)

  $ 225,783   $ 225,783   $ 125,103   $ 689,490   $ 689,490   $ 558,534   $ 577,640  

(1)
We define "Adjusted Revenue" as total revenues net of the change in fair value of mortgage servicing rights ("MSRs") due to valuation assumptions. We define "Adjusted Net Income" as tax-effected earnings before stock-based compensation expense and the change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions, and the tax effects of those adjustments. We define "Adjusted EBITDA" as earnings before interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt, income tax, and depreciation and amortization, net of the change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions and stock-based compensation expense. We exclude from each of these non-GAAP revenues the change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions as this represents a non-cash non-realized adjustment to our total revenues, reflecting changes in assumptions including discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, mostly due to changes in market interest rates, which is not indicative of our performance or results of operation. Adjusted EBITDA includes interest expense on funding facilities, which are recorded as a component of "interest income, net", as these expenses are a direct operating expense driven by loan origination volume. By contrast, interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt is a function of our capital structure and is therefore excluded from Adjusted EBITDA.


For a more specific and thorough discussion on Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA, see "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measures."

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Table of Contents


The following table presents a reconciliation of Adjusted Revenue to total revenue, net.
 
  Pro Forma
Three
Months
Ended
March 31,
2020
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
  Three Months
Ended March 31,
   
   
   
   
 
 
  Pro Forma
Year Ended
December 31,
2019
  Year Ended December 31,  
Reconciliation of Adjusted Revenue to Total Revenue, net
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017  

Total revenue, net

  $ 1,366,835   $ 1,366,835   $ 631,772   $ 5,119,899   $ 5,119,899   $ 4,209,549   $ 4,149,882  

Change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions(a)

    743,327     743,327     320,979     789,901     789,901     (326,637 )   81,337  

Adjusted Revenue

  $ 2,110,162   $ 2,110,162   $ 952,751   $ 5,909,800   $ 5,909,800   $ 3,882,912   $ 4,231,219  

(a)
Reflects changes in assumptions including discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, mostly due to changes in market interest rates.

    The following table presents a reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income to net income attributable to Rocket Companies.

 
  Pro Forma
Three
Months
Ended
March 31,
2020
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
  Three Months
Ended March 31,
   
   
   
   
 
 
  Pro Forma
Year Ended
December 31,
2019
  Year Ended December 31,  
Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income to Net Income Attributable to Rocket Companies
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017  

Net income (loss) attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 3,248   $ 97,721   $ (299,018 ) $ 41,801   $ 893,754   $ 612,889   $ 770,701  

Net income impact from pro forma conversion of Class D common shares to Class A common shares(a)

    39,658             510,414              

Adjustment to the (provision for) benefit from income tax(b)

        (23,652 )   73,311         (216,881 )   (147,855 )   (289,172 )

Tax-effected net income (loss)(b)

  $ 42,906   $ 74,069   $ (225,707 ) $ 552,215   $ 676,873   $ 465,034   $ 481,529  

Non-cash stock compensation expense

    70,483     29,058     8,506     205,405     39,703     33,636     32,898  

Change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions(c)

    743,327     743,327     320,979     789,901     789,901     (326,637 )   81,337  

Tax impact of adjustments(d)

    (201,581 )   (191,319 )   (81,613 )   (246,537 )   (205,493 )   71,639     (42,975 )

Adjusted Net Income

  $ 655,135   $ 655,135   $ 22,165   $ 1,300,984   $ 1,300,984   $ 243,672   $ 552,789  

(a)
Reflects net income to Class A common stock from pro forma exchange of all of the Holding Units and corresponding shares of our Class D common shares held by RHI and Dan Gilbert immediately prior to this offering.

(b)
The Issuer will be subject to U.S. Federal income taxes, in addition to state, local and Canadian taxes with respect to its allocable share of any net taxable income of Holdings. The adjustment to the provision for income tax reflects the effective tax rates below, assuming the Issuer owns 100% of the Holdings Units.
 
  March 31,   December 31,  
 
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017  

Statutory U.S. Federal Income Tax Rate

    21.00 %   21.00 %   21.0 %   21.0 %   35.0 %

Canadian taxes

    0.01 %   0.01 %   0.01 %   0.01 %   0.01 %

State and Local Income Taxes (net of federal benefit)

    3.76 %   3.76 %   3.76 %   3.44 %   2.61 %

Effective Income Tax Rate

    24.77 %   24.77 %   24.77 %   24.45 %   37.62 %
(c)
Reflects changes in assumptions including discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, mostly due to changes in market interest rates.

(d)
Tax impact of adjustments gives effect to the income tax related to non-cash stock compensation expense and change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions at the above described effective tax rates for each year.

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Table of Contents

    The following table presents a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income.

 
  Pro Forma
Three
Months
Ended
March 31,
2020
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
  Three Months Ended March 31,    
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
  Pro Forma
Year Ended
December 31,
2019
  Year Ended December 31,  
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017   2016   2015  

Net income (loss)

  $ 55,522   $ 97,280   $ (299,345 ) $ 718,905   $ 892,387   $ 612,617   $ 770,709   $ 1,808,084   $ 1,275,071  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt

    33,107     33,107     33,082     136,853     136,853     130,022     77,967     74,716     49,521  

Income tax provision (benefit)

    1,069     736     (1,004 )   13,764     5,984     2,643     1,228     10,104     (3,888 )

Depreciation and amortization

    16,115     16,115     18,105     74,952     74,952     76,917     68,813     61,935     50,969  

Non-cash stock compensation expense

    70,483     29,058     8,506     205,405     39,703     33,636     32,898     974     104,042  

Change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions(a)

    743,327     743,327     320,979     789,901     789,901     (326,637 )   81,337     (201,513 )   (35,495 )

Adjusted EBITDA

  $ 919,623   $ 919,623   $ 80,323   $ 1,939,780   $ 1,939,780   $ 529,198   $ 1,032,952   $ 1,754,300   $ 1,440,220  

(a)
Reflects changes in assumptions including discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, mostly due to changes in market interest rates.
(2)
Rocket Mortgage origination volume, market share, and margins exclude all reverse mortgage activity.

(3)
Gain on sale margin is the gain on sale of loans, net divided by net rate lock volume for the period, excluding all reverse mortgage activity. Gain on sale of loans, net includes the net gain on sale of loans, fair value of originated MSRs and fair value adjustment on loans held for sale.

(4)
MSR fair market value multiple is a metric used to determine the relative value of the MSR asset in relation to the annualized retained servicing fee, which is the cash that the holder of the MSR asset would receive from the portfolio as of such date. It is calculated as the quotient of (a) the MSR fair market value as of a specified date divided by (b) the weighted average annualized retained servicing fee for our MSR portfolio as of such date. The weighted average annualized retained servicing fee for our MSR portfolio was 0.310% and 0.293% for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and 0.307%, 0.283%, and 0.277% for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The vast majority of our portfolio consists of originated MSRs and consequently, purchased MSRs do not have a material impact on our weighted average service fee.

(5)
Net revenue presented above is calculated as gross revenues less intercompany revenue eliminations. A significant portion of the other Rocket Companies revenues is generated through intercompany transactions. These intercompany transactions take place with entities that are part of our ecosystem. Consequently, we view gross revenue of individual other Rocket Companies as a key performance indicator, and we consider net revenue of other Rocket Companies on a combined basis.

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RISK FACTORS

        Investing in our Class A common stock involves substantial risks. In addition to the other information in this prospectus, you should carefully consider the following factors before investing in our Class A common stock. Any of the risk factors we describe below could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. The market price of our Class A common stock could decline if one or more of these risks or uncertainties develop into actual events, causing you to lose all or part of your investment. While we believe these risks and uncertainties are especially important for you to consider, we may face other risks and uncertainties that could have a material adverse effect on our business. Certain statements contained in the risk factors described below are forward-looking statements. See "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" for more information.


Risks Related to Our Business

The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique challenges to our business and the effects of the pandemic could adversely impact our ability to originate mortgages, our servicing operations, our liquidity and our employees.

        The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and continues to have, a significant impact on the national economy and the communities in which we operate. While the pandemic's effect on the macroeconomic environment has yet to be fully determined and could continue for months or years, we expect that the pandemic and governmental programs created as a response to the pandemic, will affect the core aspects of our business, including the origination of mortgages, our servicing operations, our liquidity and our employees. Such effects, if they continue for a prolonged period, may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operation.

        We expect that the COVID-19 pandemic may impact our origination of mortgages. In response to the pandemic, many state and local governments have issued shelter-in-place orders. The scope of the orders varies by locality, and the duration of these orders is currently unknown. While the origination of a mortgage is permitted under most shelter-in-place orders as an essential service, the restrictions have slowed our business operations that depend on third parties such as appraisers, closing agents and others for loan related verifications. Additionally, home sales have slowed, and future growth is uncertain. If the COVID-19 pandemic leads to a prolonged economic downturn with sustained high unemployment rates, we anticipate that real estate transactions will continue to decrease. Any such slowdown may materially decrease the number and volume of mortgages we originate.

        The COVID-19 pandemic is also affecting our servicing operations. As part of the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CARES Act allows borrowers to request a mortgage forbearance. Nevertheless, servicers of mortgage loans are contractually bound to advance monthly payments to investors, insurers and taxing authorities regardless of whether the borrower actually makes those payments. We expect, however, that such payments may continue to increase throughout the duration of the pandemic. While Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac recently issued guidance limiting the number of payments a servicer must advance in the case of a forbearance, we expect that a borrower who has experienced a loss of employment or a reduction of income may not repay the forborne payments at the end of the forbearance period. Additionally, we are prohibited from collecting certain servicing related fees, such as late fees, and initiating foreclosure proceedings. We have so far successfully utilized prepayments and mortgage payoffs from other clients to fund principal and interest advances relating to forborne loans, and have not advanced any principal or interest associated with forbearances. But, there is no assurance that we will be successful in doing so in the coming months and we will ultimately have to replace such funds to make payments in respect of such prepayments and mortgage payoffs. As a result, we may have to

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Table of Contents

use our cash, including borrowings under our debt agreements, to make the payments required under our servicing operation.

        Our liquidity may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We fund substantially all of the mortgage loans we close through borrowings under our loan funding facilities. Given the broad impact of COVID-19 on the financial markets, our future ability to borrow money to fund our current and future loan production is unknown. Our mortgage origination liquidity could also be affected as our lenders reassess their exposure to the mortgage origination industry and either curtail access to uncommitted mortgage warehouse financing capacity or impose higher costs to access such capacity. Our liquidity may be further constrained as there may be less demand by investors to acquire our mortgage loans in the secondary market. Even if such demand exists, we face a substantially higher repurchase risk as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic stemming from our clients inability to repay the underlying loans.

        We also expect that the COVID-19 pandemic may affect the productivity of our team members. As a result of the pandemic, in March, we transitioned to a remote working environment for over 98% of our team members. While our team members have transitioned well to working from home, over time such remote operations may decrease the cohesiveness of our teams and our ability to maintain our culture, both of which are integral to our success. Additionally, a remote working environment may impede our ability to undertake new business projects, to foster a creative environment, to hire new team members and to retain existing team members.

Technology disruptions or failures, including a failure in our operational or security systems or infrastructure, or those of third parties with whom we do business, could disrupt our business, cause legal or reputational harm and adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.

        We are dependent on the secure, efficient, and uninterrupted operation of our technology infrastructure, including computer systems, related software applications and data centers, as well as those of certain third parties and affiliates. Our websites and computer/telecommunication networks must accommodate a high volume of traffic and deliver frequently updated information, the accuracy and timeliness of which is critical to our business. Our technology must be able to facilitate a loan application experience that equals or exceeds the experience provided by our competitors. We have or may in the future experience service disruptions and failures caused by system or software failure, fire, power loss, telecommunications failures, team member misconduct, human error, computer hackers, computer viruses and disabling devices, malicious or destructive code, denial of service or information, as well as natural disasters, health pandemics and other similar events and our disaster recovery planning may not be sufficient for all situations. This is especially applicable in the current response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift we have experienced in having most of our team members work from their homes for the time being, as our team members access our secure networks through their home networks. The implementation of technology changes and upgrades to maintain current and integrate new technology systems may also cause service interruptions. Any such disruption could interrupt or delay our ability to provide services to our clients and loan applicants, and could also impair the ability of third parties to provide critical services to us.

        Additionally, the technology and other controls and processes we have created to help us identify misrepresented information in our loan origination operations were designed to obtain reasonable, not absolute, assurance that such information is identified and addressed appropriately. Accordingly, such controls may not have detected, and may fail in the future to detect, all misrepresented information in our loan origination operations. If our operations are disrupted or otherwise negatively affected by a technology disruption or failure, this could result in client dissatisfaction and damage to our reputation and brand, and material adverse impacts on our business. We do not carry business interruption insurance sufficient to compensate us for all losses

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Table of Contents

that may result from interruptions in our service as a result of systems disruptions, failures and similar events.

The success and growth of our business will depend upon our ability to adapt to and implement technological changes.

        We operate in an industry experiencing rapid technological change and frequent product introductions. We rely on our proprietary technology to make our platform available to clients, evaluate loan applicants and service loans. In addition, we may increasingly rely on technological innovation as we introduce new products, expand our current products into new markets and continue to streamline various loan-related and lending processes. The process of developing new technologies and products is complex, and if we are unable to successfully innovate and continue to deliver a superior client experience, the demand for our products and services may decrease and our growth and operations may be harmed.

        The origination process is increasingly dependent on technology, and our business relies on our continued ability to process loan applications over the internet, accept electronic signatures, provide instant process status updates and other client- and loan applicant-expected conveniences. Maintaining and improving this technology will require significant capital expenditures.

        Our dedication to incorporating technological advancements into our loan origination and servicing platforms requires significant financial and personnel resources. To the extent we are dependent on any particular technology or technological solution, we may be harmed if such technology or technological solution becomes non-compliant with existing industry standards, fails to meet or exceed the capabilities of our competitors' equivalent technologies or technological solutions, becomes increasingly expensive to service, retain and update, becomes subject to third-party claims of intellectual property infringement, misappropriation or other violation, or malfunctions or functions in a way we did not anticipate that results in loan defects potentially requiring repurchase. Additionally, new technologies and technological solutions are continually being released. As such, it is difficult to predict the problems we may encounter in improving our websites' and other technologies' functionality.

        To operate our websites and apps, and provide our loan products and services, we use software packages from a variety of third parties, which are customized and integrated with code that we have developed ourselves. We rely on third-party software products and services related to automated underwriting functions, loan document production and loan servicing. If we are unable to integrate this software in a fully functional manner, we may experience increased costs and difficulties that could delay or prevent the successful development, introduction or marketing of new products and services.

        There is no assurance that we will be able to successfully adopt new technology as critical systems and applications become obsolete and better ones become available. Additionally, if we fail to develop our websites and other technologies to respond to technological developments and changing client and loan applicant needs in a cost-effective manner, or fail to acquire, integrate or interface with third-party technologies effectively, we may experience disruptions in our operations, lose market share or incur substantial costs.

We are reliant on internet search engines and app market places to connect with consumers, and limitations on our ability to obtain new clients through those channels could adversely affect our business.

        We rely on our ability to attract online consumers to our websites and web-centers and convert them into loan applicants and clients in a cost-effective manner. We depend, in part, on search engines and other online sources for our website traffic. We are included in search results as a

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result of both paid search listings, where we purchase specific search terms that will result in the inclusion of our listing, and unpaid or algorithmic searches, which depend upon the searchable content on our sites. We devote significant time and resources to digital marketing initiatives, such as search engine optimization, to improve our search result rankings and increase visits to our sites. These marketing efforts may prove unsuccessful due to a variety of factors, including increased costs to use online advertising platforms, ineffective campaigns and increased competition, as well as certain factors not within our control, such as a change to the search engine ranking algorithm.

        Our internet marketing efforts depend on data signals from user activity on websites and services that we do not control, and changes to the regulatory environment (including the California Consumer Protection Act), third-party mobile operating systems and browsers have impacted, and will continue to impact, the availability of such signals, which may adversely affect our digital marketing efforts. In particular, mobile operating system and browser providers, such as Apple and Google, have announced product changes as well as future plans to limit the ability of application developers to use these signals to target and measure advertising on their platforms. These developments have previously limited and are expected to limit our ability to target our marketing efforts, and any additional loss of such signals in the future will adversely affect our targeting capabilities and our marketing efforts.

        We also rely on app marketplaces like Apple's App Store and Google Play to connect users with our apps. These marketplaces may change in a way that negatively affects the prominence of or ease with which users can access our apps. If one or more of the search engines, app marketplaces or other online sources were to change in a way that adversely impacted our ability to connect with consumers, our business could suffer.

Cyberattacks and other data and security breaches could result in serious harm to our reputation and adversely affect our business.

        We are dependent on information technology networks and systems, including the internet, to securely collect, process, transmit and store electronic information. In the ordinary course of our business, we receive, process, retain and transmit proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data, including the public and non-public personal information of our team members, clients and loan applicants. Despite devoting significant time and resources to ensure the integrity of our information technology systems, we have not always been able to, and may not be able to in the future, anticipate or implement effective preventive measures against all security breaches or unauthorized access of our information technology systems or the information technology systems of third-party vendors that receive, process, retain and transmit electronic information on our behalf.

        Security breaches, acts of vandalism, natural disasters, fire, power loss, telecommunication failures, team member misconduct, human error and developments in computer intrusion capabilities could result in a compromise or breach of the technology that we or our third-party vendors use to collect, process, retain, transmit and protect the personal information and transaction data of our team members, clients and loan applicants. Similar events outside of our control can also affect the demands we and our vendors may make to respond to any security breaches or similar disruptive events. We invest in industry-standard security technology designed to protect our data and business processes against risk of a data security breach and cyberattack. Our data security management program includes identity, trust, vulnerability and threat management business processes as well as the adoption of standard data protection policies. We measure our data security effectiveness through industry-accepted methods and remediate significant findings. The technology and other controls and processes designed to secure our team member, client and loan applicant information and to prevent, detect and remedy any unauthorized access to that information were designed to obtain reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that such information is secure and that any unauthorized access is identified and addressed appropriately. Such controls have not

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always detected, and may in the future fail to prevent or detect, unauthorized access to our team member, client and loan applicant information.

        The techniques used to obtain unauthorized, improper or illegal access to our systems and those of our third-party vendors, our data, our team members', clients' and loan applicants' data or to disable, degrade or sabotage service are constantly evolving, and have become increasingly complex and sophisticated. Furthermore, such techniques change frequently and are often not recognized or detected until after they have been launched, and therefore, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques and may not become aware in a timely manner of such a security breach, which could exacerbate any damage we experience. Security attacks can originate from a wide variety of sources, including third parties such as computer hackers, persons involved with organized crime or associated with external service providers, or foreign state or foreign state-supported actors. Those parties may also attempt to fraudulently induce team members, clients and loan applicants or other users of our systems to disclose sensitive information in order to gain access to our data or that of our team members, clients and loan applicants.

        Cybersecurity risks for lenders have significantly increased in recent years, in part, because of the proliferation of new technologies, the use of the internet and telecommunications technologies to conduct financial transactions, and the increased sophistication and activities of computer hackers, organized crime, terrorists, and other external parties, including foreign state actors. We, our clients and loan applicants, regulators and other third parties have been subject to, and are likely to continue to be the target of, cyberattacks. These cyberattacks could include computer viruses, malicious or destructive code, phishing attacks, denial of service or information, improper access by team members or third-party vendors or other security breaches that have or could in the future result in the unauthorized release, gathering, monitoring, misuse, loss or destruction of confidential, proprietary and other information of ours, our team members, our clients and loan applicants or of third parties, or otherwise materially disrupt our or our clients' and loan applicants' or other third parties' network access or business operations.

        Additionally, cyberattacks on local and state government databases and offices, including the rising trend of ransomware attacks, expose us to the risk of losing access to critical data and the ability to provide services to our clients. These attacks can cause havoc and have at times led title insurance underwriters to prohibit us from issuing policies, and to suspend closings, on properties located in the affected counties or states.

        Any penetration of our or our third-party vendors' information technology systems, network security, mobile devices or other misappropriation or misuse of personal information of our team members, clients or loan applicants, including wire fraud, phishing attacks and business e-mail compromise, could cause interruptions in the operations of our businesses, financial loss to our clients or loan applicants, damage to our computers or operating systems and to those of our clients, loan applicants and counterparties, and subject us to increased costs, litigation, disputes, damages, and other liabilities. In addition, the foregoing events could result in violations of applicable privacy and other laws. If this information is inappropriately accessed and used by a third party or a team member for illegal purposes, such as identity theft, we may be responsible to the affected individuals for any losses they may have incurred as a result of misappropriation. In such an instance, we may also be subject to regulatory action, investigation or liable to a governmental authority for fines or penalties associated with a lapse in the integrity and security of our team members', clients' and loan applicants' information. We may be required to expend significant capital and other resources to protect against and remedy any potential or existing security breaches and their consequences. In addition, our remediation efforts may not be successful and we may not have adequate insurance to cover these losses.

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        Security breaches could also significantly damage our reputation with existing and prospective clients and third parties with whom we do business. Any publicized security problems affecting our businesses and/or those of such third parties may negatively impact the market perception of our products and discourage clients from doing business with us. These risks may increase in the future as we continue to increase our reliance on the internet and use of web-based product offerings and on the use of cybersecurity.

We may not be able to make technological improvements as quickly as demanded by our clients, which could harm our ability to attract clients and adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity.

        The financial services industry is undergoing rapid technological changes, with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services. The effective use of technology increases efficiency and enables financial and lending institutions to better serve clients and reduce costs. Our future success will depend, in part, upon our ability to address the needs of our clients by using technology, such as mobile and online services, to provide products and services that will satisfy client demands for convenience, as well as to create additional efficiencies in our operations. We may not be able to effectively implement new technology-driven products and services as quickly as competitors or be successful in marketing these products and services to our clients. Failure to successfully keep pace with technological change affecting the financial services industry could harm our ability to attract clients and adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity.

Our products use software, hardware and services that may be difficult to replace or cause errors or failures of our products that could adversely affect our business.

        In addition to our proprietary software, we license third-party software, utilize third-party hardware and depend on services from various third parties for use in our products. In the future, this software or these services may not be available to us on commercially reasonable terms, or at all. Any loss of the right to use any of the software or services could result in decreased functionality of our products until equivalent technology is either developed by us or, if available from another provider, is identified, obtained and integrated, which could adversely affect our business. In addition, any errors or defects in or failures of the software or services we rely on, whether maintained by us or by third parties, could result in errors or defects in our products or cause our products to fail, which could adversely affect our business and be costly to correct. Many of our third-party providers attempt to impose limitations on their liability for such errors, defects or failures, and if enforceable, we may have additional liability to our clients or to other third parties that could harm our reputation and increase our operating costs. We will need to maintain our relationships with third-party software and service providers and to obtain software and services from such providers that do not contain any errors or defects. Any failure to do so could adversely affect our ability to deliver effective products to our clients and loan applicants and adversely affect our business.

Some aspects of our platform include open source software, and any failure to comply with the terms of one or more of these open source licenses could adversely affect our business.

        Aspects of our platform incorporate software covered by open source licenses, which may include, by way of example, the GNU General Public License and the Apache License. The terms of various open source licenses have not been interpreted by U.S. courts, and there is a risk that such licenses could be construed in a manner that limits our use of the software, inhibits certain aspects of the platform or otherwise adversely affects our business operations. We may also face claims from others claiming ownership of, or seeking to enforce the terms of, an open source license,

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including by demanding release of the open source software, derivative works or our proprietary source code that was developed using such software. These claims could also result in litigation, require us to purchase a costly license or require us to devote additional research and development resources to change our software, any of which could adversely affect our business.

        Some open source licenses subject licensees to certain conditions, including requiring licensees to make available source code for modifications or derivative works created based upon the type of open source software used for no or reduced cost, or to license the products that use open source software under terms that allow reverse engineering, reverse assembly or disassembly. If portions of our proprietary software are determined to be subject to an open source license, or if the license terms for the open source software that we incorporate change, we could be required to publicly release the affected portions of our source code, re-engineer all or a portion of our platform or otherwise change our business activities, each of which could reduce or eliminate the value of our platform and products and services. In addition to risks related to license requirements, the use of open source software can lead to greater risks than the use of third-party commercial software because open source licensors generally make their open source software available "as-is" and do not provide indemnities, warranties or controls on the origin of the software. Many of the risks associated with the use of open source software cannot be eliminated, and could adversely affect our business.

We could be adversely affected if we inadequately obtain, maintain, protect and enforce our intellectual property and proprietary rights and may encounter disputes from time to time relating to our use of the intellectual property of third parties.

        Trademarks and other intellectual property and proprietary rights are important to our success and our competitive position. We rely on a combination of trademarks, service marks, copyrights, patents, trade secrets and domain names, as well as confidentiality procedures and contractual provisions to protect our intellectual property and proprietary rights. Despite these measures, third parties may attempt to disclose, obtain, copy or use intellectual property rights owned or licensed by us and these measures may not prevent misappropriation, infringement, reverse engineering or other violation of intellectual property or proprietary rights owned or licensed by us, particularly in foreign countries where laws or enforcement practices may not protect our proprietary rights as fully as in the United States. Furthermore, confidentiality procedures and contractual provisions can be difficult to enforce and, even if successfully enforced, may not be entirely effective. In addition, we cannot guarantee that we have entered into confidentiality agreements with all team members, partners, independent contractors or consultants that have or may have had access to our trade secrets and other proprietary information. Any issued or registered intellectual property rights owned by or licensed to us may be challenged, invalidated, held unenforceable or circumvented in litigation or other proceedings, including re-examination, inter partes review, post-grant review, interference and derivation proceedings and equivalent proceedings in foreign jurisdictions (e.g., opposition proceedings), and such intellectual property rights may be lost or no longer provide us meaningful competitive advantages. Third parties may also independently develop products, services and technology similar to or duplicative of our products and services.

        In order to protect our intellectual property rights, we may be required to spend significant resources. Litigation brought to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights could be costly, time consuming and could result in the diversion of time and attention of our management team and could result in the impairment or loss of portions of our intellectual property. Furthermore, attempts to enforce our intellectual property rights against third parties could also provoke these third parties to assert their own intellectual property or other rights against us, or result in a holding that invalidates or narrows the scope of our rights, in whole or in part. Our failure to secure, maintain,

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protect and enforce our intellectual property rights could adversely affect our brands and adversely impact our business.

        Our success and ability to compete also depends in part on our ability to operate without infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating the intellectual property or proprietary rights of third parties. We have encountered, and may in the future encounter, disputes from time to time concerning intellectual property rights of others, including our competitors, and we may not prevail in these disputes. Third parties may raise claims against us alleging an infringement, misappropriation or other violation of their intellectual property rights, including trademarks, copyrights, patents, trade secrets or other intellectual property or proprietary rights. Some third-party intellectual property rights may be extremely broad, and it may not be possible for us to conduct our operations in such a way as to avoid all alleged infringements, misappropriations or other violations of such intellectual property rights. In addition, former employers of our current, former or future team members may assert claims that such team members have improperly disclosed to us the confidential or proprietary information of these former employers. The resolution of any such disputes or litigations is difficult to predict. Future litigation may also involve non-practicing entities or other intellectual property owners who have no relevant product offerings or revenue and against whom our ownership of intellectual property may therefore provide little or no deterrence or protection. An assertion of an intellectual property infringement, misappropriation or other violation claim against us may result in adverse judgments, settlement on unfavorable terms or cause us to spend significant amounts to defend the claim, even if we ultimately prevail and we may have to pay significant money damages, lose significant revenues, be prohibited from using the relevant systems, processes, technologies or other intellectual property (temporarily or permanently), cease offering certain products or services, or incur significant license, royalty or technology development expenses. Even in instances where we believe that claims and allegations of intellectual property infringement, misappropriation or other violation against us are without merit, defending against such claims could be costly, time consuming and could result in the diversion of time and attention of our management team. In addition, although in some cases a third party may have agreed to indemnify us for such infringement, misappropriation or other violation, such indemnifying party may refuse or be unable to uphold its contractual obligations. In other cases, our insurance may not cover potential claims of this type adequately or at all, and we may be required to pay monetary damages, which may be significant.

Our subsidiary, Quicken Loans, is party to a license agreement with Intuit, Inc. governing the use of the "Quicken Loans" name and trademark that may be terminated if Quicken Loans commits a material breach of its obligations thereunder, undergoes certain changes of control or in certain instances of wrongdoing or alleged wrongdoing.

        Quicken Loans licenses the "Quicken Loans" name and trademark from Intuit, Inc. ("Intuit") on an exclusive, royalty-bearing basis for use in connection with our business in the United States. Although the license is perpetual, Intuit may terminate the license agreement under various circumstances, including, among other things, if Quicken Loans commits a material breach of its obligations thereunder, undergoes certain changes of control, or in certain instances where wrongdoing or alleged wrongdoing by Quicken Loans or any controlling person could have a material adverse effect on Intuit. Termination of the license agreement would preclude us from using the "Quicken Loans" name and trademark, and the transition to a different brand (whether new or existing in our portfolio) would be time consuming and expensive. Any improper use of the "Quicken Loans" name or trademark by us, Intuit or any other third parties could adversely affect our business. We have entered into an agreement with Intuit that, among other things, gives Quicken Loans full ownership of the "Quicken Loans" brand in 2022 in exchange for certain agreements, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions.

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Our loan origination and servicing revenues are highly dependent on macroeconomic and U.S. residential real estate market conditions.

        Our success depends largely on the health of the U.S. residential real estate industry, which is seasonal, cyclical, and affected by changes in general economic conditions beyond our control. Economic factors such as increased interest rates, slow economic growth or recessionary conditions, the pace of home price appreciation or the lack of it, changes in household debt levels, and increased unemployment or stagnant or declining wages affect our clients' income and thus their ability and willingness to make loan payments. National or global events including, but not limited to the COVID-19 pandemic, affect all such macroeconomic conditions. Weak or a significant deterioration in economic conditions reduce the amount of disposable income consumers have, which in turn reduces consumer spending and the willingness of qualified potential clients to take out loans. As a result, such economic factors affect loan origination volume.

        Additional macroeconomic factors including, but not limited to, rising government debt levels, the withdrawal or augmentation of government interventions into the financial markets, changing U.S. consumer spending patterns, changing expectations for inflation and deflation, and weak credit markets may create low consumer confidence in the U.S. economy or the U.S. residential real estate industry. Excessive home building or historically high foreclosure rates resulting in an oversupply of housing in a particular area may also increase the amount of losses incurred on defaulted mortgage loans. In addition, the United States has imposed tariffs on certain imports from certain foreign countries and it is possible that the United States may impose additional or increase such tariffs in the future, having the effect of, among other things, raising prices to consumers, potentially eliciting reciprocal tariffs, and slowing the global economy.

        Recently, financial markets have experienced significant volatility as a result of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many state and local jurisdictions have enacted measures requiring closure of businesses and other economically restrictive efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Unemployment levels have increased significantly and may remain at elevated levels or continue to rise. There may be a significant increase in the rate and number of mortgage payment delinquencies, and house sales, home prices, and multifamily fundamentals may be adversely affected, leading to an overall material adverse decrease on our mortgage origination activities. See "—The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique challenges to our business and the effects of the pandemic could adversely impact our ability to originate mortgages, our servicing operations, our liquidity and our employees".

        Furthermore, several state and local governments in the United States are experiencing, and may continue to experience, budgetary strain, which will be exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19. One or more states or significant local governments could default on their debt or seek relief from their debt under the U.S. bankruptcy code or by agreement with their creditors. Any or all of the circumstances described above may lead to further volatility in or disruption of the credit markets at any time and adversely affect our financial condition.

        Any uncertainty or deterioration in market conditions, including changes caused by COVID-19, that leads to a decrease in loan originations will result in lower revenue on loans sold into the secondary market. Lower loan origination volumes generally place downward pressure on margins, thus compounding the effect of the deteriorating market conditions. Such events could be detrimental to our business. Moreover, any deterioration in market conditions that leads to an increase in loan delinquencies will result in lower revenue for loans we service for the GSEs and Ginnie Mae because we collect servicing fees from them only for performing loans. While increased delinquencies generate higher ancillary revenues, including late fees, these fees are likely unrecoverable when the related loan is liquidated. Additionally, it is not clear if we will be able to

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collect such ancillary fees for delinquencies relating to the COVID-19 pandemic as the federal and state legislation and regulations responding to the COVID-19 pandemic continue to evolve.

        Increased delinquencies may also increase the cost of servicing the loans. The decreased cash flow from lower servicing fees could decrease the estimated value of our MSRs, resulting in recognition of losses when we write down those values. In addition, an increase in delinquencies lowers the interest income we receive on cash held in collection and other accounts and increases our obligation to advance certain principal, interest, tax and insurance obligations owed by the delinquent mortgage loan borrower. An increase in delinquencies could therefore be detrimental to our business. We anticipate that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will have such effects on our servicing business, see "—The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique challenges to our business and the effects of the pandemic could adversely impact our ability to originate mortgages, our servicing operations, our liquidity and our employees".

        Additionally, origination of loans can be seasonal. Historically, our loan origination has increased activity in the second and third quarters and reduced activity in the first and fourth quarters as home buyers tend to purchase their homes during the spring and summer in order to move to a new home before the start of the school year. As a result, our loan origination revenues varies from quarter to quarter. However, this historical pattern may be disrupted for the foreseeable future as a result of the shelter-in-place and similar protective orders that have been issued in response to the pandemic.

        Any of the circumstances described above, alone or in combination, may lead to volatility in or disruption of the credit markets at any time and have a detrimental effect on our business.

Our business is significantly impacted by interest rates. Changes in prevailing interest rates or U.S. monetary policies that affect interest rates may have a detrimental effect on our business.

        Our financial performance is directly affected by changes in prevailing interest rates. Our financial performance may decrease or be subject to substantial volatility because of changes in prevailing interest rates. Due to the unprecedented events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic along with the associated severe market dislocation, there is an increased degree of uncertainty and unpredictability concerning current interest rates, future interest rates and potential negative interest rates.

        With regard to the portion of our business that is centered on refinancing existing mortgages, we generally note that the refinance market experiences more significant fluctuations than the purchase market as a result of interest rate changes. Long-term residential mortgage interest rates have been at or near record lows for an extended period, but they may increase in the future. As interest rates rise, refinancing generally becomes a smaller portion of the market as fewer consumers are interested in refinancing their mortgages. With regard to our purchase mortgage loan business, higher interest rates may also reduce demand for purchase mortgages as home ownership becomes more expensive. This could adversely affect our revenues or require us to increase marketing expenditures in an attempt to increase or maintain our volume of mortgages. Decreases in interest rates can also adversely affect our financial condition, the value of our MSR portfolio, and the results of operations. With sustained low interest rates, as we have been experiencing, refinancing transactions decline over time, as many clients and potential clients have already taken advantage of the low interest rates.

        Changes in interest rates are also a key driver of the performance of our servicing business, particularly because our portfolio is composed primarily of MSRs related to high-quality loans, the values of which are highly sensitive to changes in interest rates. Historically, the value of MSRs has increased when interest rates rise as higher interest rates lead to decreased prepayment rates, and

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has decreased when interest rates decline as lower interest rates lead to increased prepayment rates. As a result, decreases in interest rates could have a detrimental effect on our business.

        Borrowings under some of our finance and warehouse facilities are at variable rates of interest, which also expose us to interest rate risk. If interest rates increase, our debt service obligations on certain of our variable-rate indebtedness will increase even though the amount borrowed remains the same, and our net income and cash flows, including cash available for servicing our indebtedness, will correspondingly decrease. We currently have entered into, and in the future we may continue to enter into, interest rate swaps that involve the exchange of floating for fixed-rate interest payments to reduce interest rate volatility. However, we may not maintain interest rate swaps with respect to all of our variable-rate indebtedness, and any such swaps may not fully mitigate our interest rate risk, may prove disadvantageous, or may create additional risks.

        In addition, our business is materially affected by the monetary policies of the U.S. government and its agencies. We are particularly affected by the policies of the U.S. Federal Reserve, which influence interest rates and impact the size of the loan origination market. In 2017, the U.S. Federal Reserve ended its quantitative easing program and started its balance sheet reduction plan. The U.S. Federal Reserve's balance sheet consists of U.S. Treasuries and MBS issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae. To shrink its balance sheet prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Federal Reserve had slowed the pace of MBS purchases to a point at which natural runoff exceeded new purchases, resulting in a net reduction. Recently, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, state and federal authorities have taken several actions to provide relief to those negatively affected by COVID-19, such as the CARES Act and the Federal Reserve's support of the financial markets. In particular, U.S. Federal Reserve announced programs to increase its purchase of certain MBS products in response to the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on the U.S. economy, and the market for MBS in particular. The results of this recent policy change by the U.S. Federal Reserve are unknown at this time, as is its duration, but could affect the liquidity of MBS in the future.

Our risk management efforts may not be effective.

        We could incur substantial losses and our business operations could be disrupted if we are unable to effectively identify, manage, monitor, and mitigate financial risks, such as credit risk, interest rate risk, prepayment risk, liquidity risk, and other market-related risks, as well as operational and legal risks related to our business, assets, and liabilities. We also are subject to various laws, regulations and rules that are not industry specific, including employment laws related to employee hiring and termination practices, health and safety laws, environmental laws and other federal, state and local laws, regulations and rules in the jurisdictions in which we operate. Our risk management policies, procedures, and techniques may not be sufficient to identify all of the risks to which we are exposed, mitigate the risks we have identified, or identify additional risks to which we may become subject in the future. Expansion of our business activities may also result in our being exposed to risks to which we have not previously been exposed or may increase our exposure to certain types of risks, and we may not effectively identify, manage, monitor, and mitigate these risks as our business activities change or increase.

Employment litigation and related unfavorable publicity could negatively affect our future business.

        Team members and former team members may, from time to time, bring lawsuits against us regarding injury, creation of a hostile workplace, discrimination, wage and hour, employee benefits, sexual harassment and other employment issues. In recent years there has been an increase in the number of discrimination and harassment claims against employers generally. Coupled with the expansion of social media platforms and similar devices that allow individuals access to a broad audience, these claims have had a significant negative impact on some businesses. Companies that

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have faced employment or harassment related lawsuits have had to terminate management or other key personnel and have suffered reputational harm that has negatively impacted their businesses. If we experience significant incidents involving employment or harassment related claims, we could face substantial out-of-pocket losses, fines or negative publicity. In addition, such claims may give rise to litigation, which may be time consuming, distracting to our management team and costly.

We may not be able to hire, train and retain qualified personnel to support our growth, and difficulties with hiring, employee training and other labor issues could adversely affect our ability to implement our business objectives and disrupt our operations.

        Our operations depend on the work of our approximately 20,000 team members. Our future success will depend on our ability to continue to hire, integrate, develop and retain highly-qualified personnel for all areas of our organization. Any talent acquisition and retention challenges could reduce our operating efficiency, increase our costs of operations and harm our overall financial condition. We could face these challenges if competition for qualified personnel intensifies or the pool of qualified candidates becomes more limited. Additionally, we invest heavily in training our team members, which increases their value to competitors who may seek to recruit them. The inability to attract or retain qualified personnel could have a detrimental effect on our business.

Loss of our key management could result in a material adverse effect on our business.

        Our future success depends to a significant extent on the continued services of our senior management, including Jay Farner, our Chief Executive Officer, Bob Walters, our President and Chief Operating Officer, Julie Booth, our Chief Financial Officer and Angelo Vitale, our General Counsel and Secretary. The experience of our senior management is a valuable asset to us and would be difficult to replace. We do not maintain "key person" life insurance for, or employment contracts with, any of our personnel. The loss of the services of our Chief Executive Officer, our President or our Chief Financial Officer or other members of senior management could disrupt and have a detrimental effect on our business.

If we cannot maintain our corporate culture, we could lose the innovation, collaboration and focus on the mission that contribute to our business.

        We believe that a critical component of our success is our corporate culture and our deep commitment to our mission. We believe this mission-based culture fosters innovation, encourages teamwork and cultivates creativity. Our mission defines our business philosophy as well as the emphasis that we place on our clients, our people and our culture and is consistently reinforced to and by our team members. As we develop the infrastructure of a public company and continue to grow, we may find it difficult to maintain these valuable aspects of our corporate culture and our long-term mission. Any failure to preserve our culture, including a failure due to the growth from becoming a public company, could negatively impact our future success, including our ability to attract and retain team members, encourage innovation and teamwork, and effectively focus on and pursue our mission and corporate objectives.

Acquisitions and strategic alliances could distract management and expose us to financial, execution and operational risks that could have a detrimental effect on our business.

        We may acquire or make investments in complementary or what we view as strategic businesses, technologies, services or products. The risks associated with acquisitions include, without limitation, difficulty assimilating and integrating the acquired company's personnel, operations, technology, services, products and software, the inability to retain key team members, the disruption of our ongoing business and increases in our expenses, and the diversion of management's attention from core business concerns. Through acquisitions, we may enter into business lines in which we have not previously operated, which would require additional integration and be even more distracting for management.

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        The businesses and assets we acquire through acquisitions might not perform at levels we expect and we may not be able to achieve the anticipated synergies. We may find that we overpaid for the acquired business or assets or that the economic conditions underlying our acquisition decision have changed. It may also take time to fully integrate newly-acquired businesses and assets into our business, during which time our business could suffer from inefficiency.

        Furthermore, we may incur additional indebtedness to pay for acquisitions, thereby increasing our leverage and diminishing our liquidity.

We are, and intend to continue, developing new products and services, and our failure to accurately predict their demand or growth could have an adverse effect on our business.

        We are, and intend in the future to continue, investing significant resources in developing new tools, features, services, products and other offerings. New initiatives are inherently risky, as each involves unproven business strategies and new products and services with which we have limited or no prior development or operating experience. Risks from our innovative initiatives include those associated with potential defects in the design and development of the technologies used to automate processes, misapplication of technologies, the reliance on data that may prove inadequate, and failure to meet client expectations, among others. As a result of these risks, we could experience increased claims, reputational damage or other adverse effects, which could be material. Additionally, we can provide no assurance that we will be able to develop, commercially market and achieve acceptance of our new products and services. In addition, our investment of resources to develop new products and services may either be insufficient or result in expenses that are excessive in light of revenue actually originated from these new products and services.

        The profile of potential clients using our new products and services may not be as attractive as the profile of the clients that we currently serve, which may lead to higher levels of delinquencies or defaults than we have historically experienced. Failure to accurately predict demand or growth with respect to our new products and services could have an adverse impact on our business, and there is always risk that these new products and services will be unprofitable, will increase our costs or will decrease our operating margins or take longer than anticipated to achieve target margins. Further, our development efforts with respect to these initiatives could distract management from current operations and could divert capital and other resources from our existing business. If we do not realize the expected benefits of our investments, our business may be harmed.

We are subject to various legal actions that if decided adversely, could be detrimental to our business.

        We operate in an industry that is highly sensitive to consumer protection, and we are subject to numerous local, state and federal laws that are continuously changing. Remediation for non-compliance with these laws can be costly and significant fines may be incurred. We are routinely involved in legal proceedings alleging improper lending, servicing or marketing practices, abusive loan terms and fees, disclosure violations, quiet title actions, improper foreclosure practices, violations of consumer protection, securities or other laws, breach of contract and other related matters. See "Business—Legal and Regulatory Proceedings." We will incur defense costs and other legal expenses in connection with these lawsuits. Additionally, the final resolution of these actions may be unfavorable to us, which could be detrimental to our business. In cases where the final resolution is favorable to us, we may still incur a significant amount of legal expenses. For example, although we were able to reach a resolution with the Department of Justice (the "DOJ") in 2019 for $25.5 million plus $7.0 million in accrued interest related to a claim by the DOJ that the Company violated the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729, we still incurred a substantial amount of expenses in connection therewith. In addition to the expense and burden incurred in defending any of these actions and any damages that we may incur, our management's efforts and attention may be

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diverted from the ordinary business operations in order to address these claims. Additionally, we may be deemed in default of our debt agreements if a judgment for money that exceeds specified thresholds is rendered against us and we fail to timely address such judgment.

Our Rocket Mortgage business relies on our loan funding facilities to fund mortgage loans and otherwise operate our business. If one or more of such facilities are terminated, we may be unable to find replacement financing at commercially favorable terms, or at all, which could be detrimental to our business.

        We fund substantially all of the mortgage loans we close through borrowings under our loan funding facilities and funds generated by our operations. Our borrowings are in turn generally repaid with the proceeds we receive from mortgage loan sales. We are currently, and may in the future continue to be, dependent upon a handful of lenders to provide the primary funding facilities for our loans. As of May 31, 2020, we had nine loan funding facilities which provide us with an aggregate maximum principal amount of $16.25 billion in loan origination availability, six of which allow drawings to fund loans at closing, and seven of which are with large global financial institutions. Included in those nine loan funding facilities are two loan funding facilities with GSEs. Additionally we are parties to an uncommitted agency MSR backed master repurchase agreement facility and a committed line of credit collateralized by GSE MSRs, each of which provides us access to up to $200.0 million of liquidity. As of May 31, 2020, we also had available to us $500.0 million of financing through a master repurchase agreement facility specialized for the early buy-out of certain mortgage loans in agency mortgage pools, and up to $175.0 million on an unsecured revolving line of credit with a national bank, and up to $1.0 billion on an unsecured line of credit, with Rock Holdings.

        Of the seven existing global bank loan funding facilities, three are 364-day facilities, with an aggregate of $3.5 billion scheduled to expire over staggered maturities throughout 2020. The other four of our existing global bank loan funding facilities provide financing for up to two or three years, with maturities staggered in 2021 and 2022. Approximately $11.9 billion of our mortgage loan funding facilities are uncommitted and can be terminated by the applicable lender at any time. Moreover, three of our loan funding facilities require that we have additional borrowing capacity so that each such facility does not represent more than a specified percentage of our total borrowing capacity. If we were unable to maintain the required ratio with availability under other facilities, our funding availability under those facilities could also be terminated.

        In the event that any of our loan funding facilities is terminated or is not renewed, or if the principal amount that may be drawn under our funding agreements that provide for immediate funding at closing were to significantly decrease, we may be unable to find replacement financing on commercially favorable terms, or at all, which could be detrimental to our business. Further, if we are unable to refinance or obtain additional funds for borrowing, our ability to maintain or grow our business could be limited.

        Our ability to refinance existing debt and borrow additional funds is affected by a variety of factors including:

    limitations imposed on us under the indenture governing our 5.250% Senior Notes due 2028, the indenture governing our 5.750% Senior Notes Due 2025 and other existing and future financing facilities that contain restrictive covenants and borrowing conditions that may limit our ability to raise additional debt;

    a decline in liquidity in the credit markets;

    prevailing interest rates;

    the financial strength of the lenders from whom we borrow;

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    the decision of lenders from whom we borrow to reduce their exposure to mortgage loans due to a change in such lenders' strategic plan, future lines of business or otherwise;

    the amount of eligible collateral pledged on advance facilities, which may be less than the borrowing capacity of the facility;

    the larger portion of our loan funding facilities that is uncommitted, versus committed;

    more stringent financial covenants in such refinanced facilities, which we may not be able to achieve; and

    accounting changes that impact calculations of covenants in our debt agreements.

        If the refinancing or borrowing guidelines become more stringent and such changes result in increased costs to comply or decreased mortgage origination volume, such changes could be detrimental to our business.

        Our loan funding facilities, MSR facilities and unsecured lines of credit contain covenants, including requirements to maintain a certain minimum tangible net worth, minimum liquidity, maximum total debt or liabilities to net worth ratio, pre-tax net income requirements, litigation judgment thresholds, and other customary debt covenants. A breach of the covenants can result in an event of default under these facilities and as such allow the lenders to pursue certain remedies. In addition, each of these facilities includes cross default or cross acceleration provisions that could result in most, if not all, facilities terminating if an event of default or acceleration of maturity occurs under any facility. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources" for more information about these and other financing arrangements. If we are unable to meet or maintain the necessary covenant requirements or satisfy, or obtain waivers for, the continuing covenants, we may lose the ability to borrow under all of our financing facilities, which could be detrimental to our business.

We may not be able to continue to grow our loan origination business or effectively manage significant increases in our loan production volume, both of which could negatively affect our reputation and business, financial condition and results of operations.

        Our mortgage loan origination business consists of providing purchase money loans to homebuyers and refinancing existing loans. The origination of purchase money mortgage loans is greatly influenced by traditional business clients in the home buying process such as realtors and builders. As a result, our ability to secure relationships with such traditional business clients will influence our ability to grow our loan origination business. Historically, our originations have been more heavily refinancings than the overall origination market, and accordingly if interest rates rise and the market shifts to purchase originations, our market share could be adversely affected if we are unable to increase our share of purchase originations. Our loan origination business also operates through third party mortgage professionals who do business with us on a best efforts basis, i.e., they are not contractually obligated to do business with us. Further, our competitors also have relationships with these brokers and actively compete with us in our efforts to expand our broker networks. Accordingly, we may not be successful in maintaining our existing relationships or expanding our broker networks. Our production and consumer direct lending operations are also subject to overall market factors that can impact our ability to grow our loan production volume. For example, increased competition from new and existing market participants, reductions in the overall level of refinancing activity or slow growth in the level of new home purchase activity can impact our ability to continue to grow our loan production volumes, and we may be forced to accept lower margins in our respective businesses in order to continue to compete and keep our volume of activity consistent with past or projected levels. If we are unable to continue to grow our loan origination business, this could adversely affect our business.

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        On the other hand, we may experience significant growth in our mortgage loan volume and MSRs. If we do not effectively manage our growth, the quality of our services could suffer, which could negatively affect our brand and operating results.

If the value of the collateral underlying certain of our loan funding facilities decreases, we could be required to satisfy a margin call, and an unanticipated margin call could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity.

        Certain of our loan funding, early buy-out facilities, and MSR-backed facilities are subject to margin calls based on the lender's opinion of the value of the loan collateral securing such financing and certain of our hedges related to newly originated mortgages are also subject to margin calls. A margin call would require us to repay a portion of the outstanding borrowings. A large, unanticipated margin call could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity. As a result of the change in the interest rate market due to COVID-19, we have faced some margin calls on hedges. To date these calls have not been material but if the interest rate market continues to be significantly impacted by COVID-19, we could face additional margin calls that could impact our liquidity.

We depend on our ability to sell loans in the secondary market to a limited number of investors and to the GSEs, and to securitize our loans into MBS through the GSEs and Ginnie Mae. If our ability to sell or securitize mortgage loans is impaired, we may not be able to originate mortgage loans.

        Substantially all of our loan originations are sold into the secondary market. We securitize loans into MBSs through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae. Loans originated outside of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the guidelines of the FHA (as defined below), USDA, or VA (for loans securitized with Ginnie Mae) are sold to private investors and mortgage conduits, including our loan securitization company, Woodward Capital Management LLC, which primarily securitizes such non-GSE loan products. For further discussion, see "Risk Factors—Our business is highly dependent on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and certain U.S. government agencies, and any changes in these entities or their current roles could be detrimental to our business."

        The gain recognized from sales in the secondary market represents a significant portion of our revenues and net earnings. A decrease in the prices paid to us upon sale of our loans could be detrimental to our business, as we are dependent on the cash generated from such sales to fund our future loan closings and repay borrowings under our loan funding facilities. If it is not possible or economical for us to complete the sale or securitization of certain of our loans held for sale, we may lack liquidity to continue to fund such loans and our revenues and margins on new loan originations could be materially and negatively impacted. The severity of the impact would be most significant to the extent we were unable to sell conforming home loans to the GSEs or securitize such loans pursuant to the GSEs and government agency-sponsored programs.

        Further, there may be delays in our ability to sell future mortgage loans which we originate, or there may be a market shift that causes buyers of our non-GSE products—including jumbo mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit—to reduce their demand for such products. These market shifts can be caused by factors outside of our control, including, but not limited to market shifts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that affect investor appetite for such non-GSE products. To the extent that happens, we could need to reduce our origination volume. Delays in the sale of mortgage loans also increases our exposure to market risks, which could adversely affect our profitability on sales of loans. Any such delays or failure to sell loans could be detrimental to our business.

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A disruption in the secondary home loan market, including the MBS market, could have a detrimental effect on our business.

        Demand in the secondary market and our ability to complete the sale or securitization of our home loans depends on a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, including general economic conditions, general conditions in the banking system, the willingness of lenders to provide funding for home loans, the willingness of investors to purchase home loans and MBS, and changes in regulatory requirements. Disruptions in the general MBS market may occur, including, but not limited to in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Any significant disruption or period of illiquidity in the general MBS market could directly affect our liquidity because no existing alternative secondary market would likely be able to accommodate on a timely basis the volume of loans that we typically sell in any given period. Accordingly, if the MBS market experiences a period of illiquidity, we might be prevented from selling the loans that we produce into the secondary market in a timely manner or at favorable prices, which could be detrimental to our business.

Changes in the GSEs, FHA, VA, and USDA guidelines or GSE and Ginnie Mae guarantees could adversely affect our business.

        We are required to follow specific guidelines and eligibility standards that impact the way we service and originate GSE and U.S. government agency loans, including guidelines and standards with respect to:

    credit standards for mortgage loans;

    our staffing levels and other servicing practices;

    the servicing and ancillary fees that we may charge;

    our modification standards and procedures;

    the amount of reimbursable and non-reimbursable advances that we may make; and

    the types of loan products that are eligible for sale or securitization.

        These guidelines provide the GSEs and other government agencies with the ability to provide monetary incentives for loan servicers that perform well and to assess penalties for those that do not. At the direction of the Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA"), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have aligned their guidelines for servicing delinquent mortgages, which could result in monetary incentives for servicers that perform well and to assess compensatory penalties against servicers in connection with the failure to meet specified timelines relating to delinquent loans and foreclosure proceedings, and other breaches of servicing obligations. We generally cannot negotiate these terms with the agencies and they are subject to change at any time without our specific consent. A significant change in these guidelines, that decreases the fees we charge or requires us to expend additional resources to provide mortgage services, could decrease our revenues or increase our costs.

        In addition, changes in the nature or extent of the guarantees provided by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, the USDA or the VA, or the insurance provided by the FHA, or coverage provided by private mortgage insurers, could also have broad adverse market implications. Any future increases in guarantee fees or changes to their structure or increases in the premiums we are required to pay to the FHA or private mortgage insurers for insurance or to the VA or the USDA for guarantees could increase mortgage origination costs and insurance premiums for our clients. These industry changes could negatively affect demand for our mortgage services and consequently our origination volume, which could be detrimental to our business. We cannot predict whether the impact of any proposals to move Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac out of conservatorship would require them to increase their fees. For further discussion, see "Risk Factors—Our business is highly

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dependent on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and certain U.S. government agencies, and any changes in these entities or their current roles could be detrimental to our business."

Our business is highly dependent on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and certain U.S. government agencies, and any changes in these entities or their current roles could be detrimental to our business.

        We originate loans eligible for sale to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and government insured or guaranteed loans, such as FHA, VA and USDA loans eligible for Ginnie Mae securities issuance.

        In 2008, FHFA placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorship and, as their conservator, controls and directs their operations.

        There is significant uncertainty regarding the future of the GSEs, including with respect to how long they will continue to be in existence, the extent of their roles in the market and what forms they will have, and whether they will be government agencies, government-sponsored agencies or private for-profit entities. Since they have been placed into conservatorship, many legislative and administrative plans for GSE reform have been put forth, but all have been met with resistance from various constituencies.

        The Trump administration has made reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, including their relationship with the federal government, a priority. In September 2019, the U.S. Department of the Treasury released a proposal for reform, and, in October 2019, FHFA released a strategic plan regarding the conservatorships, which included a Scorecard that has preparing for exiting conservatorship as one of its key objectives. Among other things, the Treasury recommendations include recapitalizing the GSEs, increasing private-sector competition with the GSEs, replacing GSE statutory affordable housing goals, changing mortgage underwriting requirements for GSE guarantees, revising the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's ("CFPB") qualified mortgage regulations (for further discussion of these regulations, see "—Risks Related to Regulatory Environment—The CFPB continues to be active in its monitoring of the loan origination and servicing sectors, and its recently issued rules increase our regulatory compliance burden and associated costs."), and continuing to support the market for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages. Some of Treasury's recommendations would require administrative action whereas others would require legislative action. It is uncertain whether these recommendations will be enacted. If these recommendations are enacted, the future roles of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could be reduced (perhaps significantly) and the nature of their guarantee obligations could be considerably limited relative to historical measurements. In addition, various other proposals to generally reform the U.S. housing finance market have been offered by members of the U.S. Congress, and certain of these proposals seek to significantly reduce or eliminate over time the role of the GSEs in purchasing and guaranteeing mortgage loans. Any such proposals, if enacted, may have broad adverse implications for the MBS market and our business. It is possible that the adoption of any such proposals might lead to higher fees being charged by the GSEs or lower prices on our sales of mortgage loans to them.

        The extent and timing of any regulatory reform regarding the GSEs and the U.S. housing finance market, as well as any effect on our business operations and financial results, are uncertain. It is not yet possible to determine whether such proposals will be enacted and, if so, when, what form any final legislation or policies might take or how proposals, legislation or policies may impact the MBS market and our business. Our inability to make the necessary adjustments to respond to these changing market conditions or loss of our approved seller/servicer status with the GSEs could have a material adverse effect on our mortgage origination operations and our mortgage servicing operations. If those agencies cease to exist, wind down, or otherwise significantly change their business operations or if we lost approvals with those agencies or our relationships with those agencies is otherwise adversely affected, we would seek alternative secondary market participants to

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acquire our mortgage loans at a volume sufficient to sustain our business. If such participants are not available on reasonably comparable economic terms, the above changes could have a material adverse effect on our ability to profitably sell loans we originate that are securitized through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae.

We are required to make servicing advances that can be subject to delays in recovery or may not be recoverable in certain circumstances.

        During any period in which one of our clients is not making payments on a loan we service, including in certain circumstances where a client prepays a loan, we are required under most of our servicing agreements to advance our own funds to meet contractual principal and interest remittance requirements, pay property taxes and insurance premiums, legal expenses and other protective advances. We also advance funds to maintain, repair and market real estate properties. For our mortgage loans, as home values change, we may have to reconsider certain of the assumptions underlying our decisions to make advances, and in certain situations our contractual obligations may require us to make certain advances for which we may not be reimbursed. In addition, in the event a loan serviced by us defaults or becomes delinquent, or to the extent a mortgagee under such loan is allowed to enter into a forbearance by applicable law or regulation, the repayment to us of any advance related to such events may be delayed until the loan is repaid or refinanced or liquidation occurs. A delay in our ability to collect an advance may adversely affect our liquidity, and our inability to be reimbursed for an advance could be detrimental to our business. As our servicing portfolio continues to age, defaults might increase as the loans get older, which may increase our costs of servicing and could be detrimental to our business. Market disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the response by the CARES Act, enacted by the U.S. Congress on March 27, 2020, and the GSEs, through which a temporary period of forbearance is being offered for clients unable to pay on certain mortgage loans as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic may also increase the number of defaults, delinquencies or forbearances related to the loans we service, increasing the advances we make for such loans. With specific regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, any regulatory or GSE-specific relief on servicing advance obligations provided to mortgage loan servicers has so far been limited to GSE-eligible mortgage loans, leaving out any non-GSE mortgage loan products such as jumbo mortgage loans. Approximately 5.1% of our serviced loans are in forbearance as of June 30, 2020.

        With delinquent VA guaranteed loans, the VA guarantee may not make us whole on losses or advances we may have made on the loan. If the VA determines the amount of the guarantee payment will be less than the cost of acquiring the property, it may elect to pay the VA guarantee and leave the property securing the loan with us (a "VA no-bid"). If we cannot sell the property for a sufficient amount to cover amounts outstanding on the loan we will suffer a loss which may, on an aggregate basis and if the percentage of VA no-bids increases, have a detrimental impact on our business and financial condition.

        In addition, for certain loans sold to Ginnie Mae, we, as the servicer, have the unilateral right to repurchase any individual loan in a Ginnie Mae securitization pool if that loan meets defined criteria, including being delinquent greater than 90 days. Once we have the unilateral right to repurchase the delinquent loan, we have effectively regained control over the loan and we must recognize the loan on our balance sheet and recognize a corresponding financial liability. Any significant increase in required servicing advances or delinquent loan repurchases, could have a significant adverse impact on our cash flows, even if they are reimbursable, and could also have a detrimental effect on our business and financial condition.

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Our counterparties may terminate our servicing rights and subservicing contracts under which we conduct servicing activities.

        The majority of the mortgage loans we service are serviced on behalf of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae. These entities establish the base service fee to compensate us for servicing loans as well as the assessment of fines and penalties that may be imposed upon us for failing to meet servicing standards.

        As is standard in the industry, under the terms of our master servicing agreements with the GSEs, the GSEs have the right to terminate us as servicer of the loans we service on their behalf at any time and also have the right to cause us to sell the MSRs to a third party. In addition, failure to comply with servicing standards could result in termination of our agreements with the GSEs with little or no notice and without any compensation. If any of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae were to terminate us as a servicer, or increase our costs related to such servicing by way of additional fees, fines or penalties, such changes could have a material adverse effect on the revenue we derive from servicing activity, as well as the value of the related MSRs. These agreements, and other servicing agreements under which we service mortgage loans for non-GSE loan purchasers, also require that we service in accordance with GSE servicing guidelines and contain financial covenants. Under our subservicing contracts, the primary servicers for which we conduct subservicing activities have the right to terminate our subservicing rights with or without cause, with little notice and little to no compensation. If we were to have our servicing or subservicing rights terminated on a material portion of our servicing portfolio, this could adversely affect our business.

A failure to maintain the ratings assigned to us by a rating agency could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        Our mortgage origination and servicing platforms, as well as several securitization transactions that are composed of our mortgage loan products, are routinely rated by national rating agencies for various purposes. These ratings are subject to change without notice. Our ratings may be downgraded in the future, and any such downgrade could be detrimental to our business.

Our origination and servicing businesses and operating results may be adversely impacted due to a decline in market share for our origination business, a decline in repeat clients and an inability to recapture loans from borrowers who refinance.

        If our loan origination business loses market share, if loan originations otherwise decrease or if the loans in our servicing portfolio are repaid or refinanced at a faster pace than expected, we may not be able to maintain or grow the size of our servicing portfolio, as our servicing portfolio is subject to "run-off" (i.e., mortgage loans serviced by us may be repaid at maturity, prepaid prior to maturity, refinanced with a mortgage not serviced by us, liquidated through foreclosure, deed-in-lieu of foreclosure or other liquidation process, or repaid through standard amortization of principal). As a result, our ability to maintain the size of our servicing portfolio depends on our ability to originate loans with respect to which we retain the servicing rights.

        Additionally, in order for us to maintain or improve our operating results, it is important that we continue to extend loans to returning clients who have successfully repaid their previous loans at a pace substantially consistent with the market. Our repeat loan rates may decline or fluctuate as a result of our expansion into new products and markets or because our clients are able to obtain alternative sources of funding based on their credit history with us, and new clients we acquire in the future may not be as loyal as our current client base. Furthermore, clients who refinance have no obligation to refinance their loans with us and may choose to refinance with a different originator. If borrowers refinance with a different originator, this decreases the profitability of our MSRs because

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the original loan will be repaid, and we will not have an opportunity to earn further servicing fees after the original loan is repaid. If we are not successful in recapturing our existing loans that are refinanced, our MSRs may become increasingly subject to run-off, and in order to maintain our servicing portfolios at consistent levels we may need to purchase additional MSRs on the open market to add to our servicing portfolio, which would increase our costs and risks and decrease the profitability of our servicing business.

Our MSRs are highly volatile assets with continually changing values, and these changes in value, or inaccuracies in our estimates of their value, could adversely affect our business and financial condition.

        The value of our MSRs is based on the cash flows projected to result from the servicing of the related mortgage loans and continually fluctuates due to a number of factors. These factors include changes in interest rates; historically, the value of MSRs has increased when interest rates rise as higher interest rates lead to decreased prepayment rates, and has decreased when interest rates decline as lower interest rates lead to increased prepayment rates and refinancings. Other market conditions also affect the number of loans that are refinanced and thus no longer result in cash flows, and the number of loans that become delinquent.

        We use internal financial models that utilize market participant data to value our MSRs for purposes of financial reporting and for purposes of determining the price that we pay to acquire loans for which we will retain MSRs. These models are complex and use asset-specific collateral data and market inputs for interest and discount rates. In addition, the modeling requirements of MSRs are complex because of the high number of variables that drive cash flows associated with MSRs, and because of the complexity involved with anticipating such variables over the life of the MSR. Even if the general accuracy of our valuation models is validated, valuations are highly dependent upon the reasonableness of our assumptions and the results of the models.

        If loan delinquencies or prepayment speeds are higher than anticipated or other factors perform worse than modeled, the recorded value of certain of our MSRs may decrease, which could adversely affect our business and financial condition.

We may be required to repurchase or substitute mortgage loans or MSRs that we have sold, or indemnify purchasers of our mortgage loans or MSRs.

        We make representations and warranties to purchasers when we sell them a mortgage loan or a MSR, including in connection with our MBS securitizations. If a mortgage loan or MSR does not comply with the representations and warranties that we made with respect to it at the time of its sale, we could be required to repurchase the loan, replace it with a substitute loan and/or indemnify secondary market purchasers for losses. If this occurs, we may have to bear any associated losses directly, as repurchased loans typically can only be resold at a steep discount to their repurchase price, if at all. We also may be subject to claims by purchasers for repayment of a portion of the premium we received from such purchaser on the sale of certain loans or MSRs if such loans or MSRs are repaid in their entirety within a specified time period after the sale of the loan. As of March 31, 2020, we accrued $55.7 million in expenses in connection with our reserve for repurchase and indemnification obligations. Actual repurchase and indemnification obligations could materially exceed the reserves we have recorded in our financial statements. Any significant repurchases, substitutions, indemnifications or premium recapture could be detrimental to our business.

        Additionally, we may not be able to recover amounts from some third parties from whom we may seek indemnification or against whom we may assert a loan repurchase demand in connection with a breach of a representation or warranty due to financial difficulties or otherwise. As a result, we are exposed to counterparty risk in the event of non-performance by counterparties to our various

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contracts, including, without limitation, as a result of the rejection of an agreement or transaction in bankruptcy proceedings, which could result in substantial losses for which we may not have insurance coverage.

We face intense competition that could adversely affect us.

        Competition in the mortgage and other consumer lending space is intense. In addition, the mortgage and other consumer lending business has experienced substantial consolidation. Some of our competitors may have more name recognition and greater financial and other resources than we have (including access to capital). Other of our competitors, such as correspondent lenders who originate mortgage loans using their own funds, may have more operational flexibility in approving loans. Additionally, we operate at a competitive disadvantage to U.S. federal banks and thrifts and their subsidiaries because they enjoy federal preemption and, as a result, conduct their business under relatively uniform U.S. federal rules and standards and are generally not subject to the laws of the states in which they do business (including state "predatory lending" laws). Unlike our federally chartered competitors, we are generally subject to all state and local laws applicable to lenders in each jurisdiction in which we originate and service loans. To compete effectively, we must have a very high level of operational, technological and managerial expertise, as well as access to capital at a competitive cost.

        Competition in our industry can take many forms, including the variety of loan programs being made available, interest rates and fees charged for a loan, convenience in obtaining a loan, client service levels, the amount and term of a loan, and marketing and distribution channels. Fluctuations in interest rates and general economic conditions may also affect our competitive position. During periods of rising rates, competitors that have locked in low borrowing costs may have a competitive advantage. Furthermore, a cyclical decline in the industry's overall level of originations, or decreased demand for loans due to a higher interest rate environment, may lead to increased competition for the remaining loans. Any increase in these competitive pressures could be detrimental to our business.

If the credit decisioning and scoring models we use contain errors or are otherwise ineffective, our reputation and relationships with borrowers and investors could be harmed and our market share could decline.

        We use credit decisioning and scoring models that assign each loan a grade and a corresponding interest rate. Our credit decisioning and scoring models are based on algorithms that evaluate a number of factors, including behavioral data, transactional data and employment information, which may not effectively predict future loan losses. If we are unable to effectively segment borrowers into relative risk profiles, we may be unable to offer attractive interest rates for borrowers and returns for investors in the loans. We refine these algorithms based on new data and changing macro and economic conditions. If any of these credit decisioning and scoring models contain programming or other errors, are ineffective or the data provided by borrowers or third parties is incorrect or stale, or if we are unable to obtain the data from borrowers or third parties, our loan pricing and approval process could be negatively affected, resulting in mispriced or misclassified loans or incorrect approvals or denials of loans.

Certain of our loans involve a high degree of business and financial risk, which can result in substantial losses that could adversely affect our financial condition.

        A client's ability to repay their loan may be adversely impacted by numerous factors, including a change in the borrower's employment or other negative local or more general economic conditions. Deterioration in a client's financial condition and prospects may be accompanied by deterioration in the value of the collateral for the loan.

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        Additionally, many of our clients are self-employed. Self-employed clients may be more likely to default on their loans than salaried or commissioned clients and generally have less predictable income. In addition, many self-employed clients are small business owners who may be personally liable for their business debt. Consequently, a higher number of self-employed clients may result in increased defaults on the loans we originate or service.

        Some of the loans we originate or acquire have been, and in the future could be, made to clients who do not live in the mortgaged property. These loans secured by rental or investment properties tend to default more than loans secured by properties regularly occupied or used by the client. In a default, clients not occupying the mortgaged property may be more likely to abandon the property, increasing our financial exposure.

        These higher risk loans are more expensive to service because they require more frequent interaction with clients and greater monitoring and oversight. Additionally, these higher risk loans may be subject to increased scrutiny by state and federal regulators and lead to higher compliance and regulatory costs, which could result in a further increase in servicing costs. We may not be able to pass along any of the additional expenses we incur in servicing these higher risk loans to our servicing clients. The greater cost of servicing higher risk loans could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our personal loans are not secured, guaranteed or insured and involve a high degree of financial risk.

        Personal loans made through our Rocket Loans platform are not secured by any collateral, not guaranteed or insured by any third party and not backed by any governmental authority in any way. We are therefore limited in our ability to collect on these loans if a client is unwilling or unable to repay them. A client's ability to repay their loans can be negatively impacted by increases in their payment obligations to other lenders under mortgage, credit card and other loans resulting from increases in base lending rates or structured increases in payment obligations. If a client defaults on a loan, we may be unsuccessful in our efforts to collect the amount of the loan. As such, our partner bank Cross River Bank could decide to originate fewer loans on our platform and there could be less demand in the secondary market for loans originated through the RocketLoans.com site.

        Additionally, these short-term loans also pose significant risks. Sometimes, borrowers use the proceeds of a long-term mortgage loan or the sale of a property to repay a short-term loan. We may therefore depend on a client's ability to obtain permanent financing or sell a property to repay our short-term loans, which could depend on market conditions and other factors. In a period of rising interest rates, it may be more difficult for our clients to obtain long-term financing, which increases the risk of non-payment of our short-term loans. Short-term loans are also subject to risks of defaults, bankruptcies, fraud, losses and special hazard losses that are not covered by standard hazard insurance.

        An increase in defaults precipitated by the risks and uncertainties associated with the above operations and activities could have a detrimental effect on our business.

Fraud could result in significant financial losses and harm to our reputation.

        We use automated underwriting engines from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to assist us in determining if a loan applicant is creditworthy, as well as other proprietary and third-party tools and safeguards to detect and prevent fraud. We are unable, however, to prevent every instance of fraud that may be engaged in by our clients or team members, and any seller, real estate broker, notary, settlement agent, appraiser, title agent, or third-party originator that misrepresents facts about a loan, including the information contained in the loan application, property valuation, title information and employment and income stated on the loan application. If any of this information was intentionally or

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negligently misrepresented and such misrepresentation was not detected prior to the acquisition or closing of the loan, the value of the loan could be significantly lower than expected, resulting in a loan being approved in circumstances where it would not have been, had we been provided with accurate data. A loan subject to a material misrepresentation is typically unsalable or subject to repurchase if it is sold before detection of the misrepresentation. In addition, the persons and entities making a misrepresentation are often difficult to locate and it is often difficult to collect from them any monetary losses we have suffered.

        Additionally, we continue to develop and expand our use of internet and telecommunications technologies (including mobile devices) to offer our products and services. These new mobile technologies may be more susceptible to the fraudulent activities of computer hackers, organized criminals, perpetrators of fraud, terrorists and others. Our resources, technologies and fraud prevention tools may be insufficient to accurately detect and prevent fraud on this channel.

        High profile fraudulent activity also could negatively impact our brand and reputation, which could impact our business. In addition, significant increases in fraudulent activity could lead to regulatory intervention, which could increase our costs and also negatively impact our business.

The conduct of the brokers through whom we originate could subject us to fines or other penalties.

        The brokers through whom we originate have parallel and separate legal obligations to which they are subject. While these laws may not explicitly hold the originating lenders responsible for the legal violations of such brokers, U.S. federal and state agencies increasingly have sought to impose such liability. The U.S. Department of Justice ("DOJ"), through its use of a disparate impact theory under the FHA, is actively holding home loan lenders responsible for the pricing practices of brokers, alleging that the lender is directly responsible for the total fees and charges paid by the borrower even if the lender neither dictated what the broker could charge nor kept the money for its own account. In addition, under the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure ("TRID") rule, we may be held responsible for improper disclosures made to clients by brokers. We may be subject to claims for fines or other penalties based upon the conduct of the independent home loan brokers with which we do business.

We are exposed to volatility in LIBOR, which can result in higher than market interest rates and may have a detrimental effect on our business.

        The interest rate of our variable-rate indebtedness and the interest rate on the adjustable rate loans we originate and service is based on LIBOR. In July 2017, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority announced that it intends to stop collecting LIBOR rates from banks after 2021. The announcement indicates that LIBOR will not continue to exist on the current basis. U.S.-dollar LIBOR is expected to be replaced with the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR"), a new index calculated by reference to short-term repurchase agreements for U.S. Treasury securities. Although there have been a few issuances utilizing SOFR or the Sterling Over Night Index Average, an alternative reference rate that is based on transactions, it is unknown whether any of these alternative reference rates will attain market acceptance as replacements for LIBOR. There is currently no definitive successor reference rate to LIBOR and various industry organizations are still working to develop workable transition mechanisms. As part of this industry transition, we will be required to migrate any current adjustable rate loans we service to any such successor reference rate. Until a successor rate is determined, we cannot implement the transition away from LIBOR for the adjustable rate loans we service. As such, we are unable to predict the effect of any changes to LIBOR, the establishment and success of any alternative reference rates, or any other reforms to LIBOR or any replacement of LIBOR that may be enacted in the United States or elsewhere. Such changes, reforms or replacements relating to LIBOR could have an adverse impact on the market for

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or value of any LIBOR-linked securities, loans, derivatives or other financial instruments or extensions of credit held by us. LIBOR-related changes could affect our overall results of operations and financial condition.

Our hedging strategies may not be successful in mitigating our risks associated with changes in interest rates.

        Our profitability is directly affected by changes in interest rates. The market value of closed loans held for sale and interest rate locks generally change along with interest rates. The value of such assets moves opposite of interest rate changes. For example, as interest rates rise, the value of existing mortgage assets falls.

        We employ various economic hedging strategies to mitigate the interest rate and the anticipated loan financing probability or "pull-through risk" inherent in such mortgage assets. Our use of these hedge instruments may expose us to counterparty risk as they are not traded on regulated exchanges or guaranteed by an exchange or its clearinghouse and, consequently, there may not be the same level of protections with respect to margin requirements and positions and other requirements designed to protect both us and our counterparties. Furthermore, the enforceability of agreements underlying hedging transactions may depend on compliance with applicable statutory, commodity and other regulatory requirements and, depending on the domicile of the counterparty, applicable international requirements. Consequently, if a counterparty fails to perform under a derivative agreement we could incur a significant loss.

        Our hedge instruments are accounted for as free-standing derivatives and are included on our consolidated balance sheet at fair market value. Our operating results could be negatively affected because the losses on the hedge instruments we enter into may not be offset by a change in the fair value of the related hedged transaction.

        Our hedging strategies also require us to provide cash margin to our hedging counterparties from time to time. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. ("FINRA") requires us to provide daily cash margin to (or receive daily cash margin from, depending on the daily value of related MBS) our hedging counterparties from time to time. The collection of daily margin between us and our hedging counterparties could, under certain MBS market conditions, adversely affect our short-term liquidity and cash-on-hand. Additionally, our hedge instruments may expose us to counterparty risk—the possibility that a loss may occur from the failure of another party to perform in accordance with the terms of the contract, which loss exceeds the value of existing collateral, if any.

        A portion of our assets consist of MSRs, which may fluctuate in value. We recently began hedging a portion of the risks associated with such fluctuations. There can be no assurance such hedges adequately protect us from a decline in the value of the MSRs we own, or that the hedging strategy utilized by us with respect to our MSRs is well-designed or properly executed to adequately address such fluctuations. A decline in the value of MSRs may have a detrimental effect on our business.

        Our hedging activities in the future may include entering into interest rate swaps, caps and floors, options to purchase these items, purchasing or selling U.S. Treasury securities, and/or other tools and strategies. These hedging decisions will be determined in light of the facts and circumstances existing at the time and may differ from our current hedging strategy. These hedging strategies may be less effective than our current hedging strategies in mitigating the risks described above, which could be detrimental to our business and financial condition.

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We rely on internal models to manage risk and to make business decisions. Our business could be adversely affected if those models fail to produce reliable and/or valid results.

        We make significant use of business and financial models in connection with our proprietary technology to measure and monitor our risk exposures and to manage our business. For example, we use models to measure and monitor our exposures to interest rate, credit and other market risks. The information provided by these models is used in making business decisions relating to strategies, initiatives, transactions, pricing and products. If these models are ineffective at predicting future losses or are otherwise inadequate, we may incur unexpected losses or otherwise be adversely affected.

        We build these models using historical data and our assumptions about factors such as future mortgage loan demand, default rates, home price trends and other factors that may overstate or understate future experience. Our assumptions may be inaccurate and our models may not be as predictive as expected for many reasons, including the fact that they often involve matters that are inherently beyond our control and difficult to predict, such as macroeconomic conditions, and that they often involve complex interactions between a number of variables and factors.

        Our models could produce unreliable results for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to, the limitations of historical data to predict results due to unprecedented events or circumstances, invalid or incorrect assumptions underlying the models, the need for manual adjustments in response to rapid changes in economic conditions, incorrect coding of the models, incorrect data being used by the models, or inappropriate application of a model to products or events outside of the model's intended use. In particular, models are less dependable when the economic environment is outside of historical experience, as was the case from 2008-2010 or during the present COVID-19 pandemic.

        We continue to monitor the markets and make necessary adjustments to our models and apply appropriate management judgment in the interpretation and adjustment of the results produced by our models. This process takes into account updated information while maintaining controlled processes for model updates, including model development, testing, independent validation and implementation. As a result of the time and resources, including technical and staffing resources, that are required to perform these processes effectively, it may not be possible to replace existing models quickly enough to ensure that they will always properly account for the impacts of recent information and actions.

A substantial portion of our assets are measured at fair value. Fair value determinations require many assumptions and complex analyses, and we cannot control many of the underlying factors. If our estimates prove to be incorrect, we may be required to write down the value of such assets, which could adversely affect our earnings, financial condition and liquidity.

        We measure the fair value of our mortgage loans held for sale, derivatives, interest rate lock commitments ("IRLCs") and MSRs on a recurring basis and we measure the fair value of other assets, such as mortgage loans held for investment, certain impaired loans and other real estate owned, on a nonrecurring basis. Fair value determinations require many assumptions and complex analyses, especially to the extent there are not active markets for identical assets. For example, we generally estimate the fair value of loans held for sale based on quoted market prices for securities backed by similar types of loans. If quoted market prices are not available, fair value is estimated based on other relevant factors, including dealer price quotations and prices available for similar instruments, to approximate the amounts that would be received from a third party. In addition, the fair value of IRLCs are measured based upon the difference between the current fair value of similar loans (as determined generally for mortgages held for sale) and the price at which we have

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committed to originate the loans, subject to the anticipated loan financing probability, or pull-through factor (which is both significant and highly subjective).

        Further, MSRs do not trade in an active market with readily observable prices and therefore, their fair value is determined using a valuation model that calculates the present value of estimated net future cash flows, using estimates of prepayment speeds, discount rate, cost to service, float earnings, contractual servicing fee income and ancillary income, and late fees.

        If our estimates of fair value prove to be incorrect, we may be required to write down the value of such assets, which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

        Because accounting rules for valuing certain assets and liabilities are highly complex and involve significant judgment and assumptions, these complexities could lead to a delay in preparation of financial information and the delivery of this information to our stockholders and also increase the risk of errors and restatements, as well as the cost of compliance.

Our reported financial results may be materially and adversely affected by future changes in accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.

        U.S. GAAP is subject to standard setting or interpretation by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB"), the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ("PCAOB"), the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and various bodies formed to promulgate and interpret appropriate accounting principles. A change in these principles or interpretations could have a significant effect on our reported financial results and could materially and adversely affect the transactions completed before the announcement of a change. A change in these principles or interpretations could also require us to alter our accounting systems in a manner that could increase our operating costs, impact the content of our financial statements and impact our ability to timely prepare our financial statements. Our inability to timely prepare our financial statements in the future would likely adversely affect our share price.

Challenges to the MERS System could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

        MERSCORP, Inc. is a privately held company that maintains an electronic registry, referred to as the MERS System, which tracks servicing rights and ownership of home loans in the United States. Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. ("MERS"), a wholly owned subsidiary of MERSCORP, Inc., can serve as a nominee for the owner of a home loan and in that role initiate foreclosures or become the mortgagee of record for the loan in local land records. We have in the past and may continue to use MERS as a nominee. The MERS System is widely used by participants in the mortgage finance industry.

        Several legal challenges in the courts and by governmental authorities have been made disputing MERS's legal standing to initiate foreclosures or act as nominee for lenders in mortgages and deeds of trust recorded in local land records. These challenges have focused public attention on MERS and on how home loans are recorded in local land records. Although most legal decisions have accepted MERS as mortgagee, these challenges could result in delays and additional costs in commencing, prosecuting and completing foreclosure proceedings, conducting foreclosure sales of mortgaged properties and submitting proofs of claim in client bankruptcy cases.

Negative public opinion could damage our reputation and adversely affect our earnings.

        Reputational risk is inherent in our business. Negative public opinion can result from our actual or alleged conduct in any number of activities, including loan origination, loan servicing, debt collection practices, corporate governance and other activities, such as the lawsuits against us.

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Negative public opinion can also result from actions taken by government regulators and community organizations in response to our activities, from consumer complaints, including in the CFPB complaints database, and from media coverage, whether accurate or not.

        In recent years, consumer advocacy groups and some media reports have advocated governmental action to prohibit or place severe restrictions on non-bank consumer loans. If the negative characterization of independent mortgage loan originators becomes increasingly accepted by consumers, demand for any or all of our consumer loan products could significantly decrease. Additionally, if the negative characterization of independent mortgage loan originators is accepted by legislators and regulators, we could become subject to more restrictive laws and regulations applicable to consumer loan products.

        In addition, our ability to attract and retain clients is highly dependent upon the external perceptions of our level of service, trustworthiness, business practices, financial condition and other subjective qualities. Negative perceptions or publicity regarding these matters—even if related to seemingly isolated incidents, or even if related to practices not specific to the origination or servicing of loans, such as debt collection—could erode trust and confidence and damage our reputation among existing and potential clients. In turn, this could decrease the demand for our products, increase regulatory scrutiny and detrimentally effect our business.

Regulation of title insurance rates could adversely affect our subsidiary, Amrock.

        Amrock is subject to extensive rate regulation by the applicable state agencies in the jurisdictions in which it operates. Title insurance rates are regulated differently in various states, with some states requiring Amrock to file and receive approval of rates before such rates become effective and some states promulgating the rates that can be charged. These regulations could hinder Amrock's ability to promptly adapt to changing market dynamics through price adjustments, which could adversely affect its results of operations, particularly in a rapidly declining market.

Amrock's position as an agent utilizing third party vendors for issuing a significant amount of title insurance policies could adversely impact the frequency and severity of title claims.

        In its position as a licensed title agent, Amrock performs the search and examination function or may purchase a search product from another third party vendor. In either case, Amrock is responsible for ensuring that the search and examination is completed. Amrock's relationship with each title insurance underwriter is governed by an agency agreement defining how it issues a title insurance policy on their behalf. The agency agreement also sets forth Amrock's liability to the underwriter for policy losses attributable to Amrock's errors. Periodic audits by Amrock's underwriters are also conducted. Despite Amrock's efforts to monitor third party vendors with which it transacts business, there is no guarantee that they will comply with their contractual obligations. Furthermore, Amrock cannot be certain that, due to changes in the regulatory environment and litigation trends, Amrock will not be held liable for errors and omissions by these vendors. Accordingly, Amrock's use of third party vendors could adversely impact the frequency and severity of title claims.

We may not be able to close on the proposed acquisition of Amrock Title Insurance Company after consummation of this offering.

        As part of our reorganization transaction, we will enter into an acquisition agreement immediately prior to the completion of this offering with RHI and its direct subsidiary Amrock Holdings Inc. pursuant to which we will acquire Amrock Title Insurance Company ("ATI"), an entity through which RHI conducts its title insurance underwriting business. The consummation of this acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals. No assurances can be given that all closing conditions to our acquisition of ATI will be satisfied or

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waived, including the receipt of regulatory approvals, and no assurances can be given that we will be able to close on this proposed acquisition.

Our subsidiary, Rocket Loans, is a rapidly growing company that faces increased risks, uncertainties, expenses and difficulties due to its relatively limited operating history and its reliance on third party relationships and sources.

        Our Rocket Loans business has a limited operating history at its current scale, and has encountered and will continue to encounter risks, uncertainties, expenses and difficulties, including navigating the complex and evolving regulatory and competitive environments, increasing its number of clients and increasing its volume of loans. If we are not able to timely and effectively address these requirements, our business may be harmed. Additionally, Rocket Loans is reliant on a third-party relationship with Cross River Bank, a New Jersey state chartered bank that handles a variety of consumer and commercial financing programs to originate all of its loans and to comply with various federal, state and other laws and third-party relationships with certain investors that have committed to purchase loans upon origination pursuant to agreements that contain certain conditions and terminate within one to three years. If Rocket Loans is unable to maintain its relationship with Cross River Bank, or if Cross River Bank were to suspend or cease its operations, we would need to implement a substantially similar arrangement with another issuing bank, obtain additional state licenses or curtail Rocket Loans' operations. Our agreements with Cross River Bank are non-exclusive and do not prohibit Cross River Bank from working with our competitors or from offering competing services. We could in the future have disagreements or disputes with Cross River Bank, which could negatively impact or threaten our relationship. Additionally, Rocket Loans relies on third party sources, including credit bureaus, for credit, identification, employment and other relevant information in order to review and select qualified borrowers and sufficient investors. If this information becomes unavailable, becomes more expensive to access or is incorrect, our business may be harmed.

Our Rocket Homes business model subjects us to challenges not faced by traditional brokerages.

        One of our subsidiaries, Rocket Homes, competes with traditional brokerages while also facing expanded risks not faced by traditional brokerages. Rocket Homes' core business is the referral of homebuyers, who have been prequalified for a mortgage by Quicken Loans, to a network of third-party partner real estate agents that assist those homebuyers in the purchase of their new home. In addition, a new component of our Rocket Homes business is listing and selling homes directly for a fee that is typically less than what a traditional brokerage would charge. In both our core referral business and in our efforts to list and sell homes from our centralized location, Rocket Homes and our agents are required to be licensed and comply with the requirements governing the licensing and conduct of real estate brokerage and brokerage-related businesses in the markets where we operate. Rocket Homes also operates a website for searching property listings and connecting with our partner agents. The listing data is provided via license from approximately 200 Multiple Listing Service ("MLS"), and we must also comply with the contractual obligations and restrictions from each MLS in order to access and use its listings data. Because of this multifaceted business model, we face additional challenges that include: improper actions by our partner agents beyond our control that subject us to reputational, business or legal harms; failure to comply with the requirements governing the licensing and conduct of real estate brokerage and brokerage-related businesses, which could result in penalties or the suspension of operations; increases in competition in the residential brokerage industry that reduce profitability; continuing low home inventory levels that reduce demand; or a restriction or termination of our access to and use of listings data.

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Our subsidiary, Core Digital Media, may experience a rise in costs related to its digital media operations and may be unable to profitably generate client leads, negatively affecting our business.

        Our subsidiary, Core Digital Media, is an online marketing and client lead acquisition platform that conducts its marketing efforts exclusively through the use of digital media. If Core Digital Media experiences an increase in its costs related to digital media marketing or online advertising, it may be unable to maintain its amount and quality of leads for mortgage origination. Furthermore, in the face of higher costs per lead, Core Digital Media may be unable to effectively manage its pricing strategy and revenue opportunities, and could experience a decline in profitability that may adversely affect our business.

We recently invested in two Canadian mortgage business startups. Such expansion into Canadian operations, and our limited experience with international markets outside of the United States, could subject us to risks and expenses that could adversely impact our business.

        We have evaluated, and continue to evaluate, potential expansion outside of the United States. In 2018, we invested in Lendesk, and in 2020, we invested in Edison Financial, both Canadian mortgage business startups.

        As we expand into Canada, our operations are subject to a variety of risks, including fluctuations in currency exchange rates, unexpected changes in legal and regulatory requirements, political, economic and civil instability and uncertainty (including acts of terrorism, civil unrest, drug-cartel related and other forms of violence and outbreaks of war), investment restrictions or requirements, potentially adverse tax consequences, and difficulty in complying with foreign laws and regulations, as well as U.S. laws and regulations that govern foreign activities, such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Economic uncertainty in Canada could negatively impact our operations in those areas. Also, as we pursue expansion efforts in Canada, it may be necessary or desirable to contract with third parties, and we may not be able to enter into such agreements on commercially acceptable terms or at all. Further, such arrangements, including investing in Lendesk and Edison Financial, may not perform to our expectations, and we may be exposed to various risks as a result of the activities of our partners.

        In addition, prior to investing in Lendesk and Edison Financial, we had very limited experience undertaking international operations outside of the United States. The structuring, expansion and administration of Lendesk and Edison Financial may require significant management attention and financial and operational resources that may result in increased operational, administrative, legal, compliance and other costs and may divert management's attention and employee resources from other priorities. Lendesk and Edison Financial may not generate its currently expected profitability, if any, and we may experience adverse effects on our business.

        Any occurrences of the risks associated with our Canadian operations and related expansion could adversely affect our business, reputation and ability to further expand internationally.

Changes in tax laws may adversely affect us, and the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") or a court may disagree with tax positions taken by the Issuer or Holdings, which may result in adverse effects on our financial condition or the value of our common stock.

        The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the "TCJA"), enacted on December 22, 2017, significantly affected U.S. tax law, including by changing how the U.S. imposes tax on certain types of income of corporations and by reducing the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate to 21%. It also imposed new limitations on a number of tax benefits, including deductions for business interest, use of net operating loss carry forwards, taxation of foreign income, and the foreign tax credit, among others.

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The CARES Act, enacted on March 27, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, further amended the U.S. federal tax code, including in respect of certain changes that were made by the TCJA, generally on a temporary basis. There can be no assurance that future tax law changes will not increase the rate of the corporate income tax significantly, impose new limitations on deductions, credits or other tax benefits, or make other changes that may adversely affect our business, cash flows or financial performance. In addition, the IRS has yet to issue guidance on a number of important issues regarding the changes made by the TCJA and the CARES Act. In the absence of such guidance, the Company will take positions with respect to a number of unsettled issues. There is no assurance that the IRS or a court will agree with the positions taken by us, in which case tax penalties and interest may be imposed that could adversely affect our business, cash flows or financial performance.

Terrorist attacks and other acts of violence or war may affect the lending industry generally and our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 disrupted the U.S. financial markets, including the real estate capital markets, and negatively impacted the U.S. economy in general. Any future terrorist attacks, the anticipation of any such attacks, the consequences of any military or other response by the United States and its allies, and other armed conflicts could cause consumer confidence and spending to decrease or result in increased volatility in the United States and worldwide financial markets and economy. The economic impact of these events could also adversely affect the credit quality of some of our loans and investments and the properties underlying our interests.

        If such events lead to a prolonged economic slowdown, recession or declining real estate values, they could impair the performance of our investments and harm our financial condition and results of operations, increase our funding costs, limit our access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to us. In addition, the activation of additional U.S. military reservists or members of the National Guard may significantly increase the proportion of mortgage loans whose interest rates are reduced by application of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (the "Relief Act") or similar state or local laws. As a result, any such attacks may adversely impact our performance. Losses resulting from these types of events may not be fully insurable.

Our business is subject to the risks of earthquakes, fires, floods and other natural catastrophic events and to interruption by man-made issues such as strikes.

        Our systems and operations are vulnerable to damage or interruption from earthquakes, fires, floods, power losses, telecommunications failures, strikes, health pandemics and similar events. For example, a significant natural disaster in Detroit, such as an earthquake, fire or flood, could have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition, and our insurance coverage may be insufficient to compensate us for losses that may occur. Disease outbreaks have occurred in the past (including severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, avian flu, H1N1/09 flu and COVID-19) and any prolonged occurrence of infectious disease or other adverse public health developments could have a material adverse effect on the macro economy and/or our business operations. In addition, strikes and other geopolitical unrest could cause disruptions in our business and lead to interruptions, delays or loss of critical data. These types of catastrophic events could also affect our loan servicing costs, increase our recoverable and our non-recoverable servicing advances, increase servicing defaults and negatively affect the value of our MSRs. We may not have sufficient protection or recovery plans in certain circumstances, such as natural disasters affecting the Detroit, Phoenix, Cleveland or Charlotte areas, and our business interruption insurance may be insufficient to compensate us for losses that may occur.

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Risks Related to Regulatory Environment

We operate in a heavily regulated industry, and our mortgage loan origination and servicing activities expose us to risks of noncompliance with an increasing and inconsistent body of complex laws and regulations at the U.S. federal, state and local levels, as well as in Canada.

        Due to the heavily regulated nature of the mortgage industry, we are required to comply with a wide array of Canadian, U.S. federal, state and local laws and regulations that regulate, among other things, the manner in which we conduct our loan origination and servicing businesses and the fees that we may charge, and the collection, use, retention, protection, disclosure, transfer and other processing of personal information. Governmental authorities and various Canadian, U.S., federal and state agencies have broad oversight and supervisory authority over our business.

        Because we originate mortgage loans and provide servicing activities nationwide and have operations in Canada, we must be licensed in all relevant jurisdictions and comply with the respective laws and regulations of each, as well as with judicial and administrative decisions applicable to us. Such licensing requirements also require the submission of information regarding any person who has 10% or more of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock. As a result of the Voting Limitation, as long as persons other than RHI hold approximately 21% or less of our outstanding common stock, a person could have 10% or more of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock even though such person holds less than 10% of our outstanding common stock. In addition, we are currently subject to a variety of, and may in the future become subject to additional Canadian, U.S. federal, state, and local laws that are continuously evolving and developing, including laws on advertising, as well as privacy laws, including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA"), the Telemarketing Sales Rule, the CAN-SPAM Act, the Canadian Anti-Spam Law, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, and the newly enacted California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA"). We expect more states to enact legislation similar to the CCPA, which provides consumers with new privacy rights such as the right to request deletion of their data, the right to receive data on record for them and the right to know what categories of data (generally) are maintained about them, and increases the privacy and security obligations of entities handling certain personal information of such consumers. These regulations directly impact our business and require ongoing compliance, monitoring and internal and external audits as they continue to evolve, and may result in ever-increasing public scrutiny and escalating levels of enforcement and sanctions. Subsequent changes to data protection and privacy laws could also impact how we process personal information, and therefore limit the effectiveness of our products or services or our ability to operate or expand our business, including limiting strategic partnerships that may involve the sharing of personal information.

        We must also comply with a number of federal, state and local consumer protection laws including, among others, the Truth in Lending Act ("TILA"), the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act ("RESPA"), the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Housing Act ("FHA"), the TCPA, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, Military Lending Act, the Homeowners Protection Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the SAFE Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 ("Dodd-Frank Act"), U.S. federal and state laws prohibiting unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices, and state foreclosure laws. These statutes apply to loan origination, marketing, use of credit reports, safeguarding of non-public, personally identifiable information about our clients, foreclosure and claims handling, investment of and interest payments on escrow balances and escrow payment features, and mandate certain disclosures and notices to clients.

        In particular, various federal, state and local laws have been enacted that are designed to discourage predatory lending and servicing practices. The Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act of 1994 ("HOEPA") prohibits inclusion of certain provisions in residential loans that have

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mortgage rates or origination costs in excess of prescribed levels and requires that borrowers be given certain disclosures prior to origination. Some states have enacted, or may enact, similar laws or regulations, which in some cases impose restrictions and requirements greater than those in HOEPA. In addition, under the anti-predatory lending laws of some states, the origination of certain residential loans, including loans that are not classified as "high cost" loans under applicable law, must satisfy a net tangible benefits test with respect to the related borrower. This test may be highly subjective and open to interpretation. As a result, a court may determine that a residential loan, for example, does not meet the test even if the related originator reasonably believed that the test was satisfied. Failure of residential loan originators or servicers to comply with these laws, to the extent any of their residential loans are or become part of our mortgage-related assets, could subject us, as a servicer or, in the case of acquired loans, as an assignee or purchaser, to monetary penalties and could result in the borrowers rescinding the affected loans. Lawsuits have been brought in various states making claims against originators, servicers, assignees and purchasers of high cost loans for violations of state law. Named defendants in these cases have included numerous participants within the secondary mortgage market. If our loans are found to have been originated in violation of predatory or abusive lending laws, we could be subject to lawsuits or governmental actions, or we could be fined or incur losses.

        In July 2020, it was announced that the Financial Stability Oversight Council will begin an activities-based review of the secondary mortgage market. The FHFA has expressed support for this review. This review could result in increased regulation of secondary mortgage market activities, which could have an adverse effect on our business.

        Both the scope of the laws and regulations and the intensity of the supervision to which our business is subject have increased over time, in response to the financial crisis as well as other factors such as technological and market changes. Regulatory enforcement and fines have also increased across the banking and financial services sector. We expect that our business will remain subject to extensive regulation and supervision. These regulatory changes could result in an increase in our regulatory compliance burden and associated costs and place restrictions on our origination and servicing operations. Our failure to comply with applicable Canadian, U.S. federal, state and local consumer protection and data privacy laws could lead to:

    loss of our licenses and approvals to engage in our servicing and lending businesses;

    damage to our reputation in the industry;

    governmental investigations and enforcement actions;

    administrative fines and penalties and litigation;

    civil and criminal liability, including class action lawsuits;

    diminished ability to sell loans that we originate or purchase, requirements to sell such loans at a discount compared to other loans or repurchase or address indemnification claims from purchasers of such loans, including the GSEs;

    inability to raise capital; and

    inability to execute on our business strategy, including our growth plans.

        As these Canadian, U.S. federal, state and local laws evolve, it may be more difficult for us to identify these developments comprehensively, to interpret changes accurately and to train our team members effectively with respect to these laws and regulations. Adding to these difficulties, U.S. and Canadian laws may conflict with each other, and if we comply with the laws of one jurisdiction, we may find that we are violating laws of another jurisdiction. These difficulties potentially increase our exposure to the risks of noncompliance with these laws and regulations, which could be detrimental to our business. In addition, our failure to comply with these laws, regulations and rules may result in reduced payments by clients, modification of the original terms of loans, permanent forgiveness of debt, delays in the foreclosure process, increased servicing advances, litigation, enforcement actions, and repurchase and indemnification obligations. A failure to adequately supervise service providers and vendors, including outside foreclosure counsel, may also have these negative results.

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        The laws and regulations applicable to us are subject to administrative or judicial interpretation, but some of these laws and regulations have been enacted only recently and may not yet have been interpreted or may be interpreted infrequently. Ambiguities in applicable laws and regulations may leave uncertainty with respect to permitted or restricted conduct and may make compliance with laws, and risk assessment decisions with respect to compliance with laws difficult and uncertain. In addition, ambiguities make it difficult, in certain circumstances, to determine if, and how, compliance violations may be cured. The adoption by industry participants of different interpretations of these statutes and regulations has added uncertainty and complexity to compliance. We may fail to comply with applicable statutes and regulations even if acting in good faith due to a lack of clarity regarding the interpretation of such statutes and regulations, which may lead to regulatory investigations, governmental enforcement actions or private causes of action with respect to our compliance.

        To resolve issues raised in examinations or other governmental actions, we may be required to take various corrective actions, including changing certain business practices, making refunds or taking other actions that could be financially or competitively detrimental to us. We expect to continue to incur costs to comply with governmental regulations. In addition, certain legislative actions and judicial decisions can give rise to the initiation of lawsuits against us for activities we conducted in the past. Furthermore, provisions in our mortgage loan and other loan product documentation, including but not limited to the mortgage and promissory notes we use in loan originations, could be construed as unenforceable by a court. We have been, and expect to continue to be, subject to regulatory enforcement actions and private causes of action from time to time with respect to our compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

        The recent influx of new laws, regulations, and other directives adopted in response to the recent COVID-19 pandemic exemplifies the ever-changing and increasingly complex regulatory landscape we operate in. While some regulatory reactions to COVID-19 relaxed certain compliance obligations, the forbearance requirements imposed on mortgages servicers in the recently passed CARES Act added new regulatory responsibilities. The GSEs and the FHFA, Ginnie Mae, HUD, various investors and others have also issued guidance relating to COVID-19. In recent weeks, we received and expect to continue to receive inquiries from various federal and state lawmakers, attorneys general and regulators seeking information on our COVID-19 response and its impact on our business, team members, and clients. Future regulatory scrutiny and enforcement resulting from COVID-19 is unknown.

        As a licensed real estate brokerage, our Rocket Homes business is currently subject to a variety of, and may in the future become subject to, additional, federal, state, and local laws that are continuously changing, including laws related to: the real estate, brokerage, title, and mortgage industries; mobile- and internet-based businesses; and data security, advertising, privacy and consumer protection laws. For instance, we are subject to federal laws such as the FHA and RESPA. These laws can be costly to comply with, require significant management attention, and could subject us to claims, government enforcement actions, civil and criminal liability, or other remedies, including revocation of licenses and suspension of business operations.

        In some cases, it is unclear as to how such laws and regulations affect Rocket Homes based on our business model that is unlike traditional brokerages, and the fact that those laws and regulations were created for traditional real estate brokerages. If we are unable to comply with and become liable for violations of these laws or regulations, or if unfavorable regulations or interpretations of existing regulations by courts or regulatory bodies are implemented, we could be directly harmed and forced to implement new measures to reduce our liability exposure. It could cause our operations in affected markets to become overly expensive, time consuming, or even impossible. This may require us to expend significant time, capital, managerial, and other resources to modify or discontinue certain operations, limiting our ability to execute our business strategies, deepen our presence in our existing

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markets, or expand into new markets. In addition, any negative exposure or liability could harm our brand and reputation. Any costs incurred as a result of this potential liability could harm our business.

        As a licensed title and settlement services provider, Amrock is currently subject to a variety of, and may in the future become subject to, additional, federal, state, and local laws that are continuously changing, including laws related to: the real estate, brokerage, title, and mortgage industries; mobile-and internet-based businesses; and data security, advertising, privacy and consumer protection laws. For instance, Amrock is subject to federal laws such as the FHA and RESPA. These laws can be costly to comply with, require significant management attention, and could subject us to claims, government enforcement actions, civil and criminal liability, or other remedies, including revocation of licenses and suspension of business operations.

        Although we have systems and procedures directed to comply with these legal and regulatory requirements, we cannot assure you that more restrictive laws and regulations will not be adopted in the future, or that governmental bodies or courts will not interpret existing laws or regulations in a more restrictive manner, which could render our current business practices non-compliant or which could make compliance more difficult or expensive. Any of these, or other, changes in laws or regulations could have a detrimental effect on our business.

The CFPB continues to be active in its monitoring of the loan origination and servicing sectors, and its recently issued rules increase our regulatory compliance burden and associated costs.

        We are subject to the regulatory, supervisory and examination authority of the CFPB, which has oversight of federal and state non-depository lending and servicing institutions, including residential mortgage originators and loan servicers. The CFPB has rulemaking authority with respect to many of the federal consumer protection laws applicable to mortgage lenders and servicers, including TILA and RESPA and the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act. The CFPB has issued a number of regulations under the Dodd-Frank Act relating to loan origination and servicing activities, including ability-to-repay and "Qualified Mortgage" standards and other origination standards and practices as well as servicing requirements that address, among other things, periodic billing statements, certain notices and acknowledgements, prompt crediting of borrowers' accounts for payments received, additional notice, review and timing requirements with respect to delinquent borrowers, loss mitigation, prompt investigation of complaints by borrowers, and lender-placed insurance notices. The CFPB has also amended provisions of HOEPA regarding the determination of high-cost mortgages, and of Regulation B, to implement additional requirements under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act with respect to valuations, including appraisals and automated valuation models. The CFPB has also issued guidance to loan servicers to address potential risks to borrowers that may arise in connection with transfers of servicing. Additionally, through bulletins 2012-03 and 2016-02, the CFPB has increased the focus on lender liability and vendor management across the mortgage and settlement services industries, which may vary depending on the services being performed.

        For example, the CFPB iteratively adopted rules over the course of several years regarding mortgage servicing practices that required us to make modifications and enhancements to our mortgage servicing processes and systems. While the CFPB recently announced its flexible supervisory and enforcement approach during the COVID-19 pandemic on certain consumer communications required by the mortgage servicing rules, managing to the CFPB's loss mitigation rules with mounting CARES Act forbearance requests is particularly challenging. The intersection of the CFPB's mortgage servicing rules and COVID-19 is evolving and will pose new challenges to the servicing industry. The CFPB's recent publication of COVID-19-related FAQs did not resolve potential conflicts between the CARES Act with respect to reporting of consumer credit information

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mandated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. There are conflicting interpretations of the CARES Act amendment of the Fair Credit Reporting Act with regards to delinquent loans entering a forbearance.

        The mortgage lending sector is currently relying, for a significant portion of the mortgages originated, on a temporary CFPB regulation, commonly called the "QM Patch", which permits mortgage lenders to comply with the CFPB's ability to repay requirements by relying on the fact that the mortgage is eligible for sale to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Reliance on the QM Patch has become widespread due to the operational complexity and practical inability for many mortgage lenders to rely on other ways to show compliance with the ability to repay regulations. For a more in-depth explanation, see "—Risks Related to Our BusinessOur business is highly dependent on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and certain U.S. government agencies, and any changes in these entities or their current roles could be detrimental to our business." The QM Patch is scheduled to expire on January 10, 2021 or sooner if Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac exit FHFA conservatorship. In June 2020, the CFPB issued proposed rules to revise its ability to repay requirements and to extend the QM Patch until those revisions are effective. We cannot predict what final actions the CFPB will take and how it might affect us and other mortgage originators. For a discussion of the risk to our business due to possible changes in the conservatorship status of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, see "Business—Government Regulations Affecting Loan Originations and Servicing."

        The CFPB's examinations have increased, and will likely continue to increase, our administrative and compliance costs. They could also greatly influence the availability and cost of residential mortgage credit and increase servicing costs and risks. These increased costs of compliance, the effect of these rules on the lending industry and loan servicing, and any failure in our ability to comply with the new rules by their effective dates, could be detrimental to our business. The CFPB also issued guidelines on sending examiners to banks and other institutions that service and/or originate mortgages to assess whether consumers' interests are protected. The CFPB has conducted routine examinations of our business and will conduct future examinations.

        The CFPB also has broad enforcement powers, and can order, among other things, rescission or reformation of contracts, the refund of moneys or the return of real property, restitution, disgorgement or compensation for unjust enrichment, the payment of damages or other monetary relief, public notifications regarding violations, limits on activities or functions, remediation of practices, external compliance monitoring and civil money penalties. The CFPB has been active in investigations and enforcement actions and, when necessary, has issued civil money penalties to parties the CFPB determines has violated the laws and regulations it enforces. Our failure to comply with the federal consumer protection laws, rules and regulations to which we are subject, whether actual or alleged, could expose us to enforcement actions or potential litigation liabilities. In May 2020, the CFPB issued a civil investigative demand to our subsidiary, Rocket Homes, the stated purpose of which is to determine if Rocket Homes conducted any activities in a manner that violated RESPA and to determine if further CFPB action is necessary. We intend to cooperate fully with the CFPB in this investigation and are confident in the compliance processes that Rocket Homes has in place.

        In addition, the occurrence of one or more of the foregoing events or a determination by any court or regulatory agency that our policies and procedures do not comply with applicable law could impact our business operations. For example, if the violation is related to our servicing operations it could lead to downgrades by one or more rating agencies, a transfer of our servicing responsibilities, increased delinquencies on mortgage loans we service or any combination of these events. Such a determination could also require us to modify our servicing standards. The expense of complying with new or modified servicing standards may be substantial. Any such changes or revisions may have a material impact on our servicing operations, which could be detrimental to our business.

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The state regulatory agencies continue to be active in their supervision of the loan origination and servicing sectors and the results of these examinations may be detrimental to our business.

        We are also supervised by regulatory agencies under Canadian and state law. State attorneys general, state licensing regulators, and state and local consumer protection offices have authority to investigate consumer complaints and to commence investigations and other formal and informal proceedings regarding our operations and activities. In addition, the GSEs and the FHFA, Ginnie Mae, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission ("FTC"), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD"), various investors, non-agency securitization trustees and others subject us to periodic reviews and audits. A determination of our failure to comply with applicable law could lead to enforcement action, administrative fines and penalties, or other administrative action.

If we are unable to comply with TRID rules, our business and operations could be materially and adversely affected and our plans to expand our lending business could be adversely impacted.

        The CFPB implemented loan disclosure requirements, effective in October 2015, to combine and amend certain TILA and RESPA disclosures. The TRID rules significantly changed consumer facing disclosure rules and added certain waiting periods to allow consumers time to shop for and consider the loan terms after receiving the required disclosures. If we fail to comply with the TRID rules, we may be unable to sell loans that we originate or purchase, or we may be required to sell such loans at a discount compared to other loans. We could also be subject to repurchase or indemnification claims from purchasers of such loans, including the GSEs.

        As regulatory guidance and enforcement and the views of the GSEs and other market participants evolve, we may need to modify further our loan origination processes and systems in order to adjust to evolution in the regulatory landscape and successfully operate our lending business. In such circumstances, if we are unable to make the necessary adjustments, our business and operations could be adversely affected and we may not be able to execute on our plans to grow our lending business.

Material changes to the laws, regulations or practices applicable to reverse mortgage programs operated by FHA and HUD could adversely affect our reverse mortgage business.

        The reverse mortgage industry is largely dependent upon the FHA and HUD, and there can be no guarantee that these entities will continue to participate in the reverse mortgage industry or that they will not make material changes to the laws, regulations, rules or practices applicable to reverse mortgage programs. The vast majority of reverse mortgage loan products we originate through our subsidiary, One Reverse Mortgage LLC, are Home Equity Conversion Mortgages ("HECM"), an FHA-insured loan that must comply with the FHA's and other regulatory requirements. One Reverse Mortgage LLC also originates non-HECM reverse mortgage products, for which there is a limited secondary market. The FHA regulations governing the HECM product have changed from time to time. For example, on September 3, 2013, the FHA announced changes to the HECM program, pursuant to authority under the Reverse Mortgage Stabilization Act. The changes impact initial mortgage insurance premiums and principal limit factors, impose restrictions on the amount of funds that senior borrowers may draw down at closing and during the first 12 months after closing and require a financial assessment for all HECM borrowers to ensure they have the capacity and willingness to meet their financial obligations and the terms of the reverse mortgage. In addition, the changes require borrowers to set aside a portion of the loan proceeds they receive at closing (or withhold a portion of monthly loan disbursements) for the payment of property taxes and homeowners insurance based on the results of the financial assessment. The FHA also amended or clarified requirements related to HECMs through a series of issuances in 2014, including three

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Mortgagee Letters issued in June of 2014. The new requirements relate to advertising, restrictions on loan provisions, limitations on payment methods, new underwriting requirements, revised principal limits, revised financial assessment and property charge requirements and the treatment of non-borrowing spouses. The FHA has continued to issue additional guidance aimed at strengthening the HECM program. Most recently, the FHA issued a Mortgagee Letter changing initial and annual mortgage insurance premium rates and the principal limit factors for all HECMs. Our reverse mortgage business is also subject to state statutory and regulatory requirements including, but not limited to, licensing requirements, required disclosures and permissible fees. It is unclear how the various new requirements, including the financial assessment requirement, will impact our reverse mortgage business. We continue to evaluate our reverse mortgage business and the future loan production remains uncertain.

If we do not obtain and maintain the appropriate state licenses, we will not be allowed to originate or service loans in some states, which would adversely affect our operations.

        Our operations are subject to regulation, supervision and licensing under various federal, state and local statutes, ordinances and regulations. In most states in which we operate, a regulatory agency regulates and enforces laws relating to loan servicing companies and loan origination companies such as us. These rules and regulations generally provide for licensing as a loan servicing company, loan origination company, loan marketing company, debt collection agency or third-party default specialist, as applicable, requirements as to the form and content of contracts and other documentation, licensing of employees and employee hiring background checks, restrictions on collection practices, disclosure and record-keeping requirements and enforcement of borrowers' rights. In most states, we are subject to periodic examination by state regulatory authorities. Some states in which we operate require special licensing or provide extensive regulation of our business.

        Similarly, due to the geographic scope of our operations and the nature of the services our Rocket Homes business provides, we may be required to obtain and maintain additional real estate brokerage licenses in certain states where we operate. Because its lender clients are in multiple states, Amrock is required to obtain and maintain various licenses, for its title agents, providers of appraisal management services, abstracters, and escrow and closing personnel. Some states, such as California, require Amrock to obtain entity or agency licensure, while other states require insurance agents or insurance producers to be licensed individually. There are also states that require both licensures. Many state licenses are perpetual, but licensees must take some periodic actions to keep the license in good standing.

        If we enter new markets, we may be required to comply with new laws, regulations and licensing requirements. As part of licensing requirements, we are typically required to designate individual licensees of record. We cannot ensure that we are, and will always remain, in full compliance with all real estate licensing laws and regulations, and we may be subject to fines or penalties, including license revocation, for any non-compliance. If in the future a state agency were to determine that we are required to obtain additional licenses in that state in order to transact business, or if we lose an existing license or are otherwise found to be in violation of a law or regulation, our business operations in that state may be suspended until we obtain the license or otherwise remedy the compliance issue.

        We may not be able to maintain all requisite licenses and permits, and the failure to satisfy those and other regulatory requirements could restrict our ability to broker, originate, purchase, sell or service loans. In addition, our failure to satisfy any such requirements relating to servicing of loans could result in a default under our servicing agreements and have a material adverse effect on our operations. Those states that currently do not provide extensive regulation of our business may later choose to do so, and if such states so act, we may not be able to obtain or maintain all requisite licenses and permits. The failure to satisfy those and other regulatory requirements could

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limit our ability to broker, originate, purchase, sell or service loans in a certain state, or could result in a default under our financing and servicing agreements and have a material adverse effect on our operations. Furthermore, the adoption of additional, or the revision of existing, rules and regulations could have a detrimental effect on our business.

The executive, legislative and regulatory reaction to COVID-19, including the passage of the CARES Act, poses new and quickly evolving compliance obligations on our business, and we may experience unfavorable changes in or failure to comply with existing or future regulations and laws adopted in response to COVID-19.

        Due to the unprecedented pause of major sectors of the U.S. economy from COVID-19, numerous states and the federal government adopted measures requiring mortgage servicers to work with consumers negatively impacted by COVID-19. The CARES Act imposes several new compliance obligations on our mortgage servicing activities, including, but not limited to mandatory forbearance offerings, altered credit reporting obligations, and moratoriums on foreclosure actions and late fee assessments. Many states have taken similar measures to provide mortgage payment and other relief to consumers, which create additional complexity around our mortgage servicing compliance activities.

        With the urgency to help consumers, the expedient passage of the CARES Act increases the likelihood of unintended consequences from the legislation. An example of such unintended consequences is the liquidity pressure placed on mortgage servicers given our contractual obligation to continue to advance payments to investors on loans in forbearance where consumers are not making their typical monthly mortgage payments. Moreover, certain provisions of the CARES Act are subject to interpretation given the existing ambiguities in the legislation, which creates class action and other litigation risk.

        Although much of the executive, legislative and regulatory actions stemming from COVID-19 are servicing-centric, regulators are adjusting compliance obligations impacting our mortgage origination activities. Many states have adopted temporary measures allowing for otherwise prohibited remote mortgage loan origination activities. While these temporary measures allow us to continue to do business remotely, they impose notice, procedural, and other compliance obligations on our origination activity.

        Federal, state, and local executive, legislative and regulatory responses to COVID-19 are rapidly evolving, not consistent in scope or application, and subject to change without advance notice. Such efforts may impose additional compliance obligations, which may negatively impact our mortgage origination and servicing business. Any additional legal or regulatory responses to COVID-19 may unfavorably restrict our business operations, alter our established business practices, and otherwise raise our compliance costs.

We are subject to laws and regulations regarding our use of telemarketing; a failure to comply with such laws, including the TCPA could increase our operating costs and adversely impact our business.

        We engage in outbound telephone and text communications with consumers, and accordingly must comply with a number of laws and regulations that govern said communications and the use of automatic telephone dialing systems ("ATDS"), including the TCPA and Telemarketing Sales Rules. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") and the FTC have responsibility for regulating various aspects of these laws. Among other requirements, the TCPA requires us to obtain prior express written consent for certain telemarketing calls and to adhere to "do-not-call" registry requirements which, in part, mandate we maintain and regularly update lists of consumers who have chosen not to be called and restrict calls to consumers who are on the national do-not-call list. Many

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states have similar consumer protection laws regulating telemarketing. These laws limit our ability to communicate with consumers and reduce the effectiveness of our marketing programs. The TCPA does not distinguish between voice and data, and, as such, SMS/MMS messages are also "calls" for the purpose of TCPA obligations and restrictions.

        For violations of the TCPA, the law provides for a private right of action under which a plaintiff may recover monetary damages of $500 for each call or text made in violation of the prohibitions on calls made using an "artificial or pre-recorded voice" or an ATDS. A court may treble the amount of damages upon a finding of a "willful or knowing" violation. There is no statutory cap on maximum aggregate exposure (although some courts have applied in TCPA class actions constitutional limits on excessive penalties). An action may be brought by the FCC, a state attorney general, an individual, or a class of individuals. Like other companies that rely on telephone and text communications, we are regularly subject to putative class action suits alleging violations of the TCPA. To date, no such class has been certified. If in the future we are found to have violated the TCPA, the amount of damages and potential liability could be extensive and adversely impact our business. Accordingly, were such a class certified or if we are unable to successfully defend such a suit, as we have in the past, then TCPA damages could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. For a discussion of current putative class actions under the TCPA, see "BusinessLegal and Regulatory Proceedings."

If new laws and regulations lengthen foreclosure times or introduce new regulatory requirements regarding foreclosure procedures, our operating costs could increase and we could be subject to regulatory action.

        When a mortgage loan we service is in foreclosure, we are generally required to continue to advance delinquent principal and interest to the securitization trust and to make advances for delinquent taxes and insurance and foreclosure costs and the upkeep of vacant property in foreclosure to the extent that we determine that such amounts are recoverable. These servicing advances are generally recovered when the delinquency is resolved. Regulatory actions that lengthen the foreclosure process will increase the amount of servicing advances that we are required to make, lengthen the time it takes for us to be reimbursed for such advances and increase the costs incurred during the foreclosure process.

        The CARES Act paused all foreclosures until May 17, 2020. Many state governors issued orders, directives, guidance or recommendations halting foreclosure activity including evictions. This will increase our operating costs, extend the time we advance for delinquent taxes and insurance and could delay our ability to seek reimbursement from the investor to recoup some or all of the advances.

        Increased regulatory scrutiny and new laws and procedures could cause us to adopt additional compliance measures and incur additional compliance costs in connection with our foreclosure processes. We may incur legal and other costs responding to regulatory inquiries or any allegation that we improperly foreclosed on a client. We could also suffer reputational damage and could be fined or otherwise penalized if we are found to have breached regulatory requirements.

Our servicing policies and procedures are subject to examination by our regulators, and the results of these examinations may be detrimental to our business.

        As a loan servicer, we are examined for compliance with U.S. federal, state and local laws, rules and guidelines by numerous regulatory agencies. It is possible that any of these regulators will inquire about our servicing practices, policies or procedures and require us to revise them in the future. The occurrence of one or more of the foregoing events or a determination by any court or regulatory agency that our servicing policies and procedures do not comply with applicable law could

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lead to downgrades by one or more rating agencies, a transfer of our servicing responsibilities, increased delinquencies on mortgage loans we service or any combination of these events. Such a determination could also require us to modify our servicing standards.

Regulatory agencies and consumer advocacy groups are becoming more aggressive in asserting claims that the practices of lenders and loan servicers result in a disparate impact on protected classes.

        Antidiscrimination statutes, such as the FHA and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, prohibit creditors from discriminating against loan applicants and borrowers based on certain characteristics, such as race, religion and national origin. Various federal regulatory agencies and departments, including the DOJ and CFPB, take the position that these laws apply not only to intentional discrimination, but also to neutral practices that have a disparate impact on a group that shares a characteristic that a creditor may not consider in making credit decisions (i.e., creditor or servicing practices that have a disproportionate negative affect on a protected class of individuals).

        These regulatory agencies, as well as consumer advocacy groups and plaintiffs' attorneys, are focusing greater attention on "disparate impact" claims. The U.S. Supreme Court recently confirmed that the "disparate impact" theory applies to cases brought under the FHA, while emphasizing that a causal relationship must be shown between a specific policy of the defendant and a discriminatory result that is not justified by a legitimate objective of the defendant. Although it is still unclear whether the theory applies under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, regulatory agencies and private plaintiffs can be expected to continue to apply it to both the FHA and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in the context of home loan lending and servicing. To extent that the "disparate impact" theory continues to apply, we may be faced with significant administrative burdens in attempting to comply and potential liability for failures to comply.

        Furthermore, many industry observers believe that the "ability to repay" rule issued by the CFPB, discussed above, will have the unintended consequence of having a disparate impact on protected classes. Specifically, it is possible that lenders that make only qualified mortgages may be exposed to discrimination claims under a disparate impact theory.

        In addition to reputational harm, violations of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and the FHA can result in actual damages, punitive damages, injunctive or equitable relief, attorneys' fees and civil money penalties.

Government regulation of the internet and other aspects of our business is evolving, and we may experience unfavorable changes in or failure to comply with existing or future regulations and laws.

        We are subject to a number of regulations and laws that apply generally to businesses, as well as regulations and laws specifically governing the internet and the marketing over the internet. Existing and future regulations and laws may impede the growth and availability of the internet and online services and may limit our ability to operate our business. These laws and regulations, which continue to evolve, cover privacy and data protection, data security, pricing, content, copyrights, distribution, mobile and other communications, advertising practices, electronic contracts, consumer protections, the provision of online payment services, unencumbered internet access to our services, the design and operation of websites and the characteristics and quality of offerings online. We cannot guarantee that we have been or will be fully compliant in every jurisdiction, as it is not entirely clear how existing laws and regulations governing issues such as property ownership, consumer protection, libel and personal privacy apply or will be enforced with respect to the internet and e-commerce, as many of these laws were adopted prior to the advent of the internet and do not contemplate or address the unique issues they raise. Moreover, increasing regulation and

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enforcement efforts by federal and state agencies and the prospects for private litigation claims related to our data collection, privacy policies or other e-commerce practices become more likely. In addition, the adoption of any laws or regulations, or the imposition of other legal requirements, that adversely affect our digital marketing efforts could decrease our ability to offer, or client demand for, our offerings, resulting in lower revenue. Future regulations, or changes in laws and regulations or their existing interpretations or applications, could also require us to change our business practices, raise compliance costs or other costs of doing business and materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.


Risks Related to Our Organization and Structure

We are a holding company and our principal asset after completion of this offering will be our equity interests in Holdings, and accordingly we are dependent upon distributions from Holdings to pay taxes and other expenses.

        We are a holding company and, upon completion of the reorganization transactions and this offering, our principal asset will be our ownership of Holdings. See "Organizational Structure." We have no independent means of generating revenue. As the sole managing member of Holdings, we intend to cause Holdings to make distributions to us, RHI and Dan Gilbert, the three equityholders of Holdings, in amounts sufficient to cover the taxes on their allocable share of the taxable income of Holdings, all applicable taxes payable by us, any payments we are obligated to make under the tax receivable agreement we intend to enter into as part of the reorganization transactions and other costs or expenses. However, certain laws and regulations may result in restrictions on Holdings' ability to make distributions to us or the ability of Holdings' subsidiaries to make distributions to it.

        To the extent that we need funds and Holdings or its subsidiaries are restricted from making such distributions, we may not be able to obtain such funds on terms acceptable to us or at all and as a result could suffer an adverse effect on our liquidity and financial condition.

In certain circumstances, Holdings will be required to make distributions to us, RHI and Dan Gilbert, and the distributions that Holdings will be required to make may be substantial and in excess of our tax liabilities and obligations under the tax receivable agreement. To the extent we do not distribute such excess cash, RHI and Dan Gilbert would benefit from any value attributable to such cash balances as a result of their ownership of Class B common stock (or Class A common stock, as applicable) following an exchange of their Holdings Units and corresponding shares of common stock.

        Holdings will continue to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, as such, will not be subject to any entity-level U.S. federal income tax. Instead, taxable income will be allocated to us, RHI and Dan Gilbert, as holders of Holdings Units. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Operating Agreement of RKT Holdings, LLC." Accordingly, we will incur income taxes on our allocable share of any net taxable income of Holdings. Under the operating agreement of Holdings (the "Holdings Operating Agreement"), Holdings will generally be required from time to time to make pro rata distributions in cash to its equityholders, RHI, Dan Gilbert and us, in amounts sufficient to cover the taxes on their allocable share of the taxable income of Holdings. As a result of (i) potential non pro rata allocations of net taxable income allocable to us, RHI and Dan Gilbert, (ii) the lower tax rate applicable to corporations as compared to individuals and (iii) the favorable tax benefits that we anticipate receiving from (a) the exchange of Holdings Units and corresponding shares of Class D common stock or Class C common stock and future purchases of Holdings Units (along with corresponding shares of Class D common stock or Class C common stock) from RHI and Dan Gilbert and (b) payments under the tax receivable agreement, we expect that these tax distributions will be in amounts that exceed our tax liabilities and obligations to make payments under the tax receivable agreement. Our board of directors will

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determine the appropriate uses for any excess cash so accumulated, which may include, among other uses, any potential dividends, stock buybacks, the payment obligations under the tax receivable agreement and the payment of other expenses. We will have no obligation to distribute such cash (or other available cash other than any declared dividend) to our stockholders. No adjustments to the exchange ratio for Holdings Units and corresponding shares of common stock will be made as a result of (i) any cash distribution by Holdings or (ii) any cash that we retain and do not distribute to our stockholders, and in any event the ratio will remain one-to-one.

We will be controlled by RHI, an entity controlled by Dan Gilbert, whose interests may conflict with our interests and the interests of other stockholders.

        After giving effect to the reorganization transactions and this offering, RHI, an entity controlled by Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, will hold 99.95% of our issued and outstanding Class D common stock after this offering and will control 79% of the combined voting power of our common stock. As a result, RHI will be able to control any action requiring the general approval of our stockholders as long as it owns at least 10% of our issued and outstanding common stock, including the election of our board of directors, the adoption of amendments to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and the approval of any merger or sale of substantially all of our assets. So long as RHI continues to directly or indirectly own a significant amount of our equity, even if such amount is less than a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock, RHI will continue to be able to substantially influence the outcome of votes on all matters requiring approval by the stockholders, including our ability to enter into certain corporate transactions. The interests of RHI could conflict with or differ from our interests or the interests of our other stockholders. For example, the concentration of ownership held by RHI could delay, defer or prevent a change of control of our Company or impede a merger, takeover or other business combination that may otherwise be favorable for us.

We will share our Chief Executive Officer and certain directors with RHI, our Chief Executive Officer will not devote his full time and attention to our affairs, and the overlap may give rise to conflicts.

        Following the completion of our initial public offering, our Chief Executive Officer, Jay Farner, will also continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer of RHI. Although we expect that Jay will devote a majority of his time to the business of the Company, he will not be able to devote his full time, effort and attention to the Company's affairs. In addition, after the completion of our initial public offering, our Chief Executive Officer, our other executive officers and the directors affiliated with RHI will continue to own equity interests in RHI. Furthermore, immediately following the completion of our initial public offering, four members of our board of directors (Dan Gilbert, Jennifer Gilbert, Matthew Rizik and Jay Farner) will also be directors and, in the case of Jay and Matthew, officers of RHI. The overlap and the ownership of RHI equity interests may lead to actual or apparent conflicts of interest with respect to matters involving or affecting our Company and RHI and its affiliates other than the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, RHI and its affiliates other than the Company and its subsidiaries, the "RHI Affiliated Entities"). For example, there will be a potential for a conflict of interest if there are issues or disputes under the commercial arrangements that will exist between us and the RHI Affiliated Entities or if we or one of the RHI Affiliated Entities look at acquisition or investment opportunities that may be suitable for both companies. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions" for more information on the transactions and relationships between the Company and the RHI Affiliated Entities and certain policies concerning related party transactions that we will adopt following the completion of this offering.

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Our certificate of incorporation will contain a provision renouncing our interest and expectancy in certain corporate opportunities.

        Our certificate of incorporation will provide that no RHI Affiliated Entity nor any officer, director, member, partner or employee of any RHI Affiliated Entity (each, an "RHI Party") will have any duty to refrain from engaging in the same or similar business activities or lines of business, doing business with any of our clients or suppliers or employing or otherwise engaging or soliciting for employment any of our directors, officers or employees. Our certificate of incorporation will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, we renounce our right to certain business opportunities, and that each RHI party has no duty to communicate or offer such business opportunity to us and is not liable to us or any of our stockholders for breach of any fiduciary or other duty under statutory or common law, as a director, officer or controlling stockholder, or otherwise, by reason of the fact that any such individual pursues or acquires such business opportunity, directs such business opportunity to another person or fails to present such business opportunity, or information regarding such business opportunity, to us. The Exchange Agreement will provide that these provisions of our certificate of incorporation may not be amended without RHI's consent for so long as RHI holds any Holdings Units. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Exchange Agreement." These provisions of our certificate of incorporation create the possibility that a corporate opportunity of ours may be used for the benefit of the RHI Affiliated Entities.

We are a "controlled company" within the meaning of the Exchange rules and, as a result, qualify for and intend to rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements.

        After giving effect to the reorganization transactions and the closing of this offering, RHI will continue to control a majority of the voting power of our outstanding voting stock, and, as a result, we will be a controlled company within the meaning of the Exchange rules. Under the Exchange rules, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by another person or group of persons acting together is a controlled company and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including the requirements that:

    a majority of the board of directors consist of independent directors;

    the nominating and corporate governance committee be composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee's purpose and responsibilities; and

    the compensation committee be composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee's purpose and responsibilities.

        These requirements will not apply to us as long as we remain a controlled company. Accordingly, you may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of the Exchange.

We are required to pay RHI and Dan Gilbert for certain tax benefits we may claim, and the amounts we may pay could be significant.

        We intend to enter into a tax receivable agreement with RHI and Dan Gilbert that will provide for the payment by us to RHI and Dan Gilbert (or their transferees of Holdings Units or other assignees) of 90% of the amount of cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax or franchise tax that we actually realize (computed using simplifying assumptions to address the impact of state and local taxes) as a result of (i) certain increases in our allocable share of the tax basis in Holdings' assets resulting from (a) the purchases of Holdings Units (along with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock) from RHI and Dan Gilbert (or their transferees of Holdings Units or other assignees) using the net proceeds from this offering or in any

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future offering, (b) exchanges by RHI and Dan Gilbert (or their transferees of Holdings Units or other assignees) of Holdings Units (along with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock) for cash or shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock, as applicable, or (c) payments under the tax receivable agreement; (ii) tax benefits related to imputed interest deemed arising as a result of payments made under the tax receivable agreement and (iii) disproportionate allocations (if any) of tax benefits to Holdings as a result of section 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") that relate to the reorganization transaction. The tax receivable agreement will make certain simplifying assumptions regarding the determination of the cash savings that we realize or are deemed to realize from the covered tax attributes, which may result in payments pursuant to the tax receivable agreement in excess of those that would result if such assumptions were not made.

        The actual tax benefit, as well as the amount and timing of any payments under the tax receivable agreement, will vary depending upon a number of factors, including, among others, the timing of exchanges by or purchases from RHI and Dan Gilbert, the price of our Class A common stock at the time of the exchanges or purchases, the extent to which such exchanges are taxable, the amount and timing of the taxable income we generate in the future and the tax rate then applicable, and the portion of our payments under the tax receivable agreement constituting imputed interest.

        Future payments under the tax receivable agreement could be substantial. Assuming that all Holdings Units eligible to be exchanged for cash or Class A common stock would be exchanged for Class A common stock by RHI and Dan Gilbert at the time of the offering and that we will have sufficient taxable income to utilize all of the tax attributes covered by the tax receivable agreement when they are first available to be utilized under applicable law, we estimate that payments to RHI and Dan Gilbert under the tax receivable agreement would aggregate to approximately $11,725 million over the next 20 years and for yearly payments over that time to range between approximately $30.5 million to $991.8 million per year, based on an assumed public offering price of $21.00 (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus). The payments under the tax receivable agreement are not conditioned upon RHI's or Dan Gilbert's continued ownership of us.

        There is a possibility that under certain circumstances not all of the 90% of the applicable cash savings will be paid to the selling or exchanging holder of Holdings Units at the time described above. If we determine that such circumstances apply and all or a portion of such applicable tax savings is in doubt, we will pay to the holders of such Holdings Units the amount attributable to the portion of the applicable tax savings that we determine is not in doubt and pay the remainder at such time as we reasonably determine the actual tax savings or that the amount is no longer in doubt.

        In addition, RHI and Dan Gilbert (or their transferees or other assignees) will not reimburse us for any payments previously made if any covered tax benefits are subsequently disallowed, except that any excess payments made to RHI or Dan Gilbert (or such holder's transferees or assignees) will be netted against future payments that would otherwise be made under the tax receivable agreement with RHI and Dan Gilbert, if any, after our determination of such excess. We could make payments to RHI and Dan Gilbert under the tax receivable agreement that are greater than our actual cash tax savings and may not be able to recoup those payments, which could negatively impact our liquidity.

        In addition, the tax receivable agreement will provide that in the case of a change in control of the Company or a material breach of our obligations under the tax receivable agreement, we will be required to make a payment to RHI and Dan Gilbert in an amount equal to the present value of future payments (calculated using a discount rate equal to the lesser of 6.50% or LIBOR plus 100

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basis points, which may differ from our, or a potential acquirer's, then-current cost of capital) under the tax receivable agreement, which payment would be based on certain assumptions, including those relating to our future taxable income. For additional discussion of LIBOR, see "—Risks Related to Our Business—We are exposed to volatility in LIBOR, which can result in higher than market interest rates and may have a detrimental effect on our business." In these situations, our obligations under the tax receivable agreement could have a substantial negative impact on our, or a potential acquirer's, liquidity and could have the effect of delaying, deferring, modifying or preventing certain mergers, asset sales, other forms of business combinations or other changes of control. These provisions of the tax receivable agreement may result in situations where RHI and Dan Gilbert have interests that differ from or are in addition to those of our other stockholders. In addition, we could be required to make payments under the tax receivable agreement that are substantial, significantly in advance of any potential actual realization of such further tax benefits, and in excess of our, or a potential acquirer's, actual cash savings in income tax.

        Finally, because we are a holding company with no operations of our own, our ability to make payments under the tax receivable agreement is dependent on the ability of our subsidiaries to make distributions to us. Our debt agreements restrict the ability of our subsidiaries to make distributions to us, which could affect our ability to make payments under the tax receivable agreement. To the extent that we are unable to make payments under the tax receivable agreement as a result of restrictions in our debt agreements, such payments will be deferred and will accrue interest until paid, which could negatively impact our results of operations and could also affect our liquidity in periods in which such payments are made.


Risks Related to This Offering and Our Class A Common Stock

No public market currently exists for our Class A common stock, and there can be no assurance that an active public market for our Class A common stock will develop.

        Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our Class A common stock. The initial public offering price for our Class A common stock will be determined through negotiations between us and the representatives of the underwriters and may not be indicative of the market price of our Class A common stock after this offering. If you purchase shares of our Class A common stock, you may not be able to resell those shares of Class A common stock at or above the initial public offering price. We cannot predict the extent to which investor interest in our Class A common stock will lead to the development of an active trading market on the Exchange or otherwise or how liquid that market might become. If an active public market for our Class A common stock does not develop, or is not sustained, it may be difficult for you to sell your Class A common stock at a price that is attractive to you or at all.

Future sales of our common stock, or the perception in the public markets that these sales may occur, may depress the price of our Class A common stock.

        Additional sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market after this offering, or the perception that such sales may occur, could have an adverse effect on our stock price and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional stock. In the future, we may attempt to obtain financing or to further increase our capital resources by issuing additional shares of our common stock. Issuing additional shares of our Class A common stock, Class B common stock or other equity securities or securities convertible into equity may dilute the economic and voting rights of our existing stockholders or reduce the market price of our Class A common stock or both. Issuing additional shares of our Class C common stock or Class D common stock, when issued with corresponding Holdings Units, may also dilute the economic and voting rights of our existing stockholders or reduce the market price of our Class A common stock or both.

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        Upon the completion of this offering, we will have 150,322,273 shares of Class A common stock issued and outstanding (or 172,822,273 shares of Class A common stock if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares) based on an assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus). In addition, 1,872,799,626 shares of Class A common stock (assuming the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase any additional shares) may be issued upon the exercise of the exchange and/or conversion rights described elsewhere in this prospectus. The Class A common stock offered hereby will be freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), except for any Class A common stock that may be held or acquired by our directors, executive officers and other affiliates (as that term is defined in the Securities Act), which will be restricted securities under the Securities Act. The shares of Class A common stock not being offered hereby or issuable upon the exercise of the exchange and/or conversion rights as described above will be restricted securities. Restricted securities may not be sold in the public market unless they are registered under the Securities Act or an exemption from registration is available.

        We and each of our executive officers and directors and all of our other existing equityholders have agreed with the underwriters that for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus, we and they will not offer, sell, assign, transfer, pledge, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of or hedge any of our Class A common stock, or any options or warrants to purchase any of our Class A common stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for our Class A common stock, subject to specified exceptions. The representatives of the underwriters may, in their discretion, at any time without prior notice, release all or any portion of the Class A common stock from the restrictions in any such agreement. See "Underwriting" for more information. After the lock-up agreements expire, up to an additional 1,836,093,909 shares of Class A common stock (assuming the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase any additional shares) may be sold by these equityholders in the public market either in a registered offering or pursuant to an exemption from registration, such as Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act ("Rule 144"). See "Shares Eligible for Future Sale" for a more detailed description of the restrictions on selling Class A common stock after this offering.

        We intend to file a registration statement under the Securities Act registering 105,263,158 shares of our Class A common stock reserved for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and our Employee Stock Purchase Plan ("ESPP"). We have entered into a Registration Rights Agreement pursuant to which we have granted demand and piggyback registration rights to RHI, Dan Gilbert and the Gilbert Affiliates. See "Shares Eligible for Future Sale" for a more detailed description of the shares that will be available for future sale upon completion of this offering.

The price of our Class A common stock may be volatile, and you may be unable to resell your Class A common stock at or above the initial public offering price or at all.

        After this offering, the market price for our Class A common stock is likely to be volatile, in part, because our Class A common stock has not previously been traded publicly. In addition, the market price for our Class A common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to a number of factors, most of which we cannot control, including, among others:

    our reliance on our loan funding facilities to fund mortgage loans and otherwise operate our business;

    our ability to sell loans in the secondary market to a limited number of investors and to the GSEs (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac), and to securitize our loans into MBS through the GSEs and Ginnie Mae and through our subsidiary, Woodward Capital Management LLC;

    disruptions in the secondary home loan market, including the MBS market;

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    changes in the GSEs, FHA, USDA and VA guidelines or GSE and Ginnie Mae guarantees;

    our ability to maintain or grow our servicing business;

    intense competition in the markets we serve;

    failure to accurately predict the demand or growth of new financial products and services that we are developing;

    fluctuations in quarterly revenue and operating results, as well as differences between our actual financial and operating results and those expected by investors;

    the public's response to press releases or other public announcements by us or third parties, including our filings with the SEC;

    announcements relating to litigation;

    guidance, if any, that we provide to the public, any changes in such guidance or our failure to meet such guidance;

    changes in financial estimates or ratings by any securities analysts who follow our Class A common stock, our failure to meet such estimates or failure of those analysts to initiate or maintain coverage of our Class A common stock;

    the development and sustainability of an active trading market for our Class A common stock;

    investor perceptions of the investment opportunity associated with our Class A common stock relative to other investment alternatives;

    the inclusion, exclusion or deletion of our Class A stock from any trading indices;

    future sales of our Class A common stock by our officers, directors and significant stockholders;

    other events or factors, including those resulting from system failures and disruptions, hurricanes, wars, acts of terrorism, other natural disasters or responses to such events;

    price and volume fluctuations in the overall stock market, including as a result of trends in the economy as a whole; and

    changes in accounting principles.

        These and other factors may lower the market price of our Class A common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance. As a result, our Class A common stock may trade at prices significantly below the initial public offering price.

        In addition, the stock markets, including the Exchange, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity securities of many companies. In the past, stockholders have instituted securities class action litigation following periods of market volatility. If we were to become involved in securities litigation, we could incur substantial costs and our resources and the attention of management could be diverted from our business.

If you invest in our Class A common stock, you will experience dilution to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share of our Class A common stock and the pro forma net tangible book value per share of our Class A common stock.

        Purchasers of our Class A common stock in this offering will experience immediate and substantial dilution in net tangible book value per share to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share of our Class A common stock and the pro forma net tangible

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book value per share of our Class A common stock. After giving effect to the reorganization transactions, the estimated impact of the tax receivable agreement, this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering, on a fully exchanged and converted basis, our pro forma net tangible book value would have been approximately $3,636 million, or $1.83 per share, representing an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $0.02 per share to existing equityholders and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $19.15 per share to new investors in this offering. For a further description of the dilution that you will experience immediately after the closing of this offering, see "Dilution."

We do not expect to pay any cash dividends for the foreseeable future.

        We have no current plans to pay dividends on our Class A common stock. The declaration and payment of future dividends to holders of our Class A common stock will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon many factors, including our financial condition, earnings, legal requirements, tax obligations, restrictions in our debt instruments and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources" for more information on the restrictions our debt agreements impose on our ability to declare and pay cash dividends. As a holding company, our ability to pay dividends depends on our receipt of cash dividends from our subsidiaries, which may further restrict our ability to pay dividends as a result of the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, agreements of our subsidiaries or covenants under future indebtedness that we or they may incur.

If we are unable to effectively implement or maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately or timely report our financial results and our stock price could be adversely affected.

        Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 ("Sarbanes-Oxley") requires us to evaluate the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of the end of each fiscal year, include a management report assessing the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, and include a report issued by our independent registered public accounting firm based on its audit of the Company's internal control over financial reporting, in each case, beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2021. We may identify weaknesses or deficiencies that we may be unable to remedy before the requisite deadline for those reports. Our ability to comply with the annual internal control report requirements will depend on the effectiveness of our financial reporting and data systems and controls across the Company. We expect these systems and controls to involve significant expenditures and to become increasingly complex as our business grows. To effectively manage this complexity, we will need to continue to improve our operational, financial and management controls and our reporting systems and procedures. Any weaknesses or deficiencies or any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in the implementation or operation of these controls, could harm our operating results and cause us to fail to meet our financial reporting obligations or result in material misstatements in our financial statements, which could adversely affect our business and reduce our stock price.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about us or our business, the price of our Class A common stock and trading volume could decline.

        The trading market for our Class A common stock will depend, in part, on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. We do not currently have and may never obtain research coverage by securities and industry analysts. If no securities or

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industry analysts commence coverage of the Company, the trading price for our Class A common stock would be negatively impacted. If we obtain securities or industry analyst coverage and if one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrades our Class A common stock or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about us or our business, our share price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our Class A common stock could decrease, which could cause our stock price and trading volume to decline. In addition, if our operating results fail to meet the expectations of securities analysts, our stock price would likely decline.

Our organizational documents may impede or discourage a takeover, which could deprive our investors of the opportunity to receive a premium for their shares.

        Provisions of our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws may make it more difficult for, or prevent a third party from, acquiring control of us without the approval of our board of directors. These provisions include:

    having a dual class common stock structure, which provides RHI with the ability to control the outcome of matters requiring stockholder approval, even if it beneficially owns significantly less than a majority of the shares of our outstanding common stock;

    having a classified board of directors;

    providing that, when the RHI Affiliated Entities and permitted transferees (collectively, the "RHI Parties") beneficially own less than a majority of the combined voting power of the common stock, a director may only be removed with cause by the affirmative vote of 75% of the combined voting power of our common stock;

    providing that, when the RHI Parties beneficially own less than a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock, vacancies on our board of directors, whether resulting from an increase in the number of directors or the death, removal or resignation of a director, will be filled only by our board of directors and not by stockholders;

    providing that, when the RHI Parties beneficially own less than a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock, certain amendments to our certificate of incorporation or amendments to our bylaws will require the approval of 75% of the combined voting power of our common stock;

    prohibiting stockholders from calling a special meeting of stockholders;

    authorizing stockholders to act by written consent only until the RHI Parties cease to beneficially own a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock;

    establishing advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our board of directors or for proposing matters that can be acted on by stockholders at stockholder meetings;

    authorizing "blank check" preferred stock, the terms and issuance of which can be determined by our board of directors without any need for action by stockholders; and

    providing that the decision to transfer our corporate headquarters outside of Detroit, Michigan will require the approval of 75% of the combined voting power of our common stock.

        Additionally, Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL") prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. An interested stockholder includes a person, individually or together with any other interested stockholder, who within the last three years has owned 15% of our voting stock. We will opt out of Section 203 of the DGCL, but our certificate of incorporation will include a provision that restricts us from engaging in

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any business combination with an interested stockholder for three years following the date that person becomes an interested stockholder. Such restrictions, however, do not apply to any business combination between RHI, any direct or indirect equityholder of RHI or any person that acquires (other than in connection with a registered public offering) our voting stock from RHI or any of its 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 and who is designated in writing by RHI as an "RHI Transferee", on the one hand, and us, on the other.

        Until the RHI Parties cease to beneficially own at least 50% of the voting power of our common stock, RHI will be able to control all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors, amendment of our certificate of incorporation and certain corporate transactions. Together, these provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could make the removal of management more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our Class A common stock. Furthermore, the existence of the foregoing provisions, as well as the significant Class A common stock beneficially owned by RHI, could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our Class A common stock. They could also deter potential acquirers of us, thereby reducing the likelihood that you could receive a premium for your Class A common stock in an acquisition.

The provision of our certificate of incorporation requiring exclusive forum in certain courts in the State of Michigan or the State of Delaware or the federal district courts of the United States for certain types of lawsuits may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers.

        Our certificate of incorporation will require, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or stockholders to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine will have to be brought only in the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan (or, if the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan lacks jurisdiction over such action or proceeding, then another state court of the State of Michigan or, if no state court of the State of Michigan has jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan) or the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks jurisdiction, any other state court of the State of Delaware, or if no state court of the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware), unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum. The foregoing provision will not apply to claims arising under the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") or other federal securities laws for which there is exclusive federal or concurrent federal and state jurisdiction. Additionally, unless we consent 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. Although we believe these exclusive forum provisions benefit us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware or Michigan law and federal securities laws in the types of lawsuits to which each applies, the exclusive forum provisions may limit a stockholder's ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or any of our directors, officers or stockholders, which may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims. Our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder as a result of our exclusive forum provisions. Further, in the event a court finds either exclusive forum provision contained in our certificate of incorporation to be unenforceable or inapplicable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, operating results and financial condition.

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Transformation into a public company may increase our costs and disrupt the regular operations of our business.

        We have historically operated as a privately owned company, and we have incurred, and expect to in the future incur, significant additional legal, accounting, reporting and other expenses as a result of having publicly traded common stock, including, but not limited to, increased costs related to auditor fees, legal fees, directors' fees, directors and officers insurance, investor relations and various other costs. We also anticipate that we will incur costs associated with corporate governance requirements, including requirements under the Exchange Act, Sarbanes-Oxley and the Dodd-Frank Act, as well as rules implemented by the SEC and the Exchange. Compliance with these rules and regulations will make some activities more difficult, time-consuming, or costly, and increase demand, and as a result may place a strain, on our systems and resources. Moreover, the additional demands associated with being a public company may disrupt regular operations of our business by diverting the attention of some of our senior management team away from revenue producing activities. Furthermore, because we have not operated as a company with publicly traded common stock in the past, we might not be successful in implementing these requirements.

        In addition, changing laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure are creating uncertainty for public companies, increasing legal and financial compliance costs and making some activities more time consuming. These laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, in many cases due to their lack of specificity, and, as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices. We intend to invest resources to comply with evolving laws, regulations and standards, and this investment may result in increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management's time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities. If our efforts to comply with new laws, regulations and standards differ from the activities intended by regulatory or governing bodies due to ambiguities related to practice, regulatory authorities may initiate legal proceedings against us, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The dual class structure of our common stock may adversely affect the trading market for our Class A common stock.

        In July 2017, S&P Dow Jones and FTSE Russell announced changes to their eligibility criteria for the inclusion of shares of public companies on certain indices, including the Russell 2000, the S&P 500, the S&P MidCap 400 and the S&P SmallCap 600, to exclude companies with multiple classes of shares of common stock from being added to these indices. As a result, our dual class capital structure would make us ineligible for inclusion in any of these indices, and mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and other investment vehicles that attempt to passively track these indices will not be investing in our stock. Furthermore, we cannot assure you that other stock indices will not take a similar approach to S&P Dow Jones or FTSE Russell in the future. Exclusion from indices could make our Class A common stock less attractive to investors and, as a result, the market price of our Class A common stock could be adversely affected.

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        This prospectus contains forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "target," "will," "would" and, in each case, their negative or other various or comparable terminology. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this prospectus, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenue, projected costs, prospects, plans, objectives of management and expected market growth are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are contained principally in the sections entitled "Prospectus Summary," "Risk Factors," "Use of Proceeds," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Business" and include, among other things, statements relating to:

    our strategy, outlook and growth prospects;

    our operational and financial targets and dividend policy;

    general economic trends and trends in the industry and markets; and

    the competitive environment in which we operate.

        These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our results to vary from expectations include, but are not limited to:

    the unique challenges posed to our business by the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of the pandemic on our ability to originate mortgages, our servicing operations, our liquidity and our employees;

    disruption of our business due to technology failures, including a failure in our operational or security systems or infrastructure, or those of third parties;

    our ability to adapt and to implement technological changes;

    our inability to connect with consumers through internet search engines and app market places;

    cyberattacks and other data and security breaches;

    our inability to make technological improvements quickly;

    our use of software, hardware and services that may be difficult to replace;

    failure to comply with the terms of one or more of the open source licenses that some aspects of our platform is dependent on;

    our inability to adequately obtain, maintain, protect and enforce our intellectual property and potential intellectual property disputes related to our use of the intellectual property of third parties;

    the potential termination of the license agreement between our subsidiary Quicken Loans and Intuit, Inc. governing the use of the "Quicken Loans" name and trademark;

    our dependence on macroeconomic and U.S. residential real estate market conditions;

    changes in U.S. monetary policies that affect interest rates;

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    ineffective risk management efforts;

    potential employment litigation and unfavorable publicity;

    our inability to hire, train and retain qualified personnel to support our growth;

    loss of our key management;

    failure to maintain our corporate culture;

    distraction of management due to acquisitions or strategic alliances;

    failure to accurately predict the demand or growth of new products and services that we are developing;

    the various legal actions that we are party to;

    our reliance on our loan funding facilities to fund mortgage loans and otherwise operate our business;

    our inability to continue to grow our loan origination business or effectively manage significant increases in our loan origination volume;

    a decrease in the value of the collateral underlying certain of our loan funding facilities causing an unanticipated margin call;

    our ability to sell loans in the secondary market to a limited number of investors and to the GSEs (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac), and to securitize our loans into MBS through the GSEs and Ginnie Mae;

    disruptions in the secondary home loan market, including the MBS market;

    changes in the GSEs', FHA, USDA and VA guidelines or GSE and Ginnie Mae guarantees;

    any changes in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and certain U.S. government agencies or their current roles;

    delays in recovery or our inability to recover servicing advances that we are required to make;

    risks associated with our counterparties potentially terminating our servicing rights and subservicing contracts;

    failure to maintain the ratings assigned to us by a rating agency;

    a decline in market share for our origination business, a decline in repeat clients and an inability to recapture loans from clients who refinance;

    the high volatility in value, or inaccuracies in our estimates of value of our MSRs;

    our ability to repurchase or substitute mortgage loans or MSRs that we have sold, or indemnify purchasers of our mortgage loans or MSRs;

    intense competition in the markets we serve;

    errors in the credit decisioning and scoring models that we use;

    high degrees of business and financial risk associated with certain of our loans;

    our ability to collect on our personal loans, which are not secured, guaranteed or insured, if a client is unwilling or unable to repay;

    fraud that could result in significant losses and harm to our reputation;

    the conduct of the brokers through whom we originate our wholesale home loans;

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    volatility in LIBOR;

    failure of our hedging strategies to mitigate risks associated with changes in interest rates;

    failure of our internal models to produce reliable and/or valid results;

    failure to accurately estimate the fair value of a substantial portion of our assets;

    future changes in accounting principles generally accepted in the United States;

    challenges to the MERS System;

    negative public opinion and damage to our reputation;

    regulation of title insurance rates;

    Amrock's position as an agent utilizing third party vendors for issuing a significant amount of title insurance policies;

    increased risks, uncertainties, expenses and difficulties due to the relatively limited operating history of our subsidiary, Rocket Loans;

    the business model of our subsidiary, Rocket Homes;

    potential rise in costs related to the digital media operations of our subsidiary Core Digital Media;

    our expansion into the Canadian mortgage market;

    changes in tax laws;

    terrorist attacks and other acts of violence or war;

    earthquakes, fires, floods and other natural catastrophic events and interruption by man-made problems such as strikes;

    noncompliance with an increasing and inconsistent body of complex laws and regulations, including with respect to data privacy, at the U.S. federal, state and local levels, as well as in Canada;

    increased regulatory compliance burden and associated costs associated with the CFPB monitoring the loan origination and servicing sectors, and its recently issued rules;

    failure to comply with applicable state law;

    failure to comply with the TRID rules;

    material changes to the laws, regulations or practices applicable to mortgage loan origination and servicing in general, and to reverse mortgage programs operated by FHA and HUD;

    our inability to obtain and maintain the appropriate state licenses;

    failure to comply with the TCPA and other laws and regulations regarding our use of telemarketing;

    increased operating costs associated with any new laws, regulations regarding foreclosure procedures and timelines;

    the potential for regulatory examinations or investigations of our servicing operations;

    potential violations of predatory lending and/or servicing laws;

    failure to comply with existing or future regulations and laws governing the internet and marketing over the internet;

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    being a holding company and relying upon distributions from Holdings to pay taxes and other expenses;

    tax considerations of any distribution;

    our control by RHI;

    overlap of directors and an executive officer with RHI and its affiliates;

    renunciation of certain corporate opportunities;

    our reliance on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements in connection to us being a "controlled company" within the meaning of the Exchange rules;

    requirement to pay RHI and Dan Gilbert for certain tax benefits we may claim;

    failure of an active public market for our Class A common stock developing;

    future sales of our Class A common stock, or the perception in the public markets that these sales may occur;

    volatility in the price of our Class A common stock;

    dilution in our Class A common stock as a result of this offering;

    no expectation to pay any cash dividends for the foreseeable future;

    our inability to effectively implement or maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting;

    securities or industry analysts not publishing research or publishing inaccurate or unfavorable research about us or our business;

    our organizational documents may impede or discourage a takeover;

    the provision of our certificate of incorporation requiring exclusive forum in the state courts in the State of Michigan or the State of Delaware for certain types of lawsuits may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers;

    transformation into a public company may increase our costs and disrupt the regular operations of our business;

    the dual class structure of our common stock; and

    other risks, uncertainties and factors set forth in this prospectus, including those set forth under "Risk Factors."

        These forward-looking statements reflect our views with respect to future events as of the date of this prospectus and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this prospectus and, except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or review publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date of this prospectus. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our views to change. You should read this prospectus and the documents filed as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, merger, dispositions, joint ventures or investments we may undertake. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

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ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Structure Prior to the Reorganization Transactions

        We and our predecessors have been in the mortgage loan origination and servicing business for 35 years. We conduct our business through Quicken Loans and its subsidiaries as well as other subsidiaries of RHI. Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, is the principal stockholder of RHI.

        Prior to the commencement of the reorganization transactions, all of the outstanding equity interests of Quicken Loans, as well as all or a majority of the outstanding equity interests in our other operating subsidiaries, that historically have operated our businesses, were directly or indirectly owned by RHI.

        The following diagram depicts our organizational structure prior to the reorganization transactions. This chart is provided for illustrative purposes only and does not purport to represent all legal entities within our organizational structure.

GRAPHIC

The Reorganization Transactions

        Prior to the completion of this offering, we will consummate an internal reorganization, which we refer to as the "reorganization transactions." In connection with the reorganization transactions, the following steps have occurred or will occur:

    the Issuer was incorporated in Delaware on February 26, 2020, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of RHI;

    Holdings was formed in Michigan on March 6, 2020, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of RHI;

    Quicken Loans Inc. converted to a Michigan limited liability company on April 15, 2020;

    subsequent to March 31, 2020 and prior to the completion of the reorganization transactions, the Combined Businesses will have made cash distributions to RHI in an aggregate estimated amount of $3,878 million (including $1,618 million on or before June 30, 2020 as referenced

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      herein), of which $1,164 million were for the purpose of funding tax obligations (the "Pre-IPO Distributions");

    in July 2020, RHI contributed to Holdings the interests it held in certain of the Combined Businesses.

    in July 2020, Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, contributed $20.0 million to Holdings and became a member of Holdings;

    prior to the completion of this offering, RHI will contribute to Holdings the interests it holds in (a) Quicken Loans, LLC and (b) the remaining Combined Businesses. As a result, Holdings will become the direct holder of the interests of Quicken Loans and of all the Combined Businesses, which are RHI's direct and indirect subsidiaries through which RHI conducts the following businesses and activities: (i) our title insurance services, property valuations and settlement services business, (ii) our real estate agent network, (iii) our home search website, (iv) our client care center, (v) our auto sales business, (vi) our personal loan business, (vii) our support services provider, (viii) our loan securitization business, (ix) our Canadian mortgage business and (x) our Canadian technology service provider;

    prior to the completion of this offering, the Issuer will become the sole managing member of Holdings;

    prior to the completion of this offering, we will amend the operating agreement of Holdings and provide that, among other things, all of the existing equity interests in Holdings will be reclassified into Holdings' non-voting common interest units, which we refer to as "Holdings Units." Holdings will issue an aggregate of 1,985,479,966 Holdings Units to RHI and Dan Gilbert, which assuming an initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus) is expected to consist of 1,984,534,499 Holdings Units issued to RHI and 945,467 Holdings Units issued to Dan Gilbert;

    prior to the completion of this offering, we will amend and restate our certificate of incorporation and we will be authorized to issue four classes of common stock: Class A common stock, Class B common stock, Class C common stock and Class D common stock, which we refer to collectively as our "common stock." The Class A common stock and Class C common stock will each provide holders with one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, and the Class B common stock and Class D common stock will each provide holders with 10 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. The holders of Class C common stock and Class D common stock will not have any of the economic rights (including rights to dividends and distributions upon liquidation) provided to holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock. These attributes are summarized in the following table:
Class of Common Stock
  Votes   Economic
Rights
Class A common stock     1   Yes
Class B common stock     10   Yes
Class C common stock     1   No
Class D common stock     10   No

      Our certificate of incorporation provides that, at any time when the aggregate voting power of the outstanding common stock or preferred stock beneficially owned by RHI or any entity disregarded as separate from RHI for U.S. federal income tax purposes (the "RHI Securities") would be equal to or greater than 79% of the total voting power of our outstanding stock, the number of votes per share of each RHI Security shall be reduced such that the aggregate voting power of all of the RHI Securities is equal to 79%.

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      Shares of our common stock will generally vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders. There will be no shares of Class B common stock and no shares of Class C common stock outstanding after the completion of this offering;

    prior to the completion of this offering, we will issue RHI and Dan Gilbert a number of shares of our Class D common stock in exchange for a payment by RHI and Dan Gilbert, as applicable, of the aggregate par value of the Class D common stock received equal to the number of Holdings Units held by RHI and Dan Gilbert, as applicable;

    prior to the completion of this offering, each of RHI and Dan Gilbert will be granted the right to exchange its or his Holdings Units, together with a corresponding number of shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock, for, at our option, (i) shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock or (ii) cash from a substantially concurrent public offering or private sale (based on the price of our Class A common stock in such public offering or private sale);

    prior to the completion of this offering, we will issue an aggregate of 322,273 shares of Class A common stock at the purchase price per share equal to the initial public offering price (assuming an initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus)) to Dan Gilbert and certain entities affiliated with Dan Gilbert (the "Gilbert Affiliates"), in exchange for an aggregate of $6.8 million in cash which we will contribute to Holdings for Holdings Units; and

    prior to the completion of this offering, we will enter into an acquisition agreement with RHI and its direct subsidiary Amrock Holdings Inc. pursuant to which we will acquire ATI, an entity through which RHI conducts its title insurance underwriting business, for total aggregate consideration of $14.4 million that will consist of 685,714 Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock of RHI valued at the price to the public in this offering (assuming an initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus)) (such acquisition, the "ATI acquisition"). ATI's net income for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $4.7 million. The consummation of this acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals. We expect the ATI acquisition will close in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Effect of the Reorganization Transactions and this Offering

        The reorganization transactions are intended to create a holding company that will facilitate public ownership of, and investment in, the Company and are structured in a tax-efficient manner for our pre-IPO equityholders. Because we will manage and operate the business and control the strategic decisions and day-to-day operations of Holdings and will also have a substantial financial interest in Holdings, we will consolidate the financial results of Holdings, and a portion of our net income (loss) will be allocated to the noncontrolling interest to reflect the entitlement of RHI and Dan Gilbert to a portion of Holdings' net income (loss). In addition, because the Combined Businesses will be under the common control of RHI before and after the reorganization transactions, we will account for the reorganization transactions as a reorganization of entities under common control and will initially measure the interests of RHI in the assets and liabilities of Holdings at their carrying amounts as of the date of the completion of the reorganization transactions.

        We expect that each of RHI and Dan Gilbert may desire that its or his investment maintains its or his tax treatment as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, therefore, will continue to hold its or his ownership interests in Holdings until such time in the future as it or he may elect to exchange its or his Holdings Units and corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock, for, at our option (as the sole managing member of Holdings), (a) shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock, as applicable, on a one-for-one basis or (b) cash from a substantially concurrent public offering or private sale (based on the price of

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our Class A common stock in such public offering or private sale), subject to customary conversion rate adjustments for stock splits, stock dividends and reclassifications.

        After the completion of this offering, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus), we intend to use the entire aggregate amount of $3,079 million of the net proceeds from this offering (or $3,541 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) to acquire a number of Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock from RHI equal to the amount of such net proceeds divided by the price paid by the underwriters for shares of our Class A common stock in this offering (150,000,000 Holdings Units or, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, 172,500,000 Holdings Units). We do not intend to use any proceeds from this offering to acquire any Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock from Dan Gilbert.

        We estimate that the offering expenses (other than the underwriting discounts) will be approximately $14.7 million. All of such offering expenses will be paid for or otherwise borne by Holdings. See "Use of Proceeds" for further details.

        The following diagram depicts our organizational structure following the reorganization transactions, this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering, including all of the transactions described above (and no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares). This chart is provided for illustrative purposes only and does not purport to represent all legal entities within our organizational structure:(2)

GRAPHIC


(1)
Includes the Combined Businesses other than Quicken Loans, which are our direct and indirect subsidiaries through which we will conduct the following businesses and activities: (i) our title insurance services, property valuations and settlement services business, (ii) our real estate agent network, (iii) our home search website, (iv) our client care center, (v) our auto sales business, (vi) our personal loan business, (vii) our support services provider, (viii) our loan

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    securitization business, (ix) our Canadian mortgage business and (x) our Canadian technology service provider. After the ATI acquisition closes, which we expect to happen in the fourth quarter of 2020, ATI will become one of our subsidiaries through which we will conduct title insurance underwriting business.

(2)
This chart does not depict the shares of Class A Common Stock held by Dan Gilbert and the Gilbert Affiliates. Dan Gilbert and the Gilbert Affiliates, through their ownership of Class A common stock, hold 0.04% of the voting power of, and 0.21% of the economic interest in, the Issuer.

        Upon completion of the transactions described above, this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering:

    we will be appointed as the sole managing member of Holdings and will, directly or indirectly, hold 150,000,000 Holdings Units, constituting 8% of the outstanding equity interests in Holdings (or 172,500,000 Holdings Units, constituting 9% of the outstanding equity interests in Holdings if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full and giving effect to the use of the net proceeds therefrom);

    RHI will hold an aggregate of 1,834,534,499 shares of our Class D common stock and Holdings Units, constituting 92% of the outstanding equity interests in Holdings (or 1,812,034,499 shares of our Class D common stock and Holdings Units, constituting 91% of the outstanding equity interests in Holdings, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full and giving effect to the use of the net proceeds therefrom), collectively representing 79% of the combined voting power in us;

    Dan Gilbert will hold (A) an aggregate of 945,467 shares of our Class D common stock and Holdings Units, constituting 0.05% of the outstanding equity interests in Holdings (or constituting 0.00% of the outstanding equity interests in Holdings if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full and giving effect to the use of the net proceeds therefrom), and (B) 24,997 shares of our Class A common stock, representing 0.00% of the combined voting power in us (or 24,997 shares and 0.00%, respectively, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full and giving effect to the use of the net proceeds therefrom), collectively representing 1% of the combined voting power in us (or 1% if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full and giving effect to the use of the net proceeds therefrom);

    the Gilbert Affiliates will collectively hold 297,276 shares of our Class A common stock, representing 0.04% of the combined voting power in us (or 0.03%, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full and giving effect to the use of the net proceeds therefrom); and

    our public stockholders will collectively hold 150,000,000 shares of our Class A common stock, representing 20% of the combined voting power in us (or 172,500,000 shares and 20%, respectively, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full and giving effect to the use of the net proceeds therefrom).

Holding Company Structure and Tax Receivable Agreement

        We are a holding company, and immediately after the consummation of the reorganization transactions and this offering our principal asset will be our ownership interests in Holdings. The number of Holdings Units we will own at any time will equal the aggregate number of outstanding shares of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock. The economic interest represented by each Holdings Unit that we own will correspond to one share of our Class A common stock or Class B common stock. The total number of Holdings Units owned by us and the holders of our Class C common stock and Class D common stock at any given time will equal the

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sum of the outstanding shares of all classes of our common stock. Shares of our Class C common stock and Class D common stock cannot be transferred except in connection with a transfer or exchange of Holdings Units.

        We do not intend to list our Class B common stock, Class C common stock or Class D common stock on any stock exchange.

        The purchase of Holdings Units (along with corresponding shares of our Class D common stock) from RHI using the net proceeds from this offering, future exchanges by RHI or Dan Gilbert (or its transferees or other assignees) of Holdings Units and corresponding shares of Class D common stock or Class C common stock for shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock, and future purchases of Holdings Units (along with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock) from RHI or Dan Gilbert (or its or his transferees or other assignees) are expected to produce favorable tax attributes for us. These tax attributes would not be available to us in the absence of those transactions.

        We intend to enter into a tax receivable agreement with RHI and Dan Gilbert that will provide for the payment by us to RHI and Dan Gilbert (or its or his transferees of Holdings Units or other assignees) of 90% of the amount of cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax or franchise tax that we actually realize (computed using simplifying assumptions to address the impact of state and local taxes) as a result of (i) certain increases in our allocable share of the tax basis in Holdings' assets resulting from (a) the purchases of Holdings Units (along with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock) from RHI or Dan Gilbert (or their transferees of Holdings Units or other assignees) using the net proceeds from this offering or in any future offering, (b) exchanges by RHI or Dan Gilbert (or their transferees of Holdings Units or other assignees) of Holdings Units (along with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock) for shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock, as applicable, or (c) payments under the tax receivable agreement; (ii) tax benefits related to imputed interest deemed arising as a result of payments made under the tax receivable agreement and (iii) disproportionate allocations (if any) of tax benefits to Holdings as a result of section 704(c) of the Code that relate to the reorganization transactions. Although we are not aware of any issue that would cause the IRS to challenge the tax basis increases or other tax benefits arising under the tax receivable agreement, RHI (or its transferees or assignees) will not reimburse us for any payments previously made if such tax basis increases or other tax benefits are subsequently disallowed, except that excess payments made to RHI and Dan Gilbert will be netted against future payments otherwise to be made under the tax receivable agreement, if any, after our determination of such excess. As a result, in such circumstances we could make future payments to RHI and Dan Gilbert under the tax receivable agreement that are greater than our actual cash tax savings and may not be able to recoup those payments, which could negatively impact our liquidity. In addition, there is a possibility that under certain circumstances not all of the 90% of the applicable cash savings will be paid to the selling or exchanging holder of Holdings Units at the time described above. If we determine that such circumstances apply and all or a portion of such applicable tax savings is in doubt, we will pay to the holders of such Holdings Units the amount attributable to the portion of the applicable tax savings that we determine is not in doubt and pay the remainder at such time as we reasonably determine the actual tax savings or that the amount is no longer in doubt. See "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Organization and Structure—We are required to pay the stockholders of RHI for certain tax benefits we may claim, and the amounts we may pay could be significant." and "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Tax Receivable Agreement."

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USE OF PROCEEDS

        We expect to receive approximately $3,079 million of net proceeds (based upon the assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share, the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and assuming no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares) from the sale of the Class A common stock offered by us, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and before deducting offering expenses. We estimate that the net proceeds to us, if the underwriters exercise their right to purchase the maximum of additional shares of Class A common stock from us, will be approximately $3,541 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated expenses payable by us in connection with this offering (based upon the assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share, the midpoint of the public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus).

        We intend to use the entire aggregate amount of the net proceeds from this offering to acquire a number of Holdings Units and corresponding shares of Class D common stock from RHI equal to the amount of such net proceeds divided by the price paid by the underwriters for shares of our Class A common stock in this offering (150,000,000 Holdings Units and corresponding shares of Class D common stock or, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, 172,500,000 Holdings Units and corresponding shares of Class D common stock). We do not intend to use any proceeds from this offering to acquire any Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock from Dan Gilbert.

        We estimate that the offering expenses (other than the underwriting discounts) will be approximately $14.7 million. All of such offering expenses will be paid for or otherwise borne by Holdings.

        A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share would increase (decrease) the amount of net proceeds to us from this offering by $220.9 million, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions.

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DIVIDEND POLICY

        We have no current plans to pay dividends on our Class A common stock. Any future determination to pay dividends will be made at the discretion of our board of directors, subject to applicable laws, and will depend on a number of factors, including our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, contractual, legal, tax and regulatory restrictions, general business conditions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant.

        We are a holding company and will have no material assets other than our ownership of Holdings Units. Our ability to pay cash dividends will depend on the payment of distributions by our current and future subsidiaries, and such distributions may be restricted as a result of regulatory restrictions, state law regarding distributions by a company to its equityholders or contractual agreements, including our current debt agreements and any future agreements governing their indebtedness. See "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Organization and Structure—We are a holding company and our principal asset after completion of this offering will be our equity interests in Holdings, and accordingly we are dependent upon distributions from Holdings to pay taxes and other expenses." and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources."

        Subject to having available cash and subject to limitations imposed by applicable law and contractual restrictions (including pursuant to our debt instruments), the Holdings Operating Agreement requires Holdings to make certain distributions to the Issuer, RHI and Dan Gilbert, pro rata, to facilitate their payment of taxes with respect to the income of Holdings that is allocated to the Issuer, RHI and Dan Gilbert. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Operating Agreement of RKT Holdings, LLC." To the extent that the tax distributions the Issuer receives exceed the amounts the Issuer is actually required to pay taxes, tax receivable agreement payments, and other expenses, the Issuer will not be required to distribute such excess cash. Our board of directors may, in its sole discretion, choose to use such excess cash for any purpose depending upon the facts and circumstances at the time of determination.

        As disclosed elsewhere in this prospectus and the combined financial statements and related notes thereto of the Combined Businesses included elsewhere in this prospectus, the Rocket Companies have historically made cash distributions to RHI. Subsequent to March 31, 2020 and prior to the completion of the reorganization transactions, as part of the reorganization transactions, the Rocket Companies will have made cash distributions to RHI in an aggregate estimated amount of $3,878 million (including $1,618 million on or before June 30, 2020 as referenced herein), of which $1,164 million were for the purpose of funding tax obligations. We refer to these distributions as the "Pre-IPO Distributions."

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CAPITALIZATION

        The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and our capitalization as of March 31, 2020, on:

    an actual basis;

    a pro forma basis to reflect the cash distributions of $3,878 million (including $1,618 million on or before June 30, 2020 as referenced herein) made by the Rocket Companies to RHI subsequent to March 31, 2020 and prior to the completion of the reorganization transactions, of which $1,164 million were for the purpose of funding tax obligations; and

    an as-adjusted basis to give effect to this offering and the application of the net proceeds of this offering as described under "Use of Proceeds."

        You should read this table together with the information included elsewhere in this prospectus, including "Prospectus Summary—Summary Historical and Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial and Other Data," "Selected Historical Combined Financial and Other Data," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and the audited combined financial statements and related notes thereto of the Combined Businesses included elsewhere in this prospectus.

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  As of March 31, 2020  
 
  Actual   Pro Forma   As Adjusted(1)  
 
  (in thousands, except share and per share data)
 

Cash and cash equivalents(2)

  $ 2,250,627   $ 1,088,671   $ 1,115,459  

Total long-term indebtedness(3)

  $ 2,234,756   $ 2,234,756   $ 2,234,756  

Equity:

                   

Class A common stock, par value $0.00001 per share; no shares authorized, issued and outstanding, actual; no shares authorized, issued and outstanding, pro forma; 10,000,000,000 shares authorized, 150,322,273 issued and outstanding, as adjusted

            2  

Class B common stock, par value $0.00001 per share; no shares authorized, issued and outstanding, actual; no shares authorized, issued and outstanding, pro forma; 6,000,000,000 shares authorized, none issued and outstanding, as adjusted

             

Class C common stock, par value $0.00001 per share; no shares authorized, issued and outstanding, actual; no shares authorized, issued and outstanding, pro forma; 6,000,000,000 shares authorized, none issued and outstanding, as adjusted

             

Class D common stock, par value $0.00001 per share; no shares authorized, issued and outstanding, actual; no shares authorized, issued and outstanding, pro forma; 6,000,000,000 shares authorized, 1,835,479,966 issued and outstanding, as adjusted

            18  

Additional paid-in capital

   
   
   
40,576
 

Net parent investment

    3,646,753     (231,637 )    

Retained earnings

             

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

    (1,590 )   (1,590 )   (120 )

Non-controlling interest

    4,256     4,256     (200,153 )

Total equity

    3,649,419     (228,971 )   (159,677 )

Total capitalization

  $ 5,884,175   $ 2,005,785   $ 2,075,079  

(1)
A $1.00 increase in the assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share, would increase each of total stockholder's equity and total capitalization by $4,560 thousand, and a $1.00 decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share, would decrease each of total stockholder's equity and total capitalization by $4,559 thousand, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

(2)
Management anticipates that the $3,878,390 thousand of distributions to RHI will be fully funded through the use of cash on hand as of March 31, 2020 and cash flows generated from operations between April 1, 2020 and the transaction date. The $1,088,671 thousand pro forma cash and cash equivalents reflects anticipated remaining cash after giving effect to such distributions.

(3)
Prior to the closing of this offering, we intend to incur short-term indebtedness of $600 million under the RHI/QL Line of Credit (as defined herein) for general corporate purposes.

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DILUTION

        If you invest in our Class A common stock, you will experience dilution to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share of our Class A common stock and the pro forma net tangible book value per share of our common stock. Dilution results from the fact that the per share offering price of the Class A common stock is substantially in excess of the book value per share attributable to the common stock held by existing equityholders (including all shares issuable upon exchange and/or conversion).

        Our pro forma net tangible book value as of March 31, 2020 would have been approximately $3,635.8 million, or $1.83 per share of our common stock. Pro forma net tangible book value represents the amount of total tangible assets less total liabilities, and pro forma net tangible book value per share represents pro forma net tangible book value divided by the number of shares of common stock outstanding, in each case, after giving effect to the reorganization transactions and assuming that RHI and Dan Gilbert exchange all of the Holdings Units and corresponding shares of our Class D common stock for newly issued shares of our Class B common stock on a one-for-one basis. The pro forma net tangible book value of the Combined Companies as of March 31, 2020 does not give effect to the aggregate of $3,878 million of cash distributions the Combined Companies will have made to RHI subsequent to March 31, 2020 which will be fully funded through the use of cash on hand as of March 31, 2020 and cash flows generated from operations between April 1, 2020 and the transaction date.

        After giving effect to the reorganization transactions, the estimated impact of the tax receivable agreement, and assuming that RHI and Dan Gilbert exchange all of the Holdings Units and corresponding shares of our Class D common stock for newly issued shares of our Class B common stock on a one-for-one basis, and after giving further effect to the sale of 150,000,000 shares of Class A common stock in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated price range on the cover page of this prospectus), and the application of the net proceeds from this offering, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value would have been approximately $3,678.3 million, or $1.85 per share, representing an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $0.02 per share to existing equityholders and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $19.15 per share to new investors.

        The following table illustrates the per share dilution:

Assumed initial public offering price per share

  $ 21.00  

Pro forma net tangible book value per share as of March 31, 2020(1)

  $ 1.83  

Increase in pro forma net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors

  $ 0.02  

Pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering(2)

  $ 1.85  

Dilution in pro forma net tangible book value per share to new investors

  $ 19.15  

(1)
Reflects 1,985,802,239 outstanding shares, consisting of (i) 322,273 shares of Class A common stock and (ii) 1,985,479,966 shares of Class B common stock issuable upon the exchange of all of the Holdings Units and corresponding shares of our Class D common stock held by RHI and Dan Gilbert immediately prior to this offering.

(2)
Reflects 1,985,802,239 outstanding shares, consisting of (i) 150,000,000 shares of Class A common stock to be issued in this offering (ii) 322,273 shares of Class A common stock outstanding immediately prior to this offering and (iii) 1,835,479,966 shares of Class B common stock issuable upon the exchange of all of the Holdings Units and corresponding shares of our Class D common stock held by RHI and Dan Gilbert.

        Dilution is determined by subtracting pro forma net tangible book value per share after this offering from the initial public offering price per share of Class A common stock.

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        A $1.00 increase in the assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share would increase our pro forma net tangible book value after this offering by $4,560 thousand and the dilution per share to new investors by $1.00, and a $1.00 decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share, would decrease our pro forma net tangible book value after this offering by $4,559 thousand and the dilution per share to new investors by $1.00 in each case, assuming the number of shares offered, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

        The following table sets forth, on a pro forma basis as of March 31, 2020, the number of shares of Class A common stock purchased from us, the total consideration paid to us and the average price per share paid by the existing equityholders and by new investors purchasing shares in this offering, at the assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated price range on the cover page of this prospectus), after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us and after giving effect to the reorganization transactions, the estimated impact of the tax receivable agreement, assuming that RHI and Dan Gilbert exchange all of the Holdings Units and corresponding shares of our Class D common stock for newly issued shares of our Class B common stock on a one-for-one basis, and after giving further effect to this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering:

 
  Shares of Common
Stock Purchased
  Total Consideration   Average
Price
 
 
  Number   Percent   Amount   Percent   Per Share  

Existing stockholders(1)(2)

    1,835,802,239     92 % $ 3,676,207,000     54 % $ 2.00  

New investors(3)

    150,000,000     8 % $ 3,150,000,000     46 % $ 21.00  

Total

    1,985,802,239     100 % $ 6,826,207,000     100 % $ 3.44  

(1)
Reflects approximately $3,676 million of consideration paid by existing equityholders in respect of shares of Holdings Units (together with corresponding shares of Class D common stock).

(2)
The total consideration provided by the existing shareholders is equal to the pro forma equity of the Combined Companies as of March 31, 2020 and does not give effect to the aggregate of $3,878 million of cash distributions the Combined Companies made to RHI which will be fully funded through the use of cash on hand as of March 31, 2020 and cash flows generated from operations between April 1, 2020 and the transaction date.

(3)
Includes 150,000,000 shares of Class A common stock to be sold in this offering. We intend to use the entire aggregate amount of $3,079 million of the net proceeds from this offering (or $3,541 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) to acquire a number of Holdings Units and corresponding shares of Class D common stock from RHI equal to the amount of such net proceeds divided by the price paid by the underwriters for shares of our Class A common stock in this offering (150,000,000 Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock or, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, 172,500,000 Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock). We do not intend to use any proceeds from this offering to acquire any Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock from Dan Gilbert. See "Use of Proceeds."

        The number of shares of our Class A common stock outstanding after this offering as shown in the tables above excludes the issuance of 14,520,034 restricted stock units and stock options to purchase 22,799,625 shares of Class A common stock granted in connection with the offering, under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The foregoing amounts are based on the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. To the extent

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any restricted stock units are granted and settled, or any options are granted and exercised, in the future, there may be further dilution to new investors.

        To the extent the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares is exercised, there will be further dilution to new investors.

        A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share of Class A common stock (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus) would increase (decrease) total consideration paid by new investors in this offering by $150 million and would increase (decrease) the average price per share paid by new investors by $1.00, assuming the number of shares offered, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

        We may choose to raise additional capital due to market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. To the extent additional capital is raised through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our stockholders.

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UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

        The unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet as of March 31, 2020 and the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statements of income for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019 present our financial position and results of operations after giving pro forma effect to:

    (1)
    The reorganization transactions described under "Organizational Structure," as if such transactions occurred on March 31, 2020 for the unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet and on January 1, 2019 for the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statements of income;

    (2)
    The effects of the tax receivable agreement, as described under "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Tax Receivable Agreement;"

    (3)
    A provision for corporate income taxes and related deferred taxes on the income attributable to the Issuer at a tax rate of 24.77%, inclusive of all U.S. federal, state and local income taxes;

    (4)
    This offering and the application of the estimated net proceeds from this offering as described under "Use of Proceeds;" and

    (5)
    Certain dividends declared and paid by the Company's subsidiaries subsequent to the balance sheet date.

        The Company's historical combined financial information has been derived from its combined financial statements and accompanying notes to the combined financial statements of the Combined Businesses included elsewhere in this prospectus. The Issuer was formed on February 26, 2020 and will have no material assets or results of operations until the completion of this offering. Therefore, its historical financial information is not included in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information.

        The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements have been prepared on the basis that we will be taxed as a corporation for U.S. federal and state income tax purposes and, accordingly, will become a taxpaying entity subject to U.S. federal, state and Canadian income taxes. The presentation of the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information is prepared in conformity with Article 11 of Regulation S-X and is based on currently available information and certain estimates and assumptions. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information has been adjusted to give effect to events that are (i) directly attributable to the transactions, (ii) factually supportable and (iii) with respect to the statements of operations, expected to have a continuing impact on the results of operations. See the accompanying notes to the Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Information for a discussion of assumptions made.

        The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements are not necessarily indicative of financial results that would have been attained had the described transactions occurred on the dates indicated above or that could be achieved in the future. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information also does not give effect to the potential impact of any anticipated synergies, operating efficiencies or cost savings that may result from the transactions or any integration costs that do not have a continuing impact. Future results may vary significantly from the results reflected in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statements of income and should not be relied on as an indication of our results after the consummation of this offering and the other transactions contemplated by such unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements. However, management believes that the assumptions provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects of the transactions as contemplated and that the pro forma

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adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions and are properly applied in the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements.

        As a public company, we will be implementing additional procedures and processes for the purpose of addressing the standards and requirements applicable to public companies. We expect to incur additional annual expenses related to these steps and, among other things, additional directors' and officers' liability insurance, director fees, fees to comply with the reporting requirements of the SEC, transfer agent fees, hiring of additional accounting, legal and administrative personnel, increased auditing and legal fees and similar expenses. We have not included any pro forma adjustments relating to these costs.

        For purposes of the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information, we have assumed that we will issue 150,000,000 shares of Class A common stock at a price per share equal to the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus, and, as a result, immediately following the completion of this offering, the ownership percentage represented by Holdings Units not held by us will be 92%, and the net income attributable to Holdings Units not held by us will accordingly represent 92% of our net income. If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, the ownership percentage represented by Holdings Units not held by us will be 91%, and the net income attributable to Holdings Units not held by us will accordingly represent 91% of our net income.

        As described in greater detail under "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Tax Receivable Agreement," in connection with the consummation of this offering, we, RHI and Dan Gilbert will enter into a tax receivable agreement, pursuant to which we will agree to pay RHI and Dan Gilbert 90% of the cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax or franchise tax that we actually realize (computed using simplifying assumptions to address the impact of state and local taxes) as a result of:

    (1)
    Certain increases in our allocable share of the tax basis in Holdings assets resulting from:

    (a)
    The purchases of Holdings Units (along with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock) from RHI and Dan Gilbert (or their transferees of Holdings Units or other assignees) using the net proceeds from this offering or in any future offering,

    (b)
    Exchanges by RHI and Dan Gilbert (or their transferees of Holdings Units or other assignees) of Holdings Units (along with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock) for shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock, or cash, as applicable, or

    (c)
    Payments under the tax receivable agreement;

    (2)
    Tax benefits related to imputed interest deemed arising as a result of payments made under the tax receivable agreement; and

    (3)
    Disproportionate allocations (if any) of tax benefits to Holdings as a result of Section 704(c) of the Code that relate to the reorganization transactions.

        We expect to benefit from the remaining 10% of cash savings, if any, that we realize. Due to the uncertainty in the amount and timing of future exchanges of Holdings Units and corresponding shares of Class D common stock or Class C common stock by RHI and Dan Gilbert and purchases of Holdings Units and corresponding shares of Class D common stock or Class C common stock from RHI and Dan Gilbert, the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information assumes that no exchanges or purchases of Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock have occurred and therefore no increases in tax basis in the Issuer's assets or other tax benefits that may be realized thereunder have been assumed in the unaudited pro forma condensed

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combined financial information. However, if RHI and Dan Gilbert were to exchange or sell us all of their Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock, we would recognize a deferred tax asset of approximately $12,485,857 thousand and a liability of approximately $11,744,806 thousand, assuming: (i) all exchanges or purchases occurred on the same day; (ii) a price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus); (iii) a constant corporate tax rate of 24.77%; (iv) that we will have sufficient taxable income to fully utilize the tax benefits and (v) no material changes in tax law.

        For each 5% increase (decrease) in the amount of Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock exchanged by or purchased from RHI or Dan Gilbert, our deferred tax asset would increase (decrease) by approximately $47,158 thousand and the related liability would increase (decrease) by approximately $44,388 thousand, assuming that the price per share and corporate tax rate remain the same. For each $1.00 increase in the assumed share price of $21.00 per share, our deferred tax asset would increase by approximately $45,442 thousand and the related liability would increase by approximately $40,882 thousand, and for each $1.00 decrease in the assumed share price of $21.00 per share, our deferred tax asset would decrease by approximately $45,438 thousand and the related liability would decrease by approximately $40,879 thousand, assuming that the number of Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock exchanged by or purchased from RHI and Dan Gilbert and the corporate tax rate remain the same. These amounts are estimates and have been prepared for informational purposes only. The actual amount of deferred tax assets and related liabilities that we will recognize will differ based on, among other things, the timing of the exchanges and purchases, the price of our shares of Class A common stock at the time of the exchange or purchase, the tax rates then in effect, and the ability to utilize the deferred tax assets.

        The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information should be read together with "Organizational Structure," "Capitalization," "Selected Historical Combined Financial and Other Data," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and the audited combined financial statements of the Combined Businesses and related notes thereto as well as the interim condensed combined financial statements of the Combined Businesses and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus.

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UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED BALANCE SHEET
AS OF MARCH 31, 2020

(In thousands, except share and per share data)
  Rocket
Companies
As Reported
  Distribution
Adjustments
  As Adjusted Before the Offering   Offering
Adjustments
  Rocket
Companies, Inc.
Pro Forma
 

Assets

                               

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 2,250,627   $ (1,161,956 )(1) $ 1,088,671   $ 26,788 (2)(3) $ 1,115,459  

Restricted cash

    64,976           64,976           64,976  

Mortgage loans held for sale, at fair value

    12,843,384           12,843,384           12,843,384  

Interest rate lock commitments ("IRLCs"), at fair value

    1,214,865           1,214,865           1,214,865  

Mortgage servicing rights ("MSRs"), at fair value

    2,170,638           2,170,638           2,170,638  

MSRs collateral for financing liability, at fair value

    79,446           79,446           79,446  

Notes receivable and due from affiliates

    23,288           23,288           23,288  

Property and equipment, net

    179,111           179,111           179,111  

Lease right-of-use assets

    269,543           269,543           269,543  

Forward commitments, at fair value

    217,210           217,210           217,210  

Loans subject to repurchase right from Ginnie Mae

    671,916           671,916           671,916  

Deferred tax asset

                  944,961 (4)(5)   944,961  

Other assets

    1,333,915           1,333,915     (466 )(6)   1,333,449  

Total assets

  $ 21,318,919   $ (1,161,956 ) $ 20,156,963   $ 971,283   $ 21,128,246  

Liabilities and members'/stockholders' equity

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Liabilities:

                               

Funding facilities

  $ 11,423,124         $ 11,423,124         $ 11,423,124  

Other financing facilities & debt:

                               

Lines of credit

    975,000           975,000           975,000  

Senior Notes, net

    2,234,756           2,234,756           2,234,756  

Early buy out facility

    287,122           287,122           287,122  

MSRs financing liability, at fair value

    73,837           73,837           73,837  

Accounts payable

    234,608           234,608     14,224 (6)   248,832  

Lease liabilities

    302,271           302,271           302,271  

Forward commitments, at fair value

    1,023,938           1,023,938           1,023,938  

Investor reserves

    55,667           55,667           55,667  

Notes payable and due to affiliates

    51,727           51,727           51,727  

Loans subject to repurchase right from Ginnie Mae

    671,916           671,916           671,916  

TRA liability

                  887,765 (5)   887,765  

Other liabilities

    335,534     2,716,434 (1)   3,051,968           3,051,968  

Total liabilities

    17,669,500     2,716,434     20,385,934     901,989     21,287,923  

Equity:

                               

Class A common stock, par value 0.00001 per share

                  2 (2)(3)   2  

Class B common stock, par value 0.00001 per share

                         

Class C common stock, par value 0.00001 per share

                         

Class D common stock, par value 0.00001 per share

                  18 (2)(3)   18  

Additional paid-in capital

                  40,576 (9)   40,576  

Net parent investment

    3,646,753     (3,878,390 )(1)   (231,637 )   231,637 (3)(7)    

Retained earnings

                         

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

    (1,590 )         (1,590 )   1,470 (8)   (120 )

Noncontrolling interest

    4,256     (3,878,390 )   4,256     (204,409 )(8)   (200,153 )

Total equity

    3,649,419     (3,878,390 )   (228,971 )   69,294     (159,677 )

Total liabilities and equity

  $ 21,318,919   $ (1,161,956 ) $ 20,156,963   $ 971,283   $ 21,128,246  

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NOTES TO UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED BALANCE SHEET

        

(1)
Reflects the cash distributions made by Rocket Companies to RHI subsequent to March 31, 2020 and prior to RHI to the completion of the reorganization transactions, as described in greater detail under "Organizational Structure." Management anticipates that the $3,878,390 thousand of distributions will be fully funded through the use of cash on hand as of March 31, 2020 and cash flows generated from operations between April 1, 2020 and the transaction date.

For purposes of the unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet, the payment of the distributions is reflected as a reduction to net parent investment of $3,878,390 thousand, a reduction to cash and cash equivalents of $1,161,956 thousand, and the recognition of a non-interest bearing payable (in other liabilities) of $2,716,434 thousand. The pro forma cash and cash equivalents balance after giving effect to this adjustment represents the Company's estimated ending cash and cash equivalents balance immediately prior to the completion of the reorganization and offering transactions.

(2)
We estimate that the proceeds to us from this offering will be approximately $3,079,125 thousand (or $3,540,994 thousand if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares of Class A common stock), based on an assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting $70,875 thousand of assumed underwriting discounts and commissions and before deducting offering expenses. We intend to use the entire aggregate amount of the net proceeds from this offering to acquire a number of Holdings Units and corresponding shares of Class D common stock from RHI. We do not intend to use any proceeds from this offering to acquire any Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock from Dan Gilbert. For more information, see "Use of Proceeds."

(3)
Reflects the issuance of Class D common stock to RHI and Dan Gilbert in exchange for cash consideration of $20 thousand equal to the par value of the Class D common stock issued, Dan Gilbert's $20,000 thousand contribution to Holdings to become a member, as described in greater detail under "Organizational Structure—The Reorganization Transactions," and the $6,768 thousand of proceeds received from the issuance of Class A common stock prior to the offering.

(4)
The Issuer is subject to U.S. federal, state, local and Canadian income taxes and will file consolidated income tax returns for U.S. federal and certain state and local jurisdictions. This adjustment reflects the recognition of deferred taxes in connection with the reorganization transaction assuming the federal rates currently in effect and the highest statutory rates apportioned to each state, local and Canadian jurisdiction.

    We have recorded a pro forma deferred tax asset adjustment net of valuation allowance of $944,961 thousand. The net deferred tax asset includes (i) $736,497 thousand related to temporary differences in the book basis as compared to the tax basis of the Issuer's investment in Holdings, and (ii) $208,464 thousand related to tax benefits from future deductions attributable to payments under the tax receivable agreement as described further in note (5) below. A valuation allowance of $43,460 thousand has been recorded for those deferred tax assets the Issuer has determined is not more likely than not to be realized. The Issuer has determined it is more likely than not the remaining $944,961 thousand of deferred tax assets that will result in ordinary income tax deductions that will be realized based on projections of future taxable income. The Issuer will continue to assess all positive and negative evidence and will adjust the valuation allowance to the extent it is more likely than not its assessment changes.

(5)
Prior to the completion of this offering, we will enter into a tax receivable agreement with RHI and Dan Gilbert that provides for the payment by Rocket Companies, Inc. to RHI and Dan

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    Gilbert of 90% of the benefits, if any, that Rocket Companies, Inc. realizes as a result of the purchase of Holdings Units (along with corresponding shares of our Class D common stock) from RHI using the net proceeds from this offering. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Tax Receivable Agreement." The tax receivable agreement will be accounted for as a contingent liability, with amounts accrued when considered probable and reasonably estimable. We will record a $887,765 thousand liability based on the Company's estimate of the aggregate amount that it will pay to RHI and Dan Gilbert under the tax receivable agreement as a result of the offering transactions. As mentioned in note (4) above, we will record an increase of $208,464 thousand in deferred tax assets, net of a valuation allowance of $11,436 thousand, related to tax benefits from future deductions attributable to payments under the tax receivable agreement as a result of the offering transactions. Additionally, we will record a decrease to additional paid-in capital of $679,301 thousand, which is equal to the difference between the increase in deferred tax assets and the increase in liabilities due to existing owners under the tax receivable agreement as a result of the offering transactions. No adjustment has been made to reflect future exchanges by RHI or Dan Gilbert (or their transferees of Holdings Units or other assignees) of Holdings Units (along with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock) for cash or shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock, as applicable.

(6)
We are deferring certain costs associated with this offering. These costs primarily represent legal, accounting and other direct costs and are recorded in other assets in our combined balance sheet. Upon completion of this offering, these deferred costs will be charged against the proceeds from this offering with a corresponding reduction to additional paid-in capital. There were initially $466 thousand of deferred offering costs recorded as other assets as of March 31, 2020, and $14,224 thousand of additional deferred offering costs that were incurred which were recorded in accounts payable with a corresponding reduction to additional paid-in capital.

(7)
Represents an adjustment of $211,637 thousand to net parent investment and additional paid-in capital, reflecting the reclassification of net parent investment after giving effect to (i) the reduction related to the distributions referenced in note (1) above and (ii) the increase related to the capitalization of Holdings as referenced in note (3) above.

(8)
As a result of the reorganization transactions, the operating agreement of Holdings will be amended and restated to, among other things, designate Rocket Companies, Inc. as the sole managing member of Holdings. As sole managing member, Rocket Companies, Inc. will exclusively operate and control the business and affairs of Holdings. The Holdings Units owned by RHI and Dan Gilbert will be considered noncontrolling interests in the consolidated financial statements of Rocket Companies, Inc. The adjustment to non-controlling interest of $204,409 thousand reflects the proportional interest in the pro forma consolidated total equity of Holdings owned by RHI and Dan Gilbert.

(9)
The following table is a reconciliation of the adjustments impacting additional paid-in-capital:

Net proceeds from offering of Class A common stock

  $ 3,079,124 (2)

Purchase of Holding Units from RHI

    (3,079,124) (2)

Proceeds from issuance of Class A common stock prior to the offering

    6,768 (3)

Net adjustment from recognition of deferred tax asset and TRA liability

    57,196 (4)(5)

Reclassification of costs incurred in this offering from other assets to additional paid-in capital

    (14,690 )(6)

Net parent investment reclassification

    (211,637 )(7)

Adjustment for non-controlling interest

    202,939 (8)

Net additional paid-in capital pro forma adjustment

  $ 40,576  

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UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENT OF INCOME
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2020

(In thousands, except share and per share data)
  Rocket
Companies
As Reported
  Distribution
Adjustments
  As Adjusted
Before the
Offering
  Offering
Adjustments
  Rocket
Companies, Inc.
Pro Forma
 

Income:

                               

Revenue

                               

Gain on sale of loans:

                               

Gain on sale of loans excluding fair value of MSRs, net

  $ 1,286,690         $ 1,286,690         $ 1,286,690  

Fair value of originated MSRs

    535,419           535,419           535,419  

Gain on sale of loans, net

    1,822,109           1,822,109           1,822,109  

Loan servicing loss:

                               

Servicing fee income

    257,093           257,093           257,093  

Change in fair value of MSRs

    (991,252 )         (991,252 )         (991,252 )

Loan servicing loss, net

    (734,159 )         (734,159 )         (734,159 )

Interest income (expense):

                               

Interest income

    74,042           74,042           74,042  

Interest expense on funding facilities

    (39,459 )         (39,459 )         (39,459 )

Interest income, net

    34,583           34,583           34,583  

Other income

    244,302           244,302           244,302  

Total revenue, net

    1,366,835           1,366,835           1,366,835  

Expenses

                               

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

    683,450           683,450     41,425 (1)   724,875  

General and administrative expenses

    193,566           193,566           193,566  

Marketing and advertising expenses

    217,992           217,992           217,992  

Depreciation and amortization

    16,115           16,115           16,115  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt

    33,107           33,107           33,107  

Other expenses

    124,589           124,589           124,589  

Total expenses

    1,268,819           1,268,819     41,425     1,310,244  

Income before income taxes

    98,016           98,016     (41,425 )   56,591  

Provision for income taxes

    (736 )         (736 )   (333 )(2)   (1,069 )

Net income

    97,280           97,280     (41,758 )   55,522  

Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest

    441           441     (52,715 )(3)   (52,274 )

Net income attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 97,721         $ 97,721   $ (94,473 ) $ 3,248  

Pro Forma Earnings Per Share

                               

Basic

                        (4) $ 0.02  

Diluted

                        (4) $ 0.02  

Pro Forma Number of Shares Used in Computing EPS

                               

Basic

                        (4)   150,322,273  

Diluted

                        (4)   151,052,668  

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UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENT OF INCOME
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019

(In thousands, except share and per share data)
  Rocket
Companies
As Reported
  Distribution
Adjustments
  As Adjusted
Before the
Offering
  Offering
Adjustments
  Rocket
Companies, Inc.
Pro Forma
 

Income:

                               

Revenue

                               

Gain on sale of loans:

                               

Gain on sale of loans excluding fair value of MSRs, net

  $ 3,139,656         $ 3,139,656         $ 3,139,656  

Fair value of originated MSRs

    1,771,651           1,771,651           1,771,651  

Gain on sale of loans, net

    4,911,307           4,911,307           4,911,307  

Loan servicing (loss) income:

                               

Servicing fee income

    950,221           950,221           950,221  

Change in fair value of MSRs

    (1,596,631 )         (1,596,631 )         (1,596,631 )

Loan servicing (loss) income, net

    (646,410 )         (646,410 )         (646,410 )

Interest income (expense):

                               

Interest income

    250,750           250,750           250,750  

Interest expense on funding facilities

    (134,916 )         (134,916 )         (134,916 )

Interest income, net

    115,834           115,834           115,834  

Other income

    739,168           739,168           739,168  

Total revenue, net

    5,119,899           5,119,899           5,119,899  

Expenses

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

    2,082,058           2,082,058     165,702 (1)   2,247,760  

General and administrative expenses

    683,116           683,116           683,116  

Marketing and advertising expenses

    905,000           905,000           905,000  

Depreciation and amortization

    74,952           74,952           74,952  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt

    136,853           136,853           136,853  

Other expenses

    339,549           339,549           339,549  

Total expenses

    4,221,528           4,221,528     165,702     4,387,230  

Income before income taxes

    898,371           898,371     (165,702 )   732,669  

Provision for income taxes

    (5,984 )         (5,984 )   (7,780 )(2)   (13,764 )

Net income

    892,387           892,387     (173,482 )   718,905  

Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest

    1,367           1,367     (678,471 )(3)   (677,104 )

Net income attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 893,754         $ 893,754   $ (851,953 ) $ 41,801  

Pro Forma Earnings Per Share

                               

Basic

                        (4) $ 0.28  

Diluted

                        (4) $ 0.27  

Pro Forma Number of Shares Used in Computing EPS

                               

Basic

                        (4)   150,322,273  

Diluted

                        (4)   153,253,378  

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NOTES TO UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(1)
Reflects the issuance of 14,520,034 restricted stock units and stock options to purchase 22,799,625 shares of Class A common stock granted to employees in connection with the offering, under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The foregoing amounts are based on the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. The pro forma expense is based on the assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated price range on the cover page of this prospectus), and was $41,425 thousand for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and $165,702 thousand for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019, respectively. Such options are expected to vest as follows: one third on the first anniversary, and then ratably on a monthly basis for the next twenty-four months. Equity compensation up to $165,702 thousand per year would be recognized as recurring compensation expense over the service period.

(2)
Following the reorganization transactions and offering, the Issuer will be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, in addition to state, local and Canadian taxes. As a result, the pro forma statements of income reflects an adjustment to our provision for corporate income taxes to reflect a pro forma tax rate, which includes a provision for U.S. federal income taxes and assumes the highest statutory rates apportioned to each state, local and Canadian jurisdiction. Holdings has been, and will continue to be, treated as a partnership for U.S. federal and state income tax purposes. As such, Holdings' profits and losses will flow through to its partners, including the Issuer, and are generally not subject to tax at the Holdings level.

    The pro forma adjustments for income tax expense represent tax expense (benefit) on income that will be taxable in jurisdictions after our corporate reorganization that previously had not been taxable. The adjustment is calculated as pro forma income before income taxes multiplied by the ownership percentage of the controlling interest and multiplied by the pro forma tax rate.

 
  March 31, 2020   December 31, 2019  

Pro forma income before taxes

  $ 56,591   $ 732,669  

Historical net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

    441     1,367  

Pro forma income before taxes attributable to Holdings

    57,032     734,036  

Ownership percentage of the controlling interest

    7.57 %   7.57 %

Pro forma income before taxes attributable to the controlling interest

    4,317     55,565  

Pro forma tax rate

    24.77 %   24.77 %

Pro forma income tax expense

  $ 1,069   $ 13,764  

Historical income tax expense

    736     5,984  

Pro forma income tax expense adjustment

  $ 333   $ 7,780  
(3)
Following the reorganization transactions, the Issuer will become the sole managing member of Holdings, and upon consummation of this offering, the Issuer will initially own approximately 7.57% of the economic interest in Holdings but will have 100% of the voting power and control the management of Holdings. The ownership percentage held by the noncontrolling interest will be approximately 92.43%. Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest will represent approximately 92.43% of net income.

(4)
The weighted average number of shares underlying the basic earnings per share calculation reflects only the 150,322,273 shares of Class A common stock outstanding after the offering as they are the only outstanding shares which participate in distributions or dividends by Rocket Companies, Inc. All of the proceeds from the sale of the Class A common stock in the IPO will be used to purchase Holdings Units from RHI and not for general corporate purposes, see "Use

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    of Proceeds." Pro forma diluted earnings per share is computed by adjusting pro forma net income attributable to Rocket Companies Inc. and the weighted average shares of Class A common stock outstanding to give effect to potentially dilutive securities that qualify as participating securities using the treasury stock method, as applicable. Shares of Class C common stock and Class D common stock are not participating securities and therefore are not included in the calculation of pro forma basic earnings per share. There were no Class B common shares issued and outstanding at the time of the offering.

    Holdings Units, together with a corresponding number of shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock, may be exchanged, at our option, for shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock. After evaluating the potential dilutive effect under the if-converted method, the outstanding Holdings Units for the assumed exchange of non-controlling interests were determined to be anti-dilutive and thus were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share.

    The diluted weighted average share calculation assumes that certain equity awards were issued and outstanding at the beginning of the period. The following table sets forth a reconciliation of the numerators and denominators used to compute pro forma basic and diluted earnings per share.

 
  For the Three Months Ended
March 31, 2020
  For the Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

Earnings per share of common stock

             

Numerator:

   
 
   
 
 

Net income attributable to the Issuer's shareholders (basic and diluted)

  $ 3,247,858   $ 41,801,875  

Denominator:

   
 
   
 
 

Weighted average of shares of common stock outstanding (basic)

    150,322,273     150,322,273  

Incremental common shares attributable to dilutive instruments

    730,395     2,931,105  

Weighted average of shares of common stock outstanding (diluted)

    151,052,668     153,253,378  

Basic earnings per share

  $ 0.02   $ 0.28  

Diluted earnings per share

  $ 0.02   $ 0.27  

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SELECTED HISTORICAL COMBINED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA

        The following table sets forth selected historical combined financial data of the Combined Businesses for the periods beginning on and after January 1, 2015. The Issuer was formed on February 26, 2020 and has not, to date, conducted any activities other than those incident to our formation and the preparation of this prospectus and the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, except in connection with the reorganization transactions described in "Organizational Structure—The Reorganization Transactions." The selected historical combined financial data presented below as of and for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 have been derived from the Combined Businesses audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The selected historical combined financial data presented below as of and for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 have been derived from the Combined Businesses unaudited financial statements. The selected historical combined financial data presented below as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 have been derived from the Combined Businesses unaudited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

        You should read the following information in conjunction with "Capitalization," "Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Information," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and the Combined Businesses audited combined financial statements and related notes thereto and the Combined Businesses unaudited financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 
  Three Months
Ended March 31,
  Year Ended December 31,  
Condensed Statement of Operations Data
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017   2016   2015  

Revenue

                                           

Gain on sale of loans, net

  $ 1,822,109   $ 727,246   $ 4,911,307   $ 2,927,888   $ 3,379,196   $ 3,874,117   $ 3,130,423  

Servicing fee income

    257,093     224,606     950,221     820,370     696,639     576,168     464,368  

Change in fair value of MSRs

    (991,252 )   (475,701 )   (1,596,631 )   (228,723 )   (569,391 )   (213,010 )   (339,297 )

Interest income, net

    34,583     23,439     115,834     101,602     56,609     71,195     72,767  

Other income

    244,302     132,182     739,168     588,412     586,829     577,812     470,845  

Total revenue, net

    1,366,835     631,772     5,119,899     4,209,549     4,149,882     4,886,282     3,799,106  

Expenses

                                           

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

    683,450     457,778     2,082,058     1,703,197     1,686,811     1,529,200     1,345,488  

General and administrative expenses

    193,566     165,839     683,116     591,372     540,640     488,029     426,744  

Marketing and advertising expenses

    217,992     208,897     905,000     878,027     787,844     674,643     449,075  

Depreciation and amortization

    16,115     18,105     74,952     76,917     68,813     61,935     50,969  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt                              

    33,107     33,082     136,853     130,022     77,967     74,716     49,521  

Other expenses

    124,589     48,420     339,549     214,754     215,870     239,571     206,126  

Total expenses

    1,268,819     932,121     4,221,528     3,594,289     3,377,945     3,068,094     2,527,923  

Income (loss) before income tax

    98,016     (300,349 )   898,371     615,260     771,937     1,818,188     1,271,183  

(Provision) Benefit for state and local income tax

    (736 )   1,004     (5,984 )   (2,643 )   (1,228 )   (10,104 )   3,888  

Net Income (loss)

  $ 97,280   $ (299,345 ) $ 892,387   $ 612,617   $ 770,709   $ 1,808,084   $ 1,275,071  

Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest

    441     327     1,367     272     (8 )   (8 )   (10 )

Net Income (loss) attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 97,721   $ (299,018 ) $ 893,754   $ 612,889   $ 770,701   $ 1,808,076   $ 1,275,061  

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  As of March 31,   As of December 31,  
Condensed Balance Sheet Data
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017   2016   2015  

Assets

                                           

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 2,250,627   $ 149,073   $ 1,350,972   $ 1,053,884   $ 1,417,847   $ 765,777   $ 502,206  

Mortgage loans held for sale

    12,843,384     7,328,466     13,275,735     5,784,812     7,175,947     6,167,658     5,154,519  

Interest rate lock commitments

    1,214,865     372,105     508,135     245,663     250,700     294,667     253,142  

Mortgage servicing rights

    2,170,638     3,001,501     2,874,972     3,180,530     2,450,081     2,206,388     1,592,141  

Other assets

    2,839,405     1,744,830     2,067,513     1,288,557     2,006,842     1,211,479     803,226  

Total assets

  $ 21,318,919   $ 12,595,975   $ 20,077,327   $ 11,553,446   $ 13,301,417   $ 10,645,969   $ 8,305,234  

Liabilities and equity

                                           

Funding facilities

  $ 11,423,124   $ 6,249,132   $ 12,041,878   $ 5,076,604   $ 6,120,784   $ 5,817,767   $ 3,883,072  

Other financing facilities & debt

    3,496,878     2,472,880     2,595,038     2,483,255     2,401,055     1,235,876     1,334,164  

Other liabilities

    2,749,498     1,596,494     1,937,489     1,212,691     1,942,791     1,084,876     717,369  

Total liabilities

    17,669,500     10,318,506     16,574,405     8,772,550     10,464,630     8,138,519     5,934,605  

Total equity

  $ 3,649,419   $ 2,277,469   $ 3,502,922   $ 2,780,896   $ 2,836,787   $ 2,507,450   $ 2,370,629  

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MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

        The following management's discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, our combined financial statements and the related notes and other information included elsewhere in this prospectus. This discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements," "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in this prospectus.

Executive Summary

        We are a Detroit-based company obsessed with helping our clients achieve the American dream of home ownership and financial freedom. Our flagship business, Rocket Mortgage, almost exclusively offers GSE-conforming and government insured mortgage loan products, which are marketed in all 50 states through the internet, national television and other marketing channels. In addition to our mortgage business, we have expanded into complementary industries, such as real estate, personal lending, and auto sales. Our ecosystem is a series of connected businesses centered on delivering better solutions to our clients through our technology and scale. We believe this creates substantial growth opportunities.

        We primarily operate out of offices located in Detroit, Michigan; Cleveland, Ohio; Scottsdale, Arizona; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Los Angeles, California. Our mortgage origination business derives revenue from originating, processing, underwriting, and servicing predominantly GSE-conforming mortgage loans, along with FHA, USDA and VA mortgage loans, which are subsequently pooled and sold to the secondary market. Revenues in the mortgage origination business are generated primarily from the gain on sale of loans, which includes loan origination fees, revenues from sales of loans into the secondary market, as well as the fair value of originated MSRs and hedging gains and losses. Loan servicing income consists of the contractual fees earned for servicing the loans and includes ancillary revenue such as late fees and modification incentives (collectively, "servicing fee income"), as well as changes in the fair value of MSRs due to changes in valuation assumptions and collection or realization of cash flows. From a cash flow perspective, the vast majority of cash from mortgage originations occurs at the point in time the loans are sold into the secondary market. The vast majority of servicing fee income relates to the 'retained servicing fee' on the loans, where cash is received monthly over the life of the loan and is a product of the client's current unpaid principal balance ("UPB") multiplied by the weighted average service fee.

        For more information about our business, operations and strategy, see the discussion under the heading "Business."

Key Factors Affecting Results of Operations for Periods Presented

Market and competitive factors

        Our flagship business, Rocket Mortgage, is a technology and service-driven residential mortgage lender. We believe that, as an independent, non-depository mortgage company with a scalable centralized origination and servicing platform, we are more nimble than our competitors. Consequently, we are well-positioned to act quickly in response to market changes and to maintain a business strategy focused on adhering to our conservative underwriting strategies as well as growth and profitability.

        We have a track record of quickly adapting to the changing macro-economic and regulatory environments and scaling rapidly to take advantage of new opportunities. As an example, when the

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Federal Housing Finance Agency initiated HARP in response to the financial crisis of 2008, we were able to leverage our scalable technology platform to expand our capacity swiftly to take advantage of the increased refinancing volume, while maintaining our high quality of originations and standard processing times. As an additional example, we were able also able to leverage our platform in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. See "Prospectus Summary—Recent Developments" for a discussion of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

        Historically, competitors have entered the mortgage space in times of falling rates as the overall mortgage market expands. Conversely, in times of rising interest rates competitors in the mortgage banking space tend to reduce the level of resources employed in the mortgage business. While the overall mortgage market contracts in rising interest rate scenarios, we believe we are well positioned to grow market share during these periods due to our strong market position.

        Our two principal sources of revenue, mortgage origination and mortgage loan servicing, contribute to a more stable business profile by creating a natural hedge against changes in the interest rate environment.

        Loan origination volumes and refinance volumes in particular are impacted by interest rates. As interest rates decline, refinance volume tends to increase, while in an increasing interest rate environment, the refinancing volume tends to decrease. The volume of loan originations associated with home purchases is generally less affected by rate fluctuations and more affected by broader economic factors such as the strength and stability of the overall economy, including the unemployment level and real estate values. In the past few months, such broad economic factors have been substantially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, see "Risk Factors—The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique challenges to our business and the effects of the pandemic could adversely impact our ability to originate mortgages, our servicing operations, our liquidity and our employees." The fair value of MSRs is also driven primarily by interest rates, which impact the likelihood of loan prepayments through refinancing.

        There has been a long-term trend of falling interest rates, with intermittent periods of rate increases. More recently, there was a rising interest rate environment for the majority of 2018 and a falling interest rate environment in 2019 and during the first quarter of 2020. In periods of rising interest rates, the fair value of the MSRs generally increases as prepayments decrease, and therefore the estimated life of the MSRs and related expected cash flows increase. In a declining interest rate environment, the fair value of MSRs generally decreases as prepayments increase and therefore, the estimated life of the MSRs and related cash flows decrease. Because origination volumes tend to increase in declining interest rate environments and decrease in increasing rate environments, we believe that our two principal sources of revenue, mortgage origination and mortgage loan servicing, contribute to a stable business profile by creating a natural hedge against changes in the interest rate environment.

Three months ended March 31, 2020 summary

        For the three months ended March 31, 2020, we originated $51.7 billion in residential mortgage loans, which was a $29.4 billion, or 131.7%, increase from the three months ended March 31, 2019. Our net income was $97.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared to a net loss of $299.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Results for the three months ended March 31, 2019 include a $321.0 million decrease in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions, which resulted in a net loss for the period. We generated $919.6 million of Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2020, which was an increase of $839.3 million, or 1,044.9%, compared to $80.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. For more information on Adjusted EBITDA, please see "—Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below.

        The increase in net income and Adjusted EBITDA was primarily driven by an increase of $1,094.9 million, or 150.5% in gain on sale of loans, net which was driven primarily by the increase in origination volume in 2020 noted above and an increase in other income of $112.1 million, or

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84.8%, due primarily to revenues generated from title and closing activities that were also driven by the increase in origination volume noted above. These increases were partially offset by an increase in collection/realization of cash flows from MSRs of $93.2 million, or 60.2%, which is a reduction in revenue primarily due to an increase in the volume of loans paid in full prior to their scheduled maturity from our servicing book (referred to as 'prepayment speed') in 2020 as compared to 2019. In addition, 2020 results include increased expenses associated with higher production levels as compared to 2019 results. The increase in production led to an increase in salaries, commissions and employee benefits of $225.7 million, or 49.3%, primarily due to variable compensation and an increase in team members in production roles to support our continued growth. Other expenses increased by $75.9 million, or 115.9%, in 2020 as compared to 2019 driven by an increase in payoff interest expense that resulted from an increase in the volume of loans paid in full prior to their scheduled maturity from our servicing book. When individual loans are paid off, we are required to remit interest for an entire month regardless of the date of payoff; however, clients are only responsible for interest accrued up to the date of payoff. The difference between the interest we are required to remit to investors and the interest we collect from the client as a result of an early payoff is referred to as "payoff interest". Other expenses also increased in 2020 due to expenses incurred in connection with the sale of MSRs and an increase in expenses incurred to support the higher level of title and closing activities due to the increased origination volumes noted above.

        We retain a majority of the servicing rights associated with our mortgage loan originations. The servicing portfolio is an important asset that helps us build longstanding relationships with our clients and potentially capture future transactions such as their next mortgage origination. We monitor the MSR portfolio on a regular basis seeking to optimize our book by evaluating the risk and return profile of the book. As part of these efforts we sold the servicing of approximately 44,000 loans with $16.3 billion in UPB during 2020. These sales were more than offset by new loans that were added to the MSR portfolio during the year. As of March 31, 2020, our servicing portfolio, including loans subserviced for others, included approximately $343.6 billion of UPB and 1.8 million client loans. The portfolio primarily consists of high quality performing GSE and government (FHA and VA) loans. As of March 31, 2020, delinquent loans (defined as 60-plus days past-due) were 0.92% of our total portfolio.

Year ended December 31, 2019 summary

        For the year ended December 31, 2019, we originated $145.2 billion in residential mortgage loans, which was a $62.1 billion, or 74.7%, increase from the year ended December 31, 2018. Our net income was $892.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, up $279.8 million, or 45.7%, compared to $612.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. We generated $1,939.8 million of Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2019, which was an increase of $1,410.6 million, or 266.6%, in the year ended December 31, 2019, compared to $529.2 million in the year ended December 31, 2018. For more information on Adjusted EBITDA, please see "—Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below.

        The increase in net income and Adjusted EBITDA was primarily driven by an increase of $1,983.4 million, or 67.7% in gain on sale of loans, net driven primarily by the increase in origination volume in 2019 noted above, an increase in other income of $150.8 million, or 25.6%, due primarily to revenues generated from title and closing activities that were also driven by the increase in origination volume noted above, and an increase in servicing fee income of $129.9 million, or 15.8%, resulting from continued growth in our servicing portfolio. These increases were partially offset by an increase in collection/realization of cash flows from MSRs of $251.4 million, or 45.3%, which is a reduction in revenue primarily due to higher prepayment speeds in 2019 as compared to 2018. In addition, 2019 results include increased expenses associated with higher production levels as compared to 2018 results. The increase in production led to an increase in salaries, commissions and employee benefits of $378.9 million, or 22.2%, primarily due to variable compensation and an increase in team members in production roles to support our continued growth. General and

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administrative costs also increased by $91.7 million, or 15.5%, in 2019 as compared to 2018 driven primarily by higher loan processing expenses due to increased production as well as expenses associated with a resolution with the Department of Justice in 2019. Other expenses increased by $126.2 million, or 42.9%, in 2019 as compared to 2018 driven primarily driven by an increase in payoff interest expense that resulted from an increase in prepayment speeds. Other expenses also increased in 2019 due to expenses incurred in connection with the sale of MSRs and an increase in expenses incurred to support the higher level of title and closing activities due to the increased origination volumes noted above.

        As of December 31, 2019, our servicing portfolio, including loans subserviced for others, included approximately $338.6 billion of UPB and 1.8 million client loans. The portfolio primarily consists of high quality performing GSE and government (FHA and VA) loans. As of December 31, 2019, delinquent loans (defined as 60-plus days past-due) were 1.01% of our total portfolio. We sold the servicing of approximately 153,000 loans with $42.5 billion in UPB during 2019. These sales were more than offset by new loans that were added to the MSR portfolio during the year.

Year ended December 31, 2018 summary

        For the year ended December 31, 2018, we originated $83.1 billion in residential mortgage loans, which was a $2.4 billion, or 2.8%, decrease from the year ended December 31, 2017. Our net income was $612.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, down $158.1 million, or 20.5%, compared to $770.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. We generated $529.2 million of Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2018, which was a decrease of $503.8 million, or 48.8%, in the year ended December 31, 2018, compared to $1,033.0 million in the year ended December 31, 2017.

        The decrease in net income and Adjusted EBITDA was primarily driven by a decrease of $451.3 million, or 13.4%, in gain on sale of loans, net driven by lower origination volume in our Direct to Consumer segment and partially offset by an increase in origination volume in our Partner Network segment during 2018. In addition, marketing and advertising expenses increased by $90.2 million, or 11.4%, due to increased brand and performance marketing spend in 2018. These items were partially offset by increased servicing fee income of $123.7 million, or 17.8%, driven by an increase in the size of the MSR portfolio.

        As of December 31, 2018, our servicing portfolio, including loans subserviced for others, included approximately $314.7 billion of UPB and 1.7 million loans. The portfolio primarily consists of high quality performing GSE and government (FHA and VA) loans. As of December 31, 2018, delinquent loans (defined as 60-plus days past-due) were 0.74% of our total portfolio.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

        To provide investors with information in addition to our results as determined by GAAP, we disclose Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income, and Adjusted EBITDA as non-GAAP measures which management believes provide useful information to investors. These measures are not financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for revenue, net income, or any other operating performance measure calculated in accordance with GAAP, and may not be comparable to a similarly titled measure reported by other companies.

        We define "Adjusted Revenue" as total revenues net of the change in fair value of mortgage servicing rights ("MSRs") due to valuation assumptions. We define "Adjusted Net Income" as tax-effected earnings before stock-based compensation expense and the change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions, and the tax effects of those adjustments. We define "Adjusted EBITDA" as earnings before interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt, income tax, and depreciation and amortization, net of the change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions (net of hedges) and stock-based compensation expense. We exclude from each of

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these non-GAAP revenues the change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions (net of hedges) as this represents a non-cash non-realized adjustment to our total revenues, reflecting changes in assumptions including discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, mostly due to changes in market interest rates, which is not indicative of our performance or results of operation. Adjusted EBITDA includes interest expense on funding facilities, which are recorded as a component of "interest income, net", as these expenses are a direct cost driven by loan origination volume. By contrast, interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt is a function of our capital structure and is therefore excluded from Adjusted EBITDA.

        We believe that the presentation of Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information to investors regarding our results of operations because each measure assists both investors and management in analyzing and benchmarking the performance and value of our business. Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA provide indicators of performance that are not affected by fluctuations in certain costs or other items. Accordingly, management believes that these measurements are useful for comparing general operating performance from period to period, and management relies on these measures for planning and forecasting of future periods. Additionally, these measures allow management to compare our results with those of other companies that have different financing and capital structures. However, other companies may define Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA differently, and as a result, our measures of Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA may not be directly comparable to those of other companies.

        Although we use Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA as financial measures to assess the performance of our business, such use is limited because they do not include certain material costs necessary to operate our business. Additionally, our definitions of each of Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA allows us to add back certain non-cash charges and deduct certain gains that are included in calculating total revenues, net, net income attributable to Rocket Companies or net income (loss). However, these expenses and gains vary greatly, and are difficult to predict. They can represent the effect of long-term strategies as opposed to short-term results. Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, total revenues, net income attributable to Rocket Companies and net income (loss) in accordance with U.S. GAAP as measures of performance. Our presentation of Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an indication that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or nonrecurring items.

        Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider them in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under U.S. GAAP. Some of these limitations are:

    (a)
    they do not reflect every cash expenditure, future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments;

    (b)
    Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the significant interest expense or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payment on our debt;

    (c)
    although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized will often have to be replaced or require improvements in the future, and Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect any cash requirement for such replacements or improvements; and

    (d)
    they are not adjusted for all non-cash income or expense items that are reflected in our statements of cash flows.

        Because of these limitations, Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA are not intended as alternatives to total revenue, net income attributable to Rocket Companies or net income (loss) as an indicator of our operating performance and should not be considered as

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measures of discretionary cash available to us to invest in the growth of our business or as measures of cash that will be available to us to meet our obligations. We compensate for these limitations by using Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA along with other comparative tools, together with U.S. GAAP measurements, to assist in the evaluation of operating performance. See below for reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to their most comparable U.S. GAAP measures. Additionally, our U.S. GAAP-based measures can be found in the combined financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

Reconciliation of Adjusted Revenue to Total Revenue, net

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,
  Year Ended December 31,  
Reconciliation of Adjusted Revenue to Total Revenue, net
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017  

Total Revenue, net

  $ 1,366,835   $ 631,772   $ 5,119,899   $ 4,209,549   $ 4,149,882  

Change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions (net of hedges)(1)

    743,327     320,979     789,901     (326,637 )   81,337  

Adjusted Revenue

  $ 2,110,162   $ 952,751   $ 5,909,800   $ 3,882,912   $ 4,231,219  

(1)
Reflects changes in assumptions including discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, mostly due to changes in market interest rates.

Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income to Net Income Attributable to Rocket Companies

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,
  Year Ended December 31,  
Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income to Net Income Attributable to Rocket Companies
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017  

Net income (loss) attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 97,721   $ (299,018 ) $ 893,754   $ 612,889   $ 770,701  

Adjustment to the (provision for) benefit from income tax(1)

    (23,652 )   73,311     (216,881 )   (147,855 )   (289,172 )

Tax-effected net income (loss)(1)

  $ 74,069   $ (225,707 ) $ 676,873   $ 465,034   $ 481,529  

Non-cash stock compensation expense

    29,058     8,506     39,703     33,636     32,898  

Change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions (net of hedges)(2)

    743,327     320,979     789,901     (326,637 )   81,337  

Tax impact of adjustments(3)

    (191,319 )   (81,613 )   (205,493 )   71,639     (42,975 )

Adjusted Net Income

  $ 655,135   $ 22,165   $ 1,300,984   $ 243,672   $ 552,789  

(1)
The Issuer will be subject to U.S. Federal income taxes, in addition to state, local and Canadian taxes with respect to its allocable share of any net taxable income of Holdings. The adjustment

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    to the provision for income tax reflects the effective tax rates below, assuming the Issuer owns 100% of the Holdings Units.

 
  March 31,   December 31,  
 
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017  

Statutory U.S. Federal Income Tax Rate

    21.0 %   21.0 %   21.0 %   21.0 %   35.0 %

Canadian taxes

    0.01 %   0.01 %   0.01 %   0.01 %   0.01 %

State and Local Income Taxes (net of federal benefit)

    3.76 %   3.76 %   3.76 %   3.44 %   2.61 %

Effective Income Tax Rate

    24.77 %   24.77 %   24.77 %   24.45 %   37.62 %
(2)
Reflects changes in assumptions including discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, mostly due to changes in market interest rates.

(3)
Tax impact of adjustments gives effect to the income tax related to non-cash stock compensation expense and change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions at the above described effective tax rates for each year.

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,
  Year Ended December 31,  
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017  

Net income (loss)

  $ 97,280   $ (299,345 ) $ 892,387   $ 612,617   $ 770,709  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt

    33,107     33,082     136,853     130,022     77,967  

Income tax provision (benefit)

    736     (1,004 )   5,984     2,643     1,228  

Depreciation and amortization

    16,115     18,105     74,952     76,917     68,813  

Non-cash stock compensation expense

    29,058     8,506     39,703     33,636     32,898  

Change in fair value of MSRs due to valuation assumptions (net of hedges)(1)

    743,327     320,979     789,901     (326,637 )   81,337  

Adjusted EBITDA

  $ 919,623   $ 80,323   $ 1,939,780   $ 529,198   $ 1,032,952  

(1)
Reflects changes in assumptions including discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, mostly due to changes in market interest rates.

Key Performance Indicators

        We monitor a number of key performance indicators to evaluate the performance of our business operations. Our loan production key performance indicators enable us to monitor our ability to generate gain on sale revenue as well as understand how our performance compares to the total mortgage origination market. Our servicing portfolio key performance indicators enable us to monitor the overall size of our servicing book of business, the related value of our mortgage servicing rights, and the health of the business as measured by the total serviced delinquency rate. Other key performance indicators for other Rocket Companies allow us to monitor both revenues and unit sales generated by these businesses. We also include Rockethomes.com average unique monthly visits, as we believe traffic on the site is an indicator of consumer interest.

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        The following summarizes key performance indicators of the business:

 
  March 31,   Years Ended December 31,  
(Units and $ in thousands)
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017  

Rocket Mortgage(1)

                               

Loan Production Data

                               

Closed loan origination volume

  $ 51,703,832   $ 22,318,791   $ 145,179,577   $ 83,121,668   $ 85,541,358  

Direct to Consumer origination volume

    31,759,729     15,417,737     92,476,450     64,152,307     70,938,189  

Partner Network origination volume

    19,944,103     6,901,054     52,703,127     18,969,361     14,603,169  

Total Market Share

    9.2%     6.9%     6.7%     5.0%     5.0%  

Gain on sale margin(2)

    3.25%     2.64%     3.19%     3.55%     3.97%  

Servicing Portfolio Data

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Total serviced UPB (includes subserviced)

  $ 343,589,601   $ 324,423,525   $ 338,639,281   $ 314,735,582   $ 279,059,691  

Total loans serviced (includes subserviced)

    1,827.8     1,770.0     1,802.2     1,726.0     1,546.5  

MSR fair value multiple(3) (period end)

   
2.19
   
3.35
   
3.01
   
3.80
   
3.43
 

Total serviced delinquency rate (60+ period end)

    0.92%     0.74%     1.01%     0.74%     1.47%  

Other Rocket Companies

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Amrock gross revenue

    N/A     N/A   $ 558,622   $ 407,076   $ 480,758  

Amrock settlement transactions

    165.9     73.9     444.9     315.3     388.5  

Rocket Homes gross revenue

    N/A     N/A   $ 43,068   $ 35,576   $ 33,490  

Rocket Homes real estate transactions

    6.0     6.1     30.3     21.9     20.0  

Rockethomes.com average unique monthly visits(5)

   
271.3
   
30.0
   
180.0
   
17.1
   
N/A
 

Rocket Loans gross revenue

   
N/A
   
N/A
 
$

24,751
 
$

17,482
 
$

8,821
 

Rocket Loans closed units

    4.0     4.4     25.7     19.6     11.6  

Rock Connections gross revenue

   
N/A
   
N/A
 
$

114,052
 
$

109,246
 
$

74,717
 

Rocket Auto car sales

    8.3     3.6     20.0     9.7     0.1  

Core Digital Media gross revenue

   
N/A
   
N/A
 
$

237,239
 
$

204,989
 
$

95,326
 

Core Digital Media client inquiries generated

    1,416.3     1,736.4     5,970.7     6,710.6     5,814.6  

Total Other Rocket Companies gross revenue

  $ 302,643   $ 199,979   $ 977,732   $ 774,369   $ 693,112  

Total Other Rocket Companies net revenue(4)

  $ 225,783   $ 125,103   $ 689,490   $ 558,534   $ 577,640  

(1)
Rocket Mortgage origination volume, market share, and margins exclude all reverse mortgage activity.

(2)
Gain on sale margin is the gain on sale of loans, net divided by net rate lock volume for the period, excluding all reverse mortgage activity. Gain on sale of loans, net includes the net gain on sale of loans, fair value of originated MSRs, and fair value adjustment on loans held for sale, divided by the UPB of loans subject to IRLC's during the applicable period.

(3)
MSR fair market value multiple is a metric used to determine the relative value of the MSR asset in relation to the annualized retained servicing fee, which is the cash that the holder of the MSR asset would receive from the portfolio as of such date. It is calculated as the quotient of (a) the MSR fair market value as of a specified date divided by (b) the weighted average annualized retained servicing fee for our MSR portfolio as of such date. The weighted average annualized retained servicing fee for our MSR portfolio was 0.310% and 0.293% for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and 0.307%, 0.283%, and 0.277% for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The vast majority of our portfolio consists of originated MSRs and consequently, the impact of purchased MSRs does not have a material impact on our weighted average service fee.

(4)
Net revenue presented above is calculated as gross revenues less intercompany revenue eliminations. A significant portion of the other Rocket Companies revenues is generated through intercompany transactions. These intercompany transactions take place with entities that are part of our ecosystem. Consequently, we view gross revenue of individual other Rocket Companies as a key performance indicator, and we consider net revenue of other Rocket Companies on a combined basis.

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(5)
Rockethomes.com average unique monthly visits is calculated by a third party service that monitors website activity. This metric does not have a direct correlation to revenues and is used primarily to monitor consumer interest in the Rockethomes.com site.

Description of Certain Components of Financial Data

Components of revenue

        Our sources of revenue include gain on sale of loans, loan servicing income, interest income, and other income.

Gain on sale of loans, net

        Gain on sale of loans, net includes all components related to the origination and sale of mortgage loans, including (1) net gain on sale of loans, which represents the premium we receive in excess of the loan principal amount and certain fees charged by investors upon sale of loans into the secondary market, (2) loan origination fees, credits, points and certain costs, (3) provision for or benefit from investor reserves, (4) the change in fair value of interest rate locks ("IRLCs" or "rate lock") and loans held for sale, (5) the gain or loss on forward commitments hedging loans held for sale and IRLCs, and (6) the fair value of originated MSRs.

        An estimate of the gain on sale of loans, net is recognized at the time an IRLC is issued, net of an estimated pull-through factor. The pull-through factor is a key assumption and estimates the loan funding probability, as not all loans that reach IRLC status will result in a closed loan. Subsequent changes in the fair value of IRLCs and mortgage loans held for sale are recognized in current period earnings. When the mortgage loan is sold into the secondary market (i.e., funded), any difference between the proceeds received and the current fair value of the loan is recognized in current period earnings in gain on sale of loans.

        Loan origination fees generally include underwriting and processing fees. Loan origination costs include lender paid mortgage insurance, recording taxes, investor fees and other related expenses. Net loan origination fees and costs related to the origination of mortgage loans are recognized as a component of the fair value of IRLCs.

        We establish reserves for our estimated liabilities associated with the potential repurchase or indemnity of purchasers of loans previously sold due to representation and warranty claims by investors. Additionally, the reserves are established for the estimated liabilities from the need to repay, where applicable, a portion of the premium received from investors on the sale of certain loans if such loans are repaid in their entirety within a specified time period after the sale of the loans. The provision for or benefit from investor reserves is recognized in current period earnings in gain on sale of loans.

        We enter into derivative transactions to protect against the risk of adverse interest rate movements that could impact the fair value of certain assets, including IRLCs and loans held for sale. We primarily use forward loan sales commitments to hedge our interest rate risk exposure. Changes in the value of these derivatives, or hedging gains and losses, are included in gain on sale of loans.

        Included in gain on sale of loans, net is also the fair value of originated MSRs, which represents the estimated fair value of MSRs related to loans which we have sold and retained the right to service.

Loan servicing income

        The value of newly originated MSRs is recognized as a component of the gain on sale of loans, net when loans are sold and the associated servicing rights are retained. Loan servicing fee income consists of the contractual fees earned for servicing the loans and includes ancillary revenue such as late fees and modification incentives. Loan servicing fee income is recorded as earned, which is

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upon collection of payments from borrowers. We have elected to subsequently measure the MSRs at fair value on a recurring basis. Changes in fair value of MSRs, primarily due to the realization of expected cash flows and/or changes in valuation inputs and estimates, are recognized in current period earnings.

        We regularly perform a comprehensive analysis of the MSR portfolio in order to identify and sell certain MSRs that do not align with our strategy for retaining MSRs. To hedge against interest rate exposure on these assets, we enter into forward loan purchase commitments. Changes in the value of derivatives designed to protect against MSR value fluctuations, or MSR hedging gains and losses, are included as a component of servicing fee income.

Interest income, net

        Interest income, net is interest earned on mortgage loans held for sale net of the interest expense paid on our loan funding facilities.

Other income

        Other income includes revenues generated from Amrock (title insurance services, property valuation, and settlement services), Rocket Homes (real estate network referral fees), Rocket Auto (auto sales business revenues), Core Digital Media (third party lead generation revenues), Rock Connections (third party sales and support revenues), and professional service fees. The professional service fees represent amounts paid for services provided by Quicken Loans to affiliated companies. For additional information on such fees, see "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Transactions with RHI and other Related Parties" and Note 7, Transactions with Related Parties in the notes to the annual combined financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for additional detail. Services are provided primarily in connection with technology, facilities, human resources, accounting, training, and security functions. Other income also includes revenues from investment interest income.

Components of operating expenses

        Our operating expenses as presented in the condensed statement of operations data include salaries, commissions and team member benefits, general and administrative expenses, marketing and advertising expenses, and other expenses.

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

        Salaries, commissions and team member benefits include all payroll and benefit related expenses for our team members.

General and administrative expenses

        General and administrative expenses primarily include occupancy costs, professional services, loan processing expenses on loans that do not close or that are not charged to clients on closed loans, commitment fees, fees on loan funding facilities, license fees, office expenses and other operating expenses.

Marketing and advertising expenses

        Marketing and advertising expenses are primarily related to performance and brand marketing.

Other expenses

        Other expenses primarily consist of depreciation and amortization on property and equipment, mortgage servicing related expenses, and state and local income taxes.

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Income taxes

        Our Combined Businesses include C corporations that have elected to be treated as Subchapter S subsidiary corporations or single member limited liability companies, both of which are disregarded for federal income tax purposes. The RHI shareholders are responsible for the federal income tax liabilities of RHI and the Combined Businesses. Therefore, no provision for federal income taxes is reflected in the historical financial statements.

        Provision for income taxes in the combined financial statements are computed using the liability method. Under this method, deferred income taxes are provided for differences between the financial accounting and income tax basis of assets and liabilities. In assessing the need for a valuation allowance, both positive and negative evidence related to the likelihood of realization of the deferred tax assets is considered. If, based on the weight of the available evidence, it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be realized, a valuation allowance is recorded. Refer to Note 11, Income Taxes of the notes to the annual combined financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for further information.

        In connection with the completion of this offering and as a result of the reorganization transactions, we will become subject to U.S. federal and certain state taxes applicable to entities treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes on taxable income attributable to the Company's interest in Holdings.

Stock-based compensation

        Stock-based compensation is comprised of both equity and liability awards and is measured and expensed accordingly under Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 718 Compensation—Stock Compensation.

Non-Controlling Interest

        Our historical financial statements include a non-controlling interest reported since 2018 related to a minority interest in one of our subsidiaries.

        In connection with the reorganization transactions, we will be appointed as the sole managing member of Holdings pursuant to Holdings' operating agreement. Because we will manage and operate the business and control the strategic decisions and day-to-day operations of Holdings and will also have a substantial financial interest in Holdings, we will consolidate the financial results of Holdings, and a portion of our net income (loss) will be allocated to the non-controlling interest to reflect the entitlement of RHI and Dan Gilbert to Holdings' net income (loss). We will hold approximately 8% of the outstanding Holdings Units (or approximately 9% of the outstanding Holdings Units if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full), and the remaining Holdings Units will be held by RHI and Dan Gilbert.

Future Public Company Expenses

        We expect our operating expenses to increase when we become a public company following this offering. We expect our accounting, legal and personnel-related expenses and directors' and officers' insurance costs to increase as we establish more comprehensive compliance and governance functions, maintain and review internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with Sarbanes-Oxley and prepare and distribute periodic reports as required by the rules and regulations of the SEC. As a result, our historical results of operations may not be indicative of our results of operations in future periods.

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Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 and 2019

Summary of Operations

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
Condensed Statement of Operations Data
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019  

Revenue

             

Gain on sale of loans, net

  $ 1,822,109   $ 727,246  

Servicing fee income

    257,093     224,606  

Change in fair value of MSRs

    (991,252 )   (475,701 )

Interest income, net

    34,583     23,439  

Other income

    244,302     132,182  

Total revenue, net

    1,366,835     631,772  

Expenses

   
 
   
 
 

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

    683,450     457,778  

General and administrative expenses

    193,566     165,839  

Marketing and advertising expenses

    217,992     208,897  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding- debt

    33,107     33,082  

Other expenses

    141,440     65,521  

Total expenses

    1,269,555     931,117  

Net income (loss)

  $ 97,280   $ (299,345 )

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

    441     327  

Net income (loss) attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 97,721   $ (299,018 )

        Net income was $97.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, an increase of $396.7 million, as compared to a net loss of $299.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase was primarily the result of higher gain on sale of loans, net of $1,094.9 million, or 150.5%, due to increased mortgage origination volume in 2020 and an increase in other income of $112.1 million, or 84.8% due primarily to revenues generated from title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services that were also driven by the increase in origination volume noted above. This was partially offset as the fair value of MSRs decreased by $991.3 million in 2020, compared to a decrease of $475.7 million in 2019. The decrease in fair value of MSRs was primarily driven by a greater decline in interest rates during the three months ended March 31, 2020, as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2019. In addition, salaries, commissions and team member benefits expenses increased by $225.7 million, or 49.3%, in 2020 as compared to 2019 primarily due to variable compensation related to increased production as well as an increase in team members in production roles to support our growth. General and administrative expenses increased by $27.7 million, or 16.7%, driven primarily by higher loan processing costs as a result of increased origination volumes. Other expenses increased $75.9 million, or 115.9%, due primarily to expenses incurred from the sale of MSRs associated with prepayment provisions within the sales agreement, an increase in servicing payoff interest due to higher prepayments, and an increase in expenses incurred to support the higher level of title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services due to the increased origination volumes noted above.

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Gain on sale of loans, net

        The components of gain on sale of loans for the periods presented were as follows:

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019  

Net gain on sale of loans(1)

  $ 1,412,133   $ 470,802  

Fair value of originated MSRs

    535,419     296,672  

Benefit from (provision for) investor reserves

    (1,577 )   (493 )

Fair value adjustment gain on loans held for sale and IRLCs

    935,328     161,913  

Revaluation loss from forward commitments economically hedging loans held for sale and IRLCs

    (1,059,194 )   (201,648 )

Gain on sale of loans, net

  $ 1,822,109   $ 727,246  

(1)
Net gain on sale of loans represents the premium received in excess of the UPB, plus net origination fees.

        The table below provides details of the characteristics of our mortgage loan production for each of the periods presented:

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
($ in thousands)
Loan origination volume by type
  2020   2019  

Conventional Conforming

  $ 37,914,886   $ 17,109,493  

FHA/VA

    10,788,785     4,157,791  

Non Agency

    3,000,161     1,051,507  

Total mortgage loan origination volume

  $ 51,703,832   $ 22,318,791  

Portfolio metrics

             

Average loan amount

  $ 277   $ 236  

Weighted average loan-to-value ratio

    72.94%     75.05%  

Weighted average credit score

    747     734  

Weighted average loan rate

    3.57%     4.62%  

Percentage of loans sold

             

To GSEs and government

    92.08%     92.37%  

To other counterparties

    7.92%     7.63%  

Servicing-retained

    94.39%     93.57%  

Servicing-released

    5.61%     6.43%  

Net rate lock volume(1)

  $ 56,049,944   $ 27,145,738  

Gain on sale margin(2)

    3.25%     2.64%  

(1)
Net rate lock volume includes the UPB of loans subject to IRLCs, net of the pull-through factor as described in the "—Description of Certain Components of Financial Data" section above.

(2)
Gain on sale margin is a ratio of gain on sale of loans, net to the net rate lock volume for the period as described above. Gain on sale of loans, net includes the net gain on sale of loans, fair value of originated MSRs, fair value adjustment gain on loans held for sale and IRLC's, and revaluation loss from forward commitments economically hedging loans held for sale and IRLCs. This metric is a measure of profitability for our on-going mortgage business and therefore excludes revenues from other Rocket Companies and reverse mortgage activity. See the table above for each of the components of gain on sale of loans, net.

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        Gain on sale of loans, net was $1,822.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, an increase of $1,094.9 million, or 150.6%, as compared with $727.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase in gain on sale of loans, net was primarily driven by increases in mortgage loan origination volume of $29.4 billion, or 131.7%. The increase also reflects an increase in gain on sale margin from 2.64% to 3.25%, reflecting favorable market conditions.

        Net gain on sales of loans increased $941.3 million, or 199.9%, to $1,412.1 million in the first quarter of 2020 compared to $470.8 million in the first quarter of 2019. This was driven by increased mortgage loan origination volume and increase in gain on sale margin noted above.

        The fair value of MSRs originated was $535.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, an increase of $238.7 million, or 80.5%, as compared with $296.7 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase was primarily due to an increase funded loan volume noted above.

        Gain on sale of loans, net also includes unrealized gains and losses from the fair value changes in mortgage loans held for sale and IRLCs as well as realized and unrealized gains and losses from forward commitments used to hedge the loans held for sale and IRLCs. The net loss from these fair value changes was $123.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared to a net loss of $39.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 driven by changes in interest rates and loan volume.

Loan servicing (loss) income

        For the periods presented, loan servicing (loss) income consisted of the following:

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019  

Retained servicing fee

  $ 247,603   $ 215,343  

Subservicing income

    1,592     1,580  

Ancillary income

    7,898     7,683  

Servicing fee income

    257,093     224,606  

Change in valuation model inputs or assumptions

    (805,536 )   (320,979 )

Change in fair value of MSR hedge

    62,209      

Collection / realization of cash flows

    (247,925 )   (154,722 )

Change in fair value of MSRs

    (991,252 )   (475,701 )

Loan servicing (loss) income, net

  $ (734,159 ) $ (251,095 )

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  Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019  

MSR UPB of loans serviced

  $ 319,111,177   $ 305,398,743  

Number of MSR loans serviced

    1,732,569     1,686,652  

UPB of loans subserviced and temporarily serviced

  $ 24,478,424   $ 19,024,782  

Number of loans subserviced and temporarily serviced

    95,222     83,385  

Total serviced UPB

  $ 343,589,601   $ 324,423,525  

Total loans serviced

    1,827,791     1,770,037  

MSR fair value

  $ 2,170,638   $ 3,001,501  

Total serviced delinquency rate (60+period end)

    0.92%     0.74%  

Weighted average credit score

    732     729  

Weighted average LTV

    76%     77%  

Weighted average loan rate

    4.03%     4.16%  

Weighted average service fee

    0.310%     0.293%  

        Loan servicing loss, net was $734.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, which compares to loan servicing loss, net of $251.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increased loss was driven primarily by a reduction in fair market value of MSRs of $991.3 million in 2020 as compared to a reduction in fair market value of MSRs of $475.7 million in 2019. See discussion below on change in MSR fair value for additional discussion. This was partially offset by an increase in retained servicing fee revenue in 2020 of $32.3 million, or 15.0%, driven by a higher weighted average service fee, which increased from 0.293% to 0.310%, and an increase in the overall size of the retained servicing portfolio, which increased to $319.1 billion at March 31, 2020 from $305.4 billion at March 31, 2019. Between March 31, 2019 and March 31, 2020, our newly originated MSRs had a higher weighted average service fee as market conditions were such that we retained a higher level of excess servicing resulting in the increase noted above. We originate the vast majority of our MSR portfolio and did not purchase any MSRs during 2020 and 2019. Both purchased MSRs and subservicing revenues are not material sources of servicing fee income.

        The change in MSR fair value was a net loss of $991.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, as compared with a net loss of $475.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The change in fair value during 2020 included $247.9 million of loss due to collection/realization of cash flows and a decrease in fair value due to change in valuation assumptions (net of hedges) of $743.3 million primarily driven by an increase in prepayment speeds from 14.5% at December 31, 2019 to 19.7% at March 31, 2020. The prepayment speed valuation assumption represents the annual rate at which serviced clients are estimated to repay their UPB. The decrease in fair value during 2019 included $154.7 million of due to collection/realization of cash flows, partially offset by an increase in fair value due to changes in valuation model inputs or assumptions of $321.0 million primarily driven by an increase in prepayment speeds from 10.8% at December 31, 2018 to 13.2% at March 31, 2019.

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Interest income, net

        The components of interest income, net for the periods presented were as follows:

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019  

Interest income

  $ 74,042   $ 47,052  

Interest expense on funding facilities

    (39,459 )   (23,613 )

Interest income, net

  $ 34,583   $ 23,439  

        Interest income, net was $34.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, an increase of $11.1 million, or 47.5%, as compared to $23.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase was driven by increased interest income due to higher production volume and partially offset by increased interest expense on funding facilities which was also driven by higher production volume.

Other income

        Other income increased $112.1 million, or 84.8%, to $244.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 as compared to $132.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase was driven by revenues generated from title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services that were also driven by the increase in origination volume noted above.

Expenses

        Expenses for the periods presented were as follows:

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019  

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

  $ 683,450   $ 457,778  

General and administrative expenses

    193,566     165,839  

Marketing and advertising expenses

    217,992     208,897  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt

    33,107     33,082  

Other expenses

    141,440     65,521  

Total expenses

  $ 1,269,555   $ 931,117  

        Total expenses were $1,269.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, an increase of $338.4 million or 36.3%, as compared with $931.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. This was driven primarily by increases in salaries, commissions and team member benefits, general and administrative expenses, and other expenses as described below.

        Salaries, commissions and team member benefits were $683.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, an increase of $225.7 million, or 49.3%, as compared with $457.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase was primarily due to variable compensation related to increased production as well as an increase in team members in production roles to support our growth.

        General, selling and administrative expenses were $193.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, an increase of $27.7 million, or 16.7%, as compared with $165.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase was driven primarily by increased loan processing expenses due to higher origination volumes.

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        Other expenses were $141.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, an increase of $75.9 million, or 115.9%, as compared with $65.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase was driven primarily by an increase in payoff interest expense, expenses incurred from the sale of MSRs associated with prepayment provisions within the sales agreement, and increase in expenses incurred to support the higher level of title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services due to the increased origination volumes noted above.

Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2018

Summary of Operations

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
Condensed Statement of Operations Data
($ in thousands)
  2019   2018  

Revenue

             

Gain on sale of loans, net

  $ 4,911,307   $ 2,927,888  

Servicing fee income

    950,221     820,370  

Change in fair value of MSRs

    (1,596,631 )   (228,723 )

Interest income, net

    115,834     101,602  

Other income

    739,168     588,412  

Total revenue, net

    5,119,899     4,209,549  

Expenses

             

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

    2,082,058     1,703,197  

General and administrative expenses

    683,116     591,372  

Marketing and advertising expenses

    905,000     878,027  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt

    136,853     130,022  

Other expenses

    420,485     294,314  

Total expenses

    4,227,512     3,596,932  

Net income

  $ 892,387   $ 612,617  

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

    1,367     272  

Net income attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 893,754   $ 612,889  

        Net income was $892.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $279.8 million, or 45.7%, as compared to $612.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The increase was primarily the result of higher gain on sale of loans, net of $1,983.4 million, or 67.7%, due to increased mortgage origination volume in 2019, an increase in other income of $150.8 million, or 25.6% driven by revenues generated from title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services that were also driven by the increase in origination volume noted above, and an increase in servicing fee income of $129.9 million, or 15.8%, due to an increase in the servicing portfolio during the year. These items were partially offset as the fair value of MSRs decreased by $1,596.6 million in 2019, compared to a decrease of $228.7 million in 2018. The decrease in fair value of MSRs was driven by the decline in interest rates as of December 31, 2019, as compared to December 31, 2018. In addition, salaries, commissions and team member benefits expenses increased by $378.9 million, or 22.2%, in 2019 as compared to 2018 primarily due to variable compensation related to increased production as well as an increase in team members in production roles to support our growth. General and administrative expenses increased by $91.7 million, or 15.5%, driven primarily by higher loan processing costs as a result of increased origination volumes and expenses in connection with a resolution with the Department of Justice in 2019. Other expenses increased $126.2 million, or 42.9%, due primarily to expenses incurred from the sale of MSRs associated with prepayment provisions within the sales agreement, an increase in servicing payoff interest due to higher prepayments, and increase in expenses incurred to support the higher level of title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services due to the increased origination volumes noted above.

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Gain on sale of loans, net

        The components of gain on sale of loans for the periods presented were as follows:

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
($ in thousands)
  2019   2018  

Net gain on sale of loans(1)

  $ 3,259,530   $ 1,774,659  

Fair value of originated MSRs

    1,771,651     959,172  

Benefit from (provision for) investor reserves

    1,872     (7,419 )

Fair value adjustment gain on loans held for sale and IRLCs

    427,749     (7,297 )

Revaluation loss from forward commitments economically hedging loans held for sale and IRLCs

    (549,495 )   208,773  

Gain on sale of loans, net

  $ 4,911,307   $ 2,927,888  

(1)
Net gain on sale of loans represents the premium received in excess of the UPB, plus net origination fees.

        The table below provides details of the characteristics of our mortgage loan production for each of the periods presented:

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
($ in thousands)
Loan origination volume by type
  2019   2018  

Conventional Conforming

  $ 104,070,952   $ 60,840,127  

FHA/VA

    33,690,730     17,686,473  

Non Agency

    7,417,895     4,595,068  

Total mortgage loan origination volume

  $ 145,179,577   $ 83,121,668  

Portfolio metrics

             

Average loan amount

  $ 262   $ 220  

Weighted average loan-to-value ratio

    75.65%     75.70%  

Weighted average credit score

    740     731  

Weighted average loan rate

    4.02%     4.65%  

Percentage of loans sold

             

To GSEs and government

    90.86%     91.18%  

To other counterparties

    9.14%     8.82%  

Servicing-retained

    96.11%     95.70%  

Servicing-released

    3.89%     4.30%  

Net rate lock volume(1)

  $ 152,183,984   $ 81,510,865  

Gain on sale margin(2)

    3.19%     3.55%  

(1)
Net rate lock volume includes the UPB of loans subject to IRLCs, net of the pull-through factor as described in the "—Description of Certain Components of Financial Data" section above.

(2)
Gain on sale margin is a ratio of gain on sale of loans, net to the net rate lock volume for the period as described above. Gain on sale of loans, net includes the net gain on sale of loans, fair value of originated MSRs, fair value adjustment gain on loans held for sale and IRLCs, and revaluation loss from forward commitments economically hedging loans held for sale and IRLCs. This metric is a measure of profitability for our on-going mortgage business and therefore excludes revenues from other Rocket Companies and reverse mortgage activity. See the table above for each of the components of gain on sale of loans, net.

        Gain on sale of loans, net was $4,911.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $1,983.4 million, or 67.7%, as compared with $2,927.9 million for the year ended

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December 31, 2018. The increase in gain on sale of loans, net was primarily driven by increases in mortgage loan origination volume of $62.1 billion, or 74.7%. These were partially offset by a decrease in gain on sale margin to 3.19% in 2019 compared to 3.55% due to a shift in the mix of our business due to growth in the Partner Network segment. See "—Summary results by segment for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017" below for additional detail.

        Net gain on sales of loans increased $1,484.9 million, or 83.7%, to $3,259.5 million in 2019 compared to $1,774.7 million in 2018. This was driven by increased mortgage loan origination volume noted above.

        The fair value of MSRs originated was $1,771.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $812.5 million, or 84.7%, as compared with $959.2 million during the year ended December 31, 2018. The increase was primarily due to an increase funded loan volume noted above.

        Gain on sale of loans, net also includes unrealized gains and losses from the fair value changes in mortgage loans held for sale and IRLCs as well as realized and unrealized gains and losses from forward commitments used to hedge the loans held for sale and IRLCs. The net loss from these fair value changes was $121.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, compared to a net gain of $201.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 driven by changes in interest rates and loan volume.

Loan servicing (loss) income

        For the periods presented, loan servicing (loss) income consisted of the following:

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
($ in thousands)
  2019   2018  

Retained servicing fee

  $ 910,870   $ 790,106  

Subservicing income

    8,186     6,676  

Ancillary income

    31,165     23,588  

Servicing fee income

    950,221     820,370  

Change in valuation model inputs or assumptions

    (784,401 )   326,637  

Change in fair value of MSR hedge

    (5,500 )    

Collection / realization of cash flows

    (806,730 )   (555,360 )

Change in fair value of MSRs

    (1,596,631 )   (228,723 )

Loan servicing (loss) income, net

  $ (646,410 ) $ 591,647  

 

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
($ in thousands)
  2019   2018  

MSR UPB of loans serviced

  $ 311,718,188   $ 297,558,369  

Number of MSR loans serviced

    1,698,938     1,647,313  

UPB of loans subserviced and temporarily serviced

  $ 26,921,093   $ 17,177,213  

Number of loans subserviced and temporarily serviced

    103,305     78,704  

Total serviced UPB

  $ 338,639,281   $ 314,735,582  

Total loans serviced

    1,802,243     1,726,017  

MSR fair value

  $ 2,874,972   $ 3,180,530  

Total serviced delinquency rate (60+ period end)

    1.01%     0.74%  

Weighted average credit score

    730     731  

Weighted average LTV

    76%     76%  

Weighted average loan rate

    4.09%     4.12%  

Weighted average service fee

    0.307%     0.283%  

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        Loan servicing loss, net was $646.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, which compares to loan servicing income of $591.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The decrease was driven primarily by a reduction in fair market value of MSRs of $1,596.6 million in 2019 as compared to a reduction in fair market value of MSRs of $228.7 million in 2018. See discussion below on change in MSR fair value for additional discussion. This was partially offset by an increase in retained servicing fee revenue in 2019 of $120.8 million, or 15.3%, driven by a higher weighted average service fee, which increased from 0.283% to 0.307%, and an increase in the overall size of the retained servicing portfolio, which increased to $311.7 billion from $297.6 billion. During 2019, our newly originated MSRs had a higher weighted average service fee as market conditions were such that we retained a higher level of excess servicing resulting in the increase noted above. We originate the vast majority of our MSR portfolio and did not purchase any MSRs during 2019 and 2018. Both purchased MSRs and subservicing revenues are not material sources of servicing fee income.

        The change in MSR fair value was a net loss of $1,596.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, as compared with a net loss of $228.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The change in fair value during 2019 included $806.7 million of loss due to collection/realization of cash flows and a decrease in fair value due to change in valuation assumptions of $784.4 million primarily driven by an increase in prepayment speeds from 10.8% at December 31, 2018 to 14.5% at December 31, 2019. The prepayment speed valuation assumption represents the annual rate at which serviced clients are estimated to repay their UPB. The decrease in fair value during 2018 included $555.4 million of due to collection/realization of cash flows, partially offset by an increase in fair value due to changes in valuation model inputs or assumptions of $326.6 million primarily driven by a decrease in prepayment speeds from 11.9% at December 31, 2017 to 10.8% at December 31, 2018. To determine our discount rate assumption, we consider a wide range of factors including industry surveys on what market participants are using for discount rates, advice from third party valuation experts, and current market conditions. Based on consideration of these factors, our discount rate assumption was lower at December 31, 2019 as compared to December 31, 2018.

Interest income, net

        The components of interest income, net for the periods presented were as follows:

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
($ in thousands)
  2019   2018  

Interest income

  $ 250,750   $ 200,927  

Interest expense on funding facilities

    134,916     99,325  

Interest income, net

  $ 115,834   $ 101,602  

        Interest income, net was $115.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $14.2 million, or 14%, as compared to $101.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The increase was driven by increased interest income due to higher production volume and partially offset by increased interest expense on funding facilities which was also driven by higher production volume.

Other income

        Other income increased $150.8 million, or 25.6%, to $739.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 as compared to $588.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The

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increase was driven by revenues generated from title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services due to the increase in origination volume noted above during 2019.

Expenses

        Expenses for the periods presented were as follows:

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
($ in thousands)
  2019   2018  

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

  $ 2,082,058   $ 1,703,197  

General and administrative expenses

    683,116     591,372  

Marketing and advertising expenses

    905,000     878,027  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt

    136,853     130,022  

Other expenses

    420,485     294,314  

Total expenses

  $ 4,227,512   $ 3,596,932  

        Total expenses were $4,227.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $630.6 million or 17.5%, as compared with $3,596.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. This was driven primarily by increases in salaries, commissions and team member benefits, general and administrative expenses, and other expenses as described below.

        Salaries, commissions and team member benefits were $2,082.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $378.9 million, or 22.2%, as compared with $1,703.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The increase was primarily due to variable compensation related to increased production as well as an increase in team members in production roles to support our growth.

        General, selling and administrative expenses were $683.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $91.7 million, or 15.5%, as compared with $591.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The increase was driven primarily by increased loan processing expenses due to higher origination volumes and expenses associated with a resolution with the Department of Justice in 2019.

        Other expenses were $420.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $126.2 million, or 42.9%, as compared with $294.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The increase was driven primarily by an increase in payoff interest expense, expenses incurred from the sale of MSRs, and increase in expenses incurred to support the higher level of title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services due to the increased origination volumes noted above.

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Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

Summary of Operations

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
Condensed Statement of Operations Data
($ in thousands)
  2018   2017  

Revenue

             

Gain on sale of loans, net

  $ 2,927,888   $ 3,379,196  

Servicing fee income

    820,370     696,639  

Change in fair value of MSRs

    (228,723 )   (569,391 )

Interest income, net

    101,602     56,609  

Other income

    588,412     586,829  

Total revenue, net

    4,209,549     4,149,882  

Expenses

             

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

    1,703,197     1,686,811  

General and administrative expenses

    591,372     540,640  

Marketing and advertising expenses

    878,027     787,844  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt

    130,022     77,967  

Other expenses

    294,314     285,911  

Total expenses

    3,596,932     3,379,173  

Net income

  $ 612,617   $ 770,709  

Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest

    272     (8 )

Net income attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 612,889   $ 770,701  

        Net income was $612.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, a decrease of $158.1 million, or 20.5%, as compared to $770.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The decrease was primarily the result of lower gain on sale of loans, net of $451.3 million and higher expenses of $217.8 million primarily due to higher marketing and advertising expenses of $90.2 million, and an increase in interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt of $52.1 million. These items were partially offset by an increase in loan servicing fee income of $123.7 million and a change in MSR value during 2018 of $340.7 million due to rising interest rate conditions that occurred during 2018.

Gain on sale of loans, net

        The components of gain on sale of loans for the periods presented were as follows:

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
($ in thousands)
  2018   2017  

Net gain on sale of loans(1)

  $ 1,774,659   $ 2,675,619  

Fair value of originated MSRs

    959,172     813,085  

Provision for investor reserves

    (7,419 )   (1,297 )

Fair value adjustment gain on loans held for sale and IRLCs

    (7,297 )   38,123  

Revaluation loss from forward commitments economically hedging loans held for sale and IRLCs

    208,773     (146,334 )

Gain on sale of loans, net

  $ 2,927,888   $ 3,379,196  

(1)
Net gain on sale of loans represents the premium received in excess of the UPB, and loan level price adjustments charged by investors upon sale of the loans sold into the secondary market, plus net origination fees.

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        The table below provides details of the characteristics of our mortgage loan production for each of the periods presented:

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
($ in thousands)
Loan origination volume by type
  2018   2017  

Conventional Conforming

  $ 60,840,127   $ 59,682,164  

FHA/VA

    17,686,473     20,139,490  

Non Agency

    4,595,068     5,719,704  

Total mortgage loan origination volume

  $ 83,121,668   $ 85,541,358  

Portfolio metrics

             

Average loan amount

  $ 220   $ 208  

Weighted average loan-to-value ratio

    75.70%     75.29%  

Weighted average credit score

    731     731  

Weighted average loan rate

    4.65%     4.06%  

Percentage of loans sold

             

To GSEs and government

    91.18%     92.02%  

To other counterparties

    8.82%     7.98%  

Servicing-retained

    95.70%     95.60%  

Servicing-released

    4.30%     4.40%  

Net rate lock volume(1)

  $ 81,510,865   $ 83,624,940  

Gain on sale margin(2)

    3.55%     3.97%  

(1)
Net rate lock volume includes the UPB of loans subject to IRLCs, net of the pull-through factor as described in the section "—Description of Certain Components of Financial Data" above.

(2)
Gain on sale margin is a ratio of gain on sale of loans, net to the net rate lock volume for the period as described above. Gain on sale of loans, net includes the net gain on sale of loans, fair value of originated MSRs, fair value adjustment gain on loans held for sale and IRLCs, and revaluation loss from forward commitments economically hedging loans held for sale and IRLCs. This metric is a measure of profitability for our on-going mortgage business and therefore excludes revenues from other Rocket Companies and reverse mortgage activity. See the table above for each of the components of gain on sale of loans, net.

        Gain on sale of loans, net was $2,927.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, a decrease of $451.3 million, or 13.4%, as compared with $3,379.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. Loan origination volume decreased $2.4 billion, or 2.8%, to $83.1 billion for the year ended December 31, 2018 from $85.5 billion for the year ended December 31, 2017. Gain on sale of loans, net was also impacted by a reduction in gain on sale margin to 3.55% in 2018 compared to 3.97% in 2017 due to a shift in the mix of our business due to growth in the Partner Network segment. For a discussion of our business segment results, see "—Summary results by segment for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017" and "Note 16, Segments" of the combined financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

        Net gain on sales of loans decreased $901.0 million, or 33.7%, to $1,774.7 million in 2018 compared to $2,675.6 million in 2017. The decrease was driven by the reduction in rate lock volume as noted above. The decrease was partially offset by an increase in the average servicing fee retained for MSRs originated in 2018 as compared to 2017.

        The fair value of MSRs originated was $959.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, an increase of $146.1 million, or 18.0%, as compared with $813.1 million during the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase was primarily due to an increase in the average servicing fee retained for MSRs originated in 2018 as compared to 2017.

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        Gain on sale of loans, net also includes unrealized gains and losses from the fair value changes in mortgage loans held for sale and IRLCs as well as realized and unrealized gains and losses from forward commitments used to hedge the loans held for sale and IRLCs. The net gain from these fair value changes was $201.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, and increase of $309.7 million, compared to a net loss of $108.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 driven primarily by changes in interest rates.

Loan servicing (loss) income

        For the periods presented, loan servicing (loss) income consisted of the following:

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
($ in thousands)
  2018   2017  

Retained servicing fee

  $ 790,106   $ 671,445  

Subservicing income

    6,676     7,166  

Ancillary income

    23,588     18,028  

Servicing fee income

    820,370     696,639  

Change in valuation model inputs or assumptions

    326,637     (81,337 )

Collection / realization of cash flows

    (555,360 )   (488,054 )

Change in fair value of MSRs

    (228,723 )   (569,391 )

Loan servicing income, net

  $ 591,647   $ 127,248  

 

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
($ in thousands)
  2018   2017  

MSR UPB of loans serviced

  $ 297,558,369   $ 259,894,836  

Number of MSR loans serviced

    1,647,313     1,455,373  

UPB of loans subserviced and temporarily serviced

  $ 17,177,213   $ 19,164,855  

Number of loans subserviced and temporarily serviced

    78,704     91,127  

Total serviced UPB

  $ 314,735,582   $ 279,059,691  

Total loans serviced

    1,726,017     1,546,500  

MSR fair value

  $ 3,180,530   $ 2,450,081  

Total serviced delinquency rate (60+ period end)

    0.74%     1.47%  

Weighted average credit score

    731     732  

Weighted average LTV

    76%     76%  

Weighted average note rate

    4.12%     3.95%  

Weighted average service fee

    0.283%     0.277%  

        Loan servicing income, net increased $464.4 million, or 365.0%, to $591.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, which compares to loan servicing income, net of $127.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase was driven primarily by a reduction in fair market value of MSRs of $228.7 million in 2018 as compared to a reduction in fair market value of MSRs of $569.4 million in 2017. See change in MSR fair value discussion below for further detail. In addition, retained servicing fee revenue increased $118.7 million in 2018 as compared to 2017 as described below, to $790.1 million in 2018 from $671.4 million in 2017 driven by a higher weighted average service fee, which increased from 0.277% in 2017 to 0.283% in 2018, and in increase in the overall size of the retained servicing portfolio, which increased from $259.9 billion at December 31, 2017 to $297.6 billion at December 31, 2018.

        The change in MSR fair value was a net loss of $228.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, as compared with a net loss of $569.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The

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change in fair value during 2018 included $555.4 million of loss due to collection/realization of cash flows, partially offset by an increase in fair value due to change in valuation assumptions of $326.6 million primarily driven by a decrease in prepayment speeds from 11.9% at December 31, 2017 to 10.8% at December 31, 2018. The change in fair value during 2017 included $488.1 million of due to collection/realization of cash flows and a decrease in fair value due to changes in valuation model inputs or assumptions of $81.3 million primarily driven by an increase in prepayment speeds from 11.0% at December 31, 2016 to 11.9% at December 31, 2017.

Interest income, net

        The components of interest income, net for the periods presented were as follows:

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
Condensed Statement of Operations Data
($ in thousands)
  2018   2017  

Interest income

  $ 200,927   $ 159,581  

Interest expense on funding facilities

    99,325     102,972  

Interest income, net

  $ 101,602   $ 56,609  

        Interest income, net was $101.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, an increase of $45.0 million, or 79.5%, as compared to $56.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. Interest income increased $41.3 million, or 25.9% to $200.9 million in 2018 from $159.6 million in 2017 as the interest rate environment was higher in 2018 as compared to 2017. Interest expense on funding facilities decreased $3.7 million, or 3.5% to $99.3 million in 2018 as compared to $103.0 million in 2017. The decrease in interest expense was driven by an increase in self-funding, which reduced funding levels on funding facilities and was partially offset by the rising interest rate environment in 2018 noted above.

Expenses

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
($ in thousands)
  2018   2017  

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

  $ 1,703,197   $ 1,686,811  

General and administrative expenses

    591,372     540,640  

Marketing and advertising expenses

    878,027     787,844  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding-debt

    130,022     77,967  

Other expenses

    294,314     285,911  

Total expenses

  $ 3,596,932   $ 3,379,173  

        Expenses for the periods presented were as follows:

        Total expenses were $3,596.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, an increase of $217.7 million or 6.4%, as compared with $3,379.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. This was driven primarily by increases in marketing and advertising expenses, and interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt as described below.

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        Marketing and advertising expenses were $878.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, an increase of $90.2 million, or 11.4%, as compared to $787.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. Many factors impact the overall effectiveness and magnitude of our marketing and advertising spend. Market conditions impact the relative cost of performance marketing and general economic conditions as well as the interest rate environment impact the level of consumer interest. During 2018, we increased our level of investment in performance marketing and brand spend, including a Super Bowl commercial in February 2018 and increased levels of brand sponsorship spend during the year to drive increased consumer awareness.

        Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt was $130.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, an increase of $52.1 million, or 66.8%, as compared with $78.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase in 2018 was driven by the full 12 months of interest expense related to the 5.250% Senior Notes that were issued in December 2017, compared to one month of expense in 2017.

Summary results by segment for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017

        Our operations are organized by distinct marketing channels which promote client acquisition into our ecosystem and include two reportable segments: Direct to Consumer and Partner Network. In the Direct to Consumer segment, we directly interact with clients and potential clients using various performance marketing channels. Servicing activities are viewed as an extension of the client experience with the primary objective of establishing and maintaining positive, regular touchpoints with our clients, which positions us to recapture the clients' next refinance or purchase mortgage transaction. Consequently, we view servicing as an integral component of the Direct to Consumer segment.

        In the Partner Network segment, we are focused on aligning our brand with other high-quality consumer-focused influencers and marketing partnerships who utilize our platform to provide their clients mortgage solutions with a superior client experience.

        We measure the performance of the segments primarily on a contribution margin basis. Contribution margin is intended to measure the direct profitability of each segment and is calculated as Adjusted Revenue less directly attributable expenses. Adjusted Revenue is a non-GAAP financial measure described above. Directly attributable expenses include salaries, commissions and team member benefits, general and administrative expenses and other expenses, such as direct servicing costs and origination costs. For segments, we measure gain on sale margin of funded loans and refer to this metric as "funded loan gain on sale margin." A loan is considered funded, when it is sold to investors on the secondary market. Funded loan gain on sale margin represents revenues on loans that have been funded divided by the funded UPB amount. Funded loan gain on sale margin is used specifically in the context of measuring the gain on sale margins of our Direct to Consumer and Partner Network segments. Funded loan gain on sale margin is an important metric in evaluating the revenue generating performance of our segments as it allows us to measure this metric at a segment level with a high degree of precision. By contrast, "gain on sale margin," which we use outside of the segment discussion, measures the gain on sale revenue generation of our combined mortgage business. See below for overview and discussion of segment results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017. For additional discussion, see Note 12, Segments of the interim condensed combined financial statements and Note 16, Segments of the annual combined financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Part of our growth strategy is to continue to grow our Partner Network over time. We generate lower funded loan gain on sale margin in the Partner Network, however this is partially offset by lower expenses in that segment.

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Direct to Consumer Results

 
  Three Months March 31,   Year Ended December 31,  
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017  

Funded Loan Volume

  $ 31,691,113   $ 14,456,801   $ 88,939,029   $ 68,110,405   $ 71,093,437  

Funded Loan Gain on Sale Margin

    4.69%     4.06%     4.45%     4.13%     4.41%  

Revenue

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Gain on sale

  $ 1,610,832   $ 665,774   $ 4,318,930   $ 2,660,452   $ 3,109,063  

Interest income

    47,311     34,400     170,249     155,305     132,104  

Interest expense on funding facilities

    (25,385 )   (17,222 )   (91,650 )   (76,830 )   (85,956 )

Service fee income

    255,990     223,343     946,557     818,085     695,713  

Changes in fair value of MSRs

    (991,252 )   (475,176 )   (1,596,631 )   (228,723 )   (569,391 )

Other income

    145,023     76,718     443,290     344,230     395,883  

Total Revenue

  $ 1,042,519   $ 507,837   $ 4,190,745   $ 3,672,519   $ 3,677,416  

Decrease (increase) in MSRs due to valuation assumptions (net of hedges)

    743,327     320,979     789,901     (326,637 )   81,337  

Adjusted Revenue

  $ 1,785,846   $ 828,816   $ 4,980,646   $ 3,345,882   $ 3,758,753  

Less: Directly Attributable Expenses(1)

   
780,621
   
544,289
   
2,571,121
   
2,209,487
   
2,197,983
 

Contribution Margin

  $ 1,005,225   $ 284,527   $ 2,409,525   $ 1,136,395   $ 1,560,770  

(1)
Direct expenses attributable to operating segments exclude corporate overhead, depreciation and amortization, and interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt.

        For the three months ended March 31, 2020, Direct to Consumer Adjusted Revenue increased $957.0 million, or 115.5% to $1,785.8 million from $828.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase was driven by growth in Direct to Consumer mortgage originations resulting in an increase in gain on sale revenue of $945.1 million, or 141.9%, in 2020. On a funded loan basis, the Direct to Consumer segment generated $31.7 billion in 2020, an increase of $17.2 billion, or 119.2% as compared to 2019. In addition, funded loan gain on sale margin was 4.69% in 2020 as compared to 4.06% in 2019, driven primarily by capacity constraints in the industry which led to margin expansion during 2020 as compared to 2019. The increase in adjusted revenue also reflects an increase in other income of $68.3 million, or 89.0%, related primarily to revenues generated from title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services from increased origination levels. Revenues from title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services are generated by Amrock. In addition, service fee income increased $32.6 million, or 14.6%, due to an increase in the servicing portfolio during 2019. These increases were partially offset by an increase in collection/realization of servicing cash flows in 2020 as compared to 2019. Collection/realization of servicing cash flows is reflected in the changes in fair value of MSRs line item in the table above.

        For the three months ended March 31, 2020, Direct to Consumer Attributable Expenses increased $236.3 million, or 43.4%, to $780.6 million in 2020 compared to $544.3 million in 2019. The increase was primarily due to an increase in variable compensation and an increase in team members in production roles needed to support growth. The increase in also reflects greater loan processing costs due to higher origination volumes and an increase in expenses incurred to support the higher level of title insurance services, valuation and settlement services due to the increased origination volumes noted above, as well as an increase payoff interest expense, and costs incurred during in connection with the MSR sales.

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        For the three months ended March 31, 2020, Direct to Consumer Contribution Margin increased $720.7 million, or 253.3%, to $1,005.2 million compared to $284.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase in Contribution Margin was driven primarily by the increase in Direct to Consumer originations and higher funded loan gain on sale margin noted above.

        For the year ended December 31, 2019, Direct to Consumer Adjusted Revenue increased $1,634.8 million, or 48.9% to $4,980.6 million from $3,345.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The increase was driven by growth in Direct to Consumer mortgage originations resulting in an increase in gain on sale revenue of $1,658.5 million, or 62.3%, in 2019. On a funded loan basis, the Direct to Consumer segment generated $88.9 billion in 2019, an increase of $20.8 billion, or 30.6% as compared to 2018. In addition, funded loan gain on sale margin was 4.45% in 2019 as compared to 4.13% in 2018, driven primarily by more favorable market conditions in 2019 as compared to 2018. The increase in adjusted revenue also reflects an increase in other income of $99.1 million, or 28.8%, related primarily to revenues generated from title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services from increased origination levels and an increase in service fee income of $128.5 million, or 15.7%, due to an increase in the servicing portfolio during 2019. These increases were partially offset by an increase in collection/realization of servicing cash flows in 2019 as compared to 2018. Collection/realization of servicing cash flows is reflected in the changes in fair value of MSRs line item in the table above.

        For the year ended December 31, 2019, Direct to Consumer Directly Attributable Expenses increased $361.6 million, or 16.4%, to $2,571.1 million in 2019 compared to $2,209.5 million in 2018. The increase was primarily due to an increase in variable compensation and an increase in team members in production roles needed to support growth. The increase in also reflects greater loan processing costs due to higher origination volumes and an increase in expenses incurred to support the higher level of title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services due to the increased origination volumes noted above, as well as an increase in marketing and advertising expenses, payoff interest expense, costs incurred during in connection with the MSR sales.

        For the year ended December 31, 2019, Direct to Consumer Contribution Margin increased $1,273.1 million, or 112.0%, to $2,409.5 million in 2019 compared to $1,136.4 million in 2018. The increase in Contribution Margin was driven primarily by the increase in Direct to Consumer originations and higher funded loan gain on sale margin noted above.

        For the year ended December 31, 2018, Direct to Consumer Adjusted Revenue decreased $412.9 million, or 11.0% to $3,345.9 million from $3,758.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The decrease was driven by reduced Direct to Consumer mortgage originations resulting in a decrease in gain on sale revenue of $448.6 million, or 14.4%, in 2018. On a funded loan basis, the Direct to Consumer segment generated $68.1 billion in 2018, a decrease of $3.0 billion, or 4.2%, as compared to 2017. In addition, funded loan gain on sale margin was 4.13% in 2018 as compared to 4.41% in 2017, driven primarily by less favorable market conditions in 2018 as compared to 2017. The decrease in adjusted revenue also reflects a decrease in other income of $51.7 million, or 13.0%, related primarily to a reduction in title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services due to decreased origination levels. The decrease in adjusted revenue was partially offset by an increase in service fee income of $122.4 million, or 17.6%, due to an increase in the servicing portfolio during 2018. In addition, the fair value of MSRs decreased $228.7 million in 2018, compared to a decrease of $569.4 million in 2017. The lower decrease in 2018 was driven by a rising interest rate environment in 2018.

        For the year ended December 31, 2018, Direct to Consumer Contribution Margin decreased $424.4 million, or 27.2%, to $1,136.4 million in 2018 compared to $1,560.8 million in 2017. The decrease in contribution margin was driven primarily by the lower Direct to Consumer originations and decrease in funded loan gain on sale margin noted above.

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Partner Network Results

 
  Three Months March 31,   Year Ended December 31,  
($ in thousands)
  2020   2019   2019   2018   2017  

Funded Loan Volume

  $ 19,332,091   $ 5,439,398   $ 46,737,407   $ 17,894,112   $ 13,256,331  

Funded Loan Gain on Sale Margin

    0.79 %   0.74 %   0.77 %   1.21 %   1.57 %

Revenue

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Gain on sale

  $ 203,447   $ 50,126   $ 538,421   $ 224,151   $ 211,861  

Interest income

    25,571     12,036     76,829     44,024     25,949  

Interest expense on funding facilities

    (13,720 )   (6,026 )   (41,359 )   (21,779 )   (16,884 )

Other income

    19,609     6,579     22,423     4,662     2,937  

Total Revenue

  $ 234,907   $ 62,715   $ 596,314   $ 251,058   $ 223,863  

Decrease (increase) in MSRs due to valuation assumptions (net of hedges)

                     

Adjusted Revenue

  $ 234,907   $ 62,715   $ 596,314   $ 251,058   $ 223,863  

Less: Directly Attributable Expenses

   
91,944
   
42,988
   
245,282
   
125,232
   
108,755
 

Contribution Margin

  $ 142,963   $ 19,727   $ 351,032   $ 125,826   $ 115,108  

        For the three months ended March 31, 2020, Partner Network Adjusted Revenue increased $172.2 million, or 274.6% to $234.9 million from $62.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase was driven by growth in Partner Network mortgage originations resulting in an increase in gain on sale revenue of $153.3 million, or 305.9%, in 2020. On a funded loan basis, the Partner Network segment generated $19.3 billion in 2020, an increase of $13.9 billion, or 255.4% as compared to 2019. In addition, funded loan gain on sale margin was 0.79% in 2020 as compared to 0.74% in 2019, driven primarily by more favorable market conditions in 2020 as compared to 2019.

        For the three months ended March 31, 2020, Partner Network Attributable Expenses increased $49.0 million, or 113.9%, to $91.9 million in 2020 compared to $43.0 million in 2019. The increase was primarily due to an increase in variable compensation and an increase in team members in production roles needed to support growth.

        For the three months ended March 31, 2020, Partner Network Contribution Margin increased $123.2 million, or 624.7%, to $142.9 million, compared to $19.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase in Contribution Margin was driven primarily by the increase in Partner Network originations and higher funded loan gain on sale margin noted above.

        For the year ended December 31, 2019 Partner Network Adjusted Revenue increased $345.3 million, or 137.5% to $596.3 million from $251.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The increase was driven by growth in Partner Network mortgage originations resulting in an increase in gain on sale revenue of $314.3 million, or 140.2%, in 2019. On a funded loan basis, the Partner Network segment generated $46.7 billion in 2019, an increase of $28.8 billion, or 161.2% as compared to 2018, driven primarily by efforts to grow market share in this segment during 2019. This increase was partially offset by a decrease in funded loan gain on sale margin to 0.77% in 2019 as compared to 1.21% in 2018, driven primarily by efforts to grow market share in this segment during 2019.

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        For the year ended December 31, 2019, Partner Network Directly Attributable Expenses increased $120.1 million, or 95.9%, to $245.3 million in 2019 compared to $125.2 million in 2018. The increase was primarily due to an increase in variable compensation and an increase in team members in production roles to support the growth. The increase also reflects higher loan processing costs due to higher origination volumes.

        For the year ended December 31, 2019 Partner Network Contribution Margin increased $225.2 million, or 179.0%, to $351.0 million in 2019 compared to $125.8 million in 2018. The increase in contribution margin was driven primarily by the increase in Partner Network originations noted above.

        For the year ended December 31, 2018 Partner Network total revenue increased $27.2 million, or 12.1% to $251.1 million from $223.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase was driven by growth in Partner Network mortgage originations resulting in an increase in gain on sale revenue of $12.3 million, or 5.8%, in 2018. On a funded loan basis, the Partner Network segment generated $17.9 billion in 2018, an increase of $4.6 billion, or 35.0%, as compared to 2017. In addition, funded loan gain on sale margin was 1.21% in 2018 as compared to 1.57% in 2017, driven primarily by less favorable market conditions in 2018 as compared to 2017.

        For the year ended December 31, 2018 Partner Network Contribution Margin increased $10.7 million, or 9.3%, to $125.8 million in 2018 compared to $115.1 million in 2017. The increase in contribution margin was driven primarily by the increase in Partner Network originations noted above.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

        Historically, our primary sources of liquidity have included:

    borrowings, including under our loan funding facilities and other secured and unsecured financing facilities;

    cash flow from our operations, including:

    sale of whole loans into the secondary market;

    loan origination fees;

    servicing fee income; and

    interest income on loans held for sale; and

    cash and marketable securities on hand.

        Historically, our primary uses of funds have included:

    origination of loans;

    payment of interest expense;

    prepayment of debt;

    payment of operating expenses; and

    distributions to RHI, including those to fund distributions for payment of taxes by its ultimate shareholders.

        We are also subject to contingencies which may have a significant impact on the use of our cash.

        In order to originate and aggregate loans for sale into the secondary market, we use our own working capital and borrow or obtain money on a short-term basis primarily through committed and uncommitted loan funding facilities that it has established with large global banks.

        Our loan funding facilities are primarily in the form of master repurchase agreements. We also have loan funding facilities directly with the GSEs. Loans financed under these facilities are generally

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financed at approximately 97% to 98% of the principal balance of the loan (although certain types of loans are financed at lower percentages of the principal balance of the loan), which requires us to fund the balance from cash generated from its operations. Once closed, the underlying residential mortgage loan that is held for sale is pledged as collateral for the borrowing or advance that was made under these loan funding facilities. In most cases, the loans will remain in one of the loan funding facilities for only a short time, generally less than one month, until the loans are pooled and sold. During the time the loans are held for sale, we earn interest income from the borrower on the underlying mortgage loan. This income is partially offset by the interest and fees we have to pay under the loan funding facilities.

        When we sell a pool of loans in the secondary market, the proceeds received from the sale of the loans are used to pay back the amounts we owe on the loan funding facilities. We rely on the cash generated from the sale of loans to fund future loans and repay borrowings under our loan funding facilities. Delays or failures to sell loans in the secondary market could have an adverse effect on our liquidity position.

        As discussed in Note 5, Borrowings, of the interim condensed combined financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus, as of March 31, 2020, we had 14 different loan funding facilities in different amounts and with various maturities together with the 5.250% Senior Notes due 2028 and the 5.750% Senior Notes due 2025. At March 31, 2020, the aggregate available amount under our loan facilities was $18.3 billion, with combined outstanding balances of $12.7 billion and unutilized capacity of $5.6 billion.

        The amount of financing actually advanced on each individual loan under our loan funding facilities, as determined by agreed upon advance rates, may be less than the stated advance rate depending, in part, on the market value of the mortgage loans securing the financings. Each of our loan funding facilities allows the bank providing the funds to evaluate the market value of the loans that are serving as collateral for the borrowings or advances being made. If the bank determines that the value of the collateral has decreased, the bank can require us to provide additional collateral or reduce the amount outstanding with respect to those loans (e.g., initiate a margin call). Our inability or unwillingness to satisfy the request could result in the termination of the facilities and possible default under our other loan funding facilities. In addition, a large unanticipated margin call could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity.

        The amount owed and outstanding on our loan funding facilities fluctuates significantly based on our origination volume, the amount of time it takes us to sell the loans it originates, and the amount of loans being self-funded with cash. We may from time to time use surplus cash to "buy-down" the effective interest rate of certain loan funding facilities or to self-fund a portion of our loan originations. As of March 31, 2020, $240.2 million of our cash was used to buy-down our funding facilities and self-fund, $6.0 million of which are buy-down funds that are included in cash on the balance sheet and $234.2 million of which is self-funding that reduces cash on the balance sheet. We have the ability to withdraw the $6.0 million at any time, unless a margin call has been made or a default has occurred under the relevant facilities. We have the right to transfer $234.2 million of self-funded loans on to a warehouse line or early buy out line with a government agency, provided that such loans meet the eligibility criteria to be placed on such warehouse line or early buy out line and no default or margin call has been made on such line, the loans are further subject to any required haircuts, and are subject to its ability to borrow additional funds under the facility.

        Our loan funding facilities, MSR facility and unsecured lines of credit also generally require us to comply with certain operating and financial covenants and the availability of funds under these facilities is subject to, among other conditions, our continued compliance with these covenants. These financial covenants include, but are not limited to, maintaining (1) a certain minimum tangible net worth, (2) minimum liquidity, (3) a maximum ratio of total liabilities or total debt to tangible net worth and (4) pre-tax net income requirements. A breach of these covenants can result in an event of default under these facilities and as such allows the lenders to pursue certain remedies. In

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addition, each of these facilities, as well as our unsecured lines of credit, includes cross default or cross acceleration provisions that could result in all facilities terminating if an event of default or acceleration of maturity occurs under any facility. We were in compliance with all covenants as of March 31, 2020, December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

        Our $175.0 million unsecured line of credit also requires us to maintain minimum unencumbered and unrestricted cash and marketable securities. We were in compliance with this covenant as of March 31, 2020, December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

March 31, 2020 compared to March 31, 2019

Cash and cash equivalents

        Our cash and cash equivalents were $2,250.6 million at March 31, 2020, an increase of $2,101.6 million, or 1,409.7%, compared to $149.1 million at March 31, 2019. The increase in the cash and cash equivalents balance was impacted by earnings for the period adjusted for non-cash items, the increase in net borrowings on funding facilities to fund the increase in mortgage loans held for sale, $810.0 million of proceeds from borrowings on our lines of credit and $639.2 million of proceeds from MSR sales.

Shareholder's equity

        Shareholder's equity was $3,649.4 million as of March 31, 2020, an increase of $1,372.0 million, or 60.2%, as compared to $2,277.5 million as of March 31, 2019. The change was primarily the result of net income of $1,289.0 million and stock-based compensation of $60.3 million.

March 31, 2020 compared to December 31, 2019

Cash and cash equivalents

        Our cash and cash equivalents were $2,250.6 million at March 31, 2020, an increase of $899.7 million, or 66.6%, compared to $1,351.0 million at December 31, 2019. The increase in the cash and cash equivalents balance was impacted by earnings for the period adjusted for non-cash items, $810.0 million of proceeds from borrowings on our lines of credit and $177.2 million of proceeds from MSR sales. These increases were partially offset by a decrease in net borrowings on funding facilities to fund mortgage loans held for sale.

Shareholder's equity

        Shareholder's equity was $3,649.4 million as of March 31, 2020, an increase of $146.5 million, or 4.2%, as compared to $3,502.9 million as of December 31, 2019. The change was primarily the result of net income of $97.3 million and stock-based compensation of $29.1 million.

December 31, 2019 compared to December 31, 2018

Cash and cash equivalents

        Our cash and cash equivalents were $1,351.0 million at December 31, 2019, an increase of $297.1 million, or 28.2%, compared to $1,053.9 million at December 31, 2018. The increase in the cash and cash equivalents balance was impacted by earnings for the period adjusted for non-cash items, the increase in net borrowings on funding facilities to fund the increase in mortgage loans held for sale, and $462.0 million of proceeds from MSR sales, partially offset by net transfers to RHI of $210.9 million.

Shareholder's equity

        Shareholder's equity was $3,502.9 million as of December 31, 2019, an increase of $722.0 million, or 26.0%, as compared to $2,780.9 million as of December 31, 2018. The change

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was primarily the result of net income of $892.4 million and was partially offset by net transfers to parent of $210.9 million.

December 31, 2018 compared to December 31, 2017

Cash and cash equivalents

        Our cash and cash equivalents were $1,053.9 million at December 31, 2018 compared to $1,417.8 million at December 31, 2017. The decrease in the cash and cash equivalents balance was primarily driven by net payments of funding facilities of $1,044.2 million and net transfers to our parent of $706.9 million and was partially offset by earnings for the period adjusted for non-cash items.

Shareholder's equity

        Shareholder's equity was $2,780.9 million as of December 31, 2018, a decrease of $55.9 million, or 2.0%, as compared to $2,836,8 million as of December 31, 2017. The decrease was the primarily the result net transfers to our parent of $706.9 million, partially offset by net income of $612.6 million.

Contractual Obligations, Commercial Commitments, and Other Contingencies

        The following table sets forth certain of our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2019. See Notes 6, Borrowings, and 13, Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees, of the notes to the annual combined financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for further discussion of contractual obligations, commercial commitments, and other contingencies, including legal contingencies. There were no material changes outside the ordinary course of business to our outstanding contractual obligations as of March 31, 2020 from amounts previously disclosed as of December 31, 2019.

 
  Payments Due by Period
(As of December 31, 2019)
 
($ in thousands)
Contractual Obligations
  Less than
1 year
  2 - 3 years   4 - 5 Years   More than
5 years
 

Operating Lease Commitments

  $ 71,371   $ 124,658   $ 62,724   $ 106,994  

Cleveland Cavaliers Naming Rights Contract

  $ 8,406   $ 17,321   $ 18,020   $ 92,161  

Trademark License Agreement(1)

  $ 7,500   $ 15,000   $ 15,000   $  

Senior Notes

  $   $   $   $ 2,260,000  

Total

  $ 87,277   $ 156,979   $ 95,744   $ 2,459,155  

(1)
We expect to pay Intuit the maximum annual amount of $7.5 million each year under this agreement. We have entered into an agreement with Intuit that, among other things, gives Quicken Loans full ownership of the "Quicken Loans" brand in 2022 in exchange for certain agreements, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions.

Repurchase and indemnification obligations

        In the ordinary course of business, we are exposed to liability under representations and warranties made to purchasers of mortgage loans. Under certain circumstances, we may be required to repurchase mortgage loans, or indemnify the purchaser of such loans for losses incurred, if there has been a breach of representations or warranties, or if the borrower defaults on the loan payments within a contractually defined period (early payment default). Additionally, in certain instances we are contractually obligated to refund to the purchaser certain premiums paid to us on the sale if the mortgagor prepays the loan within a specified period of time, specified in our loan sale agreements. See Note 13, Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees of the notes to the annual combined financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

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Interest rate lock commitments, loan sale and forward commitments

        In the normal course of business we are party to financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit to borrowers at either fixed or floating interest rates. IRLCs are binding agreements to lend to a client at a specified interest rate within a specified period of time as long as there is no violation of conditions established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses which may require payment of a fee. As many of the commitments expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. In addition, we have contracts to sell mortgage loans into the secondary market at specified future dates (commitments to sell loans), and forward commitments to sell MBS at specified future dates and interest rates.

        Following is a summary of the notional amounts of commitments:

 
  March 31,
2020
  December 31,
2019
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Interest rate lock commitments—fixed rate

  $ 28,551,276   $ 20,577,282  

Interest rate lock commitments—variable rate

  $ 2,264,826   $ 974,693  

Commitments to sell loans

  $ 3,418,099   $ 4,992,432  

Forward commitments to sell mortgage-backed securities

  $ 29,040,384   $ 24,647,275  

Forward commitments to purchase mortgage-backed securities

  $ 6,885,000   $ 1,990,000  

Off Balance Sheet Arrangements

        As of March 31, 2020, we guaranteed the debt of another related party totaling $15 million, consisting of three separate guarantees of $5 million each. As of March 31, 2019, we did not record a liability on the interim condensed combined balance sheets for these guarantees because it was not probable that we would be required to make payments under these guarantees. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Transactions with RHI and other Affiliates—Guarantees."

        For further discussion, see Notes 5, Borrowings, and 10, Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees, of the notes to the condensed combined financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

Distributions

        Subsequent to March 31, 2020 and prior to the completion of the reorganization transactions, as part of the reorganization transactions, the Rocket Companies will have made cash distributions to RHI in an aggregate estimated amount of $3,878 million (including $1,618 million on or before June 30, 2020 as referenced herein), of which $1,164 million were for the purpose of funding tax obligations. We refer to these distributions as the "Pre-IPO Distributions."

Three Months ended March 31, 2020

        During the three months ended March 31, 2020, we had net transfers from RHI, our parent, of $21.9 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2019, we had net transfers of $212.8 million to, or for the benefit of, RHI, inclusive of both tax and discretionary equity distributions. Except for tax distributions, these distributions are at the discretion of our board of directors.

Year Ended December 31, 2019

        During the year ended December 31, 2019, we had net transfers of $210.9 million to, or for the benefit of, RHI, our parent. During the year ended December 31, 2018, we had net transfers of

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$706.9 million to, or for the benefit of, RHI, inclusive of both tax and discretionary equity distributions. Except for tax distributions, these distributions are at the discretion of our board of directors.

Year Ended December 31, 2018

        During the year ended December 31, 2018, we had net transfers of $706.9 million to, or for the benefit of, RHI, inclusive of both tax and discretionary equity distributions. During the year ended December 31, 2017, we had net transfers of $474.3 million to, or for the benefit of, RHI. Except for tax distributions, these distributions are at the discretion of our board of directors.

New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Effective

        See Note 1, Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies of the notes to the condensed combined financial statements and the annual combined financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for details of recently issued accounting pronouncements and their expected impact on our combined financial statements.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

        In the normal course of business, we are subject to a variety of risks which can affect our operations and profitability. We broadly define these areas of risk as interest rate, credit risk, counterparty risk, and risk related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interest rate risk

        We are subject to interest rate risk which may impact our origination volume and associated revenue, MSR valuations, IRLCs and mortgage loans held for sale valuations, and the net interest margin derived from our funding facilities. The fair value of MSRs are driven primarily by interest rates, which impact the likelihood of loan prepayments and refinancing. In periods of rising interest rates, the fair value of the MSRs generally increases as prepayments decrease, and therefore the estimated life of the MSRs and related expected cash flows increase. In a declining interest rate environment, the fair value of MSRs generally decreases as prepayments increase and therefore the estimated life of the MSRs and related cash flows decrease. Because origination volumes tend to increase in declining interest rate environments and decrease in increasing rate environments, we believe that servicing provides a natural hedge to our origination business through the natural counter-cyclicality of servicing and mortgaging originations. We actively manage our MSR portfolio and from time to time identify assets for sale that do not meet our MSR strategy. We use forward loan purchase commitments to economically hedge the risk of potential changes in the value of MSR assets that have been identified for sale and mitigate interest rate risk for this portion of the MSR portfolio.

        Our IRLCs and mortgage loans held for sale are exposed to interest rate volatility. During the origination, pooling, and delivery process, this pipeline value rises and falls with changes in interest rates. To mitigate this exposure, we employ a hedge strategy designed to minimize basis risk and maximize effectiveness. Basis risk in this case is the risk that the hedged instrument's price does not move in parallel with the increase or decrease in the market price of the hedged financial instrument. Because substantially all of its production is deliverable to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae, we utilize forward agency or Ginnie Mae To-Be-Announced ("TBA") securities as its primary hedge instrument to mitigate the basis risk associated with U.S. Treasury futures, Eurodollar futures or other non-mortgage instruments. By fixing the future sale price, we reduce our exposure to changes in mortgage values between interest rate lock and sale. Our non-agency, non-Ginnie Mae production is hedged with a combination of TBAs and whole loan forward commitments. To mitigate the TBA basis risk, we look to sell most of its non-agency, non-Ginnie Mae production forward to its various buyers.

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        Interest rate risk also occurs in periods where changes in short-term interest rates result in mortgage loans being originated with terms that provide a smaller interest rate spread above the financing terms of our loan funding facilities, which can negatively impact its net interest income.

Credit risk

        We are subject to credit risk, which is the risk of default that results from a borrower's inability or unwillingness to make contractually required mortgage payments. Generally, all loans sold into the secondary market are sold without recourse. For such loans, our credit risk is limited to repurchase obligations due to fraud or origination defects. For loans that were repurchased or not sold in the secondary market, we are subject to credit risk to the extent a borrower defaults and the proceeds upon ultimate foreclosure and liquidation of the property are insufficient to cover the amount of the mortgage plus expenses incurred. We believe that this risk is mitigated through the implementation of stringent underwriting standards, strong fraud detection tools, and technology designed to comply with applicable laws and our standards. In addition, we believe that this risk is mitigated through the quality of our loan portfolio. For the three months ended March 31, 2020, our clients' weighted average credit score was 747 and its approximate average loan size was $277,000 with a weighted average loan-to-value ratio of approximately 73%.

Counterparty risk

        We are subject to risk that arises from its financing facilities and interest rate risk hedging activities. These activities generally involve an exchange of obligations with unaffiliated banks or companies, referred to in such transactions as "counterparties." If a counterparty were to default, we could potentially be exposed to financial loss if such counterparty were unable to meet its obligations to us. We manage this risk by selecting only counterparties that we believe to be financially strong, spreading the risk among many such counterparties, placing contractual limits on the amount of unsecured credit extended to any single counterparty, and entering into netting agreements with the counterparties as appropriate.

        In accordance with Treasury Market Practices Group's recommendation, we execute Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association trading agreements with all material trading partners. Each such agreement provides for an exchange of margin money should either party's exposure exceed a predetermined contractual limit. Such margin requirements limit our overall counterparty exposure. The master netting agreements contain a legal right to offset amounts due to and from the same counterparty. Derivative assets in the combined balance sheets represent derivative contracts in a gain position net of loss positions with the same counterparty and, therefore, also represent our maximum counterparty credit risk. We incurred no losses due to nonperformance by any of its counterparties during the first quarter of 2020, 2019 and 2018.

        Also, in the case of our financing facilities, we are subject to risk if the counterparty chooses not to renew a borrowing agreement and we are unable to obtain financing to originate mortgage loans. With our financing facilities, we seek to mitigate this risk by ensuring that it has sufficient borrowing capacity with a variety of well-established counterparties to meet its funding needs.

Risk related to the COVID-19 pandemic

        The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and continues to have, a significant impact on the national economy and the communities in which we operate. While the pandemic's effect on the macroeconomic environment operate has yet to be fully determined and could continue for months or years, we expect that the pandemic and governmental programs created as a response to the pandemic, will affect the core aspects of our business, including the origination of mortgages, our servicing operations, our liquidity and our employees. Such effects, if they continue for a prolonged period, may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operation. For additional discussion on these risks please refer to "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—The

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COVID-19 pandemic poses unique challenges to our business and the effects of the pandemic could adversely impact our ability to originate mortgages, our servicing operations, our liquidity and our employees" included elsewhere in this prospectus.

Critical Accounting Policies

        The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. We have identified certain accounting policies as being critical because they require us to make difficult, subjective or complex judgments about matters that are uncertain. We believe that the judgment, estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of our combined financial statements are appropriate given the factual circumstances at the time. However, actual results could differ and the use of other assumptions or estimates could result in material differences in our results of operations or financial condition. Our critical accounting policies and estimates are discussed below and relate to fair value measurements, particularly those determined to be Level 2 and Level 3 as discussed in Note 2, Fair Value Measurements, of the annual combined financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

Mortgage loans held for sale

        We have elected to record mortgage loans held for sale at fair value. Included in mortgage loans held for sale are loans originated as held for sale that are expected to be sold into the secondary market and loans that have been previously sold and repurchased from investors that management intends to resell into the secondary market, which are all recorded at fair value.

        The fair value of loans held for sale that trade in active secondary markets is estimated using Level 2 measurements derived from observable market data, including market prices of securities backed by similar mortgage loans adjusted for certain factors to approximate the fair value of a whole mortgage loan, including the value attributable to mortgage servicing and credit risk. Loans held for sale for which there is little to no observable trading activity of similar instruments are valued using Level 3 measurements based upon dealer price quotations which typically results in credit spreads (i.e., purchase price discounts). Changes in fair value of mortgage loans held for sale are included in gain on sale of loans in the annual combined statements of income.

        Changes in economic or other relevant conditions could cause our assumptions with respect to market prices of securities backed by similar mortgage loans to be different than our estimates. Increases in the market yields of similar mortgage loans result in a lower mortgage loans held for sale fair value.

Mortgage servicing rights

        We have elected to record MSRs at fair value. MSRs are recognized as a component of the gain on sale of loans when loans are sold and the associated servicing rights are retained.

        Subsequent changes in fair value of MSRs due to the collection and realization of cash flows and changes in model inputs and assumptions are recognized in current period earnings and included as a separate line item in the combined statements of income. Fair value is determined on a monthly basis using a valuation model that calculates the present value of estimated future net servicing fee income. The model uses estimates of prepayment speeds, discount rate, cost to service, escrow account earnings, contractual servicing fee income, and ancillary income and late fees, among others. These estimates are supported by market and economic data collected from various outside sources. On a quarterly basis we obtain an independent third-party valuation to corroborate the value estimated by our internal model. All of our MSRs are classified as a Level 3 asset.

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        Changes in economic and other relevant conditions could cause our assumptions, such as with respect to the prepayment speeds, to be different than our estimates. The key assumptions used to estimate the fair value of MSRs are prepayment speeds and the discount rate. Increases in prepayment speeds generally have an adverse effect on the value of MSRs as the underlying loans prepay faster, which causes accelerated MSR amortization. Increases in the discount rate result in a lower MSR value and decreases in the discount rate result in a higher MSR value. See Note 3, Mortgage Servicing Rights of the notes in the combined financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for an illustration of the hypothetical effect on the fair value of the MSRs using various unfavorable variations of the expected levels of the assumed discount rate and prepayment speeds used in valuing MSRs.

Derivative financial instruments

        We enter into IRLCs, forward commitments to sell mortgage loans, and forward commitments to purchase mortgage loans which are considered derivative financial instruments. Our derivative financial instruments are accounted for as free-standing derivatives and are included in the combined balance sheets at fair value. Changes in the fair value of the IRLCs and forward commitments to sell mortgage loans derivative instruments are recognized in current period earnings and are included in gain on sale of loans in the combined statements of income. Forward commitments to purchase mortgage loans are recognized in current period earnings and are included as a component of servicing fee income.

        Commitments to fund residential mortgage loans with our potential borrowers are a binding agreement to lend funds to these potential borrowers at a specified interest rate within a specified period of time. The fair value of IRLCs is derived from the fair value of similar mortgage loans or bonds, which is based on observable market data. Changes to the fair value of IRLCs are recognized based on changes in interest rates, changes in the probability that the commitment will be exercised (pull through factor), and the passage of time. The expected net future cash flows related to the associated servicing of the loan are included in the fair value measurement of IRLCs. Given the unobservable nature of the pull through factor, IRLCs are classified as Level 3.

        Outstanding IRLCs and mortgage loans held for sale not yet committed to trade expose us to the risk that the price of the mortgage loans held and mortgage loans underlying the commitments might decline due to increases in mortgage interest rates during the life of the commitment. To protect against this risk, we use forward loan sale commitments to economically hedge the risk of potential changes in the value of the loans. MSR assets (including the MSR value associated with outstanding IRLCs) that have been identified to be sold expose us to the risk that the price of MSRs might decline due to decreases in mortgage interest rates prior to the sale of these assets. To protect against this risk, we use forward loan purchase commitments to economically hedge the risk of potential changes in the value of the MSR assets that have been identified for sale. We expect that the changes in fair value of the forward commitments will either substantially or partially offset the changes in fair value of the IRLCs, uncommitted mortgage loans held for sale, and MSR assets that we intend to sell. Our forward commitments are valued based on quoted prices for similar assets in an active market with inputs that are observable and are classified as Level 2 assets and liabilities.

        Changes in economic or other relevant conditions could cause our assumptions with respect to forward commitments to be different than our estimates. Decreases in the market yields of mortgage loans result in a lower fair value for forward commitments to sell mortgage loans and increases in market yields of mortgage loans result in lower fair value for forward commitments to purchase mortgage loans.

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BUSINESS

COMPANY OVERVIEW

        We are a Detroit-based company obsessed with helping our clients achieve the American dream of home ownership and financial freedom. We are committed to providing an industry-leading client experience powered by our award-winning culture and innovative technologies. We believe our widely recognized "Rocket" brand is synonymous with providing simple, fast, and trusted digital solutions for complex personal transactions.

        Since our inception in 1985, we have consistently demonstrated our ability to launch new consumer experiences, scale and automate operations, and extend our proprietary technologies to partners. Our flagship business, Rocket Mortgage, is the industry leader, having provided more than $1 trillion in home loans since inception while growing our market share from 1.3% in 2009 to 9.2% in the first quarter of 2020, a CAGR of 19%. We have also expanded into complementary industries, such as real estate services, personal lending, and auto sales. In each of these gigantic and fragmented markets, we seek to gain share and drive profitable growth by reinventing the client experience.

        Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, purposefully created a strong cultural foundation of core principles, or "ISMs", as a cultural operating system to guide decision-making by all of our team members. At the heart of the ISMs is a simple, yet powerful, concept: "Love our team members. Love our clients." Our team members put the ISMs into action every day. The result is an empowered and passionate team aligned in a common mission. This has led FORTUNE magazine to name us to their list of "100 Best Companies to Work For" for 17 consecutive years.

        Our launch of the Rocket Mortgage online platform in 2015 revolutionized the mortgage process as the first end-to-end digital experience, leveraging decades of technology investment and innovation. Rocket Mortgage is the simplest and most convenient way to get a mortgage. This digital solution utilizes automated data retrieval and advanced underwriting technology to deliver fast, tailored solutions to the palm of a client's hand. Our Rocket Mortgage app, which clients use to apply for a mortgage, interact with our team members, upload documents, e-sign documents, receive statements, and complete monthly payments, has a 4.9-star rating on the Apple App Store.

        Rocket Mortgage technology extends well beyond the app, seamlessly serving clients and client-facing team members across the entire front-end user experience. Rocket Mortgage technology also facilitates the origination, underwriting, closing, and servicing process in a manner designed to sustain positive ongoing client relationships. We have also built proprietary sales technology that allows us to more effectively connect with and win potential clients. Building off this technology, we developed Rock Connections, our sales and support organization, which supports both Rocket Mortgage and several other external partners.

        Rocket Mortgage offers clients speed and simplicity backed by industry-leading automation created through our proprietary software platform and centralized operations. Traditionally, a single processor sequentially performs most loan origination functions. Our process separates these functions to create specialization among team members, automates key steps and prioritizes workflow. Our technology provides our client specialists visibility into the loan process and enables our loans to close faster and more efficiently than industry averages. In 2019, we closed 6.7 loans per month per average production team member, compared to the industry average of 2.3 according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. In 2020, our year to date average has grown to 8.3 loans per month. The result is an unmatched client experience that has earned us recognition as #1 for Mortgage Origination by J.D. Power for the past 10 years—every year we have been eligible for the award.

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        We believe our national Rocket brand establishes a competitive advantage that is difficult to replicate. In our industry, we are the only company of scale with significant digital-first brand recognition, with marketing investment of over $5 billion since our inception and $905 million for the year ending December 31, 2019. Our in-house marketing agency has a long history of creating bold and visible events and campaigns, including the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic in 2011—a NCAA Men's Basketball game that raised proceeds for military charities and was attended on Veterans Day by President Obama; the Quicken Loans Billion Dollar Bracket for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in 2014, in collaboration with Warren Buffett; the annual Rocket Mortgage Classic—the first ever PGA TOUR event in Detroit; and recently a prominent Super Bowl Squares and our latest Super Bowl ad, featuring actor Jason Momoa, was ranked the fifth best Super Bowl ad by USA Today's Ad Meter.

        We also reach potential clients through highly targeted marketing strategies. Our scale and data analytics provide distinct advantages in the efficiency of our marketing initiatives. We utilize data gathered from inquiries, applications and ongoing client relationships to optimize digital performance marketing to reach the right clients with the right solutions. Continuing our growth in digital marketing, in 2017 we acquired Core Digital Media, a top social media and display advertiser. Our specialized marketing capabilities allowed us to generate inquiries from more than 20 million potential clients in 2019.

        In 2010, we made the strategic decision to invest in loan servicing. Servicing the loans that we originate provides us with an opportunity to build long-term relationships and continually impress our clients with a seamless experience. We employ the same client-centric culture and technology cultivated in our origination business towards our servicing effort. The result is a differentiated servicing experience focused on client service with positive, regular touchpoints and a better understanding of our clients' future needs. As a result of our operational excellence, in 2019 we achieved overall client retention levels of 63%, and refinancing retention levels of 76%, which is approximately 3.5 times higher than the industry average of 22%. In 2020, our year to date average has grown to nearly 75% overall client retention. Additionally, we have been recognized as #1 for Mortgage Servicing by J.D. Power for the past six years—every year we have been eligible for the award.

        Our growth potential is significant. The U.S. residential mortgage market remains highly fragmented. As the largest mortgage originator according to Inside Mortgage Finance, we serve 9.2% of an over $2.0 trillion annual market. As adoption of online mortgages increases, we expect to drive further market share growth. Of the clients that applied using our online platform or app, 75% are first-time homeowners and/or Millennials. As a result, we expect our growth to accelerate. As these groups mature and continue to demand a more digital experience, we anticipate that their previous positive experiences with Rocket Mortgage will result in repeat business and further growth of our Company.

        One of our strategic priorities is to grow partnerships with other preeminent companies and professionals whose clients benefit from our solutions. We continue to expand our network of high-quality influencers, which include mortgage professionals in the Quicken Loans Mortgage Services (QLMS) network and State Farm and Farmers agents. In addition, we have marketing partnerships with Fortune 500 companies such as American Express, Intuit and Schwab. Our partners rely on our trusted brand and technology to deliver the Rocket experience to their clients. To support this effort, we leverage our Rocket Mortgage technology to develop Rocket Professional, our proprietary platform that enables our partners to offer our best mortgage options to their clients and provide real-time management of loan applications.

        Our ecosystem of businesses we have incubated and organically grown also creates substantial growth opportunities. Rocket Homes, our proprietary home search platform and real estate agent

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referral network, helps match Rocket Mortgage clients with highly rated agents, and the coordinated home buying experience improves the certainty of closing. Rocket Homes participated in more than 30,000 real estate transactions in 2019. Rocket Loans, our prime personal loan business, underwrote approximately 25,000 closed loans in 2019 (a year-over-year increase of over 30%). Rocket Auto, our auto sales business that was previously part of Rock Connections, facilitated nearly 20,000 used car sales in 2019, its second year of operation. We believe our success in the United States can be leveraged in the Canadian mortgage market, a market of approximately $761 billion CAD of annual mortgage originations, and have invested in Lendesk and Edison Financial, two Canadian mortgage business startups.

        We have demonstrated a track record of creating value through profitable growth with a capital-light business model. For the year ended December 31, 2019, our total revenue, net was $5.1 billion and net income attributable to Rocket Companies was $893.8 million, representing a 22% and 46% growth from the prior year, respectively. Over the same time period, Adjusted Revenue was $5.9 billion, Adjusted Net Income was $1.3 billion, and Adjusted EBITDA was $1.9 billion. For reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to their most comparable U.S. GAAP measures, see "Summary Historical and Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial and Other Data" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measures."

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OUR BUSINESSES

        We operate an ecosystem of businesses driven by a commitment to provide an industry-leading client experience. We leverage our award-winning culture and technologies, along with our brand, data and scale, to provide a suite of services related to the homeownership experience and other personal financial transactions. Rocket Mortgage is at the center of this ecosystem and with our exceptional growth in this business, we have paved the way for disrupting large and fragmented industries. We continue to drive significant growth and profitability in each of our businesses while also extending the symbiotic relationship within our ecosystem of companies.

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Company Milestones and Origination History ($ in billions)

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Rocket Mortgage

        Rocket Mortgage is an industry leader with a widely recognized and valuable brand in the sector. We serve clients in all 50 states and originated over $145 billion in residential mortgage loans in 2019 and $51.7 billion in the three months ended March 31, 2020. The power of our platform comes from the combination of our innovative technologies and passionate team members. This produces a superior client experience and underpins our growth and market share gains. We have reengineered the mortgage process from the ground up, adding automation at nearly every step. Our brand recognition, national scale and targeted marketing support the efficient acquisition of new clients. Combined with our scale and unique operating model, this has allowed us to grow more quickly and operate efficiently. These attributes have also supported our rapid expansion into partnership channels, which we refer to as our "Partner Network," where we are providing mortgage professionals and other consumer-facing organizations with a superior experience for their clients.

        Our obsession with the client experience, powered by our seamless and efficient digital solutions, has supported our product development since we first pioneered online mortgage lending over two decades ago. Our launch of Rocket Mortgage in 2015 revolutionized the mortgage process with the first end-to-end digital and on-demand mortgage experience. As TechCrunch's headline read the day we introduced Rocket Mortgage—this was the "mortgage industry's iPhone moment." Rocket Mortgage has wide adoption with over 200,000 users daily in 2019.

        Our clients can apply for mortgage loans by submitting an application through our Rocket Mortgage app or website. Rocket Mortgage provides clients real-time quotes and access to mortgage calculators to help them choose the most appropriate solutions to support their financial goals. Clients can leverage our easy-to-use mobile application or website to communicate with our licensed mortgage professionals and client experience team members throughout the mortgage origination process and after the loan closes in our servicing process. This platform is particularly popular with Millennials and first-time home buyers with 75% of potential clients who access the platform coming from these two demographics.

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        Our clients can also apply for a loan by speaking with one of our almost 5,000 licensed mortgage professionals. Our mortgage banking team provides tailored mortgage options based on our understanding of each client's situation and financial goals as well as expert advice at every stage of the process.

        Behind Rocket Mortgage's intuitive client interface, we have built a centralized, paperless platform that enhances efficiency, scalability and quality control. Over the past 35 years, we have invested significantly in transforming the mortgage origination process. We have achieved this by breaking an archaic, linear and manual process into a series of smaller steps that can be automated and processed in parallel. Documents and data are imported into our proprietary system and are reviewed, processed and analyzed based on a set of predetermined, rules-based work-flows. We use specialized sub-groups of operations team members who are dedicated solely to particular tasks in the process, which significantly reduces the risk for underwriting errors or fraud. We are also able to train our team members on a few specific tasks within this process, increasing their productivity and reducing onboarding time.

        The efficiency of our proprietary technology and process is evident in how a majority of our loans in 2019 closed within approximately 32 days from our receipt of client documents compared to approximately 43 days on average for the industry. In addition to being faster than the industry, we are also more efficient due to our investment in technology and unique workflow processes. In 2019, we closed 6.7 loans per month per average production team member, compared to the industry average of 2.3 according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. In 2019, our average grew to 8.3. As we are obsessed with finding a better way for our clients, we have made and continue to make investments focused on improving our processes to further increase efficiency.


Loans per Production Team Member (in 2019)

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Source: Ellie Mae, Inc.

        With our proprietary technology and superior client experience we continue to take market share from our competitors. We have grown to become the nation's largest mortgage originator according to Inside Mortgage Finance, with 9.2% total market share for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, up

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from 1.3% total market share in 2009. The following chart depicts Rocket Mortgage's growing market share in total originations:


Rocket Mortgage Market Share ($ in billions)

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Segments

        Our operations are organized by distinct marketing channels which promote client acquisition into our ecosystem and include two segments: Direct to Consumer and Partner Network.

        Rocket Mortgage's origination volumes shown above are impacted by fluctuations in the residential mortgage market due to general economic conditions including the mix of purchase versus refinance volumes in the market. However, as demonstrated above, we have a track record of growing market share in different economic environments. For instance, in 2017 and 2018 when refinancing volumes were decreasing due to higher interest rates and lower refinance activity that was not fully offset by purchase activity, we were still able to leverage our platform and continue to grow our market share.

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Direct to Consumer and Partner Network Originations Volume ($ in billions)

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Direct to Consumer Segment

        In the Direct to Consumer segment, we directly interact with clients and potential clients using various performance marketing channels. Servicing activities are viewed as an extension of the client experience with the primary objective being to establish and maintain positive, regular touchpoints with our clients, which positions us to recapture the clients' next refinance or purchase mortgage transaction. Consequently, we view servicing as an integral component of the Direct to Consumer segment.

        Revenues in the Direct to Consumer segment are generated primarily from the gain on sale of loans, which includes loan origination fees, revenues from sales of loans into the secondary market, as well as the fair value of originated MSRs and hedging gains and losses. Loan servicing income consists of the contractual fees earned for servicing loans and other ancillary servicing fees, as well as changes in the fair value of MSRs due to changes in valuation assumptions and realization of cash flows.

Partner Network

        Our reputation for superior client service along with our widely recognized brand have led to growing partnerships with well-known consumer focused organizations and other mortgage professionals who leverage our platform and scale to provide mortgage solutions to their clients.

        Our two primary types of partnerships are marketing and influencer partnerships. Our marketing partnerships consist of well-known consumer-focused companies that find value in our award-winning client experience and want to offer their clients mortgage solutions with our trusted, widely recognized brand. These partnerships include State Farm and Farmers, among others. These organizations connect their clients directly to us through marketing channels and a referral process. Our influencer partnerships are typically with companies that employ licensed mortgage professionals that find value in our client experience, technology and efficient mortgage process. In some cases, mortgages are not their primary offering. These partnerships include American Express, Intuit and Schwab as well as other individual mortgage professionals.

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        Our marketing and influencer partnerships both provide us access to clients that we might not otherwise reach in the Direct to Consumer segment. The marketing partnerships generally include a marketing services agreement, which includes a fee paid by us for the fair value of the marketing activity and/or an additional client benefit. The influencer partnerships generally include compensation for the licensed mortgage professionals who collect the loan documents and related mortgage application. The marketing and influencer partnerships have lower client acquisition costs compared to the Direct to Consumer segment and as a result have an attractive contribution margin.

        With our ability to seamlessly connect with partner organizations, we provide end-to-end mortgage fulfilment services to our partners.

        As clients grow increasingly comfortable with digital mortgage origination, we believe we will be able to continue to grow our market share. Also, as clients come to expect a more seamless mortgage origination process with faster turn times, we believe in our ability to consistently meet evolving client demands. Additionally, with continuous investments in our technology and growth in the number of influencer and marketing partnerships, we expect to continue to grow our partner-related origination volume.

        Revenues in the Partner Network segment are generated primarily from the gain on sale of loans, which includes loan origination fees, revenues from sales of loans into the secondary market, as well as the fair value of originated MSRs and hedging gains and losses. Additionally, there are no performance marketing costs associated with this segment.

Servicing

        The following chart represents the total number of servicing clients we have had for the periods shown:


Number of Servicing Clients (in millions)

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        Rocket Mortgage is also an award-winning mortgage servicer. Servicing the loans that we originate provides us with an opportunity to build long-term relationships and continually deliver a seamless experience to our clients. We employ our same client-centric culture and technology cultivated through our origination business towards the servicing of loans. The result is a

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differentiated servicing experience focused on client service with positive, regular touchpoints and a better understanding of our clients' future needs.

        As servicer, we are responsible for the processing of our clients' monthly mortgage payments, managing escrow accounts and reporting loan and pool information to investors. We are in direct contact with our servicing clients on a recurring monthly basis. We utilize these touchpoints and financial data to identify opportunities to provide additional solutions to continue to help our clients meet their financial goals. This helps us generate leads for the other products and services within our ecosystem whereby we can directly market to our clients. We receive an ongoing fee revenue for servicing these loans. For the year ended December 31, 2019, servicing fee revenues were $950 million.

        We utilize the same Rocket Mortgage technology to deliver a digital, seamless client experience in servicing, specifically designed around the needs and expectations of our clients. Through Rocket Mortgage, clients can view their loan information and activity, obtain insight into their home value and equity, and obtain personalized videos that simplify complex topics such as escrow changes utilizing the clients' actual loan information and figures. Clients can also make payments via the Rocket Mortgage app. As of March 31, 2020, we have nearly 700 team members focused on servicing including approximately 200 client experience team members who are available six days a week, Monday through Saturday, to answer clients' questions live via phone and chat services.

        Our strong data analytics capabilities allow us to monitor our servicing portfolio to identify the needs of our clients and make informed refinancing offers in real time. As a result, the majority of our clients who refinance choose to work with us again, as measured by our retention rate—calculated as the total unpaid principal balance ("UPB") of our clients that originate a new mortgage with us in a given period divided by total UPB of the clients that paid off their existing mortgage and originated a new mortgage. This calculation excludes clients where we are contractually prohibited from or for other business reasons have chosen not to actively market to such clients. In 2019 we achieved overall client retention levels of 63%, and refinancing retention levels of 76%, which is approximately 3.5 times higher than the industry average of 22%.

        Since the beginning of 2014, we have retained servicing on 92% of our loan originations and are now a top 10 servicer by UPB, with $343.6 billion as of March 31, 2020. Our origination activities create a continual source of servicing volume, which eliminates pressures of supply-and-demand pricing competition for purchasing servicing portfolios on the open market. For those clients we decide not to keep in our servicing book, we monetize the value of the servicing asset at the same time the loan is sold into the secondary market or at a later date through MSR sales.

        As a testament to our underwriting quality, we experience delinquency rates in our servicing portfolio that are much lower than the industry average. The percentage of UPB of mortgages that are 60 or more days delinquent in payments ("60+ delinquency rate") was 0.92% as of March 31, 2020, compared to over 3.3% for the industry according to the Black Knight Mortgage Monitor report. We believe our lower than industry average delinquency rates are driven by both our commitment to high quality originations and our focus on taking care of our clients and helping them find solutions when experiencing financial stress.

Amrock

        Amrock is a leading national provider of title insurance services, property valuations and settlement services. This business complements our mortgage origination platform by providing services that enhance our ability to close loans as efficiently as possible. Our technology helps to streamline and clarify the real estate experience across the appraisal, title and closing process which further enables the speed of our platform. In 2019 our average loan closed within approximately 32 days or less after the Company's receipt of client documents. Nexsys Technologies LLC

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("Nexsys") provides further efficiency and enhances the client experience with e-close technology. We believe these seamless and personalized services differentiate Amrock from competitors and inspire client loyalty and referrals.

        The majority of Rocket Mortgage's loan programs require a property appraisal that is prepared by a licensed and/or certified appraiser. Amrock maintains a nationwide network of independent appraisers as well as internal appraisers and support teams to manage the ordering, fulfillment, logistics and tracking of appraisals. Amrock uses various technologies to aid in the review of appraisal assignments and values to detect fraud and/or errors.

        Amrock's gross revenue, before eliminations, was $197.9 million and $97.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $558.6 million, $407.1 million, and $480.8 million for the years ending 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Core Digital Media

        Core Digital Media is an online marketing and lead generation service provider in the mortgage, insurance and education sectors. Core Digital Media is a generator, buyer and seller of leads for third parties and for Rocket Mortgage. Core Digital Media owns and operates several marketing platforms, including "LowerMyBills.com," that connect clients with providers of home loans, auto loans, personal loans, and auto, life and home insurance. Acquired in 2017, Core Digital Media has become an important component of our performance marketing strategy. Core Digital Media enables growth for our broader ecosystem by offering unique insight into the lead generation market and allows us to introduce innovative marketing programs designed to increase the conversion rates for online leads.

        Core Digital Media generated over six million client leads for mortgage and other industries in 2019. Core Digital Media's unique ability to consistently generate high quality leads, coupled with Rocket Mortgage's superior client experience, has driven higher conversion rates and has aided our market share growth in Rocket Mortgage. We also leverage Core Digital Media's capabilities in cross-marketing our products and services to clients across our ecosystem.

        Core Digital Media's gross revenue, before eliminations, was $60.5 million and $56.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $237.2 million, $205.0 million, and $95.3 million for the years ending 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Rocket Homes

        Rocket Homes is a digital platform creating a seamless, integrated home buying and selling experience for clients nationwide. Through Rocket Homes, prospective clients can search for homes online, find a real estate agent or seamlessly connect to Rocket Mortgage to seek financing for their homes.

        Rocket Homes manages a partner network of more than 15,000 real estate agents and has assisted over 500,000 clients with their home buying and selling needs. All of our partner agents are pre-screened to ensure they can demonstrate exceptional client service, knowledge and experience in their local communities. Real estate agents choose to work with Rocket Homes because they can leverage our brand and client acquisition engine, receiving quality leads for clients looking to purchase or sell a home in their area.

        Rocket Mortgage, Rocket Homes and our partner agents have a symbiotic relationship, as referrals are more likely to lead to a mortgage and real estate transaction, increasing profitability for each party. We earn a commission on real estate transactions we refer to our network of real estate agents. Rocket Homes enables our broader ecosystem's growth by improving the quality of experience for our clients and by increasing the conversion rate for Rocket Mortgage.

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        We unveiled a new Rocket Homes website in 2018, rockethomes.com, which features powerful home search functionality. Along with traditional data like the number of rooms, square footage and price, the Rocket Homes website also provides neighborhood information including market trends, housing supply and the level of demand for housing in the specific areas consumers are looking to buy or sell in. The home search feature is currently available in 17 states and is continuing to be rolled out nationwide.

        We also own ForSaleByOwner.com, a leading online marketplace exclusively focused on clients that would like to run the process of selling their homes without enlisting help from a real estate agent. When people sell their homes, they often are looking to buy another home. ForSaleByOwner.com allows us to connect with these sellers earlier in the cycle of their transaction, provide value-added services for the sale of their home and introduce them to financing solutions with Rocket Mortgage should they look to purchase a new home. Additionally, should our clients decide they need the expertise of a real estate agent, we can leverage the Rocket Homes partner network to connect them to a highly qualified professional.

        Rocket Homes gross revenue, before eliminations, was $8.8 million and $7.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $43.1 million, $35.6 million and $33.5 million for the years ending 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Rocket Loans

        Rocket Loans is an asset-light, online-based personal loans business that focuses on high quality, prime borrowers. Clients are able to apply for a loan online, be approved in minutes and receive same day funding. This is enabled through a proprietary technology stack which includes underwriting loans in accordance with credit criteria that are agreed upon with third-party investors who are funding and acquiring these loans. Rocket Loans will sometimes act as an investor, usually when launching new products. Outside of these held loans, Rocket Loans does not retain any ongoing credit risk for the originated loans. Rocket Loans also performs loan servicing activities as a sub-servicer for all of the loans originated. The company receives origination fees and transaction fees from the investors for the work the company performs.

        Rocket Loans also provides technology as a white label solution to other loan providers, by modifying or creating technology to meet clients' specifications. Rocket Loans receives fees on a fixed and/or variable basis for this work. Rocket Loans gross revenue, before eliminations, was $4.7 million and $4.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $24.8 million, $17.5 million and $8.8 million for the years ending December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Rock Connections

        Rock Connections is a sales and support platform specializing in inbound and outbound contact center services. We offer additional services like appointment setting and scheduling, prequalifying prospective clients, lead generation, lead and efficiency consulting, and providing proactive solution oriented reporting and analytics. We leverage technology and data to strategically target and connect with the prospective clients that are most likely to transact—improving conversion rates and providing a greater return on marketing investments. Additionally, we supplement our superior targeting with sales support from team members who have gone through our industry-leading training processes. Our team members have developed considerable skill in cultivating relationships with our clients and assisting them through the initial buying decisions.

        Rock Connections seeks to strengthen brand reputations and drive value for the businesses it represents. Our ability to facilitate product sales through our Rock Connections contact center business has supported our consistent growth in the mortgage business and has fueled our early

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success in Rocket Auto. Rock Connections team members provide significant support to our bankers in the Rocket Mortgage business by handling clients' initial queries, collecting appropriate information and providing a warm hand-off to bankers at the appropriate stage to ensure best quality service to clients.

        Inclusive of Rocket Auto, Rock Connections' gross revenue, before eliminations, was $30.7 million and $33.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $114.1 million, $109.2 million and $74.7 million for the years ending 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Rocket Auto

        Rocket Auto provides centralized and remote car sales support to national car rental and online car purchasing platforms with substantial inventories. The business earns fee revenue based on the volume of car sales as well as the sale of additional ancillary products and services such as auto financing. We do not own or maintain an inventory of cars. Rocket Auto capitalizes on the sales expertise we have built with our trained client representatives and sales force in Rock Connections. Using the same training principles and similar workflow technology as other businesses in our ecosystem, we are able to efficiently sell cars on behalf of our clients. While we currently only utilize leads generated by our partners (a car rental provider and an online car purchase platform) to facilitate car sales, we believe we can leverage the data science and client targeting expertise we have built in Rock Connections to generate more effective and efficient leads, accelerating growth and improving the performance of Rocket Auto. Despite starting the business just two years ago, we facilitated nearly 20,000 car sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019.

Lendesk and Edison Financial

        Lendesk and Edison Financial mark Rocket's first international expansion. Both businesses leverage our core strengths of proprietary technology and obsession with the client experience to bring a better home-buying experience to our new clients in Canada.

        Lendesk is a loan origination platform that provides a point of sale system for mortgage professionals and a loan origination system for private lenders. Lendesk launched its proprietary, direct-to-lender, mortgage application network, Spotlight, in October 2018, to transform what was once a complicated process, involving multiple touchpoints and channels of communication, into one streamlined mortgage origination process. By serving as the single point of contact for brokers to submit, and lenders to approve mortgage applications and assuring all paperwork is completed efficiently and accurately, we believe Lendesk is helping close the costly communication and workflow gap that was plaguing the industry.

        Edison Financial is a digital mortgage firm that will use Lendesk's Spotlight as its lender submission platform of choice, leveraging the system's modern application programming interfaces and industry-leading technology as its core platform to help in providing service that is unmatched in Canada today.

MARKET OPPORTUNITY

We are at the center of the largest consumer asset class in the United States

        Rocket Mortgage is the leader in the largest consumer lending market in the United States, with approximately $10.7 trillion of residential mortgage debt outstanding as of December 31, 2019 according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Furthermore, there were approximately 37.9 million homeowners who had a mortgage as of in 2019, with the number of homeowners increasing by approximately 1.4 million on average annually since 2014. In 2019, annual origination volume

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reached $2.2 trillion, with average volume over the last five years totaling $1.8 trillion. Since 2014, the total number of homeowners with a mortgage has increased by over 7 million and total mortgage origination volume has increased at a compound annual growth ("CAGR") rate of 10.4%. According to industry forecasts, strong trends in origination volume are expected to continue, forecasting approximately $3.0 and $2.6 trillion of residential originations in 2020 and 2021, respectively according to Zelman & Associates Research.

        The chart below represents total U.S. mortgage originations for one-to-four family properties and total number of homeowners with a mortgage for the periods indicated:


U.S. Mortgage Originations ($ in trillions, Homeowners in millions)

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Source: Euromonitor Economies and Consumers Annual Data, Mortage Bankers Association and Zelman & Associates Research.

        For a discussion of the risk to our business due to influences beyond our control, including home value, unemployment, macro-economic and U.S. residential real estate market conditions, see "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique challenges to our business and the effects of the pandemic could adversely impact our ability to originate mortgages, our servicing operations, our liquidity and our employees" and "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business" generally.

The mortgage industry is highly fragmented

        Despite its large size, the mortgage industry is highly fragmented. The top five retail mortgage originators accounted for only 17.3% of total retail originations in 2019, a significant decline from the 62.4% market share held by the top five retail mortgage originators in 2009. This decline is largely the result of the combination of changes in bank capital rules after the 2009 financial crisis that have made mortgages a significantly less profitable business line for the largest banks, while negative client experiences during the financial crisis led to a loss of trust in large financial institutions, driving clients to increasingly look towards non-bank originators for their mortgage needs. Today, the low combined market share of the top market participants directly contrasts with trends in many other consumer-facing industries, where market leaders typically command a higher combined market share. For example, the market share of the top five largest credit card companies by total portfolio

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size was 61% as of December 31, 2019, private student lenders by loans outstanding was 59% as of December 31, 2019, asset managers by total AUM was 88% as of June 1, 2020 and auto lenders by total loans outstanding was 31% as of December 31, 2018.

        The chart below illustrates the market share of the top two companies in each of the industries included below:


Market Share of Two Largest Players

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Source: IMF, Nilson, MeasureOne, Bigwheels, Willis Towers Watson, Insurance Information Institute.

        The underlying fragmentation in the mortgage market is driven largely by the prevalence of the traditional brick-and-mortar retail branch model. The traditional retail model is built around the individual loan officer and is heavily reliant on the relationships they have with local real estate agents and other intermediaries. Due to this individualized approach, firms have not invested in improving outdated processes and technologies or creating a scalable platform. The dependence on individual parties in the traditional model de-emphasizes the importance of the platform, which has resulted in a highly labor-intensive loan application process characterized by low operating leverage, making it difficult to grow without hiring additional personnel. The end result has been a densely populated, fragmented market in which lenders lack the centralized platform and operational efficiencies needed to capture market share at scale.

        Additionally, strict regulatory and licensing requirements have made it difficult for independent mortgage originators to build national scale and capture additional market share. The uneven nature of state regulation and the considerable number of licenses required create a high barrier to entry.

Consumers increasingly expect a higher level of service and technology-driven user experiences

        With continuous digital transformation and ever-increasing use of technology across sectors, consumers have come to expect seamless, intuitive and technology-driven digital experiences in their day-to-day lives for transactions both large and small. Consumers increasingly desire to have access to speed and simplicity at their fingertips, even for their most complex financial transactions. Additionally, Millennials heavily value a digital process and instant gratification, and expect complete transparency over their financial transactions, with the ability to track and understand the process at every step. This provides a significant opportunity for those companies that can improve user experiences while also delivering transparency and certainty.

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        Our superior client experience is evidenced by our net promoter score (NPS) score of 74, a measure of consumer satisfaction, as compared to the average NPS of 16 for the mortgage origination industry according to J.D. Power.

        Net Promoter Score or "NPS" refers to a internal measure used to gauge client satisfaction based on the following question: "On a scale of one to 10, with one representing not at all likely and 10 representing extremely likely, how likely are you to recommend Quicken Loans to a friend or family member in need of a mortgage?" Responses of nine or 10 are considered "promoters," responses of seven or eight are considered neutral or "passives," and responses of six or less are considered "detractors." The score is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. Our score is based on a survey of over 463,000 responses given between January 2017 and February 2020.

The home buying experience is positioned for disruptive change

        The traditional home buying experience remains subject to opaque processes that benefit industry insiders more than they benefit consumers. The process currently involves outdated, inefficient, paper-based practices and systems that can be the source of significant frustration for the home buyer. Consumers have expressed dissatisfaction with the complexities of the current process: NerdWallet conducted a "Home Buyer Reality Report" in which 42% of U.S. home buyers surveyed described the overall experience as having been stressful, with 32% and 21% describing the process as having been complicated and intimidating, respectively.

        The following depicts some of the key parties and processes involved in the traditional home buying experience:

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        Furthermore, the traditional mortgage application process requires manual interactions and a complex series of data-intensive transactions. These transactions involve carefully filing and cataloging thousands of pages of documents from over a dozen entities, using incompatible systems and disjointed databases. The lack of communication between the different parties requires home buyers to replicate the submission of data and paperwork to several vendors. Additionally, a lack of access to data and limited transparency throughout the process curbs home buyer choice, emphasizing the home buyers' reliance on the real estate agent during all steps of the process. These factors have resulted in a 43-day industry average time to close in 2019.

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        The multiple disconnected processes involved in buying a home could be streamlined by advances in technology and processes. These markets require innovation from a market leader who can bring together the primary services of mortgage and real estate brokerages with other ancillary work streams into one seamless workflow.

OUR STRENGTHS

Culture

Our "ISMs"

        We define our culture through 19 ISMs. Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, created the ISMs as the guiding principles and philosophy for our team members. The ISMs are more than catchy phrases; they are the operating system that acts as the blueprint for all our decision-making and builds the foundation of our culture.

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        Each of our approximately 20,000 team members is empowered to apply the ISMs in all aspects of their work and life. The ISMs define our culture and how we conduct business, and this combination of an empowered team with a common, well-defined mission provides us with a significant strategic advantage in the market.

Always Raising Our Level of Awareness

        "Our future, growth, innovation and success starts with the thousands of eyeballs of our team members."

        Everything starts with awareness. We challenge our team members to be alert and observant, really listening to and understanding the needs of our clients, and to deliver actionable innovations that improve the client experience and process. Our culture asks not only for ideas, but also drives

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for execution. The result is a group of empowered professionals creating unrivaled experiences for our clients.

        We were pioneers in centralizing and digitizing the mortgage experience. We were also one of the first in our industry to recognize the changing client demands and use the internet to deliver fast and simple mortgages, from this initial idea to our modern solutions like Rocket Mortgage and Rocket Professional, our proprietary platform. The awareness and hyper-focus of our team members drives these innovative solutions and our success.

Every Client. Every Time. No Exceptions. No Excuses

        "Every client means 100% of our clients all of the time, not most of the time."

        We value our clients and serve them with an unmatched sense of urgency and importance. We maintain a policy that every client will receive a callback within 24 hours. Our clients have acknowledged the positive experience they have with us in our closed client surveys, with approximately 94% recommending us. Our superior client experience is evidenced by our net promoter score (NPS) score of 74, a measure of client satisfaction, as compared to the average NPS of 16 for the mortgage origination industry according to J.D. Power. Our award-winning client experience has resulted in other world-class consumer-facing organizations, such as State Farm, Farmers, American Express, Intuit and Schwab, seeking to partner with us.

Obsessed with Finding a Better Way

        "Finding a better way is not something we do on the side or when we get the time. Rather, it's a key priority for every one of our team members."

        We empower our team members to create the processes and programs that will continue to drive our growth. Team members know their opinion is not only welcome but expected, from providing input on how to improve our existing business to pitching a completely new company idea.

        Our obsession with finding a better way is amplified through our constant improvement "Mousetrap Team," and our platform for new ideas "The Cheese Factory." Mousetrap Team members are tasked with closely examining each step of the borrowing process to make it more efficient. Major successes from this team include the development of proprietary technology that prioritizes each step of the loan process based on a client's propensity to close and the development of a texting platform that allows clients to communicate directly with their mortgage banker, reducing delays due to response times. The Cheese Factory and its internal "Pitch Day" competition, both encourage and reward team members for bringing forward ideas.

        Our Product Strategy team continues carrying that momentum, analyzing consumer trends and best practices, and then delivering products under the Rocket umbrella that meet the emerging and future needs of our clients. This team has demonstrated its ability to translate our Company's mission and goals into client-focused solutions and experiences. Recognizing the market opportunity to extend our Rocket Mortgage technology and process to our Partner Network, this team successfully led the development and launch of our partner platform Rocket Professional. Combining business and technical savvy, our strategists revolutionize the way we interact with consumers on our never-ending mission to find a better way for everything we do.

We Are the They

        "There is no 'they.' We are the 'they.' One team. United. All in the mission together. No corporate barriers. No boundaries. Just open doors, open minds and an open culture rooted in trust."

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        Our organization emphasizes cooperation, respect and teamwork and minimizes hierarchy and bureaucracy, all to achieve better client results. Our team members and leaders, across our ecosystem, are all aligned towards the common goal of helping our clients and providing an amazing client experience. We recruit, train and develop our team members to all align to this philosophy. We do so with the contributions of our robustly staffed training team that focuses on the development and growth of team members. The group has been recognized by Training Magazine as part of the "Training Top 125" for excellence in training and development.

        Our unity extends beyond the walls of our organization to the communities we call home. Our "for more than profit" approach includes positively impacting our communities through creating jobs and reinvesting dollars and time into our cities. From education and housing stability initiatives to entrepreneurship programs, our team members are at the forefront of growth—both in our business and the communities in which they live, work, and play.

Technology, Data and Automation Innovation

        We have built a fully integrated technology platform that we have implemented across our ecosystem to provide a seamless and efficient experience for our team members, clients and partners. We have found that the most powerful approach to improving the client experience is to identify the pain points in the process and create scalable technology-driven solutions for each one.

        Our leadership and approximately 2,500 technology team members focus on technology along three axes. First, we leverage advanced algorithms and decision trees along with intuitive front-end design to provide an exceptional client interface and service. Second, we use technology and analytics to automate as many steps of our operations as possible to increase our team members' productivity, minimize process lags and errors, and ultimately drive significant improvement in client outcomes on a massive scale. Third, we develop our technology with a view to offer it to external partners in a seamless manner, enabling further growth of our ecosystem.

        We have strategically developed our technology in modules to facilitate agile enhancements. This enables us to effectively scale during market expansion, efficiently onboard partners, and grow into new client segments and channels, with less time and investment than our competitors.

        Additionally, our cutting-edge technology systems are powered by a significant amount of data. In 2019, we had interactions with over 20 million prospective clients. We have long-term mortgage servicing relationships with approximately 1.83 million client loans. We maintain 220 million unique consumer records and 150 million unique real estate records. Our technology and data science teams are proficient in leveraging this rich data to streamline the client experience, to improve the efficacy of our marketing campaigns, and to offer products and services suited to each client's specific circumstance. We generated $40 billion in application volume from AI/machine learning from 2018 through June 2020.

Rocket's History of Innovation

        We modernized the mortgage origination process through our proprietary data and technology. By breaking the process into discrete steps and leveraging our artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, we standardized and automated an otherwise labor-intensive process. This has allowed us to increase efficiency, accuracy and scalability to propel us to continue to gain market share.

        With the introduction of our first web-based mortgage solution in 1999, we started our pursuit of the digital transformation of the mortgage business. Today, we have created a robust proprietary end-to-end technology platform. This platform has differentiated us from competitors by offering a

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purpose-built solution for each step of the life of a mortgage loan and systemizing the consistent improvement to the mortgage process.

        We hold U.S. patents and U.S. patent applications on critical intellectual property, which allows our automated systems to digitally integrate with third-parties, such as financial institutions and credit bureaus, to mitigate identity fraud and independently verify client data (e.g., income, assets and employment). This improves loan quality which allows us to maintain low delinquency rates.

Automation

        At the core of our platform is an advanced engine that enables the modeling, modification and management of complex loan processes and business rules. We have turned the complicated and regulatory-heavy process into a series of client-friendly questions and requests. We closely monitor the performance of any new initiatives with tangible data and metrics, including days to close, team member efficiency and client satisfaction.

        This process partitioning has allowed us to identify many areas that could be automated. These automated processes produce true objectivity and greatly reduce human error. Our system has been designed to integrate across business functions allowing them to collaborate harmoniously within our secure environment. Our system accomplishes this automation by continuously monitoring in-progress loans and leveraging our proprietary, data-driven, decision engine to recommend the most efficient task for each team member.

        The efficiency of our proprietary technology and process is evident in how a majority of our loans in 2019 closed within approximately 32 days from our receipt of client documents compared to approximately 43 days on average for the industry.


Time from Application Ready to Close

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RocketLogic

        The next evolution of our mortgage process is RocketLogic. RocketLogic is an automated underwriting product we are currently developing in-house. This product will overhaul the way we originate loans, from application to closing. RocketLogic leverages data and asks dynamic questions, resulting in client's closing their mortgage faster and with greater accuracy. This will continue to drive efficiency for our team members and bring certainty to our clients.

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Data Analytics

        We have access to client financial information and needs which allows us to more effectively understand and market to our clients. Both through lead acquisition and servicing, we aggregate this information on current and potential clients. For example, knowing the details of a client's existing mortgage allows us to execute a real-time marketing campaign to targeted clients when mortgage rates drop. We also have the ability to predict based on a number of factors including age and time in home, when a family may be looking to buy a new home and will potentially need a purchase mortgage.

        The scale and design of our model allows us to gather insights into and improve the client experience through measuring and recording each step in the process. We track, test and refine every step of the client journey and our users' experience. This allows us to intelligently manage our funnel of potential clients, drive conversion and continuously identify areas of potential improvement. Our scale has enabled us to experiment with various approaches to these tasks and constantly tune our strategies for user satisfaction.

Versatility and Scalability

        We have thoughtfully developed our technology infrastructure in modules to enable agile enhancements and ensure flexibility to deploy this technology to a variety of partners. Our infrastructure allows us to act swiftly and stay ahead of regulatory changes and more quickly introduce new products and services, without the need for expensive overhauls or disruptive interventions. With advanced analytics tools, we are often able to foresee potential issues before they arise, further supporting uninterrupted client experience, business growth and operational efficiency.

        Our software is designed with scalability in mind to manage a large quantity of loans. On average, we currently process more than 6,200 client applications each day, and over 8,100 applications are started each day via our website, mobile app and mobile web. A sign-in to Rocket Mortgage occurs every half second from clients who are applying for a mortgage, have a mortgage in process, or accessing their loan servicing. Every 26 seconds a mortgage application is completed and ready for underwriting. The versatility and scalability of our technology provide a solid foundation for our continued growth.

New Technology Solutions for Partners

        We built Rocket Professional, a business-to-business ("B2B") application, to enable our partners to leverage the existing Rocket Mortgage infrastructure to provide a similar experience to their clients. Rocket Professional allows financial professionals to offer our best mortgage options to their clients and provides visibility into the origination processes from their mobile devices. The simplicity of our technology enables us to quickly and seamlessly onboard additional partners, without significant incremental investment.

Data Security and Safeguards

        We employ various in-house and third-party technologies and network administration policies that are designed to protect our computer network and the privacy of our clients' and team members' information from external threats and malicious attacks.

        We believe that the technologies and network security plan we have adopted is appropriate to the size, complexity and scope of services we provide, as well as the nature of the information that we handle. We have a team of professionals dedicated to network and information security who monitor security systems, evaluate the effectiveness of technologies against known risks and adjust

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systems accordingly. In addition, we periodically have network security evaluated by outside firms specializing in network security to identify and remove any potential vulnerabilities.

        Our infrastructure components, including our data center, telecommunications equipment, network equipment and servers, are under maintenance agreements and are constantly monitored. Furthermore, we execute regular hardware refresh plans to prevent key systems from becoming an obstacle to growth or a liability. We also have two redundant data centers and a data bunker supporting business operations.

Rocket Technology Team

        Our innovation is attributable to our approximately 2,500 dedicated technology team members, who we empower to create the processes that will continue to drive our growth into the future. Our technology team members participate in "hack weeks" once per quarter, during which team members can step away from day-to-day work to focus on building new solutions for our products. This culture of innovation has led Computerworld magazine to name us the "Best Place to Work in IT (Large)" for five consecutive years.

Digital First Brand and Marketing

        Our investment in the Rocket brand has made it nationally recognized as a simple, fast and easy digital solution for clients and partners. We invest in a range of targeted marketing campaigns that leverage our brand to acquire new clients and position our brand as the technology-driven solution for consumers. As the majority of home and mortgage searches now begin online, brand recognition offers a key competitive advantage when consumers search for a mortgage lender.

        We have over 250 experienced marketing team members in our in-house advertising agency focused on every aspect of the client lifecycle. We create and execute innovative marketing strategies to identify and reach target audiences, engage with interested clients and promote the client experience. We also rely on our Core Digital Media business to generate additional leads. Our

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team manages a large annual marketing and advertising budget. Since our inception, we have invested over $5 billion in marketing, including $905 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.

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Marketing Channels

        Our marketing strategy has resulted in a successful 35-year track record of generating business returns in a variety of rate and economic environments. The marketing group spans multifunctional, multimedia, in-house marketing, advertising and media-buy teams. We market our services and loan programs and procure leads through several channels. We constantly test and evaluate marketing efforts, response rates and media techniques to reach prospective clients and optimize the return on marketing investments. This research has allowed us to build a proprietary engine and approach that creates significant value for our franchise.

        Currently, the main channels through which we market our services and loan programs are:

    Internet Media:  We market through paid and organic web search engines, online web ads and other online directories. Our Core Digital Media business creates innovative online client lead generation programs to increase consumer response and conversion.

    Relationship Marketing:  We develop client loyalty and referral programs, tailored e-mail and direct mail marketing campaigns, real estate and relocation company relationships, and data mining practices through information service providers.

    Third-Party Home Loan Referral Networks and Online Lead Aggregators:  We work with a wide range of networks and aggregators who connect us with potential clients.

    Broadcast Media Advertising:  We utilize direct response radio, television, print and outdoor advertisements.

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    New Media Advertising:  We participate on several social media and internet applications, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Yahoo Answers and mobile phone apps.

    Earned Media:  We make unpaid placements in print and broadcast on the housing market and benefit from media coverage of our sponsorships of sports events and leagues and community initiatives.

    Partner Network:  We work with our influencer and marketing partners to make targeted offers to relevant portions of their client base.


Client Leads by Year (in millions)

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        A combination of the efficiencies from our proprietary technologies, our specialized marketing teams, and the growth in our servicing portfolio and our partner network have led to an increase in conversion of client leads to closed loans. This increase in conversion has allowed us to continue to grow our mortgage origination volume without increasing the number of client leads at the same rate.

        We utilize proprietary technologies and algorithms to make the most of each contact and lead received from a prospective client. These technologies allow us to route all calls and inquiries, along with any available data we have regarding the prospective client, to a mortgage banker who is available at any one of our locations. We have a marketing team that is specifically dedicated to allocating these leads to the most appropriate banker based on the information received and the workflow of bankers within the system. Once routed, the lead is prioritized and monitored to ensure mortgage bankers respond promptly. These technologies have increased our success in connecting with clients and finding the best solution to fit their needs.

        We have marketing teams dedicated to each marketing channel that can promote a lead program or campaign. This allows us to efficiently generate and manage traffic to our website and calls to our web-centers.

        The robust data we generate through our servicing business enables us to make informed offers to clients who could benefit from a more cost-effective mortgage via a refinancing or a new home purchase client who in addition to a mortgage can also benefit from a personal loan from Rocket Loans. Our data science team incubates and monitors potential leads until a data trigger determines the optimal time to connect.

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Brand Investment

        Our national Rocket brand is a competitive advantage that is extremely difficult to replicate. In our industry, we are the only company with significant digital-first brand recognition. Since our inception, we have invested over $5 billion in marketing, including $905 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Our in-house marketing agency has a long history of creating bold and visible events and campaigns, including the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic in 2011—a NCAA Men's Basketball game that raised proceeds for military charities and was attended on Veterans Day by President Obama; the Quicken Loans Billion Dollar Bracket for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in 2014, in collaboration with Warren Buffett; the annual Rocket Mortgage Classic—the first ever PGA TOUR event in Detroit; and recently a prominent Super Bowl Squares campaign and our latest Super Bowl ad, featuring actor Jason Momoa, was ranked the fifth best Super Bowl ad by USA Today's Ad Meter.

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Superior Economic Model

Mortgage Origination Fees and Profitability

        Our mortgage origination business primarily generates revenue and cash flow from the gain on sale of loans, net. The gain on sale of loans, net includes all components related to the origination and sale of mortgage loans, including:

    (1)
    net gain on sale of loans, which represents the premium received in excess of the loan principal amount and certain fees charged by investors upon sale of loans into the secondary market;

    (2)
    loan origination fees (credits), points and certain costs;

    (3)
    provision for or benefit from investor reserves;

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    (4)
    the change in fair value of IRLCs and loans held for sale;

    (5)
    the gain or loss on forward commitments hedging loans held for sale and IRLCs; and

    (6)
    the fair value of originated MSRs.

        Interest income, net is a small component of our revenues ($116 million in 2019) because we take very little credit risk as we hold loans on our balance sheet for a very short period of time before selling them in the capital markets. Interest income, net is the difference between interest received from our clients on the loans we originate before we sell them in the secondary market and the interest we pay on our loan funding facilities.

        Relative to some consumer-driven technology industries with loss-leading products, we price to be profitable on the first transaction. Any subsequent product or service that we are able to sell to a client, including a mortgage refinancing in the future, are designed to produce a higher marginal profit.

        Gain on sale revenues can vary across products and channels based on the specifics of that channel.

        For example, our Direct to Consumer segment provides us with higher gain on sale margins, on average, than our other channels. However, the Direct to Consumer channel requires a higher amount of operating expenses through a significant investment in brand marketing and client acquisition.

        In contrast, our Partner Network segment produces lower gain on sale margins. However, client acquisition cost are also lower and incremental overhead costs are minimal. For this reason, we achieve significant operating leverage from our Partner Network and see this segment as a key part of our growth engine.

        A mortgage which is originated from our servicing book has lower client acquisition costs compared to a mortgage originated in the Direct to Consumer segment. This is why we see our servicing book and related recapture originations as a key strategy for continued growth and profitability.

Mortgage Servicing Fees

        We also generate significant fees from servicing our clients' loans. For every mortgage that we service, we receive a contractual set of recurring cash flows for the life of the loan, primarily those which are part of a securitization by the GSEs or Ginnie Mae. Additionally, we earn ancillary revenue such as late fees and modification incentives on the loans we service. Subservicing revenue is primarily based on contractual per loan fees. Servicing produces a significant amount of fee income, with total servicing fee income of $950 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.

        Because cash flows depend on the balances of outstanding mortgages, the value of our MSR fee income fluctuates based on the size of our servicing portfolio and other model inputs. Additionally, if a client repays a mortgage, our servicing portfolio decreases, which reduces our revenues. We believe our two principal sources of revenue, mortgage loan originations and mortgage loan servicing, contribute to a stable business profile by creating a natural hedge against changes in the interest rate environment. As interest rates rise and the likelihood of refinancing decreases, MSRs generally increase in value which helps to offset any decline in origination volumes. As interest rates decline and the likelihood of refinancing increases, origination volumes tend to increase which helps to offset the decline in MSR value caused by the higher probability of loan prepayment. In addition, our sizeable origination platform helps us to grow our servicing portfolio by retaining the MSRs on new loan volume and thus replenish our MSRs during periods of high prepayments.

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Other Fee Income

        The majority of other Rocket businesses strictly generate revenues from fees we receive for providing services to our clients or partners. Rocket Loans generates fees in a similar fashion to our mortgage business, receiving an origination fee, an investor fee from the end buyer, and an ongoing servicing fee. We also earn fees from real estate agent referrals to Rocket Homes and from facilitating auto sales for Rocket Auto. Core Digital Media receives fees from the generation and sale of client leads in the mortgage and other industries.

Lower Acquisition and Operating Costs

        Our platform and technology create a significant financial advantage for client acquisition. Our investments in our brand and performance marketing allow us to have significant leverage. We lower our average client acquisition costs through our sophisticated marketing capabilities which create an ability to convert a higher number of our leads into applications.

        Once a loan has moved into application status, our automated operations deliver an advantage in both cost of processing and quality. We have fewer manual touchpoints which reduce the cost to process the loan. As our loans are processed more quickly, the ability for loans to fall out due to competition, rate changes, or other errors is reduced. This provides us higher certainty to close which allows us to better amortize upfront costs.

Operating Leverage

        The automation and efficiency we have created results in significant operating leverage. We are able to scale quickly and efficiently which allows us to grow both volume and per unit profitability when the market expands.

        Our operating margin and leverage also helps us control profitability when market volumes are lower. We have automated much of the processing of a loan and therefore have lower fixed and marginal costs on a per unit basis. For example, in 2018 when many mortgage companies were producing net losses, we were able to remain profitable.

Cash Flow Generation

        We generate significant cash flow from our business both through our cash gain on sale for mortgages and the cash fees which we recognize for servicing as well as in our other fee income producing businesses.

Investing for the Long-Term

        As a result of our long-term focus, we continue to invest for the future. From our original decision to start an online direct channel to the continued investment to build scale, we are always focused on investing for the future. Due to the reduced volatility mentioned above, we are able to invest in building operating scale throughout economic cycles. We recognize that increasing capacity through automation and innovation when others are shrinking their business allows us to capture more upside when market volumes increase.

Profitability from Growth

        We believe we are well positioned to continue to grow our share in the mortgage origination market. As the nation's largest mortgage lender according to Inside Mortgage Finance, we have a current market share of 9.2%. Our technology and centralized platform, along with our tremendous operating leverage, afford us the unique ability to rapidly scale and to continue to take share from the remaining 90.8% of the mortgage market.

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        Growth in our core mortgage business comes at attractive margins. Each additional unit that we add to our platform lowers the average cost and increases our operating margin. Because of this, we have focused on growing our retail channel through significant investments in brand marketing and lead generation.

        Additionally, we view our partnerships as producing this same impact. Every partnership allows us to leverage our industry-leading brand and technology to offer more products and services to our partners' clients. This produces greater scale and, through our operating leverage, higher profits.

        Our other businesses benefit from the ecosystem we have built around our mortgage business. We have lower startup costs as client acquisition costs are significantly lower than for new entrants. Additionally we have marketing, call center, origination, servicing and capital markets functions that can all be relied upon to develop a new offering. This decreases the risk of new offerings through lower upfront costs and allows the products to move more quickly to standalone profitability.

Capital-Light Business Model and Limited Credit Exposure

        Our business model is capital light. We originate mortgage loans to aggregate in pools that are either sold to the GSEs or to investors in the secondary mortgage market. We hold our loans on our balance sheet for an average of 18 days in 2019 and as few as eight days during 2020. Since our counterparties are primarily the GSEs as well as other diversified sets of investors, we do not need to hold significant capital to grow our origination business. We have minimal exposure to credit risk from loans that may default. These mortgages are 92% conforming, which means they satisfy the underwriting criteria of the GSEs which enforces standards on credit score, loan to value, and ability to repay, among other factors. Our primary credit risk comes from errors in underwriting, which, because of controls introduced by our automated processes, are greatly reduced.

        We do not have direct credit exposure to the servicing portfolio since we do not own the underlying loans that are being serviced. We do not have direct credit exposure in our other businesses.

        Rocket Loans is similarly capital light. We underwrite loans in accordance with credit criteria that are agreed upon with third-party investors. The loans underwritten by Rocket Loans are originated for third-party investors and we do not retain any ongoing credit risk for the originated loans. Our Rocket Auto business only facilitates sales of used automobiles on behalf of third parties and does not hold any inventory.

        The largest ongoing balance sheet asset is our mortgage servicing rights asset, which is the capitalized value of the future fees we are projected to receive from our servicing portfolio. Because of our high retention rate, this asset represents our future origination pipeline. We view holding onto this asset as a strategic priority.

Capital Markets Capabilities

        We have an experienced Capital Markets team consisting of over 400 team members who actively manage the pooling and selling of loans into the secondary market, as well as all risk mitigation involved in the securitization process. The Capital Markets team leverages proprietary data collection to maximize pull-through rate visibility and establish an efficient market rate hedging program, which helps protect our balance sheet from adverse rate movements.

        Innovation and execution drive the capital markets team. The team actively works to simplify investor guidelines and streamline processes to improve the client experience. For example, the capital markets team introduced an innovative loan program titled the YOURgage, allowing our clients to pick any loan term, from eight to 30 years.

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        The capital markets team employs various economic hedging strategies to mitigate the interest rate and the anticipated loan refinancing probability or "pull-through risk" inherent in such mortgage assets. These hedge instruments involve elements of interest rate and counterparty risk.

        The strength and strategic importance of our capital markets team is demonstrated through sustained performance and results. The capital markets team has been instrumental to our ability to maintain consistent sale margins despite changing market environments.

Diversified Funding Base and Strong Liquidity Profile

        We have historically maintained liquidity that is designed to allow us to fund our loan origination business, manage our day-to-day operations and protect us against foreseeable market risks. Our sources of liquidity include loan funding facilities, two MSR facilities, two unsecured lines of credit, an early buy out facility, as well as cash on hand.

        As of March 31, 2020, we had $16.25 billion of loan funding capacity with nine different counterparties, of which $11.4 billion was outstanding. Of the loan funding capacity, $10.75 billion is warehouse financing with large, geographically diverse lenders, and the remaining is early funding facilities. Over 47.8% of our facilities have original maturity dates of two years or longer, which reduces the risk of refinancing. We also have access to $2.1 billion of liquidity through five other financing facilities and have established access to the debt capital markets through the issuance of two senior unsecured bonds.

Highly Scalable and Adaptable Platform

        As the only truly national Direct to Consumer brand and platform with a digital application, we have the unique ability to target a large client base across all 50 states over the internet and through our centralized loan processing centers. Operating from centralized facilities gives us greater control over the client experience and allows us to take advantage of economies of scale, reducing our processing costs. This centralized structure and scalable platform also allows us to quickly adapt to market changes.

        Our size, loan volume and technologies allow us to utilize specialized sub-groups of operations team members who are dedicated solely to certain sub-sets of tasks and areas of concern. Our dedicated teams focus on areas such as underwriting, client communication, acquisition of vendor documents, quality assurance, and closing. Specialization of each of the steps in the loan origination process has allowed us to create experts in each task, allowing them to quickly identify potential issues or rely on their expertise to solve problems.

        We have dozens of individual tasks with controlled work prioritization, resulting in shorter training time for new team members. We can quickly ramp up operational capacity with this specialized approach, instead of relying on lengthy training periods for new team members to perform all the duties of a traditional processor. This approach is a true differentiator, allowing us to quickly scale the workforce to match demand and the size of the pipeline.

        We believe that our platform provides the capacity to close a substantially higher amount of loans per month based on current resources without significant investment in infrastructure. This centralized structure and scalable platform also allows Rocket Mortgage to quickly adapt to the evolving regulatory environment and market changes. We believe that significant barriers to entry exist in the mortgage industry due to the changing and heightened regulatory environment.

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        Our scale, together with our high-quality, geographically diverse originations and efficient platform, allows our experienced capital markets team to achieve superior secondary market execution. The capital markets team aggregates pools of loans to obtain the best pricing for sales into the market. At the same time, the capital markets team uses proprietary technologies in addition to outside information services to hedge interest rate positions until loans are sold. Over the last decade we have generated consistently strong margins which we believe are attributable to the high-quality loans generated from our business model and our experienced capital markets team.

Team Member Experience

        Our culture creates an environment where team members know their opinions are valued and curiosity is encouraged. This collaborative atmosphere empowers our team members and keeps them engaged, making us stronger, faster, and more innovative as a company. Internal surveys show approximately 95% of our team members believe the work they do contributes to the success of our Company.

        Our high-quality workplace culture creates significant opportunities to attract and retain talent. We encourage our team members to build a long-term career within our Company and focus on a common mission. Our commitment to the cities where we live, work, and play, attracts team members who are similarly focused on building a strong community, further benefitting our cultural identity.

        In addition to the recognition we received from FORTUNE magazine, our operations in Phoenix, Cleveland and Charlotte have been recognized as top workplaces in 2019 in local business publications. Of our approximately 20,000 team members, approximately 1,500 team members have been with us for over 10 years.

Strong, Collaborative Senior Leadership Team

        Our senior leadership team's vision has reshaped the mortgage landscape and fueled our substantial growth while consistently reinforcing our culture. This long-tenured team has been with us for an average of 24 years. Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, has provided us with steady leadership during our entire 35-year history and served as Chief Executive Officer from 1985 until 2002. Jay Farner is our current Chief Executive Officer and has been with us for 24 years. Bob Walters is our President and Chief Operating Officer and has been with us for 23 years. Julie Booth is our Chief Financial Officer and has been with us for 16 years. Angelo Vitale is our General Counsel and Secretary and has been with us for 23 years. This team has led us through a variety of housing and economic cycles, and has found ways to take advantage of broader industry disruption to continue our growth and success.

        We are focused on developing and promoting talent from within, which has enabled us to develop both the current team of senior leaders as well as the next generation of leaders. Prior to becoming Chief Executive Officer, Jay Farner served as our President and Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President of Web Mortgage Banking before that. In these roles, Jay personally led the building of Rocket Mortgage and brand strategy as well as online performance marketing and the creation of the centralized banking teams. Prior to becoming President and Chief Operating Officer, Bob Walters served as our Chief Economist and Executive Vice President leading Capital Markets and Servicing. In these roles, Bob oversaw the teams responsible for developing our capital markets capabilities, launching servicing and transforming our client experience and operations teams. Prior to becoming Chief Financial Officer, Julie Booth served as our Vice President, Finance and initiated the creation and development of the Treasury, Procurement, and Internal Audit functions over the years. Angelo Vitale has served as Chief Executive Officer of our subsidiary Rock Central and as our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. In these positions, Angelo has been

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responsible for our legal functions, including regulatory compliance, commercial real estate leasing and enterprise risk management.

Culture of zero-defects and regulatory compliance

        We seek to implement a culture of compliance and we pride ourselves in doing the right thing. We have a strong regulatory compliance function and have the organizational and technological flexibility to swiftly comply with changing regulations. We place strong emphasis on credit quality. Throughout the loan process, we use third-party data that is pulled directly into our system to verify income, assets, employment and other client information. For example, we validate client income against tax information reported to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Furthermore, our rules-based loan origination platform is consistent across all offices and is designed to prevent mortgage bankers from approving exceptions to lending criteria, helping to ensure that we remain disciplined with respect to credit.

        Our loan process mitigates the risk for underwriting fraud as it is handled by multiple specialists rather than a single underwriter. Each loan goes through multiple specialized teams as part of the operations process, providing quality assurance and multiple reviews from underwriting through closing. This process allows us to protect against fraud and errors without delaying the overall time from application to close. Additionally, unlike the more traditional loan officer compensation model that is based on number of mortgage approvals, the Rocket Mortgage compensation model rewards our team members for the number of loan applications processed. We believe the focus of our compensation model on applications, rather than approvals, better aligns economic incentives with compliance and regulatory requirements.

        We experience delinquency rates in our servicing portfolio that are much lower than the industry average, with the percentage of UPB of mortgages that are 60 days or more delinquent in payments of 0.92% as of March 31, 2020. Rocket Mortgage's FHA Compare Ratio of 43% as of March 31, 2020, is the lowest FHA Compare Ratio of the top 20 mortgage originators by FHA closed loan volume during that period. The FHA Compare Ratio is calculated by the FHA and represents the default rate of a single lender compared to the default rate in the FHA's total mortgage portfolio. This robust loan process also reduces potential liability under our representations and warranties to purchasers of our loans in the secondary market.

OUR GROWTH

Track Record of Scaling Our Platform

        We have significant experience drawing on our competitive strengths to expand our business. We continuously evaluate various initiatives to enhance the client experience by identifying and offering new products and services that will benefit our clients. We are guided by the long-term potential of our initiatives and we ensure that our platform is able to scale with a high degree of operating leverage. Additionally, our leading national brand and access to millions of current and prospective clients allows us to reduce the time and investment required to identify opportunities to scale our businesses.

        We made the decision to shift from a branch-based model to a digital-first, centralized model beginning in the late 1990s. Our objective was to develop a centralized platform that seamlessly scaled with increasing demand without having to linearly increase our team members or increase our processing times. Over the last two decades, we have demonstrated our ability to scale our business while significantly improving client outcomes. The scalability of the Rocket Mortgage platform is evidenced by our record setting $145 billion of closed mortgage loan originations in the year ended December 31, 2019 and our position as the nation's largest retail mortgage originator according to Inside Mortgage Finance for the last nine consecutive quarters.

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        The following chart represents Rocket Mortgage's total origination volume for the periods shown:


Total Originations Volume ($ in billions)

GRAPHIC

        We also have a track record of successfully adapting to the changing macro-economic and regulatory environments and scaling rapidly to take advantage of new opportunities. As an example, when the Federal Housing Finance Agency expanded the Home Affordable Refinance Program ("HARP") in late 2011 in response to the financial crisis, we were able to leverage our scalable technology platform to expand our capacity swiftly to take advantage of the increased refinancing volume, while still managing workflow and maintaining our standard processing times. We reached a peak origination volume of $77 billion in 2013, representing a 166% increase over the $29 billion of originations we recorded in 2011.

        Recognizing a new opportunity in the market, we have recently placed emphasis on expanding our partner network which has enabled us to rapidly build market share. By offering the benefits of our industry leading platform to our external partners, we have formed long-term relationships with influencers and marketing partners that have supported our growth and created additional scale. To date, our partners have provided $189 billion in cumulative originations as of March 31, 2020. We offer our partner network an elevated experience consisting of powerful products, resources and technology. We ensure our partners have access to our advanced Rocket Professional technology. Our strong product lineup and competitive pricing enhances our partners' value proposition by delivering speed and certainty to close to their clients.

        Another example of our success in launching and scaling a business is our mortgage servicing offering. In 2010, we made the strategic decision to begin retaining servicing on the majority of our loan originations. We now service loans for approximately 1.83 million client loans and $343.6 billion of UPB. We have built a servicing business that looks to "Love, Protect and Amaze" our clients while maintaining efficient operations. In 2019 we achieved overall client retention levels of 63%, and refinancing retention levels of 76%, which is approximately 3.5 times higher than the industry average of 22%. We have also been recognized with six consecutive J.D. Power awards for excellence in mortgage servicing, winning the award in each year we have been eligible to participate.

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        The following chart represents Rocket Mortgage's total servicing UPB (including owned and subserviced) for the periods shown:


Total Serviced UPB ($ in billions)

GRAPHIC

OUR GROWTH STRATEGIES

Expand Our Leading Mortgage Market Share

        We are well positioned to continue to grow our market share and capture opportunities in the mortgage market. As the nation's largest mortgage originator according to Inside Mortgage Finance, we are the scaled leader in the U.S. mortgage industry with market share of 9.2%. With origination volume in the industry expected to total approximately $3.0 and $2.6 trillion in 2020 and 2021, respectively, according to Zelman & Associates Research, we believe our centralized platform and technology afford us the unique ability to rapidly and efficiently scale to continue to take market share from our competitors.

        We will continue to invest significantly in our brand, technical capabilities and enhancing the client experience, which we expect will support a considerable increase in our market share of the mortgage origination and servicing industry. Our superior client experience is evidenced by our Net Promoter Score of 74, a measure of client satisfaction, as compared to that of the industry, 16, demonstrating our strong client relationships.

        As the leading technology-focused mortgage originator, we believe we are uniquely positioned to take advantage of consumers shifting to the use of digital channels. Home buyers have come to expect the convenience of accessing real-time market information and financial services from the internet and their smart devices and have become accustomed to on-demand services as the standard method of interacting with service providers. Consumers are increasingly moving toward a digital-first relationship with their financial services providers and have come to expect a seamless client experience, with flawless execution at much faster speeds than with traditional models. We believe our significant investment in our technology platform and team members over the last two decades has given us the infrastructure required to capitalize on these trends.

        We believe that the shift towards the digital channel will lead to a more concentrated industry, with industry leaders taking advantage of their economies of scale and brand. We expect the market

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over time will more closely resemble other large consumer-focused industries with a handful of major players capturing significant market share. As the number of consumers seeking a mortgage through digital platforms continues to increase, we expect to leverage our scale and brand to win these clients by providing a top-notch client experience and the fastest time to closing.

        Speed is critical in the mortgage approval process. We have already accelerated the speed to close for many of our clients, which is enabled by our centralized operations and the unique way we have split the mortgage origination workflow into a series of discrete, parallel steps, improving efficiencies and limiting unnecessary bottlenecks.

Market Demographics Will Drive Growth

        Millennial homeownership rates, at approximately 32% today, significantly lag the rates of Generation X and the Baby Boomer generation. There are approximately 67.5 million Millennials between the ages of 20 and 34, representing the potential for an increase in demand over the next few years.

GRAPHIC


Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

        While Millennial homeownership is low today, it remains a top priority among approximately 70% of Millennials, indicating the potential for a substantial increase in home purchases is on the horizon as they continue to build wealth and also benefit from the expected intergenerational wealth transfer from the Baby Boomer generation. Additionally, Millennials' demand for tech-savvy services is expected to grow.

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RocketMortgage.com Site Visits (in millions)

GRAPHIC

        We monitor RocketMortgage.com site visits as a measure of client interest and have seen an increasing trend in the number of visits. This measure is an indicator of the effectiveness of our marketing strategies, however it does not have a direct correlation to originations or revenues. This measure is calculated by a third party service that monitors website activity.

Our Partner Network Will Generate Significant Growth

        We expect our Partner Network segment to support further growth. We have aligned our brand with other high-quality consumer-focused organizations, which will provide us with a differentiated client acquisition channel that our competitors cannot replicate. We have formed relationships with influencers who utilize our platform with their clients, such as State Farm and Farmers, and marketing partners who refer their clients directly to us, such as American Express, Intuit and Schwab. We have a robust pipeline of potential partners that we are working to onboard in 2020 and beyond. Our technology infrastructure is designed to plug-and-play, which allows us to seamlessly onboard partners and begin originations in a short time period.

Leveraging the Rocket Ecosystem

        We have significant experience in drawing on our competitive strengths to expand our business. A key differentiator of Rocket is our historical investment and focus on our technology and data platform. This purpose built platform has given us the infrastructure required to capitalize on long-term growth trends and be on the forefront of innovation in consumer finance. Together, our brand and our technology and data platform drive success across all Rocket products. We leverage the ecosystem's infrastructure to innovate and grow products that address consumer needs, while efficiently using platform resources and learnings to drive our return on investment.

        Currently, our data and technology platform enables us to offer seamless loan application and management experience, which strengthen our relationship with clients and build brand awareness. In turn, we use our deep client relationships and the strength of our brand to build more convenient mortgage solutions and innovative new products across the consumer finance spectrum. Empowered by our culture, our team is passionate and aligned to bring the best client experience and work

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environment to the Rocket ecosystem. We are committed to growing our core market in mortgage but also poised to take advantage of new growth vectors enabling our expansion.

        Our additional Rocket offerings are summarized as follows:

    Rocket Homes:  The real estate agent referral process enables us to collect a portion of the transaction commission and increases our likelihood on converting on the mortgage origination. Our proprietary Rocket Homes search page launched in 2018 and currently operates in 17 states. The site experienced over 180,000 unique monthly visits in 2019 and is poised to disrupt the U.S. real estate point of sale market, which has approximately $100 billion of annual sales. The technology behind Rocket Homes provides users with direct access to Multiple Listing Service (MLS) systems, which were once exclusively available to licensed real estate brokers, and gives users access to our network of 15,000+ real estate agents.

    Rocket Loans:  We are positioning our Rocket Loans offering to disrupt the U.S. unsecured lending market, of which personal loans is a growing portion. The personal unsecured lending market in the United States has approximately $162 billion of outstanding balances, which have grown at a 16% CAGR since 2016. Leveraging our advanced data analytics, we now offer personal and contractor loans. The rapid adoption of this product offering is largely due to its ability to approve borrowers quickly and efficiently, using our proprietary algorithms. In the future, we plan to monetize this technology via potential licensing agreements with other vendors who rely on rapid approvals to run their businesses.

    Rocket Auto:  Our entrance into the U.S. consumer auto sales market in 2017 has allowed us to reach beyond real estate and personal finance, and tap into a more diversified client base. The consumer auto sales market in the United States had approximately 40.8 million in used auto sales in 2019. The sales capabilities in our Rock Connections business has fueled our early success in auto sales units, with Rocket Auto facilitating approximately 20,000 used auto sales in 2019. Through Rocket Auto, we provide our partners who own large auto inventories with an outlet to sell vehicles by generating leads and facilitating vehicle finance and insurance sales.

    Lendesk and Edison:  We have invested in two mortgage business startups in Canada, as we believe our success in the U.S. can be leveraged in the Canadian mortgage market, a market of approximately $761 billion CAD of annual mortgage originations.

        Each of these businesses benefits from its relationship with Rocket Mortgage and in many cases Rocket Mortgage also benefits from these relationships. For example, our experience has shown that a relationship with a Rocket Homes' partner agent significantly increases the likelihood that we will close a Rocket Mortgage loan. Similarly, we have found that a significant number of personal loan leads from Rocket Loans have turned into mortgage-refinance transactions once we are able to spend time with the clients to understand their needs better.

Growth Vectors Enabling Expansion

        We plan to leverage our current strengths to fuel further expansion. We will continue to drive growth through fully capturing the cross-selling opportunities within our ecosystem, investing in key relationships with strategic partners, driving our domestic brand name recognition internationally and continuing opportunistic acquisitions.

        Cross-sell:    Through our online servicing portal we engage with our clients on a monthly basis, which helps us drive efficient and cross-channel leads for our other products. As existing Rocket Mortgage clients log on to make monthly payments, check balances and utilize our other services, we are able to market customized Rocket Loans and Rocket Homes offers directly to them. This

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connectivity, provided by our mortgage platform, is a differentiated way that we guide existing clients toward our other product lines. We believe that our clients' trust in and appreciation for the Rocket brand will continue to drive leads to other innovative products in the Rocket ecosystem.

        International expansion:    In addition to leveraging our mortgage platform, we also believe there are several opportunities for geographic expansion that would allow us to apply our institutional knowledge and infrastructure to provide a better client experience in geographies outside of the United States. For example, in Canada where loan origination technology is less prevalent than in the United States, our Lendesk business is currently addressing the incumbents' inability to provide similar technology-focused solutions.

        Strategic growth through acquisition:    We stay opportunistic and rigorously evaluate inorganic growth opportunities with strategic merit. In 2017, we acquired LowerMyBills and OpenHouse. In 2018, we acquired ForSaleByOwner, in 2019, we invested in Lendesk and in 2020, we invested in Edison Financial. Through highly strategic acquisitions, we are able to enter new markets with scale, and onboard technology solutions that can unlock incremental value by integrating with the Rocket ecosystem.

CLIENTS

        The majority of the loans we originate are sold to the GSEs and government agencies. In each of the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 and in each of the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, we sold more than 91% of our loans to GSEs and government agencies. Since our counterparties are primarily the GSEs as well as other diversified sets of investors, we do not need to hold significant capital to grow our origination business. Additionally, we service all loans we sell to the GSEs. We believe that the quality and breadth of our sales of loans to the GSEs is a strong testament to our underwriting process and high quality mortgages.

GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS AFFECTING LOAN ORIGINATIONS AND SERVICING

        We operate in a heavily regulated industry that is highly focused on consumer protection. The financial crisis in general, and the related tumult in the residential mortgage market in particular, placed our industry under increased regulatory and public scrutiny and resulted in stricter and more comprehensive regulation of our business. Statutes, regulations and practices that have been in place for many years may be changed, and new laws have been, and may continue to be, introduced in order to address real and perceived problems in our industry. These laws and how they are interpreted continue to evolve.

        This extensive regulatory framework we are subject to includes Canadian, U.S. federal, state and local laws, regulations and rules. Governmental authorities and various Canadian, U.S. federal and state agencies have broad oversight and supervisory authority over our business.

        We continue to work diligently to assess and understand the implications of the regulatory environment in which we operate and the regulatory changes that we are facing. We devote substantial resources to regulatory compliance, including operational and system costs, while at the same time striving to meet the needs and expectations of our clients.

Licensing, Supervision and Enforcement

        Because we are not a depository institution, we must comply with state licensing requirements to conduct our business. Similar licensing laws apply to us in Canada. We incur significant ongoing costs to comply with these licensing requirements.

        To conduct our residential mortgage operations in the United States, we are licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As required by state law, we have additional licenses to enable

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us to act as a loan servicer, mortgage broker, real estate brokerage, conduct lead generation activities, and operate our personal loan platform that facilitates loans in 47 states and the District of Columbia. Generally speaking, the licensing process includes the submission of an application to the state agency, a character and fitness review of key individuals and an administrative review of our business operations.

        Under the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 ("the SAFE Act"), all states have laws that require mortgage loan originators employed by non-depository institutions to be individually licensed to offer mortgage loan products. These licensing requirements require individual loan originators to register in a nationwide mortgage licensing system, submit application and background information to state regulators for a character and fitness review, submit to a criminal background check, complete a minimum of 20 hours of pre-licensing education, complete an annual minimum of eight hours of continuing education and successfully complete an examination. Upon issuance of a license, we become subject to regulatory oversight, supervision and enforcement activity to determine compliance with applicable law.

        Under the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFPB was established in 2011 to ensure, among other things, that consumers receive clear and accurate disclosures regarding financial products and to protect consumers from hidden fees and unfair, deceptive or abusive acts or practices. The CFPB's jurisdiction includes those persons originating, brokering or servicing residential mortgage loans and those persons performing loan modification or foreclosure relief services in connection with such loans. It also extends to our other lines of business. The CFPB has broad supervisory and enforcement powers with regard to non-depository institutions, such as us, that engage in the origination and servicing of home loans and personal loans. The CFPB has conducted routine examinations of our business and will conduct future examinations.

        As part of its enforcement authority, the CFPB can order, among other things, rescission or reformation of contracts, the refund of moneys or the return of real property, restitution, disgorgement or compensation for unjust enrichment, the payment of damages or other monetary relief, public notifications regarding violations, remediation of practices, external compliance monitoring and civil money penalties. The CFPB has been active in investigations and enforcement actions and has issued large civil money penalties since its inception to parties the CFPB determines violated the laws and regulations it enforces.

        We are also supervised by regulatory agencies under Canadian and U.S. state law. From time to time, we receive examination requests that require us to provide records, documents and information relating to our business operations. State attorneys general, state licensing regulators, and state and local consumer protection offices have authority to investigate consumer complaints and to commence investigations and other formal and informal proceedings regarding our operations and activities. In addition, the GSEs and the FHFA, Ginnie Mae, FTC, HUD, various investors, non-agency securitization trustees and others are subject us to periodic reviews and audits. This broad and extensive supervisory and enforcement oversight will continue to occur in the future.

Canadian, U.S. Federal, State and Local Laws and Regulations

        As a highly regulated business, the regulatory and legal requirements we face can change and may even become more restrictive. In turn, this could make our compliance responsibilities more complex, expensive or otherwise restrict our ability to conduct our business as it is now conducted or projected to be conducted. We are also subject to judicial and administrative decisions that impose requirements and restrictions on our business.

        This extensive regulatory framework to which we are subject affects, among other things:

    our real estate brokerage activities;

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    our marketing and advertising activities;

    the loan application process and disclosures;

    the use and handling of our clients' credit information and the reporting of credit information;

    the use and handling of our clients' public and non-public personal information;

    the manner in which home appraisals are obtained;

    our underwriting activities and credit determinations;

    the manner in which we close loans and the related disclosures;

    our clients' rights of rescission;

    the funding of our loans;

    how we service our loans and escrow administration;

    the terms and conditions under which we must offer client loss mitigation programs for our servicing clients;

    our collection, foreclosure, repossession and claims-handling procedures in the event of a default;

    our collection and reporting of loan data regarding our clients;

    the precautions against money-laundering and doing business with suspected terrorists that we have to take;

    the establishment of maximum interest rates, finance charges and other charges or fees that we may charge or pay; and

    secured transactions.

        Numerous U.S. federal regulatory consumer protection laws impact our business, including but not limited to:

    RESPA and Regulation X, which (1) require certain disclosures to be made to the borrower at application, as to the lender's good faith estimate of loan origination costs, and at closing with respect to the real estate settlement statement, (2) apply to certain loan servicing practices including escrow accounts, client complaints, servicing transfers, lender-placed insurance, error resolution and loss mitigation, and (3) prohibit giving or accepting any fee, kickback or a thing of a thing of value for the referral of real estate settlement services;

    TILA, including HOEPA, and Regulation Z, which regulate mortgage loan origination activities, require certain disclosures be made to borrowers throughout the loan process regarding terms of mortgage financing, provide for a three-day right to rescind some transactions, regulate certain higher-priced and high-cost mortgages, require lenders to make a reasonable and good faith determination that consumers have the ability to repay the loan, mandate home ownership counseling for mortgage applicants, impose restrictions on loan originator compensation, and apply to certain loan servicing practices, TILA and Regulation Z also apply to our personal loan product requiring certain disclosures to borrowers regarding the terms and conditions of their loan. For most mortgage loans the time of application and time of loan closing disclosure requirements for RESPA and TILA have been combined into integrated disclosures under the TRID rule;

    Regulation N, which prohibits certain unfair and deceptive acts and practices related to mortgage advertising;

    certain provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act, including the Consumer Financial Protection Act, which, among other things prohibit unfair, deceptive or abusive acts or practices;

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    the Fair Credit Reporting Act, as amended by the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, and Regulation V, which regulate the use and reporting of information related to the credit history of consumers, require disclosures to consumers regarding the use of credit report information in certain credit decisions and require lenders to undertake remedial actions if there is a breach in the lender's data security;

    the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Regulation B, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, race and certain other characteristics in the extension of credit and require certain disclosures to applicants for credit;

    the Homeowners Protection Act, which requires certain disclosures and the cancellation or termination of mortgage insurance once certain equity levels are reached;

    the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act and Regulation C, which require reporting of loan origination data, including the number of loan applications taken, approved, denied and withdrawn;

    the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, sex, national origin, and certain other characteristics;

    the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which regulates the timing and content of third-party debt collection communications;

    the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which requires initial and periodic communication with consumers on privacy matters and the maintenance of privacy regarding certain consumer data in our possession;

    the Bank Secrecy Act and related regulations from the Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act ("USA PATRIOT Act"), which impose certain due diligence and recordkeeping requirements on lenders to detect and block money-laundering that could support terrorist or other illegal activities;

    the SAFE Act, which imposes state licensing requirements on mortgage loan originators;

    the Military Lending Act ("MLA"), which restricts, among other things, the interest rate and other terms that can be offered to active military personnel and their dependents on most types of consumer credit, requires certain disclosures and prohibits certain terms, such as mandatory arbitration if a dispute arises concerning the consumer credit product;

    the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which provides financial protections for eligible service members;

    the Federal Trade Commission Act, the FTC Credit Practices Rules and the FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule, which prohibit unfair or deceptive acts or practices and certain related practices;

    the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which restricts telephone and text solicitations and communications and the use of automatic telephone equipment;

    the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act ("ESIGN") and similar state laws, particularly the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act ("UETA"), which require businesses that use electronic records or signatures in consumer transactions and provide required disclosures to consumers electronically, to obtain the consumer's consent to receive information electronically;

    the Electronic Fund Transfer Act of 1978 ("EFTA") and Regulation E, which protect consumers engaging in electronic fund transfers;

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    the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 and the FTC's rules promulgated pursuant to such Act (together, "CAN-SPAM Act"), which establish requirements for certain "commercial messages" and "transactional or relationship messages" transmitted via email; and

    the Bankruptcy Code and bankruptcy injunctions and stays, which can restrict collection of debts.

        We are also subject to a variety of regulatory and contractual obligations imposed by credit owners, insurers and guarantors of the loans we originate or facilitate and/or service. This includes, but is not limited to, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, FHFA and the FHA, and are also subject to the requirements of the HARP program in which we participate.

The CFPB and Dodd-Frank Act

        The CFPB directly and significantly influences the regulation of residential mortgage loan originations and servicing. The CFPB has rulemaking authority with respect to many of the federal consumer protection laws applicable to mortgage lenders and servicers, including TILA, RESPA and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The CFPB has been active and continues to amend rules and regulations within its purview. In August 2017, the CFPB adopted rules regarding mortgage servicing practices that require modifications and enhancements to our mortgage-servicing processes and systems. In October 2015, the CFPB issued a rule, effective in January 2018, amending Regulation C of the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act ("HMDA"), which will greatly expanded the scope of data required to be collected and reported for every loan application, and in August 2017, the CFPB amended the rule to add several new reporting requirements and clarify other existing requirements. These new requirements for gathering and submitting large amounts of data regarding loan applications to regulators and the public is complex. Thus, any inadvertent errors in our gathering or reporting the data could result in fines or penalties being levied by the CFPB or other regulators against us. We anticipate future rulemaking from the CFPB. The CFPB has indicated that it plans to propose changes to the October 2015 rule that amended Regulation C, and that it plans to address the new reporting requirements that the CFPB added using its discretionary authority under HMDA. The CFPB has indicated that it plans to issue a proposal in July 2020. We cannot predict what final actions the CFPB will take regarding Regulation C.

        In addition to the more recent actions described above, the CFPB's rulemaking and enforcement activities have included:

    Issuance of guidelines on sending examiners to banks and other institutions that service and/or originate mortgages to assess whether consumers' interests are protected. The CFPB has conducted examinations of our business pursuant to these guidelines and will continue to conduct examinations;

    Adoption of regulations regarding ability to repay and qualified mortgage standards that require a creditor to make a reasonable and good faith determination before originating a mortgage loan that the prospective borrower has the reasonable ability to repay the loan according to its terms. The standards also establish several types of qualified mortgages that provide the creditor with a safe harbor or a presumption of compliance with the ability to repay / qualified mortgage standards. The standard qualified mortgage requires borrowers to have a debt-to-income ratio that does not exceed 43%. For purposes of the ability to repay and qualified mortgage standards, HUD, the VA and the USDA have issued rules defining which loans insured or guaranteed under each agency's programs are qualified mortgages. The CFPB included in the ability to repay and qualified mortgage standards a temporary qualified mortgage for loans that are eligible for sale to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, commonly referred to as the QM Patch. Many mortgage loans, including mortgage loans originated by our Company, are made pursuant to the QM Patch. The QM Patch is scheduled

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      to expire on January 10, 2021, or sooner if Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac exit the conservatorship of the FHFA. In June 2020, the CFPB issued proposed rules to revise its ability to repay requirements and to extend the QM Patch until those revisions are effective. The revised requirements would replace the CFPB's current debt-to-income-limit approach to ability to repay with a price-based approach. We cannot predict what final actions the CFPB will take regarding these matters. Not knowing the final actions that the CFPB will take creates uncertainty and the final actions may affect our business;

    Adoption of certain amendments to Regulation Z's HOEPA provisions that expanded the scope of HOEPA to include open-end credit, redefined "points and fees" for the purposes of determining whether a loan is a high-cost mortgage subject to the substantive and disclosure requirements of HOEPA, and the addition a new prong to the definition of a high-cost mortgage relating to prepayment penalties that may be charged in connection with a residential mortgage loan;

    An amendment to Regulation B to implement additional requirements under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act with respect to the provision of valuations, including appraisals and automated valuation models, to consumers in connection with applications for residential mortgage loans;

    Implementation of new loan disclosure requirements under the TRID rule to combine and amend certain disclosures required under TILA and RESPA, which significantly changed consumer facing disclosure rules and added certain waiting periods to allow consumers time to shop for and consider the loan terms after receiving the required disclosures; and

    Amendments to Regulation Z and Regulation X to adopt certain mortgage servicing standards set forth by the Dodd-Frank Act and other issues identified by the CFPB, including amendments to rules governing the scope, timing, content and format of disclosures to consumers regarding the interest rate adjustments of their variable-rate transactions and the establishment of certain requirements relating to billing statements, payment crediting and the provision of payoff statements.

        The Company expects that its business will remain subject to extensive regulation and supervision. Future regulatory changes may result in an increase in our regulatory compliance burden and associated costs and place restrictions on our origination and servicing operations.

        Our reverse mortgage business is also subject to a number of federal and state laws and regulations, and there have been substantial amendments to applicable federal laws, regulations and administrative guidance. The FHA has amended or clarified requirements related to HECMs through a series of issuances, including several Mortgagee Letters in 2014 and 2015. These requirements relate to advertising, restrictions on loan provisions, limitations on payment methods, new underwriting requirements, revised principal limits, revised financial assessment and property charge requirements, and the treatment of non-borrowing spouses. The FHA's guidance includes changes to both origination and servicing requirements.

        Since 2013, HUD has required that all HECM lenders must perform a new financial assessment on all prospective HECM borrowers to ensure they have the capacity and willingness to meet their financial obligations and the terms of the reverse mortgage. In addition, these rules require borrowers to set aside a portion of the loan proceeds they receive at closing (or withhold a portion of monthly loan disbursements) for the payment of property taxes and homeowners insurance based on the results of the financial assessment. Key components of the financial assessment include a credit history and property charge payment history analysis, a cash flow/residual income analysis, and an analysis of compensating factors and extenuating circumstances to determine if the applicant is eligible for a HECM loan. Our reverse mortgage business is also subject to state statutory and regulatory requirements including, but not limited to, licensing requirements, required disclosures and

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permissible fees. The FHA has continued to issue additional guidance aimed at strengthening the HECM program. Most recently, the FHA issued a Mortgagee Letter changing initial and annual mortgage insurance premium rates and the principal limit factors for all HECMs.

Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the Telemarketing Sales Rule

        The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (the "TCPA"), Telemarketing Sales Rules and related laws and regulations govern, among other things, communications via telephone and text and the use of automatic telephone dialing systems ("ATDS") and artificial and prerecorded voices. The FCC and the FTC have responsibility for regulating various aspects of these laws. The TCPA requires us to adhere to "do-not-call" registry requirements which, in part, mandate we maintain and regularly update lists of consumers who have chosen not to be called and restrict calls to consumers who are on a state or national do-not-call list. Many states have similar consumer protection laws regulating telemarketing. These laws limit our ability to communicate with consumers and reduce the effectiveness of our marketing programs. The TCPA does not distinguish between voice and data, and as such, SMS/MMS messages are also "calls" for the purpose of TCPA obligations and restrictions.

        The TCPA provides that it is "unlawful for any person within the United States, or any person outside the United States if the recipient is within the United States ... to make any call (other than a call made for emergency purposes or made with the prior express consent of the called party) using any ATDS or an artificial or prerecorded voice ... to any telephone number assigned to a ... cellular telephone service... or any service for which the called party is charged for the call." In 2013, the FCC adopted new rules stating that the party making the call must obtain "prior express written consent" from the called party with respect to any communication covered by the TCPA that was made after October 16, 2013, which introduces an advertisement or that constitutes telemarketing. These requirements are significantly more rigorous and detailed than the requirements for prior express consent in other contexts. The TCPA provides a private right of action under which a plaintiff, including a plaintiff in a class action, may recover actual monetary loss or $500 for each call or text made in violation of the prohibitions on calls made using an "artificial or pre-recorded voice" or ATDS. A court may treble the amount of damages upon a finding of a "willful or knowing" violation. There is no statutory cap on maximum aggregate exposure (although some courts have applied in TCPA class actions constitutional limits on excessive penalties). An action may be brought by the FCC, a state attorney general, an individual, or a class of individuals. Like other companies that rely on telephone and text communications, we are regularly subject to putative, class action suits alleging violations of the TCPA. To date, no such class has been certified. If in the future we are found to have violated the TCPA, the amount of damages and potential liability could be extensive and adversely impact our business. Accordingly, were such a class certified or if we are unable to successfully defend such a suit, as we have in the past, then TCPA damages could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. For a discussion of current putative class actions under the TCPA, see "BusinessLegal and Regulatory Proceedings."

State Laws

        In addition to applicable federal laws and regulations governing our operations, our ability to originate and service loans in any particular state is subject to that state's laws, regulations and licensing requirements, which may differ from the laws, regulations and licensing requirements of other states. State laws often include fee limitations and disclosure and other requirements. Many states have adopted regulations that prohibit various forms of "predatory" lending and place obligations on lenders to substantiate that a client will derive a tangible benefit from the proposed home financing transaction and/or have the ability to repay the loan. These laws have required most lenders to devote considerable resources to building and maintaining automated systems to perform loan-by-loan analysis of points, fees and other factors set forth in the laws, which often vary

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depending on the location of the mortgaged property. Many of these laws are vague and subject to differing interpretation, which exposes the Company to some risks.

        The number and complexity of these laws, and vagaries in their interpretations, present compliance and litigation risks from inadvertent error and omissions which we may not be able to eliminate from the Company's operation or activities. The laws, regulations and rules described above are subject to legislative, administrative and judicial interpretation, and some of these laws and regulations have been infrequently interpreted or only recently enacted. Infrequent interpretations of these laws and regulations or an insignificant number of interpretations of recently-enacted laws and regulations can result in ambiguity with respect to permitted conduct under these laws and regulations. Any ambiguity under the laws and regulations to which we are subject may lead to regulatory investigations or enforcement actions and private causes of action, such as class-action lawsuits, with respect to our compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

        On January 1, 2020, the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA") took effect, directly impacting our California business operations and indirectly impacting our operations nationwide. Generally speaking, the CCPA provides consumers with new privacy rights such as the right to request deletion of their data, the right to receive data on record for them, and the right to know what categories of data (generally) are maintained about them. It also mandates new disclosures prior to, and at, the point of data collection and increases the privacy and security obligations of entities handling certain personal information of such consumers. The CCPA allows consumers to submit verifiable consumer requests regarding their personal information and requires our business to implement procedures to comply with such requests. The California Attorney General issued, and subsequently updated, proposed regulations to further define and clarify the CCPA. The impact of this law and its corresponding regulations, future enforcement activity and potential liability is unknown. Moreover, a new proposed privacy law, the California Privacy Rights Act ("CPRA") was recently certified by the California Secretary of State to appear on the ballot for the November 3, 2020 election. If this initiative is approved by California voters, the CPRA would significantly modify the CCPA, potentially resulting in further uncertainty and requiring us to incur additional costs and expenses in an effort to comply. Several additional states have enacted similar laws to the CCPA and we expect more states to follow.

        Our centralized real estate brokerage and referral model is subject to numerous state laws that are continuously changing, including laws related to real estate brokerage; mobile- and internet-based businesses; data privacy, advertising, and consumer protection laws. These laws are continuing to evolve, can be costly to comply with, require significant management attention, and could subject us to civil claims, enforcement actions, fines, or other remedies, including revocation of licenses and suspension of business operations. It is often unclear as to how such laws and regulations affect us based the fact that those laws and regulations were created for traditional real estate brokerages and our business model is unlike traditional brokerages. We are also subject to contractual obligations and restrictions on the use and display of the real estate related data we receive from the MLS. Without this data our real estate search portal would not be able to operate.

        Our Rocket Loans business relies on a business relationship with Cross River Bank, a New Jersey state chartered bank. The personal loans we make available are originated by Cross River Bank. Because Cross River Bank is an FDIC-insured bank, the interest rates on these loans are governed nationwide by Section 27 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, without regard to more restrictive state usury laws. Section 27 authorizes a state bank to charge interest at the rate allowed by the law of the state where it is located, which in New Jersey is 30% per annum on loans to individuals. This relationship subjects our business operations to extensive oversight by Cross River Bank and the FDIC.

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

        We use a combination of proprietary and third-party intellectual property, all of which we believe maintain and enhance our competitive position and protect our products. Such intellectual property includes owned or licensed patents, patent applications, trademarks, and trademark applications.

        Quicken Loans has an exclusive, royalty-bearing, perpetual trademark license agreement with Intuit that allows Quicken Loans to use the "Quicken Loans" name and trademark in the United States. This agreement requires annual royalty payments based upon the income from the sale of loans generated under the Quicken Loans brand through the QuickenLoans.com website or Quicken Loans' web or call centers. Total licensing fees were $7.5 million for each of the twelve months ended December 31, 2017, 2018 and 2019, which is the maximum annual amount payable under the agreement. The license agreement is terminable by Intuit in various circumstances, including if Quicken Loans commits a material breach of the agreement (e.g., for failure to materially use the "Quicken Loans" name and trademark), undergoes certain changes of control, or in certain circumstances where wrongdoing or alleged wrongdoing by Quicken Loans or any controlling person could have a material adverse effect on Intuit. We have entered into an agreement with Intuit that, among other things, gives Quicken Loans full ownership of the "Quicken Loans" brand in 2022 in exchange for certain agreements, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions.

        We enter into confidentiality, intellectual property invention assignment and/or non-competition and non-solicitation agreements or restrictions with our employees, independent contractors and business partners, and we strictly control access to and distribution of our intellectual property.

CYCLICALITY AND SEASONALITY

        The demand for loan originations is affected by consumer demand for home loans and the market for buying, selling, financing and/or re-financing residential and commercial real estate, which in turn, is affected by the national economy, regional trends, property valuations, interest rates, and socio-economic trends and by state and federal regulations and programs which may encourage/accelerate or discourage/slow-down certain real estate trends. Our business is generally subject to seasonal trends with activity generally decreasing during the winter months, especially home purchase loans and related services. Our lowest revenue and net income levels during the year have historically been in the first quarter, but this is not indicative of future results.

EMPLOYEES

        We currently have approximately 20,000 team members all of whom are based in the United States. None of our employees are members of any labor union or subject to any collective bargaining agreement and we have never experienced any business interruption as a result of any labor dispute.

PROPERTIES

        We currently operate through a network of over seven corporate offices, three client support locations and five call centers, located throughout the United States, the majority of which are leased.

        Our headquarters and principal executive offices are located at 1050 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48226. At this location, we lease office space totaling approximately 454,755 square feet from an affiliate of RHI. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Transactions with RHI and other Affiliates—Real Estate Transactions." The lease for our offices at 1050 Woodward Avenue expires on December 31, 2028 unless terminated earlier under certain circumstances specified in our leases.

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        We believe that our facilities are in good operating condition and adequately meet our current needs, and that additional or alternative space to support future use and expansion will be available on reasonable commercial terms.

LEGAL AND REGULATORY PROCEEDINGS

        As a group of organizations that provide, among other things, consumer residential mortgage lending and servicing, consumer unsecured installment loans and loan servicing, residential real estate brokerage services, and online marketing and consumer acquisition services, we operate within highly regulated industries on a federal, state and local level. The Company is routinely subject to various examinations and legal and administrative proceedings in the normal and ordinary course of business. This can include, on occasion, investigations, subpoenas, enforcement actions involving the CFPB or FTC, state regulatory agencies and attorney generals and putative or certified class actions involving private litigants. These proceedings are generally based on allegations that we did not comply with obligations under various state or federal laws, rules and/or regulations with respect to: the marketing, origination, servicing and collection of residential mortgage loans; the marketing, origination and servicing and collection of unsecured consumer installment loans; consumer protection laws; employment laws; securities laws; various contracts; and other laws. Periodically, we assess our potential liabilities and contingencies in connection with outstanding and threatened legal and administrative proceedings, utilizing the latest information available. Lawsuits and proceedings against us may include putative class claims for statutory damages as well as claims for actual damages, punitive damages and equitable remedies.

West Virginia Class Action Lawsuit

        Two of our subsidiaries, Quicken Loans and Amrock, are defending against a certified class action lawsuit originally filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia (Alig et al. v. Quicken Loans et al., Case Nos. 12-cv-114 and 12-cv-115) and which is currently on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (appeal No. 19-1059). The Aligs' lawsuit alleged that Quicken Loans and Amrock violated West Virginia state law by unconscionably inducing them (and a class of other West Virginians who received loans through Quicken Loans and appraisals through Amrock) into loans by including the borrowers' own estimated home values on appraisal order forms. The judge has ruled in favor of the plaintiffs on liability and the case is currently on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Quicken Loans and Amrock believe an unfavorable outcome to be reasonably possible but not probable based on rulings by the court, advice of counsel, their respective defenses, and other developments, with an aggregate possible range of loss to be between zero and $15 million.

TCPA Class Action Lawsuits

        Quicken Loans is also defending itself against five TCPA putative class action lawsuits—(1) Mattson et al. v. Quicken Loans Inc., U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, Case No. 18- cv-00989; (2) Hill and Hyde et al. v. Quicken Loans Inc., U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Case No. 19-cv-00163; (3) Lopez et al. v. Quicken Loans Inc., U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Case No. 19-cv-13340; (4) Winters et al. v. Quicken Loans Inc., U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, Case No. 20-cv-00112; and (5) Woods et al. v. Quicken Loans Inc., U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Case No. 20-cv-00640. The plaintiffs in these matters allege, among other things, that Quicken Loans contacted them without the requisite consent. Quicken Loans denies the allegations in these cases and intends to vigorously defend itself. In Mattson et al. v. Quicken Loans Inc., the Magistrate Judge issued a Report and Recommendation granting Quicken Loans's motion for summary judgment, absolving Quicken Loans of liability on all claims. The Report and Recommendation issued by the Magistrate Judge is still pending a decision by the District Judge. In each of the other TCPA matters referenced above,

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Quicken Loans either has filed a dispositive motion or intends to do so in the future which, if granted, would result in a complete dismissal of the lawsuit.

HouseCanary Texas Lawsuit

        Amrock, formerly known as Title Source, Inc. is currently involved in civil litigation related to a business dispute between Amrock and HouseCanary, Inc. ('HouseCanary'). The lawsuit was filed on April 12, 2016, by Amrock—Title Source, Inc. v. HouseCanary, Inc., No. 2016-CI-06300 (37th Civil District Court, San Antonio, Texas)—and included claims against HouseCanary for breach of contract and fraudulent inducement stemming from a contract between Amrock and HouseCanary whereby HouseCanary was obligated to provide Amrock with appraisal and valuation software and services. HouseCanary filed counterclaims against Amrock for, among other things, breach of contract, fraud, and misappropriation of trade secrets. On March 14, 2018, following trial of the claims in the lawsuit, a Bexar County, Texas, jury awarded $706.2 million in favor of HouseCanary and rejected Amrocks' claims against HouseCanary. The district court entered judgment in favor of HouseCanary and against Amrock for an aggregate of $739.6 million (consisting of $235.4 million in actual damages; $470.8 million in punitive damages; $28.9 million in prejudgment interest; and $4.5 million in attorney fees). On appeal (No. 04-19-00044-CV, Fourth Court of Appeals, San Antonio, Texas), the court of appeals affirmed judgment of no-cause on Amrock's claim for breach of contract, but reversed judgment on HouseCanary's claims for misappropriation of trade secrets and fraud and remanded the case for a new trial on HouseCanary's misappropriation of trade secrets and fraud claims. It is possible that one (or both) of the parties could seek additional appellate review of the court of appeals' decision. The outcome of this matter remains uncertain, and the ultimate resolution of the litigation may be several years in the future. If the case is tried again, Amrock intends to present new evidence, including evidence revealed by whistleblowers who came forward with evidence that undermined HouseCanary's claims after the conclusion of the original trial, and to vigorously defend against this case and any subsequent actions.

HouseCanary Federal Lawsuit

        Quicken Loans, One Reverse Mortgage, LLC, and Rocket Homes Real Estate LLC (f/k/a In House Realty LLC) are defending themselves in an action captioned HouseCanary, Inc. v. Quicken Loans Inc., One Reverse Mortgage, LLC and In-House Realty LLC, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Case No. 5:18-cv-00519. The plaintiff in this action alleges misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of a contract to which none of the defendants was a signatory. The case is stayed pending resolution of defendants' motion to dismiss.

        There are no recorded reserves related to potential damages in connection with any of the above legal proceedings, as any potential loss is not currently probable and reasonably estimable under U.S. GAAP. The ultimate outcome of these or other actions or proceedings, including any monetary awards against one or more of the Rocket Companies, is uncertain and there can be no assurance as to the amount of any such potential awards. The Rocket Companies will incur defense costs and other expenses in connection with the lawsuits. Additionally, lawsuits of this type may divert management's efforts and attention may be diverted from ordinary business operations. Plus, if a judgment for money that exceeds specified thresholds is rendered against a Rocket Company or Rocket Companies and it or they fail to timely pay, discharge, bond or obtain a stay of execution of such judgment, it is possible that one or more of the Rocket Companies could be deemed in default of their loan funding facilities and other agreements governing indebtedness. If the final resolution of any such litigation is unfavorable in one or more of these actions, it could have a material adverse effect on a Rocket Company's or the Rocket Companies' business, liquidity, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.

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MANAGEMENT

        The following table sets forth the name, age and position of each of our executive officers and directors as of the date of this prospectus.

Name
  Age   Position
Daniel Gilbert   58   Chairman of the Board of Directors
Jay Farner   47   Chief Executive Officer and Director
Robert Walters   55   President and Chief Operating Officer
Julie Booth   51   Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
Angelo Vitale   61   General Counsel and Secretary
Jennifer Gilbert   51   Director
Matthew Rizik   65   Director
Suzanne Shank   58   Director
Nancy Tellem   67   Director

        The following are brief biographies describing the backgrounds of the executive officers and directors of the Company.

Daniel Gilbert

        Dan Gilbert is the Chairman of the board of directors of the Issuer, a position he has held since March 2020. Dan is the founder of Quicken Loans, where he has been the Chairman of the board of directors since 1985. He also served as the Chief Executive Officer of Quicken Loans from 1985 to 2002. Dan is the majority owner of RHI, and the Chairman of its board of directors, a position he has held since 2002. Dan is also the majority owner of the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team and the operator of the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio. Furthermore, he is the Chairman of Rock Ventures, which, through affiliates controlled by Dan, has invested and committed billions to acquiring and developing more than 100 properties, including new construction of ground up developments in downtown Detroit and Cleveland, totaling more than 18 million square feet in Detroit's downtown urban core. In February 2016, Dan co-founded Detroit-based StockX, the world's first "stock market of things," combining the visible, liquid, anonymous, and transparent benefits of a stock market with the online consumer secondary market. Dan serves on the boards of the Cleveland Clinic and the Children's Tumor Foundation. In 2015, Dan and Jennifer Gilbert established the Gilbert Family Foundation and in 2017, formed NF Forward to fund cutting-edge research dedicated to finding a cure for neurofibromatosis (NF). Dan earned his bachelor's degree from Michigan State University and his law degree from Wayne State University. We believe Dan is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors due to his significant business leadership, investment and financial experience, as well as his role as a founder of the Company.

Jay Farner

        Jay Farner is the Chief Executive Officer and a Director of the Issuer. Jay has held these positions since March 2020. Prior to that, Jay has been with Quicken Loans since 1996, and as a senior leader since 1999. Immediately prior to his promotion to CEO of Quicken Loans in 2017, Jay served as President and Chief Marketing Officer of Quicken Loans. Jay also serves as Chief Executive Officer and Director of RHI and certain of its affiliates, see "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Organization and Structure—We will share our Chief Executive Officer and certain directors with RHI, our Chief Executive Officer will not devote his full time and attention to our affairs, and the overlap may give rise to conflicts." Jay serves as a board member of Detroit Labs, LLC, Community Solutions, StockX, Bedrock Manufacturing, the Metropolitan Detroit YMCA, Bizdom Fund and Rocket Giving Fund. Jay earned a bachelor's degree in finance from Michigan State University. We believe Jay is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors due to his significant leadership experience within the Company over the past 20 years.

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Robert Walters

        Bob Walters is the President and Chief Operating Officer of the Issuer. Bob has held these positions since March 2020. In these positions, Bob oversees the day-to-day operations of the business, focusing on strategic planning and leveraging synergies among various operational teams at the Company. Most recently, Bob has served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Quicken Loans since 2017. Previously, Bob served as Chief Economist and Executive Vice President of Quicken Loans overseeing the Capital Markets and Servicing operations. Bob has been instrumental in leading the teams that manage interest rate risk management, trading and product development. Bob joined Rock Financial in 1997 after holding positions at both the National Bank of Detroit and DMR Financial Services. Bob earned his master's degree in business administration from the University of Michigan and his undergraduate degree in finance from Oakland University.

Julie Booth

        Julie Booth is the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Issuer. Julie has held these positions since March 2020. Julie has been with Quicken Loans since 2003, leading its accounting and finance teams as Chief Financial Officer since 2005. She is responsible for the accounting, finance, treasury, tax, procurement, and internal audit functions. Prior to joining Quicken Loans, she was a senior manager with Ernst & Young LLP in Detroit, where she had 13 years of experience serving banking and mortgage banking clients in the assurance practice. She currently serves as a board member for Make-A-Wish Michigan and previously served as Chair for the Mortgage Bankers Association financial management committee. Julie earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Michigan and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Angelo Vitale

        Angelo Vitale is the General Counsel and Secretary of the Issuer. Angelo has held this position since March 2020. Since early 2020, Angelo has been the Chief Executive Officer of our subsidiary Rock Central. Angelo was with Quicken Loans from 1997 through early 2020, leading its legal, audit and risk teams as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since 2014. In that role, he was responsible for all legal functions, including regulatory compliance, commercial real estate leasing and enterprise risk management. Prior to joining Quicken Loans, Angelo was Senior Counsel for 12 years with another national mortgage servicing company. He began his legal career as an associate with a mid-size Detroit law firm specializing in the defense of personal injury litigation. Angelo earned a bachelor's degree (summa cum laude) from the University of Detroit Mercy and a J.D. degree from Wayne State University School of Law. He serves on the board of trustees of University of Detroit Mercy.

Jennifer Gilbert

        Jennifer Gilbert is a Director of the Issuer, a position she has held since March 2020. Jennifer is the wife of Dan Gilbert. Jennifer has been a director of RHI since 2019, see "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Organization and Structure—We will share our Chief Executive Officer and certain directors with RHI, our Chief Executive Officer will not devote his full time and attention to our affairs, and the overlap may give rise to conflicts." With more than 20 years of experience in interior design, Jennifer Gilbert has evolved her expertise to serve as the Founder and Creative Director of Detroit-based POPHOUSE, a commercial design firm specializing in utilizing data and industry research to provide cutting-edge workplaces for clients across a broad spectrum of industries. Jennifer also founded Amber Engine in 2015, a Detroit-based home furnishings services and solutions technology company. Amber Engine's mission is to provide the most accurate, complete and timely record of product data for the $275 billion home furnishings industry through its easy-to-use, flexible and affordable cloud-based SaaS solutions. Prior to Amber Engine, Jennifer founded Doodle Home, a digital platform for residential interior designers. Doodle Home was sold to

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Dering Hall in 2015. Jennifer is active with a number of nonprofits focused on the arts, Jewish causes and finding a cure for neurofibromatosis (NF). She is President of NF Forward, Chair of the Cranbrook Academy of Art Board of Governors and serves on the board of the Detroit Institute of Arts. Jennifer founded the Detroit Art Collection to beautify and inspire public spaces and structures in downtown Detroit with sculptural and mixed media works from local, as well as national artists, galleries and dealers. Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design at Michigan State University. We believe Jennifer is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors due to her significant business and leadership experience.

Matthew Rizik

        Matthew Rizik is a Director of the Issuer, a position he has held since March 2020. Matthew is also a Director of RHI, see "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Organization and Structure—We will share our Chief Executive Officer and certain directors with RHI, our Chief Executive Officer will not devote his full time and attention to our affairs, and the overlap may give rise to conflicts." Matthew joined RHI in 2012 as the Chief Tax Officer. Prior to joining RHI, Matthew was a tax partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Detroit, where he had over 31 years of experience serving banking and mortgage banking clients. Matthew currently serves as a board member of the Motown Museum Legacy Council, City Year, Gilbert Family Foundation and NF Forward. Matthew earned a bachelor's degree in accounting and a master's degree in business administration from Michigan State University. We believe Matthew is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors due to his significant accounting and tax experience in the mortgage industry.

Suzanne Shank

        Suzanne Shank will be a Director of the Issuer prior to the consummation of this offering. Suzanne is the President, CEO and co-founder of Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC, a full-service investment banking firm offering debt and equity origination services to a wide range of Fortune 500 companies and debt underwriting for municipal clients nationally. She has held this role since 2019. Previously, Ms. Shank was Chairperson and CEO of Siebert Cisneros Shank & Co., L.L.C., a firm which she co-founded in 1996. Suzanne currently serves as a Director of American Virtual Cloud Technologies, CMS Energy and Consumers Energy's Boards and is on the boards of the Skillman Foundation, the Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Regional Chamber (Executive Committee), the Bipartisan Policy Center Executive Council on Infrastructure, the Wharton Graduate Board of Trustees, and the Spelman College Board of Trustees, as well as on the SEC's Fixed Income Market Structure Advisory Committee. Suzanne earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a master's degree in business administration from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. We believe Suzanne is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors due to her extensive experience in financial services.

Nancy Tellem

        Nancy Tellem will be a Director of the Issuer prior to the consummation of this offering. Nancy is the Executive Chairperson of Eko, a media network that reimagines storytelling by using proprietary technology to create interactive stories that respond and leverage the interactive nature of today's media devices. Nancy has held this role since 2014. Nancy holds board and advisory positions at numerous digital and media-related companies, including Eko, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Nielsen, League Apps, KODE labs and is a board member of Cranbrook Art Academy and Museum and Seeds of Peace. Nancy has previously held executive positions at several leading entertainment companies, including Xbox Entertainment Studios, CBS, and Warner Brothers. Nancy earned a bachelor's degree from University of California, Berkeley, and a J.D. degree from UC Hastings College of the Law. We believe Nancy is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors due to her significant business and leadership experience.

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Controlled Company

        We intend to apply to list the shares of our Class A common stock offered in this offering on the Exchange. As RHI will continue to control more than 50% of our combined voting power upon the completion of this offering, we will be considered a "controlled company" for the purposes of the Exchange's rules and corporate governance standards. As a "controlled company," we will be permitted to, and we intend to, elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including (1) those that would otherwise require our board of directors to have a majority of independent directors, (2) those that would require that we establish a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors and (3) those that would require we have a nominating and corporate governance committee comprised entirely of independent directors, or otherwise ensure that the nominees for directors are determined or recommended to our board of directors by the independent members of our board of directors.

Director Independence

        The board of directors has determined that each of Nancy Tellem and Suzanne Shank are "independent directors" as such term is defined by the applicable rules and regulations of the Exchange. As allowed under the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the Exchange, we intend to appoint a third independent director within a year after the closing of this offering.

Board Composition

        Upon the consummation of the offering, our board of directors will consist of six directors. In accordance with our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, the number of directors on our board of directors will be determined from time to time by the board of directors.

        Each director is to hold office until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. Vacancies and newly created directorships on the board of directors may be filled at any time by the remaining directors or our stockholders, provided that, when the RHI Parties beneficially owns less than a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock, vacancies on our board of directors, whether resulting from an increase in the number of directors or the death, removal or resignation of a director, will be filled only by our board of directors and not by stockholders.

        Until the RHI Parties beneficially own less than a majority of the combined voting power of common stock, our certificate of incorporation will provide that any director may be removed with or without cause by the affirmative vote of a majority of our outstanding shares of common stock. After the RHI Parties beneficially own less than a majority of the combined voting power of the common stock, our certificate of incorporation will provide that any director may only be removed with cause by the affirmative vote of holders of 75% of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock eligible to vote in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. At any meeting of the board of directors, except as otherwise required by law, a majority of the total number of directors then in office will constitute a quorum for all purposes.

        Our certificate of incorporation will provide that the board of directors will be divided into three classes of directors, with staggered three-year terms, with the classes to be as nearly equal in number as possible. As a result, approximately one-third of the board of directors will be elected each year. The classification of directors has the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of the board of directors. In connection with this offering, Jay Farner and Jennifer Gilbert will be designated as Class I directors, Dan Gilbert and Nancy Tellem will be designated as Class II directors, and Matthew Rizik and Suzanne Shank will be designated as Class III directors.

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Board Committees

        Following the completion of this offering, the board committees will include an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee. In addition, we intend to avail ourselves of the "controlled company" exception under the rules of the Exchange which exempts us from certain requirements, including the requirements that we have a majority of independent directors on our board of directors and that we have compensation and nominating and corporate governance committees composed entirely of independent directors. We will, however, remain subject to the requirement that we have an audit committee composed entirely of independent members by the end of the transition period for companies listing in connection with an initial public offering.

        If at any time we cease to be a "controlled company" under the rules of the Exchange, the board of directors will take all action necessary to comply with the applicable rules of the Exchange, including appointing a majority of independent directors to the board of directors and establishing certain committees composed entirely of independent directors, subject to a permitted "phase-in" period.

Audit Committee

        Our audit committee assists the board in monitoring the audit of our financial statements, our independent auditors' qualifications and independence, the performance of our audit function and independent auditors and our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The audit committee has direct responsibility for the appointment, compensation, retention (including termination) and oversight of our independent auditors, and our independent auditors report directly to the audit committee. The audit committee will also review and approve related party transactions as required by the rules of the Exchange.

        Upon the completion of this offering, Nancy Tellem, Suzanne Shank and Matthew Rizik are expected to be the members of our audit committee. The board of directors has determined that each of Nancy Tellem and Suzanne Shank qualifies as an "audit committee financial expert" as such term is defined under the rules of the SEC implementing Section 407 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 ("Sarbanes-Oxley") and that Nancy Tellem is "independent" for purposes of Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act and under the listing standards of the Exchange. Accordingly, we are relying on the phase-in provisions of Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act and the Exchange transition rules applicable to companies completing an initial public offering, and we plan to have an audit committee comprised solely of independent directors that are independent for purposes of serving on an audit committee within one year of our listing. We believe that the functioning of our audit committee complies with the applicable requirements of the SEC and the Exchange.

Compensation Committee

        Our compensation committee reviews and recommends policies relating to compensation and benefits of our directors and employees and is responsible for approving the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer. Our compensation committee will also administer the issuance of awards under our 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan.

        Upon the completion of this offering, Dan Gilbert, Matthew Rizik and Nancy Tellem are expected to be the members of our compensation committee. Because we will be a "controlled company" under the rules of the Exchange, our compensation committee is not required to be fully independent, although if such rules change in the future or we no longer meet the definition of a controlled company under the current rules, we will adjust the composition of the compensation committee accordingly in order to comply with such rules.

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Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

        Our nominating and corporate governance committee recommends that the board of directors select candidates for election to our board of directors, develops and recommends to the board of directors corporate governance guidelines that are applicable to us and oversees board of director and management evaluations.

        Upon the completion of this offering, Dan Gilbert, Jay Farner and Matthew Rizik are expected to be the members of our nominating and corporate governance committee. Because we will be a "controlled company" under the rules of the Exchange, our nominating and corporate governance committee is not required to be fully independent, although if such rules change in the future or we no longer meet the definition of a controlled company under the current rules, we will adjust the composition of the nominating and corporate governance committee accordingly in order to comply with such rules.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

        Upon consummation of this offering, our board of directors will adopt a code of business conduct and ethics that will apply to all of our directors, officers and employees and is intended to comply with the relevant listing requirements for a code of conduct as well as qualify as a "code of ethics" as defined by the rules of the SEC. The code of business conduct and ethics will contain general guidelines for conducting our business consistent with the highest standards of business ethics. We intend to disclose future amendments to certain provisions of our code of business conduct and ethics, or waivers of such provisions applicable to any principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer and controller, or persons performing similar functions, and our directors, on our website at ir.rocketcompanies.com. Following the consummation of this offering, the code of business conduct and ethics will be available on our website.

Board Leadership Structure and Board's Role in Risk Oversight

        The board of directors has an oversight role, as a whole and also at the committee level, in overseeing management of the Company's risks. The board of directors regularly reviews information regarding our credit, liquidity and operations, as well as the risks associated with each. Following the completion of this offering, the compensation committee will be responsible for overseeing the management of risks relating to employee compensation plans and arrangements and the audit committee will oversee the management of financial risks. While each committee will be responsible for evaluating certain risks and overseeing the management of such risks, the entire board of directors will be regularly informed through committee reports about such risks.

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Introduction

        This Compensation Discussion and Analysis ("CD&A") provides information regarding the executive compensation programs for the individuals we currently expect to serve as our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and the other executive officers who we expect to designate upon completion of this offering (the "named executive officers"):

Name
  Title
Jay Farner   Chief Executive Officer
Julie Booth   Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
Robert Walters   President and Chief Operating Officer
Angelo Vitale   General Counsel and Secretary

        As a newly formed company immediately prior to this offering, we did not have executive officers for fiscal year 2019. Rather, our named executive officers for fiscal year 2019 were officers of our parent, Rock Holdings Inc. ("RHI") and/or Quicken Loans Inc. ("Quicken Loans"), one of our key operating subsidiaries. Our business operated as part of RHI prior to this offering, and the compensation elements, decisions and objectives for fiscal year 2019 were determined by RHI, which are described below. During 2019, our named executive officers performed roles for both our business and other RHI entities and affiliates. Accordingly, the compensation described in this CD&A and reported in the accompanying tables represents the 2019 compensation for services by our named executive officers to our business, as reflected in our audited financial statements.

        Following this offering, Julie Booth, Bob Walters and Angelo Vitale will devote their full time business efforts to our business and Julie, Bob and Angelo will no longer be officers of RHI. Although Jay Farner will continue to be an executive officer and have duties to RHI following the offering, he will devote a majority of his time to our business.

        In compliance with SEC rules, the information described herein is largely historical but we expect to adopt a public company compensation structure for our executive officers following the completion of this offering. We expect that a newly formed Compensation Committee will work with management to develop and maintain a compensation framework following this offering that is appropriate and competitive for a public company, and will establish executive compensation objectives and programs that are appropriate for executive officers of a public company.

Compensation Objectives and Philosophy

        The objective of the executive compensation and benefits program is to establish and maintain a competitive total compensation program that will attract, motivate, and retain the qualified and skilled talent necessary for our continued success. The RHI compensation structure is designed to give executives equity stakes, motivate our named executive officers to achieve or exceed discretionary objectives and reward them for their achievements when those objectives are met.

        The overall level of total compensation for our named executive officers as described herein is intended to be reasonable and competitive, taking into account factors such as the individual's experience, performance, duties and scope of responsibilities, prior contributions and future potential contributions to our business. RHI's compensation plans are designed to align with business strategies, taking into account external market conditions and internal equity issues. With these principles in mind, RHI structured its compensation program to offer competitive total pay packages that it believes enables it to retain and motivate executives with the requisite skill and knowledge and to ensure the stability of its management team, which is vital to the success of its and our business.

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Setting Executive Compensation in 2019

        Prior to this offering, compensation for Jay Farner was determined by Dan Gilbert, Chairman of the Board of Directors of RHI, and compensation for our other named executive officers was determined by Jay following consultation with Dan. In setting an individual named executive officer's compensation package, Dan considered the nature of the position, the scope of associated responsibilities, the individual's knowledge, experience and skills as well as overall contributions. RHI did not engage in any benchmarking and did not engage any external consultants in setting pay for the named executive officers in fiscal year 2019.

        Historically, compensation for the named executive officers emphasized equity compensation over other elements of cash compensation because RHI believes that its compensation objectives are better achieved through a straightforward compensation program focused on achievement of long-term value creation and growth.

        In connection with this offering, we have engaged Korn Ferry to advise on compensation, equity ownership and compensation structures for fiscal year 2020 and after.

Key Elements of Executive Compensation Program

        The elements of the executive compensation program that applied to our named executive officers prior to this offering were base salary, discretionary cash bonuses, equity-based compensation in the form of restricted stock units of RHI, as well as, certain employee benefits. Brief descriptions of each principal element of the executive compensation program are summarized in the following table and described in more detail below.

Overview

Compensation Element
  Brief Description   Objectives
Base Salary   Fixed compensation that reflects the talent, skills and competencies of the individual   Provide a competitive, fixed level of cash compensation to attract and retain talented and skilled executives

Discretionary Cash Bonus

 

Discretionary variable cash compensation earned based on an assessment of individual performance

 

Retain and motivate executives by supporting a culture where employees are rewarded for superior individual performance

Restricted Stock Units

 

Equity-linked compensation with respect to RHI common stock, which vests based on continued service

 

Awards assist in retaining executives and are designed to drive our long-term strategic business objectives and increase investor value over the long-term

Employee Benefits and Perquisites

 

Participation in all broad-based employee health and welfare programs and retirement plans

 

Aid in retention of key executives in a highly competitive market for talent by providing an overall competitive benefits package

Base Salary

        Base salaries are established at levels that are intended to provide a stable level of minimum compensation to each named executive officer that are commensurate with each named executive officer's role, experience and duties.

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        The fiscal year 2019 base salaries of our named executive officers for services to our business as reflected in our audited financial statements are set forth in the table below.

Name
  Fiscal Year
2019 Base Salary
 

Jay Farner

  $ 650,000  

Julie Booth

 
$

350,000
 

Robert Walters

 
$

255,000
 

Angelo Vitale

 
$

300,000
 

Cash Bonuses

        There are no target bonus awards with pre-set performance goals that were required to be met for fiscal year 2019. Rather, Jay Farner determines bonuses for the named executive officers other than himself, and Jay's bonus, to the extent applicable, is determined by Dan Gilbert, in each case, after taking into account a qualitative assessment of individual performance. To the extent applicable, the discretionary cash bonuses reward financial performance and individual performance in the context of RHI's growing and dynamic business. In fiscal year 2019, only Julie Booth and Angelo Vitale received a discretionary cash bonus for services in 2019. Jay received a bonus in fiscal year 2019 that was applied to satisfy withholding taxes payable upon the vesting and settlement of his restricted stock units. In addition, all team members, including the named executive officers, received a $600 company-wide bonus in recognition of outstanding company performance in fiscal year 2019. Because we had no definite annual bonus targets, the cash bonuses paid to Jay, Julie, Bob and Angelo appear in the "Bonus" column of the "Summary Compensation Table." Following this offering, our Compensation Committee will review and approve the amount of any bonuses annually in order to make sure they continue to be effective at rewarding performance and retaining our executives.

RHI Equity Plan

        Our named executive officers did not receive any equity grants in 2019, but had received equity grants in prior years.

        RHI established the Rock Holdings Inc. 2015 Equity Compensation Plan (the "Equity Plan") as a platform to grant equity awards to its key employees, including our named executive officers. Our named executive officers and other senior leadership team members, have historically been granted awards of restricted stock units under the Equity Plan which are settled in shares of RHI common stock following each vesting date.

        On December 22, 2017, each of the named executive officers received a restricted stock unit award under the Equity Plan, which generally vests over a four year period subject to the executive officers' continued employment through each applicable vesting date, provided that, in the case of Jay Farner, continued employment is not required if his employment was terminated other than due to his resignation or death.

        The Equity Plan also provides for a limited, one-time put right if the participant is terminated due to death or disability, without cause from a Rock Entity (defined below) or his or her voluntary resignation at a time when the participant's age and years of service are at least 75 (a "qualifying termination"). Subject to certain limitations, a participant may request within ninety days of a qualifying termination (or, in the case of death, one year), that RHI repurchase all or some of the participant's vested RHI common stock acquired under the Equity Plan. Any proceeds from the exercise of the put right is paid over four years, with 20% of the proceeds paid on the closing date

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of the repurchase and the remaining 80% paid in equal installments on each of the first four anniversaries of the closing date. Under the Equity Plan, a "Rock Entity" means, RHI and any other corporation or other entity which is both (A) directly or indirectly wholly-owned by RHI and (B) treated as a disregarded entity for federal income tax purposes.

        Upon the consummation of a change in control of RHI, any then unvested RHI restricted stock unit awards will become 100% vested, subject to the named executive officer's continued employment through such date, provided that, in the case of Jay Farner, continued employment is not required if his employment is terminated other than due to his resignation or death. For purposes of the RHI restricted stock unit awards, a "change in control" generally means (i) the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Rock Entities, determined on a consolidated basis, (2) the sale of more than 50% of the common shares of RHI or (iii) a merger, reorganization or similar transaction involving RHI where less than 50% of the equity interest in the resulting entity is held by the beneficial owners of RHI prior to the transaction. As of December 31, 2019, the dollar value of the acceleration of RHI restricted stock unit awards held by our named executive officers are the values set forth below in the "Outstanding RHI Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End" table, and in the case of Jay, an additional amount to satisfy the withholding taxes owed in connection with such vesting as discussed in the footnotes to the "Summary Compensation Table."

        In determining the size of the restricted stock unit awards granted to our named executive officers in 2017, Jay Farner and Dan Gilbert took into account the named executive officer's level of responsibility within RHI and potential to improve the long-term, overall value of the business.

        In the future, we plan to continue to use long-term incentives as a component of our named executive officer's compensation by granting shares of our Class A common stock, restricted stock units and/or options to purchase shares of our Class A common stock.

Employee Benefits and Perquisites

        We provide a number of benefit plans to all eligible team members, including our named executive officers. These benefits include programs such as medical, dental, life insurance, business travel accident insurance, short- and long-term disability coverage and a 401(k) defined contribution plan.

        While perquisites help to provide our named executive officers a benefit with a high perceived value at a relatively low cost, we do not generally view perquisites as a material component of our executive compensation program. Among the perquisites we provide, certain of our named executive officers receive coordination support related to tax preparation services, bring guests when traveling on business-related trips, bring guests to a variety of business and social events and may participate in an executive physician program. For fiscal year 2019, the aggregate value of all perquisites provided to each of the named executives officers was less than $10,000. In the future, we may provide additional or different perquisites or other personal benefits in limited circumstances, such as where we believe doing so is appropriate to assist an executive in the performance of his or her duties, to make our named executive officers more efficient and effective and for recruitment, motivation and/or retention purposes.

Looking Ahead: Post-IPO Compensation Program Features

IPO Equity Grants

        In connection with this offering, we intend to grant equity awards under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan (a description of which is provided below) to certain directors, employees and other service providers, including the named executive officers, consisting of restricted stock units with an approximate aggregate grant date value of $304.9 million and stock options with an approximate

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aggregate grant date value of $130.2 million. The number of restricted stock units that will be issued will be equal to the grant date value divided by our public offering price, and the number of stock options that will be issued will be equal to the grant date value of such stock options divided by the Black-Scholes value of an option to purchase one share of our Class A common stock. In particular, it is anticipated that our named executive officers will, in the aggregate, receive new equity awards of 3,291,181 Class A common stock, with Jay, Julie, Bob and Angelo receiving 728,571, 267,857, 321,429 and 160,714 restricted stock units, respectively, and 893,170, 328,371, 394,046 and 197,023 stock options, respectively. The foregoing amounts with respect to the named executive officers are based on the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. The restricted stock units granted to the named executive officers will vest in three equal installments of 33.33% on each of the first three anniversaries of the date of grant, and the stock options granted to the named executive officers will vest as to 33.33% on the first anniversary of the date of grant and monthly thereafter over the next 24 months, subject in all cases to continued employment on the applicable vesting date.

Tax Considerations

        For income tax purposes, public companies may not deduct any portion of compensation that is in excess of $1 million paid in a taxable year to certain "covered employees," including our named executive officers, under Section 162(m) of the Code. Even if Section 162(m) of the Code were to apply to compensation paid to our named executive officers, our board of directors believes that it should not be constrained by the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code if those requirements would impair flexibility in compensating our named executive officers in a manner that can best promote our corporate objectives. We intend to continue to compensate our executive officers in a manner consistent with the best interests of our stockholders and reserve the right to award compensation that may not be deductible under Section 162(m) where the Company believes it is appropriate to do so.

        Section 409A of the Code requires that "nonqualified deferred compensation" be deferred and paid under plans or arrangements that satisfy the requirements of the statute with respect to the timing of deferral elections, timing of payments and certain other matters. Failure to satisfy these requirements can expose employees and other service providers to accelerated income tax liabilities, penalty taxes and interest on their vested compensation under such plans. Accordingly, as a general matter, it is our intention to design and administer our compensation and benefits plans and arrangements for all of our employees and other service providers, including our named executive officers, so that they are either exempt from, or satisfy the requirements of, Section 409A.

Risk Analysis

        Prior to the offering we will have reviewed our employee compensation policies, plans and practices to determine if they create incentives or encourage behavior that is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company and we believe that there are no unmitigated risks created by our compensation policies, plans and practices that create incentives or encourage behavior that is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us.

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Summary Compensation Table

        The following table shows the compensation earned by our named executive officers for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019 for services to our business, as reflected in our audited financial statements.

Name and Principal Position
  Year   Salary($)   Bonus($)   All Other
Compensation
($)(2)
  Total ($)  

Jay Farner

                               

Chief Executive Officer

    2019     650,000     11,075,567 (1)   2,500     11,728,067  

Julie Booth

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer

    2019     350,000     100,600 (1)   2,500     453,100  

Robert Walters

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

President & Chief Operating Officer

    2019     255,000     600 (1)   2,500     258,100  

Angelo Vitale

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

General Counsel & Secretary

    2019     300,000     100,600 (1)   2,500     403,100  

(1)
The amounts set forth in this column represent (i) for Jay Farner, $11,074,967 paid in the form of a cash payment he used to satisfy the withholding taxes owed in connection with the vesting and settlement of a restricted stock unit award, and a company-wide performance bonus of $600, (ii) for each of Julie Booth and Angelo Vitale, a discretionary bonus of $100,000 and a company-wide performance bonus of $600, and (iii) for Bob Walters a company-wide performance bonus of $600.

(2)
The amount reported in this column represents matching contributions to their 401(k) plan accounts.

Grants of Plan-Based Awards for Fiscal Year 2019

        No grants of plan-based awards were made to our named executive officers in fiscal year 2019.

Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table

Jay Farner Compensation

        As discussed above in the CD&A, Jay Farner's salary and bonus in proportion to his total compensation reflects RHI's emphasis on variable compensation, rather than base salary, in its compensation program.

Employment Agreements

        In connection with this offering, Jay, Julie and Angelo will enter into employment agreements with Holdings, and Bob will enter into an employment agreement with Quicken Loans, in each case, effective as of the effective date of this offering. Pursuant to each employment agreement, each of the named executive officers will be paid an annual base salary and will be eligible to receive an annual bonus based on the satisfaction of certain business objectives and/or criteria as determined in the sole discretion of the compensation committee of the board of directors. Each named executive officer's employment agreement also provides for post-termination restrictive covenant provisions, including perpetual non-disclosure of confidential information, 18-month non-competition, 18-month non-solicitation of employees, customers, clients and vendors and perpetual non-disparagement covenants.

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Outstanding RHI Equity Awards at 2019 Fiscal Year End

        The following table provides information about the outstanding RHI equity awards held by our named executive officers as of December 31, 2019 attributable to services to our business, as reflected in our audited financial statements.

Name
  Grant Date   Number of
Shares
That Have
Not Vested
(#)(1)
  Market Value
of Shares
That Have
Not Vested
($)(2)
 

Jay Farner

                   

RHI Restricted Stock Units

    12/22/2017     155,000     35,650,000  

Julie Booth

   
 
   
 
   
 
 

RHI Restricted Stock Units

    12/22/2017     10,000     2,300,000  

Robert Walters

   
 
   
 
   
 
 

RHI Restricted Stock Units

    12/22/2017     76,040     17,489,200  

Angelo Vitale

   
 
   
 
   
 
 

RHI Restricted Stock Units

    12/22/2017     3,000     690,000  

(1)
As of December 31, 2019, the RHI restricted stock units reported in this column were scheduled to vest in equal installments on each of October 31, 2020 and October 31, 2021, subject to continued employment through each such date, provided that, in Jay Farner's case, continued employment is not required if his employment was terminated other than due to his resignation or death. In February of 2020, the 77,500, 5,000, 38,020 and 1,500 RHI restricted stock units scheduled to vest on October 31, 2020 for Jay, Julie, Bob and Angelo, respectively, became immediately vested, and in May of 2020, the 77,500, 5,000, 38,020 and 1,500 RHI restricted stock units scheduled to vest on October 31, 2021 for Jay, Julie, Bob and Angelo, respectively, became immediately vested.

(2)
As of December 31, 2019, there was no public market for the equity awards, and thus the market values reflected in the table above are based on a valuation performed by a third-party firm to estimate the fair market value of RHI utilizing a discounted cash flow methodology with adjustments for certain assets and liabilities and other relevant discounts.

Stock Vested During Fiscal Year 2019

        The following table sets forth information regarding the restricted stock units of RHI attributable to services to our business, as reflected in our audited financial statements, that vested during fiscal year 2019 for each of the named executive officers.

Name
  Number of
Shares Acquired on
Vesting (#)
  Value
Realized on
Vesting ($)(1)
 

Jay Farner

    77,500     13,640,000  

Julie Booth

    5,000     880,000  

Robert Walters

    38,020     6,691,520  

Angelo Vitale

    1,500     264,000  

(1)
On October 31, 2019 (i.e., the vesting date for the awards set forth above) there was no public market for the equity awards, and thus the market values reflected in the table above are based on a valuation performed by a third-party firm to estimate the fair market value of RHI utilizing a discounted cash flow methodology with adjustments for certain assets and liabilities and other relevant discounts.

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Retirement Benefits

        RHI sponsors a 401(k) plan, which is a U.S. tax-qualified retirement plan offered to all eligible employees, including our named executive officers, that permits eligible employees to elect to defer a portion of their compensation on a pre-tax basis. We do not maintain any defined benefit pension plans or any nonqualified deferred compensation plans.

Potential Payments upon Termination of Employment or Change in Control of the Company

        Except as may otherwise be provided in any applicable equity award agreement granted in connection with this offering, none of our named executive officers are entitled to any payments upon a termination of employment or upon a change in control of the Company.

Compensation of our Directors

        Prior to the formation of the Company we did not have a board of directors. In connection with the consummation of this offering, we will implement a policy pursuant to which each director who is not affiliated with the Company or RHI ("Non-Affiliated Director") will receive an annual retainer fee of $50,000, a meeting fee of $3,000 per meeting and an annual restricted stock unit award with a grant date value of $200,000 which will vest in full on the date of our annual shareholder meeting immediately following the date of grant, in each case, subject to the Non-Affiliated Director continuing in service through such meeting date. In addition, each Non-Affiliated Director will be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses in connection with their services. At the effective time of this offering, each Non-Affiliated Director will receive the full amount of his or her annual restricted stock unit grant, and at our first annual meeting, each Non-Affiliated Director will receive a prorated amount to reflect the period of time between the effective date of this offering and our first annual meeting. Affiliated directors, or directors who are employees or executives of the Company, or who provide services to RHI or any of its subsidiaries, will not be receiving compensation for their services as directors.

2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan

        Our board of directors and stockholders plan to adopt the Rocket Companies, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the "2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan") to become effective upon the consummation of this offering. The following is a summary of certain terms and conditions of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan attached as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. You are encouraged to read the full 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan.

        Administration.    Our board of directors (or subcommittee thereof) will administer the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The board of directors will have the authority to determine the terms and conditions of any agreements evidencing any awards granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and to adopt, alter and repeal rules, guidelines and practices relating to the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The board of directors will have full discretion to administer and interpret the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and to adopt such rules, regulations and procedures as it deems necessary or advisable and to determine, among other things, the time or times at which the awards may be exercised and whether and under what circumstances an award may be exercised.

        Eligibility.    Any current or prospective employees, directors, officers, consultants or advisors of the Company or its affiliates who are selected by the board of directors (or its designate) will be eligible for awards under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. Except as otherwise required by applicable law or regulation or stock exchange rules, the board of directors (or its designate) will have the sole and complete authority to determine who will be granted an award under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan.

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        Number of Shares Authorized.    The 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan provides for 94,736,842 shares of our Class A common stock (representing 4.5% of the shares of our Class A common stock on a fully diluted basis taking into account the conversion of all shares of our Class D common stock and assuming that all shares available for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and ESPP (described below) are issued and outstanding). In addition, the number of shares of our Class A common stock reserved for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan will automatically increase on the first day of each fiscal year or such other day as determined by the board of directors, commencing with fiscal year 2021 and ending with fiscal year 2025, in an amount equal to 1% of the total number of shares of our Class A common stock outstanding as of the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year on a fully diluted basis taking into account the conversion of all shares of our Class D common stock and assuming that all shares available for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and ESPP are issued and outstanding, or a lesser number of shares determined by our board of directors. No more than 47,368,421 shares of our Class A common stock (representing 50% of our initial share pool) may be issued with respect to incentive stock options under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The maximum grant date value of cash and equity awards that may be awarded to a non-employee director under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan during any one fiscal year, taken together with any cash fees paid to such non-employee director during such fiscal year, will be $750,000. Shares of our Class A common stock subject to awards are generally unavailable for future grant. If any award granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan expires, terminates, is canceled or forfeited without being settled or exercised, or if a stock appreciation right is settled in cash or otherwise without the issuance of shares of our Class A common stock, shares of our Class A common stock subject to such award will again be made available for future grants. In addition, if any shares of our Class A common stock are surrendered or tendered to pay the exercise price of an award or to satisfy withholding taxes owed, such shares of our Class A common stock will again be available for grants under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan.

        Change in Capitalization.    If there is a change in our capitalization in the event of a stock or extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, split-off, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of shares of our Class A common stock or other relevant change in capitalization or applicable law or circumstances, such that the board of directors determines that an adjustment to the terms of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan (or awards thereunder) is necessary or appropriate, then the board of directors may make adjustments in a manner that it deems equitable. Such adjustments may be to the number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, the number of shares covered by awards then outstanding under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, the limitations on awards under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, the exercise price of outstanding options and such other equitable substitution or adjustments as it may determine appropriate.

        Awards Available for Grant.    The board of directors may grant awards of non-qualified stock options, incentive (qualified) stock options, stock appreciation rights ("SARs"), restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, other stock-based awards, performance compensation awards (including cash bonus awards), other cash-based awards, deferred awards or any combination of the foregoing. Awards may be granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by an entity acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines (which are referred to herein as "Substitute Awards").

        Stock Options.    The board of directors will be authorized to grant options to purchase shares of our Class A common stock that are either "qualified," meaning they are intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 422 of the Code for incentive stock options, or "non-qualified," meaning they are not intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 422 of the Code. All options granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan will be non-qualified unless the applicable award agreement

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expressly states that the option is intended to be an "incentive stock option." Options granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan will be subject to the terms and conditions established by the board of directors. Under the terms of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, the exercise price of the options will not be less than the fair market value of our Class A common stock at the time of grant (except with respect to Substitute Awards). Options granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan will be subject to such terms, including the exercise price and the conditions and timing of exercise, as may be determined by the board of directors and specified in the applicable award agreement. The maximum term of an option granted under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan will be ten years from the date of grant (or five years in the case of a qualified option granted to a 10% stockholder), provided that, if the term of a non-qualified option would expire at a time when trading in the shares of our Class A common stock is prohibited by the Company's insider trading policy, the option's term may be automatically extended until the 30th day following the expiration of such prohibition (as long as such extension will not violate Section 409A of the Code). Payment in respect of the exercise of an option may be made in cash, by check, by cash equivalent, and/or shares of our Class A common stock valued at the fair market value at the time the option is exercised (provided that such shares are not subject to any pledge or other security interest), or by such other method as the board of directors may permit in its sole discretion, including: (i) in other property having a fair market value equal to the exercise price and all applicable required withholding taxes, (ii) if there is a public market for the shares of our Class A common stock at such time, by means of a broker-assisted cashless exercise mechanism or (iii) by means of a "net exercise" procedure effected by withholding the minimum number of shares otherwise deliverable in respect of an option that are needed to pay the exercise price and all applicable required withholding taxes. Any fractional shares of Class A common stock will be settled in cash.

        Stock Appreciation Rights.    The board of directors will be authorized to award SARs under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. SARs will be subject to the terms and conditions established by the board of directors. A SAR is a contractual right that allows a participant to receive, either in the form of cash, shares or any combination of cash and shares, the appreciation, if any, in the value of a share over a certain period of time. Except as otherwise provided by the board of directors (in the case of Substitute Awards), the strike price per share of our Class A common stock for each SAR will not be less than 100% of the fair market value of such share, determined as of the date of grant. The remaining terms of the SARs will be established by the board of directors and reflected in the award agreement.

        Restricted Stock.    The board of directors will be authorized to grant restricted stock under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, which will be subject to the terms and conditions established by the board of directors. Restricted stock is Class A common stock that generally is non-transferable and is subject to other restrictions determined by the board of directors for a specified period. Any accumulated dividends will be payable at the same time as the underlying restricted stock vests.

        Restricted Stock Unit Awards.    The board of directors will be authorized to award restricted stock unit awards, which will be subject to the terms and conditions established by the board of directors. A restricted stock unit award, once vested, may be settled in common shares equal to the number of units earned, or in cash equal to the fair market value of the number of vested shares, at the election of the board of directors. Restricted stock units may be settled at the expiration of the period over which the units are to be earned or at a later date selected by the board of directors. The board of directors (or subcommittee thereof) may specify in an award agreement that any or all dividends, dividend equivalents or other distributions, as applicable, paid on awards prior to vesting or settlement, as applicable, be paid either in cash or in additional shares, either on a current or deferred basis, and that such dividends, dividend equivalents or other distributions may be reinvested in additional shares, which may be subject to the same restrictions as the underlying awards.

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        Deferred Awards.    The board of directors will be authorized to grant deferred awards, which may be a right to receive shares or cash (either independently or as an element of or supplement to any other award), including, as may be required by any applicable law or regulations or determined by the board of directors (or subcommittee thereof), in lieu of any annual bonus, commission or retainer plan or arrangement under such terms and conditions as the board of directors may determine and as set forth in the applicable award agreement.

        Other Stock-Based Awards.    The board of directors will be authorized to grant awards of unrestricted shares of our Class A common stock, rights to receive grants of awards at a future date or other awards denominated in shares of our Class A common stock under such terms and conditions as the board of directors may determine and as set forth in the applicable award agreement.

        Nontransferability.    Each award may be exercised during the participant's lifetime by the participant or, if permissible under applicable law, by the participant's guardian or legal representative. No award may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution unless the board of directors permits the award to be transferred to a permitted transferee (as defined in the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan).

        Amendment.    The 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan will have a term of ten years. Our board of directors may amend, suspend or terminate the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan at any time, subject to stockholder approval if necessary to comply with any tax, or other applicable regulatory requirement. No amendment, suspension or termination will materially and adversely affect the rights of any participant or recipient of any award without the consent of the participant or recipient.

        The board of directors may, to the extent consistent with the terms of any applicable award agreement, 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; provided that any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any participant or any holder or beneficiary of any option theretofore granted will not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected participant, holder or beneficiary. The board of directors may, absent shareholder approval, (i) effectuate an amendment or modification that reduces the option price of any option or the strike price of any SAR, (ii) cancel any outstanding option and replace with a new option (with a lower exercise price) or cancel any SAR and replace it with a new SAR (with a lower strike price) or other award or cash in a manner that would be treated as a repricing (for compensation disclosure or accounting purposes) and (iii) take any other action considered a repricing for purposes of the stockholder approval rules of the applicable securities exchange on which our Class A common stock are listed.

        Clawback/Forfeiture.    Awards may be subject to clawback or forfeiture 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 New York Stock Exchange or other applicable securities exchange, or if so required pursuant to a written policy adopted by the Company or the provisions of an award agreement.

U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

        The following is a general summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the grant and exercise and vesting of awards under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and the disposition of shares acquired pursuant to the exercise or settlement of such awards and

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is intended to reflect the current provisions of the Code and the regulations thereunder. This summary is not intended to be a complete statement of applicable law, nor does it address foreign, state, local and payroll tax considerations. This summary assumes that all awards described in the summary are exempt from, or comply with, the requirement of Section 409A of the Code. Moreover, the U.S. federal income tax consequences to any particular participant may differ from those described herein by reason of, among other things, the particular circumstances of such participant.

        Stock Options.    The Code requires that, for treatment of an option as an incentive stock option, shares of our Class A common stock acquired through the exercise of an incentive stock option cannot be disposed of before the later of (i) two years from the date of grant of the option, or (ii) one year from the date of exercise. Holders of incentive stock options will generally incur no federal income tax liability at the time of grant or upon exercise of those options. However, the spread at exercise will be an "item of tax preference," which may give rise to "alternative minimum tax" liability for the taxable year in which the exercise occurs. If the holder does not dispose of the shares before two years following the date of grant and one year following the date of exercise, the difference between the exercise price and the amount realized upon disposition of the shares will constitute long-term capital gain or loss, as the case may be. Assuming both holding periods are satisfied, no deduction will be allowed to us for federal income tax purposes in connection with the grant or exercise of the incentive stock option. If, within two years following the date of grant or within one year following the date of exercise, the holder of shares acquired through the exercise of an incentive stock option disposes of those shares, the participant will generally realize taxable compensation at the time of such disposition equal to the difference between the exercise price and the lesser of the fair market value of the share on the date of exercise or the amount realized on the subsequent disposition of the shares, and that amount will generally be deductible by us for federal income tax purposes, subject to the possible limitations on deductibility under Sections 280G and 162(m) of the Code for compensation paid to executives designated in those Sections. Finally, if an incentive stock option becomes first exercisable in any one year for shares having an aggregate value in excess of $100,000 (based on the grant date value), the portion of the incentive stock option in respect of those excess shares will be treated as a non-qualified stock option for federal income tax purposes. No income will be realized by a participant upon grant of an option that does not qualify as an incentive stock option (a "non-qualified stock option"). Upon the exercise of a non-qualified stock option, the participant will recognize ordinary compensation income in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the underlying exercised shares over the option exercise price paid at the time of exercise and the participant's tax basis will equal the sum of the compensation income recognized and the exercise price. We will be able to deduct this same amount for U.S. federal income tax purposes, but such deduction may be limited under Sections 280G and 162(m) of the Code for compensation paid to certain executives designated in those Sections. In the event of a sale of shares received upon the exercise of a non-qualified stock option, any appreciation or depreciation after the exercise date generally will be taxed as capital gain or loss and will be long-term gain or loss if the holding period for such shares is more than one year.

        SARs.    No income will be realized by a participant upon grant of a SAR. Upon the exercise of a SAR, the participant will recognize ordinary compensation income in an amount equal to the fair market value of the payment received in respect of the SAR. We will be able to deduct this same amount for U.S. federal income tax purposes, but such deduction may be limited under Sections 280G and 162(m) of the Code for compensation paid to certain executives designated in those Sections.

        Restricted Stock.    A participant will not be subject to tax upon the grant of an award of restricted stock unless the participant otherwise elects to be taxed at the time of grant pursuant to

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Section 83(b) of the Code. On the date an award of restricted stock becomes transferable or is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, the participant will have taxable compensation equal to the difference between the fair market value of the shares on that date over the amount the participant paid for such shares, if any, unless the participant made an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to be taxed at the time of grant. If the participant made an election under Section 83(b), the participant will have taxable compensation at the time of grant equal to the difference between the fair market value of the shares on the date of grant over the amount the participant paid for such shares, if any. If the election is made, the participant will not be allowed a deduction for amounts subsequently required to be returned to us. (Special rules apply to the receipt and disposition of restricted shares received by officers and directors who are subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.) We will be able to deduct, at the same time as it is recognized by the participant, the amount of taxable compensation to the participant for U.S. federal income tax purposes, but such deduction may be limited under Sections 280G and 162(m) of the Code for compensation paid to certain executives designated in those Sections.

        Restricted Stock Units.    A participant will not be subject to tax upon the grant of a restricted stock unit award. Rather, upon the delivery of shares or cash pursuant to a restricted stock unit award, the participant will have taxable compensation equal to the fair market value of the number of shares (or the amount of cash) the participant actually receives with respect to the award. We will be able to deduct the amount of taxable compensation to the participant for U.S. federal income tax purposes, but the deduction may be limited under Sections 280G and 162(m) of the Code for compensation paid to certain executives designated in those Sections.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

        In connection with this offering, we expect to adopt an employee stock purchase plan, or ESPP, which permits our employees to contribute up to a specified percentage of base salary and commissions to purchase our shares at a discount. 10,526,316 number of shares of our Class A common stock will be available for issuance under the ESPP (representing 0.5% of the shares of our Class A common stock on a fully diluted basis taking into account the conversion of all shares of our Class D common stock and assuming that all shares available for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and ESPP are issued and outstanding).

Stock Ownership Guidelines

        In connection with this offering, we intend to adopt stock ownership guidelines in order to further align the long-term interests of our executive officers and non-employee directors with those of our shareholders. Our stock ownership guidelines will generally require that our executive officers and non-employee directors own shares of our common stock having an aggregate value equal to a multiple of the executive officer's annual base salary or the non-employee director's annual cash retainer.

        Shares that count for purposes of ownership under the stock ownership guidelines include vested shares or units (including shares held through our 401(k) plan or shares purchased under the ESPP). Generally, each executive officer or non-employee director will have five years from the date he or she becomes subject to these guidelines to achieve compliance.

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PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

        The following table sets forth the beneficial ownership of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock by:

    each person, or group of affiliated persons, who we know to beneficially own more than 5% of any class or series of our capital stock;

    each of our named executive officers;

    each of our directors; and

    all of our executive officers and directors as a group.

        The numbers of shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock beneficially owned, percentages of beneficial ownership and percentages of combined voting power before and after this offering that are set forth below are based on the number of shares and Holdings Units to be issued and outstanding prior to and after this offering, in each case, after giving effect to the reorganization transactions. See "Organizational Structure." In addition, the percentage ownership assumes no purchase of our Class A common stock through the directed share program.

        The amounts and percentages of Class A common stock and Class B common stock beneficially owned are reported on the basis of the regulations of the SEC governing the determination of beneficial ownership of securities. Under these rules, a person is deemed to be a beneficial owner of a security if that person has or shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or to direct the voting of such security, or investment power, which includes the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of such security. A person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any securities of which that person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days. Under these rules, more than one person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of the same securities.

        Unless otherwise indicated, the address for each beneficial owner listed below is: 1050 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226.

        The following table assumes the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares is not exercised.

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Combined Voting
Power(4)
 
 
  Class A Common Stock Beneficially
Owned (on a fully exchanged and
converted basis)(1)(2)
  Class B Common Stock Beneficially
Owned (on a fully exchanged and
converted basis)(1)(3)
 
 
  Before this
Offering
  After this
Offering
 
 
  Before this Offering   After this Offering   Before this Offering   After this Offering  
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
  Number   Percentage   Number   Percentage   Number   Percentage   Number   Percentage   Percentage   Percentage  

5% Equityholders

                                                             

Rock Holdings Inc.(5)

    1,984,534,499     100 %   1,834,534,499     92 %   1,984,534,499     100 %   1,834,534,499     100 %   100 %   79 %

Directors and Named Executive Officers

                                                             

Daniel Gilbert(6)

    1,985,479,966     100 %   1,835,802,239     92 %   1,985,479,966     100 %   1,835,479,966     100 %   1.00     80 %

Jennifer Gilbert

                                         

Matthew Rizik

                                         

Jay Farner

                                         

Robert Walters

                                         

Julie Booth

                                         

Angelo Vitale

                                         

Suzanne Shank

                                         

Nancy Tellem

                                         

All directors and executive officers as a group (9 persons)

    1,985,479,966     100 %   1,835,802,239     92 %   1,985,479,966     100 %   1,835,479,966     100 %   100 %   80 %

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        The following table assumes the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full.

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Combined Voting
Power(4)
 
 
  Class A Common Stock Beneficially
Owned (on a fully exchanged and
converted basis)(1)(2)
  Class B Common Stock Beneficially
Owned (on a fully exchanged and
converted basis)(1)(3)
 
 
  Before this
Offering
  After this
Offering
 
 
  Before this Offering   After this Offering   Before this Offering   After this Offering  
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
  Number   Percentage   Number   Percentage   Number   Percentage   Number   Percentage   Percentage   Percentage  

5% Equityholders

                                                             

Rock Holdings Inc.(5)

    1,984,534,499     100 %   1,812,034,499     91 %   1,984,534,499     100 %   1,812,034,499     100 %   100 %   79 %

Directors and Named Executive

                                                             

Officers

                                                             

Daniel Gilbert(6)

    1,985,479,966     100 %   1,813,302,239     91 %   1,985,479,966     100 %   1,812,979,966     100 %   1.00     80 %

Jennifer Gilbert

                                         

Matthew Rizik

                                         

Jay Farner

                                         

Robert Walters

                                         

Julie Booth

                                         

Angelo Vitale

                                         

Suzanne Shank

                                         

Nancy Tellem

                                         

All directors and executive officers as a group (9 persons)

    1,985,479,966     100 %   1,813,302,239     91 %   1,985,479,966     100 %   1,812,979,966     100 %   100 %   80 %

(1)
Each holder of Class B common stock and Class D common stock is entitled to 10 votes per share and each holder of Class A common stock and Class C common stock is entitled to one vote per share on all matters submitted to our stockholders for a vote. Our Class C common stock and Class D common stock do not have any of the economic rights (including rights to dividends and distributions upon liquidation) associated with our Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Each share of our Class B common stock and Class D common stock, as applicable, will automatically convert into one share of Class A common stock or Class C common stock, as applicable, (a) immediately prior to any sale or other transfer of such share by a holder of such share, subject to certain limited exceptions, such as transfers to permitted transferees, or (b) if the RHI Parties own less than 10% of our issued and outstanding common stock. See "Description of Capital Stock."

(2)
The numbers of shares of Class A common stock beneficially owned and percentages of beneficial ownership set forth in the table assume that (a) all Holdings Units (together with the corresponding shares of Class D common stock) have been exchanged for shares of Class B common stock and (b) all shares of Class B common stock have been converted into shares of Class A common stock.

(3)
The numbers of shares of Class B common stock beneficially owned and percentages of beneficial ownership set forth in the table assume that all Holdings Units (together with the corresponding shares of Class D common stock) have been exchanged for shares of Class B common stock on a one-for-one basis.

(4)
Percentage of voting power represents voting power with respect to all shares of our Class A common stock, Class B common stock, Class C common stock and Class D common stock voting together as a single class. See "Description of Capital Stock."

(5)
RHI holds 1,834,534,499 Holdings Units and an equal number of shares of Class D common stock. RHI has the right at any time to (a) exchange any Holdings Units (together with a corresponding number of shares of Class D common stock) for, at our option (as the sole managing member of Holdings), (i) shares of our Class B common stock on a one-for-one basis or (ii) cash from a substantially concurrent public offering or private sale (based on the price of our Class A common stock in such public offering or private sale) and (b) convert shares of Class D common stock into a shares of Class B common stock on a one-for-one basis. See "Description of Capital Stock."

(6)
Dan Gilbert holds 945,467 Holdings Units and an equal number of shares of Class D common stock. Dan Gilbert has the right at any time to (a) exchange any Holdings Units (together with a corresponding number of shares of Class D common stock) for, at our option (as the sole managing member of Holdings), (i) shares of our Class B common stock on a one-for-one basis or (ii) cash (based on the market price of our Class A common stock) and (b) convert shares of Class D common stock into a shares of Class B common stock on a one-for-one basis. See "Description of Capital Stock." Additionally, Dan Gilbert is the majority shareholder of RHI and has voting and dispositive control, and beneficial ownership, with respect to the shares of our common stock held of record by RHI. Furthermore, Dan Gilbert is the beneficial owner of, and has voting and dispositive control, with respect to the 322,273 shares of our Class A common stock held of record by the Dan Gilbert and the Gilbert Affiliates.

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Rock Holdings Inc.

        RHI, our principal stockholder, is the controlling majority stockholder of several other businesses, including a technology services provider (Detroit Labs) and the preeminent online dictionary (Dictionary.com). Our executive officers and directors who are affiliated with RHI own common equity interests in RHI. Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, is the majority stockholder of RHI and serves as the chairman of RHI's board of directors.

        Prior to the consummation of this offering, certain of our directors and executive officers also served as directors and/or officers of RHI and its subsidiaries. Among our executive officers, prior to the consummation of this offering, Jay Farner, Bob Walters, Julie Booth and Angelo Vitale served as Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, and General Counsel, respectively, of RHI, and also held positions at certain of its subsidiaries. Prior to the consummation of this offering, Bob, Julie and Angelo ceased being officers of RHI and its subsidiaries (other than our Company and its subsidiaries).

        Following the consummation of this offering, Jay Farner, our Chief Executive Officer and one of our directors, will continue to serve as the Chief Executive Officer and director of RHI. Among our other directors, Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, Jennifer Gilbert and Matthew Rizik will continue to serve as directors of RHI and certain of our other affiliates. Additionally, Matthew will continue to serve as an officer of RHI and certain of its subsidiaries.

        In addition to RHI, Dan is the majority or controlling shareholder of a number of other entities with which we have historically entered into transactions and agreements, including the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, the real estate investment firm Bedrock and the unicorn online startup StockX. For more information on Dan, see "Management."

Reorganization Agreement

        In connection with the reorganization transactions, we will enter into a reorganization agreement and related agreements with RHI and Dan Gilbert, which will effect the reorganization transactions. See "Organizational Structure" for more information. As part of the reorganization transactions, Holdings will issue 1,984,534,499 Holdings Units to RHI and 945,467 Holdings Units to Dan Gilbert (assuming an initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus)).

Purchases from Equityholders

        Immediately following this offering, we will use the net proceeds from this offering to repurchase 150,000,000 Holdings Units and the corresponding shares of Class D common stock from RHI. We do not intend to use any proceeds from this offering to acquire any Holdings Units and shares of Class D common stock from Dan Gilbert.

Sales to the Gilbert Affiliates

        Prior to the completion of this offering, Dan Gilbert and the Gilbert Affiliates will acquire from us Class A common stock for an aggregate of $6.8 million in cash at the purchase price per share equal to the initial public offering price.

Operating Agreement of RKT Holdings, LLC

        In connection with the reorganization transactions, the Issuer, Holdings, RHI and Dan Gilbert will enter into the Amended and Restated RKT Holdings Operating Agreement (the "Holdings Operating

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Agreement"). Following the reorganization transactions, and in accordance with the terms of the Holdings Operating Agreement, we will operate our business through Holdings and its subsidiaries. Pursuant to the terms of the Holdings Operating Agreement, so long as affiliates of RHI and its related parties continue to own any Holdings Units, shares of our Class A common stock or securities exchangeable or convertible into shares of our Class A common stock, we will not, without the prior written consent of such holders, engage in any business activity other than the management and ownership of Holdings and its subsidiaries or own any assets other than securities of Holdings and its subsidiaries and/or any cash or other property or assets distributed by or otherwise received from Holdings and its subsidiaries, unless we determine in good faith that such actions or ownership are in the best interest of Holdings. As the sole managing member of Holdings, we will have control over all of the affairs and decision making of Holdings. As such, through our officers and directors, we will be responsible for all operational and administrative decisions of Holdings and the day-to-day management of Holdings' business. We will fund any dividends to our stockholders by causing Holdings to make distributions to its equityholders, RHI, Dan Gilbert and us, subject to the limitations imposed by our debt documents. See "Dividend Policy."

        The holders of Holdings Units will generally incur U.S. federal, state and local income taxes on their proportionate share of any net taxable income of Holdings. Net profits and net losses of Holdings will generally be allocated to its members pro rata in accordance with the percentages of their respective ownership of Holdings Units, though certain non-pro rata adjustments will be made to reflect tax depreciation, amortization and other allocations. The Holdings Operating Agreement will provide for cash distributions to the holders of Holdings Units for purposes of funding their tax obligations in respect of the taxable income of Holdings that is allocated to them. Generally, these tax distributions will be computed based on Holdings' estimate of the net taxable income of Holdings allocable per Holdings Units multiplied by an assumed tax rate equal to the highest effective marginal combined U.S. federal, state and local income tax rate prescribed for an individual or corporate resident in New York, New York (taking into account the non-deductibility of certain expenses and the character of our income).

        The Holdings Operating Agreement will provide that, except as otherwise determined by us, if at any time we issue a share of our Class A common stock or Class B common stock, other than pursuant to an issuance and distribution to holders of shares of our common stock of rights to purchase our equity securities under a "poison pill" or similar stockholders rights plan or pursuant to an employee benefit plan, the net proceeds received by us with respect to such share, if any, shall be concurrently invested in Holdings (unless such shares were issued by us solely to fund (i) our ongoing operations or pay our expenses or other obligations or (ii) the purchase Holdings Units from a member of Holdings (in which cash such net proceeds shall instead be transferred to the selling member as consideration for such purchase)) and Holdings shall issue to us Holdings Units. Similarly, except as otherwise determined by us, Holdings will not issue any additional Holdings Units to us unless we issue or sell an equal number of shares of our Class A common stock or Class B common stock. Conversely, if at any time any shares of our Class A common stock or Class B common stock are redeemed, repurchased or otherwise acquired, Holdings will redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire an equal number of Holdings Units held by us, upon the same terms and for the same price per security, as the shares of our Class A common stock or Class B common stock are redeemed, repurchased or otherwise acquired. In addition, Holdings will not effect any subdivision (by any unit split, unit distribution, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse unit split, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) of the Holdings Units unless it is accompanied by substantively identical subdivision or combination, as applicable, of each class of our common stock, and we will not effect any subdivision or combination of any class of our common stock unless it is accompanied by a substantively identical subdivision or combination, as applicable, of the Holdings Units.

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        Subject to certain exceptions, Holdings will indemnify all of its members, and their officers and other related parties, against all losses or expenses arising from claims or other legal proceedings in which such person (in its capacity as such) may be involved or become subject to in connection with Holdings' business or affairs or the Holdings Operating Agreement or any related document.

        Holdings may be dissolved only upon the first to occur of (i) the sale of substantially all of its assets or (ii) as determined by us. Upon dissolution, Holdings will be liquidated and the proceeds from any liquidation will be applied and distributed in the following manner: (a) first, to creditors (including creditors who are members or affiliates of members) in satisfaction of all of Holdings' liabilities (whether by payment or by making reasonable provision for payment of such liabilities, including the setting up of any reasonably necessary reserves) and (b) second, to its members in proportion to their Holdings Units (after giving effect to any obligations of Holdings to make tax distributions).

Exchange Agreement

        At the closing of this offering, we will enter into an Exchange Agreement (the "Exchange Agreement") with RHI and Dan Gilbert, pursuant to which each of RHI and Dan Gilbert (or certain transferees thereof) will have the right to exchange its or his Holdings Units (along with corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock), for, at our option (as the sole managing member of Holdings), (i) shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock, as applicable, on a one-for-one basis or (ii) cash from a substantially concurrent public offering or private sale (based on the price of our Class A common stock in such public offering or private sale), subject to customary conversion rate adjustments for stock splits, stock dividends and reclassifications.

        The Exchange Agreement provides that, in the event that a tender offer, share exchange offer, issuer bid, take-over bid, recapitalization or similar transaction with respect to our Class A common stock is proposed by us or our stockholders and approved by our board of directors or is otherwise consented to or approved by our board of directors, RHI and Dan Gilbert will be permitted to participate in such offer by delivery of a notice of exchange that is effective immediately prior to the consummation of such offer. In the case of any such offer proposed by us, we are obligated to use our reasonable best efforts to enable and permit RHI and Dan Gilbert to participate in such offer to the same extent or on an economically equivalent basis as the holders of shares of our Class A common stock without discrimination. In addition, we are obligated to use our reasonable best efforts to ensure that RHI and Dan Gilbert may participate in each such offer without being required to exchange Holdings Units and corresponding shares of our Class D common stock. The Exchange Agreement further provides that RHI and Dan Gilbert are not required to participate in any such offer that would be tax-free to holders of shares of our Class A common stock without their prior consent.

        The Exchange Agreement also sets forth certain information rights granted to RHI and specifies that we will not amend the provisions of our certificate of incorporation renouncing corporate opportunities without the consent of RHI for so long as RHI holds any Holdings Units. See "Risk Factors—Risk Related to Our Organization and Structure—Our certificate of incorporation will contain a provision renouncing our interest and expectancy in certain corporate opportunities" and "Description of Capital Stock—Corporate Opportunity."

Registration Rights Agreement

        Prior to the consummation of this offering, we intend to enter into a registration rights agreement (the "Registration Rights Agreement") with RHI, Dan Gilbert and the Gilbert Affiliates (each, a "Registration Party"), pursuant to which each Registration Party will be entitled to demand the

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registration of the sale of certain or all of our Class A common stock that it beneficially owns. Among other things, under the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement:

    if we propose to file certain types of registration statements under the Securities Act with respect to an offering of equity securities, we will be required to use our reasonable best efforts to offer each Registration Party the opportunity to register the sale of all or part of its shares on the terms and conditions set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement (customarily known as "piggyback rights"); and

    Each Registration Party has the right, subject to certain conditions and exceptions, to request that we file (i) registration statements with the SEC for one or more underwritten offerings of all or part of our shares of Class A common stock that it beneficially owns and/or (ii) a shelf registration statement that includes all or part of our shares of Class A common stock that it beneficially owns as soon as we become eligible to register the sale of our securities on Form S-3 under the Securities Act, and we are required to cause any such registration statements to be filed with the SEC, and to become effective, as promptly as reasonably practicable.

All expenses of registration under the Registration Rights Agreement, including the legal fees of one counsel retained by or on behalf of the Registration Parties, will be paid by us.

        The registration rights granted in the Registration Rights Agreement are subject to customary restrictions such as minimums, blackout periods and, if a registration is underwritten, any limitations on the number of shares to be included in the underwritten offering as reasonably advised by the managing underwriter. The Registration Rights Agreement also contains customary indemnification and contribution provisions. The Registration Rights Agreement is governed by New York law.

Tax Receivable Agreement

        The purchase of Holdings Units (along with corresponding shares of our Class D common stock) from RHI using the net proceeds from this offering, future exchanges by RHI or Dan Gilbert (or its transferees or other assignees) of Holdings Units and corresponding shares of Class D common stock or Class C common stock for shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock, and future purchases of Holdings Units (along with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock) from RHI or Dan Gilbert (or its transferees or other assignees) are expected to produce favorable tax attributes for us. These tax attributes would not be available to us in the absence of those transactions. Both the existing and anticipated tax basis adjustments are expected to reduce the amount of tax that we would otherwise be required to pay in the future.

        We intend to enter into a tax receivable agreement with RHI and Dan Gilbert that will provide for the payment by us to RHI and Dan Gilbert (or their transferees of Holdings Units or other assignees) of 90% of the amount of cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax or franchise tax that we actually realize (computed using simplifying assumptions to address the impact of state and local taxes) as a result of (i) certain increases in our allocable share of the tax basis in Holdings' assets resulting from (a) the purchases of Holdings Units (along with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock) from RHI and Dan Gilbert (or their transferees or other assignees) using the net proceeds from this offering or in any future offering, (b) exchanges by RHI and Dan Gilbert (or their transferees or other assignees) of Holdings Units (along with the corresponding shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock) for cash or shares of our Class B common stock or Class A common stock, as applicable, or (c) payments under the tax receivable agreements; (ii) tax benefits related to imputed interest deemed arising as a result of payments made under the tax receivable agreement and (iii) disproportionate allocations (if any) of tax benefits to Holdings as a result of section 704(c) of the

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Code that relate to the reorganization transactions. The tax receivable agreement will make certain simplifying assumptions regarding the determination of the cash savings that we realize or are deemed to realize from the covered tax attributes, which may result in payments pursuant to the tax receivable agreement in excess of those that would result if such assumptions were not made.

        The actual tax benefit, as well as the amount and timing of any payments under the tax receivable agreement, will vary depending upon a number of factors, including, among others, the timing of exchanges by or purchases from RHI and Dan Gilbert, the price of our Class A common stock at the time of the exchanges or purchases, the extent to which such exchanges are taxable, the amount and timing of the taxable income we generate in the future and the tax rate then applicable and the portion of our payments under the tax receivable agreement constituting imputed interest.

        There is a possibility that under certain circumstances not all of the 90% of the applicable cash savings will be paid to the selling or exchanging holder of Holdings Units at the time described above. If we determine that such circumstances apply and all or a portion of such applicable tax savings is in doubt, we will pay to the holders of such Holdings Units the amount attributable to the portion of the applicable tax savings that we determine is not in doubt and pay the remainder at such time as we reasonably determine the actual tax savings or that the amount is no longer in doubt.

        Future payments under the tax receivable agreement could be substantial. Assuming that all Holdings Units are exchanged for cash or Class B common stock at the time of the offering and that we will have sufficient taxable income to utilize all of the tax attributes covered by the tax receivable agreement when they are first available to be utilized under applicable law, we estimate that payments to RHI and Dan Gilbert under the tax receivable agreement would aggregate to approximately $11,725 million over the next 20 years and for yearly payments over that time to range between approximately $30.5 million to $991.8 million per year, based on an assumed public offering price of $21.00 (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus). The payments under the tax receivable agreement are not conditioned upon RHI's or Dan Gilbert's continued ownership of us.

        In addition, RHI and Dan Gilbert (or its transferees or other assignees) will not reimburse us for any payments previously made if any covered tax benefits are subsequently disallowed, except that any excess payments made to RHI and Dan Gilbert (or such holder's transferees or assignees) will be netted against future payments that would otherwise be made under the tax receivable agreement with RHI and Dan Gilbert, if any, after our determination of such excess. We could make payments to RHI and Dan Gilbert under the tax receivable agreement that are greater than our actual cash tax savings and may not be able to recoup those payments, which could negatively impact our liquidity.

        In addition, the tax receivable agreement will provide that in the case of a change in control of the Company or a material breach of our obligations under the tax receivable agreement, we will be required to make a payment to RHI and Dan Gilbert in an amount equal to the present value of future payments (calculated using a discount rate equal to the lesser of 6.50% or LIBOR plus 100 basis points, which may differ from our, or a potential acquirer's, then-current cost of capital) under the tax receivable agreement, which payment would be based on certain assumptions, including those relating to our future taxable income. For additional discussion of LIBOR, see "—Risks Related to Our Business—We are exposed to volatility in LIBOR, which can result in higher than market interest rates and may have a detrimental effect on our business." In these situations, our obligations under the tax receivable agreement could have a substantial negative impact on our, or a potential acquirer's, liquidity and could have the effect of delaying, deferring, modifying or preventing certain mergers, asset sales, other forms of business combinations or other changes of control.

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These provisions of the tax receivable agreement may result in situations where RHI and Dan Gilbert have interests that differ from or are in addition to those of our other stockholders. In addition, we could be required to make payments under the tax receivable agreement that are substantial, significantly in advance of any potential actual realization of such further tax benefits, and in excess of our, or a potential acquirer's, actual cash savings in income tax.

        Decisions we make in the course of running our business, such as with respect to mergers, asset sales, other forms of business combinations or other changes in control, may influence the timing and amount of payments made under the tax receivable agreement. For example, the earlier disposition of assets following an exchange or purchase of Holdings Units and the corresponding Class D common stock or Class C common stock may accelerate payments under the tax receivable agreement and increase the present value of such payments, and the disposition of assets before such an exchange or purchase may increase the tax liability of RHI and Dan Gilbert without giving rise to any rights to receive payments under the tax receivable agreement. Such effects may result in differences or conflicts of interest between the interests of RHI and Dan Gilbert and the interests of other stockholders.

        Finally, because we are a holding company with no operations of our own, our ability to make payments under the tax receivable agreement is dependent on the ability of our subsidiaries to make distributions to us. Our debt agreements restrict the ability of our subsidiaries to make distributions to us, which could affect our ability to make payments under the tax receivable agreement. To the extent that we are unable to make payments under the tax receivable agreement as a result of restrictions in our debt agreements, such payments will be deferred and will accrue interest until paid, which could negatively impact our results of operations and could also affect our liquidity in periods in which such payments are made.

Indemnification Agreements

        We expect to enter into an indemnification agreement with each of our executive officers and directors that provides, in general, that we will indemnify them to the fullest extent permitted by law in connection with their service to us or on our behalf.

Transactions with RHI and other Related Parties

        Prior to this offering, our business was wholly-owned by RHI. From time to time, we have entered into various transactions and agreements with RHI, its subsidiaries, certain other affiliates of Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, and certain other affiliates of our director Jennifer Gilbert. In doing so, we have enhanced our operations by looking at, and taking advantage of, opportunities not only with third parties but also with our affiliated entities. We intend to continue taking advantage of such opportunities with RHI and other affiliates of Dan Gilbert and Jennifer Gilbert after the consummation of this offering in accordance with our Related Person Transaction Policy (see "—Policies and Procedures for Related Party Transactions").

Services Provided by our Company to Affiliates

        We have entered into transactions and agreements to provide certain support services to RHI, its subsidiaries and certain other affiliates of Dan Gilbert and Jennifer Gilbert, including Bedrock Management Services LLC ("Bedrock"), StockX LLC and Cavaliers Operating Company LLC at fees that reflect the cost of services provided by us plus, in certain circumstances, a reasonable margin. These services primarily include technology services (e.g., infrastructure, platform interface, data and server support), information security services and support, human resources services (e.g., providing skilled recruiters and recruiting support, payroll and benefits administration and support), legal services (e.g., support and advice on transactional matters, employment law, and litigation), data

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governance and analytics, advisory services (e.g., strategic consulting, tax services and advice, and security services), the procurement of goods, services and materials, including vendor engagement and risk management (e.g., technology development and data acquisition services), accounting and finance services (e.g., providing accounting and financial reporting services), marketing services, and telemarketing services (collectively, the "Provided Services"). We intend to continue providing the Provided Services after the completion of this offering and expect that our subsidiaries Quicken Loans and Rock Central LLC will enter into agreements for Provided Services with certain affiliates of Dan Gilbert on terms substantially similar to those of the existing agreements. Fees for the Provided Services amounted to $3.2 million, $13.4 million, $7.1 million and $4.6 million in the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

        We also charge the recipient of the Provided Services for all documented out-of-pocket third-party costs and expenses we incur for such services. In the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, we charged $13.9 million, $35.5 million, $37.9 million and $51.7 million respectively, for such costs and expenses. Out of these pass-through costs, a substantial majority relates to payroll and benefits payments we administered on behalf of our affiliates. In the middle of 2018, we updated the process of administering payroll and benefits, resulting in a decrease of such pass-through costs in subsequent periods. In connection with certain Provided Services, we sold a receivable due to us from one of our affiliates to RHI on December 31, 2019 for $3.7 million.

Services Acquired by our Company from Affiliates

        We have entered into transactions and agreements to receive certain services from certain subsidiaries of RHI and affiliates of Dan Gilbert and Jennifer Gilbert, including Rock Ventures LLC, Detroit Labs LLC, Sift LLC, Rock Security LLC, dPOP LLC, and Bedrock at fees that reflect the cost of services acquired by us plus, in certain circumstances, a reasonable margin. These services primarily include consultant services, data protection services, data source support and technical support services, physical security services, professional services to assist customers in customizing software, discovery analytics and data strategy services, optical wave services, business consulting, design and process improvement consulting services, underwriting services, and catering and event services (the "Received Services"). We intend to continue receiving the Received Services after the completion of this offering. In connection with the Received Services, we paid fees and out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by the service providers for such services in an amount of $14.2 million, $46.1 million, $45.1 million and $37.8 million in the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Services Acquired from Amrock Title Insurance Company and Acquisition Agreement

        Our subsidiary Amrock is party to an agreement to receive certain title insurance services from Amrock Title Insurance Company, including insurance underwriting services.

        Prior to the completion of this offering, we will enter into an acquisition agreement with RHI and its direct subsidiary Amrock Holdings Inc. pursuant to which we will acquire Amrock Title Insurance Company, an entity through which RHI conducts its title insurance underwriting business, for total aggregate consideration of $14.4 million that will consist of 685,714 Holdings Units and 685,714 shares of Class D common stock of RHI (assuming an initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus)). The consummation of this acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals. We expect this acquisition will close in the fourth quarter of 2020.

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Real Estate Transactions

        Certain of our subsidiaries, including Quicken Loans and RockLoans Marketplace LLC, are parties to lease agreements for certain of our offices, including our headquarters in Detroit, with various affiliates of Bedrock and other affiliates of Dan Gilbert. The lease agreements have terms ranging between three and 15 years. Under each agreement, our subsidiaries are required to pay specified rent, as well as common area maintenance fees, costs for office services (e.g. for consumed electricity) and property maintenance costs. Additionally, we paid for the renovation and expansion of certain of the properties subject to these agreements. During the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, we made cash payments totaling $21.8 million, $74.7 million, $79.1 million and $84.7 million, respectively, for these properties. Upon renewal, any lease will be approved by our audit committee (see "—Policies and Procedures for Related Party Transactions").

        In addition to the parking spaces we obtain under our lease agreements, we also acquire additional parking rights from Bedrock or through an agent of Bedrock at properties owned by Bedrock. During the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, we made cash payments totaling $5.0 million, $19.1 million, $21.9 million and $20.0 million, respectively, for these additional parking rights. We recoup certain of these amounts from of our affiliates whose employees use the parking spaces.

        We also sublease office space and data center operations to certain of our affiliates, including Rock Ventures LLC and StockX LLC. The agreements have terms ranging from three to 11 years. Under each agreement, the relevant counterparty is required to pay us a specified amount of rent. During the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, we charged the certain affiliates $609,850, $1.8 million, $1.2 million and $1.0 million, respectively, under these agreements, which reflect the cost of the underlying leases.

Naming Rights Agreement for Rocket Mortgage Field House

        On July 1, 2017, we entered into an agreement with Cleveland Cavaliers Holdings, LLC and certain of its affiliates (collectively, the "Cavaliers"), to obtain the naming rights for a professional sports arena. The agreement terminates in 2034. Dan Gilbert is the majority owner of the Cavaliers. The agreement obligates the Cavaliers to place signage on and in the arena in agreed-upon locations and provides for advertising spots on radio and television broadcasts as well as certain other advertising benefits. We paid the Cavaliers $2.1 million, $8.3 million, $14.1 million and nil in the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 under this agreement.

Guarantees

        Quicken Loans has provided a guaranty for three rental agreements entered into by affiliates of Dan Gilbert which relate to the cafeteria, gym and daycare facilities at 1000 Woodward Avenue in Detroit. Quicken Loans is obligated to pay for up to 50% of the basic rental and operating expenses under each of these agreements if the tenant does not make such payments. If these guarantees were required to be paid, Quicken Loans may be required to fund up to $5.0 million per guarantee. We have not, however, recorded a liability for these guarantees because we believe that it is not probable that we would be required to make any payments thereunder.

        Quicken Loans has entered into a Master Commercial Card Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. ("JPM") pursuant to which Quicken Loans and its affiliates may use cards issued by JPM. Quicken Loans is responsible as a primary obligor for all obligations of these affiliates under this agreement. At March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the amounts due by those affiliates under this agreement was $176,266, $93,256, $216,470 and $338,335, respectively.

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        Quicken Loans has entered into a side letter agreement with affiliates of Dan Gilbert. Pursuant to this agreement, Quicken Loans is obligated to enter into a sublease agreement for 3,780 rentable square feet of office space if another affiliate of Dan Gilbert, Sift LLC, terminates or defaults under its sublease for such office space. If Quicken Loans was required to enter into the replacement sublease agreement, Quicken Loans may be required to sublease such space for a maximum rental amount of up to $127,991 per year for the remaining term of the original sublease, which expires on December 31, 2030.

Charitable Donations

        In the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, we paid nil, $5.3 million, $7.5 million and $27.8 million, respectively, to Quicken Loans Community Fund LLC, an affiliate of Dan Gilbert, which used these amounts to fund its operations, make donations to charitable entities and make other investments in the communities in which we operate. In the year ended December 31, 2018, RHI reimbursed Quicken Loans $13.8 million for funds previously paid by Quicken Loans to Quicken Loans Community Fund LLC in 2017 and 2018.

Loans to Affiliates

        In the past, we have made loans to certain affiliates. As of December 31, 2019, the principal amount owed was $58.4 million. These loans are described in more detail in the paragraphs below. The promissory note to The Daniel B. Gilbert Trust u/a/d 12/23/96 described below was settled for $885,428 in June 2020. In December 2019 and March 2020, we sold the remaining loans to affiliates described below to RHI and RHI Opportunities ("RHI Opportunities"), as applicable, for an aggregate amount equal to $64.3 million.

        In January 2017, Dan Gilbert issued a promissory note to Quicken Loans for a principal amount of $56.0 million, representing advances and accrued interest. This promissory note, as amended, matures on December 31, 2020. At December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the principal amounts due under this promissory note were $57.5 million, $56.0 million and $56.0 million. Interest accrues on the principal amount of this promissory note at an annual interest rate of 2.5% (2.38% in 2019 and 2018, and 1.76% in 2017) and is due and payable on the maturity date of the note. In the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the total amount of interest earned was approximately $1.4 million $1.2 million and $1.0 million, respectively. There were no advances or repayments under this promissory note. In March 2020, Quicken Loans sold this promissory note to RHI Opportunities LLC, a subsidiary of RHI, for an amount of $59.7 million.

        In December 2012, The Daniel B. Gilbert Trust u/a/d 12/23/96, an affiliate of Dan Gilbert, issued a promissory note to Amrock for a principal amount of $824,293. This promissory note matures on December 28, 2042. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the principal amount due under this promissory note was $824,293. Interest accrues on the principal amount of this promissory note at an annual interest rate of 1.0% and is due and payable on the maturity date of the note. During the three months ended March 31, 2020 and years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the total amount of interest earned was $2,061, $8,243, $8,243, and $8,243, respectively. There were no advances or repayments under this promissory note. This promissory note was settled for $885,428 in June 2020.

        In September and October 2015, Pickles Investments LLC, an affiliate of Dan Gilbert, issued three promissory notes to Quicken Loans for an aggregate principal amount of $127,793. The notes mature in March and April 2020. At December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the aggregate principal amount due under these promissory notes was $131,618, $127,793, and $127,793, respectively. Interest accrues on the principal amount of these promissory notes at an annual interest rate of 2.00%, and is due and payable on the maturity date of the notes. In the years ended December 31,

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2019, 2018 and 2017, the total amount of interest earned was $2,751, $2,549, and $2,598, respectively. There were no advances or repayments under these promissory notes. In March 2020, Quicken Loans sold these promissory notes to RHI Opportunities for an aggregate amount of $139,343.

        In September 2014 and April 2015, Fathead LLC, an affiliate of Dan Gilbert, issued two promissory notes to Quicken Loans for a principal amount of approximately $1.9 million and $2.0 million, respectively. At December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the principal amounts due under these promissory notes were nil, $3.9 million and $3.9 million, respectively. Interest accrues on the principal amount of these promissory notes at an annual interest rate of 2.69% and 4.00%, respectively, and is due and payable on the maturity date of the note. In the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the total amount of interest earned was $21,105, $126,468 and $144,527, respectively. There were no advances or repayments under these promissory notes. In December 2019, Quicken Loans sold these two promissory notes to RHI for an aggregate amount of $4.4 million.

Loans from Affiliates

Nexsys Promissory Note

        On December 31, 2019, one of our subsidiaries, Nexsys Technologies LLC ("Nexsys"), issued a promissory note to Quicken Loans for a principal amount of approximately $1.5 million. In March 2020, Quicken Loans sold this promissory note to RHI Opportunities, an affiliate of Dan Gilbert, for an aggregate amount of $1.5 million. This promissory note matures on June 30, 2021. At March 31, 2020, the principal amount due under this promissory note was $1.5 million. Interest accrues on the principal amount of this promissory note at an annual interest rate of 5.0% and is due and payable on the maturity date of the note. This promissory note was repaid in full in July 2020 for $1.6 million.

RHI/QL Line of Credit

        RHI and Quicken Loans are parties to an agreement for an uncommitted unsecured line of credit, dated June 9, 2017, as amended on December 24, 2019 (as amended, the "RHI/QL Line of Credit"), which provides for financing from RHI to Quicken Loans of up to $1.0 billion. RHI and Quicken Loans intend to amend the RHI/QL Line of Credit prior to the effective date of this offering to provide for uncommitted financing of up to $2.0 billion. The RHI/QL Line of Credit matures on November 1, 2024. Historically, Quicken Loans has periodically borrowed funds under the RHI/QL Line of Credit to repay other indebtedness that accrued interest at a higher rate. In its discretion, RHI may determine not to advance funds for any reason.

        Borrowings under the RHI/QL Line of Credit bear interest at a rate per annum of one-month LIBOR (as quoted in the Wall Street Journal) plus 1.25%. One-month LIBOR ranged from 0.61% to 2.52% during the quarter ended March 31, 2020 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017. Prior to the consummation of this offering, we intend to amend the RHI/QL Line of Credit to provide for a successor interest rate benchmark to LIBOR. The negative covenants of the RHI/QL Line of Credit restrict the ability of Quicken Loans to incur debt and create liens on certain assets. Additionally, if as of the last day of any fiscal quarter either Quicken Loans' adjusted tangible net worth is less than $500.0 million or its cash and cash equivalents are less than $100.0 million, then its consolidated net income before taxes must be at least $1 for that quarter. The RHI/QL Line of Credit also contains customary events of default.

        At March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the amounts due to RHI pursuant to the RHI/QL Line of Credit were $600 million, nil, nil and nil, respectively. In the quarter ended March 31, 2020 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the total amount of interest under the RHI/QL Line of Credit was $511,651, $3.6 million, nil and nil, respectively. In the

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three months ended March 31, 2020 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the largest amount outstanding under the RHI/QL Line of Credit was $600.0 million, $250.0 million, nil and nil, respectively. In the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, Quicken Loans repaid an aggregate of nil, $503.6 million, nil and nil, respectively under the RHI/QL Line of Credit.

RHIO/RLO Line of Credit

        RHI Opportunities and RockLoans Opportunities LLC, one of our subsidiaries ("RockLoans Opportunities"), are parties to an agreement for a perpetual uncommitted unsecured line of credit, dated January 10, 2019 (the "RHIO/RLO Line of Credit"), which provides for financing from RHI Opportunities to RockLoans Opportunities of up to $10.0 million. The RHIO/RLO Line of Credit is perpetual. In its discretion, RHI Opportunities may determine not to advance funds for any reason.

        Borrowings under the RHIO/RLO Line of Credit bear interest at a rate per annum of 5%. The principal amount of all borrowings is payable in full on demand by RHI Opportunities. The negative covenants of the RHIO/RLO Line of Credit restrict the ability of RockLoans Opportunities to incur debt in excess of $500,000 and to create liens on certain assets other than liens securing permitted debt.

        At March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the amount due to RHI Opportunities pursuant to the RHIO/RLO Line of Credit was $9.5 million and $10.0 million, respectively. In the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019, the total amount of interest under the RHIO/RLO Line of Credit was $124,603 and $258,055, respectively. In the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019, the largest amount outstanding under the RHIO/RLO Line of Credit was $10 million and $10 million. In the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019, RockLoans Opportunities repaid an aggregate of $124,167 and $217,222 under the RHIO/RLO Line of Credit, respectively.

RHIO/RC Line of Credit

        RHI Opportunities and Rock Central LLC, one of our subsidiaries ("Rock Central"), are parties to an agreement for an uncommitted, unsecured revolving line of credit, dated as of June 23, 2020 (as amended, the "RHIO/RC Line of Credit"), which provides for financing from RHI Opportunities to Rock Central of up to $50 million. The RHIO/RC Line of Credit matures on June 23, 2025. Rock Central intends to use the RHIO/RC Line of Credit for general working capital needs. In its discretion, RHIO may determine not to advance funds for any reason.

        Borrowings under the RHIO/RC Line of Credit bear interest at a rate per annum of one month LIBOR (as quoted in the Wall Street Journal) plus 1.25%. The negative covenants of the RHIO/RC Line of Credit restrict the ability of Rock Central to incur debt and create liens on certain assets. The RHI/QL Line of Credit also contains customary events of default.

RHI/Holdings Line of Credit

        We expect that RHI and Holdings, will enter into an agreement for an uncommitted, unsecured revolving line of credit (the "Holdings Line of Credit"), which will provide for financing from RHI to Holdings of up to $100 million. The Holdings Line of Credit will mature in 2025. Holdings intends to use the Holdings Line of Credit for general working capital needs. In its discretion, RHI may determine not to advance funds for any reason.

        Borrowings under the Holdings Line of Credit will bear interest at a rate per annum of one month LIBOR (as quoted in the Wall Street Journal) plus 1.25%. The negative covenants of the

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Holdings Line of Credit will restrict the ability of Holdings to incur debt and create liens on certain assets. The Holdings Line of Credit will also contain customary events of default.

Other Transactions

        In connection with this offering, our director, Matt Rizik, will enter into an agreement to provide consulting services to Holdings and the Company. In recognition of Matt's extraordinary services in connection with this offering, including tax structuring advice, and his ongoing commitment to provide consulting services, Matt will receive an equity award in connection with this offering of 28,572 shares of Class A common stock, consisting of 21,429 restricted stock units and 26,270 stock options (assuming, in each case, an initial public offering price of $21 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus). The restricted stock units granted to the Matt will vest in three equal installments of 33.33% on each of the first three anniversaries of the date of grant, and the stock options granted to the Matt will vest as to 33.33% on the first anniversary of the date of grant and monthly thereafter over the next 24 months, subject in all cases to continued services to Holdings and the Company on the applicable vesting date.

        We have historically entered into secondment agreements with Bedrock pursuant to which we have provided Bedrock with personnel necessary to perform its operations. In the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, 2017 and during the first quarter of 2020, we charged $651,434, $200,364 and nil for the use of our employees under these secondment agreements, which amounts reflect the cost of our employees. As of the second quarter of 2020, we have also entered into secondment agreements with certain of our affiliates pursuant to which such affiliates will provide us with personnel necessary to perform our operations.

        Affiliates of Dan Gilbert own or owned the Shinola Hotel in Detroit, the Ritz-Carlton in Cleveland, Greektown Casino Hotel in Detroit, the Madison Theatre Building in Detroit and the watch manufacturer Shinola Detroit. From time to time, we buy products and services from these companies in the ordinary course of our business. The amounts involved in such transactions for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 were $727,013, $9.2 million, $2.5 million and $2.5 million, respectively.

        We are a party to a sponsorship and promotional partner agreement with 100 Thieves, LLC, a League of Legends team that is an affiliate of Dan Gilbert. Pursuant to this agreement, the team granted us a license to use certain of their marks on our promotional materials. In the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, we paid $24,000, $1.5 million, $1.1 million and nil, respectively, under this agreement.

        Two immediate family members of our directors are regular, full-time employees of the Company and have average annual compensation, including base salary, bonus and company-paid benefits, of approximately $330,921.

        In July 2019, we acquired the Rocket HQ App/Website and Rocket Account adapter from Rocket HQ LLC, an affiliate of Dan Gilbert, for approximately $3.6 million.

        In 2018, we paid $1.0 million to RHI in satisfaction of amounts payable in connection with the acquisition of LMB Mortgage Services, Inc., LMB Insurance Services, Inc. and CPL Assets, LLC.

        In 2017, we sold our interest in Detroit Labs LLC, an affiliate of Dan Gilbert, to RHI for $9.5 million.

        In 2017, we wrote off a $429,410 receivable, which related to a startup investment we made in an affiliate of Dan Gilbert that did not subsequently proceed beyond the startup phase.

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Siebert Williams

        Ms. Suzanne Shank, the chief executive officer of Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC, will serve as a member of our board of directors upon the consummation of this offering. Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC is an underwriter of this offering and will receive underwriting discounts and commissions by the Company as set forth under the section "Underwriting."

Policies and Procedures for Related Party Transactions

        Upon the consummation of this offering, we will adopt a written Related Person Transaction Policy (the "policy"), which will set forth our policy with respect to the review, approval, ratification and disclosure of all related person transactions by our audit committee. In accordance with the policy, our audit committee will have overall responsibility for the implementation of, and compliance with, the policy.

        For purposes of the policy, a "related person transaction" is a transaction, arrangement or relationship (or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships) in which we were, are or will be a participant and the amount involved exceeded, exceeds or will exceed $120,000 and in which any related person (as defined in the policy) had, has or will have a direct or indirect material interest. A "related person transaction" does not include any employment relationship or transaction involving an executive officer and any related compensation resulting solely from that employment relationship that has been reviewed and approved by our board of directors or our compensation committee.

        The policy will require that notice of a proposed related person transaction be provided to our legal department prior to entry into such transaction. If our legal department determines that such transaction is a related person transaction, the proposed transaction will be submitted for consideration (a) to our audit committee at its next meeting, (b) if not practicable or desirable to wait until the next audit committee meeting, to the chair of the audit committee, or (c) to a different group of independent directors as determined by the board of directors of the Company.

        Under the policy, our audit committee may approve only those related person transactions that are in, or not inconsistent with, our best interests and the best interests of our stockholders. In the event that we become aware of a related person transaction that has not been previously reviewed, approved or ratified under the policy and that is ongoing or is completed (including any transaction that was not considered a related person transaction at the time it was entered into, but subsequently is), the transaction will be submitted to the audit committee so that it may determine whether to ratify, rescind or terminate the related person transaction.

        The policy will also provide that the audit committee review certain previously approved or ratified related person transactions that are ongoing, and have (i) a remaining term of more than six months or (ii) remaining amounts involved in excess of $120,000, to determine whether the related person transaction remains in our best interests and the best interests of our stockholders. Additionally, we will make periodic inquiries of directors and executive officers with respect to any potential related person transaction of which they may be a party or of which they may be aware.

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

Capital Stock

        In connection with the reorganization transactions, we expect to amend and restate our certificate of incorporation so that our authorized capital stock will consist of 10,000,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, 6,000,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, 6,000,000,000 shares of Class C common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, 6,000,000,000 shares of Class D common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 500,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share.

        Immediately following the reorganization transactions, we will have seven holders of record of our Class A common stock, no holders of record of our Class B common stock, no holders of record of our Class C common stock, two holders of record of our Class D common stock and no holders of record of our preferred stock. Immediately following the reorganization transactions, of the authorized shares of our capital stock, 322,273 shares of our Class A common stock will be issued and outstanding, no shares of our Class B common stock will be issued and outstanding, no shares of our Class C common stock will be issued and outstanding, 1,985,479,966 shares of our Class D common stock will be issued and outstanding and no shares of our preferred stock will be issued and outstanding. In addition, we expect to issue equity awards under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan in connection with this offering with respect to an aggregate amount of 36,931,471 shares of Class A common stock. See "Executive Compensation—Looking Ahead: Post-IPO Compensation Program Features."

        After the consummation of this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering, we expect to have 150,322,273 shares of our Class A common stock issued and outstanding (or 172,822,273 shares if the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full), no shares of our Class B common stock issued and outstanding, no shares of our Class C common stock issued and outstanding, 1,835,479,966 shares of our Class D common stock issued and outstanding (or 1,812,979,966 shares if the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full and giving effect to the use of the net proceeds therefrom) and no shares of our preferred stock issued and outstanding.

Common Stock

Voting

        The holders of our Class A common stock, Class B common stock, Class C common stock and Class D common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to stockholders for their vote or approval, except (i) as required by applicable law or (ii) any amendment (including by merger, consolidation, reorganization or similar event) to our certificate of incorporation that would affect the rights of the Class A common stock and the Class C common stock in a manner that is disproportionately adverse as compared to the Class B common stock or Class D common stock, or vice versa, in which case the holders of Class A common stock and Class C common stock or the holders of Class B common stock and Class D common stock, as applicable, shall vote together as a class.

        Subject to the next sentence, holders of our Class A common stock and Class C common stock are entitled to one vote on all matters submitted to stockholders for their vote or approval. Holders of our Class B common stock and Class D common stock are entitled to 10 votes on all matters submitted to stockholders for their vote or approval. At any time when the aggregate voting power of the outstanding common stock or preferred stock beneficially owned by RHI or any entity disregarded as separate from RHI for U.S. federal income tax purposes (the "RHI Securities") would be equal to or greater than 79% of the total voting power of our outstanding stock, the number of

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votes per share of each RHI Security shall be reduced such that the aggregate voting power of all of the RHI Securities is equal to 79%.

        Upon the completion of this offering, RHI will control 79% of the combined voting power of our common stock as a result of its ownership of shares of our Class D common stock. Accordingly, RHI will control our business policies and affairs and can control any action requiring the general approval of our stockholders, including the election of our board or directors, the adoption of amendments to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and the approval of any merger or sale of substantially all of our assets. RHI will continue to have such control as long as it owns at least 10% of our issued and outstanding common stock. This concentration of ownership and voting power may also delay, defer or even prevent an acquisition by a third party or other change of control of the Company and may make some transactions more difficult or impossible without the support of RHI, even if such events are in the best interests of minority stockholders.

Dividends

        The holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock are entitled to receive dividends when, as and if declared by our board of directors out of legally available funds. Under our certificate of incorporation, dividends may not be declared or paid in respect of Class B common stock unless they are declared or paid in the same amount and same type of cash or property (or combination thereof) in respect of Class A common stock, and vice versa. With respect to stock dividends, holders of Class B common stock must receive Class B common stock while holders of Class A common stock must receive Class A common stock.

        The holders of our Class C common stock and Class D common stock will not have any right to receive dividends other than dividends consisting of shares of our (i) Class C common stock, paid proportionally with respect to each outstanding share of our Class C common stock, and (ii) Class D common stock, paid proportionally with respect to each outstanding share of our Class D common stock, in each case in connection with stock dividends.

Merger, Consolidation, Tender or Exchange Offer

        The holders of Class B common stock and Class D common stock will not be entitled to receive economic consideration for their shares in excess of that payable to the holders of Class A common stock and Class C common stock, respectively, in the event of a merger, consolidation or other business combination requiring the approval of our stockholders or a tender or exchange offer to acquire any shares of our common stock. However, in any such event involving consideration in the form of securities, the holders of Class B common stock and Class D common stock will be entitled to receive securities that have no more than 10 times the voting power of any securities distributed to the holders of Class A common stock and Class C common stock.

Liquidation or Dissolution

        Upon our liquidation or dissolution, the holders of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock will be entitled to share ratably in those of our assets that are legally available for distribution to stockholders after payment of liabilities and subject to the prior rights of any holders of preferred stock then outstanding. Other than their par value, the holders of our Class C common stock and Class D common stock will not have any right to receive a distribution upon a liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

Conversion, Transferability and Exchange

        Our certificate of incorporation will provide that each share of our Class B common stock is convertible at any time, at the option of the holder, into one share of Class A common stock, and

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each share of our Class D common stock is convertible at any time, at the option of the holder, into one share of Class C common stock. Our certificate of incorporation will further provide that each share of our Class B common stock will automatically convert into one share of Class A common stock, and each share of our Class D common stock will automatically convert into one share of our Class C common stock, immediately prior to any transfer of such share except for certain transfers described in our certificate of incorporation, including (i) transfers to or among the direct or indirect equityholders of RHI (the "Rock Equityholders"), (ii) transfers following which the Class B common stock or Class D common stock continues to be held by RHI or a permitted transferee and, in each case, the Rock Equityholders or the direct or indirect equityholders of such permitted transferee immediately prior to such transfer or transfers continue to hold a majority of the beneficial interests of RHI or such permitted transferee, as applicable, following such transfer or transfers, (iii) transfers to family members, trusts solely for the benefit of RHI, any Rock Equityholder or permitted transferee or their respective family members and other tax and estate planning vehicles, (iv) transfers to partnerships, corporations, and other entities controlled by, or a majority of which is beneficially owned by, RHI, any Rock Equityholder or permitted transferee, their respective family members or other permitted entities, (v) certain transfers to charitable trusts or organizations that are exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (vi) transfers to an individual mandated under a qualified domestic relations order or (vii) transfers to a legal or personal representative in the event of the death or disability. In addition, each share of our Class B common stock will automatically convert into one share of Class A common stock, and each share of our Class D common stock will automatically convert into one share of our Class C common stock if RHI, the Rock Equityholders and their permitted transferees own less than 10% of the aggregate number of shares of our issued and outstanding common stock. Shares of our Class A common stock and Class C common stock are not subject to any conversion right. Additionally, except as set forth above, the Class B common stock and the Class D common stock will not be automatically converted into Class A common stock or Class C common stock, respectively, at a certain specified time.

        Among other exceptions described in our certificate of incorporation, the RHI Parties will be permitted to pledge shares of Class D common stock and/or Class B common stock that they hold from time to time without causing an automatic conversion to Class C common stock or Class A common stock, as applicable, provided that any pledged shares are not transferred to or registered in the name of the pledgee.

        Subject to the terms of the Exchange Agreement, RHI may exchange its Holdings Units, together with a corresponding number of shares of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock for, at our option (as the sole managing member of Holdings), (i) shares of our Class B or Class A common stock, as applicable, on a one-for-one basis or (ii) cash (based on the market price of our Class A common stock). Upon exchange, each share of our Class D common stock or Class C common stock so exchanged will be cancelled.

Other Provisions

        None of the Class A common stock, Class B common stock, Class C common stock or Class D common stock has any pre-emptive or other subscription rights. There will be no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Class A common stock, Class B common stock, Class C common stock or Class D common stock.

        At such time as no Holdings Units remain exchangeable for shares of our Class B common stock, our Class D common stock will be cancelled.

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Preferred Stock

        After the consummation of this offering, we will be authorized to issue up to 500,000,000 shares of preferred stock. Our board of directors will be authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by Delaware law and our certificate of incorporation, to determine the terms and conditions of the preferred stock, including whether the shares of preferred stock will be issued in one or more series, the number of shares to be included in each series and the powers, designations, preferences and rights of the shares. Our board of directors also will be authorized to designate any qualifications, limitations or restrictions on the shares without any further vote or action by the stockholders. The issuance of preferred stock may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of the Company and may adversely affect the voting and other rights of the holders of our Class A common stock, Class B common stock, Class C common stock and Class D common stock, which could have a negative impact on the market price of our Class A common stock. We have no current plan to issue any shares of preferred stock following the consummation of this offering.

Corporate Opportunity

        Our certificate of incorporation will provide that none of the RHI Affiliated Entities nor any officer, director, member, partner or employee of any RHI Affiliated Entity (each, an "RHI Party") will have any duty to refrain from engaging in the same or similar business activities or lines of business, doing business with any of our clients or suppliers or employing or otherwise engaging or soliciting for employment any of our directors, officers or employees, and none of our directors or officers shall be liable to us or to any of our subsidiaries or stockholders for breach of any fiduciary or other duty under statutory or common law, as a director or officer or controlling stockholder or otherwise, by reason of any such activities, or for the presentation or direction to, or participation in, any such activities by any RHI Party.

        In our certificate of incorporation, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, we renounce any interest or expectancy that we have in any business opportunity, transaction, or other matter in which any RHI Party participates or desires or seeks to participate in, even if the opportunity is one that we might reasonably be deemed to have pursued or had the ability or desire to pursue if granted the opportunity to do so. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each such RHI Party has no duty to communicate or offer such business opportunity to us and is not liable to us or any of our stockholders for breach of any fiduciary or other duty under statutory or common law, as a director or officer or controlling stockholder, or otherwise, by reason of the fact that such RHI Party pursues or acquires such business opportunity, directs such business opportunity to another person, or fails to present such business opportunity, or information regarding such business opportunity, to us.

        The Exchange Agreement specifies that we will not amend the provisions of our certificate of incorporation renouncing corporate opportunities without the consent of RHI for so long as RHI holds any Holdings Units. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Exchange Agreement."

        Notwithstanding the foregoing, our certificate of incorporation does not renounce any interest or expectancy we may have in any business opportunity, transaction or other matter that is offered to an RHI Party who is one of our directors or officers and who is offered such opportunity solely in his or her capacity as one of our directors or officers, as reasonably determined by such RHI Party.

        See "Risk Factors—Risk Related to Our Organization and Structure—Our certificate of incorporation will contain a provision renouncing our interest and expectancy in certain corporate opportunities."

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Certain Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaw and Statutory Provisions

        The provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and of the DGCL summarized below may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, defer or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt that you might consider in your best interest, including an attempt that might result in your receipt of a premium over the market price for your shares of Class A common stock.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

        Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws will contain certain provisions that are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors and that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a future takeover or change in control of the Company unless such takeover or change in control is approved by our board of directors.

        These provisions include:

        Dual Class Capital Structure.    Our certificate of incorporation will provide for a dual class common stock structure, which will provide RHI with the ability to control the outcome of matters requiring stockholder approval, even if it beneficially owns significantly less than a majority of the shares of our outstanding common stock, including the election of directors and significant corporate transactions, such as a merger or sale of substantially all of our assets.

        Classified Board.    Our certificate of incorporation will provide that our board of directors will be divided into three classes of directors, with the classes as nearly equal in number as possible. As a result, approximately one-third of our board of directors will be elected each year. The classification of directors will have the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of our board. Our certificate of incorporation will also provide that, subject to any rights of holders of preferred stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors will be fixed exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by our board of directors. Our board of directors will initially have six members. At any meeting of the board of directors, except as otherwise required by law, a majority of the total number of directors then in office will constitute a quorum for all purposes.

        Removal of directors.    Our certificate of incorporation will provide that until the RHI Parties beneficially own less than a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock, any director may be removed with or without cause by the affirmative vote of a majority of our outstanding shares of common stock. After the RHI Parties cease to beneficially own a majority of the combined voting power of the common stock, our certificate of incorporation will provide that any director may only be removed with cause by the affirmative vote of holders of 75% of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock eligible to vote in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

        Vacancies.    Each director is to hold office until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. Vacancies and newly created directorships on the board of directors may be filled at any time by the remaining directors or our stockholders, provided that, after the RHI Parties cease to beneficially own a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock, vacancies on our board of directors, whether resulting from an increase in the number of directors or the death, removal or resignation of a director, will be filled only by our board of directors and not by stockholders.

        Amendments to Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws.    The DGCL generally provides that the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the total voting power of the shares entitled to vote on any matter is required to amend a corporation's certificate of incorporation or bylaws, unless either a corporation's certificate of incorporation or bylaws require a greater percentage. Our certificate of

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incorporation and bylaws will provide that, after the RHI Parties cease to beneficially own a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock, the affirmative vote of holders of 75% of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock eligible to vote in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, will be required to amend, alter, change or repeal our bylaws or specified provisions of our certificate of incorporation, including those relating to the classified board, actions by written consent of stockholders, calling of special meetings of stockholders, business combinations and these vote requirements to amend our certificate of incorporation and bylaws. This requirement of a super-majority vote to approve certain amendments to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could enable a minority of our stockholders to exercise veto power over any such amendments.

        Special Meetings of Stockholders.    Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws will also provide that, subject to any special rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock, special meetings of the stockholders can only be called by the chairman of the board or the chief executive officer, or by the board of directors. Except as described above, stockholders are not permitted to call a special meeting or to require the board of directors to call a special meeting.

        Action by Written Consent.    Our certificate of incorporation will provide that stockholder action can be taken by written consent in lieu of a meeting; provided that after the RHI Parties cease to beneficially own a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock, stockholder action can be taken only at an annual or special meeting of stockholders and cannot be taken by written consent in lieu of a meeting.

        Advance Notice Procedures.    Our bylaws will establish an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting of our stockholders, including proposed nominations of persons for election to the board of directors. Stockholders at an annual meeting will only be able to consider proposals or nominations specified in the notice of meeting or brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the board of directors or by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record on the record date for the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has given us timely written notice, in proper form, of the stockholder's intention to bring that business before the meeting. Although the bylaws will not give our board of directors the power to approve or disapprove stockholder nominations of candidates or proposals regarding other business to be conducted at a special or annual meeting, the bylaws may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed or may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of the Company.

        Authorized but Unissued Shares.    Our authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock will be available for future issuance without stockholder approval, subject to applicable Exchange rules. These additional shares may be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional capital, corporate acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of a majority of our common stock by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.

        Business Combinations with Interested Stockholders.    Our certificate of incorporation will provide that we will not be subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, an antitakeover law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. An interested stockholder includes a person, individually or together with any other interested stockholder, who within the last three years has owned 15% or more of our voting stock. Accordingly, we will not be subject to any anti-takeover effects of Section 203. Nevertheless, our certificate of incorporation will include a provision that restricts us from engaging in any business

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combination with an interested stockholder for three years following the date that person becomes an interested stockholder. Such restrictions, however, shall not apply to any business combination between RHI, any direct or indirect equityholder of RHI or any person that acquires (other than in connection with a registered public offering) our voting stock from RHI or any of its 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 and who is designated in writing by RHI as an "RHI Transferee," on the one hand, and us, on the other.

        Headquarters in Detroit.    Our certificate of incorporation will provide that we shall not transfer our corporate headquarters outside of Detroit, Michigan unless we have received the affirmative vote of holders of 75% of the combined voting power of our outstanding common stock.

Directors' Liability; Indemnification of Directors and Officers

        Our bylaws will limit the liability of our directors to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL and will provide that we will provide them with customary indemnification and advancement rights. We expect to enter into customary indemnification agreements with each of our executive officers and directors that provide them, in general, with customary indemnification and advancement rights in connection with their service to us or on our behalf.

Choice of Forum

        Our certificate of incorporation will require, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or stockholders to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine will have to be brought only in the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan (or, if the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan lacks jurisdiction over such action or proceeding, then another state court of the State of Michigan or, if no state court of the State of Michigan has jurisdiction, then the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan) or the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks jurisdiction, any other state court of the State of Delaware, or if no state of the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware), unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum. Additionally, our certificate of incorporation will state that the foregoing provision will not apply to claims arising under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal securities laws for which there is exclusive federal or concurrent federal and state jurisdiction. Unless we consent 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. The exclusive forum provisions may limit a stockholder's ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or any of our directors, officers or stockholders, which may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims. Our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder as a result of our exclusive forum provisions. See "Risk Factors—Risks Related to This Offering and Our Class A Common Stock—The provision of our certificate of incorporation requiring exclusive forum in certain courts in the State of Michigan or the State of Delaware or the federal district courts of the United States for certain types of lawsuits may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers."

Transfer Agent and Registrar

        The transfer agent and registrar for our Class A common stock is Computershare Trust Company N.A.

Securities Exchange

        We intend to list our Class A common stock on the Exchange under the symbol "RKT".

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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

        Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our Class A common stock. Future sales of our Class A common stock in the public market, or the availability of such shares for sale in the public market, could adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock prevailing from time to time. As described below, only a limited number of shares will be available for sale shortly after this offering due to contractual and legal restrictions on resale. Nevertheless, sales of a substantial number of shares of our Class A common stock in the public market after such restrictions lapse, or the perception that those sales may occur, could adversely affect the prevailing market price of our Class A common stock at such time and our ability to raise equity-related capital at a time and price we deem appropriate. See "Risk Factors—Risks Related to This Offering and Our Class A Common Stock—Future sales of our common stock, or the perception in the public markets that these sales may occur, may depress the price of our Class A common stock."

Sale of Restricted Shares

        Upon the consummation of this offering, we will have 150,322,273 shares of Class A common stock (or 172,822,273 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) outstanding, excluding 37,319,659 equity-based awards issued in connection with this offering under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan. All of these shares will be freely tradable without further restriction under the Securities Act, except any shares held by our affiliates. As defined in Rule 144, an affiliate of an issuer is a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the issuer. Upon the completion of this offering, approximately 1,813,593,909 of our outstanding shares of Class A common stock (or 1,836,093,909 shares if the underwriters' exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) will be deemed "restricted securities," as that term is defined under Rule 144, and would also be subject to the "lock-up" period noted below.

        In addition, upon the consummation of the offering, RHI and Dan Gilbert will own an aggregate of 1,835,479,966 Holdings Units and 1,835,479,966 shares of our Class D common stock (or 1,812,979,966 Holdings Units and 1,812,979,966 shares of Class D common stock if the underwriters' exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full and giving effect to the use of the net proceeds therefrom). Pursuant to the terms of the Exchange Agreement, each of RHI and Dan Gilbert could from time to time exchange its or his Holdings Units and corresponding shares of Class D common stock for, at our option (as the sole managing member of Holdings), (i) shares of our Class B common stock, on a one-for-one basis or (ii) cash from a substantially concurrent public offering or private sale (based on the price of our Class A common stock in such public offering or private sale). Shares of our Class A common stock issuable to RHI and Dan Gilbert upon conversion of shares of Class B common stock would be considered "restricted securities," as that term is defined under Rule 144 and would also be subject to the "lock-up" period noted below.

        Restricted securities may be sold in the public market only if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rule 144 under the Securities Act, which is summarized below, or any other applicable exemption under the Securities Act, or pursuant to a registration statement that is effective under the Securities Act. Immediately following the consummation of this offering, the holders of approximately 1,813,593,909 shares of our Class A common stock (or 1,836,093,909 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full and giving effect to the use of the net proceeds therefrom) (on an assumed as-exchanged basis) will be entitled to dispose of their shares following the expiration of an initial 180-day underwriter "lock-up" period pursuant to the holding period, volume and other restrictions of Rule 144. The representatives of the underwriters are entitled to waive these lock-up provisions at their discretion prior to the expiration dates of such lock-up agreements.

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Lock-up Agreements

        We, RHI and all of our directors and executive officers have agreed not to sell any Class A common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Class A common stock (including Holdings Units) for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus, subject to certain exceptions. Please see "Underwriting" for a description of these lock-up provisions. During the lock-up period, we may grant options to purchase shares of Class A common stock and issue shares of Class A common stock upon the exercise of outstanding options under our 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, and we may issue or sell Class A common stock in connection with an acquisition or business combination (subject to a specified maximum amount) as long as the acquirer of such Class A common stock agrees in writing to be bound by the obligations and restrictions of our lock-up agreement. The representatives of the underwriters, in their sole discretion, may at any time release all or any portion of the shares from the restrictions in such agreements.

        Immediately following the consummation of this offering, stockholders subject to lock-up agreements will hold 1,813,593,909 shares of our Class A common stock (assuming all Holdings Units and corresponding shares of our Class C common stock or Class D common stock are exchanged for shares of our Class A common stock or Class B common stock, as applicable, and the conversion of all Class B common stock into Class A common stock), representing approximately 92% of our then-outstanding shares of Class A common stock (or 1,836,093,909 shares of Class A common stock, representing approximately 91% of our then-outstanding shares of Class A common stock, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full and giving effect to the use of the net proceeds therefrom).

Rule 144

        In general, under Rule 144 under the Securities Act as currently in effect, a person (or persons whose shares are aggregated) who is not deemed to have been an affiliate of ours at any time during the six months preceding a sale, and who has beneficially owned restricted securities within the meaning of Rule 144 for at least six months (including any period of consecutive ownership of preceding non-affiliated holders) would be entitled to sell those shares, subject only to the availability of current public information about us. A non-affiliated person who has beneficially owned restricted securities within the meaning of Rule 144 for at least one year would be entitled to sell those shares without regard to the provisions of Rule 144.

        A person (or persons whose shares are aggregated) who is deemed to be an affiliate of ours and who has beneficially owned restricted securities within the meaning of Rule 144 for at least six months would be entitled to sell within any three-month period a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of one percent of the then outstanding shares of our Class A common stock or the average weekly trading volume of our Class A common stock reported by the Exchange during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of notice of the sale. Such sales are also subject to certain manner of sale provisions, notice requirements and the availability of current public information about us (which requires that we are current in our periodic reports under the Exchange Act).

Rule 701

        In general, under Rule 701 under the Securities Act, any of our employees, directors, officers, consultants or advisors who purchases shares from us in connection with a compensatory stock or option plan or other written agreement before the effective date of this offering is entitled to sell such shares 90 days after the effective date of this offering in reliance on Rule 144, without having to comply with the holding period requirement of Rule 144 and, in the case of non-affiliates, without

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having to comply with the public information, volume limitation or notice filing provisions of Rule 144. The SEC has indicated that Rule 701 will apply to typical stock options granted by an issuer before it becomes subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, along with the shares acquired upon exercise of such options, including exercises after the date of this prospectus.

Stock Issued Under Employee Plans

        We intend to file a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register 105,263,158 shares of our Class A common stock reserved for issuance under the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and our ESPP. This registration statement on Form S-8 is expected to be filed following the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and will be effective upon filing. Accordingly, shares registered under such registration statement will be available for sale in the open market following the effective date, unless such shares are subject to vesting restrictions with us, Rule 144 restrictions applicable to our affiliates or the lock-up restrictions described above.

Registration Rights

        After this offering, and subject to the lock-up agreements, each of RHI, Dan Gilbert and the Gilbert Affiliates will be entitled to certain rights with respect to the registration of its shares of our Class A common stock under the Securities Act. For more information, see "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Registration Rights Agreement." After such registration, these shares of our Class A common stock will become freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act.

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

        The following is a discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our common stock by Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below) that purchase our common stock pursuant to this offering and hold such common stock as a capital asset (generally, for investment). For purposes of this discussion, a Non-U.S. Holder is a beneficial owner of our common stock that is treated as:

    a non-resident individual, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

    a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than the United States or any state or political subdivision thereof;

    an estate, other than an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

    a trust, other than a trust that (i) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and that has one or more U.S. fiduciaries who have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

        For purposes of this discussion, a Non-U.S. Holder does not include a partnership or other pass-through entity (including for this purpose any entity that is treated as a partnership or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes). If a partnership or other pass-through entity is a beneficial owner of our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner (or other owner) will generally depend upon the status of the partner (or other owner) and the activities of the entity. If you are a partner (or other owner) of a partnership or other pass-through entity that acquires our common stock, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of acquiring, owning and disposing of our common stock.

        This discussion is not a complete analysis or listing of all of the possible tax consequences of acquiring, owning and disposing of our common stock and does not address all tax considerations that might be relevant to a Non-U.S. Holder in light of its particular circumstances or to Non-U.S. Holders that may be subject to special treatment under U.S. federal tax laws (including, without limitation, banks, insurance companies, dealers in securities, foreign governments, certain former citizens or residents of the United States, passive foreign investment companies, controlled foreign companies, tax-exempt organizations, holders required to conform the timing of income accruals to financial statements pursuant to section 451 of the Code, holders that elect to mark their securities to market or holders who hold our common stock as part of a straddle, hedge or other integrated transaction). Furthermore, this summary does not address gift or estate tax consequences, the net investment income tax, the alternative minimum tax, any other U.S. federal tax laws other than U.S. federal income tax laws, or tax consequences under any state, local or foreign laws.

        The following discussion is based upon the Code, existing and proposed U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, U.S. judicial decisions and administrative pronouncements, all as in effect as of the date hereof. All of the preceding authorities are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect, so as to result in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those discussed below. We have not requested, and will not request, a ruling from the IRS with respect to any of the U.S. federal income tax consequences described below.

        Prospective purchasers are urged to consult their tax advisors as to the particular consequences to them under U.S. federal, state and local and applicable non-U.S. tax laws of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our common stock.

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Distributions

        As discussed above under "Dividend Policy," we do not currently anticipate paying any dividends or other distributions on our common stock in the foreseeable future. If we make distributions of cash or property in respect of our common stock, such distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). Except as described below under "—U.S. Trade or Business Income," a Non-U.S. Holder generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a 30% rate, or at a reduced rate prescribed by an applicable income tax treaty, on any dividends received in respect of our common stock. If the amount of the distribution exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits, such excess first will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of the Non-U.S. Holder's tax basis in shares of our common stock, and thereafter will be treated as capital gain (which will be treated in the manner described below under "—Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of our Common Stock"). However, except to the extent that we elect (or the paying agent or other intermediary through which a Non-U.S. Holder holds our common stock elects) otherwise, we (or the intermediary) must generally withhold on the entire distribution, in which case the Non-U.S. Holder would be entitled to a refund from the IRS for the withholding tax on the portion of the distribution that exceeded our current and accumulated earnings and profits.

        In order to obtain a reduced rate of U.S. federal withholding tax under an applicable income tax treaty, a Non-U.S. Holder will be required to provide a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E or other applicable form (or, in each case, an appropriate successor form) certifying such Non-U.S. Holder's entitlement to benefits under the treaty. If a Non-U.S. Holder is eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. federal withholding tax under an income tax treaty, the Non-U.S. Holder may obtain a refund or credit of any excess amounts withheld by filing an appropriate claim for a refund with the IRS. Non-U.S. Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding possible entitlement to benefits under an income tax treaty.

        Dividend income that is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States by a Non-U.S. Holder will be taxed in the manner described in "—U.S. Trade or Business Income" below.

Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Our Common Stock

        Except as described below under "—Information Reporting and Backup Withholding Tax," a Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax in respect of any gain on a sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock unless:

    the gain is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States by such Non-U.S. Holder, in which case, such gain will be taxed as described in "—U.S. Trade or Business Income," below;

    the Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the U.S. for 183 or more days in the taxable year of the disposition and certain other conditions are met, in which case the Non-U.S. Holder will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or a reduced rate under an applicable tax treaty) on the amount by which certain capital gains allocable to U.S. sources exceed certain capital losses allocable to U.S. sources (provided that such Non-U.S. Holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses); or

    we are or have been a "U.S. real property holding corporation" (a "USRPHC") as defined under section 897 of the Code at any time during the period (the "applicable period") that is the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition of our common stock and the Non-U.S. Holder's holding period for our common stock, in which case, subject to the

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      Publicly Traded Exception (discussed below), such gain will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the same manner as U.S. trade or business income.

        In general, a corporation is a USRPHC if the fair market value of its "U.S. real property interests" equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market value of its worldwide real property interests and its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. If it is determined that we are a USRPHC, gain realized by a Non-U.S. Holder on a sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock will not be subject to tax as U.S. trade or business income under section 897 of the Code if such Non-U.S. Holder's holdings (direct and indirect) at all times during the applicable period constituted 5% or less of our common stock, provided that our common stock was regularly traded on an established securities market during such period (the "Publicly Traded Exception"). Although there can be no assurances in this regard, we believe we have not been and are not currently a USRPHC, and do not anticipate being a USRPHC in the future.

U.S. Trade or Business Income

        For purposes of this discussion, dividend income and gain on the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our common stock will be considered to be "U.S. trade or business income" if (A) (i) such income or gain is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States by the Non-U.S. Holder and (ii) if the Non-U.S. Holder is eligible for the benefits of an income tax treaty with the United States, such income or gain is attributable to a permanent establishment (or, in the case of an individual, a fixed base) that the Non-U.S. Holder maintains in the United States or (B) other than with respect to dividend income, we are or have been a USRPHC at any time during the applicable period (subject to the Publicly Traded Exception discussed under "—Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of our Common Stock"). Generally, U.S. trade or business income is not subject to U.S. federal withholding tax (provided certain certification and disclosure requirements are satisfied, including providing a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI or other applicable form (or, in each case, an appropriate successor form)); instead, such income is subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis at regular U.S. federal income tax rates (in the same manner as a U.S. person). Any U.S. trade or business income received by a non-U.S. corporation pursuant to (A) above may also be subject to a "branch profits tax" at a 30% rate or at a lower rate prescribed by an applicable income tax treaty.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding Tax

        We must annually report to the IRS and to each Non-U.S. Holder any dividend income that is subject to U.S. federal withholding tax or that is exempt from such withholding pursuant to an income tax treaty. Copies of these information returns may also be made available under the provisions of a specific treaty or agreement to the tax authorities of the country in which a Non-U.S. Holder resides. Under certain circumstances, the Code imposes a backup withholding obligation on certain reportable payments. Dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder of our common stock will generally be exempt from backup withholding if the Non-U.S. Holder provides a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or, in each case, an appropriate successor form) or otherwise establishes an exemption and the applicable withholding agent does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the shareholder is a U.S. person or that the conditions of such other exemption are not, in fact, satisfied.

        The payment of the proceeds from the disposition of our common stock to or through the U.S. office of any broker (U.S. or non-U.S.) will be subject to information reporting and possible backup withholding unless the shareholder certifies as to such shareholder's non-U.S. status under penalties of perjury or otherwise establishes an exemption and the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the shareholder is a U.S. person or that the conditions of any other exemption are not, in fact, satisfied. The payment of proceeds from the disposition of our common stock to or

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through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding unless the non-U.S. broker has certain types of relationships with the U.S. (a "U.S. related financial intermediary"). In the case of the payment of proceeds from the disposition of our common stock to or through a non-U.S. office of a broker that is either a U.S. person or a U.S. related financial intermediary, the Treasury regulations require information reporting (but not backup withholding) on the payment unless the broker has documentary evidence in its files that the beneficial owner is a Non-U.S. Holder and the broker has no knowledge to the contrary. Holders of our common stock are urged to consult their tax advisor on the application of information reporting and backup withholding in light of their particular circumstances.

        Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a shareholder will be refunded by the IRS or credited against such shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

FATCA

        Provisions of the Code commonly known as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, generally impose a U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% on payments of dividends on our common stock paid to a non-U.S. entity unless: (i) if the non-U.S. entity is a "foreign financial institution," such non-U.S. entity undertakes certain due diligence, reporting, withholding and certification obligations; (ii) if the non-U.S. entity is not a "foreign financial institution," such non-U.S. entity identifies any "substantial" owner (generally, any specified U.S. person who owns, directly or indirectly, more than a specified percentage of such entity); or (iii) the non-U.S. entity is otherwise exempt under FATCA.

        Withholding under FATCA generally applies to payments of dividends on our common stock. Proposed Treasury regulations, which taxpayers may rely upon until final regulations are issued, eliminate withholding on payments of gross proceeds. Under certain circumstances, a non-U.S. Holder may be eligible for refunds or credits of the tax, and a Non-U.S. Holder might be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return to claim such refunds or credits. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country may modify the requirements described in this paragraph. Non-U.S. Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible implications of FATCA on their investment in our common stock and the entities through which they hold our common stock, including, without limitation, the process and deadlines for meeting the applicable requirements to prevent the imposition of the 30% withholding tax under FATCA.

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UNDERWRITING

        The Company and the underwriters named below have entered into an underwriting agreement with respect to the shares of Class A common stock being offered. Subject to certain conditions, each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase the number of shares indicated in the following table. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and RBC Capital Markets, LLC are the representatives of the underwriters.

Underwriters
  Number of
Shares
 

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

                   

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

       

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

       

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

       

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

       

Allen & Company LLC

       

BofA Securities, Inc.

       

Barclays Capital Inc.

       

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

       

UBS Securities LLC

       

CastleOak Securities, L.P.

       

Drexel Hamilton, LLC

       

Fifth Third Securities, Inc.

       

Huntington Securities, Inc.

       

Loop Capital Markets LLC

       

Mischler Financial Group, Inc.

       

Nomura Securities International, Inc.

       

Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc.

       

Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC

       

Zelman Partners LLC

       

        The underwriters are committed to take and pay for all of the shares being offered, if any are taken, other than the shares covered by the option described below unless and until this option is exercised. Certain of the underwriters may offer and sell shares of the Class A common stock through one or more of their respective affiliates or selling agents.

        The underwriters have an option to buy up to an additional 22,500,000 shares of Class A common stock from the Company to cover sales by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than the total number set forth in the table above. They may exercise that option for 30 days. If any shares are purchased pursuant to this option, the underwriters will severally purchase shares in approximately the same proportion as set forth in the table above.

        The following table shows the per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid to the underwriters by the Company. Such amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase 22,500,000 additional shares.


Paid by the Company

 
  No Exercise   Full Exercise  

Per Share

             

Total

             

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        Shares sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be offered at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus. Any shares sold by the underwriters to securities dealers may be sold at a discount of up to $             per share from the initial public offering price. After the initial offering of the shares, the representatives may change the offering price and the other selling terms. The offering of the shares by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters' right to reject any order in whole or in part.

        The Company and its officers, directors, and holders of substantially all of the Company's common stock have agreed with the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to dispose of or hedge any of their common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock (including Holdings Units) during the period from the date of this prospectus continuing through the date 180 days after the date of this prospectus, except with the prior written consent of the representatives. The lock-up agreements are subject to specified exceptions.

        The restrictions described in the paragraph above relating to the Company do not apply, subject in certain cases to various conditions (including the transfer of the lock-up restrictions), to:

    shares to be sold pursuant to the underwriting agreement;

    the issuance by the Company of shares of common stock upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of the date of the underwriting agreement and described herein;

    the issuance by the Company of options to purchase shares of common stock and other equity incentive compensation, including restricted stock or restricted stock units pursuant to employee stock option plans or similar plans existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date of the underwriting agreement and described herein;

    any shares of common stock issued upon the exercise of options granted under such stock option or similar plans existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date of the underwriting agreement, or under stock option or similar plans of companies acquired by the Company in effect on the date of acquisition and described herein (other than those of acquired companies);

    the filing by the Company of any registration statement on Form S-8 with the Commission relating to the offering of securities pursuant to the terms of such stock option or similar plans and described herein; or

    the issuance by the Company of common stock or securities convertible into common stock in connection with an acquisition or business combination, provided that the aggregate number of shares of common stock issued shall not exceed 5% of the total number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding on the closing date of the offering.

        The restrictions described in the paragraph above relating to the officers, directors, and our stockholders do not apply, subject in certain cases to various conditions (including no filing requirements (other than certain filings on Form 5) and the transfer of the lock-up restrictions), to:

    transfers as a bona fide gift or gifts, or charitable contributions;
    transfers to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the lock-up party or the immediate family of the lock-up party;

    transfers to any beneficiary of or estate of a beneficiary of the lock-up party pursuant to a trust, will or other testamentary document or applicable laws of descent;

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    transfers by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement;

    transfers in transactions relating to shares of common stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the public offering;

    transfers by (A) the exercise of stock options solely with cash granted pursuant to equity incentive plans described herein, and the receipt by the lock-up party from us of shares of common stock upon such exercise; (B) transfers of shares of common stock to us upon the "net" or "cashless" exercise of stock options or other equity awards granted pursuant to equity incentive plans described in this prospectus; (C) forfeitures of shares of common stock to us to satisfy tax withholding requirements of the lock-up party or us upon the vesting, during the lock-up period, of equity based awards granted under equity incentive plans or pursuant to other stock purchase arrangements, in each case described in this prospectus;

    transfers of shares of common stock pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all of our stockholders' capital stock after the consummation of this offering, involving a change of control of us, provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, the lock-up party's shares of common stock shall remain subject to the provisions of the lock-up agreement; or

    the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of common stock; provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer of common stock during the lock-up period.

        See "Shares Eligible for Future Sale" for a discussion of certain transfer restrictions.

        Prior to the offering, there has been no public market for the shares of Class A common stock. The initial public offering price has been negotiated among the Company and the representatives. Among the factors to be considered in determining the initial public offering price of the shares, in addition to prevailing market conditions, will be the Company's historical performance, estimates of the business potential and earnings prospects of the Company, an assessment of the Company's management and the consideration of the above factors in relation to market valuation of companies in related businesses.

        We intend to apply to list our Class A common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "RKT."

        In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell shares of Class A common stock in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than they are required to purchase in the offering, and a short position represents the amount of such sales that have not been covered by subsequent purchases. A "covered short position" is a short position that is not greater than the amount of additional shares for which the underwriters' option described above may be exercised. The underwriters may cover any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional shares or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to cover the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase additional shares pursuant to the option described above. "Naked" short sales are any short sales that create a short position greater than the amount of additional shares for which the option described above may be exercised. The underwriters must cover any such naked short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the

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shares of the Company's Class A common stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of the Company's Class A common stock made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.

        The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased shares sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

        Purchases to cover a short position and stabilizing transactions, as well as other purchases by the underwriters for their own accounts, may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the Company's Class A common stock, and together with the imposition of the penalty bid, may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the Class A common stock. As a result, the price of the Class A common stock may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. The underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may end any of these activities at any time. These transactions may be effected on the Exchange, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

        We estimate that our share of the total expenses of the offering, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $14.7 million. We have also agreed to reimburse the underwriters for certain FINRA-related expenses incurred by them in connection with the offering in an amount up to $40,000.

        We have agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

        The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include sales and trading, commercial and investment banking, advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, market making, brokerage and other financial and non-financial activities and services. Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates have provided, and may in the future provide, a variety of these services to us and to persons and entities with relationships with us, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses. In addition, certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates currently provide us, and may provide us in the future, with borrowing capacity under certain loan funding warehouse facilities, treasury services, and maintenance of certain escrow deposits; certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates are also our To-Be-Announced ("TBA") trading partners. Certain of our underwriters and their affiliates have provided commitments to arrange and syndicate a senior unsecured revolving credit facility. We pay customary fees for these services.

        In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates, officers, directors and employees may purchase, sell or hold a broad array of investments and actively traded securities, derivatives, loans, commodities, currencies, credit default swaps and other financial instruments for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and trading activities may involve or relate to assets, securities and/or instruments of ours (directly, as collateral securing other obligations or otherwise) and/or persons and entities with relationships with us. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also communicate independent investment recommendations, market color or trading ideas and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such assets, securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they should acquire, long and/or short positions in such assets, securities and instruments. Certain affiliates of the underwriters provide several funding facilities to our subsidiaries and purchase personal loans originated on the Rocket Loans platform.

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        Ms. Suzanne Shank, the chief executive officer of Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC, will serve as a member of our board of directors upon the consummation of this offering. At the closing of this offering, Ms. Shank will receive restricted stock units as a result of being an independent director.

Directed Share Program

        At our request, the underwriters have reserved for sale, at the initial public offering price, up to 5% of the Class A common stock for sale to our directors, officers, employees and other individuals associated with us and members of their families. The sales will be made, at our direction, by UBS Financial Services Inc., a selected dealer affiliated with UBS Securities LLC, an underwriter of this offering, through a directed share program. We do not know if these persons will choose to purchase all or any portion of these reserved shares, but any purchases they do make will reduce the number of shares available to the general public. Participants in the directed share program who purchase more than $1,000,000 of shares shall be subject to a 25-day lock-up with respect to any shares sold to them pursuant to that program. This lock-up will have similar restrictions and an identical extension provision to the lock-up agreements described herein. Any shares sold in the directed share program to our directors, executive officers or selling stockholders shall be subject to the lock-up agreements described herein. Any reserved shares of Class A common stock that are not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same terms as the other shares of Class A common stock offered by this prospectus. We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities and expenses, including liabilities under the Securities Act, in connection with the sales of the shares reserved for the directed share program.

European Economic Area and United Kingdom

        In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom (each a "Relevant State"), no shares of common stock (the "Shares") have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the Shares which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, except that it may make an offer to the public in that Relevant State of any Shares at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:

    (a)
    to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under the Prospectus Regulation;

    (b)
    to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or

    (c)
    in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation,

provided that no such offer of the Shares shall require the Issuer or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation.

        For the purposes of this provision, the expression an "offer to the public" in relation to the Shares in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any Shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any Shares, and the expression "Prospectus Regulation" means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.

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United Kingdom

        Each underwriter severally represents, warrants and agrees that:

    (a)
    it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA)) in connection with the issue or sale of the Shares in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of FSMA does not apply to the Issuer; and

    (b)
    it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Shares in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

Canada

        The securities may be sold in Canada only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions, and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the securities must be made in accordance with an exemption form, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

        Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this offering memorandum (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser's province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser's province or territory of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

        Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

Hong Kong

        The shares may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32 of the Laws of Hong Kong) ("Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance") or which do not constitute an invitation to the public within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) ("Securities and Futures Ordinance"), or (ii) to "professional investors" as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a "prospectus" as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance, and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the shares may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to "professional investors" in Hong Kong as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made thereunder.

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Singapore

        This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined under Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the "SFA")) under Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to conditions set forth in the SFA.

        Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person that is a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor, the securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation shall not be transferable for six months after that corporation has acquired the shares under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA), (2) where such transfer arises from an offer in that corporation's securities pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, (3) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer, (4) where the transfer is by operation of law, (5) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA, or (6) as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore ("Regulation 32").

        Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an accredited investor, the beneficiaries' rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferable for six months after that trust has acquired the shares under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA), (2) where such transfer arises from an offer that is made on terms that such rights or interest are acquired at a consideration of not less than S$200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction (whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets), (3) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer, (4) where the transfer is by operation of law, (5) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA, or (6) as specified in Regulation 32.

Japan

        The securities have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan (Act No. 25 of 1948, as amended), or the FIEA. The securities may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of any resident of Japan (including any person resident in Japan or any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan) or to others for reoffering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of any resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the FIEA and otherwise in compliance with any relevant laws and regulations of Japan.

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LEGAL MATTERS

        Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, New York, New York, will pass on the validity of the Class A common stock offered by this prospectus for us. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, New York, New York will pass upon certain legal matters in connection with the offering for the underwriters.


EXPERTS

        The combined financial statements of the Combined Businesses at December 31, 2019 and 2018, and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2019, appearing in this Prospectus and Registration Statement have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon appearing elsewhere herein, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

        We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 with respect to the Class A common stock being sold in this offering. This prospectus constitutes a part of that registration statement. This prospectus does not contain all the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules to the registration statement, because some parts have been omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information with respect to us and our Class A common stock being sold in this offering, you should refer to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as part of the registration statement. Statements contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any agreement, contract or other document referred to herein are not necessarily complete; reference is made in each instance to the copy of the contract or document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. Each statement is qualified by reference to the exhibit. You can read the registration statement at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

        After we have completed this offering, we will file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. We intend to make these filings available on our website once this offering is completed. You may read and copy any reports, statements or other information on file at the public reference rooms. You can also request copies of these documents, for a copying fee, by writing to the SEC, or you can review these documents on the SEC's website, as described above. In addition, we will provide electronic or paper copies of our filings free of charge upon request.

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Rocket Companies

Combined Financial Statements


Contents

Unaudited condensed combined financial statements as of March 31, 2020 and for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019

       

Condensed Combined Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019

    F-2  

Condensed Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019

    F-3  

Condensed Combined Statements of Changes in Equity for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019

    F-4  

Condensed Combined Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019

    F-5  

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements

    F-7  

Audited combined financial statements as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 and for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017

   
 
 

Report of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

    F-38  

Combined Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018

    F-39  

Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017

    F-40  

Combined Statements of Changes in Equity for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017

    F-41  

Combined Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017

    F-42  

Notes to Combined Financial Statements

    F-43  

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Rocket Companies

Condensed Combined Balance Sheets

(Dollars in Thousands)

 
  Unaudited
Pro Forma
as of
March 31, 2020
  March 31,
2020
  December 31,
2019
 
 
  (Note 13)
  (unaudited)
   
 

Assets

                   

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 1,088,671   $ 2,250,627   $ 1,350,972  

Restricted cash

    64,976     64,976     61,154  

Mortgage loans held for sale, at fair value

    12,843,384     12,843,384     13,275,735  

Interest rate lock commitments ("IRLCs"), at fair value

    1,214,865     1,214,865     508,135  

Mortgage servicing rights ("MSRs"), at fair value

    2,170,638     2,170,638     2,874,972  

MSRs collateral for financing liability, at fair value

    79,446     79,446     205,108  

Notes receivable and due from affiliates

    23,288     23,288     89,946  

Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization of $443,947 and $428,540, respectively

    179,111     179,111     176,446  

Lease right-of-use assets

    269,543     269,543     278,921  

Forward commitments, at fair value

    217,210     217,210     3,838  

Loans subject to repurchase right from Ginnie Mae

    671,916     671,916     752,442  

Other assets

    1,333,915     1,333,915     499,658  

Total assets

  $ 20,156,963   $ 21,318,919   $ 20,077,327  

Liabilities and equity

                   

Liabilities:

                   

Funding facilities

  $ 11,423,124   $ 11,423,124   $ 12,041,878  

Other financing facilities and debt:

                   

Lines of credit

    975,000     975,000     165,000  

Senior Notes, net

    2,234,756     2,234,756     2,233,791  

Early buy out facility

    287,122     287,122     196,247  

MSRs financing liability, at fair value

    73,837     73,837     189,987  

Accounts payable

    234,608     234,608     157,295  

Lease liabilities

    302,271     302,271     314,353  

Forward commitments, at fair value

    1,023,938     1,023,938     43,794  

Investor reserves

    55,667     55,667     54,387  

Notes payable and due to affiliates

    51,727     51,727     35,082  

Loans subject to repurchase right from Ginnie Mae

    671,916     671,916     752,442  

Other liabilities

    3,051,968     335,534     390,149  

Total liabilities

    20,385,934     17,669,500     16,574,405  

Equity:

                   

Net parent investment (deficit)

    (231,637 )   3,646,753     3,498,065  

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

    (1,590 )   (1,590 )   (151 )

Noncontrolling interest

    4,256     4,256     5,008  

Total equity

    (228,971 )   3,649,419     3,502,922  

Total liabilities and equity

  $ 20,156,963   $ 21,318,919   $ 20,077,327  

   

See accompanying notes to the condensed combined financial statements.

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Rocket Companies

Condensed Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,  
 
  2020   2019  

Income:

             

Revenue

             

Gain on sale of loans:

             

Gain on sale of loans excluding fair value of MSRs, net

  $ 1,286,690   $ 430,574  

Fair value of originated MSRs

    535,419     296,672  

Gain on sale of loans, net

    1,822,109     727,246  

Loan servicing loss:

   
 
   
 
 

Servicing fee income

    257,093     224,606  

Change in fair value of MSRs

    (991,252 )   (475,701 )

Loan servicing loss, net

    (734,159 )   (251,095 )

Interest income (expense):

   
 
   
 
 

Interest income

    74,042     47,052  

Interest expense on funding facilities

    (39,459 )   (23,613 )

Interest income, net

    34,583     23,439  

Other income

    244,302     132,182  

Total revenue, net

    1,366,835     631,772  

Expenses

   
 
   
 
 

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

    683,450     457,778  

General and administrative expenses

    193,566     165,839  

Marketing and advertising expenses

    217,992     208,897  

Depreciation and amortization

    16,115     18,105  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt

    33,107     33,082  

Other expenses

    124,589     48,420  

Total expenses

    1,268,819     932,121  

Income (loss) before income taxes

    98,016     (300,349 )

(Provision for) benefit from income taxes

    (736 )   1,004  

Net income (loss)

    97,280     (299,345 )

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

    441     327  

Net income (loss) attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 97,721   $ (299,018 )

Comprehensive income:

             

Net income (loss) attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 97,721   $ (299,018 )

Other comprehensive (loss) income

  $ (1,439 )   154  

Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 96,282   $ (298,864 )

   

See accompanying notes to the condensed combined financial statements.

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Rocket Companies

Condensed Combined Statements of Changes in Equity

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

 
  Net Parent
Investment
  Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
(Loss) Income
  Total
Noncontrolling
Interest
  Total
Equity
 

Balance, December 31, 2018

  $ 2,775,594   $ (868 ) $ 6,170   $ 2,780,896  

Net loss

    (299,018 )       (327 )   (299,345 )

Other comprehensive income

        154     35     189  

Net transfers to Parent

    (212,777 )           (212,777 )

Stock-based compensation, net

    8,488         18     8,506  

Balance, March 31, 2019

  $ 2,272,287   $ (714 ) $ 5,896   $ 2,277,469  

Balance, December 31, 2019

 
$

3,498,065
 
$

(151

)

$

5,008
 
$

3,502,922
 

Net income (loss)

    97,721         (441 )   97,280  

Other comprehensive loss

        (1,439 )   (320 )   (1,759 )

Net transfers from Parent

    21,918             21,918  

Stock-based compensation, net

    29,049         9     29,058  

Balance, March 31, 2020

  $ 3,646,753   $ (1,590 ) $ 4,256   $ 3,649,419  

   

See accompanying notes to the condensed combined financial statements.

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Rocket Companies

Condensed Combined Statements of Cash Flows

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,  
 
  2020   2019  

Operating activities

             

Net income (loss)

  $ 97,280   ($ 299,345 )

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:

             

Depreciation and amortization

    16,115     18,105  

Provision for investor reserves

    1,577     493  

Increase in fair value of mortgage loans held for sale

    (221,725 )   (28,469 )

Origination of mortgage servicing rights

    (535,419 )   (296,672 )

Change in fair value of MSRs

    1,053,461     475,701  

Gain on sale of loans excluding fair value of other financials instruments, net

    (1,188,793 )   (310,011 )

Disbursements of mortgage loans held for sale

    (50,418,371 )   (21,617,466 )

Proceeds from sale of loans held for sale

    52,261,240     20,412,291  

Stock-based compensation expense

    29,058     8,506  

Change in assets and liabilities:

             

Interest rate lock commitments

    (706,730 )   (126,442 )

Forward commitments assets

    (213,372 )   522  

Due from affiliates

    7,027     (5,283 )

Other assets

    (820,461 )   (119,788 )

Accounts payable

    77,313     50,970  

Due to affiliates

    15,612     10,746  

Forward commitments liabilities

    980,144     33,332  

Premium recapture and indemnification losses paid

    (297 )   (791 )

Other liabilities

    (53,649 )   (49,039 )

Total adjustments

    282,730     (1,543,295 )

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

    380,010     (1,842,640 )

Investing activities

   
 
   
 
 

Proceeds from sale of MSRs

    167,662      

Net decrease (increase) in notes receivable from affiliates

    59,632     (278 )

Decrease (increase) in mortgage loans held for investment

    2,130     (3,065 )

Purchase and other additions of property and equipment, net of disposals

    (18,782 )   (8,816 )

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

    210,642     (12,159 )

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Rocket Companies

Condensed Combined Statements of Cash Flows (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,  
 
  2020   2019  

Financing activities

             

Net (payments) borrowings on funding facilities

    (618,754 )   1,172,528  

Net borrowings on lines of credit

    810,000      

Net borrowings (payments) on early buy out facility

    90,875     (11,340 )

Net borrowings notes payable from unconsolidated affiliates

    1,033     2,000  

Proceeds from MSRs financing liability

    9,513      

Net transfers to (from) Parent

    21,918     (212,777 )

Net cash provided by financing activities

    314,585     950,411  

Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

   
(1,760

)
 
189
 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash

    903,477     (904,199 )

Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of year

    1,412,126     1,101,167  

Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period

  $ 2,315,603   $ 196,968  

Non-cash activities

             

Loans transferred to other real estate owned

  $ 383   $ 1,299  

Supplemental disclosures

             

Cash paid for interest on related party borrowings

  $ 630   $  

   

See accompanying notes to the condensed combined financial statements.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies

        The accompanying condensed combined financial statements include all of the assets, liabilities and results of operations of twelve subsidiaries of Rock Holdings Inc. ("Rock Holdings", "RHI"), which are Quicken Loans Inc., EFB Holdings Inc. ("Edison Financial"), Lendesk Canada Holdings Inc., LMB HoldCo LLC ("Core Digital Media"), RCRA Holdings LLC ("Rock Connections" and "Rocket Auto"), RockTech Canada Inc., Rock Central LLC, Rocket Homes Real Estate LLC ("Rocket Homes"), RockLoans Holdings LLC ("Rocket Loans"), Amrock Inc. ("Amrock"), Nexsys Technologies LLC ("Nexsys"), and Woodward Capital Management LLC, (collectively, the "Combined Businesses", "Rocket Companies", "we", "us", "our", the "Company").

Basis of Presentation

        The Combined Businesses have historically operated as part of RHI and not as a stand-alone entity. The condensed combined financial statements represent the results of operations, financial position, cash flows and changes in equity of the combined subsidiaries of RHI mentioned above, prepared on a stand-alone basis and have been derived from the consolidated financial statements and accounting records of RHI. All revenues and expenses as well as assets and liabilities that are either legally attributable to us or directly associated with our business activities are included in the condensed combined financial statements. Net parent investment represents RHI's interest in the recorded net assets of the Company. All significant transactions between the Company and RHI have been included in the accompanying condensed combined financial statements and are reflected in the accompanying Condensed Combined Statements of Changes in Equity as "Net transfers to/from parent" and in the accompanying Condensed Combined Balance Sheets within "Net parent investment."

        All significant intercompany transactions and accounts between the businesses comprising the Company have been eliminated in the accompanying condensed combined financial statements. Our condensed combined financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP"). Our Condensed Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income include an allocation of executive management compensation for services provided to RHI and its subsidiaries. We believe the assumptions underlying the condensed combined financial statements, including the assumptions regarding allocation of expenses from RHI are reasonable. The executive management compensation expense has been allocated based on time incurred for services provided to the Combined Businesses. Total costs allocated to us for these services were $41,737 and $10,699 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and were included in salaries, commissions and team member benefits in our Condensed Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income.

        All transactions and accounts between RHI and the Company have a history of settlement or are expected to be settled for cash, and are reflected as related party transactions. For further details of the Company's related party transactions refer to Note 6, Transactions with Related Parties.

        The condensed combined financial statements may not include all of the expenses that would have been incurred had we been a stand-alone company during the periods presented and may not

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies (Continued)

reflect our condensed combined results of operations, financial position and cash flows had we been a stand-alone company during the periods presented. The amount of actual expenses that would have been incurred if we had operated as a stand-alone company would depend on a number of factors, including our chosen organizational structure, strategic decisions made in various areas, including information technology and infrastructure. We also may incur additional costs associated with being a stand-alone, publicly listed company that were not included in the expense allocations and, therefore, would result in additional costs that are not reflected in our historical statements of income and comprehensive income, balance sheets and cash flows.

        Our condensed combined financial statements are unaudited and presented in U.S. dollars. They have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. Our Condensed Combined Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2019 has been derived from our audited combined financial statements at that date. Our condensed combined financial statements should be read in conjunction with our combined financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2019, which include a complete set of footnote disclosures, including our significant accounting policies. In our opinion, these condensed combined financial statements include all normal and recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of our results of operations, financial position and cash flows for the periods presented. However, our results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for a full fiscal year or for any other future period.

Management Estimates

        The preparation of condensed combined financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed combined financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Although management is not currently aware of any factors that would significantly change its estimates and assumptions, actual results may differ from these estimates.

Subsequent Events

        In preparing these condensed combined financial statements, the Company evaluated events and transactions for potential recognition or disclosure through June 22, 2020, the date these condensed combined financial statements were available to be issued. Refer to Note 5, Borrowings for disclosures on changes to the Company's debt agreements and to Note 10, Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees regarding litigation matters pertaining to the HouseCanary suit that occurred subsequent to March 31, 2020.

        In April 2020, Quicken Loans LLC converted its corporate structure to an LLC and changed its name from Quicken Loans Inc. to Quicken Loans, LLC.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies (Continued)

        On May 15, 2020, RHI modified the vesting condition for RSUs granted in 2017 and 2019. For the 2017 grants it accelerated the tranche previously due to vest on October 31, 2021 and for the 2019 grants it accelerated the tranche previously due to vest on October 31, 2020. This modification will result in accelerated expense of $38,371 for 198,020 RSUs in the second quarter of 2020.

        Subsequent to March 31, 2020, cash distributions were made in the total amount of $318,390.

        At the time of issuance of this report, the direct and indirect impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic and recent market volatility may have on the Company's financial statements are uncertain. The Company cannot reasonably estimate the magnitude of the impact these events may ultimately have on its results of operations, liquidity or financial position. However, management of the Company is unaware of any known adverse material risk or event that should be recognized in the financial statements at this time.

Revenue Recognition

        The following revenue streams fall within the scope of ASC Topic 606—Revenue from Contracts with Customers and are disaggregated hereunder:

            Core Digital Media lead generation revenue—Online consumer acquisition revenue, net of intercompany eliminations, was $7,560 and $9,497 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

            Professional service fees—Professional service fee revenues were $1,835 and $1,604 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and were rendered entirely to related parties.

            Rocket Homes real estate network referral fees—Real estate network referral fees were $7,988 and $6,783 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

            Rock Connections contact center revenue—The Company recognizes contact center revenue for communication services including client support and sales. Consideration received includes a fixed base fee and/or a variable contingent fee. The fixed base fee is recognized ratably over the period of performance, as the performance obligation is considered to be satisfied equally throughout the service period. The variable contingent fee related to car sales is constrained until the sale of the car is completed. Contact center revenue was $7,341 and $4,489 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

            Amrock closing fees—Closing fees were $73,486 and $33,264 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

            Amrock appraisal revenue, net—Appraisal revenue, net was $17,619 and $18,052 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies (Continued)

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

        Restricted cash as of March 31, 2020 and 2019 consisted of cash on deposit for a repurchase facility and client application deposits, title premiums collected from insureds that are due to the underwritten insurance company and a $25,000 bond.

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,  
 
  2020   2019  

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 2,250,627   $ 149,073  

Restricted cash

    64,976     47,895  

Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash in the statement of cash flows

  $ 2,315,603   $ 196,968  

Derivative Financial Instruments

        The Company enters into interest rate lock commitments ("IRLCs"), forward commitments to sell mortgage loans and forward commitments to purchase loans, which are considered derivative financial instruments. These items are accounted for as free-standing derivatives and are included in the condensed combined balance sheets at fair value. The Company treats all of its derivative instruments as economic hedges; therefore, none of its derivative instruments qualify for designation as accounting hedges. Changes in the fair value of the IRLCs and forward commitments to sell mortgage loans are recorded in current period earnings and are included in gain on sale of loans, net in the Condensed Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. Forward commitments to purchase mortgage loans are recognized in current period earnings and are included in gain on sale of loans in the Condensed Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income.

        The Company enters into IRLCs to fund residential mortgage loans with its potential borrowers. These commitments are binding agreements to lend funds to these potential borrowers at specified interest rates within specified periods of time.

        The fair value of IRLCs is derived from the fair value of similar mortgage loans or bonds, which is based on observable market data. Changes to the fair value of IRLCs are recognized based on changes in interest rates, changes in the probability that the commitment will be exercised, and the passage of time. The expected net future cash flows related to the associated servicing of the loan are included in the fair value measurement of rate locks.

        IRLCs and uncommitted mortgage loans held for sale expose the Company to the risk that the value of the mortgage loans held and mortgage loans underlying the commitments may decline due to increases in mortgage interest rates during the life of the commitments. To protect against this risk, the Company uses forward loan sale commitments to economically hedge the risk of potential changes in the value of the loans. These derivative instruments are recorded at fair value. The Company expects that the changes in fair value of these derivative financial instruments will either fully or partially offset the changes in fair value of the IRLCs and uncommitted mortgage loans held

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies (Continued)

for sale. The changes in the fair value of these derivatives are recorded in gain on sale of loans, net.

        MSR assets (including the MSR value associated with outstanding IRLCs) that the Company plans to sell expose the Company to the risk that the value of the MSR asset may decline due to decreases in mortgage interest rates prior to the sale of these assets. To protect against this risk, the Company uses forward loan purchase commitments to economically hedge the risk of potential changes in the value of MSR assets that have been identified for sale. These derivative instruments are recorded at fair value. The Company expects that the changes in fair value of these derivative financial instruments will either fully or partially offset the changes in fair value of the MSR assets the Company intends to sell. The changes in fair value of these derivatives are recorded in the change in fair value of MSRs, net.

        Forward commitments include To-Be-Announced ("TBA") mortgage backed securities that have been aggregated at the counterparty level for presentation and disclosure purposes. Counterparty agreements contain a legal right to offset amounts due to and from the same counterparty under legally enforceable master netting agreements to settle with the same counterparty, on a net basis, as well as the right to obtain cash collateral. Forward commitments also include commitments to sell loans to counterparties and to purchase loans from counterparties at determined prices. Refer to Note 9, Derivative Financial Instruments for further information.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

        In June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update ("ASU") No. 2016-13, "Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments," which introduced an expected credit loss model for the impairment of financial assets, measured at amortized cost. The model replaces the probable, incurred loss model for those assets and broadens the information an entity must consider in developing its expected credit loss estimate for assets measures at amortized cost. On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments and subsequent amendments to the initial guidance under ASU 2018-19, ASU 2019-04 and ASU 2019-05 (collectively, "Topic 326") with no material impact to our combined financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

        Based upon management's scoping analysis, the Company determined that money market funds, notes and other receivables, and Ginnie Mae early buyout loans are within the scope of ASU 2016-13. For the Ginnie Mae early buyout loans, the Company determined that the guarantee from the Federal Housing Administration ("FHA") or Veterans Affairs ("VA") limits the Company's exposure to potential credit-related losses to an immaterial amount. For other assets, primarily money market funds, the Company determined that these are short-term in nature (less than one year) and of high credit quality, and the estimated credit-related losses over the life of these receivables are also immaterial. For each of the aforementioned financial instruments carried at amortized cost, the Company enhanced its processes to consider and include the requirements of ASU 2016-13, as applicable, into the determination of credit-related losses.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies (Continued)

        In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-03, Codification Improvements to Financial Instruments ("ASU 2020-03"). ASU 2020-03 improves and clarifies various financial instruments topics to increase shareholder awareness and make the standards easier to understand and apply by eliminating inconsistencies and providing clarifications. The Company adopted ASU 2020-03 upon issuance, with no material effect on our combined financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Accounting Standards Issued but Not Yet Adopted

        In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The amendments to Topic 740 include the removal of certain exceptions to the general principles of ASC 740 in such areas as intraperiod tax allocation, year to date losses in interim periods and deferred tax liabilities related to outside basis differences. Amendments also include simplification in other areas such as interim recognition of enactment of tax laws or rate changes and accounting for a franchise tax (or similar tax) that is partially based on income. This standard will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2021. Early adoption is permitted in any interim or annual period, with any adjustments reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. If an entity chooses to early adopt, it must adopt all changes as a result of the ASU. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact that the adoption of this ASU will have on the combined financial statements and related disclosures.

        In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. Subject to meeting certain criteria, the new guidance provides optional expedients and exceptions to applying contract modification accounting under existing U.S. GAAP, to address the expected phase out of the London Inter-bank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") by the end of 2021. This guidance is effective upon issuance and allows application to contract changes as early as January 1, 2020. The Company is in the process of reviewing its funding facilities and financing facilities that utilize LIBOR as the reference rate and is currently evaluating the potential impact that the adoption of this ASU will have on the combined financial statements and related disclosures.

2. Fair Value Measurements

        Fair value is the price that would be received if an asset were sold or the price that would be paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between willing market participants at the measurement date. Required disclosures include classification of fair value measurements within a three-level hierarchy (Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3). Classification of a fair value measurement within the hierarchy is dependent on the classification and significance of the inputs used to determine the fair value measurement. Observable inputs are those that are observed, implied from, or corroborated with externally available market information. Unobservable inputs represent the Company's estimates of market participants' assumptions.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

2. Fair Value Measurements (Continued)

        Fair value measurements are classified in the following manner:

        Level 1—Valuation is based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date.

        Level 2—Valuation is based on either observable prices for identical assets or liabilities in inactive markets, observable prices for similar assets or liabilities, or other inputs that are derived directly from, or through correlation to, observable market data at the measurement date.

        Level 3—Valuation is based on the Company's internal models using assumptions at the measurement date that a market participant would use.

        In determining fair value measurement, the Company uses observable inputs whenever possible. The level of a fair value measurement within the hierarchy is dependent on the lowest level of input that has a significant impact on the measurement as a whole. If quoted market prices are available at the measurement date or are available for similar instruments, such prices are used in the measurements. If observable market data is not available at the measurement date, judgment is required to measure fair value.

        The following is a description of measurement techniques for items recorded at fair value on a recurring basis. There were no material items recorded at fair value on a nonrecurring basis as of March 31, 2020 or December 31, 2019.

        Mortgage loans held for sale:    Loans held for sale that trade in active secondary markets are valued using Level 2 measurements derived from observable market data, including market prices of securities backed by similar mortgage loans adjusted for certain factors to approximate the fair value of a whole mortgage loan, including the value attributable to mortgage servicing and credit risk. Loans held for sale for which there is little to no observable trading activity of similar instruments are valued using Level 3 measurements based upon dealer price quotes.

        IRLCs:    The fair value of IRLCs is based on current market prices of securities backed by similar mortgage loans (as determined above under mortgage loans held for sale), net of costs to close the loans, subject to the estimated loan funding probability, or "pull-through factor". Given the significant and unobservable nature of the pull-through factor, IRLCs are classified as Level 3.

        MSRs:    The fair value of MSRs (including MSRs collateral for financing liability and MSRs financing liability) is determined using a valuation model that calculates the present value of estimated net future cash flows. The model includes estimates of prepayment speeds, discount rate, cost to service, float earnings, contractual servicing fee income, and ancillary income among others. These fair value measurements are classified as Level 3.

        Forward commitments:    The Company's forward commitments are valued based on quoted prices for similar assets in an active market with inputs that are observable and are classified within Level 2 of the valuation hierarchy.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

2. Fair Value Measurements (Continued)

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

        The table below shows a summary of financial statement items that are measured at estimated fair value on a recurring basis, including assets measured under the fair value option. There were no material transfers of assets or liabilities recorded at fair value on a recurring basis between Levels 1, 2 or 3 during the three months ended March 31, 2020 or the year ended December 31, 2019.

 
  Level 1   Level 2   Level 3   Total  

Balance at March 31, 2020

                         

Assets:

                         

Mortgage loans held for sale

  $   $ 12,425,294   $ 418,090   $ 12,843,384  

IRLCs

            1,214,865     1,214,865  

MSRs

            2,170,638     2,170,638  

MSRs collateral for financing liability(1)

            79,446     79,446  

Forward commitments

        217,210         217,210  

Total assets

  $   $ 12,642,504   $ 3,883,039   $ 16,525,543  

Liabilities:

                         

Forward commitments

  $   $ 1,023,938   $   $ 1,023,938  

MSRs financing liability(1)

            73,837     73,837  

Total liabilities

  $   $ 1,023,938   $ 73,837   $ 1,097,775  

Balance at December 31, 2019

                         

Assets:

                         

Mortgage loans held for sale

  $   $ 12,966,942   $ 308,793   $ 13,275,735  

IRLCs

            508,135     508,135  

MSRs

            2,874,972     2,874,972  

MSRs collateral for financing liability(1)

                205,108     205,108  

Forward commitments

        3,838         3,838  

Total assets

  $   $ 12,970,780   $ 3,897,008   $ 16,867,788  

Liabilities:

                         

Forward commitments

  $   $ 43,794   $   $ 43,794  

MSRs financing liability(1)

            189,987     189,987  

Total liabilities

  $   $ 43,794   $ 189,987   $ 233,781  

(1)
Refer to Note 3, Mortgage Servicing Rights for further information regarding both the MSRs collateral for financing liability and MSRs financing liability.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

2. Fair Value Measurements (Continued)

        The following tables present the quantitative information about recurring Level 3 fair value financial instruments and the fair value measurements as of:

 
  March 31, 2020   December 31, 2019
Unobservable Input
  Range
(Weighted Average)
  Range
(Weighted Average)

Mortgage loans held for sale

       

Dealer pricing

  68% - 102% (97%)   75% - 103% (98%)

IRLCs

       

Loan funding probability

  0% - 100% (74%)   0% - 100% (72%)

MSRs, MSRs collateral for financing liability, and MSRs financing liability

       

Discount rate

  9.5% - 12.0% (10.0%)   9.5% - 12.0% (10.0%)

Conditional prepayment rate

  9.8% - 49.9% (19.7%)   7.4% - 44.5% (14.5%)

        The table below presents a reconciliation of Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019. Mortgage servicing rights (including MSRs collateral for financing liability and MSRs financing liability) are also classified as a Level 3 asset measured at fair value on a recurring basis and its reconciliation is found in Note 3, Mortgage Servicing Rights.

 
  Loans Held
for Sale
  IRLCs  

Balance at December 31, 2019

  $ 308,793   $ 508,135  

Transfers in(1)

    540,859      

Transfers out/principal reductions(1)

    (425,369 )    

Net transfers and revaluation gains

        706,730  

Total gains included in net income

    (6,193 )    

Balance at March 31, 2020

  $ 418,090   $ 1,214,865  

Balance at December 31, 2018

  $ 194,752   $ 245,663  

Transfers in(1)

    152,924      

Transfers out/principal reductions(1)

    (181,869 )    

Net transfers and revaluation gains

        126,442  

Total gains included in net income

    1,139      

Balance at March 31, 2019

  $ 166,946   $ 372,105  

(1)
Transfers in represent loans repurchased from investors or loans originated for which an active market currently does not exist. Transfers out primarily represent loans sold to third parties and loans paid in full.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

2. Fair Value Measurements (Continued)

Fair Value Option

        The following is the estimated fair value and unpaid principal balance ("UPB") of mortgage loans held for sale that have contractual principal amounts and for which the Company has elected the fair value option. The fair value option was elected for mortgage loans held for sale as the Company believes fair value best reflects their expected future economic performance:

 
  Fair Value   Principal Amount
Due Upon
Maturity
  Difference(1)  

Balance at March 31, 2020

  $ 12,843,384   $ 12,275,067   $ 568,317  

Balance at December 31, 2019

  $ 13,275,735   $ 12,929,143   $ 346,592  

(1)
Represents the amount of gains included in Gain on sale of loans, net due to changes in fair value of items accounted for using the fair value option.

        Disclosures of the fair value of certain financial instruments are required when it is practical to estimate the value. In cases where quoted market prices are not available, fair values are based on estimates using present value or other valuation techniques.

        The following table presents the carrying amounts and estimated fair value of financial liabilities that are not recorded at fair value on a recurring or non-recurring basis. This table excludes cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, warehouse borrowings, and line of credit borrowing facilities as these financial instruments are highly liquid or short-term in nature and as a result, their carrying amounts approximate fair value:

 
  March 31, 2020   December 31, 2019  
 
  Carrying Amount   Estimated Fair Value   Carrying Amount   Estimated Fair Value  

Senior Notes, due 5/1/2025

  $ 1,241,440   $ 1,105,365   $ 1,241,012   $ 1,297,250  

Senior Notes, due 1/15/2028

  $ 993,316   $ 983,589   $ 992,779   $ 1,046,683  

        The fair value of Senior Notes, was calculated using the observable bond price at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. The Senior Notes are classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

3. Mortgage Servicing Rights

        Mortgage servicing rights are recognized as assets on the Condensed Combined Balance Sheet when loans are sold and the associated servicing rights are retained. The Company maintains one class of MSR asset and has elected the fair value option. These MSRs are recorded at fair value, which is determined using a valuation model that calculates the present value of estimated future net servicing fee income. The model includes estimates of prepayment speeds, discount rate, cost to service, float earnings, contractual servicing fee income, and ancillary income and late fees, among others. These estimates are supported by market and economic data collected from various outside sources.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

3. Mortgage Servicing Rights (Continued)

        During 2019, the Company began using derivatives to economically hedge the risk of changes in the fair value of certain MSRs measured at fair value. The changes in the fair value of derivatives that serve to mitigate certain risks associated with the certain MSRs are recoded in current period earnings.

        The following table summarizes changes to the MSR assets for the three months ended:

 
  March 31,  
 
  2020   2019  

Fair value, beginning of period

  $ 2,874,972   $ 3,180,530  

MSRs originated

    535,419     296,672  

MSRs sales

    (186,292 )    

Changes in fair value:

             

Due to changes in valuation model inputs or assumptions(1)

    (805,536 )   (320,979 )

Due to collection/realization of cash flows

    (247,925 )   (154,722 )

Total changes in fair value

    (1,053,461 )   (475,701 )

Fair value, end of period

  $ 2,170,638   $ 3,001,501  

(1)
Reflects changes in assumptions including discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, mostly due to changes in market interest rates. Does not include the change in fair value of derivatives that economically hedge MSRs identified for sale.

        The total UPB of mortgage loans serviced, excluding subserviced loans, at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 was $319,111,177 and $311,718,188, respectively. The portfolio primarily consists of high quality performing agency and government (FHA and VA) loans. As of March 31, 2020, delinquent loans (defined as 60-plus days past-due) were 0.92% of our total portfolio.

        During the third quarter of 2019, the Company sold MSRs with a book value of approximately $340,000 relating to certain single-family mortgage loans. Based on the contract terms, the sale of those MSRs did not qualify for sale accounting treatment under U.S. GAAP. As a result, the Company is required to retain the MSRs asset (i.e., MSRs collateral for financing liability) and the MSRs liability (i.e., MSRs financing liability) on the balance sheet until certain contractual provisions lapse in June 2020. These MSRs will continue to be reported on the balance sheet at fair value using a valuation methodology consistent with the Company's method for valuing MSRs until those contractual provisions lapse. Furthermore, the net change in fair market value ("FMV") of the MSRs asset and liability from this sale is captured within loan servicing (loss) income, net in the Condensed Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. During the first quarter of 2020, the Company had $116,150 of unrealized gains relating to the MSRs liability and an offsetting $116,150 of unrealized losses relating to the MSRs asset. Additionally, terms of the agreement require quarterly adjustments to the sales price for changes in prepayment rates at the time of sale for a period of one year. Depending on these prepayment speeds the Company may either receive or pay additional funds from this transaction. Furthermore, in the first quarter of 2020, the Company

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

3. Mortgage Servicing Rights (Continued)

also sold MSRs with a book value of approximately $186,000 relating to certain single-family mortgage loans, which qualified for sale accounting treatment under U.S. GAAP.

        The following is a summary of the weighted average discount rate and prepayment speed assumptions used to determine the fair value of MSRs as well as the expected life of the loans in the servicing portfolio:

 
  March 31,
2020
  December 31,
2019
 

Discount rate

    10.0 %   10.0 %

Prepayment speeds

    19.7 %   14.5 %

Life (in years)

    4.13     5.33  

        The key assumptions used to estimate the fair value of MSRs are prepayment speeds and the discount rate. Increases in prepayment speeds generally have an adverse effect on the value of MSRs as the underlying loans prepay faster. In a declining interest rate environment, the fair value of MSRs generally decreases as prepayments increase and therefore, the estimated life of the MSRs and related cash flows decrease. Decreases in prepayment speeds generally have a positive effect on the value of MSRs as the underlying loans prepay less frequently. In a rising interest rate environment, the fair value of MSRs generally increases as prepayments decrease and therefore, the estimated life of the MSRs and related cash flows increase. Increases in the discount rate result in a lower MSR value and decreases in the discount rate result in a higher MSR value. MSR uncertainties are hypothetical and do not always have a direct correlation with each assumption. Changes in one assumption may result in changes to another assumption, which might magnify or counteract the uncertainties.

        The following table stresses the discount rate and prepayment speeds at two different data points:

 
  Discount Rate   Prepayment Speeds  
 
  100 BPS
Adverse
Change
  200 BPS
Adverse
Change
  10% Adverse
Change
  20% Adverse
Change
 

March 31, 2020

                         

Mortgage servicing rights

  $ (68,001 ) $ (131,506 ) $ (149,317 ) $ (260,884 )

December 31, 2019

                         

Mortgage servicing rights

  $ (101,495 ) $ (195,894 ) $ (133,039 ) $ (259,346 )

4. Mortgage Loans Held for Sale

        The Company sells substantially all of its originated mortgage loans into the secondary market. The Company may retain the right to service some of these loans upon sale through ownership of

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

4. Mortgage Loans Held for Sale (Continued)

servicing rights. A reconciliation of the changes in mortgage loans held for sale to the amounts presented on the Combined Statements of Cash Flows is below:

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,  
 
  2020   2019  

Balance at the beginning of period

  $ 13,275,735   $ 5,784,812  

Disbursements of mortgage loans held for sale

    50,418,371     21,617,466  

Proceeds from sales of mortgage loans held for sale(1)

    (52,257,635 )   (20,409,641 )

Gain on sale of mortgage loans excluding fair value of other financial instruments, net(2)

    1,185,188     307,360  

Increase in fair value of mortgage loans held for sale

    221,725     28,469  

Balance at the end of period

  $ 12,843,384   $ 7,328,466  

(1)
The proceeds from sales of loans held for sale on the Combined Statements of Cash Flows includes amounts related to the sale of consumer loans.

(2)
The gain on sale of loans excluding fair value of other financials instruments, net on on the Combined Statements of Cash Flows includes amounts related to the sale of consumer loans. Excludes fair value adjustments for the fair value of mortgage loans held for sale, MSR fair value, interest rate lock commitments, forward commitments, and provisions for investor reserves.

Credit Risk

        The Company is subject to credit risk associated with mortgage loans that it purchases and originates during the period of time prior to the sale of these loans. The Company considers credit risk associated with these loans to be insignificant as it holds the loans for a short period of time, which is, on average, approximately 20 days from the date of borrowing, and the market for these loans continues to be highly liquid. The Company is also subject to credit risk associated with mortgage loans it has repurchased as a result of breaches of representations and warranties during the period of time between repurchase and resale.

5. Borrowings

        The Company maintains several funding facilities and other non-funding debt as shown in the tables below. Interest rates are based on one-month LIBOR (some have a floor) plus a spread, except for the $175,000 unsecured line of credit and the Senior Notes. The interest rate for each advance on the $175,000 unsecured line of credit is variable and is based on a margin over either a fixed one, two, or three-month LIBOR or a floating daily or 30 day LIBOR, or the lender's prime rate, at the option of the Company. The commitment fee charged by lenders for each of the facilities is an annual fee and is calculated based on the committed line amount multiplied by a negotiated rate. The fee at rate ranges from 0% to 0.50% among the facilities except for the Senior Notes. The Company is required to maintain certain covenants, including minimum tangible net worth, minimum

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Table of Contents


Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

5. Borrowings (Continued)

liquidity, maximum total debt or liabilities to net worth ratio, pretax net income requirements, and other customary debt covenants, as defined in the agreements. The Company was in compliance with all covenants as of March 31, 2020.

        The amount owed and outstanding on the Company's loan funding facilities fluctuates greatly based on its origination volume, the amount of time it takes the Company to sell the loans it originates, and the Company's ability to use the cash to self-fund loans. In addition to self-funding, the Company may from time to time use surplus cash to "buy-down" the effective interest rate of certain loan funding facilities or to self-fund a portion of our loan originations. As of March 31, 2020, $240,238 of the Company's cash was used to buy-down our funding facilities and self-fund, $6,000 of which are buy-down funds that are included in cash on the balance sheet and $234,238 of which is self-funding that reduces cash on the balance sheet. The Company has the right to withdraw the $6,000 at any time, unless a margin call has been made or a default has occurred under the relevant facilities. The Company has the right to transfer the $234,238 of self-funded loans on to a warehouse line or the early buy out line, provided that such loans meet the eligibility criteria to be placed on such warehouse line or the early buy out line and no default or margin call has been made on such line, the loans are further subject to any required haircuts, and are subject to its ability to borrow additional funds under the facility. A large, unanticipated margin call could have a material adverse effect on the Company's liquidity.

        The terms of the Senior Notes restrict our ability and the ability of our subsidiary guarantors among other things to: (i) incur additional debt or issue preferred stock; (ii) pay dividends or make distributions in respect of capital stock; (iii) purchase or redeem capital stock; (iv) make investments or other restricted payments; (v) sell assets; (vii) enter into transactions with affiliates; (viii) effect a consolidation or merger, taken as a whole; and (ix) designate our subsidiaries as unrestricted subsidiaries, unless certain conditions are met, as defined in the agreements.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

5. Borrowings (Continued)

Funding Facilities

Facility Type(12)
  Collateral   Maturity   Line
Amount
  Committed
Line
Amount
  Outstanding
Balance
March 31,
2020
  Outstanding
Balance
December 31,
2019
 

MRA funding:

                                   

1) Master Repurchase Agreement(1)(10)

  Mortgage loans
held for sale(9)
    10/22/2021   $ 2,000,000   $ 100,000   $ 394,444   $ 835,302  

2) Master Repurchase Agreement(2)(10)

  Mortgage loans
held for sale(9)
    12/3/2020   $ 1,500,000   $ 500,000     1,443,067   $ 1,390,839  

3) Master Repurchase Agreement(3)(10)

  Mortgage loans
held for sale(9)
    4/23/2021   $ 2,750,000   $ 1,000,000     2,477,486   $ 2,622,070  

4) Master Repurchase Agreement(4)(10)

  Mortgage loans
held for sale(9)
    9/16/2020   $ 1,000,000   $ 850,000     913,073   $ 875,617  

5) Master Repurchase Agreement(10)

  Mortgage loans
held for sale(9)
    4/22/2021   $ 1,500,000   $ 500,000     1,208,217   $ 2,063,099  

6) Master Repurchase Agreement(5)(10)

  Mortgage loans
held for sale(9)
    9/5/2022   $ 1,000,000   $ 750,000     899,786     965,903  

7) Master Repurchase Agreement(6)(10)

  Mortgage loans
held for sale(9)
    10/15/2020   $ 1,000,000   $ 650,000     778,540     773,822  

            $ 10,750,000   $ 4,350,000     8,114,613     9,526,652  

Early Funding:

 

 

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

8) Early Funding Facility(7)(11)

  Mortgage loans held for sale(9)     See disclosure below   $ 4,000,000         3,060,510     2,022,179  

9) Early Funding Facility(8)(11)

  Mortgage loans held for sale(9)     See disclosure below   $ 1,500,000         248,001     493,047  

            $ 5,500,000         3,308,511     2,515,226  

Total

            $ 16,250,000   $ 4,350,000   $ 11,423,124   $ 12,041,878  

(1)
Subsequent to March 31, 2020 this facility was amended such that the outstanding balance on the line cannot be above $1,500,000 on the last day of each month.

(2)
Subsequent to March 31, 2020, this facility was amended to temporarily increase the total line amount to $1,750,000 with $500,000 committed until June 30, 2020. Subsequent to June 30, 2020, the facility will

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

5. Borrowings (Continued)

    drop to $1,500,000 with $500,000 committed until October 1, 2020. Subsequent to October 1, 2020 the facility will drop to $1,000,000 with $500,000 committed.

(3)
Subsequent to March 31, 2020, this facility was amended to temporarily increase the total line amount to $3,250,000 with $1,000,000 committed until June 30, 2020. Subsequent to June 30, 2020, the facility will drop to $2,750,000 with $1,000,000 committed. The facility was extended to April 22, 2022.

(4)
Subsequent to March 31, 2020, this facility was amended to temporarily increase the total line amount to $1,500,000. This facility is separated into three tranches. The first tranche has an overall line size of $500,000 with $500,000 committed, maturing August 10, 2020. The second tranche has an overall line size of $720,000 with $600,000 committed, maturing September 16, 2020. The third tranche has an overall line size of $280,000 with $250,000 committed, maturing October 22, 2020. These three tranches are subject to the same provisions under this facility except the date of maturity.

(5)
Subsequent to March 31, 2020, this facility was amended to temporarily increase the total line amount to $1,500,000 with $1,500,000 committed until July 27, 2020. Subsequent to July 27, 2020, the facility will drop to $1,000,000 with $750,000 committed.

(6)
Subsequent to March 31, 2020, this facility was amended to temporarily increase the total line amount to $1,500,000 with $975,000 committed until maturity.

(7)
This facility is an evergreen agreement with no stated termination or expiration date. This agreement can be terminated by either party upon written notice.

(8)
Subsequent to March 31, 2020, this facility was amended to temporarily increase the total line amount to $2,500,000, which will be reviewed every 90 days. This facility is an evergreen agreement with no stated termination or expiration date. This agreement can be terminated by either party upon written notice.

(9)
The Company has multiple borrowing facilities in the form of asset sales under agreements to repurchase. These borrowing facilities are secured by mortgage loans held for sale at fair value as the first priority security interest.

(10)
The interest rates charged by lenders of the funding facilities under the Master Repurchase Agreements ranged from one-month LIBOR+1.20% to one-month LIBOR+2.30% for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019.

(11)
The interest rates charged by lenders for the early funding facilities ranged from one-month LIBOR+0.40% to one-month LIBOR+0.85% for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019.

(12)
Subsequent to March 31, 2020, a new facility was closed. This facility has a total line amount of $350,000 with $0 committed. This facility has a maturity date of June 12, 2021.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

5. Borrowings (Continued)

Other Financing Facilities

Facility Type
  Collateral   Maturity   Line Amount   Committed
Line Amount
  Outstanding
Balance
March 31,
2020
  Outstanding
Balance
December 31,
2019
 

Line of Credit Financing Facilities

                                   

1) Unsecured line of credit(1)(5)

      11/1/2024   $ 1,000,000   $   $ 600,000   $  

2) Unsecured line of credit(5)

      2/28/2021     175,000     175,000     175,000     90,000  

3) MSR line of credit(2)(6)

  MSRs     10/22/2021     200,000              

4) MSR line of credit(3)(6)

  MSRs     See disclosure
below
    200,000     200,000     200,000     75,000  

            $ 1,575,000   $ 375,000   $ 975,000   $ 165,000  

Early Buyout Financing Facility

 

 

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

5) Early buy out facility(4)(7)

  Loans/
Advances
    6/9/2021   $ 500,000       $ 287,122   $ 196,247  

(1)
This uncommitted, unsecured Revolving Loan Agreement is with RHI.

(2)
As of March 31, 2020 this facility's uncommitted line amount was unavailable to draw.

(3)
This MSR facility can be drawn upon for corporate purposes and is collateralized by GSE MSRs within our servicing portfolio. This facility has a 5-year total commitment comprised of a 3-year revolving period that expires on April 30, 2022 followed by a 2-year amortization period that expires on April 30, 2024.

(4)
This facility provides funding for repurchasing delinquent loans from agency securities loan pools and servicer advances related to the repurchased loans. Effective January 30, 2020, this facility has an overall line size of $500,000 which can be increased to $600,000 at borrower's request and lender's acceptance.

(5)
The interest rates charged by lenders for the unsecured lines of credit financing facilities ranged from one-month LIBOR+1.25% to one-month LIBOR+2.00% for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019.

(6)
The interest rates charged by lenders for the MSR line of credit financing facility ranged from one-month LIBOR+2.25% to one-month LIBOR+4.00% for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019.

(7)
The interest rate charged by lender for the Early buyout financing facility ranged from one-month LIBOR+1.45% to one-month LIBOR+1.75% for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

5. Borrowings (Continued)

Unsecured Senior Notes

Facility Type
  Maturity   Interest
Rate
  Outstanding
Balance
March 31,
2020
  Outstanding
Balance
December 31,
2019
 

Unsecured Senior Notes(1)

    5/1/2025     5.75 % $ 1,250,000   $ 1,250,000  

Unsecured Senior Notes(2)

    1/15/2028     5.25 %   1,010,000     1,010,000  

Total Senior Notes

              $ 2,260,000   $ 2,260,000  

(1)
The Senior Notes are unsecured obligation notes with no asset required to pledge for this borrowing. Unamortized debt issuance costs are presented net against the Senior Notes reducing the $1,250,000 carrying amount on the balance sheet by $8,560 and $8,988 as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. At any time on or after May 1, 2020, the Company may redeem the note at its option, in whole or in part, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days notice, at the redemption prices equal to the percentage of principal amount set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to but excluding the redemption date, in cash, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on May 1 in the years indicated below:
 
Year
  Percentage  
 

Rest of 2020

    102.875 %
 

2021

    101.917 %
 

2022

    100.958 %
 

2023 and thereafter

    100.000 %
(2)
The Senior Notes are unsecured obligation notes with no asset required to pledge for this borrowing. Unamortized debt issuance costs and discounts are presented net against the Senior Notes reducing the $1,010,000 carrying amount on the balance sheet by $9,130 and $7,554 as of March 31, 2020, respectively and $9,421 and $7,800 as of December 31, 2019, respectively. At any time and from time to time on or after January 15, 2023, the Company may redeem the notes at its option, in whole or in part, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days notice, at the redemption prices equal to the percentage of principal amount set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to but excluding the redemption date, in cash, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on January 15 in the years indicated below:
 
Year
  Percentage  
 

2023

    102.625 %
 

2024

    101.750 %
 

2025

    100.875 %
 

2026 and thereafter

    100.000 %

        Refer to Note 2, Fair Value Measurements for information pertaining to the fair value of the Company's debt as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

6. Transactions with Related Parties

        The Company has entered into various transactions and agreements with RHI, its subsidiaries, certain other affiliates and related parties (collectively, "Related Parties"). These transactions include providing financing and services as well as obtaining financing and services from these Related Parties.

Financing Arrangements

        On January 6, 2017, the Company entered into a $55,983 promissory note with one of the Company's shareholders ("Shareholder's Note"). In 2019, the Shareholder's Note was amended and the accrued interest balance of $1,474 was added to the principal outstanding, increasing the total principal outstanding to $57,457, due on December 31, 2020. In March 2020, the full amount of this note was settled in cash.

        As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, there were other promissory notes outstanding with Related Parties. A portion of these notes were settled in cash in March 2020, and the remainder are expected to be settled in cash prior to the public offering.

        On June 9, 2017, the Company and RHI entered into a $300,000 uncommitted and unsecured line of credit ("RHI Line of Credit"). On December 24, 2019 the Company amended the RHI Line of Credit and increased the borrowing capacity to $1,000,000, due on November 1, 2024. The line of credit is uncommitted and RHI has sole discretion over advances. The RHI Line of Credit also contains negative covenants which restrict the ability of the Company to incur debt and create liens on certain assets. It also requires the Company to maintain a quarterly combined net income before taxes if adjusted tangible net worth meets certain requirements. At quarter ended March 31, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019, the amounts due to RHI pursuant to the RHI Line of Credit were $600,000 and $0, respectively, recorded under Lines of Credit in the Combined Balance Sheets.

        On January 10, 2019, the Company and RHI Opportunities entered into a $10,000 agreement for a perpetual uncommitted unsecured line of credit ("RHIO Line of Credit"), which provides for financing from RHI Opportunities to the Company. The line of credit is uncommitted and RHI has sole discretion over advances. The principal amount of all borrowings is payable in full on demand by RHI Opportunities. The RHIO Line of Credit also contains negative covenants that restrict the ability of RockLoans Opportunities to incur debt in excess of $500 and creates liens on certain assets other than liens securing permitted debt.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

6. Transactions with Related Parties (Continued)

        The amounts receivable from and payable to Related Parties consisted of the following as of:

 
  March 31, 2020   December 31, 2019  
 
  Principal   Interest
Rate(1)
  Principal   Interest
Rate(1)
 

Included in Notes receivable and due from affiliates on the Condensed Combined Balance Sheets

                         

Promissory Note—Shareholders Note

  $       $ 57,457     2.38 %

Affiliated receivables and other notes(2)

    23,288         32,489      

Notes receivable and due from affiliates

  $ 23,288         $ 89,946        

Included in Notes payable and due to affiliates on the Condensed Combined Balance Sheets

                         

RHIO Line of Credit

    9,500     5.00 %   10,000     5.00 %

Affiliated payables

    42,227         25,082      

Notes payable and due to affiliates

  $ 51,727         $ 35,082        

RHI Line of Credit

  $ 600,000     LIBOR+1.25 (3)       LIBOR+1.25 (3)

(1)
Interest incurred and accrued is based on a margin over 30-day LIBOR as of the date of advance.

(2)
The promissory note was settled in full in cash subsequent to March 31, 2020 and before the filing of these financial statements.

(3)
One-month LIBOR ranged from 1.69% to 1.73%.

Services, Products and Other Transactions

        We have entered into transactions and agreements to provide certain services to RHI, its subsidiaries and certain other affiliates of our majority shareholder. We recognized revenue of $1,835 and $1,604 in the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, for the performance of these services, which was included in other income. Related Party receivables were $22,414 and $29,431 as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. We have also entered into transactions and agreements to purchase certain services, products and other transactions from certain subsidiaries of RHI and affiliates of our majority shareholder. We incurred expenses of $14,923 and $8,570, in the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, for these products, services and other transactions, which are included in general and administrative expenses. Related party payables, which is recorded in notes payable and due to affiliates, were $42,227 and $25,082 as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

6. Transactions with Related Parties (Continued)

Lease Transactions with Related Parties

        The Company is a party to lease agreements for certain offices, including our headquarters in Detroit, with various affiliates of Bedrock Management Services LLC ("Bedrock"), a Related Party, and other Related Parties of the Company. During the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, we incurred expenses totaling $16,397 and $17,395, respectively, for these properties.

7. Other Assets

        Other assets consist of the following:

 
  March 31,   December 31,  
 
  2020   2019  

Margin call receivable from counterparty

  $ 764,548   $ 3,697  

Mortgage production related receivables

    147,422     157,276  

Disbursement funds advanced

    128,878     56,721  

Ginnie Mae buyouts

    79,999     78,174  

Prepaid expenses

    58,825     62,199  

Goodwill and other intangible assets

    38,096     40,261  

Non-production-related receivables

    37,197     35,530  

Other real estate owned

    1,632     1,619  

Other

    77,318     64,181  

Total other assets

  $ 1,333,915   $ 499,658  

8. Income Taxes

        The components of income (loss) tax expense (benefit) were as follows:

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,  
 
  2020   2019  

Total income before income (loss) taxes and noncontrolling interest

  $ 98,016   $ (300,349 )

Total provision for (benefit from) income taxes

  $ 736   $ (1,004 )

Effective tax provision rate

    0.75 %   0.33 %

        The Combined Businesses of the Company is comprised of qualified Subchapter S subsidiary corporations and single member LLCs, which are generally not subject to U.S. Federal or state income taxes. Accordingly, its operating results are included in the income tax returns of its shareholders. However, certain states in which the Company operates have entity-level income taxes that are not passed to the shareholders. Accordingly, income tax expense is accrued for such entity-level income taxes.

        For interim tax reporting, we estimate one single effective tax rate for tax jurisdictions not subject to a valuation allowance, which is applied to the year-to-date ordinary income/(loss). Tax

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

8. Income Taxes (Continued)

effects of significant unusual or infrequently occurring items are excluded from the estimated annual effective tax rate calculation and recognized in the interim period in which they occur.

9. Derivative Financial Instruments

        The Company uses forward commitments in hedging the interest rate risk exposure on its fixed and adjustable rate commitments. Utilization of forward commitments involves some degree of basis risk. Basis risk is defined as the risk that the hedged instrument's price does not move in parallel with the increase or decrease in the market price of the hedged financial instrument. The Company calculates an expected hedge ratio to mitigate a portion of this risk. The Company's derivative instruments are not designated as accounting hedging instruments, and therefore, changes in fair value are recorded in current period earnings. Hedging gains and losses are included in gain on sale of loans, net in the Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income.

Net hedging losses were as follows:

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,  
 
  2020(1)   2019  

Hedging losses

  $ (996,984 ) $ (33,854 )

(1)
Includes the market changes on MSR hedge incurred from the economic hedging of MSRs identified for sale.

        Refer to Note 2, Fair Value Measurements, for additional information on the fair value of derivative financial instruments.

Notional and Fair Value

        The notional and fair values of derivative financial instruments not designated as hedging instruments were as follows:

 
  Notional Value   Derivative Asset   Derivative Liability  

Balance at March 31, 2020:

                   

IRLCs, net of loan funding probability(1)

  $ 22,726,633   $ 1,214,865   $  

Forward commitments(2)

  $ 35,925,384   $ 217,210   $ 1,023,938  

Balance at December 31, 2019:

                   

IRLCs, net of loan funding probability(1)

  $ 15,439,960   $ 508,135   $  

Forward commitments(2)

  $ 26,637,275   $ 3,838   $ 43,794  

(1)
IRLCs are also discussed in Note 10, Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees.

(2)
Includes the market changes on MSR hedge incurred from the economic hedging of MSRs identified for sale.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

9. Derivative Financial Instruments (Continued)

        Counterparty agreements for forward commitments contain master netting agreements. The table below presents the gross amounts of recognized assets and liabilities subject to master netting agreements. The Company had $764,548 and $3,697 of margin call receivable from counterparties related to these forward commitments at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively, classified in other assets in the Condensed Combined Balance Sheets. As of March 31, 2020 and 2019, there was no cash on our balance sheet from the respective counterparties. Margins received by the Company are classified in other liabilities in the Condensed Combined Balance Sheets.

 
  Gross Amount of
Recognized Assets
or Liabilities
  Gross Amounts
Offset in the
Condensed Combined
Balance Sheet
  Net Amounts
Presented in the
Condensed Combined
Balance Sheet
 

Offsetting of Derivative Assets

                   

Balance at March 31, 2020:

                   

Forward commitments

  $ 482,716   $ (265,506 ) $ 217,210  

Balance at December 31, 2019:

                   

Forward commitments

  $ 6,690   $ (2,852 ) $ 3,838  

Offsetting of Derivative Liabilities

                   

Balance at March 31, 2020:

                   

Forward commitments

  $ (1,706,329 ) $ 682,391   $ (1,023,938 )

Balance at December 31, 2019:

                   

Forward commitments

  $ (89,389 ) $ 45,595   $ (43,794 )

Counterparty Credit Risk

        Credit risk is defined as the possibility that a loss may occur from the failure of another party to perform in accordance with the terms of the contract, which exceeds the value of existing collateral, if any. The Company attempts to limit its credit risk by dealing with creditworthy counterparties and obtaining collateral where appropriate.

        The Company is exposed to credit loss in the event of contractual nonperformance by its trading counterparties and counterparties to its various over-the-counter derivative financial instruments noted in the above Notional and Fair Value discussion. The Company manages this credit risk by selecting only counterparties that it believes to be financially strong, spreading the credit risk among many such counterparties, placing contractual limits on the amount of unsecured credit extended to any single counterparty, and entering into netting agreements with the counterparties as appropriate.

        The master netting agreements contain a legal right to offset amounts due to and from the same counterparty. Derivative assets in the Condensed Combined Balance Sheets represent derivative contracts in a gain position net of loss positions with the same counterparty and, therefore, also represent the Company's maximum counterparty credit risk. The Company incurred no credit losses due to nonperformance of any of its counterparties during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

10. Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees

Interest Rate Lock Commitments

        IRLCs are agreements to lend to a client as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. The Company evaluates each client's creditworthiness on a case-by-case basis.

        The number of days from the date of the IRLC to expiration of fixed and variable rate lock commitments outstanding at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 was approximately 44 days on average.

        The UPB of IRLCs was as follows:

 
  March 31, 2020   December 31, 2019  
 
  Fixed Rate   Variable Rate   Fixed Rate   Variable Rate  

IRLCs

  $ 28,551,276   $ 2,264,826   $ 20,577,282   $ 974,693  

Commitments to Sell Mortgage Loans

        In the ordinary course of business, the Company enters into contracts to sell existing mortgage loans held for sale into the secondary market at specified future dates. The amount of commitments to sell existing loans at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 was $3,418,099 and $2,859,710, respectively.

Commitments to Sell Loans with Servicing Released

        In the ordinary course of business, the Company enters into contracts to sell the MSRs of certain newly originated loans on a servicing released basis. In the event that a forward commitment is not filled and there has been an unfavorable market shift from the date of commitment to the date of settlement, the Company is contractually obligated to pay a pair-off fee on the undelivered balance. There were $628,900 and $78,446 of loans committed to be sold servicing released at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

Investor Reserves

        The following presents the activity in the investor reserves:

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,  
 
  2020   2019  

Balance at beginning of period

  $ 54,387   $ 56,943  

Provision for investor reserves

    1,577     493  

Premium recapture and indemnification losses paid

    (297 )   (791 )

Balance at end of period

  $ 55,667   $ 56,645  

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

10. Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees (Continued)

        The maximum exposure under the Company's representations and warranties would be the outstanding principal balance and any premium received on all loans ever sold by the Company, less any loans that have already been paid in full by the mortgagee, that have defaulted without a breach of representations and warranties, that have been indemnified via settlement or make-whole, or that have been repurchased. Additionally, the Company may receive relief of certain representation and warranty obligations on loans sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac on or after January 1, 2013 if Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac satisfactorily concludes a quality control loan file review or if the borrower meets certain acceptable payment history requirements within 12 or 36 months after the loan is sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

Escrows Payable

        As a service to its clients, the Company administers escrow deposits representing undisbursed amounts received for payment of property taxes, insurance and principal, and interest on mortgage loans held for sale. Cash held by the Company for property taxes and insurance was $3,052,571 and $2,617,016, and for principal and interest was $7,567,455 and $6,726,793 at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. These amounts are not considered assets of the Company and, therefore, are excluded from the Condensed Combined Balance Sheets. The Company remains contingently liable for the disposition of these deposits.

Guarantees

        As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company guaranteed the debt of another related party totaling $15,000, consisting of three separate guarantees of $5,000 each. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company did not record a liability on the Condensed Combined Balance Sheets for these guarantees because it was not probable that the Company would be required to make payments under these guarantees.

Trademark License

        The Company has a perpetual trademark license agreement with a third-party entity. This agreement requires annual payments by the Company based upon the income from the sale of loans generated under the Quicken Loans brand. Total licensing fees incurred and paid were $1,875 for each of the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, which is the maximum annual amount allowable under the contract and is classified in other expenses in the Condensed Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income.

Legal

        The Company, among other things, engages in mortgage lending, title and settlement services, and other financial technology services. The Company operates in a highly regulated industry and is routinely subject to various legal and administrative proceedings concerning matters that arise in the normal and ordinary course of business, including inquires, complaints, subpoenas, audits, examinations, investigations and potential enforcement actions from regulatory agencies and state attorney generals; state and federal lawsuits and putative class actions; and other litigation.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

10. Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees (Continued)

Periodically, we assess our potential liabilities and contingencies in connection with outstanding legal and administrative proceedings utilizing the latest information available. While it is not possible to predict the outcome of any of these matters, based on our assessment of the facts and circumstances, we do not believe any of these matters, individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. However, actual outcomes may differ from those expected and could have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows in a future period. The Company accrues for losses when they are probable to occur and such losses are reasonably estimable. Legal costs expected to be incurred are accounted for as they are incurred.

        In 2018 an initial judgment was entered against the Quicken Loans and Amrock, formerly known as Title Source, Inc., for a certified class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of West Virginia. The lawsuit alleged that Quicken Loans violated West Virginia state law by unconscionably inducing them (and a class of other West Virginians who received loans through Quicken Loans) into loans by including the borrower's own estimated home values on appraisal order forms. The judge has ruled in favor of the plaintiffs on liability and the case is currently on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Quicken Loans and Amrock believe an unfavorable outcome to be reasonably possible but not probable based on rulings by the court, advice of counsel, their respective defenses, and other developments with an aggregate possible range of loss to be between zero and $15,000.

        Quicken Loans is also defending itself against five putative Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA") class action lawsuits. Quicken Loans denies the allegations in these cases and intends to vigorously defend itself. Quicken Loans has filed, or intends to file, a dispositive motion in each of these matters which, if granted, would result in a finding of no liability. The Company does not believe a loss is probable; therefore, no reserve has been recorded related to these matters. Given these lawsuits are at the early stages, the Company is unable to estimate a range of possible loss with any degree of reasonable certainty.

        Amrock is currently involved in civil litigation related to a business dispute between Amrock and HouseCanary, Inc. ("HouseCanary"). The lawsuit was filed on April 12, 2016, by Amrock—Title Source, Inc. v. HouseCanary, Inc., No. 2016-CI-06300 (37th Civil District Court, San Antonio, Texas)—and included claims against HouseCanary for breach of contract and fraudulent inducement stemming from a contract between Amrock and HouseCanary whereby HouseCanary was obligated to provide Amrock with appraisal and valuation software and services. HouseCanary filed counterclaims against Amrock for, among other things, breach of contract, fraud, and misappropriation of trade secrets. On March 14, 2018, following trial of the claims in the lawsuit, a Bexar County, Texas, jury awarded $706.2 million in favor of HouseCanary and rejected Amrocks' claims against HouseCanary. The district court entered judgment in favor of HouseCanary and against Amrock for an aggregate of $739.6 million (consisting of $235.4 million in actual damages; $470.8 million in punitive damages; $28.9 million in prejudgment interest; and $4.5 million in attorney fees). On appeal (No. 04-19-00044-CV, Fourth Court of Appeals, San Antonio, Texas), the court of appeals affirmed judgment of no-cause on Amrock's claim for breach of contract, but reversed judgment on HouseCanary's claims for misappropriation of trade secrets and fraud and remanded

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

10. Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees (Continued)

the case for a new trial on HouseCanary's misappropriation of trade secrets and fraud claims. It is possible that one (or both) of the parties could seek additional appellate review of the court of appeals' decision. The outcome of this matter remains uncertain, and the ultimate resolution of the litigation may be several years in the future. If the case is tried again, Amrock intends to present new evidence, including evidence revealed by whistleblowers who came forward with evidence that undermined HouseCanary's claims after the conclusion of the original trial, and to vigorously defend against this case and any subsequent actions.

        Quicken Loans and Rocket Homes are defending themselves against a tagalong lawsuit filed by HouseCanary that also includes claims for misappropriation of trade secrets. That case is in its early stages and is stayed pending a resolution of Quicken Loans' and Rocket Homes' dispositive motion.

        In addition to the matters described above, the Company is subject to other legal proceedings arising the ordinary course of business. The ultimate outcome of these or other actions or proceedings, including any monetary awards against the companies, is uncertain and there can be no assurance as to the amount of any such potential awards.

        There are no recorded reserves related to potential damages in connection with any of the above legal proceedings, as any potential loss is not currently probable and reasonably estimable under U.S. GAAP. The ultimate outcome of these or other actions or proceedings, including any monetary awards against one or more of the Rocket Companies, is uncertain and there can be no assurance as to the amount of any such potential awards. The Rocket Companies will incur defense costs and other expenses in connection with the lawsuits. Plus, if a judgment for money that exceeds specified thresholds is rendered against a Rocket Company or Rocket Companies and it or they fail to timely pay, discharge, bond or obtain a stay of execution of such judgment, it is possible that one or more of the Rocket Companies could be deemed in default of their loan funding facilities and other agreements governing indebtedness. If the final resolution of any such litigation is unfavorable in one or more of these actions, it could have a material adverse effect on a Rocket Company's or the Rocket Companies' business, liquidity, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.

11. Minimum Net Worth Requirements

        Certain secondary market investors and state regulators require the Company to maintain minimum net worth and capital requirements. To the extent that these requirements are not met, secondary market investors and/or the state regulators may utilize a range of remedies including sanctions, and/or suspension or termination of selling and servicing agreements, which may prohibit the Company from originating, securitizing or servicing these specific types of mortgage loans.

        The Company is subject to the following minimum net worth, minimum capital ratio and minimum liquidity requirements established by the Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA") for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Seller/Servicers, and Ginnie Mae for single family issuers. Furthermore, refer to Note 6, Borrowings for additional information regarding compliance with all covenant requirements.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

11. Minimum Net Worth Requirements (Continued)

Minimum Net Worth

        The minimum net worth requirement for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is defined as follows:

    Base of $2,500 plus 25 basis points of outstanding UPB for total loans serviced.

    Adjusted/Tangible Net Worth comprises of total equity less goodwill, intangible assets, affiliate receivables and certain pledged assets.

        The minimum net worth requirement for Ginnie Mae is defined as follows:

    Base of $2,500 plus 35 basis points of the issuer's total single-family effective outstanding obligations.

    Adjusted/Tangible Net Worth is defined as total equity less goodwill, intangible assets, affiliate receivables and certain pledged assets. Effective for fiscal year 2020, under the Ginnie Mae MBS Guide, the issuers will no longer be permitted to include deferred tax assets when computing the minimum net worth requirements.

Minimum Capital Ratio

    For Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae the Company is also required to hold a ratio of Adjusted/Tangible Net Worth to Total Assets greater than 6%.

Minimum Liquidity

        The minimum liquidity requirement for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is defined as follows:

    3.5 basis points of total Agency servicing.

    Incremental 200 basis points of total nonperforming Agency, measured as 90+ delinquencies, servicing in excess of 6% of the total Agency servicing UPB.

    Allowable assets for liquidity may include: cash and cash equivalents (unrestricted), available for sale or held for trading investment grade securities (e.g., Agency MBS, Obligations of GSEs, US Treasury Obligations); and unused/available portion of committed servicing advance lines.

        The minimum liquidity requirement for Ginnie Mae is defined as follows:

    Maintain liquid assets equal to the greater of $1,000 or 10 basis points of our outstanding single-family MBS.

        The most restrictive of the minimum net worth and capital requirements require the Company to maintain a minimum adjusted net worth balance of $1,248,735 and $1,179,928 as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company was in compliance with this requirement.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

12. Segments

        The Company's Chief Executive Officer, who has been identified as its Chief Operating Decision Maker ("CODM"), has evaluated how the Company views and measures its performance. ASC 280, Segment Reporting establishes the standards for reporting information about segments in financial statements. In applying the criteria set forth in that guidance, the Company has determined that it has two reportable segments—Direct to Consumer and Partner Network. The key factors used to identify these reportable segments are the organization and alignment of the Company's internal operations and the nature of its marketing channels which drive client acquisition into the mortgage ecosystem. This determination reflects how its CODM monitors performance, allocates capital and makes strategic and operational decisions. The Company's segments are described as follows:

Direct to Consumer

        In the Direct to Consumer segment, the Company directly interacts with clients and potential clients using various performance marketing channels. The Direct to Consumer segment derives revenue from originating, closing, selling and servicing predominantly agency-conforming loans, which are pooled and sold to the secondary market. This also includes providing title insurance services, appraisals and settlement services to these clients as part of the Company's end-to-end mortgage origination experience it provides to its clients. Servicing activities are viewed as an extension of the client experience with the primary objective being to establish and maintain positive, regular touchpoints with our clients, which positions the Company to recapture the clients' next refinance or purchase mortgage transaction. Consequently, servicing is viewed by the CODM as an integral element of the Direct to Consumer segment.

Partner Network

        In the Partner Network segment, the Company is focused on aligning its brand with other high-quality consumer-focused influencers and marketing partnerships who utilize its platform to provide their clients mortgage solutions with a superior client experience.

Other Information About Our Segments

        The Company does not allocate assets to its reportable segments as they are not included in the review performed by the CODM for purposes of assessing segment performance and allocating resources. The balance sheet is managed on a consolidated basis and is not used in the context of segment reporting.

        The Company also reports an "all other" category that includes operations from Rocket Homes, Rock Connections, Core Digital Media, Rocket Loans, and includes professional service fee revenues from related parties. These operations are neither significant individually nor in aggregate and therefore do not constitute a reportable segment.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

12. Segments (Continued)

        Key operating data for our business segments for the three months ended:

March 31, 2020
  Direct to
Consumer
  Partner
Network
  Segments
Total
  All Other   Total  

Revenues

                               

Gain on sale

  $ 1,610,832   $ 203,447   $ 1,814,279   $ 7,830   $ 1,822,109  

Interest income

    47,311     25,571     72,882     1,160     74,042  

Interest expense on funding facilities

    (25,385 )   (13,720 )   (39,105 )   (354 )   (39,459 )

Servicing fee income

    255,990         255,990     1,103     257,093  

Changes in fair value of MSRs

    (991,252 )       (991,252 )       (991,252 )

Other income

    145,023     19,609     164,632     79,670     244,302  

Total U.S. GAAP Revenue

  $ 1,042,519   $ 234,907   $ 1,277,426   $ 89,409   $ 1,366,835  

Plus: Decrease in MSRs due to valuation assumptions

    743,327         743,327         743,327  

Adjusted revenue

  $ 1,785,846   $ 234,907   $ 2,020,753   $ 89,409   $ 2,110,162  

Directly attributable expenses

    780,621     91,944     872,565     48,287     920,852  

Contribution margin

  $ 1,005,225   $ 142,963   $ 1,148,188   $ 41,122   $ 1,189,310  

 

March 31, 2019
  Direct to
Consumer
  Partner
Network
  Segments
Total
  All Other   Total  

Revenues

                               

Gain on sale

  $ 665,774   $ 50,126   $ 715,900   $ 11,346   $ 727,246  

Interest income

    34,400     12,036     46,436     616     47,052  

Interest expense on funding facilities

    (17,222 )   (6,026 )   (23,248 )   (365 )   (23,613 )

Servicing fee income

    223,343         223,343     1,263     224,606  

Changes in fair value of MSRs

    (475,176 )       (475,176 )   (525 )   (475,701 )

Other income

    76,718     6,579     83,297     48,885     132,182  

Total U.S. GAAP Revenue

  $ 507,837   $ 62,715   $ 570,552   $ 61,220   $ 631,772  

Less: Decrease in MSRs due to valuation assumptions

    320,979         320,979         320,979  

Adjusted revenue

  $ 828,816   $ 62,715   $ 891,531   $ 61,220   $ 952,751  

Directly attributable expenses

    544,289     42,988     587,277     40,782     628,059  

Contribution margin

  $ 284,527   $ 19,727   $ 304,254   $ 20,438   $ 324,692  

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Condensed Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

12. Segments (Continued)

        The following table represents a reconciliation of segment contribution margin to combined U.S. GAAP income before taxes for the three months ended:

 
  March 31,  
 
  2020   2019  

Contribution margin, excluding change in MSRs due to valuation assumptions

  $ 1,189,310   $ 324,692  

(Decrease) increase in MSRs due to valuation assumptions

    (743,327 )   (320,979 )

Contribution margin, including change in MSRs due to valuation assumptions

  $ 445,983   $ 3,713  

Less expenses not allocated to segments:

             

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

    198,849     151,821  

General and administrative expenses

    94,597     99,109  

Depreciation and amortization

    16,115     18,105  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt

    33,107     33,082  

Other expenses

    5,299     1,945  

Income (loss) before income taxes

  $ 98,016   $ (300,349 )

13. Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Balance Sheet

        The Company paid capital distributions to RHI subsequent to March 31, 2020, as described in greater detail under "Organizational Structure." The $3,878,390 distribution will be fully funded through the use of cash on hand as of March 31, 2020 and cash flows generated from operations between April 1, 2020 and the transaction date. For purposes of the unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet, the payment of the distributions is reflected as a reduction to net parent investment of $3,878,390, a reduction to cash and cash equivalents of $1,161,956, and the recognition of a non-interest bearing payable of $2,716,434. The pro forma Cash and cash equivalents balance after giving effect to this adjustment represents the Company's estimated ending cash and cash equivalents balance immediately prior to the reorganization transactions and initial public offering. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet as of March 31, 2020 reflects these distributions as if such distributions were declared and paid on March 31, 2020.

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Table of Contents

Report of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Management of Rock Holdings Inc.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

        We have audited the accompanying combined balance sheets of Quicken Loans Inc., EFB Holdings Inc., Lendesk Canada Holdings Inc., LMB HoldCo LLC, RCRA Holdings LLC, RockTech Canada Inc., Rock Central LLC, Rocket Homes Real Estate LLC, RockLoans Holdings LLC, Amrock Inc., Nexsys Technologies LLC, and Woodward Capital Management LLC, (each of which is a subsidiary of Rock Holdings Inc., collectively "Rocket Companies" or the "Company") as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the related combined statements of income and comprehensive income, changes in equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2019, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the combined financial statements). In our opinion, the combined financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2019, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Basis for Opinion

        These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

        We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the combined financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

        Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the combined financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the combined financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the combined financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

We have served as the Company's auditor since 1999.

Detroit, Michigan
June 22, 2020

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Rocket Companies
Combined Balance Sheets
(Dollars in Thousands)

 
  December 31,  
 
  2019   2018  

Assets

             

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 1,350,972   $ 1,053,884  

Restricted cash

    61,154     47,283  

Mortgage loans held for sale, at fair value

    13,275,735     5,784,812  

Interest rate lock commitments ("IRLCs"), at fair value

    508,135     245,663  

Mortgage servicing rights ("MSRs"), at fair value

    2,874,972     3,180,530  

MSRs collateral for financing liability, at fair value

    205,108      

Notes receivable and due from affiliates

    89,946     96,531  

Property and equipment, net

    176,446     202,555  

Lease right-of-use assets

    278,921      

Forward commitments, at fair value

    3,838     895  

Loans subject to repurchase right from Ginnie Mae

    752,442     534,113  

Other assets

    499,658     407,180  

Total assets

  $ 20,077,327   $ 11,553,446  

Liabilities and equity

             

Liabilities:

             

Funding facilities

  $ 12,041,878   $ 5,076,604  

Other financing facilities and debt:

             

Lines of credit

    165,000     165,000  

Senior Notes, net

    2,233,791     2,229,931  

Early buy out facility

    196,247     88,324  

MSRs financing liability, at fair value

    189,987      

Accounts payable

    157,295     92,677  

Lease liabilities

    314,353      

Forward commitments, at fair value

    43,794     146,229  

Investor reserves

    54,387     56,943  

Notes payable and due to affiliates

    35,082     18,319  

Loans subject to repurchase right from Ginnie Mae

    752,442     534,113  

Other liabilities

    390,149     364,410  

Total liabilities

    16,574,405     8,772,550  

Equity:

             

Net parent investment

    3,498,065     2,775,594  

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

    (151 )   (868 )

Noncontrolling interest

    5,008     6,170  

Total equity

    3,502,922     2,780,896  

Total liabilities and equity

  $ 20,077,327   $ 11,553,446  

See accompanying notes to the combined financial statements.

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Rocket Companies

Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income

(Dollars in Thousands)

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
 
  2019   2018   2017  

Income:

                   

Revenue

                   

Gain on sale of loans:

                   

Gain on sale of loans excluding fair value of MSRs, net

  $ 3,139,656   $ 1,968,716   $ 2,566,111  

Fair value of originated MSRs

    1,771,651     959,172     813,085  

Gain on sale of loans, net

    4,911,307     2,927,888     3,379,196  

Loan servicing (loss) income:

   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Servicing fee income

    950,221     820,370     696,639  

Change in fair value of MSRs

    (1,596,631 )   (228,723 )   (569,391 )

Loan servicing (loss) income, net

    (646,410 )   591,647     127,248  

Interest income (expense):

   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Interest income

    250,750     200,927     159,581  

Interest expense on funding facilities

    (134,916 )   (99,325 )   (102,972 )

Interest income, net

    115,834     101,602     56,609  

Other income

    739,168     588,412     586,829  

Total revenue, net

    5,119,899     4,209,549     4,149,882  

Expenses

   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

    2,082,058     1,703,197     1,686,811  

General and administrative expenses

    683,116     591,372     540,640  

Marketing and advertising expenses

    905,000     878,027     787,844  

Depreciation and amortization

    74,952     76,917     68,813  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt

    136,853     130,022     77,967  

Other expenses

    339,549     214,754     215,870  

Total expenses

    4,221,528     3,594,289     3,377,945  

Income before income taxes

    898,371     615,260     771,937  

Provision for income taxes

    (5,984 )   (2,643 )   (1,228 )

Net income

    892,387     612,617     770,709  

Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest

    1,367     272     (8 )

Net income attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 893,754   $ 612,889   $ 770,701  

Comprehensive income:

                   

Net income attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 893,754   $ 612,889   $ 770,701  

Other comprehensive income (loss)

    717     (868 )    

Comprehensive income attributable to Rocket Companies

  $ 894,471   $ 612,021   $ 770,701  

   

See accompanying notes to the combined financial statements.

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Rocket Companies

Combined Statements of Changes in Equity

(Dollars in Thousands)

 
  Net Parent
Investment
  Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
(Loss) Income
  Total
Noncontrolling
Interest
  Total
Equity
 

Balance, December 31, 2016

  $ 2,506,593   $   $ 857   $ 2,507,450  

Net income for 2017

    770,701         8     770,709  

Net transfers to Parent

    (474,270 )           (474,270 )

Stock-based compensation, net

    32,898             32,898  

Balance, December 31, 2017

    2,835,922         865     2,836,787  

Net income (loss) for 2018

    612,889         (272 )   612,617  

Other comprehensive loss

        (868 )   (193 )   (1,061 )

Net transfers to Parent

    (706,853 )           (706,853 )

Stock-based compensation, net

    33,636             33,636  

Noncontrolling interest attributed to acquisition

            5,770     5,770  

Balance, December 31, 2018

    2,775,594     (868 )   6,170     2,780,896  

Net income (loss) for 2019

    893,754         (1,367 )   892,387  

Other comprehensive income

        717     160     877  

Net transfers to Parent

    (210,941 )           (210,941 )

Stock-based compensation, net

    39,658         45     39,703  

Balance, December 31, 2019

  $ 3,498,065   $ (151 ) $ 5,008   $ 3,502,922  

   

See accompanying notes to the combined financial statements.

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Rocket Companies

Combined Statements of Cash Flows

(Dollars in Thousands)

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
 
  2019   2018   2017  

Operating activities

                   

Net income

  $ 892,387   $ 612,617   $ 770,709  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:

                   

Depreciation and amortization

    74,952     76,917     68,813  

(Benefit from) provision for investor reserves

    (1,872 )   7,458     1,564  

Change in noncontrolling interest attributed to acquisition

        5,770      

(Increase) decrease in fair value of mortgage loans held for sale

    (154,873 )   1,288     (86,926 )

Origination of mortgage servicing rights

    (1,771,651 )   (959,172 )   (813,084 )

Change in fair value of MSRs

    1,591,131     228,723     569,391  

Gain on sale of loans excluding fair value of other financial instruments, net

    (2,615,061 )   (2,123,116 )   (2,731,408 )

Disbursements of mortgage loans held for sale

    (144,002,172 )   (83,555,240 )   (85,471,569 )

Proceeds from sale of loans held for sale

    139,281,183     87,068,203     87,281,614  

Gain on acquisition of business

            (8,569 )

Stock-based compensation expense

    39,703     33,636     32,898  

Change in assets and liabilities:

                   

Interest rate lock commitments

    (262,472 )   5,037     43,967  

Forward commitments assets

    (2,943 )   307     200,862  

Due from affiliates

    3,754     (554 )   36,156  

Other assets

    (29,176 )   (63,453 )   (1,233 )

Accounts payable

    64,618     (49,052 )   (10,116 )

Due to affiliates

    6,763     11,109     7,102  

Forward commitments liabilities

    (102,435 )   140,311     5,830  

Premium recapture and indemnification losses paid

    (684 )   (645 )   (1,863 )

Other liabilities

    29,597     (13,662 )   (136,862 )

Total adjustments

    (7,851,638 )   813,865     (1,013,433 )

Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities

    (6,959,251 )   1,426,482     (242,724 )

Investing activities

   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Proceeds from sale of MSRs

    136,820          

Net decrease (increase) in notes receivable from affiliates

    2,830     (1,335 )   (923 )

(Increase) decrease in mortgage loans held for investment

    (18,914 )   (521 )   2,344  

Cash paid for acquisitions and investments of businesses

        (28,147 )   (22,603 )

Purchase and other additions of property and equipment, net of disposals

    (48,842 )   (64,473 )   (67,780 )

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

    71,894     (94,476 )   (88,962 )

Financing activities

   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Net borrowings (payments) on funding facilities

    6,965,275     (1,044,180 )   303,017  

Net (payments) borrowings on lines of credit

        (10,000 )   175,000  

Borrowings on Senior Notes

            988,393  

Net borrowings on early buy out facility

    107,923     88,324      

Net borrowings notes payable from unconsolidated affiliates

    10,000          

Proceeds from MSRs financing liability

    325,182          

Net transfers to Parent

    (210,941 )   (706,853 )   (474,270 )

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

    7,197,439     (1,672,709 )   992,140  

Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

   
877
   
(1,061

)
 
 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash

    310,959     (341,764 )   660,454  

Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of year

    1,101,167     1,442,931     782,477  

Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of year

  $ 1,412,126   $ 1,101,167   $ 1,442,931  

Non-cash activities

                   

Loans transferred to other real estate owned

  $ 2,451   $ 1,932   $ 1,446  

Supplemental disclosures

                   

Cash paid for interest

  $ 255,788   $ 207,539   $ 174,208  

Cash paid for income taxes, net

  $ 9,205   $ 1   $ 965  

Cash paid for interest on related party borrowings

  $ 3,883   $   $  

   

See accompanying notes to the combined financial statements.

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements

(Dollars in Thousands)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies

        The accompanying combined financial statements include all of the assets, liabilities and results of operations of twelve subsidiaries of Rock Holdings Inc. ("Rock Holdings", "RHI"), which are Quicken Loans Inc., EFB Holdings Inc. ("Edison Financial"), Lendesk Canada Holdings Inc., LMB HoldCo LLC ("Core Digital Media"), RCRA Holdings LLC ("Rock Connections" and "Rocket Auto"), RockTech Canada Inc., Rock Central LLC, Rocket Homes Real Estate LLC ("Rocket Homes"), RockLoans Holdings LLC ("Rocket Loans"), Amrock, Inc. ("Amrock"), Nexsys Technologies LLC ("Nexsys"), and Woodward Capital Management LLC (collectively, the "Combined Businesses", "Rocket Companies", "we", "us", "our", the "Company"). Our Detroit-based company helps our clients achieve the American dream of home ownership and financial freedom. We are committed to providing an industry-leading client experience powered by our award-winning culture and innovative technologies. Quicken Loans almost exclusively offers agency-conforming and government-insured mortgage loan products, which are marketed directly to consumers in all 50 states through the internet, national television, and other marketing channels. Core Digital Media is a lead generation and online marketing company that provides services to consumers on the internet, and to clients seeking marketing and agency advertising services. Rocket Homes is the preferred real estate partner of Quicken Loans and assists clients nationwide with buying or selling a home through various product offerings to meet the client's needs. Rocket Loans operates an online lending platform where consumers can get an unsecured personal loan issued by a state-chartered bank. Amrock is a provider of title insurance services, property valuations, and settlement services for both residential and commercial real estate transactions. Rock Connections is a marketing company that offers an array of services, including inbound and outbound contact solutions, appointment setting and scheduling, prequalifying prospective clients, lead generation, lead and efficiency consulting, and providing proactive solution-oriented reporting and analytics. In late 2018, Rock Connections also launched the Rocket Auto brand and began selling cars. Our business operations are organized into the following two segments: (1) Direct to Consumer, (2) Partner Network (refer to Note 16, Segments).

Basis of Presentation

        The Combined Businesses have historically operated as part of RHI and not as a stand-alone entity. The combined financial statements represent the results of operations, financial position, cash flows and changes in equity of the combined subsidiaries of RHI mentioned above, prepared on a stand-alone basis and have been derived from the consolidated financial statements and accounting records of RHI. All revenues and expenses as well as assets and liabilities that are either legally attributable to us or directly associated with our business activities are included in the combined financial statements. Net parent investment represents RHI's interest in the recorded net assets of the Company. All significant transactions between the Company and RHI have been included in the accompanying combined financial statements and are reflected in the accompanying Combined Statements of Changes in Equity as "Net transfers to parent" and in the accompanying combined balance sheets within "Net parent investment."

        All significant intercompany transactions and accounts between the businesses comprising the Company have been eliminated in the accompanying combined financial statements. Our combined financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP"). Our Combined Statements of Income and

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies (Continued)

Comprehensive Income include an allocation of executive management compensation for services provided to RHI and its subsidiaries. We believe the assumptions underlying the combined financial statements, including the assumptions regarding allocation of expenses from RHI are reasonable. The executive management compensation expense has been allocated based on time incurred for services provided to the Combined Businesses. Total costs allocated to us for these services were $52,250, $47,301 and $44,388 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and were included in salaries, commissions and team member benefits in our Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income.

        The Company's derivatives, IRLCs, mortgage loans held for sale, MSRs (including MSRs collateral for financing liability and MSRs financing liability), and investments are measured at fair value on a recurring basis. Additionally, other assets may be required to be measured at fair value in the combined financial statements on a nonrecurring basis. Examples of such measurements are mortgage loans transferred between held for investment and held for sale, certain impaired loans, and other real estate owned. For further details of the Company's transactions refer to Note 2, Fair Value Measurements.

        All transactions and accounts between RHI and the Company have a history of settlement or are expected to be settled for cash, and are reflected as related party transactions. For further details of the Company's related party transactions refer to Note 7, Transactions with Related Parties.

        The combined financial statements may not include all of the expenses that would have been incurred had we been a stand-alone company during the periods presented and may not reflect our combined results of operations, financial position and cash flows had we been a stand-alone company during the periods presented. The amount of actual expenses that would have been incurred if we had operated as a stand-alone company would depend on a number of factors, including our chosen organizational structure, strategic decisions made in various areas, including information technology and infrastructure. We also may incur additional costs associated with being a stand-alone, publicly listed company that were not included in the expense allocations and, therefore, would result in additional costs that are not reflected in our historical statements of income and comprehensive income, balance sheets and cash flows.

Management Estimates

        The preparation of combined financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the combined financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Although management is not currently aware of any factors that would significantly change its estimates and assumptions, actual results may differ from these estimates.

Subsequent Events

        In preparing these combined financial statements, the Company evaluated events and transactions for potential recognition or disclosure through June 22, 2020, the date these combined

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies (Continued)

financial statements were available to be issued. Refer to Note 6, Borrowings for disclosures on changes to the Company's debt agreement, Note 7, Transactions with Related Parties for the resolution of loans with related parties, Note 13, Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees regarding litigation matters pertaining to the HouseCanary suit, and to Note 15, Stock-Based Compensation for disclosures on accelerations of the Company's stock awards that occurred subsequent to December 31, 2019.

        Effective January 2, 2020, Amrock became a wholly owned subsidiary of Amrock Holdings Inc. Amrock Holdings Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rock Holdings. This was done through a transfer of shares of common stock and does not create a new basis event because the entities are under common control.

        In April 2020, Quicken Loans LLC converted its corporate structure to an LLC and changed its name from Quicken Loans Inc. to Quicken Loans, LLC.

        Subsequent to December 31, 2019, cash distributions were made in the total amount of $321,471.

        At the time of issuance of this report, the direct and indirect impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic and recent market volatility may have on the Company's financial statements are uncertain. The Company cannot reasonably estimate the magnitude of the impact these events may ultimately have on its results of operations, liquidity or financial position. However, management of the Company is unaware of any known adverse material risk or event that should be recognized in the financial statements at this time.

Revenue Recognition

        On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASC 606, Revenue Recognition. The adoption of the standard had an immaterial impact on the combined financial statements.

        Gain on sale of loans, net—Gain on sale of loans, net includes all components related to the origination and sale of mortgage loans, including (1) net gain on sale of loans, which represents the premium we receive in excess of the loan principal amount and certain fees charged by investors upon sale of loans into the secondary market, (2) loan origination fees (credits), points and certain costs, (3) provision for or benefit from investor reserves, (4) the change in fair value of interest rate locks and loans held for sale, (5) the gain or loss on forward commitments hedging loans held for sale and interest rate lock commitments (IRLCs), and (6) the fair value of originated MSRs. An estimate of the gain on sale of loans, net is recognized at the time an IRLC is issued, net of a pull-through factor. Subsequent changes in the fair value of IRLCs and mortgage loans held for sale are recognized in current period earnings. When the mortgage loan is sold into the secondary market, any difference between the proceeds received and the current fair value of the loan is recognized in current period earnings in gain on sale of loans, net. Included in gain on sale of loans, net is the fair value of originated MSRs, which represents the estimated fair value of MSRs related to loans which we have sold and retained the right to service. Refer to Note 3, Mortgage Servicing Rights for information related to the gain/(loss) on changes in the fair value of MSRs.

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies (Continued)

        Loan servicing (loss) income, net—Loan servicing (loss) income, net includes income from servicing, sub-servicing and ancillary fees, and is recorded to income as earned, which is upon collection of payments from borrowers. This amount also includes the Change in fair value of MSRs, which is the adjustment for the fair value measurement of the MSR asset as of the respective balance sheet date.

        Interest income, net—Interest income includes interest earned on mortgage loans held for sale and mortgage loans held for investment net of the interest expense paid on our loan funding facilities. Interest income is recorded as earned and interest expense is recorded as incurred.

        Other income—Other income is derived primarily from lead generation revenue, professional service fees, real estate network referral fees,              contact center revenue, closing fees, net appraisal revenue, and net title insurance fees.

        Amrock title insurance fees, net—Title insurance fees relate to income the Company recognizes from providing title insurance services, including title search services and title insurance policies. Title insurance fees are reported net of the portion of premium related to title insurance policies remitted to the underwriters where Amrock acts as an agent of the underwriter and gross in all other instances where Amrock acts as principal. Amrock title insurance fees, net were $280,114, $201,106, and $243,867 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

        The following revenue streams fall within the scope of ASC Topic 606—Revenue from Contracts with Customers and are disaggregated hereunder:

            Core Digital Media lead generation revenue— The Company recognizes online consumer acquisition revenue based on successful delivery of marketing leads to a client at a fixed fee per lead. This service is satisfied at the time the lead is delivered, at which time revenue for the service is recognized. Online consumer acquisition revenue, net of intercompany eliminations, was $41,895, $79,774 and $36,297 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

            Professional service fees— The Company recognizes professional service fee revenue based on the delivery of services (e.g. human resources, technology, training) over the term of a contract. Consideration for the promised services is received through a combination of a fixed fee for the period and incremental fees paid for optional services that are available at an incremental rate determined at the time such services are requested. The Company recognizes the annual fee ratably over the life of the contract, as the performance obligation is satisfied equally over the term of the contract. For the optional services, revenue is only recognized at the time the services are requested and delivered and pricing is agreed upon. Professional service fee revenues were $8,320, $5,088 and $3,060 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and were rendered entirely to related parties.

            Rocket Homes real estate network referral fees— The Company recognizes real estate network referral fee revenue based on arrangements with partner agencies contingent on the closing of a transaction. As this revenue stream is variable, and is contingent on the successful transaction close, the revenue is constrained until the occurrence of the transaction. At this

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies (Continued)

    point, the constraint on recognizing revenue is deemed to have been lifted and revenue is recognized for the consideration expected to be received. Real estate network referral fees were $39,924, $33,229 and $34,363 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

            Rock Connections contact center revenue— The Company recognizes contact center revenue for communication services including client support and sales. Consideration received includes a fixed base fee and/or a variable contingent fee. The fixed base fee is recognized ratably over the period of performance, as the performance obligation is considered to be satisfied equally throughout the service period. The variable contingent fee related to car sales is constrained until the sale of the car is completed. Contact center revenue was $27,055, $23,043 and $10,479 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

        Amrock closing fees—The Company recognizes closing fees for non-recurring services provided in connection with the origination of the loan. These fees are recognized at the time of loan closing for purchase transactions or at the end of a client's three-day rescission period for refinance transactions, which represents the point in time the loan closing services performance obligation is satisfied. The consideration received for closing services is a fixed fee per loan that varies by state and loan type. Amrock closing fees were $200,920, $139,176, and $170,546 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

        Amrock appraisal revenue, net—The Company recognizes appraisal revenue when the appraisal service is completed. The Company may choose to deliver appraisal services directly to its client or subcontract such services to a third-party licensed and/or certified appraiser. In instances where the Company performs the appraisal, revenue is recognized as the gross amount of consideration received at a fixed price per appraisal. The Company is an agent in instances where a third-party appraiser is involved in the delivery of appraisal services and revenue is recognized net of third-party appraisal expenses. Amrock appraisal revenue, net was $76,200, $64,515, and $65,119 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

Marketing and Advertising Costs

        Marketing and advertising costs for direct and non-direct response advertising are expensed as incurred. The costs of brand marketing and advertising are expensed in the period the advertising space or airtime is used.

        The Company incurred marketing and advertising costs related to the naming rights for Rocket Mortgage Field House and other promotional sponsorships, which are related parties. For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the Company incurred expenses of $9,675, $12,281 and $3,414, respectively, related to these arrangements.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

        The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with a maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. We maintain our bank accounts with a relatively small number of high-quality financial institutions.

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies (Continued)

        Restricted cash as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 consisted of cash on deposit for a repurchase facility, client application deposits, title premiums collected from insureds that are due to the underwritten insurance company and a $25,000 bond.

 
  Years Ended December 31,  
 
  2019   2018   2017  

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 1,350,972   $ 1,053,884   $ 1,417,847  

Restricted cash

    61,154     47,283     25,084  

Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash in the statement of cash flows

  $ 1,412,126   $ 1,101,167   $ 1,442,931  

Mortgage Loans Held for Sale

        The Company has elected the fair value option for accounting for mortgage loans held for sale.

        Included in mortgage loans held for sale are loans originated as held for sale that are expected to be sold into the secondary market and loans that have been previously sold and repurchased from investors that management intends to resell into the secondary market, which are all recorded at fair value.

        Refer to Note 4, Mortgage Loans Held for Sale, for further information.

Derivative Financial Instruments

        The Company enters into interest rate lock commitments ("IRLCs"), forward commitments to sell mortgage loans and forward commitments to purchase loans, which are considered derivative financial instruments. These items are accounted for as free-standing derivatives and are included in the combined balance sheets at fair value. The Company treats all of its derivative instruments as economic hedges; therefore, none of its derivative instruments qualify for designation as accounting hedges. Changes in the fair value of the IRLCs and forward commitments to sell mortgage loans are recorded in current period earnings and are included in gain on sale of loans, net in the Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. Forward commitments to purchase mortgage loans are recognized in current period earnings and are included in gain on sale of loans in the Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income.

        The Company enters into IRLCs to fund residential mortgage loans with its potential borrowers. These commitments are binding agreements to lend funds to these potential borrowers at specified interest rates within specified periods of time.

        The fair value of IRLCs is derived from the fair value of similar mortgage loans or bonds, which is based on observable market data. Changes to the fair value of IRLCs are recognized based on changes in interest rates, changes in the probability that the commitment will be exercised, and the passage of time. The expected net future cash flows related to the associated servicing of the loan are included in the fair value measurement of rate locks.

        IRLCs and uncommitted mortgage loans held for sale expose the Company to the risk that the value of the mortgage loans held and mortgage loans underlying the commitments may decline due

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies (Continued)

to increases in mortgage interest rates during the life of the commitments. To protect against this risk, the Company uses forward loan sale commitments to economically hedge the risk of potential changes in the value of the loans. These derivative instruments are recorded at fair value. The Company expects that the changes in fair value of these derivative financial instruments will either fully or partially offset the changes in fair value of the IRLCs and uncommitted mortgage loans held for sale. The changes in the fair value of these derivatives are recorded in gain on sale of loans, net.

        MSR assets (including the MSR value associated with outstanding IRLCs) that the Company plans to sell expose the Company to the risk that the value of the MSR asset may decline due to decreases in mortgage interest rates prior to the sale of these assets. To protect against this risk, the Company uses forward loan purchase commitments to economically hedge the risk of potential changes in the value of MSR assets that have been identified for sale. These derivative instruments are recorded at fair value. The Company expects that the changes in fair value of these derivative financial instruments will either fully or partially offset the changes in fair value of the MSR assets the Company intends to sell. The changes in fair value of these derivatives are recorded in the change in fair value of MSRs, net.

        Forward commitments include To-Be-Announced ("TBA") mortgage-backed securities that have been aggregated at the counterparty level for presentation and disclosure purposes. Counterparty agreements contain a legal right to offset amounts due to and from the same counterparty under legally enforceable master netting agreements to settle with the same counterparty, on a net basis, as well as the right to obtain cash collateral. Forward commitments also include commitments to sell loans to counterparties and to purchase loans from counterparties at determined prices. Refer to Note 12, Derivative Financial Instruments for further information.

Mortgage Servicing Rights

        Mortgage servicing rights are recognized as assets on the Combined Balance Sheet when loans are sold and the associated servicing rights are retained. The Company maintains one class of MSR asset and has elected the fair value option. These MSRs are recorded at fair value, which is determined using a valuation model that calculates the present value of estimated future net servicing fee income. The model includes estimates of prepayment speeds, discount rate, cost to service, float earnings, contractual servicing fee income, and ancillary income and late fees, among others. These estimates are supported by market and economic data collected from various outside sources.

        During 2019, the Company began using derivatives to economically hedge the risk of changes in the fair value of certain MSRs measured at fair value. The changes in the fair value of derivatives that serve to mitigate certain risks associated with the certain MSRs are recorded in current period earnings. The amount recognized through earnings has not been material. Refer to Note 3, Mortgage Servicing Rights for further information.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies (Continued)

Property and Equipment

        Property and equipment are recorded at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation of property and equipment is generally computed on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Amortization of leasehold improvements is computed on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the estimated useful lives or the remaining lease terms. Depreciation is not recorded on projects-in-process until the project is complete and the associated assets are placed into service or are ready for the intended use. Upon retirement or sale, the cost of assets disposed of and the related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts; any resulting gain or loss is credited or charged to operations. Costs of maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. Refer to Note 5, Property and Equipment for further information.

Ginnie Mae Loans Subject to Repurchase Right

        For certain loans sold to Ginnie Mae, the Company as the servicer has the unilateral right to repurchase any individual loan in a Ginnie Mae securitization pool if that loan meets defined criteria, including being delinquent greater than 90 days. Once the Company has the unilateral right to repurchase the delinquent loan, the Company has effectively regained control over the loan and must re-recognize the loan on the Combined Balance Sheet and establish a corresponding finance liability regardless of the Company's intention to repurchase the loan.

Income Taxes

        The Combined Businesses include C corporations that have elected to be treated as Subchapter S subsidiary corporation's or single member LLC's, both of which are disregarded for federal income tax purposes. The RHI shareholders are responsible for the federal income tax liabilities of RHI and the Combined Businesses. Therefore, no provision for federal income taxes is necessary.

        Provision for income taxes in the combined financial statements are computed using the liability method. Under this method, deferred income taxes are provided for differences between the financial accounting and income tax basis of assets and liabilities. In assessing the need for a valuation allowance, both positive and negative evidence related to the likelihood of realization of the deferred tax assets is considered. If, based on the weight of the available evidence, it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be realized, a valuation allowance is recorded. Refer to Note 11, Income Taxes for further information.

Stock-Based Compensation

        Stock-Based compensation is comprised of both equity and liability awards and is measured and expensed accordingly under Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 718 Compensation-Stock Compensation. Refer to Note 15, Stock-Based Compensation for further information.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies (Continued)

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

        On January 1, 2019, the Company early adopted Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2017-04, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This guidance simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill by eliminating Step 2 of the goodwill impairment testing model. The Guidance also eliminated the requirements for any reporting unit with a zero or negative carrying value to perform a qualitative assessment and, if it fails that qualitative step, to perform Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. Therefore, the same impairment test applies to all reporting units. The Company applied the amendments in this update on a prospective basis. The impact of the adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on the combined financial statements.

        On January 1, 2019, the Company early adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement—Disclosure Framework (Topic 820) Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. The main provisions in this update include removal of the following disclosure requirements from this ASC: 1) the amount of and reasons for transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, 2) the policy for timing of transfers between levels and 3) the valuation processes for Level 3 fair value measurements. This standard adds disclosure requirements to report the changes in unrealized gains and losses for the period included in other comprehensive income for recurring Level 3 fair value measurements held at the end of the reporting period, and for certain unobservable inputs an entity may disclose other quantitative information in lieu of the weighted average if the entity determines that other quantitative information would be a more reasonable and rational method to reflect the distribution of unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements. The Company adopted this new standard on a retrospective basis. The impact of the adoption of this ASU has been reflected in Note 2, Fair Value Measurements.

        On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topics 842). The standard requires lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets as lease liabilities with corresponding right-of-use (ROU) assets, with the exception of short-term leases. The new standard eliminates real estate-specific guidance and changes what would be considered initial direct costs. The update also requires quantitative and qualitative disclosures regarding key information about leasing arrangements. All entities will classify leases to determine how to recognize lease-related revenue and expense. Lessee accounting for finance leases, as well as lessor accounting, are largely unchanged.

        The Company prospectively adopted the provisions of the standard and elected to not reassess the prior ASC 840 conclusions for leases that commenced before the effective date. Additionally, the Company elected not to reassess its previous evaluation of the lease term, the exercise of any purchase options and impairment of ROU assets for transitioned leases. For in-lease arrangements where the company is the lessee, the Company elected to not separate non-lease components of a contract from the lease component to which they relate. Per the Company's election, any leases having a lease term of 12 months or less will not be recognized on the balance sheet. In determining a discount rate for transitioned leases, the Company will elect to take into account only the remaining lease term and lease payments post-transition date, rather than determining the discount rate as of lease inception date.

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

1. Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies (Continued)

        At adoption, the Company recognized a lease liability of $336,293 and a ROU asset of approximately $303,889 on the Combined Balance Sheets related to its future lease payments as a lessee under operating leases. Adoption of the standard did not have a material impact on the Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. Refer to Note 8, Leases for additional details.

Accounting Standards Issued but Not Yet Adopted

        In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments and issued subsequent amendments to the initial guidance under ASU 2018-19, ASU 2019-04 and ASU 2019-05 (collectively, "Topic 326"). This guidance will replace the incurred loss model currently used and requires the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based upon historical information, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The determination of credit loss estimates will now include forward-looking information, and additional disclosures related to credit risk will be required. Many of the loss estimation techniques applied today will still be permitted, although the inputs to those techniques will change to reflect the full amount of expected credit losses. Topic 326 also requires allowances to be recorded for purchased financial assets with credit deterioration, instead of reducing the amortized cost of the investment. For most instruments, entities must apply the standard using a cumulative-effect adjustment to the balance sheet upon adoption.

        The Company plans to adopt the new standard effective January 1, 2020 and has identified and implemented appropriate changes, where necessary, related to controls, processes and accounting policies and disclosures. Financial assets held by the Company subject to the "expected credit loss" model prescribed by Topic 326 include money market funds, notes and other receivables, and loans subject to repurchase right from Ginnie Mae. The adoption of this guidance, including an acceleration in the timing for recognition of credit losses due to the requirement to record expected losses over the remaining contractual lives of its financial instruments, will not have a material impact on the Company's combined financial statements.

2. Fair Value Measurements

        Fair value is the price that would be received if an asset were sold or the price that would be paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between willing market participants at the measurement date. Required disclosures include classification of fair value measurements within a three-level hierarchy (Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3). Classification of a fair value measurement within the hierarchy is dependent on the classification and significance of the inputs used to determine the fair value measurement. Observable inputs are those that are observed, implied from, or corroborated with externally available market information. Unobservable inputs represent the Company's estimates of market participants' assumptions.

        Fair value measurements are classified in the following manner:

        Level 1—Valuation is based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

2. Fair Value Measurements (Continued)

        Level 2—Valuation is based on either observable prices for identical assets or liabilities in inactive markets, observable prices for similar assets or liabilities, or other inputs that are derived directly from, or through correlation to, observable market data at the measurement date.

        Level 3—Valuation is based on the Company's internal models using assumptions at the measurement date that a market participant would use.

        In determining fair value measurement, the Company uses observable inputs whenever possible. The level of a fair value measurement within the hierarchy is dependent on the lowest level of input that has a significant impact on the measurement as a whole. If quoted market prices are available at the measurement date or are available for similar instruments, such prices are used in the measurements. If observable market data is not available at the measurement date, judgment is required to measure fair value.

        The following is a description of measurement techniques for items recorded at fair value on a recurring basis. There were no material items recorded at fair value on a nonrecurring basis as of December 31, 2019 or December 31, 2018.

        Mortgage loans held for sale:    Loans held for sale that trade in active secondary markets are valued using Level 2 measurements derived from observable market data, including market prices of securities backed by similar mortgage loans adjusted for certain factors to approximate the fair value of a whole mortgage loan, including the value attributable to mortgage servicing and credit risk. Loans held for sale for which there is little to no observable trading activity of similar instruments are valued using Level 3 measurements based upon dealer price quotes.

        IRLCs:    The fair value of IRLCs is based on current market prices of securities backed by similar mortgage loans (as determined above under mortgage loans held for sale), net of costs to close the loans, subject to the estimated loan funding probability, or "pull-through factor". Given the significant and unobservable nature of the pull-through factor, IRLCs are classified as Level 3.

        MSRs:    The fair value of MSRs (including MSRs collateral for financing liability and MSRs financing liability) is determined using a valuation model that calculates the present value of estimated net future cash flows. The model includes estimates of prepayment speeds, discount rate, cost to service, float earnings, contractual servicing fee income, and ancillary income among others. These fair value measurements are classified as Level 3.

        Forward commitments:    The Company's forward commitments are valued based on quoted prices for similar assets in an active market with inputs that are observable and are classified within Level 2 of the valuation hierarchy.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

        The table below shows a summary of financial statement items that are measured at estimated fair value on a recurring basis, including assets measured under the fair value option. There were no

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

2. Fair Value Measurements (Continued)

material transfers of assets or liabilities recorded at fair value on a recurring basis between Levels 1, 2 or 3 during the years ended December 31, 2019 or the year ended December 31, 2018.

 
  Level 1   Level 2   Level 3   Total  

Balance at December 31, 2019

                         

Assets:

                         

Mortgage loans held for sale

  $   $ 12,966,942   $ 308,793   $ 13,275,735  

IRLCs

            508,135     508,135  

MSRs

            2,874,972     2,874,972  

MSRs collateral for financing liability(1)

            205,108     205,108  

Forward commitments

        3,838         3,838  

Total assets

  $   $ 12,970,780   $ 3,897,008   $ 16,867,788  

Liabilities:

                         

Forward commitments

  $   $ 43,794   $   $ 43,794  

MSRs financing liability(1)

            189,987     189,987  

Total liabilities

  $   $ 43,794   $ 189,987   $ 233,781  

Balance at December 31, 2018

                         

Assets:

                         

Mortgage loans held for sale

  $   $ 5,590,060   $ 194,752   $ 5,784,812  

IRLCs

            245,663     245,663  

MSRs

            3,180,530     3,180,530  

Forward commitments

        895         895  

Total assets

  $   $ 5,590,955   $ 3,620,945   $ 9,211,900  

Liabilities:

                         

Forward commitments

  $   $ 146,229   $   $ 146,229  

(1)
Refer to Note 3, Mortgage Servicing Rights for further information regarding both the MSRs collateral for financing liability and MSRs financing liability.

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

2. Fair Value Measurements (Continued)

        The following tables present the quantitative information about recurring Level 3 fair value financial instruments and the fair value measurements as of:

 
   
  December 31, 2019   December 31, 2018
Unobservable Input
   
  Range (Weighted Average)   Range (Weighted Average)

Mortgage loans held for sale

   

Dealer pricing

  75% - 103% (98%)   77% - 102% (96%)


IRLCs


 

 

Loan funding probability

  0% - 100% (72%)   0% - 100% (71%)


MSRs, MSRs collateral for financing liability, and MSRs financing liability


 

 

Discount rate

  9.5% - 12.0% (10.0%)   9.5% - 12.0% (10.0%)

Conditional prepayment rate

  7.4% - 44.5% (14.5%)   7.7% - 30.6% (10.8%)

        The table below presents a reconciliation of Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018. Mortgage servicing rights (including MSRs collateral for financing liability and MSRs financing liability) are also classified as a Level 3 asset measured at fair value on a recurring basis and its reconciliation is found in Note 3, Mortgage Servicing Rights.

 
  Loans
Held for Sale
  IRLCs  

Balance at December 31, 2018

  $ 194,752   $ 245,663  

Transfers in(1)

    1,058,143      

Transfers out/principal reductions(1)

    (945,444 )    

Net transfers and revaluation gains

        262,472  

Total gains included in net income

    1,342      

Balance at December 31, 2019

  $ 308,793   $ 508,135  

Balance at December 31, 2017

  $ 45,591   $ 250,700  

Transfers in(1)

    1,272,318      

Transfers out/principal reductions(1)

    (1,118,778 )    

Net transfers and revaluation gains

        (5,037 )

Total gains included in net income

    (4,379 )    

Balance at December 31, 2018

  $ 194,752   $ 245,663  

(1)
Transfers in represent loans repurchased from investors or loans originated for which an active market currently does not exist. Transfers out primarily represent loans sold to third parties and loans paid in full.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

2. Fair Value Measurements (Continued)

Fair Value Option

        The following is the estimated fair value and unpaid principal balance ("UPB") of mortgage loans held for sale that have contractual principal amounts and for which the Company has elected the fair value option. The fair value option was elected for mortgage loans held for sale as the Company believes fair value best reflects their expected future economic performance:

 
  Fair Value   Principal
Amount Due
Upon Maturity
  Difference(1)  

Balance at December 31, 2019

  $ 13,275,735   $ 12,929,143   $ 346,592  

Balance at December 31, 2018

 
$

5,784,812
 
$

5,593,093
 
$

191,719
 

(1)
Represents the amount of gains included in Gain on sale of loans, net due to changes in fair value of items accounted for using the fair value option.

        Disclosures of the fair value of certain financial instruments are required when it is practical to estimate the value. In cases where quoted market prices are not available, fair values are based on estimates using present value or other valuation techniques.

        The following table presents the carrying amounts and estimated fair value of financial liabilities that are not recorded at fair value on a recurring or non-recurring basis. This table excludes cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and cash equivalents, warehouse borrowings, and line of credit borrowing facilities as these financial instruments are highly liquid or short-term in nature and as a result, their carrying amounts approximate fair value:

 
  December 31, 2019   December 31, 2018  
 
  Carrying
Amount
  Estimated
Fair Value
  Carrying
Amount
  Estimated
Fair Value
 

Senior Notes, due 5/1/2025

  $ 1,241,012   $ 1,297,250   $ 1,239,300   $ 1,176,413  

Senior Notes, due 1/15/2028

 
$

992,779
 
$

1,046,683
 
$

990,631
 
$

907,657
 

        The fair value of Senior Notes, was calculated using the observable bond price at December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively. The Senior Notes are classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

3. Mortgage Servicing Rights

        The following table summarizes changes to the MSR assets for the years ended:

 
  December 31,  
 
  2019   2018  

Fair value, beginning of period

  $ 3,180,530   $ 2,450,081  

MSRs originated

    1,771,651     959,172  

MSRs transferred to MSRs collateral for financing liability(1)

    (340,303 )    

MSRs sales

    (145,775 )    

Changes in fair value:

             

Due to changes in valuation model inputs or assumptions(2)

    (784,401 )   326,637  

Due to collection/realization of cash flows

   
(806,730

)
 
(555,360

)

Total changes in fair value

    (1,591,131 )   (228,723 )

Fair value, end of period

  $ 2,874,972   $ 3,180,530  

(1)
The fair value of the MSRs collateral for financing liability as of December 31, 2019 is $205,108 as a result of change in fair value of $150,316. The fair value of the MSRs financing liability as of December 31, 2019 is $189,987 as a result of a change in fair value of $150,316. Refer below for additional details related to the MSR financing transaction.

(2)
Reflects changes in assumptions including discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, mostly due to changes in market interest rates.

        The total UPB of mortgage loans serviced, excluding subserviced loans, at December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $311,718,188 and $297,558,369, respectively. The portfolio primarily consists of high quality performing agency and government (FHA and VA) loans. As of December 31, 2019, delinquent loans (defined as 60-plus days past-due) were 1.01% of our total portfolio.

        During the third quarter of 2019, the Company sold MSRs with a book value of approximately $340,000 relating to certain single-family mortgage loans. Based on the contract terms, the sale of those MSRs did not qualify for sale accounting treatment under U.S. GAAP. As a result, the Company is required to retain the MSRs asset (i.e., MSRs collateral for financing liability) and the MSRs liability (i.e., MSRs financing liability) on the balance sheet until certain contractual provisions lapse in June 2020. These MSRs will continue to be reported on the balance sheet at fair value using a valuation methodology consistent with the Company's method for valuing MSRs until those contractual provisions lapse. Furthermore, the net change in fair market value ("FMV") of the MSRs asset and liability from this sale is captured within loan servicing (loss) income, net in the Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. During 2019, the Company had $150,316 of unrealized gains relating to the MSRs liability and an offsetting $150,316 of unrealized losses relating to the MSRs asset. Additionally, terms of the agreement require quarterly adjustments to the sales price for changes in prepayment rates at the time of sale for a period of one year. Depending on these prepayment speeds the Company may either receive or pay additional funds from this transaction. Furthermore, in the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company also sold MSRs with a book

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

3. Mortgage Servicing Rights (Continued)

value of approximately $146,000 relating to certain single-family mortgage loans, which qualified for sale accounting treatment under U.S. GAAP. In total throughout 2019, the Company sold the servicing for approximately 153,000 loans with approximately $42,500,000 in UPB.

        The following is a summary of the weighted average discount rate and prepayment speed assumptions used to determine the fair value of MSRs as well as the expected life of the loans in the servicing portfolio:

 
  December 31,  
 
  2019   2018  

Discount rate

    9.98 %   9.95 %

Prepayment speeds

    14.53 %   10.77 %

Life (in years)

    5.33     6.44  

        The key assumptions used to estimate the fair value of MSRs are prepayment speeds and the discount rate. Increases in prepayment speeds generally have an adverse effect on the value of MSRs as the underlying loans prepay faster. In a declining interest rate environment, the fair value of MSRs generally decreases as prepayments increase and therefore, the estimated life of the MSRs and related cash flows decrease. Decreases in prepayment speeds generally have a positive effect on the value of MSRs as the underlying loans prepay less frequently. In a rising interest rate environment, the fair value of MSRs generally increases as prepayments decrease and therefore, the estimated life of the MSRs and related cash flows increase. Increases in the discount rate result in a lower MSR value and decreases in the discount rate result in a higher MSR value. MSR uncertainties are hypothetical and do not always have a direct correlation with each assumption. Changes in one assumption may result in changes to another assumption, which might magnify or counteract the uncertainties.

        The following table stresses the discount rate and prepayment speeds at two different data points:

 
  Discount Rate   Prepayment Speeds  
 
  100 BPS
Adverse
Change
  200 BPS
Adverse
Change
  10% Adverse
Change
  20% Adverse
Change
 

December 31, 2019

                         

Mortgage servicing rights

  $ (101,495 ) $ (195,894 ) $ (133,039 ) $ (259,346 )

December 31, 2018

                         

Mortgage servicing rights

  $ (120,368 ) $ (228,831 ) $ (114,537 ) $ (218,179 )

4. Mortgage Loans Held for Sale

        The Company sells substantially all of its originated mortgage loans into the secondary market. The Company may retain the right to service some of these loans upon sale through ownership of

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

4. Mortgage Loans Held for Sale (Continued)

servicing rights. A reconciliation of the changes in mortgage loans held for sale to the amounts presented on the Combined Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended:

 
  Years Ended December 31,  
 
  2019   2018   2017  

Balance at the beginning of period

  $ 5,784,812   $ 7,175,947   $ 6,167,658  

Disbursements of mortgage loans held for sale

    144,002,172     83,555,240     85,471,569  

Proceeds from sales of mortgage loans held for sale(1)

    (139,266,350 )   (87,056,276 )   (87,274,455 )

Gain on sale of mortgage loans excluding fair value of other financial instruments, net(2)

    2,600,228     2,111,189     2,724,249  

Increase (decrease) in fair value of mortgage loans held for sale

    154,873     (1,288 )   86,926  

Balance at the end of period

  $ 13,275,735   $ 5,784,812   $ 7,175,947  

(1)
The proceeds from sales of loans held for sale on the Combined Statement of Cash Flows includes amounts related to the sale of consumer loans.

(2)
The gain on sale of loans excluding fair value of other financials instruments, net on the Combined Statement of Cash Flows includes amounts related to the sale of consumer loans. Excludes fair value adjustments for the fair value of mortgage loans held for sale, MSR fair value, interest rate lock commitments, forward commitments, and provisions for investor reserves.

Credit Risk

        The Company is subject to credit risk associated with mortgage loans that it purchases and originates during the period of time prior to the sale of these loans. The Company considers credit risk associated with these loans to be insignificant as it holds the loans for a short period of time, which is, on average, approximately 20 days from the date of borrowing, and the market for these loans continues to be highly liquid. The Company is also subject to credit risk associated with mortgage loans it has repurchased as a result of breaches of representations and warranties during the period of time between repurchase and resale.

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

5. Property and Equipment

        Property and equipment are depreciated over lives primarily ranging from three to seven years for office furniture, equipment, computer software and leasehold improvements. Property and equipment consist of the following:

 
  December 31,  
 
  2019   2018  

Office furniture, equipment, and technology

  $ 364,957   $ 347,557  

Leasehold improvements

    133,002     130,191  

Internally developed software

    67,132     51,908  

Projects-in-process

    39,895     34,285  

Total cost

    604,986     563,941  

Accumulated depreciation and amortization

    (428,540 )   (361,386 )

Total property and equipment, net

  $ 176,446   $ 202,555  

6. Borrowings

        The Company maintains several funding facilities and other non-funding debt as shown in the tables below. Interest rates are based on one-month LIBOR (some have a floor) plus a spread, except for the $175,000 unsecured line of credit and the Senior Notes. The interest rate for each advance on the $175,000 unsecured line of credit is variable and is based on a margin over either a fixed one, two, or three-month LIBOR or a floating daily or 30 day LIBOR, or the lender's prime rate, at the option of the Company. The commitment fee charged by lenders for each of the facilities is an annual fee and is calculated based on the committed line amount multiplied by a negotiated rate. The fee at rate ranges from 0% to 0.50% among the facilities except for the Senior Notes. The Company is required to maintain minimum combined tangible net worth and adhere to other financial covenants, as defined in the agreements. The Company was in compliance with all covenants as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

        The amount owed and outstanding on the Company's loan funding facilities fluctuates greatly based on its origination volume, the amount of time it takes the Company to sell the loans it originates, and the Company's ability to use the cash to self-fund loans. In addition to self-funding, the Company may from time to time use surplus cash to "buy-down" the effective interest rate of certain loan funding facilities or to self-fund a portion of our loan originations. As of December 31, 2019, $622,405 of the Company's cash was used to buy-down our funding facilities and self-fund, $450,000 of which are buy-down funds that are included in cash on the balance sheet and $172,405 of which is self-funding that reduces cash on the balance sheet. The Company has the right to withdraw the $450,000 at any time, unless a margin call has been made or a default has occurred under the relevant facilities. The Company has the right to transfer the $172,405 of self-funded loans on to a warehouse line or the early buy out line, provided that such loans meet the eligibility criteria to be placed on such warehouse line or the early buy out line and no default or margin call has been made on such line, the loans are further subject to any required haircuts, and are subject to its ability to borrow additional funds under the facility. A large, unanticipated margin call could have a material adverse effect on the Company's liquidity. Furthermore, refer to Note 3, Mortgage Servicing Rights for additional information regarding the MSRs financing liability associated with the MSRs sold during the third quarter of 2019.

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

6. Borrowings (Continued)

        The terms of the Senior Notes restrict our ability and the ability of our subsidiary guarantors among other things to: (i) incur additional debt or issue preferred stock; (ii) pay dividends or make distributions in respect of capital stock; (iii) purchase or redeem capital stock; (iv) make investments or other restricted payments; (v) sell assets; (vii) enter into transactions with affiliates; (viii) effect a consolidation or merger, taken as a whole; and (ix) designate our subsidiaries as unrestricted subsidiaries, unless certain conditions are met, as defined in the agreements.

Funding Facilities

Facility Type(13)
  Collateral   Maturity   Line
Amount
  Committed
Line
Amount
  Outstanding
Balance
December 31,
2019
  Outstanding
Balance
December 31,
2018
 

MRA funding:

                                 

1) Master Repurchase Agreement(1)(11)

  Mortgage loans held for sale(10)   10/22/2021   $ 2,000,000   $ 100,000   $ 835,302   $ 248,207  

2) Master Repurchase Agreement(2)(11)

  Mortgage loans held for sale(10)   12/3/2020   $ 1,500,000   $ 500,000   $ 1,390,839     1,288  

3) Master Repurchase Agreement(3)(11)

  Mortgage loans held for sale(10)   4/23/2021   $ 2,750,000   $ 1,000,000   $ 2,622,070     1,962,304  

4) Master Repurchase Agreement(4)(11)

  Mortgage loans held for sale(10)   9/16/2020   $ 1,000,000   $ 850,000   $ 875,617     232,849  

5) Master Repurchase Agreement(5)(11)

  Mortgage loans held for sale(10)   4/22/2021   $ 2,500,000   $ 500,000   $ 2,063,099     1,094,247  

6) Master Repurchase Agreement(6)(11)

  Mortgage loans held for sale(10)   9/5/2022   $ 1,000,000   $ 750,000   $ 965,903      

7) Master Repurchase Agreement(7)(11)

  Mortgage loans held for sale(10)   10/15/2020   $ 1,000,000   $ 650,000   $ 773,822     587  

          $ 11,750,000   $ 4,350,000   $ 9,526,652     3,539,482  

Early Funding:

 

 

 
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

8) Early Funding Facility(8)(12)

  Mortgage loans held for sale(10)   See disclosure below   $ 4,000,000       $ 2,022,179     1,192,522  

9) Early Funding Facility(9)(12)

  Mortgage loans held for sale(10)   See disclosure below   $ 1,500,000       $ 493,047     344,600  

          $ 5,500,000       $ 2,515,226     1,537,122  

Total

          $ 17,250,000   $ 4,350,000   $ 12,041,878   $ 5,076,604  

(1)
Subsequent to December 31, 2019 this facility was amended such that the outstanding balance on the line cannot be above $1,500,000 on the last day of each month.

(2)
Subsequent to December 31, 2019, this facility was amended to temporarily increase the total line amount to $1,750,000 with $500,000 committed until June 30, 2020. Subsequent to June 30, 2020, the facility will drop to $1,500,000 with $500,000 committed until October 1, 2020. Subsequent to October 1, 2020 the facility will drop to $1,000,000 with $500,000 committed.

(3)
Subsequent to December 31, 2019, this facility was amended to temporarily increase the total line amount to $3,250,000 with $1,000,000 committed until June 30, 2020. Subsequent to June 30, 2020, the facility will drop to $2,750,000 with $1,000,000 committed. The facility was extended to April 22, 2022.

(4)
Subsequent to December 31, 2019, this facility was amended to temporarily increase the total line amount to $1,500,000. This facility is separated into three tranches. The first tranche has an overall line size of $500,000 with $500,000 committed, maturing

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

6. Borrowings (Continued)

    August 10, 2020. The second tranche has an overall line size of $720,000 with $600,000 committed, maturing September 16, 2020. The third tranche has an overall line size of $280,000 with $250,000 committed, maturing October 22, 2020. These three tranches are subject to the same provisions under this facility except the date of maturity.

(5)
Subsequent to December 31, 2019, this facility dropped to $1,500,000 with $500,000 committed.

(6)
Subsequent to December 31, 2019, this facility was amended to temporarily increase the total line amount to $1,500,000 with $1,500,000 committed until July 27, 2020. Subsequent to July 27, 2020, the facility will drop to $1,000,000 with $750,000 committed.

(7)
Subsequent to December 31, 2019, this facility was amended to temporarily increase the total line amount to $1,500,000 with $975,000 committed until maturity.

(8)
This facility is an evergreen agreement with no stated termination or expiration date. This agreement can be terminated by either party upon written notice.

(9)
Subsequent to December 31, 2019, this facility was amended to temporarily increase the total line amount to $2,500,000, which will be reviewed every 90 days. This facility is an evergreen agreement with no stated termination or expiration date. This agreement can be terminated by either party upon written notice.

(10)
The Company has multiple borrowing facilities in the form of asset sales under agreements to repurchase. These borrowing facilities are secured by mortgage loans held for sale at fair value as the first priority security interest.

(11)
The interest rates charged by lenders of the funding facilities under the Master Repurchase Agreements ranged from one month LIBOR+1.20% to one month LIBOR+2.30% and from one month LIBOR+1.50% to one month LIBOR+2.30% for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

(12)
The interest rates charged by lenders for the early funding facilities ranged from one month LIBOR+0.40% to one month LIBOR+0.85% and from one month LIBOR+1.00% to one month LIBOR+1.25% for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

(13)
Subsequent to December 31, 2019, a new facility was closed. This facility has a total line amount of $350,000 with $0 committed. This facility has a maturity date of June 12, 2021.

Other Financing Facilities

Facility Type
  Collateral   Maturity   Line
Amount
  Committed
Line Amount
  Outstanding
Balance
December 31,
2019
  Outstanding
Balance
December 31,
2018
 

Line of Credit Financing Facilities

                                 

1) Unsecured line of credit(1)(5)

    11/1/2024   $ 1,000,000   $   $   $  

2) Unsecured line of credit(5)

    2/28/2021     175,000     175,000     90,000     90,000  

3) MSR line of credit(2)(6)

  MSRs   10/22/2021     200,000              

4) MSR line of credit(3)(6)

  MSRs   See disclosure below     200,000     200,000     75,000     75,000  

          $ 1,575,000   $ 375,000   $ 165,000   $ 165,000  

Early Buyout Financing Facility

                                 

5) Early buy out facility(4)(7)

  Loans/ Advances   6/9/2021   $ 300,000   $   $ 196,247   $ 88,324  

(1)
This uncommitted, unsecured Revolving Loan Agreement is with RHI.

(2)
Subsequent to December 31, 2019, this facility's uncommitted line amount was unavailable to draw.

(3)
This MSR facility can be drawn upon for corporate purposes and is collateralized by GSE MSRs within our servicing portfolio. This facility has a 5-year total commitment comprised of a 3-year revolving period that expires on April 30, 2022 followed by a 2-year amortization period that expires on April 30, 2024.

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

6. Borrowings (Continued)

(4)
This facility provides funding for repurchasing delinquent loans from agency securities loan pools and servicer advances related to the repurchased loans. Subsequent to December 31, 2019, this facility has an overall line size of $500,000 which can be increased to $600,000 at borrower's request and lender's acceptance.

(5)
The interest rates charged by lenders for the unsecured lines of credit financing facilities ranged from one-month LIBOR+1.25% to one-month LIBOR+2.00% for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.

(6)
The interest rates charged by lenders for the MSR line of credit financing facility ranged from one-month LIBOR+2.25% to one-month LIBOR+4.00% for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.

(7)
The interest rate charged by lender for the Early buyout financing facility ranged from one-month LIBOR+1.45% to one-month LIBOR+1.75% for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.

Unsecured Senior Notes

Facility Type
  Maturity   Interest
Rate
  Outstanding
Balance
December 31,
2019
  Outstanding
Balance
December 31,
2018
 

Unsecured Senior Notes(1)

    5/1/2025     5.75 % $ 1,250,000   $ 1,250,000  

Unsecured Senior Notes(2)

    1/15/2028     5.25 %   1,010,000     1,010,000  

Total Senior Notes

              $ 2,260,000   $ 2,260,000  

(1)
The Senior Notes are unsecured obligation notes with no asset required to pledge for this borrowing. Unamortized debt issuance costs are presented net against the Senior Notes reducing the $1,250,000 carrying amount on the balance sheet by $8,988 and $10,700 as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively. At any time and from time to time on or after May 1, 2020, the Company may redeem the note at its option, in whole or in part, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days notice, at the redemption prices equal to the percentage of principal amount set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to but excluding the redemption date, in cash, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on May 1 in the years indicated below:
Year
  Percentage  

2020

    102.875 %

2021

    101.917 %

2022

    100.958 %

2023 and thereafter

    100.000 %
(2)
The Senior Notes are unsecured obligation notes with no asset required to pledge for this borrowing. Unamortized debt issuance costs and discounts are presented net against the Senior Notes reducing the $1,010,000 carrying amount on the balance sheet by $9,421 and $7,800 as of December 31, 2019, respectively and $10,586 and $8,783 as of December 31, 2018, respectively. At any time and from time to time on or after January 15, 2023, the Company may redeem the notes at its option, in whole or in part, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days notice, at the redemption prices equal to the percentage of principal amount set forth below plus

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

6. Borrowings (Continued)

    accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to but excluding the redemption date, in cash, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on January 15 in the years indicated below:

Year
  Percentage  

2023

    102.625 %

2024

    101.750 %

2025

    100.875 %

2026 and thereafter

    100.000 %

        The following table outlines the contractual maturities (by unpaid principal balance) of unsecured senior notes (excluding interest and debt discount) for the years ended:

 
  December 31,  

2020

  $  

2021

     

2022

     

2023

     

2024

     

Thereafter

    2,260,000  

Total

  $ 2,260,000  

        Refer to Note 2, Fair Value Measurements for information pertaining to the fair value of the Company's debt as of December 31, 2019 and 2018.

7. Transactions with Related Parties

        The Company has entered into various transactions and agreements with RHI, its subsidiaries, certain other affiliates and related parties (collectively, "Related Parties"). These transactions include providing financing and services as well as obtaining financing and services from these Related Parties.

Financing Arrangements

        On January 6, 2017, the Company entered into a $55,983 promissory note with one of the Company's shareholders ("Shareholder's Note"). In 2019, the Shareholder's Note was amended and the accrued interest balance of $1,474 was added to the principal outstanding, increasing the total principal outstanding to $57,457, due on December 31, 2020. Subsequent to December 31, 2019, the full amount of this note was settled in cash.

        On September 1, 2014 and April 30, 2015, the Company entered into two promissory notes, $1,883 and $2,000, respectively, with Fathead, LLC. On December 31, 2019, the Company sold these two promissory notes to RHI for an aggregate amount of $4,400, including accrued and unpaid interest.

        As of December 31, 2019, there were other promissory notes outstanding with Related Parties. Subsequent to December 31, 2019, the full amount of these notes were settled in cash.

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

7. Transactions with Related Parties (Continued)

        On June 9, 2017, the Company and RHI entered into a $300,000 uncommitted and unsecured line of credit ("RHI Line of Credit"). On December 24, 2019 the Company amended the RHI Line of Credit and increased the borrowing capacity to $1,000,000, due on November 1, 2024. The line of credit is uncommitted and RHI has sole discretion over advances. The RHI Line of Credit also contains negative covenants which restrict the ability of the Company to incur debt and create liens on certain assets. It also requires the Company to maintain a quarterly combined net income before taxes if adjusted tangible net worth meets certain requirements. Subsequent to December 31, 2019, the Company borrowed $600,000 on the RHI Line of Credit.

        On January 10, 2019, the Company and RHI Opportunities entered into a $10,000 agreement for a perpetual uncommitted unsecured line of credit ("RHIO Line of Credit"), which provides for financing from RHI Opportunities to the Company. The line of credit is uncommitted and RHI has sole discretion over advances. The principal amount of all borrowings is payable in full on demand by RHI Opportunities. The RHIO Line of Credit also contains negative covenants that restrict the ability of RockLoans Opportunities to incur debt in excess of $500 and creates liens on certain assets other than liens securing permitted debt.

        The amounts receivable from and payable to Related Parties consisted of the following as of:

 
  December 31, 2019   December 31, 2018  
 
  Principal   Interest Rate(1)   Principal   Interest Rate(1)  

Included in Notes receivable and due from affiliates on the Combined Balance Sheets

                         

Promissory Note—Shareholders Note(3)

  $ 57,457     2.38 % $ 55,983     1.76 %

Promissory Note—2014 Fathead LLC(3)

            1,883     2.69 %

Promissory Note—2015 Fathead LLC(3)

            2,000     4.00 %

Affiliated receivables and other notes(3)

    32,489         36,665      

Notes receivable and due from affiliates

  $ 89,946         $ 96,531        

Included in Notes payable and due to affiliates on the Combined Balance Sheets

                         

RHIO Line of Credit

    10,000     5.00 %        

Affiliated payables

    25,082         18,319      

Notes payable and due to affiliates

  $ 35,082         $ 18,319        

RHI Line of Credit

        LIBOR+1.25 (2)       LIBOR+1.25 (2)

(1)
Interest incurred and accrued is based on a margin over 30-day LIBOR as of the date of advance.

(2)
One-month LIBOR ranged from 1.55% to 2.52%.

(3)
The promissory notes were settled in full in cash subsequent to December 31, 2019 and before the filing of these financial statements.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

7. Transactions with Related Parties (Continued)

Services, Products and Other Transactions

        We have entered into transactions and agreements to provide certain services to RHI, its subsidiaries and certain other affiliates of our majority shareholder. We recognized revenue of $8,320, $5,088 and $3,060 in the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, for the performance of these services, which was included in other income. Related Party receivables were $29,431 and $33,185 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. We have also entered into transactions and agreements to purchase certain services, products and other transactions from certain subsidiaries of RHI and affiliates of our majority shareholder. We incurred expenses of $61,995, $56,600 and $68,050, in the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, for these products, services and other transactions, which are included in general and administrative expenses. Related party payables, which is recorded in notes payable and due to affiliates, were $25,082 and $18,319 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

8. Leases

        The Company enters into both lessee and lessor arrangements with independent third parties as well as with other related parties. For more information on lease accounting and the elections made by the Company refer to Note 1, Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies.

Lessee

        The Company's operating leases, in which the Company is the lessee, include real estate, such as office facilities, and various types of equipment, such as printers, copiers, mail equipment, and vending machines. The Company determines whether an arrangement is or contains a lease at inception. Leases are classified as either finance or operating at the commencement date of the lease, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. The Company currently does not have any finance leases, and the vast majority of the Company's operating lease expense is paid to a Related Party. See below for more information on related party lease transactions.

        Per the Company's election, leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet. The lease expense for these leases are recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company's leases generally have remaining lease terms of one year to ten years. Some leases include options to extend or terminate the lease at the Company's sole discretion on a lease-by-lease basis, and the Company evaluates whether those options are "reasonably certain" of being exercised considering contractual and economic-based factors.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

8. Leases (Continued)

        The components of lease expense for the year ended:

 
  December 31,
2019
 

Operating Lease Cost:

       

Fixed Lease Expense(1)

  $ 64,837  

Variable Lease Expense(2)

    13,449  

Total Operating Lease Cost

  $ 78,286  

(1)
Short term lease expense and month to month lease expense are included within this amount.

(2)
Variable lease payments are expensed in the period in which the obligation for those payments is incurred. These variable lease costs are payments that vary in amount beyond commencement date, for reasons other than passage of time. The Company's variable payments mainly include common area maintenance (CAM) and building utilities fees.

        Supplemental cash flow information related to leases for the year ended:

 
  December 31,
2019
 

Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:

       

Operating cash flows from operating leases

  $ 67,769  

Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations:

       

Operating leases

  $ 22,341  

        Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases for the year ended:

 
  December 31,
2019
 

Operating Leases:

       

Total Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets

  $ 278,921  

Total Operating Lease Liabilities

  $ 314,353  

Weighted Average Lease Term

       

Operating

    6.7 years  

Weighted Average Discount Rate

       

Operating

    4.3 %

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

8. Leases (Continued)

        Maturities of lease liabilities for the year ended:

 
  December 31,  

Operating Leases:

       

2020

  $ 71,371  

2021

    66,898  

2022

    57,760  

2023

    33,760  

2024

    28,964  

Thereafter

    106,994  

Total Lease Payments

  $ 365,747  

Less imputed interest

    51,394  

Total

  $ 314,353  

        Total operating cash outflows related to operating leases incurred for the years ended December 31, 2019 were $67,769, which is included in general and administrative expenses in the Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income.

        As of December 31, 2019, the Company had two additional operating leases for real estate that have been signed but not yet commenced. These operating leases will commence during or after fiscal year 2020 with lease terms of up to eight years.

        When applying the requirements of Topic 842, the Company made significant assumptions and judgements about the determination of whether a contract contains a lease and the determination of the discount rate for the lease.

Lessor

        While the Company is the sublessor in certain leasing arrangements, the majority of such lease arrangements are contracted between legal entities within the Company. Additionally, the accounting guidance for lessors is largely unchanged, therefore, the adoption of ASC 842 did not have a material impact on the Company's combined financial statements.

Lease Transactions with Related Parties

        The Company is a party to lease agreements for certain offices, including our headquarters in Detroit, with various affiliates of Bedrock Management Services LLC ("Bedrock"), a Related Party, and other Related Parties of the Company. During the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the Company incurred expenses totaling $69,582, $66,218 and $60,515, respectively, for these properties.

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Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

9. Other Assets

        Other assets consist of the following:

 
  December 31  
 
  2019   2018  

Mortgage production related receivables

  $ 157,276   $ 121,684  

Ginnie Mae buyouts

    78,174     60,509  

Prepaid expenses

    62,199     53,579  

Disbursement funds advanced

    56,721     40,592  

Goodwill and other intangible assets

    40,261     46,984  

Non-production-related receivables

    35,530     10,815  

Margin call receivable from counterparty

    3,697     25,861  

Other real estate owned

    1,619     2,026  

Other

    64,181     45,130  

Total other assets

  $ 499,658   $ 407,180  

10. Team Member Benefit Plan

        The Company maintains a defined contribution 401(k) plan which is sponsored by RHI, covering substantially all full-time team members of the Company. Team members can make elective contributions to the plan. The Company makes discretionary matching contributions of 50% of team members' contributions to the plan up to an annual maximum of approximately $3 per team member. The Company's contributions to the plan, net of team member forfeitures, for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 amounted to $35,556, $27,955, and $26,377, respectively, and are included in salaries, commissions, and team member benefits in the Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income.

11. Income Taxes

        Income (loss) before income taxes consists of the following:

 
  Years Ended December 31,  
 
  2019   2018   2017  

U.S. 

  $ 906,669   $ 616,642   $ 771,784  

Canada

    (8,298 )   (1,382 )   153  

Total income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest

  $ 898,371   $ 615,260   $ 771,937  

        On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the "Act") was signed into law, making significant changes to the Internal Revenue Code. Changes include, but are not limited to, a corporate tax rate decrease from 35% to 21% effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, the transition of U.S. international taxation from a worldwide tax system to a territorial system, and a one-time transition tax on the mandatory deemed repatriation of cumulative foreign earnings as of December 31, 2017. As a result of RHI's S-corporation election and the Company's qualified Subchapter S subsidiary elections, the Act had no impact on the Company's federal tax provision.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

11. Income Taxes (Continued)

        The provision for (benefit from) income taxes consists of the following:

 
  Years Ended December 31,  
 
  2019   2018   2017  

Current

                   

State and local—U.S. 

  $ 4,768   $ (303 ) $ 952  

Canada

    57     71     54  

Total current

    4,825     (232 )   1,006  

Deferred

   
 
   
 
   
 
 

State and local—U.S. 

    1,159     2,875     222  

Total provision for income taxes

  $ 5,984   $ 2,643   $ 1,228  

        The tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 was primarily due to state taxes on current year income, and deferred state taxes on MSRs not currently taxable, respectively. There are no deferred taxes relating to Canada.

Effective Tax Rate

        The reconciliation of the U.S. statutory corporate tax rate and the effective tax rate for all periods presented is as follows:

 
  Years Ended December 31,  
 
  2019   2018   2017  

Income before income taxes

  $ 898,371         $ 615,260         $ 771,937        

State income taxes, net of federal benefit

  $ 5,927     0.66 % $ 2,572     0.42 % $ 1,174     0.15 %

Canadian taxes

    57     0.01 %   71     0.01 %   54     0.01 %

Provision for income taxes

  $ 5,984     0.67 % $ 2,643     0.43 % $ 1,228     0.16 %

        For the year ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 the Company reported income before tax expense of $898,371, $615,260, and $771,937, respectively. The effective tax rates for these periods were lower than the U.S. statutory corporate income tax rate of 21% as the Company is comprised of qualified Subchapter S subsidiaries and single member LLC's, which are not subject to federal income taxes.

Deferred Income Taxes

        Deferred income taxes, reflecting assets and liabilities netted by jurisdiction, have been classified on the Combined Balance Sheets as follows:

 
  December 31,  
 
  2019   2018  

Deferred tax assets—non-current

  $   $  

Deferred tax liabilities—non-current

    (13,597 )   (12,438 )

Net deferred tax liability

  $ (13,597 ) $ (12,438 )

        Net deferred tax liability was $13,597 and $12,438 at December 31, 2019 and 2018 respectively. The increase to the net deferred tax liability is due to changes in apportionment rates in multiple jurisdictions.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

11. Income Taxes (Continued)

        The components of the Company's deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:

 
  December 31,  
 
  2019   2018  

Deferred Tax Assets:

             

Accruals and other assets

  $ 185   $ 137  

Total Assets

  $ 185   $ 137  

Deferred Tax Liabilities:

             

Interest Rate Lock Commitments (IRLCs)

  $ (2,145 ) $ (690 )

Mortgage Servicing Rights

    (11,637 )   (11,885 )

Total Liabilities

  $ (13,782 ) $ (12,575 )

Net Deferred Tax Liability

  $ (13,597 ) $ (12,438 )

        The net deferred tax liability at December 31, 2019 and 2018 resulted primarily from book to tax differences associated with IRLCs and MSRs, as well as other accruals and reserves not currently deductible.

        In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considered whether it is more likely than not some portion or all the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which the temporary differences become deductible. Based on the Company's assessment of all available evidence, the Company has not recorded a valuation allowance.

        The Company has evaluated the tax positions expected to be taken in the course of preparing RHI's tax returns to determine whether the tax position will "more-likely-than-not" be sustained by the Company upon challenge by the applicable tax authority. Tax positions deemed to meet the more-likely- than-not threshold and that would result in a tax benefit or expense to the Company would be recorded as a tax benefit or expense in the current period. For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the Company did not recognize any amounts for uncertain tax positions. The Company expects no significant increases or decreases in unrecognized tax benefits due to changes in tax positions within one year of December 31, 2019.

        The Company's policy is to report income tax penalties and income tax related interest expense related to uncertain income tax benefits as a component of income tax expense. No interest or penalty associated with any unrecognized income tax benefit or provision was accrued, nor was any income tax related interest or penalty recognized during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017.

        Tax positions taken in tax years which remain open under the statute of limitations will be subject to examination by tax authorities. With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to state and local examinations by tax authorities for the tax years ended December 31, 2015 and prior.

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

12. Derivative Financial Instruments

        The Company uses forward commitments in hedging the interest rate risk exposure on its fixed and adjustable rate commitments. Utilization of forward commitments involves some degree of basis risk. Basis risk is defined as the risk that the hedged instrument's price does not move in parallel with the increase or decrease in the market price of the hedged financial instrument. The Company calculates an expected hedge ratio to mitigate a portion of this risk. The Company's derivative instruments are not designated as hedging instruments, and therefore, changes in fair value are recorded in current period earnings. Hedging gains and losses are included in gain on sale of loans, net in the Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income.

        Net hedging (losses) gains were as follows:

 
  Years Ended December 31,  
 
  2019(1)   2018   2017  

Hedging (losses) gains

  $ (554,995 ) $ 208,773   $ (146,334 )

(1)
Includes the market changes on MSR hedge incurred from the economic hedging of MSRs identified for sale.

        Refer to Note 2, Fair Value Measurements, for additional information on the fair value of derivative financial instruments.

Notional and Fair Value

        The notional and fair values of derivative financial instruments not designated as hedging instruments were as follows:

 
  Notional
Value
  Derivative
Asset
  Derivative
Liability
 

Balance at December 31, 2019:

                   

IRLCs, net of projected fallout(1)

  $ 15,439,960   $ 508,135   $  

Forward commitments(2)

  $ 26,637,275   $ 3,838   $ 43,794  

Balance at December 31, 2018:

                   

IRLCs, net of projected fallout(1)

  $ 6,281,021   $ 245,663   $  

Forward commitments

  $ 10,787,228   $ 895   $ 146,229  

(2)
IRLCs are also discussed in Note 13, Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees.

(3)
Includes the market changes on MSR hedge incurred from the economic hedging of MSRs identified for sale.

        Counterparty agreements for forward commitments contain master netting agreements. The table below presents the gross amounts of recognized assets and liabilities subject to master netting agreements. The Company had $3,697 and $25,861 of margin call receivable from counterparties related to these forward commitments at December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, classified in other assets in the Combined Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018,

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12. Derivative Financial Instruments (Continued)

there was no cash on our balance sheet from the respective counterparties. Margins received by the Company are classified in other liabilities in the Combined Balance Sheets.

 
  Gross Amount
of Recognized
Assets or
Liabilities
  Gross
Amounts
Offset in the
Combined
Balance Sheet
  Net Amounts
Presented
in the
Combined
Balance Sheet
 

Offsetting of Derivative Assets

                   

Balance at December 31, 2019:

   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Forward commitments

  $ 6,690   $ (2,852 ) $ 3,838  

Balance at December 31, 2018:

                   

Forward commitments

  $ 1,498   $ (603 ) $ 895  

Offsetting of Derivative Liabilities

   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Balance at December 31, 2019:

   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Forward commitments(1)

  $ (89,389 ) $ 45,595   $ (43,794 )

Balance at December 31, 2018:

                   

Forward commitments

  $ (189,775 ) $ 43,546   $ (146,229 )

Counterparty Credit Risk

        Credit risk is defined as the possibility that a loss may occur from the failure of another party to perform in accordance with the terms of the contract, which exceeds the value of existing collateral, if any. The Company attempts to limit its credit risk by dealing with creditworthy counterparties and obtaining collateral where appropriate.

        The Company is exposed to credit loss in the event of contractual nonperformance by its trading counterparties and counterparties to its various over-the-counter derivative financial instruments noted in the above Notional and Fair Value discussion. The Company manages this credit risk by selecting only counterparties that it believes to be financially strong, spreading the credit risk among many such counterparties, placing contractual limits on the amount of unsecured credit extended to any single counterparty, and entering into netting agreements with the counterparties as appropriate.

        The master netting agreements contain a legal right to offset amounts due to and from the same counterparty. Derivative assets in the Combined Balance Sheets represent derivative contracts in a gain position net of loss positions with the same counterparty and, therefore, also represent the Company's maximum counterparty credit risk. The Company incurred no credit losses due to nonperformance of any of its counterparties during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.

13. Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees

Interest Rate Lock Commitments

        IRLCs are agreements to lend to a client as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination

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13. Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees (Continued)

clauses and may require payment of a fee. The Company evaluates each client's creditworthiness on a case-by-case basis.

        The number of days from the date of the IRLC to expiration of fixed and variable rate lock commitments outstanding at December 31, 2019 and 2018 was approximately 44 and 41 days on average, respectively.

        The UPB of IRLCs was as follows:

 
  December 31, 2019   December 31, 2018  
 
  Fixed Rate   Variable Rate   Fixed Rate   Variable Rate  

IRLCs

  $ 20,577,282   $ 974,693   $ 8,445,034   $ 424,472  

Commitments to Sell Mortgage Loans

        In the ordinary course of business, the Company enters into contracts to sell existing mortgage loans held for sale into the secondary market at specified future dates. The amount of commitments to sell existing loans at December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $2,859,710 and $616,983, respectively.

Commitments to Sell Loans with Servicing Released

        In the ordinary course of business, the Company enters into contracts to sell the MSRs of certain newly originated loans on a servicing released basis. In the event that a forward commitment is not filled and there has been an unfavorable market shift from the date of commitment to the date of settlement, the Company is contractually obligated to pay a pair-off fee on the undelivered balance. There were $78,446 and $161,188 of loans committed to be sold servicing released at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Investor Reserves

        The following presents the activity in the investor reserves:

 
  Years Ended
December 31,
 
 
  2019   2018  

Balance at beginning of period

  $ 56,943   $ 50,130  

(Benefit from) provision for investor reserves

    (1,872 )   7,458  

Premium recapture and indemnification losses paid

    (684 )   (645 )

Balance at end of period

  $ 54,387   $ 56,943  

        The maximum exposure under the Company's representations and warranties would be the outstanding principal balance and any premium received on all loans ever sold by the Company, less any loans that have already been paid in full by the mortgagee, that have defaulted without a breach of representations and warranties, that have been indemnified via settlement or make-whole, or that have been repurchased. Additionally, the Company may receive relief of certain representation and warranty obligations on loans sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac on or after

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13. Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees (Continued)

January 1, 2013 if Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac satisfactorily concludes a quality control loan file review or if the borrower meets certain acceptable payment history requirements within 12 or 36 months after the loan is sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

Escrows Payable

        As a service to its clients, the Company administers escrow deposits representing undisbursed amounts received for payment of property taxes, insurance and principal, and interest on mortgage loans held for sale. Cash held by the Company for property taxes and insurance was $2,617,016 and $2,221,256, and for principal and interest was $6,726,793 and $2,520,941 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. These amounts are not considered assets of the Company and, therefore, are excluded from the Combined Balance Sheets. The Company remains contingently liable for the disposition of these deposits.

Guarantees

        As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company guaranteed the debt of another related party totaling $15,000, consisting of three separate guarantees of $5,000 each. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company did not record a liability on the Combined Balance Sheets for these guarantees because it was not probable that the Company would be required to make payments under these guarantees.

Trademark License

        The Company has a perpetual trademark license agreement with a third-party entity. This agreement requires annual payments by the Company based upon the income from the sale of loans generated under the Quicken Loans brand. Total licensing fees incurred and paid were $7,500 for each of the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, which is the maximum annual amount allowable under the contract and is classified in other expenses in the Combined Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income.

Legal

        The Company, among other things, engages in mortgage lending, title and settlement services, and other financial technology services. The Company operates in a highly regulated industry and is routinely subject to various legal and administrative proceedings concerning matters that arise in the normal and ordinary course of business, including inquires, complaints, subpoenas, audits, examinations, investigations and potential enforcement actions from regulatory agencies and state attorney generals; state and federal lawsuits and putative class actions; and other litigation. Periodically, we assess our potential liabilities and contingencies in connection with outstanding legal and administrative proceedings utilizing the latest information available. While it is not possible to predict the outcome of any of these matters, based on our assessment of the facts and circumstances, we do not believe any of these matters, individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. However, actual outcomes may differ from those expected and could have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows in a future period. The Company accrues for losses when they

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13. Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees (Continued)

are probable to occur and such losses are reasonably estimable. Legal costs expected to be incurred are accounted for as they are incurred.

        The United States government filed a lawsuit against Quicken Loans for violations of the False Claims Act in 2015. This matter was resolved for $32,500 in June 2019. There was no admission of liability, no finding of wrongdoing of any kind, including no finding of fraud or violation of the False Claims Act in connection with the resolution.

        In 2018 an initial judgment was entered against the Quicken Loans and Amrock, formerly known as Title Source, Inc., for a certified class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of West Virginia. The lawsuit alleged that Quicken Loans violated West Virginia state law by unconscionably inducing them (and a class of other West Virginians who received loans through Quicken Loans) into loans by including the borrower's own estimated home values on appraisal order forms. The judge has ruled in favor of the plaintiffs on liability and the case is currently on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Quicken Loans and Amrock believe an unfavorable outcome to be reasonably possible but not probable based on rulings by the court, advice of counsel, their respective defenses, and other developments with an aggregate possible range of loss to be between zero and $15,000.

        Quicken Loans is also defending itself against five putative Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA") class action lawsuits. Quicken Loans denies the allegations in these cases and intends to vigorously defend itself. Quicken Loans has filed, or intends to file, a dispositive motion in each of these matters which, if granted, would result in a finding of no liability. The Company does not believe a loss is probable; therefore, no reserve has been recorded related to these matters. Given these lawsuits are at the early stages, the Company is unable to estimate a range of possible loss with any degree of reasonable certainty.

        Amrock is currently involved in civil litigation related to a business dispute between Amrock and HouseCanary, Inc. ("HouseCanary"). The lawsuit was filed on April 12, 2016, by Amrock—Title Source, Inc. v. HouseCanary, Inc., No. 2016-CI-06300 (37th Civil District Court, San Antonio, Texas)—and included claims against HouseCanary for breach of contract and fraudulent inducement stemming from a contract between Amrock and HouseCanary whereby HouseCanary was obligated to provide Amrock with appraisal and valuation software and services. HouseCanary filed counterclaims against Amrock for, among other things, breach of contract, fraud, and misappropriation of trade secrets. On March 14, 2018, following trial of the claims in the lawsuit, a Bexar County, Texas, jury awarded $706.2 million in favor of HouseCanary and rejected Amrocks' claims against HouseCanary. The district court entered judgment in favor of HouseCanary and against Amrock for an aggregate of $739.6 million, consisting of $235.4 million in actual damages; $470.8 million in punitive damages; $28.9 million in prejudgment interest; and $4.5 million in attorney fees). On apeal (No. 04-19-00044-CV, Fourth Court of Appeals, San Antonio, Texas), the court of appeals affirmed judgment of no-cause on Amrock's claim for breach of contract, but reversed judgment on HouseCanary's claims for misappropriation of trade secrets and fraud and remanded the case for a new trial on HouseCanary's misappropriation of trade secrets and fraud claims. It is possible that one (or both) of the parties could seek additional appellate review of the court of appeals' decision. The outcome of this matter remains uncertain, and the ultimate resolution of the litigation may be several years in the future. If the case is tried again, Amrock intends to present

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13. Commitments, Contingencies, and Guarantees (Continued)

new evidence, including evidence revealed by whistleblowers who came forward with evidence that undermined HouseCanary's claims after the conclusion of the original trial, and to vigorously defend against this case and any subsequent actions.

        Quicken Loans and Rocket Homes are defending themselves against a tagalong lawsuit filed by HouseCanary that also includes claims for misappropriation of trade secrets. That case is in its early stages and is stayed pending a resolution of Quicken Loans' and Rocket Homes' dispositive motion.

        In addition to the matters described above, the Company is subject to other legal proceedings arising the ordinary course of business. The ultimate outcome of these or other actions or proceedings, including any monetary awards against the companies, is uncertain and there can be no assurance as to the amount of any such potential awards.

        There are no recorded reserves related to potential damages in connection with any of the above legal proceedings, as any potential loss is not currently probable and reasonably estimable under U.S. GAAP. The ultimate outcome of these or other actions or proceedings, including any monetary awards against one or more of the Rocket Companies, is uncertain and there can be no assurance as to the amount of any such potential awards. The Rocket Companies will incur defense costs and other expenses in connection with the lawsuits. Plus, if a judgment for money that exceeds specified thresholds is rendered against a Rocket Company or Rocket Companies and it or they fail to timely pay, discharge, bond or obtain a stay of execution of such judgment, it is possible that one or more of the Rocket Companies could be deemed in default of their loan funding facilities and other agreements governing indebtedness. If the final resolution of any such litigation is unfavorable in one or more of these actions, it could have a material adverse effect on a Rocket Company's or the Rocket Companies' business, liquidity, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.

14. Minimum Net Worth Requirements

        Certain secondary market investors and state regulators require the Company to maintain minimum net worth and capital requirements. To the extent that these requirements are not met, secondary market investors and/or the state regulators may utilize a range of remedies including sanctions, and/or suspension or termination of selling and servicing agreements, which may prohibit the Company from originating, securitizing or servicing these specific types of mortgage loans.

        The Company is subject to the following minimum net worth, minimum capital ratio and minimum liquidity requirements established by the Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA") for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Seller/Servicers, and Ginnie Mae for single family issuers. Furthermore, refer to Note 6, Borrowings for additional information regarding compliance with all covenant requirements.

Minimum Net Worth

        The minimum net worth requirement for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is defined as follows:

    Base of $2,500 plus 25 basis points of outstanding UPB for total loans serviced.

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14. Minimum Net Worth Requirements (Continued)

    Adjusted/Tangible Net Worth comprises of total equity less goodwill, intangible assets, affiliate receivables and certain pledged assets.

        The minimum net worth requirement for Ginnie Mae is defined as follows:

    Base of $2,500 plus 35 basis points of the issuer's total single-family effective outstanding obligations.

    Adjusted/Tangible Net Worth is defined as total equity less goodwill, intangible assets, affiliate receivables and certain pledged assets.

Minimum Capital Ratio

    For Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae the Company is also required to hold a ratio of Adjusted/Tangible Net Worth to Total Assets greater than 6%.

Minimum Liquidity

        The minimum liquidity requirement for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is defined as follows:

    3.5 basis points of total Agency servicing.

    Incremental 200 basis points of total nonperforming Agency, measured as 90+ delinquencies, servicing in excess of 6% of the total Agency servicing UPB.

    Allowable assets for liquidity may include: cash and cash equivalents (unrestricted), available for sale or held for trading investment grade securities (e.g., Agency MBS, Obligations of GSEs, US Treasury Obligations); and unused/available portion of committed servicing advance lines.

        The minimum liquidity requirement for Ginnie Mae is defined as follows:

    Maintain liquid assets equal to the greater of $1,000 or 10 basis points of our outstanding single-family MBS.

        The most restrictive of the minimum net worth and capital requirements require the Company to maintain a minimum adjusted net worth balance of $1,179,928 and $746,396 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company was in compliance with this requirement.

15. Stock-Based Compensation

RHI Denominated Restricted Stock Units ("RSUs")

        During 2017 and 2019, RHI granted 1,076,433 and 125,000 RSUs, respectively, to Company team members. Each RSU, upon or after vesting, represents the right of the holder to receive one common share of RHI common stock. The RSUs were accounted for under ASC 718 as equity-classified share-based compensation awards at grant date fair value. The RSUs granted are only subject to service-based vesting with 20%–25% vesting immediately upon issuance and the remaining shares vesting annually over a four-year period. The related compensation expense is

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15. Stock-Based Compensation (Continued)

recognized on a straight-line basis with forfeitures recognized as they occur. Approximately 472,040, 555,060 and 731,477 unvested RSUs remained outstanding as of December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 respectively. Share-based compensation expense of $39,029, $33,203 and $30,822 related to the RSUs was attributable to the Company for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 respectively, which is included in salaries, commissions and team member benefits.

RHI Denominated Cash-Settled Award

        RHI provided for a tax-offset cash bonus for RSUs granted to certain executives of the Company in 2017. This cash-settled award is accounted for under ASC 718 as a liability-classified award. The expense associated with the awards is $12,546, $13,665 and $11,491 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, which is included in salaries, commissions and team member benefits.

RHI Denominated Stock Options ("Options")

        During 2016, RHI granted options to Company team members. Upon exercise, each option represented the right of the holder to purchase one common share of RHI common stock. The options were accounted for under ASC 718 as equity-classified awards. The fair value of each option award was estimated on the grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The options were granted with exercise prices equal to fair value on the date of grant and were only subject to service-based vesting over a four-year period and had an expiration of ten years. The related compensation expense was recognized on a straight-line basis with forfeitures recognized as they occur. Approximately 3,861, 29,903 and 63,654 unvested options remained outstanding as of December 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Share-based compensation expense of $425, $433 and $2,076 for the options was attributable to the Company for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively, which is included in salaries, commissions and team member benefits.

        Additionally, one of the combined companies has a stand-alone stock compensation plan that resulted in $249 of share-based compensation expense for the year ended December 31, 2019.

        Total share-based compensation, including the cash-settled awards attributable to the Company was $52,250, $47,301 and $44,388 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Remaining compensation expense attributable to the Company for these awards is $110,586 as of December 31, 2019, to be recognized through 2023.

        On February 14, 2020, RHI modified the vesting condition for certain RSUs granted in 2017 to accelerate the remaining eight months of the fourth tranche previously due to vest on October 31, 2020. This modification will result in accelerated expense of $29,433 for 180,020 RSUs in the first quarter of 2020. On May 15, 2020, RHI modified the vesting condition for certain RSUs granted in 2017 and 2019. For the 2017 grants it accelerated the tranche previously due to vest on October 31, 2021 and for the 2019 grants it accelerated the tranche previously due to vest on October 31, 2020. This modification will result in accelerated expense of $38,371 for 198,020 RSUs in the second quarter of 2020.

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(Dollars in Thousands)

16. Segments

        The Company's Chief Executive Officer, who has been identified as its Chief Operating Decision Maker ("CODM"), has evaluated how the Company views and measures its performance. ASC 280 Segment Reporting establishes the standards for reporting information about segments in financial statements. In applying the criteria set forth in that guidance, the Company has determined that it has two reportable segments—Direct to Consumer and Partner Network. The key factors used to identify these reportable segments are the organization and alignment of the Company's internal operations and the nature of its marketing channels which drive client acquisition into the mortgage ecosystem. This determination reflects how its CODM monitors performance, allocates capital and makes strategic and operational decisions. The Company's segments are described as follows:

Direct to Consumer

        In the Direct to Consumer segment, the Company directly interacts with clients and potential clients using various performance marketing channels. The Direct to Consumer segment derives revenue from originating, closing, selling and servicing predominantly agency-conforming loans, which are pooled and sold to the secondary market. This also includes providing title insurance services, appraisals and settlement services to these clients as part of the Company's end-to-end mortgage origination experience it provides to its clients. Servicing activities are viewed as an extension of the client experience with the primary objective being to establish and maintain positive, regular touchpoints with our clients, which positions the Company to recapture the clients' next refinance or purchase mortgage transaction. Consequently, servicing is viewed by the CODM as an integral element of the Direct to Consumer segment.

        Revenues in the Direct to Consumer segment are generated primarily from the gain on sale of loans, which includes loan origination fees, revenues from sales of loans into the secondary market, as well as the fair value of originated MSRs and hedging gains and losses. Loan servicing income consists of the contractual fees earned for servicing loans and other ancillary servicing fees, as well as changes in the fair value of MSRs due to changes in valuation assumptions and realization of cash flows.

Partner Network

        In the Partner Network segment, the Company is focused on aligning its brand with other high-quality consumer-focused influencers and marketing partnerships who utilize its platform to provide their clients mortgage solutions with a superior client experience.

        Revenues in the Partner Network segment are generated primarily from the gain on sale of loans, which includes loan origination fees, revenues from sales of loans into the secondary market, as well as the fair value of originated MSRs and hedging gains and losses. Additionally, there are no performance marketing costs associated with this segment.

Other Information About Our Segments

        The Company measures the performance of the segments primarily on a contribution margin basis. The accounting policies applied by our segments are the same as those described in Note 1, Business, Basis of Presentation, and Accounting Policies and the decrease in MSRs due to

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(Dollars in Thousands)

16. Segments (Continued)

valuation assumptions is consistent with the changes described in Note 3, Mortgage Servicing Rights. Directly attributable expenses include salaries, commissions and team member benefits, general and administrative expenses and other expenses, such as servicing costs and origination costs.

        The Company does not allocate assets to its reportable segments as they are not included in the review performed by the CODM for purposes of assessing segment performance and allocating resources. The balance sheet is managed on a consolidated basis and is not used in the context of segment reporting.

        The Company also reports an "all other" category that includes operations from Rocket Homes, Rock Connections, Core Digital Media, Rocket Loans, and includes professional service fee revenues from related parties. These operations are neither significant individually nor in aggregate and therefore do not constitute a reportable segment.

        Key operating data for our business segments for the years ended:

December 31, 2019
  Direct to
Consumer
  Partner
Network
  Segments
Total
  All Other   Total  

Revenues

                               

Gain on sale

  $ 4,318,930   $ 538,421   $ 4,857,351   $ 53,956   $ 4,911,307  

Interest income

    170,249     76,829     247,078     3,672     250,750  

Interest expense on funding facilities

    (91,650 )   (41,359 )   (133,009 )   (1,907 )   (134,916 )

Servicing fee income

    946,557         946,557     3,664     950,221  

Changes in fair value of MSRs

    (1,596,631 )       (1,596,631 )       (1,596,631 )

Other income

    443,290     22,423     465,713     273,455     739,168  

Total U.S. GAAP Revenue

  $ 4,190,745   $ 596,314   $ 4,787,059   $ 332,840   $ 5,119,899  

Plus: Decrease in MSRs due to valuation assumptions

    789,901         789,901         789,901  

Adjusted revenue

  $ 4,980,646   $ 596,314   $ 5,576,960   $ 332,840   $ 5,909,800  

Directly attributable expenses

    2,571,121     245,282     2,816,403     212,032     3,028,435  

Contribution margin

  $ 2,409,525   $ 351,032   $ 2,760,557   $ 120,808   $ 2,881,365  

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(Dollars in Thousands)

16. Segments (Continued)


December 31, 2018
  Direct to
Consumer
  Partner
Network
  Segments
Total
  All Other   Total  

Revenues

                               

Gain on sale

  $ 2,660,452   $ 224,151   $ 2,884,603   $ 43,285   $ 2,927,888  

Interest income

    155,305     44,024     199,329     1,598     200,927  

Interest expense on funding facilities

    (76,830 )   (21,779 )   (98,609 )   (716 )   (99,325 )

Servicing fee income

    818,085         818,085     2,285     820,370  

Changes in fair value of MSRs

    (228,723 )       (228,723 )       (228,723 )

Other income

    344,230     4,662     348,892     239,520     588,412  

Total U.S. GAAP Revenue

  $ 3,672,519   $ 251,058   $ 3,923,577   $ 285,972   $ 4,209,549  

Less: Increase in MSRs due to valuation assumptions

    (326,637 )       (326,637 )       (326,637 )

Adjusted revenue

  $ 3,345,882   $ 251,058   $ 3,596,940   $ 285,972   $ 3,882,912  

Directly attributable expenses

    2,209,487     125,232     2,334,719     205,916     2,540,635  

Contribution margin

  $ 1,136,395   $ 125,826   $ 1,262,221   $ 80,056   $ 1,342,277  

 

December 31, 2017
  Direct to
Consumer
  Partner
Network
  Segments
Total
  All Other   Total  

Revenues

                               

Gain on sale

  $ 3,109,063   $ 211,861   $ 3,320,924   $ 58,272   $ 3,379,196  

Interest income

    132,104     25,949     158,053     1,528     159,581  

Interest expense on funding facilities

    (85,956 )   (16,884 )   (102,840 )   (132 )   (102,972 )

Servicing fee income

    695,713         695,713     926     696,639  

Changes in fair value of MSRs

    (569,391 )       (569,391 )       (569,391 )

Other income

    395,883     2,937     398,820     188,009     586,829  

Total U.S. GAAP Revenue

  $ 3,677,416   $ 223,863   $ 3,901,279   $ 248,603   $ 4,149,882  

Plus: Decrease in MSRs due to valuation assumptions

    81,337         81,337         81,337  

Adjusted revenue

  $ 3,758,753   $ 223,863   $ 3,982,616   $ 248,603   $ 4,231,219  

Directly attributable expenses

    2,197,983     108,755     2,306,738     180,977     2,487,715  

Contribution margin

  $ 1,560,770   $ 115,108   $ 1,675,878   $ 67,626   $ 1,743,504  

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Rocket Companies

Notes to Combined Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in Thousands)

16. Segments (Continued)

        The following table represents a reconciliation of segment contribution margin to combined U.S. GAAP income before taxes for the year ended:

 
  December 31,  
 
  2019   2018   2017  

Contribution margin, excluding change in MSRs due to valuation assumptions

  $ 2,881,365   $ 1,342,277   $ 1,743,504  

(Decrease) increase in MSRs due to valuation assumptions          

    (789,901 )   326,637     (81,337 )

Contribution margin, including change in MSRs due to valuation assumptions

  $ 2,091,464   $ 1,668,914   $ 1,662,167  

Less expenses not allocated to segments:

                   

Salaries, commissions and team member benefits

    601,174     528,328     464,586  

General and administrative expenses

    361,822     311,646     264,524  

Depreciation and amortization

    74,952     76,917     68,813  

Interest and amortization expense on non-funding debt

    136,853     130,022     77,967  

Other expenses

    18,292     6,741     14,340  

Income before income taxes

  $ 898,371   $ 615,260   $ 771,937  

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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13.    Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

        Set forth below is a table of the registration fee for the Securities and Exchange Commission and estimates of all other expenses to be paid by the registrant in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities described in the registration statement:

SEC registration fee

  $ 492,591  

Stock exchange listing fee

    25,000  

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority filing fee

    225,500  

Printing expenses

    1,600,000  

Legal fees and expenses

    7,600,000  

Accounting fees and expenses

    972,000  

Blue Sky fees and expenses

    0  

Transfer agent and registrar fees

    5,000  

Miscellaneous

    10,000  

Total

  $ $10,930,091  

Item 14.    Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

        Section 145(b) of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides, in general, that a corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor because the person is or was a director or officer of the corporation, against any expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to be indemnified for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

        Section 145(g) of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides, in general, that a corporation shall have the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director or officer of the corporation against any liability asserted against the person in any such capacity, or arising out of the person's status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify the person against such liability under the provisions of the law. Our certificate of incorporation will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, a director will not be liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. In addition, our certificate of incorporation will also provide that we will indemnify each director and officer and may indemnify employees and agents, as determined by our board, to the fullest extent provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.

        The foregoing statements are subject to the detailed provisions of section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law and our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and by-laws.

        Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits the limitation of directors' personal liability to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duties as a director except for (i) any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its

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stockholders, (ii) acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law, (iii) breaches under section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which relates to unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchase or redemptions, and (iv) any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

        Reference is made to Item 17 for our undertakings with respect to indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

        We currently maintain insurance policies which, within the limits and subject to the terms and conditions thereof, covers certain expenses and liabilities that may be incurred by directors and officers in connection with proceedings that may be brought against them as a result of an act or omission committed or suffered while acting as a director or officer of the Company.

        The underwriting agreement for this offering will provide that each underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of our directors, each of our officers who signs the registration statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act but only with respect to written information relating to such underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such underwriter specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity.

        We expect to enter into an indemnification agreement with each of our executive officers and directors that provides, in general, that we will indemnify them to the fullest extent permitted by law in connection with their service to us or on our behalf.

Item 15.    Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

        Set forth below is information regarding securities sold or granted by us within the past three years that were not registered under the Securities Act. Also included is the consideration, if any, received by us for such securities and information relating to the section of the Securities Act, or rule of the SEC, under which exemption from registration was claimed for such sales and grants.

        In March 2020, in connection with its formation, the Issuer sold 1000 shares of common stock to Rock Holdings Inc. for an aggregate consideration of $10. The shares of common stock described above were issued in reliance on the exemption contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act on the basis that the transaction did not involve a public offering. No underwriters were involved in the transaction.

        In connection with the reorganization transactions, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus), the registrant will issue an aggregate of 1,984,534,499 shares of its Class D common stock to RHI, an aggregate of 945,467 shares of its class D common stock to Dan Gilbert, and an aggregate of 322,273 shares of its Class A common stock to Dan Gilbert and certain entities affiliated with Dan Gilbert. The shares of Class D common stock and Class A Common Stock described above will be issued in reliance on the exemption contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act on the basis that the transaction will not involve a public offering. No underwriters will be involved in the transaction.

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Item 16.    Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

(a)
Exhibits
Exhibit
Number
  Exhibit Description
  1.1   Form of Underwriting Agreement

 

2.1

 

Form of Reorganization Agreement

 

3.1

#

Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Rocket Companies, Inc.

 

3.2

#

Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws of Rocket Companies, Inc.

 

4.1

 

Certain instruments defining the rights of holders of long-term debt securities of the registrant and its subsidiaries are omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(4)(iii) of Regulation S-K. The registrant hereby undertakes to furnish to the SEC, upon request, copies of any such instruments.

 

5.1

 

Opinion of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as to the validity of the securities being offered

 

10.1

 

Form of Registration Rights Agreement between Rock Holdings, Inc., Daniel Gilbert, the other parties thereto and Rocket Companies, Inc.

 

10.2

 

Form of Tax Receivable Agreement

 

10.3

 

Form of Indemnification Agreement

 

10.4

 

Form of Executive Employment Agreement

 

10.5

 

Form of Second Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of RKT Holdings, LLC

 

10.6

 

Rocket Companies, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

10.7

 

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement for use with the Rocket Companies, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

10.8

 

Form of Stock Option Agreement for use with the Rocket Companies, Inc., 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

10.9

 

Form of Director Restricted Stock Unit Agreement for use with the Rocket Companies, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

10.10

 

Rock Holdings Inc. 2015 Equity Compensation Plan

 

10.11

 

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement for use with the Rock Holdings Inc. 2015 Equity Compensation Plan

 

10.12

+

Form of Stock Purchase Agreement by and between Amrock Holdings Inc. and Amrock Holdco, LLC

 

10.13

+#

Third Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement, dated May 24, 2017, by and among Credit Suisse First Boston Mortgage Capital LLC, as administrative agent, Credit Suisse AG, acting through its Cayman Islands Branch, as buyer, Alpine Securitization LTD, as buyer, other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc. and One Reverse Mortgage, LLC, as sellers.

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Exhibit
Number
  Exhibit Description
  10.13.1 +# Amendment No. 1 to Third Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement, dated October 23, 2019, by and among Credit Suisse First Boston Mortgage Capital LLC, as administrative agent, Credit Suisse AG, acting through its Cayman Islands Branch, as buyer, Alpine Securitization LTD, as buyer, other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc. and One Reverse Mortgage, LLC, as sellers.

 

10.13.2

#

Omnibus Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement, Pricing Side Letter, and Amended and Restated Margin, Setoff and Master Netting Agreement, dated April 20, 2020, by and among Credit Suisse First Boston Mortgage Capital LLC, as administrative agent, Credit Suisse AG, acting through its Cayman Islands Branch, as buyer, Alpine Securitization Ltd, as buyer, other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans, LLC and One Reverse Mortgage, LLC, as sellers.

 

10.14

+#

Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement (Participation Certificates and Servicing), dated May 24, 2017, by and among Credit Suisse First Boston Mortgage Capital LLC, as administrative agent, Credit Suisse AG and Alpine Securitization LTD, as buyers, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.14.1

#

Omnibus Amendment to Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement, Pricing Side Letter, and Amended and Restated Master Spread Participation Agreement, dated April 20, 2020, by and among Credit Suisse First Boston Mortgage Capital LLC, as administrative agent, Credit Suisse AG and Alpine Securitization LTD, as buyers, and Quicken Loans,  LLC, as seller.

 

10.15

+#

Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement, dated April 10, 2015, by and between UBS Real Estate Securities Inc., as buyer and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.15.1

#

Amendment No. 1 to Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement, dated June 24, 2015, by and between UBS Real Estate Securities Inc., as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.15.2

+#

Amendment No. 2 to Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement, dated January 29, 2016, by and between UBS Real Estate Securities Inc., as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.15.3

+#

Assignment and Amendment No. 3 to Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement and Assignment and Amendment No. 6 to Pricing Letter, dated October 6, 2016, by and among UBS AG, by and through its branch office at 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York, as assignee, UBS Real Estate Securities Inc., as assignor, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.15.4

+#

Amendment No. 4 to Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement, dated April 14, 2017, by and between UBS AG, by and through its branch office at 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York, as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.15.5

#

Amendment No. 5 to Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement, dated December 6, 2018, by and between UBS AG, by and through its branch office at 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York, as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

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Exhibit
Number
  Exhibit Description
  10.15.6 +# Amendment No. 6 to Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement, dated April 25, 2019, by and between UBS AG, by and through its branch office at 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York, as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.15.7

#

Amendment No. 7 to Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement, dated June 26, 2019, by and between UBS AG, by and through its branch office at 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York, as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.15.8

#

Amendment No. 8 to Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement, dated September 16, 2019, by and between UBS AG, by and through its branch office at 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York, as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.15.9

#

Amendment No. 9 to Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement, dated December 5, 2019, by and between UBS AG, by and through its branch office at 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York, as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.15.10

#

Amendment No. 10 to Amended and Restated Master Repurchase Agreement and Amendment No. 23 to Pricing Letter, dated April 20, 2020, by and between UBS AG, by and through its branch office at 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York, as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16

+#

Master Repurchase Agreement, dated May 2, 2013, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, Quicken Loans Inc., as seller, and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as sole bookrunner and sole lead arranger.

 

10.16.1

+#

First Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated May 1, 2014, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.2

+#

Second Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated December 19, 2014, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.3

+#

Third Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated April 30, 2015, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.4

+#

Fourth Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated April 28, 2016, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.5

+#

Fifth Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated November 18, 2016, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.6

+#

Sixth Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated April 27, 2017, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

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Exhibit
Number
  Exhibit Description
  10.16.7 +# Seventh Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated October 12, 2017, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.8

+#

Eighth Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated December 14, 2017, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.9

+#

Ninth Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated January 25, 2018, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.10

+#

Tenth Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated April 26, 2018, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.11

+#

Eleventh Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated June 20, 2018, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.12

+#

Twelfth Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated April 25, 2019, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.13

+#

Thirteenth Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated June 22, 2019, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.14

+#

Fourteenth Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated September 26, 2019, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.15

+#

Fifteenth Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated December 16, 2019, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.16

+#

Sixteenth Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated April 10, 2020, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.16.17

+#

Seventeenth Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated April 15, 2020, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as buyer and administrative agent for the buyers, the other Buyers from time to time party thereto, and Quicken Loans, LLC, as seller.

 

10.17

+#

Master Repurchase Agreement, dated July 29, 2015, by and between Royal Bank of Canada, as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.17.1

+#

Amendment No. 1 to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated July 26, 2016, by and between Royal Bank of Canada, as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

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Exhibit
Number
  Exhibit Description
  10.17.2 # Amendment No. 2 to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated June 2, 2017, by and between Royal Bank of Canada, as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.17.3

#

Omnibus Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement and Pricing Side Letter, dated April 20, 2020, by and between Royal Bank of Canada, as buyer, and Quicken Loans, LLC, as seller.

 

10.18

+#

Master Repurchase Agreement, dated October 16, 2015, by and between Bank of America, N.A., as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.18.1

#

Amendment No. 1 to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated July 28, 2016, by and between Bank of America, N.A., as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.18.2

+#

Amendment No. 2 to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated October 14, 2016, by and between Bank of America, N.A., as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.18.3

+#

Amendment No. 3 to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated January 25, 2018, by and between Bank of America, N.A., as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.18.4

#

Amendment No. 4 to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated May 24, 2018, by and between Bank of America, N.A., as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.18.5

+#

Amendment No. 5 to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated September 26, 2018, by and between Bank of America, N.A., as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.18.6

+#

Amendment No. 6 to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated April 25, 2019, by and between Bank of America, N.A., as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.18.7

#

Amendment No. 7 to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated June 28, 2019, by and between Bank of America, N.A., as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.18.8

#

Amendment No. 8 to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated September 11, 2019, by and between Bank of America, N.A., as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc.

 

10.18.9

#

Omnibus Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, Transaction Terms Letter and Master Margining, Setoff and Netting Agreement, dated April 20, 2020, by and between Bank of America, N.A., as buyer, and Quicken Loans, LLC, as seller.

 

10.19

+#

Master Repurchase Agreement, dated September 4, 2019, by and between Citibank, N.A., as buyer, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.19.1

#

Amendment Number One to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated April 15, 2020, by and between Citibank, N.A., as buyer, and Quicken Loans, LLC, as seller.

 

10.20

+#

Master Repurchase Agreement, dated October 17, 2019, by and among Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A., as buyer, Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, as agent, and Quicken Loans Inc., as seller.

 

10.20.1

#

Amendment Number One to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated April 15, 2020, by and among Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A., as buyer, Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, as agent, and Quicken Loans, LLC, as seller.

 

10.21

+#

Credit Agreement, dated December 30, 2013, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and Fifth Third Bank, as lender.

 

10.21.1

+#

First Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated April 21, 2014, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and Fifth Third Bank, as lender.

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Exhibit
Number
  Exhibit Description
  10.21.2 +# Second Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated December 29, 2014, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and Fifth Third Bank, as lender.

 

10.21.3

+#

Third Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated April 24, 2015, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and Fifth Third Bank, as lender.

 

10.21.4

+#

Fourth Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated December 23, 2015, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and Fifth Third Bank, as lender.

 

10.21.5

+#

Fifth Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated March 1, 2016, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and Fifth Third Bank, as lender.

 

10.21.6

+#

Sixth Amendment, to Credit Agreement, dated February 28, 2017, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and Fifth Third Bank, as lender.

 

10.21.7

+#

Seventh Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated May 22, 2017, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and Fifth Third Bank, as lender.

 

10.21.8

+#

Eighth Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated October 3, 2017, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and Fifth Third Bank, as lender.

 

10.21.9

+#

Ninth Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated November 29, 2017, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and Fifth Third Bank, as lender.

 

10.21.10

+#

Tenth Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated February 28, 2018, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and Fifth Third Bank, as lender.

 

10.21.11

+#

Eleventh Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated February 28, 2019, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and Fifth Third Bank, as lender.

 

10.21.12

+#

Twelfth Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated November 1, 2019, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and Fifth Third Bank, as lender.

 

10.21.13

+#

Thirteenth Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated May 1, 2020, by and between Quicken Loans, LLC, as borrower, and Fifth Third Bank, as lender.

 

10.22

+#

Master Repurchase Agreement, dated December 14, 2017, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as buyer, QL Ginnie EBO, LLC, as seller, QL Ginnie REO, LLC, as REO Subsidiary and Quicken Loans Inc., as guarantor.

 

10.22.1

+#

Amendment No. 1 to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated as of June 10, 2019, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as buyer, QL Ginnie EBO, LLC, as seller, QL Ginnie REO, LLC, as REO Subsidiary and Quicken Loans Inc., as guarantor.

 

10.22.2

#

Omnibus Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, Pricing Side Letter, Guaranty and Netting Agreement, dated as of April 20, 2020, by and among JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as buyer, QL Ginnie EBO, LLC, as seller, QL Ginnie REO, LLC, as REO Subsidiary and Quicken Loans, LLC, as guarantor.

 

10.23

#

Guaranty, dated December 14, 2017 (as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time), by Quicken Loans Inc., as guarantor, in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as buyer.

 

10.24

+#

Loan and Security Agreement, dated April 30, 2018, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, solely in its capacity as lender.

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Exhibit
Number
  Exhibit Description
  10.24.1 +# Amendment No. 1 to the Loan and Security Agreement, dated April 1, 2019, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, solely in its capacity as lender.

 

10.24.2

#

Amendment No. 2 to the Loan and Security Agreement, dated June 20, 2019, by and between Quicken Loans Inc., as borrower, and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, solely in its capacity as lender.

 

10.25

+#

Lease, dated as of July 6, 2004, by and between PW/MS Op Sub I, LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.25.1

+#

First Amendment to 800 Tower Drive Lease, dated as of July 13, 2005, by and between 800 Tower SPE LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.25.2

#

Second Amendment to 800 Tower Drive Lease, dated as of October 31, 2005, by and between 800 Tower SPE LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.25.3

+#

Third Lease Amendment, dated as of October 10, 2006, by and between 800 Tower SPE LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.25.4

+#

Fourth Lease Amendment, dated as of March 21, 2007, by and between 800 Tower SPE LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.25.5

+#

Fifth Amendment of Lease, dated as of May 4, 2009, by and between Gateway Lewis, LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.25.6

+#

Sixth Amendment to Lease, dated as of April 30, 2012, by and between LSREF 2 Clover REO 2, LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.25.7

+#

Seventh Amendment to Lease, dated as of May 25, 2012, by and between 800 NTCC, LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc. as tenant.

 

10.25.8

+#

Eighth Amendment to Lease, dated as of November 27, 2012, by and between 800 NTCC, LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.25.9

+#

Ninth Amendment to Lease, dated as of April 29, 2013, by and between 800 NTCC, LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.25.10

+#

Tenth Amendment to Lease, dated as of May 18, 2015, by and between 800 NTCC, LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.25.11

+#

Eleventh Amendment to Lease, dated as of November 12, 2018, between 800 NTCC, LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.26

+#

Lease, dated January 19, 2015, by and between 1401 Rosa Parks Blvd, LLC., as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.27

+#

Amended and Restated Lease, dated October 17, 2011, by and between 611 Webward Avenue, LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc, as tenant.

 

10.28

+#

Lease, dated September 4, 2015, by and between 615 West Lafayette LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc, as tenant.

 

10.29

+#

Amended and Restated Lease, dated as of December 31, 2014, by and between 1000 Webward LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.29.1

+#

First Amendment to Amended and Restated Lease, dated as of May 1, 2017, by and between 1000 Webward LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

II-9


Table of Contents

Exhibit
Number
  Exhibit Description
  10.29.2 +# Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Lease, dated as of December 17, 2018, by and between 1000 Webward LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.30

+#

Lease, dated May 20, 2016, by and between Higbee Mothership LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.30.1

#

First Amendment to Lease, dated June 20, 2016, by and between Higbee Mothership LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.31

+#

One North Central Office Lease, dated as of June 5, 2017, by and between AGP One North Central Owner LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.31.1

+#

Amendment to Lease, dated as of March 14, 2018, by and between AGP One North Central Owner LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.31.2

+#

Second Amendment to Lease, dated as of August 12, 2019, by and between AGP One North Central Owners LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc, as tenant.

 

10.31.3

+#

Third Amendment to Lease, dated as of October 14, 2019, by and between AGP One North Central Owner LLC, as landlord, and Quicken Loans Inc., as tenant.

 

10.32

+#

Master Repurchase Agreement, dated June 12, 2020, by and between Jefferies Funding LLC, as buyer, and Quicken Loans, LLC, as seller.

 

10.33

 

Rocket Companies, Inc. 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

 

10.34

 

Form of Consulting Agreement

 

10.35

 

Form of Exchange Agreement, by and among RKT Holdings, LLC, Rocket Companies, Inc., Rock Holdings Inc., Daniel Gilbert and the holders of Holdings Units and shares of Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock from time to time party thereto.

 

21.1

#

Significant Subsidiaries of Rocket Companies, Inc.

 

23.1

 

Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm

 

23.2

 

Consent of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

 

24.1

 

Powers of Attorney (included in signature page)

 

99.1

#

Consent of Director Nominee—Nancy Tellem

 

99.2

#

Consent of Director Nominee—Suzanne Shank

*
To be filed by amendment.

+
Certain portions of this exhibit have been redacted pursuant to Item 601(b)(10)(iv) of Regulation S-K. The Company agrees to furnish supplementally an unredacted copy of the exhibit to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request.

#
Previously Filed.
(b)
Financial Statement Schedule

        All schedules are omitted because the required information is either not present, not present in material amounts or presented within the combined financial statements included in the prospectus and are incorporated herein by reference.

II-10


Table of Contents

Item 17.    Undertakings

        Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

        The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

    (1)
    For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

    (2)
    For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

II-11


Table of Contents


SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Detroit, Michigan, on the 28th day of July, 2020.

    Rocket Companies, Inc.

 

 

By:

 

/s/ JAY FARNER

Jay Farner
Chief Executive Officer


POWER OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Julie Booth and Brian Brown, his or her true and lawful agent, proxy and attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to (i) act on, sign and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement together with all schedules and exhibits thereto and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, together with all schedules and exhibits thereto, (ii) act on, sign and file such certificates, instruments, agreements and other documents as may be necessary or appropriate in connection therewith, (iii) act on and file any supplement to any prospectus included in this registration statement or any such amendment or any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and (iv) take any and all actions which may be necessary or appropriate in connection therewith, granting unto such agents, proxies and attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing necessary or appropriate to be done, as fully for all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby approving, ratifying and confirming all that such agents, proxies and attorneys-in-fact or any of their substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature
 
Title
 
Date

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
/s/ JAY FARNER

Jay Farner
  Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)
  July 28, 2020

/s/ JULIE BOOTH

Julie Booth

 

Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)

 

July 28, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

II-12


Table of Contents

Signature
 
Title
 
Date

/s/ BRIAN BROWN

Brian Brown

 

Chief Accounting Officer
(Principal Accounting Officer)

 

July 28, 2020
*

Daniel Gilbert
  Chairman of the Board of Directors   July 28, 2020

*

Jennifer Gilbert

 

Director

 

July 28, 2020

*

Matthew Rizik

 

Director

 

July 28, 2020

*By:

 

/s/ JULIE BOOTH

Julie Booth
Attorney-in-Fact

 

 

 

 

II-13




Exhibit 1.1

 

Rocket Companies, Inc.

 

Class A Common Stock, Par Value $0.00001 Per Share

 


 

Underwriting Agreement

 

[·], 2020

 

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

As representatives (theRepresentatives) of the several Underwriters

named in Schedule I hereto,

 

c/o Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

200 West Street,

New York, New York 10282-2198

 

c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

 

c/o Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10010

 

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10179

 

c/o RBC Capital Markets, LLC

200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor

New York, New York 10281

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Rocket Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated in this agreement (this “Agreement”), to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) an aggregate of [·] shares of Class A Common Stock (as defined below) (the “Firm Shares”) of the Company and, at the election of the Underwriters, up to [·] additional shares (the “Optional Shares”) of Class A common stock, par value $0.00001 per share (“Class A Common Stock”) of the Company. The Firm Shares and the Optional Shares that the Underwriters elect to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof are herein collectively called the “Shares”. As part of the offering contemplated by this Agreement, UBS Securities LLC (the “Designated Underwriter”) has agreed to reserve out of the Firm Shares purchased by it under this Agreement, up

 


 

to [·] shares, for sale to the Company’s directors, officers, employees and other parties associated with the Company (collectively, “Participants”), as set forth in the Prospectus (as defined herein) under the heading “Underwriting” (the “Directed Share Program”). The Firm Shares to be sold by the Designated Underwriter pursuant to the Directed Share Program (the “Directed Shares”) will be sold by the Designated Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement at the public offering price. Any Directed Shares not subscribed for by the end of the business day on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by the Underwriters as set forth in the Prospectus.

 

The transactions described in the Pricing Prospectus (as defined below) under “Organizational Structure” are referred to collectively as the “Reorganization Transactions.” The documents set forth on Schedule III hereto, which have been, or will be, amended and restated or entered into, as applicable, pursuant to the Reorganization Transactions, are referred to as the “Reorganization Documents.” Any term used and not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Pricing Prospectus.

 

The net proceeds of the Shares will be used to finance the Company’s repurchase of shares of Holdings Units, together with corresponding shares of Class D Common Stock, from RHI at the price equal to the purchase price paid by the Underwriters for the Shares as set out in Section 2 hereof and as further described in the “Use of Proceeds” section of the Pricing Prospectus.

 

1.                                      (a)                                 Each of the Company and Holdings represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that:

 

(i)                                     A registration statement on Form S—1 (File No. 333-[·]) (the “Initial Registration Statement”) in respect of the Shares has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”); the Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered to the Representatives, and, excluding exhibits thereto, have been declared effective by the Commission in such form; other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), which became effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the Company’s or Holdings’ knowledge, threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act is hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus”; the various parts of the Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and including the information contained in the form of final prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof and deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Act to be part of the Initial Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective, each as amended at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became or hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the “Registration Statement”; the Preliminary Prospectus relating to the Shares that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(a)(iii) hereof) is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus”; such final prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, is hereinafter called the “Prospectus”; any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Rule 163B under the

 


 

Act is hereinafter called a “Testing-the-Waters Communication”; and any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act is hereinafter called a “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication”; and any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Act relating to the Shares is hereinafter called an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”);

 

(ii)                                  (A) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and (B) each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information (as defined in Section 9(b) of this Agreement);

 

(iii)                               For the purposes of this Agreement, the “Applicable Time” is [·]:[·] [a/p]m (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement. The Pricing Prospectus, as supplemented by the information listed on Schedule II(b) hereto, taken together (collectively, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”), as of the Applicable Time, did not, and as of each Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4(a) of this Agreement) will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and each Written Testing-the-Waters Communication does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and each Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not, and as of each Time of Delivery, will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information;

 

(iv)                              The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to each part of the Registration Statement, as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, and as of each Time of Delivery, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information;

 

(v)                                 Each of the Company, Holdings and any of Holdings’ direct or indirect subsidiaries (the “Subsidiaries”) has been (i) duly incorporated or formed, as applicable, and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its incorporation or formation, as applicable, with power and authority (corporate or other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package; and each of the Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or limited liability

 


 

company, as applicable, in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, results of operations, business or prospects of the Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or the performance by the Company and Holdings of the obligations under this Agreement, including the issuance and sale of the Shares, or to consummate the transactions contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus (“Material Adverse Effect”);

 

(vi)                              All of the issued and outstanding equity interests of each of the Subsidiaries has been validly issued, and the equity interests of each of the Subsidiaries owned by Holdings is owned free from liens and encumbrances.  Each Subsidiary has been listed in the Registration Statement;

 

(vii)                           No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) is required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Reorganization Transactions and the offering, issuance and sale of the Shares, except such as have been obtained under the Act, the approval by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) of the underwriting terms and arrangements and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters;

 

(viii)                        The Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from liens, charges, encumbrances and defects, except such as are described in the Pricing Prospectus or such as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property under valid and enforceable leases, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(ix)                              (i) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus; (ii) all of the Common Stock has been duly and validly authorized and (x) in the case of the Shares, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein and (y) in the case of the Common Stock to be issued pursuant to the Reorganization Transactions, upon the consummation of the Reorganization Transactions, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and conform in all material respects to the Description of Capital Stock contained in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus; (iii) all of the issued equity interests of Holdings have been duly and validly authorized and issued; and (iv) all of the Holdings Units have been duly and validly authorized and, upon the consummation of the Reorganization Transactions, will be duly and validly issued;

 

(x)                                 The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment thereof as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and will conform in all material respects to the description of the Common Stock contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights;

 

(xi)                              The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares (and the application of the proceeds thereof as described under the caption

 


 

“Use of Proceeds” in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus) and compliance with the terms and provisions thereof and, to the extent applicable, the compliance by the Company, Holdings and each Subsidiary with the Reorganization Documents, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement and the Pricing Prospectus, including the consummation of the Reorganization Transactions, will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company, Holdings or any Subsidiary pursuant to, (i) the charter, by-laws or operating agreements of the Company, Holdings or the Subsidiaries, (ii) any statute, any rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company, Holdings or the Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, or (iii) any agreement or instrument to which the Company, the LLC or any Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company, Holdings or any Subsidiary is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company, Holdings or any Subsidiary is subject, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for such defaults, breaches, or violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or impair the ability of the applicable parties to perform their obligations under this Agreement;

 

(xii)                           None of the Company, Holdings or any Subsidiary is (i) in violation of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws, certificate of formation, any limited liability company agreement or other formation documents, as applicable; (ii) in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would be in default) under any existing obligation agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(xiii)                        At the time of filing the Initial Registration Statement, the Company was not, and the Company is not, an “ineligible issuer,” as defined under Rule 405 under the Act;

 

(xiv)                       Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus, are independent public accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

 

(xv)                          This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and Holdings;

 

(xvi)                       The Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries possess, and are in compliance with the terms of, all adequate certificates, authorizations, franchises, licenses and permits (“Licenses”) necessary to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the Pricing Disclosure Package to be conducted by them, except where failure of such possession or compliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Licenses that would individually or in the aggregate be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(xvii)                    No labor dispute with the employees of the Company, Holdings or the Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, Holdings or the Subsidiaries, is imminent that would reasonably be expected have a Material Adverse Effect;

 


 

(xviii)                 Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries (A) own, possess, license or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, or presently employed by them, and (B) have not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property Rights;

 

(xix)                       The Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries have implemented, and require that their third party vendors implement, adequate policies and commercially reasonable security measures (i) regarding the collection, use, disclosure, retention, processing, transfer, confidentiality, integrity, and availability of personal data, and business proprietary or sensitive information, in its possession, custody, or control, or held or processed on their behalf, and (ii) regarding the integrity and availability of the information technology and software applications the Company, Holdings or any of the Subsidiaries own, operate or outsource, except for those that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries have not experienced any security breach, compromise, unauthorized access or use or attack, nor any other information security incident that has compromised the integrity or availability of the information technology assets and equipment, computer systems, networks, hardware, software, applications, websites, databases and trade secrets that the Company, Holdings or any of the Subsidiaries own, operate, or outsource or the data stored therein and processed thereby (including the data of their respective customers, clients, employees, agents, contractors, suppliers, vendors, business partners and any third party data maintained by them or their behalf) (“IT Systems and Data”) that would, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no security breach or other compromise of any of the IT Systems and Data of the Company’s, Holdings’ or any of the Subsidiaries’ agents, contractors, suppliers, vendors or business partners that led to the exfiltration of the data of the Company, Holdings or any of the Subsidiaries, except for those that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, the IT Systems and Data are free and clear of all bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other malicious software, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries have not been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach, compromise, unauthorized use or attack of their IT Systems and Data, except for those that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries have complied, and are presently in compliance, with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies, financial industry data security standards and contractual obligations relating to the privacy, security and protection of their IT Systems and Data, including the collection, use, transfer, storage, protection, disposal and disclosure of data, and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except for those that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries have implemented commercially reasonable policies, procedures, controls and safeguards to maintain and protect the security, integrity, continuous operation and

 


 

redundancy of their IT Systems and Data, including in relation to backup and disaster recovery technology, except for those that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries are not under investigation by any governmental or regulatory agency and have not received any oral, written or other claim, complaint, inquiry, or notice from any third party or any governmental or regulatory agency related to whether their collection, processing, use, storage, security and/or disclosure of personal data is in violation of any applicable laws or privacy policies, or otherwise constitutes an unfair, deceptive or misleading trade practice, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(xx)                          None of the Company, Holdings or the Subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, any rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “environmental laws”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any environmental laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any environmental laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any environmental laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which would reasonably be expected to lead to such a claim;

 

(xxi)                       As of the date of this Agreement, the statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the headings “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences”, “Description of Capital Stock,” “Organizational Structure,” “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Limited Liability Company Agreement of RKT Holdings, LLC,” “Business—Government Regulations Affecting Loan Originations and Servicing” and “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Regulatory Environment” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, in all material respects, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings and present the information required to be shown.

 

(xxii)                    Any third-party statistical and market-related data included in the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate;

 

(xxiii)                 The Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) that (i) complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act, (ii) has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and (iii) is sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and to maintain accountability for assets, (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences (it being understood that this subsection shall not require the Company to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley

 


 

Act of 2002, as amended, as of an earlier date than it would otherwise be required to so comply under applicable law). Except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, neither the Company, Holdings nor any Subsidiary is aware of any significant deficiency, material weakness, change in internal control over financial reporting or fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in internal control over financial reporting;

 

(xxiv)                Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s or Holdings’ internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s or Holdings’, as applicable, internal control over financial reporting;

 

(xxv)                   The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities;

 

(xxvi)                Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) against or affecting the Company, Holdings or any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties that would individually or in the aggregate be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company or Holdings to perform their obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the Reorganization Transactions; and, no such actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) are, to the Company’s or Holdings’ knowledge, threatened or contemplated.

 

(xxvii)             The financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis.  The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. The pro forma financial statements and the related notes thereto included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the basis described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein.  Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus under the Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules

 


 

and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Act, to the extent applicable;

 

(xxviii)          Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) there has been no change, nor any development or event which has had, or would have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock and (iii) there has been no material adverse change in the capital stock (other than as a result of (x) the grant, vesting, exercise or settlement of stock options and restricted stock units or other equity incentives pursuant to the Company’s equity-based incentive plans disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (y) the repurchase of shares of capital stock granted under the Company’s equity-based incentive plans disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), or material change in the short-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness, net current assets or net assets of the Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries;

 

(xxix)                Neither the Company nor Holdings is and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package, will be an “investment company” as defined in the United States Investment Company Act of 1940;

 

(xxx)                   None of the Company, Holdings or any Subsidiary, and to the Company’s knowledge, none of the Company’s, LLC’s or any Subsidiary’s affiliates, or any of their respective officers, directors, supervisors, managers, agents, or employees, have violated, and the Company’s participation in the offering, including the direct or indirect use of the proceeds of the offering, will not violate, and the Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure continued compliance with each of the following laws, to the extent applicable: (a) anti-bribery laws, including but not limited to, any applicable law, rule, or regulation of any locality, including but not limited to any law, rule, or regulation promulgated to implement the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, signed December 17, 1997, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any other law, rule or regulation of similar purpose and scope, (b) anti-money laundering laws, including but not limited to, applicable federal, state, international, foreign or other laws, regulations or government guidance regarding anti-money laundering, including, without limitation, Title 18 U.S. Code section 1956 and 1957, the Patriot Act, the Bank Secrecy Act, and international anti-money laundering principles or procedures by an intergovernmental group or organization, such as the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, of which the United States is a member and with which designation the United States representative to the group or organization continues to concur, all as amended, and any Executive Order, directive, or regulation pursuant to the authority of any of the foregoing, or any orders or licenses issued thereunder (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened or (c) laws and regulations imposing economic sanctions measures, including, but not limited to, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Trading with the Enemy Act, the United Nations Participation Act, and the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Act, all as amended, and any Executive Order, directive, or regulation pursuant to the authority of any of

 


 

the foregoing, including the regulations of the United States Treasury Department set forth under 31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended, or any orders or licenses issued thereunder;

 

(xxxi)                The Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax returns that are required to be filed or have requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect); and, except as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries have paid all taxes (including any assessments, fines or penalties) required to be paid by them, except for any such taxes, assessments, fines or penalties currently being contested in good faith or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(xxxii)             The Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers with appropriately rated claims paying abilities against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary for the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to maintain such insurance would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; all policies of insurance insuring the Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries or their businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect, except as such would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments, except where the failure to comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(xxxiii)          Except for restrictions imposed by the applicable regulatory authorities, no Subsidiary is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary; and

 

(xxxiv)         The Company has not offered or sold, or caused the Underwriters to offer or sell, any Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products.

 

2.                                      Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price per share of $[·], the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and (b) in the event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election to purchase Optional Shares as provided below, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price per share set forth in clause (a) of this Section 2 (provided that the purchase price per Optional Share shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Optional Shares), that portion of the number of Optional Shares as to which such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by the Representatives so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of Optional Shares by a fraction, the numerator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares which such Underwriter is entitled

 


 

to purchase as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters are entitled to purchase hereunder.

 

The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the right to purchase at their election up to [·] Optional Shares, at the purchase price per share set forth in the paragraph above, for the sole purpose of covering sales of shares in excess of the number of Firm Shares, provided that the purchase price per Optional Share shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Optional Shares.  Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may be exercised only by written notice from the Representatives to the Company, given within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement, setting forth the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the date on which such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by the Representatives but in no event earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) or, unless the Representatives and the Company otherwise agree in writing, earlier than two or later than ten business days after the date of such notice.

 

3.                                      Upon the authorization by the Representatives of the release of the Firm Shares, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

4.                                      (a)                                 The Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in definitive or book-entry form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours’ prior notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Representatives, through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives at least forty-eight hours in advance.  The Company will, to the extent any Shares are represented by certificates, cause the certificates representing such Shares to be made available for checking and packaging at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) with respect thereto at the office of DTC or its designated custodian (the “Designated Office”).  The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on [·], 2020 or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the date specified by the Representatives in the written notice given by the Representatives of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Optional Shares, or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing.  Such time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is herein called the “First Time of Delivery”, such time and date for delivery of the Optional Shares, if not the First Time of Delivery, is herein called the “Second Time of Delivery”, and each such time and date for delivery is herein called a “Time of Delivery”.

 

(b)                                 The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 8 hereof, including the cross receipt for the Shares and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8(i) hereof will be delivered at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017 (the “Closing Location”), and the Shares will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at such Time of Delivery.  A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding such Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto.  For the purposes of this Section 4, “New York Business Day” shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,

 


 

Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York City are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

 

5.                                      The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:

 

(a)                                 To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Act; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the last Time of Delivery which shall be reasonably disapproved by the Representatives promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to file promptly all material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Shares, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;

 

(b)                                 Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representatives may reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation (where not otherwise required) or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction (where not otherwise required);

 

(c)                                  Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with written and electronic copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is, based on the advice of counsel, required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, to notify the Representatives and upon your request to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many written and electronic copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) in

 


 

connection with sales of any of the Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as the Representatives may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;

 

(d)                                 To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable (which may be satisfied by filing with the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”)), but in any event not later than sixteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);

 

(i)                   During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and including the date 180 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Company Lock-Up Period”), not to (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with or confidentially submit to the Commission a registration statement under the Act relating to, any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares, including but not limited to any options or warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock or any Holdings Units or any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Common Stock or any such substantially similar securities, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or any Holdings Units or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise (other than (a) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (b) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of the date of this Agreement described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus, (c) the issuance by the Company of options to purchase shares of Common Stock and other equity incentive compensation, including restricted stock or restricted stock units pursuant to employee stock option plans or similar plans existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date of this Agreement described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus, (d) any shares of Common Stock issued upon the exercise of options granted under such stock option or similar plans existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date of this Agreement, or under stock option or similar plans of companies acquired by the Company in effect on the date of acquisition described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus (other than those of acquired companies), (e) the filing by the Company of any registration statement on Form S-8 with the Commission relating to the offering of securities pursuant to the terms of such stock option or similar plans described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus and (f) the issuance by the Company of Common Stock or securities convertible into Common Stock in connection with an acquisition or business combination, provided that the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to this clause (f) during the Lock-Up Period shall not exceed 5% of the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the closing date of the offering, and provided further that, in the case of any issuance pursuant to this clause (f), any recipient of shares of Common Stock shall have executed and delivered to Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC a lock-up letter as described in Section 8(i), without the prior written consent of Goldman Sachs & Co.

 


 

LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC;

 

(ii)                If Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a lock-up letter described in Section 8(i) hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Annex II hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver;

 

(e)                                  During a period of three years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, to furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of the Registration Statement), to make available to its stockholders consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail; provided, however, that any report, communication or financial statement that is furnished or filed by the Company and publicly available on the Commission’s EDGAR system shall be deemed to have been furnished and delivered to the stockholders at the same time furnished to or filed with the Commission;

 

(f)                                   During a period of three years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, to furnish to the Representatives copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to deliver to the Representatives (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii) such additional information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request (such financial statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its stockholders generally or to the Commission); provided, however, that no report, communication or financial statement need be furnished pursuant to this subsection (f) to the extent (a) they are furnished or filed by the Company and publicly available on the Commission’s EDGAR system, in which case they shall be deemed to have been furnished and delivered to the Representatives at the same time furnished to or filed with the Commission or (b) in the case of clause (ii), the provision of which would require public disclosure by the Company under Regulation FD;

 

(g)                                  To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Pricing Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”;

 

(h)                                 To use commercially reasonable efforts to list for trading, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the [·] (the “Exchange”);

 

(i)                                     To file with the Commission such information on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K as may be required by Rule 463 under the Act;

 


 

(j)                                    If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act;

 

(k)                                 Upon request of any Underwriter, to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s trademarks, servicemarks or corporate logo, as applicable (the “Company Marks”) for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Shares (the “License”); provided, however, that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned, sublicensed or transferred.  All goodwill arising from any Underwriter’s use of the Company Marks shall inure solely to the benefit of the Company;

 

(l)                                     In connection with the Directed Share Program, the Company will ensure that the Directed Shares will be restricted to the extent required by FINRA or the FINRA rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation for a period of three months following the date of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement. The Designated Underwriter will notify the Company as to which Participants will need to be so restricted. The Company will direct the transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon such securities for such period of time;

 

(m)                             The Company will pay all fees and disbursements of counsel (including non-U.S. counsel) incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program; and

 

(n)                                 The Company will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable laws, rules and regulations in each foreign jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.

 

6.                                      (a)                                 The Company represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; each Underwriter represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a free writing prospectus required to be filed with the Commission; any such free writing prospectus the use of which has been consented to by the Company and the Representatives is listed on Schedule II(a) hereto;

 

(b)                                 The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending; and the Company represents that it has satisfied and agrees that it will satisfy the conditions under Rule 433 under the Act to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any electronic road show;

 

(c)                                  The Company agrees that if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Written Testing-the-Waters Communication any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Written Testing-the-Waters Communication would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to the Representatives and, if reasonably requested by the Representatives, will prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter an Issuer Free Writing

 


 

Prospectus, Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or other document which will correct such conflict, statement or omission;

 

(d)                                 The Company represents and agrees that (i) it has not engaged in, or authorized any other person to engage in, any Testing-the-Waters Communications, other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the prior consent of the Representatives with entities that the Company reasonably believes are qualified institutional buyers as defined in Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) under the Act; and (ii) it has not distributed, or authorized any other person to distribute, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, other than those distributed with the prior consent of the Representatives that are listed on Schedule II(c) hereto; and the Company reconfirms that the Underwriters have been authorized to act on its behalf in engaging in Testing-the-Waters Communications;

 

(e)                                  Each Underwriter represents and agrees that any Testing-the-Waters Communications undertaken by it were with entities that such Underwriter reasonably believes are qualified institutional buyers as defined in Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) under the Act;

 

7.                                      The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, reproduction and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Blue Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the reasonably incurred and documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey; (iv) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares on the Exchange; (v) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, any required review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Shares; (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates, if applicable; (vii) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar, (viii) the expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors, including one-half of the cost of any travel expenses, including any aircraft chartered, in connection with the road show (the remaining half of the cost to be borne by the Representatives) and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section, and Sections 9 and 12 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

 

8.                                      The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Shares to be delivered at each Time of Delivery shall be subject, in their discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company herein are, at and as of the Applicable Time and such Time of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:

 


 

(a)                                 The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; all material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 433; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Act, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Pricing Prospectus, Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable satisfaction;

 

(b)                                 Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion and negative assurance letter, each dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;

 

(c)                                  (i) Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion and negative assurance letter (a form of such opinion and negative assurance letter is attached as Annex I(a) hereto), each dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, (ii) the Company’s General Counsel shall have furnished to the Representatives an opinion (a form of such opinion is attached as Annex I(b) hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives and (iii) Bodman PLC, Michigan counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion (a form of such opinion is attached as Annex I(c) hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives;

 

(d)                                 On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution of this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, Ernst & Young LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives;

 

(e)                                  (i) Neither the Company, Holdings nor any Subsidiary shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Prospectus and except as disclosed therein there shall not have been any change in the capital stock (other than as a result of (x) the grant, vesting, exercise or settlement of stock options and restricted stock units or other equity incentives pursuant to the Company’s equity-based incentive plans disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (y) the repurchase of shares of capital stock granted under the Company’s equity-based incentive plans disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus) or change in long-term debt of the Company, Holdings or any Subsidiary or any change or effect, or any development involving a prospective change or effect, in or affecting (x) the business, properties, general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations

 


 

of the Company, Holdings and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, or (y) the ability of the Company and Holdings to perform their obligations under this Agreement, including the issuance and sale of the Shares, or to consummate the transactions contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in your judgment so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;

 

(f)                                   On or after the Applicable Time (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the debt securities of the Company, LLC or any Subsidiary by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the debt securities of the Company, LLC or any Subsidiary;

 

(g)                                  On or after the Applicable Time there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on either the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on the Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v) in your judgment makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;

 

(h)                                 The Shares to be sold at such Time of Delivery shall have been duly listed, subject to notice of issuance, on the Exchange;

 

(i)                                     The Company shall have obtained and delivered to the Underwriters executed copies of an agreement from each stockholder, director or executive officer of the Company, substantially to the effect set forth in Annex III hereto in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives;

 

(j)                                    The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement;

 

(k)                                 Each of the Company and Holdings shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Representatives at such Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company and Holdings, as applicable, reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company or Holdings, as applicable, herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company and Holdings, as applicable, of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and the Company and Holdings shall have furnished or caused to be furnished certificates as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (f) of this Section 8 and as to such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request;

 


 

(l)                                     The Reorganization Transactions shall have been completed prior to or simultaneously with the First Time of Delivery, on the terms set forth in the Pricing Prospectus under “Organizational Structure”; and

 

(m)                             At each Time of Delivery, the Company and Holdings shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you certificates of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company and Holdings, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to you.

 

9.                                      (a)                                 The Company and Holdings will jointly and severally indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “roadshow” as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Act (a “roadshow”), any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any documented legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company and Holdings shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

 

The Company and Holdings agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Designated Underwriter and its affiliates and each person, if any, who controls the Designated Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (the “Designated Entities”), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) (i) arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program or arising out of or based upon any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) arising out of or based upon the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant agreed to purchase; or (iii) arising out of, related to, or in connection with the Directed Share Program, other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith, willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Designated Entities.

 

(b)                                 Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company and Holdings against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any roadshow, or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein

 


 

or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any roadshow, or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information; and will reimburse the Company and Holdings for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.  As used in this Agreement with respect to an Underwriter and an applicable document, “Underwriter Information” shall mean the written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the [·] paragraph under the caption “Underwriting”, and the information contained in the [·] paragraph under the caption “Underwriting”.

 

(c)                                  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 9 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; provided that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9.  In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if indemnity may be sought pursuant to the last paragraph in Section 9(a) hereof in respect of such action or proceeding, then in addition to such separate firm for the indemnified parties, the indemnifying party shall be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Designated Underwriter for the defense of any losses, claims, damages and liabilities arising out of the Directed Share Program, and all persons, if any, who control the Designated Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party. No indemnified party shall, without the written consent of the indemnifying party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution

 


 

may be sought hereunder, and no indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of judgment with respect to, any such action or claim effected without its consent, in each case which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

(d)                                 If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and Holdings on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares.  If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company and Holdings on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company and Holdings on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and Holdings bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus.  The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and Holdings on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.  The Company, Holdings and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d).  The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

 

(e)                                  The obligations of the Company and Holdings under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each employee, officer and director of each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act and each broker-dealer or other affiliate of any Underwriter; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and Holdings (including any person who,

 


 

with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to become a director of the Company and Holdings) and to each person, if any, who controls the Company or Holdings within the meaning of the Act.

 

10.                               (a)                                 If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Shares which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at a Time of Delivery, the Representatives may in your reasonable discretion arrange for the Representatives or another party or other parties to purchase such Shares on the terms contained herein.  If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter the Representatives do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase such Shares on such terms.  In the event that, within the respective prescribed periods, the Representatives notify the Company that the Representatives have so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, or the Company notifies the Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone such Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be made necessary.  The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.

 

(b)                                 If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

 

(c)                                  If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all of the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Time of Delivery, the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 7 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 9 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

 

11.                               The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, Holdings and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company, Holdings or any officer

 


 

or director or controlling person of the Company or Holdings, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.

 

12.                               If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 10 hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof; but, if for any other reason any Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, or the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through the Representatives for all reasonably incurred and documented out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by the Representatives, including reasonably incurred and documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Company shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof.

 

13.                               In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by the Representatives jointly or by Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and RBC Capital Markets, LLC on behalf of the Representatives as the Representatives.

 

In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company and Holdings, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

 

All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, Attention: Registration Department, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010-3629, Attention: IBCM-Legal, facsimile (212) 325-4296, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk and RBC Capital Markets, LLC, 200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor, New York, New York, 10281, Attention: Transaction Management Group, facsimile (212) 428-6308; if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth on the cover of the Registration Statement, Attention: Secretary, with a copy for informational purposes only to Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019, facsimile (212) 492-0025, Attention: Scott A. Barshay, Esq., Rachael G. Coffey, Esq. and John C. Kennedy, Esq.; and if to any stockholder, director or officer that has delivered a lock-up letter described in Section 8(i) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail to his or her address as such stockholder, director or officer provides in writing to the Company; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters’ Questionnaire or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by the Representatives upon request; provided further that notices under subsection 5(e) shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the Representatives as the Representatives at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, Attention: Control Room, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, New

 


 

York 10010-3629, Attention: IBCM-Legal, facsimile (212) 325-4296, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk and RBC Capital Markets, LLC, 200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor, New York, New York 10281, Attention: Transaction Management Group, facsimile (212) 428-6308. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

 

14.                               This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company, Holdings and, to the extent provided in Sections 9 and 11 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company, Holdings and each person who controls the Company, Holdings or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement.  No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

 

15.                               Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement.  As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.

 

16.                               Each of the Company and Holdings acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company or Holdings, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or Holdings with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company or Holdings except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iv) each of the Company and Holdings has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.  Each of the Company and Holdings agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters, or any of them, has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company and Holdings, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

 

17.                               This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company, Holdings and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

18.                               This Agreement and any transaction contemplated by this Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related thereto shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to principles of conflict of laws that would result in the application of any other law than the laws of the State of New York.  Each of the Company and Holdings submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York or, if that court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, in any state court located in The City and County of New York over any suit or proceeding arising in respect of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated by this Agreement (each, a “Related Proceeding”). Each of the Company and Holdings irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any Related Proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that any such Related Proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

 

19.                               Each of the Company, Holdings and the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 


 

20.                               This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

21.                               Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company is authorized to disclose to any persons the U.S. federal and state income tax treatment and tax structure of the potential transaction and all materials of any kind (including tax opinions and other tax analyses) provided to the Company relating to that treatment and structure, without the Underwriters imposing any limitation of any kind. However, any information relating to the tax treatment and tax structure shall remain confidential (and the foregoing sentence shall not apply) to the extent necessary to enable any person to comply with securities laws. For this purpose, “tax structure” is limited to any facts that may be relevant to that treatment.

 

22.                               Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

 

(a)                                 In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

(b)                                 In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

(c)                                  As used in this section:

 

“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).

 

“Covered Entity” means any of the following:

 

(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

 

(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

 

(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

 

“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

 

“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by the Representatives, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among each of the Underwriters, the Company and Holdings.  It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on

 


 

behalf of each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company for examination, upon request, but without warranty on your part as to the authority of the signers thereof.

 


 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

Rocket Companies, Inc.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

RKT Holdings, LLC

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

[Signature Page to the Underwriting Agreement]

 


 

Accepted as of the date hereof
in New York, New York:

 

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

 

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

On behalf of each of the Underwriters

 

 

[Signature Page to the Underwriting Agreement]

 


 

SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriter

 

Total Number of
Firm Shares to
be Purchased

 

Number of Optional
Shares to be
Purchased if
Maximum Option
Exercised

 

 

 

 

 

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

 

[·]

 

[·]

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

[·]

 

[·]

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

 

[·]

 

[·]

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

[·]

 

[·]

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

 

[·]

 

[·]

Allen & Company LLC

 

[·]

 

[·]

BofA Securities, Inc.

 

[·]

 

[·]

Barclays Capital Inc.

 

[·]

 

[·]

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

 

[·]

 

[·]

UBS Securities LLC

 

[·]

 

[·]

CastleOak Securities, L.P.

 

[·]

 

[·]

Drexel Hamilton, LLC

 

[·]

 

[·]

Fifth Third Securities, Inc.

 

[·]

 

[·]

Huntington Securities, Inc.

 

[·]

 

[·]

Loop Capital Markets LLC

 

[·]

 

[·]

Mischler Financial Group, Inc.

 

[·]

 

[·]

Nomura Securities International, Inc.

 

[·]

 

[·]

Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc.

 

[·]

 

[·]

Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC

 

[·]

 

[·]

Zelman Partners LLC

 

[·]

 

[·]

Total

 

 

 

 

 


 

SCHEDULE II

 

(a)                     Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses not included in the Pricing Disclosure Package

 

Electronic Roadshow dated [·], 2020

 

(b)                     Information other than the Pricing Prospectus that comprise the Pricing Disclosure Package

 

The initial public offering price per share for the Shares is $[·].

 

The number of Firm Shares purchased by the Underwriters is [·].

 

The number of Optional Shares to be sold by the Company at the option of the Underwriters is [·].

 

(c)                      Written Testing-the-Waters Communications

 

Testing-the-Waters presentation dated June 8, 2020

 

The ISMs in Action 2020 booklet.

 


 

SCHEDULE III

 

1.              Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of RKT Holdings, LLC.

 

2.              Registration Rights Agreement by and among Rock Holdings, Inc., Daniel Gilbert, Rocket Companies, Inc., and the other persons listed on the signature pages thereto.

 

3.              Tax Receivable Agreement by and among Rocket Companies, Inc. and the other persons listed on the signature pages thereto.

 

4.              Reorganization Agreement by and among Rocket Companies, Inc. and the other persons listed on the signature pages thereto.

 

5.              Exchange Agreement by and among Rocket Companies, Inc., RKT Holdings, LLC and the holders of Common Units and shares of Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock.

 

6.              Purchase Agreement by and among Rocket Companies, Inc. and Rock Holdings Inc.

 

7.              Class D Common Stock Subscription Agreement by and between Rocket Companies, Inc. and Rock Holdings Inc.

 

8.              Class D Common Stock Subscription Agreement by and between Rocket Companies, Inc. and Daniel Gilbert.

 


 

ANNEX I(a)

 

FORM OF OPINION AND NEGATIVE ASSURANCE LETTER

 

OF COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY

 

[To be provided separately]

 


 

ANNEX I(b)

 

FORM OF OPINION

 

OF GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE COMPANY

 

[To be provided separately]

 


 

ANNEX I(c)

 

FORM OF OPINION

 

OF MICHIGAN COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY

 

[To be provided separately]

 


 

ANNEX II

 

FORM OF PRESS RELEASE

 

Rocket Companies, Inc.

[Date]

 

Rocket Companies, Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC , Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and RBC Capital Markets, LLC, the joint book-running managers in the recent public sale of [·] shares of the Company’s [Class A] common stock, par value $[0.0001] per share, are [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to           shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain executive officers or directors] of the Company.  The [waiver] [release] will take effect on           , 2020, and the shares may be sold on or after such date.

 

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 


 

ANNEX III

 

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

 

[To be provided separately]

 




Exhibit 2.1

 

REORGANIZATION AGREEMENT

 

Dated as of [·], 2020

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Pages

 

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

1

1.1

Certain Defined Terms

1

1.2

Terms Defined Elsewhere in this Agreement

3

1.3

Other Definitional and Interpretative Provisions

4

 

 

 

ARTICLE II THE REORGANIZATION

4

2.1

Transactions

4

2.2

Consent to Reorganization Transactions

7

2.3

No Liabilities in Event of Termination; Certain Covenants

8

 

 

 

ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

8

3.1

Representations and Warranties

8

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV MISCELLANEOUS

9

4.1

Amendments and Waivers

9

4.2

Successors and Assigns

9

4.3

Notices

9

4.4

Further Assurances

11

4.5

Entire Agreement

11

4.6

Governing Law

11

4.7

Jurisdiction

11

4.8

Severability

12

4.9

Enforcement

12

4.10

Counterparts; Facsimile Signatures

12

4.11

Expenses

12

 

Exhibit A – A&R Holdco Operating Agreement

Exhibit B – Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of RocketCo

Exhibit C – Amended and Restated By-Laws of RocketCo

Exhibit D – ATI Purchase Agreement

Exhibit E – Class A Subscription Agreement

Exhibit F – Second A&R Holdco Operating Agreement

Exhibit G – RHI Class D Subscription Agreement

Exhibit H – Gilbert Class D Subscription Agreement

Exhibit I – Exchange Agreement

Exhibit J – Tax Receivable Agreement

Exhibit K – Registration Rights Agreement

Exhibit L – RHI/RocketCo Purchase Agreement

 

i


 

REORGANIZATION AGREEMENT

 

REORGANIZATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of [·], 2020, by and among Rocket Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“RocketCo”), RKT Holdings, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company (“Holdco”), Rock Holdings Inc., a Michigan corporation (“RHI”) and Daniel Gilbert (“Gilbert”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, RocketCo was incorporated in Delaware on February 26, 2020, as a wholly owned subsidiary of RHI;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of RocketCo (the “Board”) has determined to effect an underwritten initial public offering (the “IPO”) of RocketCo’s Class A Common Stock (as defined below);

 

WHEREAS, HoldCo was formed in Michigan on March 6, 2020, as a wholly owned subsidiary of RHI;

 

WHEREAS, Quicken Loans Inc. converted to a Michigan limited liability company on April 15, 2020;

 

WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to effect the Reorganization Transactions (as defined below) in contemplation of the IPO; and

 

WHEREAS, in connection with the consummation of the Reorganization Transactions and the IPO, the applicable parties hereto intend to enter into the Reorganization Documents (as defined below).

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing recitals and of the mutual promises hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

 

1.1          Certain Defined Terms.  As used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Business Day” means a day, other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York or Detroit, Michigan are authorized or required by applicable law to close.

 

Class A Common Stock” shall mean Class A Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share, of RocketCo, having the rights set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

 


 

Class B Common Stock” shall mean Class B Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share, of RocketCo, having the rights set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Class C Common Stock” shall mean Class C Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share, of RocketCo, having the rights set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Class D Common Stock” shall mean Class D Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share, of RocketCo, having the rights set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Class D Number” means the number set forth as the number of shares of Class D Common Stock expected to be outstanding immediately after the IPO as set forth in the preliminary prospectus included as part of the registration statement on Form S-1 filed by RocketCo under the Exchange Act with the SEC to register the Class A Common Stock as on file with the SEC immediately prior to such registration statement being declared effective by the SEC.

 

Common Stock” means, collectively, the Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock, Class C Common Stock and Class D Common Stock.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Existing Holdco Operating Agreement” means the Operating Agreement of Holdco, dated as of March 6, 2020, by and between Holdco and RHI.

 

Form 8-A Effective Time” means the date and time on which the Registration Statement becomes effective, which will occur after the Pricing, on such date and at such time as determined by RocketCo.

 

Gilbert Common Unit Amount” means the amount equal to the product of (i) the quotient of (x) $20 million (twenty million) divided by (y) the Pre-IPO Value and (ii) the Class D Number (rounded to the nearest whole number).

 

Holdco Common Units” means Common Units, as such term is defined in the Second A&R Holdco Operating Agreement.

 

IPO Closing” means the initial closing of the sale of the Class A Common Stock in the IPO.

 

IPO Price Per Share” means the per share public offering price for the Class A Common Stock.

 

Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, estate, joint venture, governmental authority or other entity.

 

Post-Reorg Holdco Members” means RHI and Gilbert.

 

2


 

Pre-IPO Value” means the total equity value of all membership interests of Holdco immediately prior to the Form 8-A Effective Time that is implied by the IPO Price Per Share.

 

Pricing” means such date and time as the Board or the pricing committee thereof determines to price the IPO.

 

Registration Statement” means the registration statement on Form 8-A filed by RocketCo under the Exchange Act with the SEC to register the Class A Common Stock.

 

Reorganization Documents” means each of the documents attached as an exhibit hereto and all other agreements and documents entered into in connection with the Reorganization Transactions.

 

RHI Common Unit Amount” means the amount equal to (i) the Class D Number minus (ii) the Gilbert Common Unit Amount.

 

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

1.2          Terms Defined Elsewhere in this Agreement.  Each of the following terms is defined in the Section set forth opposite such term:

 

Term

 

Section

A&R Holdco Operating Agreement

 

2.1(a)(i)

Agreement

 

Preamble

AHI

 

2.1(a)(ii)

Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation

 

2.1(c)(i)

Amrock Holdco

 

2.1(a)(iv)

ATI Purchase Agreement

 

2.1(d)(i)

Board

 

Recitals

Class D Shares

 

2.1(d)(v)

Gilbert

 

Preamble

Holdco

 

Preamble

Holdco Member Schedule

 

2.1(d)(iii)

e-mail

 

4.3

Exchange Agreement

 

2.1(d)(vi)

IPO

 

Recitals

RHI

 

Preamble

RHI/RocketCo Purchase Agreement

 

2.1(d)(ix)

RocketCo

 

Preamble

Reorganization Transaction

 

2.1

Reorganization Transactions

 

2.1

RWH LLC

 

2.1(a)(i)

 

3


 

Term

 

Section

Second A&R Holdco Operating Agreement

 

2.1(d)(iii)

 

1.3          Other Definitional and Interpretative Provisions.  The words “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” and words of like import used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement.  The captions herein are included for convenience of reference only and shall be ignored in the construction or interpretation hereof.  References to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules are to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules of this Agreement unless otherwise specified.  All Exhibits and Schedules annexed hereto or referred to herein are hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement as if set forth in full herein.  Any capitalized terms used in any Exhibit or Schedule but not otherwise defined therein, shall have the meaning as defined in this Agreement.  Any singular term in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the plural, and any plural term the singular.  Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or words of like import.  The word “or” shall be disjunctive but not exclusive. “Writing”, “written” and comparable terms refer to printing, typing and other means of reproducing words (including electronic media) in a visible form.  References to any statute shall be deemed to refer to such statute as amended from time to time and to any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.  References to any agreement or contract are to that agreement or contract as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.  References to any Person include the successors and permitted assigns of that Person.  References from or through any date mean, unless otherwise specified, from and including or through and including, respectively.

 

ARTICLE II
 
THE REORGANIZATION

 

2.1          Transactions.  Subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, and on the basis of and in reliance upon the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements set forth herein, the parties hereto shall take the actions described in this Section 2.1 (each, a “Reorganization Transaction” and, collectively, the “Reorganization Transactions”):

 

(a)           On or shortly following the date hereof, the applicable parties shall take the actions set forth below (or cause such actions to take place):

 

(i)            RHI shall contribute, assign, transfer and convey to Rocket Worldwide Holdings Inc., a newly formed wholly owned subsidiary of RHI (“RWH”), the issued and outstanding equity interests in the following entities: (I) RockTech Canada Inc., (II) EFB Holdings Inc. and (III) Lendesk Canada Holdings, Inc.

 

4


 

(ii)           RHI shall cause Amrock Holdings Inc. (“AHI”) to distribute to RHI the issued and outstanding equity interests in (I) Amrock, LLC and (II) Nexsys Technologies LLC.

 

(iii)          RHI shall contribute, assign, transfer and convey to Holdco the issued and outstanding equity interests in the following entities: (I) Rock Central LLC, (II) RCRA Holdings LLC, (III) RockLoans Holdings LLC, (IV) Woodward Capital Management LLC, (V) Nexsys Technologies LLC and (VI) Amrock LLC.

 

(iv)          Holdco shall contribute, assign, transfer and convey to Amrock, Holdco, LLC (“Amrock Holdco”) the issued and outstanding equity interests in (I) Amrock LLC and (II) Nexsys Technologies LLC.

 

(v)           (x) Holdco shall amend and restate its limited liability company operating agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A  (the “A&R Holdco Operating Agreement”) to, among other things, admit Gilbert as a member and (y) Gilbert shall make a capital contribution to Holdco in an amount equal to $20 million.

 

(b)           Prior to the Pricing, RHI shall contribute, assign, transfer and convey to Holdco the issued and outstanding equity interests in the following entities: (I) Quicken Loans, LLC, (II) RWH, (III) LMB HoldCo LLC and (IV) Rocket Homes Real Estate LLC.

 

(c)           On or prior to the Pricing, the applicable parties shall take the actions set forth below (or cause such actions to take place):

 

(i)            RocketCo shall adopt and file with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware an amended and restated certificate of incorporation of RocketCo in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”).

 

(ii)           The Board shall adopt amended and restated by-laws of RocketCo in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.

 

(d)           Immediately following Pricing, the applicable parties shall take the actions set forth below (or cause such actions to take place):

 

(i)            Holdco shall and RHI shall cause AHI to enter into a Purchase Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D (the “ATI Purchase Agreement”), whereby AHI shall agree to sell, assign, transfer and convey to Amrock Holdco the issued and outstanding equity interests in Amrock Title Insurance Company, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the ATI Purchase Agreement.

 

5


 

(ii)           Gilbert shall cause the entities listed on the signature pages thereto (the “Subscriber Entities”) to enter into a Subscription Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E, whereby each Subscriber Entity shall subscribe for, and RocketCo shall issue to each Subscriber Entity upon payment therefor at a price per share equal to the IPO Price Per Share, the number of shares of Class A Common Stock set forth opposite such Subscriber Entity’s name on Schedule I thereto.

 

(iii)          Holdco shall: (x) reclassify all membership interests outstanding as of immediately prior to the Form 8-A Effective Time into the number of Holdco Common Units, in the aggregate, equal to the Class D Number and (y) amend and restate its limited liability company operating agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit F (the “Second A&R Holdco Operating Agreement”) so that, among other things, (A) RocketCo shall be admitted as a member and shall become the sole managing member of Holdco and (B) after giving effect to the reclassification described in clause (x) above, RHI shall own the number of Holdco Common Units equal to the RHI Common Unit Amount and Gilbert shall own the number of Holdco Common Units equal to the Gilbert Common Unit Amount and the Member Schedule (as such term is defined in the Second A&R Holdco Operating Agreement) (the “Holdco Member Schedule”) shall reflect such amounts.

 

(iv)          In connection with the receipt of Holdco Common Units in the reclassification described in clause (ii)(x) above, RHI shall enter into a Subscription Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit G, whereby RHI shall subscribe for, and RocketCo shall issue to RHI upon payment therefor, the number of shares of Class D Common Stock (the “Class D Shares”) equal to the number of Holdco Common Units set forth opposite RHI’s name on the Holdco Member Schedule.

 

(v)           In connection with the receipt of Holdco Common Units in the reclassification described in clause (ii)(x) above, Gilbert shall enter into a Subscription Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit H, whereby Gilbert shall subscribe for, and RocketCo shall issue to Gilbert upon payment therefor, the number of Class D Shares equal to the number of Holdco Common Units set forth opposite Gilbert’s name on the Holdco Member Schedule.

 

(vi)          In connection with the receipt of Holdco Common Units in the reclassification described in clause (ii)(x) above, each of the Post-Reorg Holdco Members shall enter into an Exchange Agreement with Holdco and RocketCo, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit I (the “Exchange Agreement”), whereby each such Post-Reorg Holdco Member shall be permitted to exchange with RocketCo its Holdco Common Units and shares of Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock, as the case may be, for shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, as applicable.

 

(vii)         In connection with the receipt of Holdco Common Units in the reclassification described in clause (ii)(x) above, RocketCo and the Post-Reorg Holdco Members shall enter into a Tax Receivable Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit J.

 

6


 

(viii)        RocketCo and the Post-Reorg Holdco Members shall enter into a Registration Rights Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit K.

 

(ix)          RocketCo and RHI shall enter into a Purchase Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit L (the “RHI/RocketCo Purchase Agreement”), whereby RHI shall sell to RocketCo, and RocketCo shall purchase from RHI, the number of Holdco Common Units and shares of Class D Common Stock, as the case may be, set forth therein.

 

(e)           Immediately following the IPO Closing, pursuant to the RHI/RocketCo Purchase Agreement, RHI shall sell to RocketCo, and RocketCo shall purchase from RHI, the number of Holdco Common Units and shares of Class D Common Stock, set forth therein.

 

(f)            If at any time following the IPO Closing the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of Class A Common Stock from RocketCo, pursuant to the RHI/RocketCo Purchase Agreement, RHI shall sell to RocketCo, and RocketCo shall purchase from RHI, the number of Holdco Common Units and shares of Class D Common Stock, as determined in accordance with such agreement.

 

(g)           Following the closing, pursuant to the ATI Purchase Agreement, AHI shall sell, assign, transfer and convey to Amrock Holdco, and Amrock Holdco shall purchase from AHI, the issued and outstanding equity interests in Amrock Title Insurance Company, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the ATI Purchase Agreement.

 

2.2          Consent to Reorganization Transactions.

 

(a)           Each of the parties hereto hereby acknowledges, agrees and consents to all of the Reorganization Transactions.  Each of the parties hereto shall take all reasonable action necessary or appropriate in order to effect, or cause to be effected, to the extent within its control, each of the Reorganization Transactions and the IPO.

 

(b)           The parties hereto shall deliver to each other, as applicable,  prior to or at the Form 8-A Effective Time, each of the Reorganization Documents to which it is a party, together with any other documents and instruments necessary or appropriate to be delivered in connection with the Reorganization Transactions.

 

2.3          No Liabilities in Event of Termination; Certain Covenants(a)   .

 

(a)           In the event that the IPO is abandoned or, unless the Board, Holdco, RHI or Gilbert otherwise agree, the IPO Closing has not occurred by [·], 2020, (a) this Agreement shall automatically terminate and be of no further force or effect except for this Section 2.3 and Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.6, 4.7, , 4.8, 4.9, 4.10 and 4.12 and (b) there shall be no liability on the part of any of the parties hereto, except that such termination shall not preclude any party from pursuing judicial remedies for damages or

 

7


 

other relief as a result of the breach by the other parties of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained herein prior to such termination.

 

(b)           In the event that this Agreement is terminated for any reason after the consummation of any Reorganization Transaction, but prior to the consummation of all of the Reorganization Transactions, the parties agree, as applicable, to cooperate and work in good faith to execute and deliver such agreements and consents and amend such documents and to effect such transactions or actions as may be necessary to re-establish the rights, preferences and privileges that the parties hereto had prior to the consummation of the Reorganization Transactions, or any part thereof, including, without limitation, voting any and all securities owned by such party in favor of any amendment to any organizational document and in favor of any transaction or action necessary to re-establish such rights, powers and privileges and causing to be filed all necessary documents with any governmental authority necessary to reestablish such rights, preferences and privileges.

 

(c)           For the avoidance of doubt, each party hereto acknowledges and agrees that until the consummation of the Reorganization Transactions: (i) the parties hereto shall not receive or lose any voting, governance or similar rights in connection with this Agreement or the Reorganization Transactions and (ii) the rights of the parties hereto under the Existing Holdco Operating Agreement shall not be effected.

 

ARTICLE III
 
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

3.1          Representations and Warranties.  Each party hereto hereby represents and warrants to all of the other parties hereto as follows:

 

(a)           The execution, delivery and performance by such party of this Agreement and of the applicable Reorganization Documents, to the extent a party thereto, has been or prior to the Form 8-A Effective Time will be duly authorized by all necessary action.  If such party is not an individual, such party is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization or incorporation;

 

(b)           Such party has, or prior to the Form 8-A Effective Time will have, the requisite power, authority, legal right and, if such party is an individual, legal capacity, to execute and deliver this Agreement and each of the Reorganization Documents, to the extent a party thereto, and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, as the case may be;

 

(c)           This Agreement and each of the Reorganization Documents to which it is a party has been (or when executed will be) duly executed and delivered by such party and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of such party, enforceable against such party in accordance with its terms, subject to (i) the effects of

 

8


 

bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and (iii) an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; and

 

(d)           Neither the execution, delivery and performance by such party of this Agreement and the applicable Reorganization Documents, to the extent a party thereto, nor the consummation by such party of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, nor compliance by such party with the terms and provisions hereof or thereof, will, directly or indirectly (with or without notice or lapse of time or both), (i) if such party is not an individual, contravene or conflict with, or result in a breach or termination of, or constitute a default under (or with notice or lapse of time or both, result in the breach or termination of or constitute a default under) the organizational documents of such party, (ii) constitute a violation by such party of any existing requirement of law applicable to such party or any of its properties, rights or assets or (iii) require the consent or approval of any Person, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), as would not reasonably be expected to result in, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the ability of such party to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the applicable Reorganization Documents.

 

ARTICLE IV
 
MISCELLANEOUS

 

4.1          Amendments and Waivers.  This Agreement (including the Exhibits) may be modified, amended or waived only with the written approval of RocketCo, Holdco, RHI and Gilbert.  The failure of any party to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall in no way be construed as a waiver of such provisions and shall not affect the right of such party thereafter to enforce each and every provision of this Agreement in accordance with its terms.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4.1, nothing in this Section 4.1 shall be deemed to contradict the provisions of Section 2.3 hereof.

 

4.2          Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

4.3          Notices.  All notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile transmission and electronic mail (“e-mail”) transmission, so long as a receipt of such e-mail is requested and not received by automated response).  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. 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.  All such notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be given to such party as follows:

 

9


 

If to RocketCo addressed to it at:

 

Rocket Companies, Inc.

1050 Woodward Avenue

Detroit, MI 48226

Attention: Angelo Vitale, General Counsel and Secretary

E-mail: AngeloVitale@rockcentraldetroit.com

 

With copies (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
1285 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY  10019-6064
Facsimile No.:  (212) 757-3990
Attention:
                Scott A. Barshay

Rachael G. Coffey

John C. Kennedy

E-mail:                                sbarshay@paulweiss.com

rcoffey@paulweiss.com

jkennedy@paulweiss.com

 

If to Holdco addressed to it at:

 

RKT Holdings, LLC

1050 Woodward Avenue

Detroit, MI 48226

Attention: Angelo Vitale, General Counsel and Secretary

E-mail: AngeloVitale@rockcentraldetroit.com

 

With copies (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
1285 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY  10019-6064
Facsimile No.:  (212) 757-3990
Attention:
                Scott A. Barshay

Rachael G. Coffey

John C. Kennedy

E-mail:                                sbarshay@paulweiss.com

rcoffey@paulweiss.com

jkennedy@paulweiss.com

 

If to RHI or Gilbert addressed to it at:

 

c/o Rock Holdings Inc.

1050 Woodward Avenue

Detroit, MI 48226

 

10


 

Attention: Jeff Morganroth, General Counsel and Secretary

E-mail: jeffmorganroth@rockventures.com

 

With copies (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
1285 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY  10019-6064
Facsimile No.:  (212) 757-3990
Attention:
                Scott A. Barshay

Rachael G. Coffey

John C. Kennedy

E-mail:                                sbarshay@paulweiss.com

rcoffey@paulweiss.com

jkennedy@paulweiss.com

 

4.4          Further Assurances.  At any time or from time to time after the date hereof, the parties agree to cooperate with each other, and at the request of any other party, to execute and deliver any further instruments or documents and to take all such further action as the other party may reasonably request in order to evidence or effectuate the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and to otherwise carry out the intent of the parties hereunder.

 

4.5          Entire Agreement.  Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, this Agreement, together with the Reorganization Documents, embodies the complete agreement and understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and preempts any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties, written or oral, that may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way.

 

4.6          Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be governed in all respects by 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.

 

4.7          Jurisdiction. The exclusive venues for all disputes arising out of this Agreement shall be the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan (the “Agreed-Upon Venues”), and no other venues. The parties stipulate that the Agreement is an arms-length transaction entered into by sophisticated parties, and that the Agreed-Upon Venues are convenient, are not unreasonable, unfair, or unjust, and will not deprive any party of any remedy to which it may be entitled. The parties agree to consent to the dismissal of any action arising out of this Agreement that may be filed in a venue other than one of the Agreed-Upon Venues; the reasonable legal fees and costs of the party seeking dismissal for improper venue will be paid by the party that filed suit in the improper venue.  Process in any such suit, action or

 

11


 

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 4.3 shall be deemed effective service of process on such party.

 

4.8          Severability.  Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement shall be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.

 

4.9          Enforcement.  Each party hereto acknowledges that money damages would not be an adequate remedy in the event that any of the covenants or agreements in this Agreement are not performed in accordance with its terms, and it is therefore agreed that in addition to and without limiting any other remedy or right it may have, the non-breaching party will have the right, without posting a bond, to an injunction, temporary restraining order or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction enjoining any such breach and enforcing specifically the terms and provisions hereof.

 

4.10        Counterparts; Facsimile Signatures.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one instrument.  This Agreement may be executed by facsimile, e-mail or .pdf format signature(s).

 

4.11        Expenses.  Unless otherwise provided in the Reorganization Documents, all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the negotiation and execution of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be paid by the party incurring such cost or expense.

 

12


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Reorganization Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

 

RKT HOLDINGS, LLC

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

ROCK HOLDINGS INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DANIEL GILBERT

 

[Signature Page to the Reorganization Agreement]

 




Exhibit 5.1

 

212-373-3000

 

212-757-3990

 

July 28, 2020

 

Rocket Companies, Inc.

1050 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48226

 

Rocket Companies, Inc.

Registration Statement on Form S-1

(Registration No. 333-239726)

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as special counsel to Rocket Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (the “Registration Statement”) of the Company, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Rules”).  You have asked us to furnish our opinion as to the legality of the securities being  registered under the Registration Statement.  The Registration Statement relates to the registration under the Act of up to 172,500,000 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Common Stock”), that may be offered by the Company (including shares issuable by the Company upon exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option).

 

In connection with the furnishing of this opinion, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (collectively, the “Documents”):

 

(1)                                 the Registration Statement;

 

(2)                                 the form of the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), included as Exhibit 1.1 to the Registration Statement;

 

(3)                                 the form of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, included as Exhibit 3.1 to the Registration Statement (the “Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”); and

 

(4)                                 the form of the Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company, included as Exhibit 3.2 to the Registration Statement.

 

In addition, we have examined (i) such corporate records of the Company that we have considered appropriate, including a copy of the certificate of incorporation, as amended, and by-laws, as amended, of the Company, certified by the Company as in effect on the date of this letter and copies of resolutions of the board of directors of the Company relating to the issuance of the Shares, certified by the Company and (ii) such other certificates, agreements and documents that we deemed relevant and necessary as a basis for the opinions expressed below.  We have also relied upon the factual matters contained in the representations and warranties of the Company made in the Documents and upon certificates of public officials and the officers of the Company.

 

In our examination of the documents referred to above, we have assumed, without independent investigation, the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all individuals who have executed any of the documents reviewed by us, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as certified, photostatic, reproduced or conformed copies of valid existing agreements or other documents, the authenticity of all the latter documents and that the statements regarding matters of fact in the certificates, records, agreements, instruments and documents that we have examined are accurate and complete. We have also assumed that the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation will be properly filed in the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware prior to the issuance of the Shares.

 

Based upon the above, and subject to the stated assumptions, exceptions and qualifications, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and, when issued, delivered and paid for as contemplated in the Registration Statement and in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

The opinion expressed above is limited to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.  Our opinion is rendered only with respect to the laws, and the rules, regulations and orders under those laws, that are currently in effect.

 

We hereby consent to use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the heading “Legal Matters” contained in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required by the Act or the Rules.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

/s/ PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON LLP

 

PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON LLP

 




Exhibit 10.1

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

dated as of [•], 2020

 

between

 

ROCK HOLDINGS INC.,

 

DANIEL GILBERT,

 

THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO

 

AND

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

 


 

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

10

 

 

 

2.3

Form S-3 Registration; Shelf Registration

12

 

 

 

2.4

Shelf Take-Downs

15

 

 

 

2.5

Selection of Underwriters

17

 

 

 

2.6

Withdrawal Rights; Expenses

17

 

 

 

2.7

Registration and Qualification

17

 

 

 

2.8

Underwriting; Due Diligence

21

 

 

 

2.9

Indemnification and Contribution

23

 

 

 

2.10

Cooperation; Information by Selling Holder

26

 

 

 

2.11

Rule 144

26

 

 

 

2.12

Holdback Agreement

27

 

 

 

2.13

Suspension of Sales

27

 

 

 

2.14

Third Party Registration Rights

28

 

 

 

2.15

Mergers

28

 

 

 

2.16

Synthetic Secondary Offerings

28

 

 

 

ARTICLE III MISCELLANEOUS

28

 

 

 

3.1

Notices

28

 

 

 

3.2

Section Headings

30

 

 

 

3.3

Governing Law

30

 

 

 

3.4

Consent to Jurisdiction and Service of Process

30

 

 

 

3.5

Amendments; Termination

31

 

 

 

3.6

Specific Enforcement

31

 

 

 

3.7

Entire Agreement

31

 

 

 

3.8

Severability

31

 

 

 

3.9

Counterparts

31

 

2


 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

This Registration Rights Agreement (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), dated as of [•] 2020, is made by and among Rock Holdings Inc. (“RHI”), Daniel Gilbert (“Gilbert”), the other parties hereto and Rocket Companies, Inc. (the “Company”).

 

WHEREAS, RHI, Gilbert and the Gilbert Affiliates are the direct beneficial owners of all the equity securities of the Company;

 

WHEREAS, the Company is currently contemplating an underwritten initial public offering (“IPO”) of shares of its Class A Common Stock (as defined below); and

 

WHEREAS, in connection with, and effective upon, the date of completion of the IPO, RHI, Gilbert, the Gilbert Affiliates and the Company wish to set forth certain understandings between 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 person 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.

 

Agreed-Upon Venues” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.4.

 

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.

 

Class A Common Stockmeans shares of the Company’s Class A common stock, $0.00001 par value per share.

 

Class B Common Stockmeans shares of the Company’s Class B common stock, $0.00001 par value per share.

 

3


 

Class C Common Stockmeans shares of the Company’s Class C common stock, $0.00001 par value per share.

 

Class D Common Stockmeans shares of the Company’s Class D common stock, $0.00001 par value per share.

 

Common Stock” means the Class A Common Stock.

 

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) 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.

 

Exchange” means (i) the exchange of shares of Class D Common Stock together with Holdings Units for shares of Class B Common Stock, pursuant to the Exchange Agreement, and the further conversion of such shares of Class B Common Stock into shares of Common Stock and (ii) the exchange of shares of Class C Common Stock together with Holdings Units for shares of Common Stock, pursuant to the Exchange Agreement.

 

Exchange Agreementmeans the Exchange Agreement, dated as of [•], 2020, by and among RHI, Gilbert and the Company.

 

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.

 

Gilbert Affiliates”  means Bedrock Building Services LLC, Bedrock Management Services LLC, Rock Executive Security LLC, Rock Security LLC, Rock Ventures LLC and Woodward Original LLC.

 

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.

 

4


 

Holdings” means RKT Holdings, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company, of which the Company is the managing member.

 

Holdings Units” means non-voting common interest units in Holdings.

 

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 Registration Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14.

 

Non-Marketed Take-Down Sharemeans 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).

 

Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Piggyback Election” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(c).

 

Notice Recipient” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(d).

 

Other Securities” means Common Stock of the Company sought to be included in a registration other than Registrable Securities.

 

Partiesmeans the Company and the Registration Parties 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.

 

Permitted Transferee” has the meaning set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company.

 

5


 

Piggyback Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a).

 

Registrable Securities” means shares of Common Stock owned by a Registration Party, 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 upon an Exchange or by way of unit or stock dividend or unit or stock split, or in connection with a combination of units or 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 Registration Party, such Registration Party 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 Registration Parties participating in the registration (which counsel shall be chosen by the participating Registration Party that then holds the most

 

6


 

Registrable Securities) incurred in connection with any such registration and any offering of Common Stock relating to such registration, including any Shelf Take-Down.

 

Registration Party” means RHI and its successors, Gilbert, the Gilbert Affiliates, Transferees under Section 2.1(c) holding Registrable Securities and any New Registration Party.

 

Selling Holder” means, with respect to any registration statement, any Registration Party whose Registrable Securities are included therein.

 

Shelf Holder” means any Registration Party 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 Registration Party (a

 

7


 

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 Registration Party, 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 Registration Parties 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 Registration Party in the Demand, and (ii) all other Registrable Securities which the Company has been requested to register for sale by such other Registration Parties 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 Registration Party to include Registrable Securities in such registration shall be conditioned upon such Registration Party’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Registration Party’s Registrable Securities in the underwriting (unless otherwise agreed by the Registration Parties with a majority of the Registrable Securities participating in the registration and by the requesting Registration Party) to the extent provided in this Agreement, and all Registration Parties 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 RightsAny Demand by a Registration Party 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).

 

(c)           Assignment.  In connection with the Transfer of Registrable Securities to any Person other than by operation of law, a Registration Party 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 connection with the Transfer of Registrable Securities by operation of law to any Permitted Transferee of Gilbert, a Transferee of such Registrable Securities shall be assigned (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 the Registration Parties 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

 

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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 Registration Party in Section 2.12 shall be deemed to refer to such Transferee.  In addition, in each of the foregoing cases, the relevant Registration Party 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 Registration Party, the other Registration Parties in accordance with the addresses and other contact information set forth under Section 3.1.

 

(d)           Company Blackout Rights.  With respect to any registration statement filed, or to be filed, including any amendment, renewal or replacement thereof, pursuant to this Section 2.1, if (i) the board of directors of the Company determines in good faith after consultation with outside counsel that such registration would cause the Company to disclose material non-public information, which disclosure (x) would be required to be made in any registration statement so that such registration statement would not be materially misleading, (y) would not be required to be made at such time but for the filing or effectiveness of such registration statement and (z) would be materially detrimental to the Company or would materially interfere with any material financing, acquisition, corporate reorganization or merger or other similar transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and that, as a result of such potential disclosure or interference, it is in the best interests of the Company to defer the filing or effectiveness of such registration statement at such time or suspend the Selling Holders’ use of any prospectus which is a part of the registration statement, and (ii) the Company furnishes to the Selling Holders a certificate signed by the chief executive officer of the Company to that effect, then the Company shall have the right to defer such filing or effectiveness or suspend the continuance of such effectiveness for a period of not more than 120 days (in which event, in the case of a suspension, such Selling Holder shall discontinue sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to such registration statement); provided, that the Company shall not use this right, together with any other deferral or suspension of the Company’s obligations under Section 2.1 or Section 2.3, more than once in any 12-month period. The Company shall as promptly as reasonably practicable notify the Selling Holders of the expiration of any deferral or suspension period during which it exercised its rights under this Section 2.1(d).  The Company agrees that, in the event it exercises its rights under this Section 2.1(d), it shall, as promptly as reasonably practicable following the expiration of the applicable deferral or suspension period, file or update and use its reasonable best efforts to cause the effectiveness of, as applicable, the applicable deferred or suspended registration statement or prospectus which is a part of the registration statement.

 

(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 Registration Party, or an Affiliate of the Registration Party (other than the Company and its controlled Affiliates), that made the Demand relating to such registration and, as a result thereof,

 

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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 Registration Party, or an Affiliate of the Registration Party, 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 (with a copy to each Selling Holder) 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 include in such registration:

 

(1)           first, Registrable Securities owned by the Registration Parties 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 Registration Parties requesting inclusion in such registration;

 

(2)           second, 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

 

(3)           third, 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 Registration Party of its intention to do so, which Piggyback Notice shall specify the number of shares of such Common

 

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Stock or other Equity Securities to be included in such registration.  Upon the written request of any Registration Party 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.

 

(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 Registration Party immediately to request that such registration be effected as a registration under Section 2.1 (including 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 Registration Parties 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 Registration Parties requesting inclusion in such registration; and

 

(3)           third, 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

 

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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 Registration Parties 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 Registration Parties 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 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 Registration Party 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 Registration Party, 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 Registration Parties; 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 Registration Party’s Registrable Securities as are specified in such request, together with all or such portion of the Registrable Securities of any other Registration Party joining in such request as are specified in a written request given within 15 days after receipt of such written notice from

 

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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 Registration Parties;

 

(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 Registration Parties, 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)          if the board of directors of the Company determines in good faith after consultation with outside counsel that such Form S-3 registration would cause the Company to disclose material non-public information, which disclosure (x) would be required to be made in any registration statement so that such registration statement would not be materially misleading, (y) would not be required to be made at such time but for the filing or effectiveness of such registration statement and (z) would be materially detrimental to the Company or would materially interfere with any material financing, acquisition, corporate reorganization or merger or other similar transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and that, as a result of such potential disclosure or interference, it is in the best interests of the Company to defer the filing or effectiveness of such registration statement (or, with respect to a Shelf Take-Down under Section 2.4, the sale of securities of the Company pursuant to such Form S-3 Registration Statement) at such time, then the Company shall have the right to defer such filing of the Form S-3 Registration Statement (or Shelf Take-Down) for a period of not more than 120 days after receipt of the request of the Registration Party under this Section 2.3 (or Section 2.4, as applicable); provided, that the Company shall not use this right, together with any other deferral or suspension of the Company’s obligations under Section 2.1 or Section 2.3, more than once in any 12-month period.  The Company shall as promptly as reasonably practicable notify the Selling Holders of the expiration of any deferral period during which it exercised its rights under this Section 2.3(a)(2)(C).  The Company agrees that, in the event it exercises its rights under this Section 2.3(a)(2)(C), it shall, as promptly as reasonably practicable following the expiration of the applicable deferral period, file or update and use its reasonable best efforts to cause the effectiveness of, as applicable, the applicable deferred registration statement (or Shelf Take-Down);

 

(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 Registration Party 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

 

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Registration Party 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 Registration Parties (the “Form S-3 Registration Statement”) and any such Registration Party 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 Registration Party 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 Registration Party to include Registrable Securities in such registration (or Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, as applicable) shall be conditioned upon such Registration Party’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Registration Party’s Registrable Securities in the underwriting (unless otherwise agreed by the Registration Parties with a majority of the Registrable Securities participating in the registration and by the requesting Registration Party) to the extent provided in this Agreement.  All Registration Parties 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 (with a copy to each Selling Holder) 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 include in such offering:

 

(1)           first, Registrable Securities owned by the Registration Parties 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 Registration Parties requesting inclusion in such registration;

 

(2)           second, 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

 

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(3)           third, 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 Registration Party 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 Registration Party, 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.

 

(b)           If an Initiating Shelf Holder 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 the proviso to Section 2.3(a)(2) 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.

 

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(c)           If the Initiating Shelf Holder 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, (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 (iv) at the option and in the sole discretion of such Initiating Shelf Holder, an election that such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down shall be subject to Section 2.4(d) (a “Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Piggyback Election”), and, subject to the limitations set forth in the proviso to Section 2.3(a)(2) 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 Registration Party of a written request pursuant to Section 2.4(c) that contains an affirmative Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Piggyback Election, 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 Registration Parties (other than the requesting Registration Party), 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-

 

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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 Registration Party (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 Registration Party that requested a Demand Registration or a Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down pursuant to Section 2.1 or Section 2.4 withdraws all of its Registrable Securities from such Demand Registration or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down (a “Withdrawn Offering”), the other Registration Party(ies) 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 Registration Parties (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 Registration Parties 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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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, 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;

 

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(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

 

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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 Registration Parties 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 Registration Party 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).

 

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(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)

 

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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

 

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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.

 

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(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

 

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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 Registration Party 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 Registration Party 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 Registration Party 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 Registration Party 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 Registration Parties) and its directors and executive officers to execute any lock-up agreements in form and substance as agreed by the Registration Parties 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.

 

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).

 

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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 Registration Parties under this Agreement to any other Person without the prior written consent of RHI, Gilbert and the Gilbert Affiliates.

 

(b)           (i) Any Person may join this agreement as Registration Party with the prior written consent of the Company, RHI, Gilbert and the Gilbert Affiliates (such Person, a “New Registration Party”), provided that such New Registration Party (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 Registration Party is an individual and married, such New Registration Party shall, as a condition to becoming a Registration Party 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 Registration Parties, would be entitled to receive in exchange for Registrable Securities, pursuant to any such merger, consolidation, reorganization or asset Transfer.

 

2.16        Synthetic Secondary Offerings.  If a Registration Party elects to conduct an offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to this Agreement, the Company may, in its sole discretion, elect to conduct a synthetic secondary offering with respect to such Registrable Securities (i.e. an offering in which the Company sells Common Stock for its account and uses the net proceeds of such offering to acquire an equal number of Registrable Securities from the Registration Party that has elected to conduct an offering). In such case, the Common Stock sold by the Company for its own account shall be treated the same as Registrable Securities being offered by the Registration Party for purposes of Sections 2.1(f), 2.2(c) and 2.2(d) and other related provisions of this Agreement.

 

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:

 

Rocket Companies, Inc.

1050 Woodward Avenue

 

28


 

Detroit, MI 48226

Attention: [•]
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:  Scott A. Barshay

Rachael G. Coffey

John C. Kennedy

Facsimile:  (212) 492-0025

E-mail:  sbarshay@paulweiss.com

rcoffey@paulweiss.com

jkennedy@paulweiss.com

 

(b)                                 if to RHI, to:

 

Rock Holdings Inc.

1050 Woodward Avenue

Detroit, MI 48226

Attention: [•]

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:  Scott A. Barshay

Rachael G. Coffey

John C. Kennedy

Facsimile:  (212) 492-0025

E-mail:  sbarshay@paulweiss.com

rcoffey@paulweiss.com

jkennedy@paulweiss.com

 

(c)                                  if to Gilbert or the Gilbert Affiliates, to:

 

Daniel Gilbert

c/o Rock Holdings Inc.

1050 Woodward Avenue

Detroit, MI 48226

Attention: [•]

E-mail: [•]

 

29


 

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:  Scott A. Barshay

Rachael G. Coffey

John C. Kennedy

Facsimile:  (212) 492-0025

E-mail:  sbarshay@paulweiss.com

rcoffey@paulweiss.com

jkennedy@paulweiss.com

 

(d)                                 if to any Transferee or any New Registration Party, 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 such update to the Company and the other Registration Parties. 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 LawThis Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

3.4          Consent to Jurisdiction and Service of Process.  The exclusive venues for all disputes arising out of this Agreement shall be the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan (the “Agreed-Upon Venues”), and no other venues. The Parties stipulate that the Agreement is an arms-length transaction entered into by sophisticated parties, and that the Agreed-Upon Venues are convenient, are not unreasonable, unfair, or unjust, and will not deprive any Party of any remedy to which it may be entitled. The Parties agree to consent to the dismissal of any action arising out of this Agreement that may be filed in a venue other than one of the Agreed-Upon Venues; the reasonable legal fees and costs of the Party seeking dismissal for improper venue will be paid by the Party that filed suit in the improper venue.

 

30


 

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 each Registration Party.  Any such amendment will apply to all Registration Parties equally, without distinguishing between them.  This Agreement will terminate as to any Registration Party 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]

 

31


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first set forth above.

 

 

ROCK HOLDINGS INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

DANIEL GILBERT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEDROCK BUILDING SERVICES LLC

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

BEDROCK MANAGEMENT SERVICES LLC

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

ROCK EXECUTIVE SECURITY LLC

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

ROCK SECURITY LLC

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

ROCK VENTURES LLC

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

WOODWARD ORIGINAL LLC

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

[Signature Page — Registration Rights Agreement]

 


 

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 [   ], 2020 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance with the terms thereof, the “Registration Rights Agreement”), by and between Rock Holdings Inc., Daniel Gilbert, the other parties hereto and Rocket Companies, Inc.  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][New Registration Party], 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.

 

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 Registration Party])

 

 

 

 

 

(Print Name of [Transferee][New Registration Party])

 

 

 

Address:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Telephone:

 

 

Facsimile:

 

 

Email:

 

 

[Signature Page – Registration Rights Agreement]

 


 

Annex A

 

AGREED AND ACCEPTED

 

as of the      day of             ,      .

 

 

 

ROCK HOLDINGS INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

DANIEL GILBERT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEDROCK BUILDING SERVICES LLC

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

BEDROCK MANAGEMENT SERVICES LLC

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

ROCK EXECUTIVE SECURITY LLC

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

ROCK SECURITY LLC

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

ROCK VENTURES LLC

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

WOODWARD ORIGINAL LLC

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

[Signature Page – Registration Rights Agreement]

 


 

Annex B

 

FORM OF
SPOUSAL CONSENT

 

In consideration of the execution of that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of [   ], 2020 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance with the terms thereof, the “ Registration Rights Agreement”), by and between Rock Holdings Inc., Daniel Gilbert, the other parties thereto and Rocket Companies, Inc., 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 10.2

 

 

 

 

TAX RECEIVABLE AGREEMENT

 

among

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.,

 

DANIEL GILBERT

 

and

 

ROCK HOLDINGS INC.

 


 

Dated as of [    ], 2020

 


 

 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

               

 

 

 

Page

 

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

2

 

 

 

Section 1.01

Definitions

2

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE II DETERMINATION OF REALIZED TAX BENEFIT

12

 

 

 

Section 2.01

Basis Adjustment

12

 

Section 2.02

Realized Tax Benefit and Realized Tax Detriment

12

 

Section 2.03

Procedures, Amendments

13

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE III TAX BENEFIT PAYMENTS

14

 

 

 

Section 3.01

Payments.

14

 

Section 3.02

No Duplicative Payments

16

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV TERMINATION

17

 

 

 

Section 4.01

Termination, Early Termination and Breach of Agreement.

17

 

Section 4.02

Early Termination Notice

18

 

Section 4.03

Payment upon Early Termination

18

 

Section 4.04

Change of Control

19

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE V SUBORDINATION AND LATE PAYMENTS

19

 

 

 

Section 5.01

Subordination

19

 

Section 5.02

Late Payments by the Corporate Taxpayer

19

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI NO DISPUTES; CONSISTENCY; COOPERATION

20

 

 

 

Section 6.01

Participation in the Corporate Taxpayer’s and OpCo’s Tax Matters

20

 

Section 6.02

Consistency

20

 

Section 6.03

Cooperation

20

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII MISCELLANEOUS

20

 

 

 

Section 7.01

Notices

20

 

Section 7.02

Binding Effect; Benefit; Assignment

21

 

Section 7.03

Resolution of Disputes.

22

 

Section 7.04

Counterparts

23

 

Section 7.05

Entire Agreement

23

 

Section 7.06

Severability

23

 

Section 7.07

Amendment

23

 

Section 7.08

Governing Law

23

 

Section 7.09

Reconciliation

23

 

Section 7.10

Withholding

24

 

i


 

 

Section 7.11

Admission of the Corporate Taxpayer into a Consolidated Group; Transfers of Corporate Assets

24

 

Section 7.12

Confidentiality

25

 

Section 7.13

Change in Law

25

 

Section 7.14

Partnership Agreement.

26

 

ii


 

 

TAX RECEIVABLE AGREEMENT

 

This TAX RECEIVABLE AGREEMENT (as amended from time to time, this “Agreement”), dated as of [     ], 2020, is hereby entered into by and among Rocket Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporate Taxpayer”), Daniel Gilbert (“Gilbert”), and Rock Holdings Inc., a Michigan corporation (“RHI” and together with Gilbert and along with each of the successors and assigns thereto, the “Members”).

 

WHEREAS, RKT Holdings, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company (“OpCo”), is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

 

WHEREAS, the Corporate Taxpayer is classified as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

 

WHEREAS, the Members hold common interest units in OpCo (the “Common Units”), and following certain reorganization transactions, the Corporate Taxpayer will be the managing member of OpCo and will hold, directly and/or indirectly, Common Units;

 

WHEREAS, (i) in connection with the IPO (as defined below), RHI shall sell to the Corporate Taxpayer, and the Corporate Taxpayer shall purchase from RHI, a number of Common Units (together with shares of Class D common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of the Corporate Taxpayer (“Class D Common Stock”)) pursuant to the provisions of the Member Purchase Agreement (as defined below) (the “Initial Purchase”) and (ii) in connection with a future public offering of Class A common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of the Corporate Taxpayer (the “Class A Common Stock”) of the Corporate Taxpayer, one or more Members may sell to the Corporate Taxpayer, and the Corporate Taxpayer may purchase from such Member, a number of Common Units (together with shares of Class C common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of the Corporate Taxpayer (“Class C Common Stock”) or Class D Common Stock) pursuant to the provisions of a future purchase agreement by and among the Corporate Taxpayer, OpCo and the relevant sellers;

 

WHEREAS, each Member may exchange Common Units (when exchanged along with shares of Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock) for shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of the Corporate Taxpayer (the “Class B Common Stock”) pursuant to the provisions of the Exchange Agreement (as defined below);

 

WHEREAS, OpCo and each of its direct and indirect subsidiaries treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes will have in effect an election under Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for each Taxable Year (as defined below) in which an Exchange (as defined below) occurs, which elections are intended generally to result in an adjustment to the tax basis of the assets owned by OpCo (solely with respect to the Corporate Taxpayer) at the time of an Exchange (such time, the “Exchange Date”) by reason of the Exchange and the receipt of payments under this Agreement;

 


 

WHEREAS, the income, gain, loss, expense and other Tax (as defined below) items of the Corporate Taxpayer may be affected by (i) the Basis Adjustment (as defined below) (ii) Imputed Interest (as defined below) and (iii) disproportionate allocations (if any) of tax benefits to the Corporate Taxpayer under Section 704(c) of the Code resulting from the Contribution (as defined below); and

 

WHEREAS, the parties to this Agreement desire to make certain arrangements with respect to the effect of the Basis Adjustment, Imputed Interest and the Contribution on the actual liability for Taxes of the Corporate Taxpayer.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the respective covenants and agreements set forth herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.01          Definitions.

 

(a)           The following terms shall have the following meanings for the purposes of this Agreement:

 

Advisory Firm” means law or accounting firm that is nationally recognized as being expert in Tax matters.

 

Affiliate” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the LLC Agreement.

 

Agreed Rate” means LIBOR plus 100 basis points.

 

Applicable Member” means any Member to whom any portion of a Realized Tax Benefit may be Attributable under this Agreement.

 

Assumed State and Local Tax Rate” means the tax rate equal to the sum of the product of (x) the OpCo’s income and franchise Tax apportionment rate(s) for each state and local jurisdiction in which the OpCp files income or franchise Tax Returns for the relevant Taxable Year and (y) the highest corporate income and franchise Tax rate(s) for each such state and local jurisdiction in which the OpCo files income or franchise Tax Returns for each relevant Taxable Year; provided, that the Assumed State and Local Tax Rate calculated pursuant to the foregoing shall be reduced by the assumed federal income Tax benefit received by the Corporate Taxpayer with respect to state and local jurisdiction income and franchise Taxes (with such benefit calculated as the product of (a) the Corporate Taxpayer’s marginal U.S. federal income tax rate for the relevant Taxable Year and (b) the Assumed State and Local Tax Rate (without regard to this proviso)).

 

Attributable” means, with respect to any Applicable Member, the portion of any Realized Tax Benefit of the Corporate Taxpayer that is “attributable” to such Applicable Member, which shall be determined by reference to the assets from which arise the depreciation, amortization or other similar deductions for recovery of cost or basis (“Depreciation”) and with respect to increased basis upon a disposition of an asset, the Section 704(c) Benefits or Imputed Interest that produce the Realized Tax Benefit, under the following principles:

 

2


 

(i)            A portion of any Realized Tax Benefit arising from a deduction to the Corporate Taxpayer with respect to a Taxable Year for Depreciation arising in respect of a Basis Adjustment to a Reference Asset resulting from an Exchange is Attributable to the Applicable Member to the extent that the ratio of all Depreciation for the Taxable Year in respect of Basis Adjustments resulting from all Exchanges by the Applicable Member bears to the aggregate of all Depreciation for the Taxable Year in respect of Basis Adjustments resulting from all Exchanges by the Applicable Members (in each case, other than with respect to the portion of the Basis Adjustment described in clause (ii) below).

 

(ii)           A portion of any Realized Tax Benefit arising from a deduction to the Corporate Taxpayer with respect to a Taxable Year for Depreciation arising in respect of a Basis Adjustment to a Reference Asset resulting from a payment hereunder is Attributable to the Applicable Member that receives such payment.

 

(iii)          A portion of any Realized Tax Benefit arising from the disposition of a Reference Asset is Attributable to the Applicable Member to the extent that the ratio of all Basis Adjustments (to the extent not previously taken into account in the calculation of Realized Tax Benefits) resulting from all Exchanges by the Applicable Member with respect to such Reference Asset bears to the aggregate of all Basis Adjustments (to the extent not previously taken into account in the calculation of Realized Tax Benefits) with respect to such Reference Asset.

 

(iv)          A portion of any Realized Tax Benefit arising from a deduction to the Corporate Taxpayer with respect to a Taxable Year in respect of Imputed Interest is Attributable to the Applicable Member to the extent corresponding to amounts that such Member is required to include in income in respect of Imputed Interest (without regard to whether such Member is actually subject to tax thereon).

 

(i)            A portion of the Realized Tax Benefit arising from the Section 704(c) Benefits is Attributable to the Applicable Member who participated in the Contribution.

 

(ii)           For the avoidance of doubt, in the case of a Basis Adjustment arising under Section 734(b) of the Code with respect to an Exchange, depreciation, amortization or other similar deductions for recovery of cost of basis shall constitute Depreciation only to the extent that such depreciation, amortization or other similar deductions may produce or increase a Realized Tax Benefit (and not to the extent that such depreciation, amortization or other similar deductions may be for the benefit of a Person other than the Corporate Taxpayer), as reasonably determined by the Corporate Taxpayer.

 

(iii)          A portion of any Realized Tax Benefit arising from a carryover or carryback of any Tax item is Attributable to such Member to the extent such carryover or carryback is attributable to or available for use because of the prior use of the Basis Adjustments or Imputed Interest with respect to which a Realized Tax Benefit would be Attributable to such Member pursuant to clauses (i)—(vi) above.

 

3


 

Portions of any Realized Tax Detriment shall be Attributed to Members under principles similar to those described in clauses (i)—(vii) above.

 

Basis Adjustment” means the adjustment to the tax basis of a Reference Asset under Sections 732, 755 and 1012 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder (in situations where, as a result of one or more Exchanges, OpCo becomes an entity that is disregarded as separate from its owner for U.S. federal income tax purposes) or under Sections 734(b), 743(b) and 755 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder (in situations where, following an Exchange, OpCo remains in existence as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes) and, in each case, comparable sections of state and local tax laws, as a result of (i) an Exchange and (ii) the payments made pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement.  For the avoidance of doubt, the amount of any Basis Adjustment resulting from an Exchange of one or more Common Units shall be determined without regard to any Pre-Exchange Transfer of such Common Units and as if any such Pre-Exchange Transfer had not occurred.

 

A “Beneficial Owner” of a security is a Person who directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares: (i) voting power, which includes the power to vote, or to direct the voting of, such security and/or (ii) investment power, which includes the power to dispose of, or to direct the disposition of, such security.

 

Board” means the board of directors of the Corporate Taxpayer.

 

Business Day” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the LLC Agreement.

 

Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events:

 

(i)            any Person or any group of Persons acting together which would constitute a “group” for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, or any successor provisions thereto, excluding (x) a corporation or other entity owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Corporate Taxpayer in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock in the Corporate Taxpayer and (y) any Person that would be deemed a Rock Member (as such term is defined in the LLC Agreement, and assuming for this purpose that such Person owned Units or securities of the Corporate Taxpayer), is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Corporate Taxpayer representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Corporate Taxpayer’s then outstanding voting securities;

 

(ii)           the following individuals cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the number of directors of the Corporate Taxpayer then serving: individuals who, on the IPO Date, constitute the Board and any new director whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Corporate Taxpayer’s shareholders was approved or recommended by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then still in office who either were

 

4


 

directors on the IPO Date or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved or recommended by the directors referred to in this clause (ii);

 

(iii)          there is consummated a merger or consolidation of the Corporate Taxpayer with any other corporation or other entity, and, immediately after the consummation of such merger or consolidation, either (x) the Board immediately prior to the merger or consolidation does not constitute at least a majority of the board of directors of the company surviving the merger or, if the surviving company is a Subsidiary, the ultimate parent thereof, or (y) the voting securities of the Corporate Taxpayer immediately prior to such merger or consolidation do not continue to represent or are not converted into more than 50% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Person resulting from such merger or consolidation or, if the surviving company is a Subsidiary, the ultimate parent thereof; or

 

(iv)          the shareholders of the Corporate Taxpayer approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Corporate Taxpayer or there is consummated an agreement or series of related agreements for the sale or other disposition, directly or indirectly, by the Corporate Taxpayer of all or substantially all of the Corporate Taxpayer’s assets, other than such sale or other disposition by the Corporate Taxpayer of all or substantially all of the Corporate Taxpayer’s assets to an entity, at least 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by shareholders of the Corporate Taxpayer in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Corporate Taxpayer immediately prior to such sale.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except with respect to clause (ii) and clause (iii)(x) above, a “Change of Control” shall not be deemed to have occurred by virtue of the consummation of any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the record holders of the shares of the Corporate Taxpayer immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have substantially the same proportionate ownership in, and own substantially all of the shares of, an entity which owns all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporate Taxpayer immediately following such transaction or series of transactions.

 

Contribution” means the initial deemed contribution (if one is found to have occurred) for U.S. federal income tax purposes by RHI to OpCo of assets and liabilities as a result of the Initial Purchase.

 

Control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

Corporate Taxpayer Return” means the federal and/or state and/or local Tax Return, as applicable, of the Corporate Taxpayer filed with respect to Taxes of any Taxable Year.

 

Cumulative Net Realized Tax Benefit” for a Taxable Year means the cumulative amount of Realized Tax Benefits for all Taxable Years of the Corporate Taxpayer, up to and

 

5


 

including such Taxable Year, net of the cumulative amount of Realized Tax Detriments for the same period.  The Realized Tax Benefit and Realized Tax Detriment for each Taxable Year shall be determined based on the most recent Tax Benefit Schedule or Amended Schedule, if any, in existence at the time of such determination.

 

Default Rate” means LIBOR plus 500 basis points.

 

Determination” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1313(a) of the Code or similar provision of state and local tax law, as applicable, or any other event (including the execution of IRS Form 870-AD) that finally and conclusively establishes the amount of any liability for Tax and shall also include the acquiescence of the Corporate Taxpayer to the amount of any assessed liability for Tax.

 

Early Termination Conditions” means, with respect to any portion of an Early Termination Payment, that (i) the Early Termination Effective Date has occurred and (ii) either (A) no Payment Condition is applicable or (B) a Payment Condition has been satisfied.

 

Early Termination Date” means the date of an Early Termination Notice for purposes of determining the Early Termination Payment.

 

Early Termination Rate” means the lesser of (i) 6.5% per annum, compounded annually, and (ii) LIBOR plus 100 basis points.

 

Exchange” means an acquisition of Common Units or a purchase of Common Units by OpCo or the Corporate Taxpayer, including by way of an exchange of stock of the Corporate Taxpayer for Common Units pursuant to the Exchange Agreement, in each case occurring on or after the date of this Agreement. Any reference in this Agreement to Common Units “Exchanged” is intended to denote Common Units subject to an Exchange.

 

Exchange Agreement” means that certain Exchange Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Corporate Taxpayer, OpCo, and the other holders of Common Units and shares of Class C Common Stock and Class D Common Stock from time to time party thereto.

 

Governmental Authority” has the meaning set forth in the LLC Agreement.

 

Hypothetical Tax Liability” means, with respect to any Taxable Year, the liability for Taxes of (i) the Corporate Taxpayer and (ii) without duplication, OpCo, but only with respect to Taxes imposed on OpCo and allocable to the Corporate Taxpayer (or to the other members of the consolidated group of which the Corporate Taxpayer is the parent), in each case using the same methods, elections, conventions and similar practices used on the relevant Corporate Taxpayer Return, but (a) without regard to the Section 704(c) Benefits, (b) using the Non-Stepped Up Tax Basis as reflected on the Exchange Basis Schedule, including amendments thereto for the Taxable Year, (c) excluding any deduction attributable to Imputed Interest for the Taxable Year, (d) without taking into account the carryover or carryback of any Tax item (or portions thereof) that is attributable to or (without duplication) available for use because of the prior use of any of the Section 704(c) Benefits, Basis Adjustments or Imputed Interest, (e) using the Assumed State and Local Tax Rate, solely for purposes of calculating the state and local Hypothetical Tax Liability of the Corporate Taxpayer and (f) assuming, solely for purposes of calculating the liability for U.S. federal income Taxes, in order to prevent double counting, that

 

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state and local income and franchise Taxes are not deductible by the Corporate Taxpayer for U.S. federal income Tax purposes.

 

Imputed Interest” shall mean any interest imputed under Section 1272, 1274 or 483 or other provision of the Code and any similar provision of state and local tax law with respect to the Corporate Taxpayer’s payment obligations under this Agreement.

 

IPO” means the initial public offering of Class A Common Stock of the Corporate Taxpayer.

 

IPO Date” means the closing date of the IPO.

 

IRS” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

 

LIBOR” means during any period, an interest rate per annum equal to the one-year LIBOR reported, on the date two days prior to the first day of such period, on the Telerate Page 3750 (or if such screen shall cease to be publicly available, as reported on Reuters Screen page “LIBOR01” or by any other publicly available source of such market rate) for London interbank offered rates for United States dollar deposits for such period; provided, however, that if at any time a majority of the Corporate Taxpayer’s then-outstanding repurchase or warehouse agreements or other financing arrangements providing for the financing of mortgage loans, discontinue the use of LIBOR in determining pricing or interest rates and apply an alternative benchmark rate (such agreements that have discontinued the use of LIBOR, the “Discontinued Agreements”), then, during any period, all references in this Agreement to LIBOR shall automatically and without further action by any party refer to the sum of (1) the alternative benchmark rate applied in such period in the majority of the Discontinued Agreements (the “Successor Benchmark”) and (2) the weighted average mathematical spread adjustment (which may be zero, negative or positive and shall be determined based on the aggregate principal amount of financing provided under each such Discontinued Agreement, whether utilized or unutilized at the time that Successor Benchmark is adopted) applied to such Successor Benchmark in the Discontinued Agreements.

 

LLC Agreement” means the Second Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of OpCo, dated as of the date hereof.

 

Market Value” shall mean the closing price of the Class A Common Stock on the applicable Exchange Date on the national securities exchange or interdealer quotation system on which such Class A Common Stock is then traded or listed, as reported by the Wall Street Journal; provided, that if the closing price is not reported by the Wall Street Journal for the applicable Exchange Date, then the Market Value shall mean the closing price of the Class A Common Stock on the Business Day immediately preceding such Exchange Date on the national securities exchange or interdealer quotation system on which such Class A Common Stock is then traded or listed, as reported by the Wall Street Journal; provided, further, that if the Class A Common Stock is not then listed on a national securities exchange or interdealer quotation system, the Market Value shall mean the cash consideration paid for Class A Common Stock, or the fair market value of the other property delivered for Class A Common Stock, as determined

 

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by the Board in good faith.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the above sentence, to the extent property is exchanged for cash in a transaction, the Market Value shall be determined by reference to the amount of cash transferred in such transaction.

 

Member Purchase Agreement” means that certain Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Corporate Taxpayer, OpCo, and RHI.

 

Non-Stepped Up Tax Basis” means, with respect to any Reference Asset at any time, the Tax basis that such asset would have had at such time if no Basis Adjustments had been made.

 

Payment Date” means any date on which a payment is required to be made pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Person” means any individual, corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, estate, trust, business association, organization, governmental entity or other entity.

 

Pre-Exchange Transfer” means any transfer or distribution in respect of one or more Common Units (i) that occurs prior to an Exchange of such Common Units, and (ii) to which Section 743(b) or 734(b) of the Code applies.

 

Realized Tax Benefit” means, for a Taxable Year, the excess, if any, of the Hypothetical Tax Liability over the actual liability for Taxes of (i) the Corporate Taxpayer and (ii) without duplication, OpCo, but only with respect to Taxes imposed on OpCo and allocable to the Corporate Taxpayer (or to the other members of the consolidated group of which the Corporate Taxpayer is the parent) for such Taxable Year.  If all or a portion of the actual liability for such Taxes for the Taxable Year arises as a result of an audit by a Taxing Authority of any Taxable Year, such liability shall not be included in determining the Realized Tax Benefit unless and until there has been a Determination.

 

Realized Tax Detriment” means, for a Taxable Year, the excess, if any, of the actual liability for Taxes of (i) the Corporate Taxpayer and (ii) without duplication, OpCo, but only with respect to Taxes imposed on OpCo and allocable to the Corporate Taxpayer (or to the other members of the consolidated group of which the Corporate Taxpayer is the parent) for such Taxable Year, over the Hypothetical Tax Liability for such Taxable Year.  If all or a portion of the actual liability for such Taxes for the Taxable Year arises as a result of an audit by a Taxing Authority of any Taxable Year, such liability shall not be included in determining the Realized Tax Detriment unless and until there has been a Determination.

 

Reference Asset” means an asset that is held by OpCo, or by any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries treated as a partnership or disregarded entity for purposes of the applicable Tax, at the time of an Exchange.  A Reference Asset also includes any asset that is “substituted basis property” under Section 7701(a)(42) of the Code with respect to a Reference Asset.

 

Schedule” means any of the following: (i) an Exchange Basis Schedule, (ii) a Tax Benefit Schedule, or (iii) the Early Termination Schedule.

 

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Section 704(c) Benefits” means the disproportionate allocation of tax items of income, gain, deduction and loss to, or away from, the Corporate Taxpayer pursuant to Section 704(c) of the Code in respect of any difference between the fair market value and the tax basis of the Reference Assets immediately following the Contribution (if one is found to have occurred). For the avoidance of doubt, such amount would include disproportionate allocations (if any) of tax items of income and gain to a Member and away from the Corporate Taxpayer.

 

Subsidiaries” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the LLC Agreement.

 

Subsidiary Stock” means any stock or other equity interest in any Subsidiary of the Corporate Taxpayer that is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

Tax Return” means any return, declaration, report or similar statement required to be filed with respect to Taxes (including any attached schedules), including any information return, claim for refund, amended return and declaration of estimated Tax.

 

Tax Ruling” means a binding ruling by a Taxing Authority with respect to Taxes.

 

Taxable Year” means a taxable year of the Corporate Taxpayer as defined in Section 441(b) of the Code or comparable section of state or local tax law, as applicable (and, therefore, for the avoidance of doubt, may include a period of less than 12 months for which a Tax Return is made), ending on or after the IPO Date.

 

Taxes” means any and all U.S. federal, state and local taxes, assessments or similar charges that are based on or measured with respect to net income or profits, and any interest related to such Tax.

 

Taxing Authority” shall mean any domestic, federal, national, state, county or municipal or other local government, any subdivision, agency, commission or authority thereof, or any quasi-governmental body exercising any taxing authority or any other authority exercising Tax regulatory authority.

 

Treasury Regulations” means the final, temporary and proposed regulations under the Code promulgated from time to time (including corresponding provisions and succeeding provisions) as in effect for the relevant taxable period.

 

Valuation Assumptions” shall mean, as of an Early Termination Date, the assumptions that (1) the Corporate Taxpayer will have taxable income sufficient to fully utilize (i) the deductions arising from the Basis Adjustments, Section 704(c) Benefits and Imputed Interest during such Taxable Year or future Taxable Years (including, for the avoidance of doubt, Basis Adjustments, Section 704(c) Benefits and Imputed Interest that would result from future Tax Benefit Payments that would be paid in accordance with the Valuation Assumptions) in which such deductions would become available and (ii) any net operating loss, excess interest deduction, or credit carryovers or carrybacks (or similar items with respect to carryovers or carrybacks) generated by deductions arising from Basis Adjustments, Section 704(c) Benefits or Imputed Interest that are available as of such Early Termination Date, (2) the U.S. federal income tax rates that will be in effect for each such Taxable Year will be those specified for each such Taxable Year by the Code and other law as in effect on the Early Termination Date, except

 

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to the extent any change to such tax rates for such Taxable Year have already been enacted into law as of the Early Termination Date, (3) all taxable income of the Corporate Taxpayer will be subject to the maximum applicable tax rate for U.S. federal income tax purposes throughout the relevant period, and the tax rate for U.S. state and local income taxes shall be the Assumed State and Local Tax Rate as in effect for the Taxable Year of the Early Termination Date, (4) any non-amortizable assets will be disposed of on the fifteenth anniversary of the applicable Basis Adjustment; provided, that in the event of a Change of Control, such non-amortizable assets shall be deemed disposed of at the time of sale of the relevant asset (if earlier than such fifteenth anniversary), (5) if, at the Early Termination Date, there are Common Units that have not been Exchanged, then each such Common Unit shall be deemed to be Exchanged for the Market Value of the number of shares of Class A Common Stock and the amount of cash that would be transferred if the Exchange occurred on the Early Termination Date, (6) any payment obligations pursuant to this Agreement will be satisfied on the date that any Tax Return to which such payment obligation relates is required to be filed excluding any extensions and (7) any Subsidiary Stock will be disposed of on the fifteenth anniversary of the IPO Date in a fully taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes (or, if later, on the Early Termination Date); provided, that if any Subsidiary Stock is disposed of in connection with a Change of Control, such Subsidiary Stock shall be deemed to be sold at the time of such Change of Control.

 

(b)           Each of the following terms is defined in the Section set forth opposite such term:

 

Term

 

Section

Agreed-Upon Venues

 

7.03(c)

Agreement

 

Preamble

Amended Schedule

 

2.03(b)

Class A Common Stock

 

Recitals

Class B Common Stock

 

Recitals

Class C Common Stock

 

Recitals

Class D Common Stock

 

Recitals

Change Notice

 

3.03(a)

Code

 

Recitals

Common Units

 

Recitals

Corporate Taxpayer

 

Preamble

Depreciation

 

1.01

Deferrable Portion

 

3.01(a)

Dispute

 

7.03(a)

Early Termination Effective Date

 

4.02

Early Termination Notice

 

4.02

Early Termination Payment

 

4.03(b)

Early Termination Schedule

 

4.02

e-mail

 

7.01

Exchange Basis Schedule

 

2.01

Exchange Date

 

Recitals

Expert

 

7.09

Initial Purchase

 

Recitals

Interest Amount

 

3.01(b)

Material Objection Notice

 

4.02

Member

 

Preamble

Net Tax Benefit

 

3.01(b)

 

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Term

 

Section

Objection Notice

 

2.03(a)

OpCo

 

Recitals

Payment Conditions

 

3.01(c)

Reconciliation Dispute

 

7.09

Reconciliation Procedures

 

2.03(a)

Reserve Notice

 

3.03(b)

Senior Obligations

 

5.01

Tax Benefit Payment

 

3.01(b)

Tax Benefit Schedule

 

2.02(a)

 

(c)           Other Definitional and Interpretative Provisions.  The words “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” and words of like import used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement.  The captions herein are included for convenience of reference only and shall be ignored in the construction or interpretation hereof.  References to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Agreement unless otherwise specified.  Any singular term in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the plural, and any plural term the singular.  Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or words of like import.  “Writing”, “written” and comparable terms refer to printing, typing and other means of reproducing words (including electronic media) in a visible form.  References to any statute shall be deemed to refer to such statute as amended from time to time and to any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.  References to any agreement or contract are to that agreement or contract as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.  References to any Person include the successors and permitted assigns of that Person.  References from or through any date mean, unless otherwise specified, from and including or through and including, respectively.

 

ARTICLE II

 

DETERMINATION OF REALIZED TAX BENEFIT

 

Section 2.01          Basis Adjustment.  Within 90 calendar days after the filing of the U.S. federal income tax return of the Corporate Taxpayer for each Taxable Year in which any Exchange has been effected by any Member, the Corporate Taxpayer shall deliver to such Member a schedule (the “Exchange Basis Schedule”) that shows, in reasonable detail necessary to perform the calculations required by this Agreement, including with respect to each Exchanging party, (i) the Non-Stepped Up Tax Basis of the Reference Assets as of each applicable Exchange Date, (ii) the Basis Adjustments with respect to the Reference Assets as a result of the Exchanges effected in such Taxable Year, calculated (x) in the aggregate, (y) solely with respect to Exchanges by such Member and (z) in the case of a Basis Adjustment under Section 734(b) of the Code solely with respect to the amount that is available to the Corporate Taxpayer in such Taxable Year, (iii) the period (or periods) over which the Reference Assets are amortizable and/or depreciable and (iv) the period (or periods) over which each Basis Adjustment is amortizable and/or depreciable.

 

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Section 2.02          Realized Tax Benefit and Realized Tax Detriment.

 

(a)           Tax Benefit Schedule.  Within 120 calendar days after the filing of the U.S. federal income tax return of the Corporate Taxpayer for any Taxable Year in which there is a Realized Tax Benefit or Realized Tax Detriment a portion of which is Attributable to a Member, the Corporate Taxpayer shall provide to such Member a schedule showing, in reasonable detail and, at the request of such Member, with respect to each separate Exchange, the calculation of the Realized Tax Benefit or Realized Tax Detriment and the portion Attributable  to such Member for such Taxable Year (a “Tax Benefit Schedule”).  The Tax Benefit Schedule will become final as provided in Section 2.03(a) and may be amended as provided in Section 2.03(b) (subject to the procedures set forth in Section 2.03(b)).

 

(b)           Applicable Principles.  The Realized Tax Benefit or Realized Tax Detriment for each Taxable Year is intended to measure the decrease or increase in the actual liability for Taxes of the Corporate Taxpayer for such Taxable Year attributable to the Basis Adjustments, Section 704(c) Benefits and Imputed Interest, determined using a “with and without” methodology.  For the avoidance of doubt, the actual liability for Taxes will take into account the deduction of the portion of the Tax Benefit Payment that must be accounted for as interest under the Code based upon the characterization of Tax Benefit Payments as additional consideration payable by the Corporate Taxpayer for the Common Units acquired in an Exchange.  Carryovers or carrybacks of any Tax item attributable to the Basis Adjustments, Section 704(c) Benefits or Imputed Interest shall be considered to be subject to the rules of the Code and the Treasury Regulations or the appropriate provisions of U.S. state and local income and franchise tax law, as applicable, governing the use, limitation and expiration of carryovers or carrybacks of the relevant type.  If a carryover or carryback of any Tax item includes a portion that is attributable to the Basis Adjustments, Section 704(c) Benefits or Imputed Interest and another portion that is not, such portions shall be considered to be used in accordance with the “with and without” methodology.  The parties agree that (i) all Tax Benefit Payments attributable to the Basis Adjustments (other than amounts accounted for as interest under the Code) will (A) be treated as subsequent upward purchase price adjustments that give rise to further Basis Adjustments to Reference Assets for the Corporate Taxpayer and (B) have the effect of creating additional Basis Adjustments to Reference Assets for the Corporate Taxpayer in the year of payment, and (ii) as a result, such additional Basis Adjustments will be incorporated into the current year calculation and into future year calculations, as appropriate.

 

Section 2.03          Procedures, Amendments.

 

(a)           Procedure.  Every time the Corporate Taxpayer delivers to a Member an applicable Schedule under this Agreement, including any Amended Schedule delivered pursuant to Section 2.03(b) and any Early Termination Schedule or amended Early Termination Schedule, the Corporate Taxpayer shall also (x) deliver to such Member schedules, valuation reports (if any), and work papers, as determined by the Corporate Taxpayer or requested by such Member, providing reasonable detail regarding the preparation of the Schedule and (y) allow such Member reasonable access at no cost to the appropriate representatives at the Corporate Taxpayer, as determined by the Corporate Taxpayer or requested by such Member, in connection with a review of such Schedule.  Without limiting the application of the preceding sentence, each time the Corporate Taxpayer delivers to a Member a Tax Benefit Schedule, in addition to the Tax Benefit Schedule duly completed, the Corporate Taxpayer shall deliver to such Member the Corporate Taxpayer Return, the reasonably detailed

 

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calculation by the Corporate Taxpayer of the Hypothetical Tax Liability, the reasonably detailed calculation by the Corporate Taxpayer of the actual Tax liability, as well as any other work papers as determined by the Corporate Taxpayer or requested by such Member.  An applicable Schedule or amendment thereto shall become final and binding on all parties 30 calendar days from the first date on which the Member has received the applicable Schedule or amendment thereto unless such Member (i) within 30 calendar days after receiving an applicable Schedule or amendment thereto, provides the Corporate Taxpayer with notice of a material objection to such Schedule (“Objection Notice”) made in good faith or (ii) provides a written waiver of such right of any Objection Notice within the period described in clause (i) above, in which case such Schedule or amendment thereto becomes binding on the date the waiver is received by the Corporate Taxpayer.  If the parties, for any reason, are unable to successfully resolve the issues raised in the Objection Notice within 30 calendar days after receipt by the Corporate Taxpayer of an Objection Notice, the Corporate Taxpayer and the applicable Member shall employ the reconciliation procedures as described in Section 7.09 (the “Reconciliation Procedures”).

 

(b)           Amended Schedule.  The applicable Schedule for any Taxable Year may be amended from time to time by the Corporate Taxpayer (i) in connection with a Determination affecting such Schedule, (ii) to correct inaccuracies in the Schedule identified as a result of the receipt of additional factual information relating to a Taxable Year after the date the Schedule was provided to the applicable Member, (iii) to comply with the Expert’s determination under the Reconciliation Procedures, (iv) to reflect a change in the Realized Tax Benefit or Realized Tax Detriment for such Taxable Year attributable to a carryback or carryforward of a loss or other tax item to such Taxable Year, (v) to reflect a change in the Realized Tax Benefit or Realized Tax Detriment for such Taxable Year attributable to an amended Tax Return filed for such Taxable Year, or (vi) to adjust the Exchange Basis Schedule to take into account payments made pursuant to this Agreement (any such Schedule, an “Amended Schedule”).  The Corporate Taxpayer shall provide an Amended Schedule to each Member within 30 calendar days of the occurrence of an event referenced in clauses (i) through (vi) of the preceding sentence.

 

ARTICLE III

 

TAX BENEFIT PAYMENTS

 

Section 3.01          Payments.

 

(a)           Except as provided in Section 3.03, within five (5) Business Days after a Tax Benefit Schedule with respect to a Taxable Year is delivered to a Member pursuant to this Agreement becomes final in accordance with Section 2.03(a), the Corporate Taxpayer shall pay to each Member for such Taxable Year the portion, if any, of the Tax Benefit Payment with respect thereto in the amount determined pursuant to Section 3.01(b) with respect to which the Payment Conditions have been satisfied.  Each such Tax Benefit Payment to a Member shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the bank account previously designated by such Member to the Corporate Taxpayer or as otherwise agreed by the Corporate Taxpayer and such Member.  For the avoidance of doubt, no Tax Benefit Payment shall be made in respect of estimated tax payments, including federal estimated income tax payments. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, any Member may elect with respect to any Exchange to limit the aggregate Tax Benefit Payments made to such Member in respect of any such Exchange to a specified percentage of the amount equal to the sum of (A) the cash, excluding any Tax Benefit

 

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Payments, and (B) the Market Value of the Class A Shares, received by such Member on such Exchange (or such other limitation selected by the Member and consented to by the Corporate Taxpayer, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld).  The Member shall exercise its rights under the preceding sentence by notifying the Corporate Taxpayer in writing of its desire to impose such a limit and the specified percentage (or such other limitation selected by the Member) and such other details as may be necessary (including whether such limit includes the Imputed Interest in respect of any such Exchange) in such manner and at such time (but in no event later than the date of any such Exchange) as reasonably directed by the Corporate Taxpayer; provided, however, that, in the absence of such direction, the Member shall give such written notice in the same manner as is required by Section 7.01 of this Agreement contemporaneously with Member’s notice to the Corporate Taxpayer of the applicable Exchange. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Corporate Taxpayer shall not be obligated to pay any portion of a Tax Benefit Payment, and the payment of such amount shall not be considered due for any purpose under this Agreement, unless and until the Payment Conditions have been satisfied with respect to such portion (any portion with respect to which the Payment Conditions have not been satisfied, a “Deferrable Portion”).

 

(b)           A “Tax Benefit Payment” means, with respect to a Member, an amount, not less than zero, equal to the sum of the amount of the Net Tax Benefit Attributable to such Member and the related Interest Amount.  For the avoidance of doubt, for Tax purposes, the Interest Amount shall not be treated as interest but instead shall be treated as additional consideration for the acquisition of Common Units in Exchanges, unless otherwise required by law.  Subject to Section 3.03(a), the “Net Tax Benefit” for a Taxable Year shall be an amount equal to the excess, if any, of 90% of the Cumulative Net Realized Tax Benefit as of the end of such Taxable Year over the sum of the total amount of Tax Benefit Payments previously made under this Section 3.01 (excluding payments attributable to Interest Amounts); provided, for the avoidance of doubt, that such Member shall not be required to return any portion of any previously made Tax Benefit Payment.  The “Interest Amount” shall equal the interest on the amount of the Net Tax Benefit Attributable to such Member calculated at the Agreed Rate from the due date (without extensions) for filing the Corporate Taxpayer Return with respect to Taxes for such Taxable Year until the Payment Date of the applicable Tax Benefit Payment. For the avoidance of doubt, and without duplication, the Interest Amount with respect to a Deferrable Portion of a Tax Benefit Payment shall accrue from the due date of the relevant Tax Return until such Deferrable Portion is paid to the Applicable Member. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, after any lump-sum payment under Article IV in respect of present or future Tax attributes subject to this Agreement, the Tax Benefit Payment, Net Tax Benefit and components thereof shall be calculated without taking into account any such attributes or any such lump-sum payment.

 

(c)           The “Payment Conditions” shall be satisfied with respect to any portion of a Tax Benefit Payment upon the earliest to occur of:

 

(i)            the receipt by the Corporate Taxpayer of a Tax Ruling that, in the reasonable judgment of the Corporate Taxpayer, after consultation with the Advisory Firm and the Corporate Taxpayer’s auditors, confirms that the Realized Tax Benefit to which the portion of such Tax Benefit Payment relates is available for the applicable Taxable Year;

 

(ii)           the receipt by the Corporate Taxpayer of (a) a written opinion issued by the Advisory Firm identifying the categories of Reference Assets that should be amortizable under Section 197 of the Code and not subject to the anti-churning rules of Section 1.197-2(h) of the Treasury Regulations, (it being understood and agreed that any such opinion received by the Corporate Taxpayer may apply to subsequent Exchanges) and (b) a valuation report prepared by an independent appraiser or valuation expert setting forth the fair market value, as of the date of the relevant Exchange, of the Reference Assets identified in such opinion, but only if the opinion and report are satisfactory in form and substance to the Corporate Taxpayer’s auditors and/or tax preparers, as applicable, to conclude that the Realized Tax Benefit to which the portion of such Tax Benefit Payment relates is available for the applicable Taxable Year without the filing of a Schedule UTP (with respect to such Realized Tax Benefit) with the Corporate Taxpayer’s Tax Returns and without taking any tax reserve for financial statement purposes (with respect to such Realized Tax Benefit); or

 

(iii)          a final Determination with respect to the Corporate Taxpayer’s liability for Taxes for the relevant Taxable Year that conclusively determines the amount of Realized Tax Benefit.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Reference Assets that are not, in the reasonable judgment of the Corporate Taxpayer, after consultation with the Advisory Firm and the Corporate Taxpayer’s auditors, “section 197 intangibles” within the meaning of section 197(d)(1) of the Code, shall be treated as satisfying the requirement of Section 3.01(c)(ii).

 

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The Corporate Taxpayer shall make reasonable efforts to determine whether the Payment Conditions are satisfied with respect to the amount of any Tax Benefit Payment before delivering the Tax Benefit Schedule for a Taxable Year, and in any event as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter, and will consult with the Applicable Member in connection with such determination.

 

Section 3.02          No Duplicative Payments.  It is intended that the provisions of this Agreement will not result in duplicative payment of any amount (including interest) required under this Agreement.  The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed in the appropriate manner to ensure such intentions are realized.

 

Section 3.03          Suspension of Payments.

 

(a)           Receipt of Change Notice.  If any party, or any Affiliate or Subsidiary of any party, receives a 30-day letter, a final audit report, a statutory notice of deficiency, or similar written notice from any Taxing Authority relating to the amount of the Net Tax Benefit calculated for purposes of this Agreement, or relating to any other material Tax matter that is relevant to the terms of this Agreement and the calculation of the Tax Benefit Payments that may be payable by the Corporate Taxpayer to a Member (a “Change Notice”), prompt written notification and a copy of the relevant Change Notice shall be delivered by the party, or its Affiliate or Subsidiary, that received such Change Notice to the other parties to this Agreement.

 

(b)           Suspension of Payments. From and after the date on which a Change Notice is received in respect of the Depreciation of any Reference Asset that is a section 197 intangible and included in the calculation of a Realized Tax Benefit (a “197 Change Notice”), any Tax Benefit Payments required to be made under this Agreement(including, for the avoidance of doubt, the portion of any Early Termination Payment relating thereto) will, to the extent determined reasonably necessary by the disinterested directors or committee of disinterested directors after considering the potential Tax implications of such 197 Change Notice, be paid by the Corporate Taxpayer to a national bank mutually agreeable to the parties to act as escrow agent to hold such funds in escrow pursuant to an escrow agreement until a Determination is received. For purposes of the preceding sentence, and in particular for purposes of the disinterested directors or committee of disinterested directors’ determination of the amount to be placed in escrow pending a Determination, the disinterested directors or committee of disinterested directors may suspend all future Tax Benefit Payments required under this Agreement up to an amount that is equal to the sum of (i) 90% of the amount of the asserted deficiency in Tax owed in such 197 Change Notice and (ii) portion of any future Tax Benefit Payment that is attributable to amortization deductions in respect of the Reference Asset(s) that are the subject of such 197 Change Notice.

 

(c)           Release of Escrowed Funds. If a Determination is received in the case of a 197 Change Notice, and if such Determination results in no adjustment in any Tax Benefit Payments under this Agreement, then the relevant escrowed funds (along with any net interest earned on such funds) shall be distributed to the relevant Member or Members, as applicable. If a Determination is received in the case of a 197 Change Notice, and if such Determination results in an adjustment in any Tax Benefit Payments under this Agreement, then the relevant escrowed funds (along with any net interest earned on such funds) shall be distributed to the relevant parties (which, for the avoidance of doubt and depending on the nature of the adjustments, may include the Corporate Taxpayer, RHI or Gilbert, or some combination thereof) in accordance with the relevant Amended Schedule prepared pursuant to Section 2.03 of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

TERMINATION

 

Section 4.01          Termination, Early Termination and Breach of Agreement.

 

(a)           Unless terminated earlier pursuant to Section 4.01(b) or Section 4.01(c), this Agreement will terminate when there is no further potential for a Tax Benefit Payment pursuant to this Agreement. Tax Benefit Payments under this Agreement are not conditioned on any Member retaining an interest in the Corporate Taxpayer or OpCo (or any successor thereto).

 

(b)           The Corporate Taxpayer may terminate this Agreement with respect to all amounts payable to the Members and with respect to all of the Common Units held (or previously held and exchanged) by all Members at any time by paying to each Member the Early Termination Payment in respect of such Member; provided, however, that this Agreement shall only terminate pursuant to this Section 4.01(b) upon the receipt of the Early Termination Payment by all Members; and provided, further, that the Corporate Taxpayer may withdraw any notice to execute its termination rights under this Section 4.01(b) prior to the time at which any Early Termination Payment has been paid.  Upon payment of the Early Termination Payment by the Corporate Taxpayer in accordance with this Section 4.01(b), neither the Members nor the Corporate Taxpayer shall have any further payment obligations under this Agreement, other than for any (1) Tax Benefit Payment agreed to by the Corporate Taxpayer and a Member as due and payable but unpaid as of the Early Termination Notice and (2) Tax Benefit Payment due for the Taxable Year ending with or including the date of the Early Termination Notice (except to the extent that the amount described in clause (2) is included in the Early Termination Payment).  If an Exchange occurs after the Corporate Taxpayer makes the Early Termination Payment pursuant to this Section 4.01(b), the Corporate Taxpayer shall have no obligations under this Agreement with respect to such Exchange.

 

(c)           In the event that the Corporate Taxpayer breaches any of its material obligations under this Agreement, whether as a result of failure to make any payment when due, failure to honor any other material obligation required hereunder or by operation of law as a result of the rejection of this Agreement in a case commenced under the Bankruptcy Code or otherwise, then all obligations hereunder shall be accelerated and such obligations shall be calculated as if an Early Termination Notice had been delivered on the date of such breach and shall include, but not be limited to, (1) the Early Termination Payment calculated as if an Early Termination Notice had been delivered on the date of a breach, (2) any Tax Benefit Payment agreed to by the Corporate Taxpayer and any Members as due and payable but unpaid as of the date of a breach, and (3) any Tax Benefit Payment due for the Taxable Year ending with or including the date of a breach; provided that procedures similar to the procedures of Section 4.02 shall apply with respect to the determination of the amount payable by the Corporate Taxpayer pursuant to this sentence.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the Corporate Taxpayer breaches this Agreement, the Members shall be entitled to elect to receive the amounts set forth in clauses (1), (2) and (3) above or to seek specific performance of the terms hereof.  The parties agree that the failure to make any payment due pursuant to this Agreement within three months of the date such payment is due shall be deemed to be a breach of a material obligation under this Agreement for all purposes of this Agreement, and that it will not be considered to be a breach of a material obligation under this Agreement to make a payment due pursuant to this Agreement within three months of the date such payment is due. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, it shall not be a breach of this Agreement if the Corporate Taxpayer fails to make any payment due pursuant to this Agreement when due to the extent the Corporate Taxpayer has insufficient funds to make such payment; provided that the interest provisions of Section 5.02 shall apply to such late payment (unless the Corporate Taxpayer does not have sufficient cash to make such payment as a result of limitations imposed by debt agreements to which the Corporate Taxpayer or its Subsidiaries is a party, in

 

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which case Section 5.02 shall apply, but the Default Rate shall be replaced by the Agreed Rate); provided, further, that the Corporate Taxpayer shall promptly (and in any event, within two (2) Business Days), pay all such unpaid payments, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon, immediately following such time that the Corporate Taxpayer has, and to the extent the Corporate Taxpayer has, sufficient funds to make such payment, and the failure of the Corporate Taxpayer to do so shall constitute a breach of this Agreement.  For the avoidance of doubt, all cash and cash equivalents used or to be used to pay dividends by, or repurchase equity securities of, the Corporate Taxpayer shall be deemed to be funds sufficient and available to pay such unpaid payments, together with any accrued and unpaid interest thereon.

 

Section 4.02          Early Termination Notice.  If the Corporate Taxpayer chooses to exercise its right of early termination under Section 4.01(b) above, the Corporate Taxpayer shall deliver to each Member notice of such intention to exercise such right (“Early Termination Notice”) and a schedule (the “Early Termination Schedule”) specifying the Corporate Taxpayer’s intention to exercise such right and showing in reasonable detail the calculation of the Early Termination Payment for such Member, including that portion of the Early Termination Payment that has satisfied the Payment Conditions and that portion of the Early Termination Payment that has not, as of the Early Termination Date, satisfied a Payment Condition.  The Early Termination Schedule shall become final and binding on such Member 30 calendar days from the first date on which such Member has received such Schedule or amendment thereto unless such Member (i) within 30 calendar days after receiving the Early Termination Schedule, provides the Corporate Taxpayer with notice of a material objection to such Schedule made in good faith (“Material Objection Notice”) or (ii) provides a written waiver of such right of a Material Objection Notice within the period described in clause (i) above, in which case such Schedule becomes binding on the date the waiver is received by the Corporate Taxpayer (such 30 calendar day date as modified, if at all, by clauses (i) or (ii), the “Early Termination Effective Date”).  If the Corporate Taxpayer and such Member, for any reason, are unable to successfully resolve the issues raised in such notice within 30 calendar days after receipt by the Corporate Taxpayer of the Material Objection Notice, the Corporate Taxpayer and such Member shall employ the Reconciliation Procedures.

 

Section 4.03          Payment upon Early Termination.

 

(a)           Within three Business Days after the Early Termination Conditions being satisfied with respect to an Early Termination Payment (or a portion thereof), the Corporate Taxpayer shall pay to each Member an amount equal to the Early Termination Payment in respect of such Member (or the portion thereof for which the Early Termination Conditions have been satisfied), plus interest calculated at the Agreed Rate from the Early Termination Effective Date until the Payment Date of such Early Termination Payment (or portion thereof).  Such payment shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account or accounts designated by such Member or as otherwise agreed by the Corporate Taxpayer and such Member.  For the avoidance of doubt, after the initial Early Termination Payment, the Corporate Taxpayer will be required to make additional payments to the Member with respect to the Deferrable Portion of the Early Termination Payment if and when a Payment Condition has been satisfied with respect to such Deferrable Portion.

 

(b)           “Early Termination Payment” in respect of a Member shall equal the present value, discounted at the Early Termination Rate as of the Early Termination Effective Date, of all Tax Benefit Payments in respect of such Member that would be required to be paid by the Corporate Taxpayer beginning from the Early Termination Date and assuming that the Valuation Assumptions are applied.

 

Section 4.04          Change of Control.  In connection with any Change of Control all obligations hereunder with respect to such Member shall be accelerated and such obligations shall be calculated as if an Early Termination Notice had been delivered on the date of such Change of Control and shall include, but not be limited to, (1) the Early Termination Payment to such Member calculated as if an Early Termination Notice had been delivered on the date of

 

16


 

such Change of Control, (2) any Tax Benefit Payment agreed to by the Corporate Taxpayer and such Member as due and payable but unpaid as of the date of such Change of Control, and (3) any Tax Benefit Payment due for the Taxable Year ending with or including the date of such Change of Control; provided, that procedures similar to the procedures of Section 4.02 shall apply with respect to the determination of the amount payable by the Corporate Taxpayer pursuant to this sentence.

 

ARTICLE V
SUBORDINATION AND LATE PAYMENTS

 

Section 5.01          Subordination. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, any Tax Benefit Payment or Early Termination Payment required to be made by the Corporate Taxpayer to any Member under this Agreement shall rank subordinate and junior in right of payment to any principal, interest or other amounts due and payable in respect of any obligations in respect of indebtedness for borrowed money of the Corporate Taxpayer and its Subsidiaries (“Senior Obligations”) and shall rank pari passu with all current or future unsecured obligations of the Corporate Taxpayer that are not Senior Obligations.

 

Section 5.02          Late Payments by the Corporate Taxpayer.  The amount of all or any portion of any Tax Benefit Payment or Early Termination Payment not made to the applicable Member when due under the terms of this Agreement shall be payable together with any interest thereon, computed at the Default Rate and commencing from the date on which such Tax Benefit Payment or Early Termination Payment was due and payable.

 

ARTICLE VI
NO DISPUTES; CONSISTENCY; COOPERATION

 

Section 6.01          Participation in the Corporate Taxpayer’s and OpCo’s Tax Matters.  Except as otherwise provided herein, the Corporate Taxpayer shall have full responsibility for, and sole discretion over, all Tax matters concerning the Corporate Taxpayer and OpCo, including the preparation, filing or amending of any Tax Return and defending, contesting or settling any issue pertaining to Taxes.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporate Taxpayer shall notify a Member of, and keep such Member reasonably informed with respect to, the portion of any audit of the Corporate Taxpayer and OpCo by a Taxing Authority the outcome of which is reasonably expected to affect the rights and obligations of such Member under this Agreement, and shall provide to such Member reasonable opportunity to provide information and other input to the Corporate Taxpayer, OpCo and their respective advisors concerning the conduct of any such portion of such audit; provided, however, that the Corporate Taxpayer and OpCo shall not be required to take any action that is inconsistent with any provision of the LLC Agreement.

 

Section 6.02          Consistency.  The Corporate Taxpayer and the Members agree to report and cause to be reported for all purposes, including federal, state and local Tax purposes and financial reporting purposes, all Tax-related items (including the Basis Adjustments and each Tax Benefit Payment) in a manner consistent with that specified by the Corporate Taxpayer in any Schedule required to be provided by or on behalf of the Corporate Taxpayer under this

 

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Agreement unless otherwise required by law. Any dispute as to required Tax or financial reporting shall be subject to Section 7.09.

 

Section 6.03          Cooperation.  Each of the Corporate Taxpayer and each Member shall (a) furnish to the other party in a timely manner such information, documents and other materials as the other party may reasonably request for purposes of making any determination or computation necessary or appropriate under this Agreement, preparing any Tax Return or contesting or defending any audit, examination or controversy with any Taxing Authority, (b) make itself available to the other party and its representatives to provide explanations of documents and materials and such other information as the other party or its representatives may reasonably request in connection with any of the matters described in clause (a) above, and (c) reasonably cooperate in connection with any such matter, and the Corporate Taxpayer shall reimburse the applicable Member for any reasonable third-party costs and expenses incurred pursuant to this Section 6.03.

 

ARTICLE VII
MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 7.01          Notices.  All notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile transmission and electronic mail (“e-mail”) transmission, so long as a receipt of such e-mail is requested and received) and shall be given to such party as set forth below, or pursuant to such other instructions as may be designated in writing by the party to receive such notice:

 

 

If to the Corporate Taxpayer, to:

 

 

 

 

 

Rocket Companies, Inc.

 

 

1050 Woodward Avenue

 

 

Detroit, MI 48226

 

 

Attention: Angelo Vitale, General Counsel and Secretary

 

 

E-mail: AngeloVitale@rockcentraldetroit.com

 

 

 

 

 

With copies (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

 

 

 

 

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

 

 

1285 Avenue of the Americas

 

 

New York, NY  10019-6064

 

 

Facsimile No.:  (212) 757-3990

 

 

Attention:

Scott A. Barshay

 

 

 

Rachael G. Coffey

 

 

 

John C. Kennedy

 

 

E-mail:

sbarshay@paulweiss.com

 

 

 

rcoffey@paulweiss.com

 

 

 

jkennedy@paulweiss.com

 

 

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If to the applicable Member, to the address, facsimile number or e-mail address specified for such party on the Member Schedule to the LLC Agreement.

 

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. 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

 

Section 7.02          Binding Effect; Benefit; Assignment.

 

(a)           The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  No provision of this Agreement is intended to confer any rights, benefits, remedies, obligations or liabilities hereunder upon any Person other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  The Corporate Taxpayer shall require and cause any direct or indirect successor (whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Corporate Taxpayer, by written agreement, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Corporate Taxpayer would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

 

(b)           A Member may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to any Person as long as such transferee has executed and delivered, or, in connection with such transfer, executes and delivers, a joinder to this Agreement, in form of Exhibit A, agreeing to become a “Member” for all purposes of this Agreement, except as otherwise provided in such joinder; provided, that a Member’s rights under this Agreement shall be assignable by such Member under the procedure in this Section 7.02(b) regardless of whether such Member continues to hold any interests in OpCo or the Corporate Taxpayer or has fully transferred any such interests.

 

Section 7.03          Resolution of Disputes.

 

(a)           Except for Reconciliation Disputes subject to Section 7.09, any and all disputes which cannot be settled amicably, including any ancillary claims of any party, arising out of, relating to or in connection with the validity, negotiation, execution, interpretation, performance or non-performance of this Agreement (including the validity, scope and enforceability of this arbitration provision) (each a “Dispute”) shall be finally settled by arbitration conducted by a single arbitrator in Delaware in accordance with the then-existing Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce. If the parties to the Dispute fail to agree on the selection of an arbitrator within ten (10) days of the receipt of the request for arbitration, the International Chamber of Commerce shall make the appointment. The arbitrator shall be a lawyer admitted to the practice of law in the State of Delaware and shall conduct the proceedings in the English language.  Performance under this Agreement shall continue if reasonably possible during any arbitration proceedings.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a), the Corporate Taxpayer may bring an action or special proceeding in any court of competent jurisdiction for the purpose of compelling a party to arbitrate, seeking temporary or preliminary relief in aid of an arbitration

 

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hereunder, and/or enforcing an arbitration award and, for the purposes of this paragraph (b), each Member (i) expressly consents to the application of paragraph (c) of this Section 7.03 to any such action or proceeding, (ii) agrees that proof shall not be required that monetary damages for breach of the provisions of this Agreement would be difficult to calculate and that remedies at law would be inadequate, and (iii) irrevocably appoints the Corporate Taxpayer as agent of such Member for service of process in connection with any such action or proceeding and agrees that service of process upon such agent, who shall promptly advise such Member of any such service of process, shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon such Member in any such action or proceeding.

 

(c)                                  The exclusive venues for all disputes arising out of this Agreement shall be the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan (the “Agreed-Upon Venues”), and no other venues. The parties stipulate that the Agreement is an arms-length transaction entered into by sophisticated parties, and that the Agreed-Upon Venues are convenient, are not unreasonable, unfair, or unjust, and will not deprive any party of any remedy to which it may be entitled. The parties agree to consent to the dismissal of any action arising out of this Agreement that may be filed in a venue other than one of the Agreed-Upon Venues; the reasonable legal fees and costs of the party seeking dismissal for improper venue will be paid by the party that filed suit in the improper venue.

 

Section 7.04          Counterparts.  This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.  Until and unless each party has received a counterpart hereof signed by the other party hereto, this Agreement shall have no effect and no party shall have any right or obligation hereunder (whether by virtue of any other oral or written agreement or other communication).

 

Section 7.05          Entire Agreement.  This Agreement and the other Reorganization Documents (as such term is defined in the LLC Agreement) constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, both oral and written, between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement.  Except to the extent provided in Section 3.03, nothing in this Agreement shall create any third-party beneficiary rights in favor of any Person or other party hereto.

 

Section 7.06          Severability.  If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other Governmental Authority to be

 

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invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party.  Upon such a determination, the parties shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.

 

Section 7.07          Amendment.  No provision of this Agreement may be amended unless such amendment is approved in writing by the Corporate Taxpayer and by Persons who would be entitled to receive at least two-thirds of the Early Termination Payments payable to all Persons entitled to Early Termination Payments under this Agreement if the Corporate Taxpayer had exercised its right of early termination on the date of the most recent Exchange prior to such amendment (excluding, for purposes of this sentence, all payments made to any Persons pursuant to this Agreement since the date of such most recent Exchange); provided, that no such amendment shall be effective if such amendment will have a disproportionate effect on the payments certain Persons will or may receive under this Agreement unless all such Persons disproportionately affected consent in writing to such amendment.  No provision of this Agreement may be waived unless such waiver is in writing and signed by the party against whom the waiver is to be effective.

 

Section 7.08          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.

 

Section 7.09          Reconciliation.  In the event that the Corporate Taxpayer and a Member are unable to resolve a disagreement with respect to the matters governed by Sections 2.03, 3.01(b), 4.02 and 6.02 within the relevant period designated in this Agreement (“Reconciliation Dispute”), the Reconciliation Dispute shall be submitted for determination to a nationally recognized expert (the “Expert”) in the particular area of disagreement mutually acceptable to both parties. The Expert shall be a partner or principal in a nationally recognized accounting or law firm, and unless the Corporate Taxpayer and such Member agree otherwise, the Expert shall not, and the firm that employs the Expert shall not, have any material relationship with the Corporate Taxpayer or such Member or other actual or potential conflict of interest.  If the parties are unable to agree on an Expert within fifteen (15) calendar days of receipt by the respondent(s) of written notice of a Reconciliation Dispute, the Expert shall be appointed by the International Chamber of Commerce Centre for Expertise. The Expert shall resolve any matter relating to the Exchange Basis Schedule or an amendment thereto or the Early Termination Schedule or an amendment thereto within 30 calendar days and shall resolve any matter relating to a Tax Benefit Schedule or an amendment thereto within 15 calendar days or as soon thereafter as is reasonably practicable, in each case after the matter has been submitted to the Expert for resolution.  Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the matter is not resolved before any payment that is the subject of a disagreement would be due (in the absence of such disagreement) or any Tax Return reflecting the subject of a disagreement is due, the undisputed amount shall be paid on the date prescribed by this Agreement and such Tax Return may be filed as prepared by the Corporate Taxpayer, subject to adjustment or amendment upon

 

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resolution.  The costs and expenses relating to the engagement of such Expert or amending any Tax Return shall be borne by the Corporate Taxpayer, except as provided in the next sentence.  The Corporate Taxpayer and such Member shall bear their own costs and expenses of such proceeding, unless (i) the Expert substantially adopts such Member’s position, in which case the Corporate Taxpayer shall reimburse such Member for any reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses in such proceeding, or (ii) the Expert substantially adopts the Corporate Taxpayer’s position, in which case such Member shall reimburse the Corporate Taxpayer for any reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses in such proceeding.  Any dispute as to whether a dispute is a Reconciliation Dispute within the meaning of this Section 7.09 shall be decided by the Expert.  The Expert shall finally determine any Reconciliation Dispute and the determinations of the Expert pursuant to this Section 7.09 shall be binding on the Corporate Taxpayer and such Member and may be entered and enforced in any court having jurisdiction.

 

Section 7.10          Withholding.  The Corporate Taxpayer shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from any payment payable pursuant to this Agreement such amounts as the Corporate Taxpayer is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under the Code or any provision of state, local or foreign tax law. To the extent that amounts are so withheld and paid over to the appropriate Taxing Authority by the Corporate Taxpayer, such withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the applicable Member.

 

Section 7.11          Admission of the Corporate Taxpayer into a Consolidated Group; Transfers of Corporate Assets.

 

(a)           If the Corporate Taxpayer is or becomes a member of an affiliated or consolidated group of corporations that files a consolidated income tax return pursuant to Sections 1501 et seq. of the Code or any corresponding provisions of state or local law, then: (i) the provisions of this Agreement shall be applied with respect to the group as a whole; and (ii) Tax Benefit Payments, Early Termination Payments and other applicable items hereunder shall be computed with reference to the consolidated taxable income of the group as a whole.

 

(b)           If (x) any entity that is obligated to make a Tax Benefit Payment or Early Termination Payment hereunder transfers one or more assets to a corporation (or a Person classified as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) with which such entity does not file a consolidated tax return pursuant to Section 1501 of the Code and (y) such transfer was not made with a principal purpose of increasing or accelerating any Tax Benefit Payments hereunder, such entity, for purposes of calculating the amount of any Tax Benefit Payment or Early Termination Payment (e.g., calculating the gross income of the entity and determining the Realized Tax Benefit of such entity) due hereunder, shall be treated as having disposed of such asset in a fully taxable transaction on the date of such contribution.  The consideration deemed to be received by such entity shall be equal to the fair market value of the contributed asset.  For purposes of this Section 7.11, a transfer of a partnership interest shall be treated as a transfer of the transferring partner’s share of each of the assets and liabilities of that partnership.

 

(c)           If (x) OpCo transfers (or is deemed to transfer for United States federal income Tax purposes) any Reference Asset to a transferee that is treated as a corporation for United States federal income Tax purposes (other than a member of a group described in Section 7.11(a)) in a transaction in which the transferee’s basis in the property acquired is

 

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determined in whole or in part by reference to such transferor’s basis in such property and (y) such transfer was not made with a principal purpose of increasing or accelerating any Tax Benefit Payments hereunder, OpCo shall be treated as having disposed of the Reference Asset in a wholly taxable transaction. The consideration deemed to be received by OpCo in a transaction contemplated in the prior sentence shall be equal to the fair market value of the deemed transferred asset, plus (i) the amount of debt to which such asset is subject, in the case of a transfer of an encumbered asset or (ii) the amount of debt allocated to such asset, in the case of a transfer of a partnership interest.

 

(d)           If any member of a group described in Section 7.11(a) that owns any Common Unit deconsolidates from the group (or the Corporate Taxpayer deconsolidates from the group), then the Corporate Taxpayer shall cause such member (or the parent of the consolidated group in a case where the Corporate Taxpayer deconsolidates from the group) to assume the obligation to make payments hereunder with respect to the Basis Adjustments, Section 704(c) Benefits and Imputed Interest associated with any Reference Asset it owns (directly or indirectly) in a manner consistent with the terms of this Agreement as the member (or one of its Affiliates) actually realizes Tax benefits. If a transferee or a member of a group described in Section 7.11(a) assumes an obligation to make payments hereunder pursuant to either of the foregoing sentences, then the initial obligor is relieved of the obligation assumed.

 

Section 7.12          Confidentiality.  Section 11.10 (Confidentiality) of the LLC Agreement as of the date of this Agreement shall apply to any information of the Corporate Taxpayer provided to the Members and their assignees pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Section 7.13          Change in Law.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if, in connection with an actual or proposed change in law, a Member reasonably believes that the existence of this Agreement could cause income (other than income arising from receipt of a payment under this Agreement) recognized by such Member (or direct or indirect equity holders in such Member) upon an Exchange to be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain (or otherwise taxed at ordinary income rates) for U.S. federal income tax purposes or would have other material adverse tax consequences to the Corporate Taxpayer or such Member or any direct or indirect owner of a Member, then at the election of such Member and to the extent specified by such Member, this Agreement (i) shall cease to have further effect with respect to such Member, (ii) shall not apply to an Exchange occurring after a date specified by such Member, or (iii) shall otherwise be amended in a manner determined by such Member; provided, that such amendment shall not result in an increase in payments under this Agreement to such Member at any time as compared to the amounts and times of payments that would have been due to such Member in the absence of such amendment.

 

Section 7.14          Partnership Agreement.  This Agreement shall be treated as part of the partnership agreement of OpCo as described in Section 761(c) of the Code, and Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(h) and 1.761-1(c) of the Treasury Regulations.

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporate Taxpayer and each Member set forth below have duly executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

 

CORPORATE TAXPAYER:

 

 

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

Signature Page to Tax Receivable Agreement

 


 

 

MEMBERS:

 

 

 

ROCK HOLDINGS INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

Title:

 

 

 

DANIEL GILBERT

 

 

 

Title:

 

Signature Page to Tax Receivable Agreement

 


 

Exhibit A

Form of Joinder

 

This JOINDER (this “Joinder”) to the Tax Receivable Agreement (as defined below), dated as of             , by and among Rocket Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporate Taxpayer”), and                (“Permitted Transferee”).

 

WHEREAS, on             , Permitted Transferee acquired (the “Acquisition”) [    Common Units and the corresponding shares of Class D Common Stock] [the right to receive any and all payments that may become due and payable under the Tax Receivable Agreement with respect to     Common Units that were previously Exchanged and are described in greater detail in Annex A to this Joinder] (collectively, “Interests” and, together with all other interests hereinafter acquired by the Permitted Transferee from Transferor, the “Acquired Interests”) from                (“Transferor”); and

 

WHEREAS, Transferor, in connection with the Acquisition, has required Permitted Transferee to execute and deliver this Joinder pursuant to Section 7.02(b) of the Tax Receivable Agreement, dated as of [                      ], by and among the Corporate Taxpayer and each Member (as defined therein) (the “Tax Receivable Agreement”).

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the respective covenants and agreements set forth herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

Section 1.01          Definitions.  To the extent capitalized words used in this Joinder are not defined in this Joinder, such words shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Tax Receivable Agreement.

 

Section 1.02          Joinder. Permitted Transferee hereby acknowledges and agrees to become a “Member” (as defined in the Tax Receivable Agreement) for all purposes of the Tax Receivable Agreement.  Permitted Transferee hereby acknowledges the terms of Section 7.02(b) of the Tax Receivable Agreement and agrees to be bound by Section 7.12 of the Tax Receivable Agreement.

 

Section 1.03          Notice.  Any notice, request, consent, claim, demand, approval, waiver or other communication hereunder to Permitted Transferee shall be delivered or sent to Permitted Transferee at the address set forth on the signature page hereto in accordance with Section 7.01 of the Tax Receivable Agreement.

 

Section 1.04          Governing Law. This Joinder 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.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Joinder has been duly executed and delivered by Permitted Transferee as of the date first above written.

 


 

 

[PERMITTED TRANSFEREE]

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

Address for notices:

 




Exhibit 10.3

 

 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
by and between
ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

 

and

 

as Indemnitee

 


 

Dated as of [·], 2020

 


 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 1

 

DEFINITIONS

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 2

 

INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS

 

7

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 5

 

INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 6

 

ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION, HOLD HARMLESS AND EXONERATION RIGHTS

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 7

 

CONTRIBUTION IN THE EVENT OF JOINT LIABILITY

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 8

 

EXCLUSIONS

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 9

 

ADVANCES OF EXPENSES; SELECTION OF LAW FIRM

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 10

 

PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION; DEFENSE OF CLAIM; SETTLEMENT

 

12

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 11

 

PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION

 

13

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 12

 

PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS

 

14

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 13

 

REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE

 

16

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 14

 

SECURITY

 

18

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 15

 

NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; PRIMACY OF INDEMNIFICATION; SUBROGATION

 

18

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 16

 

ENFORCEMENT AND BINDING EFFECT

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 17

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

21

 

i


 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT, dated effective as of [·], 2020 (this “Agreement”), by and between Rocket Companies, 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.         “Agreed-Upon Venues” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 17.3.

 

1.3.         “Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

1.4.         “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).

 

1.5.         “Board” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

1.6.         “By-Laws” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

1.7.         “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).

 

1.8.         “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”),

 

2


 

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.

 

1.9.         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.

 

1.10.       “Continuing Directors” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.8(b).

 

1.11.       “Corporate Status” shall describe the status as such of a person who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing

 

3


 

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.

 

1.12.       “Corporate Transaction” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.8(c).

 

1.13.       “Delaware Court” shall mean the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.

 

1.14.       “DGCL” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

1.15.       “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.

 

1.16.       “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.

 

1.17.       “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

1.18.       “Expenses” shall include all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket 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.

 

1.19.       Indemnification Arrangements” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 15.2.

 

1.20.       “Indemnitee” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

4


 

1.21.       “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.

 

1.22.       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.

 

1.23.       “Permitted Holder” shall mean Rock Holdings Inc., Daniel Gilbert, and their respective Affiliates and Related Parties.

 

1.24.       “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.

 

1.25.       “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

 

5


 

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.

 

1.26.       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.

 

1.27.       Section 409A” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 17.2.

 

1.28.       “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.

 

1.29.       “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).

 

1.30.       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.

 

6


 

1.31.       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

 

7


 

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 out-of-pocket 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

 

8


 

(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

 

9


 

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 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

 

10


 

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 ten business days, then the reasonable Expenses of a single law firm retained by Indemnitee shall be at the

 

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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 Secretary 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

 

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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

 

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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 judicial proceeding or 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 to overcome such presumption.  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

 

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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 settlement (with or without court approval) 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 to overcome such presumption.

 

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 to overcome such presumption.

 

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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 litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to seek an adjudication of Indemnitee’s entitlement to such indemnification, contribution or advancement of Expenses in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator mutually selected by the parties hereto; provided, however, if the parties are unable to mutually agree on the selection of a single arbitrator within fourteen (14) days after the service of a demand for arbitration, then the Company on the one hand and Indemnitee on the other hand shall each select one arbitrator within ten (10) days thereafter, and the two arbitrators so selected shall mutually agree on a third (neutral) arbitrator within ten (10) days thereafter, and the panel of three arbitrators shall preside over the arbitration with the majority rendering the binding decision upon the parties.  In the event that a single arbitrator is mutually selected, the parties shall equally split the fees and costs of the arbitrator, and in the event that a panel of three arbitrators is selected then the parties shall equally split the fees and costs of the neutral arbitrator and the Company shall be responsible for paying the fees and costs of the arbitrator it selects and Indemnitee shall be responsible for paying the fees and costs of the arbitrator Indemnitee selects. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such 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

 

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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 By-Laws 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.

 

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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 By-Laws, 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 By-Laws 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.

 

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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 By-Laws (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,

 

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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.

 

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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

 

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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 By-Laws, 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:

 

22


 

Rocket Companies, Inc.

1050 Woodward Avenue

Detroit, MI 48226

Attention: Angelo Vitale, General Counsel and Secretary

E-mail: AngeloVitale@rockcentraldetroit.com

 

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.

 

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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.

 

17.13.              Exclusive Forum. Except as provided in Section 13.1, the exclusive venues for all disputes arising out of this Agreement shall be the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan (the “Agreed-Upon Venues”), and no other venues. The parties stipulate that the Agreement is an arms-length transaction entered into by sophisticated parties, and that the Agreed-Upon Venues are convenient, are not unreasonable, unfair, or unjust, and will not deprive any party of any remedy to which it may be entitled. The parties agree to consent to the dismissal of any action arising out of this Agreement that may be filed in a venue other than one of the Agreed-Upon Venues; the reasonable legal fees and costs of the party seeking dismissal for improper venue will be paid by the party that filed suit in the improper venue.  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 17.6 shall be deemed effective service of process on such party.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

 

COMPANY:

 

 

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

INDEMNITEE:

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

 

Address:

 

[Signature page to Indemnification Agreement]

 




Exhibit 10.4

 

FORM OF EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

This Employment Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of July [    ], 2020, by and between RKT Holdings, LLC (the “Company”)(1) and [NAME] (“Executive” and, together with the Company, the “Parties”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Parties desire to enter into a written employment agreement to reflect the terms upon which Executive shall provide services to the Company, [RKT Holdings, LLC](2) and/or its direct and indirect subsidiaries, whether existing on the Effective Date or thereafter acquired or formed (each, a “Rocket Company,” and with Rocket Companies, Inc. (“Rocket”), collectively, the “Rocket Companies”); and

 

WHEREAS, Executive’s agreement to enter into this Agreement and be bound by the terms hereof, including the restrictive covenants described herein, is a material inducement to the Rocket Companies’ willingness to provide compensation to Executive as described herein, and the Rocket Companies would not otherwise grant such compensation to Executive if Executive did not agree to enter into this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises, terms, covenants, and conditions set forth in this Agreement, and the performance by the Parties of their respective obligations hereunder, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

 

AGREEMENTS

 

1.                                      Term.  The term of this Agreement and of Executive’s employment with the Company hereunder (the “Term”) shall be effective as of the effective date of the initial public offering of Rocket pursuant to an effective Registration Statement filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1933 (the “Effective Date”) and continue until Executive’s employment is terminated in accordance with Section 6 of this Agreement.  Executive’s employment with the Company shall be “at will”, such that the Company may terminate Executive’s employment at any time, with or without reason and with or without notice, and Executive may resign at any time, with or without reason and with or without notice (except as expressly set forth herein).

 

2.                                      Position and Duties.  The Company hereby employs Executive, and during the Term,  Executive shall be employed by and have positions with any Rocket Company as determined by the Company in its discretion.  Executive shall be [POSITION] of Rocket, reporting directly to the [Chief Executive Officer](3)[Board of Directors of Rocket (the “Board”)](4).  Executive shall have such responsibilities, duties, and authorities as are assigned by the Chief Executive Officer and are commensurate with the position of [POSITION].  Executive shall fulfill [his/her] duties and responsibilities in a diligent, trustworthy and appropriate manner and in compliance with the policies and practices of the Company and applicable law.  During the Term, Executive

 


(1)  Robert Walters’ employment agreement is with Quicken Loans, LLC.

(2)  For Robert Walters.

(3)  For Julie Booth, Robert Walters and Angelo Vitale.

(4)  For Jay Farner.

 


 

shall devote [his/her][full](5)[a majority of his](6) business time and attention to the business and affairs of the Rocket Companies and shall not be engaged in or employed by or provide services to any other business enterprise without the written approval of the [Board][Board of Directors of Rocket (the “Board”)]; provided, however, that (i) Executive shall be permitted to continue to be engaged in, or provide services to, the business and activities set forth on Exhibit A and (ii) Executive may manage [his/her] personal affairs, finances, and investments, and may participate in charitable and not-for-profit activities, all without the necessity of obtaining the Board’s approval, so long as such activities do not create an actual or potential conflict of interest with, or interfere with the performance of, Executive’s duties hereunder or conflict with Executive’s covenants under Sections 7 through 11 of this Agreement, in each case as determined in the sole judgment of the Board.  [During the Term, Executive shall serve as a member of the Board.  Executive shall not be compensated additionally in Executive’s capacity as a member of the Board or a director of one or more companies owned directly or indirectly by the Company.](7)

 

3.                                      Compensation.  For all services rendered by Executive (including [his/her] compliance with the covenants in Sections 7 through 11 of this Agreement) to the Rocket Companies, the Rocket Companies shall compensate Executive during the Term as follows:

 

(a)                                 Base Salary.  The annual base salary payable to Executive shall be determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Committee”) from time to time, and shall be paid in substantially equal installments on a regular basis in accordance with the Company’s standard payroll procedures, and prorated for any partial year of employment (the “Base Salary”).

 

(b)                                 Annual Bonus.  For each fiscal year during the Term, Executive shall be eligible for an annual bonus (the “Annual Bonus”) based on the satisfaction of such business objectives and/or other criteria as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.  The Annual Bonus shall be paid in accordance with the Company’s customary practices for payment of annual bonuses to senior executive employees, subject to Executive’s continued employment through the payment date.

 

(c)                                  Benefits and Perquisites.  Executive shall be entitled to participate in the employee benefit plans and programs of the Rocket Companies in accordance with the terms of such plans and programs.

 

(d)                                 Vacation.  Executive shall be entitled to paid vacation during each calendar year (prorated for any partial calendar year of employment) in accordance with the Rocket Companies’ policies and practices for senior executive employees of the Rocket Companies.

 

4.                                      Expense Reimbursement.  The Company shall reimburse Executive for (or, at the Company’s option, pay) all business travel and other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by Executive in the performance of [his/her] duties under this Agreement.  All

 


(5)  For Julie Booth, Robert Walters and Angelo Vitale.

(6)  For Jay Farner.

(7)  For Jay Farner.

 

2


 

reimbursable expenses shall be appropriately documented by Executive upon submission of any request for reimbursement in a manner consistent with the expense reporting policies of the Rocket Companies and applicable federal and state tax recordkeeping requirements.

 

5.                                      Place of Performance.  Executive shall carry out [his/her] duties and responsibilities under this Agreement principally in and from the Company’s offices in Detroit, Michigan, unless otherwise mutually agreed to by the Company and the Executive.  Executive understands that [his/her] position will involve travel and agrees to undertake such travel as may be necessary or desirable in the performance of [his/her] duties and responsibilities under this Agreement.

 

6.                                      Termination; Rights on Termination.  Executive’s employment under this Agreement may be terminated by either party at any time and for any reason; provided, however, that Executive shall be required to give the Company at least 60 days advance written notice of any resignation of Executive’s employment hereunder (and in such event, the Company may in its sole discretion elect to accelerate Executive’s date of termination of employment and pay to Executive the Base Salary that [he/she] would have received during such 60-day period).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive’s employment shall automatically terminate upon Executive’s death.

 

(a)                                 Resignation From All Positions.  Upon termination of Executive’s employment for any reason, Executive agrees to resign, as of the date of termination[, from all positions on the Board and all committees thereof and](8) from all other positions, whether as officer, director, employee, trustee, consultant or otherwise, that Executive then holds with the Rocket Companies, except as otherwise agreed to by the Parties. Executive agrees to promptly execute such documents as the Company shall reasonably deem necessary to effect such resignations, and in the event that the Executive is unable or unwilling to, or does not, execute any such document, Executive hereby grants [his/her] proxy to any officer of the Company to so execute on [his/her] behalf or will otherwise be deemed to have resigned from all such positions.

 

(b)                                 Payment Through Termination.  Upon termination of Executive’s employment for any reason, Executive shall be entitled to receive [his/her] Base Salary and all benefits and reimbursements earned or accrued through the effective date of termination.  Such Base Salary shall be paid in accordance with the Company’s standard payroll procedures.  No other compensation or benefits will be due or payable to Executive after such termination, except as provided or as otherwise required under the terms of the employee benefit plans and programs of the Rocket Companies or applicable law.

 

(c)                                  Provisions that Survive Termination of Agreement.  All rights and obligations of the Parties under this Agreement shall cease as of the effective date of termination of this Agreement, except that (i) the Company’s payment and other obligations under this Section 6 of this Agreement, if any, and its rights and/or obligations under Sections 17 through 19 of this Agreement shall survive such termination in accordance with their terms, and

 


(8)  For Jay Farner.

 

3


 

(ii) Executive’s obligations under Sections 7 through 12, Sections 17 through 19 and Section 21 of this Agreement shall survive such termination in accordance with their terms.

 

(d)                           Compliance with Code Section 409A.

 

(i)                                     To the extent this Agreement is subject to Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”), the Parties intend all payments under this Agreement to comply with the requirements of Section 409A, and this Agreement shall, to the extent practical, be operated and administered to effectuate such intent.  In furtherance thereof, if payment or provision of any amount or benefit hereunder at the time specified in this Agreement would subject such amount or benefit to any additional tax under Section 409A, the payment or provision of such amount or benefit shall be postponed to the earliest commencement date on which the payment or the provision of such amount or benefit could be made without incurring such additional tax (including paying any severance that is delayed in a lump sum upon the earliest possible payment date which is consistent with Section 409A).  In addition, to the extent that any regulations or guidance issued under Section 409A (after application of the previous provision of this Section 6(d)) would subject Executive to the payment of interest or any additional tax under Section 409A, the Parties agree, to the extent reasonably possible, to amend this Agreement in order to avoid the imposition of any such interest or additional tax under Section 409A.

 

(ii)                                  With respect to any payment under this Agreement constituting nonqualified deferred compensation subject to Section 409A, (A) all expenses or other reimbursements provided herein shall be payable in accordance with the Company’s policies in effect from time to time, but in any event shall be made on or prior to the last day of the taxable year following the taxable year in which such expenses were incurred by Executive; (B) no such reimbursement or expenses eligible for reimbursement in any taxable year shall in any way affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement in any other taxable year; and (C) the right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

 

(iii)                               If Executive is deemed on the date of termination to be a “specified employee” within the meaning of that term under Section 409A, then with regard to any payment or the provision of any benefit under this Agreement that is considered nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A payable on account of a “separation from service,” such payment or benefit shall be made or provided on the first business day following the earlier of (A) the expiration of the six (6)-month period measured from the date of such “separation from service” of Executive, and (B) the date of Executive’s death (the “Delay Period”).  Upon the expiration of the Delay Period, all payments and benefits delayed pursuant to this Section 6(d) (whether they would have otherwise been payable in a single sum or in installments in the absence of such delay) shall be paid or reimbursed to Executive in a lump sum (without interest) on the first business day following the Delay Period, and any remaining payments and benefits due under this Agreement shall be paid or provided in accordance with the normal payment dates specified for them herein.

 

(iv)                              Executive’s right to receive any installment payments payable hereunder shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and,

 

4


 

accordingly, each such installment payment shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment for purposes of Section 409A.

 

7.                                      Executive Covenants.

 

(a)                                 Executive acknowledges and agrees that during [his/her] employment with the Company, [he/she] will be providing services to the Rocket Companies and that [he/she] will be intimately involved in the planning for or direction of the business of the Rocket Companies, and that [he/she]  has or will obtain selective or specialized skills, knowledge, abilities, or customer contacts or information by reason of working for the Company and providing services to the Rocket Companies.

 

(b)                                 During Executive’s employment with the Company and for a period of eighteen (18) months thereafter (the “Restricted Period”), Executive shall not, either directly or indirectly, for [himself/herself] or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other person, company, partnership, corporation, business, group, or other entity (each, a “Person”), engage, within the Territory (as described below), as an officer, director, owner, partner, member, joint venturer, employee, independent contractor, agent or consultant in any business engaged in the Business of the Rocket Companies (as described below); provided, however, that Executive shall not be prohibited from passively owning less than five percent (5%) of the outstanding shares of any class of equity securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “34 Act”).

 

(c)                                  In addition, during Executive’s employment with the Company and for a period of eighteen (18) months thereafter, Executive shall not, either directly or indirectly, for [himself/herself] or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other Person:

 

(i)                                     solicit or attempt to solicit any employee, agent or contract worker of the Rocket Companies (or any employee, agent or contract worker who was employed or engaged by the Rocket Companies within the twenty-four (24) months prior to Executive’s termination of employment) to end his or her relationship with any Rocket Company or hire or attempt to hire any of the foregoing; or

 

(ii)                                  seek to induce or otherwise cause any customer, client, supplier, vendor, licensee, licensor or any other Person with whom any Rocket Company then has, or during the twenty-four (24) months prior to such time had, a business relationship, whether by contract or otherwise, to discontinue or alter such business relationship in a manner that is adverse to any Rocket Company.

 

(d)                           For purposes of Sections 7 through 11 of this Agreement:

 

(i)                                     The “Territory” shall be defined as the United States of America, Canada and any other territory where Executive is working and providing services or the Rocket Companies are doing business at the time of termination of employment with the Company; which Executive acknowledges and agrees is the territory in which [he/she] is providing services to the Rocket Companies pursuant to this Agreement.

 

5


 

(ii)                                  The “Business of the Rocket Companies” means (A) any business or activity engaged in by any of the Rocket Companies and (B) any other business opportunity that is under active consideration by any of the Rocket Companies during the Term.

 

(e)                            The covenants in this Section 7 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 Section 7 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.

 

(f)                             All of the covenants in this Section 7 shall be construed as an agreement independent of any other provisions in this Agreement, and the existence of any claim or cause of action Executive may have against any Rocket Company, whether predicated on this Agreement or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by any Rocket Company of such covenants.

 

(g)                            Executive has carefully read and considered the provisions of this Section 7 and, having done so, agrees that the restrictive covenants in this Section 7 impose a fair and reasonable restraint on Executive and are reasonably required to protect the interests of the Rocket Companies and their respective officers, directors, employees and equityholders.

 

8.                                      Trade Secrets and Confidential Information.

 

(a)                                 For purposes of this Section 8, “Confidential Information” means all non-public or proprietary data or information (other than Trade Secrets) concerning the business and operations of the Rocket Companies, 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, inventions, innovations, developments, graphic designs, website designs, patterns, specifications, procedures, databases and personnel.  “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 (i) 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 (ii) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.

 

(b)                                 Executive acknowledges that in the course of [his/her] prior services to affiliates of the Company and [his/her] future employment with the Company, [he/she] has received or will receive and has had or will have access to Confidential Information and Trade Secrets of the Rocket Companies, and that unauthorized or improper use or disclosure by

 

6


 

Executive of such Confidential Information or Trade Secrets will cause serious and irreparable harm to the Rocket Companies.  Accordingly, [he/she] is willing to enter into the covenants contained in Sections 7 through 11 of this Agreement in order to provide the Rocket Companies with what [he/she] considers to be reasonable protection for its interests.

 

(c)                                  Executive hereby agrees to (i) hold in confidence all Confidential Information of the Rocket Companies that come into [his/her] knowledge during [his/her] employment by the Company and (ii) not disclose, publish or make use of such Confidential Information, other than in the good-faith performance of [his/her] duties, without the prior written consent of the Company for as long as the information remains Confidential Information.

 

(d)                                 Executive hereby agrees to hold in confidence all Trade Secrets of the Rocket Companies that come into [his/her] knowledge during [his/her] employment by the Company and not to disclose, publish, or make use of at any time after the date hereof such Trade Secrets without the prior written consent of the Company for as long as the information remains a Trade Secret.

 

(e)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 8 will not apply to (i) Confidential Information or Trade Secrets that otherwise becomes generally known in the industry or to the public through no act of Executive or any person or entity acting by or on Executive’s behalf or information which Executive can demonstrate to have had rightfully in [his/her] possession prior to the commencement of [his/her] employment or services with any of the Rocket Companies or their Affiliates or (ii) information required to be disclosed by judicial or governmental proceedings; provided that, in the event Executive is ordered by a court or other government agency to disclose any Confidential Information, Executive shall (1) promptly notify the Company of such order, (2) diligently contest such order at the sole expense of the Company as expenses occur, and (3) seek to obtain at the sole expense of the Company such confidential treatment as may be available under applicable laws for any information disclosed under such order.

 

(f)                                   Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing in this Agreement will prohibit Executive 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 ‘34 Act or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of federal law or regulation, or require modification or prior approval by the Company or any other Rocket Company of any such reporting.

 

(g)                                  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, pursuant to the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, Executive shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state Trade Secret law for the disclosure of a Trade Secret that: (i) is made (A) in confidence to a Federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (B) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (ii) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.  Executive also understands that if [he/she] files a lawsuit for retaliation by the Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, Executive may disclose the Trade Secret to [his/her] attorney and use the Trade Secret information in the court proceeding, if

 

7


 

Executive (i) files any document containing the Trade Secret under seal, and (ii) does not disclose the Trade Secret, except pursuant to court order.

 

9.                                      Nondisparagement.  During the Term and thereafter, Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, take any action, or encourage others to take any action, to disparage or criticize any Rocket Company or any affiliate of any Rocket Company or their respective officers, directors, agents, or executives.

 

10.                               Return of Company Property.  All records, designs, patents, business plans, financial statements, manuals, memoranda, customer lists, computer data, customer information, equipment, supplies, furniture and other property or information delivered to or compiled by Executive by or on behalf of the Rocket Companies, their representatives, vendors or customers shall be and remain the property of the Rocket Companies, and be subject at all times to its discretion and control.  Upon the request of any Rocket Company and, in any event, upon the termination of Executive’s employment with the Rocket Companies, Executive shall promptly deliver all such materials to the Rocket Companies.

 

11.                               Work Product and Inventions.

 

(a)                                 Works.  Executive acknowledges that Executive’s work on and contributions to documents, programs, methodologies, protocols, and other expressions in any tangible medium (including, without limitation, all business ideas and methods, inventions, innovations, developments, graphic designs, web site designs, patterns, specifications, procedures or processes, market research, databases, works of authorship, products and other works of creative authorship) which have been or will be prepared by Executive, or to which Executive has contributed or will contribute, in connection with Executive’s services to any Rocket Company (collectively, “Works”), are and will be within the scope of Executive’s employment and part of Executive’s duties and responsibilities.  Executive’s work on and contributions to the Works will be rendered and made by Executive for, at the instigation of, and under the overall direction of any Rocket Company, and are and at all times shall be regarded, together with the Works, as “work made for hire” as that term is used in the United States Copyright Laws.  However, to the extent that any court or agency should conclude that the Works (or any of them) do not constitute or qualify as a “work made for hire”, Executive hereby assigns, grants, and delivers exclusively and throughout the world to the Company all rights, titles and interests in and to any such Works, and all copies and versions, including all copyrights and renewals.  Executive agrees to cooperate with the Company and to execute and deliver to the Company and its successors and assigns, any assignments and documents the Company requests for the purpose of establishing, evidencing, and enforcing or defending its complete, exclusive, perpetual and worldwide ownership of all rights, titles and interests of every kind and nature, including all copyrights, in and to the Works, and Executive constitutes and appoints the Company as its agent to execute and deliver any assignments or documents Executive fails or refuses to execute and deliver, this power and agency being coupled with an interest and being irrevocable.  Without limiting the preceding provisions of this Section 11(a), Executive agrees that the Company may edit and otherwise modify, and use, publish and otherwise exploit, the Works in all media and in such manner as the Company, in its sole discretion, may determine.

 

8


 

(b)                           Inventions and Ideas.  Executive shall disclose promptly to the Company (which shall receive it in confidence), and only to the Company, any invention or idea of Executive in any way connected with Executive’s services or related to the Business of the Rocket Companies, any Rocket Company’s research or development, or demonstrably anticipated research or development (developed alone or with others), conceived or made during the Term or within three (3) months thereafter and hereby assigns to the Company any such invention or idea.  Executive agrees, subject to reimbursement of actual out of pocket expenses related thereto and at the Company’s sole liability and expense, to cooperate with the Company and sign all papers reasonably deemed necessary by the Company to enable it to obtain, maintain, protect and defend patents covering such inventions and ideas and to confirm the Company’s exclusive ownership of all rights in such inventions, ideas and patents, and irrevocably appoints the Company as its agent to execute and deliver any assignments or documents Executive fails or refuses to execute and deliver promptly, this power and agency being coupled with an interest and being irrevocable.  This constitutes the Company’s written notification that this assignment does not apply to an invention for which no equipment, supplies, facility or Trade Secret information of any Rocket Company was used and which was conceived and developed entirely on Executive’s own time, unless (i) the invention relates (A) directly to the Business of the Rocket Companies, or (B) to actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development of any Rocket Company, or (ii) the invention results from any work performed by Executive for any Rocket Company.

 

12.                               Notification of Subsequent Employer. Executive hereby agrees that prior to accepting employment with, or agreeing to provide services to, any other Person during any period during which Executive remains subject to any of the covenants set forth in Sections 7 through 11, Executive shall provide such prospective employer with written notice of such provisions of this Agreement, with a copy of such notice delivered simultaneously to the Company.

 

13.                               Assignment; Binding Effect.  Executive understands that [he/she] has been selected for employment by the Company on the basis of [his/her] personal qualifications, experience, and skills.  Executive agrees, therefore, that [he/she] cannot assign all or any portion of [his/her] performance under this Agreement.  The Company may assign this Agreement to the purchaser of substantially all of the assets of the Company, or to any other Rocket Company.  Subject to the preceding two sentences, this Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by the Parties and their respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and permitted assigns.  Executive acknowledges and agrees that each Rocket Company is a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement, including, without limitation, this Section 13 and Section 17 hereof.

 

14.                               Complete Agreement; Waiver; Amendment.  Executive has no oral representations, understandings, or agreements with the Company or any of its officers, directors or representatives covering the same subject matter as this Agreement.  This Agreement is the final, complete and exclusive statement of expression of the agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof (including, but not limited to, any severance payments, change in control payments and terms of employment) and cannot be varied, contradicted or supplemented by evidence of any prior or contemporaneous oral or written agreements.  This Agreement may not be later modified except by a further writing signed by a duly authorized officer of the Company or member of the Board and Executive, and no term of this Agreement may be waived except by a writing signed by the party waiving the benefit of such term.  The waiver by any party

 

9


 

to this Agreement of a breach of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any subsequent or simultaneous breach.

 

15.                               Notice.  Whenever any notice is required hereunder, it shall be given in writing addressed as follows:

 

To the Company or the Board:

RKT Holdings, LLC
c/o Rocket Companies, Inc.
1050 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48226
Attn: Board of Directors

 

To Executive, to the most recent address the Company has on file for Executive.

 

16.                               Severability; Headings.  If any portion of this Agreement is held invalid or inoperative, the other portions of this Agreement shall be deemed valid and operative and, so far as is reasonable and possible, effect shall be given to the intent manifested by the portion held invalid or inoperative.  This severability provision shall be in addition to, and not in place of, the provisions of Section 7(e) above.  The Section and section headings are for reference purposes only and are not intended in any way to describe, interpret, define or limit the extent of the Agreement or of any part hereof.

 

17.                               Equitable Remedy.  Because of the difficulty of measuring economic losses to any Rocket Company as a result of a breach of the covenants set forth in Sections 7 through 11, and because of the immediate and irreparable damage that would be caused to the Rocket Companies for which monetary damages would not be a sufficient remedy, it is hereby agreed that in addition to all other remedies that may be available to the Rocket Companies, at law or in equity, each Rocket Company shall be entitled to specific performance and any injunctive or other equitable relief as a remedy for any breach or threatened breach by Executive of any provision of Sections 7 through 11 of this Agreement.  Each Rocket Company may seek temporary and/or permanent injunctive relief for an alleged violation of Sections 7 through 11 of this Agreement without the necessity of first arbitrating the matter pursuant to Section 17 of this Agreement and without the necessity of posting a bond.

 

18.                               Arbitration.

 

(a)                                 Except for an action by any Rocket Company for injunctive relief as described in Section 17 of this Agreement, all disputes and/or claims arising out of or under this Agreement and/or out of or in connection with Executive’s employment with Company, other than any claims for equitable relief, shall be submitted to binding and confidential arbitration.

 

(b)                                 Binding arbitration shall be commenced by serving upon the other Party(ies) a written demand for arbitration stating any and all the claims and relief requested.  The binding arbitration shall be governed by the provisions of the employment arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association, and the arbitration proceedings shall be located in Wayne County, Michigan.  The Parties shall mutually select one arbitrator to preside over the dispute; provided, however, if the Parties are unable to mutually agree on the selection of a single arbitrator

 

10


 

within fourteen (14) days after the service of a demand for arbitration, then the Company on the one hand and Executive on the other hand shall each select one arbitrator within ten (10) days thereafter, and the two arbitrators so selected shall mutually agree on a third (neutral) arbitrator within ten (10) days thereafter, and the panel of three arbitrators shall preside over the arbitration with the majority rendering the binding decision upon the Parties.   In the event that a single arbitrator is mutually selected, the Parties shall equally split the fees and costs of the arbitrator, and in the event that a panel of three arbitrators is selected then the Parties shall equally split the fees and costs of the neutral arbitrator and the Company shall be responsible for paying the fees and costs of the arbitrator it selects and Executive shall be responsible for paying the fees and costs of the arbitrator Executive selects.  The Parties shall be entitled to be represented by counsel of their choice in the arbitration proceedings, and they shall be afforded reasonable discovery, including document requests, interrogatories and depositions.

 

(c)                                  Executive must submit any written demand for arbitration within six (6) months of the termination of this Agreement or accrual of the claim, whichever is soonest.  Failure of Executive to do so shall result in Executive’s claim(s) being irrevocably waived, and Executive hereby expressly waives any statute of limitations which is longer than six (6) months.  Any award by the arbitrator(s) pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be entered as a judgment and enforced by any court of competent jurisdiction.  In reaching a decision, the arbitrator(s) shall interpret, apply and be bound by this Agreement and all applicable federal, state and local laws, and issue a confidential and binding opinion which states the reasons and basis of the opinion, including finding of facts and conclusions of law.

 

19.                               Indemnification and Liability Insurance.  The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Executive, to the fullest extent permitted by law and the Company’s governing documents, against all claims, expenses, damages, liabilities and losses incurred by Executive by reason of the fact that Executive is or was, or had agreed to become, a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or any Rocket Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, partner, venturer, proprietor, trustee, employee, agent or similar functionary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, business, person, trust, employee benefit plan or other entity.  The indemnification obligations of the Company shall survive from the Effective Date of this Agreement and continue until six (6) years following [his/her] cessation of service with the applicable entity or, if longer, one (1) year after the expiration of any applicable statute of limitations for any potential claim.  During the Term and for a period of six (6) years thereafter, the Company shall cause Executive to be covered by and named as an insured under any policy or contract of insurance obtained by it to insure its directors and officers against personal liability for acts, errors or omissions in connection with service as an officer or director of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates or service in any other capacities at the request of the Company.  The coverage provided to Executive shall be of a scope and on terms and conditions at least as favorable as the most favorable coverage provided to any other officer or director of the Company (or any successor).  Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, this Section 19 shall survive the termination of this Agreement for any reason.  Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or reduce any other rights to indemnification that apply to Executive, whether pursuant to contract or otherwise.

 

11


 

20.                               Jointly Drafted.  The Parties and their respective counsel have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement.  In the event that an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the Parties, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

21.                               Cooperation. Executive agrees that, upon reasonable notice and without the necessity of the Company obtaining a subpoena or court order, Executive shall provide reasonable cooperation in connection with any suit, action or proceeding (or any appeal from any suit, action or proceeding), and any investigation and/or defense of any claims asserted against any of Executive and the Company, its respective affiliates, their respective predecessors and successors, and all of the respective current or former directors, officers, employees, shareholders, partners, members, agents or representatives of any of the foregoing, which relates to events occurring during Executive’s employment with the Company and its affiliates as to which Executive may have relevant information (including but not limited to furnishing relevant information and materials to the Company or its designee and/or providing testimony at depositions and at trial), provided that with respect to such cooperation occurring following termination of employment, the Company shall reimburse Executive for expenses (including attorneys’ fees) reasonably incurred in connection therewith, and further provided that any such cooperation occurring after the termination of Executive’s employment shall be scheduled to the extent reasonably practicable so as not to unreasonably interfere with Executive’s business or personal affairs.

 

22.                               Withholding Taxes. The Company may deduct and withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement such Federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other taxes as are required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.

 

23.                               Governing Law.  This Agreement shall in all respects be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Michigan, not including the choice-of-law rules thereof.  The exclusive venues for all disputes arising out of this Agreement will be the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan (the “Agreed-Upon Venues”), and no other venues.  The Parties stipulate that this Agreement is an arms-length transaction entered into by sophisticated parties, and that the Agreed-Upon Venues are convenient, are not unreasonable, unfair, or unjust, and will not deprive any Party of any remedy to which it may be entitled.  The Parties agree to consent to the dismissal of any action arising out of this Agreement that may be filed in a venue other than one of the Agreed-Upon Venues; the reasonable legal fees and costs of the Party seeking dismissal for improper venue will be paid by the Party that filed suit in the improper venue.

 

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto have caused this Employment Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.

 

 

 

RKT HOLDINGS, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NAME]

 




Exhibit 10.5

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

OPERATING AGREEMENT

 

of

 

RKT HOLDINGS, LLC

 

Dated as of [·], 2020

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND USAGE

 

1

 

 

 

Section 1.01

Definitions

 

1

Section 1.02

Other Definitional and Interpretative Provisions

 

12

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE II THE COMPANY

 

13

 

 

 

Section 2.01

Formation

 

13

Section 2.02

Name

 

13

Section 2.03

Term

 

13

Section 2.04

Registered Agent and Registered Office

 

14

Section 2.05

Purposes

 

14

Section 2.06

Powers of the Company

 

14

Section 2.07

Partnership Tax Status

 

14

Section 2.08

Regulation of Internal Affairs

 

14

Section 2.09

Ownership of Property

 

14

Section 2.10

Subsidiaries

 

14

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE III UNITS; MEMBERS; BOOKS AND RECORDS; REPORTS

 

14

 

 

 

Section 3.01

Units; Admission of Members

 

14

Section 3.02

Substitute Members and Additional Members

 

15

Section 3.03

Tax and Accounting Information

 

16

Section 3.04

Books and Records

 

17

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV ROCKETCO OWNERSHIP; RESTRICTIONS ON ROCKETCO STOCK

 

18

 

 

 

Section 4.01

RocketCo Ownership

 

18

Section 4.02

Restrictions on RocketCo Common Stock

 

19

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE V CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS; CAPITAL ACCOUNTS; DISTRIBUTIONS; ALLOCATIONS

 

21

 

 

 

Section 5.01

Capital Contributions

 

21

Section 5.02

Capital Accounts

 

22

Section 5.03

Amounts and Priority of Distributions

 

23

Section 5.04

Allocations

 

26

Section 5.05

Other Allocation Rules

 

28

Section 5.06

Tax Withholding; Withholding Advances

 

30

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI CERTAIN TAX MATTERS

31

 

 

Section 6.01

Partnership Representative

 

31

Section 6.02

Section 754 Election

 

32

Section 6.03

Debt Allocation

 

32

 

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ARTICLE VII MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY

 

32

 

 

 

 

Section 7.01

Management by the Managing Member

 

32

Section 7.02

Withdrawal of the Managing Member

 

33

Section 7.03

Decisions by the Members

 

33

Section 7.04

Fiduciary Duties

 

34

Section 7.05

Officers

 

35

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII TRANSFERS OF INTERESTS

36

 

 

Section 8.01

Restrictions on Transfers

 

36

Section 8.02

Certain Permitted Transfers

 

37

Section 8.03

Registration of Transfers

 

37

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX LIMITATION ON LIABILITY, EXCULPATION AND INDEMNIFICATION

38

 

 

Section 9.01

Limitation on Liability

 

38

Section 9.02

Exculpation and Indemnification

 

38

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE X DISSOLUTION AND TERMINATION

 

41

 

 

 

Section 10.01

Dissolution

 

41

Section 10.02

Winding Up of the Company

 

41

Section 10.03

Termination

 

42

Section 10.04

Survival

 

42

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS

 

42

 

 

 

Section 11.01

Expenses

 

42

Section 11.02

Further Assurances

 

42

Section 11.03

Notices

 

43

Section 11.04

Binding Effect; Benefit; Assignment

 

43

Section 11.05

Jurisdiction

 

43

Section 11.06

Counterparts

 

44

Section 11.07

Entire Agreement

 

44

Section 11.08

Severability

 

44

Section 11.09

Amendment

 

44

Section 11.10

Confidentiality

 

45

Section 11.11

Governing Law

 

47

 

 

 

 

Schedule A        Common Units

 

 

ii


 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED OPERATING AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) OF RKT HOLDINGS, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company (the “Company”), dated as of [·], 2020, by and among the Company, Rocket Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“RocketCo”), Rock Holdings Inc., a Michigan corporation (“RHI”) and Daniel Gilbert (“Gilbert”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H:

 

WHEREAS, the Company has been heretofore formed as a limited liability company under the Michigan Act (as defined below) pursuant to the articles of organization which were executed and filed with the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau of the State of Michigan on March 6, 2020;

 

WHEREAS, RHI entered into the initial Operating Agreement of the Company, dated as of March 6, 2020 (the “Initial Operating Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS, the Initial Operating Agreement was amended and restated in its entirety by the Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of the Company, dated as of [·], 2020, by and among the Company, RHI and Gilbert (the “A&R Operating Agreement”); and

 

WHEREAS, the Company, RHI and Gilbert desire to enter into this Agreement to admit RocketCo as a Member (as defined below) and to make the modifications hereinafter set forth.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein made and other good and valuable consideration, the parties hereto hereby agree, to amend and restate the A&R Operating Agreement in its entirety as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS AND USAGE

 

Section 1.01          Definitions.

 

(a)           The following terms shall have the following meanings for the purposes of this Agreement:

 

Additional Member” means any Person admitted as a Member of the Company pursuant to Section 3.02 in connection with the new issuance of Units to such Person.

 

Adjusted Capital Account Deficit” means, with respect to any Member, the deficit balance, if any, in such Member’s Capital Account as of the end of the relevant Fiscal Year, after giving effect to the following adjustments:

 


 

(i)            Credit to such Capital Account any amounts that such Member is deemed to be obligated to restore pursuant to the penultimate sentence in Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-2(g)(1) and 1.704-2(i)(5); and

 

(ii)           Debit to such Capital Account the items described in Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6).

 

The foregoing definition of Adjusted Capital Account Deficit is intended to comply with the provisions of Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

 

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such Person; provided that no Member nor any Affiliate of any Member shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of any other Member or any of its Affiliates solely by virtue of such Members’ Units.

 

Applicable Law” means, with respect to any Person, any federal, state or local law (statutory, common or otherwise), constitution, treaty, convention, ordinance, code, rule, regulation, order, injunction, judgment, decree, ruling or other similar requirement enacted, adopted, promulgated or applied by a Governmental Authority or Regulatory Agency that is binding upon or applicable to such Person or its assets, as amended unless expressly specified otherwise.

 

Available Cash Flow” means, for any period, the Company’s consolidated net income determined in accordance with GAAP, adjusted by the Managing Member to exclude non-cash items, extraordinary or one-time items of gain or loss, any compensation expense related to Units or other Equity Securities issued under any management equity plan of RocketCo or the Company, and, to the extent not reflected in consolidated net income determined in accordance with GAAP, less any Reserves established during such period (including the amount of any net increase during such period to a Reserve established in a prior period) and plus the amount of any net decrease during such period to a Reserve established by a prior period.

 

Business Day” means a day, other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York or Detroit, Michigan are authorized or required by Applicable Law to close.

 

Capital Account” means the capital account established and maintained for each Member pursuant to Section 5.02.

 

Capital Contribution” means, with respect to any Member, the amount of money and the initial Carrying Value of any Property (other than money) contributed to the Company.

 

Carrying Value” means with respect to any Property (other than money), such Property’s adjusted basis for U.S. federal income tax purposes, except as follows:

 

2


 

(i)            The initial Carrying Value of any such Property contributed by a Member to the Company shall be the gross fair market value of such Property, as reasonably determined by the Managing Member;

 

(ii)           The Carrying Values of all such Properties shall be adjusted to equal their respective gross fair market values (taking Section 7701(g) of the Code into account), as reasonably determined by the Managing Member, at the time of any Revaluation pursuant to Section 5.02(c);

 

(iii)          The Carrying Value of any item of such Properties distributed to any Member shall be adjusted to equal the gross fair market value (taking Section 7701(g) of the Code into account) of such Property on the date of distribution as reasonably determined by the Managing Member; and

 

(iv)          The Carrying Values of such Properties shall be increased (or decreased) to reflect any adjustments to the adjusted basis of such Properties pursuant to Code Section 734(b) or Code Section 743(b), but only to the extent that such adjustments are taken into account in determining Capital Accounts pursuant to Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m) and subparagraph (vi) of the definition of “Net Income” and “Net Loss” or Section 5.04(b)(vi); provided, however, that Carrying Values shall not be adjusted pursuant to this subparagraph (iv) to the extent that an adjustment pursuant to subparagraph (ii) is required in connection with a transaction that would otherwise result in an adjustment pursuant to this subparagraph (iv).  If the Carrying Value of such Property has been determined or adjusted pursuant to subparagraph (i), (ii) or (iv), such Carrying Value shall thereafter be adjusted by the Depreciation taken into account with respect to such asset, for purposes of computing Net Income and Net Loss.

 

Class A Common Stock” means Class A common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of RocketCo.

 

Class B Common Stock” means Class B common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of RocketCo.

 

Class C Common Stock” means Class C common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of RocketCo.

 

Class D Common Stock” means Class D common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of RocketCo.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

Common Unit” means a common limited liability company interest in the Company.

 

Company Minimum Gain” means “partnership minimum gain,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(b)(2) and 1.704-2(d).

 

3


 

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 a 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.

 

Covered Person” means (i) each Member or an Affiliate thereof, in each case in such capacity, (ii) each officer, director, shareholder, member, partner, employee, representative, agent or trustee of a Member or an Affiliate thereof, in all cases in such capacity and (iii) each officer, director, shareholder (other than any public shareholder of RocketCo that is not a Member), member, partner, employee, representative, agent or trustee of the Managing Member, RocketCo (in the event RocketCo is not the Managing Member), the Company or an Affiliate controlled thereby, in all cases in such capacity.

 

Depreciation” means, for each Fiscal Year, an amount equal to the depreciation, amortization, or other cost recovery deduction allowable with respect to an asset for such Fiscal Year, except that if the Carrying Value of an asset differs from its adjusted basis for U.S. federal income tax purposes at the beginning of such Fiscal Year, Depreciation shall be an amount that bears the same ratio to such beginning Carrying Value as the U.S. federal income tax depreciation, amortization, or other cost recovery deduction for such Fiscal Year bears to such beginning adjusted tax basis; provided, however, that if the adjusted basis for U.S. federal income tax purposes of an asset at the beginning of such Fiscal Year is zero, Depreciation shall be determined with reference to such beginning Carrying Value using any reasonable method selected by the Managing Member.

 

DGCL” means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time.

 

Equity Securities” means, with respect to any Person, any (i) 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.

 

Exchange Agreement” means the Exchange Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among RocketCo, the Company and the holders of Common Units and shares of Class C Common Stock and Class D Common Stock from time to time party thereto.

 

Family Member” means, with respect to any natural person, the spouse, parents, grandparents, lineal descendants, siblings of such person or such person’s spouse and lineal descendants of siblings of such person or such person’s spouse.  Lineal

 

4


 

descendants shall include adopted persons, but only so long as they are adopted during minority.

 

FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

 

Fiscal Year” means the Company’s fiscal year, which shall initially be the calendar year and which may be changed from time to time as determined by the Managing Member.

 

Form 8-A Effective Time” has the meaning set forth in the Reorganization Agreement.

 

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.

 

Highest Member Tax Amount” means the Member receiving the greatest proportionate allocation of taxable income attributable to its ownership of the Company  in the applicable tax period (or portion thereof) (including as a result of the application of Section 704(c) of the Code or otherwise), and calculated by multiplying (x) the aggregate taxable income allocated to such Member  (excluding the tax consequences resulting from any adjustment under Sections 743(b) and 734(b) of the Code in such applicable taxable period (or portion thereof), by (y) the Tax Rate.

 

Indebtedness” means (a) all indebtedness for borrowed money (including capitalized lease obligations, sale-leaseback transactions or other similar transactions, however evidenced), (b) any other indebtedness that is evidenced by a note, bond, debenture, draft or similar instrument, (c) notes payable and (d) lines of credit and any other agreements relating to the borrowing of money or extension of credit.

 

IPO” means the initial underwritten public offering of RocketCo.

 

Limited Ownership Minimum” means, with respect to the Rock Members, if the number of its Owned Shares exceeds [·], as adjusted for any stock split, stock dividend, reverse stock split, combination, recapitalization, reclassification or similar event.

 

Managing Member” means (i) RocketCo so long as RocketCo has not withdrawn as the Managing Member pursuant to Section 7.02 and (ii) any successor thereof appointed as Managing Member in accordance with Section 7.02.

 

Member” means any Person named as a Member of the Company on the Member Schedule and the books and records of the Company, as the same may be amended from time to time to reflect any Person admitted as an Additional Member or a Substitute Member, for so long as such Person continues to be a Member of the Company.

 

5


 

Member Nonrecourse Debt” has the same meaning as the term “partner nonrecourse debt” in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(b)(4).

 

Member Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain” means an amount with respect to each “partner nonrecourse debt” (as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b)(4)) equal to the Company Minimum Gain that would result if such partner nonrecourse debt were treated as a nonrecourse liability (as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-1(a)(2)) determined in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(3).

 

Member Nonrecourse Deductions” has the same meaning as the term “partner nonrecourse deductions” in Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-2(i)(1) and 1.704-2(i)(2).

 

Michigan Act” means the Michigan Limited Liability Company Act.

 

Net Income” and “Net Loss” mean, for each Fiscal Year or other period, an amount equal to the Company’s taxable income or loss for such Fiscal Year or period, determined in accordance with Section 703(a) of the Code (for this purpose, all items of income, gain, loss, or deduction required to be stated separately pursuant to Section 703(a)(1) of the Code shall be included in taxable income or loss), with the following adjustments (without duplication):

 

(i)            Any income of the Company that is exempt from U.S. federal income tax and not otherwise taken into account in computing Net Income or Net Loss pursuant to this definition of “Net Income” and “Net Loss” shall be added to such taxable income or loss;

 

(ii)           Any expenditures of the Company described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code or treated as Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code expenditures pursuant to Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(i), and not otherwise taken into account in computing Net Income and Net Loss pursuant to this definition of “Net Income” and “Net Loss,” shall be treated as deductible items;

 

(iii)          In the event the Carrying Value of any Company asset is adjusted pursuant to subparagraphs (ii) or (iii) of the definition of “Carrying Value,” the amount of such adjustment shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the Carrying Value of the asset) or an item of loss (if the adjustment decreases the Carrying Value of the asset) from the disposition of such asset and shall be taken into account, immediately prior to the event giving rise to such adjustment, for purposes of computing Net Income or Net Loss;

 

(iv)          Gain or loss resulting from any disposition of Property with respect to which gain or loss is recognized for U.S. federal income tax purposes shall be computed by reference to the Carrying Value of the Property disposed of, notwithstanding that the adjusted tax basis of such Property differs from its Carrying Value;

 

6


 

(v)           In lieu of the depreciation, amortization, and other cost recovery deductions taken into account in computing such taxable income or loss, there shall be taken into account Depreciation for such Fiscal Year, computed in accordance with the definition of Depreciation;

 

(vi)          To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Company asset pursuant to Section 734(b) of the Code is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-(b)(2)(iv)(m)(4), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts as a result of a distribution other than in liquidation of a Member’s interest in the Company, the amount of such adjustment shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis) from the disposition of such asset and shall be taken into account for purposes of computing Net Income or Net Loss; and

 

(vii)         Notwithstanding any other provision of this definition, any items that are specially allocated pursuant to Section 5.04(b), Section 5.04(c) and Section 5.04(d) shall not be taken into account in computing Net Income and Net Loss.

 

The amounts of the items of Company income, gain, loss, or deduction available to be specially allocated pursuant to Section 5.04(b), Section 5.04(c) and Section 5.04(d) shall be determined by applying rules analogous to those set forth in subparagraphs (i) through (vi) above.

 

Non-RocketCo Member” means any Member that is not a RocketCo Member.

 

Nonrecourse Deductions” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-2(b)(1) and 1.704-2(c).

 

Owned Shares” with respect to the Rock Members, the total number of shares of Class A Common Stock beneficially owned (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act) by the Rock Members (including, for the purposes of this definition, any Person that owns either Units or RocketCo Common Stock and that otherwise qualifies under the definition of “Rock Member”), in the aggregate and without duplication, as of the date of such calculation (determined on an “as-converted” basis taking into account any and all securities then convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares of Class A Common Stock (including Common Units and shares of Class C Common Stock exchangeable pursuant to the Exchange Agreement).

 

Ownership Minimum” means, with respect to the Rock Members, if the number of its Owned Shares exceeds [•], as adjusted for any stock split, stock dividend, reverse stock split, combination, recapitalization, reclassification or similar event.

 

Paired Interest” has the meaning set forth in the Exchange Agreement.

 

Partnership Audit Provisions” means Title XI, Section 1101, of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, P.L. 114-74 (together with any subsequent amendments

 

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thereto, Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, and published administrative interpretations thereof, and any comparable provisions of state or local tax law).

 

Percentage Interest” means, with respect to any Member, a fractional amount, expressed as a percentage: (i) the numerator of which is the aggregate number of Common Units owned of record thereby and (ii) the denominator of which is the aggregate number of Common Units issued and outstanding.  The sum of the outstanding Percentage Interests of all Members shall at all times equal 100%.

 

Permitted Transfer” means any Transfer (i) to any Permitted Transferee or (ii) following which such Units continue to be held by RHI or any Permitted Transferee and the direct or indirect equityholders of RHI or such Permitted Transferee immediately prior to such Transfer continue to hold a majority of the beneficial interests of RHI or such Permitted Transferee, as applicable, following such Transfer.

 

Permitted Transferee” means, with respect to any Member, (i) RHI or any Rock Equityholder, (ii) any Family Member of such holder or any Family Member of any Rock Equityholder, (iii) any trust, family-partnership or estate-planning vehicle so long as such holder, any Family Member of such holder, any Rock Equityholder or any Family Member of a Rock Equityholder are the sole economic beneficiaries thereof, (iv) any partnership, corporation or other entity controlled by, or a majority of which is beneficially owned by, such holder or any of the persons listed in the foregoing clauses (i)-(iii), (v) any charitable trust or organization that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and controlled by such holder or any of the persons listed in the foregoing clauses (i)-(iv), (vi) an individual mandated under a qualified domestic relations order or (vii) a legal or personal representative of such holder, any Family Member of such holder, any Rock Equityholder or any Family Member of a Rock Equityholder in the event of the death or disability thereof.

 

Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity.

 

Prime Rate” means the rate of interest from time to time identified by JP Morgan Chase, N.A. as being its “prime” or “reference” rate.

 

Property” means an interest of any kind in any real, personal or intellectual (or mixed) property, including cash, and any improvements thereto, and shall include both tangible and intangible property.

 

RocketCo Common Stock” means all classes and series of common stock of RocketCo, including the Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock, Class C Common Stock and Class D Common Stock.

 

RocketCo Equity Plan” means the Rocket Companies, Inc. 2020 Management Incentive Plan, as the same may be amended from time to time.

 

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RocketCo Member” means (i) RocketCo and (ii) any Subsidiary of RocketCo (other than the Company and its Subsidiaries) that is a Member.

 

Purchase Agreement” means the Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between RHI and Rocket Companies, Inc.

 

Registration Rights Agreement” means the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between RocketCo and RHI.

 

Regulatory Agency” means the SEC, FINRA and any other regulatory authority or body (including any state or provincial securities authority and any self-regulatory organization) with jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

Relative Percentage Interest” means, with respect to any Member relative to another Member or Members, a fractional amount, expressed as a percentage, the numerator of which is the Percentage Interest of such Member; and the denominator of which is (x) the Percentage Interest of such Member plus (y) the aggregate Percentage Interest of such other Member or Members.

 

Reorganization” means the transactions contemplated by the Reorganization Agreement.

 

Reorganization Agreement” means the Reorganization Agreement by and between RocketCo, the Company, RHI and Gilbert.

 

Reorganization Date Capital Account Balance” means, with respect to any Member, the positive Capital Account balance of such Member as of immediately following the Reorganization, the amount or deemed value of which is set forth on the Member Schedule.

 

Reorganization Documents” means the Reorganization Agreement, this Agreement, the Tax Receivable Agreement, the Exchange Agreement, the Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

Reserves” means, as of any date of determination, amounts allocated by the Managing Member, in its reasonable judgment, to reserves maintained for working capital of the Company, for contingencies of the Company, for operating expenses and debt reduction of the Company.

 

Rock Equityholders” means the direct or indirect equityholders of RHI.

 

Rock Members” means (i) RHI, (ii) Gilbert and (iii) any Permitted Transferee of a Rock Member that owns Units from time to time.

 

SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture or other business entity

 

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of which more than 50% of the total voting power of Equity Securities or other 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.

 

Substitute Member” means any Person admitted as a Member of the Company pursuant to Section 3.02 in connection with the Transfer of then-existing Units to such Person.

 

Tax Amount” means the Highest Member Tax Amount divided by the Percentage Interest of the Member described in the definition of “Highest Member Tax Amount”.

 

Tax Distribution” means a distribution made by the Company pursuant to Section 5.03(e)(i) or Section 5.03(e)(iii) or a distribution made by the Company pursuant to another provision of Section 5.03 but designated as a Tax Distribution pursuant to Section 5.03(e)(ii).

 

Tax Distribution Amount” means, with respect to a Member’s Units, whichever of the following applies with respect to the applicable Tax Distribution, in each case in amount not less than zero:

 

(i)            With respect to a Tax Distribution pursuant to Section 5.03(e)(i), the excess, if any, of (A) such Member’s required annualized income installment for such estimated payment date under Section 6655(e) of the Code, assuming that (x) such Member is a corporation (which assumption, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not affect the determination of the Tax Rate), (y) Section 6655(e)(2)(C)(ii) is in effect and (z) such Member’s only income is from the Company, which amount shall be calculated based on the projections believed by the Managing Member in good faith to be, reasonable projections of the product of (1) the Tax Amount and (2) such Member’s Percentage Interest over (B) the aggregate amount of Tax Distributions designated by the Company pursuant to Section 5.03(e)(ii) with respect to such Units since the date of the previous Tax Distribution pursuant to Section 5.03(e)(i) (or if no such Tax Distribution was required to be made, the date such Tax Distribution would have been made pursuant to Section 5.03(e)(i)).

 

(ii)           With respect to the designation of an amount as a Tax Distribution pursuant to Section 5.03(e)(ii), the product of (x) the Tax Amount projected, in the good faith belief of the Managing Member, during the period since the date of the previous Tax Distribution (or, if more recent, the date that the previous Tax Distribution pursuant to Section 5.03(e)(i) would have been made or, in the case of the first distribution pursuant to Section 5.03(b), the date of this Agreement) and (y) such Member’s Percentage Interest.

 

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(iii)          With respect to an entire Fiscal Year to be calculated for purposes of Section 5.03(e)(iii), the excess, if any, of (A) the product of (x) the Tax Amount for the relevant Fiscal Year and (y) such Member’s Percentage Interest, over (B) the aggregate amount of Tax Distributions (other than Tax Distributions under Section 5.03(e)(iii) with respect to a prior Fiscal Year) with respect to such Units made with respect to such Fiscal Year.

 

Tax Rate” means the highest marginal federal, state and local tax rate for an individual or corporation that is resident in Michigan, New York City or California (whichever is higher) applicable to ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains, as appropriate, taking into account the holding period of the assets disposed of and the year in which the taxable net income is recognized by the Company, and taking into account the deductibility of state and local income taxes as applicable at the time for U.S. federal income tax purposes and any limitations thereon including pursuant to Section 68 of the Code or Section 164 of the Code, which Tax Rate shall be the same for all Members.

 

Tax Receivable Agreement” means the Tax Receivable Agreement by and between RocketCo, RHI and Gilbert.

 

Transfer” of a Unit means, directly or indirectly, any sale, assignment, transfer, exchange, gift, bequest, pledge, hypothecation or other disposition or encumbrance of such Unit or any legal or beneficial interest in such Unit, in whole or in part, whether or not for value and whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of Applicable Law, and shall include all matters deemed to constitute a Transfer under Article VIII; provided, however, that the following shall not be considered a “Transfer”: (i) the pledge of Units by a Member that creates a mere security interest in such Units pursuant to a bona fide loan or indebtedness transaction so long as such Member continues to exercise sole voting control over such pledged Units; provided, however, that a foreclosure on such Units or other similar action by the pledgee shall constitute a “Transfer”; or (ii) the fact that the spouse of any Member possesses or obtains an interest in such Member’s Units arising solely by reason of the application of the community property laws of any jurisdiction, so long as no other event or circumstance shall exist or have occurred that constitutes a “Transfer” of such Units.  The terms “Transferred”, “Transferring”, “Transferor”, “Transferee” and “Transferable” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

Treasury Regulations” mean the regulations promulgated under the Code, as amended from time to time.

 

Units” means Common Units or any other class of limited liability interests in the Company designated by the Company after the date hereof in accordance with this Agreement; provided that any type, class or series of Units shall have the designations, preferences or special rights set forth or referenced in this Agreement, and the membership interests of the Company represented by such type, class or series of Units shall be determined in accordance with such designations, preferences or special rights.

 

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(b)           Each of the following terms is defined in the Section set forth opposite such term:

 

Term

 

Section

A&R Operating Agreement

 

Recitals

Agreed-Upon Venues

 

Section 11.05(a)

Agreement

 

Preamble

Company

 

Preamble

Confidential Information

 

Section 11.10(b)

Controlled Entities

 

Section 9.02(e)

Dissolution Event

 

Section 10.01(c)

Economic RocketCo Security

 

Section 4.01(a)

e-mail

 

Section 11.03

Member Parties

 

Section 11.10(a)

Member Schedule

 

Section 3.01(a)

Expenses

 

Section 9.02(e)

GAAP

 

Section 3.03(b)

Gilbert

 

Preamble

Imputed Underpayment Amount

 

Section 6.01(b)

Indemnification Sources

 

Section 9.02(e)

Indemnitee-Related Entities

 

Section 9.02(e)(i)

Initial Operating Agreement

 

Recitals

Jointly Indemnifiable Claims

 

Section 9.02(e)(ii)

Officers

 

Section 7.05(a)

Partnership Representative

 

Section 6.01(a)

Process Agent

 

Section 11.05(b)

Regulatory Allocations

 

Section 5.04(c)

Revaluation

 

Section 5.02(c)

RHI

 

Preamble

RocketCo

 

Preamble

Withholding Advances

 

Section 5.06(b)

 

Section 1.02          Other Definitional and Interpretative Provisions.  The words “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” and words of like import used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement.  The captions herein are included for convenience of reference only and shall be ignored in the construction or interpretation hereof.  References to Articles, Sections and Schedules are to Articles, Sections and Schedules of this Agreement unless otherwise specified.  All Schedules annexed hereto or referred to herein are hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement as if set forth in full herein.  Any capitalized terms used in any Schedule but not otherwise defined therein, shall have the meaning as defined in this Agreement.  Any singular term in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the plural, and any plural term the singular.  Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or words of like import.  The word “or” shall be disjunctive but not exclusive. “Writing”, “written” and comparable terms refer to printing, typing and other means of reproducing words (including electronic media) in a visible form.  References to any statute shall be deemed to refer to such statute as amended from time to time and to any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.  References to any agreement or contract are to that agreement or contract as amended, modified or supplemented from

 

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time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.  References to any Person include the successors and permitted assigns of that Person.  References from or through any date mean, unless otherwise specified, from and including or through and including, respectively.  References to “law”, “laws” or to a particular statute or law shall be deemed also to include any Applicable Law.  As used in this Agreement, all references to “majority in interest” and phrases of similar import shall be deemed to refer to such percentage or fraction of interest based on the Relative Percentage Interests of the Members subject to such determination.  Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, when any approval, consent or other matter requires any action or approval of any group of Members, including any holders of any class of Units, such approval, consent or other matter shall require the approval of a majority in interest of such group of Members.  Except to the extent otherwise expressly provided herein, all references to any Member shall be deemed to refer solely to such Person in its capacity as such Member and not in any other capacity.

 

ARTICLE II

 

THE COMPANY

 

Section 2.01          Formation.  The Company was formed upon the filing of the articles of organization of the Company with the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau of the State of Michigan on March 6, 2020.  The Managing Member or an “authorized agent” within the meaning of the Michigan Act shall file and record any amendments or restatements to the articles of organization of the Company and such other certificates and documents (and any amendments or restatements thereof) as may be required under the laws of the State of Michigan and of any other jurisdiction in which the Company may conduct business.  The authorized agent or representative shall, on request, provide any Member with copies of each such document as filed and recorded.  The Members hereby agree that the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be governed by the terms and conditions of this Agreement and, except as provided herein, the Michigan Act.

 

Section 2.02          Name.  The name of the Company shall be RKT Holdings, LLC; provided that the Managing Member may change the name of the Company to such other name as the Managing Member shall determine in its sole discretion, and shall have the authority to execute, acknowledge, deliver, file and record such further certificates, amendments, instruments and documents, and to do all such other acts and things, as may be required by Applicable Law or as, in the reasonable judgment of the Managing Member, may be necessary or advisable to effect such change.

 

Section 2.03          Term.  The Company shall have perpetual existence unless sooner dissolved and its affairs wound up as provided in Article X.

 

Section 2.04          Registered Agent and Registered Office.  The name of the registered agent of the Company for service of process on the Company in the State of Michigan shall be CT Corporation, and the address of such registered agent and the address of the registered office of the Company in the State of Michigan shall be The Corporation Company, 40600 Ann Arbor Road East, Suite 201, Plymouth, Michigan

 

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48170.  Such office and such agent may be changed to such place within the State of Michigan and any successor registered agent, respectively, as may be determined from time to time by the Managing Member in accordance with the Michigan Act.

 

Section 2.05          Purposes.  The primary business and purpose of the Company shall be to engage in such activities as are permitted under the Michigan Act and determined from time to time by the Managing Member in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

Section 2.06          Powers of the Company.  The Company shall have the power and authority to take any and all actions necessary, appropriate or advisable to or for the furtherance of the purposes set forth in Section 2.05.

 

Section 2.07          Partnership Tax Status.  The Members intend that the Company shall be treated as a partnership for federal, state and local income tax purposes to the extent such treatment is available, and agree to take (or refrain from taking) such actions as may be necessary to receive and maintain such treatment and refrain from taking any actions inconsistent thereof.

 

Section 2.08          Regulation of Internal Affairs.  The internal affairs of the Company and the conduct of its business shall be regulated by this Agreement, and to the extent not provided for herein, shall be determined by the Managing Member.

 

Section 2.09          Ownership of Property.  Legal title to all Property, conveyed to, or held by the Company or its Subsidiaries shall reside in the Company or its Subsidiaries and shall be conveyed only in the name of the Company or its Subsidiaries and no Member or any other Person, individually, shall have any ownership of such Property.

 

Section 2.10          Subsidiaries.  The Company shall cause the business and affairs of each of the Subsidiaries to be managed by the Managing Member in accordance with and in a manner consistent with this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE III

 

UNITS; MEMBERS; BOOKS AND RECORDS; REPORTS

 

Section 3.01          Units; Admission of Members.

 

(a)           Effective upon the Reorganization, pursuant to Section 2.1(d)(ii) of the Reorganization Agreement, (i) RocketCo has been admitted to the Company as the Managing Member and (ii) the Company has hereby reclassified all membership interests of the Company outstanding as of immediately prior to the Form 8-A Effective Time into the number of Common Units, in the aggregate, set forth on Schedule A (the “Member Schedule”).  The Member Schedule shall be maintained by the Managing Member on behalf of the Company in accordance with this Agreement and, upon any subsequent update to the Member Schedule, the Managing Member shall promptly deliver a copy of such updated Member Schedule to each Member. When any Units or other Equity

 

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Securities of the Company are issued, repurchased, redeemed, converted or Transferred in accordance with this Agreement, the Member Schedule shall be amended by the Managing Member to reflect such issuance, repurchase, redemption or Transfer, the admission of additional or substitute Members and the resulting Percentage Interest of each Member.  Following the date hereof, no Person shall be admitted as a Member and no additional Units shall be issued except as expressly provided herein.

 

(b)           The Managing Member may cause the Company to authorize and issue from time to time such other Units or other Equity Securities of any type, class or series and having the designations, preferences or special rights as may be determined the Managing Member.  Such Units or other Equity Securities may be issued pursuant to such agreements as the Managing Member shall approve, with respect to Persons employed by or otherwise performing services for the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other equity compensation agreements, options or warrants.  When any such other Units or other Equity Securities are authorized and issued, the Member Schedule and this Agreement shall be amended by the Managing Member to reflect such additional issuances and resulting dilution, which shall be borne pro rata by all Members based on their Common Units.

 

Section 3.02          Substitute Members and Additional Members.

 

(a)           No Transferee of any Units or Person to whom any Units are issued pursuant to this Agreement shall be admitted as a Member hereunder or acquire any rights hereunder, including any class voting rights or the right to receive distributions and allocations in respect of the Transferred or issued Units, as applicable, unless (i) such Units are Transferred or issued in compliance with the provisions of this Agreement (including Article VIII) and (ii) such Transferee or recipient shall have executed and delivered to the Company such instruments as the Managing Member deems necessary or desirable, in its reasonable discretion, to effectuate the admission of such Transferee or recipient as a Member and to confirm the agreement of such Transferee or recipient to be bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement.  Upon complying with the immediately preceding sentence, without the need for any further action of any Person, a Transferee or recipient shall be deemed admitted to the Company as a Member.  A Substitute Member shall enjoy the same rights, and be subject to the same obligations, as the Transferor; provided that such Transferor shall not be relieved of any obligation or liability hereunder arising prior to the consummation of such Transfer but shall be relieved of all future obligations with respect to the Units so Transferred.  As promptly as practicable after the admission of any Person as a Member, the books and records of the Company shall be changed to reflect such admission of a Substitute Member or Additional Member.  In the event of any admission of a Substitute Member or Additional Member pursuant to this Section 3.02(a), this Agreement shall be deemed amended to reflect such admission, and any formal amendment of this Agreement (including the Member Schedule) in connection therewith shall only require execution by the Company and such Substitute Member or Additional Member, as applicable, to be effective.

 

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(b)           If a Member shall Transfer all (but not less than all) its Units, the Member shall thereupon cease to be a Member of the Company.

 

Section 3.03          Tax and Accounting Information.

 

(a)           Accounting Decisions and Reliance on Others.  All decisions as to accounting matters, except as otherwise specifically set forth herein, shall be made by the Managing Member in accordance with Applicable Law and with accounting methods followed for U.S. federal income tax purposes.  In making such decisions, the Managing Member may rely upon the advice of the independent accountants of the Company.

 

(b)           Records and Accounting Maintained.  The books and records of the Company shall be kept, and the financial position and the results of its operations recorded, in all material respects in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time (“GAAP”).  The Fiscal Year of the Company shall be used for financial reporting and for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

(c)           Financial Reports.

 

(i)            The books and records of the Company shall be audited as of the end of each Fiscal Year by the same accounting firm that audits the books and records of RocketCo (or, if such firm declines to perform such audit, by an accounting firm selected by the Managing Member).

 

(ii)           In the event neither RocketCo nor the Company is required to file an annual report on Form 10-K or quarterly report on Form 10-Q, the Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, the following to each Rock Member, in each case so long as such Rock Member meets the Ownership Minimum:

 

(A)          not later than ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, a copy of the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and the related statements of operations and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous year, all in reasonable detail; and

 

(B)          not later than forty five (45) days or such later time as permitted under applicable securities law after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year, the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and the related statements of operations and cash flows for such quarter and for the period commencing on the first day of the fiscal year and ending on the last day of such quarter.

 

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(d)           Tax Returns.

 

(i)            The Company shall timely cause to be prepared by an accounting firm selected by the Managing Member all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns (including information returns) of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which may be required by a jurisdiction in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate or conduct business for each year or period for which such returns are required to be filed and shall cause such returns to be timely filed.  Upon request of RHI or any other Member, the Company shall furnish to such Member a copy of each such tax return;

 

(ii)           The Company shall furnish to each Member (a) as soon as reasonably practical after the end of each Fiscal Year, all information concerning the Company and its Subsidiaries required for the preparation of tax returns of such Members (or any beneficial owner(s) of such Member), including a report (including Schedule K-1), indicating each Member’s share of the Company’s taxable income, gain, credits, losses and deductions for such year, in sufficient detail to enable such Member to prepare its federal, state and other tax returns; provided that estimates of such information believed by the Managing Member in good faith to be reasonable shall be provided within 90 days of the end of the Fiscal Year, (b) as soon as reasonably possible after the close of the relevant fiscal period, but in no event later than ten days prior to the date an estimated tax payment is due, such information concerning the Company as is required to enable such Member (or any beneficial owner of such Member) to pay estimated taxes and (c) as soon as reasonably possible after a request by such Member, such other information concerning the Company and its Subsidiaries that is reasonably requested by such Member for compliance with its tax obligations (or the tax obligations of any beneficial owner(s) of such Member) or for tax planning purposes; and

 

(e)           Inconsistent Positions.  No Member shall take a position on its income tax return with respect to any item of Company income, gain, deduction, loss or credit that is different from the position taken on the Company’s income tax return with respect to such item unless such Member notifies the Company of the different position the Member desires to take and the Company’s regular tax advisors, after consulting with the Member, are unable to provide an opinion that (after taking into account all of the relevant facts and circumstances) the arguments in favor of the Company’s position outweigh the arguments in favor of the Member’s position.

 

Section 3.04          Books and Records.  The Company shall keep full and accurate books of account and other records of the Company at its principal place of business.  No Member (other than the Managing Member and, in each case so long as it meets the Ownership Minimum, the Rock Members) shall have any right to inspect the books and records of RocketCo, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; provided that, in the case of the Rock Members, (i) such inspection shall be at reasonable times and upon reasonable prior notice to the Company, but not more frequently than once per calendar quarter and (ii) neither RocketCo, the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to disclose (x) any information the Managing Member determines to be competitively sensitive or (y) any privileged information of RocketCo, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries so long as the Company has used commercially reasonable efforts

 

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to enter into an arrangement pursuant to which it may provide such information to the Rock Members without the loss of any such privilege.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

ROCKETCO OWNERSHIP; RESTRICTIONS ON ROCKETCO STOCK

 

Section 4.01          RocketCo Ownership.

 

(a)           If at any time RocketCo issues a share of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock or any other Equity Security of RocketCo entitled to any economic rights (including in the IPO) (an “Economic RocketCo Security”) with regard thereto (other than Class C Common Stock, Class D Common Stock or other Equity Security of RocketCo not entitled to any economic rights with respect thereto), (i) the Company shall issue to RocketCo one Common Unit (if RocketCo issues a share of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock) or such other Equity Security of the Company (if RocketCo issues an Economic RocketCo Security other than Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock) corresponding to the Economic RocketCo Security, and with substantially the same rights to dividends and distributions (including distributions upon liquidation) and other economic rights as those of such Economic RocketCo Security and (ii) the net proceeds received by RocketCo with respect to the corresponding Economic RocketCo Security, if any, shall be concurrently contributed to the Company; provided, however, that if RocketCo issues any Economic RocketCo Securities, some or all of the net proceeds of which are to be used to fund expenses or other obligations of RocketCo for which RocketCo would be permitted a distribution pursuant to Section 5.03(c), then RocketCo shall not be required to transfer such net proceeds to the Company which are used or will be used to fund such expenses or obligations, and provided, further, that if RocketCo issues any shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock in order to purchase or fund the purchase from a Non-RocketCo Member of a number of Common Units (and shares of Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock, as applicable) or to purchase or fund the purchase of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, in each case equal to the number of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock issued, then the Company shall not issue any new Common Units in connection therewith and RocketCo shall not be required to transfer such net proceeds to the Company (it being understood that such net proceeds shall instead be transferred to such Non-RocketCo Member as consideration for such purchase).

 

(b)           Notwithstanding Section 4.01(a), this Article IV shall not apply (i) to the issuance and distribution to holders of shares of RocketCo Common Stock of rights to purchase Equity Securities of RocketCo under a “poison pill” or similar shareholders rights plan (it being understood that upon exchange of Paired Interests for Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, as the case may be, pursuant to the Exchange Agreement, such Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, as the case may be, will be issued together with a corresponding right) or (ii) to the issuance under the RocketCo Equity Plan or RocketCo’s other employee benefit plans of any warrants, options or other rights to acquire Equity Securities of RocketCo or rights or

 

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property that may be converted into or settled in Equity Securities of RocketCo, but shall in each of the foregoing cases apply to the issuance of Equity Securities of RocketCo in connection with the exercise or settlement of such rights, warrants, options or other rights or property.

 

Section 4.02          Restrictions on RocketCo Common Stock.

 

(a)           Except as otherwise determined by the Managing Member in accordance with Section 4.02(d), (i) the Company may not issue any additional Common Units to RocketCo or any of its Subsidiaries unless substantially simultaneously therewith RocketCo or such Subsidiary issues or sells an equal number of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock to another Person and (ii) the Company may not issue any other Equity Securities of the Company to RocketCo or any of its Subsidiaries unless substantially simultaneously, RocketCo or such Subsidiary issues or sells, to another Person, an equal number of shares of a new class or series of Equity Securities of RocketCo or such Subsidiary with substantially the same rights to dividends and distributions (including distributions upon liquidation) and other economic rights as those of such Equity Securities of the Company.

 

(b)           Except as otherwise determined by the Managing Member in accordance with Section 4.02(d), (i) RocketCo or any of its Subsidiaries may not redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire any shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock unless substantially simultaneously the Company redeems, repurchases or otherwise acquires from RocketCo an equal number of Units for the same price per security (or, if RocketCo uses funds received from distributions from the Company or the net proceeds from an issuance of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock to fund such redemption, repurchase or acquisition, then the Company shall cancel an equal number of Units for no consideration) and (ii) RocketCo or any of its Subsidiaries may not redeem or repurchase any other Equity Securities of RocketCo unless substantially simultaneously, the Company redeems or repurchases from RocketCo an equal number of Equity Securities of the Company of a corresponding class or series with substantially the same rights to dividends and distributions (including distributions upon liquidation) or other economic rights as those of such Equity Securities of RocketCo for the same price per security (or, if RocketCo uses funds received from distributions from the Company or the net proceeds from an issuance of Equity Securities other than Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock to fund such redemption, repurchase or acquisition, then the Company shall cancel an equal number of its corresponding Equity Securities for no consideration).  Except  as otherwise determined by the Managing Member in accordance with Section 4.02(d): (x) the Company may not redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire Common Units from RocketCo or any of its Subsidiaries unless substantially simultaneously RocketCo or such Subsidiary redeems, repurchases or otherwise acquires an equal number of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock for the same price per security from holders thereof (except that if the Company cancels Common Units for no consideration as described in Section 4.02(b)(i), then the price per security need not be the same) and (y) the Company may not redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire any other Equity Securities of the Company from RocketCo or any of its Subsidiaries unless substantially simultaneously RocketCo or such Subsidiary redeems, repurchases or

 

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otherwise acquires for the same price per security an equal number of Equity Securities of RocketCo of a corresponding class or series with substantially the same rights to dividends and distributions (including dividends and distributions upon liquidation) and other economic rights as those of such Equity Securities of RocketCo (except that if the Company cancels Equity Securities for no consideration as described in Section 4.02(b)(ii), then the price per security need not be the same).  Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, to the extent that any consideration payable to RocketCo in connection with the redemption or repurchase of any shares or other Equity Securities of RocketCo or any of its Subsidiaries consists (in whole or in part) of shares or such other Equity Securities (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with the cashless exercise of an option or warrant), then redemption or repurchase of the corresponding Common Units or other Equity Securities of the Company shall be effectuated in an equivalent manner (except if the Company cancels Common Units or other Equity Securities for no consideration as described in this Section 4.02(b)).

 

(c)           The Company shall not in any manner effect any subdivision (by any stock or unit split, stock or unit dividend or distribution, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse stock or unit split, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) of the outstanding Common Units unless accompanied by a substantively identical subdivision or combination, as applicable, of the outstanding RocketCo Common Stock, with corresponding changes made with respect to any other exchangeable or convertible securities.  RocketCo shall not in any manner effect any subdivision (by any stock or unit split, stock or unit dividend or distribution, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse stock or unit split, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) of the outstanding RocketCo Common Stock unless accompanied by a substantively identical subdivision or combination, as applicable, of the outstanding Common Units, with corresponding changes made with respect to any other exchangeable or convertible securities.

 

(d)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article IV:

 

(i)            if at any time the Managing Member shall determine that any debt instrument of RocketCo, the Company or its Subsidiaries shall not permit RocketCo or the Company to comply with the provisions of Section 4.02(a) or Section 4.02(b) in connection with the issuance, redemption or repurchase of any shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock or other Equity Securities of RocketCo or any of its Subsidiaries or any Units or other Equity Securities of the Company, then the Managing Member may in good faith implement an economically equivalent alternative arrangement without complying with such provisions; provided that, in the case that any such alternative arrangement is implemented because of restrictions in any debt instrument, such arrangement shall also be subject to the prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld) of each Rock Member, in each case so long as such Rock Member meets the Limited Ownership Minimum;

 

(ii)           if (x) RocketCo incurs any indebtedness and desires to transfer the proceeds of such indebtedness to the Company and (y) RocketCo is unable

 

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to lend the proceeds of such indebtedness to the Company on an equivalent basis because of restrictions in any debt instrument of RocketCo, the Company or its Subsidiaries, then notwithstanding Section 4.02(a) or Section 4.02(b), the Managing Member may in good faith implement an economically equivalent alternative arrangement in connection with the transfer of proceeds to the Company using non-participating preferred Equity Securities of the Company without complying with such provisions; provided that, in the case that any such alternative arrangement is implemented because of restrictions in any debt instrument, such arrangement shall also be subject to the prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld) of each Rock Member, in each case so long as such Rock Member meets the Limited Ownership Minimum; and

 

(iii)          If RocketCo receives a distribution pursuant to Section 5.03 and RocketCo subsequently contributes any of the amounts received to the Company, the Managing Member may take any reasonable action to properly reflect the changes in the Members’ economic interests in the Company including by making appropriate adjustments to the number of Common Units held by the Members other than RocketCo in order to proportionally reduce the respective Percentage Interests held by the Members other than RocketCo.

 

(e)           In the event any adjustment pursuant to this Agreement in the number of Common Units held by a Member results (x) in a decrease in the number of Common Units held by a Member that constitute a portion of a Paired Interest, concurrently with such decrease, such Member shall surrender the number of shares of Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock, as the case may be, constituting the remainder of such Paired Interest (which, as of the date hereof, would be one share of Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock, as the case may be) to RocketCo or (y) in an increase in the number of Common Units held by a Member that constitute a portion of a Paired Interest, concurrently with such increase, RocketCo shall issue the number of shares of Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock, as the case may be, constituting the remainder of such Paired Interest (which, as of the date hereof, would be one share of Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock, as the case may be) to such Member.

 

ARTICLE V

 

CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS; CAPITAL ACCOUNTS;
DISTRIBUTIONS; ALLOCATIONS

 

Section 5.01          Capital Contributions.

 

(a)           From and after the date hereof, no Member shall have any obligation to the Company, to any other Member or to any creditor of the Company to make any further Capital Contribution, except as expressly provided in Section 4.01(a).

 

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(b)           Except as expressly provided herein, no Member, in its capacity as a Member, shall have the right to receive any cash or any other property of the Company.

 

Section 5.02          Capital Accounts.

 

(a)           Maintenance of Capital Accounts.  The Company shall maintain a Capital Account for each Member on the books of the Company in accordance with the provisions of Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv) and, to the extent consistent with such provisions, the following provisions:

 

(i)            Each Member listed on the Member Schedule shall be credited with the Reorganization Date Capital Account Balance set forth on the Member Schedule.  The Member Schedule shall be amended by the Managing Member after the closing of the IPO and from time to time to reflect adjustments to the Members’ Capital Accounts made in accordance with Sections 5.02(a)(ii), 5.02(a)(iii), 5.02(a)(iv), 5.02(c) or otherwise.

 

(ii)           To each Member’s Capital Account there shall be credited:  (A) such Member’s Capital Contributions, (B) such Member’s distributive share of Net Income and any item in the nature of income or gain that is allocated pursuant to Section 5.04 and (C) the amount of any Company liabilities assumed by such Member or that are secured by any Property distributed to such Member.

 

(iii)          To each Member’s Capital Account there shall be debited: (A) the amount of money and the Carrying Value of any Property distributed to such Member pursuant to any provision of this Agreement, (B) such Member’s distributive share of Net Loss and any items in the nature of expenses or losses that are allocated to such Member pursuant to Section 5.04 and (C) the amount of any liabilities of such Member assumed by the Company or that are secured by any Property contributed by such Member to the Company.

 

(iv)          In determining the amount of any liability for purposes of subparagraphs (ii) and (iii) above there shall be taken into account Section 752(c) of the Code and any other applicable provisions of the Code and the Treasury Regulations.

 

The foregoing provisions and the other provisions of this Agreement relating to the maintenance of Capital Accounts are intended to comply with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b) and shall be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with such Treasury Regulations.  In the event that the Managing Member shall reasonably determine that it is prudent to modify the manner in which the Capital Accounts or any debits or credits thereto are maintained (including debits or credits relating to liabilities that are secured by contributed or distributed Property or that are assumed by the Company or the Members), the Managing Member may make such modification so long as such modification will not have any effect on the amounts distributed to any Person pursuant to Article X upon the dissolution of the Company.  The Managing Member also

 

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shall (i) make any adjustments that are necessary or appropriate to maintain equality between Capital Accounts of the Members and the amount of capital reflected on the Company’s balance sheet, as computed for book purposes, in accordance with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(g) and (ii) make any appropriate modifications in the event unanticipated events might otherwise cause this Agreement not to comply with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b).

 

(b)           Succession to Capital Accounts.  In the event any Person becomes a Substitute Member in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, such Substitute Member shall succeed to the Capital Account of the former Member to the extent such Capital Account relates to the Transferred Units.

 

(c)           Adjustments of Capital Accounts.  The Company shall revalue the Capital Accounts of the Members in accordance with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f) (a “Revaluation”) at the following times:  (i) immediately prior to the contribution of more than a de minimis amount of money or other property to the Company by a new or existing Member as consideration for one or more Units; (ii) the distribution by the Company to a Member of more than a de minimis amount of property in respect of one or more Units; (iii) the issuance by the Company of more than a de minimis amount of Units as consideration for the provision of services to or for the benefit of the Company (as described in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f)(5)(iii)); and (iv) the liquidation of the Company within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g); provided, however, that adjustments pursuant to clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above shall be made only if the Managing Member reasonably determines that such adjustments are necessary or appropriate to reflect the relative economic interest of the Members.

 

(d)           No Member shall be entitled to withdraw capital or receive distributions except as specifically provided herein.  A Member shall have no obligation to the Company, to any other Member or to any creditor of the Company to restore any negative balance in the Capital Account of such Member.  Except as expressly provided elsewhere herein, no interest shall be paid on the balance in any Member’s Capital Account.

 

(e)           Whenever it is necessary for purposes of this Agreement to determine a Member’s Capital Account on a per Unit basis, such amount shall be determined by dividing the Capital Account of such Member attributable to the applicable class of Units held of record by such Member by the number of Units of such class held of record by such Member.

 

Section 5.03          Amounts and Priority of Distributions.

 

(a)           Distributions Generally.  Except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, distributions shall be made to the Members as set forth in this Section 5.03, at such times and in such amounts as the Managing Member, in its sole discretion, shall determine.

 

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(b)           Distributions to the Members.  Subject to Sections 5.03(e), and 5.03(f), at such times and in such amounts as the Managing Member, in its sole discretion, shall determine, distributions shall be made to the Members in proportion to their respective Percentage Interests.

 

(c)           RocketCo Distributions.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 5.03(b), the Managing Member, in its sole discretion, may authorize that (i) cash be paid to RocketCo (which payment shall be made without pro rata distributions to the other Members) in exchange for the redemption, repurchase or other acquisition of Units held by RocketCo to the extent that such cash payment is used to redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire an equal number of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock in accordance with Section 4.02(b) and (ii) to the extent that the Managing Member determines that expenses or other obligations of RocketCo are related to its role as the Managing Member or the business and affairs of RocketCo that are conducted through the Company or any of the Company’s direct or indirect Subsidiaries, cash (and, for the avoidance of doubt, only cash) distributions may be made to RocketCo (which distributions shall be made without pro rata distributions to the other Members) in amounts required for RocketCo to pay (w) operating, administrative and other similar costs incurred by RocketCo, including payments in respect of Indebtedness and preferred stock, to the extent the proceeds are used or will be used by RocketCo to pay expenses or other obligations described in this clause (ii) (in either case only to the extent economically equivalent Indebtedness or Equity Securities of the Company were not issued to RocketCo), payments representing interest with respect to payments not made when due under the terms of the Tax Receivable Agreement and payments pursuant to any legal, tax, accounting and other professional fees and expenses (but, for the avoidance of doubt, excluding any tax liabilities of RocketCo), (x) any judgments, settlements, penalties, fines or other costs and expenses in respect of any claims against, or any litigation or proceedings involving, RocketCo, (y) fees and expenses (including any underwriters discounts and commissions) related to any securities offering, investment or acquisition transaction (whether or not successful) authorized by the board of directors of RocketCo and (z) other fees and expenses in connection with the maintenance of the existence of RocketCo (including any costs or expenses associated with being a public company listed on a national securities exchange).  For the avoidance of doubt, distributions made under this Section 5.03(c) may not be used to pay or facilitate dividends or distributions on the RocketCo Common Stock and must be used solely for one of the express purposes set forth under clause (i) or (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence.

 

(d)           Distributions in Kind.  Any distributions in kind shall be made at such times and in such amounts as the Managing Member, in its sole discretion, shall determine based on their fair market value as determined by the Managing Member in the same proportions as if distributed in accordance with Section 5.03(b), with all Members participating in proportion to their respective Percentage Interests.  If cash and property are to be distributed in kind simultaneously, the Company shall distribute such cash and property in kind in the same proportion to each Member.  For the purposes of this Section 5.03(d), if any such distribution in kind includes securities, distributions to the Members shall be deemed proportionate notwithstanding that the securities

 

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distributed to holders of Common Units that are included in Paired Interests with shares of Class D Common Stock have not more than ten times the voting power of any securities distributed to holders of Common Units that are included in Paired Interests with shares of Class C Common Stock, so long as such securities issued to the holders of Common Units that are included in Paired Interests with shares of Class D Common stock remain subject to automatic conversion on terms no more favorable to such holders than those set forth in Article IV, Section F of the certificate of incorporation of RocketCo.

 

(e)           Tax Distributions.

 

(i)            Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 5.03 to the contrary, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law and consistent with the Company’s obligations to its creditors as reasonably determined by the Managing Member, the Company shall make cash distributions by wire transfer of immediately available funds pursuant to this Section 5.03(e)(i) to the Members with respect to their Units in proportion to their respective Percentage Interests at least two Business Days prior to the date on which any U.S. federal corporate estimated tax payments are due, in an amount that in the Managing Member’s discretion allows each Member to satisfy its tax liability with respect to its Units,  up to such Member’s Tax Distribution Amount, if any; provided that the Managing Member shall have no liability to any Member in connection with any underpayment of estimated taxes, so long as cash distributions are made in accordance with this Section 5.03(e)(i) and the Tax Distribution Amounts are determined as provided in paragraph (i) of the definition of Tax Distribution Amount.

 

(ii)           On any date that the Company makes a distribution to the Members with respect to their Units under a provision of Section 5.03 other than this Section 5.03(e), if the Tax Distribution Amount is greater than zero, the Company shall designate all or a portion of such distribution as a Tax Distribution with respect to a Member’s Units to the extent of the Tax Distribution Amount with respect to such Member’s Units as of such date (but not to exceed the amount of such distribution).  For the avoidance of doubt, such designation shall be performed with respect to all Members with respect to which there is a Tax Distribution Amount as of such date.

 

(iii)          Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 5.03 to the contrary, if the Tax Distribution Amount for such Fiscal Year is greater than zero, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law and consistent with the Company’s obligations to its creditors as reasonably determined by the Managing Member, the Company shall make additional distributions under this Section 5.03(e)(iii) in an amount that in the Managing Member’s discretion allows each Member to satisfy its tax liability with respect to the Units, up to such Tax Distribution Amount for such Fiscal Year as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of such Fiscal Year (or as soon as reasonably practicable after any event that subsequently adjusts the taxable income of such Fiscal Year).

 

(iv)          Under no circumstances shall Tax Distributions reduce the amount otherwise distributable to any Member pursuant to this Section 5.03

 

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(other than this Section 5.03(e)) after taking into account the effect of Tax Distributions on the amount of cash or other assets available for distribution by the Company.

 

(f)            Pre-IPO Profits Distribution.  Notwithstanding Section 5.03(b), after the Reorganization, before any other distributions are distributed to the Members by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Company shall, or shall cause its Subsidiaries to, distribute to RHI and Gilbert, an aggregate amount of cash determined by the Managing Member up to an amount equal to (i) the Available Cash Flow attributable to the portion of the fiscal period beginning on January 1, 2020 and ended on the date hereof minus (ii) the amount of Available Cash Flow, if any, attributable to such period and distributed to RHI or Gilbert prior to the date hereof.

 

(g)           Assignment.  Rock Members shall have the right to assign to any Transferee of Common Units, pursuant to a Transfer made in compliance with this Agreement, the right to receive any portion of the amounts distributable or otherwise payable to such Rock Member pursuant to Section 5.03(b).

 

Section 5.04          Allocations.

 

(a)           Net Income and Net Loss.  Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, and after giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Section 5.04(b), Section 5.04(c) and Section 5.04(d), Net Income and Net Loss (and, to the extent necessary, individual items of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit) of the Company shall be allocated among the Capital Accounts of the Members pro rata in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Managing Member shall make such adjustments to Capital Accounts as it determines in its sole discretion to be appropriate to ensure allocations are made in accordance with a Member’s interest in the Company.

 

(b)           Special Allocations.  The following special allocations shall be made in the following order:

 

(i)            Minimum Gain Chargeback.  Except as otherwise provided in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(f), notwithstanding any other provision of this Article V, if there is a net decrease in Company Minimum Gain during any Fiscal Year, each Member shall be specially allocated items of Company income and gain for such Fiscal Year (and, if necessary, subsequent Fiscal Years) in an amount equal to such Member’s share of the net decrease in Company Minimum Gain, determined in accordance with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(g).  Allocations pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence shall be made in proportion to the respective amounts required to be allocated to each Member pursuant thereto.  The items to be so allocated shall be determined in accordance with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(f)(6) and 1.704-2(j)(2).  This Section 5.04(b)(i) is intended to comply with the minimum gain chargeback requirement in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(f) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

 

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(ii)           Member Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain Chargeback.  Except as otherwise provided in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(i)(4), notwithstanding any other provision of this Article V, if there is a net decrease in Member Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain attributable to a Member Nonrecourse Debt during any Fiscal Year, each Member who has a share of the Member Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain attributable to such Member Nonrecourse Debt, determined in accordance with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(i)(5), shall be specially allocated items of Company income and gain for such Fiscal Year (and, if necessary, subsequent Fiscal Years) in an amount equal to such Member’s share of the net decrease in Member Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain attributable to such Member Nonrecourse Debt, determined in accordance with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(i)(4).  Allocations pursuant to the previous sentence shall be made in proportion to the respective amounts required to be allocated to each Member pursuant thereto.  The items to be so allocated shall be determined in accordance with Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-2(i)(4) and 1.704-2(j)(2).  This Section 5.04(b)(ii) is intended to comply with the minimum gain chargeback requirement in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

 

(iii)          Qualified Income Offset.  In the event any Member unexpectedly receives any adjustments, allocations, or distributions described in Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5) or Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6), items of Company income and gain shall be specially allocated to such Member in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the extent required by the Treasury Regulations, the Adjusted Capital Account Deficit of the Member as promptly as possible; provided that an allocation pursuant to this Section 5.04(b)(iii) shall be made only if and to the extent that the Member would have an Adjusted Capital Account Deficit after all other allocations provided for in this Article V have been tentatively made as if this Section 5.04(b)(iii) were not in the Agreement.

 

(iv)          Nonrecourse Deductions.  Nonrecourse Deductions for any Fiscal Year shall be specially allocated to the Members in a manner determined by the Managing Member consistent with Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-2(b) and 1.704-2(c).

 

(v)           Member Nonrecourse Deductions.  Any Member Nonrecourse Deductions for any Fiscal Year shall be specially allocated to the Member who bears the economic risk of loss with respect to the Member Nonrecourse Debt to which such Member Nonrecourse Deductions are attributable in accordance with Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-2(i)(1) and 1.704-2(j)(1).

 

(vi)          Section 754 Adjustments.  (A) To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Company asset pursuant to Sections 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m)(4), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts as a result of a distribution other than in liquidation of a Member’s interest in the Company, the

 

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amount of such adjustment shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of such asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases the basis of such asset) from the disposition of the asset and shall be taken into account for purposes of computing Net Income and Net Loss, and further (B) to the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Company asset pursuant to Sections 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m)(2) or Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m)(4), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts as the result of a distribution to a Member in complete liquidation of such Member’s interest in the Company, the amount of such adjustment to Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis) and such gain or loss shall be specially allocated to such Members in accordance with their interests in the Company in the event Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m)(2) applies, or to the Member to whom such distribution was made in the event Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m)(4) applies.

 

(c)           Curative Allocations.  The allocations set forth in Section 5.04(b)(i) through Section 5.04(b)(vi) and Section 5.04(d) (the “Regulatory Allocations”) are intended to comply with certain requirements of the Treasury Regulations.  It is the intent of the Members that, to the extent possible, all Regulatory Allocations shall be offset either with other Regulatory Allocations or with special allocations of other items of Company income, gain, loss, or deduction pursuant to this Section 5.04(c).  Therefore, notwithstanding any other provision of this Article V (other than the Regulatory Allocations), the Managing Member shall make such offsetting special allocations of Company income, gain, loss, or deduction in whatever manner it determines appropriate so that, after such offsetting allocations are made, each Member’s Capital Account balance is, to the extent possible, equal to the Capital Account balance such Member would have had if the Regulatory Allocations were not part of the Agreement and all Company items were allocated pursuant to Section 5.04.

 

(d)           Loss Limitation.  Net Loss (or individual items of loss or deduction) allocated pursuant to Section 5.04 hereof shall not exceed the maximum amount of Net Loss (or individual items of loss or deduction) that can be allocated without causing any Member to have an Adjusted Capital Account Deficit at the end of any Fiscal Year.  In the event some but not all of the Members would have Adjusted Capital Account Deficits as a consequence of an allocation of Net Loss (or individual items of loss or deduction) pursuant to Section 5.04 hereof, the limitation set forth in this Section 5.04(d) shall be applied on a Member by Member basis and Net Loss (or individual items of loss or deduction) not allocable to any Member as a result of such limitation shall be allocated to the other Members in accordance with the positive balances in such Member’s Capital Accounts so as to allocate the maximum permissible Net Loss to each Member under Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d).  Any reallocation of Net Loss pursuant to this Section 5.04(d) shall be subject to chargeback pursuant to the curative allocation provision of Section 5.04(c).

 

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Section 5.05                             Other Allocation Rules.

 

(a)                                 Interim Allocations Due to Percentage Adjustment.  If a Percentage Interest is the subject of a Transfer or the Members’ interests in the Company change pursuant to the terms of the Agreement during any Fiscal Year, the amount of Net Income and Net Loss (or items thereof) to be allocated to the Members for such entire Fiscal Year shall be allocated to the portion of such Fiscal Year which precedes the date of such Transfer or change (and if there shall have been a prior Transfer or change in such Fiscal Year, which commences on the date of such prior Transfer or change) and to the portion of such Fiscal Year which occurs on and after the date of such Transfer or change (and if there shall be a subsequent Transfer or change in such Fiscal Year, which precedes the date of such subsequent Transfer or change), in accordance with a pro rata allocation unless the Managing Member elects to use an interim closing of the books, and the amounts of the items so allocated to each such portion shall be credited or charged to the Members in accordance with Section 5.04 as in effect during each such portion of the Fiscal Year in question.  Such allocation shall be in accordance with Section 706 of the Code and the regulations thereunder and made without regard to the date, amount or receipt of any distributions that may have been made with respect to the transferred Percentage Interest to the extent consistent with Section 706 of the Code and the regulations thereunder.  As of the date of such Transfer, the Transferee shall succeed to the Capital Account of the Transferor with respect to the transferred Units.

 

(b)                                 Tax Allocations: Code Section 704(c).  For U.S. federal, state and local income tax purposes, items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit shall be allocated to the Partners in accordance with the allocations of the corresponding items for Capital Account purposes under Section 5.04, except that in accordance with Section 704(c) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, income, gain, loss, and deduction with respect to any Property contributed to the capital of the Company and with respect to reverse Code Section 704(c) allocations described in Treasury Regulations 1.704-3(a)(6) shall, solely for tax purposes, be allocated among the Members so as to take account of any variation between the adjusted basis of such Property to the Company for U.S. federal income tax purposes and its initial Carrying Value or its Carrying Value determined pursuant to Treasury Regulation 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f) (computed in accordance with the definition of Carrying Value) using the traditional allocation method under Treasury Regulation 1.704-3(b).  Any elections or other decisions relating to such allocations shall be made by the Managing Member in any manner that reasonably reflects the purpose and intention of this Agreement.  Allocations pursuant to this Section 5.05(b), Section 704(c) of the Code (and the principles thereof), and Treasury Regulation 1.704-1(b)(4)(i) are solely for purposes of federal, state, and local taxes and shall not affect, or in any way be taken into account in computing, any Member’s Capital Account or share of Net Income, Net Loss, other items, or distributions pursuant to any provision of this Agreement.

 

(c)                                  Modification of Allocations. The allocations set forth in Section 5.04 and Section 5.05 are intended to comply with certain requirements of the Treasury Regulations. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article V, the

 

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Managing Member shall be authorized to make, in its reasonable discretion, appropriate amendments to the allocations of Net Income and Net Loss (and to individual items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit) pursuant to this Agreement (i) in order to comply with Section 704 of the Code or applicable Treasury Regulations, (ii) to allocate properly Net Income and Net Loss (and individual items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit) to those Members that bear the economic burden or benefit associated therewith and (iii) to cause the Members to achieve the objectives underlying this Agreement as reasonably determined by the Managing Member

 

Section 5.06                             Tax Withholding; Withholding Advances.

 

(a)                                 Tax Withholding.

 

(i)                                     If requested by the Managing Member, each Member shall, if able to do so, deliver to the Managing Member:  (A) an affidavit in form satisfactory to the Company that the applicable Member (or its partners, as the case may be) is not subject to withholding under the provisions of any Applicable Law; (B) any certificate that the Company may reasonably request with respect to any such laws; or (C) any other form or instrument reasonably requested by the Company relating to any Member’s status under such law.  In the event that a Member fails or is unable to deliver to the Company an affidavit described in subclause (A) of this clause (i), the Company may withhold amounts from such Member in accordance with Section 5.06(b).

 

(ii)                                  After receipt of a written request of any Member, the Company shall provide such information to such Member and take such other action as may be reasonably necessary to assist such Member in making any necessary filings, applications or elections to obtain any available exemption from, or any available refund of, any withholding imposed by any foreign taxing authority with respect to amounts distributable or items of income allocable to such Member hereunder to the extent not adverse to the Company or any Member.  In addition, the Company shall, at the request of any Member, make or cause to be made (or cause the Company to make) any such filings, applications or elections; provided that any such requesting Member shall cooperate with the Company, with respect to any such filing, application or election to the extent reasonably determined by the Company and that any filing fees, taxes or other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred and related thereto shall be paid and borne by such requesting Member or, if there is more than one requesting Member, by such requesting Members in accordance with their Relative Percentage Interests.

 

(b)                                 Withholding Advances.  To the extent the Company is required by Applicable Law to withhold or to make tax payments on behalf of or with respect to any Member (e.g., backup withholding) (“Withholding Advances”), the Company may withhold such amounts and make such tax payments as so required.

 

(c)                                  Repayment of Withholding Advances.  All Withholding Advances made on behalf of a Member, plus interest thereon at a rate equal to the Prime Rate as of the date of such Withholding Advances plus 2.0% per annum, shall (i) be paid on demand by the Member on whose behalf such Withholding Advances were made (it

 

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being understood that no such payment shall increase such Member’s Capital Account), or (ii) with the consent of the Managing Member and the affected Member be repaid by reducing the amount of the current or next succeeding distribution or distributions that would otherwise have been made to such Member or, if such distributions are not sufficient for that purpose, by so reducing the proceeds of liquidation otherwise payable to such Member.  Whenever repayment of a Withholding Advance by a Member is made as described in clause (ii) of this Section 5.06(c), for all other purposes of this Agreement such Member shall be treated as having received all distributions (whether before or upon any Dissolution Event) unreduced by the amount of such Withholding Advance and interest thereon.

 

(d)                                 Withholding Advances — Reimbursement of Liabilities.  Each Member hereby agrees to reimburse the Company for any liability with respect to Withholding Advances (including interest thereon) required or made on behalf of or with respect to such Member (including penalties imposed with respect thereto).

 

ARTICLE VI

 

CERTAIN TAX MATTERS

 

Section 6.01                             Partnership Representative.

 

(a)                                 The “Partnership Representative” (as such term is defined under Partnership Audit Provisions) of the Company shall be selected by the Managing Member with the initial Partnership Representative being RocketCo. The Partnership Representative may retain, at the Company’s expense, such outside counsel, accountants and other professional consultants as it may reasonably deem necessary in the course of fulfilling its obligations as the Partnership Representative. The Partnership Representative is authorized to take, and shall determine in its sole discretion whether or not the Company will take, such actions and execute and file all statements and forms on behalf of the Company that are approved by the Managing Member and are permitted or required by the applicable provisions of the Partnership Audit Provisions (including a “push-out” election under Section 6226 of the Code or any analogous election under state or local tax Law). Each Member agrees to cooperate with the Partnership Representative and to use commercially reasonable efforts to do or refrain from doing any or all things requested by the Partnership Representative (including paying any and all resulting taxes, additions to tax, penalties and interest in a timely fashion) in connection with any examination of the Company’s affairs by any federal, state, or local tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings.

 

(b)                                 In the event that the Partnership Representative has not caused the Company to make a “push-out” election pursuant to Section 6226 of the Partnership Audit Provisions, then any “imputed underpayment” (as determined in accordance with Section 6225 of the Partnership Audit Provisions) or partnership adjustment that does not give rise to an imputed underpayment shall be apportioned among the Members of the Company for the taxable year in which the adjustment is finalized in such manner as may be necessary (as determined by the Partnership

 

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Representative in good faith) so that, to the maximum extent possible, the tax and economic consequences of the imputed underpayment or other partnership adjustment and any associated interest and penalties (any such amount, an “Imputed Underpayment Amount”) are borne by the Members based upon their Percentage Interests in the Company for the reviewed year. Imputed Underpayment Amounts also shall include any imputed underpayment within the meaning of Section 6225 of the Partnership Audit Provisions paid (or payable) by any entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes in which the Company holds (or has held) a direct or indirect interest other than through entities treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent that the Company bears the economic burden of such amounts, whether by Applicable Law or contract.

 

(c)                                  Each Member agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company from and against any liability with respect to such Member’s share of any tax deficiency paid or payable by the Company that is allocable to the Member as determined in accordance with Section 6.01(b) with respect to an audited or reviewed taxable year for which such Member was a partner in the Company. Any obligation of a Member pursuant to this Section 6.01(c) shall be implemented through adjustments to distributions otherwise payable to such Member as determined in accordance with Section 5.03; provided, however, that, at the written request of the Partnership Representative, each Member or former Member may be required to contribute to the Company such Member’s Imputed Underpayment Amount imposed on and paid by the Company; provided, further, that if a Member or former Member individually directly pays, pursuant to the Partnership Audit Provisions, any such Imputed Underpayment Amount, then such payment shall reduce any offset to distribution or required capital contribution of such Member or former Member. Any amount withheld from distributions pursuant to this Section 6.01(c) shall be treated as an amount distributed to such Member or former Member for all purposes under this Agreement.  For the avoidance of doubt, the obligations of a Member set forth in this Section 6.01(c) shall survive the withdrawal of a Member from the Company or any Transfer of a Member’s interest.

 

Section 6.02                             Section 754 Election.  The Company has previously made or will make a timely election under Section 754 of the Code (and a corresponding election under state and local law) effective starting with the taxable year ended December 31, 2020, and the Managing Member shall not take any action to revoke such election.

 

Section 6.03                             Debt Allocation.  Indebtedness of the Company treated as “excess nonrecourse liabilities” (as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-3(a)(3)) shall be allocated among the Members based on their Percentage Interests.

 

ARTICLE VII

MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY

 

Section 7.01                             Management by the Managing Member.  Except as otherwise specifically set forth in this Agreement, the Managing Member shall be deemed to be a “manager” for purposes of applying the Michigan Act.  Except as

 

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expressly provided in this Agreement or the Michigan Act, the day-to-day business and affairs of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be managed, operated and controlled by the Managing Member in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and no other Members shall have management authority or rights over the Company or its Subsidiaries.  The Managing Member is, to the extent of its rights and powers set forth in this Agreement, an agent of the Company for the purpose of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ business, and the actions of the Managing Member taken in accordance with such rights and powers, shall bind the Company (and no other Members shall have such right).  Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, the Managing Member shall have all necessary powers to carry out the purposes, business, and objectives of the Company and its Subsidiaries.  The Managing Member may delegate to Members, employees, officers or agents of the Company or any Subsidiary in its discretion the authority to sign agreements and other documents on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

Section 7.02                             Withdrawal of the Managing Member.  RocketCo may withdraw as the Managing Member and appoint as its successor at any time upon written notice to the Company (i) any wholly-owned Subsidiary of RocketCo, (ii) any Person of which RocketCo is a wholly-owned Subsidiary, (iii) any Person into which RocketCo is merged or consolidated or (iv) any transferee of all or substantially all of the assets of RocketCo, which withdrawal and replacement shall be effective upon the delivery of such notice.  No appointment of a Person other than RocketCo (or its successor, as applicable) as Managing Member shall be effective unless RocketCo (or its successor, as applicable) and the new Managing Member (as applicable) provide all other Members with contractual rights, directly enforceable by such other Members against the new Managing Member, to cause the new Managing Member to comply with all the Managing Member’s obligations under this Agreement and the Exchange Agreement.

 

Section 7.03                             Decisions by the Members.

 

(a)                                 Other than the Managing Member, the Members shall take no part in the management of the Company’s business, shall transact no business for the Company and shall have no power to act for or to bind the Company; provided, however, that the Company may engage any Member or principal, partner, member, shareholder or interest holder thereof as an employee, independent contractor or consultant to the Company, in which event the duties and liabilities of such individual or firm with respect to the Company as an employee, independent contractor or consultant shall be governed by the terms of such engagement with the Company.

 

(b)                                 Except as expressly provided herein, neither the Members nor any class of Members shall have the power or authority to vote, approve or consent to any matter or action taken by the Company.  Except as otherwise provided herein, any proposed matter or action subject to the vote, approval or consent of the Members or any class of Members shall require the approval of (i) a majority in interest of the Members or such class of Members, as the case may be (by (x) resolution at a duly convened meeting of the Members or such class of Members, as the case may be, or (y) written consent of the Members or such class of Members, as the case may be) and (ii) except with respect

 

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to any approval or other rights expressly granted to the Rock Members, the Managing Member.  Except as expressly provided herein, all Members shall vote together as a single class on any matter subject to the vote, approval or consent of the Members (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, any vote, approval or consent of any class of Members).  In the case of any such approval, a majority in interest of the Members or any class of Members, as the case may be, may call a meeting of the Members or such class of Members at such time and place or by means of telephone or other communications facility that permits all persons participating in such meeting to hear and speak to each other for the purpose of a vote thereon.  Notice of any such meeting shall be required, which notice shall include a brief description of the action or actions to be considered by the Members or such class of Members, as the case may be.  Unless waived by any such Member in writing, notice of any such meeting shall be given to each Member or Member of such class, as the case may be, at least four (4) days prior thereto.  Attendance or participation of a Member at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when such Member attends or participates in the meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning thereof to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not properly called or convened.  Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Members may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing, setting forth the actions so taken, shall be signed by Members sufficient to approve such action pursuant to this Section 7.03(b).  A copy of any such consent in writing will be provided to the Members promptly thereafter.

 

Section 7.04                             Fiduciary Duties.

 

(a)                                 (i) The Managing Member shall, in its capacity as Managing Member, and not in any other capacity, have the same fiduciary duties to the Company and the Members as a member of the board of directors of a Delaware corporation (assuming such corporation had in its certificate of incorporation (A) a provision eliminating the liabilities of directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL and (B) a provision renouncing the right of such corporation to business opportunities to the maximum extent permitted by the certificate of incorporation of RocketCo); (ii) any member of the Board of Directors of RocketCo that is an officer of RocketCo or the Company shall, in its capacity as director, and not in any other capacity, have the same fiduciary duties to RocketCo as a member of the board of directors of a Delaware corporation (assuming such corporation had in its certificate of incorporation (A) a provision eliminating the liabilities of directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL and (B) a provision renouncing the right of such corporation to business opportunities to the maximum extent permitted by the certificate of incorporation of RocketCo); and (iii) each Officer and each officer of RocketCo shall, in their capacity as such, and not in any other capacity, have the same fiduciary duties to the Company and the Members (in the case of any Officer) or RocketCo (in the case of any officer of RocketCo) as an officer of a Delaware corporation (assuming such corporation had in its certificate of incorporation (A) a provision eliminating the liabilities of directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL and (B) a provision renouncing the right of such corporation to business opportunities to the maximum extent permitted by the certificate of incorporation of RocketCo).  For the avoidance of doubt, the fiduciary

 

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duties described in clause (i) above shall not be limited by the fact that the Managing Member shall be permitted to take certain actions in its sole or reasonable discretion pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any agreement entered into in connection herewith.  Each of the Rock Members shall have the exclusive right to enforce the rights and duties, or to waive such rights and duties, set forth in this Section 7.07(a), in each case so long as such Rock Member meets the Limited Ownership Minimum.

 

(b)                                 The parties acknowledge that the Managing Member will take action through its board of directors, and that the members of the Managing Member’s board of directors will owe fiduciary duties to the stockholders of the Managing Member.  The Managing Member will use all commercially reasonable and appropriate efforts and means, as determined in good faith by the Managing Member, to minimize any conflict of interest between the Members, on the one hand, and the stockholders of the Managing Member, on the other hand, and to effectuate any transaction that involves or affects any of the Company, the Managing Member, the Members or the stockholders of the Managing Member in a manner that does not (i) disadvantage the Members or their interests relative to the stockholders of the Managing Member or (ii) advantage the stockholders of the Managing Member relative to the Members or (iii) treats the Members and the stockholders of the Managing Member differently; provided that in the event of a conflict between the interests of the stockholders of the Managing Member and the interests of the Members other than the Managing Member, such other Members agree that the Managing Member shall discharge its fiduciary duties to such other Members by acting in the best interests of the Managing Member’s stockholders.  Each of the Rock Members shall have the exclusive right to enforce the rights and duties, or to waive such rights and duties, set forth in this Section 7.04(b), so long as such Rock Member meets the Limited Ownership Minimum.

 

(c)                                  Without prior written consent of each Rock Member (in each case so long as such Rock Member owns any Owned Shares), the Managing Member will not engage in any business activity other than the direct or indirect management and ownership of the Company and its Subsidiaries, or own any assets (other than on a temporary basis) other than securities of the Company and its Subsidiaries (whether directly or indirectly held) or any cash or other property or assets distributed by or otherwise received from the Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with this Agreement, provided that the Managing Member may take any action (including incurring its own Indebtedness) or own any asset if it determines in good faith that such actions or ownership are in the best interest of the Company.

 

Section 7.05                             Officers.

 

(a)                                 Appointment of Officers.  The Managing Member may appoint individuals as officers (“Officers”) of the Company, which may include such officers as the Managing Member determines are necessary and appropriate.  No Officer need be a Member.  An individual may be appointed to more than one office.

 

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(b)                                 Authority of Officers.  The Officers shall have the duties, rights, powers and authority as may be prescribed by the Managing Member from time to time.

 

(c)                                  Removal, Resignation and Filling of Vacancy of Officers.  The Managing Member may remove any Officer, for any reason or for no reason, at any time.  Any Officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Company, and such resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or any later time specified in that notice; provided that, unless otherwise specified in that notice, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.  Any such resignation shall be without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Company or such Officer under this Agreement.  A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal or otherwise shall be filled by the Managing Member.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

TRANSFERS OF INTERESTS

 

Section 8.01                             Restrictions on Transfers.

 

(a)                                 Except as expressly permitted by Section 8.02, and subject to Section 8.01(b), Section 8.01(c) and Section 8.01(d), any underwriter lock-up agreement applicable to such Member or any other agreement between such Member and the Company, RocketCo or any of their controlled Affiliates, without the prior written approval of the Managing Member, no Member shall directly or indirectly Transfer all or any part of its Units or any right or economic interest pertaining thereto, including the right to vote or consent on any matter or to receive or have any economic interest in distributions or advances from the Company pursuant thereto.  Any such Transfer which is not in compliance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed a Transfer by such Member of Units in violation of this Agreement (and a breach of this Agreement by such Member) and shall be null and void ab initio.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VIII, (i) the Exchange Agreement shall govern the exchange of Paired Interests for shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, and an exchange pursuant to and in accordance with the Exchange Agreement shall not be considered a “Transfer” for purposes of this Agreement, (ii) the certificate of incorporation of RocketCo shall govern the conversion of Class B Common Stock to Class A Common Stock and the conversion of Class D Common Stock to Class C Common Stock, and a conversion pursuant to and in accordance with the certificate of incorporation of RocketCo shall not be considered a “Transfer” for purposes of this Agreement, (iii) a Transfer of Registrable Securities (as such term is defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement shall not be considered a “Transfer” for the purposes of the Agreement and (iv) any other Transfer of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock shall not be considered a “Transfer” for purposes of this Agreement.

 

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(b)                                 Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, it shall be a condition precedent to any Transfer otherwise permitted or approved pursuant to this Article VIII that:

 

(i)                                     the Transferor shall have provided to the Company prior notice of such Transfer;

 

(ii)                                  the Transfer shall comply with all Applicable Laws; and

 

(iii)                               with respect to any Transfer of any Common Unit that constitutes a portion of a Paired Interest, concurrently with such Transfer, such Transferor shall also Transfer to such Transferee the number of shares of Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock, as the case may be, constituting the remainder of such Paired Interest (which, as of the date hereof, would be one share of Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock, as the case may be).

 

(c)                                  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, no Member shall directly or indirectly Transfer all or any part of its Units or any right or economic interest pertaining thereto if such Transfer, in the reasonable discretion of the Managing Member, would cause the Company to be classified as a “publicly traded partnership” as that term is defined in Section 7704 of the Code and Regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(d)                                 Any Transfer of Units pursuant to this Agreement, including this Article VIII, shall be subject to the provisions of Section 3.01 and Section 3.02.

 

Section 8.02                             Certain Permitted Transfers.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the following Transfers shall be permitted:

 

(a)                                 Any Transfer by any Member of its Units pursuant to a RocketCo Offer (as such term is defined in the Exchange Agreement);

 

(b)                                 At any time, any Permitted Transfer; provided that such Transfer, alone or together with other Transfers by any Rock Member and any Transferee thereof, would not result in the all Rock Members and their Transferees, in the aggregate, representing at any time more than fifty partners for the purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.7704-1(h)(1)(ii), including the application of the anti-avoidance rule of Treasury Regulation Section 1.7704-1(h)(3), excluding RocketCo from the fifty partners and treating RHI as one partner for purposes of this Section 8.02(b); or

 

(c)                                  At any time, any Transfer by any Member (other than any Rock Member) of Units to any Transferee (i) previously approved in writing by the Company prior to the Reorganization or (ii) approved in writing by the Managing Member (not to be unreasonably withheld), it being understood that it shall be reasonable for the Managing Member to withhold such consent if the Managing Member reasonably determines that such Transfer would materially increase the risk that the Company would

 

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be classified as a “publicly traded partnership” as that term is defined in Section 7704 of the Code and Regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Section 8.03                             Registration of Transfers.  When any Units are Transferred in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall cause such Transfer to be registered on the books of the Company.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

LIMITATION ON LIABILITY, EXCULPATION
AND INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 9.01                             Limitation on Liability.  The debts, obligations and liabilities of the Company, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, shall be solely the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Company, and no Covered Person shall be obligated personally for any such debt, obligation or liability of the Company; provided that the foregoing shall not alter a Member’s obligation to return funds wrongfully distributed to it.

 

Section 9.02                             Exculpation and Indemnification.

 

(a)                                 Subject to the duties of the Managing Member and Officers set forth in Section 7.04, neither the Managing Member nor any other Covered Person described in clause (iii) of the definition thereof shall be liable, including under any legal or equitable theory of fiduciary duty or other theory of liability, to the Company or to any other Covered Person for any losses, claims, damages or liabilities incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such Covered Person in good faith on behalf of the Company.  There shall be, and each Covered Person shall be entitled to, a presumption that such Covered Person acted in good faith.

 

(b)                                 A Covered Person shall be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the records of the Company and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Company by any Person as to matters the Covered Person reasonably believes are within such Person’s professional or expert competence.

 

(c)                                  The Company shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Covered Person against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, expenses (including all reasonable out-of-pocket fees and expenses of counsel and other advisors), judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, in which such Covered Person may be involved or become subject to, in connection with any matter arising out of or in connection with the Company’s business or affairs, or this Agreement or any related document, unless such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense, judgment, fine, settlement or other amount (i) is as a result of a Covered Person not acting in good faith on behalf of the Company or arose as a result of the willful commission by such Covered Person of any act that is dishonest and materially injurious to the Company or (ii) results from the breach by any Member (in such capacity) of its contractual obligations under this Agreement.  If any Covered

 

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Person becomes involved in any capacity in any action, suit, proceeding or investigation in connection with any matter arising out of or in connection with the Company’s business or affairs, or this Agreement or any related document, other than by reason of a Covered Person not acting in good faith on behalf of the Company or by reason of the willful commission by such Covered Person of any act that is dishonest and materially injurious to the Company, the Company shall reimburse such Covered Person for its reasonable legal and other reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including the cost of any investigation and preparation) as they are incurred in connection therewith; provided that such Covered Person shall promptly repay to the Company the amount of any such reimbursed expenses paid to it if it shall be finally judicially determined that such Covered Person was not entitled to indemnification by, or contribution from, the Company in connection with such action, suit, proceeding or investigation.  If for any reason (other than by reason of a Covered Person not acting in good faith on behalf of the Company or by reason of the willful commission by such Covered Person of any act that is dishonest and materially injurious to the Company) the foregoing indemnification is unavailable to such Covered Person, or insufficient to hold it harmless, then the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Covered Person as a result of such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense, judgment, fine, settlement or other amount in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect any relevant equitable considerations.  There shall be, and each Covered Person shall be entitled to, a rebuttable presumption that such Covered Person acted in good faith.

 

(d)                                 The obligations of the Company under Section 9.02(c) shall be satisfied solely out of and to the extent of the Company’s assets, and no Covered Person shall have any personal liability on account thereof.

 

(e)                                  Given that certain Jointly Indemnifiable Claims may arise by reason of the service of a Covered Person to the Company or as a director, trustee, officer, partner, member, manager, employee, consultant, fiduciary or agent of other corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, joint ventures, trusts, employee benefit plans or other enterprises controlled by the Company (collectively, the “Controlled Entities”), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in any such capacity, the Company acknowledges and agrees that the Company shall, and to the extent applicable shall cause the Controlled Entities to, be fully and primarily responsible for the payment to the Covered Person in respect of indemnification or advancement of all out-of-pocket costs of any type or nature whatsoever (including, without limitation, all attorneys’ fees and related disbursements) in each case, actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of a Covered Person in connection with either the investigation, defense or appeal of a claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding or establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification under this Agreement or otherwise incurred in connection with a claim that is indemnifiable hereunder (collectively, “Expenses”) in connection with any such Jointly Indemnifiable Claim, pursuant to and in accordance with (as applicable) the terms of (i) the Michigan Act, (ii) this Agreement, (iii) any other agreement between the Company or any Controlled Entity and the Covered Person pursuant to which the Covered Person is indemnified, (iv) the laws of the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of any Controlled Entity or (v) the certificate

 

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of incorporation, certificate of organization, bylaws, partnership agreement, operating agreement, certificate of formation, certificate of limited partnership, certificate of qualification or other organizational or governing documents of any Controlled Entity ((i) through (v) collectively, the “Indemnification Sources”), irrespective of any right of recovery the Covered Person may have from the Indemnitee-Related Entities.  Under no circumstance shall the Company or any Controlled Entity be entitled to any right of subrogation or contribution by the Indemnitee-Related Entities and no right of advancement or recovery the Covered Person may have from the Indemnitee-Related Entities shall reduce or otherwise alter the rights of the Covered Person or the obligations of the Company or any Controlled Entity under the Indemnification Sources.  In the event that any of the Indemnitee-Related Entities shall make any payment to the Covered Person in respect of indemnification or advancement of Expenses with respect to any Jointly Indemnifiable Claim, (i) the Company shall, and to the extent applicable shall cause the Controlled Entities to, reimburse the Indemnitee-Related Entity making such payment to the extent of such payment promptly upon written demand from such Indemnitee-Related Entity, (ii) to the extent not previously and fully reimbursed by the Company or any Controlled Entity pursuant to clause (i), the Indemnitee-Related Entity making such payment shall be subrogated to the extent of the outstanding balance of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Covered Person against the Company or any Controlled Entity, as applicable, and (iii) the Covered Person 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.  The Company and the Covered Person agree that each of the Indemnitee-Related Entities shall be third-party beneficiaries with respect to this Section 9.02(e), entitled to enforce this Section 9.02(e) as though each such Indemnitee-Related Entity were a party to this Agreement.  The Company shall cause each of the Controlled Entities to perform the terms and obligations of this Section 9.02(e) as though each such Controlled Entity was the “Company” under this Agreement.  For purposes of this Section 9.02(e), the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

(i)                                     The term “Indemnitee-Related Entities” means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise (other than the Company, any Controlled Entity or the insurer under and pursuant to an insurance policy of the Company or any Controlled Entity) from whom a Covered Person may be entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses with respect to which, in whole or in part, the Company or any Controlled Entity may also have an indemnification or advancement obligation.

 

(ii)                                  The term “Jointly Indemnifiable Claims” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding for which the Covered Person shall be entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses from both (i) the Company or any Controlled Entity pursuant to the Indemnification Sources, on the one hand, and (ii) any Indemnitee-Related Entity pursuant to any other agreement between any Indemnitee-Related Entity and the Covered Person pursuant to which the Covered Person is indemnified, the laws of the jurisdiction

 

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of incorporation or organization of any Indemnitee-Related Entity or the certificate of incorporation, certificate of organization, bylaws, partnership agreement, operating agreement, certificate of formation, certificate of limited partnership or other organizational or governing documents of any Indemnitee-Related Entity, on the other hand.

 

ARTICLE X

 

DISSOLUTION AND TERMINATION

 

Section 10.01                      Dissolution.

 

(a)                                 The Company shall not be dissolved by the admission of Additional Members or Substitute Members pursuant to Section 3.02.

 

(b)                                 No Member shall (i) resign from the Company prior to the dissolution and winding up of the Company except in connection with a Transfer of Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or (ii) take any action to dissolve, terminate or liquidate the Company or to require apportionment, appraisal or partition of the Company or any of its assets, or to file a bill for an accounting, except as specifically provided in this Agreement, and each Member, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, hereby waives any rights to take any such actions under Applicable Law, including any right to petition a court for judicial dissolution under Section 450.4802 of the Michigan Act.

 

(c)                                  The Company shall be dissolved and its business wound up only upon the earliest to occur of any one of the following events (each a “Dissolution Event”):

 

(i)                                     The expiration of forty-five (45) days after the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all the assets of the Company; or

 

(ii)                                  upon the approval of the Managing Member.

 

(d)                                 The death, retirement, resignation, expulsion, bankruptcy, insolvency or dissolution of a Member or the occurrence of any other event that terminates the continued membership of a Member of the Company shall not in and of itself cause dissolution of the Company.

 

Section 10.02                      Winding Up of the Company.

 

(a)                                 The Managing Member shall promptly notify the other Members of any Dissolution Event.  Upon dissolution, the Company’s business shall be liquidated in an orderly manner.  The Managing Member shall appoint a liquidating trustee to wind up the affairs of the Company pursuant to this Agreement.  In performing its duties, the liquidating trustee is authorized to sell, distribute, exchange or otherwise dispose of the assets of the Company in accordance with the Delaware Act and in any

 

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reasonable manner that the liquidating trustee shall determine to be in the best interest of the Members.

 

(b)                                 The proceeds of the liquidation of the Company shall be distributed in the following order and priority:

 

(i)                                     first, to the creditors (including any Members or their respective Affiliates that are creditors) of the Company in satisfaction of all of the Company’s liabilities (whether by payment or by making reasonable provision for payment thereof, including the setting up of any reserves which are, in the judgment of the liquidating trustee, reasonably necessary therefor); and

 

(ii)                                  second, to the Members in the same manner as distributions under Section 5.03(b), subject to Section 5.03(e).

 

(c)                                  Distribution of Property.  In the event it becomes necessary in connection with the liquidation of the Company to make a distribution of Property in-kind, subject to the priority set forth in Section 10.02, the liquidating trustee shall have the right to compel each Member to accept a distribution of any Property in-kind (with such Property, as a percentage of the total liquidating distributions to such Member, corresponding as nearly as possible to such Member’s Percentage Interest), with such distribution being based upon the amount of cash that would be distributed to such Members if such Property were sold for an amount of cash equal to the fair market value of such Property, as determined by the liquidating trustee in good faith, subject to the last sentence of Section 5.03(d).

 

Section 10.03                      Termination.  The Company shall terminate when all of the assets of the Company, after payment of or reasonable provision for the payment of all debts and liabilities of the Company, shall have been distributed to the Members in the manner provided for in this Article X, and the articles of organization of the Company shall have been cancelled in the manner required by the Michigan Act.

 

Section 10.04                      Survival.  Termination, dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company for any reason shall not release any party from any liability which at the time of such termination, dissolution, liquidation or winding up already had accrued to any other party or which thereafter may accrue in respect to any act or omission prior to such termination, dissolution, liquidation or winding up.

 

ARTICLE XI

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 11.01                      Expenses.  Other than as set forth in Section 4.11 of the Reorganization Agreement, all costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such cost or expense.

 

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Section 11.02                      Further Assurances.  Each Member agrees to execute, acknowledge, deliver, file and record such further certificates, amendments, instruments and documents, and to do all such other acts and things, as may be required by Applicable Law or as, in the reasonable judgment of the Managing Member, may be necessary or advisable to carry out the intent and purposes of this Agreement.

 

Section 11.03                      Notices.  All notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile transmission and electronic mail (“e-mail”) transmission, so long as a receipt of such e-mail is requested and received) and shall be given to such party at the address, facsimile number or e-mail address specified for such party on the Member Schedule 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. 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.

 

Section 11.04                      Binding Effect; Benefit; Assignment.

 

(a)                                 The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  No provision of this Agreement is intended to confer any rights, benefits, remedies, obligations or liabilities hereunder upon any Person other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

 

(b)                                 Except as provided in Article VIII, no Member may assign, delegate or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the consent of the Managing Member (it being understood that any Rock Member may assign, delegate or otherwise transfer such rights or obligations without such consent to Permitted Transferees).

 

Section 11.05                      Jurisdiction.

 

(a)                                 The exclusive venues for all disputes arising out of this Agreement shall be the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan (the “Agreed-Upon Venues”), and no other venues.  The parties stipulate that the Agreement is an arms-length transaction entered into by sophisticated parties, and that the Agreed-Upon Venues are convenient, are not unreasonable, unfair, or unjust, and will not deprive any party of any remedy to which it may be entitled.  The parties agree to consent to the dismissal of any action arising out of this Agreement that may be filed in a venue other than one of the Agreed-Upon Venues; the reasonable legal fees and costs of the party seeking dismissal for improper venue will be paid by the party that filed suit in the improper venue.

 

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Without limiting the foregoing, each party agrees that service of process on such party as provided in Section 11.03 shall be deemed effective service of process on such party.

 

(b)                                 EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE MEMBERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY DESIGNATES THE CORPORATION TRUST COMPANY (IN SUCH CAPACITY, THE “PROCESS AGENT”), WITH AN OFFICE AT THE CORPORATION COMPANY, 40600 ANN ARBOR ROAD EAST, SUITE 201, PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN 48170, AS ITS DESIGNEE, APPOINTEE AND AGENT TO RECEIVE, FOR AND ON ITS BEHALF SERVICE OF PROCESS IN SUCH JURISDICTION IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDINGS WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER AGREEMENT EXECUTED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, AND SUCH SERVICE SHALL BE DEEMED COMPLETE UPON DELIVERY THEREOF TO THE PROCESS AGENT; PROVIDED THAT IN THE CASE OF ANY SUCH SERVICE UPON THE PROCESS AGENT, THE PARTY EFFECTING SUCH SERVICE SHALL ALSO DELIVER A COPY THEREOF TO EACH OTHER SUCH PARTY IN THE MANNER PROVIDED IN SECTION 11.03 OF THIS AGREEMENT.  EACH PARTY SHALL TAKE ALL SUCH ACTION AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO CONTINUE SAID APPOINTMENT IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT OR TO APPOINT ANOTHER AGENT SO THAT SUCH PARTY SHALL AT ALL TIMES HAVE AN AGENT FOR SERVICE OF PROCESS FOR THE ABOVE PURPOSES IN WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.  NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.  EACH PARTY EXPRESSLY ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE FOREGOING WAIVER IS INTENDED TO BE IRREVOCABLE UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

 

Section 11.06                      Counterparts.  This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.  Until and unless each party has received a counterpart hereof signed by the other party hereto, this Agreement shall have no effect and no party shall have any right or obligation hereunder (whether by virtue of any other oral or written agreement or other communication).

 

Section 11.07                      Entire Agreement.  This Agreement and the other Reorganization Documents constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, both oral and written, between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement.  Nothing in this Agreement shall create any third-party beneficiary rights in favor of any Person or other party, except to the extent provided herein with respect to Indemnitee-Related Entities, each of whom are intended third-party beneficiaries of those provisions that specifically relate to them with the right to enforce such provisions as if they were a party hereto.

 

Section 11.08                      Severability.  If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other Governmental Authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,

 

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covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party.  Upon such a determination, the parties shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.

 

Section 11.09                      Amendment.

 

(a)                                 This Agreement can be amended at any time and from time to time by the Managing Member; provided, in addition to the approval of the Managing Member, no amendment to this Agreement may:

 

(i)                                     without the prior written consent of each Rock Member, (x) adversely modify the limited liability of any Rock Member set forth in Section 5.01, Section 5.02, Section 5.04, Section 5.05, Section 5.06, Section 6.01(c), Section 6.03, Section 9.01, Section 9.02 or Section 11.01, or otherwise modify in any material respect the limited liability of any Rock Member, or adversely increase the liabilities or obligations (other than de minimis liabilities or obligations) of any Rock Member or (y) adversely modify the express rights of any Rock Member set forth in Section 3.01(a), Section 3.03(c)(ii), Section 3.04, Article IV, Section 5.03(e), Section 7.03(b), Section 7.04 and this Section 11.09 (in the case of clause (y), only so long as such Rock Member is entitled to such express rights);

 

(ii)                                  adversely modify in any material respect the Units (or the rights, preferences or privileges of the Units) then held by any Members in any materially disproportionate manner to those then held by any other Members without the prior written consent of a majority in interest of such disproportionately affected Member or Members.

 

(b)                                 For the avoidance of doubt, the Managing Member, acting alone, may amend this Agreement, including the Member Schedule, (x) to reflect the admission of new Members or Transfers of Units, each as provided by and in accordance with, the terms of this Agreement, (y) to effect any subdivisions or combinations of Units made in compliance with Section 4.02(c) and (z) to issue additional Common Units or any new class of Units (whether or not pari passu with the Common Units) in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and to provide that the Members being issued such new Units be entitled to the rights provided to the Rock Members with respect to all or a portion of the provisions applicable thereto hereunder and any other rights that do not diminish or eliminate any of the express rights of the Rock Members described in Section 11.09(a)(i)(y).

 

(c)                                  No waiver of any provision or default under, nor consent to any exception to, the terms of this Agreement or any agreement contemplated hereby shall be effective unless in writing and signed by the party to be bound and then only to the specific purpose, extent and instance so provided.

 

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Section 11.10                      Confidentiality.

 

(a)                                 Each Member shall, and shall direct those of its Affiliates and their respective directors, officers, members, stockholders, partners, employees, attorneys, accountants, consultants, trustees and other advisors (the “Member Parties”) who have access to Confidential Information to, keep confidential and not disclose any Confidential Information to any Person other than a Member Party who agrees to keep such Confidential Information confidential in accordance with this Section 11.10, in each case without the express consent, in the case of Confidential Information acquired from the Company, of the Managing Member or, in the case of Confidential Information acquired from another Member, such other Member, unless:

 

(i)                                     such disclosure is required by Applicable Law;

 

(ii)                                  such disclosure is reasonably required in connection with any tax audit involving the Company or any Member or its Affiliates;

 

(iii)                               such disclosure is reasonably required in connection with any litigation against or involving the Company or any Member; or

 

(iv)                              such disclosure is reasonably required in connection with any proposed Transfer of all or any part of such Member’s Units in the Company; provided that with respect to any such use of any Confidential Information referred to in this clause (iv), advance notice must be given to the Managing Member so that it may require any proposed Transferee that is not a Member to enter into a confidentiality agreement with terms substantially similar to the terms of this Section 11.10 (excluding this clause (iv)) prior to the disclosure of such Confidential Information.

 

(b)                                 Confidential Information” means any information related to the activities of the Company, the Members and their respective Affiliates that an Member may acquire from the Company or the Members, other than information that (i) is already available through publicly available sources of information (other than as a result of disclosure by such Member), (ii) was available to a Member on a non-confidential basis prior to its disclosure to such Member by the Company, or (iii) becomes available to a Member on a non-confidential basis from a third party, provided such third party is not known by such Member, after reasonable inquiry, to be bound by this Agreement or another confidentiality agreement with the Company.  Such Confidential Information may include information that pertains or relates to the business and affairs of any other Member or any other Company matters.  Confidential Information may be used by a Member and its Member Parties only in connection with Company matters and in connection with the maintenance of its interest in the Company.

 

(c)                                  In the event that any Member or any Member Parties of such Member is required to disclose any of the Confidential Information, such Member shall use reasonable efforts to provide the Company with prompt written notice so that the Company may seek a protective order or other appropriate remedy or waive compliance with the provisions of this Agreement, and such Member shall use reasonable

 

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efforts to cooperate with the Company in any effort any such Person undertakes to obtain a protective order or other remedy.  In the event that such protective order or other remedy is not obtained, or that the Company waives compliance with the provisions of this Section 11.10, such Member and its Member Parties shall furnish only that portion of the Confidential Information that is legally required and shall exercise all reasonable efforts to obtain reasonably reliable assurance that the Confidential Information shall be accorded confidential treatment.

 

(d)                                 Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, each Member may disclose to any persons the U.S. federal income tax treatment and tax structure of the Company and the transactions set out in the Reorganization Agreement.  For this purpose, “tax structure” is limited to any facts relevant to the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the Company and does not include information relating to the identity of the Company or any Member.

 

Section 11.11                      Governing Law.  This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Michigan without giving effect to choice of law principles that would require the application of the laws of another state.

 

[signature pages follow]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amended and Restated Operating Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first written above.

 

 

 

RKT HOLDINGS, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

ROCK HOLDINGS INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

DANIEL GILBERT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

[Signature Page to the Second Amended and Restated
Operating Agreement of RKT Holdings, LLC]

 




Exhibit 10.6

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.
2020 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

 

1.                                      Purpose.  The purpose of the Rocket Companies, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”) is to (i) attract and retain individuals to serve as employees, consultants or Directors (collectively, the “Service Providers”) of Rocket Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (together with its Subsidiaries, whether existing or thereafter acquired or formed, and any and all successor entities, the “Company”) and its Affiliates by providing them the opportunity to acquire an equity interest in the Company or other incentive compensation and (ii) align the interests of the Service Providers with those of the Company’s stockholders.

 

2.                                      Effective Date; Duration.  The Plan shall be effective as of the effective date of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Date”).  The expiration date of the Plan, on and after which date no Awards may be granted under the Plan, 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 (i) any person or entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company and/or (ii) to the extent provided by the Committee, any person or entity in which the Company has a significant interest.  The term “control”, 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, individually or collectively, 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 any agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing any Award granted under the Plan (including, in each case, in electronic form), which may, but need not, be executed or acknowledged by a Participant (as determined by the Committee).

 

(d)                                 Award Transfer Program” means any program approved by the Committee which would permit Participants the opportunity to transfer any outstanding Awards to a financial institution or other person or entity selected by the Committee.

 

(e)                                  Beneficial Ownership” has the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under Section 13 of the Exchange Act.

 

(f)                                   Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(g)                                  Cause” means, unless the applicable Award Agreement states otherwise, (A) the Participant’s conviction of, or entry of a plea of no contest to a felony (or the equivalent of a felony in a jurisdiction other than the United States), (B) the Participant’s gross negligence or willful misconduct, or a willful failure to attempt in good faith to substantially perform his or her duties

 

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(other than due to physical illness or incapacity), (C) the Participant’s material breach of a material provision of any employment agreement, consulting agreement, directorship agreement or similar services agreement or offer letter between the Participant and the Company or any of its Affiliates, or any non-competition, non-disclosure or non-solicitation agreement with the Company or any of its Affiliates, (D) the Participant’s material violation of any material written policies adopted by the Company or any of its Affiliates governing the conduct of persons performing services on behalf of the Company or any of its Affiliates, (E) the Participant’s fraud or misappropriation, embezzlement or material misuse of funds or property belonging to the Company or any of its Affiliates, or (F) willful or reckless misconduct in respect of the Participant’s obligations to the Company or its Affiliates or other acts of misconduct by the Participant occurring during the course of the Participant’s employment or service that in either case results in or could reasonably be expected to result in material damage to the property, business or reputation of the Company or its Affiliates.  The determination of whether Cause exists shall be made by the Committee in good faith in its sole discretion upon, or within 60 days following, termination of the Participant’s employment or service based on information available to the Committee through such 60-day period.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, Cause shall not exist unless the Participant has first received a written notice from the Company which sets forth in reasonable detail the circumstances giving rise to Cause and the Participant shall have a period of 30 days to cure (if capable of cure).

 

(h)                                 Change in Control” means, unless the applicable Award Agreement or the Committee provides 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 of 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, Permitted Holders 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 24-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 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

 

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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, the Permitted Holder Group or Permitted Holders (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 and (B) no Person (other than RHI, the Permitted Holder Group, Permitted Holders or 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).

 

(i)                                     Class D Share” means a share of Class D common stock of the Company, par value of $0.00001 per share.

 

(j)                                    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.

 

(k)                                 Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or subcommittee thereof or, if no such committee or subcommittee thereof exists, or if the Board otherwise takes action hereunder on behalf of the Committee, the Board.

 

(l)                                     Common Stock” means the Class A common stock of the Company, par value of $0.00001 per share.

 

(m)                             Company” has the meaning set forth in Section 1 of the Plan.

 

(n)                                 Deferred Award” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 13 of the Plan.

 

(o)                                 Director” means any member of the Company’s Board.

 

(p)                                 Disability” means, unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, cause for termination of a Participant’s employment or service due to a determination that a 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.

 

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(q)                                 $” shall refer to the United States dollars.

 

(r)                                    Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.

 

(s)                                   Eligible Director” means a Director who satisfies the conditions set forth in Section 4(a) of the Plan.

 

(t)                                    Eligible Person” means any (i) individual employed by the Company or an Affiliate, (ii) any Director or officer of the Company or an Affiliate, (iii) consultant or advisor to the Company or an Affiliate, or (iv) prospective employee, Director, officer, consultant or advisor who has accepted an offer of employment or service 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 an Affiliate.

 

(u)                                 ESPP” means the Rocket Companies, Inc. 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

 

(v)                                 Employment Agreement” means any employment, severance, consulting or similar agreement (including any offer letter) between the Company or any Subsidiary and a Participant.

 

(w)                               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.

 

(x)                                 Fair Market Value” means, (i) with respect to a Share of 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 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 granted on or with a date of grant of the pricing of the Company’s initial public offering (if any), “Fair Market Value” shall be equal to the per Share price the Common Stock is offered to the public in connection with such initial public offering.

 

(y)                                 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.

 

(z)                                  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.

 

(aa)                          Immediate Family Members” has the meaning set forth in Section 15(b)(ii) of the Plan.

 

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(bb)                          Indemnifiable Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(e) of the Plan.

 

(cc)                            NYSE” means The New York Stock Exchange.

 

(dd)                          Nonqualified Stock Option” means an Option that is not designated by the Committee as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(ee)                            Option” means an Award granted under Section 7 of the Plan.

 

(ff)                              Option Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(c) of the Plan.

 

(gg)                            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.

 

(hh)                          Other Stock-Based Award” means an Award granted under Section 10 of the Plan.

 

(ii)                                  Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(a) of the Plan.

 

(jj)                                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 revenues; (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; or (xxvi)  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 Company and/or one or more Affiliates as a whole or any divisions or operational and/or business units, product lines, brands, business segments,

 

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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.

 

(kk)                          Permitted Holder Group” means any group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) the members of which include any of the Permitted Holders specified in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of the definition of “Permitted Holders” and that, directly or indirectly, hold or acquire Beneficial Ownership of the voting stock of Rocket Companies, Inc., so long as (1) each member of the Permitted Holder Group has voting rights proportional to the percentage of ownership interests held or acquired by such member (or more favorable voting rights, in the case of any Permitted Holders specified in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of the definition of “Permitted Holders”) and (2) no person or other “group” (other than Permitted Holders specified in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of the definition of “Permitted Holders”) beneficially owns more than 50% on a fully diluted basis of the voting stock held by the Permitted Holder Group.

 

(ll)                                  Permitted Holders” means, at any time, each of (i) Daniel Gilbert, his spouse, children (natural or adopted), lineal descendants or the estates, heirs, executors, personal representatives, successors or administrators upon or as a result of the death, incapacity or incompetency of such Person, or any trust established for the benefit of (or any charitable trust or non-profit entity established by) any Gilbert family member mentioned in this clause (i), or any trustee, protector or similar person of such trust or non-profit entity or any Person, directly or indirectly, controlling, controlled by or under common control with any Permitted Holder mentioned in this clause (i), (ii) Jay Farner, his spouse, children (natural or adopted), lineal descendants or heirs, or any trust established for the benefit of (or any charitable trust or non-profit entity established by) any Farner family member mentioned in this clause (ii), or any trustee, protector or similar person of such trust or non-profit entity or any Person, directly or indirectly, controlling, controlled by or under common control with any Permitted Holder mentioned in this clause (ii), (iii) RHI and any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) any person who is acting solely as an underwriter in connection with a public or private offering of equity interests of Rocket Companies, Inc. or any of its direct or indirect parent companies, acting in such capacity and (v) any Permitted Holder Group.

 

(mm)                  Permitted Transferee” has the meaning set forth in Section 15(b)(ii)(E) of the Plan.

 

(nn)                          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, (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

 

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of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of Common Stock of the Company.

 

(oo)                          Released Unit” has the meaning set forth in Section 9(e)(ii) of the Plan.

 

(pp)                          Restricted Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 9(a) of the Plan.

 

(qq)                          Restricted Stock” means an Award of Common Stock, subject to certain specified restrictions, granted under Section 9 of the Plan.

 

(rr)                                Restricted Stock Unit” means an Award of an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver Shares, cash, other securities or other property, subject to certain specified restrictions, granted under Section 9 of the Plan.

 

(ss)                              RHI” means Rock Holdings Inc. (f/k/a Rock Acquisition corporation), a Michigan corporation.

 

(tt)                                SAR Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(c) of the Plan.

 

(uu)                          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.

 

(vv)                          Share” means a share of Common Stock, par value of $0.00001 per share.

 

(ww)                      Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means an Award granted under Section 8 of the Plan.

 

(xx)                          Subsidiary” means (i) any entity that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by the Company, (ii) any entity in which the Company, directly or indirectly, has a significant equity interest, in each case as determined by the Committee and (iii) any other company which the Committee determines should be treated as a “Subsidiary.”

 

(yy)                          Substitute Awards” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(g) 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 (including Substitute 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) implement an Award Transfer Program, (v) 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, (vi) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in and supply any omission in the Plan and any Award granted under the Plan, (vii) establish, amend, suspend, or

 

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waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Committee shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan, (viii) accelerate or modify the vesting, delivery or exercisability of, or payment for or lapse of restrictions on, or waive any condition in respect of, Awards, and (ix) 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 determined by the Board and/or 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 NYSE 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 NYSE 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 members of the Board or are otherwise subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.  To the extent permitted by applicable law, including under Section 157(c) of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Committee may delegate to one or more officers of the Company the authority to grant Options, SARs, RSUs or other Awards in the form of rights to Shares, except that such delegation shall not be applicable to any Award for a Person then covered by Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and the Committee may delegate to one or more committees or the Board (which may consist of solely one Director) the authority to grant all types of awards, in accordance with applicable law.  Any such delegation may be revoked by the Committee at any time.

 

(c)                                  As further set forth in Section 15(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 or are subject to laws outside 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 NYSE 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

 

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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; Available for Awards; Limitations.

 

(a)                                 Awards.  The Committee may grant Awards to one or more Eligible Persons.  All Awards granted under the Plan shall vest and, if applicable, become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates or upon such event or events as determined by the Committee and as set forth in an Award Agreement.

 

(b)                                 Available Shares.  Subject to Section 11 of the Plan and subsection (e) below, the maximum number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan shall not exceed [·],(1) plus the number of Shares set forth in the next sentence (the “Share Pool”) on a fully diluted basis taking into account the conversion of all shares of our Class D common stock and assuming that all shares

 


(1)  Note:  This will be 4.5% of the Common Stock on a fully diluted basis (0.5% will be allocated to the ESPP), taking into account the conversion of all shares of our Class D common stock and assuming that all shares available for issuance under Plan and ESPP are issued and outstanding.

 

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available for issuance under the Plan and the ESPP are issued and outstanding.  The Share Pool will automatically increase each fiscal year following the Effective Date beginning with fiscal year 2021 and ending with fiscal year 2025 by the lesser of (a) 1% of the total number of Shares outstanding on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year on a fully diluted basis taking into account the conversion of all shares of our Class D common stock and assuming that all shares available for issuance under the Plan and the ESPP are issued and outstanding or (b) such number of Shares determined by the Board.  The increase shall occur on the first day of each such fiscal year or another day selected by the Board during such fiscal year.

 

(c)                                  Incentive Stock Options Limit.  The maximum number of Shares that may be delivered pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan shall not exceed [·](2).

 

(d)                                 Director Compensation Limit.  The maximum amount (based on the fair value of Shares underlying Awards on the grant date 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 during such fiscal year, shall be $750,000 during such fiscal year.

 

(e)                                  Share Counting.  The Share Pool shall be reduced by the number of Shares delivered 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 but are required to or may be paid in cash pursuant to their terms shall not reduce the Share Pool.  If and to the extent that Awards terminate, expire, or are cash-settled, canceled, forfeited, exchanged, or surrendered without having been exercised, vested, or settled, the Shares subject to such Awards shall again be available for Awards under the Share Pool.  In addition, any (i) Shares 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 reserved for issuance upon the grant of Stock Appreciation Rights, to the extent that the number of reserved Shares exceeds the number of Shares actually issued upon the exercise of the Stock Appreciation Rights; and (iii) Shares 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, or upon the lapse of restrictions on, or settlement of, an Award, shall again be available for Awards under the Share Pool.

 

(f)                                   Source of Shares.  Shares 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.

 

(g)                                  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 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”

 


(2)  Note:  50% of the 4.5% share reserve will be allocated to ISOs.

 

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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.

 

(a)                                 Participation shall be for Eligible Persons who have been selected by the Committee or its delegate to receive grants under the Plan (each such Eligible Person, a “Participant”).

 

(b)                                 Holders of options and other types of awards granted by a company acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines are eligible for grants of Substitute Awards under the Plan to the extent permitted under applicable regulations of any stock exchange on which the Company is listed.

 

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 per Share of Common Stock for each Option (that is not a Substitute Award), which is the purchase price per Share underlying the Option, shall be determined by the Committee, and unless otherwise determined by the Committee, or for Substitute Awards, shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such Share, determined as of the date of grant.

 

(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 is prohibited by the Company’s insider-trading policy or a Company-imposed “blackout period,” in which case, unless otherwise provided by the Committee, the Option Period may be extended automatically until the 30th day following the expiration of such prohibition (so long as such extension shall not violate Section 409A of the Code) or the Committee may provide for the automatic exercise of such Option prior to the expiration of the Option Period. 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 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 applicable 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

 

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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, if permitted by the Award Agreement and/or Committee, Shares valued at the Fair Market Value at the time the Option is exercised or any combination of the foregoing; provided, that such Shares 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 permitted by the Award Agreement and/or Committee, if there is a public market for the Shares 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 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 to settle the applicable trade; or (C) if permitted by the Award Agreement and/or Committee by means of a “net exercise” procedure effected by withholding the minimum number of Shares otherwise deliverable in respect of an Option that are needed to pay for the exercise price and all applicable required withholding taxes.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined by the Committee or as set forth in an Award Agreement, if on the last day of the Option Period, the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock exceeds the exercise price, the Participant has not exercised the Option, and the Option has not previously expired, such Option shall be deemed exercised by the Participant on such last day by means of a “net exercise” procedure described above.  In all events of cashless or net exercise, any fractional Shares shall be settled in cash.

 

(e)                                  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.

 

8.                                      Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs).

 

(a)                                 Generally.  Each SAR shall be subject to the conditions set forth in the Plan and the Award Agreement.

 

(b)                                 Exercise Price.  The exercise or hurdle price per Share of Common Stock for each SAR shall be determined by the Committee and, unless otherwise determined by the Committee or for Substitute Awards, shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such Share, determined as of the date of grant.

 

(c)                                  Vesting and Expiration.  SARs 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”);

 

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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 is prohibited by the Company’s insider trading policy or a Company-imposed “blackout period,” unless otherwise provided by the Committee, the SAR Period may be extended automatically 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.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined by the Committee or as set forth in an Award Agreement, if on the last day of the SAR Period, the Fair Market Value exceeds the exercise price, the Participant has not exercised the SAR, and the SAR has previously expired, such SAR shall be deemed to have been exercised by the Participant on such last day and the Company shall make the appropriate payment therefor.

 

(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 exercise price, less an amount equal to any applicable 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 valued at Fair Market Value as determined on the date of exercise, or any combination thereof, as determined by the Committee.  Any fractional Shares 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).  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)                                 Director Retainer Fees.  To the extent permitted by the Board 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 or unaffiliated 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 or Shares, which shall not count against the Share Pool.

 

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(c)                                  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, which may be evidenced in any manner the Committee may deem appropriate, including in book-entry form subject to the Company’s directions or the issuance of a stock certificate registered in the name of the Participant.  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.  Subject to the restrictions set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant generally shall have the rights and privileges of a stockholder with respect to Awards of Restricted Stock, including the right to vote such Shares of Restricted Stock and the right to receive dividends.  Unless otherwise provided by the Committee or in an Award Agreement, an RSU shall not convey to the Participant the rights and privileges of a stockholder with respect to the Share subject to the RSU, such as the right to vote or the right to receive dividends, unless and until a Share is issued to the Participant to settle the RSU.

 

(d)                                 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.  Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, 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, 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.

 

(e)                                  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 or Permitted Transferee (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).

 

(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

 

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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 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, 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 would have otherwise been delivered to the Participant in respect of such Restricted Stock Units.

 

(e)                                  Legends on Restricted Stock.  Each certificate representing Shares of Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan, if any, shall bear as appropriate 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 ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.  2020 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN AND A RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF           , BETWEEN ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.  AND          .  A COPY OF SUCH PLAN AND AWARD AGREEMENT IS ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF ROCKET COMPANIES, 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 (“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 on the date of grant.  Each Other Cash-Based Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced in such form as the Committee may determine from time to time.

 

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, 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 or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to acquire Shares or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) that affects the Shares, 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

 

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is determined by the Committee to be necessary or appropriate, then the Committee shall (other than with respect to Other Cash-Based Awards), to the extent permitted under Section 409A of the Code, 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 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 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 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, 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 subject to such Option or SAR over the aggregate exercise price of such Option or SAR, respectively (it being understood that, in such event, any Option or SAR having a per-Share exercise 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.  Any 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,

 

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the Committee in its sole discretion may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award or as it otherwise may determine 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 hurdle 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.                               Deferred Awards.  The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant to Participants Deferred Awards, which may be a right to receive Shares or cash under the Plan (either independently or as an element of or supplement to any other Award under the Plan), including, as may be required by any applicable law or regulations or determined by the Committee, in lieu of any annual bonus, commission or retainer that may be payable to a Participant under any applicable, bonus, commission or retainer plan or arrangement. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Deferred Awards, including, without limitation, the method of converting the amount of annual bonus into a Deferred Award, if applicable, and the form, vesting, settlement, forfeiture and cancellation provisions or any other criteria, if any, applicable to such Deferred Awards. Shares underlying a Share-denominated Deferred Award, which is subject to a vesting schedule or other conditions or criteria, including forfeiture or cancellation provisions, set by the Committee shall not be issued until or following the date that those conditions and criteria have been satisfied.  Deferred Awards shall be subject to such restrictions as the Committee may impose (including any limitation on the right to vote a Share underlying a Deferred Award or the right to receive any dividend, dividend equivalent or

 

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other right), which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times, in such installments or otherwise, as the Committee may deem appropriate. The Committee may determine the form or forms (including cash, Shares, other Awards, other property or any combination thereof) in which payment of the amount owing upon settlement of any Deferred Award may be made.

 

14.                               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 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.

 

(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 the Committee may, without stockholder approval, (i) reduce the exercise price of any Option or SAR, (ii) cancel any outstanding Option or SAR and replace it with a new Option or SAR (with a lower exercise price) or other Award or cash, (iii) take 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, and/or (iv) cancel any outstanding Option or SAR that has a per-Share exercise price (as applicable) at or above the Fair Market Value of a Share of Common Stock on the date of cancellation, and pay any consideration to the holder thereof, whether in cash, securities, or other property, or any combination thereof.

 

15.                               General.

 

(a)                                 Award Agreements; Other Agreements.  Each Award (other than an Other Cash-Based Award) under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which shall be delivered

 

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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 terms 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 or the Plan, by the Participant’s legal guardian or representative or beneficiary or Permitted Transferee.  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 or as set forth below in clause (ii), 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; (D) a bank or third party pursuant to an Award Transfer Program; or (E) 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 or its delegate advance written notice describing the terms and conditions of the proposed transfer and the Committee or its delegate 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, as otherwise provided by the Committee, (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 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

 

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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.

 

(c)                                  Dividends and Dividend Equivalents.  The Committee may specify in the applicable Award Agreement that any or all dividends, dividend equivalents or other distributions, as applicable, paid on Awards prior to vesting or settlement, as applicable, be paid either in cash or in additional Shares and either on a current or deferred basis and that such dividends, dividend equivalents or other distributions may be reinvested in additional Shares, which may be subject to the same restrictions as the underlying Awards.

 

(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, 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 (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 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 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

 

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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 or are subject to non-U.S. legal restrictions or regulations, 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

 

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Shares 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 NYSE 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 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 to be offered or sold under the Plan.  The Committee shall have the authority to provide that all Shares 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 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

 

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laws, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the excess of (A) the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares 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 (in the case of an Option or SAR, respectively) or any amount payable as a condition of delivery of Shares (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)                                 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.

 

(l)                                     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.

 

(m)                             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.

 

(n)                                 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.

 

(o)                                 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.

 

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(p)                                 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.

 

(q)                                 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.

 

(r)                                    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.

 

(s)                                   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

 

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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.

 

(t)                                    Clawback/Forfeiture.  The Committee shall have full authority to implement any policies and procedures necessary to comply with Section 10D of the Exchange Act and any rules promulgated thereunder and any other regulatory regimes.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Committee may, to the extent permitted by applicable law and stock exchange rules or by any applicable Company policy or arrangement, and shall, to the extent required, cancel or require reimbursement of any Awards granted to the Participant or any Shares issued or cash received upon vesting, exercise or settlement of any such Awards or sale of Shares underlying such Awards.  By accepting an Award, the Participant agrees that the Participant is subject to any clawback policies of the Company in effect from time to time.

 

(u)                                 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.

 

(v)                                 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.

 

(w)                               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.

 

(x)                                 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

 

25


 

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).

 

(y)                                 Lock-Up Agreements.  The Committee may require a Participant receiving Shares pursuant to the Plan, as a condition precedent to receipt of such Shares, to enter into a shareholder agreement or “lock-up” agreement in such form as the Committee shall determine is necessary or desirable to further the Company’s interests.

 

(z)                                  Restrictive Covenants.  The Committee may impose restrictions on any Award with respect to non-competition, confidentiality and other restrictive covenants as it deems necessary or appropriate in its sole discretion.

 

*       *       *

 

26




Exhibit 10.7

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

FORM OF NOTICE OF RSU GRANT

 

Participant:

 

[  ]

 

 

 

# of Shares Underlying RSUs:

 

[  ]

 

 

 

Date of Grant:

 

[  ]

 

 

 

Vesting Schedule:

 

Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement attached hereto as Annex I, the RSUs shall vest in equal installments on each of the first three (3) anniversaries of the Date of Grant (each such date, a “Vesting Date”), subject to the Participant’s continued employment(1) with the Company through the applicable Vesting Date. Any fractional RSU resulting from the application of the Vesting Schedule shall be aggregated and the RSU resulting from such aggregation shall vest on the final Vesting Date. Upon vesting, the RSUs shall no longer be subject to cancellation pursuant to Section 3 of the Award Agreement.

 


(1): Note: For awards made to consultants, all references to “employment” will be replaced with “services.”

 


 

By signing your name below, you accept the RSUs and acknowledge and agree that the RSUs are granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, the Award Agreement set forth on Annex I and the restrictive covenants set forth on Exhibit A thereto, each of which are hereby made a part of this document.  You further acknowledge and agree that, notwithstanding the foregoing, this grant of RSUs is contingent upon the consummation of the closing of the initial public offering of the Company, and in the event such closing does not occur, the RSUs granted hereunder shall be void ab initio without any further liability to the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

PARTICIPANT

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 


 

ANNEX I

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

FORM OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT — SENIOR TEAM MEMBER AWARD AGREEMENT

 

Pursuant to the RSU Grant Notice (“Grant Notice”) and this Award Agreement, Rocket Companies, Inc. (together with its Subsidiaries, whether existing or thereafter acquired or formed, and any and all successor entities, the “Company”) has granted the Participant restricted stock units (the “RSUs”) under the Rocket Companies, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) with respect to the number of Shares indicated in the Grant Notice.  Each RSU represents the right to receive one Share.  The RSUs are granted to the Participant effective as of the Date of Grant.  Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement or in the Grant Notice but defined in the Plan shall have the same definitions as in the Plan.

 

1.     Vesting Schedule; Settlement.

 

(a)           Vesting Schedule.  Subject to the provisions contained herein, the RSUs shall vest as provided in the Grant Notice.

 

(b)           Settlement Subject to the provisions of this Award Agreement, upon the vesting of any of the RSUs, the Company shall deliver to the Participant (or the Participant’s beneficiary, in the event of the Participant’s death prior to settlement or Permitted Transferee, as applicable), as soon as reasonably practicable after the Vesting Date (or, if applicable, an earlier vesting date under Section 4(a)), one Share for each RSU, provided that such delivery of Shares shall be made no later than the 30th day after the Vesting Date (or, if applicable, an earlier vesting date under Section 4(a)).  Upon such delivery, such Share shall be fully assignable, saleable and transferable by the Participant, provided that any such assignment, sale, transfer or other alienation with respect to such Shares shall be in accordance with applicable securities laws.

 

2.     Dividend Equivalents.  Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, the Participant shall not be eligible to receive dividend equivalents with respect to the RSUs unless and until the Participant becomes the record owner of the Shares underlying the RSUs, at which time accrued dividend equivalents shall be paid.

 

3.     Termination of Employment.  In the event of the Participant’s termination of employment with the Company at any time, all unvested RSUs shall be canceled immediately and the Participant shall not be entitled to receive any payments with respect thereto except as set forth in Section 4(a)(ii).

 

4.              Change in Control.

 

(a)           In the event of a Change in Control, if (i) the acquiror, surviving company or a parent or subsidiary thereof, does not assume or continue any RSUs that are outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of the Change in Control or substitute a similar stock award for such RSU or (ii) the Participant’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause (other than for death or Disability) or by the Participant for Good Reason (as defined below), in each case, within eighteen (18) months following the effective date of the

 

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Change in Control, the RSUs then held by the Participant shall, to the extent unvested, become immediately vested and settled in accordance with Section 1(b) above.

 

(b)           For purposes of this Award Agreement, “Good Reason” means, absent the Participant’s written consent: (A) a material diminution in the Participant’s authority, duties, or responsibilities; (B) a material diminution in the Participant’s base salary other than a general reduction in base salary that affects all similarly situated employees; or (C) a relocation of the Participant’s principal place of employment by more than 50 miles from the Participant’s current principal place of employment, unless the new principal place of employment is closer to the Participant’s home address or the position is virtual.  In order for the Participant to resign from employment with the Company for Good Reason, the Participant must give written notice to the Company within 30 days of the initial existence of any of the foregoing changes, the Company shall have 30 days upon receipt of such notice to remedy the condition so as to eliminate the “Good Reason,” and if not remedied, the Participant’s employment must terminate no later than 30 days following the expiration of such cure period.

 

5.     Rights as a Stockholder.  The Participant shall have no voting rights with respect to the RSUs unless and until the Participant becomes the record owner of the Shares underlying the RSUs.

 

6.     Tax Withholding.  The Participant shall be solely responsible for any applicable taxes (including, without limitation, income and excise taxes) and penalties, and any interest that accrues thereon, that the Participant incurs in connection with the receipt, vesting or settlement of any RSU granted hereunder. The Company shall be authorized to withhold from the Award the amount (in cash or Shares, or any combination thereof) of applicable withholding taxes due in respect of the Award, its settlement or any payment or transfer under the Award and to take such other action (including providing for elective payment of such amounts in cash or other property by the Participant) as may be necessary in the opinion of the Company to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such taxes; provided, however, that no Shares shall be withheld with a value exceeding the maximum statutory rates in the applicable tax jurisdictions.

 

7.     Clawback.  To the extent required by applicable law or the rules and regulations of the NYSE or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Shares are 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 Award Agreement).  The Participant hereby acknowledges and agrees that the RSUs shall be subject to any clawback policies approved by the Committee from time to time, the Committee retains the right at all times to decrease or terminate all awards and payments under the Plan, and any and all amounts payable under the Plan, or paid under the Plan, shall be subject to clawback, forfeiture and reduction to the extent determined necessary to comply with applicable law and/or policies of the Company.

 

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

 

2


 

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 Award 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)           Compliance with Legal Requirements.  The granting of the RSU, and any other obligations of the Company under this Award 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 Award Agreement.

 

(b)           Transferability.  The RSUs shall be subject to Section 15(b) of the Plan.

 

(c)           Waiver.  No amendment or modification of any provision of this Award Agreement shall be effective unless signed in writing by or on behalf of the Company and the Participant, except that the Company may amend or modify this Award Agreement without the Participant’s consent in accordance with the provisions of the Plan or as otherwise set forth in this Award Agreement.  No waiver of any breach or condition of this Award Agreement shall be deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach or condition whether of like or different nature.  Any amendment or modification of or to any provision of this Award Agreement, or any waiver of any provision of this Award Agreement, shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which made or given.

 

(d)           Section 409A.  This Award Agreement is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder, and the provisions of this Award Agreement shall be interpreted in a manner that satisfies the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and this Award Agreement shall be operated accordingly. If any provision of this Award Agreement or any term or condition of the RSUs would otherwise conflict with this intent, the provision, term or condition shall be interpreted and deemed amended so as to avoid this conflict. Notwithstanding anything else in this Award Agreement, if the Committee considers a Participant to be a “specified employee” under Section 409A of the Code at the time of such Participant’s “separation from service” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code), and the amount hereunder is “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code any distribution that otherwise would be made to such Participant with respect to RSUs as a result of such separation from service shall not be made until the date that is six months after such separation from service, except to the extent that earlier distribution would not result in such Participant’s incurring interest or additional tax under Section 409A of the Code. If the Award includes a “series of installment payments”

 

3


 

(within the meaning of Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii) of the Treasury Regulations), the Participants’ right to the series of installment payments shall be treated as a right to a series of separate payments and not as a right to a single payment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the tax treatment of the benefits provided under this Award Agreement is not warranted or guaranteed, and in no event shall the Company be liable for all or any portion of any taxes, penalties, interest or other expenses that may be incurred by the Participant on account of non-compliance with Section 409A of the Code.

 

(e)           General Assets.  All amounts credited in respect of the RSUs to the book-entry account under this Award 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.  All notices, requests and other communications under this Award Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered in person (by courier or otherwise), mailed by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested to the contact details below. The parties may use e-mail delivery, so long as the message is clearly marked, sent to the e-mail address(es) set forth below.

 

if to the Company, to:

 

Rocket Companies, Inc.
1050 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48226

Attention: General Counsel

 

if to the Participant, to the address, facsimile number or e-mail address that the Participant most recently provided to the Company, or to such other address, facsimile number or e-mail address as such party may hereafter specify for the purpose by notice to the other parties hereto.

 

(g)           Severability.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Award Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Award Agreement, and each other provision of this Award Agreement shall be severable and enforceable to the extent permitted by law.

 

(h)           Successors.  The terms of this Award 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.

 

(i)            Entire Agreement.  The Participant acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan and represents that the Participant is familiar with the terms and provisions thereof (and has had an opportunity to consult counsel regarding the RSU terms), and hereby accepts the grant of RSUs and agrees to be bound by its contractual terms as set forth herein (including Exhibit A) and in the Plan. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the grant of the RSUs constitutes additional consideration to the Participant for the Participant’s continued and future compliance with any restrictive covenants in favor of the Company by which the Participant is otherwise bound.  The Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions and

 

4


 

interpretations of the Committee regarding any questions relating to the RSU.  In the event of a conflict between the terms and provisions of the Plan and the terms and provisions of this Award Agreement, the Plan terms and provisions shall prevail.  This Award Agreement, including the Plan, constitutes the entire agreement between the Participant and the Company on the subject matter hereof and supersedes all proposals, written or oral, and all other communications between the parties relating to such subject matter.

 

(j)            Governing Law.  Except as otherwise set forth in an Employment Agreement, this Award 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.

 

(k)           Dispute Resolution; Consent to Jurisdiction.  Except as otherwise set forth in an Employment Agreement, the Participant and the Company 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 Award 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 Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan or the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, 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.

 

(l)            International Participants.  To the extent the Participant resides or works outside of the United States or is subject to non-U.S. legal restrictions or regulations, the Committee may amend the terms of this Award Agreement in order to conform the terms hereunder 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 Section 9(l), the Committee is specifically authorized to adopt rules and procedures with provisions that limit or modify rights on death, disability, retirement or other terminations of employment, available methods of settlement of the RSUs granted hereunder, 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 or procedures applicable to particular Subsidiaries, Affiliates or locations.

 

(m)          Electronic Signature and Delivery.  This Award Agreement may be accepted by return signature or by electronic confirmation.  By accepting this Award 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 shall be delivered in hard copy to the Participant).

 

5


 

(n)           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]

 

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EXHIBIT A

 

RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS

 

The Participant acknowledges and agrees that during the Participant’s employment with the Company, the Participant will be providing services to the Company and that the Participant will be intimately involved in the planning for or direction of the business of the Company, and that the Participant has or will obtain selective or specialized skills, knowledge, abilities, or customer contacts or information by reason of working for the Company and providing services to the Company.

 

1.     Noncompetition.  During the Participant’s employment with the Company and for a period of eighteen (18) months thereafter (the “Restricted Period”), the Participant shall not, either directly or indirectly, on the Participant’s behalf or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other person, company, partnership, corporation, business, group, or other entity (each, a “Person”), engage, within the Territory (as described below), as an officer, director, owner, partner, member, joint venturer, employee, independent contractor, agent or consultant in any business engaged in the Business of the Company (as described below); provided, however, that the Participant shall not be prohibited from passively owning less than five percent (5%) of the outstanding shares of any class of equity securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “34 Act”).

 

2.     Nonsolicitation.  In addition, during the Restricted Period, the Participant shall not, either directly or indirectly, on the Participant’s behalf or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other Person:

 

(a)           solicit or attempt to solicit any employee, agent or contract worker of the Company or any of its Affiliates (or any employee, agent or contract worker who was employed or engaged by the Company or any of its Affiliates within the twenty-four (24) months prior to the Participant’s termination of employment) to end his or her relationship with the Company or any of its Affiliates or hire or attempt to hire any of the foregoing; or

 

(b)           seek to induce or otherwise cause any customer, client, supplier, vendor, licensee, licensor or any other Person with whom the Company or any of its Affiliates then has, or during the twenty-four (24) months prior to such time had, a business relationship, whether by contract or otherwise, to discontinue or alter such business relationship in a manner that is adverse to the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

i.      The “Territory” shall be defined as the United States of America, Canada and any other territory where the Participant is working at the time of termination of employment with the

 

A-1


 

Company or the Company is doing business; which the Participant acknowledges and agrees is the territory in which the Participant is providing services to the Company.

 

ii.     The “Business of the Company” means (A) any business or activity engaged in by the Company and (B) any other business opportunity that is under active consideration by the Company during the Participant’s employment with the Company.

 

3.     Blue Pencil.  The restrictive covenants set forth herein are severable and separate, and the unenforceability of any specific covenant shall not affect the provisions of any other covenant.  If any provision of the restrictive covenants set forth herein 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 the restrictive covenants set forth herein shall automatically be considered to have been amended and revised to reflect such determination.

 

4.     Severability.  All of the covenants set forth herein shall be construed as an agreement independent of any other provisions in this Exhibit A, and the existence of any claim or cause of action the Participant may have against the Company, whether predicated on this Exhibit A or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by the Company or any of its Affiliates of such covenants.

 

5.     Participant Acknowledgments.  The Participant has carefully read and considered the provisions of the restrictive covenants set forth herein and, having done so, agrees that the restrictive covenants set forth herein impose a fair and reasonable restraint on the Participant and are reasonably required to protect the interests of the Company and its Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees and equityholders.

 

6.     Trade Secrets and Confidential Information.

 

(a)           “Confidential Information” means all non-public or proprietary data or information (other than Trade Secrets) concerning the business and operations of the Company or any of its Affiliates, 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, inventions, innovations, developments, graphic designs, website designs, patterns, specifications, procedures, databases and personnel.  “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 (i) 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

 

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economic value from its disclosure or use and (ii) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.

 

(b)           The Participant acknowledges that in the course of the Participant’s prior services to affiliates of the Company and the Participant’s future employment with the Company, the Participant has received or will receive and has had or will have access to Confidential Information and Trade Secrets of the Company or any of its Affiliates, and that unauthorized or improper use or disclosure by the Participant of such Confidential Information or Trade Secrets will cause serious and irreparable harm to the Company or any of its Affiliates.  Accordingly, the Participant is willing to enter into the covenants contained herein in order to provide the Company and its Affiliates with what the Participant considers to be reasonable protection for its interests.

 

(c)           The Participant hereby agrees to (i) hold in confidence all Confidential Information of the Company or any of its Affiliates that come into the Participant’s knowledge during the Participant’s employment by the Company and (ii) not disclose, publish or make use of such Confidential Information, other than in the good-faith performance of the Participant’s duties, without the prior written consent of the Company for as long as the information remains Confidential Information.

 

(d)           The Participant hereby agrees to hold in confidence all Trade Secrets of the Company or any of its Affiliates that come into the Participant’s knowledge during the Participant’s employment by the Company and not to disclose, publish, or make use of at any time after the date hereof such Trade Secrets without the prior written consent of the Company for as long as the information remains a Trade Secret.

 

(e)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 6 will not apply to (i) Confidential Information or Trade Secrets 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 information which the Participant can demonstrate to have had rightfully in the Participant’s possession prior to the commencement of the Participant’s employment with the Company or (ii) information required to be disclosed by judicial or governmental proceedings; provided that, in the event the Participant is ordered by a court or other government agency to disclose any Confidential Information, the Participant shall (1) promptly notify the Company of such order, (2) diligently contest such order at the sole expense of the Company as expenses occur, and (3) seek to obtain at the sole expense of the Company such confidential treatment as may be available under applicable laws for any information disclosed under such order.

 

(f)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, none of the covenants set forth herein will prohibit the 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 ‘34 Act or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of federal law or regulation, or require modification or prior approval by the Company of any such reporting.

 

(g)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, pursuant to the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, the Participant shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any

 

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federal or state Trade Secret law for the disclosure of a Trade Secret that: (i) is made (A) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (B) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (ii) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.  The Participant also understands that if the Participant files a lawsuit for retaliation by the Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, the Participant may disclose the Trade Secret to the Participant’s attorney and use the Trade Secret information in the court proceeding, if the Participant (i) files any document containing the Trade Secret under seal, and (ii) does not disclose the Trade Secret, except pursuant to court order.

 

7.              Work Product and Inventions.

 

(a)           The Participant acknowledges that the Participant’s work on and contributions to documents, programs, methodologies, protocols, and other expressions in any tangible medium (including, without limitation, all business ideas and methods, inventions, innovations, developments, graphic designs, web site designs, patterns, specifications, procedures or processes, market research, databases, works of authorship, products and other works of creative authorship) which have been or will be prepared by the Participant, or to which the Participant has contributed or will contribute, in connection with the Participant’s services to the Company (collectively, “Works”), are and will be within the scope of the Participant’s employment and part of the Participant’s duties and responsibilities.  The Participant’s work on and contributions to the Works will be rendered and made by the Participant for, at the instigation of, and under the overall direction of the Company, and are and at all times shall be regarded, together with the Works, as “work made for hire” as that term is used in the United States Copyright Laws.  However, to the extent that any court or agency should conclude that the Works (or any of them) do not constitute or qualify as a “work made for hire”, the Participant hereby assigns, grants, and delivers exclusively and throughout the world to the Company all rights, titles and interests in and to any such Works, and all copies and versions, including all copyrights and renewals.  The Participant agrees to cooperate with the Company and to execute and deliver to the Company and its successors and assigns, any assignments and documents the Company requests for the purpose of establishing, evidencing, and enforcing or defending its complete, exclusive, perpetual and worldwide ownership of all rights, titles and interests of every kind and nature, including all copyrights, in and to the Works, and the Participant constitutes and appoints the Company as its agent to execute and deliver any assignments or documents the Participant fails or refuses to execute and deliver, this power and agency being coupled with an interest and being irrevocable.  Without limiting the preceding provisions of this Section 7(a), the Participant agrees that the Company may edit and otherwise modify, and use, publish and otherwise exploit, the Works in all media and in such manner as the Company, in its sole discretion, may determine.

 

(b)           The Participant shall disclose promptly to the Company (which shall receive it in confidence), and only to the Company, any invention or idea of the Participant in any way connected with the Participant’s services or related to the Business of the Company, the research or development of the Company or any of its Affiliates, or demonstrably anticipated research or development (developed alone or with others), conceived or made during the Participant’s employment or services with the Company or within three (3) months thereafter and hereby assigns to the Company any such invention or idea.  The Participant agrees, subject to reimbursement of actual out of pocket expenses related thereto and at the Company’s sole liability

 

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and expense, to cooperate with the Company and sign all papers reasonably deemed necessary by the Company to enable it to obtain, maintain, protect and defend patents covering such inventions and ideas and to confirm the Company’s exclusive ownership of all rights in such inventions, ideas and patents, and irrevocably appoints the Company as its agent to execute and deliver any assignments or documents the Participant fails or refuses to execute and deliver promptly, this power and agency being coupled with an interest and being irrevocable.  This constitutes the Company’s written notification that this assignment does not apply to an invention for which no equipment, supplies, facility or Trade Secret information of the Company or any of its Affiliates was used and which was conceived and developed entirely on the Participant’s own time, unless (i) the invention relates (A) directly to the Business of the Company, or (B) to actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development of the Company or any of its Affiliates, or (ii) the invention results from any work performed by the Participant for the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

8.     Equitable Remedy.  Because of the difficulty of measuring economic losses to the Company or any of its Affiliates as a result of a breach of the covenants set forth herein, and because of the immediate and irreparable damage that would be caused to the Company and its Affiliates for which monetary damages would not be a sufficient remedy, it is hereby agreed that in addition to all other remedies that may be available to the Company or any of its Affiliates, at law or in equity, the Company shall be entitled to specific performance and any injunctive or other equitable relief as a remedy for any breach or threatened breach by the Participant of any provision set forth herein.  The Company and each of its Affiliates may seek temporary and/or permanent injunctive relief for an alleged violation of the covenants set forth herein without the necessity of posting a bond.

 

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Exhibit 10.8

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

FORM OF NOTICE OF STOCK OPTION GRANT

 

Participant:

[  ]

 

 

# of Shares Subject to Option:

[  ] Shares

 

 

Type of Option:

Nonqualified Stock Option

 

 

Exercise Price Per Share:

$[  ]

 

 

Date of Grant:

[  ]

 

 

Date Exercisable:

The Option may be exercised to the extent vested.

 

 

Vesting Schedule:

Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement attached hereto as Annex I, 33.33% of the Option shall vest and become exercisable on the first anniversary of the Date of Grant (the “First Vesting Date”), and the remaining 66.67% shall vest and become exercisable in equal monthly installments over the twenty-four (24) month period following the First Vesting Date beginning on the one (1) month anniversary of the First Vesting Date (each such date, a “Vesting Date”), subject to the Participant’s continued employment(1) with the Company through the applicable Vesting Date. Any fractional portion of the Option resulting from the application of the Vesting Schedule shall be aggregated and the portion of the Option resulting from such aggregation shall vest on the final Vesting Date.

 


(1): Note: For awards made to consultants, all references to “employment” will be replaced with “services.”

 


 

By signing your name below, you accept the Option and acknowledge and agree that the Option is granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan, the Award Agreement set forth on Annex I and the restrictive covenants set forth on Exhibit A thereto, each of which are hereby made a part of this document.  You further acknowledge and agree that, notwithstanding the foregoing, this Option is contingent upon the consummation of the closing of the initial public offering of the Company, and in the event such closing does not occur, the Option granted hereunder shall be void ab initio without any further liability to the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

PARTICIPANT

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

ANNEX I

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

FORM OF NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION SENIOR TEAM MEMBER AWARD AGREEMENT

 

Pursuant to the Stock Option Grant Notice (“Grant Notice”) and this Award Agreement, Rocket Companies, Inc. (together with its Subsidiaries, whether existing or thereafter acquired or formed, and any and all successor entities, the “Company”)  has granted the Participant an Option under the Rocket Companies, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) to purchase the number of Shares indicated in the Grant Notice at the Exercise Price indicated in the Grant Notice. The Option is granted to the Participant effective as of the Date of Grant.  Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement or in the Grant Notice but defined in the Plan shall have the same definitions as in the Plan.

 

1.              Vesting Schedule.  Subject to the provisions contained herein, the Option shall vest as provided in the Grant Notice.

 

2.              Exercise of Option.  The Option shall be exercisable during its term in accordance with the Vesting Schedule set out in the Grant Notice as modified by Section 4, if applicable, as follows:

 

(a)                                 Right to Exercise.

 

i.                  The Option may be exercised to the extent vested.

 

ii.               The Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.

 

iii.            In no event may the Option be exercised after the tenth anniversary of the Date of Grant (the “Expiration Date”).

 

(b)                                 Method of Exercise.

 

i.                  The Participant (or the Participant’s representative, devisee or heir, as applicable) may exercise any portion of the Option that has become exercisable as to all or any of the Shares then available for purchase by delivering to the Company written notice specifying the number of whole Shares to be purchased, together with payment in full of the Payment Amount (as defined in Section 3).

 

ii.               The Company is not obligated, and shall have no liability for failure, to issue or deliver any Shares upon exercise of the Option unless such issuance or delivery would comply with the applicable laws, with such compliance determined by the Company in consultation with its legal counsel.  Assuming such compliance, for income tax purposes such Shares shall be considered transferred to the Participant on the date on which the Option is exercised with respect to such Shares.

 

3.              Method of Payment.  Payment of the aggregate Exercise Price and any required tax withholding (the “Payment Amount”) shall be by any of the following, or a combination of the following, at the election of the Participant:

 

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(a)                                 cash or check;

 

(b)                                 if permitted by the Committee, by the Participant’s (x) transferring to the Company, effective as of the exercise date, a number of vested Shares owned and designated by the Participant having an aggregate Fair Market Value as of the exercise date equal to the Payment Amount or (y) electing to have the Company retain a portion of the Shares purchased upon exercise of the Option having an aggregate Fair Market Value as of the exercise date equal to the Payment Amount;

 

(c)                                  if the Shares are listed on an exchange or market, and if the Company is at such time permitting broker-assisted cashless exercises, delivery of a properly executed exercise notice together with irrevocable instructions to a broker participating in such cashless brokered exercise program to deliver promptly to the Company the amount required to pay the Exercise Price (and applicable withholding taxes) and in any event in accordance with applicable law; or

 

(d)                                 by any other method as may be approved by the Committee.

 

4.              Termination of Employment.  In the event of the Participant’s termination of employment with the Company, the Participant (or the Participant’s representative, devisee or heir, as applicable) may exercise the Option as set forth in this Section 4.

 

(a)                                 Death or Disability.  In the event of the Participant’s termination of employment with the Company at any time due to the Participant’s death or Disability, any unvested portion of the Option shall be forfeited as of the date of such termination without any payment to the Participant, and any vested portion of the Option shall remain exercisable until the earlier of (x) one year following such termination and (y) the Expiration Date.

 

(b)                                 For Cause.  In the event of the Participant’s termination of employment with the Company for Cause, the entire unexercised portion of the Option, whether vested or unvested, shall be forfeited as of the date of such termination without any payment to the Participant.

 

(c)                                  Resignation or Termination without Cause Absent a Change in Control.

 

i.                  In the event of the Participant’s resignation or a termination of employment by the Company without Cause (other than for death or Disability or as set forth in Section 5(a)(ii)), any unvested portion of the Option shall be forfeited as of the date of such termination without any payment to the Participant.

 

ii.               In such circumstances, any vested portion of the Option shall remain exercisable until the earlier of (x) 90 days following such termination of employment with the Company and (y) the Expiration Date.

 

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5.              Change in Control.

 

(a)                                 In the event of a Change in Control, if (i) the acquiror, surviving company or a parent or subsidiary thereof, does not assume or continue any portion of the Option that is outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of the Change in Control or substitute a similar stock award for such Option or (ii) the Participant’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause (other than for death or Disability) or by the Participant for Good Reason (as defined below), in each case, within eighteen (18) months following the effective date of the Change in Control, the Option then held by the Participant shall, to the extent unvested, become immediately vested and exercisable and remain exercisable as set forth in Section 4(c)(ii).

 

(b)                                 For purposes of this Award Agreement, “Good Reason” means, absent the Participant’s written consent: (A) a material diminution in the Participant’s authority, duties, or responsibilities; (B) a material diminution in the Participant’s base salary other than a general reduction in base salary that affects all similarly situated employees; or (C) a relocation of the Participant’s principal place of employment by more than 50 miles from the Participant’s current principal place of employment, unless the new principal place of employment is closer to the Participant’s home address or the position is virtual.  In order for the Participant to resign from employment with the Company for Good Reason, the Participant must give written notice to the Company within 30 days of the initial existence of any of the foregoing changes, the Company shall have 30 days upon receipt of such notice to remedy the condition so as to eliminate the “Good Reason,” and if not remedied, the Participant’s employment must terminate no later than 30 days following the expiration of such cure period.

 

6.              Clawback.  To the extent required by applicable law or the rules and regulations of the NYSE or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Shares are 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 Award Agreement).  The Participant hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Option shall be subject to any clawback policies approved by the Committee from time to time, the Committee retains the right at all times to decrease or terminate all awards and payments under the Plan, and any and all amounts payable under the Plan, or paid under the Plan, shall be subject to clawback, forfeiture, and reduction to the extent determined necessary to comply with applicable law and/or policies of the Company.

 

7.              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 Award Agreement.

 

(b)                                 In the event that the Participant violates any of the restrictive covenants referred to in this Section 7, 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

 

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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.

 

8.              Miscellaneous.

 

(a)                                       Compliance with Legal Requirements. The granting and exercising of the Option, and any other obligations of the Company under this Award 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 Award Agreement.

 

(b)                                 Transferability.  The Option shall be subject to Section 15(b) of the Plan.

 

(c)                                  Waiver.  No amendment or modification of any provision of this Award Agreement shall be effective unless signed in writing by or on behalf of the Company and the Participant, except that the Company may amend or modify this Award Agreement without the Participant’s consent in accordance with the provisions of the Plan or as otherwise set forth in this Award Agreement.  No waiver of any breach or condition of this Award Agreement shall be deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach or condition whether of like or different nature.  Any amendment or modification of or to any provision of this Award Agreement, or any waiver of any provision of this Award Agreement, shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which made or given.

 

(d)                                 Notices.  All notices, requests and other communications under this Award Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered in person (by courier or otherwise), mailed by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested to the contact details below. The parties may use e-mail delivery, so long as the message is clearly marked, sent to the e-mail address(es) set forth below.

 

if to the Company, to:

 

 

 

Rocket Companies, Inc.

 

1050 Woodward Avenue

 

Detroit, Michigan 48226

 

Attention: General Counsel

 

 

if to the Participant, to the address, facsimile number or e-mail address that the Participant most recently provided to the Company, or to such other address, facsimile number or e-mail address as such party may hereafter specify for the purpose by notice to the other parties hereto.

 

(e)                                  Severability.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Award Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Award Agreement, and each other provision of this Award Agreement shall be severable and enforceable to the extent permitted by law.

 

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(f)                                   Successors.  The terms of this Award 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.

 

(g)                                  Entire Agreement.  The Participant acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan and represents that the Participant is familiar with the terms and provisions thereof (and has had an opportunity to consult counsel regarding the Option terms), and hereby accepts the Option and agrees to be bound by its contractual terms as set forth herein (including Exhibit A) and in the Plan. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the grant of the Option constitutes additional consideration to the Participant for the Participant’s continued and future compliance with any restrictive covenants in favor of the Company by which the Participant is otherwise bound.  The Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions and interpretations of the Committee regarding any questions relating to the Option.  In the event of a conflict between the terms and provisions of the Plan and the terms and provisions of this Award Agreement, the Plan terms and provisions shall prevail.  This Award Agreement, including the Plan, constitutes the entire agreement between the Participant and the Company on the subject matter hereof and supersedes all proposals, written or oral, and all other communications between the parties relating to such subject matter.

 

(h)                                 Governing Law.  Except as otherwise set forth in an Employment Agreement, this Award 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.  Except as otherwise set forth in an Employment Agreement, the Participant and the Company 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 Award 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 Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan or the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, 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.

 

(j)                                    International Participants.  To the extent the Participant resides or works outside of the United States or is subject to non-U.S. legal restrictions or regulations, the Committee may amend the terms of this Award Agreement in order to conform the terms hereunder 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 Section 8(j), the Committee is specifically authorized to adopt rules and

 

5


 

procedures with provisions that limit or modify rights on death, disability, retirement or other terminations of employment, available methods of the exercise of the Option granted hereunder, 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 or procedures applicable to particular Subsidiaries, Affiliates or locations.

 

(k)                                 Electronic Signature and Delivery. This Award Agreement may be accepted by return signature or by electronic confirmation.  By accepting this Award 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 shall be delivered in hard copy to the Participant).

 

(l)                                     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]

 

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EXHIBIT A

 

RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS

 

The Participant acknowledges and agrees that during the Participant’s employment with the Company, the Participant will be providing services to the Company and that the Participant will be intimately involved in the planning for or direction of the business of the Company, and that the Participant has or will obtain selective or specialized skills, knowledge, abilities, or customer contacts or information by reason of working for the Company and providing services to the Company.

 

1.              Noncompetition.  During the Participant’s employment with the Company and for a period of eighteen (18) months thereafter (the “Restricted Period”), the Participant shall not, either directly or indirectly, on the Participant’s behalf or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other person, company, partnership, corporation, business, group, or other entity (each, a “Person”), engage, within the Territory (as described below), as an officer, director, owner, partner, member, joint venturer, employee, independent contractor, agent or consultant in any business engaged in the Business of the Company (as described below); provided, however, that the Participant shall not be prohibited from passively owning less than five percent (5%) of the outstanding shares of any class of equity securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “34 Act”).

 

2.              Nonsolicitation.  In addition, during the Restricted Period, the Participant shall not, either directly or indirectly, on the Participant’s behalf or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other Person:

 

(a)                                 solicit or attempt to solicit any employee, agent or contract worker of the Company or any of its Affiliates (or any employee, agent or contract worker who was employed or engaged by the Company or any of its Affiliates within the twenty-four (24) months prior to the Participant’s termination of employment) to end his or her relationship with the Company or any of its Affiliates or hire or attempt to hire any of the foregoing; or

 

(b)                                 seek to induce or otherwise cause any customer, client, supplier, vendor, licensee, licensor or any other Person with whom the Company or any of its Affiliates then has, or during the twenty-four (24) months prior to such time had, a business relationship, whether by contract or otherwise, to discontinue or alter such business relationship in a manner that is adverse to the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

i.                  The “Territory” shall be defined as the United States of America, Canada and any other territory where the Participant is working at the time of termination of employment with the

 

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Company or the Company is doing business; which the Participant acknowledges and agrees is the territory in which the Participant is providing services to the Company.

 

ii.               The “Business of the Company” means (A) any business or activity engaged in by the Company and (B) any other business opportunity that is under active consideration by the Company during the Participant’s employment with the Company.

 

3.              Blue Pencil.  The restrictive covenants set forth herein are severable and separate, and the unenforceability of any specific covenant shall not affect the provisions of any other covenant.  If any provision of the restrictive covenants set forth herein 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 the restrictive covenants set forth herein shall automatically be considered to have been amended and revised to reflect such determination.

 

4.              Severability. All of the covenants set forth herein shall be construed as an agreement independent of any other provisions in this Exhibit A, and the existence of any claim or cause of action the Participant may have against the Company, whether predicated on this Exhibit A or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by the Company or any of its Affiliates of such covenants.

 

5.              Participant Acknowledgments.  The Participant has carefully read and considered the provisions of the restrictive covenants set forth herein and, having done so, agrees that the restrictive covenants set forth herein impose a fair and reasonable restraint on the Participant and are reasonably required to protect the interests of the Company and its Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees and equityholders.

 

6.              Trade Secrets and Confidential Information.

 

(a)                                 Confidential Information” means all non-public or proprietary data or information (other than Trade Secrets) concerning the business and operations of the Company or any of its Affiliates, 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, inventions, innovations, developments, graphic designs, website designs, patterns, specifications, procedures, databases and personnel.  “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 (i) 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

 

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economic value from its disclosure or use and (ii) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.

 

(b)                                 The Participant acknowledges that in the course of the Participant’s prior services to affiliates of the Company and the Participant’s future employment with the Company, the Participant has received or will receive and has had or will have access to Confidential Information and Trade Secrets of the Company or any of its Affiliates, and that unauthorized or improper use or disclosure by the Participant of such Confidential Information or Trade Secrets will cause serious and irreparable harm to the Company or any of its Affiliates.  Accordingly, the Participant is willing to enter into the covenants contained herein in order to provide the Company and its Affiliates with what the Participant considers to be reasonable protection for its interests.

 

(c)                                  The Participant hereby agrees to (i) hold in confidence all Confidential Information of the Company or any of its Affiliates that come into the Participant’s knowledge during the Participant’s employment by the Company and (ii) not disclose, publish or make use of such Confidential Information, other than in the good-faith performance of the Participant’s duties, without the prior written consent of the Company for as long as the information remains Confidential Information.

 

(d)                                 The Participant hereby agrees to hold in confidence all Trade Secrets of the Company or any of its Affiliates that come into the Participant’s knowledge during the Participant’s employment by the Company and not to disclose, publish, or make use of at any time after the date hereof such Trade Secrets without the prior written consent of the Company for as long as the information remains a Trade Secret.

 

(e)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 6 will not apply to (i) Confidential Information or Trade Secrets 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 information which the Participant can demonstrate to have had rightfully in the Participant’s possession prior to the commencement of the Participant’s employment with the Company or (ii) information required to be disclosed by judicial or governmental proceedings; provided that, in the event the Participant is ordered by a court or other government agency to disclose any Confidential Information, the Participant shall (1) promptly notify the Company of such order, (2) diligently contest such order at the sole expense of the Company as expenses occur, and (3) seek to obtain at the sole expense of the Company such confidential treatment as may be available under applicable laws for any information disclosed under such order.

 

(f)                                   Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, none of the covenants set forth herein  will prohibit the 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 ‘34 Act or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of federal law or regulation, or require modification or prior approval by the Company of any such reporting.

 

(g)                                  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, pursuant to the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, the Participant shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any

 

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federal or state Trade Secret law for the disclosure of a Trade Secret that: (i) is made (A) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (B) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (ii) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.  The Participant also understands that if the Participant files a lawsuit for retaliation by the Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, the Participant may disclose the Trade Secret to the Participant’s attorney and use the Trade Secret information in the court proceeding, if the Participant (i) files any document containing the Trade Secret under seal, and (ii) does not disclose the Trade Secret, except pursuant to court order.

 

7.              Work Product and Inventions.

 

(a)                                 The Participant acknowledges that the Participant’s work on and contributions to documents, programs, methodologies, protocols, and other expressions in any tangible medium (including, without limitation, all business ideas and methods, inventions, innovations, developments, graphic designs, web site designs, patterns, specifications, procedures or processes, market research, databases, works of authorship, products and other works of creative authorship) which have been or will be prepared by the Participant, or to which the Participant has contributed or will contribute, in connection with the Participant’s services to the Company (collectively, “Works”), are and will be within the scope of the Participant’s employment and part of the Participant’s duties and responsibilities.  The Participant’s work on and contributions to the Works will be rendered and made by the Participant for, at the instigation of, and under the overall direction of the Company, and are and at all times shall be regarded, together with the Works, as “work made for hire” as that term is used in the United States Copyright Laws.  However, to the extent that any court or agency should conclude that the Works (or any of them) do not constitute or qualify as a “work made for hire”, the Participant hereby assigns, grants, and delivers exclusively and throughout the world to the Company all rights, titles and interests in and to any such Works, and all copies and versions, including all copyrights and renewals.  The Participant agrees to cooperate with the Company and to execute and deliver to the Company and its successors and assigns, any assignments and documents the Company requests for the purpose of establishing, evidencing, and enforcing or defending its complete, exclusive, perpetual and worldwide ownership of all rights, titles and interests of every kind and nature, including all copyrights, in and to the Works, and the Participant constitutes and appoints the Company as its agent to execute and deliver any assignments or documents the Participant fails or refuses to execute and deliver, this power and agency being coupled with an interest and being irrevocable.  Without limiting the preceding provisions of this Section 7(a), the Participant agrees that the Company may edit and otherwise modify, and use, publish and otherwise exploit, the Works in all media and in such manner as the Company, in its sole discretion, may determine.

 

(b)                                 The Participant shall disclose promptly to the Company (which shall receive it in confidence), and only to the Company, any invention or idea of the Participant in any way connected with the Participant’s services or related to the Business of the Company, the research or development of the Company or any of its Affiliates, or demonstrably anticipated research or development (developed alone or with others), conceived or made during the Participant’s employment or services with the Company or within three (3) months thereafter and hereby assigns to the Company any such invention or idea.  The Participant agrees, subject to reimbursement of actual out of pocket expenses related thereto and at the Company’s sole liability and expense, to

 

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cooperate with the Company and sign all papers reasonably deemed necessary by the Company to enable it to obtain, maintain, protect and defend patents covering such inventions and ideas and to confirm the Company’s exclusive ownership of all rights in such inventions, ideas and patents, and irrevocably appoints the Company as its agent to execute and deliver any assignments or documents the Participant fails or refuses to execute and deliver promptly, this power and agency being coupled with an interest and being irrevocable.  This constitutes the Company’s written notification that this assignment does not apply to an invention for which no equipment, supplies, facility or Trade Secret information of the Company or any of its Affiliates was used and which was conceived and developed entirely on the Participant’s own time, unless (i) the invention relates (A) directly to the Business of the Company, or (B) to actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development of the Company or any of its Affiliates, or (ii) the invention results from any work performed by the Participant for the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

8.              Equitable Remedy.  Because of the difficulty of measuring economic losses to the Company or any of its Affiliates as a result of a breach of the covenants set forth herein, and because of the immediate and irreparable damage that would be caused to the Company and its Affiliates for which monetary damages would not be a sufficient remedy, it is hereby agreed that in addition to all other remedies that may be available to the Company or any of its Affiliates, at law or in equity, the Company shall be entitled to specific performance and any injunctive or other equitable relief as a remedy for any breach or threatened breach by the Participant of any provision set forth herein.  The Company and each of its Affiliates may seek temporary and/or permanent injunctive relief for an alleged violation of the covenants set forth herein without the necessity of posting a bond.

 

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Exhibit 10.9

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

 

2020 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

 

FORM OF NOTICE OF DIRECTOR RSU GRANT

 

Participant:

[  ]

 

 

# of Shares Underlying RSUs:

[  ]

 

 

Date of Grant:

[  ]

 

 

Vesting Schedule:

Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement attached hereto as Annex I, the RSUs shall vest on the first (1st) anniversary of the Date of Grant (the “Vesting Date”), subject to the Participant’s continued service with the Company through the Vesting Date. Upon vesting, the RSUs shall no longer be subject to cancellation pursuant to Section 3 of the Award Agreement.

 


 

By signing your name below, you accept the RSUs and acknowledge and agree that the RSUs are granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and the Award Agreement set forth on Annex I, both of which are hereby made a part of this document.  You further acknowledge and agree that, notwithstanding the foregoing, this grant of RSUs is contingent upon the consummation of the closing of the initial public offering of the Company, and in the event such closing does not occur, the RSUs granted hereunder shall be void ab initio without any further liability to the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

PARTICIPANT

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 


ANNEX I

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

2020 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

FORM OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT - DIRECTOR AWARD AGREEMENT

 

Pursuant to the RSU Grant Notice (“Grant Notice”) and this Award Agreement, Rocket Companies, Inc. (together with its Subsidiaries, whether existing or thereafter acquired or formed, and any and all successor entities, the “Company”) has granted the Participant restricted stock units (the “RSUs”) under the Rocket Companies, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) with respect to the number of Shares indicated in the Grant Notice.  Each RSU represents the right to receive one Share.  The RSUs are granted to the Participant effective as of the Date of Grant.  Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement or in the Grant Notice but defined in the Plan shall have the same definitions as in the Plan.

 

1.              Vesting Schedule; Settlement.

 

(a)                                 Vesting Schedule.  Subject to the provisions contained herein, the RSUs shall vest as provided in the Grant Notice.

 

(b)                                 Settlement.  Subject to the provisions of this Award Agreement, upon the vesting of any of the RSUs, the Company shall deliver to the Participant (or the Participant’s beneficiary, in the event of the Participant’s death prior to settlement or Permitted Transferee, as applicable), as soon as reasonably practicable after the Vesting Date (or, if applicable, an earlier vesting date under Section 4), one Share for each RSU, provided that such delivery of Shares shall be made no later than the 30th day after the Vesting Date (or, if applicable, an earlier vesting date under Section 4).  Upon such delivery, such Share shall be fully assignable, saleable and transferable by the Participant, provided that any such assignment, sale, transfer or other alienation with respect to such Shares shall be in accordance with applicable securities laws.

 

2.              Dividend Equivalents.  Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, the Participant shall not be eligible to receive dividend equivalents with respect to the RSUs unless and until the Participant becomes the record owner of the Shares underlying the RSUs, at which time accrued dividend equivalents shall be paid.

 

3.              Termination of Service.  In the event of the Participant’s termination of service with the Company at any time prior to the Vesting Date, other than in connection with a Change in Control, all unvested RSUs shall be canceled immediately and the Participant shall not be entitled to receive any payments with respect thereto except as set forth in Section 4(a).

 

4.              Change in Control.  In the event of a Change in Control, the RSUs then held by the Participant shall, to the extent unvested, become immediately vested and settled in accordance with Section 1(b) above if either (a) the Participant shall not continue as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company, acquirer or surviving company as applicable following the Change in Control or (b) if the RSUs are not continued or assumed in connection with the Change in Control.

 

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5.              Rights as a Stockholder.  The Participant shall have no voting rights with respect to the RSUs unless and until the Participant becomes the record owner of the Shares underlying the RSUs.

 

6.              Taxes.  The Participant shall be solely responsible for any applicable taxes and penalties, and any interest that accrues thereon, that the Participant incurs in connection with the receipt, vesting or settlement of any RSU granted hereunder.

 

7.              Clawback.  To the extent required by applicable law or the rules and regulations of the NYSE or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Shares are 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 Award Agreement).  The Participant hereby acknowledges and agrees that the RSUs shall be subject to any clawback policies approved by the Committee from time to time, the Committee retains the right at all times to decrease or terminate all awards and payments under the Plan, and any and all amounts payable under the Plan, or paid under the Plan, shall be subject to clawback, forfeiture, and reduction to the extent determined necessary to comply with applicable law and/or policies of the Company.

 

8.              Trade Secrets and Confidential Information.

 

(a)                                 Confidential Information” means all non-public or proprietary data or information (other than Trade Secrets) concerning the business and operations of the Company or any of its Affiliates, 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, inventions, innovations, developments, graphic designs, website designs, patterns, specifications, procedures, databases and personnel.  “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 (i) 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 (ii) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.

 

(b)                                 The Participant acknowledges that in the course of the Participant’s prior services to affiliates of the Company and the Participant’s future services to the Company, the Participant has received or shall receive and has had or shall have access to Confidential Information and Trade Secrets of the Company or any of its Affiliates, and that unauthorized or improper use or disclosure by the Participant of such Confidential Information or Trade Secrets shall cause serious and irreparable harm to the Company or any of its Affiliates.  Accordingly, the Participant is

 

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willing to enter into the covenants contained herein in order to provide the Company and its Affiliates with what the Participant considers to be reasonable protection for its interests.

 

(c)                                  The Participant hereby agrees to (i) hold in confidence all Confidential Information of the Company or any of its Affiliates that come into the Participant’s knowledge during the Participant’s service with the Company and (ii) not disclose, publish or make use of such Confidential Information, other than in the good-faith performance of the Participant’s duties, without the prior written consent of the Company for as long as the information remains Confidential Information.

 

(d)                                 The Participant hereby agrees to hold in confidence all Trade Secrets of the Company or any of its Affiliates that come into the Participant’s knowledge during the Participant’s service with the Company and not to disclose, publish, or make use of at any time after the date hereof such Trade Secrets without the prior written consent of the Company for as long as the information remains a Trade Secret.

 

(e)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 8 shall not apply to (i) Confidential Information or Trade Secrets 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 information which the Participant can demonstrate to have had rightfully in the Participant’s possession prior to the Participant’s commencement of services with the Company or (ii) information required to be disclosed by judicial or governmental proceedings; provided that, in the event the Participant is ordered by a court or other government agency to disclose any Confidential Information, the Participant shall (1) promptly notify the Company of such order, (2) diligently contest such order at the sole expense of the Company as expenses occur, and (3) seek to obtain at the sole expense of the Company such confidential treatment as may be available under applicable laws for any information disclosed under such order.

 

(f)                                   Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, none of the covenants set forth herein  shall prohibit the 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 ‘34 Act or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of federal law or regulation, or require modification or prior approval by the Company or any other Rocket Company of any such reporting.

 

(g)                                  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, pursuant to the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, the Participant shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state Trade Secret law for the disclosure of a Trade Secret that: (i) is made (A) in confidence to a Federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (B) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (ii) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.  the Participant also understands that if the Participant files a lawsuit for retaliation by the Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, the Participant may disclose the Trade Secret to the Participant’s attorney and use the Trade Secret information in the court

 

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proceeding, if the Participant (i) files any document containing the Trade Secret under seal, and (ii) does not disclose the Trade Secret, except pursuant to court order.

 

9.                                      Miscellaneous.

 

(a)                                 Compliance with Legal Requirements.  The granting of the RSU, and any other obligations of the Company under this Award 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 Award Agreement.

 

(b)                                 Transferability.  The RSUs shall be subject to Section 15(b) of the Plan.

 

(c)                                  Waiver.  No amendment or modification of any provision of this Award Agreement shall be effective unless signed in writing by or on behalf of the Company and the Participant, except that the Company may amend or modify this Award Agreement without the Participant’s consent in accordance with the provisions of the Plan or as otherwise set forth in this Award Agreement.  No waiver of any breach or condition of this Award Agreement shall be deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach or condition whether of like or different nature.  Any amendment or modification of or to any provision of this Award Agreement, or any waiver of any provision of this Award Agreement, shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which made or given.

 

(d)                                 Section 409A.  This Award Agreement is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder, and the provisions of this Award Agreement shall be interpreted in a manner that satisfies the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and this Award Agreement shall be operated accordingly. If any provision of this Award Agreement or any term or condition of the RSUs would otherwise conflict with this intent, the provision, term or condition shall be interpreted and deemed amended so as to avoid this conflict. Notwithstanding anything else in this Award Agreement, if the Committee considers a Participant to be a “specified employee” under Section 409A of the Code at the time of such Participant’s “separation from service” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code), and the amount hereunder is “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code any distribution that otherwise would be made to such Participant with respect to RSUs as a result of such separation from service shall not be made until the date that is six months after such separation from service, except to the extent that earlier distribution would not result in such Participant’s incurring interest or additional tax under Section 409A of the Code. If the Award includes a “series of installment payments” (within the meaning of Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii) of the Treasury Regulations), the Participants’ right to the series of installment payments shall be treated as a right to a series of separate payments and not as a right to a single payment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the tax treatment of the benefits provided under this Award Agreement is not warranted or guaranteed, and in no event shall the Company be liable for all or any portion of any taxes, penalties, interest or other expenses that may be incurred by the Participant on account of non-compliance with Section 409A of the Code.

 

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(e)                                  General Assets.  All amounts credited in respect of the RSUs to the book-entry account under this Award 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.  All notices, requests and other communications under this Award Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered in person (by courier or otherwise), mailed by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested to the contact details below. The parties may use e-mail delivery, so long as the message is clearly marked, sent to the e-mail address(es) set forth below.

 

if to the Company, to:

 

Rocket Companies, Inc.

1050 Woodward Avenue

Detroit, Michigan 48226

Attention: General Counsel

 

if to the Participant, to the address, facsimile number or e-mail address that the Participant most recently provided to the Company, or to such other address, facsimile number or e-mail address as such party may hereafter specify for the purpose by notice to the other parties hereto.

 

(g)                                  Severability.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Award Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Award Agreement, and each other provision of this Award Agreement shall be severable and enforceable to the extent permitted by law.

 

(h)                                 Successors.  The terms of this Award 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.

 

(i)                                     Entire Agreement.  The Participant acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan and represents that the Participant is familiar with the terms and provisions thereof (and has had an opportunity to consult counsel regarding the RSU terms).  The Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions and interpretations of the Committee regarding any questions relating to the RSU.  In the event of a conflict between the terms and provisions of the Plan and the terms and provisions of this Award Agreement, the Plan terms and provisions shall prevail.  This Award Agreement, including the Plan, constitutes the entire agreement between the Participant and the Company on the subject matter hereof and supersedes all proposals, written or oral, and all other communications between the parties relating to such subject matter.

 

(j)                                    Governing Law.  This Award 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.

 

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(k)                                 Dispute Resolution; Consent to Jurisdiction.  The Participant and the Company 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 Award 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 Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan or the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, 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.

 

(l)                                     International Participants.  To the extent the Participant resides or works outside of the United States or is subject to non-U.S. legal restrictions or regulations, the Committee may amend the terms of this Award Agreement in order to conform the terms hereunder 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 Section 9(l), the Committee is specifically authorized to adopt rules and procedures with provisions that limit or modify rights on death, disability, retirement or other terminations of employment, available methods of settlement of the RSUs granted hereunder, 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 or procedures applicable to particular Subsidiaries, Affiliates or locations.

 

(m)                             Electronic Signature and Delivery.  This Award Agreement may be accepted by return signature or by electronic confirmation.  By accepting this Award 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 shall be delivered in hard copy to the Participant).

 

(n)                                 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]

 

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Exhibit 10.10

 

ROCK HOLDINGS INC.
2015 EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN

 

1.                                      Definitions: As used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

(a)                                 “Award” shall mean an Option, a grant of Common Shares or a sale of Common Shares, which are the types of interests that the Committee is authorized to provide to Participants under the Plan.

 

(b)                                 “Award Agreement” shall mean a written agreement between the Company and a Participant pursuant to which the Company makes an Award to the Participant, which Award Agreement shall be subject in all respects to (and shall incorporate by reference) the Plan, but may contain additional terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan.

 

(c)                                  “Cause” shall have the meaning:

 

(i)                                     ascribed to such term in any employment agreement between a Participant and a Rock Entity (in which case, the meaning ascribed to such term in such employment agreement shall be supplemented by the meaning ascribed to such term in clause (ii) below and, to the extent the meaning of such term in clause (ii) below and in any such employment agreement are inconsistent, the meaning ascribed to the term in clause (ii) below shall supersede and control the meaning of such term);

 

or,

 

(ii)                                  in the case of a Participant who does not have an employment agreement with a Rock Entity that contains a definition of “Cause,” such term shall mean:

 

(A)                               a material breach of any term or provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement or any other agreement between the Participant and a Rock Entity, including, without limitation, any breach (whether voluntary, involuntary or by operation of law) of the prohibitions contained in the Plan against the Transfer of Options granted and Common Shares acquired under the Plan,

 

(B)                               a material breach of any term or provision of the employee handbook of the Rock Entity that employs the Participant,

 

(C)                               a material breach of any term or provision of any published policies of any Rock Entity, including, without limitation, any insider trading policy,

 

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(D)                               the Participant’s willful failure to perform the services required in connection with the Participant’s employment with a Rock Entity,

 

or to do so in all material respects in a reasonable and business-like manner,

 

(E)                                any conduct of the Participant related to his employment with a Rock Entity for which either criminal or material civil penalties could be sought,

 

(F)                                 the loss or revocation of any license the Participant is required to have to perfonu his duties for a Rock Entity,

 

(G)                               the Participant’s conviction of or plea of nolo contendere or admission of guilt with respect to a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude, including, without limitation, crimes involving drugs or liquor, regardless of whether appealed,

 

(H)                              the Participant’s commission of, or participation in, any act of fraud, false pretense, forgery, embezzlement or dishonesty against any Rock Entity,

 

(I)                                   the Participant’s commission of, or participation in, any act or omission that has a more than de minimis adverse effect upon the affairs or reputation of any Rock Entity,

 

(J)                                   the Participant’s substantial dependence on any mind altering or other harmful substance, including, without limitation, alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines, barbiturates, LSD, cocaine, any other narcotic drug, or any natural or synthetic substance having the same or similar effects as any of the foregoing, to the extent such use would constitute reasonable cause for termination under applicable law,

 

(K)                               the Participant’s abuse of prescription drugs in a non-prescribed manner, to the extent such use would constitute reasonable cause for termination under applicable law, or

 

(L)                                any activity of the Participant that constitutes a Competing or Harmful Activity.

 

For purposes of the Plan, a voluntary Termination of a Participant, after any act or omission by the Participant that would be grounds for a Termination for Cause, shall be considered a Termination for Cause (notwithstanding Participant’s prior voluntary Termination). Moreover, even where there has been no act or omission by a Participant meeting the foregoing definition of Cause, the Committee in its Discretion may determine to treat a

 

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voluntary Termination by a Participant prior to Retirement as a Termination for Cause for purposes of the Plan, provided that the Committee provides written notice to the Participant of such determination within ninety (90) days after the Participant’s voluntary Termination and provided that either (i) the voluntary Termination is attempted or effectuated by the Participant without him providing at least 14 days advance, clear and unequivocal written notice of such voluntary Termination to the Rock Entity that employs the Participant, (ii) the Participant does not fully cooperate in all material respects in transitioning his duties to other employees or service providers (either before or after the effective date of the Participant’s voluntary Termination), or (iii) the Participant is responsible for significant initiatives, but resigns during a critical time period relating to those initiatives or before critical deliverables are completed without timely transitioning his responsibilities to other employees or service providers.

 

(d)                                 “Change in Control” shall mean, unless otherwise determined by the Committee in its Discretion and set forth in the Award Agreement:

 

(i)                                     the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Rock Entities determined on a consolidated basis in a single transaction or series of related transactions to a single purchaser or group of related purchasers,

 

(ii)                                  the sale of more than 50% of the Common Shares in a single transaction or related series of transactions to a single purchaser or group of related purchasers, or

 

(iii)                               a merger, reorganization or similar transaction involving the Company where less than 50% of the equity interest in the entity resulting from such transaction is directly or indirectly owned, immediately after such transaction, by those Persons who were the beneficial owners of the Common Shares immediately before such transaction.

 

Unless determined otherwise by the Committee in its Discretion and set forth in the Award Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall also be deemed to occur at any time at which individuals (other than Daniel Gilbert and/or individuals designated or approved by Daniel Gilbert) constitute a majority of the board of directors of the Company.

 

(e)                                  “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder.

 

(f)                                   “Committee” shall mean (i) Daniel Gilbert, or (ii) a committee comprised of Daniel Gilbert and/or one or more other individuals designated by Daniel Gilbert.

 

(g)                                  “Common Shares” shall mean the voting common shares, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, and any securities received in respect of or in exchange for such Common Shares as a result of a stock dividend, stock

 

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split, reverse stock split, merger, recapitalization, reorganization or similar transaction (collectively, “Derivative Securities”), which Derivative Securities shall be subject to the same terms, conditions and restrictions as the Common Shares in respect of which the Derivative Securities are issued. As of the date of adoption of the Plan, the Common Shares (which are voting shares) are the only class of authorized and outstanding capital stock of the Company. If at any time after the date of adoption of the Plan, the Company amends its articles of incorporation to authorize a class of nonvoting common shares having identical economic rights as the Common Shares:

 

(i)                                     such nonvoting common shares shall be the shares of Company stock which may be optioned, granted or sold under the Plan,

 

(ii)                                  all references to “Common Shares” in the Plan shall mean such nonvoting common shares, and

 

(iii)                               the Common Shares which any Participant has acquired (or has the right to acquire) pursuant to any Award made prior to the date of such amendment to the Company’s articles of incorporation shall automatically (and without any action or consent of any Participant) become nonvoting common shares.

 

(h)                                 “Company” shall mean Rock Holdings Inc., a Michigan corporation, or any successor thereof.

 

(i)                                     “Competing or Harmful Activity” shall mean:

 

(i)                                     owning, maintaining, operating or engaging in the same or similar line of business or activity as any Rock Entity or in any business or activity that competes with any Rock Entity (“Competing Business”) in any county of any state in which any Rock Entity is operating a business,

 

(ii)                                  accepting employment with or serving as a consultant, advisor or in any other capacity to any Person that is a Competing Business or is acting against the interests of any Rock Entity,

 

(iii)                               undertaking any efforts or activities toward pre-incorporating, incorporating, financing or commencing any Competing Business,

 

(iv)                              advising, serving, or consulting with any Person which is or will be undertaking efforts towards incorporating, financing or commencing any Competing Business or activity which engages in a Competing Business,

 

(v)                                 employing, offering employment to, soliciting for the purpose of employing or recruiting any then present employee (or individual

 

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who, within two years prior to the time in question, was an employee) of any Rock Entity for or on behalf of any Person,

 

(vi)                              calling upon, soliciting, diverting or referring to any Person customers or referral sources of any Rock Entity who have conducted business with any Rock Entity within the two years before the time in question,

 

(vii)                           disclosing, copying, communicating, distributing, revealing, or using any trade secrets, proprietary infatuation, or confidential information concerning any Rock Entity or any of their customers (“Confidential Information”), except as a Participant’s duties to any Rock Entity may require during the Participant’s employment with any Rock Entity,

 

(viii)                        failing to return any Confidential Information or any documents, records, files, lists and the like (including originals and copies) containing Confidential Information immediately on the date of Termination of the Participant,

 

(ix)                              participating in a hostile takeover attempt of any Rock Entity,

 

(x)                                 disparaging the actions, reputation or character of any Rock Entity and/or any of their officers, directors, agents, consultants or shareholders in their capacity as such, by any means, including, without limitation, through any social media, or

 

(xi)                              using information or communications of a Rock Entity for the Participant’s own purposes without the Rock Entity’s consent, undertaking or participating in any activity that is or could be harmful in more than a de minimis manner to a Rock Entity, or disclosing non-public information about a Rock Entity (such as operating results, Common Share ownership or dividends) to others (except a Participant’s attorney or accountant who needs to know the information) without the Rock Entity’s consent.

 

(j)                                    “Daniel Gilbert” shall mean Daniel Gilbert or the person who, as a result of Daniel Gilbert’s death, disability or incapacity, then votes a majority of the Common Shares owned by Daniel Gilbert on the date of adoption of the Plan.

 

(k)                                 “Discretion” shall mean the sole discretion of the Committee, with no requirement whatsoever that the Committee follow past practices, act in a manner consistent with past practices, or treat any employee in a manner consistent with the treatment afforded other employees with respect to the Plan or otherwise.

 

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(l)                                     “Encumbrance” shall mean or refer to any lien, claim, charge, pledge, mortgage, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or alienation of any kind, adverse interest, or the interest of a third party under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or other title retention agreement, other than any such encumbrances, if any, imposed pursuant to applicable federal and state securities laws or under the terms of the Plan.

 

(m)                             “Fair Value Per Share” shall mean, unless otherwise determined in the Discretion of the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement, an amount calculated as set forth in Exhibit A as of any date of determination.

 

(n)                                 “Forfeiture Repurchase Price” shall mean:

 

(i)                                     in the case of Common Shares acquired pursuant to an Award made under the Plan (whether upon exercise of Options granted under the Plan or as a result of the grant or sale of Common Shares under the Plan), the lesser of:

 

(x)                                      the aggregate Fair Value Per Share of such Common Shares as of any date of determination, less any then outstanding principal balance of, and any accrued but unpaid interest on, any promissory note issued by a Participant (or other Person) to acquire such Common Shares,

 

or

 

(y)                                      the cost (if any) paid by the Participant (or any other Person) to the Company to acquire such Common Shares (exclusive of any taxes incurred by the Participant upon the acquisition or vesting of such Common Shares), less any outstanding principal balance of, and any accrued but unpaid interest on, any promissory note issued by the Participant (or any other Person) to acquire such Common Shares,

 

or

 

(ii)                                  in the case of Options granted under the Plan, zero ($0.00) dollars.

 

(o)                                 “IPO” shall mean a sale of Common Shares to the public pursuant to an effective registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act.

 

(p)                                 “Non-Forfeiture Repurchase Price” shall mean, as of any date of determination:

 

(i)                                     in the case of Common Shares acquired pursuant to an Award made under the Plan (whether upon exercise of Options granted under the Plan or as a result of the grant or sale of Common Shares under the

 

6


 

Plan), the aggregate Fair Value Per Share of such Common Shares, less any then outstanding principal balance of, and any accrued but unpaid interest on, any promissory note issued by a Participant (or other Person) to acquire such Common Shares,

 

or

 

(ii)                                  in the case of Options granted under the Plan, the aggregate Fair Value Per Share of the Common Shares underlying the Options, less the aggregate Option Price for such Common Shares.

 

(q)                                 “Option” shall mean an option to purchase Common Shares which meets the requirements set forth in the Plan but which is not intended to be, or does not qualify as, an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

 

(r)                                    “Option Price” shall mean the price payable by a Participant to exercise an Option and thereby acquire a Common Share.

 

(s)                                   “Participant” shall mean any individual designated by the Committee under Paragraph 6 for participation in the Plan.

 

(t)                                    “Person” shall mean an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization and a governmental entity or any department, agency or political subdivision of such governmental entity.

 

(u)                                 “Plan” shall mean this Rock Holdings Inc. 2015 Equity Compensation Plan, as it may be amended from time to time.

 

(v)                                 “Qualifying Termination” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Paragraph 23.

 

(w)                               “Retirement” shall mean voluntary Termination of a Participant if, at the time of such voluntary Termination, (i) the Participant has not engaged in any activity meeting the definition of Cause, and (ii) the sum of the Participant’s age and the number of his complete years of employment with a Rock Entity at least equals 75.

 

(x)                                 “Repurchase Notification Period” shall mean the period (i) beginning on the earlier of the date of Termination of the Participant or the date on which the Participant engages in any activity meeting the definition of Cause, and (ii) ending on the fifth anniversary of the date of Termination of the Participant.

 

(y)                                 “Rock Entity” shall mean the Company and any other corporation or other entity which is both (i) directly or indirectly wholly-owned by the Company and (ii) treated as a disregarded entity and a division of the Company for federal income tax purposes. If any other corporation or other entity meets

 

7


 

the requirements of clauses (i) and (ii) of the preceding sentence at the time an Award is made to a Participant that is employed by such other corporation or other entity, but thereafter such other corporation or other entity ceases to meet the requirements of either clause (i) or (ii) of the preceding sentence (other than on account of the Company ceasing to be an S corporation under the Code), then the Participant shall be considered to have experienced a Termination that is a Termination other than for Cause but that is not a Qualifying Termination.

 

(z)                                  “Secretary” shall mean the Secretary of the Company.

 

(aa)                          “Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

(bb)                          “Shareholders Agreement” shall mean the Shareholders Agreement of Rock Acquisition Corporation (now known as Rock Holdings Inc.), dated as of October 31, 2002, as the same may be amended from time to time.

 

(cc)                            “Termination” shall mean the termination, for whatever reason and whether voluntary or involuntary, of the employment relationship between a Participant, on the one hand, and a Rock Entity, on the other hand. The Committee, in its Discretion and on a case by case basis without any duty to treat similarly situated Participants in a uniform manner, may determine whether a Participant who changes from full-time to part-time employment status, who goes on a leave of absence or who becomes disabled has experienced a Termination.

 

(dd)                          “Transfer” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Paragraph 12.

 

2.                                      Purpose of Plan: The purpose of the Plan is to provide key employees (including officers) of the Rock Entities with an increased incentive to make significant and extraordinary contributions to the long-term performance and growth of the Rock Entities, to join the interests of key employees (including officers) of the Rock Entities with the interests of the shareholders of the Company, and to facilitate attracting and retaining key employees (including officers) of the Rock Entities who have exceptional ability, by allowing such persons to acquire an ownership interest in the Company, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Plan, as part of their compensation for services rendered by such persons directly to a Rock Entity as an employee of such Rock Entity.

 

3.                                      Administration: The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall determine, from those eligible to be Participants under the Plan, the persons to whom Awards shall be made, the number of Common Shares to be covered by an Award, the time when Awards shall be made and the terms and conditions of any Awards. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee has plenary authority to interpret the Plan, to promulgate, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan and to make all other

 

8


 

determinations necessary or advisable for its administration. Interpretation and construction of any provision of the Plan by the Committee shall be final, conclusive and not subject to appeal.

 

4.                                      Indemnification: In addition to such other rights of indemnification as they may have, the members of the Committee shall be indemnified by the Company in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding relating to any action taken or failure to act under or in connection with the Plan or any Award made under the Plan to the full extent provided for under the Company’s articles of incorporation or bylaws with respect to indemnification of directors of the Company.

 

5.                                      Maximum Number of Shares Subject to Plan: The maximum number of shares with respect to which Options may be granted or which may be granted or sold under the Plan shall be an aggregate of Common Shares, which may consist in whole or in part of authorized and unissued or reacquired Common Shares. Subject to such maximum limitation, the Committee in its Discretion may determine the number of Common Shares to be covered by any Award made to any Participant. Unless the Plan shall have been terminated, Common Shares covered by the unexercised portion of canceled, forfeited, expired or otherwise terminated Options, and Common Shares acquired under the Plan and subsequently repurchased or forfeited, shall again be available for option, grant or sale under the Plan. The number and type of shares subject to each outstanding Award, the Option Price with respect to outstanding Options, and the aggregate number and type of shares remaining available for option, grant or sale under the Plan shall be subject to such adjustment as the Committee, in its Discretion, deems appropriate to reflect such events as stock dividends, stock splits, reverse stock splits, recapitalizations, mergers, statutory share exchanges or reorganizations of or by the Company; provided that no fractional shares shall be issued pursuant to the Plan, no rights may be granted under the Plan with respect to fractional shares, and any fractional shares resulting from such adjustments shall be eliminated from any outstanding Award.

 

6.                                      Participants: The Committee shall determine and designate from time to time, in its Discretion, those employees (including officers) of any Rock Entity to whom Awards shall be made and who thereby become Participants under the Plan.

 

7.                                      Making of Awards: The making of Awards under the Plan shall be effected in accordance with determinations made by the Committee in its Discretion pursuant to the provisions of the Plan, by execution of Award Agreements between the Company and Participants. Each Award Agreement (1) shall indicate whether the Award is an Option, a grant of Common Shares or a sale of Common Shares, (ii) shall set forth the Option Price (in the case of an Option) or the sale price (in the case of a sale of Common Shares), (iii) shall specify the number of Common Shares covered by the Award, and (iv) may contain such other terms and conditions determined in the Discretion of the Committee which are not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan.

 

9


 

8.                                      Consideration for Awards: The Committee, in its Discretion, shall establish the Option Price at the time any Option is granted, provided, however, that (i) the Option Price per Common Share underlying the Option shall at least equal the Fair Value Per Share as of the date of grant of the Option and (ii) the Option Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Paragraph 5. The Committee may also provide for either the current sale of Common Shares to a Participant for any price determined by the Committee in its Discretion, or the current grant of Common shares to a Participant for no consideration.

 

9.                                      Payment of Consideration for Awards. At the time of the exercise in whole or in part of any Option or at the time of any sale of Common Shares, payment in full in cash shall be made by the Participant for all Common Shares so acquired; provided, however, that such payment of the Option Price or sale price may, with the consent of the Committee, in its Discretion, and subject to such conditions as may be established by it, also be made, in whole or in part:

 

(i)                                     by delivery of Common Shares,

 

(ii)                                  by delivery of a promissory note payable to the order of the Company that is acceptable to the Committee,

 

(iii)                               by a cash down payment and delivery of such a promissory note in the amount of the unpaid Option Price or sale price,

 

(iv)                              by the Company retaining from the Common Shares to be delivered upon exercise of the Option or sale of the Common Shares that number of Common Shares having an aggregate Fair Value Per Share on the date of exercise or sale equal to the Option Price or sale price of the number of Common Shares with respect to which the Participant exercises the Option or which are sold to the Participant, or

 

(v)                                 in such other manner as the Committee determines is appropriate, in its Discretion.

 

No Participant shall have any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company under any Option until the actual issuance of Common Shares, and prior to such issuance no adjustment shall be made for dividends, distributions or other rights in respect of such Common Shares, except as otherwise provided in Paragraph 5. In the event the Committee permits a Participant to pay by means of a promissory note the Option Price of Common Shares acquired upon exercise of an Option granted to the Participant or the sale price of Common Shares sold to the Participant, unless provided otherwise in the promissory note or Award Agreement, any dividends or other distributions otherwise thereafter payable on or in respect of such Common Shares (and any other Common Shares owned by the Participant) shall be retained by the Company and applied toward payment of the outstanding

 

10


 

principal balance of and any accrued but unpaid interest on such promissory note.

 

10.                               Vesting. Options shall become vested and exercisable, and Common Shares (whether acquired by exercise of an Option, by sale or by grant for no consideration) shall become vested, at such time or times and subject to such conditions as shall be determined by the Committee in its Discretion and set forth in the Award Agreement, which may include immediate vesting at the date of the Award Agreement. If the Award Agreement does not contain a vesting schedule and vesting terms,

 

(i)                                     an Option shall become vested and exercisable with respect to 25% of the number of Common Shares underlying the Option on the first anniversary of the date of grant of the Option, the Option shall become vested and exercisable with respect to the remainder of the Common Shares underlying the Option in equal 1/36th increments on the first day of each of the succeeding 36 complete calendar months (beginning on the first day of the first complete calendar month after the first anniversary of the date of grant of the Option), and the Common Shares acquired upon exercise of the Option shall be fully vested at the time of Option exercise, and

 

(ii)                                  25% of the Common Shares sold or granted shall become vested on the first anniversary of the date of the sale or grant and the remainder of the Common Shares sold or granted shall become vested in equal 1/36th increments on the first day of each of the succeeding 36 complete calendar months (beginning on the first day of the first complete calendar month after the first anniversary of the sale or grant of the Common Shares);

 

provided, however, that Options and Common Shares scheduled to become vested on a particular vesting date shall become vested only if the employment relationship between the Participant and a Rock Entity continues uninterrupted from the date of the Award until such vesting date, and any unvested portion of an Option or Common Shares shall become vested upon a Change in Control if the employment relationship between the Participant and a Rock Entity continues uninterrupted from the date of the Award until the closing date of the Change in Control. Vesting is relevant for various purposes under the Plan, including, without limitation, the price for which Common Shares acquired by a Participant under the Plan may be repurchased by the Company following the Participant’s Termination. However, any Common Share acquired by a Participant under the Plan shall, for the entire period that such Common Share is outstanding and regardless of whether it is vested or unvested, be entitled to share equally in any distribution made by the Company on the Common Shares (including dividends and distributions in liquidation of the Company).

 

11


 

11.                               Transferability and Exercise of Options: Except as otherwise provided in this Plan or as otherwise determined by the Committee in its Discretion and set forth in the Award Agreement:

 

(i)                                     no Option granted to a Participant shall be transferable by such Participant otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and

 

(ii)                                  such Option shall be exercisable, during the lifetime of the Participant, only by the Participant; provided, however, that an Option may be transferred pursuant to the “Drag Along Rights” provision of Section 1.8.1 of the Shareholders Agreement (to which all Options granted under the Plan shall be subject).

 

Any purported transfer or exercise of an Option in violation of the foregoing prohibitions shall be null and void and of no force or effect whatsoever, and any Participant making any purported prohibited transfer will retain beneficial ownership of the Option. In the case of any purported Transfer of an Option in violation of the transfer prohibition set forth in this Paragraph 11 (whether such Transfer is voluntary, involuntary or by operation of law), effective immediately prior to such Transfer, the Option and all rights thereunder shall be null and void and cancelled and forfeited for no consideration. At any time after an Option becomes vested and exercisable until the “Option Expiration Date” (or the earlier date of termination of the Option under the Plan, such as due to Termination of the Participant pursuant to Paragraph 15), the Option may be exercised by giving written notice to the Secretary, which notice shall specify the number of Common Shares as to which the Option is exercised and shall be accompanied by payment of the Option Price for such number of Common Shares (unless the Committee has determined to permit payment of the Option Price by means other than payment of cash upon exercise). Such exercise shall be effective only upon the actual receipt of such written notice and Option Price (if applicable), and no rights or privileges of a shareholder of the. Company in respect of any Common Shares issuable upon exercise of any part of the Option shall inure to the Participant, or any other person entitled to exercise the Option, unless and until certificates representing such Common Shares shall have been issued. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee in its Discretion and set forth in the Award Agreement, the “Option Expiration Date” shall mean (and no Option may be exercised after) the tenth anniversary of the date of grant of the Option. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Paragraph 11 or any other provision of the Plan, if a Participant to whom an Option is granted (or any other Person who becomes entitled under the first sentence of this Paragraph 11 to exercise an Option granted to a Participant) submits a notice of exercise of such Option, instead of permitting exercise of the Option and issuing the Common Shares specified in the notice of exercise, the Committee in its Discretion may require cancellation of the Option in

 

12


 

exchange for payment to the Participant (or such other Person entitled to exercise the Option) of an amount equal to the then Non-Forfeiture Repurchase Price for the portion of such Option sought to be exercised (less any withholding tax owing in respect of such amount); with such amount being payable at the same time and subject to the same terms and conditions (including the repurchase price, which might not equal the Non-Forfeiture Repurchase Price) as if the Option were exercised for such number of Common Shares and were the Company to then exercise its right under Paragraph 16 to repurchase such Common Shares; provided, however, that the payment in cancellation of the Option shall be made in a lump sum in cash at the time of the cancellation, unless payment of such amount over time (in accordance with Paragraph 16(e)(ii) of the Plan) would not result in the Participant (or other holder of the Option) being subject to additional tax under Section 409A of the Code, in which case the payment in cancellation of the Option may be made over time in accordance with Paragraph 16(e)(ii) of the Plan.

 

12.                               Prohibition Against Transferability of Common Shares. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee in its Discretion and set forth in the Award Agreement, or as otherwise provided in Paragraph 13, no Common Shares acquired by a Participant under the Plan, whether acquired by means of Option exercise or grant or sale of Common Shares, may be directly or indirectly sold, transferred, assigned, gifted, alienated, pledged, hypothecated or in any manner disposed of by the Participant (whether with or without consideration and whether voluntarily or involuntarily or by operation of law), nor may a Participant create or suffer the creation of a security interest in or any Encumbrance on or in respect of any Common Shares acquired by him under the Plan or enter any swap, contract, participation or other arrangement that transfers to another Person, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of Common Shares (the commission of any such act being referred to as a “Transfer”). Any purported Transfer of Common Shares in violation of the foregoing Transfer prohibition shall be null and void and of no force or effect whatsoever, and any Participant making any purported prohibited Transfer will retain beneficial ownership of the Common Shares, including the right to receive dividends and distributions on such Common Shares. A violation by a Participant of the Transfer prohibition in this Paragraph 12 may also be grounds for Termination of the Participant for Cause. Moreover, in the case of any purported Transfer of Common Shares by a Participant in violation of the Transfer prohibition set forth in this Paragraph 12 (whether voluntary, involuntary or by operation of law), the Company (or Daniel Gilbert) shall have the right to repurchase the Common Shares pursuant to and subject to the terms and conditions of Paragraph 16.

 

13.                               Permitted Transfers of Common Shares. Notwithstanding the Transfer prohibition set forth in Paragraph 12, but subject to compliance with the provisions of Sections 1.1 and 1.2 of the Shareholders Agreement, Common Shares acquired by a Participant under the Plan may be Transferred:

 

13


 

(i)                                     to the Company or Daniel Gilbert (whether or not pursuant to the repurchase provisions in the Plan),

 

(ii)                                  by Daniel Gilbert,

 

(iii)                               by will or pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution upon or after the death of the Participant (although, in such case, the Company or Daniel Gilbert shall have the right to repurchase the Common Shares pursuant to Paragraph 16 and any transferee of the Common Shares in such Transfer must agree in writing to comply with the Transfer prohibition set forth in Paragraph 12 and any other provisions of the Plan determined by the Committee),

 

(iv)                              pursuant to the “Drag Along Rights” provision of Section 1.8.1 of the Shareholders Agreement (to which all Common Shares acquired pursuant to the Plan shall be subject),

 

(v)                                 after consummation of an IPO (but subject to any securities law requirements and any lock-up period or other contractual restrictions imposed on transfer of Common Shares in connection with an IPO), or

 

(vi)                              to any other Person or under any other circumstances with the prior written consent of Daniel Gilbert, which consent may be granted, withheld or subject to any conditions imposed by Daniel Gilbert in his sole discretion.

 

14.                               No Right to Continued Employment: Nothing contained in the Plan or in any Award Agreement, nor any action taken by the Committee under the Plan, shall confer upon any Participant any right with respect to continuation of employment with a Rock Entity, nor interfere in any way with the right of a Rock Entity to terminate such person’s employment at any time.

 

15.                               Effect of Termination on Options: Unless determined otherwise by the Committee in its Discretion and set forth in the Award Agreement, upon Termination of the Participant:

 

(i)                                     any then unvested portion of the Option shall be cancelled and forfeited for no consideration regardless of the reason for the Participant’s Termination, and

 

(ii)                                  any then vested portion of the Option shall also be forfeited (A) if the Participant’s Termination is for Cause or (B) if the Participant’s Termination is other than for Cause but the Participant engages in activity after Termination and prior to exercise of the Option that satisfies the definition of Cause.

 

14


 

If a Participant to whom an Option has been granted experiences a Termination other than for Cause and does not engage in activity meeting the definition of Cause after his Termination and prior to exercise of the Option, any portion of the Option that is vested on the date of the Participant’s Termination may be exercised only until the earlier of the 90th day after such Termination or the Option Expiration Date and only if the Participant simultaneously executes a release in a form satisfactory to the Company, with any Common Shares acquired by exercise of the Option during such period being subject to the repurchase provisions set forth in Paragraph 16; provided, however, that if the Participant (or any other Person who is entitled to exercise the Option) submits a notice of exercise of the vested portion of the Option during such period, instead of permitting exercise of the vested portion of the Option and issuing the underlying Common Shares specified in the notice of exercise, the Committee in its Discretion may require cancellation of the Option in exchange for payment to the Participant (or other Person entitled to exercise the Option) of an amount equal to the Non-Forfeiture Repurchase Price of the vested portion of the Option sought to be exercised (less any withholding tax owing in respect of such amount), with such amount being payable at the same time and subject to the same terms and conditions as if such portion of the Option were exercised and were the Company to then exercise its right under Paragraph 16 to repurchase the Common Shares underlying such portion of the Option; provided, however, that (i) such amount shall be payable to the Participant only if he executes or has executed a release in a form satisfactory to the Company, and (ii) such amount shall be paid in a lump sum in cash at the time of the cancellation of the Option, unless payment of such amount over time (in accordance with Paragraph 16(e)(ii) of the Plan) would not result in the Participant (or other holder of the Option) being subject to additional tax under Section 409A of the Code, in which case the payment in cancellation of the Option may be made over time in accordance with Paragraph 16(e)(ii) of the Plan.

 

16.                               Right to Repurchase Common Shares. The Company (or Daniel Gilbert if and to the extent that the Company does not exercise its rights under this Paragraph 16) may repurchase all or any of the Common Shares acquired pursuant to any Award made to a Participant under the Plan, regardless of who owns such Common Shares if, during the Repurchase Notification Period, the Company (or Daniel Gilbert, as applicable) provides written notice of its (or his) intention to repurchase such Common Shares in accordance with this Paragraph 16.

 

(a)                                 The Company (or Daniel Gilbert) may exercise the repurchase right provided in this Paragraph 16 by delivering, at any time during the Repurchase Notification Period, written notice to the Participant (or other holder of the Common Shares) setting forth the number of Common Shares to be repurchased, the repurchase price for such number of Common Shares, and a closing date for the repurchase (which closing date shall be no later than 90 days after the date of such repurchase notice).

 

15


 

(b)                                 The repurchase price for any Common Shares repurchased by the Company (or Daniel Gilbert, as applicable) pursuant to this Paragraph 16 shall be the Non-Forfeiture Repurchase Price of such Common Shares as of the date that the Company (or Daniel Gilbert, as applicable) provides notice of its (or his) intent to repurchase such Common Shares, provided, however, that:

 

(i)                                     in the case of Common Shares acquired pursuant to an Award made to a Participant that are unvested as of the date of Termination of the Participant, if the Company (or Daniel Gilbert, as applicable) provides written notice to the Participant (or other holder of the unvested Common Shares) of its (or his) intent to exercise its (or his) repurchase rights under this Paragraph 16 during the portion of the Repurchase Notification Period consisting of the six month period following the date of the Participant’s Termination, then the repurchase price for such unvested Common Shares shall be the Forfeiture Repurchase Price of such unvested Common Shares as of the date of the Participant’s Termination,

 

and

 

(ii)                                  (A) if a Participant engages in any activity meeting the definition of Cause (other than a Transfer in violation of the provisions of Paragraph 12 of the Plan that is involuntary or by operation of law) at any time during the portion of the Repurchase Notification Period ending on the first anniversary of the date of the Participant’s Termination, (B) if the Company discovers such activity during the later of (I) the period specified in the foregoing clause (A) of this Paragraph 16(b)(ii), and (II) the six months after the Participant engages in such activity, and (C) if the Company (or Daniel Gilbert, as applicable) provides written notice to the Participant (or other holder of the Common Shares) of its (or his) intent to exercise repurchase rights under this Paragraph 16 within six months after the Company discovers such activity, then the repurchase price for any Common Shares acquired pursuant to any Award made to the Participant shall be the Forfeiture Repurchase Price of such Common Shares as of the time that the Company discovers such conduct by the Participant.

 

(c)                                  In the case of Common Shares acquired under an Award made to a Participant, (i) if the Participant engages in any activity meeting the definition of Cause (other than a Transfer in violation of the provisions of Paragraph 12 of the Plan that is involuntary or by operation of law) at any time during the portion of the Repurchase Notification Period ending on the first anniversary of the date of Termination of the Participant, (ii) if the Company discovers such activity during the later of (I) the period specified in the foregoing clause (i) of this Paragraph 16(c), and (II) the six months after the Participant engages in such activity, and ( ) the Company (or

 

16


 

Daniel Gilbert, as applicable) provides written notice to the Participant (or other holder of the Common Shares) of the Company’s (or Daniel Gilbert’s) intention to exercise its (or his) rights under this Paragraph 16(c) within six months after the Company discovers such activity, then (A) the repurchase price of any of such Common Shares previously repurchased by the Company (or Daniel Gilbert, as applicable) from the Participant (or other holder) at a Non-Forfeiture Repurchase Price shall be reduced to the Forfeiture Repurchase Price of such Common Shares as of the date that the Company discovers such activity, and (B) any then remaining obligation of the Company (or Daniel Gilbert, as applicable) to pay a Non-Forfeiture Repurchase Price for such Common Shares shall be eliminated or reduced, as applicable, and (C) the Participant (or other holder of the Common Shares) shall immediately repay any previous repurchase price payments received, so that the total amount received by the Participant (and any other holder) from the Company and Daniel Gilbert in respect of such Common Shares shall equal the Forfeiture Repurchase Price of the Common Shares as of the time that the Company discovers the Participant’s activity meeting such definition of Cause.

 

(d)                                 Nothing in this Paragraph 16 shall limit the right of any Rock Entity to separately seek damages, or to pursue any other available remedy (including specific performance), against any Participant in respect of any activity engaged in by the Participant meeting the definition of Cause.

 

(e)                                  Subject to Paragraph 16(c), unless otherwise determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement, the Company (or Daniel Gilbert, as applicable) shall pay the Participant (or other holder of the Common Shares) the repurchase price of the Common Shares to be repurchased, in the Discretion of the Company (or Daniel Gilbert, as applicable) either:

 

(i)                                     in full in cash at the closing of the repurchase, or

 

(ii)                                  20% in cash at closing with the remaining balance of the repurchase price payable in four equal installments of principal (plus interest at the then applicable rate for federal income tax purposes) on each of the first four anniversaries of the closing date of the repurchase (subject to prepayment at the option of the Company at any time without penalty); provided, however, that the Company may delay payment of all or a portion of the repurchase price so long as and to the extent that (i) the payment would be prohibited by law or (ii) the payment would be prohibited under agreements governing the Company or the other Rock Entities (which are the source of the funds to make the payment), such as lending agreements and bond indentures.

 

(f)                                   At the closing of the repurchase of Common Shares under this Paragraph 16:

 

17


 

(i)                                     the Participant (or other holder of the Common Shares) shall execute any documents determined in the Discretion of the Company (or Daniel Gilbert, as applicable) to be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the transfer of such Common Shares to the Company (or Daniel Gilbert, as applicable),

 

(ii)                                  the Common Shares transferred by the Participant (or other holder) shall be free and clear of any Encumbrances,

 

(iii)                               the Participant (or other holder) shall so represent and warrant and further represent and warrant that the Participant (or other holder) is the record and beneficial owner of the Common Shares, and

 

(iv)                              the Participant (or other holder) shall thereafter have no right, title or interest in or in respect of such repurchased Common Shares (except for the right to receive any portion of the repurchase price thereof not paid at the closing of the repurchase, plus interest).

 

(g)                                  To facilitate enforcement of the Company’s (and Daniel Gilbert’s) repurchase rights under this Paragraph 16, at the time of acquisition of any Common Shares under the Plan (whether at the time of Option exercise or at the time of grant or sale of Common Shares hereunder), the Participant (or other permitted acquirer of the Common Shares) shall deliver to the Company a stock power or assignment separate from certificate assigning the Common Shares (which power or assignment will be executed by the Participant or other acquirer of the Common Shares, but the date of the power or assignment, the identity of the assignee and the number of Common Shares covered thereby shall be left blank).

 

17.                               Power of Attorney; Execution of Documents. By execution of any Award Agreement, as to any Common Shares acquired pursuant thereto, the Participant (on behalf of himself and any subsequent holder of such Common Shares) shall be deemed to have irrevocably constituted and appointed the Secretary his true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution, to execute or complete any document and to do and perform any act necessary or appropriate to effectuate the Participant’s (or other holder’s) obligations to transfer the Common Shares to the Company (or Daniel Gilbert, as applicable) pursuant to the repurchase provisions of the Plan. The power of attorney granted pursuant to this Paragraph 17 shall be irrevocable and shall survive the death, incompetency, insanity, disability or bankruptcy of the Participant, and Transfer of the Common Shares, and the death, incompetency, insanity, disability or bankruptcy of any other holder of the Common Shares.

 

18.                               Voting Agreement Irrevocable Proxy. By execution of any Award Agreement, as to any Common Shares acquired pursuant thereto for so long as such Common Shares are voting shares (or until consummation of an Approved Sale (as defined in the Shareholders Agreement) or Daniel Gilbert’s consent to termination of these

 

18


 

provisions, if earlier), as to any and all matters that may come before the shareholders of the Company (whether at an annual or special shareholder meeting, by written consent in lieu of a meeting or otherwise), pursuant to Section 461 of the Michigan Business Corporation Act, the Participant (on behalf of himself and any subsequent holder of such Common Shares) shall be deemed to have agreed with the Company and the “Designee” to vote (or in lieu thereof, to execute one or more written consents with respect to) all such Common Shares as directed by, and in accordance with instructions from, the “Designee.” In order to ensure the Participant’s (or other holder’s) compliance with such voting agreement, the Participant (on behalf of himself and any subsequent holder of the Common Shares) shall be deemed to have designated, made, constituted and appointed the Designee as his true and lawful proxy and attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution, to represent and vote (or execute written consents in lieu thereof) in his discretion all such Common Shares with respect to any and all matters that may come before the shareholders of the Company; such proxy and power of attorney are irrevocable pursuant to the terms of Section 422(e) of the Michigan Business Corporation Act and shall survive the death, incompetency, insanity, disability or bankruptcy of the Participant, any Transfer of the Common Shares, and the death, incompetency, insanity, disability or bankruptcy of any other holder of the Common Shares. For purposes of this Paragraph 18, “Designee” shall mean Daniel Gilbert.

 

19.                               Investment Purpose: At the time of acquisition of any Common Shares hereunder, the Participant (or other acquirer) shall be deemed to have agreed, represented and warranted that the Participant’s (or other acquirer’s) acquisition of such Common Shares shall be for such person’s own account, for investment and not with a view to their resale in connection with a distribution of such Common Shares and that any subsequent sale or offer for sale of any such Common Shares shall be made either pursuant to (1) a registration statement on an appropriate form under the Securities Act, which registration statement has become effective and is current with respect to the Common Shares being offered and sold, or (2) a specific exemption fiom the registration requirements of the Securities Act, but in claiming such exemption the Participant (or other acquirer) shall, prior to any offer for sale or sale of such Common Shares, obtain a favorable written opinion from counsel for or approved by the Company as to the availability of such exemption.

 

20.                               Certificate Legend. Upon any acquisition of Common Shares hereunder, the Company shall issue a certificate for such Common Shares, but the Company shall retain such certificate and not deliver it to the Participant (or any other acquirer or subsequent holder of the Common Shares). Moreover, any such certificate for any Common Shares acquired hereunder shall have imprinted on it the following (or a substantially similar) legend:

 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED IN THE ABSENCE OF AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION

 

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STATEMENT AS TO THE SECURITIES UNDER SAID ACT OR AN OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY AND ITS COUNSEL THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED.”

 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO THE TERMS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THE COMPANY’S SHAREHOLDER AGREEMENT, 2015 EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN, CERTAIN STOCK GRANT AND/OR STOCK OPTION AGREEMENTS, VOTING AGREEMENTS, IRREVOCABLE PROXIES, AND/OR STOCK POWERS (ALL AS MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME) INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER, THE COMPANY’S RIGHT TO REPURCHASE, A VOTING AGREEMENT, AND SUBSTANTIAL RISKS OF FORFEITURE. A COPY OF THE FOREGOING DOCUMENTS ARE ON FILE WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY AND WILL, UPON WRITTEN REQUEST, BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ANY PROPERLY INTERESTED PERSON WITHOUT CHARGE.”

 

21.                               Withholding Payments: If, upon the acquisition of Common Shares hereunder, or upon the vesting of Common Shares acquired hereunder, there shall be payable by any Rock Entity any amount for income, employment or other tax withholding, the Participant shall pay such amount to the Company, to provide funds to make such payment or to reimburse the Rock Entity for making such payment. The Company (or other Rock Entity) shall have the right to withhold the amount of such taxes from any other sums or property due or to become due from them to the Participant upon such terms and conditions as the Committee shall prescribe in its Discretion, including, without limitation, retaining and applying in satisfaction of any such taxes:

 

(i)                                     any dividends or other distributions otherwise payable on any Common Shares acquired by the Participant hereunder or otherwise, and/or

 

(ii)                                  any salary, bonus or other compensation otherwise payable to the Participant.

 

The Committee may also, in its Discretion, permit Participants to satisfy such withholding obligations, in whole or in part, by electing to have the amount of Common Shares delivered or deliverable by the Company hereunder appropriately reduced, or by electing to tender Common Shares to the Company to reimburse the Company for such income tax withholding, subject to such rules and regulations, if any, as the Committee may adopt. The Committee may make such other arrangements with respect

 

20


 

to income, employment or other tax withholding as it shall determine in its Discretion.

 

22.                               Handling of Options on a Change in Control: In the event of a Change in Control, the Committee, in its Discretion without the consent of any Participant, may effect one or more of the following alternatives with respect to all or any part of the outstanding Options (which alternatives may be made conditional on the occurrence of the applicable Change in Control and which may vary among individual Participants and individual Options or portions of Options, even if such Options are granted to the same Participant):

 

(a)                                 accelerate the time at which Options then outstanding may be exercised so that such Options may be exercised for a limited period of time on or before a specified date fixed by the Committee after which specified date all unexercised Options that were so accelerated and all rights of Participants under such unexercised Options shall terminate;

 

(b)                                 accelerate the time at which Options then outstanding may be exercised so that such Options may be exercised for their then remaining term;

 

(c)                                  require the mandatory surrender to the Company of outstanding Options held by Participants (irrespective of whether such Options are then exercisable) as of a date, before or not later than sixty days after the Change in Control specified by the Committee, and in such event the Company shall thereupon cancel such Options and shall pay to each Participant an amount of cash equal to the excess, if any, of the value (as reflected by the price payable by the buyer of the Company in the Change in Control or, if there is no consideration payable in the Change in Control, the then Non-Forfeiture Repurchase Price) of the Common Shares subject to the vested portion of such Option and, if the Committee determines to do so in its Discretion, the excess, if any, of the value (as reflected by the price payable by the buyer of the Company in the Change of Control or, if there is no consideration payable in the Change in Control, the then Non-Forfeiture Repurchase Price) of the Common Shares subject to the unvested portion of such Option, determined as of the closing date of the Change in Control, over the aggregate Option Price of such Common Shares less any withholding taxes owing on such payment; or

 

(d)                                 provide for the conversion of Options into options to acquire stock or another equity interest in the buyer of the Company in the Change in Control, in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions of the agreement providing for the Change in Control.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of affected Participants, in its Discretion the Committee may in lieu of the foregoing provide for any other treatment of outstanding Options in connection with a Change in Control.

 

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23.                               Limited Put Right. In the event that a Participant experiences a “Qualifying Termination” (defined below in this Paragraph 23), the Participant shall have the right (the “Put Right”) to require the Company to repurchase any Common Shares acquired by the Participant under the Plan which are vested at the time of the Participant’s Qualifying Termination, in accordance with and subject to the following terms and conditions:

 

(i)                                     A Participant may exercise the Put Right with respect to all or part of the Common Shares acquired by him under the Plan that are vested at the time of his Qualifying Termination, but he may exercise the Put Right only once.

 

(ii)                                  A Participant may exercise the Put Right only by providing written notice to the Company, during the ninety {90) day period following the date of his Qualifying Termination, specifying his desire to exercise the Put Right and specifying the proper number of vested Common Shares acquired by him hereunder that he desires to require the Company to repurchase; provided, however, that, in the event a Participant experiences a Qualifying Termination due to his death, or in the event a Participant experiences a Qualifying Termination other than due to his death but then dies within ninety (90) days thereafter and before he exercised his Put Right, the period during which the Put Right held by the deceased Participant may be exercised shall be extended to the period ending on the first anniversary of the date of the Participant’s death.

 

(iii)                               Within ninety (90) days after receipt by it of notice of exercise of a Participant’s Put Right, the Company shall repurchase the number of Common Shares specified in such notice for an amount equal to the Non-Forfeiture Repurchase Price of such number of Common Shares as of the date of the Participant’s Qualifying Termination (such amount being referred to herein as the “Put Price”).

 

(iv)                              Subject to Paragraph 23(ix), the Company shall pay 20% of the Put Price in cash on the closing date of the repurchase with the remaining balance of the Put Price payable in four equal installments of principal (plus interest at the then applicable rate for federal income tax purposes) on each of the first four anniversaries of the closing date of the repurchase (subject to prepayment at any time at the option of the Company without penalty); provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to make any such payment if and to the extent that (i) the payment would be prohibited by law, (ii) the payment would be prohibited under agreements governing the Company or the other Rock Entities (which are the source of the funds to make the payment), such as lending agreements and bond indentures, or (iii) the board of directors of the Company determines in its Discretion that the Company or the other Rock Entities (which

 

22


 

are the source of the funds to make the payment) have insufficient liquidity to make the payment.

 

(v)                                 In the event that the Company cannot pay the Put Price (or a portion thereof) pursuant to the proviso in the foregoing clause (iv) of this Paragraph 23, the Committee shall provide written notice of such inability to the Participant and, in its Discretion and as specified in such notice, the Committee may either (i) refuse to honor the Participant’s request to exercise his Put Right (but allow the Participant to again exercise the Put Right within thirty (30) days after the Company provides written notice to the Participant that the Participant may again request to exercise his Put Rights, subject to the terms and conditions of this Paragraph 23), or (ii) delay payment of all or a portion of the Put Price until and to the extent the payment would not be prohibited by law or by such contractual agreements or liquidity requirements; provided, however, if more than one Participant exercises a Put Right at a time when the Company is unable to pay the Put Price owing to each such Participant in accordance with the payment schedule set forth in the foregoing clause (iv) of this Paragraph 23, the Committee in its Discretion shall determine whether to honor the Put Rights in the order granted, pro rata or in any other manner.

 

(vi)                              At the closing of the repurchase under this Paragraph 23 (and at any time thereafter, as requested by the Company), the Participant shall execute such documents and take such actions as determined by the Committee, in its Discretion, to be necessary or appropriate to effectuate (effective as of such closing date) the transfer to the Company of all Common Shares as to which the Participant exercises his Put Right.

 

(vii)                           All Common Shares as to which the Participant exercises his Put Right shall be free and clear of all Encumbrances, and the Participant shall so represent and warrant and further represent and warrant that he is, or his permitted transferee (pursuant to Paragraph 13) is, the record and beneficial owner of such Common Shares.

 

(viii)                        Upon closing of the Company’s repurchase of Common Shares as to which the Participant exercises his Put Right, the Participant shall have no further right, title or interest in or with respect to such Common Shares (except for the right to receive the Put Price thereof, plus interest).

 

(ix)                              (A) If a Participant exercises his Put Right, (B) if the Participant engages in any activity meeting the definition of Cause any time during the portion of the Repurchase Notification Period ending on the first anniversary of the date of Termination of the Participant,

 

23


 

(C) if the Company discovers such activity during the later of (I) the period specified in the foregoing clause (B) of this Paragraph 23(ix), and (II) the six months after the Participant engages in such activity, and (D) if the Company provides written notice to the Participant of its intention to exercise its rights under this Paragraph 23(ix) within six months after the Company discovers such activity, then (x) the Put Price of the Common Shares as to which the Participant exercised his Put Right shall be reduced to an amount equal to the Forfeiture Repurchase Price of such Common Shares as of the date of the Qualifying Termination of the Participant, (y) any then remaining obligation of the Company to pay any remaining installments of the Put Price shall be eliminated or reduced, as applicable, and (z) the Participant shall immediately repay any previous Put Price payments received, so that the total amount received by the Participant from the Company in respect of such Common Shares shall equal the Forfeiture Repurchase Price of the Common Shares as of the date of the Qualifying Termination of the Participant. Nothing in this Paragraph 23 shall limit the right of any Rock Entity to separately seek damages, or to pursue any other available remedy (including specific performance), against any Participant in respect of any activity engaged in by the Participant meeting the definition of Cause.

 

(x)                                 A Participant may exercise the Put Right provided under this Paragraph 23 only if he experiences a Qualifying Termination and only with respect to Common Shares that were acquired by the Participant under the Plan and that are vested as of the date of the Participant’s Qualifying Termination.

 

(xi)                              For purposes of this Paragraph 23, a Qualifying Termination shall mean Termination of a Participant on account of his Retirement, death or disability or Termination of a Participant by a Rock Entity without Cause, provided that the Participant has not theretofore engaged in any activity meeting the definition of Cause.

 

(xii)                           Any of a Participant’s Common Shares as to which he has not yet exercised (or is not permitted to exercise) the Put Right provided under this Paragraph 23 shall be subject to the repurchase and cancellation rights and obligations, set forth in other provisions of the Plan.

 

(xiii)                        Payments of Put Price owing by the Company to a Participant under this Paragraph 23 shall be reduced by any taxes required by law to be withheld therefrom.

 

(xiv)                       In the event a Participant exercises his Put Right hereunder, the obligation of the Company to pay the Put Price may be assumed by

 

24


 

(and the right of the Company to receive the Common Shares that are the subject of the Put Right may be assigned to) Daniel Gilbert.

 

24.                               Information Rights. Participants (or any other Persons) who acquire Common Shares pursuant to any Award made under the Plan shall have no right to receive any information regarding any Rock Entity or their respective businesses and results of operations, except such information as the Committee, in its Discretion, determines to make available or as is required by applicable law to be made available. All information provided (if any) shall be treated by the Participant (or other holder of the Common Shares) as Confidential Information. Access to any information regarding a Rock Entity that the Committee determines to make available to Participants (or other Persons) who acquire Common Shares under the Plan may, in the Discretion of the Committee, be limited to viewing such information on a secure password-protected website, and Participants (or such other Persons) shall be obligated to keep any such information strictly confidential.

 

25.                               Effectiveness, Termination, Duration and Amendments of Plan: The Plan shall be effective on the date the board of directors of the Company adopts the Plan. The Plan may be abandoned or terminated at any time by the board of directors of the Company. Unless sooner terminated, the Plan shall terminate on the date ten years after its adoption by the board of directors of the Company, and no Awards may be made under the Plan after its termination. The termination of the Plan shall not affect the validity of any Award that is outstanding on the date of termination. The board of directors of the Company shall have the right (without consent or approval of any Participant) to amend or revise the terms of this Plan in any respect, at any time and for any reason; provided, however, that no such amendment or revision that would adversely affect a Participant’s rights with respect to an Award made to the Participant prior to the time of the amendment or revision shall apply to such Award without the Participant’s written consent.

 

26.                               Section 409A of the Code: The Plan and any Award granted hereunder are intended to comply with, or be exempt from, the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, and shall be interpreted and administered in a manner consistent with that intention. Under no circumstances, however, shall any Rock Entity be liable to a Participant for any tax, interest or penalty imposed upon the Participant, or for any damage suffered by the Participant, on account of any Award to the Participant not being exempt from or not complying with Section 409A of the Code.

 

27.                               Requirements of Law: The granting of Awards and the issuance of Common Shares under the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies as may be required. No Common Shares shall be issued or transferred pursuant to the Plan unless and until all legal requirements applicable to such issuance or transfer have, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, been complied with. In connection with any such issuance or transfer, the person acquiring the Common Shares shall, if requested by the Company, give assurances satisfactory to counsel to the Company in respect to such

 

25


 

matters as the Company may deem desirable to assure compliance with all applicable legal requirements.

 

28.                               Not Benefit Plan Compensation: Awards made pursuant to the Plan shall not be deemed a part of Participants’ compensation for purposes of determining Participants’ benefits under any other benefit plans or arrangements provided by a Rock Entity, except where the Committee expressly provides otherwise in writing or if otherwise required by law.

 

29.                               Governing Law: The Plan, and all Award Agreements made pursuant hereto, shall be governed, construed, and administered in accordance with the laws of the State of Michigan (regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws of such jurisdiction or any other jurisdiction).

 

30.                               Changes in Laws, Rules or Regulations: References in the Plan to any law, rule or regulation shall include a reference to any corresponding rule (or number redesignation) of any amendments or restatements to such law, rule or regulation adopted after the date of the Plan’s adoption.

 

31.                               Headings: Headings are given to paragraphs of the Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan or any provision thereof.

 

32.                               Number and Gender: Under the Plan, the singular form of a word shall include the plural form, the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender and similar interpretations shall prevail as the context requires.

 

33.                               Severability: In the event that any provision of the Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.

 

34.                               Shareholders Agreement. In addition to being subject to the Plan and applicable Award Agreement, all Awards and the underlying Common Shares shall also be subject to the Shareholder Agreement, and at the time of execution of an Award Agreement the Participant shall sign a signature page to the Shareholders Agreement; provided, however, that (i) notwithstanding any provision of the Shareholders Agreement permitting the Transfer of an Option or Common Shares, no Option granted and no Common Shares acquired hereunder may be Transferred unless they are also permitted to be Transferred under the provisions of the Plan, and (ii) the repurchase, cancellation and forfeiture rights and obligations relating to Options granted and Common Shares acquired hereunder shall be governed exclusively by the repurchase, cancellation and forfeiture provisions of the Plan (and the repurchase provisions contained in the Shareholders Agreement shall not apply to Options granted and Common Shares acquired hereunder).

 

35.                               Injunctive Relief. The terms, covenants and obligations of the Plan relate to special, unique and extraordinary matters, and a violation of any of the terms, covenants

 

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and obligations of the Plan will cause the Rock Entities irreparable injury in an amount which would be difficult, if not impossible, to estimate or determine and for which adequate compensation could not be fashioned. Therefore, the Rock Entities will be entitled, jointly and severally, to an injunction, restraining order or other equitable relief as a matter of course from any court of competent jurisdiction, restraining any Participant and any other person(s) the court may order from committing any violation or threatened violation of the terms, covenants or obligations in the Plan. The Rock Entities’ rights and remedies under this Paragraph are cumulative and are in addition to any other rights and remedies that the Rock Entities may have under the Plan or any agreement or at law or in equity.

 

36.                               Choice of Forum. Each Participant shall be deemed to acknowledge that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan or the Michigan Circuit Court for the County of Wayne shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any case or controversy arising out of or relating to the Plan or any Award and that all litigation arising out of or relating to the Plan or any Award shall be commended in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan or the Wayne County (Michigan) Circuit Court. As a result of execution of an Award Agreement, each Participant will be deemed to irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Wayne County (Michigan) Circuit Court in connection with all actions and proceedings arising out of, or in any way related to, the Plan or any Award.

 

37.                               Reimbursement of Certain Costs and Fees. Notwithstanding any term to the contrary, a Participant will be obligated to reimburse the Company or Daniel Gilbert for all costs and fees incurred by the Company or Daniel Gilbert in response to or defense of any claim, demand or legal action made/undertaken by the Participant (or his representatives on his behalf) with respect to which the Participant does not prevail in full that is in any way related to:

 

(i)                                     any determination, interpretation, or action undertaken by the board of directors of the Company, Daniel Gilbert or the Committee operating hereunder (including, without limitation, the repurchase, cancellation and forfeiture provisions of the Plan and the determination of the repurchase price hereunder),

 

or

 

(ii)                                  enforcement of or any claim of breach or default under the Plan.

 

A Participant will also be obligated to reimburse the Company or Daniel Gilbert for any costs and fees incurred by the Company or Daniel Gilbert to enforce the repurchase, forfeiture or cancellation provisions of the Plan. For purposes of this Paragraph 37, the term “costs and fees” includes, without limitation, all court costs, legal expenses, appraisal and accounting costs, and reasonable attorney fees (whether inside or outside counsel is used) whether or not a lawsuit or other form of legal action is instituted, and if a lawsuit or other legal action is instituted,

 

27


 

whether at the trial or appellate court level. In a matter involving, in part or in whole, a dispute over the repurchase price paid or to be paid, the Company shall be deemed to prevail unless the Participant improves upon the total consideration to be received by the Participant (over that which the Plan would otherwise have provided) by at least (a) 20% or (b) $200,000, whichever is greater.

 

38.                               Notices. Any and all notices, designations, consents, offers, acceptances or other communications provided for in the Plan shall be given in writing and shall be delivered in person, sent by certified or registered mail, sent by facsimile or similar method of transmission or sent by overnight courier, addressed in the case of a Rock Entity to the principal office of the Company, attention General Counsel, and in the case of a Participant to his address appearing on the records of the Rock Entity or such other address as may be designated by the Participant by notice of the Company.

 

As adopted by the Board of Directors of Rock Holdings Inc. on [           ], 2015

 

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ROCK HOLDINGS INC.
2015 EOUITY COMPENSATION PLAN

 

Exhibit A

 

Fair Value Per Share
(as of [        ], 2015)

 

Unless otherwise determined in the Discretion of the Committee at the time an Award is made and set forth in the Award Agreement, the “Fair Value Per Share” shall mean the fair market value of a Common Share held by the applicable Participant determined as follows:

 

(a)                                 Company Appraised Value Offer and Negotiation. The Company shall provide to the Participant its determination as to fair market value of a Common Share, determined as provided in paragraph (b). The Participant may agree to accept the Company’s appraised fair market value of a Common Share as the “Fair Value Per Share”, or the Company and the Participant shall negotiate in good faith to see if they can reach agreement on the fair market value of a Common Share.

 

(b)                                 Determination of Company Appraised Value. The Company’s appraised fair market value of a Common Share shall be determined by one business appraiser with at least ten years’ experience appraising private, closely-held companies selected in good faith by the Company, which may be an appraiser that has performed prior appraisals of the fair market value of a Common Share or of the Company or another business appraiser (which may be an accounting firm, including the Company’s independent public accountants) selected in good faith by the Company (the “Company’s Appraiser”). The Company’s Appraiser shall determine the fair market value of a Common Share as of any date of determination by any means reasonably determined in good faith by the Company’s Appraiser to be appropriate to determine the fair market value of a Common Share held by the applicable Participant (or other holder). The Company may elect to use the fair market value of a Common Share determined at an earlier date by an appraiser (including any such determination for another purpose) as the appraised Fair Value Per Share, and the Company may elect to use an appraisal as of the applicable date of determination (which the Company may elect to provide by updating the prior appraisal). The Company shall pay the entire cost of obtaining such appraisal.

 

(c)                                  Participant Appraised Value Offer and Negotiation. If the Company and the Participant have not agreed on the fair market value of a Common Share pursuant to paragraph (a), within 45 days after the Company provides to the Participant the Company’s appraised value of a Common Share, the Participant shall provide to the Company his determination as to appraised fair market value of a Common Share, determined as provided in paragraph (d), together with the related appraisal report. The Company may agree to

 

29


 

accept the Participant’s appraised fair market value of a Common Share as the “Fair Value Per Share”, or the Company and the Participant shall negotiate in good faith to see if they can reach agreement on the “Fair Value Per Share”.

 

(d)                                 Determination of Participant Appraised Value. The Participant’s appraised fair market value of a Common Share shall be determined by one business appraiser with at least ten years’ experience appraising private, closely-held companies selected in good faith by the Participant, which may be an appraiser that has performed prior appraisals of the fair market value of a Common Share or of the Company or another business appraiser (which may be an accounting firm, including the Company’s independent public accountants) selected in good faith by the Participant (the “Participant’s Appraiser”). The Participant’s Appraiser shall determine the fair market value of a Common Share as of any date of determination by any means reasonably determined in good faith by the Participant’s Appraiser to be appropriate to determine the fair market value of a Common Share held by the applicable Participant (or other holder). Provided that the Participant (or other holder) and the Participant’s Appraiser shall have executed and delivered to the Company a non-disclosure agreement satisfactory to the Company that limits the Participant’s (or other holder’s) and the Participant’s Appraiser’s use and disclosure of such information, the Company shall provide to the Participant’s Appraiser access to information regarding the Company reasonably necessary for the Participant’s Appraiser to perform its appraisal pursuant to this paragraph (d). The Participant shall pay the entire cost of obtaining such appraisal.

 

(e)                                  Baseball Arbitration. If (i) the Company and the Participant have not agreed on the fair market value of a Common Share pursuant to paragraph (c) within 15 days after the Participant provides to the Company the Participant’s appraised value of a Common Share, or (ii) the Company and the Participant have not agreed on the fair market value of a Common Share and the Participant fails to provide to the Company the Participant’s appraised value of a Common Share within 45 days after the Company provides to the Participant the Company’s proposed appraised value of a Common Share (each, a “Triggering Event”), the Participant and the Company shall submit the determination of the fair market value of a Common Share to binding arbitration as provided in this paragraph (e) and in paragraph (f).

 

Within five business days after the Arbitrator (as defined in paragraph (f)) is selected,

 

(i)                                     the Company shall provide to the Participant and the Arbitrator a copy of its appraisal described in paragraph (b) and the amount (which shall be a single, unequivocal amount, and not a formula, a range or a conditional amount) of its last offer of the fair market

 

30


 

value of a Common Share in the negotiations described above (or a higher amount) (such amount, the “Company’s Amount”), and

 

(ii)                                  the Participant shall provide to the Company and the Arbitrator a copy of his appraisal described in paragraph (d), if any, and the amount (which shall be a single, unequivocal amount, and not a formula, a range or a conditional amount) of his last offer of the fair market value of a Common Share in the negotiations described above (or a lower amount) (such amount, the “Participant’s Amount”).

 

Within twenty business days after the Arbitrator is selected, the Arbitrator shall determine the Fair Value Per Share as provided in paragraph (f) by delivering a reasoned opinion to the Company and the Participant, unless the Company and the Participant agree on the Fair Value Per Share before such opinion is so delivered, in which case the Fair Value Per Share shall be the amount agreed to by the Company and the Participant.

 

(f)                                   Arbitrator’s Determination of Fair Value Per Share. The Arbitrator shall be one business appraiser (other than the Company’s Appraiser or the Participant’s Appraiser) with at least ten years’ experience appraising private, closely-held companies selected by mutual agreement of the Participant and the Company, or if the parties are unable to agree on an arbitrator within ten business days after the Triggering Event, the Company’s independent public accountants at the time of such determination (if they were not the Company’s Appraiser or the Participant’s Appraiser) or, if they decline so to serve or are disqualified from serving, an arbitrator selected by the Company’s independent public accountants at the time of such determination that is not the Company’s Appraiser or the Participant’s Appraiser (the “Arbitrator”).

 

The Arbitrator shall determine the fair market value of a Common Share as of any date of determination by any means reasonably determined in good faith by the Arbitrator to be appropriate to determine the fair market value of a Common Share held by the applicable Participant (or other holder).

 

Provided that the Arbitrator shall have executed and delivered to the Company a non-disclosure agreement satisfactory to the Company that limits the Arbitrator’s use and disclosure of such information, the Company shall provide to the Arbitrator with access to information regarding the Company reasonably necessary for the Arbitrator to perform its determination of Fair Value Per Share pursuant to this paragraph (f).

 

The Arbitrator shall determine the Fair Value Per Share as follows:

 

(i)                                     if both the Company’s Amount and the Participant’s Amount have been submitted to the Arbitrator pursua3nt to paragraph (e) within

 

31


 

the time limits set forth therein, (A) the Arbitrator shall determine that the Fair Value Per Share is whichever of the Company’s Amount and the Participant’s Amount most accurately reflects the fair market value of a Common Share as determined by the Arbitrator pursuant to this paragraph (f); and (B) the Arbitrator is only authorized to pick the Company’s Amount or the Participant’s Amount and has no authority or jurisdiction to pick any other amount; provided that if the Company’s Amount is greater than the Participant’s Amount, the Arbitrator shall determine that the Fair Value Per Share is the average of the Participant’s Amount and the Company’s Amount, or

 

(ii)                                  if one of the Company’s Amount and the Participant’s Amount has not been submitted to the Arbitrator pursuant to paragraph (e) within the time limits set forth therein, (A) the Arbitrator shall determine that the Fair Value Per Share is whichever of the Company’s Amount or the Participant’s Amount that has been submitted to the Arbitrator pursuant to paragraph (e); and (B) the Arbitrator is only authorized to pick the Company’s Amount or the Participant’s Amount, as applicable, and has no authority or jurisdiction to pick any other amount, or

 

(iii)                               if neither the Company’s Amount or the Participant’s Amount has been submitted to the Arbitrator pursuant to paragraph (e) within the time limits set forth therein, the Arbitrator shall determine that the Fair Value Per Share is equal to the fair market value of a Common Share as determined by the Arbitrator pursuant to this paragraph (f), but not less than the Company’s Amount nor more than the Participant’s Amount.

 

The Arbitrator shall have no authority or jurisdiction to make any ruling, finding or award that does not conform to the terms and conditions of this definition of Fair Value Per Share. The entire cost of obtaining such appraisal, including all attorneys’ fees, appraisal fees and arbitration fees, shall be borne by

 

(i)                                     the Participant if the Fair Value Per Share equals the Company’s Amount,

 

(ii)                                  by the Company if the Fair Value Per Share equals the Participant’s Amount, and

 

(iii)                               if the Fair Value Per Share is between the Company’s Amount and the Participant’s Amount, by the parties in the proportion that such party’s amount (i.e., the Company’s Amount or the Participant’s Amount, as applicable) differs from the determined Fair Value Per Share compared to how much the other party’s amount differs.

 

32


 

(g)                                  Effect of Determination of Fair Value Per Share. The determination of Fair Value Per Share, whether by agreement, appraisal, appraised fair market value of a Common Share or arbitration by the Arbitrator, provided for in this definition of Fair Value Per Share shall be final and binding and shall be in lieu of any other settlement procedure with respect to the valuation of the applicable Common Shares at the Fair Value Per Share under the Plan or otherwise. Any determination of such fair market value of a Common Share or Fair Value Per Share pursuant to this definition of Fair Value Per Share shall be deemed to be, and shall have the same effect as, an arbitration pursuant to Michigan Compiled Laws Annotated Section 600.5001, and a judgment of any Michigan Circuit Court may be rendered upon any determination of fair market value of a Common Share or Fair Value Per Share made pursuant to this definition of Fair Value Per Share.

 

33


 

EXHIBIT C

 

34


 

CONSENT IN LIEU OF A MEETING OF THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF ROCK HOLDINGS INC.

 

(First Amendment to 2015 Equity Compensation Plan)

 

The undersigned is the sole member of the Board of Directors of Rock Holdings Inc., a Michigan corporation (the “Company”). By execution of this Consent, the Director consents to and authorizes the action set forth in this Consent. This Consent shall be in lieu of action presented to a formal meeting of the Board of Directors and the resolutions shall have the same force and effect as if adopted at a Board meeting called for the purpose of their adoption.

 

The Board of Directors hereby consents to, authorizes, and adopts the following recitals and resolutions and all actions contemplated thereby:

 

WHEREAS, there has been presented to the Board of Directors the proposed First Amendment to Rock Holdings Inc. 2015 Equity Compensation Plan, attached as Exhibit A (the “Amendment”), which primarily narrows the definition of “Cause” giving rise to various forfeiture and below market repurchase rights provisions in the Rock Holdings Inc. 2015 Equity Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) and the related outstanding Awards; and

 

WHEREAS, the director has reviewed and discussed the proposed Amendment and has determined that the adoption of the proposed Amendment would be in the Company’s and its shareholders’ best interests.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Amendment is approved and adopted;

 

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the • officers of the Company and any person authorized so to act by any officer of the Company, are hereby jointly and severally authorized and directed to do such ants, to pay such costs, and to execute and deliver such notices, certificates, agreements, assignments and other instruments and communications, with or without the seal of the Company, as any of them may deem necessary, appropriate or advisable to satisfy the requirements of the instruments authorized and approved by, or to carry into effect the intent of, the foregoing resolutions, including preparing the appropriate documentation and retaining counsel to assist in the implementation thereof; and

 

35


 

FURTHER RESOLVED, that all acts of the officers of the Company and of any person authorized to act by an officer of the Company, which acts would have been authorized by the foregoing resolutions except that such acts were taken prior to the adoption of such resolutions, are severally ratified, confirmed, approved and adopted as acts in the name and on the behalf of the Co any.

 

Dated: May 31, 2017

 

 

 

 

Daniel Gilbert, sole member of the Board

 

Exhibits:

A             First Amendment to Rock Holdings Inc. 2015 Equity Compensation Plan

 

36


 

Exhibit A

FIRST AMENDMENT TO
ROCK HOLDINGS INC.
2015 EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN

 

WHEREAS, Rock Holdings Inc., a Michigan Corporation (the “Company”), has previously adopted the Rock Holdings Inc. 2015 Equity Compensation Plan (the “Plan”);

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Paragraph 25 of the Plan, the Company’s board of directors has the right to amend the Plan without consent or approval of any Participant if such amendment does not adversely affect a Participant’s rights with respect to an Award made to the Participant prior to the time the amendment or revision shall apply to such Award; and WHEREAS, the Company’s board of directors now desires to amend the Plan.

 

NOW THEREFORE, by resolution of the Company’s board of directors, the Plan is hereby amended as follows (capitalized terms used, but not defined, in this amendment have the meanings given to them in the Plan, unless the context otherwise requires):

 

1.             The definition of “Cause(-) in Paragraph 1(c) of the Plan is amended to read as follows:

 

(c)                                  “Cause” shall mean an individual’s (i) unauthorized appropriation of, or attempt to misappropriate, any tangible or intangible assets or property of a Rock Entity, or · (ii) commission of an act or omission constituting common law fraud. in the case of either clause (i) or (ii), that has a material adverse effect on any Rock Entity or Rock Entities.

 

2.             The foregoing amendments to the Plan are intended to apply to outstanding Awards under the Plan to narrow the definition of “Cause(-), which triggers rights to forfeitures and repurchases at the Forfeiture Repurchase Price, that would otherwise apply to such Awards, including, without limitation, (i) modifying Paragraph 2(ii) of the outstanding Amended and Restated Stock Grant Agreements to further narrow the definition of Cause pursuant to which the Company may repurchase Common Shares at the Forfeiture Repurchase Price under the paragraphs of the Plan described in such Paragraph 2(ii), and (ii) modifying Paragraphs 6(i)(A), (B), (C) and (D) of the outstanding Stock Option Agreements to narrow the definition of Cause pursuant to which vested options terminate at Termination or pursuant to which the Company may repurchase Common Shares at the Forfeiture Repurchase Price under the paragraphs of the Plan described in such Paragraphs 6(i)(A), (B), (C) and (D). As such, the foregoing amendments benefit the Participants holding outstanding Awards and are not adverse to such Participants.

 

Dated: May [  ], 2017

 

37




Exhibit 10.11

 

FORM OF

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

[NAME]

 

THIS RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of [·] (the “Grant Date”), is made by and between Rock Holdings Inc., a Michigan corporation (the “Company”), and [NAME] (“Grantee”).  Unless the context otherwise requires, terms that are capitalized but not otherwise defined in this Agreement have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Company’s 2015 Equity Compensation Plan, as heretofore amended and as may be amended from time to time in the future in accordance with its terms (the “Plan”).  A copy of the Plan (as amended through the Grant Date) is attached hereto as ANNEX [·] and is incorporated herein by reference.  A copy of the Rock Acquisition Corporation (now known as Rock Holdings Inc.) Shareholders Agreement, dated as of October 31, 2002 (the “Shareholders Agreement”), is attached hereto as ANNEX [·] and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

WHEREAS, Grantee is an important employee of a Rock Entity; and

 

WHEREAS, to reward and incentivize Grantee, the Company desires that Grantee be given the opportunity to receive Common Shares in the future as provided in this Agreement as long as Grantee satisfies the continuing employment requirements set forth in this Agreement.

 

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

 

Section 1.                                                     Grant of Restricted Stock Units

 

The Company hereby grants to the Grantee [·] restricted stock units (the “RSUs”).  Each RSU, upon or after vesting in accordance with Section 2 or Section 3 of this Agreement, represents the right of Grantee to receive one Common Share.

 

Section 2.                                                     General Vesting

 

[On the Grant Date,  [·] of the RSUs shall become vested.  On each of [·], [·],[·] and [·] [an additional] [·]of the RSUs shall become vested](1); provided, however, that the portion of the RSUs scheduled to vest upon any such date shall vest only if Grantee remains continuously employed on a full-time basis by a Rock Entity or an affiliate thereof from the Grant Date until such vesting date.(2)  Upon Grantee ceasing to be employed by at least one Rock Entity or an affiliate thereof, any then unvested portion of the RSUs (and all of Grantee’s rights with respect thereto) shall be cancelled, terminated and forfeited without payment of any consideration by the Company.

 


(1)         RSUs generally vest over a four year period; Jay Farner, Robert Walters and Angelo Vitale also received immediate vesting of a portion of their award on the grant date.  All RSUs granted to the NEOs have vested.

(2)         RSUs generally vest subject to continued employment through each applicable vesting date, however, in the case of Jay Farner, continued employment is not required if his employment was terminated other than due to his resignation or death.  All RSUs granted to the NEOs have vested.

 

1


 

Section 3.                                                     Accelerated Vesting Upon Change in Control

 

Notwithstanding Section 2 of this Agreement, in the event of a Change in Control of the Company, provided [Grantee remains employed continuously on a full-time basis by a Rock Entity or an affiliate thereof from the Grant Date until the Change in Control][FOR CEO ONLY: Grantee’s employment has not been terminated prior to closing of the Change in Control either by such Rock Entity or affiliate, due to Grantee’s resignation or due to Grantee’s death](3), all then unvested RSUs shall immediately become vested in Grantee immediately prior to the closing of the Change in Control.

 

Section 4.                                                     Settlement

 

No Common Shares shall be issued to Grantee hereunder before the RSUs vest in accordance with Section 2 or Section 3 above.  As soon as practicable, but no later than forty-five (45) days, after the date on which each RSU vests, the Company shall issue to Grantee one Common Share.

 

Section 5.                                                     [Tax](4)

 

Upon and as a condition to settlement of any RSU, Grantee shall be obligated to pay to the Company an amount equal to any federal, state and local income and employment tax required to be withheld as a result of settlement of the RSU.  Grantee shall also be obligated to pay to the Company any tax required to be withheld (at the time such tax is required to be withheld) as a result of issuance of Common Shares to Grantee under this Agreement after the Grant Date, unless and to the extent the Company in its sole discretion determines to permit Grantee to pay such amount at a later date on terms and conditions determined by the Company in its sole discretion.

 

Section 6.                                                     Common Shares Subject to Shareholders Agreement and Plan

 

Common Shares issued to Grantee upon settlement of vested RSUs shall be subject to all of the terms and conditions of (and the Company’s and Grantee’s rights, obligations and restrictions in respect of such Common Shares shall be as set forth in) the Shareholders Agreement and the Plan (as if the Common Shares had been issued under the Plan).  In applying the Plan to the Common Shares, the Common Shares shall be treated as vested under the Plan.

 

Section 7.                                                     Miscellaneous

 

(a)           Non-Transferability.  The RSUs shall not be transferable by Grantee.  Moreover, any Common Shares issued to Grantee upon or after vesting of the RSUs may not be sold, offered for sale, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise transferred except as may be expressly permitted both under the Shareholders Agreement and under the Plan (as if the Common Shares were issued under the Plan).

 


(3)         All RSUs granted to the NEOs have vested.

(4)         Julie Booth, Robert Walters and Angelo Vitale satisfied the withholding taxes payable upon the vesting and settlement of their RSUs by entering into promissory notes with RHI; Jay Farner was entitled to a bonus to satisfy the withholding taxes payable upon the vesting and settlement of his RSUs.

 

2


 

(b)           No Ownership of Common Shares Until Settlement.  Prior to vesting of RSUs, Grantee shall not possess any incidents of ownership of the Common Shares underlying such RSUs, including voting or dividend rights.

 

(c)           Change in Capitalization.  In the event of a dividend or distribution paid in Common Shares, or any change in the capital structure of the Company, that occurs prior to settlement of the RSUs, appropriate adjustment shall be made to the RSUs so that they represent the right to receive upon settlement any and all new, substituted or additional securities or other property (other than cash dividends) to which Grantee would be entitled if Grantee had owned, at the time of such stock dividend, distribution or change in capital structure, the Common Shares issuable upon settlement of the RSUs.

 

(d)           Notices.  Any and all notices, designations, consents, offers, acceptances and any other communications provided for herein or relating to the RSUs shall be given in writing and shall be delivered either personally or by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, which shall be addressed, in the case of the Company, to both the Chairman of the Board of the Company and to [·] (or to a person other than [·] if designated by the Chairman of the Board of the Company) at the principal office of the Company and, in the case of Grantee, to Grantee’s address appearing on the books of the Company or to such other address as may be designated in writing by Grantee.

 

(e)           No Right to Continued Employment.  Nothing in this Agreement shall confer upon Grantee any right to continue as an employee of any Rock Entity or any affiliate thereof.

 

(f)            Successors.  The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company, its successors and assigns, and Grantee and the beneficiaries, executors, administrators, heirs and successors of Grantee.

 

(g)           Execution of Other Documents.  Simultaneously with the execution of this Agreement, and each time RSUs are settled under this Agreement, Grantee shall execute and deliver to the Company the Form of Release attached hereto as ANNEX [·] and the Stock Power and Assignment Separate From Certificate attached hereto as ANNEX [·]  If Grantee has not previously executed such document or a similar document, simultaneously with the execution of this Agreement Grantee shall execute and deliver to the Company the Shareholder Agreement Signature Page attached hereto as ANNEX [·].  If Grantee is married as of the date of this Agreement or if Grantee becomes married after the date of this Agreement, Grantee’s spouse shall execute and deliver to the Company the Spouse Consent attached hereto as ANNEX [·] (unless Grantee’s spouse has previously executed a similar spouse consent that applies to the Common Shares required to be issued upon settlement of the RSUs hereunder).  Grantee also agrees to execute any other documents and take any other action on or after the date hereof determined by the Company to be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the terms of this Agreement.

 

(h)           Entire Agreement.  This Agreement, the Shareholders Agreement 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.

 

3


 

(i)            Code Section 409A.  The RSUs are intended to be either exempt from or to comply with United States Internal Revenue Code Section 409A (“Section 409A”), and this Agreement shall be administered and interpreted consistent with such intent, provided, however, that neither the Company nor any other Rock Entity shall have any liability to Grantee for any tax, interest, penalty or other damage incurred by Grantee on account of this Agreement being subject to and not in compliance with Section 409A.

 

(j)            Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

(k)           Securities Laws.  Upon the vesting or settlement of any RSUs, the Company may require Grantee to make such written representations, warranties and agreements as the Company may reasonably request in order to comply with applicable securities laws or with this Agreement.  The granting of the RSUs shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules and regulations and to such approvals of any governmental agencies as may be required.

 

(l)            [Execution of Amended Shareholders Agreement.  Grantee acknowledges that the Company intends to amend the Shareholders Agreement (“Amended Shareholders Agreement”) after the Grant Date, and Grantee agrees to sign (and to have any Common Shares owned by him [her] or by any trust of which Grantee is the grantor or trustee be subject to the terms and conditions of) any Amended Shareholders Agreement, provided that such Amended Shareholders Agreement does not adversely impact the economic attributes of any Common Shares issued hereunder or other Common Shares held by Grantee or any trust of which Grantee is the grantor or trustee.

 

(m)          Confidentiality.  Grantee agrees to keep strictly confidential and not to disclose to any Person the fact that Grantee has been granted the RSUs or any terms of this Agreement, provided, however, that Grantee may disclose the fact that Grantee has been granted the RSUs and the terms of this Agreement to Grantee’s attorney, accountant, spouse or those employees of the Company or its affiliates who are or will be involved in administering and implementing this Agreement.

 

(n)           Right of Offset.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the value of any Common Shares otherwise issuable to Grantee as a result of vesting of the RSUs may be reduced by any amount Grantee or any affiliate of Grantee owes to Daniel Gilbert, any Rock Entity or any entity affiliated with or controlled by Daniel Gilbert or any Rock Entity.](5)

 


(5)   Sections 7(l), (m) and (n) were not included in Jay Farner’s RSU award agreement.

 

4


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement has been executed and delivered by the parties hereto as of the Grant Date.

 

GRANTEE

 

ROCK HOLDINGS INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

[·]

 

 

[·]

 

5




Exhibit 10.12

 

CERTAIN IDENTIFIED INFORMATION HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THE EXHIBIT BECAUSE IT IS BOTH NOT MATERIAL AND WOULD LIKELY CAUSE COMPETITIVE HARM TO THE REGISTRANT IF PUBLICLY DISCLOSED. [***] INDICATES THAT INFORMATION HAS BEEN REDACTED.

 

 

STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

between

 

AMROCK HOLDINGS INC.

 

and

 

AMROCK HOLDCO, LLC

 

dated as of

 

          , 2020

 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE 1 Equity Interests

1

1.1

Purchase and Sale of ATIC

1

1.2

Closing

1

1.3

Transfer of Equity Interests

1

 

 

 

ARTICLE 2 REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF SELLER

2

2.1

Existence and Power

2

2.2

Due Execution and Delivery; Enforceability

2

2.3

Authorization; No Violation

2

2.4

Consents

2

2.5

Title to the ATIC Equity Interests

2

 

 

 

ARTICLE 3 Representations and Warranties of Buyer

3

3.1

Existence and Power

4

3.2

Due Execution and Delivery; Enforceability

4

3.3

Authorization; No Violation

4

3.4

Consents

4

3.5

Title to the RKT Common Units and RocketCo Class D Shares

4

 

 

 

ARTICLE 4 COVENANTS

4

4.1

Reasonable Best Efforts

4

 

 

 

ARTICLE 5 Conditions

5

5.1

Conditions to Obligations of Buyer and Seller

5

5.2

Additional Conditions to Obligations of Buyer

5

5.3

Additional Conditions to Obligations of Seller

5

 

 

 

ARTICLE 6 TERMINATION

5

6.1

Termination of Agreement

5

6.2

Effect of Termination

6

 

i


 

ARTICLE 7 Miscellaneous

6

7.1

Certain Definitions

6

7.2

Entire Agreement; Amendments

6

7.3

Successors and Assigns

6

7.4

Notices, etc.

7

7.5

Further Assurances

7

7.6

Governing Law

7

7.7

Jurisdiction

7

7.8

Severability

8

7.9

Enforcement

8

7.10

Counterparts; Facsimile Signatures

8

7.11

Expenses

8

 

ii


 

STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

This Stock Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made effective as of [·], 2020, by and between Amrock Holdings Inc., a Michigan corporation (“Seller”), and Amrock Holdco, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company (“Buyer”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Rocket Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“RocketCo”) has determined to effect an underwritten initial public offering (the “IPO”) of RocketCo’s Class A Common Stock;

 

WHEREAS, in connection with the IPO, RocketCo, RKT Holdings, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company (“RKT Holdings”), Rock Holdings Inc., a Michigan corporation (“RHI”) and Daniel Gilbert (“Gilbert”) have entered into a Reorganization Agreement (the “Reorganization Agreement”), dated as of [·], 2020;

 

WHEREAS, Seller is a subsidiary of RHI;

 

WHEREAS, Buyer is a subsidiary of RocketCo and RKT Holdings;

 

WHEREAS, Seller and Buyer are affiliates and each is controlled by Gilbert and RHI;

 

WHEREAS, in accordance with the Reorganization Agreement, Seller wishes to sell to Buyer and Buyer wishes to purchase from Seller, all of the issued and outstanding equity interests (the “ATIC Equity Interests”) of Amrock Title Insurance Company, a Texas corporation (“ATIC”), in exchange for [·] units (the “RKT Common Units”) of RKT Holdings and [·] shares of Class D common stock of RocketCo (the “RocketCo Class D Shares”), subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing recitals and of the mutual promises hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1
EQUITY INTERESTS

 

1.1                               Purchase and Sale of ATIC.  On the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Buyer hereby agrees to purchase from Seller the ATIC Equity Interests in exchange for the RKT Common Units and the RocketCo Class D Shares (the “Purchase”).

 

1.2                               Closing.  The closing of the purchase and sale of the Transferred Equity Interests pursuant to this Agreement (the “Closing”) shall be held or deemed to be held at the offices of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 11101, at 10:00 a.m., local time, on the second Business Day following the date upon which all conditions set forth in Article 5 are satisfied or waived in writing, or at such other time and place upon which Seller and Buyer shall agree (the date on which the Closing occurs, the “Closing Date”).

 

1.3                               Transfer of Equity Interests.  On the Closing Date, Buyer shall assign, convey,

 

1


 

transfer and deliver to Seller the RKT Common Units and the RocketCo Class D Shares and Seller shall assign, convey, transfer and deliver to Buyer the ATIC Equity Interests.

 

1.4                               Intended Tax Treatment.  The parties intend that the Purchase be treated as a tax-deferred contribution of the ATIC Equity Interests to RKT Holdings pursuant to Section 721 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.  The parties shall file all tax returns consistent with such intended tax treatment.

 

ARTICLE 2
REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF SELLER

 

Seller represents and warrants to Buyer that the following are true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date:

 

2.1                               Existence and Power. Seller is a corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Michigan with the full power and authority to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and to carry out the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

2.2                               Due Execution and Delivery; Enforceability.  This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Seller.  This Agreement is a legal, valid, and binding obligation of Seller, enforceable against Seller in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that the enforceability thereof may be limited by the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles.

 

2.3                               Authorization; No Violation.  The execution, delivery and performance by Seller of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby: (a) has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action; (b) does not contravene the terms of Seller’s organizational documents or any amendments thereof; and (c) will not violate, conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of or the creation of any lien under any obligation of Seller or any laws, regulations, orders or decrees applicable to Seller, other than violations, conflicts, breaches, contraventions or liens that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

2.4                               Consents.  No consent, approval or other authorization of or by any Governmental Authority or any other Person in respect of any legal requirement or contractual obligation of Seller is, or prior to the Closing will be, required in connection with the valid execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, except the approval listed on Schedule 2.4 (the “Closing Regulatory Approval”) or any such other consent, approval or other authorization that, if not obtained, would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

2.5                               Title to the ATIC Equity Interests.  Seller is the sole record and beneficial owner of the ATIC Equity Interests, which, at Closing shall be free and clear of all liens other than restrictions on the subsequent transfer imposed by state or federal securities laws and, upon

 

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delivery and payment for the ATIC Equity Interests at Closing, Seller will convey to Buyer good and valid title thereto, free and clear of all liens other than restrictions on the subsequent transfer imposed by state or federal securities laws.

 

2.1                               Investment Intent; Accredited Investor Status.  Seller is acquiring and will acquire the RKT Common Units and RocketCo Class D Shares for investment for its own account, not as a nominee or agent, and not with the view to, or for resale in connection with, any distribution thereof.  Seller understands that the sale of the RKT Common Units and RocketCo Class D Shares has not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act by reason of a specific exemption from the registration provisions of the Securities Act, the availability of which depends upon, among other things, the bona fide nature of Seller’s investment intent and the accuracy of Seller’s representations as expressed herein.  Seller is an “accredited investor” within the meaning of Rule 501(a) of Regulation D of the Securities Act. Seller also is “sophisticated” as contemplated by Regulation D

 

2.2                               Private Placement Matters.  Seller acknowledges that the offer and sale of the RKT Common Units and RocketCo Class D Shares have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or under any state or other applicable securities Laws.  Seller (a) acknowledges that it is acquiring the RKT Common Units and RocketCo Class D Shares pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act solely for investment with no intention to distribute any of the foregoing to any person, (b) will not sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any of the RKT Common Units and RocketCo Class D Shares, except in compliance with the organization documents of RKT Holdings and RocketCo, the registration requirements or exemption provisions of the Securities Act and any other applicable securities Laws, (c) has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters and in investments of this type that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of its investment in the RKT Common Units and RocketCo Class D Shares and of making an informed investment decision, (d) is an “accredited investor” (as that term is defined by Rule 501 of the Securities Act), (e) is a “qualified institutional buyer” (as that term is defined in Rule 144A of the Securities Act) and (f) (1) has been furnished with or has had access to all the information that it considers necessary or appropriate to make an informed investment decision with respect to the RKT Common Units and RocketCo Class D Shares, (2) has had an opportunity to discuss with Buyer and its representatives the intended business and financial affairs of Buyer and to obtain information necessary to verify any information furnished to it or to which it had access and (3) can bear the economic risk of (i) an investment in the RKT Common Units and RocketCo Class D Shares indefinitely and (ii) a total loss in respect of such investment.  Seller has such knowledge and experience in business and financial matters so as to enable it to understand and evaluate the risks of, and form an investment decision with respect to its investment in, the RKT Common Units and RocketCo Class D Shares and to protect its own interest in connection with such investment.

 

ARTICLE 3
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER

 

Buyer hereby represents and warrants to Seller that the following are true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date:

 

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3.1          Existence and Power. Buyer is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Michigan with the full power and authority to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and to carry out the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

3.2          Due Execution and Delivery; Enforceability.  This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Buyer.  This Agreement is a legal, valid, and binding obligation of Buyer, enforceable against Buyer in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that the enforceability thereof may be limited by the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles.

 

3.3          Authorization; No Violation.  The execution, delivery and performance by Buyer of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby: (a) has been duly authorized by all necessary company action; (b) does not contravene the terms of Buyer’s organizational documents or any amendments thereof; and (c) will not violate, conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of or the creation of any lien under any obligation of Buyer or any laws, regulations, orders or decrees applicable to Buyer, other than violations, conflicts, breaches, contraventions or liens that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

3.4          Consents.  No consent, approval or other authorization of or by any Governmental Authority or any other Person in respect of any legal requirement or contractual obligation of Buyer is, or prior to the Closing will be, required in connection with the valid execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, except the Closing Regulatory Approval or any such other consent, approval or other authorization that, if not obtained, would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

3.5          Title to the RKT Common Units and RocketCo Class D Shares.  As of the Closing Date, Buyer will be the sole record and beneficial owner of the RKT Common Units and RocketCo Class D Shares, which, at Closing shall be free and clear of all liens other than restrictions on the subsequent transfer imposed by state or federal securities laws or by the organizational documents of RKT Holdings or RocketCo and, upon receipt of the ATIC Equity Interests at Closing, Buyer will convey to Seller good and valid title thereto, free and clear of all liens other than restrictions on the subsequent transfer imposed by state or federal securities laws or by the organizational documents of RKT Holdings or RocketCo.

 

ARTICLE 4
COVENANTS

 

4.1          Reasonable Best Efforts. Each of the parties hereto shall use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done, and to assist and cooperate with the other parties in doing, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable law to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement as

 

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promptly as practicable.

 

4.2          Conduct of Business. Seller covenants and agrees that, after the date hereof and prior to the Closing, unless Buyer shall otherwise approve (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), and except as otherwise expressly contemplated by this Agreement or as required by applicable law, the business of ATIC and its subsidiaries shall be conducted in the ordinary course of business.

 

ARTICLE 5
CONDITIONS

 

5.1          Conditions to Obligations of Buyer and Seller. The obligation of Buyer and Seller to consummate the Purchase is conditioned upon the satisfaction at or prior to the Closing (or waiver by both Seller and Buyer, to the extent permitted by applicable law) of the following condition:

 

(a)   The Closing Regulatory Approval shall have been duly obtained and shall be in full force.

 

5.2          Additional Conditions to Obligations of Buyer. The obligation of Buyer to consummate the Purchase are further conditioned upon satisfaction (or waiver by Buyer) at or prior to the Closing of the following condition:

 

(a)   The representations and warranties made by Seller in Article 2 hereof shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date as if made on such Closing Date.

 

5.3          Additional Conditions to Obligations of Seller. The obligation of Seller to consummate the Purchase are further conditioned upon satisfaction (or waiver by Seller) at or prior to the Closing of the following condition:

 

(a)   The representations made by Buyer in Article 3 hereof shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date as if made on such Closing Date.

 

ARTICLE 6
TERMINATION

 

6.1          Termination of Agreement.  This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing:

 

(a)           By the mutual consent of Buyer and Seller;

 

(b)           By Buyer or Seller, in writing, if the Closing shall not have occurred on or before [•]; provided that, the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this clause shall not be available to a party whose failure to fulfill any material obligation of this Agreement or whose material breach of this Agreement has been the cause of, or resulted in, the failure of the Closing

 

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to have occurred on or prior to the aforesaid date;

 

(c)           By Buyer in writing, without liability, if Seller shall (i) fail to perform in any material respect the agreements contained herein required to be performed by Seller on or prior to the Closing Date, or (ii) materially breach any of the representations, warranties, agreements, or covenants of Seller contained herein, provided that such failure or breach is not cured within ten (10) days after such party has been notified of the other party’s intent to terminate this Agreement pursuant hereto;

 

(d)           By Seller, in writing, without liability, if Buyer shall (i) fail to perform in any material respect its agreements contained herein required to be performed by it on or prior to the Closing Date, or (ii) materially breach any of its representations, warranties, agreements, or covenants of Buyer contained herein, provided that such failure or breach is not cured within ten (10) days after such party has been notified of the other party’s intent to terminate this Agreement pursuant hereto;

 

6.2          Effect of Termination. Termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Article VI shall terminate all obligations of the parties hereunder.

 

ARTICLE 7
MISCELLANEOUS

 

7.1          Certain Definitions.  For purposes of this Agreement:

 

(a)   “Agreed-Upon Venues” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.7.

 

(b)   “Business Day” means a day, other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York or Detroit, Michigan are authorized or required by applicable law to close.

 

(c)   “Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, local, tribal, provincial or foreign government or political subdivision thereof, or any legislative, judicial, administrative or regulatory agency or instrumentality of such government or political subdivision, or any self-regulated organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority or quasi-governmental authority, or any arbitrator, court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction.

 

7.2          Entire Agreement; Amendments.  This Agreement may be modified, amended or waived only with the written approval of the parties hereto.  Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, this Agreement, together with the Reorganization Agreement, embodies the complete agreement and understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and preempts any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties, written or oral, that may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way.

 

7.3          Successors and Assigns.  Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned by any of the parties hereto (whether by operation of law or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the other party or parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably refused or delayed), except that each party may assign any and all of its rights under this Agreement to one or more of its affiliates. Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

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7.4          Notices, etc.  All notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile transmission and electronic mail (“e-mail”) transmission, so long as a receipt of such e-mail is requested and not received by automated response).  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. 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.  All such notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be given to such party as follows:

 

if to Seller:

 

Amrock Holdings Inc.

c/o Rock Holdings Inc.

10190 Woodward Avenue

Detroit, MI 48226

Attention: Jeffrey K. Eisenshtadt

E-mail: Jeff@Amrocktic.com

 

if to Buyer, to:

 

Amrock Holdco, LLC

c/o RKT Holdings, LLC

1050 Woodward Avenue

Detroit, MI 48226

Attention: Jay D. Farner

E-mail: [•]

 

7.5          Further Assurances.  At any time or from time to time after the date hereof, the parties agree to cooperate with each other, and at the request of any other party, to execute and deliver any further instruments or documents and to take all such further action as the other party may reasonably request in order to evidence or effectuate the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and to otherwise carry out the intent of the parties hereunder.

 

7.6          Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be governed in all respects by 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.

 

7.7          Jurisdiction. The exclusive venues for all disputes arising out of this Agreement shall be the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan (the “Agreed-Upon Venues”), and no other venues.  The parties stipulate that the Agreement is an arms-length transaction entered into by sophisticated parties, and that the Agreed-Upon Venues are convenient, are not unreasonable, unfair, or unjust, and will not deprive any party of any remedy to which it may be entitled.  The parties agree to consent to the dismissal of any action arising out of this Agreement that may be filed in a venue other than one of the Agreed-Upon Venues; the reasonable legal fees and costs of the party seeking dismissal for improper venue will be paid by the party that filed suit in the improper venue.  Without limiting the foregoing, each party agrees that service of process on such party as provided in Section 7.4 shall be deemed effective service of process on such party.

 

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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 7.4 shall be deemed effective service of process on such party.

 

7.8          Severability.  Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement shall be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.

 

7.9          Enforcement.  Each party hereto acknowledges that money damages would not be an adequate remedy in the event that any of the covenants or agreements in this Agreement are not performed in accordance with its terms, and it is therefore agreed that in addition to and without limiting any other remedy or right it may have, the non-breaching party will have the right, without posting a bond, to an injunction, temporary restraining order or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction enjoining any such breach and enforcing specifically the terms and provisions hereof.

 

7.10        Counterparts; Facsimile Signatures.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one instrument.  This Agreement may be executed by facsimile, e-mail or .pdf format signature(s).

 

7.11        Expenses.  All costs and expenses incurred in connection with the negotiation and execution of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be paid by the party incurring such cost or expense.

 

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The foregoing Agreement is hereby executed effective as of the date first above written.

 

 

SELLER:

 

 

 

AMROCK HOLDINGS INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

Jeffrey K. Eisenshtadt

 

 

Title:

CEO/President

 

 

 

BUYER:

 

 

 

AMROCK HOLDCO, LLC

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

Jay D. Farner

 

 

Title:

Manager

 

[Signature Page to Stock Purchase Agreement]

 


 

Schedule 2.4

 

[***]

 




Exhibit 10.33

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

2020 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

 

1.                                      Purpose.  The purpose of the Plan (as defined below) is to facilitate Employee participation in the ownership and economic progress of the Company and its Subsidiaries by providing Employees with an opportunity to purchase Shares of the Company.  The Plan is not intended to qualify as an “Employee Stock Purchase Plan,” as set forth in section 423 of the Code.

 

2.                                      Definitions.  As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

(a)                                 Applicable Holding Period” shall mean any period established by the Committee following the Exercise Dates during which a Participant is required to hold any Shares purchased on his or her behalf pursuant to the Plan; provided, however, in the event of a Participant’s death, the Applicable Holding Period shall be deemed satisfied as of the Participant’s date of death.

 

(b)                                 Beneficiary” shall mean a Person entitled to receive payments or other benefits or exercise rights that are available under the Plan in the event of the Participant’s death.  If no such Person can be named or is named by the Participant, or if no Beneficiary designated by such Participant is eligible to receive payments or other benefits or exercise rights that are available under the Plan at the Participant’s death, such Participant’s Beneficiary shall be such Participant’s estate.

 

(c)                                  Board” shall mean the board of directors of the Company.

 

(d)                                 Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the rules, regulations and guidance thereunder.  Any reference to a provision in the Code shall include any successor provision thereto.

 

(e)                                  Committee” shall mean the Board or such other committee as may be designated by the Board.

 

(f)                                   Company” shall mean Rocket Companies, Inc., and any and all successor entities.

 

(g)                                  Continuous Status as an Employee” shall mean the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an Employee.  Continuous status as an Employee shall not be considered interrupted in the case of a leave of absence except as provided in Section 11(b).

 

(h)                                 Effective Date” shall mean the effective date of the Company’s initial public offering.

 


 

(i)                                     Eligible Compensation” for an Offering Period shall mean, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, (i) base salary received during such Offering Period by a Participant for services to the Employer, (ii) commissions or commission income received during such Offering Period by a Participant and (iii) other variable compensation as determined by the Committee.  For the avoidance of doubt, Eligible Compensation shall not include overtime, severance pay, hiring and relocation bonuses, pay in lieu of vacation, sick leave or any other form of compensation that may be paid from time to time to the Participant from the Employer.  Eligible Compensation for Participants shall be pro-rated based upon the Eligible Compensation which he or she receives on each pay date during such Offering Period, unless otherwise determined by the Committee.

 

(j)                                    Eligible Employee” shall have the meaning specified in Section 3(a).

 

(k)                                 Employee” shall mean any officer or other employee of the Employer.

 

(l)                                     Employer” shall mean, with respect to an Offering Period, the Company and each Subsidiary of the Company during the applicable Offering Period.

 

(m)                             Enrollment Date” shall mean the first day of each Offering Period.

 

(n)                                 Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and the rules, regulations and guidance thereunder.  Any reference to a provision in the Exchange Act shall include any successor provision thereto.

 

(o)                                 Exercise Date” shall mean the last day of each Offering Period.

 

(p)                                 Exercise Price” shall have the meaning specified in Section 7(b).

 

(q)                                 Fair Market Value” shall mean (i) with respect to Shares, the closing price of a Share on the date in question (or, if there is no reported sale on such date, on the last preceding date on which any reported sale occurred) on the principal stock market or exchange on which the Shares are quoted or traded, or if Shares are not so quoted or traded, fair market value of a Share as determined by the Committee, and (ii) with respect to any property other than Shares, the fair market value of such property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Committee.

 

(r)                                    Offering Period” shall mean the period described in Section 4.

 

(s)                                   Participant” shall mean an Eligible Employee who has elected to participate in the Plan.

 

(t)                                    Participant Account” shall mean that separate account maintained under the Plan to record the amount that a Participant has contributed to the Plan during an Offering Period.

 

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(u)                                 Plan” shall mean the Rocket Companies, Inc. 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

 

(v)                                 Share” shall mean a share of the Company’s Class A common stock, $0.00001 par value per Share.

 

(w)                               Stock Administrator” shall mean the administrator appointed by the Board or the Committee pursuant to Section 15 to administer the Plan.

 

(x)                                 Subscription Agreement” shall have the meaning specified in Section 5.

 

(y)                                 Subsidiary” shall mean a corporation, domestic or foreign, partnership or other entities, of which at the time of the granting of an option pursuant to Section 7, not less than 50%, or another amount determined by the Committee, of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock or units are held by the Company or a Subsidiary, whether or not such corporation, partnership or entities now exist or are hereafter organized or acquired by the Company or a Subsidiary.

 

3.                                      Eligibility.

 

(a)                                 General Rule.  Any full or part time Employee who satisfies any criteria that the Committee may determine, in its sole discretion, from time to time shall be eligible to participate as an “Eligible Employee” during the Offering Period beginning on such Enrollment Date; providedhowever, that an Employee who is a citizen or resident of a foreign jurisdiction shall not be an “Eligible Employee” if the grant of an option under the Plan to such Employee would be prohibited under the laws of such foreign jurisdiction or as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.

 

(b)                                 Exceptions.  Notwithstanding any provisions of the Plan to the contrary, unless otherwise provided by the Committee, no Employee shall be granted an option to purchase Shares under the Plan if such option would permit such Employee’s right to purchase Shares to accrue at a rate which exceeds $25,000 of the Fair Market Value of the Shares (determined on the Enrollment Date) for each calendar year in which such option is outstanding at any time.

 

4.                                      Offering Periods.  Offering Periods may be established by the Committee from time to time at the Committee’s discretion, with the initial Offering Period expected to be a period of three months.

 

5.                                      Participation.  An Eligible Employee shall become a Participant by completing a subscription agreement in such form as shall be specified by the Company (“Subscription Agreement”), and returning it to the Stock Administrator prior to the Enrollment Date for the applicable Offering Period, unless a later time for filing the Subscription Agreement is set by the Committee for all Eligible Employees with respect to such Offering Period.

 

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6.                                      Payment for Shares.

 

(a)                                 At the time a Participant files his or her Subscription Agreement, such Participant shall designate the portion of his or her Eligible Compensation that he or she elects to have withheld during the applicable Offering Period.  Payroll deductions shall be made on each pay date during the Offering Period at a whole percentage rate not to exceed 15%, or such other amount determined by the Committee, of the Eligible Compensation which a Participant receives on each pay date during the Offering Period or such other limitation as the Committee may establish from time to time in its discretion.

 

(b)                                 A Participant may not make any separate cash payment into his or her Participant Account.

 

(c)                                  A Participant may discontinue his or her participation in the Plan as provided in Section 11, but no other change can be made during an Offering Period and, for the avoidance of doubt, a Participant may not alter the amount of his or her Eligible Compensation deductions for that Offering Period.

 

(d)                                 Unless otherwise specified by a Participant prior to the Enrollment Date of any subsequent Offering Period by completing a Committee-specified process, a Participant shall be deemed to have elected to participate in each subsequent Offering Period to the same extent and in the same manner as the prior Offering Period, subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan and the applicable Subscription Agreement.

 

(e)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, permit Participants to pay the subscription amount under their Subscription Agreements in a manner different than the payroll deduction procedure described above.

 

7.                                      Grant of Option.

 

(a)                                 On the Enrollment Date for each Offering Period, each Participant shall be granted an option to purchase on the applicable Exercise Date, a maximum number of Shares determined by the Committee in its discretion; providedhowever, that the number of Shares subject to such option shall be reduced, if necessary, to a number of Shares that would not exceed the limitations described in Section 3(b) and Section 13(a) hereof.

 

(b)                                 The exercise price per Share offered in a given Offering Period (the “Exercise Price”) shall be determined in the discretion of the Committee, and is expected to be 85% of the Fair Market Value on the Exercise Date, unless a different exercise price is established for such Offering Period in the discretion of the Committee.

 

8.                                      Exercise of Option.  The Participant’s option for the purchase of Shares will be exercised automatically on the Exercise Date of such Offering Period by purchasing the maximum number of Shares subject to such option which may be purchased at the Exercise Price with the funds in his or her Participant Account unless, prior to such Exercise Date, the Participant has withdrawn

 

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from the Offering Period pursuant to Section 11.  During a Participant’s lifetime, a Participant’s option to purchase Shares hereunder is exercisable only by such Participant.

 

9.                                      Delivery.  Unless otherwise provided by the Company, the Stock Administrator shall hold Shares issued pursuant to the exercise of the option until any such Shares are distributed to the Participant, transferred or sold in accordance with procedures established from time to time by the Company or the Stock Administrator, including any Applicable Holding Period. Following any Applicable Holding Period, Shares shall be delivered as soon as reasonably practicable after termination of a Participant’s Continuous Status as an Employee or receipt of such request by the Participant for delivery of all Shares, subject to compliance with all applicable law.

 

10.                               Dividends.  Shares received upon exercise of an option shall be entitled to receive dividends on the same basis as other outstanding Shares.  A Participant will not be entitled to any dividends with respect to options to purchase Shares under the Plan.

 

11.                               Withdrawal; Termination of Employment.

 

(a)                                 A Participant may withdraw all, but not less than all, of the payroll deductions credited to his or her Participant Account for the applicable Offering Period by delivery to the Stock Administrator of notice, in the form specified by the Company, on any date up to a certain number of days prior to the Exercise Date to be specified by the Stock Administrator or to be provided for in the applicable Subscription Agreement.  All of the Participant’s payroll deductions credited to his or her Participant Account for such Offering Period will be paid to such Participant as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of his or her notice of withdrawal.  Such withdrawal shall permanently terminate the Participant’s participation for the Offering Period in which the withdrawal occurs.

 

(b)                                 In the event of the termination on or before the Exercise Date of the Participant’s Continuous Status as an Employee for any reason, he or she will be deemed to have elected to withdraw from the Plan, and the Participant or his or her Beneficiary (in the event of such Participant’s death) shall receive any funds in his or her Participant Account as soon as reasonably practicable after the date of such withdrawal; providedhowever, a Participant who goes on a leave of absence shall be permitted to remain in the Plan with respect to an Offering Period which commenced prior to the beginning of such leave of absence.  Eligible Compensation deductions, as applicable, for a Participant who has been on a leave of absence will resume upon return to work at the same rate as in effect prior to such leave unless the leave of absence begins in one Offering Period and ends in a subsequent Offering Period, in which case the Participant shall not be permitted to re-enter the Plan until a new Subscription Agreement is filed with respect to an Offering Period which commences after such Participant has returned to work from the leave of absence.

 

(c)                                  A Participant’s withdrawal from one Offering Period will not have any effect upon his or her eligibility to participate in a different Offering Period or in any similar Plan which may hereafter be adopted by the Company.

 

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12.                               Interest.  No interest shall accrue on the Eligible Compensation deductions of a Participant or on any other amounts in his or her Participant Account.

 

13.                               Shares.

 

(a)                                 The maximum number of Shares which shall be made available for sale under the Plan shall be 10,526,316 Shares, subject to adjustment upon changes in capitalization of the Company as provided in Section 19.  Either authorized and unissued Shares or issued Shares heretofore or hereafter reacquired by the Company may be made subject to purchase under the Plan, in the sole and absolute discretion of the Board or the Committee.  Further, if for any reason any purchase of Shares pursuant to an option under the Plan is not consummated, the Shares subject to the applicable Subscription Agreement may be made available for sale pursuant to a new Subscription Agreement under the Plan.

 

(b)                                 If, on a given Exercise Date, the Shares with respect to which options are to be exercised exceed the Shares then available under the Plan, the Committee shall make a pro rata allocation of the remaining Shares that are available for purchase in as uniform a manner as shall be reasonably practicable and as it shall determine to be equitable.  In such event, the Company shall give notice to each Participant of such reduction in the number of Shares which such Participant shall be allowed to purchase.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Company shall not be obligated to issue Shares hereunder if, in the opinion of the Company, such issuance would constitute a violation of federal or state securities laws or regulations, the regulations of any stock exchange or other securities market on which the Company’s securities may then be traded or the laws of any country.

 

14.                               No Rights as a Shareholder.  Neither the Participant nor his or her Beneficiaries will have any interest or other right in, or dividend or voting rights with respect to, Shares covered by his or her option until such option has been exercised and the related Shares have been purchased under the Plan.

 

15.                               Administration.

 

(a)                                 The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. All decisions of the Committee shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all parties, including the Company, its shareholders and Participants and any Beneficiaries thereof.  The Committee may issue rules and regulations for administration of the Plan.  It shall meet at such times and places as it may determine.

 

(b)                                 Subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee (or its delegate) shall have the full power and authority to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) direct the administration of the Plan by the Stock Administrator in accordance with the provisions herein set forth; (iii) adopt rules of procedure and regulations necessary for the administration of the Plan, provided that such rules are not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan; (iv) determine, in its sole discretion, all questions with regard to rights of Employees and Participants under the Plan, including but not limited to, the eligibility of an Employee to participate in the Plan and the range of permissible percentages of Eligible Compensation an Eligible Employee may specify to be withheld and the

 

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maximum amount; (v) enforce the terms of the Plan and the rules and regulations it adopts; (vi) direct or cause the Stock Administrator to direct the distribution of the Shares purchased hereunder; (vii) furnish or cause the Stock Administrator to furnish the Employer with information which the Employer may require for tax or other purposes; (viii) engage the service of counsel (who may, if appropriate, be counsel for the Employer) and agents whom it may deem advisable to assist it with the performance of its duties; (ix) prescribe procedures to be followed by Eligible Employees in electing to participate herein; (x) receive from each Employer and from Eligible Employees such information as shall be necessary for the proper administration of the Plan; (xi) maintain, or cause the Stock Administrator to maintain, separate accounts in the name of each Participant to reflect his or her Participant Account under the Plan; (xii) interpret and construe the Plan in its sole discretion; (xiii) correct any defect, supply any omission and reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan in the manner and to the extent it shall deem desirable to carry the Plan into effect; (xiv) make any changes or modifications necessary to administer and implement the provisions of the Plan in any foreign country to the fullest extent possible; and (xv) delegate any of its duties and authorities under the Plan to such parties or committees as it may determine. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Board may, in its sole discretion, at any time and from time to time, administer the Plan.  In any such case, the Board shall have all of the authority and responsibility granted to the Committee herein.

 

16.                               Transferability.  Neither any monies credited to a Participant’s Participant Account nor any rights with regard to the exercise of an option to purchase Shares under the Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged, or otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by will or by laws of descent and distribution) by the Participant.  Any such attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge, or other disposition shall be without effect, except that the Company shall treat such act as an election to withdraw funds in accordance with Section 11.

 

17.                               Use of Funds.  All Eligible Compensation deductions received or held by the Company under the Plan may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate such funds.

 

18.                               Reports.  Individual Participant Accounts will be maintained for each Participant, and statements will be given to Participants promptly following an Exercise Date, which statements will set forth the amount of Eligible Compensation deductions for the applicable Offering Period, the per-Share purchase price, the number of Shares purchased, and the remaining cash balance, if any.

 

19.                               Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization and Certain Transactions.  In the event of (a) any merger, reorganization, consolidation, recapitalization, dividend or distribution (whether in cash, shares or other property, other than a regular cash dividend), stock split (including a stock split in the form of a stock dividend), reverse stock split, spin-off or similar transaction or other change in corporate structure affecting the Shares or the value thereof, such adjustments and other substitutions shall be made to the Plan and to outstanding options as the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems equitable or appropriate taking into consideration any applicable accounting and tax consequences, including such adjustments in the limitations in Section 7(a) and Section 13 and in the class and number of Shares and Exercise Price with respect to outstanding options under the Plan; and (b) any transaction or event described in (a) above, or any unusual or nonrecurring

 

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transaction or events affecting the Company or any changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principles, the Committee, in its sole discretion and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, is hereby authorized to: (i) provide for either (X) termination of any outstanding option in exchange for an amount of cash, if any, equal to the amount that would have been obtained upon exercise of such option had such option been currently exercisable or (Y) the replacement of such outstanding option with other rights or property selected by the Committee in its sole discretion; (ii) provide that the outstanding options under the Plan shall be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar rights covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and exercise prices; (iii) make adjustments in the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding options under the Plan and/or in the terms and conditions of outstanding options and options which may be granted in the future; (iv) shorten the Offering Period then in progress and set a new Exercise Date, which shall be a date immediately prior to the date of any transaction or event described in (a) above and provide for any other necessary procedures to effectuate such actions; and/or (v) provide that all outstanding options shall terminate without being exercised.

 

Except as expressly provided in the Plan, no Participant shall have any rights by reason of any subdivision or consolidation of shares of stock of any class, the payment of any dividend, any increase or decrease in the number of shares of any class or any dissolution, liquidation, merger or consolidation of the Company or any other corporation.  Except as expressly provided in the Plan or pursuant to action of the Committee, no issuance by the Company or shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof, shall be made with respect to, the number of Shares subject to an option or the grant or Exercise Price of any option.

 

20.                               Amendment or Termination.

 

(a)                                 The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time and for any reason; providedhowever, that the Board (i) shall not, without the approval of the shareholders of the Company, increase the maximum number of Shares which may be issued under the Plan (except pursuant to Section 19) and (ii) shall otherwise obtain shareholder approval of any amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination of the Plan, if, and to the extent, required by applicable law. Except as specifically provided in the Plan or as required to obtain a favorable ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination of the Plan pursuant to this Section 20 may make any change in any option theretofore granted which adversely affects the rights of any Participant without the consent of such Participant.

 

(b)                                 The Plan shall automatically terminate on the Exercise Date that Participants become entitled to purchase a number of Shares greater than the number available for purchase under Section 13.

 

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21.                               Notices.

 

(a)                                 All notices or other communications by an Eligible Employee or a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.

 

(b)                                 All notices or other communications by the Employer, the Company, the Board or the Committee under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when (i) personally delivered, including electronic transmission in such form as the Board or the Committee shall direct, or (ii) placed in the mail of the country of the sender in an envelope addressed to the last known address of the person to whom the notice is given.

 

22.                               Shareholder Approval.  The effectiveness of the Plan shall be subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company within 12 months before or after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board.  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, failure to obtain such shareholder approval shall void the Plan, any options granted under the Plan, any Share purchases pursuant to the plan, and all rights of all Participants.

 

23.                               Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares.  Shares shall not be issued with respect to an option unless the exercise of such option and the issuance and delivery of such Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all applicable provisions of law, domestic or foreign, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated under both sets of laws and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Shares may then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.  As a condition to the exercise of an option, the Company may require the person exercising such option to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any of the aforementioned applicable provisions of law.

 

24.                               Withholding; Disqualifying Disposition.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, at the time a Participant’s option under the Plan is exercised, in whole or in part, or at the time some or all of the Shares issued under the Plan are disposed of by a Participant, the Participant must make adequate provision for his or her Employer’s federal, state, or other tax withholding obligations, which arise upon the exercise of the option or the disposition of the Shares.  At any time, the Company may, but shall not be obligated to, withhold from the Participant’s compensation, the amount necessary for the Company to meet applicable tax withholding obligations, including any withholding required to make available to the Company any tax deductions or benefits attributable to a sale or early disposition of Shares by the Participant.

 

25.                               Effective Date of the PlanThe Plan shall be effective as of the Effective Date, subject to its approval by the shareholders of the Company as described in Section 22.

 

26.                               Term of Plan.  The Plan shall continue in effect until the earliest to occur of (a) the ten year anniversary of the Effective Date; (b) the maximum number of Shares available for issuance

 

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under the Plan have been issued in accordance with Section 20(b); or (c) the Board terminates the Plan in accordance with Section 20(a).

 

27.                               No Rights Implied.  Nothing contained in the Plan, any modification or amendment to the Plan, or the creation of any Participant Account, the execution of any Subscription Agreement, or the issuance of any Shares, shall give any Employee or Participant any right to continue his or her employment, any legal or equitable right against the Employer or Company or any officer, director, or employee of the Employer or the Company, or interfere in any way with the Employer’s or the Company’s right to terminate or otherwise modify an Employee’s employment at any time, except as expressly provided by the Plan.

 

28.                               Severability.  If any provision of the Plan is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, or as to any person or entity, or would disqualify the Plan under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to applicable laws, or if it cannot be so construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, person or entity, and the remainder of the Plan shall remain in full force and effect.

 

29.                               Waiver of Notice.  Any person entitled to notice under the Plan may waive such notice.

 

30.                               Successors and Assigns.  The Plan shall be binding upon all persons entitled to purchase Shares under the Plan, their respective heirs, legatees, and legal representatives, including, without limitation, such person’s estate and the executors, any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy or representative of creditors of such person, and upon the Employer, its successors and assigns.

 

31.                               Data Privacy.  By participating in the Plan, the Participant consents to the holding and processing of personal information provided by the Participant to the Company or any subsidiary, trustee or third-party service provider, for all purposes relating to the operation of the Plan. These include, but are not limited to:

 

(a)                                 administering and maintaining Participant records;

 

(b)                                 providing information to the Company, Subsidiaries, trustees of any employee benefit trust, registrars, brokers or third-party administrators of the Plan;

 

(c)                                  providing information to future purchasers or merger partners of the Company or any subsidiary, or the business in which the Participant works; and

 

(d)                                 transferring information about the Participant to any country or territory that may not provide the same protection for the information as the Participant’s home country.

 

32.                               Headings.  The titles and headings of the sections are included for convenience of reference only and are not to be considered in construction of the provisions hereof.

 

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33.                               Governing Law; Venue.  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.  The exclusive venues for all disputes arising out of the Plan shall be the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan (the “Agreed-Upon Venues”), and no other venues.  The Company and any Participants to the Plan stipulate that participation in the Plan is an arms-length transaction entered into by sophisticated parties, and that the Agreed-Upon Venues are convenient, are not unreasonable, unfair, or unjust, and will not deprive any party of any remedy to which it may be entitled.  The Company and any Participants to the Plan further agree to consent to the dismissal of any action arising out of the Plan that may be filed in a venue other than one of the Agreed-Upon Venues; the reasonable legal fees and costs of the party seeking dismissal for improper venue will be paid by the party that filed suit in the improper venue.

 

11




Exhibit 10.34

 

RKT Holdings, LLC

 

[  ], 2020

 

Re: Consulting Agreement Letter

 

Dear [  ]:

 

This letter agreement will confirm our mutual understanding with respect to your engagement as a consultant to RKT Holdings, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company (the “Company”) and with Rocket Companies, Inc. (“Rocket”) and its subsidiaries (the “Rocket Companies”).

 

This letter agreement will be effective as of the effective date of the initial public offering (“IPO”) of the Rocket Companies (the “Effective Date”), and continue until either you or the Rocket Companies provide to the other party notice of termination with thirty days’ notice.  Upon any termination of your engagement, the Company will have no further obligations to you under this letter agreement thereafter.

 

This letter agreement is both in recognition of the substantial services you have provided to the Rocket Companies and specifically to Rocket in connection with the launch of its IPO, as described further in Appendix A.  Following the Effective Date, you agree to continue to provide services to the Rocket Companies as set forth on Appendix A attached hereto and as otherwise instructed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Rocket Companies (the “Services”).  You agree that you will perform the Services as an independent contractor, and not as an employee of the Company or any member of the Rocket Companies.  You will be paid compensation as set forth on Appendix B attached hereto.

 

In recognition of the Services and for your contribution to the success of the IPO, you will receive equity grants in the form of options to purchase shares of Class A common stock of Rocket and restricted stock units with respect to shares of Class A common stock of Rocket as set forth on Appendix C attached hereto on the Effective Date, and on the terms set forth in the equity award agreements.

 

As an independent contractor, you will be solely responsible for payment of all taxes with respect to your compensation payable hereunder and in respect of your equity grants described in Appendix C, and neither the Company nor any of its affiliates will withhold for taxes from any such amounts.  In addition, you understand and agree that you are not eligible simply by virtue of your engagement as a consultant to participate in any of the employee benefit plans or programs of the Company or any member of the Rocket Companies.  In the event that this consulting arrangement is reclassified as employment by any governmental agency or court, you further agree that you will not seek to participate in or benefit from any such plans or programs as a result of such reclassification.

 

The terms contained in this letter agreement constitute and embody our full and complete understanding and agreement with respect to your engagement as a consultant for the Company, and supersede and replace all prior or contemporaneous agreements or understandings, written or oral, concerning such subject matter.  The terms of this letter agreement may be modified only by a writing duly executed by you and the Company, and this letter agreement, and your obligations hereunder, may not be assigned by you without the prior written consent of the Company.  The benefits and

 


 

obligations contained in this letter agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and its respective successors and assigns.

 

This letter agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Michigan, 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 Michigan.  The exclusive venues for all disputes arising out of this letter agreement will be the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan (the “Agreed-Upon Venues”), and no other venues.  The Company and you stipulate that this letter agreement is an arms-length transaction entered into by sophisticated parties, and that the Agreed-Upon Venues are convenient, are not unreasonable, unfair, or unjust, and will not deprive any party of any remedy to which it may be entitled.  The Company and you further agree to consent to the dismissal of any action arising out of this letter agreement that may be filed in a venue other than one of the Agreed-Upon Venues; the reasonable legal fees and costs of the party seeking dismissal for improper venue will be paid by the party that filed suit in the improper venue.

 

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 


 

If you are in agreement with the terms of your consulting engagement described above, please execute this letter agreement where indicated below and return to me.  The execution of this letter agreement may be by actual or facsimile signature.

 

Sincerely,

 

RKT HOLDINGS, LLC

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

AGREED AND ACCEPTED:

 

 

 

 

[  ]

Date:

 




Exhibit 10.35

 

EXCHANGE AGREEMENT

 

EXCHANGE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of [·], 2020, by and among RKT Holdings, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company (the “Company”), Rocket Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“RocketCo”), and the Holders (as defined below).

 

W I T N E S S E T H:

 

WHEREAS, on the date hereof, the Company, RocketCo, Daniel Gilbert (“Gilbert”) and Rock Holdings Inc. (“RHI”) entered into the Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of the Company (as amended, restated, modified or supplemented from time to time, the “LLC Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to provide for the exchange of Holdings Units (as defined below) together with shares of (i) Class C Common Stock (as defined below) for shares of Class A Common Stock (as defined below) or (ii) Class D Common Stock (as defined below) for shares of Class B Common Stock (as defined below), in each case, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein made and other good and valuable consideration, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND USAGE

 

Section 1.01                             Definitions.

 

(a)                                 The following terms shall have the following meanings for the purposes of this Agreement:

 

Agreed-Upon Venues” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.05(a).

 

Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

Applicable Law” means, with respect to any Person, any federal, state or local law (statutory, common or otherwise), constitution, treaty, convention, ordinance, code, rule, regulation, order, injunction, judgment, decree, ruling or other similar requirement enacted, adopted, promulgated or applied by a Governmental Authority or Regulatory Agency that is binding upon or applicable to such Person or its assets, as amended unless expressly specified otherwise.

 

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.

 

Cash Exchange Payment” means an amount in U.S. dollars equal to the product of (a) the number of applicable Paired Interests multiplied by (b) the sale price of Class A

 


 

Common Stock in a private sale or the price to the public of Class A Common Stock in a public offering as set forth in Section 2.01.

 

Class A Common Stock” means Class A common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of RocketCo.

 

Class B Common Stock” means Class B common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of RocketCo.

 

Class C Common Stock” means Class C common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of RocketCo.

 

Class C Paired Interest” means one Holdings Unit together with one share of Class C Common Stock, subject adjustment pursuant to Section 2.03(a).

 

Class D Common Stock” means Class D common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of RocketCo.

 

Class D Paired Interest” means one Holdings Unit together with one share of Class D Common Stock, subject adjustment pursuant to Section 2.03(b).

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

Company” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

Deliverable Common Stock” means (i) with respect to Class C Paired Interests, Class A Common Stock and (ii) with respect to Class D Paired Interests, Class B Common Stock.

 

e-mail” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03.

 

Exchange” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Exchange Agent” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(a).

 

Exchange Date” means the second Business Day immediately following the receipt of the Notice of Exchange by RocketCo, unless otherwise set forth in the applicable Notice of Exchange, as permitted under Section 2.02(b).

 

Exchange Rate” means (i) with respect to Class C Paired Interests, the number of shares of Class A Common Stock for which one Class C Paired Interest is entitled to be Exchanged or (ii) with respect to Class D Paired Interests, the number of shares of Class B Common Stock for which one Class D Paired Interest is entitled to be Exchanged.  On the date of this Agreement, the Exchange Rate for the purposes of the Class C Paired Interests and Class

 

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D Paired Interests shall be one (1), subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 2.03 of this Agreement.

 

Exchanging Holder” means a Holder effecting an Exchange pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Gilbert” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

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 Rock Holdings Inc., Gilbert and any other holder of Holdings Units and shares of Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock from time to time party hereto.

 

Holdings Unit” means a Unit (as such term is defined in the LLC Agreement).

 

LLC Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

Notice of Exchange” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(a).

 

Paired Interest” means one Class C Paired Interest or one Class D Paired Interest, as applicable.

 

Permitted Transferee” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.01.

 

Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, estate, joint venture, governmental authority or other entity.

 

Process Agent” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.05(b).

 

Registration Rights Agreement” means the Registration Rights Agreement by and among RocketCo and the stockholders party thereto, dated on or about the date hereof, as such agreement may be amended from time to time.

 

Regulatory Agency” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., the Financial Services Authority, any non-U.S. regulatory agency and any other regulatory authority or body (including any state or provincial securities authority and any self-regulatory organization) with jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

RHI” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

RocketCo” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

RocketCo Charter” means the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of RocketCo.

 

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RocketCo Offer” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04(a).

 

Securities Act” means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Securities Exchange” means the national securities exchange on which the Class A Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading.

 

Share Exchange” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(b).

 

Tax Receivable Agreement” shall have the meaning given to such term in the LLC Agreement.

 

Trading Day” means a day on which the Securities Exchange is open for the transaction of business (unless such trading shall have been suspended for the entire day), or if the shares of Class A Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on such an exchange, on the automated quotation system on which the shares of Class A Common Stock are then authorized for quotation.

 

Treasury Regulations” means the United States Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code.

 

VWAP” means the daily per share volume-weighted average price of the Class A Common Stock on the principal Securities Exchange or automated or electronic quotation system on which Class A Common Stock trades, as displayed under the heading Bloomberg VWAP on the Bloomberg page designated for the Class A Common Stock (or its equivalent successor if such page is not available) in respect of the period from the open of trading on such day until the close of trading on such day (or if such volume-weighted average price is unavailable, (a) the per share volume-weighted average price of such Class A Common Stock on such day (determined without regard to afterhours trading or any other trading outside the regular trading session or trading hours), or (b) if such determination is not feasible, the market price per share of Class A Common Stock, in either case as determined by a nationally recognized independent investment banking firm retained in good faith for this purpose by RocketCo or the Company).

 

(b)                                 Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the LLC Agreement.

 

Section 1.02                             Other Definitional and Interpretative Provisions.  The words “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” and words of like import used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement.  The captions herein are included for convenience of reference only and shall be ignored in the construction or interpretation hereof.  References to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Agreement unless otherwise specified.  Any singular term in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the plural, and any plural term the singular.  Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those

 

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words or words of like import.  “Writing”, “written” and comparable terms refer to printing, typing and other means of reproducing words (including electronic media) in a visible form.  References to any statute shall be deemed to refer to such statute as amended from time to time and to any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.  References to any agreement or contract are to that agreement or contract as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.  References to any Person include the successors and permitted assigns of that Person.  References from or through any date mean, unless otherwise specified, from and including or through and including, respectively.  References to “law”, “laws” or to a particular statute or law shall be deemed also to include any Applicable Law.  Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, when any approval, consent or other matter requires any action or approval of any group of Holders, including any holders of any class of Paired Interests, such approval, consent or other matter shall require the approval of a majority in interest of such group of Holders.  Except to the extent otherwise expressly provided herein, all references to any Holder shall be deemed to refer solely to such Person in its capacity as such Holder and not in any other capacity.

 

ARTICLE II
EXCHANGE

 

Section 2.01                             Exchange of Paired Interests for Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock.  From and after the execution and delivery of this Agreement, each Holder shall be entitled at any time and from time to time upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereof, to surrender Paired Interests to RocketCo (subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.03) in exchange (such exchange, an “Exchange”) for the delivery to such Holder, at the option of the board of directors of RocketCo (acting by a majority of the disinterested members of the board of directors of RocketCo or a committee of disinterested directors of the board of directors of RocketCo), of:

 

(a)                                 a Cash Exchange Payment by the Company from the proceeds of a private sale or a public offering of Class A Common Stock; or

 

(b)                                 (X) with respect to Class C Paired Interests, a number of shares of Class A Common Stock that is equal to the product of the number of Class C Paired Interests surrendered multiplied by the Exchange Rate; and (Y) with respect to Class D Paired Interests, a number of shares of Class B Common Stock that is equal to the product of the number of Class D Paired Interests surrendered multiplied by the Exchange Rate (in each case under this clause (b), a “Share Exchange”).

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, RocketCo and the Company shall not effectuate a Cash Exchange Payment pursuant to Section 2.01(a) above unless (A) RocketCo determines to consummate a private sale or public offering of Class A Common Stock on, or not later than five Business Days after, the relevant Exchange Date and (B) RocketCo contributes sufficient proceeds from such private sale or public offering to the Company for payment by the Company of the applicable Cash Exchange Payment.

 

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Section 2.02                             Exchange Procedures; Notices and Revocations.

 

(a)                                 A Holder may exercise the right to effect an Exchange as set forth in Section 2.01 by delivering a written notice of exchange in respect of the Paired Interests to be Exchanged substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “Notice of Exchange”), duly executed by such Holder or such Holder’s duly authorized attorney, to RocketCo at its address set forth in Section 5.03 during normal business hours, or if any agent for the Exchange is duly appointed and acting (the “Exchange Agent”), to the office of the Exchange Agent during normal business hours.  Each Exchange shall be deemed to be effective immediately prior to the close of business on the Exchange Date.

 

(b)                                 Contingent Notice of Exchange and Revocation by Holders.

 

(i)                                     A Notice of Exchange from a Holder may specify that the Exchange (A) shall occur on a specified future Business Day or (B) is to be contingent (including as to the timing) upon the consummation of a purchase by another Person (whether in a tender or exchange offer, an underwritten offering or otherwise) of shares of Deliverable Common Stock into which the Paired Interests are exchangeable, or contingent (including as to timing) upon the closing of an announced merger, consolidation or other transaction or event in which the Deliverable Common Stock would be exchanged or converted or become exchangeable for or convertible into cash or other securities or property.

 

(ii)                                  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, a Holder may withdraw or amend a Notice of Exchange, in whole or in part, prior to the effectiveness of the Exchange, at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the Exchange Date (or any such later time as may be required by Applicable Law) by delivery of a written notice of withdrawal to RocketCo or the Exchange Agent, specifying (1) the number of withdrawn Paired Interests, (2) if any, the number of Paired Interests as to which the Notice of Exchange remains in effect and (3) if the Holder so determines, a new Exchange Date or any other new or revised information permitted in the Notice of Exchange.

 

(c)                                  Cash Exchange Payment. The Company shall provide notice to the Exchanging Holder of its intention to consummate an Exchange through a Cash Exchange Payment on the first Business Day immediately following the receipt of a Notice of Exchange by RocketCo. Additionally, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered the Cash Exchange Payment in accordance with Section 2.01(a) as promptly as practicable (but not later than five Business Days) after the Exchange Date.

 

(d)                                 Share Exchange. In the case of a Share Exchange,

 

(i)                                     the Exchanging Holder (or other Person(s) whose name or names in which the Deliverable Common Stock is to be issued) shall be deemed to be a holder of Deliverable Common Stock from and after the close of business on the Exchange Date.

 

(ii)                                  as promptly as practicable on or after the Exchange Date (but not later than the close of business on the Business Day immediately following the Exchange Date), RocketCo shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Exchanging Holder (or

 

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other Person(s) whose name or names in which the Deliverable Common Stock is to be issued) the number of shares of Deliverable Common Stock deliverable upon such Exchange, registered in the name of such Holder (or other Person(s) whose name or names in which the Deliverable Common Stock is to be issued).  To the extent the Deliverable Common Stock is settled through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company, RocketCo will, subject to Section 2.02(d)(iii) below, upon the written instruction of an Exchanging Holder, deliver or cause to be delivered the shares of Deliverable Common Stock deliverable to such Holder (or other Person(s) whose name or names in which the Deliverable Common Stock is to be issued), through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company, to the account of the participant of The Depository Trust Company designated by such Holder.

 

(iii)                               If the shares of Deliverable Common Stock issued upon an Exchange are not issued pursuant to a registration statement that has been declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission, such shares shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

 

THE TRANSFER OF THESE SECURITIES HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION, AND MAY NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED OTHER THAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (OR OTHER APPLICABLE LAW), OR AN EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

(iv)                              if (i) any shares of Deliverable Common Stock may be sold pursuant to a registration statement that has been declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission, (ii) all of the applicable conditions of Rule 144 are met, or (iii) the legend (or a portion thereof) otherwise ceases to be applicable, RocketCo, upon the written request of the Holder thereof shall promptly provide such Holder or its respective transferees, without any expense to such Persons (other than applicable transfer taxes and similar governmental charges, if any) with new certificates (or evidence of book-entry share) for securities of like tenor not bearing the provisions of the legend with respect to which the restriction has terminated.  In connection therewith, such Holder shall provide RocketCo will such information in its possession as RocketCo may reasonably request in connection with the removal of any such legend.

 

(e)                                  RocketCo shall bear all expenses in connection with the consummation of any Exchange, whether or not any such Exchange is ultimately consummated, including any transfer taxes, stamp taxes or duties, or other similar taxes in connection with, or arising by reason of, any Exchange; provided, however, that if any shares of Deliverable Common Stock are to be delivered in a name other than that of the Holder that requested the Exchange (or The Depository Trust Company or its nominee for the account of a participant of The Depository Trust Company that will hold the shares for the account of such Holder), then such Holder and/or the Person in whose name such shares are to be delivered shall pay to RocketCo the amount of any transfer taxes, stamp taxes or duties, or other similar taxes in connection with, or arising by reason of, such Exchange or shall establish to the reasonable satisfaction of RocketCo that such tax has been paid or is not payable.

 

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(f)                                   Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article II, a Holder shall not be entitled to effect an Exchange, and RocketCo and the Company shall have the right to refuse to honor any request to effect an Exchange, at any time or during any period, if RocketCo or the Company shall reasonably determine that such Exchange (i) would be prohibited by any Applicable Law (including the unavailability of any requisite registration statement filed under the Securities Act or any exemption from the registration requirements thereunder), provided this subsection Section 2.02(f)(i) shall not limit RocketCo or the Company’s obligations under Section 2.06(c) or (ii) would not be permitted under (x) the LLC Agreement, (y) other agreements with RocketCo, the Company or any of the Company’s subsidiaries to which such Exchanging Holder may be party or (z) any written policies of RocketCo, the Company or any of the Company’s subsidiaries related to unlawful or inappropriate trading applicable to its directors, officers or other personnel. Upon such determination, RocketCo or the Company (as applicable) shall notify the Holder requesting the Exchange of such determination, which such notice shall include an explanation in reasonable detail as to the reason that the Exchange has not been honored. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, if RocketCo, after consultation with its outside legal counsel and tax advisor, shall determine in good faith that interests in the Company do not meet the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.7704-1(h) (or other provisions of those Treasury Regulations as determined by RocketCo), the Company may impose such restrictions on Exchange as the Company may reasonably determine to be necessary or advisable so that the Company is not treated as a “publicly traded partnership” under Section 7704 of the Code.

 

Section 2.03                             Adjustment.

 

(a)                                 The Exchange Rate with respect to the Class C Paired Interests and/or the components of a Class C Paired Interest shall be adjusted accordingly if there is: (i) any subdivision (by any stock or unit split, stock or unit dividend or distribution, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse stock or unit split, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) of the shares of Class C Common Stock or Holdings Units that is not accompanied by a substantively identical subdivision or combination of the Class A Common Stock; or (ii) any subdivision (by any stock split, stock dividend, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse stock split, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) of the Class A Common Stock that is not accompanied by a substantively identical subdivision or combination of the shares of Class C Common Stock and Holdings Units. If there is any reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or other similar transaction in which the Class A Common Stock are converted or changed into another security, securities or other property, then upon any subsequent Exchange, an Exchanging Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such security, securities or other property that such Exchanging Holder would have received if such Exchange had occurred immediately prior to the effective date of such reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or other similar transaction, taking into account any adjustment as a result of any subdivision (by any split, dividend or distribution, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse split, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) of such security, securities or other property that occurs after the effective time of such reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or other similar transaction.  For the avoidance of doubt, if there is any reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or other similar transaction in which the Class A

 

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Common Stock are converted or changed into another security, securities or other property, this Section 2.03(a) shall continue to be applicable, mutatis mutandis, with respect to such security or other property.  This Agreement shall apply to, mutatis mutandis, and all references to “Class C Paired Interests” shall be deemed to include, any security, securities or other property of RocketCo or the Company which may be issued in respect of, in exchange for or in substitution of shares of Class C Common Stock or Holdings Units, as applicable, by reason of stock or unit split, reverse stock or unit split, stock or unit dividend or distribution, combination, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization, merger, exchange (other than an Exchange) or other transaction.

 

(b)                                 The Exchange Rate with respect to the Class D Paired Interests and/or the components of a Class D Paired Interest shall be adjusted accordingly if there is: (i) any subdivision (by any stock or unit split, stock or unit dividend or distribution, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse stock or unit split, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) of the shares of Class D Common Stock or Holdings Units that is not accompanied by a substantively identical subdivision or combination of the Class B Common Stock; or (ii) any subdivision (by any stock split, stock dividend, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse stock split, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) of the Class B Common Stock that is not accompanied by a substantively identical subdivision or combination of the shares of Class D Common Stock and Holdings Units.  If there is any reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or other similar transaction in which the Class B Common Stock are converted or changed into another security, securities or other property, then upon any subsequent Exchange, an Exchanging Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such security, securities or other property that such Exchanging Holder would have received if such Exchange had occurred immediately prior to the effective date of such reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or other similar transaction, taking into account any adjustment as a result of any subdivision (by any split, dividend or distribution, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse split, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) of such security, securities or other property that occurs after the effective time of such reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or other similar transaction.  For the avoidance of doubt, if there is any reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or other similar transaction in which the Class B Common Stock are converted or changed into another security, securities or other property, this Section 2.03(b) shall continue to be applicable, mutatis mutandis, with respect to such security or other property.  This Agreement shall apply to, mutatis mutandis, and all references to “Class D Paired Interests” shall be deemed to include, any security, securities or other property of RocketCo or the Company which may be issued in respect of, in exchange for or in substitution of shares of Class D Common Stock or Holdings Units, as applicable, by reason of stock or unit split, reverse stock or unit split, stock or unit dividend or distribution, combination, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization, merger, exchange (other than an Exchange) or other transaction.

 

(c)                                  This Agreement shall apply to the Paired Interests held by the Holders and their Permitted Transferees as of the date hereof, as well as any Paired Interests hereafter acquired by a Holder and his or her or its Permitted Transferees.

 

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Section 2.04                             Tender Offers and Other Events with Respect to RocketCo.

 

(a)                                 In the event that a tender offer, share exchange offer, issuer bid, take-over bid, recapitalization or similar transaction with respect to Class A Common Stock (a “RocketCo Offer”) is proposed by RocketCo or is proposed to RocketCo or its stockholders and approved by the board of directors of RocketCo or is otherwise effected or to be effected with the consent or approval of the board of directors of RocketCo, the Holders of Paired Interests shall be permitted to participate in such RocketCo Offer by delivery of a Notice of Exchange (which Notice of Exchange shall be effective immediately prior to the consummation of such RocketCo Offer (and, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be contingent upon such RocketCo Offer and not be effective if such RocketCo Offer is not consummated)).  In the case of a RocketCo Offer proposed by RocketCo, RocketCo will use its reasonable best efforts expeditiously and in good faith to take all such actions and do all such things as are necessary or desirable to enable and permit the Holders of Paired Interests to participate in such RocketCo Offer to the same extent or on an economically equivalent basis as the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock without discrimination; provided, that without limiting the generality of this sentence, RocketCo will use its reasonable best efforts expeditiously and in good faith to ensure that such Holders may participate in each such RocketCo Offer without being required to Exchange Paired Interests.  For the avoidance of doubt (but subject to Section 2.04(b)), in no event shall the Holders of Paired Interests be entitled to receive in such RocketCo Offer aggregate consideration for each Paired Interest that is greater than the consideration payable in respect of each share of Class A Common Stock in connection with a RocketCo Offer.

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in the event of a RocketCo Offer intended to qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code or as a transfer described in Section 351(a) or Section 721 of the Code, a Holder shall not be required to exchange its Paired Interest without its prior consent.

 

(c)                                  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, (i) in a RocketCo Offer where the consideration payable in connection therewith includes Equity Securities, the aggregate consideration for any Class D Paired Interest shall be deemed to be equivalent to the consideration payable in respect of each share of Class A Common Stock if the only difference in the per share distribution to the Holders of Class D Paired Interests is that the Equity Securities distributed to such Holders have not more than ten times the voting power of any Equity Securities distributed to the holder of a share of Class A Common Stock (so long as such Equity Securities issued to the Class D Paired Interests remain subject to automatic conversion on terms no more favorable to such Holders than those set forth in Article IV, Section G of the RocketCo Charter), (ii) in a RocketCo Offer, payments under or in respect of the Tax Receivable Agreements shall not be considered part of the consideration payable in respect of any Paired Interest or share of Class A Common Stock in connection with such RocketCo Offer for the purposes of Section 2.04(a), and (iii) the Company shall not be entitled to make a Cash Exchange Payment in the case of an Exchange in connection with a RocketCo Offer.

 

Section 2.05                             Listing of Deliverable Common Stock.  If the Class A Common Stock is listed on a securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system, RocketCo shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause all Class A Common Stock issued upon an exchange of Paired

 

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Interests to be listed on the same securities exchange or traded on such inter-dealer quotation system at the time of such issuance.

 

Section 2.06                             Deliverable Common Stock to be Issued; Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock to be Cancelled.

 

(a)                                 RocketCo shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, solely for the purpose of issuance upon an Exchange, the maximum number of shares of Deliverable Common Stock as shall be deliverable upon Exchange of all then-outstanding Paired Interests; provided, that nothing contained herein shall be construed to preclude RocketCo from satisfying its obligations in respect of an Exchange by delivery of shares of Deliverable Common Stock that are held in the treasury of RocketCo or any of its subsidiaries or by delivery of purchased shares of Deliverable Common Stock (which may or may not be held in the treasury of RocketCo or any subsidiary thereof).  RocketCo covenants that all shares of Deliverable Common Stock issued upon an Exchange will, upon issuance thereof, be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

(b)                                 When a Paired Interest has been Exchanged in accordance with this Agreement, (i) the share of Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock corresponding to such Paired Interest shall be cancelled by RocketCo and (ii) the Holdings Unit corresponding to such Paired Interest shall be deemed transferred from the Exchanging Holder to RocketCo and the Company shall cause such transfer to be registered in the books and records of the Company.

 

(c)                                  RocketCo agrees that it has taken all or will take such steps as may be required to cause to qualify for exemption under Rule 16b-3(d) or (e), as applicable, under the Exchange Act, and to be exempt for purposes of Section 16(b) under the Exchange Act, any acquisitions from, or dispositions to, RocketCo of equity securities of RocketCo (including derivative securities with respect thereto) and any securities that may be deemed to be equity securities or derivative securities of RocketCo for such purposes that result from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, by each officer or director of RocketCo, including any director by deputization.  The authorizing resolutions shall be approved by either RocketCo’s board of directors or a committee composed solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors (as defined in Rule 16b-3) of RocketCo.

 

Section 2.07                             Distributions.  No Exchange shall impair the right of the Exchanging Holder to receive any distributions payable on the Holdings Units so exchanged in respect of a record date that occurs prior to the Exchange Date for such Exchange.  No adjustments in respect of dividends or distributions on any Holdings Unit will be made on the Exchange of any Paired Interest, and if the Exchange Date with respect to a Holdings Unit occurs after the record date for the payment of a dividend or other distribution on Holdings Units but before the date of the payment, then the registered Holder of the Holdings Unit at the close of business on the record date will be entitled to receive the dividend or other distribution payable on the Holdings Unit on the payment date (without duplication of any distribution to which such Holder may be entitled under Section 5.03(c) of the LLC Agreement in respect of taxes) notwithstanding the Exchange of the Paired Interests or a default in payment of the dividend or

 

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distribution due on the Exchange Date.  For the avoidance of doubt, no Exchanging Holder shall be entitled to receive, in respect of a single record date, distributions or dividends both on Holdings Units exchanged by such Holder and on shares of Deliverable Common Stock received by such Holder in such Exchange.

 

Section 2.08                             Withholding; Certification of Non-Foreign Status.

 

(a)                                 If RocketCo or the Company shall be required to withhold any amounts by reason of any federal, state, local or non-U.S. foreign tax rules or regulations in respect of any Exchange, RocketCo or the Company, as the case may be, shall be entitled to take such action as it deems appropriate in order to ensure compliance with such withholding requirements, including, at its option, withholding shares of Class A Common Stock with a fair market value equal to the minimum amount of any taxes that RocketCo or the Company, as the case may be, may be required to withhold with respect to such Exchange. To the extent that amounts are (or property is) so withheld and paid over to the appropriate taxing authority, such withheld amounts (or property) shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid (or delivered) to the applicable Holder.

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, each of RocketCo and the Company may, in its discretion, require that an exchanging Holder deliver to the RocketCo or the Company, as the case may be, a certification of non-foreign status in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.1445-2(b) and 1.1446(f)-2(b)(2) prior to an Exchange. In the event RocketCo or the Company has required delivery of such certification but an exchanging Holder does not provide such certification, RocketCo or the Company, as the case may be, shall nevertheless deliver or cause to be delivered to the exchanging Holder the Class A Common Stock or the Class B Common Stock, as applicable, or Cash Payment in accordance with Section 2.01, but subject to withholding as provided in Section 2.08(a).

 

ARTICLE III
OTHER AGREEMENTS

 

Section 3.01                             Books and Records; Access. For so long as RHI and Gilbert, in the aggregate, beneficially own 3% or more of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock, RocketCo shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, permit RHI and its respective designated representatives, at reasonable times and upon reasonable prior notice to RocketCo, to inspect, review and/or make copies and extracts from the books and records of RocketCo or any of such Subsidiaries and to discuss the affairs, finances and condition of RocketCo or any of such Subsidiaries with the officers of RocketCo or any such Subsidiary. For so long as RHI and Gilbert, in the aggregate, beneficially own 3% or more of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock, RocketCo, upon the written request of RHI, shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, provide RHI, in addition to other information that might be reasonably requested by RHI from time to time, (i) direct access to RocketCo’s auditors and officers, (ii) the ability to link RHI’s systems into RocketCo’s general ledger and other systems in order to enable RHI to retrieve data on a “real-time” basis, (iii) quarter-end reports, in a format to be prescribed by RHI, to be provided within 30 days after the end of each quarter, (iv) copies of all materials provided to the board of directors (or committee of the board of directors) at the same time as provided to the directors (or members of a committee of the board of directors) of RocketCo, (v) access to

 

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appropriate officers and directors of RocketCo and its Subsidiaries at such times as may be requested by RHI for consultation with RHI with respect to matters relating to the business and affairs of RocketCo and its Subsidiaries, (vi) information in advance with respect to any significant corporate actions, including, without limitation, extraordinary dividends, stock redemptions or repurchases, mergers, acquisitions or dispositions of assets, issuances of significant amounts of debt or equity and material amendments to the organizational documents of RocketCo or any of its Subsidiaries, and to provide RHI with the right to consult with RocketCo and its Subsidiaries with respect to such actions, (vii) flash data, in a format to be prescribed by RHI, to be provided within ten days after the end of each quarter and (viii) to the extent otherwise prepared by RocketCo, operating and capital expenditure budgets and periodic information packages relating to the operations and cash flows of RocketCo and its Subsidiaries (all such information so furnished pursuant to this Section 3.01, the “Information”). RHI (and any party receiving Information from RHI) who shall receive Information shall maintain the confidentiality of such Information, and RocketCo shall not be required to disclose any privileged Information of RocketCo so long as RocketCo has used its commercially reasonable efforts to enter into an arrangement pursuant to which it may provide such information to RHI without the loss of any such privilege.

 

Section 3.02                             Sharing of Information. Individuals associated with RHI may from time to time serve on the board of directors of RocketCo or the equivalent governing body of RocketCo’s Subsidiaries. RocketCo, on its behalf and on behalf of its Subsidiaries, recognizes that such individuals (a) will from time to time receive non-public information concerning RocketCo and its Subsidiaries, and (b) may (subject to the obligation to maintain the confidentiality of such information in accordance with Section 3.01) share such information with RHI and other individuals associated with RHI. Such sharing will be for the dual purpose of facilitating support to such individuals in their capacity as directors of RocketCo (or members of the governing body of any Subsidiary) and enabling RHI, as an equityholder, to better evaluate RocketCo’s performance and prospects. RocketCo, on behalf of itself and its Subsidiaries, hereby irrevocably consents to such sharing.

 

Section 3.03                             RHI Consent. RocketCo agrees that, for so long as RHI holds any Holdings Units, RocketCo shall not modify, supplement, edit or otherwise amend Article VIII of the RocketCo Charter without the prior written consent of RHI.

 

ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

Section 4.01                             Representations and Warranties of RocketCo and of the Company.  Each of RocketCo and the Company represents and warrants that (i) it is a corporation or limited liability company duly incorporated or formed and is existing in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware or Michigan, (ii) it has all requisite corporate or limited liability company power and authority to enter into and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and, in the case of RocketCo, to issue the Deliverable Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof, (iii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by it and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, in the case of RocketCo, the issuance of the Deliverable Common Stock) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or limited liability company action on its

 

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part and (iv) this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of it enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement may be limited by equitable principles or by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or similar laws relating to or limiting creditors’ rights generally.

 

Section 4.02                             Representations and Warranties of the Holders.  Each Holder, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants that (i) if it is not a natural person, that it is duly incorporated or formed and, the extent such concept exists in its jurisdiction of organization, is in good standing under the laws of such jurisdiction, (ii) it has all requisite legal capacity and authority to enter into and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, (iii) if it is not a natural person, the execution and delivery of this Agreement by it of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other entity action on the part of such Holder and (iv) this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Holder enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement may be limited by equitable principles or by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or similar laws relating to or limiting creditors’ rights generally.

 

ARTICLE V

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 5.01                             Additional Holders.  To the extent a Holder validly transfers any or all of such Holder’s Paired Interests to another Person in a transaction in accordance with, and not in contravention of, the LLC Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement, then such transferee (each, a “Permitted Transferee”) shall have the right to execute and deliver a joinder to this Agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, whereupon such Permitted Transferee shall become a Holder hereunder.  To the extent the Company issues Holdings Units in the future, then the holder of such Holdings Units shall have the right to execute and deliver a joinder to this Agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, whereupon such holder shall become a Holder hereunder.

 

Section 5.02                             Further Assurances.  Each party hereto agrees to execute, acknowledge, deliver, file and record such further certificates, amendments, instruments and documents, and to do all such other acts and things, as may be required by law or as, in the reasonable judgment of RocketCo, may be necessary or advisable to carry out the intent and purposes of this Agreement.

 

Section 5.03                             Notices.  All notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be 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:

 

if to RocketCo, to:

 

Rocket Companies, Inc.

1050 Woodward Avenue

 

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Detroit, MI 48226

Attention: Angelo Vitale, General Counsel and Secretary

E-mail: AngeloVitale@rockcentraldetroit.com

 

if to the Company, to:

 

RKT Holdings, LLC

1050 Woodward Avenue

Detroit, MI 48226

Attention: Jeff Morganroth, General Counsel and Secretary

Email: jeffmorganroth@rockventures.com

 

if to any Holder, to the address and other contact information set forth in the records of RocketCo or the Company from time to time,

 

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.

 

Section 5.04                             Binding Effect.  The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  No provision of this Agreement is intended to confer any rights, benefits, remedies, obligations or liabilities hereunder upon any Person other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

 

Section 5.05                             Jurisdiction; Enforcement.

 

(a)                                 The exclusive venues for all disputes arising out of this Agreement shall be the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan (the “Agreed-Upon Venues”), and no other venues. The parties stipulate that the Agreement is an arms-length transaction entered into by sophisticated parties, and that the Agreed-Upon Venues are convenient, are not unreasonable, unfair, or unjust, and will not deprive any party of any remedy to which it may be entitled. The parties agree to consent to the dismissal of any action arising out of this Agreement that may be filed in a venue other than one of the Agreed-Upon Venues; the reasonable legal fees and costs of the party seeking dismissal for improper venue will be paid by the party that filed suit in the improper venue.  Without limiting the foregoing, each party agrees that service of process on such party as provided in Section 5.03 shall be deemed effective service of process on such party.

 

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(b)                                 EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE MEMBERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY DESIGNATES THE CORPORATION COMPANY (IN SUCH CAPACITY, THE “PROCESS AGENT”), WITH AN OFFICE AT 40600 ANN AROR ROAD EAST, SUITE 201, PLYMOUTH, WAYNE COUNTY, MICHIGAN 48170, AS ITS DESIGNEE, APPOINTEE AND AGENT TO RECEIVE, FOR AND ON ITS BEHALF SERVICE OF PROCESS IN SUCH JURISDICTION IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDINGS WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER AGREEMENT EXECUTED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, AND SUCH SERVICE SHALL BE DEEMED COMPLETE UPON DELIVERY THEREOF TO THE PROCESS AGENT; PROVIDED THAT IN THE CASE OF ANY SUCH SERVICE UPON THE PROCESS AGENT, THE PARTY EFFECTING SUCH SERVICE SHALL ALSO DELIVER A COPY THEREOF TO EACH OTHER SUCH PARTY IN THE MANNER PROVIDED IN SECTION 5.03 OF THIS AGREEMENT.  EACH PARTY SHALL TAKE ALL SUCH ACTION AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO CONTINUE SAID APPOINTMENT IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT OR TO APPOINT ANOTHER AGENT SO THAT SUCH PARTY SHALL AT ALL TIMES HAVE AN AGENT FOR SERVICE OF PROCESS FOR THE ABOVE PURPOSES IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.  NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.  EACH PARTY EXPRESSLY ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE FOREGOING WAIVER IS INTENDED TO BE IRREVOCABLE UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

 

Section 5.06                             Counterparts.  This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.  Until and unless each party has received a counterpart hereof signed by the other party hereto, this Agreement shall have no effect and no party shall have any right or obligation hereunder (whether by virtue of any other oral or written agreement or other communication).

 

Section 5.07                             Entire Agreement.  This Agreement, the LLC Agreement and the other Reorganization Documents constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, both oral and written, between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement.  Nothing in this Agreement shall create any third-party beneficiary rights in favor of any Person or other party hereto, except to the extent provided herein with respect to Holders of Indemnitee-Related Entities, each of whom are intended third-party beneficiaries of those provisions that specifically relate to them with the right to enforce such provisions as if they were a party hereto.

 

Section 5.08                             Severability.  If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other Governmental Authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party.  Upon such a determination, the parties shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of

 

16


 

the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.

 

Section 5.09                             Amendment.  This Agreement can be amended at any time and from time to time (including in accordance with Section 2.3 of the Reorganization Agreement to the extent applicable) by written instrument signed by the Company and RocketCo, and for so long as each holds any Holdings Units, RHI and Gilbert; provided that no amendment to this Agreement may adversely modify in any material respect the rights (including the ability to Exchange Paired Interests pursuant to this Agreement) and obligations of any Holders in any materially disproportionate manner to the rights and obligations of any other Holders without the prior written consent of a majority in interest of such disproportionately affected Holder or Holders. In the event that this Agreement is amended, the Company and RocketCo shall provide a copy of such amendment to all Holders.

 

Section 5.10                             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.

 

Section 5.11                             Tax Treatment.  This Agreement shall be treated as part of the LLC Agreement as described in Section 761(c) of the Code and Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(h) and 1.761-1(c) of the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.  As required by the Code and the Treasury Regulations, and the parties shall report any Exchange consummated hereunder as a taxable sale of the Holdings Units and shares of Class C Common Stock or Class D Common Stock, as applicable, by a Holder to RocketCo, and no party shall take a contrary position on any income tax return or amendment thereof unless an alternate position is permitted under the Code and Treasury Regulations and RocketCo consents in writing.

 

Section 5.12                             Independent Nature of Holders’ Rights and Obligations.  The obligations of each Holder hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Holder, and no Holder shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Holder under hereunder.  The decision of each Holder to enter into to this Agreement has been made by such Holder independently of any other Holder.  Nothing contained herein, and no action taken by any Holder pursuant hereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Holders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Holders are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

[signature pages follow]

 

17


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first written above.

 

 

 

ROCKET COMPANIES, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

RKT HOLDINGS, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

HOLDER:

 

 

 

ROCK HOLDINGS INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

DANIEL GILBERT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

EXHIBIT A

 

FORM OF NOTICE OF EXCHANGE

 

Rocket Companies, Inc.

1050 Woodward Avenue

Detroit, MI 48226

Attention: Angelo Vitale, General Counsel and Secretary

E-mail: AngeloVitale@rockcentraldetroit.com

 

RKT Holdings, LLC

1050 Woodward Avenue

Detroit, MI 48226

Attention: Jeff Morganroth, General Counsel and Secretary

Email: jeffmorganroth@rockventures.com

 

[Date]

 

Reference is hereby made to the Exchange Agreement, dated as of [·], 2020 (the “Exchange Agreement”), by and among Rocket Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“RocketCo”), RKT Holdings, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company (the “Company”), and the holders of Holdings Units (as defined therein) and shares of Class C Common Stock (as defined therein) or Class D Common Stock (as defined therein) from time to time party hereto (each, a “Holder”).  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Exchange Agreement.

 

The undersigned Holder desires to transfer to RocketCo the number of (i) shares of Class [C/D] Common Stock plus Holdings Units set forth below (together, the “Paired Interests”) in Exchange for shares of Class [A/B] Common Stock (the “Deliverable Common Stock”) to be issued in its name as set forth below, in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Agreement.

 

Legal Name of Holder:

 

Address:

 

Number of Paired Interests to be Exchanged:

 

Exchange Date:

 

 


 

DTC Participant Number for delivery of Deliverable Common Stock:

 

 

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that (i) the undersigned has full legal capacity to execute and deliver this Notice of Exchange and to perform the undersigned’s obligations hereunder; (ii) this Notice of Exchange has been duly executed and delivered by the undersigned and is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the undersigned enforceable against it in accordance with the terms thereof or hereof, as the case may be, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and the availability of equitable remedies; (iii) the Paired Interests subject to this Notice of Exchange will be transferred to RocketCo free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest, encumbrance, equities or claim; and (iv) no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of any third party or with any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the undersigned or the Paired Interests subject to this Notice of Exchange is required to be obtained by the undersigned for the transfer of such Paired Interests to RocketCo.

 

The undersigned hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints any officer of RocketCo as the attorney of the undersigned, with full power of substitution and resubstitution in the premises, to do any and all things and to take any and all actions that may be necessary to transfer to RocketCo the Paired Interests subject to this Notice of Exchange and to deliver to the undersigned the shares of Deliverable Common Stock to be delivered in Exchange therefor.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, by authority duly given, has caused this Notice of Exchange to be executed and delivered by the undersigned or by its duly authorized attorney as of the date first written above.

 

 

 

 

 

Name: 

 


 

EXHIBIT B

 

FORM OF JOINDER AGREEMENT

 

[Date]

 

This Joinder Agreement (“Joinder Agreement”) is a joinder to the Exchange Agreement, dated as of [·], 2020 (the “Exchange Agreement”), by and among Rocket Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“RocketCo”), RKT Holdings, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company (the “Company”), and the holders of Holdings Units (as defined therein) and shares of Class C Common Stock (as defined therein) or Class D Common Stock (as defined therein) from time to time party hereto (each, a “Holder”).  Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Joinder Agreement shall have their meanings given to them in the Agreement.  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.  In the event of any conflict between this Joinder Agreement and the Agreement, the terms of this Joinder Agreement shall control.

 

The undersigned, having acquired shares of Class [C/D] Common Stock and Holdings Units, hereby joins and enters into the Agreement.  By signing and returning this Joinder Agreement to RocketCo, the undersigned (i) accepts and agrees to be bound by and subject to all of the terms and conditions of and agreements of a Holder contained in the Agreement, with all attendant rights, duties and obligations of a Holder thereunder and (ii) makes each of the representations and warranties of a Holder set forth in Section 4.02 of the Agreement as fully as if such representations and warranties were set forth herein. The parties to the Agreement shall treat the execution and delivery hereof by the undersigned as the execution and delivery of the Agreement by the undersigned and, upon receipt of this Joinder Agreement by RocketCo and by the Company, the signature of the undersigned set forth below shall constitute a counterpart signature to the signature page of the Agreement.

 

Name:

 

Address for Notices:

 

With Copies To:

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, by authority duly given, has caused this Joinder Agreement to be executed and delivered by the undersigned or by its duly authorized attorney as of the date first written above.

 

 

 

 

Name: 

 




Exhibit 23.1

 

Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” and to the use of our report dated June 22, 2020, with respect to the combined financial statements of Quicken Loans Inc., EFB Holdings Inc., Lendesk Canada Holdings Inc., LMB HoldCo LLC, RCRA Holdings LLC, RockTech Canada Inc., Rock Central LLC, Rocket Homes Real Estate LLC, RockLoans Holdings LLC, Amrock Inc., Nexsys Technologies LLC, and Woodward Capital Management LLC, (each of which is a subsidiary of Rock Holdings Inc., collectively “Rocket Companies” or the “Company”) included in Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement (Form S-1, No. 333-239726) and related Prospectus of Rocket Companies, Inc. for the registration of shares of its common stock.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

 

Detroit, Michigan

July 28, 2020