UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): September 14, 2016 (September 9, 2016)

 

 

PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

 

Virginia   1-13283   23-1184320

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

14701 St. Mary’s Lane, Suite 275

Houston, Texas

 
77079
(Address of Principle Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (713) 722-6500

 

Four Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 200, 100 Matsonford Road, Radnor, Pennsylvania 19087

(Former Name or Former Address, If Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


EXPLANATORY NOTE

As previously disclosed, Penn Virginia Corporation (the “Company”) and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively with the Company, the “Debtors”) filed voluntary petitions for relief (the “Chapter 11 Cases”) under chapter 11 of title 11 of the United States Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (the “Bankruptcy Court”). Prior to commencing the Chapter 11 Cases, the Debtors entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement, dated as of May 9, 2016 (together with all exhibits and schedules thereto, the “Restructuring Support Agreement”), by and among (i) the Debtors, (ii) lenders holding approximately 100% of the principal amount of the approximately $112.6 million in loans outstanding under the Debtors’ senior secured reserve-based revolving credit facility (the “RBL Facility”), and (iii) holders of approximately 86% of the principal amount of the Debtors’ $1,075 million in outstanding senior unsecured notes.

On June 24, 2016, the Debtors filed the First Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Penn Virginia Corporation and Its Debtor Affiliates (Docket No. 350) (the “First Amended Plan”) and the Disclosure Statement for the First Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Penn Virginia Corporation and Its Debtor Affiliates and Amended Exhibits Thereto (the “Disclosure Statement”). On June 28, 2016, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order approving the Disclosure Statement and certain related rights offering procedures and solicitation procedures. On August 3, 2016, the Debtors filed the Second Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Penn Virginia Corporation and Its Debtor Affiliates (Docket No. 501), to which certain technical modifications were made and filed on August 10, 2016 (as so modified, the “Plan”). On August 11, 2016, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order (the “Confirmation Order”) confirming the Plan.

On September 12, 2016 (the “Effective Date”), the Debtors consummated their reorganization under the Bankruptcy Code and the Plan became effective. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Current Report on Form 8-K have the meanings set forth in the Plan.

Copies of the Plan and the Confirmation Order were filed as Exhibits 2.1 and 2.2, respectively, to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 17, 2016 and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Credit Facilities

On the Effective Date, pursuant to the terms of the Plan, Penn Virginia Holding Corp. (the “Borrower”) and the Company entered into a Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) with the lenders party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent and issuing lender, providing for a new reserve-based revolving credit facility with up to $200 million in borrowing commitments. The initial borrowing base under the Credit Agreement is $128 million. As of the Effective Date, approximately $75 million in borrowings are outstanding under the Credit Agreement.

The outstanding borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest at a rate equal to, at the option of the Borrower, either (a) a customary reference rate plus an applicable margin ranging from 2.00% to 3.00%, determined based on the average availability under the Credit Agreement or (b) a customary London interbank offered rate plus an applicable margin ranging from 3.00% to 4.00%, determined based on the average availability under the Credit Agreement. Interest on reference rate borrowings is payable quarterly in arrears and is computed on the basis of a year of 365/366 days, and interest on eurocurrency borrowings is payable every one, three or six months, at the election of the Borrower, and is computed on the basis of a 360-day year. The Borrower has the right to prepay loans under the Credit Agreement at any time without a prepayment penalty, other than customary “breakage” costs with respect to eurocurrency loans.

The obligations under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by the Company and its subsidiaries. On the Effective Date, the Borrower, the Company and the subsidiaries of the Company providing guarantees under the Credit Agreement (collectively, the “Grantors”) entered into a Pledge and Security Agreement (the “Security Agreement”) in favor of Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent for the benefit of the secured parties, pursuant to which the obligations of the Grantors under the Credit Agreement were secured by liens on substantially all assets of the Grantors.

The Credit Agreement requires the Company to maintain (1) a minimum interest coverage ratio (adjusted EBITDAX to adjusted interest expense), measured as of the last day of each fiscal quarter, of 3.00 to 1.00, (2) a minimum current ratio (consolidated current assets of the Company to consolidated current liabilities), measured as of the last day of each fiscal quarter of 1.00 to 1.00, and (3) a maximum leverage ratio (consolidated indebtedness to adjusted EBITDAX), measured as of the last day of each fiscal quarter, initially of 4.00 to 1.00, decreasing on December 31, 2017 to 3.75 to 1.00 and on March 31, 2018 and thereafter to 3.50 to 1.00. The Credit Agreement also contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including as to compliance with laws (including environmental laws, ERISA and anti-corruption laws), maintenance of required insurance, delivery of quarterly and annual financial statements, oil and gas engineering reports and budgets, maintenance and operation of property (including oil and gas properties), restrictions on the incurrence of liens and indebtedness, merger, consolidation or sale of assets and transactions with affiliates and other customary covenants.

The maturity date under the Credit Agreement is September 12, 2020. The Credit Agreement contains customary events of default and remedies for credit facilities of this nature. If the Company and the Borrower do not comply with the financial and other covenants in the Credit Agreement, the lenders may, subject to customary cure rights, require immediate payment of all amounts outstanding under the Credit Agreement.

 

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The descriptions of the Credit Agreement and the Security Agreement are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Credit Agreement and the Security Agreement, which are filed herewith as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2, respectively.

Registration Rights Agreement

In accordance with the Plan and the Backstop Commitment Agreement, dated as of May 10, 2016 (the “Backstop Commitment Agreement”), by and among the Company and the commitment parties thereto (the “Backstop Parties”), the Company has entered into a Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), dated as of September 12, 2016, with the other parties thereto (together with any additional parties identified on the signature pages of any joinder agreement pursuant thereto, the “Holders”) in connection with (a) all shares of common stock of the reorganized Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “New Common Stock”), issued to any Holder or to any affiliate or related fund of any Holder, either directly or pursuant to a joinder or assignment and any additional shares of New Common Stock acquired by any Holder, affiliate or related fund of any Holder in the open market or other purchases after the Effective Date and (b) any additional shares of New Common Stock paid, issued or distributed in respect of any such shares by way of a stock dividend, stock split or distribution, or in connection with a combination of shares, and any security into which such New Common Stock shall have been converted or exchanged in connection with a recapitalization, reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation, exchange, distribution or otherwise (the “Registrable Securities”).

Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, among other things, the Company is required to file a registration statement for a shelf registration on Form S-1 (the “Initial Shelf Registration Statement”) covering the resale of the Registrable Securities of each Holder that, no later than 45 days after the Effective Date, requests inclusion of some or all of its Registrable Securities therein, provided that such requests constitute at least 15 percent of all Registrable Securities. The Company is required to file the Initial Shelf Registration Statement on or prior to the later of (i) the 60th day following the Effective Date and (ii) December 1, 2016.

If the Company becomes eligible to register the Registrable Securities for resale by the Holders on Form S-3, the Company is permitted to amend the Initial Shelf Registration Statement to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 or to file a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 in substitution for the Initial Shelf Registration Statement as initially filed.

The Registration Rights Agreement provides that the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Initial Shelf Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) as promptly as practicable, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep such Initial Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective, and not subject to any stop order, injunction or other similar order or requirement of the Commission, until the earlier of (i) the expiration of one year following Effective Date of the Initial Shelf Registration Statement (or three years if the Company is eligible to register the Registrable Securities for resale by the Holders on Form S-3 or is a Smaller Reporting Company eligible to incorporate by reference pursuant to Item 12(b) of Form S-1) (such date the “Initial Shelf Expiration Date”); and (ii) the date that all Registrable Securities covered by such Initial Shelf Registration Statement shall cease to be Registrable Securities. In the event of any stop order, injunction or other similar order or requirement of the Commission relating to the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, if any Registrable Securities covered by the Initial Shelf Registration Statement remain unsold, the period during which the Initial Shelf Registration Statement shall be required to remain effective will be extended by the number of days during which such stop order, injunction or similar order or requirement is in effect.

Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, at any time following the earlier of eighteen months following the Effective Date and the approval for listing of the New Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ Stock Market, upon the demand of one or more Holders with respect to at least 20 percent of the Registrable Securities owned by all Holders as of the Effective Date, the Company is required to facilitate a “takedown” of Registrable Securities in an underwritten offering. Such a takedown is not required if there has been an underwritten offering following a triggering event within the 180 days preceding such request or if there have been more than three underwritten offerings of Registrable Securities in the preceding twelve months.

In addition, pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, a Holder or Holders may request in writing that the Company effect the registration of all or part of such Holders’ Registrable Securities (a “Demand Registration”), unless, among other things, the Registrable Securities requested to be registered are already covered by an existing and effective registration statement and such registration statement may be utilized for the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities requested to be registered, and subject to certain minimum requirements. Holders are entitled to up to five Demand Registrations in the aggregate.

After the Initial Shelf Expiration Date and for as long as Registrable Securities remain outstanding (and have not been disposed of pursuant to an effective registration statement or pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”)), the Company is required to use its reasonable best efforts to be eligible or maintain its eligibility to register Registrable Securities on Form S-3.

The Company will be responsible for all fees and expenses incident to its performance of, or compliance with, its obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, excluding any underwriting discounts, fees or selling commissions or broker or similar commissions or fees or transfer taxes of any Holder. The Company will also pay the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Holders.

The Company will indemnify each of the Holders against certain liabilities under the Securities Act in connection with any registration of the Holders’ Registrable Securities.

 

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The obligations of the Company and any Holder under the Registration Rights Agreement, except for indemnification and certain other provisions, will terminate with respect to the Company and such Holder on the date such Holder no longer beneficially owns any Registrable Securities.

This description of the Registration Rights Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Registration Rights Agreement, which is incorporated by reference herein. A copy of the Registration Rights Agreement is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.3.

Shareholders Agreement

Pursuant to the Plan, upon the Effective Date, the Company entered into a shareholders agreement (the “Shareholders Agreement”) with the holders of the New Common Stock providing for certain shareholders’ rights, including minority shareholder protections (including amendment provisions relating to such minority shareholder protections). Among other things, the Shareholders Agreement provides for:

 

    Restrictions on Authority of the Board . Subject to specified exceptions, the Shareholders Agreement provides that the Company may not, and may not permit its subsidiaries to, take certain actions without approval of the holders of a majority of the Company’s outstanding common stock, including, without limitation, a merger, consolidation, reorganization, sale of all or substantially all assets or liquidation, an increase in the number of authorized shares of the New Common Stock, an amendment of the organizational documents of a material subsidiary of the Company (other than certain administrative amendments, amendments required by applicable law or immaterial amendments or modifications deemed necessary or appropriate by the New Board that does not adversely affect the rights or obligations of any party thereto) or entry into a material new line of business substantially unrelated to the line of business currently conducted by the Company or any of its subsidiaries as of the date of the Shareholders Agreement.

 

    Information Rights . The Shareholders Agreement provides the shareholders with certain information rights with respect to the Company.

 

    Preemptive Rights . The Shareholders Agreement provides preemptive rights to shareholders holding at least 0.5% of the outstanding New Common Stock, exercisable under certain circumstances upon the issuance of new capital stock or convertible securities, options or warrants to purchase new capital stock.

 

    Drag-Along and Tag-Along Rights. The shareholders party to the Shareholders Agreement acknowledge therein that they are subject to the drag-along and tag-along provisions set forth in the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as further described below.

The description of the Shareholders Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Shareholders Agreement, which is incorporated by reference herein. A copy of the Shareholders Agreement is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.4.

 

Item 1.02 Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement.

DIP Facility

On the Effective Date, pursuant to the Plan, certain fees outstanding under the DIP Facility were paid in full and the DIP Facility was terminated. The description of the DIP Facility included in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 17, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference.

RBL Facility

On the Effective Date, pursuant to the Plan, all amounts outstanding under the RBL Facility were paid in full and the RBL Facility was terminated.

Indenture

Pursuant to the Plan, on the Effective Date, the Indenture, dated as of June 15, 2009, among the Company, the guarantors party thereto and Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as trustee, as amended, restated, modified, supplemented or replaced prior to the commencement of the Chapter 11 Cases, providing for the issuance of the Company’s 7.250% Senior Notes due 2019 and 8.500% Senior Notes due 2020 (collectively, the “Notes”), was terminated. Holders of the Notes received distributions of New Common Stock under the Plan.

Equity Securities and Related Instruments

Pursuant to the Plan, on the Effective Date, the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock and preferred stock were cancelled. Holders of such prepetition equity securities received no distributions under the Plan in respect thereof.

 

Item 3.02 Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

The disclosure under the heading “Issuance of New Common Stock to Holders of Notes and General Unsecured Claims” in Item 8.01 is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.02.

 

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Item 3.03. Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

As provided in the Plan, all notes, stock, agreements, instruments, certificates, and other documents evidencing any Claim against or Interest in the Debtors were cancelled on the Effective Date and the obligations of the Debtors thereunder or in any way related thereto were fully released. The securities to be cancelled on the Effective Date include all of the Company’s common and preferred stock as well as the Notes. For further information, see Items 1.01, 1.02, 3.02, 5.01 and 8.01 of this report on Form 8-K, which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.01 Change in Control of Registrant.

As previously disclosed, on the Effective Date, all previously issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock and preferred stock were cancelled, and the Company issued shares of New Common Stock to certain of its creditors pursuant to the Plan. For further information, see Items 1.01, 1.02, 3.02, 3.03 and 8.01 of this report on Form 8-K, which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Departure and Appointment of Directors

Pursuant to the Plan, as of the Effective Date, the following directors ceased to serve on the Company’s board of directors: Edward B. Cloues, Marsha R. Perelman, Gary K. Wright, John U. Clarke, Steven W. Krablin and H. Baird Whitehead.

Pursuant to the Plan, the Company’s new board of directors, consisting of the following persons, was appointed as of the Effective Date:

 

    Mr. Darin G. Holderness, CPA, was the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Concho Resources until May 2016. Mr. Holderness has over 20 years of experience in the energy sector, including nine years with KPMG LLP where his practice was focused in the energy industry, and over 17 years in the industry in ever increasing roles of responsibility, including serving as Vice President and Controller of Pure Resources, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Basic Energy Services, Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of Pioneer Natural Resources, and most recently as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Eagle Rock Energy Partners. Mr. Holderness is a 1986 graduate of Boise State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant.

 

    Mr. Marc McCarthy is a Senior Managing Director at Wexford Capital LP, an energy focused asset management firm, having joined them in 2008. Mr. McCarthy currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mammoth Energy Services and previously served as a director of Coronado Midstream, LLC and as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Energy Partners Corp. from 2009 to 2014. Previously, Mr. McCarthy worked in the Global Equity Research Department of Bear Stearns & Co., Inc. and was responsible for coverage of the international oil and gas sector. Mr. McCarthy joined Bear Stearns & Co. in 1997 and held various positions of increasing responsibility until his departure in June 2008, at which time he was a Senior Managing Director. Mr. McCarthy is a Chartered Financial Analyst and received a B.A. in Economics from Tufts University.

 

    Mr. Harry Quarls currently serves as a Managing Director at Global Infrastructure Partners, a $33 billion infrastructure fund. He also serves as a Director for Woodbine Holdings LLC, Fairway Resources LLC and Opal Resources LLC. He is Chairman of the Board for Woodbine Holdings. Mr. Quarls previously served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Trident Resources Corp., and he also served as a Managing Director and Practice Leader for Global Energy at Booz & Co., a leading international management consulting firm, and as a member of Booz’s Board of Directors. Mr. Quarls earned an M.B.A. degree from Stanford University and also holds ScM. and B.S. degrees, both in chemical engineering, from M.I.T. and Tulane University, respectively.

Each of Mr. Holderness, Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Quarls was appointed to serve on the Compensation and Benefits Committee, Audit Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee of the Company. Mr. Quarls was appointed Chairman of the New Board. Mr. Holderness was appointed Chairman of the Audit Committee.

 

5


Departure and Appointment of Certain Officers

Pursuant to the Plan, as of the Effective Date, Edward B. Cloues ceased to serve as interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Joan Sonnen ceased to serve as Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller of the Company.

As of the Effective Date, Mr. John A. Brooks continues to serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company, positions he has held since January 2014, and he was appointed interim Principal Executive Officer of the Company. He also served as Executive Vice President, Operations of the Company from February 2013 to January 2014, as Senior Vice President of the Company from February 2012 to February 2013, as Vice President of the Company from May 2008 to February 2012, as Vice President and Regional Manager of Penn Virginia Oil & Gas Corporation from October 2007 to February 2012, as Operations Manager of Penn Virginia Oil & Gas Corporation from January 2005 to October 2007 and as Drilling Manager of Penn Virginia Oil & Gas Corporation from February 2002 to January 2005. The terms of Mr. Brooks’ employment agreement with the Company, dated May 9, 2016 (the “Brooks Employment Agreement”), remain the same. The Brooks Employment Agreement is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.6 and is incorporated herein by reference.

As of the Effective Date, Tammy Hinkle was appointed Vice President and Controller of the Company. Ms. Hinkle served as the Director of Oil and Gas Accounting for the Company since June 2013. Ms. Hinkle has over 35 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, most recently serving as Controller of Gulf Coast Energy Resources and Manager of Operations Accounting of Rosetta Resources, after 27 years with The Houston Exploration Company and its predecessor and successor companies. Ms. Hinkle graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College with a B.S. in Accounting and a minor in Economics and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions

The transactions described under the headings “Registration Rights Agreement” and “Shareholders Agreement” in Item 1.01 may be deemed to be related party transactions. As such, the disclosure contained under those headings is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02. Mr. McCarthy is affiliated with investment funds that are party to the Registration Rights Agreement and the Shareholders Agreement.

Cancellation of Outstanding Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit and Restricted Stock Unit Awards and Supplemental Employee Retirement Program Entitlements

Pursuant to his employment agreement with the Company, dated May 9, 2016, effective upon Emergence and in consideration of his receipt of the Company’s customary release of all claims against him and his successors and assigns, Mr. Steven A. Hartman’s outstanding performance-based restricted stock unit and restricted stock unit awards were cancelled as of the Petition Date (as defined in the Plan), without payment of any consideration therefor.

Pursuant to the Brooks Employment Agreement, effective upon Emergence and in consideration of his receipt of the Company’s customary release of all claims against him and his successors and assigns, Mr. John A. Brooks’ outstanding performance-based restricted stock unit and restricted stock unit awards and outstanding supplemental employee retirement program (“SERP”) entitlements were cancelled as of the Petition Date, without payment of any consideration therefor.

Pursuant to her employment agreement with the Company, dated May 9, 2016, effective upon Emergence and in consideration of her receipt of the Company’s customary release of all claims against her and her successors and assigns, Ms. Nancy M. Snyder’s outstanding performance-based restricted stock unit and restricted stock unit awards and outstanding SERP entitlements were cancelled as of the Petition Date, without payment of any consideration therefor.

 

Item 5.03 Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and Second Amended and Restated Bylaws

On September 9, 2016, pursuant to the Plan, the Company adopted the Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation. Among other things, pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, (i) the Company is authorized to issue 50,000,000 shares of capital stock, consisting of 45,000,000 shares of New Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, (ii) stockholders are entitled to certain drag-along and tag-along rights prior to the listing of the New Common Stock on a national securities exchange in the United States, (iii) the initial board of directors shall be comprised of at least one member, and (iv) the Company renounces any interest or expectancy in or in being offered an opportunity to participate in certain corporate opportunities about which an individual, who is a director of the Company and is otherwise an employee, officer or director of a shareholder, acquires knowledge.

Also, on September 9, 2016, pursuant to the Plan, the Company adopted the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, which, among other things, provides (i) that the entire board of directors may not exceed 15 directors and (ii) from and after the earlier to occur of (x) the listing of the New Common Stock on a national securities exchange or (y) the date of the consummation of the first public offering and sale of the New Common Stock (other than on Forms S-4 or S-8 or their equivalent), certain advance notice requirements apply to director nominations and business brought before an annual or special meeting of the shareholders.

Copies of the Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws are filed herewith as Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2, respectively and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

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Item 8.01 Other Events.

 

Issuance of New Common Stock to Holders of Notes and General Unsecured Claims

On the Effective Date, pursuant to the Plan:

 

    6,069,074 shares of New Common Stock were issued pro rata to certain holders of claims arising under the Notes and certain holders of general unsecured claims;
    472,902 shares of New Common Stock were issued to commitment parties under the Backstop Commitment Agreement; and
    7,633,588 shares of New Common Stock were issued to participants in the rights offering extended by the Company to certain holders of claims arising under the Notes and certain holders of general unsecured claims (the “Rights Offering”) and to the Backstop Commitment Parties pursuant to the Backstop Commitment Agreement.

Pursuant to the Plan, the shares of New Common Stock issued pro rata to holders of certain claims arising under the Notes and certain holders of general unsecured claims were issued under the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Section 1145 of the Bankruptcy Code. The shares of New Common Stock issued to participants in the Rights Offering and to the Backstop Commitment Parties were issued under the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Section 4(a)(2) thereof.

Post Confirmation Shares of New Common Stock Outstanding and Reserved for Issuance

As of the Effective Date, there were 14,175,596 shares of New Common Stock issued and outstanding, 692,500 shares of New Common Stock are reserved for issuance under the Management Incentive Plan and 816,422 shares of New Common Stock are treasury reserved for disputed general unsecured claims and non-Accredited Investor Noteholders. To the extent the reserved shares of New Common Stock are not distributed to the current disputed general unsecured claims or to non-Accredited Investor Noteholders, the reserved shares of New Common Stock will be periodically distributed pro rata to holders of claims arising under the Notes and certain holders of general unsecured claims.

Press Release

On September 12, 2016, the Company issued a press release announcing the effectiveness of the Plan and certain of the other topics described in this Form 8-K. The press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated into this report by reference.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description

2.1    Second Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Penn Virginia Corporation and Its Debtor Affiliates (Technical Modifications) filed pursuant to Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code filed on August 10, 2016 with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 17, 2016).
2.2    Disclosure Statement for the First Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Penn Virginia Corporation and Its Debtor Affiliates and Amended Exhibits Thereto filed pursuant to Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code filed on June 28, 2016 with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 17, 2016).
3.1*    Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Penn Virginia Corporation.
3.2*    Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of Penn Virginia Corporation.
10.1*    Credit Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2016, by and among Penn Virginia Holding Corp., Penn Virginia Corporation, the lenders party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent and issuing lender.
10.2*    Pledge and Security Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2016, by Penn Virginia Holding Corp., Penn Virginia Corporation and the other grantors party thereto in favor of Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent for the benefit of the secured parties thereunder.
10.3*    Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2016, between Penn Virginia Corporation and the holders party thereto.
10.4*    Shareholders Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2016, between Penn Virginia Corporation and the shareholders party thereto.
10.5    Hartman Employment Agreement, dated May 9, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 13, 2016).

 

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10.6    Brooks Employment Agreement, dated May 9, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 13, 2016).
10.7    Snyder Employment Agreement, dated May 9, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 13, 2016).
99.1*    Press release of Penn Virginia Corporation dated September 12, 2016.

 

* Filed herewith.

 

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SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

Penn Virginia Corporation

  (Registrant)

By:  

/s/ Nancy M. Snyder        

  Name: Nancy M. Snyder
  Title: Executive Vice President,
  Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and
  Corporate Secretary

Date: September 14, 2016


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description

2.1    Second Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Penn Virginia Corporation and Its Debtor Affiliates (Technical Modifications) filed pursuant to Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code filed on August 10, 2016 with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 17, 2016).
2.2    Disclosure Statement for the First Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Penn Virginia Corporation and Its Debtor Affiliates and Amended Exhibits Thereto filed pursuant to Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code filed on June 28, 2016 with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 17, 2016).
3.1*    Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Penn Virginia Corporation.
3.2*    Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of Penn Virginia Corporation.
10.1*    Credit Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2016, by and among Penn Virginia Holding Corp., Penn Virginia Corporation, the lenders party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent and issuing lender.
10.2*    Pledge and Security Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2016, by Penn Virginia Holding Corp., Penn Virginia Corporation and the other grantors party thereto in favor of Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent for the benefit of the secured parties thereunder.
10.3*    Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2016, between Penn Virginia Corporation and the holders party thereto.
10.4*    Shareholders Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2016, between Penn Virginia Corporation and the shareholders party thereto.
10.5    Hartman Employment Agreement, dated May 9, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 13, 2016).
10.6    Brooks Employment Agreement, dated May 9, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 13, 2016).
10.7    Snyder Employment Agreement, dated May 9, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 13, 2016).
99.1*    Press release of Penn Virginia Corporation dated September 12, 2016.

 

* Filed herewith.

Exhibit 3.1

ARTICLES OF RESTATEMENT

OF

PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION

September 9, 2016

The undersigned, on behalf of Penn Virginia Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the Virginia Stock Corporation Act of the Commonwealth of Virginia (the “ Corporation ”) (SCC ID # 00169714), pursuant to Title 13.1, Chapter 9, Article 11 of the Code of Virginia, states as follows:

FIRST: The name of the Corporation is Penn Virginia Corporation.

SECOND: The Corporation was originally formed on January 6, 1882 as a Virginia corporation.

THIRD: On May 12, 2016, the Corporation and certain of its affiliates filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (the “ Bankruptcy Code ”) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (the “ Bankruptcy Court ”), which had jurisdiction of the proceeding under federal statute, in the matter of In re Penn Virginia Corporation, et al. , Case No. 16-32395 (KLP). On August 16, 2016, the Bankruptcy Court entered the Corrected Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Order Confirming the Debtors’ Second Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization Pursuant to Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code [Docket No. 597] (the “ Plan Confirmation Order ”), which, among other things, confirmed the Debtors’ Second Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization Pursuant to Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (Technical Modifications), dated August 10, 2016 [Docket No. 568]. The Plan Confirmation Order approved the amendment and restatement of the Corporation’s Restated Articles of Incorporation and all amendments thereto in their entirety as set forth in Exhibit A hereto and as so amended and restated shall be the Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation (the “ Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation ”).

FOURTH: The Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation have been duly adopted in accordance with Sections 13.1-707, 13.1-711, and 13.1-604.1 of the Virginia Stock Corporation Act, pursuant to the authority granted to the Corporation under 13.1-604.1 of the Virginia Stock Corporation Act to put into effect and carry out the Plan Confirmation Order.

FIFTH: The Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation have been duly executed and acknowledged by an officer of the Corporation in accordance with the Plan Confirmation Order and the provisions of Sections 13.1-707, 13.1-711, and 13.1-604.1 of the Virginia Stock Corporation Act.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Corporation who is authorized to execute these Articles of Restatement as provided for in the Plan Confirmation Order for the purpose of amending and restating the Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation pursuant to the Virginia Stock Corporation Act, under penalties of perjury does hereby declare and certify that this is the act and deed of the Corporation and the facts stated herein are true, and accordingly has hereunto signed these Articles of Restatement on the date first written above.

 

By:   /s/ Steven A. Hartman
Name:   Steven A. Hartman
Title:   Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

[Signature Page - Articles of Restatement]


EXHIBIT A

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

OF

PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the corporation is Penn Virginia Corporation (hereinafter, the “ Corporation ”).

ARTICLE II

REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the Commonwealth of Virginia is 4701 Cox Road, Suite 285, Glen Allen, Henrico County, Virginia 23060. The name of its registered agent at such address is CT Corporation System. The registered office and registered agent of the Corporation may be amended or modified from time to time pursuant to the Bylaws of the Corporation (as may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, the “ Bylaws ”) and by filing the appropriate documents with the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

ARTICLE III

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the Virginia Stock Corporation Act (as the same exists or may hereafter be amended from time to time, the “ VSCA ”).

ARTICLE IV

CAPITAL STOCK

Section 4.1 Authorized Shares . The total number of shares of capital stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 50,000,000 shares, consisting of (i) 45,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“ Common Stock ”), and (ii) 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“ Preferred Stock ”). The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, unless the vote of the holders of any of the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock voting separately as a class shall be required therefor pursuant to these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation (as defined below)).

Section 4.2 Common Stock . Each holder of record of Common Stock shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of Common Stock that is registered in such holder’s name on the books of the Corporation. The holders of record of Common Stock shall vote together as a single class on all matters on which holders of the Common Stock are entitled to vote except as otherwise required by applicable law. Holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to


receive equally, on a per share basis, such dividends or distributions as are lawfully declared on the Common Stock, to have notice of any authorized meeting of holders of Common Stock, and, upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, to share equally, on a per share basis, in the assets thereof that may be available for distribution after satisfaction of creditors and of the preferences of shares of Preferred Stock. Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation (as defined below)) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation (as defined below)) or pursuant to the VSCA, provided that such amendment does not alter or change the designations, powers, preferences or rights of the shares of Common Stock so as to affect them adversely.

Section 4.3 Preferred Stock . Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board of Directors of the Corporation is hereby authorized, to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and without shareholder action, to provide for the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, and to fix the designations, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each such series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof by adoption of an amendment to the articles of incorporation (any such amendment of the articles of incorporation adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation designating the designations, powers, preferences and rights, and qualifications, limitations, or restrictions, of shares of Preferred Stock, a “ Preferred Stock Designation ”). The authority of the Board of Directors of the Corporation with respect to each series shall include, but not be limited to, determination of the following:

(a) the designation of the series, which may be by distinguishing number, letter or title;

(b) the number of shares of the series, which number the Board of Directors of the Corporation may thereafter increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding);

(c) the amounts payable on, and the preferences, if any, of shares of the series in respect of dividends, and whether such dividends, if any, shall be cumulative or noncumulative;

(d) dates at which dividends, if any, shall be payable;

(e) the redemption rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series;

(f) the terms and amount of any sinking fund providing for the purchase or redemption of shares of the series;

(g) the amounts payable on, and the preferences (if any) of, shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation;

 

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(h) whether the shares of the series shall be convertible or exercisable into or exchangeable for shares of any other class or series, or any other security, of the Corporation or any other corporation or entity, and, if so, the specification of such other class or series or such other security, the conversion, exercise or exchange price or prices or rate or rates, any adjustments thereof, the date or dates at which such shares shall be convertible, exercisable or exchangeable and all other terms and conditions upon which such conversion, exercise or exchange may be made;

(i) restrictions on the issuance of shares of the same series or of any other class or series; and

(j) subject to Section 4.6 , the voting rights and powers of the holders of shares of the series.

Except as otherwise required by law, holders of a series of Preferred Stock, as such, shall be entitled only to such voting rights, if any, as shall be expressly granted thereto by these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation). Except as may be provided in these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation or in any Preferred Stock Designation, holders of Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to receive notice of any meeting of shareholders at which they are not entitled to vote.

Section 4.4 No Preemptive Rights . Subject to preemptive rights, if any, in respect of issuances of capital stock by the Corporation or its subsidiaries of (a) the holders of shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation set forth in that certain Shareholders Agreement, dated as of the Effective Date (as defined in the Plan Confirmation Order), by and among the Corporation and each of the shareholders identified therein, as may be amended from time to time (the “ Shareholders Agreement ”), or (b) the holders of shares of any class or series of Preferred Stock then outstanding set forth in the Preferred Stock Designation applicable thereto, no holders of shares of the Corporation shall have any preemptive rights.

Section 4.5 Record Holders . The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the person or entity in whose name any share of its stock is registered as the owner thereof for all purposes and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to, or interest in, such share on the part of any other person or entity, whether or not the Corporation shall have notice thereof, except as expressly provided by applicable law.

Section 4.6 Nonvoting Stock . To the extent prohibited by Section 1123 of Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, as amended, the Corporation shall not issue any class or series of nonvoting stock; provided , however , that the foregoing (a) will have no further force and effect beyond that required under Section 1123 of the Bankruptcy Code, (b) will have such force and effect, if any, only for so long as such Section 1123 is in effect and applicable to the Corporation and (c) may be amended or eliminated in accordance with applicable law as from time to time in effect. For the purposes of this Section 4.6 , any class or series of stock that has only such voting rights as are mandated by the VSCA shall be deemed to be nonvoting for purposes of the restrictions of this Section 4.6 .

 

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Section 4.7 Drag-Along Rights .

(a) Definitions . For purposes of this Section 4.7 , Section 4.8 and Section 4.9 , the following definitions shall apply:

(i) “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 Shareholder shall be deemed an Affiliate of any other Shareholder solely by reason of any investment in the Corporation. For the purpose of this definition, the term “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

(ii) “Approving Shareholders” means any shareholder or any group of shareholders acting together or pursuant to a common plan or arrangement, who propose to sell, or otherwise dispose of, to a person or a group of persons, other than an Affiliate of any of the transferring shareholders, shares of Common Stock representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock.

(iii) “Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which banks are required or authorized by law to be closed in New York, New York.

(iv) “Convertible Securities” means any evidence of indebtedness, shares of stock, or other securities or rights (other than Options and Warrants) which are directly or indirectly convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any capital stock of the Corporation.

(v) “Corporation Stock” means (A) any outstanding capital stock of the Corporation, whenever issued, (B) any Warrants or Options, whether or not then exercisable or convertible, and (C) any Convertible Securities, whether or not then convertible or exchangeable.

(vi) “IPO” means the first public offering of the Corporation pursuant to an effective Registration Statement under the Securities Act (other than on Forms S-4, S-8 or successors to such forms), covering the offer and sale of capital stock of the Corporation.

(vii) “Options” means any options to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise directly acquire any capital stock of the Corporation, other than any such option held by the Corporation or any preemptive rights granted in accordance with Section 4.4 .

(viii) “Outstanding Corporation Common Stock” means, as of any given time, the then issued and outstanding Common Stock of the Corporation, excluding (unless calculated on a fully diluted basis) any derivative securities and any unvested or restricted stock of the Corporation issued pursuant to any equity incentive plan for officers, employees or directors of the Corporation.

 

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(ix) “Person” or “person” means 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 thereof.

(x) “Qualified IPO” means a bona fide, marketed underwritten IPO after which closing such capital is quoted on the NASDAQ National Market or listed or quoted on the New York Stock Exchange or other national securities exchange acceptable to the Board and meeting one of the following two criteria: (i) the aggregate cash proceeds (net of underwriting discounts, commissions and offering expenses) of such offering to the Corporation exceed seventy five million dollars ($75 million), or (ii) at least twenty percent (20%) of the Outstanding Corporation Common Stock (calculated on a fully diluted basis, and for purposes of such calculation treating Common Stock issued in the IPO as Outstanding Corporation Common Stock) shall have been issued or sold to the public in connection with such IPO.

(xi) “Sale” means a Transfer for value and the terms “Sell” and “Sold” shall have correlative meanings.

(xii) “Sale of the Corporation” means (A) any bona fide sale, transfer or issuance or series of sales, transfers and/or issuances of stock of the Corporation by the Corporation or any holders thereof (including, without limitation, any merger, consolidation or other transaction or series of related transactions having the same effect), for cash and/or securities listed on a national securities exchange, which results in any Person or group of Persons (as the term “group” is used under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), other than an Approving Shareholder or any Affiliate thereof, owning all of the voting stock of the Corporation or (B) the bona fide sale or transfer, for cash and/or securities listed on a national securities exchange, of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets, determined on a consolidated basis, to a Person or group of Persons (as the term “group” is used under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), other than an Approving Shareholder or any Affiliate thereof.

(xiii) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and applicable rules and regulations thereunder, and any successor to such statute, rules or regulations. Any reference herein to a specific section, rule, or regulation of the Securities Act shall be deemed to include any corresponding provisions of future law.

(xiv) “Transfer” means any sale, pledge, assignment, encumbrance or other transfer or disposition of any shares of Corporation Stock to any other Person, whether directly, indirectly, voluntarily, involuntarily, by operation of law, pursuant to judicial process or otherwise.

 

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(xv) “Warrants” means any warrants to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise directly acquire any capital stock of the Corporation.

(b) If at any time prior to the consummation of a Public Listing (as defined below), any Approving Shareholders propose a Sale of the Corporation (an “ Approved Sale ”), each shareholder of the Corporation that is not an Approving Shareholder (the “ Drag Along Shareholders ”) shall vote (including acting by written consent, if requested) in favor of, consent to and raise no objections to such Approved Sale, so long as such Approved Sale complies with this Section 4.7 . Without limiting the foregoing, but subject to the provisions of Section 4.7(d) , if the Approved Sale is structured (i) as a merger or consolidation, each such Drag Along Shareholder will waive any dissenters rights, appraisal rights or similar rights in conjunction with such merger or consolidation, (ii) as a sale of equity, each such Drag Along Shareholder will agree to sell all of such Drag Along Shareholder’s shares of Corporation Stock on the terms and conditions approved by the Approving Shareholders, or (iii) as a sale of assets, each such Drag Along Shareholder will vote in favor of such Approved Sale and any subsequent liquidation or other distribution of the proceeds therefrom in accordance with the terms herein as approved by the Approving Shareholders. The Corporation and each shareholder will take all actions reasonably requested by the Approving Shareholders in connection with the consummation of an Approved Sale, including the execution of all ancillary documents in connection therewith requested by the Approving Shareholders.

(c) If the Approving Shareholders wish to exercise the drag-along rights contained in this Section 4.7 , then they shall deliver a written notice (the “ Drag Along Notice ”) to the Corporation at least twenty (20) Business Days prior to the consummation of the Sale of the Corporation, and the Corporation shall deliver a copy of such Drag Along Notice to each Drag Along Shareholder promptly (and in any event within three (3) Business Days following receipt thereof). The Drag Along Notice shall set forth the principal terms and conditions of the proposed Sale of the Corporation, including (i) the form and structure of the proposed Sale of the Corporation, (ii) the consideration to be received in the proposed Sale of the Corporation for each class of Corporation Stock (including, if applicable, the formula by which such consideration is to be determined and the payment terms), (iii) the name and address of the prospective acquirer(s) and (iv) if known, the proposed closing date. Except as provided in Section 4.7(d) , each shareholder shall receive the same form and amount of consideration per share of Corporation Stock to be received by the Approving Shareholders for the corresponding class of shares (on an as converted basis, in the case of Convertible Securities) in the Approved Sale. If any holders of shares of Corporation Stock of any class are given an option as to the form and amount of consideration to be received, all holders of shares of Corporation Stock of such class will be given the same option other than to the extent prohibited by law. Unless otherwise agreed by each shareholder, any non-cash consideration shall be allocated among the shareholders pro rata based upon the aggregate amount of consideration to be received by such shareholders. If at the end of the 180th day after the date of delivery of the Drag Along Notice the proposed Sale of the Corporation has not been completed, the Drag Along Notice shall be null and void, each shareholder shall be released from such shareholder’s obligation under the Drag Along Notice and it shall be necessary for a separate Drag Along Notice to be delivered and the terms and provisions of this Section 4.7 separately complied with, in order to consummate such proposed Sale of the Corporation pursuant to this Section 4.7 .

 

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(d) If any shareholder shall sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of (whether by operation of law or otherwise) any Options, Warrants or Convertible Securities that are exercisable, convertible or exchangeable in any Sale of the Corporation pursuant to the Section 4.7 , such shareholder shall receive in exchange for such Options, Warrants or Convertible Securities consideration in the amount (if greater than zero) equal to the value of the consideration received by the Approving Shareholders in such Sale of the Corporation for the number of shares of Common Stock that would be issued upon exercise, conversion or exchange of such Options, Warrants or Convertible Securities less the exercise price, if any, of such Options, Warrants or Convertible Securities (or, with respect to Convertible Securities, if greater, the amount of the liquidation preference, if any, such securities would be entitled to in connection with such Sale of the Corporation in lieu of converting), in each case, subject to reduction for any tax or other amounts required to be withheld under applicable law. No Approving Shareholders nor any of their Affiliates shall receive any direct or indirect consideration in connection with a Sale of the Corporation to which this Section 4.7 applies (including by way of fees, consulting arrangements or a non-compete payment) other than consideration received in exchange for its shares of Corporation Stock on the terms described in the Drag Along Notice.

(e) Each Drag Along Shareholder will be obligated to make customary and several representations with respect to the title to and ownership of shares of Corporation Stock and its own authority and ability to enter into the Approved Sale to the extent the Approving Shareholders similarly make such representations. No Drag Along Shareholder shall be liable for the inaccuracy or breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement made by the Corporation or any other Person in connection with the Sale of the Corporation (except to the extent that funds may be paid out of an escrow established to cover breach of representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the Corporation, as well as breach by any stockholder of any of identical representations, warranties, covenants and agreements provided by all stockholders, in which cases payments shall be allocated on a pro rata basis in accordance with the consideration paid to each Shareholder). The liability of any Drag Along Shareholder in no event shall exceed the amount of consideration paid to such Drag Along Shareholder in connection with the Sale of the Corporation, except with respect to claims related to fraud by such Drag Along Shareholder, the liability for which need not be limited as to such Drag Along Shareholder. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in the sole discretion of the Approving Shareholders, the proceeds with respect to an Approved Sale may be withheld from (and retained by the Approving Shareholders or their designee in trust for the benefit of) all sellers of such Corporation Stock in such aggregate amount as the Approving Shareholders deem necessary to cover any purchase price adjustments, indemnification or other obligations of the Corporation or such sellers of Corporation Stock; provided that such proceeds shall be withheld on the same basis among all such sellers. Each shareholder will bear its pro rata share (applied such that after giving effect thereto, the aggregate consideration paid to each holder of shares of Corporation Stock would comply with the provisions of Section 4.7(d) ) of the costs of

 

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any sale of such Corporation Stock pursuant to an Approved Sale to the extent such costs are incurred for the benefit of all shareholders participating in such Approved Sale and are not otherwise paid by the Corporation or the acquiring party. Costs incurred by shareholders on their own behalf will not be considered costs of the transaction hereunder.

(f) If the Corporation enters into a negotiation for an Approved Sale for which Rule 506 (or any similar rule then in effect) promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission may be available with respect to such negotiation or transaction (including a merger, consolidation or other reorganization), the Drag Along Shareholders will, at the request of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, appoint a purchaser representative (as such term is defined in Rule 501 or any similar rule), or such equivalent representative, reasonably acceptable to the Board. If any Drag Along Shareholder appoints a purchaser representative, or such equivalent representative that is designated by the Board, the Corporation will, to the extent legally permitted, pay the fees of such purchaser representative, or such equivalent representative, but if any Drag Along Shareholder declines to appoint the purchaser representative, or such equivalent representative that is designated by the Board such Drag Along Shareholder will appoint another purchaser representative, and such Drag Along Shareholder will be responsible for the fees of the purchaser representative, or such equivalent representative, so appointed.

(g) The Approving Shareholders shall, in their sole discretion, decide whether or not to pursue, consummate, postpone or abandon any proposed Sale of the Corporation, and the terms and conditions thereof (subject to the requirements of this Section 4.7 ). The closing of an Approved Sale shall take place (i) on the proposed closing date, if any, specified in the Drag Along Notice ( provided that consummation of such Approved Sale may be extended beyond such date to the extent necessary to obtain any applicable governmental approval or other required approval or to satisfy other conditions), (ii) if no proposed closing date was so specified, at such time as the Approving Shareholders shall specify by notice to each Drag Along Shareholder and the Corporation and (iii) at such place as the Approving Shareholders shall specify by written notice to each Drag Along Shareholder. At the closing of any Approved Sale, each shareholder shall deliver the certificates (if any) evidencing the shares or Corporation Stock to be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of (whether by operation of law or otherwise) by such shareholder, duly endorsed, or with stock (or equivalent) powers duly endorsed, for transfer with signature guaranteed, free and clear of any liens or encumbrances, with any stock (or equivalent) transfer tax stamps affixed, against delivery of the applicable consideration.

(h) No Drag Along Shareholder shall be obligated to enter into any non-competition or non-solicitation agreement or any other agreement which imposes any similar restrictions on such Drag Along Shareholder in connection with any Approved Sale.

(i) Termination of Drag-Along Rights . The rights and obligations under this Section 4.7 shall terminate upon the occurrence of the date the Common Stock is listed on a national securities exchange in the United States, whether in connection with an initial public offering of the Common Stock or otherwise (a “ Public Listing ”).

 

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Section 4.8 Tag-Along Rights .

(a) At any time prior to the consummation of a Public Listing, if one or more shareholders (“ Prospective Selling Shareholders ”) proposes to Sell to any Person, other than an Affiliate of any of the Prospective Selling Shareholders, twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the outstanding shares of Corporation Stock, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to any prospective acquirer(s) other than in a Transfer undertaken as a Qualified IPO, then they shall deliver a written notice (the “ Tag Along Notice ”) to the Corporation at least twenty (20) Business Days prior to the consummation of the Sale, and the Corporation shall deliver a copy of such Tag Along Notice to each shareholder promptly (and in any event within three (3) Business Days following receipt thereof). The Tag Along Notice shall set forth the principal terms and conditions of the proposed Sale, including (i) the number and class of shares of Corporation Stock to be purchased from the Prospective Selling Shareholders, (ii) the fraction(s), expressed as a percentage, determined by dividing (x) the number of shares of Corporation Stock of each class proposed to be purchased from the Prospective Selling Shareholders by (y) the total number of shares of Corporation Stock of each such class held by the Prospective Selling Shareholders (for each class, the “ Tag Along Sale Percentage ”), (iii) the purchase price or the formula by which such price is to be determined and the payment terms, including a description of any non-cash consideration sufficiently detailed to permit valuation thereof, (iv) the name and address of the prospective acquirer(s), (v) if known, the proposed closing date, and (vi) an invitation to each Shareholder to include in the proposed Sale to the applicable prospective acquirer(s) shares of Corporation Stock of the same class(es) being sold by the Prospective Selling Shareholders held by such Shareholder (not in any event in an amount for any class exceeding the product of (x) the Tag Along Sale Percentage for such class and (y) the total number of shares of Corporation Stock of such class held by such shareholder), on the same terms and conditions, with respect to each share of Corporation Stock Sold, as the Prospective Selling Shareholders shall Sell each of its shares of Corporation Stock of the applicable class.

(b) No later than the tenth (10th) Business Day after the date of delivery of the Tag Along Notice to the shareholders (such date the “ Tag Along Deadline ”), each shareholder desiring to include shares of Corporation Stock in the proposed Sale (each a “ Participating Tag Seller ” and, together with the Prospective Selling Shareholders, collectively, the “ Tag Along Sellers ”) shall deliver a written notice (the “ Tag Along Offer ”) to the Prospective Selling Shareholders and the Corporation indicating the number of shares of Corporation Stock of each applicable class that such Participating Tag Seller desires to have included in the proposed Sale (subject to the limitation set forth in the Tag Along Notice). Each shareholder who does not make a Tag Along Offer in compliance with the above requirements, including the time period, shall be deemed to have waived all of such shareholder’s rights to participate in such Sale, and the Tag Along Sellers shall thereafter be free to Sell to the prospective acquirer, at a purchase price no greater than the purchase price set forth in the Tag Along Notice (other than as a

 

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result of a change in the estimated purchase price pursuant to an adjustment mechanism described in the Tag Along Notice, if the purchase price is not fixed) and on other terms and conditions which are not materially more favorable in the aggregate to the Tag Along Sellers than those set forth in the Tag Along Notice, without any further obligation to such non-accepting shareholder(s) pursuant to this Section 4.8 .

(c) The offer of each Participating Tag Seller contained in such Participating Tag Seller’s Tag Along Offer shall be irrevocable, and such Participating Tag Seller shall be bound and obligated to Sell in the proposed Sale on the same terms and conditions, with respect to each share of Corporation Stock Sold, as the Prospective Selling Shareholders, up to such number of shares of Corporation Stock as such Participating Tag Seller shall have specified in such shareholder’s Tag Along Offer; provided , however , that if the principal terms of the proposed Sale change with the result that (i) the purchase price shall be less than the purchase price set forth in the Tag Along Notice (other than as a result of a change in the estimated purchase price pursuant to an adjustment mechanism described in the Tag Along Notice, if the purchase price is not fixed), (ii) the number of shares of Corporation Stock to be acquired from the Tag Along Sellers is reduced, or (iii) the other terms and conditions shall be materially less favorable to the Tag Along Sellers than those set forth in the Tag Along Notice, the Prospective Selling Shareholders shall provide written notice thereof to the Corporation, and the Corporation shall promptly (and in any event within five (5) Business Days) deliver a copy of such notice to each Participating Tag Seller, and each Participating Tag Seller shall be permitted to withdraw the offer contained in such holder’s Tag Along Offer by written notice to the Prospective Selling Shareholder and the Corporation within five (5) Business Days after delivery of such written notice from the Corporation and upon such withdrawal such Participating Tag Seller shall be released from its obligations thereunder.

(d) The Prospective Selling Shareholders shall attempt to obtain the inclusion in the proposed Sale of the entire number of shares of Corporation Stock which each of the Tag Along Sellers requested to have included in the Sale (as evidenced in the case of the Prospective Selling Shareholders by the Tag Along Notice and in the case of each Participating Tag Seller by such Participating Tag Seller’s Tag Along Offer). In the event the Prospective Selling Shareholders shall be unable to obtain the inclusion of such entire number of shares of Corporation Stock of any class in the proposed Sale, the number of shares of Corporation Stock of such class to be sold in the proposed Sale shall be allocated among the Tag Along Sellers on a pro rata basis in proportion to the total number of shares of Corporation Stock of such class offered (or proposed, in the case of the Prospective Selling Shareholders) and eligible to be sold in the proposed Sale by each Tag Along Seller.

(e) If, prior to consummation, the terms of the proposed Sale shall change with the result that (i) the purchase price to be paid in such proposed Sale shall be greater than the purchase price set forth in the Tag Along Notice (other than as a result of a change in the estimated purchase price pursuant to an adjustment mechanism described in the Tag Along Notice, if the purchase price is not fixed), (ii) the number of shares of Corporation Stock proposed to be acquired by the prospective acquirer(s) in the proposed Sale is increased or (iii) the other terms of such proposed Sale shall be materially more

 

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favorable in the aggregate to the Tag Along Sellers than those set forth in the Tag Along Notice, the Tag Along Notice shall be null and void, and it shall be necessary for a separate Tag Along Notice to be delivered, and the terms and provisions of this Section 4.8 separately complied with, in order to consummate such proposed Sale pursuant to this Section 4.8 ; provided , however , that in the case of such a separate Tag Along Notice, the applicable period to which reference is made in Section 4.8(b)(c) shall be five (5) Business Days. In addition, if the Prospective Selling Shareholders have not completed the proposed Sale by the end of the 120th day after the date of delivery of the Tag Along Notice, each Participating Tag Seller shall be released from such Participating Tag Seller’s obligations under such Participating Tag Seller’s Tag Along Offer, the Tag Along Notice shall be null and void, and it shall be necessary for a separate Tag Along Notice to be delivered, and the terms and provisions of this Section 4.8 separately complied with, in order to consummate such proposed Sale pursuant to this Section 4.8 , unless the failure to complete such proposed Sale resulted from any failure by any Participating Tag Seller to comply with the terms of this Section 4.8 .

(f) In connection with a proposed Sale to which this Section 4.8 applies, no Prospective Selling Shareholder shall enter into any agreement or take any action (directly or indirectly) that prevents, or is reasonably expected to prevent, a particular shareholder from exercising such shareholder’s rights pursuant to this Section 4.8 . No Prospective Selling Shareholder nor any of its Affiliates may receive any direct or indirect consideration in connection with Sale to which Section 4.8 applies (including by way of fees, consulting arrangements or a non-compete payment) other than consideration received in exchange for its shares of Corporation Stock on the terms described in the Tag Along Notice.

(g) The rights and obligations under this Section 4.8 shall terminate upon the occurrence of the date of a Public Listing.

Section 4.9 Action Without a Meeting . Until the date on which the Corporation completes a Public Listing or an IPO, any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock of the Corporation having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the Commonwealth of Virginia, its principal place of business, or to an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of shareholders are recorded. Following the date on which the Corporation completes a Public Listing or an IPO, any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by all the holders of outstanding stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon.

 

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ARTICLE V

PERPETUAL EXISTENCE

The Corporation shall have perpetual existence.

ARTICLE VI

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 6.1 General Powers . The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors of the Corporation. The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall exercise all of the powers and duties conferred by law except as provided by these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, the Shareholders Agreement, or the Bylaws.

Section 6.2 Number and Term . The Board of Directors shall consist of one (1) or more members. Each director shall hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, removal or incapacity. The number of directors may be changed from time to time by resolution of a majority of the Board of Directors. Directors need not be shareholders.

Section 6.3 Elections . Unless and except to the extent that the Bylaws of the Corporation shall so require, elections of directors need not be by written ballot.

Section 6.4 Bylaws . In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by law, the Board of Directors is hereby expressly authorized to make, repeal, alter, amend and rescind the Bylaws by a majority vote at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present or by written consent, in accordance with the terms of the Bylaws. The shareholders shall also have the power to make, repeal, alter, amend and rescind the Bylaws, including the Bylaws made by the Board of Directors, in accordance with the terms of the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII

INDEMNIFICATION

Section 7.1 Definitions . For purposes of this Article VII the following definitions shall apply:

(a) “expenses” include counsel fees, expert witness fees, and costs of investigation, litigation and appeal, as well as any amounts expended in asserting a claim for indemnification;

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

 

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

(d) “liability” means the obligation to pay a judgment, settlement, penalty, fine, or other such obligation, including, without limitation, any excise tax assessed with respect to an employee benefit plan;

(e) “legal entity” means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise;

(f) “predecessor entity” means a legal entity the existence of which ceased upon its acquisition by the Corporation in a merger or otherwise; and

(g) “proceeding” means any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, proceeding or appeal whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative and whether formal or informal.

Section 7.2 Indemnification of Directors and Officers . To the fullest extent permitted by the VSCA, as it exists on the date hereof or may hereafter be amended, the Corporation shall indemnify any individual who is, was or is threatened to be made a party to a proceeding (including a proceeding by or in the right of the Corporation) because such individual is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or because such individual is or was serving the Corporation or any other legal entity in any capacity at the request of the Corporation (an “ Indemnitee ”), against all liabilities and reasonable expenses incurred in the proceeding. Service as a director or officer of a legal entity controlled by the Corporation shall be deemed service at the request of the Corporation. The determination that indemnification under this Section 7.2 is permissible and the evaluation as to the reasonableness of expenses in a specific case shall be made, in the case of a director, as provided by law, and in the case of an officer, as provided in Section 7.3 ? provided , however , that if a majority of the directors of the Corporation has changed after the date of the alleged conduct giving rise to a claim for indemnification, such determination and evaluation shall, at the option of the person claiming indemnification, be made by special legal counsel agreed upon by the Board of Directors and such person. Unless a determination has been made that indemnification is not permissible, the Corporation shall make advances and reimbursements for expenses incurred by a director or officer in a proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking from such director or officer to repay the same if it is ultimately determined that such director or officer is not entitled to indemnification. Such undertaking shall be an unlimited, unsecured general obligation of the director or officer and shall be accepted without reference to such director’s or officer’s ability to make repayment. The termination of a proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its

 

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equivalent shall not of itself create a presumption that a director or officer acted in such a manner as to make such director or officer ineligible for indemnification. The Corporation is authorized to contract in advance to indemnify and make advances and reimbursements for expenses to any of its directors or officers to the same extent provided in this Section 7.2 . The rights of each person entitled to indemnification under this Article VII shall inure to the benefit of such person’s heirs, executors and administrators. Special legal counsel selected to make determinations under this Article VII may be counsel for the Corporation.

Section 7.3 Procedures for Indemnification of Directors and Officers . Any indemnification or advancement of expenses under this Article VII shall be made promptly, and in any event within thirty (30) days, upon the written request of the Indemnitee, except in the case of a claim for an advancement of expenses, in which case the applicable period shall be twenty (20) days. If a determination by the Corporation that the Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Article VII is required, and the Corporation fails to respond within sixty (60) days to a written request for indemnity, the Corporation shall be deemed to have approved the request. If the Corporation denies a written request for indemnification or advancement of expenses, in whole or in part, or if payment in full pursuant to such request is not made within thirty (30) days (or twenty (20) days in the case of a claim for advancement of expenses), the right to indemnification or advancement of expenses as granted by this Article VII shall be enforceable by the Indemnitee in any court of competent jurisdiction. Such Indemnitee’s costs and expenses incurred in connection with successfully establishing the right to indemnification, in whole or in part, in any such action or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, shall also be indemnified by the Corporation. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the Indemnitee has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under the VSCA for the Corporation to indemnify the Indemnitee for the amount claimed, but the burden of such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its shareholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the VSCA nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its shareholders) that the Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct. In any suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article VII or otherwise, shall be on the Corporation.

Section 7.4 Requested Services . Without limiting the meaning of the phrase “serving at the request of the Corporation” as used herein, any person serving as a director, officer or equivalent executive of (a) another corporation of which a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the election of its directors is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation, or (b) any employee benefit plan maintained or sponsored by the Corporation or any corporation referred to in clause (a), shall be deemed to be doing so at the request of the Corporation for purposes of Section 7.2 .

 

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Section 7.5 Indemnification of Others . The Corporation may, to a lesser extent or to the same extent that it is required to provide indemnification and make advances and reimbursements for expenses to its directors and officers pursuant to Section 7.2 , provide indemnification and make advances and reimbursements for expenses to its employees and agents, the directors, officers, employees and agents of its subsidiaries and predecessor entities, and any person serving any other legal entity in any capacity at the request of the Corporation, and may contract in advance to do so. The determination that indemnification under this Section 7.5 is permissible, the authorization of such indemnification and the evaluation as to the reasonableness of expenses in a specific case shall be made as authorized from time to time by general or specific action of the Board of Directors, which action may be taken before or after a claim for indemnification is made, or as otherwise provided by law. No person’s rights under Section 7.2 shall be limited by the provisions of this Section 7.5 .

Section 7.6 Contract Rights . The provisions of this Article VII shall be deemed to be a contract right between the Corporation and each Indemnitee and such rights shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee, fiduciary or agent, or if the relevant provisions of the VSCA or other applicable law cease to be in effect. Such contract right shall vest for each Indemnitee who is a director, officer, employee, fiduciary or agent at the time such person is elected or appointed to such position, and no repeal or modification of this Article VII or any such law shall affect any such vested rights or obligations then existing with respect to any state of facts or proceeding arising after such election or appointment and prior to such repeal or modification.

Section 7.7 Insurance . The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on its own behalf and on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee, fiduciary or agent of the Corporation or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, fiduciary or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the VSCA or this Article VII .

Section 7.8 Merger or Consolidation . For purposes of this Article VII , references to “the Corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including, without limitation, any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merged in a merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director or officer of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee, fiduciary or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this Article VII with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he or she would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

 

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Section 7.9 Non-Exclusivity of Rights . The rights to indemnification and the advancement of expenses and costs conferred under this Article VII shall not be exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses and costs may be entitled under any applicable law, provision of these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, bylaw, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. The Corporation is specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of its directors or officers respecting indemnification and advances, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the VSCA or by any other applicable law.

Section 7.10 Amendments . No amendment, repeal or modification of, and no adoption of any provision inconsistent with, any provision of this Article VII shall adversely affect any right or protection of a director or officer of the Corporation existing by virtue of this Article VII at the time of such amendment, repeal, modification or adoption.

Section 7.11 Jointly Indemnifiable Claims . Given that certain jointly indemnifiable claims (as defined below) may arise due to the service of the Indemnitee as a director and/or officer of the Corporation at the request of the indemnitee-related entities (as defined below), the Corporation shall be fully and primarily responsible for the payment to the Indemnitee in respect of indemnification or advancement of expenses in connection with any such jointly indemnifiable claims, pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of this Article VII , irrespective of any right of recovery the Indemnitee may have from the indemnitee-related entities. Under no circumstance shall the Corporation be entitled to any right of subrogation against or contribution by the indemnitee-related entities and no right of advancement, indemnification or recovery the Indemnitee may have from the indemnitee-related entities shall reduce or otherwise alter the rights of the Indemnitee or the obligations of the Corporation under this Article VII . In the event that any of the indemnitee-related entities shall make any payment to the Indemnitee in respect of indemnification or advancement of expenses with respect to any jointly indemnifiable claim, the indemnitee-related entity making such payment shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Indemnitee against the Corporation, and the Indemnitee shall execute all documents and instruments reasonably required and shall do all things that may be reasonably necessary to secure such rights, including the execution of such documents and instruments as may be necessary to enable the indemnitee-related entities effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights. Each of the indemnitee-related entities shall be third-party beneficiaries with respect to this Section 7.11 and entitled to enforce this Section 7.11 .

ARTICLE VIII

LIMITED LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS

To the fullest extent permitted by the VSCA, as it exists on the date hereof or may hereafter be amended, a director or officer of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages with respect to any transaction, occurrence or course of conduct, whether prior or subsequent to the date hereof. Any repeal or amendment or modification of this Article VIII , or the adoption of any provision of these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article VIII , will, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or

 

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change in applicable law permits the Corporation to provide a broader limitation on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and will not adversely affect any limitation on the personal liability of any director of the Corporation at the time of such repeal or amendment or modification or adoption of such inconsistent provision.

ARTICLE IX

ARTICLE 14 ELECTION

The Corporation expressly elects not to be governed by Article 14 (Affiliated Transactions) of the VSCA.

ARTICLE X

CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES

Section 10.1 General . To the greatest extent permitted by law and except as otherwise set forth in these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and except as expressly agreed to by a Dual Role Person (as defined below) in a separate instrument signed by a Dual Role Person with the Corporation or any predecessor thereto:

(a) To the extent provided in this Article X , the Corporation renounces any interest or expectancy of the Corporation or any of its Affiliates in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any Corporate Opportunity about which a Dual Role Person acquires knowledge. Subject to Section 10.1(c) , no Dual Role Person or any of their respective Representatives shall owe any fiduciary duty to, nor shall any Dual Role Person or any of their respective Representatives be liable for breach of fiduciary duty to, the Corporation or any of its shareholders in connection with a Corporate Opportunity. No Dual Role Person or any of their respective Representatives shall violate a duty or obligation to the Corporation merely because such person’s conduct furthers such person’s own interest, except as specifically set forth in Section 10.1(c) . Any Dual Role Person or any of their respective Representatives may lend money to, and transact other business with, the Corporation and its Representatives. The rights and obligations of any such person who lends money to, contracts with, borrows from or transacts business with the Corporation or any of its Representatives are the same as those of a person who is not involved with the Corporation or any of its Representatives, subject to other applicable law. No transaction between any Dual Role Person or any of their respective Representatives, on the one hand, with the Corporation or any of its Representatives, on the other hand, shall be voidable solely because any Dual Role Person or any of their respective Representatives has a direct or indirect interest in the transaction. Nothing herein contained shall prevent any Dual Role Person or any of their respective Representatives from conducting any other business, including serving as an officer, director, employee, or shareholder of any corporation, partnership or limited liability company, a trustee of any trust, an executor or administrator of any estate, or an administrative official of any other business or not-for-profit entity, or from receiving any compensation in connection therewith.

(b) No Dual Role Person nor any of their respective Representatives shall owe any duty to refrain from (i) engaging in the same or similar activities or lines of business as the Corporation and its Representatives or (ii) doing business with any of the Corporation’s or its Representatives’ clients or customers. In the event that any Dual Role Person or any of their

 

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respective Representatives acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a Corporate Opportunity for any Dual Role Person or any of their respective Representatives, on the one hand, and the Corporation or any of its Representatives, on the other hand, such Dual Role Person or Representatives, as the case may be, shall have no duty to communicate or offer such Corporate Opportunity to the Corporation or any of its Representatives, subject to Section 10.1(c) . No Dual Role Person or any of their respective Representatives shall be liable to the Corporation, any of its shareholders or any of its Representatives for breach of any fiduciary duty by reason of the fact that any Dual Role Person or any of their respective Representatives pursues or acquires such Corporate Opportunity for itself, directs such Corporate Opportunity to another person or does not present such Corporate Opportunity to the Corporation or any of its Representatives, subject to Section 10.1(c) .

(c) If a third party presents a Corporate Opportunity to a person who is both a Representative of the Corporation and a Representative of a Dual Role Person, expressly and solely in such person’s capacity as a Representative of the Corporation, and such person acts in good faith in a manner consistent with the policy that such Corporate Opportunity belongs to the Corporation, then such person (i) shall be deemed to have fully satisfied and fulfilled any fiduciary duty that such person has to the Corporation as a Representative of the Corporation with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (ii) shall not be liable to the Corporation, any of its shareholders or any of its Representatives for breach of fiduciary duty by reason of such person’s action or inaction with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (iii) shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner that such person reasonably believed to be in, and not opposed to, the Corporation’s best interests, and (iv) shall be deemed not to have breached such person’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation and its shareholders and not have derived an improper personal benefit therefrom; provided that a Dual Role Person may pursue such Corporate Opportunity if the Corporation shall decide not to pursue such Corporate Opportunity.

(d) For purposes of this Article X :

(i) “ Affiliate ” means with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person. For purposes of the foregoing definition, the term “controls,” “is controlled by,” or “is under common control with” means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

(ii) “ Corporate Opportunity ” means any business opportunity that the Corporation is financially able to undertake that is, from its nature, in the Corporation’s lines of business, is of practical advantage to the Corporation and is one in which the Corporation has an interest or a reasonable expectancy, and in which, by embracing such opportunity, the self-interest of any Dual Role Person or their respective Representatives will be brought into conflict with the Corporation’s self-interest.

(iii) “ Dual Role Person ” means any individual who is a director of the Corporation and is otherwise an employee, officer or a director of a shareholder.

 

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(iv) “ Representatives ” means, with respect to any person, the directors, officers, employees, general partners or managing member of such person.

(e) Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or obtaining any interest in any capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice and to have consented to the provisions of this Article X .

Section 10.2. Amendment . Neither the alteration, amendment, termination, expiration or repeal of this Article X nor the adoption of any provision inconsistent with this Article X shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article X in respect of any matter occurring, or any cause of action that, but for this Article X , would accrue or arise, prior to such alteration, amendment, termination, expiration, repeal or adoption.

Section 10.3. Notice of Article . To the fullest extent permitted by law, any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Article X .

ARTICLE XI

FORUM

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or Corporation’s shareholders, (c) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the VSCA, or (d) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, (or, if United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia lacks subject matter jurisdiction, another state or federal court located within the Commonwealth of Virginia). Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article XI .

ARTICLE XII AMENDMENTS

The Corporation reserves the right at any time from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, and any other provisions authorized by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia at the time in force may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed herein or by applicable law. All rights, preferences and privileges of whatsoever nature conferred upon shareholders by and pursuant to these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article XII . Notwithstanding any other provision of these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote, but in addition to any vote required by law and any affirmative vote of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock required by law, by these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, or by any Preferred Stock Designation providing for any such Preferred Stock, the affirmative vote of

 

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the holders of at least sixty-seven percent (67%) of the total voting power of all the shares of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend, alter, change or repeal, or adopt any provision inconsistent with, Article X . Nothing in this Article XII shall limit the authority of the Board of Directors of the Corporation conferred by Section 6.1 hereof.

ARTICLE XIII

SEVERABILITY

If any provision or provisions of these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

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Exhibit 3.2

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION

(a Virginia corporation, hereinafter called the “ Corporation ”)

Effective as of September 9, 2016

ARTICLE I

OFFICES AND RECORDS

Section 1.1 Registered Office . The registered office of the Corporation, and the registered agent of the Corporation at such address, shall be as fixed in the Corporation’s articles of incorporation (as amended and/or restated from time to time, the “ Articles of Incorporation ”). The registered office or registered agent of the Corporation may thereafter be changed from time to time by action of the board of directors of the Corporation (the “ Board of Directors ”).

Section 1.2 Other Offices . The Corporation may also have offices at such other places, both within and without the Commonwealth of Virginia, as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.

Section 1.3 Books and Records .

(a) The books and records of the Corporation may be kept outside the Commonwealth of Virginia at such place or places as may from time to time be designated by the Board of Directors.

(b) The Corporation shall, either at its principal executive office or at such place or places as designated by the Board of Directors, keep a record of its shareholders listing their names and addresses and the number and class of shares held by each shareholder, a copy of these bylaws, as may be amended to date, minute books, accounting books and other records.

(c) Any such records maintained by the Corporation may be kept on, or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device or method, provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time. When records are kept in such manner, a clearly legible paper form produced from or by means of the information storage device or method shall be admissible in evidence, and accepted for all other purposes, to the same extent as an original paper form accurately portrays the record. The Corporation shall so convert any records so kept upon the request of any person or entity entitled to inspect such records pursuant to the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, these bylaws or applicable law.

ARTICLE II

SHAREHOLDERS

Section 2.1 Place of Meetings . Meetings of shareholders of the Corporation shall be held at any place, if any, either within or without the Commonwealth of Virginia, as may be


designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of shareholders of the Corporation shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication. In the absence of notice to the contrary, meetings of the shareholders of the Corporation shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation.

Section 2.2 Annual Meeting . The annual meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation shall be held on such date and at such place, if any, and/or by the means of remote communication, and time as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors from time to time. At the annual meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation, directors shall be elected and any other business may be transacted which is properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.14 of these bylaws. Failure to hold any annual meeting as aforesaid shall not constitute, be deemed to be or otherwise effect a forfeiture or dissolution of the Corporation nor shall such failure affect otherwise valid corporate acts.

Section 2.3 Special Meetings . Except as otherwise required by law or provided in the instrument of designation of any series of preferred stock of the Corporation, special meetings of shareholders of the Corporation may be called at any time and from time to time only upon the written request (stating the purpose or purposes of the meeting) of (a) the Board of Directors, (b) the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or (c) the holders of a majority of the total voting power of all the shares of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors. Special meetings of the shareholders of the Corporation may not be called by any person, group or entity other than those specifically enumerated in this Section 2.3 . The Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall determine the date, time, and place, if any, and/or means of remote communication, of any special meeting, which shall be stated in a notice of meeting delivered by the Board of Directors. Advance notice of shareholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by shareholders before any meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation, or any class or series of thereof, shall be given in the manner provided in these bylaws. No business may be transacted at any special meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation other than the business specified in the notice of such meeting.

Section 2.4 Chairman of the Meeting; Conduct of Meetings; Inspection of Elections .

(a) Meetings of shareholders of the Corporation shall be presided over by the chairman of the meeting, who shall be the Chairman of the Board of Directors or, in the absence thereof, such person as the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall appoint, or, in the absence thereof or in the event that the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall fail to make such appointment, any officer of the Corporation appointed by the Board of Directors.

(b) The secretary of any meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation shall be the Secretary or Assistant Secretary, or in the absence thereof, such person as the chairman of the meeting appoints. The secretary of the meeting shall keep the minutes thereof.

(c) The Board of Directors shall be entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of shareholders of the Corporation as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient from time to time. Subject to such rules and regulations, if any, the

 

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chairman of the meeting shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all acts as, in the judgment of such chairman, are necessary, appropriate or convenient (and not inconsistent with the Articles of Incorporation or these bylaws) for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, establishing an agenda of business of the meeting, recognizing shareholders entitled to speak, calling for the necessary reports, stating questions and putting them to a vote, calling for nominations, announcing the results of voting, establishing rules or regulations to maintain order, imposing restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for commencement thereof and the fixing of the date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the shareholders of the Corporation will vote at a meeting (and shall announce such at the meeting).

(d) If required by law, the Board of Directors shall appoint one or more inspectors, which inspector or inspectors may include individuals who serve the Corporation in other capacities, including, without limitation, as officers, employees, agents or representatives, to act at a meeting of shareholders of the Corporation and make a written report thereof. One or more persons may be designated as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate has been appointed to act or is able to act at a meeting of shareholders of the Corporation, the chairman of the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before discharging his or her duties, shall take an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. The inspectors shall have such other duties as may be prescribed by law.

Section 2.5 Notice .

(a) Whenever shareholders of the Corporation are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting (whether special or annual), written notice (unless oral notice is reasonable under the circumstances) stating the place (if any), date, and time of the meeting, the means of remote communication (if any) by which shareholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, the record date for determining the shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting (if such date is different from the record date for shareholders entitled to notice of the meeting) and, in the case of special meetings, the purpose or purposes of such meeting, shall be given to each shareholder of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting not fewer than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting except as otherwise required by law, the Articles of Incorporation or these bylaws. In the case of an annual meeting, the notice need not state the purpose or purposes of the meeting unless the Articles of Incorporation or the Virginia Stock Corporation Act of the Commonwealth of Virginia (as the same exists or may hereafter be amended from time to time, the “ VSCA ”) requires the purpose or purposes to be stated in the notice of the meeting.

(b) All such notices shall be delivered in writing (unless oral notice is reasonable under the circumstances) or by a form of electronic transmission if receipt thereof has been consented to by the shareholder to whom the notice is given. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the shareholder at such shareholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. If given by facsimile telecommunication, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when directed to a number at which the shareholder has consented to receive notice by facsimile.

 

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Subject to the limitations of Section 2.6 of these bylaws, if given by electronic transmission, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered: (i) by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the shareholder has consented to receive notice; (ii) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate written notice to the shareholder of such specific posting delivered by electronic mail or by United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the shareholder at such shareholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation, upon the later of (x) such posting and (y) the giving of such separate notice; and (iii) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the shareholder. An affidavit of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, the transfer agent of the Corporation or any other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

(c) Whenever notice is required to be given under any provisions of the VSCA, the Articles of Incorporation or these bylaws, a written waiver thereof, signed by the shareholder entitled to notice, or a written waiver by electronic transmission by the person or entity entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation need be specified in any waiver of notice of such meeting.

(d) Attendance of a shareholder of the Corporation at a meeting of such shareholders shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the shareholder attends for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

(e) Whenever notice is required to be given under the VSCA, the Articles of Incorporation or these bylaws to any shareholder with whom communication is unlawful, the giving of such notice to such shareholder shall not be required, and there shall be no duty to apply to any governmental authority or agency for a license or permit to give such notice to such shareholder. Any action or meeting which shall be taken or held without notice to any such shareholder with whom communication is unlawful shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section 2.5 , no notice of a meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation need be given to any shareholder if (i) (A) an annual report and proxy statement for two consecutive annual meetings of shareholders or (B) all, and at least two, checks and payment of dividends or interest on securities during a twelve-month period, in either case, have been sent by first-class, United States mail, addressed to the shareholder at his or her address as it appears on the share transfer books of the Corporation, and returned undeliverable and (ii) the Corporation does not have either a current facsimile number or, if such shareholder has consented to electronic delivery pursuant to Section 2.6 of these bylaws, means of electronic transmission for such shareholder. In that event, the obligation of the Corporation to give notice of a shareholders meeting to any such shareholder shall be reinstated once the Corporation has received a new address, facsimile number or means of electronic transmission for such shareholder.

Section 2.6 Notice by Electronic Delivery . Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to shareholders of the Corporation pursuant to the VSCA, the Articles of Incorporation or these bylaws, any notice to shareholders of the Corporation given by the Corporation under any provision of the VSCA, the Articles of

 

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Incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the shareholder of the Corporation to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the shareholder by written notice to the Secretary. Any such consent shall be deemed revoked if: (i) the Corporation is unable to deliver by electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices of meetings or of other business given by the Corporation in accordance with such consent; and (ii) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or to the transfer agent or other person responsible for the giving of notice. However, the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action. For purposes of these bylaws, except as otherwise limited by applicable law, the term “electronic transmission” means any form of communication not directly involving the physical transmission of paper that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved, and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

Section 2.7 Shareholders List . The officer having charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation, a complete list of the shareholders entitled to vote at such meeting ( provided , however , if the record date for determining the shareholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the shareholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order, showing the address of (and any form of electronic transmission consented to by) each shareholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each shareholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any shareholder of the Corporation for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network; provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting; and/or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to shareholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be examined by any shareholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any shareholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Refusal or failure to prepare or make available the shareholder list shall not affect the validity of any action taken at a meeting of shareholders of the Corporation.

Section 2.8 Quorum . Except as otherwise provided by law or by the Articles of Incorporation, the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the shareholders of the Corporation. If a quorum is not present, the chairman of the meeting or the holders of a majority in voting power of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting, and entitled to vote at the meeting, may adjourn the meeting to another place, if any, date and time. When a quorum is once present to commence a meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation, it is not broken by the subsequent withdrawal of any shareholders or their proxies.

 

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Section 2.9 Adjournment and Postponement of Meetings .

(a) Any meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation, whether or not a quorum is present, may be adjourned to be reconvened at a specific date, time, place (if any) and/or by means of remote communication (if any) by the holders of a majority in voting power of the shares of capital stock present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote at the meeting or, unless contrary to any provision of the Articles of Incorporation, these bylaws or applicable law, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the Board of Directors. When a meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation is adjourned to another date, time, place (if any), and/or by means of remote communication (if any), notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the date, time and place (if any) thereof, and/or the means of remote communication (if any) by which shareholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting, are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken; provided , however , that if the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of shareholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board of Directors shall fix as the record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of shareholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each shareholder of record as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

(b) Any previously scheduled meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation may be postponed, and (unless contrary to applicable law or the Articles of Incorporation) any special meeting of the shareholders may be cancelled, by resolution of the Board of Directors upon public announcement or notice given to the shareholders prior to the date previously scheduled for such meeting of shareholders.

(c) For purposes of these bylaws, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, PR Newswire or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Section 2.10 Vote Required . When a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of the majority in voting power of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the shareholders of the Corporation, unless the question is one upon which, by express provisions of applicable law, the Articles of Incorporation, these bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, or the instrument of designation of any series of preferred stock of the Corporation, a different or additional vote is required or provided for, in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question. Where a separate vote by class or series is required or provided for, when a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation of such class or series present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of such class or series of shareholders, unless the question is one upon which, by express provisions of applicable law, the Articles of Incorporation, these bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, or the designation of any series of preferred stock of the Corporation, a different vote is required or provided for, in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question.

 

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Section 2.11 Voting Rights . Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, each shareholder of the Corporation shall be entitled to that number of votes for each share of capital stock of the Corporation held by such shareholder as set forth in the Articles of Incorporation or, in the case of preferred stock of the Corporation, in the instrument of designation thereof.

Section 2.12 Proxies . Each shareholder entitled to vote at a meeting of shareholders of the Corporation may authorize another person or entity to act for such shareholder by proxy in such manner as prescribed under the VSCA, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date unless such proxy expressly provides for a longer period. At each meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation, and before any voting commences, all proxies filed at or before the meeting shall be submitted to and examined by the Secretary or a person designated by the Secretary, and no shares may be represented or voted under a proxy that has been found (in the reasonable determination of the Secretary or such designee) to be invalid or irregular. Reference by the Secretary in the minutes of the meeting to the regularity of a proxy shall be received as prima facie evidence of the facts stated for the purpose of establishing the presence of a quorum at such meeting and for all other purposes. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the applicable provisions of the VSCA and, without limiting the foregoing, a duly executed proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only so long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power. A proxy may be made irrevocable regardless of whether the interest with which it is coupled is an interest in the stock itself or an interest in the corporation generally.

Section 2.13 Record Date .

(a) In order that the Corporation may determine the shareholders entitled to notice of any meeting of shareholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board of Directors so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the shareholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board of Directors determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of shareholders shall be at the close of business on the day immediately preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day immediately preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of shareholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of shareholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided , however , that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for

 

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determination of shareholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for shareholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of shareholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.

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

(c) Unless such action in writing without a meeting is otherwise restricted by the Articles of Incorporation, in order that the Corporation may determine the shareholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. Unless such action in writing without a meeting is otherwise restricted by the Articles of Incorporation, if no record date for determining shareholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting is fixed by the Board of Directors, (i) when no prior action of the Board of Directors is required by law, the record date for such purpose shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation in accordance with applicable law, and (ii) if prior action by the Board of Directors is required by law, the record date for such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

Section 2.14 Advance Notice of Shareholder Business .

(a) Only such business shall be conducted before a meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation as shall have been properly brought before such meeting. To be properly brought before an annual or special meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation, from and after the earlier to occur of (x) the date the Common Stock (as defined in the Articles of Incorporation) is listed on a national securities exchange in the United States (a “ Listing ”) or (y) the date of the consummation of the first public offering and sale of Common Stock (other than on Forms S-4 or S-8 or their equivalent) after the date hereof, pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time (an “ IPO ”), business must be: (i) with respect to any annual meeting, (A) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement or amendment thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors; (B) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors; or (C) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by any shareholder (1) who is a shareholder of record on the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 2.14 and on the record date for the determination of shareholders

 

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entitled to vote at such annual meeting and (2) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.14 ; and (ii) with respect to any special meeting, specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement or amendment thereto) given to the shareholders of the Corporation by the Board of Directors pursuant to and in accordance with Section 2.3 . For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions in this Section 2.14 shall not apply prior to completion of a Listing or an IPO.

(b) For such business to be considered properly brought before the meeting by a shareholder of the Corporation, such shareholder must, in addition to any other applicable requirements, have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary. To be timely with respect to any annual meeting, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary must be delivered to or mailed and received by the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation no fewer than ninety (90) and no more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the first (1st) anniversary of the immediately preceding annual meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation; provided , however , that in the event that no annual meeting was held in the previous year or the annual meeting is called for a date that is not within thirty (30) days before or after such anniversary date, notice by the shareholder to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which notice of the date of the annual meeting was mailed or public announcement of the date of the annual meeting was made, whichever occurs first. To be timely with respect to any special meeting, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary must be delivered or mailed and received by the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not less than sixty (60) days prior to the date of such meeting; provided , however , that in the event that less than seventy (70) days notice of the date of the meeting is given or made to shareholders, to be timely a shareholder’s notice must be delivered or mailed and received by the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the earlier of the day on which such notice or public announcement of the date of such special meeting is mailed or made (as applicable) by the Corporation. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an announced meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a shareholders notice as provided in this Section 2.14 .

(c) To be in proper written form, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary must set forth as to each matter such shareholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting: (i) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting; (ii) as to the shareholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made (A) the name and address of such shareholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and of such beneficial owner, (B) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are directly or indirectly (including through any derivative arrangement) owned (1) beneficially and (2) of record by such shareholder and by such beneficial owner, (C) a description of all arrangements or understandings between such shareholder or such beneficial owner and any other person or entity (including, without limitation, their names) in connection with the ownership of the capital stock of the Corporation and the proposal of such business by such shareholder and such beneficial owner, and any material interest (financial or otherwise) of such shareholder or such beneficial owner in such business, (D) whether either such shareholder or beneficial owner intends to deliver a form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s voting shares required under applicable law to approve the proposal and (E) if the Corporation is

 

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then subject to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act, any other information relating to such shareholder and beneficial owner, if any, required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with a solicitation of proxies for the proposal pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; and (iii) a representation that such shareholder is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to introduce the business specified in the notice. As used herein, shares “beneficially owned” by a person (and phrases of similar import) shall mean all shares which such person is deemed to beneficially own pursuant to Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, including, without limitation, shares which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other person with which such person has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of any shares of the capital stock of the Corporation.

(d) The chairman of a meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation shall determine and declare at such meeting whether the shareholder proposal was made in accordance with the terms of this Section 2.14 . If the chairman of the meeting determines that such proposal was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with the foregoing procedures, the chairman of the meeting shall declare to the meeting that the proposal was not properly brought before the meeting and the business of such proposal shall not be transacted.

(e) This provision shall not prevent the consideration and approval or disapproval at any annual or special meeting of reports of officers, directors and committees of the Board of Directors, but in connection with such reports, no new business shall be acted upon at such meeting unless stated, filed and received as herein provided.

(f) In addition, notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.14 to the contrary, a shareholder of the Corporation intending to nominate one or more persons for election as a director at an annual or special meeting of shareholders must comply with Section 2.15 of these bylaws for such nomination to be properly brought before such meeting.

(g) For purposes of this Section 2.14 , any adjournment(s) or postponement(s) of the original meeting whereby the meeting will reconvene within ninety (90) days from the original date shall be deemed for purposes of notice to be a continuation of the original meeting and no business may be brought before any such reconvened meeting unless pursuant to a notice of such business which was timely for the meeting and properly presented as determined as of the date originally scheduled.

Section 2.15 Advance Notice of Director Nominations .

(a) Unless otherwise required by applicable law or the Articles of Incorporation, from and after the date on which the Corporation completes a Listing or an IPO, only persons who are nominated in accordance with the following procedures shall be eligible for election as directors of the Corporation, except as may be otherwise provided in the instrument of designation of any series of preferred stock of the Corporation with respect to the right of holders of preferred stock of the Corporation to nominate and elect a specified number of directors of the Corporation, who shall be nominated as provided therein. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions in this Section 2.15 shall not apply prior to completion of a Listing or an IPO.

 

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(b) Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors shall be made only at an annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation called for the purpose of electing directors and must be (i) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement or amendment thereto) and (ii) made by (A) the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors (or at the direction thereof) or (B) made by any shareholder of the Corporation (1) who is a shareholder of record on the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 2.15 and on the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to vote at such meeting and (2) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.15 .

(c) In addition to any other applicable requirements, for a nomination to be made by a shareholder of the Corporation, such shareholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary. To be timely, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive office of the Corporation: (i) in the case of an annual meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation, no fewer than ninety (90) nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the first (1st) anniversary of the immediately preceding annual meeting; provided , however , that in the event that no annual meeting was held in the previous year or the annual meeting is called for a date that is not within thirty (30) days before or after such anniversary date, notice by the shareholder to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which notice of the date of the annual meeting was mailed or public announcement of the date of the annual meeting was made, whichever occurs first, and (ii) in the case of a special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation called for the purpose of electing directors, not less than sixty (60) days prior to the meeting; provided , however , that in the event that less than seventy (70) days notice of the date of the meeting is given or made to shareholders, notice by the shareholder to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the earlier of the day on which such notice or public announcement of the date of the meeting was mailed or made (as applicable). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the immediately preceding sentence, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased, a shareholder’s notice required by this Section 2.15 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase and only if otherwise timely notice of nomination for all other directorships was delivered by such shareholder in accordance with the requirements of the immediately preceding sentence, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which notice to the shareholders of the Corporation was given or public announcement was made by the Corporation naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increase in the number of directors to serve on the Board of Directors, even if such tenth (10th) day shall be later than the date for which a nomination would otherwise have been required to be delivered to be timely. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an announced meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a shareholders notice as provided in this Section 2.15 .

(d) To be in proper written form, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary

 

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pursuant to this Section 2.15 must set forth (i) as to each person whom the shareholder of the Corporation proposes to nominate for election as a director, (A) the name, age, business address, and residence address of such person, (B) the principal occupation or employment of the person, (C) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are directly or indirectly (including through any derivative arrangement) owned beneficially or of record by the person, and (D) any other information relating to the person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with a solicitation of proxies for an election of directors pursuant to the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder if the Corporation were a reporting company under the Exchange Act, and (ii) as to the shareholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the director nomination is made (A) the name and address of such shareholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and of such beneficial owner; (B) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned (1) beneficially and (2) of record by such shareholder and by such beneficial owner, (C) a description of all arrangements or understandings between such shareholder or such beneficial owner and any other person or entity (including, without limitation, their names) in connection with the ownership of the capital stock of the Corporation and the nomination of such nominee(s), and any material interest of such shareholder or such beneficial owner in such nomination(s), (D) whether either such shareholder or beneficial owner intends to deliver a form of proxy to holders of the Corporation’s voting shares to elect such nominee or nominees, (E) a representation that the shareholder giving the notice is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and that such shareholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the persons named in its notice and (F) if the Corporation is then subject to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act, any other information relating to such shareholder and beneficial owner, if any, required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with a solicitation of proxies for an election of directors pursuant to the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Such notice must be accompanied by a written consent of each proposed nominee to be named as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected. The Corporation may require any nominee to furnish such other information (which may include meeting to discuss the information) as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation.

(e) If the chairman of a meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation determines that a nomination was not made in accordance with the foregoing procedures, the chairman of the meeting shall declare to the meeting that the nomination was defective and such defective nomination shall be disregarded.

(f) Nothing in this Section 2.15 shall be deemed to affect any rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock of the Corporation to elect directors pursuant to any applicable provisions of the Articles of Incorporation.

Section 2.16 Action Without a Meeting . Until the date on which the Corporation completes a Listing or an IPO, any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock of the Corporation having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a

 

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meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the Commonwealth of Virginia, its principal place of business, or to an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of shareholders are recorded. Following the date on which the Corporation completes a Listing or an IPO, any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by all the holders of outstanding stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon.

ARTICLE III

DIRECTORS

Section 3.1 General Powers . All corporate powers shall be exercised by or under the authority of, and the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed under the direction of, the Board of Directors. In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon it by these bylaws, the Board of Directors shall exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by law or any other legal agreement among shareholders of the Corporation, by the Articles of Incorporation, or by these bylaws directed or required to be exercised or done by the shareholders of the Corporation.

Section 3.2 Number and Election .

(a) The total number of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors shall be not less than one (1) nor more than fifteen (15). Subject to the limits specified in the immediately preceding sentence, the exact number of directors shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Corporation; provided , however , that in no case will a decrease in the number of directors have the effect of removing or shortening the term of any incumbent director.

(b) Except as provided in Section 3.6 of these bylaws, a plurality of the votes cast at any annual meeting of shareholders of the Corporation or any special meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation properly called for the purpose of electing directors shall elect directors of the Corporation. Except as otherwise set forth in the instrument of designation of any class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation, no shareholder of the Corporation shall be entitled to cumulate votes on behalf of any candidate at any election of directors of the Corporation.

(c) All elections of directors of the Corporation shall be by written ballot, unless otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation or authorized by the Board of Directors from time to time. If authorized by the Board of Directors, such requirement of a written ballot shall be satisfied by a ballot submitted by electronic transmission; provided , however , that any such electronic transmission must be either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized.

Section 3.3 Term of Office . The term of office of directors shall expire at each annual meeting of shareholders, and in all cases as to each director until his or her successor shall be duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation, removal from office, death or incapacity.

 

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Section 3.4 Removal . Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of shares of any class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation then outstanding to remove directors as set forth in the instrument of designation of such preferred stock applicable thereto, any director or the entire Board of Directors of the Corporation may be removed from office, with or without cause, upon the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the total voting power of all the shares of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

Section 3.5 Resignation . Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation. Any resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or, if the time when it shall become effective is not specified therein, immediately upon receipt. Unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of any such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.

Section 3.6 Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships . Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of shares of any class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation then outstanding to designate a director to fill a vacancy as set forth in the instrument of designation of such preferred stock applicable thereto, any vacancy on the Board of Directors resulting from any death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office, or newly created directorship resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or otherwise shall be filled only by the Board of Directors, acting by a majority of the remaining directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director and not by the shareholders. A director elected to fill a vacancy shall hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of shareholders and until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.

Section 3.7 Chairman of the Board of Directors . The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall be chosen from among the directors by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Any director elected as Chairman in accordance with this Section 3.7 shall hold such office until such director’s earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office or the election of any successor by the Board of Directors from time to time. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall preside at all meetings of the shareholders of the Corporation and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties (including, without limitation, as applicable, as an officer of the Corporation) as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or provided in these bylaws.

Section 3.8 Meetings . Meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such dates, times and places (if any) and/or by means of remote communication (if any) as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors or as may be specified in a notice regarding a meeting of the Board of Directors. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or President of the Corporation, or not less than a majority of the members of the Board of Directors and shall be called by the President or the Secretary if directed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or President of the Corporation or not less than a majority of the members of the Board of Directors.

 

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Section 3.9 Conduct of Meetings .

(a) Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be presided over by the chairman of the meeting, who shall be the Chairman of the Board of Directors or, in the discretion of the Board of Directors, such director as a majority of the directors present at such meeting shall appoint.

(b) The Board of Directors shall be entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of the Board of Directors as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient.

Section 3.10 Notice .

(a) Unless the Articles of Incorporation provides otherwise, (i) regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice of the date, time, place or purpose of the meeting at any date, time and place (if any) and/or means of remote communication (if any), as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors, and (ii) unless waived by each of the directors entitled to notice thereof, special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be preceded by at least twenty-four (24) hours notice of the date, time and place (if any) and/or means of remote communication (if any). Any notice of a special or regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be given to each director orally (either in person or by telephone), in writing (either by hand delivery, mail, courier or facsimile), or by electronic or other means of remote communication, in each case, directed to each director at that director’s address, telephone number, facsimile number or electronic mail address, as the case may be, as shown on the Corporation’s records. Any oral notice may be communicated either to the director or to a person at the office of the director who the person giving notice has reason to believe will promptly communicate such notice to the director. If the notice is: (i) delivered personally by hand, by courier, or orally by telephone or otherwise, (ii) sent by facsimile or (iii) sent by electronic mail, it shall be delivered or sent at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by United States mail or courier service, it shall be deposited in the United States mail or with the courier at least three (3) business days before the time of the holding of the meeting.

(b) Whenever notice is required to be given under any provisions of the VSCA, the Articles of Incorporation or these bylaws, a written waiver thereof, signed by the director entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the Board of Directors or committee thereof need be specified in any waiver of notice of such meeting.

(c) Attendance of a director at a meeting of the Board of Directors shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the director attends for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Such director shall be conclusively presumed to

 

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have assented to any action taken at any such meeting unless his or her dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless his or her written dissent to such action shall be filed with the person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall be forwarded by registered mail to the Secretary immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to any member who voted in favor of such action. Participation by means of remote communication, including, without limitation, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, shall constitute attendance in person at the meeting.

Section 3.11 Quorum and Adjournment . A majority of the total number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the Board of Directors, except as otherwise provided by law or by the Articles of Incorporation or these bylaws. If a quorum is not present, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or a majority of the directors present at the meeting may adjourn the meeting to another date, time and place (if any) and/or means of remote communications (if any). When a quorum is once present to commence a meeting of the Board of Directors, it is not broken by the subsequent withdrawal of any directors. At any adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally called.

Section 3.12 Vote Required . Subject to the Articles of Incorporation, these bylaws, the VSCA and the rights, if any, of those directors who may be elected by the holders of any class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation as set forth in the instrument of designation of such preferred stock, the act by affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present at a meeting of the Board of Directors at which there is a quorum shall be an act of the Board of Directors.

Section 3.13 Minutes . The Secretary shall act as secretary of all meetings of the Board of Directors but in the absence of the secretary, the Chairman of the Board of Directors may appoint any other person present to act as secretary of the meeting. The secretary of the meeting shall keep the minutes thereof. Minutes of any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors shall be prepared and distributed to each director.

Section 3.14 Board Action by Written Consent Without a Meeting . Unless otherwise restricted by the Articles of Incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors, or such committee, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing(s) or electronic transmission(s) reasonably describe the action taken and are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors.

Section 3.15 Committees .

(a) The Board of Directors may by resolution create one or more committees (and thereafter, by resolution, dissolve any such committee). Each such committee shall consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation who serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. Committee members may be removed, with or without cause, at any time by resolution of the Board of Directors and may resign from a committee at any time upon written

 

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notice to the Corporation. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee to replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member.

(b) Any such committee, to the extent provided in these bylaws or in a resolution of the Board of Directors establishing such committee, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it, to the extent permitted under applicable law. Any duly authorized action and otherwise proper action of a committee of the Board of Directors shall be deemed an action of the Board of Directors for purposes of these bylaws unless the context of these bylaws shall expressly state otherwise.

(c) Each committee of the Board of Directors shall keep minutes of its meetings and shall report its proceedings to the Board of Directors when requested or required by the Board of Directors.

(d) Meetings and actions of committees of the Board of Directors shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of Section 3.8 , Section 3.9 , Section 3.10 , Section 3.11 , Section 3.12 and Section 3.14 of these bylaws, with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board of Directors and its directors and, if there shall be a chairman of the committee, the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the chairman of the committee; provided , however , that: (i) the time of regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the Board of Directors or by resolution of the committee; (ii) special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board of Directors; and (iii) notice of special meetings of committees shall also be given to all alternate members, who shall have the right to attend all meetings of the committee. The Board of Directors may adopt other rules for the government of any committee not inconsistent with the provisions of these bylaws. Each committee of the Board of Directors may fix its own rules of procedure not inconsistent with the provisions of these bylaws or the rules of such committee adopted by the Board of Directors and shall hold its meetings as provided by such rules, except as may otherwise be provided by a resolution of the Board of Directors designating such committee or as provided in these bylaws.

Section 3.16 Compensation . The Board of Directors, irrespective of any personal interest of any of its members, may establish reasonable compensation of all directors for services to the Corporation as directors, officers, or otherwise, or may delegate such authority to an appropriate committee. Such compensation may be comprised of cash, property, stock, options to acquire stock, or such other assets, benefits or consideration as such directors shall deem, in the exercise of their sole discretion, to be reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances. The Board of Directors also shall have authority to provide for or delegate an authority to an appropriate committee to provide for reasonable pensions, disability or death benefits, and other benefits or payments, to directors, officers, and employees and to their families, dependents, estates, or beneficiaries on account of prior services rendered to the Corporation by such directors, officers, and employees.

 

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Section 3.17 Corporate Governance . Without otherwise limiting the powers of the Board of Directors set forth in this Article III, if shares of capital stock of the Corporation are listed for trading on either the Nasdaq Stock Market (“NASDAQ”) or the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), the Corporation shall comply with the corporate governance rules and requirements of the NASDAQ or the NYSE, as applicable.

ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS

Section 4.1 Officers . The officers of the Corporation shall be a Chief Executive Officer, a Chief Financial Officer, one or more Presidents (at the discretion of the Board of Directors), a Treasurer, a Secretary and a Controller. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, one or more Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Treasurers, one or more Assistant Secretaries, and any such other officers as may be appointed from time to time in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. In addition, the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall exercise powers and perform such other duties as an officer of the Corporation as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors. Unless the Articles of Incorporation or these bylaws otherwise provide, any number of offices may be held by the same person; provided that the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors shall not be held by the Chief Executive Officer. In its discretion, the Board of Directors may choose not to fill any office for any period as it may deem advisable, except as required by law. The officers of the Corporation need not be shareholders of the Corporation nor, other than the Chairman of the Board of Directors, directors of the Corporation.

Section 4.2 Election of Officers . The Board of Directors shall elect the officers of the Corporation, except such officers as may be elected in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.3 of these bylaws, and subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any employment contract. Each officer shall hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. A failure to elect officers shall not dissolve or otherwise affect the Corporation. Vacancies may be filled or new offices created and filled by the Board of Directors.

Section 4.3 Appointment of Subordinate Officers . The Board of Directors may appoint, or empower the Chief Executive Officer and/or one or more Presidents of the Corporation to appoint, such other officers and agents as the business of the Corporation may require. Each of such officers and agents shall hold office for such period, have such authority, and perform such duties as are provided in these bylaws or as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine.

Section 4.4 Removal and Resignation .

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any employment agreement, any officer of the Corporation may be removed at any time (i) by the Board of Directors, with or without cause, and (ii) by any other officer of the Corporation upon whom the Board of Directors has

 

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expressly conferred the authority to remove another officer, in such case on the terms and subject to the conditions upon which such authority was conferred upon such officer. No elected officer shall have any contractual rights against the Corporation for compensation by virtue of such election beyond the date of the election of his successor, his death, his resignation or his removal from office, whichever event shall first occur, except as otherwise provided in an employment contract or under an employee deferred compensation plan or as otherwise required by law.

(b) Any officer may resign at any time by giving written or electronic notice to the Corporation. Any resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or, if the time when it shall become effective is not specified therein, immediately upon receipt. Unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of any such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.

Section 4.5 Vacancies . Any vacancy occurring in any office because of death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or otherwise may be filled as provided in Section 4.2 and/or Section 4.3 of these bylaws.

Section 4.6 Chief Executive Officer . Subject to the powers of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer shall be responsible for the general management of the business, affairs and property of the Corporation and control over its officers, agents and employees, and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. The Chief Executive Officer shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or these bylaws.

Section 4.7 Chief Financial Officer . Subject to the powers of the Board of Directors, the Chief Financial Officer shall have the responsibility for the financial affairs of the Corporation and shall exercise supervisory responsibility for the performance of the duties of the Treasurer and the Controller of the Corporation. The Chief Financial Officer shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or these bylaws.

Section 4.8 President . The President(s) of the Corporation, subject to the powers of the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer, shall act in general executive capacity, subject to the supervision and control of the Board of Directors. The President(s) shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or these bylaws.

Section 4.9 Vice President . The Vice President(s) shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President(s) or these bylaws.

Section 4.10 Treasurer . The Treasurer shall: (i) have the custody of the corporate funds and securities; (ii) keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements of the Corporation in books belonging to the Corporation; (iii) cause all monies and other valuable effects of the Corporation to be deposited in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such banks as may be authorized by the Board of Directors; and (iv) cause the funds of the Corporation to be disbursed when such disbursements have been duly authorized, taking proper

 

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vouchers for such disbursements. The Treasurer shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer or these bylaws.

Section 4.11 Secretary . The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the shareholders and record all votes and the minutes of all proceedings in a book to be kept for that purpose. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the shareholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors and, when appropriate, shall cause the corporate seal to be affixed to any instruments executed on behalf of the Corporation. The Secretary shall also perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President(s) or these bylaws.

Section 4.12 Assistant Treasurers . The Assistant Treasurer, or if there shall be more than one, the Assistant Treasurers in the order determined by the Board of Directors, shall, in the absence or disability of the Treasurer, perform the duties and functions, exercise the powers and be subject to all of the restrictions of the Treasurer. The Assistant Treasurer(s) shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or these bylaws.

Section 4.13 Assistant Secretaries . The Assistant Secretary, or if there shall be more than one, the Assistant Secretaries in the order determined by the Board of Directors, shall, in the absence or disability of the Secretary, perform the duties and functions, exercise the powers and be subject to all of the restrictions of the Secretary. The Assistant Secretary(ies) shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the Secretary or these bylaws.

Section 4.14 Controller . The Controller shall keep full and accurate account of receipts and disbursements in the books of the Corporation and render to the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the President or Chief Financial Officer, whenever requested, an account of all his transactions as Controller and of the financial condition of the Corporation. The Controller shall also perform all duties incident to the office of Controller and such other duties as may be assigned to him by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Financial Officer or these bylaws.

Section 4.15 Delegation of Duties . In the absence, disability or refusal of any officer of the Corporation to exercise and perform his or her duties, the Board of Directors may by resolution delegate the powers and duties of such officer to any other officer or to any director, or to any other person whom it may select.

ARTICLE V

STOCK

Section 5.1 Stock Certificates . The shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates; provided , however , that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution that shares of some or all of any or all classes or series of stock of the Corporation shall be uncertificated and shall not be represented by certificates. Any such resolution by the

 

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Board of Directors shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation. Certificates representing shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be issued in such form as may be approved by the Board of Directors and shall be signed by (i) the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a President or a Vice President and (ii) the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, stating thereon the information required by law; provided , that in the case of uncertificated shares, a notice shall be sent to the registered owner thereof as required by Section 13.1-648 of the VSCA, if applicable. The name of the person or entity to whom the shares are issued, with the number of shares and date of issue, shall be entered on the books of the Corporation.

Section 5.2 Facsimile Signatures . Any and all of the signatures on a certificate representing shares of the Corporation may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

Section 5.3 Special Designations of Shares . If the Corporation is authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, (a) to the extent the shares are represented by certificates, the powers, designations, preferences, and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock; provided , however , that, except as otherwise required by law (including, without limitation, Section 13.1-647 of the VSCA), in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face or back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each shareholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences, and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights; and (b) to the extent the shares are uncertificated, within a reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of uncertificated shares, the Corporation shall send or cause to be sent to the registered owner thereof a written notice containing the information required to be set forth or stated on certificates pursuant to applicable provisions in the VSCA or a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each shareholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences, and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.

Section 5.4 Transfers of Stock .

(a) Shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall only be transferred on the books of the Corporation by the holder of record thereof or by such holder’s attorney or legal representative duly authorized in writing and, if the shares are represented by certificates, upon surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates for such shares endorsed by the appropriate person or persons, with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement, transfer, authorization and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. For shares of the Corporation’s capital

 

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stock represented by certificates, it shall be the duty of the Corporation to issue a new certificate to the person or entity entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate or certificates and record the transaction on its books. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing from and to whom transferred.

(b) The Board of Directors shall have power and authority to make such other rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or proper concerning the issue, transfer and registration of certificates for shares of capital stock of the Corporation.

(c) The Board of Directors shall have the authority to appoint one or more banks or trust companies organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof to act as its transfer agent or agents or registrar or registrars, or both, in connection with the transfer or registration of any class or series of securities of the Corporation, and may require stock certificates to be countersigned or registered by one or more of such transfer agents and/or registrars.

(d) The Corporation shall have the authority to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of shareholders of any one or more classes or series of capital stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of capital stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes or series owned by such shareholders in any manner permitted by the VSCA.

Section 5.5 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates . The Board of Directors may direct a new certificate or certificates representing one or more shares of capital stock of the Corporation or uncertificated shares to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates previously issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person or entity claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed or may otherwise require production of such evidence of such loss, theft or destruction as the Board of Directors may in its discretion require. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, when authorizing such issue of a new certificate or certificates or such uncertificated shares, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate or certificates, or such owner’s duly authorized attorney or legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against the Corporation on account of the loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate.

Section 5.6 Dividend Record Date . In order that the Corporation may determine the shareholders of the Corporation entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or the shareholders entitled to exercise any rights of change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purposes of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall be determined in the manner set forth in Section 2.13 of these bylaws.

Section 5.7 Registered Shareholders . The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person or entity registered on its books as the owner of shares of capital stock of the Corporation to receive dividends, to vote, to receive notifications and otherwise to

 

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exercise all the rights and powers of an owner of such shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person or entity, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise required by law.

ARTICLE VI

INDEMNIFICATION

The Corporation shall indemnify any Indemnitee (as defined in the Articles of Incorporation) as set forth in the Articles of Incorporation.

ARTICLE VII

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 7.1 Reliance on Books and Records . Each director of the Corporation, each member of any committee of the Board of Directors and each officer of the Corporation shall, in the performance of his or her duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Corporation and upon such information, opinions, reports or documents presented to the Corporation by any of its officers or employees, or committees of the Board of Directors so designated, or by any other person or entity as to matters which such director or committee member reasonably believes are within such other person’s or entity’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Corporation.

Section 7.2 Dividends . Dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation, subject to the requirements of the VSCA and the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, may be declared by the Board of Directors from time to time at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the capital stock, or in any combination thereof. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board of Directors from time to time, in its absolute discretion, deems proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for purchasing any of the shares of capital stock, warrants, rights, options, bonds, debentures, notes, scrip or other securities or evidences of indebtedness of the Corporation, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or for any other proper purpose. The Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.

Section 7.3 Corporate Funds; Checks, Drafts or Orders; Deposits . The funds of the Corporation shall be kept in such depositories as shall from time to time be prescribed by the Board of Directors. All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money by or to the Corporation and all notes and other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer, officers, agent or agents of the Corporation, and in such manner, as shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors from time to time. All funds of the Corporation shall be deposited to the credit of the Corporation under such conditions and in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Board of Directors may designate or as may be designated by an officer or officers or agent or agents of the Corporation to whom such power may, from time to time, be determined by the Board of Directors.

 

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Section 7.4 Execution of Contracts and Other Instruments . The Board of Directors, except as otherwise required by law, may authorize from time to time any officer or agent of the Corporation to enter into any contract or to execute and deliver any other instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Unless otherwise specifically determined by the Board of Directors or otherwise required by law, formal contracts, promissory notes and other evidences of indebtedness, deeds of trust, mortgages and corporate instruments or documents requiring the corporate seal, and certificates for shares of stock owned by the Corporation shall be executed, signed or endorsed by any President (or any Vice President) and by the Secretary (or any Assistant Secretary) or the Treasurer (or any Assistant Treasurer). The Board of Directors may, however, authorize any one of these officers to sign any of such instruments, for and on behalf of the Corporation, without necessity of countersignature; may designate officers or employees of the Corporation, other than those named above, who may, in the name of the Corporation, sign such instruments; and may authorize the use of facsimile signatures for any of such persons. No officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for damages, whether monetary or otherwise, for any purpose or for any amount except as specifically authorized in these bylaws or by the Board of Directors or an officer or committee with the power to grant such authority.

Section 7.5 Signatures . In addition to the provisions for use of facsimile signatures elsewhere specifically authorized in these bylaws, facsimile or electronic signatures of any director or officer of the Corporation may be used whenever the signature of a director or officer of the Corporation shall be required, except as otherwise required by law or as directed by the Board of Directors from time to time.

Section 7.6 Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed, and once fixed, may thereafter be changed from time to time, by the Board of Directors.

Section 7.7 Corporate Seal . The Board of Directors may provide a corporate seal which shall be in the form of a circle and shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its incorporation and the words “Corporate Seal, Virginia.” The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.

Section 7.8 Voting Securities Owned By the Corporation . Powers of attorney, proxies, waivers of notice of meeting, consents, and other instruments relating to securities owned by the Corporation may be executed in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation by the Chief Executive Officer, the President, Treasurer or Secretary, any Vice President, Assistant Treasurer or Assistant Secretary, or any other officer of the Corporation authorized to do so by the Board of Directors. Any such officer may, in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, take all such action as any such officer may deem advisable to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of security holders of any corporation or other entity in which the Corporation may own securities, and at any such meeting shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and power incident to the ownership of such securities and which, as the owner thereof, the Corporation might have possessed and exercised if present.

 

- 24 -


Section 7.9 Section Headings . Section headings in these bylaws are for convenience of reference only and shall not be given any substantive effect in limiting or otherwise construing any provision herein.

Section 7.10 Inconsistent Provisions . In the event that any provision of these bylaws is or becomes inconsistent with any provision of the Articles of Incorporation, the VSCA, or any other applicable law, the provision of these bylaws shall not be given any effect to the extent of such inconsistency but shall otherwise be given full force and effect.

ARTICLE VIII

AMENDMENTS

Section 8.1 Amendments . In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by law, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized and empowered to amend and repeal these bylaws and adopt new bylaws, subject to the power of the shareholders of the Corporation to adopt, amend or repeal any of these bylaws. Notwithstanding any other provision of these bylaws or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any series of preferred stock of the Corporation required by law, by the Articles of Incorporation or by any instrument designating any class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the total voting power of the shares of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the shareholders of the Corporation to alter, amend or repeal, or adopt any provision inconsistent with, the provisions of these bylaws.

*         *     *     *

 

- 25 -

Exhibit 10.1

Deal Published CUSIP Number: 70788HAG8

Facility Published CUSIP Number: 70788HAH6

 

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of September 12, 2016,

Among

PENN VIRGINIA HOLDING CORP.,

as Borrower,

PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION,

as Holdings,

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Administrative Agent and Issuing Lender,

and

THE LENDERS NAMED HEREIN

as Lenders

$200,000,000

 

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

     1   

Section 1.01

 

Certain Defined Terms

     1   

Section 1.02

 

Computation of Time Periods

     34   

Section 1.03

 

Accounting Terms; Changes in GAAP

     34   

Section 1.04

 

Types of Advances

     34   

Section 1.05

 

UCC Terms

     34   

Section 1.06

 

Rounding

     34   

Section 1.07

 

Letter of Credit Amounts

     35   

Section 1.08

 

Guarantees

     35   

Section 1.09

 

Miscellaneous

     35   

ARTICLE II

 

CREDIT FACILITIES

     35   

Section 2.01

 

Commitment for Advances

     35   

Section 2.02

 

Borrowing Base

     36   

Section 2.03

 

Method of Borrowing

     40   

Section 2.04

 

Termination and Reduction of the Commitments; Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts

     42   

Section 2.05

 

Prepayment of Advances

     43   

Section 2.06

 

Repayment of Advances

     45   

Section 2.07

 

Letters of Credit

     45   

Section 2.08

 

Fees

     52   

Section 2.09

 

Interest

     53   

Section 2.10

 

Illegality

     53   

Section 2.11

 

Breakage Costs

     54   

Section 2.12

 

Increased Costs

     54   

Section 2.13

 

Payments and Computations

     56   

Section 2.14

 

Taxes

     57   

Section 2.15

 

Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

     60   

Section 2.16

 

Defaulting Lender

     61   

ARTICLE III

 

CONDITIONS

     63   

Section 3.01

 

Conditions to Closing and Initial Borrowing

     63   

Section 3.02

 

Conditions Precedent to All Borrowings

     68   


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

ARTICLE IV

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     69   

Section 4.01

 

Existence; Subsidiaries

     69   

Section 4.02

 

Power; No Conflicts

     69   

Section 4.03

 

Authorization and Approvals

     69   

Section 4.04

 

Enforceable Obligations

     70   

Section 4.05

 

Financial Condition and Financial Statements

     70   

Section 4.06

 

True and Complete Disclosure

     70   

Section 4.07

 

Litigation; Compliance with Laws

     71   

Section 4.08

 

Use of Proceeds

     71   

Section 4.09

 

Investment Company Act

     71   

Section 4.10

 

Taxes

     71   

Section 4.11

 

ERISA and Employee Matters

     72   

Section 4.12

 

Condition and Maintenance of Property; Casualties

     72   

Section 4.13

 

Compliance with Agreements; No Defaults

     72   

Section 4.14

 

Environmental Condition

     73   

Section 4.15

 

Permits, Licenses, Etc.

     73   

Section 4.16

 

Gas Imbalances, Prepayments

     73   

Section 4.17

 

Marketing of Production

     74   

Section 4.18

 

Restriction on Liens

     74   

Section 4.19

 

Solvency

     74   

Section 4.20

 

Hedging Agreements

     74   

Section 4.21

 

Insurance

     74   

Section 4.22

 

Anti-Corruption Laws; Sanctions; Patriot Act

     74   

Section 4.23

 

Oil and Gas Properties

     74   

Section 4.24

 

Line of Business; Foreign Operations

     76   

Section 4.25

 

Fiscal Year

     76   

Section 4.26

 

Location of Business and Offices

     76   

Section 4.27

 

Intellectual Property

     76   

Section 4.28

 

Senior Debt Status

     76   

ARTICLE V

 

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

     76   

Section 5.01

 

Compliance with Laws, Etc.

     76   

 

-ii-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

Section 5.02

 

Maintenance of Insurance

     77   

Section 5.03

 

Preservation of Corporate Existence, Etc.

     77   

Section 5.04

 

Payment of Taxes, Etc.

     78   

Section 5.05

 

Visitation Rights; Periodic Meetings

     78   

Section 5.06

 

Reporting Requirements

     78   

Section 5.07

 

Maintenance of Property

     82   

Section 5.08

 

Agreement to Pledge; Guaranty

     82   

Section 5.09

 

Use of Proceeds

     83   

Section 5.10

 

Title Evidence and Opinions

     83   

Section 5.11

 

Further Assurances; Cure of Title Defects

     84   

Section 5.12

 

Operation and Maintenance of Oil and Gas Properties

     84   

Section 5.13

 

Anti-Corruption Laws; Sanctions

     85   

Section 5.14

 

Reserved

     85   

Section 5.15

 

Environmental Matters

     85   

Section 5.16

 

ERISA Compliance

     85   

ARTICLE VI

 

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

     86   

Section 6.01

 

Liens, Etc.

     86   

Section 6.02

 

Indebtedness, Guarantees, and Other Obligations

     88   

Section 6.03

 

Agreements Restricting Liens and Distributions

     89   

Section 6.04

 

Merger or Consolidation; Asset Sales

     89   

Section 6.05

 

Restricted Payments

     91   

Section 6.06

 

Investments

     91   

Section 6.07

 

Acquisitions

     92   

Section 6.08

 

Affiliate Transactions

     92   

Section 6.09

 

Compliance with ERISA

     92   

Section 6.10

 

Sale-and-Leaseback

     92   

Section 6.11

 

Change of Business; Foreign Operations or Subsidiaries

     92   

Section 6.12

 

Name Change

     93   

Section 6.13

 

Use of Proceeds; Letters of Credit

     93   

Section 6.14

 

Gas Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments

     93   

Section 6.15

 

Hedging Limitations

     93   

 

-iii-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

Section 6.16

 

Additional Subsidiaries

     95   

Section 6.17

 

Financial Covenants

     95   

Section 6.18

 

Reserved

     95   

Section 6.19

 

Fiscal Year; Fiscal Quarter

     95   

Section 6.20

 

Limitation on Operating Leases

     95   

Section 6.21

 

Prepayment of Certain Debt and Other Obligations

     96   

Section 6.22

 

Passive Holding Company

     96   

Section 6.23

 

Environmental Matters

     96   

Section 6.24

 

Marketing Activities

     96   

Section 6.25

 

Sale or Discount of Receivables

     97   

Section 6.26

 

Deposit Accounts; Securities Accounts

     97   

ARTICLE VII

 

EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

     97   

Section 7.01

 

Events of Default

     97   

Section 7.02

 

Optional Acceleration of Maturity

     99   

Section 7.03

 

Automatic Acceleration of Maturity

     99   

Section 7.04

 

Right of Set-off

     100   

Section 7.05

 

Non-exclusivity of Remedies

     100   

Section 7.06

 

Application of Proceeds

     100   

ARTICLE VIII

 

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND THE ISSUING LENDER

     102   

Section 8.01

 

Appointment and Authority

     102   

Section 8.02

 

Rights as a Lender

     102   

Section 8.03

 

Exculpatory Provisions

     102   

Section 8.04

 

Reliance by Administrative Agent and Issuing Lender

     103   

Section 8.05

 

Delegation of Duties

     104   

Section 8.06

 

Resignation of Agent or Issuing Lender

     104   

Section 8.07

 

Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders

     105   

Section 8.08

 

No Other Duties, etc.

     105   

Section 8.09

 

Indemnification

     105   

Section 8.10

 

Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim

     107   

Section 8.11

 

Collateral and Guaranty Matters

     107   

Section 8.12

 

Credit Bidding

     108   

 

-iv-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

ARTICLE IX

 

MISCELLANEOUS

     109   

Section 9.01

 

Costs and Expenses

     109   

Section 9.02

 

Indemnification; Waiver of Damages

     109   

Section 9.03

 

Waivers and Amendments

     111   

Section 9.04

 

Severability

     112   

Section 9.05

 

Survival of Representations and Obligations

     112   

Section 9.06

 

Binding Effect

     113   

Section 9.07

 

Successors and Assigns

     113   

Section 9.08

 

Confidentiality

     116   

Section 9.09

 

Notices, Etc

     117   

Section 9.10

 

Usury Not Intended

     118   

Section 9.11

 

Usury Recapture

     119   

Section 9.12

 

Payments Set Aside

     119   

Section 9.13

 

Performance of Duties

     120   

Section 9.14

 

All Powers Coupled with Interest

     120   

Section 9.15

 

Governing Law

     120   

Section 9.16

 

Submission to Jurisdiction; Service of Process

     121   

Section 9.17

 

Waiver of Venue

     121   

Section 9.18

 

Execution in Counterparts; Electronic Execution

     121   

Section 9.19

 

Keepwell

     121   

Section 9.20

 

Independent Effect of Covenants

     122   

Section 9.21

 

USA Patriot Act

     122   

Section 9.22

 

Flood Insurance Regulations

     122   

Section 9.23

 

NON-RELIANCE

     122   

Section 9.24

 

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

     122   

Section 9.25

 

Reversal of Payments

     123   

Section 9.26

 

Injunctive Relief

     123   

Section 9.27

 

No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility

     123   

Section 9.28

 

Inconsistencies with Other Documents

     124   

Section 9.29

 

Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions

     124   

Section 9.30

 

ORAL AGREEMENTS

     125   

 

-v-


SCHEDULES:

 

Schedule I

   -       Pricing Grid

Schedule II

   -       Notice Information and Commitments

Schedule 1.01(a)

   -       Existing Letters of Credit

Schedule 1.01(b)

   -       Plan of Reorganization

Schedule 1.01(c)

   -       RSA

Schedule 3.01(r)

   -       Restructuring Term Sheet

Schedule 4.01

   -       Subsidiaries of Borrower

Schedule 4.07

   -       Litigation

Schedule 4.20

   -       Hedging Contracts

Schedule 4.23

   -       Back-In and Reversionary Interests

Schedule 4.26

   -       Principal Business and Chief Executive Office
EXHIBITS:

Exhibit A

   -       Form of Assignment and Acceptance

Exhibit B

   -       Form of Compliance Certificate

Exhibit C

   -       Form of Guaranty

Exhibit D-1

   -       Form of Texas Deed of Trust

Exhibit D-2

   -       Form of Oklahoma Mortgage

Exhibit E

   -       Form of Note

Exhibit F

   -       Form of Notice of Borrowing

Exhibit G

   -       Form of Notice of Conversion or Continuation

Exhibit H

   -       Form of Pledge and Security Agreement

Exhibit I

   -       Form of Transfer Letters

Exhibit J-1

   -       Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

Exhibit J-2

   -       Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

Exhibit J-3

   -       Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

Exhibit J-4

   -       Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

Exhibit K

   -       Form of Solvency Certificate

 

-vi-


CREDIT AGREEMENT

This Credit Agreement dated as of September 12, 2016, is among Penn Virginia Holding Corp., a Delaware corporation (“ Borrower ”), Penn Virginia Corporation, a Virginia corporation (“ Holdings ”), the lenders party hereto from time to time (the “ Lenders ”), and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent for such Lenders (in such capacity, the “ Administrative Agent ”) and as issuing lender for such Lenders (in such capacity, the “ Issuing Lender ”).

The parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

Section 1.01 Certain Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the terms defined above shall have the meanings set forth therein and the following terms shall have the following meanings (unless otherwise indicated, such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

Acceptable Accountant ” means (a) Deloitte Touche Tohamtsu, (b) Ernst & Young, (c) KPMG, (d) PricewaterhouseCoopers, and (d) such other independent certified public accountants reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

Acceptable Letter of Credit Maturity Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.07 hereof.

Acceptable Security Interest ” in any Property means a Lien which (a) exists in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, (b) is superior to all Liens or rights of any other Person in the Property encumbered thereby, other than Permitted Subject Liens, (c) secures the Secured Obligations, (d) is enforceable, except as such enforceability may be limited by any applicable Debtor Relief Laws, and (e) other than as to Excluded Perfection Collateral, is perfected.

Account Control Agreement ” shall mean, as to any deposit account or security account of any Loan Party held with a bank or other financial institution, an agreement or agreements in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, among the Loan Party owning such deposit account or security account, as applicable, the Administrative Agent, and such other bank or financial institution governing such deposit account or security account, as applicable.

Acquisition ” means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, consummated on or after the date of this Agreement, by which any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries (a) acquires any going business or all or substantially all of the assets of any Person, or division thereof, whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise or (b) directly or indirectly acquires (in one transaction or as the most recent transaction in a series of transactions) at least a majority (by percentage or voting power) of, or a Control Percentage of, the Voting Securities of a Person.

Additional Trigger ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(b)(i).

Adjusted EBITDAX ” means (a) for the calculations to be made for the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2016, consolidated EBITDAX of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal quarter multiplied by four; (b) for the calculations to be made for the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2017, consolidated EBITDAX of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the two-fiscal quarter period then ended multiplied by two; (c) for the calculations to be made for the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2017, consolidated EBITDAX of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the three-fiscal quarter period then ended multiplied by 4/3; and (d) for the calculations to be made for each fiscal quarter ending on or after December 31, 2017, consolidated EBITDAX of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the four-fiscal quarter period then ended.


Adjusted Interest Expense ” means (a) for the calculations to be made for the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2016, consolidated Interest Expense of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal quarter multiplied by four; (b) for the calculations to be made for the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2017, consolidated Interest Expense of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the two-fiscal quarter period then ended multiplied by two; (c) for the calculations to be made for the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2017, consolidated Interest Expense of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the three-fiscal quarter period then ended multiplied by 4/3; and (d) for the calculations to be made for each fiscal quarter ending on or after December 31, 2017, consolidated Interest Expense of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the four-fiscal quarter period then ended.

Adjusted Reference Rate ” means, for any day, the fluctuating rate per annum of interest equal to the greatest of (a) the Reference Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Federal Funds Rate in effect on such day plus  1 2 of 1% and (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus 1.00%; provided , that in no event shall the Adjusted Reference Rate be less than 0.00%. Any change in the Adjusted Reference Rate due to a change in the Reference Rate, Eurodollar Rate or Federal Funds Rate shall be effective on the effective date of such change in the Reference Rate, Eurodollar Rate or Federal Funds Rate.

Administrative Agent ” means Wells Fargo, in its capacity as administrative agent pursuant to Article VIII until its resignation or removal, and any successor administrative agent appointed pursuant to Section 8.06.

Administrative Questionnaire ” means an administrative questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent or such other form provided by a Lender and acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

Advance ” means an advance by a Lender to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(a) as part of a Borrowing and refers to a Reference Rate Advance or a Eurodollar Rate Advance.

Advance Payment Contract ” means (a) any production payment (whether volumetric or dollar denominated) granted or sold by any Person payable from a specified share of proceeds received from production from specified Oil and Gas Properties, together with all undertakings and obligations in connection therewith, or (b) any contract whereby any Person receives or becomes entitled to receive (either directly or indirectly) any payment (an “ Advance Payment ”) as consideration for (i) Hydrocarbons produced or to be produced from Oil and Gas Properties owned by such Person or Affiliate of such Person in advance of the delivery of such Hydrocarbons (and regardless of whether such Hydrocarbons are actually produced or actual delivery is required) to or for the account of the purchaser thereof or (ii) a right or option to receive such Hydrocarbons (or a cash payment in lieu of such Hydrocarbons); provided that inclusion of customary and standard “take or pay” provisions in any gas sales or purchase contract or any other similar contract shall not, in and of itself, cause such gas sales or purchase contract to constitute an Advance Payment Contract for the purposes of this definition.

Affiliate ” means, as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person. The term “control” (including the terms “controlled by” or “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 ownership of a Control Percentage, by contract, or otherwise.

 

-2-


Agent Parties ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.09(c)(ii) hereof.

Agreement ” means this Credit Agreement, as the same may be further amended, supplemented, restated, and otherwise modified from time to time.

Allowed Reserved Claims ” means those disputed claims under the Chapter 11 Cases that have been detailed and identified by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent on the Closing Date in a written schedule, which become allowed pursuant to a Final Order of the Bankruptcy Court after the Closing Date.

Annual Reporting Package ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.06(a) hereof.

Anti-Corruption Laws ” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption, including, without limitation, the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Applicable Margin ” means with respect to any Advance, (a) other than as provided in the following clause (b), the rate per annum set forth in the Pricing Grid for the relevant Type of such Advance based on the relevant Utilization Level applicable from time to time, and (b) at all times if a Borrowing Base Deficiency exists the rate per annum set forth in the Pricing Grid for the relevant Type of such Advance based on the relevant Utilization Level applicable from time to time plus 2.00% per annum. The Applicable Margin for any Advance shall change when and as the relevant Utilization Level changes; provided, however, that if at any time the Borrower fails to deliver an Engineering Report pursuant to Section 2.02(b)(i) or (ii), then upon notice from the Administrative Agent, the “Applicable Margin” shall mean the rate per annum set forth in the Pricing Grid when Utilization Level is at its highest level, until such Engineering Report is delivered and the Borrowing Base is redetermined as provided herein.

Approved Counterparty ” means (a) any Lender Swap Counterparty, (b) any other Person whose long term senior unsecured debt rating is A-/A3 by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group or of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (or their equivalent) or higher and (c) any other Person that is reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

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

ASC ” means FASB Accounting Standards Codification.

Assignment and Acceptance ” means an assignment and acceptance entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee, and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of the attached Exhibit   A .

Attributable Indebtedness ” means, on any date of determination, (a) in respect of any Capital Lease Obligation of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease, the capitalized amount or principal amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a Capital Lease Obligation.

Availability ” means, at any time, an amount equal to the excess of (a) the aggregate Commitments over (b) the aggregate Credit Exposure.

 

-3-


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

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

Banking Service Provider ” means any Lender or Affiliate of a Lender that provides Banking Services to any Loan Party.

Banking Services ” means each and any of the following bank services provided to any Loan Party by any Banking Service Provider: (a) commercial credit cards, (b) stored value cards and (c) any other Treasury Management Arrangement (including, without limitation, controlled disbursement, purchase card arrangements, automated clearinghouse transactions, return items, overdrafts and interstate depository network services).

Banking Services Obligations ” means any and all obligations of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary owing to Banking Service Providers, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor) in connection with Banking Services.

Bankruptcy Code ” means United States Code, 11 U.S.C. §§ 101–1532.

Bankruptcy Court ” means the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division

BB Hedge ” means any hedge position or Hedge Contract considered by the Administrative Agent in determining the then effective Borrowing Base.

BB Value ” means (a) as to any Oil and Gas Property, the value, if any, attributed to such Oil and Gas Property under the then effective Borrowing Base, as determined by the Administrative Agent in good faith, (b) as to any Hedge Event, the net effect of such Hedge Event (after giving effect to any new hedge position or Hedge Contract entered into since the determination of the Borrowing Base then in effect), if any, on the then effective Borrowing Base, as determined by the Administrative Agent in good faith, and (c) as to the incurrence of any Lien describe in Section 6.01(g) that has triggered the notice required thereunder, the effect of such Lien on the then effective Borrowing Base, as determined by the Administrative Agent in good faith.

BCA ” means the Backstop Commitment Agreement dated May 10, 2016 among Holdings and certain other parties thereto which is attached to the RSA.

Borrower ” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereof.

Borrowing ” means a borrowing consisting of Advances made on the same day by the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01(a).

Borrowing Base ” means at any particular time, the Dollar amount determined in accordance with Section 2.02 on account of Proven Reserves attributable to Oil and Gas Properties of any Loan Party and its Subsidiaries located in the United States of America, subject to an Acceptable Security Interest and described in the most recent Independent Engineering Report or Internal Engineering Report, as applicable, delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.02.

 

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Borrowing Base Deficiency ” means, at any time, an amount equal to the excess of (a) the aggregate Credit Exposure over (b) the aggregate Commitments; provided that, solely for purposes of determining the existence and amount of any Borrowing Base Deficiency, Letter of Credit Obligations to the extent Cash Collateralized as required by or otherwise in accordance with this Agreement shall not be considered in determining Credit Exposure.

Business Day ” means a day (a) other than a Saturday, Sunday, or other day on which the Administrative Agent is authorized to close under the laws of, or is in fact closed in, New York or Texas, and (b) if the applicable Business Day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Advances, on which dealings are carried on by commercial banks in the London interbank market.

Capital Lease ” means any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP.

Capital Lease Obligations ” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any Capital Lease, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

Cash Collateral Account ” means a special interest bearing cash collateral account pledged by the Borrower to the Issuing Lender containing cash deposited pursuant to Sections 2.05(b), 7.02(b), or 7.03(b) or any other provision hereunder to be maintained with the Issuing Lender in accordance with the terms hereof and bear interest or be invested in the Issuing Lender’s reasonable discretion.

Cash Collateralize ” means, to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Lender or Lenders, as collateral for Letter of Credit Obligations or obligations of Lenders to fund participations in respect of Letter of Credit Obligations, cash or deposit account balances or, if the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender shall agree in their sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender. “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.

Casualty Event ” means the damage, destruction or condemnation, including by process of eminent domain or any Disposition of property in lieu of condemnation, as the case may be, of property of any Person or any of its Subsidiaries.

CERCLA ” means the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, state and local analogs, and all rules and regulations and requirements thereunder in each case as now or hereafter in effect.

Certificated Equipment ” means any equipment (including, but not limited to, vehicles) the ownership of which is evidenced by, or under applicable Legal Requirement, is required to be evidenced by, a certificate of title.

 

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Change in Control ” means:

(a) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its Subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) (other than the holders of the Equity Interests of Holdings as of the Closing Date) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except that a “person” or “group” shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all equity interests that such “person” or “group” has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time (such right, an “option right”)), directly or indirectly, of more than 35% of the Equity Interests of Holdings entitled to vote in the election of members of the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of Holdings;

(b) a majority of the members of the board of directors (or other equivalent governing body) of Holdings shall not constitute Continuing Directors;

(c) there shall have occurred under any indenture or other instrument evidencing any Indebtedness or Equity Interests in excess of $5,000,000 any “change in control” or similar provision (as set forth in the indenture, agreement or other evidence of such Indebtedness) obligating Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or repay all or any part of the Indebtedness or Equity Interests provided for therein; or

(d) Holdings ceasing to own directly or indirectly 100% of the Borrower.

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

Chapter 11 Cases ” means In re Penn Virginia Corporation, et al, Case No. 16-32395 (KLP) in the Bankruptcy Court.

Closing Date ” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 3.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.03).

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor statute.

Collateral ” means all “Collateral”, “Pledged Collateral” and “Mortgaged Properties” (as defined in each of the Mortgages and the Security Agreement, as applicable) or similar terms used in the Security Instruments.

Commitment ” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Advances and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be modified from time to time pursuant to Section 2.04 or Article VII or otherwise under this Agreement, including pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.07(b). The amount representing each Lender’s Commitment shall at any time be the least of (a) such Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount, and (b) such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the then effective Borrowing Base.

 

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Commitment Fee Rate ” means the per annum commitment fee rate set forth on the Pricing Grid applicable from time to time. The Commitment Fee Rate shall change when and as the relevant Utilization Level changes.

Commitment Letter ” means that certain Exit Facility Commitment Letter dated May 10, 2016, among the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Borrower, and Holdings.

Commitment Termination Date ” means the earlier of (a) the Maturity Date and (b) the earlier termination in whole of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.04 or Article VII.

Commodity Exchange Act ” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof).

Compliance Certificate ” means a compliance certificate substantially in the form of the attached Exhibit B signed by a Responsible Officer of Holdings and the Borrower.

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

Consolidated Cash Balance ” means, at any time, an amount equal to (a) the aggregate amount of cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, treasury bonds and bills, certificates of deposit, investments in money market funds and commercial paper, in each case, held or owned by (whether directly or indirectly), credited to the account of, or otherwise reflected as an asset on the balance sheet of, Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries minus (b) without duplication, the sum of (i) checks issued, wires initiated or ACH transfers initiated, in any case, to non-affiliate third parties or to Affiliates on account of transactions not prohibited under this Agreement, plus (ii) cash or cash equivalents of Holdings or any of its consolidated Subsidiaries constituting purchase price deposits held in escrow pursuant to a binding and enforceable purchase and sale agreement with a third party containing customary provisions regarding the payment and refunding of such deposits plus (iii) Excluded Funds plus (iv) solely for purposes of calculating Consolidated Cash Balance under Section 2.05(c) in connection with each Consolidated Cash Sweep Date that occurs on or about the 20 th day of any calendar month, royalty obligations, working interest obligations, production payments, vendor payments, and severance and ad valorem taxes of Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries due and owing within six (6) Business Days of such Consolidated Cash Sweep Date to unaffiliated third parties and for which Holdings or any of its consolidated Subsidiaries will issue checks or initiate wires or ACH transfers within such six (6) Business Day period. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing clause (iv) shall apply only for purposes of calculating the mandatory prepayment, if any, required under Section 2.05(c) and shall apply only once per calendar month.

Consolidated Cash Balance Limit ” means $10,000,000.

Consolidated Cash Sweep Date ” means the second Business Day of each calendar week.

Consolidated Net Income ” means, for any period, the net income (or loss) of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis, without duplication, in accordance with GAAP; provided , that in calculating Consolidated Net Income of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for any period, there shall be excluded (a) the net income (or loss) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary which

 

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shall be subject to clause (c) below), in which Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries has a joint interest with a third party, except to the extent such net income is actually paid in cash to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries by dividend or other distribution during such period, (b) the net income (or loss) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries or is merged into or consolidated with Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries or that Person’s assets are acquired by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries except to the extent included pursuant to the foregoing clause (a), (c) the net income (if positive), of any Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries of such net income (i) is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to such Subsidiary or (ii) would be subject to any taxes payable on such dividends or distributions, but in each case only to the extent of such prohibition or taxes, (d) any gain or loss from any Disposition of Property during such period, and (e) realized gains (or losses) on Hedge Contracts resulting from unscheduled unwinds, settlements or terminations of such Hedge Contracts. Further provided that the increase to Consolidated Net Income as a result of net income paid to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries as described in clause (a) above shall not exceed 15% of Consolidated Net Income (after giving effect to such addition) for such period.

Consummation ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Plan of Reorganization.

Continuing Directors ” means the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of Holdings on the Closing Date and each other director (or equivalent) of Holdings, if, in each case, such other Person’s nomination for election to the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of Holdings is approved by at least 51% of the then Continuing Directors.

Contracts ” means all contracts, agreements, operating agreements, farm-out or farm-in agreements, sharing agreements, mineral purchase agreements, contracts for the purchase, exchange, transportation, processing or sale of Hydrocarbons, rights-of-way, easements, surface leases, equipment leases, permits, franchises, licenses, pooling or unitization agreements, and unit or pooling designations and orders now or hereafter affecting any of the Oil and Gas Properties, Operating Equipment, Fixture Operating Equipment, or Hydrocarbons now or hereafter covered hereby, or which are useful or appropriate in drilling for, producing, treating, handling, storing, transporting or marketing oil, gas or other minerals produced from any of the Oil and Gas Properties, and all as such contracts and agreements as they may be amended, restated, modified, substituted or supplemented from time-to-time.

Control Percentage ” means, with respect to any Person, the percentage of the outstanding Voting Securities (including any options, warrants or similar rights to purchase such Voting Securities) of such Person having ordinary voting power which gives the direct or indirect holder of such Voting Securities the power to elect a majority of the board of directors (or other applicable governing body) of such Person.

Convert ,” “ Converting ,” “ Conversion ,” “ Converted ” and “ Conversion ” each refers to a conversion of Advances of one Type into Advances of another Type pursuant to Section 2.03(b).

Credit Exposure ” means, as to any Lender at any time, the aggregate principal amount at such time of its outstanding Advances and such Lender’s participation in Letter of Credit Obligations at such time.

Credit Extensions ” means (a) an Advance made by any Lender, and (b) the issuance, increase or extension of any Letter of Credit by the Issuing Lender.

 

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Current Ratio ” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) consolidated current assets of Holdings (including the unused amount of the Commitments, unless a Default exists, but excluding non-cash assets under ASC 815 and excluding Cash Collateral) to (b) consolidated current liabilities of Holdings (excluding (i) non-cash obligations under ASC 815, (ii) current maturities in respect of the Obligations, and (iii) non-cash liabilities recorded in connection with stock-based or similar incentive based compensation awards or arrangements).

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

Default ” means (a) an Event of Default or (b) any event or condition which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default.

Default Rate ” means a per annum rate equal to (a) in the case of principal of any Advance, 2.00% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Advance as provided in Sections 2.09(a) or (b), (b) in the case of any other Obligation other than Letter of Credit fees, 2.00% plus the non-default rate applicable to Reference Rate Advances as provided in Section 2.09(a), and (c) when used with respect to Letter of Credit fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Advances plus 2.00% per annum.

Defaulting Lender ” means, subject to Section 2.16(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund its Pro Rata Share of any Advance or participation in Letters of Credit required to be funded by it hereunder within two Business Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Letters of Credit) within three Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, or the Issuing Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund an Advance hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, or assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity, or (iii) become the subject of a Bail-In Action; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Equity Interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made

 

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with such Lender. Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.16(b)) upon delivery of written notice of such determination to the Borrower, the Issuing Lender and each Lender.

Deposit Account ” shall have the meaning given to the term in the Uniform Commercial Code (or any successor statute), as adopted and in force in the State of New York or, when the laws of any other state govern the method or manner of the perfection or enforcement of any Lien in any of the Collateral, the Uniform Commercial Code (or any successor statute) of such other state.

DIP Facility ” means that certain Debtor-In-Possession Credit Agreement dated as of May 11, 2016, among the Borrower, Holdings, the lenders party thereto, and Wells Fargo, as administrative agent.

Disallowed Reserved Claims ” means those disputed claims under the Chapter 11 Cases that have been detailed and identified by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent on the Closing Date in a written schedule, which become disallowed pursuant to a Final Order of the Bankruptcy Court after the Closing Date.

Disclosure Statement ” means that certain Disclosure Statement for the First Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Penn Virginia Corporation and its Debtor Affiliates.

Disposition ,” “ Dispose ” or “ Disposed ” means any sale, lease, transfer, assignment, farm-out, conveyance, release, abandonment, or other disposition of any Property (including any working interest, overriding royalty interest, production payments, net profits interest, royalty interest, or mineral fee interest), including any Casualty Event.

Disqualified Equity Interests ” means any Equity Interests that, by their terms (or by the terms of any security or other Equity Interest into which they are convertible or for which they are exchangeable) or upon the happening of any event or condition, (a) mature or are mandatorily redeemable (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise (except as a result of a change of control or asset sale so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale event shall be subject to the prior repayment in full of the Advances and all other Obligations that are accrued and payable and the termination of the Commitments), (b) are redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests) (except as a result of a change of control or asset sale so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale event shall be subject to the prior repayment in full of the Advances and all other Obligations that are accrued and payable and the termination of the Commitments), in whole or in part, (c) provide for the scheduled payment of dividends in cash or other Property or (d) are or become convertible into or exchangeable for Indebtedness or any other Equity Interests that would constitute Disqualified Equity Interests, in each case, prior to the date that is 180 days after the Maturity Date; provided that if such Equity Interests is issued pursuant to a plan for the benefit of Holdings or its Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Equity Interests shall not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests solely because they may be required to be repurchased by Holding or its Subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations.

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

EBITDAX ” means, for any period, without duplication, the amount equal to:

(a) Consolidated Net Income for such period plus

 

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(b) the sum of the following, to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period, (i) Interest Expense, (ii) income and franchise Taxes, (iii) depreciation, amortization, depletion, exploration expenses, and other non-cash charges and non-cash losses for such period, including any provision for the reduction in the carrying value of assets recorded in accordance with GAAP and non-cash charges resulting from the requirements of ASC 410, 718 and 815 (except, in any event, to the extent that such non-cash charges are reserved for cash charges to be taken in the future), and including losses from Dispositions (other than Dispositions of Hydrocarbons in the ordinary course of business), (iv) unusual and non-recurring losses reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, (v) professional fees up to $2,000,000 and incurred in the fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2016 in connection with the Chapter 11 Cases and emergence therefrom, and (vi) subject to the Administrative Agent’s consent, other professional fees, costs and other expenses incurred in connection with the Chapter 11 Cases and the emergence therefrom, including severance payments, retention bonuses and expenses associated with fresh start accounting; minus

(c) all non-cash gains and non-cash items which were included in determining such Consolidated Net Income (including non-cash income resulting from the requirements of ASC 410, 718 and 815); minus

(d) unusual and non-recurring gains which were included in determining such Consolidated Net Income;

provided that , such EBITDAX shall be subject to pro forma adjustments for Acquisitions and non-ordinary course asset sales assuming that such transactions had occurred on the first day of the applicable calculation period for the ratios set forth in Section 6.17(a) and (b), which adjustments shall be made in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and with supporting documentation reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

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

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

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

Eligible Assignee ” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 9.07(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 9.07(b)(iii)).

Employee Benefit Plan ” means any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA that is (currently or hereafter), or within the prior seven (7) years was, maintained or contributed to by any Loan Party or any current or former ERISA Affiliate.

Engineering Report ” means either an Independent Engineering Report or an Internal Engineering Report.

 

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Engineering Report Volumes ” means, as of any date of determination, the anticipated volume of production of oil, gas or natural gas reserves, as applicable, from the Oil and Gas Properties of the Loan Parties as reflected in the Engineering Report most recently delivered pursuant to Section 2.02(b) prior to such date of determination.

Environment ” or “ Environmental ” means ambient air, indoor air, surface water and groundwater (including potable water, navigable water and wetlands), the land surface or subsurface strata, natural resources, the workplace or as otherwise defined in any Environmental Law.

Environmental Claims ” means any and all administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, orders, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations or proceedings arising as a result of any actual or alleged violation of or liability under any Environmental Law or relating to any Permit issued, or any approval given, under any such Environmental Law, including, without limitation, any and all claims by Governmental Authorities for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief resulting from, related to or arising out of the presence, Release or threatened Release of Hazardous Materials or alleged injury or threat of injury to public health, safety or the Environment.

Environmental Law ” means any Legal Requirement relating to (a) the protection of human health and safety from environmental hazards or exposure to Hazardous Materials, (b) the protection, conservation, management or use of the Environment, natural resources and wildlife, (c) the protection or use of surface water and groundwater, (d) the management, manufacture, processing, possession, distribution, presence, use, generation, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal, Release, threatened Release, abatement, removal, remediation or handling of, or exposure to, any Hazardous Material, or (e) the prevention of pollution and includes, without limitation, the following federal statutes and the regulations promulgated thereunder: CERCLA, the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq ., the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq ., the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. § 6901 et seq ., the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, 42 U.S.C. § 11001 et seq. , the Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq ., the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq ., the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. § 651 et seq ., the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, 49 U.S.C. § 5101 et seq ., the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq. , and any state or local laws and regulations similar thereto, as each of the foregoing has been amended.

Environmental Permit ” means any permit, license, order, approval, registration or other authorization required by or from a Governmental Authority under Environmental Law.

Equity Interest ” means with respect to any Person, any shares, interests, participation, or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock, membership interests or partnership interests (or any other ownership interests) of such Person.

Equity Issuance ” means (a) any issuance by Holdings of shares of its Equity Interests to any Person that is not a Loan Party (including, without limitation, in connection with the exercise of options or warrants or the conversion of any debt securities to equity) and (b) any capital contribution from any Person that is not a Loan Party into any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof.

ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

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ERISA Affiliate ” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) who together with any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries is treated as a single employer within the meaning of Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code or Section 4001(b) of ERISA.

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

Eurocurrency Liabilities ” has the meaning assigned to that term in Regulation D of the Federal Reserve Board (or any successor), as in effect from time to time.

Eurodollar Base Rate ” means (a) in determining Eurodollar Rate for purposes of determining the Eurodollar Rate for the Adjusted Reference Rate, the rate per annum for Dollar deposits quoted by the Administrative Agent for the purpose of calculating effective rates of interest for loans making reference to the “Daily Three-Month LIBOR” or the “LIBOR Market Index Rate” or other words of similar import, as the inter-bank offered rate in effect from time to time for delivery of funds for three (3) months in amounts approximately equal to the principal amount of the applicable Advances; provided that, the Administrative Agent may base its quotation of the inter-bank offered rate upon such offers or other market indicators of the inter-bank market as the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion deems appropriate including the rate determined under the following clause (b), and (b) in determining Eurodollar Rate for all other purposes, the rate per annum (rounded upward to the nearest whole multiple of 1/100 th of 1.00%) equal to the interest rate per annum set forth on the Reuters Screen LIBOR1 page (or any replacement page) as the London Interbank Offered Rate, for deposits in Dollars at 11:00 a.m. (London, England time) two Business Days before the first day of the applicable Interest Period, as the rate for Dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period; provided that, if such quotation is not available for any reason, then for purposes of this clause (b), Eurodollar Base Rate shall then be the rate determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in immediately available funds in the approximate amount of the Advances being made, continued or Converted by the Lenders and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered by the Administrative Agent’s London branch (or other branch or Affiliate of the Administrative Agent, or in the event that the Administrative Agent does not have a London branch, the London branch of a Lender chosen by the Administrative Agent) to major banks in the London or other offshore inter-bank market for Dollars at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; provided further that, if the rate determined under the preceding clause (a) or clause (b) is less than zero, then “Eurodollar Base Rate” shall be deemed to be zero for such determination.

Eurodollar Rate ” means a rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent (which determination shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error) pursuant to the following formula:

 

Eurodollar Rate =   

Eurodollar Base Rate                                   

1.00 – Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage

Eurodollar Rate Advance ” means an Advance which bears interest as provided in Section 2.09(b).

Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage ” means, as of any day, the reserve percentage (expressed as a decimal, carried out to five decimal places) in effect on such day, whether or not applicable to any Lender, under regulations issued from time to time by the Federal Reserve Board for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency Liabilities. The Eurodollar Rate for each outstanding Advance shall be adjusted automatically as of the effective date of any change in the Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage.

 

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Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 7.01.

Excluded Funds ” means cash and cash equivalents held in any of the following accounts: (a) accounts designated solely for payroll or employee benefits, (b) Cash Collateral Accounts, (c) trust accounts held exclusively for the payment of taxes of the Borrower or any Guarantor, (d) suspense or trust accounts held exclusively for royalty and working interest payments owing to third parties, and (e) only up to and including the first anniversary of the date hereof, Reserved Claims Account but only up to the then effective Reserved Claims Amount.

Excluded Perfection Collateral ” shall mean collectively (a) cash and cash equivalents constituting Excluded Funds (other than the Cash Collateral Accounts and the funds and investments therein), (b) commercial tort claims where the amount of damages expected to be claimed is less than $250,000 in the aggregate, (c) letter of credit rights to the extent a security interest therein cannot be perfected by the filing of a financing statement under the UCC and the amount thereof is less than $250,000 in the aggregate, (d) Certificated Equipment and (e) any other Property with respect to which the Administrative Agent has determined, in its reasonable discretion that the cost of perfecting a security interest in such Property outweighs the benefit of the Lien afforded thereby.

Excluded Properties ” means the “Excluded Collateral”, as defined in the Security Agreement, which includes (a) Excluded Trademark Collateral, as defined therein, (b) Excluded Contracts, as defined therein, and (c) Excluded PMSI Collateral, as defined therein.

Excluded Swap Obligations ” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligations if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the guarantee of such Loan Party of, or the grant by such Loan Party of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act by virtue of such Loan Party’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act at the time the guarantee of such Loan Party or the grant of such security interest becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap (as defined by the Commodity Exchange Act), such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to swaps (as defined by the Commodity Exchange Act) for which such guarantee or Lien is or becomes illegal.

Excluded Taxes ” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Recipient, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Recipient with respect to an applicable interest in an Advance or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Recipient acquires such interest in the Advance or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 2.15 or reallocation pursuant to Section 2.16) or (ii) such Recipient changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 2.14, additional amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Recipient’s assignor immediately before such Recipient became a party hereto or to such Recipient immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 2.14(g) and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

 

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Existing Letters of Credit ” means the letters of credit issued or deemed issued under the Original Credit Agreement including those listed on Schedule 1.01(a) .

Expiration Date ” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the date on which such Letter of Credit will expire or terminate in accordance with its terms.

Extraordinary Cash Proceeds ” means, with respect to any settlement or litigation proceeding, the proceeds of such settlement or litigation proceeding after payment of all out of pocket fees and expenses actually incurred in connection with such settlement or proceeding.

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

Federal Funds Rate ” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted median of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System reported by depository institutions on such day for individual transactions, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate charged to the Administrative Agent (in its individual capacity) on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent, and (c) in any event, the Federal Funds Rate shall not be less than zero.

Federal Reserve Board ” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any of its successors.

Fee Letters ” mean (a) the Exit Facility Lender Fee Letter dated May 10, 2016, among the Administrative Agent, the Borrower, and Holdings and (b) that certain Exit Facility Agent Fee Letter dated May 10, 2016, among the Administrative Agent, the Borrower, and Holdings.

FERC ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.23(e) hereof.

Final Order ” means, as applicable, an order or judgment of the Bankruptcy Court or other court of competent jurisdiction with respect to the relevant subject matter that has not been reversed, stayed, modified or amended, and as to which the time to appeal or seek certiorari has expired and no appeal or petition for certiorari has been timely taken, or as to which any appeal that has been taken or any petition for certiorari that has been or may be filed has been resolved by the highest court to which the order or judgment could be appealed or from which certiorari could be sought or the new trial, reargument or rehearing shall have been denied, resulted in no modification of such order or has otherwise been dismissed with prejudice.

Fixture Operating Equipment ” means any of the items described in the first sentence of the definition of “Operating Equipment,” which, as a result of being incorporated into realty or structures or improvements located therein or thereon, with the intent that they remain there permanently, constitute fixtures under the laws of the state in which such equipment is located.

 

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Flood Insurance Regulations ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.22 hereof.

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

Form Plan ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(r) hereof.

Fronting Exposure ” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, with respect to any Issuing Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the outstanding Letter of Credit Exposure other than Letter of Credit Exposure as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been funded by it, reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.

Fund ” means any Person (other than a natural Person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.

GAAP ” means United States generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time, applied on a basis consistent with the requirements of Section 1.03.

Governmental Approvals ” means all authorizations, consents, approvals, permits, licenses and exemptions of, and all registrations and filings with or issued by, any Governmental Authorities.

Governmental Authority ” means the government of the United States of America or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

Governmental Unit ” has the meaning set forth in Section 101(27) of the Bankruptcy Code.

Guarantee ” of or by any Person (the “ guarantor ”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “ primary obligor ”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation or (e) for the purpose of assuming in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (whether in whole or in part).

Guarantor ” means (a) Holdings and (b) each Subsidiary of Holdings.

Guaranty ” means a guaranty agreement substantially the form of the attached Exhibit   C and executed by a Guarantor.

 

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Hazardous Materials ” means any substances or materials (a) which are or become defined as hazardous wastes, hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants, chemical substances or mixtures or toxic substances under any Environmental Law, (b) which are toxic, explosive, corrosive, flammable, infectious, radioactive, carcinogenic, mutagenic or otherwise harmful to public health or the Environment and are or become regulated by any Governmental Authority, (c) the presence of which require investigation or remediation under any Environmental Law or common law, (d) the discharge or emission or Release of which requires a Permit under any Environmental Law or other Governmental Approval, (e) which are deemed by a Governmental Authority to constitute a nuisance which pose a health or safety hazard to Persons or neighboring properties, or (f) which contain, without limitation, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, petroleum hydrocarbons, petroleum derived substances or waste, crude oil, nuclear fuel, natural gas or synthetic gas.

Hedge Contract ” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, puts, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “ Master Agreement ”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement; provided that, a “Hedge Contract” shall not include any “Master Agreement” or other agreement that provides solely for the sale by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of physical Hydrocarbons in exchange for cash in the ordinary course of its business.

Hedge Event ” means any novation, assignment, unwinding, termination, expiration or amendment of a BB Hedge.

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

Holdings ” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereof.

Hydrocarbon Hedge Agreement ” means a Hedge Contract which is intended to reduce or eliminate the risk of fluctuations in the price of Hydrocarbons.

Hydrocarbons ” means oil, gas, coal seam gas, casinghead gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, and all other liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons produced or to be produced in conjunction therewith from a well bore and all products, by-products, and other substances derived therefrom or the processing thereof, and all other minerals and substances produced in conjunction with such substances, including, but not limited to, sulfur, geothermal steam, water, carbon dioxide, helium, and any and all minerals, ores, or substances of value and the products and proceeds therefrom.

 

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Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person at any date and without duplication, the sum of the following:

(a) all liabilities, obligations and indebtedness for borrowed money including, but not limited to, obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments of any such Person;

(b) all obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services of any such Person (including, without limitation, all obligations under non-competition, earn-out or similar agreements), except trade payables arising in the ordinary course of business not more than ninety (90) days past due, or that are currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided for on the books of such Person;

(c) the Attributable Indebtedness of such Person and all outstanding payment obligations with respect to such Person’s Capital Lease Obligations and Synthetic Leases (regardless of whether accounted for as indebtedness under GAAP);

(d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property purchased by such Person to the extent of the value of such property (other than customary reservations or retentions of title under agreements with suppliers entered into in the ordinary course of business);

(e) all Indebtedness of any other Person secured by a Lien on any asset owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements except trade payables arising in the ordinary course of business), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

(f) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of any such Person relative to the face amount of letters of credit, whether or not drawn, including, without limitation, any Letter of Credit Obligation, and banker’s acceptances issued for the account of any such Person;

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

(h) all obligations of such Person under any Hedge Contract;

(i) all Guarantees of any such Person with respect to any of the foregoing;

(j) the outstanding attributed principal amount under any asset securitization program; and

(k) obligations to deliver commodities, goods or services, including, without limitation, Hydrocarbons, in consideration of one or more advance payments, other than gas balancing arrangements in the ordinary course of business, including obligations of such Person owing in connection with any Advance Payment Contract.

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include all obligations of such Person of the character described above to the extent such Person remains legally liable in respect thereof notwithstanding that any such obligation is not included as a liability of such Person under GAAP.

 

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

Indemnitee ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(a) hereof.

Independent Engineer ” means (a) Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc., (b) Ryder Scott Company, L.P., (c) DeGolyer and MacNaughton or (d) any other independent petroleum engineering firm selected by the Borrower and reasonably acceptable to the Majority Lenders.

Independent Engineering Report ” means a report, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders, prepared by an Independent Engineer, addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties owned by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (or to be acquired by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, as applicable) which are or are to be included in the Borrowing Base, which report shall (a) specify the location, quantity, and type of the estimated Proven Reserves attributable to such Oil and Gas Properties, (b) contain a projection of the rate of production of such Oil and Gas Properties, (c) contain an estimate of the net operating revenues to be derived from the production and sale of Hydrocarbons from such Proven Reserves based on product price and cost escalation assumptions specified by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, (d) contain an attendant reserve database capable of producing a match of the reserves, and (e) contain such other information as is customarily obtained from and provided in such reports or is otherwise reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

Interest Coverage Ratio ” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Adjusted EBITDAX to (b) Adjusted Interest Expense.

Interest Expense ” means, for the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries for any period, total interest expense incurred in connection with any Indebtedness for such period, whether paid or accrued, including (a) all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing, imputed interest under Capital Leases and Synthetic Leases, and net costs under Interest Hedge Agreements, all as determined in conformity with GAAP, and (b) all interests, dividends, distributions, or other payments made in respect of preferred Equity Interests.

Interest Hedge Agreement ” means a Hedge Contract between the Borrower and one or more financial institutions providing for the exchange of nominal interest obligations between the Borrower and such financial institution or the cap of the interest rate on any Indebtedness of the Borrower.

Interest Period ” means, for each Eurodollar Rate Advance comprising part of the same Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Eurodollar Rate Advance or the date of the Conversion of any Reference Rate Advance into a Eurodollar Rate Advance and ending on the last day of the period selected by the Borrower pursuant to the provisions below and Section 2.03 and, thereafter, each subsequent period commencing on the last day of the immediately preceding Interest Period and ending on the last day of the period selected by the Borrower pursuant to the provisions below and Section 2.03. The duration of each such Interest Period shall be one, three or six months, in each case as the Borrower may, upon notice received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas time) on the third Business Day prior to the first day of such Interest Period, select; provided , however , that:

 

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(a) the Borrower may not select any Interest Period which ends after the Commitment Termination Date;

(b) Interest Periods commencing on the same date for Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing shall be of the same duration;

(c) whenever the last day of any Interest Period would otherwise occur on a day other than a Business Day, the last day of such Interest Period shall be extended to occur on the next succeeding Business Day, provided that if such extension would cause the last day of such Interest Period to occur in the next following calendar month, the last day of such Interest Period shall occur on the next preceding Business Day; and

(d) any Interest Period which begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month in which it would have ended if there were a numerically corresponding day in such calendar month.

Internal Engineering Report ” means a report, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, prepared by the Borrower and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties owned by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (or to be acquired by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, as applicable) which are or are to be included in the Borrowing Base, which report shall (a) specify the location, quantity, and type of the estimated Proven Reserves attributable to such Oil and Gas Properties, (b) contain a projection of the rate of production of such Oil and Gas Properties, (c) contain an estimate of the net operating revenues to be derived from the production and sale of Hydrocarbons from such Proven Reserves based on product prices and cost escalation assumptions specified by the Administrative Agent in good faith, (d) contain an attendant reserve database capable of producing a match of the reserves, and (e) contain such other information as is customarily obtained from and provided in such reports or is otherwise reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

Investment ” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect purchase, acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of Equity Interests or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, guarantee (by guaranty or other arrangement) or assumption of Indebtedness of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other Indebtedness or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person, or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of substantially all or a portion of the business or assets of another Person. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment but giving effect to any cash repayments of loans or cash return of Investments.

Issuing Lender ” means Wells Fargo, and any successor issuing lender pursuant to Section 8.06.

LC Payment Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.07(c)(i) hereof.

Lease Operating Statement ” means a statement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, prepared by the Borrower with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties owned by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (or to be acquired by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, as applicable), which statement shall contain production, revenue, and expense data for the time period covered by such statement and such other information reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

 

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Leases ” means all oil and gas leases, oil, gas and mineral leases, oil, gas and casinghead gas leases or any other instruments, agreements, or conveyances under and pursuant to which the owner thereof has or obtains the right to enter upon lands and explore for, drill, and develop such lands for the production of Hydrocarbons.

Legal Requirement ” means, as to any Person, any law, statute, ordinance, decree, requirement, order, judgment, rule, regulation (or official interpretation of any of the foregoing) of, and the terms of any license or Permit issued by, any Governmental Authority, including, but not limited to, Regulations T, U, and X, which is applicable to such Person.

Lender Hedge Obligations ” means all obligations of any Loan Party owing to any Lender Swap Counterparty under any Hedge Contract; provided that, (a) when any Lender Swap Counterparty assigns or otherwise transfers any interest held by it under any Hedge Contract to any other Person pursuant to the terms of such agreement, the obligations thereunder shall constitute Lender Hedge Obligations (and therefore Secured Obligations) only if such assignee or transferee is also then a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender and (ii) if a Lender Swap Counterparty ceases to be a Lender hereunder or an Affiliate of a Lender hereunder, obligations owing to such Lender Swap Counterparty shall be included as Lender Hedge Obligations only to the extent such obligations arise from such transactions entered into prior to the date such Lender Swap Counterparty ceased to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender (without giving effect to any extension, increases or modifications (including blending) thereof which are made after such Lender Swap Counterparty ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender).

Lender Parties ” means Lenders, the Issuing Lender, and the Administrative Agent.

Lender Swap Counterparty ” means (a) any Person that is a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender on the date hereof and that is a counterparty to any Hedge Contract with the Borrower or any Subsidiary listed on Schedule 4.20 and (b) any counterparty to any other Hedge Contract with the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that such counterparty is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time such Hedge Contract is entered into. For the avoidance of doubt, “Lender Swap Counterparty” shall not include any participant of a Lender pursuant to Section 9.07(d) other than to the extent such participant is otherwise a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender.

Lender ” means a party hereto that (a) is a lender listed on the signature pages of this Agreement on the date hereof or (b) is an Eligible Assignee that became a lender under this Agreement pursuant to Section 2.15 or 9.07.

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

Letter of Credit ” means, individually, any standby letter of credit issued or deemed issued by the Issuing Lender for the account of the Borrower in connection with the Commitments and that is subject to this Agreement.

Letter of Credit Application ” means the Issuing Lender’s standard form letter of credit application for standby letters of credit that has been executed by the Borrower and accepted by the Issuing Lender in connection with the issuance of a Letter of Credit.

 

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Letter of Credit Documents ” means all Letters of Credit, Letter of Credit Applications, and agreements, documents, and instruments entered into in connection with or relating thereto.

Letter of Credit Exposure ” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn maximum face amount of each Letter of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate unpaid amount of all Reimbursement Obligations at such time.

Letter of Credit Obligations ” means any obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement in connection with the Letters of Credit, including the Reimbursement Obligations.

Leverage Ratio ” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Holdings’ consolidated Indebtedness (other than (i) Indebtedness under surety bonds, performance bonds, and other similar bonds and (ii) Indebtedness under Hedge Contracts) on such date to (b) Adjusted EBITDAX.

Lien ” means any mortgage, lien, pledge, assignment, charge, deed of trust, security interest, hypothecation, preference, deposit arrangement or encumbrance (or other type of arrangement having the practical effect of the foregoing) to secure or provide for the payment of any obligation of any Person, whether arising by contract, operation of law, or otherwise (including, without limitation, the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, Synthetic Lease, Capital Lease, or other title retention agreement).

Liquid Investments ” means:

(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States maturing within 120 days from the date of any acquisition thereof;

(b) negotiable or nonnegotiable certificates of deposit, time deposits, or other similar banking arrangements maturing within 120 days from the date of acquisition thereof (“bank debt securities”), issued by (A) any Lender (or any Affiliate of any Lender) or (B) any other bank or trust company so long as such certificate of deposit is pledged to secure the Borrower’s or any Subsidiaries’ ordinary course of business bonding requirements, or any other bank or trust company which has primary capital of not less than $500,000,000, if at the time of deposit or purchase, such bank debt securities are rated not less than ”AA” (or the then equivalent) by the rating service of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group or of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., and (ii) commercial paper issued by (A) any Lender (or any Affiliate of any Lender) or (B) any other Person if at the time of purchase such commercial paper is rated not less than “A-1” (or the then equivalent) by the rating service of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group or not less than “P-1” (or the then equivalent) by the rating service of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., or upon the discontinuance of both of such services, such other nationally recognized rating service or services, as the case may be, as shall be selected by the Borrower with the consent of the Majority Lenders;

(c) deposits in money market funds investing exclusively in investments described in clauses (a) and (b) above; and

(d) repurchase agreements relating to investments described in clauses (a) and (b) above with a market value at least equal to the consideration paid in connection therewith, with any Person who regularly engages in the business of entering into repurchase agreements and has a combined capital surplus and undivided profit of not less than $500,000,000, if at the time of entering into such agreement the debt securities of such Person are rated not less than “AA” (or the then equivalent) by the rating service of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group or of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

 

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Loan Documents ” means this Agreement, the Notes, the Letter of Credit Documents, the Guaranty, the Security Instruments, the Fee Letters, and each other agreement, instrument, or document executed by the Borrower, any Guarantor, or any of the Borrower’s or a Guarantor’s Subsidiaries or any of their officers at any time in connection with this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, “Loan Documents” does not include Hedge Contracts.

Loan Party ” means the Borrower and each Guarantor.

Majority Lenders ” means Lenders holding more than 50% of the aggregate Credit Exposure; provided that, if no Advances or Letter of Credit Obligations are then outstanding, “Majority Lenders” shall mean Lenders having more than 50% of the aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts at such time; provided further that the Maximum Credit Amounts of, and the portion of the Advances and Letter of Credit Exposure held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Majority Lenders unless all of the Lenders are Defaulting Lenders.

Material Adverse Change ” means any material adverse change in, or material adverse effect on, (a) the business, property, operations, or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and the Guarantors taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Borrower and Guarantors, taken as a whole, to perform any of their obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Document to which any of them is a party, (c) the validity or enforceability of any of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or (d) the rights or remedies of or benefits available to the Administrative Agent, any other agent, the Issuing Lender or the Lenders under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

Material Adverse Effect ” means any event, which individually, or together with all other events, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a material and adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, liabilities, finances, properties, results of operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (b) the ability of the Holdings and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to perform their obligations under, or to consummate the transactions contemplated by, the BCA, in each case, except to the extent such event results from, arises out of, or is attributable to, the following (either alone or in combination): (i) any change after the date hereof in global, national or regional political conditions (including hostilities, acts of war, sabotage, terrorism or military actions, or any escalation or material worsening of any such hostilities, acts of war, sabotage, terrorism or military actions existing or underway) or in the general business, market, financial or economic conditions affecting the industries, regions and markets in which Holdings and its Subsidiaries operate, including any change in the United States or foreign economies or securities, commodities or financial markets, or force majeure events or “acts of God”; (ii) any changes after the date hereof in applicable Legal Requirements or GAAP, or in the interpretation or enforcement thereof; (iii) the execution, announcement or performance of the BCA or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including any act or omission of Holdings or its Subsidiaries expressly required or prohibited, as applicable, by the BCA); (iv) changes in the market price or trading volume of the claims or equity or debt securities of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries (but not the underlying facts giving rise to such changes unless such facts are otherwise excluded pursuant to the clauses contained in this definition); (v) the departure of officers or directors of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries (but not the underlying facts giving rise to such departure unless such facts are otherwise excluded pursuant to the clauses contained in this definition); (vi) the filing or pendency of the Chapter 11 Cases or actions taken in connection with the Chapter 11 Cases that are directed by the Bankruptcy Court and made in compliance with the Bankruptcy Code; (vii) declarations of national emergencies or natural disasters; or (viii) any matters expressly disclosed in the Disclosure Statement or the disclosure schedules delivered by Holdings to the Administrative Agent on May 10, 2016; provided, that the exceptions set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) shall not apply to the extent that such event is disproportionately adverse to Holdings and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, as compared to other companies in the industries in which Holdings and its Subsidiaries operate.

 

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Maturity Date ” means September 12, 2020.

Maximum Credit Amount ” means, as to each Lender, the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule II under the caption “Maximum Credit Amounts”, as the same may be (a) reduced or terminated from time to time in connection with a reduction or termination of the aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant to Section 2.04 or (b) modified from time to time pursuant to any assignment permitted by Section 9.07. The aggregate amount of the Maximum Credit Amount on the date hereof is $200,000,000.

Maximum Rate ” means the maximum nonusurious interest rate under applicable law (determined under such laws after giving effect to any items which are required by such laws to be construed as interest in making such determination, including without limitation if required by such laws, certain fees and other costs).

Minimum Collateral Amount ” means, at any time, (i) with respect to cash collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances, an amount equal to 104% of the Letter of Credit Exposure of the Issuing Lender with respect to Letters of Credit issued and outstanding at such time and (ii) otherwise, an amount determined by the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender in their sole discretion exercised in good faith.

Mortgage ” means each of the mortgages or deeds of trust executed by any one or more Loan Party in substantially the form of the attached Exhibit   D-1 or Exhibit D-2 , as applicable, or such other form as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, together with any assumptions or assignments of the obligations thereunder by any Loan Party.

Multiemployer Plan ” means a “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

Net Cash Proceeds ” means, with respect to any Disposition, all cash and Liquid Investments received (directly or indirectly) by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary from such Disposition after payment of all reasonable out of pocket fees and expenses actually incurred by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary directly in connection with such Disposition minus (a) taxes paid or payable as a result thereof (after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements), minus (b) if applicable, the principal amount of Indebtedness that is secured by such asset (if any) and that is required to be repaid in connection with the sale thereof (other than the Advances) and minus (c) any amounts provided as a reserve, in accordance with GAAP, against any liabilities under any indemnification obligations or purchase price adjustments associated with such Disposition.

Non-Consenting Lender ” means any Lender that does not consent to a proposed agreement, amendment, waiver, consent or release with respect to this Agreement or any other Loan Document that (i) requires the consent of each Lender, including any increases to the Borrowing Base and (ii) has been approved by the Required Lenders or Majority Lenders, as applicable.

Non-Defaulting Lender ” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.

Notes ” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to any Lender in the amount of such Lender’s Commitment, in substantially the form of the attached Exhibit   E , evidencing indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from Advances owing to such Lender.

 

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Notice of Borrowing ” means a notice of borrowing substantially in the form of the attached Exhibit F signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

Notice of Conversion or Continuation ” means a notice of conversion or continuation substantially in the form of the attached Exhibit   G signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

O&G Definitions ” means the definitions for oil and gas reserves promulgated by the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers (or any generally recognized successor) as in effect at the time in question.

Obligations ” means all principal, interest (including post-petition interest), fees, reimbursements, indemnifications, and other amounts payable by the Borrower, any Guarantor or any of their respective Subsidiaries to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender, or the Lenders under the Loan Documents, including without limitation, the Letter of Credit Obligations and Reimbursement Obligations.

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

Oil and Gas Properties ” means fee mineral interests, term mineral interests, Leases, subleases, farm-outs, royalties, overriding royalties, net profit interests, carried interests, production payments and similar mineral interests, and all unsevered and unextracted Hydrocarbons in, under, or attributable to such oil and gas Properties and interests.

Operating Equipment ” means all surface or subsurface machinery, equipment, facilities, supplies or other Property of whatsoever kind or nature now or hereafter located on any of the Property affected by the Oil and Gas Properties which are useful for the production, treatment, storage or transportation of Hydrocarbons, including all oil wells, gas wells, water wells, injection wells, casing, tubing, rods, pumping units and engines, christmas trees, derricks, separators, gun barrels, flow lines, pipelines, tanks, gas systems (for gathering, treating and compression), water systems (for treating, disposal and injection), supplies, derricks, wells, power plants, poles, cables, wires, meters, processing plants, compressors, dehydration units, lines, transformers, starters and controllers, machine shops, tools, storage yards and equipment stored therein, buildings and camps, telegraph, telephone and other communication systems, roads, loading racks, shipping facilities and all additions, substitutes and replacements for, and accessories and attachments to, any of the foregoing. Operating Equipment shall not include any items incorporated into realty or structures or improvements located therein or thereon in such a manner that they no longer remain personalty under the laws of the state in which such equipment is located.

Operating Lease ” means, as to any Person as determined in accordance with GAAP, any lease of Property (whether real, personal or mixed) by such Person as lessee which is not a Capital Lease.

Order ” means any judgment, order, award, injunction, writ, permit, license or decree of any Governmental Unit or arbitrator of applicable jurisdiction.

Original Credit Agreement ” means that certain Credit Agreement dated as of September 28, 2012 among Penn Virginia Holding Corp., as borrower, Penn Virginia Corporation, as parent, the lenders party thereto, and Wells Fargo, as administrative agent and issuing bank (as amended, restated, or otherwise modified from time to time).

Original Lender Swap Agreement ” means those certain Hedge Contracts listed on Schedule 4.20 hereto.

 

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Original Mortgaged Properties ” means the Oil and Gas Properties of any Loan Party that were subject to a mortgage or deed of trust in favor of Wells Fargo in connection with the Original Credit Agreement.

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

Other Taxes ” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment required by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.15).

Participant ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.07(d) hereof.

Participant Register ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.07(d) hereof.

Patriot Act ” means the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)).

PBGC ” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any entity succeeding to any or all of its functions under ERISA.

PDP Reserves ” means the Proven Reserves which are categorized as both “developed” and “producing” under the O&G Definitions.

Pension Plan ” means any Employee Benefit Plan, other than a Multiemployer Plan, which is subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Sections 412 and 430 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA.

Permit ” means any approval, certificate of occupancy, consent, waiver, exemption, variance, franchise, order, permit, authorization, right or license of or from any Governmental Authority, including without limitation, an Environmental Permit.

Permitted Acquisition ” means any Acquisition that meets all of the following requirements:

(a) no less than five (5) Business Days prior to the proposed closing date of such Acquisition (or such shorter period of time as the Administrative Agent may agree to in its sole discretion or such longer period of time as may be required by the Lenders if a Borrowing Base increase is requested in connection therewith), the Borrower shall have delivered written notice of such Acquisition to the Administrative Agent, which notice shall include the proposed closing date of such Acquisition;

(b) such Acquisition is not hostile;

(c) the Person or business to be acquired shall be in a line of business permitted pursuant to Section 6.11;

 

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(d) if such Acquisition is a merger or consolidation, the Borrower or a Guarantor shall be the surviving Person and no Change in Control shall have been effected thereby;

(e) if an increase in the Borrowing Base is to be effected in connection with such Acquisition on the date of such Acquisition, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent all documents required to be delivered pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 6.16 and Section 5.08 concurrent with or immediately following such Acquisition notwithstanding the time frames required under Section 6.16 and Section 5.08;

(f) no later than five (5) Business Days prior to the proposed closing date of such Acquisition (or such shorter period of time as the Administrative Agent may agree to in its sole discretion), the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an Officer’s Compliance Certificate for the most recent fiscal quarter end preceding such Acquisition for which financial statements are available demonstrating, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (i) that the Borrower is in compliance on a pro forma basis calculated in a manner acceptable to the Administrative Agent (as of the date of the Acquisition and after giving effect thereto and any Indebtedness incurred in connection therewith) with each covenant contained in Section 6.17 and (ii) that the Leverage Ratio calculated on a pro forma basis calculated in a manner acceptable to the Administrative Agent (as of the proposed closing date of the Acquisition and after giving effect thereto and any Indebtedness incurred in connection therewith) shall be at least 0.25 below the then applicable ratio set forth in Section 6.17(a);

(g) no later than one (1) Business Day (or three (3) Business Days (or such shorter period as the Administrative Agent may agree to in its sole discretion) if any proceeds of any Advance are to be applied to fund such Acquisition, in whole or in part) prior to the proposed closing date of such Acquisition the Borrower, to the extent reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent copies of substantially final Permitted Acquisition Documents;

(h) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing both before and after giving effect to such Acquisition and any Indebtedness incurred in connection therewith;

(i) the Borrower shall have obtained the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and the Majority Lenders prior to the consummation of such Acquisition if the Permitted Acquisition Consideration for any such Acquisition (or series of related Acquisitions), together with all other Acquisitions consummated during the twelve (12) month period immediately preceding such Acquisition, exceeds $25,000,000 (excluding any portion of the Acquisitions paid in the form of, or with the proceeds from any Equity Issuance of, common Equity Interests of Holdings);

(j) after giving effect to the Acquisition (including any increase to the Borrowing Base resulting therefrom), Availability shall be no less than 15% of the then effective Borrowing Base; and

(k) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Responsible Officer certifying that all of the requirements set forth above have been satisfied or will be satisfied on or prior to the consummation of such purchase or other Acquisition (or will be satisfied within the time periods otherwise required above).

Permitted Acquisition Consideration ” means the aggregate amount of the purchase price, including, but not limited to, any assumed debt, earn-outs (valued at the maximum amount payable thereunder), deferred payments, or Equity Interests of Holdings, to be paid on a singular basis in connection with any applicable Permitted Acquisition as set forth in the applicable Permitted Acquisition Documents executed by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries in order to consummate the applicable Permitted Acquisition.

 

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Permitted Acquisition Documents ” means with respect to any Acquisition proposed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, final copies or substantially final drafts if not executed at the required time of delivery of the purchase agreement, sale agreement, merger agreement or other primary agreement evidencing such Acquisition, including, without limitation, all legal opinions and any material amendment, modification or supplement to any of the foregoing.

Permitted Asset Swap ” means the Disposition of Oil and Gas Properties made by a Loan Party or any Subsidiary in exchange for other Oil and Gas Properties so long as each of the following conditions are met: (a) such exchange is made with a Person (the “ transferee ”) that is not an Affiliate of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, (b) if the Oil and Gas Properties being Disposed of are Collateral, then the Oil and Gas Properties received shall also be pledged as Collateral pursuant to Mortgages, (c) no Proven Reserves are attributable to the Disposed Oil and Gas Properties, and (d) the fair market value of the Disposed Oil and Gas Properties are substantially equivalent to the fair market value of the received Oil and Gas Properties (in any case, as reasonably determined by the board of directors or the equivalent governing body of the Borrower, or its designee, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying to that effect).

Permitted Liens ” means the Liens permitted under Section 6.01; provided that (1) Liens described in clauses (d) and (g) of Section 6.01 shall remain “Permitted Liens” only for so long as no action to enforce such Lien has been commenced or such Liens are being diligently contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and adequate reserves have been made in accordance with GAAP, and (2) no intention to subordinate the priority of the Lien granted in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties is to be hereby implied or expressed by the permitted existence of any Permitted Liens.

Permitted Subject Liens ” means the Permitted Liens permitted under paragraphs (c) through (i) of Section 6.01.

Permitted Tax Distributions ” means Restricted Payments in the form of cash made by the Borrower to Holdings in an amount equal to the net income Tax liabilities of Holdings, attributable solely to the earnings of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (and not on earnings of any other Subsidiary or Affiliate of Holdings) for such Tax years in which the Borrower is a pass-through entity or a member of a consolidated group with Holdings for Tax purposes (calculated for the avoidance of doubt after taking into account any net operating loss carryovers and similar tax attributes available to Holdings from any source); provided that , in no event shall such amount exceed the amount actually required to be paid by Holdings in income tax attributable to such earnings.

Person ” means an individual, partnership, corporation (including a business trust), joint stock company, limited liability corporation or company, limited liability partnership, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture or other entity, or a government or any political subdivision or agency thereof or any trustee, receiver, custodian or similar official.

Plan of Reorganization ” means the Second Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Penn Virginia Corporation and its Debtor Affiliates confirmed by entry of an order of the Bankruptcy Court on August 11, 2016 and attached hereto as Schedule 1.01(b) .

Platform ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.09(c)(i) hereof.

 

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Pricing Grid ” means the pricing information set forth in Schedule I .

Pro Rata Share ” means, with respect to any Lender, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of the Maximum Credit Amount of such Lender to the aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts of all the Lenders (or if the Commitments have been terminated, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of outstanding Advances owing to such Lender to the aggregate outstanding Advances owing to all such Lenders).

Property ” of any Person means any property or assets (whether real, personal, or mixed, tangible or intangible) of such Person.

Proven Reserves ” means, at any particular time, the estimated quantities of Hydrocarbons which geological and engineering data demonstrate with reasonable certainty to be recoverable in future years from known reservoirs attributable to Oil and Gas Properties included or to be included in the Borrowing Base under then existing economic and operating conditions (i.e., prices and costs as of the date the estimate is made) and which are “proved reserves” as defined in the O&G Definitions.

Qualified ECP Guarantor ” means, in respect of any Swap Obligation, (a) each Loan Party that has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 at the time the relevant Guaranty or grant of the relevant security interest becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation or (b) a Loan Party for which another Person who constitutes an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act or any regulations promulgated thereunder can cause such Loan Party to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time by entering into a keepwell under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Qualified Equity Interests ” means any Equity Interests that are not Disqualified Equity Interests.

Quarterly Reporting Package ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.06(b).

Realty Collateral ” has the meaning set forth in the Mortgages.

Recipient ” means (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) the Issuing Lender, as applicable.

Reference Rate ” means a fluctuating interest rate per annum as shall be in effect from time to time equal to the rate of interest publicly announced by Wells Fargo, as its reference rate, whether or not the Borrower has notice thereof.

Reference Rate Advance ” means an Advance which bears interest as provided in Section 2.09(a).

Register ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.07(c) hereof.

Regulation U ” mean Regulation U of the Federal Reserve Board, as the same is from time to time in effect, and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

Regulations T, U, and X ” mean Regulations T, U, and X of the Federal Reserve Board, as the same is from time to time in effect, and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

Reimbursement Obligations ” means all of the obligations of the Borrower to reimburse the Issuing Lender for amounts paid by the Issuing Lender under Letters of Credit as established by the Letter of Credit Applications and Section 2.07(c).

 

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Related Parties ” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

Release ” or “ Released ” means any depositing, spilling, leaking, seepage, pumping, pouring, placing, emitting, discarding, abandoning, emptying, discharging, dispersing, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, disposing, emanating, or migrating of any Hazardous Material in, into, onto or through the Environment.

Required Lenders ” means, Lenders holding at least 66 2/3% of the aggregate Credit Exposure; provided that, if no Advances or Letter of Credit Obligations are then outstanding, “Required Lenders” shall mean Lenders having at least 66 2/3% of the aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts at such time; provided further that, the Maximum Credit Amounts of, and the portion of the Advances and Letter of Credit Exposure held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders unless all of the Lenders are Defaulting Lenders.

Reserved Claims ” means those disputed claims under the Chapter 11 Cases that have been detailed and identified by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent on the Closing Date in a written schedule, which have not been allowed or disallowed pursuant to a Final Order of the Bankruptcy Court as part of the claims resolution process after the Closing Date.

Reserved Claims Account ” means a separate, designated deposit account that is subject to an Account Control Agreement (subject to Section 6.26) and in which the Borrower or Holdings has deposited funds on the Closing Date and which funds are reserved to satisfy the Allowed Reserved Claims.

Reserved Claims Amount ” means, as of any date of determination, an amount equal to (a) the amount of funds deposited in the Reserved Claims Account on the Closing Date minus (b) the amount of Allowed Reserved Claims paid by any Loan Party after the Closing Date minus (c) the amount of all Disallowed Reserved Claims; provided that, in any event, the Reserved Claims Amount shall not exceed $25,000,000.

Resignation Effective Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.06(a) hereof.

Response ” shall have the meaning set forth in CERCLA or under any other Environmental Law.

Responsible Officer ” means (a) with respect to any Person that is a corporation, such Person’s Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, or Vice President, (b) with respect to any Person that is a limited liability company, a manager or the Responsible Officer of such Person’s managing member or manager, and (c) with respect to any Person that is a general partnership or a limited liability partnership, the Responsible Officer of such Person’s general partner or partners.

Restricted Payment ” means, with respect to any Person, (a) any direct or indirect dividend or distribution (whether in cash, securities or other Property) or any direct or indirect payment of any kind or character (whether in cash, securities or other Property) on account of any Equity Interest of such Person, including in consideration for or otherwise in connection with any retirement, purchase, redemption or other acquisition of any Equity Interest of such Person, or any options, warrants or rights to purchase or acquire any such Equity Interest of such Person or (b) principal or interest payments (in cash, Property or otherwise) on, or redemptions of, subordinated debt of such Person; provided that the term “Restricted Payment” shall not include any dividend or distribution payable solely in common Equity Interests of such Person or warrants, options or other rights to purchase such common Equity Interests.

 

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Returns ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.10(b).

RSA ” means that certain Restructuring Support Agreement dated as of May 10, 2016 among Holdings, the Borrower, and the other parties thereto and attached hereto as Schedule 1.01(c) .

Sanctioned Country ” means at any time, a country or territory which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions.

Sanctioned Person ” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by OFAC, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country or (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in clauses (a) and (b).

Sanctions ” means economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by the U.S. government (including those administered by OFAC), the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority.

SEC ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Secured Obligations ” means (a) all Obligations, (b) Lender Hedge Obligations, and (c) the Banking Services Obligations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, “Secured Obligations” shall not include the Excluded Swap Obligations.

Secured Parties ” means the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender, the Lenders, the Lender Swap Counterparties, and the Banking Service Providers.

Security Agreement ” means the Pledge and Security Agreement, in substantially the form of the attached Exhibit H , executed by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of the Guarantors, and if applicable, the Administrative Agent.

Security Instruments ” means, collectively, (a) the Mortgages, (b) the Transfer Letters, (c) the Security Agreement, (d) the Account Control Agreements, (e) each other agreement, instrument or document executed at any time in connection with the documents and agreements listed in (a) through (d) above, (f) each agreement, instrument or document executed in connection with the Cash Collateral Account, and (g) each other agreement, instrument or document executed at any time in connection with securing the Secured Obligations.

Solvent ” means, with respect to any Loan Party as of the date of any determination, that on such date (a) the fair value of the Property of such Person on a consolidated basis, is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of such Person, on a consolidated basis, (b) the present fair saleable value of the assets of such Person, on a consolidated basis, is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person, on a consolidated basis, on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (c) such Person is able to pay its debts and other liabilities, contingent obligations, and other commitments as they mature in the ordinary course of business, (d) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s ability to pay as such debts and liabilities mature, and (e) such Person is not engaged in business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in business or a transaction, for which such Person’s Property would constitute unreasonably small capital. In computing the amount of contingent liabilities at any time, such liabilities shall be computed at the amount which, in light of the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

 

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Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person (the “ parent ”) at any date, any other Person the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any Person, a majority of whose outstanding Voting Securities (other than directors’ qualifying shares) shall at any time be owned by such parent or one or more Subsidiaries of such parent. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of Holdings.

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

Synthetic Lease ” means any synthetic lease, tax retention operating lease, off-balance sheet loan or similar off-balance sheet financing product where such transaction is considered borrowed money indebtedness for tax purposes but is classified as an Operating Lease in accordance with GAAP.

Tax Group ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.10(a).

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

Termination Event ” means the occurrence of any of the following: (a) a “reportable event” described in Section 4043 of ERISA with respect to a Pension Plan for which the thirty (30) day notice requirement has not been waived by the PBGC, or (b) the failure with respect to any Pension Plan to make the “minimum required contribution” (as defined in Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA), or (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Pension Plan, or (d) the withdrawal of any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan during a plan year in which it was a “substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA, or (e) the termination of a Pension Plan, the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Pension Plan or the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination, under Section 4041 of ERISA, or (f) the institution of proceedings to terminate, or the appointment of a trustee with respect to, any Pension Plan by the PBGC, or (g) the occurrence of any event or condition which might constitute grounds under Section 4042(a) of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan, or (h) the imposition of a Lien pursuant to Section 430(k) of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA, or (i) the determination that any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan is considered an at-risk plan or a plan in endangered or critical status with the meaning of Sections 430, 431 or 432 of the Code or Sections 303, 304 or 305 of ERISA, or (j) the partial or complete withdrawal of any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan, or (k) the receipt by any Loan Party or any of its ERISA Affiliates from a Multiemployer Plan of any notice concerning the imposition of withdrawal liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, “insolvent” (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA) or in “reorganization” (within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA), or (l) any event or condition which results in the termination of a Multiemployer Plan under Section 4041A of ERISA or the institution by PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Multiemployer Plan under Section 4042 of ERISA, or (m) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate.

 

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Trade Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.07(b)(i) hereof.

Transfer Letters ” means, collectively, the letters in lieu of transfer orders in substantially the form of the attached Exhibit I and executed by the Borrower, any Guarantor or any of their respective Subsidiaries executing a Mortgage.

Treasury Management Arrangement ” means any agreement or other arrangement governing the provision of treasury or cash management services, including deposit accounts, overdraft, credit or debit card, funds transfer, automated clearinghouse, zero balance accounts, returned check concentration, controlled disbursement, lockbox, account reconciliation and reporting and trade finance services and other cash management services.

Trigger Event ” means (a) any Disposition of Oil and Gas Properties, (b) any Hedge Event, or (c) any failure to cure a title defect referenced in Section 5.11 within the 60-day time period provided for in Section 5.11.

Trigger Event Date ” means (a) as to any Disposition of Oil and Gas Properties, the date such Disposition is consummated, (b) as to any Hedge Event, the date such Hedge Event is effected, and (c) as to any failure to cure a title defect referenced in Section 5.11 within the 60-day time period provided for in Section 5.11, the date immediately following such 60-day period.

Type ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.04.

UCC ” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as the same may, from time to time, be in effect in the State of New York; provided, however, in the event that, by reason of mandatory provisions of law, any or all of the attachment, perfection or priority of the security interest in any Collateral is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in a jurisdiction other than the State of New York, the term “UCC” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in such other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such attachment, perfection or priority and for purposes of definitions related to such provisions.

U.S. Person ” means any Person that is a “United States Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(g)(ii)(B) hereof.

Utilization Level ” means the applicable category (being Level I, Level II, Level III, Level IV or Level V) of pricing criteria contained in Schedule I , which is at any time of its determination based on the percentage obtained by dividing (a) the outstanding principal amount of the Advances and the Letter of Credit Exposure at such time by (b) the Commitments at such time.

Voting Securities ” means (a) with respect to any corporation (including any unlimited liability company), capital stock of such corporation having general voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether at the time stock of any other class or classes shall have or might have special voting power or rights by reason of the happening of any contingency), (b) with respect to any partnership, any partnership interest or other ownership interest having general voting power to elect the general partner or other management of the partnership or other Person, and (c) with respect to any limited liability company, membership certificates or interests having general voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect managers (or the individuals performing similar functions) of such limited liability company.

 

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Wells ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(b)(iv) hereof.

Wells Fargo ” means Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, a national banking association.

Withholding Agent ” means any Loan Party and the Administrative Agent.

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

Section 1.02 Computation of Time Periods . In this Agreement, with respect to the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including” and the words “to” and “until” each means “to but excluding”.

Section 1.03 Accounting Terms; Changes in GAAP . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, and all financial statements and certificates and reports as to financial matters required to be delivered to the Lenders hereunder shall (unless otherwise disclosed to the Lenders in writing at the time of delivery thereof) be prepared, in accordance with GAAP applied on a basis consistent with those used in the preparation of the latest financial statements furnished to the Lenders hereunder. All calculations made for the purposes of determining compliance with this Agreement shall (except as otherwise expressly provided herein) be made by application of GAAP applied on a basis consistent with those used in the preparation of the annual or quarterly financial statements furnished to the Lenders pursuant to Section 5.06 hereof most recently delivered prior to or concurrently with such calculations. If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth herein, and either the Borrower or the Majority Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Majority Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (a) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein, and (b) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP. In addition, all calculations and defined accounting terms used herein shall, unless expressly provided otherwise, when referring to any Person, refer to such Person on a consolidated basis and mean such Person and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Section 1.04 Types of Advances . Advances are distinguished by “Type.” The “Type” of an Advance refers to the determination whether such Advance is a Eurodollar Rate Advance or Reference Rate Advance as determined in accordance with Section 2.03.

Section 1.05 UCC Terms . Terms defined in the UCC in effect on the date hereof and not otherwise defined herein shall, unless the context otherwise indicates, have the meanings provided by those definitions. Subject to the foregoing, the term “UCC” refers, as of any date of determination, to the UCC then in effect.

Section 1.06 Rounding . Any financial ratios required to be maintained pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio or percentage is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

 

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Section 1.07 Letter of Credit Amounts . Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to mean the maximum face amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all increases thereof contemplated by such Letter of Credit or the Letter of Credit Application therefor (at the time specified therefor in such applicable Letter of Credit or Letter of Credit Application and as such amount may be reduced by (a) any permanent reduction of such Letter of Credit or (b) any amount which is drawn, reimbursed and no longer available under such Letter of Credit).

Section 1.08 Guarantees . Unless otherwise specified, the amount of any Guarantee shall be the lesser of the principal amount of the obligations guaranteed and still outstanding and the maximum amount for which the guaranteeing Person may be liable pursuant to the terms of the instrument embodying such Guarantee.

Section 1.09 Miscellaneous . The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement, (e) any reference to any law or regulation herein shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (f) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights. Titles and captions of Articles, Sections and subsections in, and the table of contents of, this Agreement are for convenience only, and neither limit nor amplify the provisions of this Agreement.

ARTICLE II

CREDIT FACILITIES

Section 2.01 Commitment for Advances.

(a) Advances . Each Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, to make Advances to the Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the date of this Agreement until the Commitment Termination Date; provided that, after giving effect to such Advances, each Lender’s Credit Exposure shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment at such time. Each Borrowing shall, in the case of Borrowings consisting of Reference Rate Advances, be in an aggregate amount not less than $1,000,000 and in integral multiples of $500,000 in excess thereof, and in the case of Borrowings consisting of Eurodollar Rate Advances, be in an aggregate amount not less than $2,000,000 and in integral multiples of $500,000 in excess thereof, and in each case shall consist of Advances of the same Type made on the same day by the Lenders ratably according to their respective Commitments. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Borrower may from time to time borrow, prepay, and reborrow Advances.

 

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(b) Evidence of Indebtedness . The Advances made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Advances made by such Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender to the Borrower made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) the applicable Notes which shall evidence such Lender’s Advances to the Borrower in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to such Notes and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount, and maturity of its Advances and payments with respect thereto. In addition to the accounts and records referred to in the immediately preceding sentences, each Lender, Issuing Lender and Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender (other than the Issuing Lender) in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. In the event of any conflict among the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent, the accounts and records maintained by the Issuing Lender as to Letters of Credit issued by it, and the accounts and records of any other Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Issuing Lender shall control in the absence of manifest error.

Section 2.02 Borrowing Base.

(a) Borrowing Base . The initial Borrowing Base in effect as of Closing Date has been set by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and acknowledged by the Borrower as $128,000,000. Such initial Borrowing Base shall remain in effect until the next redetermination made pursuant to this Section 2.02. The Borrowing Base shall be determined in accordance with the standards set forth in Section 2.02(e) and is subject to periodic redetermination pursuant to Sections 2.02(b) and 2.02(c), and mandatory reductions pursuant to Section 2.02(d).

(b) Calculation of Borrowing Base .

(i) The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders on or before each March 1 st , beginning March 1, 2017, an Independent Engineering Report dated effective as of the immediately preceding January 1 st , and such other information as may be reasonably requested by any Lender with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties included or to be included in the Borrowing Base. In the normal course of business (but in any event within 30 days after the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ receipt of such Independent Engineering Report (and such additional Engineering Report, if any, required under the last sentence of subsection (iv) below) and other information), (A) the Administrative Agent shall deliver to each Lender the Administrative Agent’s recommendation for the redetermined Borrowing Base, (B) the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall redetermine the Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 2.02(e), and (C) the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower in writing of the amount of the Borrowing Base as so redetermined.

(ii) The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, on or before each September 1 st , beginning September 1, 2017, an Internal Engineering Report or an Independent Engineering Report dated effective as of the immediately preceding July 1 st and, in each

 

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instance, such other information as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties included or to be included in the Borrowing Base. In the normal course of business (but in any event within 30 days after the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ receipt of such Internal Engineering Report or Internal Engineering Report (and such additional Engineering Report, if any, required under the last sentence of subsection (iv) below) and other information), (A) the Administrative Agent shall deliver to each Lender the Administrative Agent’s recommendation for the redetermined Borrowing Base, (B) the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall redetermine the Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 2.02(e), and (C) the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower in writing of the amount of the Borrowing Base as so redetermined.

(iii) In the event that the Borrower does not furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders the Independent Engineering Report, Internal Engineering Report or other information specified in clauses (i) and (ii) above by the date specified therein (or such additional Engineering Report, if any, required under the last sentence of subsection (iv) below), the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may nonetheless redetermine the Borrowing Base and redesignate the Borrowing Base from time-to-time thereafter in their sole discretion (but subject to Section 2.02(e)) until the Administrative Agent and the Lenders receive the relevant Independent Engineering Report, Internal Engineering Report, or other information, as applicable, at which time the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall redetermine the Borrowing Base as otherwise specified in this Section 2.02.

(iv) Each delivery of an Engineering Report (including, without limitation, the initial Engineering Report delivered pursuant to Section 3.01) by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that (A) the Borrower and the Guarantors, as applicable, own the Oil and Gas Properties specified therein subject to an Acceptable Security Interest to the extent required hereunder (other than any thereof that have been Disposed of since the date of such Engineering Report in a Disposition permitted by this Agreement and noted to the Administrative Agent under the certificate required under Section 5.06(e)(iv)(C)) and free and clear of any Liens (except Permitted Liens), (B) on and as of the date of such Engineering Report each Oil and Gas Property identified as PDP Reserves therein was developed for oil and gas, and the wells pertaining to such Oil and Gas Properties that are described therein as producing wells (“ Wells ”), were each producing oil and/or gas in paying quantities, except for Wells that were utilized as water or gas injection wells, carbon dioxide wells or as water disposal wells (each as noted in such Engineering Report) or wells that were shut in for maintenance, repair or offset drilling activity (each as noted in such Engineering Report), (C) the descriptions of the nature of the record title interests of the Borrower and the Guarantors, as applicable, set forth in such Engineering Report are complete and accurate in all respects, and take into account all Permitted Liens, (D) there are no “back-in” or “reversionary” interests held by third parties which could reduce the interests of the Borrower or any of the Guarantors in such Oil and Gas Properties except as set forth in Engineering Report, (E) no operating or other agreement to which the Borrower or any of the Guarantors is a party or by which the Borrower or any of the Guarantors is bound affecting any part of such Oil and Gas Properties requires the Borrower or any of the Guarantors to bear any of the costs relating to such Oil and Gas Properties greater than the record title interest of the Borrower or any of the Guarantors in such portion of the such Oil and Gas Properties as set forth in such Engineering Report, except in the event the Borrower or any of the Guarantors is obligated under an operating agreement to assume a portion of a defaulting party’s share of costs, and (F) the Borrower’s and the Guarantors’ ownership of the Hydrocarbons and the undivided interests in the Oil and Gas Properties as specified in such Engineering Report (i) will, after giving full effect to all Permitted Liens, afford the Borrower or the applicable Guarantor not less than those net interests (expressed as a fraction, percentage or decimal) in the production from or which is allocated to such Hydrocarbons specified as net revenue interest in such Engineering Report and (ii) will cause the Borrower or the applicable Guarantor to bear not more than that portion (expressed as a fraction,

 

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percentage or decimal), specified as working interest in such Engineering Report, of the costs of drilling, developing and operating the wells identified in such Engineering Report or identified in the exhibits to the Mortgages encumbering such Oil and Gas Properties (except for any increases in working interest with a corresponding increase in the net revenue interest in such Oil and Gas Property) other than any discrepancy disclosed by the Borrower or such Guarantor in writing to the Administrative Agent at or prior to the delivery of such Engineering Report. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if the Administrative Agent is notified of such discrepancy, then the Borrower shall promptly (but in any event within 10 days after such original Engineering Report was required to be delivered or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion) deliver an updated Internal Engineering Report (or an Independent Engineering Report if the original Engineering Report was required to be an Independent Engineering Report) taking into account such discrepancy.

(c) Interim Redeterminations . In addition to the scheduled Borrowing Base redeterminations provided for in Section 2.02(b), the Borrowing Base may be further redetermined by the Lenders as follows, in each case, based on such information as the Administrative Agent and the Lenders deem relevant (but in accordance with Section 2.02(e)):

(i) the Administrative Agent may, and shall at the request of the Required Lenders, make a redetermination of the Borrowing Base during any six-month period between scheduled redeterminations; provided that, such redetermination may not be exercised prior to April 1, 2017;

(ii) the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of the Borrower, make a redetermination of the Borrowing Base during any six-month period between scheduled redeterminations; and

(iii) the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of the Borrower, in connection with any acquisition of Oil and Gas Properties (whether completed in one transaction or a series of transaction) having a purchase price in excess of the greater of (x) 5% of the then current Borrowing Base and (y) $10,000,000, make a redetermination of the Borrowing Base.

For the avoidance of doubt, such additional redeterminations of the Borrowing Base shall not constitute nor be construed as a consent to any transaction or proposed transaction that would not be permitted under the terms of this Agreement. The party requesting the redetermination under this paragraph (c) shall give the other party at least 10 days’ prior written notice that a redetermination of the Borrowing Base pursuant to this paragraph (c) is to be performed (or such shorter period as the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may agree to in their sole discretion); provided that, no such prior written notice shall be required for any redetermination made by the Lenders during the existence of a Default. In connection with any redetermination of the Borrowing Base under this Section 2.02(c), the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with such information regarding the Borrower and the Guarantors’ business (including, without limitation, its Oil and Gas Properties, the Proven Reserves, and production relating thereto) as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request; provided that, in the case of requests for an increase to the Borrowing Base of an amount in excess of (x) 5% of the Borrowing Base then in effect and (y) $10,000,000, the request of an updated Independent Engineering Report is deemed to be reasonable. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower in writing of each redetermination of the Borrowing Base pursuant to this Section 2.02(c) and the amount of the Borrowing Base as so redetermined.

(d) Mandatory Reductions . If any Trigger Event has the effect of causing the sum of (i) the BB Value of all Dispositions of Oil and Gas Properties made since the date of the most recent scheduled Borrowing Base redetermination (including such Trigger Event), (ii) the BB Value of BB Hedges which have been novated, assigned, unwound, terminated, expired or amended since the date of the most recent

 

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scheduled Borrowing Base redetermination (including such Trigger Event), and (iii) the BB Value attributed to Oil and Gas Properties subject to title defects not cured to the satisfaction of the Administrative Agent as provided in Section 5.11 within the 60-day period permitted under Section 5.11 (including such Trigger Event), to exceed 5% of the Borrowing Base then in effect, then effective as of the applicable Trigger Event Date, the Borrowing Base shall be automatically reduced by the BB Value of Oil and Gas Properties that are covered by such Trigger Event as determined by the Administrative Agent. If any notice event is triggered under Section 6.01(g) as to any Lien, then effective as of the date such notice is delivered to the Administrative Agent, the Borrowing Base shall be automatically reduced by the BB Value attributed to such Lien. For the avoidance of doubt, the mandatory reduction in the Borrowing Base required under this clause (d) shall not constitute nor be construed as a consent to any transaction or proposed transaction that would not be permitted under the terms of this Agreement.

(e) Standards for Redetermination . Each redetermination of the Borrowing Base by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to this Section 2.02 shall be made (i) in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (but in accordance with the other provisions of this Section 2.02(e)), (ii) in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ customary internal standards and practices for valuing and redetermining the value of Oil and Gas Properties in connection with reserve based oil and gas loan transactions, (iii) in conjunction with the most recent Independent Engineering Report or Internal Engineering Report, as applicable, or other information received by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders relating to the Proven Reserves of the Borrower and the Guarantors, and (iv) based upon the estimated value of the Proven Reserves owned by the Borrower and the Guarantors as determined by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders. In valuing and redetermining the Borrowing Base, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may also consider the business, financial condition, and Indebtedness obligations of the Borrower and the Guarantors and such other factors as the Administrative Agent and the Lenders customarily deem appropriate, including without limitation, commodity price assumptions, projections of production, operating expenses, general and administrative expenses, capital costs, working capital requirements, liquidity evaluations, dividend payments, environmental costs, and legal costs. In that regard, the Borrower acknowledges that the determination of the Borrowing Base contains a value cushion (market value in excess of loan value), which is essential for the adequate protection of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders. Subject to the last sentence of Section 5.08(a), to the extent a Proven Reserve is not encumbered by an Acceptable Security Interest, such Proven Reserve shall not be included or considered for inclusion in the Borrowing Base to the extent an Acceptable Security Interest thereon would be necessary to cause the Administrative Agent to have an Acceptable Security Interest in (x) at least 95% (by value) of the Proven Reserves and the Oil and Gas Properties relating thereto, (y) 95% (by value) of the Loan Parties’ other Oil and Gas Properties, and (z) 100% (by value) of the Original Mortgaged Properties (other than such Original Mortgaged Properties which are Disposed of as permitted under Section 6.04(c)). At all times after the Administrative Agent has given the Borrower notification of a redetermination of the Borrowing Base under this Section 2.02, the Borrowing Base shall be equal to the redetermined amount or such lesser amount designated by the Borrower and disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders until the Borrowing Base is subsequently redetermined in accordance with this Section 2.02; provided that the Borrower shall not request that the Borrowing Base be reduced to a level that would result in a Borrowing Base Deficiency (without giving effect to the proviso in the definition thereof). Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) to the extent the redetermined Borrowing Base is less than or equal to the Borrowing Base in effect prior to such redetermination, such redetermined Borrowing Base must be approved by the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders, and (y) to the extent the redetermined Borrowing Base is greater than the Borrowing Base in effect prior to such redetermination, such redetermined Borrowing Base must be approved by the Administrative Agent and all of the Lenders.

 

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Section 2.03 Method of Borrowing.

(a) Notice . Each Borrowing shall be made pursuant to the applicable Notice of Borrowing given by Borrower to Administrative Agent not later than (i) in the case of the Borrowings to be made on the Closing Date (y) 11:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas time) on the second Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing, in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Advance or (z) 10:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas time) on the Business Day of the proposed Borrowing, in the case of a Reference Rate Advance or (ii) in the case of all Borrowings to be made after the Closing Date, (y) 11:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas time) on the third Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing, in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Advance or (z) 10:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas time) on the Business Day of the proposed Borrowing, in the case of a Reference Rate Advance, which shall give to each Lender prompt notice of such proposed Borrowing, by facsimile or by electronic mail. Each Notice of Borrowing shall be by facsimile or by electronic mail (with a PDF file of the executed Notice of Borrowing attached), specifying (i) the requested date of such Borrowing (which shall be a Business Day), (ii) the requested Type of Advances comprising such Borrowing, (iii) the aggregate amount of such Borrowing, and (iv) if such Borrowing is to be comprised of Eurodollar Rate Advances, the requested Interest Period for each such Advance; provided that, all Borrowings to be made on the Closing Date shall consist only of Reference Rate Advance (which may, subject to the terms of this Agreement, be thereafter Converted into Eurodollar Rate Advances) unless a breakfunding agreement reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent has been executed by the Borrower concurrent with the delivery of such Notice of Borrowing. In the case of a proposed Borrowing comprised of Eurodollar Rate Advances, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the applicable interest rate under Section 2.09(b). Each Lender shall, before 12:00 noon (Houston, Texas time) on the date of such Borrowing, make available for the account of its applicable Lending Office to the Administrative Agent at its address referred to in Section 9.09, or such other location as the Administrative Agent may specify by notice to the Lenders, in same day funds, such Lender’s pro rata share of such Borrowing. After the Administrative Agent’s receipt of such funds and upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth in Article III, the Administrative Agent will make such funds available to the Borrower at its account with the Administrative Agent or as otherwise directed by the Borrower with written notice to the Administrative Agent.

(b) Conversions and Continuations . In order to elect to Convert or continue an Advance under this paragraph, the Borrower shall deliver an irrevocable Notice of Conversion or Continuation to the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s office no later than 10:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas time) (i) on the Business Day of the proposed Conversion date in the case of a Conversion to a Reference Rate Advance and (ii) at least three Business Days in advance of the proposed Conversion or continuation date in the case of a Conversion to, or a continuation of, a Eurodollar Rate Advance. Each such Notice of Conversion or Continuation shall be in writing or by facsimile or by electronic mail (with a PDF file of the executed Notice of Conversion or Continuation attached), specifying (i) the requested Conversion or continuation date (which shall be a Business Day), (ii) the amount and Type of the Advance to be Converted or continued, (iii) whether a Conversion or continuation is requested and, if a Conversion, into what Type of Advance, and (iv) in the case of a Conversion to, or a continuation of, a Eurodollar Rate Advance, the requested Interest Period. Promptly after receipt of a Notice of Conversion or Continuation under this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall provide each Lender with a copy thereof and, in the case of a Conversion to or a continuation of a Eurodollar Rate Advance, notify each Lender of the applicable interest rate under Section 2.09(b). The portion of Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing that are Converted to Advances of another Type shall constitute a new Borrowing.

 

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(c) Certain Limitations . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in paragraphs (a) and (b) above:

(i) at no time shall there be more than eight Interest Periods applicable to outstanding Eurodollar Rate Advances;

(ii) if any Lender shall, at least one Business Day before the date of any requested Borrowing, Conversion, or continuation, notify the Administrative Agent that the introduction of any Legal Requirement after the date hereof, or any change in or in the interpretation of any Legal Requirement as in effect on the date hereof, makes it unlawful, or that any central bank or other Governmental Authority asserts that it is unlawful, for such Lender or its Lending Office to perform its obligations under this Agreement to make Eurodollar Rate Advances or to fund or maintain Eurodollar Rate Advances, the right of the Borrower to select Eurodollar Rate Advances from such Lender shall be suspended until such Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist, and the Advance made by such Lender in respect of such Borrowing, Conversion, or continuation shall be a Reference Rate Advance;

(iii) if the Administrative Agent is unable to determine the Eurodollar Rate for Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising any requested Borrowing, the right of the Borrower to select Eurodollar Rate Advances for such Borrowing or for any subsequent Borrowing shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist, and each Advance comprising such Borrowing shall be a Reference Rate Advance;

(iv) if the Majority Lenders shall, at least one Business Day before the date of any requested Borrowing, notify the Administrative Agent that the Eurodollar Rate for Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising such Borrowing will not adequately reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or funding their respective Eurodollar Rate Advances, as the case may be, for such Borrowing, the right of the Borrower to select Eurodollar Rate Advances for such Borrowing or for any subsequent Borrowing shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist, and each Advance comprising such Borrowing shall be a Reference Rate Advance;

(v) if the Borrower shall fail to select the duration or continuation of any Interest Period for any Eurodollar Rate Advances in accordance with the provisions contained in the definition of “Interest Period” in Section 1.01 and paragraph (b) above, the Administrative Agent shall forthwith so notify the Borrower and the Lenders and such Advances shall be made available to the Borrower on the date of such Borrowing as Eurodollar Rate Advances with an Interest Period of one month or, if an existing Advance, Convert into Reference Rate Advances; and

(vi) no Borrowing may be made as, continued as or Converted into, Eurodollar Rate Advances at any time that a Default has occurred and is continuing.

(d) Notices Irrevocable . Each Notice of Borrowing and Notice of Continuation or Conversion delivered by the Borrower hereunder, including its deemed request for borrowing made hereunder, shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower.

(e) Funding by Lenders; Administrative Agent Reliance . Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender before the date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of any Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made its Pro Rata Share of such Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent on the date of such Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03(a), and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower on such date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Lender shall not have so made its Pro Rata

 

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Share of such Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, such Lender and the Borrower severally agree to immediately repay to the Administrative Agent on demand such corresponding amount, together with interest on such amount, for each day from the date such amount is made available to the Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable on such day to Advances comprising such Borrowing and (ii) in the case of such Lender, the lesser of (A) the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation and (B) the Maximum Rate. If such Lender shall repay to the Administrative Agent such corresponding amount and interest as provided above, such corresponding amount so repaid shall constitute such Lender’s Advance as part of such Borrowing for purposes of this Agreement even though not made on the same day as the other Advances comprising such Borrowing.

(f) Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent . Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Lender hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Lender, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Lender, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Lender, with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the lesser of (i) the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation and (ii) the Maximum Rate.

Section 2.04 Termination and Reduction of the Commitments; Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.

(a) Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Commitment Termination Date. If at any time the aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts or the Borrowing Base is terminated or reduced to zero, then the Commitments shall terminate on the effective date of such termination or reduction.

(b) The Borrower shall have the right, upon at least three Business Days’ irrevocable notice (provided that, as to a notice of the termination in whole of the Maximum Credit Amounts, such notice may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) to the Administrative Agent, to terminate in whole or reduce ratably in part the unused portion of the aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts; provided that (i) each partial reduction shall be in the aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or in integral multiples of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Advances in accordance with Section 2.05(d), the total Credit Exposures would exceed the total Commitments.

(c) Any reduction and termination of the Commitments and Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant to this Section 2.04 shall be applied ratably to each Lender’s Commitment and Maximum Credit Amount and shall be permanent, with no obligation of the Lenders to reinstate such Commitments or Maximum Credit Amounts.

 

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Section 2.05 Prepayment of Advances .

(a) Optional . The Borrower shall have no right to prepay any principal amount of any Advance except as provided in this Section 2.05(a) and all notices given pursuant to this Section 2.05(a) shall be irrevocable and binding upon the Borrower (provided that any such notice as to the repayment in full of all outstanding Advances may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied). Each payment of any Advance pursuant to this Section 2.05(a) shall be made in a manner such that all Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing are paid in whole or ratably in part other than Advances owing to a Defaulting Lender as provided in Section 2.16. The Borrower may prepay the Advances, after giving by 11:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas time), (i) in the case of Eurodollar Rate Advances, at least three Business Days’ or (ii) in the case of Reference Rate Advances, same Business Day irrevocable prior written notice to the Administrative Agent stating the proposed date and aggregate principal amount of such prepayment. If any such notice is given, the Borrower shall prepay the Advances in whole or ratably in part in an aggregate principal amount equal to the amount specified in such notice, together with accrued and unpaid interest to the date of such prepayment on the principal amount prepaid and amounts, if any, required to be paid pursuant to Section 2.11 as a result of such prepayment being made on such date and without payment of any other premium or penalty; provided , however, that each partial prepayment with respect to: (A) any amounts prepaid in respect of Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be applied to Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing; (B) any prepayments made in respect of Reference Rate Advances shall be made in a minimum amount of $1,000,000 and in integral multiples of $500,000 in excess thereof, and (C) any prepayments made in respect of any Borrowing comprised of Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be made in an aggregate principal amount of at least $2,000,000 and in integral multiples of $500,000 in excess thereof. Full prepayments of any Borrowing are permitted without restriction of amounts.

(b) Borrowing Base Deficiency .

(i) Other than as provided in clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv) below, if a Borrowing Base Deficiency exists, the Borrower shall, after receipt of written notice from the Administrative Agent regarding such deficiency, take any of the following actions (and the failure of the Borrower to take such actions to remedy such Borrowing Base Deficiency shall constitute an election of clause (C) below):

(A) prepay Advances or, if the Advances have been repaid in full, make deposits into the Cash Collateral Account to provide cash collateral for the Letter of Credit Exposure, such that the Borrowing Base Deficiency is cured within 30 days after the date such deficiency notice is received by the Borrower from the Administrative Agent;

(B) (i) deliver, within 10 days after the date such deficiency notice is received by the Borrower from the Administrative Agent, written notice to the Administrative Agent indicating the Borrower’s election to pledge as Collateral for the Secured Obligations additional Oil and Gas Properties acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders such that the Borrowing Base Deficiency is cured within 30 days after the date such deficiency notice is received by the Borrower from the Administrative Agent and (ii) provide such pledge of additional Oil and Gas Properties within such time period;

(C) (i) deliver, within 10 days after the date such deficiency notice is received by the Borrower from the Administrative Agent, written notice to the Administrative Agent indicating the Borrower’s election to repay the Advances and make deposits into the Cash Collateral Account to provide cash collateral for the Letters of Credit, each in three monthly installments equal to one-third of such Borrowing Base Deficiency with the first such installment due 30 days after the date such deficiency notice is received by the Borrower from the Administrative Agent (or such earlier date as agreed to between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent) and each following installment due 30 days after the preceding installment and (ii) make such payments and deposits within such time periods; or

 

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(D) (i) deliver, within 10 days after the date such deficiency notice is received by the Borrower from the Administrative Agent, written notice to the Administrative Agent indicating the Borrower’s election to combine the options provided in clause (B) and clause (C) above, and also indicating the amount to be prepaid in installments and the amount to be provided as additional Collateral, and (ii) make such three equal consecutive monthly installments and deliver such additional Collateral within the time required under clause (B) and clause (C) above.

For the avoidance of doubt, (x) unless the Borrower delivers the requisite written notice to the Administrative Agent of its election under clause (B), (C) or (D) above, the Borrower is deemed to have elected to cure such Borrowing Base Deficiency as provided in clause (C) above, (y) if a scheduled Borrowing Base redetermination, a Borrowing Base redetermination allowed under Section 2.02(c), or a Borrowing Base redetermination on account of title defects in connection with the Oil and Gas Properties given BB Value (each, an “ Additional Trigger ”) occurs during the existence of a Borrowing Base Deficiency and an incremental Borrowing Base Deficiency amount results as a result of such Additional Trigger, then the Borrower shall remedy such incremental Borrowing Base Deficiency pursuant to the terms of this Section 2.05(b)(i), including, if selected by the Borrower, with additional three monthly installments as to such incremental amount, and (z) in any event, all outstanding Advances shall be paid in full on the Commitment Termination Date and all Letter of Credit Exposure shall be Cash Collateralized in the Minimum Collateral Amount on the Commitment Termination Date.

(ii) If, during the existence of a Borrowing Base Deficiency, any Loan Party (or the Administrative Agent as loss payee or assignee) receives Extraordinary Cash Proceeds, whether as one payment or a series of payments, then the Borrower shall, within one Business Day after receipt of such proceeds, prepay the Borrowings and Cash Collateralize the Letter of Credit Exposure, in an aggregate amount equal to the lesser of (i) such Borrowing Base Deficiency and (ii) 100% of such proceeds.

(iii) If the Borrowing Base is reduced under Section 2.02(d) and such reduction results in a Borrowing Base Deficiency, then the Borrower shall (A) with respect to a Disposition, prepay Advances or, if the Advances have been repaid in full, make deposits into the Cash Collateral Account to provide cash collateral for the Letter of Credit Exposure, such that the Borrowing Base Deficiency is cured within one Business Day after the date the proceeds of such Disposition are received, (B) with respect to a Hedge Event, prepay Advances or, if the Advances have been repaid in full, make deposits into the Cash Collateral Account to provide cash collateral for the Letter of Credit Exposure, such that the Borrowing Base Deficiency is cured on the Business Day the proceeds of such Hedge Event are received, and (C) with respect to a reduction in the Borrowing Base as a result of a notice event triggered under Section 6.01(g), prepay Advances or, if the Advances have been repaid in full, make deposits into the Cash Collateral Account to provide cash collateral for the Letter of Credit Exposure, such that the Borrowing Base Deficiency on account thereof is cured within one Business Day after such reduction in the Borrowing Base.

(iv) If a Disposition of Oil and Gas Properties or a Hedge Event occurs during the period when a Borrowing Base Deficiency already exists, then in addition to the requirement to repay the Advances and make deposits into the Cash Collateral Account to provide cash collateral for the Letters of Credit to cure any Borrowing Base Deficiency occurring as a result thereof (as provided in clause (iii) above), the Borrower shall apply any remaining proceeds resulting from such Disposition or Hedge Event on the date such proceeds are received as prepayments of all unpaid monthly installments or payments required under this Section 2.05(b), applied pro rata to such payments.

 

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(v) Each prepayment pursuant to this Section 2.05(b) shall be accompanied by accrued and unpaid interest on the amount prepaid to the date of such prepayment and amounts, if any, required to be paid pursuant to Section 2.11 as a result of such prepayment being made on such date. Each prepayment under this Section 2.05(b) shall be applied to the Advances as determined by the Administrative Agent and agreed to by the Lenders in their sole discretion.

(c) Excess Cash . If, at any time when Credit Exposure is greater than zero, the Consolidated Cash Balance exceeds the Consolidated Cash Balance Limit as of the end of the last Business Day of any calendar week, then the Borrower shall, on the immediately following Consolidated Cash Sweep Date, prepay the Advances in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess, and, if any excess remains after prepaying all of the Advances as a result of the Letter of Credit Exposure, Cash Collateralize the Letter of Credit Exposure in an amount equal to such excess. Each prepayment pursuant to this Section 2.05(c) shall be accompanied by accrued and unpaid interest on the amount prepaid to the date of such prepayment. Each prepayment under this Section 2.05(c) shall be applied first to Reference Rate Advances and then to Eurodollar Rate Advances. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, prepayments under this clause (c) shall not be subject to the reimbursement, indemnity or payment obligations under Section 2.11.

(d) Reduction of Maximum Credit Amounts . On the date of each reduction of the aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant to Section 2.04, the Borrower agrees to make a prepayment in respect of the outstanding amount of the Advances, and if the Advances have been repaid in full, make deposits into the Cash Collateral Account to provide cash collateral for the Letter of Credit Exposure, such that, the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Advances plus the Letter of Credit Exposure that has not been Cash Collateralized does not exceed the aggregate Commitments, as so reduced. Each prepayment pursuant to this Section 2.05(d) shall be accompanied by accrued and unpaid interest on the amount prepaid to the date of such prepayment and amounts, if any, required to be paid pursuant to Section 2.11 as a result of such prepayment being made on such date. Each prepayment under this Section 2.05(d) shall be applied first to Reference Rate Advances and then to Eurodollar Rate Advances.

(e) Ratable Prepayment . Each payment of any Advance pursuant to this Section 2.05 shall be made in a manner such that all Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing are paid in whole or ratably in part.

Section 2.06 Repayment of Advances.  The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders the outstanding principal amount of each Advance, together with any accrued and unpaid interest thereon, on the Maturity Date or such earlier date pursuant to Section 7.02 or Section 7.03.

Section 2.07 Letters of Credit.

(a) Commitment for Letters of Credit . The Issuing Lender, the Lenders, Holdings, and the Borrower each agrees that effective as of the Closing Date, the Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued and maintained under, and to be governed by the terms and conditions of, this Agreement. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Issuing Lender agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.07, from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Commitment Termination Date, to issue, increase or extend the Expiration Date of Letters of Credit for the account of any Loan Party, provided that no Letter of Credit will be issued, increased, or extended:

 

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(i) if such issuance, increase, or extension would cause the Letter of Credit Exposure to exceed the lesser of (A) $5,000,000 and (B) an amount equal to (1) the Commitments in effect at such time minus (2) the sum of the aggregate outstanding amount of all Advances;

(ii) unless such Letter of Credit has an Expiration Date not later than the earlier of (A) 12 months after its issuance or extension and (B) five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date (an “ Acceptable Letter of Credit Maturity Date ”); provided that, (1) if the Commitments are terminated in whole pursuant to Section 2.04, the Borrower shall either (A) deposit into the Cash Collateral Account cash in an amount equal to the Minimum Collateral Amount for the Letters of Credit which have an expiry date beyond the date the Commitments are terminated or (B) provide a replacement letter of credit (or other security) reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender in an amount equal to the Minimum Collateral Amount, and (2) any such Letter of Credit with a one-year tenor may expressly provide for an automatic extension of one additional year so long as such Letter of Credit expressly allows the Issuing Lender, at its sole discretion, to elect not to provide such extension within the time periods agreed to in the applicable Letter of Credit; provided that, in any event, such automatic extension may not result in an Expiration Date that occurs after the fifth Business Day prior to the Maturity Date;

(iii) unless such Letter of Credit is a standby letter of credit not supporting the repayment of indebtedness for borrowed money of any Person;

(iv) unless such Letter of Credit is in form and substance acceptable to the Issuing Lender in its sole discretion exercised in good faith;

(v) unless the Borrower has delivered to the Issuing Lender a completed and executed Letter of Credit Application;

(vi) unless such Letter of Credit is governed by (A) the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (2007 Revision), International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 600, or (B) the International Standby Practices (ISP98), International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 590, in either case, including any subsequent revisions thereof approved by a Congress of the International Chamber of Commerce and adhered to by the Issuing Lender;

(vii) if any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the Issuing Lender from issuing, increasing or extending such Letter of Credit, or any Legal Requirement applicable to the Issuing Lender or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the Issuing Lender shall prohibit, or request that the Issuing Lender refrain from, the issuance, increase or extension of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the Issuing Lender with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the Issuing Lender is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the date hereof, or shall impose upon the Issuing Lender any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the date hereof and which the Issuing Lender in good faith deems material to it;

(viii) if the issuance, increase or extension of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the Issuing Lender applicable to letters of credit generally;

(ix) if Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars;

 

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(x) if such Letter of Credit supports the obligations of any Person in respect of (x) a lease of real property, or (y) an employment contract if the Issuing Lender reasonably determines that the Borrower’s obligation to reimburse any draws under such Letter of Credit may be limited; or

(xi) any Lender is at such time a Defaulting Lender hereunder, unless such Defaulting Lender’s Fronting Exposure as to Letters of Credit has been fully reallocated or Cash Collateralized pursuant to Section 2.16 below or the Issuing Lender has entered into other satisfactory arrangements with the Borrower or such Lender to eliminate the Issuing Lender’s risk with respect to such Lender.

(b) Requesting Letters of Credit . Each Letter of Credit (other than the issuance of Existing Letters of Credit which are deemed issued hereunder) shall be issued, increased or extended pursuant to a Letter of Credit Application given by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender by facsimile, electronic mail or other writing not later than 11:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas time) on the third Business Day before the proposed date of issuance, increase or extension for the Letter of Credit. Each Letter of Credit Application shall be fully completed and shall specify the information required therein. Each Letter of Credit Application shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Issuing Lender shall before 2:00 p.m. (Houston, Texas time) on the date of such Letter of Credit Application issue, increase or extend such Letter of Credit to the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit.

(c) Reimbursements for Letters of Credit; Funding of Participations .

(i) With respect to any Letter of Credit, in accordance with the related Letter of Credit Application, the Borrower agrees to pay on the Business Day the Borrower receives notice of such drawing from the Issuing Bank if such notice is received by the Borrower prior to 11:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas time) or, if such notice is received after 11:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas time), then on the Business Day following such notice to the Administrative Agent (the applicable date, the “ LC Payment Date ”) on behalf of the Issuing Lender an amount equal to any amount paid by the Issuing Lender under such Letter of Credit. Upon the Issuing Lender’s demand for payment under the terms of a Letter of Credit Application, the Borrower may, with a written notice, request that the Borrower’s obligations to the Issuing Lender thereunder be satisfied with the proceeds of an Advance in the same amount (notwithstanding any minimum size or increment limitations on individual Advances). If the Borrower does not make such request and does not otherwise make the payments demanded by the Issuing Lender as required under this Agreement or the Letter of Credit Application, then the Borrower shall be deemed for all purposes of this Agreement to have requested such an Advance in the same amount and the transfer of the proceeds thereof to satisfy the Borrower’s obligations to the Issuing Lender, and the Borrower hereby unconditionally and irrevocably authorizes, empowers, and directs the Lenders to make such Advance, to transfer the proceeds thereof to the Issuing Lender in satisfaction of such obligations, and to record and otherwise treat such payments as an Advance to the Borrower. The Administrative Agent and each Lender may record and otherwise treat the making of such Borrowings as the making of a Borrowing to the Borrower under this Agreement as if requested by the Borrower. Nothing herein is intended to release any of the Borrower’s obligations under any Letter of Credit Application, but only to provide an additional method of payment therefor. The making of any Borrowing under this Section 2.07(c) shall not constitute a cure or waiver of any Default, other than the payment Default which is satisfied by the application of the amounts deemed advanced hereunder, caused by the Borrower’s failure to comply with the provisions of this Agreement or the Letter of Credit Application.

(ii) Each Lender (including the Lender acting as Issuing Lender) shall, upon notice from the Administrative Agent that the Borrower has requested or is deemed to have requested an Advance pursuant to Section 2.03 and regardless of whether (A) the conditions in Section 3.02 have been met, (B) such notice complies with Section 2.03, or (C) a Default exists, make funds available to the

 

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Administrative Agent for the account of the Issuing Lender in an amount equal to such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the amount of such Advance not later than 1:00 p.m. (Houston, Texas time) on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent if such notice is sent no later than 10:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas time) on such day (or not later than 1:00 p.m. (Houston, Texas time) on the immediately following Business Day if such notice is sent later than 10:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas time)), whereupon each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made an Advance to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Issuing Lender.

(iii) Until all the Lenders shall have made their respective Advances available to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.07 or the Borrower has otherwise made a payment to the Issuing Lender of all unpaid Letter of Credit Obligations, (x) the unpaid Letter of Credit Obligations then due from the Borrower (but in any case, only after the LC Payment Date) shall bear interest at the lesser of (A) the Default Rate and (B) the Maximum Rate for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is made and such interest shall be payable as provided in Section 2.09(c) and (y) to the extent the Borrower has not paid such interest or is not required to pay such interest, then each Lender that has not made the Advances available to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.07(c) agrees to pay interest on the amount that such Lender was required to make hereunder from such date such amount was due until the date such amount is paid to the Issuing Lender (either by such Lender or by the Borrower) at the lesser of (A) the Federal Funds Rate for such day for the first three days and thereafter the interest rate applicable to the Advance and (B) the Maximum Rate. Whenever, at any time after the Administrative Agent has received from any Lender such Lender’s Advance, the Administrative Agent receives any payment on account thereof, the Administrative Agent will pay to such Lender its participating interest in such amount (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Lender’s Advance was outstanding and funded), which payment shall be subject to repayment by such Lender if such payment received by the Administrative Agent is required to be returned. Each Lender’s obligation to make the Advance pursuant to this Section 2.07 shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (1) any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender or any other Person may have against the Issuing Lender, the Administrative Agent or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (2) the occurrence or continuance of a Default or the termination of the Commitments; (3) any breach of this Agreement by any Loan Party or any other Lender; or (4) any other circumstance, happening or event whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing.

(iv) If at any time, the Commitments shall have expired or shall have been terminated while any Letter of Credit Exposure is outstanding, each Lender, at the sole option of the Issuing Lender, shall fund its participation in such Letters of Credit in an amount equal to such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the unpaid amount of the Borrower’s payment obligations under drawn Letters of Credit. The Issuing Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent, and in turn, the Administrative Agent shall notify each such Lender of the amount of such participation, and such Lender will transfer to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Issuing Lender on the next Business Day following such notice, in immediately available funds, the amount of such participation. At any time after the Issuing Lender has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender funding of its participation in respect of such payment in accordance with this clause (iv), if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the Issuing Lender any payment in respect of the related Letter of Credit Exposure or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of cash collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent shall distribute to such Lender its Pro Rata Share thereof in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.

(d) Participations . Upon the date of the issuance or increase of a Letter of Credit or the deemed issuance of the Existing Letters of Credit under Section 2.07(a), the Issuing Lender shall be deemed to have sold to each other Lender and each other Lender shall have been deemed to have

 

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purchased from the Issuing Lender a participation in the related Letter of Credit Obligations equal to such Lender’s Pro Rata Share at such date and such sale and purchase shall otherwise be in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. The Issuing Lender shall promptly notify each such participant Lender by facsimile, telephone, or electronic mail (PDF) of each Letter of Credit issued or increased and the actual dollar amount of such Lender’s participation in such Letter of Credit.

(e) Obligations Unconditional . The obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement in respect of each Letter of Credit shall be unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, notwithstanding the following circumstances:

(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit Documents;

(ii) any amendment or waiver of or any consent to departure from any Letter of Credit Documents;

(iii) the existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right which any Loan Party may have at any time against any beneficiary or transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Persons for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the Issuing Lender, any Lender or any other person or entity, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or in any Letter of Credit Documents or any unrelated transaction;

(iv) any statement or any other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect to the extent the Issuing Lender would not be liable therefor pursuant to the following paragraph (g);

(v) payment by the Issuing Lender under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate which does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or

(vi) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing;

provided , however, that nothing contained in this paragraph (e) shall be deemed to constitute a waiver of any remedies of the Borrower in connection with the Letters of Credit, including, without limitation, those remedies specified in paragraph (g) below.

(f) Prepayments of Letters of Credit . In the event that any Letter of Credit shall be outstanding or shall be drawn and not reimbursed on or prior to the Acceptable Letter of Credit Maturity Date, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to the Minimum Collateral Amount allocable to such Letter of Credit, such amount to be due and payable on the Acceptable Letter of Credit Maturity Date, and to be held in the Cash Collateral Account and applied in accordance with paragraph (h) below.

(g) Liability of Issuing Lender . The Borrower assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee of any Letter of Credit with respect to its use of such Letter of Credit. Neither the Issuing Lender nor any of its officers or directors shall be liable or responsible for:

(i) the use which may be made of any Letter of Credit or any acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee in connection therewith;

 

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(ii) the validity, sufficiency or genuineness of documents, or of any endorsement thereon, even if such documents should prove to be in any or all respects invalid, insufficient, fraudulent or forged;

(iii) payment by the Issuing Lender against presentation of documents which do not comply with the terms of a Letter of Credit, including failure of any documents to bear any reference or adequate reference to the relevant Letter of Credit; or

(iv) any other circumstances whatsoever in making or failing to make payment under any Letter of Credit ( INCLUDING THE ISSUING LENDER’S OWN NEGLIGENCE ),

except that the Borrower shall have a claim against the Issuing Lender, and the Issuing Lender shall be liable to, and shall promptly pay to, the Borrower, to the extent of any direct, as opposed to consequential, damages suffered by the Borrower which were caused by the Issuing Lender’s willful misconduct or gross negligence (as determined in a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction) in determining whether documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the Issuing Lender may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary.

(h) Cash Collateral Account .

(i) If the Borrower is required to deposit funds in the Cash Collateral Account pursuant to Sections 2.05(b), 7.02(b), 7.03(b) or any other provision under this Agreement, then the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall establish the Cash Collateral Account and the Borrower shall execute any documents and agreements, including the Administrative Agent’s standard form assignment of deposit accounts, that the Administrative Agent requests in connection therewith to establish the Cash Collateral Account and grant the Administrative Agent a first priority (subject to inchoate tax liens), perfected Lien in such account and the funds therein. The Borrower hereby pledges to the Administrative Agent and grants the Administrative Agent a security interest in the Cash Collateral Account, whenever established, all funds held in the Cash Collateral Account from time to time, and all proceeds thereof as security for the payment of the Secured Obligations. The Borrower hereby agrees to maintain a first priority (subject to inchoate tax liens) security interest in all the Cash Collateral Account and such Cash Collateral as security for the Secured Obligations and as security for the Defaulting Lenders’ obligation to fund participations in respect of Letter of Credit Exposure, to be applied pursuant to Section 2.07(i)(ii) below.

(ii) Funds held in the Cash Collateral Account shall be held as cash collateral for obligations with respect to Letters of Credit and promptly applied by the Administrative Agent at the request of the Issuing Lender to any reimbursement or other obligations under Letters of Credit that exist or occur. To the extent that any surplus funds are held in the Cash Collateral Account above the Letter of Credit Exposure during the existence of an Event of Default the Administrative Agent may (A) hold such surplus funds in the Cash Collateral Account as cash collateral for the Obligations or (B) apply such surplus funds to any Obligations in any manner directed by the Majority Lenders. If no Default exists, then at the Borrower’s written request, the Administrative Agent shall promptly release any surplus funds held in the Cash Collateral Account above the Minimum Collateral Amount so long as the release thereof would not result in a Borrowing Base Deficiency (without giving effect to the proviso set forth in the definition thereof).

 

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(iii) Funds held in the Cash Collateral Account may be invested in Liquid Investments maintained with, and under the sole dominion and control of, the Administrative Agent or in another investment if mutually agreed upon by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, but the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to make any investment of the funds therein. The Administrative Agent shall exercise reasonable care in the custody and preservation of any funds held in the Cash Collateral Account and shall be deemed to have exercised such care if such funds are accorded treatment substantially equivalent to that which the Administrative Agent accords its own property, it being understood that the Administrative Agent shall not have any responsibility for taking any necessary steps to preserve rights against any parties with respect to any such funds.

(i) Defaulting Lender . At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, within one Business Day following the written request of the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the Issuing Lender’s Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender (determined after giving effect to Section 2.16 and any Cash Collateral provided by such Defaulting Lender) in an amount not less than the Minimum Collateral Amount.

(i) Grant of Security Interest by Defaulting Lender; Agreement to Provide Cash Collateral . To the extent cash collateral is provided by any Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Lender, and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such Cash Collateral as security for such Defaulting Lender’s obligation to fund participations in respect of Letter of Credit Obligations, to be applied pursuant to clause (ii) below. Such Defaulting Lender shall execute any documents and agreements, including the Administrative Agent’s standard form assignment of deposit accounts, that the Administrative Agent requests in connection therewith to establish such cash collateral account and to grant the Administrative Agent a first priority security interest in such account and the funds therein. If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender as herein provided, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the Minimum Collateral Amount, the Borrower will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency (after giving effect to any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).

(ii) Application . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under this Section 2.07(i) or Section 2.16 in respect of Letters of Credit shall be applied to the satisfaction of the Defaulting Lender’s obligation to fund participations in respect of Letter of Credit Exposure (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may otherwise be provided for herein.

(iii) Termination of Requirement . Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce the Issuing Lender’s Fronting Exposure shall no longer be required to be held as Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.07(i) following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender), or (ii) the determination by the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided that, subject to Section 2.16, the Person providing Cash Collateral and the Issuing Lender may agree that Cash Collateral shall be held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations; and provided further that to the extent that such Cash Collateral was provided by the Borrower, such Cash Collateral shall remain subject to the security interest granted pursuant to the Loan Documents.

 

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(iv) Letters of Credit Issued for Guarantors or any Subsidiary . Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Guarantor or any Subsidiary, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Issuing Lender hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit issued hereunder by the Issuing Lender. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of any Guarantor, the Borrower or any Subsidiary inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrower’s business (indirectly or directly) derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such other Persons.

Section 2.08 Fees.

(a) Commitment Fees . The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee at a per annum rate equal to the Commitment Fee Rate on the daily amount by which (i) such Lender’s Commitment then in effect exceeds (ii) the sum of such Lender’s outstanding Advances plus such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Letter of Credit Exposure, from the Closing Date until the Commitment Termination Date; provided that , no commitment fee shall accrue on the Commitment of a Defaulting Lender during the period such Lender remains a Defaulting Lender. The commitment fees shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of each March, June, September, and December commencing on September 30, 2016, and continuing thereafter through and including the Commitment Termination Date.

(b) Letter of Credit Fees .

(i) Subject to Section 2.16, the Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the pro rata benefit of the Lenders, a per annum letter of credit fee for each Letter of Credit issued hereunder in an amount equal to the Applicable Margin then in effect for Eurodollar Rate Advances times the face amount of such Letter of Credit, during the period such Letter of Credit is in effect, payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of each March, June, September, and December commencing on September 30, 2016 and continuing thereafter through and including the Commitment Termination Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default under Section 7.01(a), Section 7.01(c) (but only as to a breach of Section 5.06(i)), or Section 7.01(e), the foregoing per annum letter of credit fee shall be increased to the Default Rate, after as well as before judgment, and (ii) upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default (including under Section 7.01(a) or Section 7.01(e)), upon the request of the Majority Lenders, the foregoing per annum letter of credit fee shall be increased to the Default Rate, after as well as before judgment.

(ii) The Borrower also agrees to pay to the Issuing Lender, a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit issued by the Issuing Lender hereunder equal to the greater of (x) $700 per annum or (y) 0.25% per annum times the face amount of such Letter of Credit, during the period such Letter of Credit is in effect, payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of each March, June, September, and December commencing on September 30, 2016 and continuing thereafter through and including the Commitment Termination Date.

(iii) The Borrower also agrees to pay to the Issuing Lender such other usual and customary fees associated with any transfers, amendments, drawings, negotiations or reissuances of any Letters of Credit. Such fees shall be due and payable as requested by the Issuing Lender in accordance with the Issuing Lender’s then current fee policy.

(iv) The Issuing Lender shall have no obligation to refund any letter of credit fees previously paid by the Borrower, including any refund claimed because any Letter of Credit is canceled prior to its Expiration Date.

 

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(c) Other Fees . The Borrower agrees to pay to Wells Fargo and the other parties thereto, as applicable, the fees provided for in the Fee Letters.

Section 2.09 Interest . The Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Advance made by each Lender from the date of such Advance until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum:

(a) Reference Rate Advances . Each Reference Rate Advance shall bear interest at the Adjusted Reference Rate in effect from time to time plus the Applicable Margin for Reference Rate Advances in effect from time to time. The Borrower shall pay to Administrative Agent for the ratable account of each Lender all accrued but unpaid interest on such Lender’s Reference Rate Advances, quarterly in arrears, on each March 31st, June 30th, September 30th, and December 31st commencing on September 30, 2016, on the date such Reference Rate Advance shall be paid in full and on the Commitment Termination Date.

(b) Eurodollar Rate Advances . Each Eurodollar Rate Advance shall bear interest during its Interest Period equal to at all times the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Advances for such period. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of each Lender all accrued but unpaid interest on each of such Lender’s Eurodollar Rate Advances on the last day of the Interest Period therefor (and in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Advance with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, on each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period), on the date any Eurodollar Rate Advance is repaid, and on the Commitment Termination Date.

(c) Default Rate . Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default under Section 7.01(a), Section 7.01(c) (but only as to a breach of Section 5.06(i)), or Section 7.01(e), all Obligations shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at the Default Rate and (ii) upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default (other than an Event of Default addressed in the foregoing clause (i)), upon the request of the Majority Lenders, all Obligations shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at the Default Rate. Interest accrued pursuant to this Section 2.09(c) and all interest accrued but unpaid on or after the Commitment Termination Date shall be due and payable on demand (and if no such demand is made, then due and payable on the otherwise due dates provided herein or if no such due dates are provided herein on the last day of each calendar quarter). Interest shall continue to accrue on the Obligations after the filing by or against any Loan Party of any petition seeking any relief in bankruptcy or under any Debtor Relief Law.

Section 2.10 Illegality . If any Lender in its good faith judgment shall notify the Borrower that, after the date hereof, the introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any Legal Requirement makes it unlawful, or that any central bank or other Governmental Authority asserts that it is unlawful, for such Lender or its applicable Lending Office to perform its obligations under this Agreement to make, maintain, or fund any Eurodollar Rate Advances of such Lender then outstanding hereunder, (a) the Borrower shall, no later than 11:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas, time) (i) if not prohibited by law, on the last day of the Interest Period for each outstanding Eurodollar Rate Advance or (ii) if required by such notice, on the second Business Day following its receipt of such notice, prepay all of the Eurodollar Rate Advances of such Lender then outstanding, together with accrued but unpaid interest on the principal amount prepaid to the date of such prepayment and amounts, if any, required to be paid pursuant to Section 2.11 as a result of such prepayment being made on such date, (b) such Lender shall simultaneously make a Reference Rate Advance to the Borrower on such date in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Eurodollar Rate Advances prepaid to such Lender, and (c) the right of the Borrower to select Eurodollar Rate Advances from such Lender for any subsequent Borrowing shall

 

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be suspended until such Lender shall notify the Borrower that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist. Each Lender agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal policies and legal and regulatory restrictions) to designate a different Lending Office if the making of such designation would avoid the effect of this paragraph and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.

Section 2.11 Breakage Costs . Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

(a) any continuation, Conversion, payment or prepayment (including any deemed payment or repayment and any reallocated repayment to Non-Defaulting Lenders provided for herein) of any Advance other than a Reference Rate Advance on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Advance (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise); provided that, the Borrower shall not be required to compensate such Lender for any such loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of any prepayment made by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.05(c).

(b) any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make an Advance) to prepay, borrow, continue or Convert any Advance other than a Reference Rate Advance on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or

(c) any assignment of an Eurodollar Rate Advance on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.15;

including any loss of anticipated profits, any foreign exchange losses and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Advance, from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained or from the performance of any foreign exchange contract. The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing. For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 2.11, the requesting Lender shall be deemed to have funded the Eurodollar Rate Advances made by it at the Eurodollar Base Rate used in determining the Eurodollar Rate for such Advance by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the offshore interbank market for Dollars for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Advance was in fact so funded.

Section 2.12 Increased Costs .

(a) Increased Costs Generally . If any Change in Law shall:

(i) impose, modify, or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge, or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (or its applicable Lending Office) (except any reserve requirement included in the Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage) or the Issuing Lender;

(ii) subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or

 

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(iii) impose on any Lender (or its applicable Lending Office) or the Issuing Lender on the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Advances made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender (or its applicable Lending Office) or such other Recipient of making, Converting to, continuing or maintaining any loan or of maintaining its obligation to make or accept and purchase any such loan, or to increase the cost to such Lender, the Issuing Lender or such other Recipient of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender (or its applicable Lending Office), the Issuing Lender or such other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender, the Issuing Lender or such other Recipient, the Borrower will pay to such Lender, the Issuing Lender or such other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, the Issuing Lender or such other Recipient, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b) Capital/Liquidity Requirements . If any Lender or Issuing Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or Issuing Lender or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s capital or on the capital of financial institutions generally, including such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s holding company or any corporation controlling such Lender or the Issuing Lender, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Advances made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Lender, to a level below that which such Lender, the Issuing Lender, the corporation controlling such Lender or the Issuing Lender, or such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s policies, the policies of the corporation controlling such Lender or the Issuing Lender, and the policies of such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time within ten Business Days after written demand by such Lender or the Issuing Lender, as the case may be, the Borrower shall pay to such Lender or Issuing Lender, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Lender, the corporation controlling such Lender or the Issuing Lender, or such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c) Certificate . Any Lender or Issuing Lender claiming compensation under this Section 2.12 shall furnish to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a statement setting forth the additional amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender as specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 2.12 hereunder which shall be determined by such Lender in good faith and which shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. In determining such amount, such Lender may use any reasonable averaging and attribution methods. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or Issuing Lender, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 Business Days after receipt thereof.

(d) Delay in Requests . Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or Issuing Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section 2.12 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or such Issuing Lender’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or Issuing Lender pursuant to this Section 2.12 for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than 270 days prior to the date that such Lender or Issuing Lender, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 270-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

 

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Section 2.13 Payments and Computations .

(a) Payments . All payments of principal, interest, and other amounts to be made by the Borrower under this Agreement and other Loan Documents shall be made to the Administrative Agent in Dollars and in immediately available funds, without setoff, deduction, or counterclaim.

(b) Payment Procedures . The Borrower shall make each payment under this Agreement and under the Notes not later than 11:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas time) on the day when due in Dollars to the Administrative Agent at the location referred to in the Notes (or such other location as the Administrative Agent shall designate in writing to the Borrower) in same day funds and, as to payments of principal, accompanied by a notice of optional payment from the Borrower, with appropriate insertions and executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. The Administrative Agent will promptly thereafter, and in any event prior to the close of business on the day any timely payment is made, cause to be distributed like funds relating to the payment of principal, interest or fees ratably (other than amounts payable solely to the Administrative Agent or a specific Lender pursuant to Sections 2.10, 2.11, 2.12, 2.14, 2.15, and 9.02 and such other provisions herein which expressly provide for payments to a specific Lender, but after taking into account payments effected pursuant to Section 7.04) in accordance with each Lender’s applicable pro rata share to the Lenders for the account of their respective applicable Lending Offices, and like funds relating to the payment of any other amount payable to any Lender to such Lender for the account of its applicable Lending Office, in each case to be applied in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon receipt of other amounts due solely to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or a specific Lender, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such amounts to the appropriate party to be applied in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(c) Non -Business Day Payments . Whenever any payment shall be stated to be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be included in the computation of payment of interest or fees, as the case may be; provided that if such extension would cause payment of interest on or principal of Eurodollar Rate Advances to be made in the next following calendar month, such payment shall be made on the next preceding Business Day.

(d) Computations . Computations of interest shall be made by the Administrative Agent on the basis of, (a) with respect to Eurodollar Rate Advances and Reference Rate Advances based on the Federal Funds Rate and the Eurodollar Rate, a year of 360 days and (b) with respect to Reference Rate Advances based on the Reference Rate, a year of 365/366 days, and (c) with respect to of all other interest and fees, on the basis of a year of 360 days, in each case, for the actual number of days (including the first day, but excluding the last day) occurring in the period for which such interest or fees are payable. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an amount of interest or fees shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(e) Sharing of Payments by Lenders . If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Advances or other Obligations hereunder resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of its Advances and accrued but unpaid interest thereon or other such Obligations greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) take an assignment of, or purchase participations in, (in any event, for cash at face value) the Advances and such other Obligations of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued but unpaid interest on their respective Advances and other amounts owing them; provided that:

 

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(i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and

(ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), or (y) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Advances or participations in Letter of Credit Exposure to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply).

Each Loan Party consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable Legal Requirement, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against each Loan Party rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of each Loan Party in the amount of such participation.

Section 2.14 Taxes .

(a) Issuing Lender . For purposes of this Section 2.14, the term “Lender” includes any Issuing Lender and the term “applicable Legal Requirement” includes FATCA.

(b) Payments Free of Taxes . Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Legal Requirement. If any applicable Legal Requirement requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a Withholding Agent, then the applicable Withholding Agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Legal Requirement and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.

(c) Payment of Other Taxes by Loan Parties . The Loan Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Legal Requirement, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.

(d) Indemnification by Loan Parties . The Loan Parties shall jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

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(e) Indemnification by the Lenders . Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within 10 days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 9.07 relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (e).

(f) Evidence of Payments . As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.14, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(g) Status of Lenders .

(i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Legal Requirement or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 2.14(g)(ii)(A) and (ii)(B) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing in the event that the Borrower is a U.S. Person,

(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;

 

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(B) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable: (i) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or IRS Form W-8BEN, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or IRS Form W-8BEN, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty; (ii) executed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI; (iii) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit J-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “ U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate ”) and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or IRS Form W-8BEN, as applicable); or (iv) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or IRS Form W-8BEN, as applicable), a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit J-2 or Exhibit J-3 , IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit J-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of any other form prescribed by applicable Legal Requirement as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Legal Requirement to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by Legal Requirement and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable Legal Requirement (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

 

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Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(h) Treatment of Certain Refunds . If any party determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.14 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.14), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (h) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (h), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (h) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This paragraph shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

(i) Survival . Each party’s obligations under this Section 2.14 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.

Section 2.15 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders .

(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office . If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.12, or requires the Borrower to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.14, then such Lender shall (at the request of the Borrower) use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Advances hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.12 or 2.14, as the case may be, in the future, and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

(b) Replacement Lender . If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.12 or notifies the Borrower of its inability to make, maintain, or fund any Eurodollar Rate Advances pursuant to Section 2.10, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.14 and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different lending office in accordance with Section 2.15(a), or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort (and in the case of a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent may) upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 9.07), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Section 2.12 or Section 2.14) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that:

 

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(i) As to assignments required by the Borrower, the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 9.07, unless such fee has been waived by the Administrative Agent;

(ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its applicable Advances and participations in Letter of Credit Obligations, accrued but unpaid interest thereon, accrued but unpaid fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 2.11) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued but unpaid interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

(iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.12 or such Lender’s inability to make, maintain or fund Eurodollar Rate Advances pursuant to Section 2.10 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.14, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

(iv) such assignment does not conflict with any applicable Legal Requirement; and

(v) with respect to a Non-Consenting Lender, the proposed amendment, modification, waiver, consent or release with respect to this Agreement or any other Loan Document has been approved by the Required Lenders or Majority Lenders, as applicable, and such agreement, amendment, waiver, consent or release can be effected as a result of such assignment (and, if applicable, one or more other assignments) contemplated by this Section.

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply. Solely for purposes of effecting any assignment involving a Defaulting Lender or Non-Consenting Lender under this Section 2.15 and to the extent permitted under applicable Legal Requirements, each Lender hereby designates and appoints the Administrative Agent as true and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority , for and on behalf of and in the name of such Lender to execute, acknowledge and deliver the Assignment and Acceptance required hereunder if such Lender is a Defaulting Lender or Non-Consenting Lender and such Lender shall be bound thereby as fully and effectively as if such Lender had personally executed, acknowledged and delivered the same.

Section 2.16 Defaulting Lender .

(a) Defaulting Lender Adjustments . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as such Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Legal Requirement:

(i) Waivers and Amendments . Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of Majority Lenders and the definition of Required Lenders.

 

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(ii) Defaulting Lender Waterfall . Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 7.04 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first , to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second , to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Issuing Lender hereunder; third , to Cash Collateralize the Issuing Lender’s Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 2.07), if any, with respect to such Defaulting Lender; fourth , as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Advance hereunder in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth , if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s current or potential future funding obligations with respect to Advances under this Agreement and (y) Cash Collateralize the Issuing Lender’s future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 2.07; sixth , to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders or the Issuing Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender or the Issuing Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh , so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth , to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Advances or Letter of Credit Obligations in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Advances were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 3.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Advances of, and Letter of Credit Obligations owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on the applicable pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Advances of, or Letter of Credit Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Advances and funded and unfunded participations in Letter of Credit Obligations are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the applicable Commitments without giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.16 shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(iii) Certain Fees .

(A) No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any commitment fee for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).

(B) Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive fees under Section 2.08(b) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Pro Rata Share of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 2.07.

(C) With respect to any fee under Section 2.08(b) not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (A) or (B) above, the Borrower shall (x) pay to each Non-Defaulting Lender that portion of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s participation in Letter of Credit Exposure that has been reallocated to such Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (iv) below, (y) pay to the Issuing Lender the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to the Issuing Lender’s Fronting Exposure to such Defaulting Lender, and (z) not be required to pay the remaining amount of any such fee.

 

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(iv) Reallocation of Participations to Reduce Fronting Exposure . All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in Letter of Credit Obligations shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Share (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) but only to the extent that (x) the conditions set forth in Section 3.02 are satisfied at the time of such reallocation (and, unless the Borrower shall have otherwise notified the Administrative Agent at such time, the Borrower shall be deemed to have represented and warranted that such conditions are satisfied at such time), and (y) such reallocation does not cause the aggregate Credit Exposure of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Commitment then in effect. Subject to Section 9.29, no reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

(v) Cash Collateral . If the reallocation described in clause (iv) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under Legal Requirement, Cash Collateralize the Issuing Lender’s Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.07.

(b) Defaulting Lender Cure . If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and the Issuing Lender agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Advances of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Advances and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit to be held pro rata by the Lenders in accordance with the Commitments (without giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided , further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Notwithstanding the above, the Borrower’s and the Administrative Agent’s right to replace a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this Agreement shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, all other rights and remedies available to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent against such Defaulting Lender under this Agreement, at law, in equity or by statute.

(c) Letters of Credit . So long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Issuing Lender shall not be required to issue, extend, renew or increase any Letter of Credit unless it is satisfied that it will have no Fronting Exposure after giving effect thereto.

ARTICLE III

CONDITIONS

Section 3.01 Conditions to Closing and Initial Borrowing . The obligation of the Lenders to close this Agreement and to make the initial Advances or issue or participate in the initial Letter of Credit (including the deemed issuance of the Existing Letters of Credit), if any, is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions:

 

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(a) Documentation . The Administrative Agent shall have received the following duly executed by all the parties thereto, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders, and, where applicable, in sufficient copies for each Lender:

(i) this Agreement, a Note payable to each Lender in the amount of its Commitment, if requested by such Lender, the Guaranty, the Security Agreement, and Mortgages encumbering (A) at least 95% (by value) of the Proven Reserves and the Oil and Gas Properties relating thereto, (B) 95% (by value) of the Loan Parties’ other Oil and Gas Properties, and (C) 100% (by value) of the Original Mortgaged Properties;

(ii) Transfer Letters executed in blank by the applicable Loan Parties (in such number as requested by the Administrative Agent);

(iii) Account Control Agreements to the extent required under Section 6.26;

(iv) (A) a favorable opinion of the Loan Parties’ counsel dated as of the date of this Agreement and (B) local counsel opinions in such jurisdictions where Mortgages need to be filed in order to comply with the requirements of Section 5.08, in each case, covering matters as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request;

(v) copies, certified as of the date of this Agreement by a Responsible Officer of each Loan Party of (A) the resolutions of the Board of Directors (or other applicable governing body) of such Loan Party approving the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (B) the partnership agreement, articles or certificate of incorporation, or certificate of formation (as applicable) and the limited liability company agreement, operating agreement, partnership agreement or bylaws (as applicable) of such Loan Party, and (C) all other documents evidencing other necessary corporate action and Governmental Approvals, if any, with respect to the Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party;

(vi) certificates of a Responsible Officer of each Loan Party certifying the names and true signatures of the officers of such Loan Party authorized to sign this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party;

(vii) appropriate UCC-1 Financing Statements covering the Collateral for filing with the appropriate authorities and any other documents, agreements or instruments necessary to create an Acceptable Security Interest in such Collateral;

(viii) certificates evidencing the Equity Interests, if any, required in connection with the Security Agreement and powers executed in blank for each such certificate;

(ix) insurance certificates in compliance with Section 5.02 and otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(x) certificates of good standing for each Loan Party in each state in which each such Person is organized, which certificate shall be (A) dated a date not sooner than 30 days prior to the date of this Agreement and (B) otherwise effective on the Closing Date;

(xi) [Reserved]

(xii) a solvency certificate dated as of the date of this Agreement from the Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer of the Borrower in substantially the form attached as Exhibit K ; and

 

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(xiii) a funds flow memorandum in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

(b) Payment of Fees . On the date of this Agreement, the Borrower shall have paid the fees required by Section 2.08(c) and all costs and expenses payable pursuant to Section 9.01(a) to the extent invoices for such fees, costs, and expenses have been presented to the Borrower at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date (it being understood that this Section 3.01(b) may be satisfied concurrently with the initial funding of Advances under this Agreement).

(c) Financial Information . The Lenders shall have received (i) unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for each fiscal quarter of the current fiscal year ended at least 45 days prior to the Closing Date, (ii) a satisfactory Engineering Report for the Oil and Gas Properties of Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries prepared by an Independent Engineer (the Engineering Report dated as of December 31, 2015 and delivered to the Administrative Agent prior to the date of the Commitment Letter satisfies this Section 3.01(c)(ii)), and (iii) a balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries assuming emergence from bankruptcy on August 31, 2016, giving pro forma effect to Borrowings in amount equal to $100,000,000 on the Closing Date (it being agreed and understood that the opening balance sheet attached to the approved Disclosure Statement shall be deemed satisfactory to the Lenders).

(d) Security Instruments . The Administrative Agent shall have received all appropriate evidence required by the Administrative Agent necessary to determine that the Administrative Agent (for its benefit and the benefit of the Secured Parties) shall have made arrangements for an Acceptable Security Interest in the Collateral (which shall include, without duplication, (i) at least 95% (by value) of the Loan Parties’ Proven Reserves and the Oil and Gas Properties relating thereto, (ii) 95% (by value) of the Loan Parties’ other Oil and Gas Properties, and (iii) 100% (by value) of the Original Mortgaged Properties, and (iv) that all actions or filings necessary to protect, preserve and validly perfect such Liens have been made or arrangements have been made so that such Liens can be made, taken or obtained, as the case may be, and are in full force and effect.

(e) Title . Since May 10, 2016, the Administrative Agent shall not have become aware (i) of any material title defects arising since such date or (ii) that any title diligence materials reviewed by the Administrative Agent (or counsels thereto) prior to such date were inaccurate in any material respect, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the extent the BB Value attributable to such affected properties exceeds, in the aggregate, 5% of the initial Borrowing Base as set forth in Section 2.02(a); provided however, any defects or inaccuracies remedied upon effectiveness of and pursuant to, the Plan of Reorganization shall not count towards such 5%.

(f) Material Adverse Effect . No event or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred, either individually or in the aggregate, since May 10, 2016.

(g) No Proceeding or Litigation; No Injunctive Relief . There shall be no adversary proceeding pending in the Bankruptcy Court, or litigation commenced outside of the Chapter 11 Cases that is not stayed pursuant to section 362 of the Bankruptcy Code, seeking to enjoin or prevent the financing or the transactions contemplated herein.

 

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(h) Consents, Licenses, Approvals, etc .

(i) The Administrative Agent shall have received true copies (certified to be such by the Loan Parties or other appropriate party) of all material governmental and third party consents, licenses, and approvals necessary (as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Administrative Agent) in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and the continuing operations of Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and all such consents, licenses, and approvals shall be in full force and effect.

(ii) The Administrative Agent shall have received true copies (certified to be such by the Loan Parties or other appropriate party) of all authorizations, consents, and regulatory approvals required, if any, in connection with the Consummation of the Plan of Reorganization.

(i) USA Patriot Act . The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received (at least five (5) Business Days prior to Closing Date to the extent requested at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, unless the facts related thereto were not disclosed to the Administrative Agent prior to such 10 th Business Day), and be reasonably satisfied in form and substance with, all documentation and other information required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know-your-customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including, but not restricted to, the Patriot Act.

(j) Existing Indebtedness . All existing Indebtedness of Holdings and its Subsidiaries under the DIP Facility and the Original Credit Agreement shall be repaid in full (it being understood that such repayment may be satisfied concurrently with the initial funding of Advances under this Agreement), all commitments in respect thereof shall have been terminated and all guarantees therefor and Liens securing such obligations shall be released pursuant to documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(k) Credit Exposure . The Administrative Agent shall be reasonably satisfied that after the making of the Advances, the application of the proceeds thereof and after giving effect to the other transactions contemplated hereby, the aggregate amount of Credit Exposure under the Agreement outstanding on the Closing Date shall not exceed the lesser of (i) $125,000,000 and (B) the initial Borrowing Base in effect on the Closing Date as set forth in Section 2.02(a).

(l) Equity Proceeds . The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that the Borrower has received common equity proceeds in an aggregate amount of not less than $50,000,000 (it being understood that this Section 3.01(l) may be satisfied concurrently with the initial funding of Advances under this Agreement).

(m) Hedges . The Hedge Contracts described on Schedule 4.20 have not been novated, assigned, unwound, terminated, expired or amended since the date such Hedge Contracts were entered into.

(n) Capital Structure . The Borrower’s capital structure and financing plan shall be satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (it being agreed and understood that the capital structure and financing plan as set forth in the RSA as in effect on the “RSA Effective Date” as defined in the RSA, and as amended by any amendments consented to in writing by the Administrative Agent, is deemed satisfactory to the Administrative Agent).

(o) Marketing Activities . The Administrative Agent shall have received from the Borrower a written policy regarding the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ marketing activities for Hydrocarbon production to be in effect on the Closing Date.

(p) Conditions . The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that the conditions set forth in this Section 3.01 have been met.

 

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(q) Final Order . The Bankruptcy Court shall have entered an Order in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Majority Lenders approving the Fee Letters and such Order shall be a Final Order.

(r) Confirmation of Reorganization . The Bankruptcy Court shall have entered an Order confirming the Plan of Reorganization in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Majority Lenders, and such Order shall be a Final Order. Such Plan of Reorganization shall authorize and approve the Credit Extensions under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the performance of the Borrower and the Guarantors’ obligations hereunder and thereunder, and otherwise be in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Majority Lenders (it being agreed and understood that (i) any Plan of Reorganization that is substantially consistent with that certain Restructuring Term Sheet dated as of May 10, 2016 and attached hereto as Schedule 3.01(r) (the “ Form Plan ”) is deemed to be in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Majority Lenders and (ii) the Plan of Reorganization shall be deemed to be substantially consistent with the Form Plan as long as the Plan of Reorganization contains no departures, amendments, changes or modifications from the Form Plan that that could be reasonably expected to affect any Lender’s rights, claims, recoveries, and/or obligations).

(s) Other Reorganization Actions . All other actions, documents, and agreements necessary to implement the Plan of Reorganization shall have been effected or executed and delivered, as the case may be, including the final forms of the documents contained in the Plan of Reorganization, to the required parties and, to the extent required, filed with the applicable Governmental Units in accordance with applicable Legal Requirements, and all such documents and agreements shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Majority Lenders, solely as to provisions that could be reasonably expected to affect the Lenders’ rights, claims, recoveries, and/or obligations.

(t) Plan of Reorganization Conditions . Each of the conditions listed in the Plan of Reorganization shall have been satisfied and shall be in full force and effect or waived in accordance with the provisions thereof.

(u) No DIP Default . No “Event of Default” under the DIP Facility shall have occurred and be continuing.

(v) Notice of Borrowing . The Administrative Agent shall have received a Notice of Borrowing duly executed by the Borrower.

(w) Hedge Payoffs . (i) Any obligation owing to any Lender Swap Counterparty shall constitute a Secured Obligation or (ii) to the extent such obligations owing to such Lender Swap Counterparty do not constitute Secured Obligations, the Administrative Agent shall have received satisfactory evidence that such obligations shall have been paid in full.

(x) Hedge Defaults . No event of default shall have occurred and be continuing under the Original Lender Swap Agreements with respect to the Borrower or the Guarantors as the defaulting or sole affected parties.

(y) Closing Date . The Closing Date shall have occurred no later than September 12, 2016.

 

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Section 3.02 Conditions Precedent to All Borrowings . The obligation of each Lender to make an Advance on the occasion of each Borrowing and of the Issuing Lender to issue, increase, or extend any Letter of Credit (including the deemed issuance of the Existing Letters of Credit) and of any reallocation of Letter of Credit Exposure provided in Section 2.16 shall be subject to the further conditions precedent that on the date of such Borrowing or the date of the issuance, increase, or extension of such Letter of Credit or such reallocation:

(a) the representations and warranties contained in Article IV of this Agreement and the representations and warranties contained in the Security Instruments, the Guaranty, and each of the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects (unless already qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Change in the text thereof, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of the issuance, increase, or extension of such Letter of Credit, before and after giving effect to such Borrowing or to the issuance, increase, or extension of such Letter of Credit and to the application of the proceeds from such Borrowing, as though made on and as of such date except to the extent that any such representation or warranty expressly relates solely to an earlier date, in which case it shall have been true and correct in all material respects (unless already qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Change in the text thereof, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) as of such earlier date;

(b) no Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from such Borrowing or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, or would result from the issuance, increase, or extension of such Letter of Credit;

(c) in the good faith reasonable expectation of the certifying Responsible Officer of the Borrower and as certified to such in the applicable Notice of Borrowing, or Letter of Credit Application (i) the Borrower intends to apply the proceeds of such Credit Extension in such a manner that, and (ii) after giving effect to the making of such Credit Extension and the application of the proceeds thereof, the pro forma Consolidated Cash Balance as of the end of the last Business Day of the week in which such Credit Extension is to be made will not exceed the Consolidated Cash Balance Limit; and

(d) after giving effect to the making of such Credit Extension, the Borrower would be in compliance with the financial covenants in Sections 6.17(a) and (b) as of the most recent fiscal quarter end for which financial statements have been delivered to the Administrative Agent after giving pro forma effect to such Credit Extension (which calculation, for the avoidance of doubt, uses outstanding Indebtedness on the date of such Credit Extension, including such Credit Extension, and EBITDAX as of such fiscal quarter end calculated on a pro forma basis in a manner acceptable to the Administrative Agent); provided that this clause (d) shall not apply to the initial Advances to be made on the Closing Date and any Advance made prior to the delivery of financial statements pursuant to Section 5.06(b) with respect to the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2016.

Each of: (i) the giving of the applicable Notice of Borrowing or Letter of Credit Application, (ii) the acceptance by the Borrower of the proceeds of any Borrowing, (iii) the issuance, increase, or extension of such Letter of Credit, and (iv) the reallocation of the Letter of Credit Exposure, shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower that on the date of any Borrowing, such issuance, increase, or extension of such Letter of Credit or such reallocation, as applicable, that the foregoing conditions precedent have been met.

 

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ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Each Loan Party represents and warrants as follows:

Section 4.01 Existence; Subsidiaries . Holdings is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Virginia and the Borrower is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware, or in any case, after the Closing Date in such other jurisdiction as is permitted under this Agreement. Each Loan Party is in good standing and qualified to do business in each other jurisdiction where its ownership or lease of Property or conduct of its business requires such qualification except where such failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. As of the date hereof, the Borrower has no Subsidiaries other than those identified in Schedule 4.01 and Holdings has no Subsidiaries other than the Borrower and the Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

Section 4.02 Power; No Conflicts . The execution and delivery by each Loan Party and each Subsidiary thereof of the Loan Documents to which each such Person is a party, in accordance with their respective terms and the Credit Extensions hereunder do not and will not, by the passage of time, the giving of notice or otherwise, (a) violate any Legal Requirement relating to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, (b) conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute a default under the articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, (c) conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute a default under any material indenture, agreement or other instrument to which such Person is a party or by which any of its properties may be bound or any Governmental Approval relating to such Person, or (d) result in or require the creation or imposition of any Lien upon or with respect to any property now owned or hereafter acquired by such Person other than Permitted Liens. The performance by each Loan Party and each Subsidiary thereof of the Loan Documents to which each such Person is a party, in accordance with their respective terms and the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (other than the Credit Extensions) do not and will not, by the passage of time, the giving of notice or otherwise, (a) violate any Legal Requirement relating to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof except where such violation could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, (b) conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute a default under the articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, (c) conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument to which such Person is a party or by which any of its properties may be bound or any Governmental Approval relating to such Person except where such conflict, breach or default could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, or (d) result in or require the creation or imposition of any Lien upon or with respect to any property now owned or hereafter acquired by such Person other than Permitted Liens.

Section 4.03 Authorization and Approvals . No consent, order, authorization, or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is required for the due execution, delivery, and performance by any Loan Party that is a party to this Agreement, the Notes, or the other Loan Documents or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, except for (a) the filing of UCC-1 Financing Statements and Mortgages in the appropriate state and county filing offices, (b) those consents and approvals that have been obtained or made on or prior to the date hereof and that are in full force and effect, and (c) such consents, orders, authorizations, approvals, notices or filings required in connection with the operation of the business of the Loan Parties the failure to obtain of which could not reasonably be expected to be adverse in any material respect to any Secured Party or to result in a material liability of any Loan Party. At the time of each Credit Extension, provided that the filings above have been duly consummated, no authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any Governmental Authority will be required for such Credit Extension or the use of the proceeds of such Credit Extension.

 

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Section 4.04 Enforceable Obligations . This Agreement, the Notes, and the other Loan Documents to which any Loan Party is a party have been duly executed and delivered by such Loan Parties. Each Loan Document is the legal, valid, and binding obligation of the Borrower and each Guarantor which is a party to it enforceable against the Borrower and each such Guarantor in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by any applicable Debtor Relief Laws.

Section 4.05 Financial Condition and Financial Statements.

(a) The Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial information delivered pursuant to Section 3.01. All financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 3.01 or Section 5.06 are (or will be when delivered) complete and correct in all material respects and fairly present in all material respects on a consolidated basis the assets, liabilities and financial position of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as at such dates, and the results of the operations and changes of financial position for the periods then ended (other than customary year-end adjustments for unaudited financial statements and the absence of footnotes from unaudited financial statements), in each case, in accordance with GAAP. All such financial statements, including the related schedules and notes thereto, have been (or will have been when delivered) prepared in accordance with GAAP. Such financial statements show (or will show when delivered) all material indebtedness and other material liabilities, direct or contingent, of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including material liabilities for taxes, material commitments, and Indebtedness, in each case, to the extent required to be disclosed under GAAP. All pro forma financial statements and projections delivered pursuant to Section 3.01 or Section 5.06 were (or will be when delivered) prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions are believed to be reasonable in light of then existing conditions except that such financial projections and pro forma statements shall be subject to normal year end closing and audit adjustments (it being recognized by the Lenders that projections are not to be viewed as facts and that the actual results during the period or periods covered by such projections may vary from such projections).

(b) Since the Closing Date, no event or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change has occurred.

Section 4.06 True and Complete Disclosure . All factual information (excluding estimates, projections, other projected financial information, forward looking statements and information of a general economic or industry nature) heretofore or contemporaneously furnished by or on behalf of Holdings and its Subsidiaries in writing to any Lender or the Administrative Agent for purposes of or in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any transaction contemplated hereby or thereby is, and all other such factual information (excluding estimates, projections, other projected financial information, forward looking statements and information of a general economic or industry nature) hereafter furnished by or on behalf of Holdings and its Subsidiaries in writing to the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders was or shall be, when taken as a whole and as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished, true and accurate in all material respects on the date as of which such information was or is dated or certified and did not or does not contain, when taken as a whole, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit, when taken as a whole, to state any material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading in any material respect at such time. All projections, estimates, and pro forma financial information furnished by any Loan Party were prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions believed in good faith to be reasonable at the time made, which assumptions are believed to be reasonable in light of then existing conditions except that such financial projections and statements shall be subject to normal year end closing and audit adjustments (it being recognized by the Lenders that projections are not to be viewed as facts or a

 

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guarantee of future performance, are subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Loan Parties’ control and that the actual results during the period or periods covered by such projections may vary from such projections and such variations may be material).

Section 4.07 Litigation; Compliance with Laws.

(a) There is no pending or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened in writing action or proceeding affecting any Loan Party or Subsidiary before any court, Governmental Authority or arbitrator which could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change other than as set forth in Schedule 4.07 or which purports to affect the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of this Agreement, any Note, or any other Loan Document. As of the Closing Date and the date hereof (and after giving effect to the effective date of the Plan of Reorganization), there is no pending or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened in writing action or proceeding instituted against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary which seeks to adjudicate any Loan Party or any Subsidiary as bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief, or composition of it or its debts under any Debtor Relief Law, or seeking the entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee or other similar official for it or for any substantial part of its Property.

(b) Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary have complied in all respects with all statutes, rules, regulations, orders and restrictions of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the conduct of their respective businesses or the ownership of their respective Property except where such failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

Section 4.08 Use of Proceeds . The proceeds of any Credit Extension will be used by the Borrower for the purposes described in Section 5.09. No Loan Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is engaged principally or as one of its activities in the business of extending credit for the purpose of “purchasing” or “carrying” any “margin stock” (as each such term is defined or used, directly or indirectly, in Regulation U). No part of the proceeds of any Credit Extension will be used for purchasing or carrying directly or indirectly margin stock or for any purpose which violates, or which would be inconsistent with, the provisions of Regulation T, U or X or for any other purpose which would constitute this transaction a “purpose credit” within the meaning of Regulation U. Following the application of the proceeds of each Credit Extension, not more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the value of the assets (either of the Borrower only or of Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis) will be “margin stock”. No Loan Party nor any Subsidiary thereof (a) is engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U) or (b) will use any proceeds for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin stock or for any other purpose which would constitute this transaction a “purpose credit”.

Section 4.09 Investment Company Act . No Loan Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” (as each such term is defined or used in the Investment Company Act of 1940) and no Loan Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is, or after giving effect to any Credit Extension will be, subject to any other applicable Legal Requirement which limits its ability to incur or consummate the transactions contemplated hereby to the extent such limitations are applicable.

Section 4.10 Taxes.

(a) Reports and Payments . All federal and all other material Returns (as defined below in clause (b) of this Section) required to be filed by or on behalf of any Loan Party (or with respect to the assets or activities thereof, in the case of any Loan Party that is disregarded as separate from its owner for

 

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applicable Tax purposes) or any member of a group that joins in the filing of a consolidated, unitary, combined, affiliated or similar Tax group that includes a Loan Party (hereafter collectively called the “ Tax Group ”) have been duly filed on a timely basis or appropriate extensions have been obtained and such Returns are and will be true, complete and correct in all material respects; and all material Taxes payable with respect to the periods covered by such Returns or on subsequent assessments with respect thereto or otherwise have or will be paid in full on a timely basis, except in each case to the extent of Taxes that are being diligently contested in good faith and reserves have been made in accordance with GAAP. The reserves for accrued Taxes reflected in the financial statements delivered to the Lenders under this Agreement are adequate in the aggregate for the payment of all unpaid Taxes, whether or not disputed, for the period ended as of the date thereof and for any period prior thereto, and for which the Tax Group may be liable in its own right, as withholding agent or as a transferee of the assets of, or successor to, any Person.

(b) Returns Definition . “Returns” in this Section 4.10 shall mean any U.S. federal, state, or local report, declaration of estimated Tax, information statement or return relating to, filed, or required to be filed in connection with, any Taxes, including any information return or report with respect to backup withholding or other payments of third parties.

Section 4.11 ERISA and Employee Matters . All Employee Benefit Plans are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of ERISA and the Code. No Termination Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. There has been no excise tax imposed under Section 4971 of the Code against any Loan Party that could reasonably be expected to result in liability to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof in excess of $5,000,000. Based upon GAAP existing as of the date of this Agreement and current factual circumstances, the Loan Parties have no reason to believe that the annual cost during the term of this Agreement to the Loan Parties for post-retirement benefits to be provided to the current and former employees of any Loan Party under Employee Benefit Plans that are welfare benefit plans (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA) could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change. As of the Closing Date and the date hereof, no Loan Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is party to any collective bargaining agreement, nor has any labor union been recognized as the representative of its employees. The Borrower knows of no pending or threatened in writing strikes, work stoppage or other collective labor disputes involving its employees or those of its Subsidiaries.

Section 4.12 Condition and Maintenance of Property; Casualties . Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary has good and indefeasible title to all of its other material Properties, free and clear of all Liens except for Permitted Liens. The material Properties used or to be used in the continuing operations of each Loan Party and each Subsidiary are in good repair, working order and condition, normal wear and tear excepted. Neither the business nor the material Properties of each Loan Party and each Subsidiary, taken as a whole, has been materially and adversely affected as a result of any fire, explosion, earthquake, flood, drought, windstorm, accident, strike or other labor disturbance, embargo, requisition or taking of Property or cancellation of contracts, Permits, or concessions by a Governmental Authority, riot, activities of armed forces, or acts of God or of any public enemy (except to the extent such event is covered by insurance sufficient to ensure that upon application of the proceeds thereof, neither the business nor the material Properties of each Loan Party and each Subsidiary, taken as a whole, could reasonably be expected to be materially and adversely affected) which effect could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change.

Section 4.13 Compliance with Agreements; No Defaults.

(a) No Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof is in default in any material respect under or with respect to any contract, agreement, lease, or other instrument to which a Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof is a party which is continuing and which, if not cured, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

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(b) No Default has occurred and is continuing.

Section 4.14 Environmental Condition.

(a) Permits, Etc . Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary (i) have obtained all Environmental Permits necessary for the ownership and operation of their respective Properties and the conduct of their respective businesses; (ii) have at all times been and are in compliance with all terms and conditions of such Permits and with all other requirements of applicable Environmental Laws; (iii) have not received notice of any violation or alleged violation of any Environmental Law or Permit; and (iv) are not subject to any actual, pending or to the Borrower’s knowledge, threatened in writing Environmental Claim, except, in each case above, that could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

(b) Certain Liabilities . None of the present or previously owned or operated Property of any Loan Party or of any of its current or former Subsidiaries, wherever located, (i) has been placed on the National Priorities List, the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation Liability Information System list, or their state or local analogs, or to any Loan Party’s knowledge, have been otherwise investigated, designated, listed, or identified as a potential site for removal, remediation, cleanup, closure, restoration, reclamation, or other Response activity under any Environmental Laws which, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (ii) is subject to a Lien, arising under or in connection with any Environmental Laws, that attaches to any revenues or to any Property owned, leased or operated by the Borrower or any of the Guarantors or Subsidiaries, wherever located, which could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change; or (iii) has been the site of any Release of Hazardous Materials from present or past operations which has caused at the site or at any third-party site any condition that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in or could reasonably be expected to result in the need for Response that would cause a Material Adverse Change.

(c) Certain Actions . Without limiting the foregoing, (i) all necessary notices have been properly filed, and no further action is required under current Environmental Law as to each Response or other restoration or remedial project undertaken by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary on any of their presently or formerly owned, leased or operated Property, except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, and (ii) there are no facts, circumstances, conditions or occurrences with respect to any Property owned, leased or operated by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that could reasonably be expected to form the basis of an Environmental Claim under Environmental Laws that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

Section 4.15 Permits, Licenses, Etc . Each Loan Party and Subsidiary thereof possess all authorizations, Permits, licenses, patents, patent rights or licenses, trademarks, trademark rights, trade names rights and copyrights which are material to the conduct of their business. Each Loan Party and Subsidiary thereof manages and operates its business in all material respects in accordance with all applicable material Legal Requirements and good industry practices.

Section 4.16 Gas Imbalances, Prepayments . Except as disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent in connection with the most recently delivered Engineering Report, no Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof (a) is obligated in any material respect by virtue of any prepayment made under any contract containing a “take-or-pay” or “prepayment” provision or under any similar agreement to deliver

 

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Hydrocarbons produced from or allocated to any Loan Party’s Oil and Gas Properties at some future date without receiving full payment therefor at the time of delivery or (b) has produced gas, in any material amount, subject to balancing rights of third parties or subject to balancing duties under Legal Requirements.

Section 4.17 Marketing of Production . Except as disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent in connection with the most recently delivered Engineering Report (with respect to all of which contracts the Holdings and the Borrower represent that they or the Subsidiaries are receiving a price for all production sold thereunder that is computed substantially in accordance with the terms of the relevant contract and are not having deliveries curtailed substantially below the subject Property’s delivery capacity), no material agreements exist that are not cancelable on 60 days- notice or less without penalty or detriment for the sale of production from Holdings, the Borrower’s or the Subsidiaries’ Hydrocarbons (including, without limitation, calls on or other rights to purchase, production, whether or not the same are currently being exercised) and that (a) pertain to the sale of production at a fixed price and (b) have a maturity or expiry date of longer than six (6) months from the date hereof.

Section 4.18 Restriction on Liens . None of the Property of any Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof is subject to any Lien other than Permitted Liens. No Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof is a party to any agreement or arrangement (other than this Agreement and the Security Instruments), or subject to any order, judgment, writ or decree, that either restricts or purports to restrict its ability to grant Liens to secure the Secured Obligations against their respective Properties.

Section 4.19 Solvency . Before and after giving effect to each Credit Extension, the Borrower and Guarantors, on a consolidated basis, are Solvent.

Section 4.20 Hedging Agreements Schedule 4.20 sets forth, as of the date hereof, a true and complete list of all Interest Hedge Agreements, Hydrocarbon Hedge Agreements, and Hedge Contracts of the Loan Parties and Subsidiaries, the material terms thereof (including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts or volumes), the net mark to market value thereof, all credit support agreements relating thereto (including any margin required or supplied), and the counterparty to each such agreement.

Section 4.21 Insurance . Holdings has, and has caused all of the Subsidiaries to have insurance as required under Section 5.02.

Section 4.22 Anti-Corruption Laws; Sanctions; Patriot Act . None of (a) Holdings, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any of their respective directors, officers, employees or affiliates, or (b) to the knowledge of the Borrower, any agent or representative of the Borrower or any Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, (i) is a Sanctioned Person or currently the subject or target of any Sanctions or (ii) has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such Persons of any Anti-Corruption Laws. Holdings, the Borrower and each Subsidiary is compliance with Section 5.06(q).

Section 4.23 Oil and Gas Properties.

(a) Title . Each Loan Party has good and defensible title to all of its Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recently delivered Engineering Report (other than any thereof Disposed of in a Disposition permitted by this Agreement) free and clear of all Liens except for Permitted Liens and any title deficiencies which are being addressed pursuant to Section 5.11(b). There are no “back-in” or “reversionary” interests held by third parties which could reduce the interests of a Loan Party in the Oil and Gas Properties except as set forth on Schedule 4.23 hereto. No operating or other agreement to which

 

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any Loan Party is a party or by which any Loan Party is bound affecting any part of the Collateral requires such Loan Party to bear any of the costs relating to the Collateral greater than the leasehold interest of such Loan Party in such portion of the Collateral, except in the event such Loan Party is obligated under an operating agreement to assume a portion of a defaulting party’s share of costs. Each Mortgage is and will remain a valid and enforceable lien on the Collateral subject only to the Permitted Liens. Each Loan Party will preserve its interest in and title to the Collateral subject to Permitted Liens, and subject to the transactions that are otherwise permitted under this Agreement.

(b) Status of Leases, Term Mineral Interests and Contracts . All of the leases and term mineral interests in the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recently delivered Engineering Report (other than any thereof Disposed of in a Disposition permitted by this Agreement and noted to the Administrative Agent at or prior to delivery of such Engineering Report pursuant to Section 2.02(b)(iv)) are valid, subsisting and in full force and effect, and no Loan Party has knowledge that a default exists under any of the terms or provisions, express or implied, of any of such leases or interests or under any agreement to which the same are subject. All of the material Contracts to which any Loan Party is a party that relate to the Oil and Gas Properties are in full force and effect and constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of such Loan Party. No Loan Party or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, any other party to any such Contract (i) is in breach of or default, or with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would be in breach or default, with respect to any obligations thereunder, whether express or implied, or (ii) has given or threatened in writing to give notice of any default under or inquiry into any possible default under, or action to alter, terminate, rescind or procure a judicial reformation of, any lease in the Oil and Gas Properties or any Contract except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

(c) Production Burdens and Expenses and Revenues . Except for each Loan Party’s interests in certain Oil and Gas Properties, and except as set forth on Schedule 4.23 , which such Loan Party represents do not constitute a material portion (with 2% or more being deemed material) of the value of the Collateral and all other Properties of such Loan Party securing the Secured Obligations, all of the proceeds from the sale of Hydrocarbons produced from Realty Collateral are being properly and timely paid to such Loan Party by the purchasers or other remitters of production proceeds without suspense.

(d) Pricing . The prices being received by each Loan Party for the production of Hydrocarbons do not violate, in any material respect, any material Contract or any law or regulation. Except as otherwise permitted herein, where applicable, all of the wells located on the Oil and Gas Properties and production of Hydrocarbons therefrom have been properly classified in all material respects under appropriate governmental regulations.

(e) Gas Regulatory Matters . All applicable Loan Parties have filed with the appropriate state and federal agencies all necessary rate and collection filings and all necessary applications for well determinations under the Natural Gas Act of 1938, as amended, the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (the “ FERC ”) thereunder, and each such application has been approved by or is pending before the appropriate state or federal agency.

(f) Drilling Obligations . Except as otherwise permitted hereunder, there are no obligations under any Oil and Gas Property or Contract which require the drilling of additional wells or operations to earn or to continue to hold any of the Oil and Gas Properties covered in the most recently delivered Engineering Report in force and effect, except those under customary continuous operations provisions that may be found in one or more of the oil and gas and/or oil, gas and mineral leases.

 

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(g) Refund Obligations . No Loan Party has collected any proceeds from the sale of Hydrocarbons produced from the Oil and Gas Properties covered in the most recently delivered Engineering Report which are subject to any material refund obligations other than as previously disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent at or prior to the delivery of such Engineering Report.

Section 4.24 Line of Business; Foreign Operations .

(a) The Loan Parties have not conducted and are not conducting any business other than businesses relating to the acquisition, exploration, development, financing, ownership, operation, production, maintenance, storage, transportation, gathering, processing and marketing of Hydrocarbons and the Oil and Gas Properties and related activities.

(b) No Loan Party owns, and has not acquired or made any other expenditure (whether such expenditure is capital, operating or otherwise) in or related to, any Oil and Gas Properties located outside of the geographical boundaries of the United States or in the offshore federal waters of the United States.

Section 4.25 Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of Holdings and its Subsidiaries is January 1 through December 31.

Section 4.26 Location of Business and Offices . Each Loan Party’s principal place of business and chief executive office is located at its address specified on Schedule 4.26 or at such other location as it may have, by proper written notice hereunder, advised the Administrative Agent.

Section 4.27 Intellectual Property . Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary either own or have valid licenses or other rights to use all databases, geological data, geophysical data, engineering data, maps, interpretations and other technical information used in their business as presently conducted, subject to the limitations contained in the agreements governing the use of the same, which limitations are customary for companies engaged in the business of the exploration and production of Hydrocarbons, with such exceptions as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

Section 4.28 Senior Debt Status . The Obligations of each Loan Party and each Subsidiary thereof under this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents ranks and shall continue to rank at least senior in priority of payment to all subordinated Indebtedness and all senior unsecured Indebtedness of each such Person and is designated as “senior indebtedness” under all instruments and documents, now or in the future, relating to all subordinated Indebtedness and all senior unsecured Indebtedness of such Person.

ARTICLE V

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Note or any amount (other than contingent indemnity obligations for which no claim has been made) under any Loan Document shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, or any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, each Loan Party agrees, unless the Majority Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing, to comply with the following covenants.

Section 5.01 Compliance with Laws, Etc . Each Loan Party shall comply, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to comply, in all respects with all applicable Legal Requirements except where the failure to so comply could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. Without limiting the generality and coverage of the foregoing, each Loan Party shall comply, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to comply with all Environmental Laws and all laws, regulations, or directives with respect to equal employment opportunity and employee safety in all

 

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jurisdictions in which any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof does business except where failure to so comply could not reasonably be expected to individually result in liability in excess of $1,000,000 and could not reasonably be expected to result in the aggregate in a Material Adverse Change. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) maintain and possess all authorizations, Permits, licenses, trademarks, trade names, rights and copyrights which are necessary or advisable to the conduct of its business, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, and (b) obtain, as soon as practicable, all consents or approvals required from any states of the United States (or other Governmental Authorities) necessary to grant the Administrative Agent an Acceptable Security Interest in (i) at least 95% (by value) of the Proven Reserves attributable to the Loan Parties’ Oil and Gas Properties and (ii) 100% (by value) of the Original Mortgaged Properties.

Section 5.02 Maintenance of Insurance.

(a) Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, procure and maintain or shall cause to be procured and maintained continuously in effect policies of insurance issued by companies, associations or organizations reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and in at least such amounts and covering such casualties, risks, perils, liabilities and other hazards that are usually insured against by companies similarly situated and engaged in the same or a similar business for the assets and operations of Holdings, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries and otherwise reasonably required by the Administrative Agent.

(b) All certified copies of policies or certificates thereof, and endorsements and renewals thereof shall be delivered to and retained by the Administrative Agent each time such a policy of insurance is made effective, renewed, amended, novated, or otherwise modified. All policies of insurance shall either have attached thereto a “lender’s loss payable endorsement” for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, as loss payee in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent or shall name the Administrative Agent as an additional insured, as applicable. All policies or certificates of insurance shall set forth the coverage, the limits of liability, the name of the carrier, the policy number, and the period of coverage. All such policies shall contain a provision that notwithstanding any contrary agreements between the Loan Parties, their respective Subsidiaries, and the applicable insurance company, such policies will not be canceled without at least 30 days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent (or at least 10 days’ for non-payment of premium). In the event that, notwithstanding the “lender’s loss payable endorsement” requirement of this Section 5.02, the proceeds of any insurance policy described above are paid to any Loan Party or a Subsidiary when an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower shall deliver such proceeds to the Administrative Agent immediately upon receipt. Waiver of subrogation shall apply in favor of the Administrative Agent in connection with any general liability insurance policy of any Loan Party.

Section 5.03 Preservation of Corporate Existence, Etc . Each Loan Party shall preserve and maintain, and, except as otherwise permitted herein, cause each of its Subsidiaries to preserve and maintain, its corporate, partnership, or limited liability company existence, rights, franchises, and privileges, as applicable, in the jurisdiction of its organization. Each Loan Party shall qualify and remain qualified, and cause each such Subsidiary to qualify and remain qualified, as a foreign corporation, partnership, or limited liability company, as applicable, in each jurisdiction in which qualification is necessary or desirable in view of its business and operations or the ownership of its Properties except where the failure to be so qualified could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

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Section 5.04 Payment of Taxes, Etc . Each Loan Party shall pay and discharge, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay and discharge, before the same shall become delinquent, (a) all material Taxes, assessments, and governmental charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its income, profits, activities or Property, prior to the date on which penalties attach thereto and (b) all lawful claims that are material which, if unpaid, might by Legal Requirement become a Lien upon its Property; provided , however, that no Loan Party and no such Subsidiary shall be required to pay or discharge any such Tax, assessment, charge, levy, or claim which is being diligently contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, and with respect to which adequate reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided.

Section 5.05 Visitation Rights; Periodic Meetings . At any reasonable time and from time to time, upon reasonable prior notice, each Loan Party shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, permit (a) the Administrative Agent and any Lender or any of their respective agents, advisors, or other representatives thereof, acting together, to examine and make copies of and abstracts from the records and books of account of, and visit and inspect at their reasonable discretion the Properties of, each Loan Party and any such Subsidiary, and (b) the Administrative Agent and any Lender or any of their respective agents, advisors or other representatives thereof, acting together, to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of each Loan Party and any such Subsidiary with any of their respective officers or directors; provided that, unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, (i) the Borrower shall bear the cost of only one such inspection per year and (ii) no Loan Party shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of any Lender in connection with such inspections that is not the Administrative Agent. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in connection with each annual financial statement required to be delivered under Section 5.06(a) below, the Borrower shall make its officers available for a telephonic (or, with the Borrower’s consent, an in-person) meeting with the Administrative Agent and the Lenders held at reasonable times and upon reasonable prior notice, to discuss such financial statements and Engineering Reports, drilling activities and such other information regarding the Loan Parties, its Subsidiaries and their respective Properties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Loan Party shall be required to disclose to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or any agents, advisors or other representatives thereof, any written material, (x) the disclosure of which would cause a breach of any confidentiality provision in the written agreement governing such material applicable to such Person, (y) which is the subject of attorney-client privilege or attorney’s work product privilege asserted by the applicable Person to prevent the loss of such privilege in connection with such information, or (z) which is a non-financial trade secret or other proprietary information.

Section 5.06 Reporting Requirements . The Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

(a) Annual Financials . (i) As soon as available and in any event not later than 120 days (or such earlier date that any Loan Party is required to publicly file a Form 10-K) after the end of each fiscal year of Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries, commencing with fiscal year ending December 31, 2016, a copy of the annual audit report for such year for Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries, including therein Holding’s and its consolidated Subsidiaries’ consolidated balance sheet as of the end of such fiscal year and Holding’s and its consolidated Subsidiaries’ consolidated statement of income, cash flows, and retained earnings, in each case certified by an Acceptable Accountant, (ii) as soon as available and in any event no later than seven (7) days after the delivery in clause (a)(i) (for the avoidance of doubt, such seven (7) day period to be within the aforementioned 120 day period), (x) any management letters delivered by such accountants to Holdings or any Subsidiary in connection with such audit or otherwise, and (y) a Compliance Certificate executed by a Responsible Officer of Holdings and the Borrower (the deliverables described in the foregoing clauses (x) and (y) and clauses (c) and (g) below, the “ Annual Reporting Package ”);

(b) Quarterly Financials . (i) As soon as available and in any event not later than 60 days (or such earlier date that any Loan Party is required to publicly file a Form 10-Q) after the end of each fiscal quarter of each fiscal year of Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries, (i) commencing with the fiscal

 

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quarter ending September 30, 2016, the unaudited consolidated balance sheet and the statements of income, cash flows, and retained earnings of Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the period commencing at the end of the previous year and ending with the end of such fiscal quarter, all in reasonable detail and (ii) as soon as available and in any event no later than seven (7) days after the delivery in clause (b)(i) (for the avoidance of doubt, such seven (7) day period to be within the aforementioned 60 day period), (x) a certificate with respect to such consolidated statements (subject to year-end audit adjustments) by a Responsible Officer of Holdings stating that such financial statements delivered under clause (b)(i) have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, and (y) commencing with the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2016, a Compliance Certificate executed by the Responsible Officer of Holdings and the Borrower (the deliverables described in the foregoing clauses (x) and (y) and clauses (c), (g), and (h) below, the “ Quarterly Reporting Package ”);

(c) Intercompany Indebtedness; Claims . At the time it furnishes each set of financial statements under Sections 5.06(a) or (b) above, a certificate executed by a Responsible Officer of Holdings and the Borrower certifying as to (i) the aggregate amount of all outstanding intercompany Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 6.02 as of the end of the respective fiscal year or fiscal quarter and setting forth in reasonable detail payor and the recipient with respect thereto and whether a subordination agreement from such payor has been provided to the Administrative Agent (which subordination agreement shall remain in full force and effect as of the date of such certificate), and (ii) a detailed description, including amount, of the Reserved Claims and Allowed Reserved Claims as of the date of such certificate.

(d) Weekly Consolidated Cash Balance Report . On each Consolidated Cash Sweep Date, a weekly report in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent detailing the Consolidated Cash Balance as of the last Business Day of the immediately preceding calendar week certified by a Responsible Officer of Holdings and the Borrower.

(e) Oil and Gas Engineering Reports .

(i) As soon as available but in any event on or before March 1, 2017, and March 1 st of each year thereafter, an Independent Engineering Report dated effective as of the immediately preceding January 1 st ;

(ii) As soon as available but in any event on or before September 1, 2017, and September 1 st of each year thereafter, an Internal Engineering Report or an Independent Engineering Report dated effective as of the immediately preceding July 1 st ;

(iii) Such other information as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties included or to be included in the Borrowing Base;

(iv) With the delivery of each Engineering Report, a certificate from a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that, to the best of his knowledge and in all material respects: (A) the information contained in the Engineering Report and any other information delivered in connection therewith is true and correct, (B) except as set forth on an exhibit to the certificate, on a net basis there are no gas imbalances, take or pay or other prepayments with respect to its Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in such Engineering Report which would require the Borrower or any Guarantor to deliver Hydrocarbons produced from such Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor, (C) none of its Oil and Gas Properties have been sold since the date of the last Borrowing Base determination except as set forth on an exhibit to the certificate, which certificate shall list all of its Oil and Gas Properties sold and in such detail as reasonably required by the Majority

 

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Lenders, (D) attached to the certificate is a list of its Oil and Gas Properties added to and deleted from the immediately prior Engineering Report and a list showing any change in working interest or net revenue interest in its Oil and Gas Properties occurring and the reason for such change, (E) attached to the certificate is a list of all Persons disbursing proceeds to the Borrower or to any Guarantor, as applicable, from its Oil and Gas Properties, and (F) except as set forth on a schedule attached to the certificate, (x) at least 95% (by value) of the Proven Reserves and the Oil and Gas Properties relating thereto and (y) 95% (by value) of the Loan Parties’ other Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Engineering Report are pledged as Collateral for the Secured Obligations.

(f) Hedging Reports . As soon as available and in any event within 60 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, commencing with the quarter ending September 30, 2016, a report certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent prepared by the Borrower (i) covering each of the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and the Guarantors and detailing on a quarterly basis, any sales of the Borrower’s or any Guarantors’ Oil and Gas Properties during each such quarter (other than sales of Hydrocarbons in the ordinary course of business), (ii) setting forth a true and complete list of all Hedge Contracts of the Borrower and the Guarantors and detailing the material terms thereof (including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts or volumes), the net mark to market value thereof, all credit support agreements relating thereto (including any margin required or supplied), and the counterparty to each such agreement; provided that, such required listing shall, in no event, be construed as permitting such credit supports which are not permitted under the terms of this Agreement, and (iii) setting forth a calculation of the Borrower’s compliance or non-compliance with the volume requirements of Section 6.15(b), including a detailed description and calculation of the Engineering Report Volumes for the Hedge Contracts then in effect.

(g) Lease Operating Statements . Concurrently with each delivery of financial statements under Section 5.06(a) and Section 5.06(b), a Lease Operating Statement for such calendar quarter.

(h) Annual Budget . Concurrently with each delivery of financial statements under Section 5.06(b) for the last fiscal quarter in any fiscal year, a copy of Holdings and its Subsidiaries’ consolidated annual budget for the forthcoming fiscal year, including the Borrower’s consolidated cash flow budget and operating budget, certified as such by the Chief Executive Officer of Holdings.

(i) Defaults . As soon as possible and in any event within three Business Days after the occurrence of any Default known to any officer of each Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries which is continuing on the date of such statement, a statement of a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party setting forth the details of such Default and the actions which any Loan Party or any such Subsidiary has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto;

(j) Termination Events . As soon as possible and in any event, within 10 days after any Loan Party obtains knowledge thereof (or such later date acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), copies of: (i) any unfavorable determination letter from the IRS regarding the qualification of an Employee Benefit Plan under Section 401(a) of the Code (along with a copy thereof), (ii) all notices received by any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate of the PBGC’s intent to terminate any Pension Plan or to have a trustee appointed to administer any Pension Plan, (iii) all notices received by any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan sponsor concerning the imposition or amount of withdrawal liability pursuant to Section 4202 of ERISA, (iv) any notice of intent to terminate any Pension Plan under a distress termination within the meaning of Section 4041(c) of ERISA, and (v) a written notice signed by a Responsible Officer describing the occurrence of any Termination Event or of any material “prohibited transaction,” as described in section 406 of ERISA or in section 4975 of the Code, in connection with any Pension Plan or any trust created thereunder, and specifying what action Holdings, the Borrower or such other ERISA Affiliate is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto, and, when known, any action taken or proposed by the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor or the PBGC with respect thereto;

 

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(k) Environmental Notices . Promptly upon, and in any event no later than 10 days after (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), the receipt thereof, or the acquisition of knowledge thereof, by any Loan Party, a copy of any form of request, claim, complaint, order, notice, summons or citation received from any Governmental Authority or any other Person, concerning (i) violations or alleged violations of Environmental Laws, which seeks to impose liability therefore in excess of $1,000,000 or which could otherwise reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change, (ii) any action or omission on the part of any of the Loan Parties or any of their former Subsidiaries in connection with Hazardous Materials which could reasonably result in the imposition of liability in excess of $1,000,000 or that could otherwise reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change or requiring that action be taken to respond to or clean up a Release of Hazardous Materials into the Environment and such action or clean-up could reasonably be expected to exceed $1,000,000 or could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change, including without limitation any information request related to, or notice of, potential responsibility under CERCLA, or (iii) the filing of a Lien in connection with obligations arising under Environmental Laws upon, against or in connection with the Loan Parties, any of their respective Subsidiaries, or any of their respective former Subsidiaries, or any of their leased or owned Property, wherever located, the value of which Lien could reasonably be expected to exceed $1,000,000;

(l) Other Governmental Notices . Promptly and in any event within 10 days after receipt thereof by any Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof (or by such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree to in its sole discretion), a copy of any notice, summons, citation, or proceeding seeking to modify in any material respect, revoke, or suspend any material contract, license, permit or agreement with any Governmental Authority;

(m) Material Changes . Prompt written notice and in any event within 10 days of any condition or event of which any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof has knowledge, which condition or event has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change;

(n) Disputes, Etc . Prompt written notice of (i) any claims, legal or arbitration proceedings, proceedings before any Governmental Authority, or disputes pending, or to the knowledge of any Loan Party threatened in writing, or affecting any Loan Party or Subsidiary which, if adversely determined, could result in a liability to any Loan Party of Subsidiary in an amount in excess of $5,000,000 or that could otherwise result in a cost, expense or loss to the Loan Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries in excess of $5,000,000, or any material labor controversy of which any Loan Party or Subsidiary has knowledge resulting in or reasonably considered to be likely to result in a strike against any Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof and (ii) any claim, judgment, Lien or other encumbrance (other than a Permitted Lien) affecting any Property of any Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof if the value of the claim, judgment, Lien, or other encumbrance affecting such Property shall exceed $5,000,000;

(o) Other Accounting Reports . Promptly upon receipt thereof, a copy of each other report or letter submitted to any Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof by independent accountants in connection with any annual, interim or special audit made by them of the books of any Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof, and a copy of any response by any Loan Party or Subsidiary, or the board of directors (or other applicable governing body) of any Loan Party or Subsidiary, to such letter or report;

(p) Notices Under Other Loan Agreements . Promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any statement, report or notice furnished to any Person pursuant to the terms of any indenture, loan or credit or other similar agreement, with respect to Indebtedness in excess of $5,000,000 (other than this Agreement) and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to any other provision of this Section 5.06;

 

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(q) USA Patriot Act . Promptly, following a request by any Lender, all documentation and other information that such Lender reasonably requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Patriot Act;

(r) Responsible Officers . Promptly thereafter, but only to the extent Holdings is not otherwise required to disclose such information in a filing with the SEC, written notices to the Administrative Agent of the departure or employment of any chief executive officer, chief financial officers, treasurer, president or other executive officer of the Borrower or of Holdings;

(s) SEC and Other Filings; Reports to Shareholders . Promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by any Loan Party with the SEC, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by such Loan Party to its shareholders generally, as the case may be; and

(t) Other Information . Such other information respecting the business or Properties, or the condition or operations, financial or otherwise, of any Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof, as the Administrative Agent may from time to time reasonably request.

Materials required to be delivered pursuant to Section   5.06(a)(i) or (b)(i) (to the extent any such materials are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) shall be deemed to have been delivered hereunder upon such filing with the SEC on the date of such filing; provided that, the Borrower shall deliver electronic copies of such materials to the Administrative Agent concurrently with the delivery of the applicable Annual Reporting Package and Quarterly Reporting Package with respect thereto. In any event, the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or, other than the Compliance Certificates, to maintain copies of the materials referred to above, and shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such materials.

Section 5.07 Maintenance of Property . Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain their owned, leased or operated material Property in good condition and repair, normal wear and tear excepted. Each Loan Party shall abstain, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to abstain from, knowingly or willfully permitting the commission of waste or other injury, destruction, or loss of natural resources, or the occurrence of pollution, contamination, or any other condition in, on or about the owned, leased or operated Property involving the Environment that could reasonably be expected to result in Response activities and that could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change.

Section 5.08 Agreement to Pledge; Guaranty .

(a) In connection with each scheduled redetermination of the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section 2.02(b)(i) or (ii) and each redetermination of the Borrowing Base resulting in an increase to the Borrowing Base, each Loan Party shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries that is a Loan Party to, review its respective Oil and Gas Properties to ascertain whether such Oil and Gas Properties are subject to an Acceptable Security Interest. In the event that the Oil and Gas Properties subject to an Acceptable Security Interest do not represent (A) at least 95% (by value) of the Proven Reserves and the Oil and Gas Properties relating thereto, (B) at least 95% (by value) of the Loan Parties’ other Oil and Gas Properties and (C) 100% (by value) of the Original Mortgaged Properties (other than such Original Mortgaged

 

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Properties which are Disposed of as permitted under Section 6.04(c)), then each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries that is a Loan Party to, grant to the Administrative Agent within thirty (30) days of the date the Engineering Report for such redetermination is required to be delivered (subject to the last sentence of this clause (a)), as security for the Secured Obligations an Acceptable Security Interest on such Oil and Gas Properties not already subject to an Acceptable Security Interest such that after giving effect thereto, the Oil and Gas Properties subject to an Acceptable Security Interest will constitute (A) at least 95% (by value) of the Proven Reserves and the Oil and Gas Properties relating thereto, (B) at least 95% (by value) of the Loan Parties’ other Oil and Gas Properties and (C) 100% (by value) of the Original Mortgaged Properties (other than such Original Mortgaged Properties which are Disposed of as permitted under Section 6.04(c)). Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion may agree to a later date for the Loan Parties to comply with this Section 5.08 so long as (i) such later date is no later than 30 days after the otherwise required date and (ii) in order to be in compliance with this Section 5.08, the Loan Parties must not have to grant an Acceptable Security Interest in more than 5% (by value) of the Proven Reserves and the Oil and Gas Properties related thereto of the Loan Parties and no more than 5% (by value) of the Loan Parties’ other Oil and Gas Properties, and (y) in any event, if the Borrowing Base is to be redetermined on the date of an acquisition, the requirements of this Section 5.08(a) shall be satisfied on the date of such acquisition.

(b) Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing but subject to Section 5.08(a)(y) , the Borrower shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, execute and deliver Mortgages to the extent necessary to cause the Administrative Agent to have an Acceptable Security Interest in all Proven Reserves and associated Oil and Gas Properties acquired by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (whether completed in one transaction or a series of related transactions) whenever such acquisition(s) has a purchase price greater than $5,000,000, in each case, within thirty (30) days of such acquisition (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree to in its sole discretion).

(c) Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, grant to the Administrative Agent an Acceptable Security Interest in all Property (other than Oil and Gas Properties and Excluded Properties) of any Loan Party or Subsidiary now owned or hereafter acquired, but as to any Subsidiary formed or acquired after the Closing Date, within the time frames required in Section 6.16.

Section 5.09 Use of Proceeds . Each Loan Party shall use the proceeds of the Advances (a) to pay the fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement, (b) to pay the expenses in connection with the Loan Parties’ exit from chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and to refinance certain Indebtedness in connection therewith and (c) provide ongoing working capital and for other general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries. The Loan Parties shall use the Letters of Credit for general corporate purposes.

Section 5.10 Title Evidence and Opinions . Each Loan Party shall from time to time upon the reasonable request of the Administrative Agent, take such actions and execute and deliver such documents and instruments as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably require to ensure that the Administrative Agent shall, at all times, have received satisfactory title evidence, which title evidence shall be in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion and shall include information regarding the before payout and after payout ownership interests held by the Loan Parties, for all wells located on the Oil and Gas Properties, covering at least 90% of the present value of the Proven Reserves of the Loan Parties as determined by the Administrative Agent.

 

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Section 5.11 Further Assurances; Cure of Title Defects .

(a) Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, cure promptly any defects in the creation and issuance of the Notes and the execution and delivery of the Security Instruments and this Agreement. Each Loan Party hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to file any financing statements without the signature of the Borrower or such Guarantor, as applicable, to the extent permitted by applicable Legal Requirement in order to perfect or maintain the perfection of any security interest granted under any of the Loan Documents. Each Loan Party at its expense will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, promptly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent upon its reasonable request all such other documents, agreements and instruments to comply with or accomplish the covenants and agreements of the Loan Parties, as the case may be, in the Security Instruments and this Agreement, or to further evidence and more fully describe the collateral intended as security for the Secured Obligations, or to correct any omissions in the Security Instruments, or to state more fully the security obligations set out herein or in any of the Security Instruments, or to perfect, protect or preserve any Liens created pursuant to any of the Security Instruments, or to make any recordings, to file any notices or obtain any consents, all as may be necessary or appropriate in connection therewith or to enable the Administrative Agent to exercise and enforce its rights and remedies with respect to any Collateral.

(b) Within 60 days after (i) a request by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders to cure title defects or exceptions which are not Permitted Liens raised by such information with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties included in the Borrowing Base or (ii) a notice by the Administrative Agent that any Loan Party has failed to comply with Section 5.10 above, such Loan Party shall (i) cure such title defects or exceptions which are not Permitted Liens or substitute acceptable Oil and Gas Properties with no title defects or exceptions except for Permitted Liens covering Collateral of an equivalent value and (ii) deliver to the Administrative Agent satisfactory evidence of such cure or as to any substitute Oil and Gas Properties satisfactory title evidence (including supplemental or new title opinions meeting the foregoing requirements) in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its reasonable business judgment as to the Loan Parties’ ownership of such Oil and Gas Properties and the Administrative Agent’s Liens and security interests therein as are required to maintain compliance with Section 5.10.

Section 5.12 Operation and Maintenance of Oil and Gas Properties .

(a) Further Assurances Related to Mortgages . Each Loan Party covenants that such Loan Party shall execute and deliver such other and further instruments, and shall do such other and further acts as in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent may be necessary or desirable to carry out more effectively the purposes of the Mortgages, including without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (i) prompt correction of any defect in the execution or acknowledgment of such Mortgage, any written instrument comprising part or all of the Obligations, or any other document used in connection herewith; (ii) prompt correction of any defect (other than Permitted Liens) which may hereafter be discovered in the title to the Collateral in accordance with Section 5.11 herein; (iii) subject to the provisions of each Mortgage, prompt execution and delivery of all division or transfer orders or other instruments, which in the Administrative Agent’s opinion are required to transfer to Collateral, for its benefit and the ratable benefit of the other Secured Parties, the assigned proceeds from the sale of Hydrocarbons from the Oil and Gas Properties; and (iv) other than as permitted hereunder, prompt payment when due and owing of all Taxes, assessments and governmental charges imposed on such Mortgage or upon the interest of the Administrative Agent.

(b) Preservation of Liens . Other than as permitted hereunder, each Loan Party covenants that such Loan Party shall maintain and preserve the Lien and security interest created under each Mortgage to which such Loan Party is a party as an Acceptable Security Interest.

(c) Insurance . To the extent that insurance is carried by a third-party operator on behalf of any Loan Party, upon reasonable request by Administrative Agent, such Loan Party shall use its reasonable efforts to obtain and provide the Administrative Agent with copies of certificates of insurance showing such Loan Party as a named insured. Each such Loan Party hereby assigns to the Administrative Agent for its benefit and the benefit of the other Secured Parties any and all monies that may become payable under any such policies of insurance by reason of damage, loss or destruction of any of the Collateral.

 

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(d) Leases; Development and Maintenance . Each Loan Party shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, (a) pay and discharge promptly, or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be paid and discharged promptly, all rentals, delay rentals, royalties, overriding royalties, payments out of production and other indebtedness or obligations accruing under, and perform or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be performed each and every act, matter or thing required by each and all of, the oil and gas leases and all other agreements and contracts constituting or affecting the Oil and Gas Properties of the Loan Parties except to the extent the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, (b) do all other things reasonably necessary to keep unimpaired its rights thereunder and prevent any forfeiture thereof or default thereunder, and operate or cause to be operated such Properties as a prudent operator would in accordance with industry standard practices and in compliance with all applicable proration and conservation Legal Requirements and any other Legal Requirements of every Governmental Authority, whether state, federal, municipal or other jurisdiction, from time to time constituted to regulate the development and operations of oil and gas properties and the production and sale of oil, gas and other Hydrocarbons therefrom, except to the extent the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, and (c) maintain in all material respects (or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be maintained in all material respects) the Leases, wells, units and acreage to which the Oil and Gas Properties of the Loan Parties pertain in a prudent manner consistent with industry standard practices.

Section 5.13 Anti-Corruption Laws; Sanctions . Each Loan Party will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by each Loan Party and its respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.

Section 5.14 Reserved .

Section 5.15 Environmental Matters . Each of Holdings and the Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, establish and implement commercially reasonable measures as may be reasonably necessary to assure that, except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change: (a) all Property of Holdings, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries and the operations conducted thereon and other activities of Holdings, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with and do not violate the requirements of any Environmental Laws, (b) all oil, oil and gas production or exploration wastes, Hazardous Materials or solid wastes generated in connection with their operations are disposed of or otherwise handled in compliance with Environmental Laws, (c) no Hazardous Materials will be Released on, at or from any of their owned or leased Property, other than permitted Releases and Releases in a quantity which does not require reporting pursuant to Section 103 of CERCLA, and (d) no oil, oil and gas exploration and production wastes or Hazardous Materials or solid wastes are Released on, at or from any such Property so as to pose an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health, safety or welfare or the Environment.

Section 5.16 ERISA Compliance . With respect to each Pension Plan, Holdings or the Borrower shall, and shall cause each other ERISA Affiliate to, (a) satisfy in full and in a timely manner, without incurring any material late payment or underpayment charge or penalty and without giving rise to any Lien, all of the contribution and funding requirements of section 412 of the Code (determined without regard to subsections (d), (e), (f) and (k) thereof) and of section 302 of ERISA (determined without regard to sections 303, 304 and 306 of ERISA), and (b) pay, or cause to be paid, to the PBGC in a timely manner, without incurring any material late payment or underpayment charge or penalty, all premiums required pursuant to sections 4006 and 4007 of ERISA.

 

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ARTICLE VI

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Note or any amount (other than contingent indemnity obligations for which no claim has been made) under any Loan Document shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, or any Lender shall have any Commitment, each Loan Party agrees, unless the Majority Lenders otherwise consent in writing, to comply with the following covenants.

Section 6.01 Liens, Etc . No Loan Party shall create, assume, incur, or suffer to exist, nor permit any of its Subsidiaries to create, assume, incur, or suffer to exist, any Lien on or in respect of any of its Property (including any right to receive income) whether now owned or hereafter acquired, except that each Loan Party may create, incur, assume, or suffer to exist:

(a) Liens granted pursuant to the Security Instruments and securing the Secured Obligations;

(b) Liens on equipment, fixtures and other personal Property securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.02(b); provided that (i) such Liens shall be created substantially simultaneously with the acquisition, repair, improvement or lease, as applicable, of the related Property, (ii) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the Property financed by such Indebtedness, (iii) the amount of Indebtedness secured thereby is not increased and (iv) the principal amount of Indebtedness secured by any such Lien shall at no time exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the original price for the purchase, repair improvement or lease amount (as applicable) of such Property at the time of purchase, repair, improvement or lease (as applicable) together with any financing for interest thereon;

(c) Liens for Taxes, assessments and other governmental charges or levies (excluding any Lien imposed pursuant to any of the provisions of ERISA or Environmental Laws) (i) not yet due or as to which the period of grace (not to exceed thirty (30) days), if any, related thereto has not expired or (ii) which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings if adequate reserves are maintained to the extent required by GAAP;

(d) the claims of materialmen, mechanics, carriers, warehousemen, processors, repairmen, suppliers, workers, or landlords for labor, materials, supplies, rentals or other like claims incurred in the ordinary course of business, which (i) are not overdue for a period of more than the longer of thirty (30) days or the grace period therefor, or if overdue for more than such period, no action has been taken to enforce such Liens, (ii) to the extent overdue, such Liens are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings if adequate reserves are maintained to the extent required by GAAP and (iii) do not, individually or in the aggregate, materially impair the use thereof in the operation of the business of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries;

(e) royalties, overriding royalties, net profits interests, production payments, reversionary interests, calls on production, preferential purchase rights and other burdens on or deductions from the proceeds of production, that do not secure Indebtedness and that are taken into account in computing the net revenue interests and working interests of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries warranted in the Security Instruments or in this Agreement;

(f) deposits or pledges of cash or cash equivalents made in the ordinary course of business in connection with, or to secure payment of, obligations under workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security or similar legislation, old age pension or public liability

 

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obligations, statutory obligations, regulatory obligations, surety and appeal bonds (other than bonds related to judgments or litigation), government contracts, performance and return of money bonds, and bids and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business, in each case, so long as no foreclosure sale or similar proceeding has been commenced with respect to any portion of the Collateral on account thereof;

(g) Liens arising under operating agreements, unitization and pooling agreements and orders, farmout agreements, gas balancing or deferred production agreements, joint venture agreements, oil and gas partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, division orders, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange of oil and natural gas, area and mutual interest agreements, marketing agreements, processing agreements, net profit agreements, development agreements, injection, repressuring and recycling agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, seismic or other geophysical permits or agreements, and other agreements, in each case, (i) that are customary in the oil, gas and mineral production business, and (ii) that are entered into by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business; provided that, in any event, (w) if such Liens could have the effect of reducing net revenue interests or increasing working interests of the Borrower without a corresponding increase in the net revenue interest in such Oil and Gas Property or any of its Subsidiaries from such values set forth in the Engineering Report delivered for the most recent Borrowing Base redetermination (scheduled or otherwise), then the Borrower shall have provided to the Administrative Agent written notice of such Liens within 30 days of the incurrence of such Liens accompanied by a Responsible Officer’s certification and calculation of the adjusted net revenue interests and working interests after taking into account such Liens, (x) such Liens secure amounts that are not yet due or are being diligently contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, if such reserve as may be required by GAAP shall have been made therefor, (y) such Liens are limited to the assets that are the subject of such agreements, and (z) such Liens shall not be in favor of any Person that is an Affiliate of a Loan Party;

(h) easements, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants, exceptions, rights-of-way, zoning restrictions, and other similar encumbrances, and minor defects in the chain of title that are customarily accepted in the oil and gas financing industry, none of which interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or materially detract from the value or use of the Property to which they apply;

(i) Liens arising from the filing of precautionary UCC financing statements relating solely to personal property leased pursuant to Operating Leases entered into in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

(j) (i) Liens of a collecting bank arising in the ordinary course of business under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the relevant jurisdiction and (ii) Liens of any depositary bank in connection with statutory, common law and contractual rights of set-off and recoupment with respect to any deposit account of the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof;

(k) any interest or title of a licensor, sublicensor, lessor or sublessor with respect to any assets under any license or lease agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business which do not (i) interfere in any material respect with the business of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or materially detract from the value of the relevant assets of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or (ii) secure any Indebtedness;

(l) Liens securing judgments for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default;

(m) Liens on cash earnest money deposited pursuant to the terms of an agreement to acquire assets used in, or Persons engaged in, the oil and gas business, as permitted by this Agreement;

 

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(n) licenses of intellectual property, none of which, in the aggregate, interfere in any material respect with the business of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or materially detract from the value of the relevant assets of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries;

(o) Liens on cash or cash equivalents in favor of Bank of America, N.A. to secure Banking Services Obligations; provided that the aggregate amount of such cash and cash equivalents may not exceed $126,000; and

(p) (i) Liens not otherwise permitted under the preceding provisions of this Section 6.01 encumbering Oil and Gas Properties and securing obligations in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $1,000,000 at any time, and (ii) Liens not otherwise permitted under the preceding provisions of this Section 6.01 encumbering Properties (other than Oil and Gas Properties) and securing obligations in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $2,000,000 at any time; provided that, in each case, such Liens are not incurred in connection with any Indebtedness.

Section 6.02 Indebtedness, Guarantees, and Other Obligations . No Loan Party shall, nor shall any Loan Party permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, assume, suffer to exist, or in any manner become or be liable in respect of, any Indebtedness except:

(a) (i) the Obligations and (ii) the Banking Services Obligations;

(b) Capital Lease Obligations and Indebtedness incurred in connection with purchase money indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $10,000,000 at any time outstanding;

(c) Indebtedness under performance bonds, surety bonds, release, appeal and similar bonds, statutory obligations or with respect to workers’ compensation claims, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business, and reimbursement obligations in respect of any of the foregoing;

(d) unsecured Indebtedness of any Loan Party owing to any other Loan Party; provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to the Obligations on terms set forth in the Guaranty or otherwise acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion;

(e) Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or other similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business;

(f) Indebtedness under Hedge Contracts which are not prohibited by the terms of Section 6.15; provided (i) such Indebtedness shall not be secured, other than such Indebtedness owing to Lender Swap Counterparties which are secured under the Loan Documents, (ii) such Indebtedness shall not obligate Holdings or any Subsidiary to any margin call requirements, including any requirement to post cash collateral, property collateral or a letter of credit, and (iii) the deferred premium payments associated with such Hedge Contracts shall be limited to the deferred premium payments for put option contracts which are secured under the Loan Documents; provided that, the outstanding amount of such deferred premium payments shall not exceed $1,000,000;

(g) endorsements of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business;

(h) Indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with cash pooling arrangements, cash management and other similar arrangements consisting of netting arrangements and overdraft protections incurred in the ordinary course of business and not in excess of $500,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding;

 

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(i) unsecured Indebtedness not otherwise permitted under the preceding provisions of this Section 6.02; provided that, the aggregate principal amount of such unsecured Indebtedness shall not exceed $10,000,000 at any time; and

(j) any Guarantee by any Loan Party of any Indebtedness of any other Loan Party so long as such underlying Indebtedness is otherwise permitted by this Section 6.02 and the terms of such Guarantee would otherwise be permitted by this Section 6.02 if such Guarantee was the primary obligation.

Section 6.03 Agreements Restricting Liens and Distributions . No Loan Party shall, nor shall any Loan Party permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any contract, agreement or understanding which in any way prohibits or restricts the granting, conveying, creation or imposition of any Lien on any of its Property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, to secure the Secured Obligations or restricts any Loan Party from paying dividends to any other Loan Party, or which requires the consent of or notice to other Persons in connection therewith; provided , that the foregoing shall not apply to (a) restrictions in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, (b) customary restrictions imposed on the granting, conveying, creation or imposition of any Lien on any Property of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries imposed by any contract, agreement or understanding related to the Liens permitted under clause (b) of Section 6.01 so long as such restriction only applies to the Property permitted under such clause to be encumbered by such Liens, (c) customary restrictions and conditions with respect to the sale or disposition of Property or Equity Interests permitted hereunder pending the consummation of such sale or disposition, (d) customary restrictions imposed on the granting, conveying, creation or imposition of any Lien found in any lease, license or similar contract as they affect any Property or Lien subject to such lease, license or contract, (e) customary prohibitions on assignment of rights contained in software license agreements, and (f) customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest (other than any Oil and Gas Property) of any Loan Party.

Section 6.04 Merger or Consolidation; Asset Sales . No Loan Party shall, nor shall any Loan Party permit any of its Subsidiaries to:

(a) dissolve; provided that (i) any Loan Party (other than Holdings and the Borrower) may dissolve as long as assets thereof are transferred to or become the Property of another Guarantor or Borrower and (ii) any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor may dissolve as long as the assets thereof are transferred to or become the Property of a Guarantor (other than Holdings) or the Borrower or another Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor;

(b) merge or consolidate with or into any other Person; provided that (i) the Borrower may merge or may be consolidated into any Guarantor (other than Holdings) if the Borrower is the surviving entity, (ii) any Loan Party (other than Holdings and the Borrower) may merge or may be consolidated into any other Guarantor (other than Holdings), and (iii) any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor may merge or may be consolidated into any Guarantor (other than Holdings) or the Borrower or another Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor; or

(c) Dispose of any of its Property (including, without limitation, any working interest, overriding royalty interest, production payments, net profits interest, royalty interest, or mineral fee interest) or novate, assign, unwind, terminate, permit to expire, or otherwise amend any BB Hedges, other than:

(i) the sale of Hydrocarbons or liquidation of Liquid Investments in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(ii) the Disposition of equipment that is (A) obsolete or worn out and Disposed of in the ordinary course of business, (B) no longer necessary for the business of such Person or (C) contemporaneously replaced by equipment of at least comparable value and use, provided that, so long as a Borrowing Base Deficiency (without giving effect to the proviso in the definition thereof) exists, the Borrower shall immediately prepay the Advances or, if the Advances have been repaid in full, Cash Collateralize the Letter of Credit Exposure, in an amount equal to the Net Cash Proceeds received by any Loan Party from the Disposition of equipment pursuant to this Section 6.04(c)(ii);

(iii) the Disposition of Property between or among Loan Parties;

(iv) the Disposition of Oil and Gas Properties which are not attributable to Proven Reserves so long as (A) such Oil and Gas Property is not Collateral and is not otherwise required pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to be Collateral or (B) such Disposition is a Permitted Asset Swap; provided that, the Oil and Gas Properties permitted to be Disposed of under this clause (B) shall not exceed 500 acres in the aggregate between scheduled Borrowing Base redeterminations;

(v) Casualty Events;

(vi) licenses of intellectual property, none of which, in the aggregate, materially impair the operation of the business of any Loan Party;

(vii) the abandonment of intellectual property that is no longer material to the operation of the business of any Loan Party;

(viii) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby, the Disposition of Oil and Gas Properties which are attributable to Proven Reserves (and the Disposition of Equity Interests in any Subsidiary that owns such Oil and Gas Properties) and the occurrence of any Hedge Event so long as:

(A) as to any such Disposition, (1) the cash or cash equivalents received as consideration therefor must be equal to the lesser of (x) the BB Value of the Oil and Gas Properties included in such Disposition and (y) 100% of the consideration received in respect thereof, (2) the consideration received in respect of such Disposition is equal to or greater than the fair market value of such Oil and Gas Properties, interest therein or Subsidiary subject of such Disposition (as reasonably determined by the chief financial officer or equivalent officer of the Borrower for Dispositions for consideration of less than $15,000,000 and as reasonably determined by the board of directors or the equivalent governing body of the Borrower for all other Dispositions and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying to that effect), and (3) if any such Disposition is of a Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties, such Disposition includes all the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary; and

(B) as to any such Disposition or Hedge Event which would have the effect of making the sum of (1) the BB Value of all Dispositions of Oil and Gas Properties made since the date of the most recent scheduled Borrowing Base redetermination (including such Disposition) plus (2) the BB Value of BB Hedges which have been novated, assigned, unwound, terminated, expired or amended since the date of the most recent scheduled Borrowing Base redetermination (including such Hedge Event) plus (3) the BB Value attributed to Oil and Gas Properties subject to title defects not cured to the satisfaction of the Administrative Agent as provided in Section 5.11 within the 60-day period permitted under Section 5.11 and occurring since the date of the most recent scheduled Borrowing Base redetermination, exceed 5% of the Borrowing Base then in effect, the Borrowing Base is automatically reduced as provided in Section 2.02(d).

 

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Section 6.05 Restricted Payments . No Loan Party shall, nor shall any Loan Party permit any of its Subsidiaries to, make any Restricted Payments except that:

(a) the Borrower may make Permitted Tax Distributions to Holdings so long as no Event of Default under Section 7.01(a), Section 7.01(c) (on account of a breach of Section 6.04) or Section 7.01(e) has occurred and is continuing; and

(b) any Loan Party may make Restricted Payments to any other Loan Party (other than Holdings) subject to any subordination terms thereof that may apply.

Section 6.06 Investments . No Loan Party shall, nor shall any Loan Party permit any of its Subsidiaries to, make or permit to exist any Investments or purchase or commit to purchase any Equity Interests or other securities or evidences of indebtedness of or interests in any Person or any Oil and Gas Properties or activities related to Oil and Gas Properties, except:

(a) Liquid Investments;

(b) trade and customer accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business;

(c) creation of any additional Subsidiaries in compliance with Section 6.16;

(d) Investments received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of, or settlement of delinquent accounts and disputes with, customers and suppliers, in each case in the ordinary course of business; provided that, the aggregate amount of such Investment shall not exceed $1,000,000;

(e) Investments consisting of any deferred portion of the sales price received by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection with any sale of assets permitted hereunder;

(f) Investments in direct ownership interests in additional Oil and Gas Properties and gas gathering systems related thereto or related to farm-out, farm-in, joint operating, joint venture or area of mutual interest agreements, gathering systems, pipelines or other similar arrangements which are usual and customary in the oil and gas exploration and production business located within the geographic boundaries of the United States of America;

(g) Hedge Contracts to the extent permitted under Section 6.15;

(h) Investments made by (i) Holdings in or to any other Loan Party or (iii) any Loan Party (other than Holdings) in or to any other Loan Party;

(i) Permitted Acquisitions; and

(j) any Investments not otherwise permitted under this Section 6.08 so long as (i) the aggregate amount of the Investments permitted under this clause (j) shall not exceed $1,000,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any time and (ii) no such Investment is used by Holdings or any Subsidiary for a Permitted Acquisition.

 

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Section 6.07 Acquisitions . No Loan Party shall, nor shall it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, make any Acquisition in a single transaction or related series of transactions other than a Permitted Acquisition.

Section 6.08 Affiliate Transactions . No Loan Party shall, nor shall any Loan Party permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into or permit to exist any transaction or series of transactions (including, but not limited to, the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of Property, the making of any Investment, the giving of any guaranty, the assumption of any obligation or the rendering of any service) with any of their Affiliates unless such transaction or series of transactions is on terms no less favorable to the Loan Parties than those that could be obtained in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person that is not such an Affiliate; provided, however , the foregoing provisions of this Section 6.08 shall not apply to: (a) transactions solely among the Loan Parties, (b) the performance of employment, equity award, equity option or equity appreciation agreements, plans or other similar compensation or benefit plans or arrangements (including vacation plans, health and insurance plans, deferred compensation plans and retirement or savings plans) entered into by Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of its business with its or for the benefit of is employees, officers and directors, (b) fees and compensation to, and indemnity provided on behalf of, officers, directors, and employees of Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary in their capacity as such, to the extent such fees and compensation are customary, (c) the professional fee escrow (including the establishment and maintenance thereof and payments therefrom) as contemplated under the Form Plan, and (e) Restricted Payments permitted hereunder.

Section 6.09 Compliance with ERISA . To the extent it could reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in liability to any Loan Party in excess of $10,000,000, no Loan Party shall, nor shall any Loan Party permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, (a) engage in any transaction in connection with which any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate could be subjected to either a civil penalty assessed pursuant to section 502(c), (i) or (l) of ERISA or a tax imposed by Chapter 43 of Subtitle D of the Code; (b) terminate, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to terminate, any Pension Plan in a manner, or take any other action with respect to any Pension Plan, which could result in any liability to any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate to the PBGC; (c) fail to make, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to fail to make, full payment when due of all amounts which, under the provisions of any Pension Plan, agreement relating thereto or applicable law, any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate is required to pay as contributions thereto; (d) permit to exist, or allow any ERISA Affiliate to permit to exist, any unpaid minimum required contribution within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, with respect to any Pension Plan; or (e) incur, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to incur, a liability to or on account of an Employee Benefit Plan under sections 515, 4062, 4063, 4064, 4201 or 4204 of ERISA.

Section 6.10 Sale-and-Leaseback . No Loan Party shall, nor shall any Loan Party permit any of its Subsidiaries to, sell or transfer to a Person any Property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, if at the time or thereafter such Loan Party thereof shall lease as lessee such Property or any part thereof or other Property which such Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof intends to use for substantially the same purpose as the Property sold or transferred.

Section 6.11 Change of Business; Foreign Operations or Subsidiaries . No Loan Party shall, nor shall any Loan Party permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) materially change the character of its business, taken as a whole, as an independent oil and gas exploration and production company (including the acquisition, exploration, development, financing, ownership, operation, production, maintenance, storage, transportation, gathering, processing and marketing of Hydrocarbons and the Oil and Gas Properties), (b) operate any business in any jurisdiction other than the United States or in the offshore federal waters of the United States, or (c) create or acquire any Subsidiary other than a Subsidiary organized under the laws of any jurisdiction within the United States (including territories thereof).

 

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Section 6.12 Name Change . No Loan Party shall, nor shall any Loan Party permit any of its Subsidiaries that is a Loan Party to, amend its name or change its jurisdiction of incorporation, organization or formation without (a) providing written notice to the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days after such change and (b) taking all actions reasonably required by the Administrative Agent to maintain an Acceptable Security Interest in all of the Collateral.

Section 6.13 Use of Proceeds; Letters of Credit .

(a) No Loan Party shall, nor shall any Loan Party permit any of its Subsidiaries to, permit the proceeds of any Advance or Letters of Credit to be used for any purpose other than those permitted by Section 5.09. No Loan Party shall engage in the business of extending credit for the purpose of “purchasing” or “carrying” any “margin stock” (as each such term is defined or used, directly or indirectly, in Regulation U). No Loan Party nor any Person acting on behalf of a Loan Party has taken or shall take, nor permit any of the Subsidiaries to take any action which might cause any of the Loan Documents to violate Regulation T, U or X or any other regulation of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or to violate Section 7 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any rule or regulation thereunder, in each case as now in effect or as the same may hereinafter be in effect, including without limitation, the use of the proceeds of any Advance or Letters of Credit to purchase or carry any margin stock in violation of Regulation T, U or X. Holdings shall not permit more than 25% of the consolidated assets of Holdings and its Subsidiaries to consist of “margin stock” (as each such term is defined or used, directly or indirectly, in Regulation U).

(b) The Borrower shall not request any Credit Extension, and Holdings shall not use, and shall ensure that its Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of any Credit Extension (i) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (ii) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, or (iii) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.

Section 6.14 Gas Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments . No Loan Party shall, nor shall any Loan Party permit any of its Subsidiaries to, allow gas imbalances, take-or-pay or other prepayments with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary which would require any Loan Party or any Subsidiary to deliver their respective Hydrocarbons produced on a monthly basis from such Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor other than to the extent not exceeding two percent (2%) of the aggregate monthly volumes of Hydrocarbons (on an Mcf equivalent basis) anticipated to be produced from the Borrower’s and the Guarantors’ proved developed producing reserves listed in the most recent Engineering Report.

Section 6.15 Hedging Limitations . No Loan Party shall enter into any Hedge Contract (or any trade or transaction thereunder) except for the Hedge Contracts:

(a) Subject to Section 6.15(b), Hedge Contracts with an Approved Counterparty (or trade or transactions thereunder) in respect of commodities entered into not for speculative purposes the notional volumes for which (when aggregated with other commodity Hedge Contracts then in effect, other than puts, floors and basis differential swaps on volumes already hedged pursuant to other Hedge Contracts) do not exceed, as of the date the latest hedging trade or transaction is entered into under a Hedge Contract,

 

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(i) for the 12-month period from the date such hedging trade or transaction is created, (x) 85% of the reasonably anticipated production of natural gas, (y) 85% of the reasonably anticipated production of oil and (z) 85% of the reasonably anticipated production of natural gas liquids and condensate, in each case, from the PDP Reserves as set forth on the most recent Engineering Report,

(ii) for the 12-month period commencing with the first anniversary of the date such hedging trade or transaction is created, (x) 85% of the reasonably anticipated production of natural gas, (y) 85% of the reasonably anticipated production of oil and (z) 85% of the reasonably anticipated production of natural gas liquids and condensate, in each case, from the PDP Reserves as set forth on the most recent Engineering Report,

(iii) for the 12-month period commencing with the second anniversary of the date such hedging trade or transaction is created, (x) 85% of the reasonably anticipated production of natural gas, (y) 85% of the reasonably anticipated production of oil and (z) 85% of the reasonably anticipated production of natural gas liquids and condensate, in each case, from the PDP Reserves as set forth on the most recent Engineering Report, and

(iv) for the 12-month period commencing with the third anniversary of the date such hedging trade or transaction is created, (x) 85% of the reasonably anticipated production of natural gas, (y) 85% of the reasonably anticipated production of oil and (z) 85% of the reasonably anticipated production of natural gas liquids and condensate, in each case, from the PDP Reserves as set forth on the most recent Engineering Report;

provided , that (A) (without duplication) the Loan Parties shall be permitted to enter into Hedge Contracts (or hedging trades or transaction thereunder) with respect to reasonably anticipated production of natural gas liquids and condensate by entering into Hedge Contracts (or hedging trades or transaction thereunder) for oil on a conversion/equivalency basis where each volume unit of oil equals two volume units of natural gas liquids or condensate and (B) Hedge Contracts (or trades or transactions thereunder) with respect to the interest rate on any Indebtedness with one or more Approved Counterparties provided that the aggregate notional principal amount of all Indebtedness that is the subject of all such Hedge Contracts (or trades or transactions thereunder) does not exceed the outstanding principal amount of Indebtedness for borrowed money.

(b) If, after the end of any calendar quarter, commencing with the calendar quarter ending September 30, 2016, Holdings or the Borrower determines that the aggregate volume of all commodity hedging trades or transactions for which settlement payments were calculated in such calendar quarter (other than puts, floors and basis differential swaps on volumes already hedged pursuant to other Hedge Contracts (or trades or transactions thereunder)) exceeded 90% of actual production of Hydrocarbons in such calendar quarter, then Holdings and the Borrower shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of such determination and shall, within 30 days of such determination, terminate, create off-setting positions, allocate volumes to other production for which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is marketing, or otherwise unwind existing Hedge Contracts (or trades or transactions thereunder) such that, at such time, future hedging volumes will not exceed 100% of reasonably anticipated projected production for the then-current and any succeeding calendar quarters.

(c) For purposes of entering into or maintaining a Hedge Contract (or trades or transactions thereunder) under Section 6.15(a)(i) and Section 6.15(b), respectively, forecasts of reasonably anticipated production of Hydrocarbons as set forth on the most recent Engineering Report shall be revised to account

 

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for any increase or decrease therein anticipated because of information obtained by Holdings, the Borrower or any other Loan Party subsequent to the publication of such Engineering Report including the Borrower’s or any other Loan Party’s internal forecasts of production decline rates for existing wells and additions to or deletions from anticipated future production from new wells and acquisitions coming on stream or failing to come on stream.

Section 6.16 Additional Subsidiaries . No Loan Party shall, nor shall any Loan Party permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create or acquire any additional Subsidiaries unless, with respect to each such Subsidiary and within thirty (30) days after the acquisition or formation thereof (or such later date acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion or such earlier date required by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion if a Borrowing Base increase occurs in connection with such acquisition), the Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent (a) a Guaranty or a supplement to an existing Guaranty executed and delivered by such Subsidiary in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (b) a Security Agreement or a supplement to an existing Security Agreement and Mortgages, and such other Security Instruments executed and delivered by such Subsidiary and as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in order to grant to the Administrative Agent an Acceptable Security Interest in the assets of each such Subsidiary now owned or hereafter acquired as required under Section 5.08(a) – (c), and (c) certificates, opinions of counsel, title opinions or other documents as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request, including all documentation and other information that any Lender may reasonably request in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Patriot Act.

Section 6.17 Financial Covenants .

(a) Leverage Ratio . Neither Holdings nor the Borrower shall permit the Leverage Ratio as of the last day of any fiscal quarter end set forth below to be greater than the corresponding ratio set forth below:

 

Fiscal Quarter End

   Maximum Leverage Ratio

December 31, 2016

   4.00 to 1.00

March 31, 2017

   4.00 to 1.00

June 30, 2017

   4.00 to 1.00

September 30, 2017

   4.00 to 1.00

December 31, 2017

   3.75 to 1.00

March 31, 2018 and thereafter

   3.50 to 1.00

(b) Interest Coverage Ratio . Neither Holdings nor the Borrower shall permit the Interest Coverage Ratio as of the last day of any fiscal quarter end to be less than 3.00 to 1.00.

(c) Current Ratio . Neither Holdings nor the Borrower shall permit the Current Ratio as of the last day of any fiscal quarter end to be less than 1.00 to 1.00.

Section 6.18 Reserved .

Section 6.19 Fiscal Year; Fiscal Quarter . Holdings and the Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiaries to, change its fiscal year or any of its fiscal quarters.

Section 6.20 Limitation on Operating Leases . No Loan Party shall, nor shall any Loan Party permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any obligations for the payment of rent or hire of Property of any kind whatsoever (real or personal but excluding Capital Leases and leases

 

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of Hydrocarbons), under Operating Leases which would cause the aggregate amount of all payments made by the Loan Parties pursuant to all Operating Leases, including any residual payments at the end of any lease, to exceed $3,000,000 in any period of twelve consecutive calendar months during the life of such leases.

Section 6.21 Prepayment of Certain Debt and Other Obligations . No Loan Party shall, nor shall it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, prepay, redeem, purchase, defease or otherwise satisfy prior to the scheduled maturity thereof in any manner, or make any payment in violation of the subordination terms of, the principal amount of any Indebtedness, except (a) the prepayment of the Obligations in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, (b) regularly scheduled or required repayments, redemptions or purchases of Indebtedness permitted hereunder and refinancings and refundings of such Indebtedness so long as such refinancings and refundings would otherwise comply with Section 6.02, and (c) so long as no Event of Default exists or would result therefrom, other prepayments, redemptions, purchases, defeasances or other satisfaction of Indebtedness permitted hereunder not described in the immediately preceding clauses (a) and (b) subject to any applicable subordination or intercreditor agreements with respect thereto.

Section 6.22 Passive Holding Company . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Holdings shall not:

(a) hold any assets other than (i) the Equity Interests of the Borrower, (ii) agreements relating to the issuance, sale, purchase, repurchase or registration of securities of Holdings, (iii) minute books and other corporate books and records of Holdings, (iv) assets in respect of Hedge Contracts entered into in connection with, or as required under, this Agreement, and (v) other miscellaneous non-material assets incidental to the ownership of the Equity Interests of the Borrower or to the maintenance of the Borrower’s or Holdings’ corporate existence;

(b) have any Indebtedness, obligations or other liabilities other than (i) the liabilities under the Loan Documents and Hedge Contracts entered into in connection with, or as required under, this Agreement, (ii) Tax liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business, (iii) corporate, administrative and operating expenses in the ordinary course of business and (v) liabilities under any contracts or agreements described in (a)(ii) above; or

(c) engage in any activities or business other than (i) issuing shares of its own Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests), (ii) holding the assets and incurring the liabilities described in this Section 6.22 and activities incidental and related thereto or (iii) making payments, dividends, distributions, issuances or other activities permitted pursuant to Section 6.05.

Section 6.23 Environmental Matters . No Loan Party shall cause or permit any of its Property to be in violation of, or cause or permit a Release of Hazardous Materials which will subject any such Property to any Response or remedial obligations required under, any Environmental Laws where such violations or Response or remedial obligations could (a) individually reasonably be expected to result in an Environmental Claim against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of a Loan Party in excess of $1,000,000, or (b) in the aggregate reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

Section 6.24 Marketing Activities . No Loan Party shall engage in marketing activities for any Hydrocarbons or enter into any contracts related thereto other than (a) contracts for the sale of Hydrocarbons scheduled or reasonably estimated to be produced from their proved Oil and Gas Properties during the period of such contract, (b) contracts for the sale of Hydrocarbons scheduled or reasonably estimated to be produced from proved Oil and Gas Properties of third parties during the period of such contract associated with the Oil and Gas Properties of any Loan Party that such Loan Party has the right

 

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to market pursuant to joint operating agreements, unitization agreements or other similar contracts that are usual and customary in the oil and gas business and (c) other contracts for the purchase and/or sale of Hydrocarbons of third parties (i) that have generally offsetting provisions (i.e. corresponding pricing mechanics, delivery dates and points and volumes) such that no “position” is taken and (ii) for which appropriate credit support has been taken to alleviate the material credit risks of the counterparty thereto.

Section 6.25 Sale or Discount of Receivables . Except for receivables obtained by any Loan Party out of the ordinary course of business or the settlement of joint interest billing accounts in the ordinary course of business or discounts granted to settle collection of accounts receivable or the sale of defaulted accounts arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with the compromise or collection thereof and not in connection with any financing transaction or any Investments permitted under Section 6.06(d), Holdings and the Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, discount or sell (with or without recourse) any of its notes receivable or accounts receivable.

Section 6.26 Deposit Accounts; Securities Accounts . No Loan Party shall, nor shall it permit any of its Subsidiaries that is a Loan Party to, (a) maintain deposit accounts with any Person other than a Lender and which is subject to Account Control Agreements, or (b) maintain securities accounts that are not subject to Account Control Agreements; provided that, the requirements of the foregoing Section 6.26(a) shall not apply to (i) deposit accounts holding exclusively Excluded Funds (other than Cash Collateral Accounts), (ii) deposit accounts and securities accounts to the extent, and only to the extent, constituting “Excluded Collateral” under Section 2.1(b)(v) or Section 2.1(b)(vi) of the Security Agreement, and (iii) petty cash accounts with an amount not to exceed $250,000 in the aggregate; provided, however, (A) in the event any Loan Party acquires any deposit account or securities account pursuant to an Acquisition, such Loan Party shall have thirty (30) days from the date of such Acquisition (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree to in its sole discretion) to deliver to the Administrative Agent an Account Control Agreement therefor, and (B) as to any deposit accounts or securities accounts held with Bank of America, N.A. on the Closing Date, such Loan Party shall have thirty (30) days from the Closing Date (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree to in its sole discretion) to deliver to the Administrative Agent the Account Control Agreements therefor. Holdings and the Borrower, for itself and on behalf of its Subsidiaries that are Loan Parties, hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to deliver notices to the depositary banks and securities intermediaries pursuant to any Account Control Agreement under any one or more of the following circumstances: (i) following the occurrence of and during the continuation of an Event of Default, (ii) if the Administrative Agent reasonably believes that a requested transfer by Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary, as applicable, is a request to transfer any funds from any account to any other account of Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary that is not permitted under this Section 6.26, (iii) as otherwise agreed to in writing by Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary, as applicable, and (iv) as otherwise permitted by applicable Legal Requirement.

ARTICLE VII

EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

Section 7.01 Events of Default . The occurrence of any of the following events shall constitute an “Event of Default” under any Loan Document:

(a) Payment . The Borrower shall (i) fail to pay when due any principal payable hereunder or under the Notes (including any requirement to Cash Collateralize and Reimbursement Obligations) or (ii) fail to pay, within 3 Business Days of when due, any interest or other amounts (including fees, reimbursements, and indemnifications) payable hereunder, under the Notes, or under any other Loan Document;

 

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(b) Representation and Warranties . Any representation or warranty made or deemed to be made by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof (or any of their respective officers) in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect (unless already qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Change in the text thereof, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) when made or deemed to be made;

(c) Covenant Breaches . Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof shall fail to (i) perform or observe any covenant contained in Section 5.02(a), Section 5.03 (with respect to either Holdings’ or the Borrower’s existence), Section 5.06(i), Section 5.09, or Article VI of this Agreement or (ii) fail to perform or observe any other term or covenant set forth in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document which is not covered by clause (i) above or any other provision of this Section 7.01 if such failure shall remain unremedied for 30 days after the occurrence of such breach or failure;

(d) Cross -Defaults . (i) Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof shall fail to pay any principal of or premium or interest on its Indebtedness that is outstanding in a principal amount of at least $10,000,000 individually or when aggregated with all such Indebtedness of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof so in default (but excluding Indebtedness under the Loan Documents) when the same becomes due and payable (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand or otherwise), and such failure shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in the agreement or instrument relating to such Indebtedness; (ii) any other event shall occur or condition shall exist under any agreement or instrument relating to Indebtedness (including, without limitation, any event of default or termination event under any Hedge Contract) that is outstanding in a principal amount (or termination payment amount or similar amount) of at least $10,000,000 individually or when aggregated with all such Indebtedness of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof so in default, and shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in such agreement or instrument, if the effect of such event or condition is to accelerate, or to permit the acceleration of, the maturity of such Indebtedness; or (iii) any such Indebtedness in a principal amount of at least $10,000,000 individually or when aggregated with all such Indebtedness of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof shall be declared to be due and payable, or required to be prepaid (other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment), prior to the stated maturity thereof; provided that, for purposes of this subsection 7.01(d), the “principal amount” of the obligations in respect of any Hedge Contract at any time shall be Hedge Termination Value thereof;

(e) Insolvency . Any Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof shall generally not pay its debts as such debts become due, or shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or any proceeding shall be instituted by or against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof seeking to adjudicate it as bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief, or composition of it or its debts under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors, or seeking the entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee or other similar official for it or for any substantial part of its Property and, in the case of any such proceeding instituted against any such Loan Party or any such Subsidiary thereof either such proceeding shall remain undismissed for a period of 60 days or any of the actions sought in such proceeding shall occur; or any such Loan Party or any such Subsidiary thereof shall take any corporate, limited liability company, or partnership, as applicable, action to authorize any of the actions set forth above in this paragraph (e);

(f) Judgments . Any judgment or order for the payment of money in excess of $5,000,000 shall be rendered against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof and either (i) enforcement proceedings shall have been commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order or (ii) there shall be any period of 30 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment or order, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be in effect;

 

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(g) Termination Events . The occurrence of any of the following events: (i) any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof fails to make full payment when due of all amounts which, under the provisions of any Pension Plan or Sections 412 or 430 of the Code, any Credit Party is required to pay as contributions thereto and such unpaid amounts are in excess of the $10,000,000, (ii) a Termination Event that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, liability to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof in excess of $10,000,000 or (iii) any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof as employers under one or more Multiemployer Plans makes a complete or partial withdrawal from any such Multiemployer Plan and the plan sponsor of such Multiemployer Plans notifies such withdrawing employer that such employer has incurred a withdrawal liability requiring payments in an amount exceeding $10,000,000;

(h) Change in Control . A Change in Control shall have occurred; and

(i) Loan Documents . Any material provision of any Loan Document shall for any reason cease to be in full force and effect or valid, binding, or enforceable on any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof or any such Person shall so state in writing;

Section 7.02 Optional Acceleration of Maturity . If any Event of Default (including an Event of Default pursuant to Section 7.01(e)) shall have occurred and be continuing, then, and in any such event,

(a) the Administrative Agent (i) may, and shall at the request of the Majority Lenders, by notice to the Borrower, declare the obligation of each Lender and the Issuing Lender to make extensions of credit hereunder, including making Advances and issuing, increasing or extending Letters of Credit, to be terminated, whereupon the same shall forthwith terminate, and (ii) may, and shall at the request of the Majority Lenders, by notice to the Borrower, declare all principal, interest, fees, reimbursements, indemnifications, and all other amounts payable under this Agreement, the Notes, and the other Loan Documents to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon all such amounts shall become and be forthwith due and payable in full, without notice of intent to demand, demand, presentment for payment, notice of nonpayment, protest, notice of protest, grace, notice of dishonor, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration, and all other notices, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;

(b) the Borrower shall, on demand of the Administrative Agent (which demand shall be made at the request of the Majority Lenders), deposit into the Cash Collateral Account an amount of cash equal to the Minimum Collateral Amount as security for the Secured Obligations; and

(c) the Administrative Agent may, and shall at the request of the Majority Lenders, proceed to enforce its rights and remedies under the Security Instruments, the Guaranty, and any other Loan Documents for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties by appropriate proceedings.

Section 7.03 Automatic Acceleration of Maturity . If any Event of Default pursuant to Section 7.01(e) shall occur,

(a) (i) the obligation of each Lender and the Issuing Lender to make extensions of credit hereunder, including making Advances and issuing, increasing or extending Letters of Credit, shall terminate, and (ii) all principal, interest, fees, reimbursements, indemnifications, and all other amounts payable under this Agreement, the Notes, and the other Loan Documents shall become and be forthwith due and payable in full, without notice of intent to demand, demand, presentment for payment, notice of nonpayment, protest, notice of protest, grace, notice of dishonor, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration, and all other notices, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;

 

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(b) the Borrower shall deposit into the Cash Collateral Account an amount of cash equal to the Minimum Collateral Amount as security for the Secured Obligations; and

(c) the Administrative Agent may, and shall at the request of the Majority Lenders, proceed to enforce its rights and remedies under the Security Instruments, the Guaranty, and any other Loan Document for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties by appropriate proceedings.

Section 7.04 Right of Set -off . Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender, each Lender and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Legal Requirement, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender, such Lender or such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of any Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and owing to the Administrative Agent, such Lender, such Issuing Lender or such Affiliate, irrespective of whether or not the Administrative Agent, such Lender, the Issuing Lender or such Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of any Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of the Administrative Agent, such Lender, such Issuing Lender or such Affiliate different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such obligations; provided that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.16 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. Each of the Lender Parties agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application. The rights of the Administrative Agent, each Lender, the Issuing Lender and their respective Affiliates under this Section 7.04 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that the Administrative Agent, such Lender, the Issuing Lender or their respective Affiliates may have.

Section 7.05 Non-exclusivity of Remedies . No right, power, or remedy conferred to any Lender Party in this Agreement or the Loan Documents, or now or hereafter existing at law, in equity, by statute, or otherwise shall be exclusive, and each such right, power, or remedy shall to the full extent permitted by law be cumulative and in addition to every other such right, power or remedy. No course of dealing and no delay in exercising any right, power, or remedy conferred to any Lender Party in this Agreement and the Loan Documents or now or hereafter existing at law, in equity, by statute, or otherwise shall operate as a waiver of or otherwise prejudice any such right, power, or remedy. Any Lender Party may cure any Event of Default without waiving the Event of Default. No notice to or demand upon the Borrower or any other Loan Party shall entitle the Borrower or any other Loan Party to similar notices or demands in the future.

Section 7.06 Application of Proceeds .

(a) Prior to an Event of Default, all payments made hereunder shall be applied by the Administrative Agent as directed by the Borrower, but subject to the terms of this Agreement, including the application of prepayments according to Section 2.05 and Section 2.13. From and during the continuance of any Event of Default, any monies or Property actually received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document (other than as a result of the exercise of

 

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any rights or remedies under any Security Instrument or any other agreement with the Borrower, any Guarantor or any of their respective Subsidiaries which secures any of the Secured Obligations), shall be applied as determined by the Administrative Agent, but subject to the terms of this Agreement, including the application of prepayments according to Section 2.05 and Section 2.13.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the Obligations have been accelerated pursuant to Section 7.02 or 7.03 or the Administrative Agent or any Lender has exercised any remedy set forth in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, all monies or Property actually received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document as a result of the exercise of any rights or remedies under any Security Instrument or any other agreement with the Borrower, any Guarantor or any of their respective Subsidiaries which secures any of the Secured Obligations, shall be applied in accordance with Section 2.13 and otherwise in the following order:

First , to payment of that portion of the Secured Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts, including attorney fees, payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such and the Issuing Lender in its capacity as such, ratably among the Administrative Agent and Issuing Lender in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause First payable to them;

Second , to payment of that portion of the Secured Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders under the Loan Documents, including attorney fees, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

Third , to payment of that portion of the Secured Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Advances and Letter of Credit Obligations, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

Fourth , to payment of that portion of the Secured Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Advances, Letter of Credit Obligations and all other payment obligations constituting Secured Obligations (other than Obligations entitled to priority under clauses First , Second and Third clauses above), ratably among the Secured Parties in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth payable to them;

Fifth , to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Issuing Lender, to cash collateralize any Letters of Credit then outstanding; and

Last , the balance, if any, after all of the Secured Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Legal Requirements.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) payments and collections received by the Administrative Agent from any Loan Party that is not a Qualified ECP Guarantor (and any proceeds received in respect of such Loan Party’s Collateral) shall not be applied to Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to any Loan Party, provided, however, that the Administrative Agent shall make such adjustments as it determines is appropriate with respect to payments and collections received from the other Loan Parties (or proceeds received in respect of such other Loan Parties’ Collateral) to preserve, as nearly as possible, the allocation to Secured Obligations otherwise set forth above in this Section 7.06 (assuming that, solely for purposes of such adjustments, Secured Obligations includes Excluded Swap Obligations), and (b) Banking Services Obligations and Lender Hedge Obligations may be excluded from the application described above if the Administrative Agent has not received written notice thereof, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Secured Party as the case may be. Each Secured Party not a party to this Agreement that has given the notice contemplated by the preceding sentence shall, by such notice, be deemed to have acknowledged and accepted the appointment of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of Article VIII for itself and its Affiliates as if a “Lender” party hereto.

 

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ARTICLE VIII

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND THE ISSUING LENDER

Section 8.01 Appointment and Authority . Each Lender and the Issuing Lender hereby irrevocably (a) appoints Wells Fargo to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, and (b) authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article VIII are solely for the benefit of the Lender Parties, and neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions, other than the rights expressly provided to the Borrower under Section 8.06(a) and Section 8.11(b). It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Document (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Legal Requirement. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.

Section 8.02 Rights as a Lender . The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders. Wells Fargo (and any successor acting as Administrative Agent) and its Affiliates may accept fees and other consideration from the Borrower or any Affiliate of the Borrower for services in connection with this Agreement or otherwise without having to account for the same to the Lenders or the Issuing Lender.

Section 8.03 Exculpatory Provisions . The Administrative Agent (which term as used in this Section 8.03 shall include its Related Parties) shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:

(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;

(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders or Secured Parties as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Legal Requirement, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and

 

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(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, nor shall it be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders or Secured Parties as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 9.03 and 7.01) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent in writing by the Borrower, a Lender or the Issuing Lender. In the event that the Administrative Agent receives such a notice of the occurrence of a Default, the Administrative Agent shall (subject to Section 9.03) take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as shall reasonably be directed by the Majority Lenders, provided that, unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action) with respect to such Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interest of the Lender Parties.

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any recital, statement, warranty or representation (whether written or oral) made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the value, validity, enforceability, effectiveness, sufficiency or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, (v) the inspection of, or to inspect, the Property (including the books and records) of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof, (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article III or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent, or (vii) any litigation or collection proceedings (or to initiate or conduct any such litigation or proceedings) under any Loan Document unless requested by the Majority Lenders in writing and its receives indemnification satisfactory to it from the Lenders.

Section 8.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent and Issuing Lender . The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document, writing or other communication (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Credit Extension or any Conversion or continuance of an Advance that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the Issuing Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or Issuing Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or Issuing Lender prior to the making of such Credit Extension or Conversion or continuance of an Advance. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and the Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

 

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Section 8.05 Delegation of Duties . The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by it. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article VIII shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and non-appealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.

Section 8.06 Resignation of Agent or Issuing Lender .

(a) The Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender may at any time give notice of its resignation to the other Lender Parties and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, (i) the Majority Lenders shall have the right, with the prior written consent of the Borrower (which consent is not required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), to appoint, as applicable, a successor Administrative Agent (which shall be a Lender or such other Person appointed by the Majority Lenders) or a successor Issuing Lender (which shall be a Lender). If no such successor Administrative Agent or Issuing Lender shall have been so appointed and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent or Issuing Lender gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the applicable Majority Lenders) (the “ Resignation Effective Date ”), then the retiring Administrative Agent or Issuing Lender, as applicable, may on behalf of the Lenders and Issuing Lender, appoint a successor Administrative Agent or Issuing Lender meeting the qualifications set forth above. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation by the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Lender shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.

(b) If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Majority Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable Legal Requirement, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, in consultation with the Borrower, appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by applicable Majority Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the applicable Majority Lenders) (the “ Removal Effective Date ”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.

(c) With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (i) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent or Issuing Lender, as applicable, shall be discharged from its duties and obligations as the Administrative Agent and Issuing Lender hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that (v) in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the Issuing Lender under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed and (z) the retiring Issuing Lender shall remain the Issuing Lender with respect to any Letters of Credit outstanding on the effective date of its resignation and the provisions affecting the Issuing Lender with respect to such Letters of Credit shall inure to the benefit of the retiring Issuing Lender until the termination of all such Letters of Credit) and (ii) all payments,

 

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communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the retiring or removed Administrative Agent or Issuing Lender, as applicable, shall instead be made by or to each applicable class of Lenders, until such time as the Majority Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent or Issuing Lender as provided for above in this paragraph. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent or Issuing Lender, as applicable, hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring or removed Administrative Agent or Issuing Lender, as applicable, and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent or Issuing Lender, as applicable, shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents. The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent or Issuing Lender, as applicable, shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s or Issuing Lender’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article VIII and Sections 9.02(a) and (b), Section 8.09 and Section 2.14(d) shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent and Issuing Lender, as applicable, their respective sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent or Issuing Lender, as applicable, was acting as Administrative Agent or Issuing Lender, as applicable.

Section 8.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders . Each Lender Party acknowledges and agrees that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender Party or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender Party also acknowledges and agrees that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender Party or any of their Related Parties, and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder. Except for notices, reports, and other documents and information expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders or the Issuing Lender by the Administrative Agent hereunder and for other information in the Administrative Agent’s possession which has been requested by a Lender and for which such Lender pays the Administrative Agent’s expenses in connection therewith, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender or any Issuing Lender with any credit or other information concerning the affairs, financial condition, or business of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates that may come into the possession of the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates.

Section 8.08 No Other Duties, etc . Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the lead arranger, documentation agent, syndication agent or other titles to Lenders or Affiliates of a Lender which may be listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent a Lender or the Issuing Lender hereunder.

Section 8.09 Indemnification .

(a) INDEMNITY OF ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT .   THE LENDERS SEVERALLY AGREE TO INDEMNIFY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH OF ITS AFFILIATES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS (TO THE EXTENT NOT REIMBURSED BY THE BORROWER), RATABLY ACCORDING TO THE RESPECTIVE PRINCIPAL AMOUNTS OF THE ADVANCES THEN HELD BY EACH OF THEM (OR IF NO PRINCIPAL OF THE ADVANCES IS AT THE TIME OUTSTANDING, RATABLY ACCORDING TO THE RESPECTIVE COMMITMENTS HELD BY EACH OF

 

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THEM IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE TERMINATION, EXPIRATION OR FULL REDUCTION OF EACH SUCH COMMITMENT), FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL LIABILITIES, OBLIGATIONS, LOSSES, DAMAGES, PENALTIES, ACTIONS, JUDGMENTS, SUITS, COSTS, EXPENSES, OR DISBURSEMENTS OF ANY KIND OR NATURE WHATSOEVER WHICH MAY BE IMPOSED ON, INCURRED BY, OR ASSERTED AGAINST SUCH INDEMNIFIED PERSON IN ANY WAY RELATING TO OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY ACTION TAKEN OR OMITTED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT ( IN ALL CASES, WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY OR ARISING, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OUT OF THE COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY OR SOLE NEGLIGENCE OF SUCH INDEMNIFIED PERSON ), AND INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS, PROVIDED THAT NO LENDER SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY PORTION OF SUCH LIABILITIES, OBLIGATIONS, LOSSES, DAMAGES, PENALTIES, ACTIONS, JUDGMENTS, SUITS, COSTS, EXPENSES, OR DISBURSEMENTS RESULTING FROM SUCH INDEMNIFIED PERSON’S GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT, IN EACH CASE, AS DETERMINED BY A FINAL NON-APPEALABLE JUDGMENT OF A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION. WITHOUT LIMITATION OF THE FOREGOING, EACH LENDER AGREES TO REIMBURSE THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PROMPTLY UPON DEMAND FOR ITS RATABLE SHARE (DETERMINED AS SET FORTH ABOVE IN THIS PARAGRAPH) OF ANY OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES (INCLUDING COUNSEL FEES) INCURRED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE PREPARATION, EXECUTION, DELIVERY, ADMINISTRATION, MODIFICATION, AMENDMENT, OR ENFORCEMENT (WHETHER THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS, LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, OR OTHERWISE) OF, OR LEGAL ADVICE IN RESPECT OF RIGHTS OR RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER, THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, TO THE EXTENT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT IS NOT REIMBURSED FOR SUCH BY THE BORROWER.

(b) THE LENDERS SEVERALLY AGREE TO INDEMNIFY THE ISSUING LENDER AND EACH AFFILIATE THEREOF AND THEIR RESPECTIVE DIRECTORS, OFFICERS , EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS (TO THE EXTENT NOT REIMBURSED BY THE BORROWER), RATABLY ACCORDING TO THE RESPECTIVE PRINCIPAL AMOUNTS OF THE ADVANCES THEN HELD BY EACH OF THEM (OR IF NO PRINCIPAL OF THE ADVANCES IS AT THE TIME OUTSTANDING, RATABLY ACCORDING TO THE RESPECTIVE AMOUNTS OF THE COMMITMENTS THEN HELD BY EACH OF THEM, OR, IF NO SUCH PRINCIPAL AMOUNTS ARE THEN OUTSTANDING AND NO COMMITMENTS ARE THEN EXISTING, RATABLY ACCORDING TO THE COMMITMENTS HELD BY EACH OF THEM IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE TERMINATION OR EXPIRATION THEREOF), FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL LIABILITIES, OBLIGATIONS, LOSSES, DAMAGES, PENALTIES, ACTIONS, JUDGMENTS, SUITS, COSTS, EXPENSES, OR DISBURSEMENTS OF ANY KIND OR NATURE WHATSOEVER WHICH MAY BE IMPOSED ON, INCURRED BY, OR ASSERTED AGAINST SUCH INDEMNIFIED PERSON IN ANY WAY RELATING TO OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY ACTION TAKEN OR OMITTED BY THE ISSUING LENDER UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT ( IN ALL CASES, WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY OR ARISING, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OUT OF THE COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY OR SOLE NEGLIGENCE OF SUCH INDEMNIFIED PERSON ), AND INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS, PROVIDED THAT NO LENDER SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY PORTION OF SUCH LIABILITIES, OBLIGATIONS, LOSSES, DAMAGES, PENALTIES, ACTIONS, JUDGMENTS, SUITS, COSTS, EXPENSES, OR DISBURSEMENTS RESULTING FROM SUCH INDEMNIFIED PERSON’S GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT, IN EACH

 

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CASE, AS DETERMINED BY A FINAL NON-APPEALABLE JUDGMENT OF A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION. WITHOUT LIMITATION OF THE FOREGOING, EACH LENDER AGREES TO REIMBURSE THE ISSUING LENDER PROMPTLY UPON DEMAND FOR ITS RATABLE SHARE (DETERMINED AS SET FORTH ABOVE IN THIS PARAGRAPH) OF ANY OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES (INCLUDING COUNSEL FEES) INCURRED BY THE ISSUING LENDER IN CONNECTION WITH THE PREPARATION, EXECUTION, DELIVERY, ADMINISTRATION, MODIFICATION, AMENDMENT, OR ENFORCEMENT (WHETHER THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS, LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, OR OTHERWISE) OF, OR LEGAL ADVICE IN RESPECT OF RIGHTS OR RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER, THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, TO THE EXTENT THAT THE ISSUING LENDER IS NOT REIMBURSED FOR SUCH BY THE BORROWER.

Section 8.10 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim . In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Advance or Letter of Credit Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered (but not obligated) by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Advances, Letter of Credit Exposure and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Administrative Agent hereunder) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other Property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and Issuing Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the Issuing Lender, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its respective agents and counsel, and any other amounts due to the Administrative Agent under Section 2.08.

Section 8.11 Collateral and Guaranty Matters .

(a) The Administrative Agent is authorized on behalf of the Secured Parties, without the necessity of any notice to or further consent from such Secured Parties, from time to time, to take any actions with respect to any Collateral or Security Instruments which may be necessary to perfect and maintain the Liens upon the Collateral granted pursuant to the Security Instruments. The Administrative Agent is further authorized (but not obligated) on behalf of the Secured Parties, without the necessity of any notice to or further consent from the Secured Parties, from time to time, to take any action in exigent circumstances as may be reasonably necessary to preserve any rights or privileges of the Secured Parties under the Loan Documents or applicable Legal Requirements. By accepting the benefit of the Liens granted pursuant to the Security Instruments, each Secured Party hereby agrees to the terms of this paragraph (a).

 

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(b) The Lenders hereby, and any other Secured Party by accepting the benefit of the Liens granted pursuant to the Security Instruments, irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent to (i) release any Lien granted to or held by the Administrative Agent upon any Collateral (a) upon termination of this Agreement, termination of all Hedge Contracts with such Persons (other than Hedge Contracts as to which arrangements satisfactory to the applicable counterparty in its sole discretion have been made), termination of all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit as to which arrangements satisfactory to the Issuing Lender in its sole discretion have been made), and the payment in full of all outstanding Advances, Letter of Credit Obligations and all other Secured Obligations (other than contingent indemnity obligations for which no claims have been made); (b) constituting Property sold or to be sold or Disposed of as part of or in connection with any Disposition permitted under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; (c) constituting Property in which no Loan Party owned an interest at the time the Lien was granted or at any time thereafter other than as a result of a transaction prohibited hereunder; or (d) constituting Property leased to any Loan Party under a lease which has expired or has been terminated in a transaction permitted under this Agreement or is about to expire and which has not been, and is not intended by such Loan Party to be, renewed or extended; and (ii) release a Guarantor from its obligations under a Guaranty and any other applicable Loan Document and release the Lien granted to or held by the Administrative Agent upon any Collateral of such Person if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted under this Agreement. Upon the request of the Administrative Agent at any time, the Secured Parties will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release particular types or items of Collateral or Guarantors pursuant to this Section 8.11. At the written request and sole expense of the Borrower, which written request shall also include a certification from a Responsible Officer certifying to the Administrative Agent that such release is permitted under this Section 8.11 and that such transaction is in compliance with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (which certification the Administrative Agent may, but is not obligated to, rely on), the Administrative Agent shall promptly provide the releases of Collateral or Guarantors permitted to be released under this Section 8.11 subject to evidence of such transaction and release documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent except that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated, to provide such releases for such Property to be sold but not yet sold or such Property subject to a lease that is about to expire but not yet expired. Upon any of the Collateral constituting personal property being Disposed of as permitted under this Agreement, then such Collateral shall be automatically released from the Liens created under the applicable Security Instrument and the Administrative Agent.

(c) Notwithstanding anything contained in any of the Loan Documents to the contrary, the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent, and each Secured Party hereby agree that no Secured Party shall have any right individually to realize upon any of the Collateral or to enforce the Guaranty, it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights and remedies hereunder, under the Guaranty and under the Security Instruments may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent, as applicable, on behalf of the Secured Parties in accordance with the terms hereof and the other Loan Documents. By accepting the benefit of the Liens granted pursuant to the Security Instruments, each Secured Party not party hereto hereby agrees to the terms of this paragraph (c).

Section 8.12 Credit Bidding .

(a) The Administrative Agent, on behalf of itself and the Secured Parties, shall have the right, at the direction of the Majority Lenders, to credit bid and purchase for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties all or any portion of Collateral at any sale thereof conducted by the Administrative Agent under the provisions of the UCC, including pursuant to Sections 9-610 or 9-620 of the UCC, at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the United States Bankruptcy Code, including Section 363 thereof, or a sale under a plan of reorganization, or at any other sale or foreclosure conducted by the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with Legal Requirements.

 

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(b) Each Secured Party hereby agrees that, except as otherwise provided in any Loan Documents or with the written consent of the Administrative Agent and the Majority Lenders, it will not take any enforcement action, accelerate obligations under any Loan Documents, or exercise any right that it might otherwise have under Legal Requirements to credit bid at foreclosure sales, UCC sales or other similar Dispositions of Collateral; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, this subsection (b) shall not limit the rights of (i) any Lender Swap Counterparty to terminate any Hedge Contract or net out any resulting termination values, or (ii) any Banking Service Provider to terminate any Banking Services or set off against any deposit accounts.

ARTICLE IX

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 9.01 Costs and Expenses . The Borrower agrees to pay promptly, upon written demand:

(a) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent, and the Lender Swap Counterparties in connection with the syndication, preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification, and amendment of this Agreement, the Notes, the other Loan Documents, and the Hedge Contracts with Lender Swap Counterparties, including, without limitation, reasonable fees, expenses, charges and disbursements of outside counsels for such Lender Party, and

(b) all documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses, if any, of the Administrative Agent, each Lender, and each Lender Swap Counterparty (including, without limitation, outside counsel fees, expenses, charges and disbursements of each Lender and the Administrative Agent but excluding amounts that Borrower and/or any Guarantor are not required to indemnify the indemnified persons for pursuant to Section 9.02) in connection with the enforcement of or protection of rights under (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings, or otherwise) this Agreement, the Notes, the other Loan Documents, and the Hedge Contracts with Lender Swap Counterparties (including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of the Credit Extensions).

Section 9.02 Indemnification; Waiver of Damages .

(a) INDEMNIFICATION EACH LOAN PARTY THAT IS A PARTY HERETO AGREES TO, AND DOES HEREBY, JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY, INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, THE ISSUING LENDER, EACH LENDER, EACH LENDER SWAP COUNTERPARTY, AND EACH OF THEIR RESPECTIVE RELATED PARTIES (EACH, AN “ INDEMNITEE ”) FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, PENALTIES, LIABILITIES AND EXPENSES OF ANY KIND OR NATURE (INCLUDING FEES, CHARGES, AND DISBURSEMENTS OF COUNSEL AND ANY CONSULTANT FOR ANY INDEMNITEE), TO WHICH SUCH INDEMNITEE MAY BECOME SUBJECT OR THAT MAY BE INCURRED BY OR ASSERTED OR AWARDED AGAINST SUCH INDEMNITEE BY ANY PERSON (INCLUDING HOLDINGS, THE BORROWER, ANY SUBSIDIARY OR ANY AFFILIATE THEREOF), IN EACH CASE ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR BY REASON OF (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, IN CONNECTION WITH ANY INVESTIGATION, LITIGATION, OR PROCEEDING OR PREPARATION OF A DEFENSE IN CONNECTION THEREWITH) (I) THE EXECUTION OR DELIVERY OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, ANY HEDGE CONTRACT WITH ANY LENDER SWAP COUNTERPARTY, OR ANY AGREEMENT OR INSTRUMENT CONTEMPLATED THEREBY, THE PERFORMANCE BY THE PARTIES HERETO OR THERETO OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER OR THE CONSUMMATION OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY, (II) ANY ADVANCE

 

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OR LETTER OF CREDIT OR THE USE OR PROPOSED USE OF THE PROCEEDS THEREFROM (INCLUDING ANY REFUSAL BY THE ISSUING LENDER TO HONOR A DEMAND FOR PAYMENT UNDER A LETTER OF CREDIT IF THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH DEMAND DO NOT STRICTLY COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF SUCH LETTER OF CREDIT), (III) ANY ACTUAL OR ALLEGED PRESENCE OR RELEASE OR THREATENED RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON, AT, UNDER OR FROM ANY PROPERTY OWNED, LEASED OR OPERATED BY HOLDINGS, THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OR AFFILIATE THEREOF, OR ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIM RELATED IN ANY WAY TO HOLDINGS, THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OR AFFILIATE THEREOF AT ANY TIME, (IV) ANY ACTUAL OR PROSPECTIVE CLAIM, LITIGATION, INVESTIGATION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING, WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY, WHETHER BROUGHT BY A THIRD PARTY OR BY HOLDINGS, THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OR AFFILIATE THEREOF, AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ANY INDEMNITEE IS A PARTY THERETO, OR (V) ANY CLAIM (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS), INVESTIGATION, LITIGATION OR OTHER PROCEEDING (WHETHER OR NOT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR ANY LENDER SWAP COUNTERPARTY IS A PARTY THERETO) AND THE PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE THEREOF, ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THE ADVANCES, ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, ANY HEDGE CONTRACT WITH ANY LENDER SWAP COUNTERPARTIES OR ANY DOCUMENTS CONTEMPLATED BY OR REFERRED TO HEREIN OR THEREIN OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY ( AND IN ALL CASES, WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY OR ARISING, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OUT OF THE COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY OR SOLE NEGLIGENCE OF SUCH INDEMNITEE ); PROVIDED THAT SUCH INDEMNITY SHALL NOT, AS TO ANY INDEMNITEE, BE AVAILABLE TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES OR RELATED EXPENSES ARE DETERMINED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION BY FINAL AND NON-APPEALABLE JUDGMENT (A) TO HAVE RESULTED FROM THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT OF SUCH INDEMNITEE, (B) TO HAVE RESULTED FROM A CLAIM BROUGHT BY THE BORROWER AGAINST ANY INDEMNITEE OF ANY MATERIAL BREACH IN BAD FAITH OF SUCH INDEMNITEE’S FUNDING OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR WITH RESPECT TO THE HEDGE CONTRACT WITH ANY LENDER SWAP COUNTERPARTIES, OR (C) ARE ON ACCOUNT OF A DISPUTE ARISING SOLELY AMONG INDEMNITEES (OTHER THAN THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT IN ITS ROLE AS SUCH) TO THE EXTENT SUCH DISPUTE DOES NOT INVOLVE AND IS NOT RELATED TO ANY ACT, OMISSION OR REPRESENTATION ON THE PART OF, OR ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED BY OR ON BEHALF OF, THE BORROWER, ANY GUARANTOR OR AFFILIATES THEREOF.   THIS INDEMNITY SHALL NOT APPLY WITH RESPECT TO TAXES OTHER THAN ANY TAXES THAT REPRESENT LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, ETC. ARISING FROM ANY NON-TAX CLAIM. No Loan Party shall, without the prior written consent of each Indemnitee affected thereby, settle any threatened or pending claim or action that would give rise to the right of any Indemnitee to claim indemnification hereunder unless such settlement (x) includes a full and unconditional release of all liabilities arising out of such claim or action against such Indemnitee, (y) does not include any statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnitee and (z) does not require any actions to be taken or refrained from being taken by any Indemnitee other than the execution of the related settlement agreement, if any.

 

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(b) W AIVER OF C ONSEQUENTIAL D AMAGES , E TC .   TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LEGAL REQUIREMENT THE PARTIES HERETO SHALL NOT ASSERT, AND HEREBY WAIVE, ANY CLAIM AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY HERETO, ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES (AS OPPOSED TO DIRECT OR ACTUAL DAMAGES) ARISING OUT OF, IN CONNECTION WITH, OR AS A RESULT OF, ANY THIS AGREEMENT, THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS, OR ANY AGREEMENT OR INSTRUMENT CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY, ANY ADVANCE OR LETTER OF CREDIT OR THE USE OF THE PROCEEDS THEREOF; PROVIDED THAT, THIS WAIVER AND AGREEMENT SHALL NOT LIMIT THE LOAN PARTIES ’ INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATIONS TO THE EXTENT SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT OR THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS TO THE EXTENT SUCH SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARE INCLUDED IN ANY THIRD PARTY CLAIM IN CONNECTION WITH WHICH SUCH INDEMNIFIED PERSON IS OTHERWISE ENTITLED TO INDEMNIFICATION HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER.   NO INDEMNITEE SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE BY UNINTENDED RECIPIENTS OF ANY INFORMATION OR OTHER MATERIALS DISTRIBUTED BY IT THROUGH TELECOMMUNICATIONS, ELECTRONIC OR OTHER INFORMATION TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.

(c) Payments . All amounts due under this Section shall be payable promptly after demand therefor.

(d) Survival . Without prejudice to the survival of any other agreement of the Loan Parties hereunder, the agreements and obligations of the Loan Parties contained in this Section 9.02 shall survive the termination of this Agreement, the termination of all Commitments, and the payment in full of the Advances and all other amounts payable under this Agreement.

Section 9.03 Waivers and Amendments . No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, the Notes, or any other Loan Document (other than the Fee Letters), nor consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Majority Lenders and the Borrower, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided that:

(a) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, without the consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby, (i) reduce the amount of, or rate of interest on, the Advances (other than the Default Rate of interest on the Advances which may be reduced or waived by the Majority Lenders), (ii) reduce the amount of any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document (other than those specifically addressed above in this Section 9.03), (iii) amend, waive or consent to depart from any of the conditions specified in Section 3.01 (other than such conditions which are expressly noted to be subject to Majority Lenders’ approval), (iv) increase the Maximum Credit Amount or any obligations of any Lender, (v) postpone or extend any date fixed for any payment of any fees or other amounts payable hereunder (other than those otherwise specifically addressed in this Section 9.03), including an extension of the Maturity Date or the Commitment Termination Date, or (vi) amend, waive or consent to depart from Section 2.13(e) or Section 7.06;

(b) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by each Lender, (i) except as permitted under Section 8.11(b), release all or substantially all of the Guarantors from their obligations under any Guaranty or, except as specifically provided in the Loan Documents and as a result of transactions permitted by the terms of this Agreement, release all or substantially all of the Collateral; (ii) increase the Borrowing Base, or (iii) amend the definitions of “Majority Lenders”, “Required Lenders” or “Credit Exposure”, this Section 9.03 or any other provision in any Loan Document specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights thereunder (other than as provided in clause (c) below);

 

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(c) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, without the consent of the Required Lenders, (i) decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base or (ii) amend, waive or consent to depart from any other provision in this Agreement which expressly requires the consent of, or action or waiver by, the Required Lenders, including, without limitation, Section 2.02 (except for such provisions in Section 2.02 which expressly require consent of all the Lenders);

(d) no amendment, waiver, or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by each Lender Swap Counterparty directly affected thereby in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action, materially, adversely and disproportionately affect (i) such Lender Swap Counterparty as compared to the other Secured Parties or (ii) the Lender Swap Counterparties as compared to the Lenders;

(e) no amendment, waiver, or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; and

(f) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Issuing Lender in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action, affect the rights or duties of the Issuing Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

Section 9.04 Severability . Any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions hereof or thereof or affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 9.05 Survival of Representations and Obligations .

(a) All representations and warranties set forth in Article IV and all representations and warranties contained in any certificate, or any of the Loan Documents (including, but not limited to, any such representation or warranty made in or in connection with any amendment thereto) shall constitute representations and warranties made under this Agreement. All representations and warranties made under this Agreement shall be made or deemed to be made at and as of the Closing Date (except those that are expressly made as of a specific date), shall survive the Closing Date and shall not be waived by the execution and delivery of this Agreement, any investigation made by or on behalf of the Lenders or any borrowing hereunder.

(b) Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the indemnities to which the Administrative Agent and the Lenders are entitled under the provisions of Article VIII or Article IX and any other provision of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall continue in full force and effect and shall protect the Administrative Agent and the Lenders against events arising after such termination as well as before. Without limiting the foregoing, all obligations of the Loan Parties provided for in Sections 2.11, 2.12, 2.14(d), 9.01 and 9.02 and all of the obligations of the Lenders in Section 8.09 shall survive any termination of this Agreement and repayment in full of the Obligations. No termination of this Agreement shall affect the rights and obligations of the parties hereto arising prior to such termination or in respect of any provision of this Agreement which survives such termination.

 

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Section 9.06 Binding Effect . This Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by Holdings, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and when the Administrative Agent shall have, as to each Lender, either received a counterpart hereof executed by such Lender or been notified by such Lender that such Lender has executed it and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and each Lender and their respective permitted successors and assigns, except that neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party shall have the right to assign its rights or delegate its duties under this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any interest in this Agreement or any other Loan Document without the prior written consent of each Lender, except as otherwise permitted by Section 6.04. Each Loan Party agrees that no Affiliate, equityholder or creditor of such Loan Party is intended to be, and none of such Persons shall be, third party beneficiaries of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and therefore no Indemnitee will have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract or tort, or otherwise) to any Loan Party’s respective Affiliate that is not a party hereto or to any Loan Party’s equityholders or creditors arising out of, related to or in connection with any aspect of the transactions contemplated hereby.

Section 9.07 Successors and Assigns .

(a) Successors and Assigns Generally . The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender, and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of paragraph (e) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in paragraph (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) Assignment by Lenders . Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Advances at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

(i) Minimum Amounts . The aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Advances outstanding thereunder) or, if the applicable Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Advances of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “ Trade Date ” is specified in the Assignment and Acceptance, as of the Trade Date) shall not be less than $5,000,000, unless (A) such assignment is to a Lender, and Affiliate of a Lender, or an Approved Fund or (B) each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

(ii) Proportionate Amounts . Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Advance or the Commitment assigned.

(iii) Required Consents . No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by paragraph (b)(i) of this Section and, in addition:

 

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(A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (x) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (y) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within 5 Business Days after having received notice thereof;

(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments to a Person that is not a Lender; and

(C) the consent of the Issuing Lender shall be required for any such assignment to a Person that is not a Lender.

(iv) Assignment and Acceptance . The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Acceptance, together with a processing and recordation fee of $5,000; provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

(v) Limitations on Assignment to Certain Persons . No such assignment shall be made to (A) the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries or (B) any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B).

(vi) No Assignment to Natural Persons . No such assignment shall be made to a natural Person.

(vii) Certain Additional Payments . In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Advances previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and each other Lender hereunder (and interest accrued and unpaid thereon), and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Advances and participations in Letters of Credit in accordance with its Pro Rata Share. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Legal Requirement without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Acceptance, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Acceptance covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such

 

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Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.12, 2.14, 9.01, 9.02 and 9.03 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment; provided , that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this paragraph shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (d) of this Section.

(c) Register . The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at its address referred to in Section 9.09 a copy of each Assignment and Acceptance delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Advances owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “ Register ”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. The Borrower hereby agrees that the Administrative Agent acting as its agent solely for the purpose set forth above in this clause (c), shall not subject the Administrative Agent to any fiduciary or other implied duties, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.

(d) Participations . Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural Person or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “ Participant ”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Advances owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 9.02(a) with respect to any payments made by such Lender to its Participant(s).

Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in clauses (a), (b), (c) or (d) of Section 9.03 (that adversely affects such Participant). The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.11, 2.12 and 2.14 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 2.14(g) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.14(g) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Section 2.15 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section; and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 2.12 or 2.14, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.15 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each

 

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Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 7.04 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13(e) as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Advances or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “ Participant Register ”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register. The Borrower hereby agrees that each Lender acting as its agent solely for the purpose set forth above in this clause (d), shall not subject such Lender to any fiduciary or other implied duties, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.

(e) Certain Pledges . Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(f) Cashless Settlement . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, any Lender may exchange, continue or rollover all or a portion of its Advances in connection with any refinancing, extension, loan modification or similar transaction permitted by the terms of this Agreement, pursuant to a cashless settlement mechanism approved by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and such Lender.

Section 9.08 Confidentiality . Each Lender Party agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Related Parties (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent required or requested by, or required to be disclosed to, any regulatory or similar authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) as to the extent required by Legal Requirements or regulations or in any legal, judicial, administrative or other compulsory proceeding, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies under this Agreement, under any other Loan Document or under any agreement related to any Secured Obligation, or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement related to any Secured Obligation, or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement, (ii) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to any Loan Party and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (iii) to an investor or prospective investor in an Approved Fund that also agrees that Information shall be used solely for the purpose of evaluating an investment in such Approved Fund, (iv) to a trustee, collateral manager, servicer, backup servicer, noteholder or secured party in an Approved Fund in connection with the administration, servicing and reporting on the assets serving as collateral for an Approved Fund, or (v) to a nationally recognized rating

 

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agency that requires access to information regarding Holdings and its Subsidiaries, the Advances and the Loan Documents in connection with ratings issued with respect to an Approved Fund, (g) on a confidential basis to the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers with respect to the credit facility, (h) with the consent of the Borrower, (i) to Gold Sheets and other similar bank trade publications, such information to consist of deal terms and other information customarily found in such publications, (j) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section by the disclosing party or (ii) becomes available to any Secured Party or affiliate thereof from a third party that is not, to such Person’s actual knowledge, subject to confidentiality obligations to Holdings or the Borrower, (k) to governmental regulatory authorities in connection with any regulatory examination of any Lender Party or, if such Lender Party deems necessary for the mitigation of claims by those authorities against such Lender Party or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, in accordance with such Lender Party’s regulatory compliance policy, (l) to the extent that such information is independently developed by such Lender Party, or (m) for purposes of establishing a “due diligence” defense. For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof relating to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof; provided that, in the case of information received from a Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.  NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY CONTAINED HEREIN, nothing in this Agreement shall (a) restrict any Lender Party from providing information to any bank or other regulatory or governmental authorities, including the Federal Reserve Board and its supervisory staff; (b) require or permit any Lender Party to disclose to any Loan Party that any information will be or was provided to the Federal Reserve Board or any of its supervisory staff; or (c) require or permit any Lender Party to inform any Loan Party of a current or upcoming Federal Reserve Board examination or any nonpublic Federal Reserve Board supervisory initiative or action .

Section 9.09 Notices, Etc .

(a) All notices and other communications (other than Notices of Borrowing and Notices of Conversion or Continuation, which are governed by Article II of this Agreement) shall be in writing and hand delivered with written receipt, telecopied, sent by facsimile, sent by electronic mail as permitted under paragraph (b) below (with, in the case of electronic mail, a hard copy sent as otherwise permitted in this Section 9.09), sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier, or sent by certified mail, return receipt requested as follows: if to a Loan Party, as specified on Schedule II , if to the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Lender, at its credit contact specified under its name on Schedule II , and if to any Lender at its credit contact specified in its Administrative Questionnaire. Each party may change its notice address by written notification to the other parties. All such notices and communications shall be effective when delivered, except that (i) notices and communications to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Lender pursuant to Article II shall not be effective until received and, in the case of facsimile delivered under Article II, such receipt is confirmed by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or Issuing Lender, as applicable, verbally or in writing and (ii) notices delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below, shall be effective as provided in said paragraph (b).

(b) Electronic Communications . Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the Issuing Lender hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided

 

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that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or the Issuing Lender pursuant to Article II if such Lender or the Issuing Lender, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications. Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or other communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.

(c) Platform .

(i) Each Loan Party agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make the Communications (as defined below) available to the Issuing Lender and the other Lenders by posting the Communications on Debt Domain, Intralinks, Syndtrak or a substantially similar electronic transmission system (the “ Platform ”).

(ii) The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available.” The Agent Parties (as defined below) do not warrant the adequacy of the Platform and expressly disclaim liability for errors or omissions in the Communications. No warranty of any kind, express, implied or statutory, including, without limitation, any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of third-party rights or freedom from viruses or other code defects, is made by any Agent Party in connection with the Communications or the Platform. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “ Agent Parties ”) have any liability to the Borrower or the other Loan Parties, any Lender or any other Person or entity for damages of any kind, including, without limitation, direct or indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s, any Loan Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of communications through the Platform. “Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Lender by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section, including through the Platform.

Section 9.10 U SURY N OT I NTENDED .   I T IS THE INTENT OF EACH L OAN P ARTY AND EACH L ENDER P ARTY IN THE EXECUTION AND PERFORMANCE OF THIS A GREEMENT AND THE OTHER L OAN D OCUMENTS TO CONTRACT IN STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE USURY LAWS , INCLUDING CONFLICTS OF LAW CONCEPTS , GOVERNING THE A DVANCES OF EACH L ENDER INCLUDING SUCH APPLICABLE L EGAL R EQUIREMENTS OF THE S TATE OF N EW Y ORK , IF ANY , AND THE U NITED S TATES OF A MERICA FROM TIME TO TIME IN EFFECT , AND ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHOSE LAWS MAY BE MANDATORILY APPLICABLE TO SUCH L ENDER NOTWITHSTANDING THE OTHER PROVISIONS OF THIS A GREEMENT .   I N FURTHERANCE THEREOF , THE L ENDER P ARTIES AND THE L OAN P ARTIES STIPULATE AND AGREE THAT NONE OF THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN THIS A GREEMENT OR THE OTHER L OAN D OCUMENTS SHALL EVER BE CONSTRUED TO CREATE A CONTRACT TO PAY , AS CONSIDERATION FOR THE USE , FORBEARANCE OR DETENTION OF MONEY , INTEREST AT A RATE IN EXCESS OF THE M AXIMUM R ATE AND THAT FOR PURPOSES OF THIS

 

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A GREEMENT INTEREST SHALL INCLUDE THE AGGREGATE OF ALL CHARGES WHICH CONSTITUTE INTEREST UNDER SUCH LAWS THAT ARE CONTRACTED FOR , CHARGED OR RECEIVED UNDER THIS A GREEMENT ; AND IN THE EVENT THAT , NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING , UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES THE AGGREGATE AMOUNTS TAKEN , RESERVED , CHARGED , RECEIVED OR PAID ON THE A DVANCES , INCLUDE AMOUNTS WHICH BY APPLICABLE L EGAL R EQUIREMENT ARE DEEMED INTEREST WHICH WOULD EXCEED THE M AXIMUM R ATE , THEN SUCH EXCESS SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A MISTAKE AND EACH L ENDER RECEIVING SAME SHALL CREDIT THE SAME ON THE PRINCIPAL OF ITS A DVANCES ( OR IF SUCH A DVANCES SHALL HAVE BEEN PAID IN FULL , REFUND SAID EXCESS TO THE B ORROWER ). I N THE EVENT THAT THE MATURITY OF THE A DVANCES ARE ACCELERATED BY REASON OF ANY ELECTION OF THE HOLDER THEREOF RESULTING FROM ANY E VENT OF D EFAULT UNDER THIS A GREEMENT OR OTHERWISE , OR IN THE EVENT OF ANY REQUIRED OR PERMITTED PREPAYMENT , THEN SUCH CONSIDERATION THAT CONSTITUTES INTEREST MAY NEVER INCLUDE MORE THAN THE M AXIMUM R ATE , AND EXCESS INTEREST , IF ANY , PROVIDED FOR IN THIS A GREEMENT OR OTHERWISE SHALL BE CANCELED AUTOMATICALLY AS OF THE DATE OF SUCH ACCELERATION OR PREPAYMENT AND , IF THERETOFORE PAID , SHALL BE CREDITED ON THE APPLICABLE A DVANCES ( OR , IF THE APPLICABLE A DVANCES SHALL HAVE BEEN PAID IN FULL , REFUNDED TO THE B ORROWER OF SUCH INTEREST ). I N DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT THE INTEREST PAID OR PAYABLE UNDER ANY SPECIFIC CONTINGENCIES EXCEEDS THE M AXIMUM R ATE , THE L OAN P ARTIES AND THE L ENDERS SHALL TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED UNDER APPLICABLE L EGAL R EQUIREMENT AMORTIZE , PRORATE , ALLOCATE AND SPREAD IN EQUAL PARTS DURING THE PERIOD OF THE FULL STATED TERM OF THE O BLIGATIONS ALL AMOUNTS CONSIDERED TO BE INTEREST UNDER APPLICABLE L EGAL R EQUIREMENT AT ANY TIME CONTRACTED FOR , CHARGED , RECEIVED OR RESERVED IN CONNECTION WITH THE O BLIGATIONS . T HE PROVISIONS OF THIS S ECTION SHALL CONTROL OVER ALL OTHER PROVISIONS OF THIS A GREEMENT OR THE OTHER L OAN D OCUMENTS WHICH MAY BE IN APPARENT CONFLICT HEREWITH .

Section 9.11 Usury Recapture . In the event the rate of interest chargeable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document at any time is greater than the Maximum Rate, the unpaid principal amount of the Advances shall bear interest at the Maximum Rate until the total amount of interest paid or accrued on the Advances equals the amount of interest which would have been paid or accrued on the Advances if the stated rates of interest set forth in this Agreement or applicable Loan Document had at all times been in effect. In the event, upon payment in full of the Advances, the total amount of interest paid or accrued under the terms of this Agreement and the Advances is less than the total amount of interest which would have been paid or accrued if the rates of interest set forth in this Agreement had, at all times, been in effect, then the Borrower shall, to the extent permitted by applicable Legal Requirement, pay the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders an amount equal to the difference between (i) the lesser of (A) the amount of interest which would have been charged on its Advances if the Maximum Rate had, at all times, been in effect and (B) the amount of interest which would have accrued on its Advances if the rates of interest set forth in this Agreement had at all times been in effect and (ii) the amount of interest actually paid under this Agreement on its Advances. In the event the Lenders ever receive, collect or apply as interest any sum in excess of the Maximum Rate, such excess amount shall, to the extent permitted by law, be applied to the reduction of the principal balance of the Advances, and if no such principal is then outstanding, such excess or part thereof remaining shall be paid to the Borrower.

Section 9.12 Payments Set Aside . To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to any Lender Party, or any Lender Party exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by any Lender Party in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part

 

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thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender Party severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate in effect from time to time, in the applicable currency of such recovery or payment. The obligations of the Lenders and the Issuing Lender under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

Section 9.13 Performance of Duties . Each of the Loan Party’s obligations under this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents shall be performed by such Loan Party at its sole cost and expense.

Section 9.14 All Powers Coupled with Interest . All powers of attorney and other authorizations granted to the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and any Persons designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender pursuant to any provisions of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents shall be deemed coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Obligations remain unpaid or unsatisfied, any of the Commitments remain in effect or the credit facility evidenced hereby has not been terminated.

Section 9.15 Governing Law . This Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any claim, controversy, dispute or cause of action (whether in contract or tort or otherwise) based upon, arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except, as to any other Loan Document, as expressly set forth therein) and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York (including Section 5-1401 and Section 5-1402 of the General Obligations Law of the State of New York), without reference to any other conflicts or choice of law principles thereof. Each Letter of Credit shall be governed by either (i) the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (2007 Revision), International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 600, or (ii) the International Standby Practices (ISP98), International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 590, in either case, including any subsequent revisions thereof approved by a Congress of the International Chamber of Commerce and adhered to by the Issuing Lender.

 

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Section 9.16 Submission to Jurisdiction; Service of Process .   The Borrower and each other Loan Party irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that it will not commence any action, litigation or proceeding of any kind or description, whether in law or equity, whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, against any Secured Party or any Related Party of any Secured Party in any way relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions relating hereto or thereto, in any forum other than the courts of the State of New York sitting in New York County, and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, and each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the jurisdiction of such courts and agrees that all claims in respect of any such action, litigation or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State court or, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Legal Requirement, in such federal court.   Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action, litigation or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by Legal Requirement.   Nothing in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document shall affect any right that any Secured Party may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against the Borrower or any other Loan Party or its Properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.   Each party hereto irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.09.   Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party hereto to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable Legal Requirement .

Section 9.17 Waiver of Venue . The Borrower and each other Loan Party irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Legal Requirement, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in Section 9.16. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Legal Requirement, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

Section 9.18 Execution in Counterparts; Electronic Execution .

(a) Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or in electronic (i.e., “pdf” or “tif”) format shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

(b) Electronic Execution of Assignments . The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Acceptance shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable Legal Requirement, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

Section 9.19 Keepwell . Each Qualified ECP Guarantor hereby jointly and severally absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each other Loan Party to honor all of its obligations under this Agreement in respect of Swap Obligations (provided, however, that each Qualified ECP Guarantor shall only be liable under this Section 9.19 for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this Section 9.19, or otherwise under this Agreement, voidable under

 

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applicable Legal Requirement relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section shall remain in full force and effect until the termination of all Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations) and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit as to which other arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender have been made). Each Qualified ECP Guarantor intends that this Section 9.19 constitute, and this Section 9.19 shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each other Loan Party for all purposes of Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Section 9.20 Independent Effect of Covenants . Holdings and the Borrower expressly acknowledge and agree that each covenant contained in Articles V or VI hereof shall be given independent effect. Accordingly, no Loan Party shall engage in any transaction or other act otherwise permitted under any covenant contained in Articles V or VI, before or after giving effect to such transaction or act, Holdings or the Borrower shall or would be in breach of any other covenant contained in Articles V or VI.

Section 9.21 USA Patriot Act . Each Lender that is subject to the Patriot Act and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies each Loan Party that pursuant to the requirements of the Patriot Act it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies such Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of such Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify such Loan Party in accordance with the Patriot Act.

Section 9.22 Flood Insurance Regulations . Wells Fargo has adopted internal policies and procedures that address requirements placed on federally regulated lenders under the Flood Insurance Regulations (defined below). If applicable, Wells Fargo, as administrative agent, will post on the applicable electronic platform (or otherwise distribute to each Lender) documents that it receives in connection with the Flood Insurance Regulations; however, Wells Fargo reminds each Lender and Participant that, pursuant to the Flood Insurance Regulations, each federally regulated lender (whether acting as a Lender or Participant) is responsible for assuring its own compliance with the Flood Insurance Regulations. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, in no event is any Building (as defined in the applicable Flood Insurance Regulation) or Manufactured (Mobile) Home (as defined in the applicable Flood Insurance Regulation) included in the definition of “Collateral” and no Building or Manufactured (Mobile) Home is intended to be encumbered by any Mortgage. As used herein, “ Flood Insurance Regulations ” shall mean (a) the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto, (b) the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statue thereto, (c) the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (amending 42 USC 4001, et seq.), as the same may be amended or recodified from time to time, and (d) the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

Section 9.23 NON-RELIANCE . IN EXECUTING THIS AGREEMENT, EACH LOAN PARTY HEREBY WARRANTS AND REPRESENTS IT IS NOT RELYING ON ANY STATEMENT OR REPRESENTATION OTHER THAN THOSE IN THIS AGREEMENT AND IS RELYING UPON ITS OWN JUDGMENT AND ADVICE OF ITS ATTORNEYS.

Section 9.24 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL .   EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LEGAL REQUIREMENT, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO

 

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THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

Section 9.25 Reversal of Payments . To the extent any Loan Party makes a payment or payments to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders or the Administrative Agent receives any payment or proceeds of the Collateral which payments or proceeds or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside and/or required to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party under any Debtor Relief Law, other applicable Legal Requirement or equitable cause, then, to the extent of such payment or proceeds repaid, the Secured Obligations or part thereof intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment or proceeds had not been received by the Administrative Agent.

Section 9.26 Injunctive Relief . Each Loan Party hereto recognizes that, in the event such Loan Party fails to perform, observe or discharge any of its obligations or liabilities under this Agreement, any remedy of law may prove to be inadequate relief to the Lenders. Therefore, each Loan Party hereto agrees that the Lenders, at the Lenders’ option, shall be entitled to temporary and permanent injunctive relief in any such case without the necessity of proving actual damages.

Section 9.27 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility .

(a) In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby, each Loan Party acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that (i) the facilities provided for hereunder and any related arranging or other services in connection therewith (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) are an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders, on the other hand, and each Loan Party is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or thereof), (ii) in connection with the process leading to such transaction, each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary, for the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other Person, (iii) none of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or the Lenders has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of any Loan Party with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto, including with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document (irrespective of whether any Lender Party has advised or is currently advising the Borrower or any of its Affiliates on other matters) and none of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or the Lenders has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the financing transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, (iv) the Issuing Lender, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from, and may conflict with, those of the Borrower and its Affiliates, and none of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or the Lenders has any obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of

 

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any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship and (v) the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders have not provided and will not provide any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) and the Loan Parties have consulted their own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent they have deemed appropriate.

(b) Each Loan Party acknowledges and agrees that each Lender, the Issuing Lender, the Administrative Agent and any Affiliate thereof may lend money to, invest in, and generally engage in any kind of business with, any of the Borrower, Holdings, any Affiliate thereof or any other person or entity that may do business with or own securities of any of the foregoing, all as if such Lender, Issuing Lender, the Administrative Agent or Affiliate thereof were not a Lender, Issuing Lender, Administrative Agent or an Affiliate thereof (or an agent or any other Person with any similar role under the credit facilities evidenced hereby) and without any duty to account therefor to any other Lender, the Issuing Lender, the Administrative Agent, Holdings, the Borrower or any Affiliate of the foregoing. Each Lender, the Issuing Lender, the Administrative Agent and any Affiliate thereof may accept fees and other consideration from Holdings, the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof for services in connection with this Agreement, the credit facilities evidenced hereby or otherwise without having to account for the same to any other Lender, the Issuing Lender, the Administrative Agent, Holdings, the Borrower or any Affiliate of the foregoing.

Section 9.28 Inconsistencies with Other Documents . In the event there is a conflict or inconsistency between this Agreement and any other Loan Document, the terms of this Agreement shall control; provided that any provision of the Security Instruments which imposes additional burdens on Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries or further restricts the rights of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries or gives the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or Lenders additional rights shall not be deemed to be in conflict or inconsistent with this Agreement and shall be given full force and effect.

Section 9.29 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

(b) the effects of any Bail-in Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

 

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Section 9.30 ORAL AGREEMENTS .   THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS, AS DEFINED IN THIS AGREEMENT, REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES.

THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES.

[Remainder of this page intentionally left blank. Signature page follows.]

 

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EXECUTED as of the date first above written.

 

BORROWER:
PENN VIRGINIA HOLDING CORP.
By:   /s/ Steven A. Hartman
Name:   Steven A. Hartman
Title:  

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

and Treasurer

HOLDINGS:
PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION
By:   /s/ Steven A. Hartman
Name:   Steven A. Hartman
Title:  

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

and Treasurer

GUARANTORS:
PENN VIRGINIA OIL & GAS CORPORATION
PENN VIRGINIA OIL & GAS GP LLC
PENN VIRGINIA OIL & GAS LP LLC
PENN VIRGINIA MC CORPORATION
PENN VIRGINIA MC ENERGY L.L.C.
PENN VIRGINIA MC GATHERING COMPANY L.L.C.
PENN VIRGINIA MC OPERATING COMPANY L.L.C.
PENN VIRGINIA RESOURCE HOLDINGS CORP.
Each By:   /s/ Steven A. Hartman
Name:   Steven A. Hartman
Title:  

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

and Treasurer

PENN VIRGINIA OIL & GAS, L.P.
By:   Penn Virginia Oil & Gas GP LLC, its general partner
By:   /s/ Steven A. Hartman
Name:   Steven A. Hartman
Title:  

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

and Treasurer

 

Signature page to Credit Agreement

(Penn Virginia Holding Corp.)


WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent, Issuing Lender, and a Lender
By:   /s/ Bryan M. McDavid
  Name: Bryan M. McDavid
  Title: Director

 

Signature page to Credit Agreement

(Penn Virginia Holding Corp.)


ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, as a Lender
By:   /s/ Kristan Spivey
  Name: Kristan Spivey
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

Signature page to Credit Agreement

(Penn Virginia Holding Corp.)


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Lender
By:   /s/ Edna Aguilar Mitchell
  Name: Edna Aguilar Mitchell
  Title: Director

 

Signature page to Credit Agreement

(Penn Virginia Holding Corp.)


THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, as a Lender
By:   /s/ Marc Graham
  Name: Marc Graham
  Title: Director

 

Signature page to Credit Agreement

(Penn Virginia Holding Corp.)


CREDIT SUISSE AG, Cayman Islands Branch, as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Didier Siffer

  Name: Didier Siffer
  Title: Authorized Signatory
By:  

/s/ Laura Katherine Schembri

  Name: Laura Katherine Schembri
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

Signature page to Credit Agreement

(Penn Virginia Holding Corp.)


BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY, as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ James Giordano

  Name: James Giordano
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

Signature page to Credit Agreement

(Penn Virginia Holding Corp.)


BARCLAYS BANK PLC, as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ Christopher Aitkin

  Name: Christopher Aitkin
  Title: Assistant Vice President

 

Signature page to Credit Agreement

(Penn Virginia Holding Corp.)


COMERICA BANK, as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Barry Carroll

  Name: Barry Carroll
  Title: Vice President

 

Signature page to Credit Agreement

(Penn Virginia Holding Corp.)


SOCIÉTÉ GÉNÉRALE, as a Lender
By:   /s/ Max Sonnonstine
  Name: Max Sonnonstine
  Title: Director

 

Signature page to Credit Agreement

(Penn Virginia Holding Corp.)


CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender
By:   /s/ Kristin N. Oswald
  Name: Kristin N. Oswald
  Title: Vice President

 

Signature page to Credit Agreement

(Penn Virginia Holding Corp.)


SUNTRUST BANK, as a Lender
By:   /s/ William S. Krueger
  Name: William S. Krueger
  Title: First Vice President

 

Signature page to Credit Agreement

(Penn Virginia Holding Corp.)


SANTANDER BANK, N.A., as a Lender
By:  

/s/ David O’Driscoll

  Name: David O’Driscoll
  Title: Senior Vice President
By:  

/s/ Mark Connelly

  Name: Mark Connelly
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

 

Signature page to Credit Agreement

(Penn Virginia Holding Corp.)


SCHEDULE I

PRICING GRID

Applicable Margins**

 

    

Utilization Level*

   Reference Rate
Advances
    Eurodollar Rate
Advances
    Commitment Fee
Rate
 

Level I

   Less than or equal to 25%      2.00     3.00     0.50

Level II

   Greater than 25% but less than or equal to 50%      2.25     3.25     0.50

Level III

   Greater than 50% but less than or equal to 75%.      2.50     3.50     0.50

Level IV

   Greater than 75% but less than or equal to 90%      2.75     3.75     0.50

Level V

   Greater than 90%      3.00     4.00     0.50

 

** Subject to increase during the existence of a Borrowing Base Deficiency as provided in the definition of “Applicable Margin”.

 

Schedule I

Page 1 of 1


SCHEDULE II

NOTICE INFORMATION AND COMMITMENTS

Each of the commitments to lend set forth herein is governed by the terms of the Credit Agreement which provides for, among other things, borrowing base limitations which may restrict the Borrower’s ability to request (and the Lenders’ obligation to provide) Credit Extensions to a maximum amount which is less than the commitments set forth in this Schedule II .

Administrative Agent/Issuing Lender:

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

1525 West W.T. Harris Blvd

Mail Code D1109-019

Charlotte, North Carolina 28262

Attn: Syndication Agency Services

Telephone: (704) 590-2706

Telecopy: (704) 590-2790

with a copy to:

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

1000 Louisiana Street, 9th Floor

MAC T0002-090

Houston, TX 77002

Attention: Bryan McDavid

Telephone: (713) 319-1611

Electronic Mail: bryan.m.mcdavid@wellsfargo.com

Borrower:

at c/o Penn Virginia Corporation

14701 St. Mary’s Lane, Suite 275

Houston, Texas 77079

Attn: Steven A. Hartman

713-722-6529

Steve.hartman@pennvirginia.com

With a copy to:

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

600 Travis Street, Suite 3300

Houston, Texas 77002

Attn: Mary Kogut

[continued]

 

Schedule II

Page 1 of 2


Initial Lender

   Maximum Credit
Amounts
     Pro Rata Share     Initial Commitment
if Initial Borrowing
Base is $128,000,000
 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

   $ 29,500,000         14.750000000   $ 18,880,000   

Royal Bank of Canada

   $ 29,500,000         14.750000000   $ 18,880,000   

Bank of America, N.A.

   $ 20,500,000         10.250000000   $ 13,120,000   

The Bank of Nova Scotia

   $ 20,500,000         10.250000000   $ 13,120,000   

Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands Branch

   $ 17,500,000         8.750000000   $ 11,200,000   

Branch Banking and Trust Company

   $ 12,500,000         6.250000000   $ 8,000,000   

Barclays Bank PLC

   $ 12,500,000         6.250000000   $ 8,000,000   

Comerica Bank

   $ 12,500,000         6.250000000   $ 8,000,000   

Société Générale

   $ 12,500,000         6.250000000   $ 8,000,000   

Capital One, National Association

   $ 12,500,000         6.250000000   $ 8,000,000   

SunTrust Bank

   $ 10,000,000         5.000000000   $ 6,400,000   

Santander Bank, N.A.

   $ 10,000,000         5.000000000   $ 6,400,000   
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total:

   $ 200,000,000.00         100.000000000   $ 128,000,000.00   
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

Schedule II

Page 2 of 2

Exhibit 10.2

PLEDGE AND SECURITY AGREEMENT

This Pledge and Security Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2016 (as amended, supplemented, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, this “ Security Agreement ”), is by and among PENN VIRGINIA HOLDING CORP., a Delaware corporation (“ Borrower ”), PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION, a Virginia corporation (“ Holdings ”), each subsidiary of Holdings signatory hereto (together with the Borrower and Holdings, the “ Grantors ” and individually, each a “ Grantor ”) and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent (as defined below) for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties.

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, this Security Agreement is entered into in connection with that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2016 among the Borrower, Holdings, the lenders party thereto from time to time (the “ Lenders ”), and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as the administrative agent (in such capacity, the “ Administrative Agent ”) and issuing lender (in such capacity, the “ Issuing Lender ”) (as amended, supplemented, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”); and

WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, and in consideration of the credit extended by the Lenders to the Borrower and the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Lender for the account of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, certain Grantors have executed and delivered that certain Guaranty Agreement dated as of the date hereof (the “ Guaranty ”), guaranteeing the Secured Obligations; and

WHEREAS, as a condition precedent to the initial extension of credit under the Credit Agreement, each Grantor is required to execute and deliver this Security Agreement; and

WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of each Grantor to execute this Security Agreement inasmuch as each Grantor will derive substantial direct and indirect benefits from (i) the transactions contemplated by the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (ii) the Hedge Contracts entered into by the Borrower or any other Loan Party with a Lender Swap Counterparty, and (iii) the Banking Services provided to any Loan Party by any Banking Service Provider, and each Grantor is willing to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Security Agreement to secure the Secured Obligations; and

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, each Grantor agrees, for the benefit of each Secured Party, as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.1.  Certain Terms . The following terms (whether or not underscored) when used in this Security Agreement, including its preamble and recitals, shall have the following meanings (such definitions to be equally applicable to the singular and plural forms thereof):

Administrative Agent ” has the meaning set forth in the first recital .

Borrower ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble .

Pledge and Security Agreement


Certificated Equipment ” means any Equipment the ownership of which is evidenced by, or under applicable Legal Requirement, is required to be evidenced by a certificate of title.

Collateral ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a) .

Collateral Account ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3(b) .

Computer Hardware and Software Collateral ” means (a) all computer and other electronic data processing hardware, integrated computer systems, central processing units, memory units, display terminals, printers, features, computer elements, card readers, tape drives, hard and soft disk drives, cables, electrical supply hardware, generators, power equalizers, accessories and all peripheral devices and other related computer hardware, including all operating system software, utilities and application programs in whatsoever form owned by a Grantor or leased or licensed to Grantor, (b) software programs (including both source code, object code and all related applications and data files), designed for use on the computers and electronic data processing hardware described in clause (a) above owned by a Grantor or leased or licensed to a Grantor, (c) all firmware associated therewith, (d) all documentation (including flow charts, logic diagrams, manuals, guides, specifications, training materials, charts and pseudo codes) with respect to such hardware, software and firmware described in the preceding clauses (a) through (c) , and (e) all rights with respect to all of the foregoing, including copyrights (including renewal rights) and trade secret rights, contract rights of a Grantor with respect to all or any of the foregoing, licenses, options, warranties, service contracts, program services, test rights, maintenance rights, support rights, improvement rights, renewal rights and indemnifications and any substitutions, replacements, improvements, error corrections, updates, additions or model conversions of any of the foregoing.

Control Agreement ” shall mean, as to any deposit account or security account of any Grantor held with a bank or other financial institution, an agreement or agreements in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, among the Grantor owning such deposit account or security account, as applicable, the Administrative Agent, and such other bank or financial institution governing such deposit account or security account, as applicable.

Copyright Collateral ” means all copyrights of any Grantor, registered or unregistered and whether published or unpublished, now or hereafter in force throughout the world including all of such Grantor’s rights, titles and interests in and to all copyrights registered in the United States Copyright Office (the “ U.S. Copyright Office ”) or anywhere else in the world, including without limitation those copyright registrations or applications referred to in Item C of Schedule III hereto, and registrations and recordings thereof and all applications for registration thereof, whether pending or in preparation, all copyright licenses, the right to sue for past, present and future infringements of any of the foregoing, all rights corresponding thereto, all extensions and renewals of any thereof and all Proceeds of the foregoing, including licenses, royalties, income, payments, claims, damages and Proceeds of suit, which are owned or licensed by such Grantor.

Credit Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the first recital .

Distributions ” means all cash, cash dividends, stock dividends, other distributions, liquidating dividends, shares of stock resulting from (or in connection with the exercise of) stock splits, reclassifications, warrants, options, non-cash dividends, and all other distributions or payments (whether similar or dissimilar to the foregoing) on or with respect to, or on account of, any Pledged Share or Pledged Interest or other rights or interests constituting Collateral.

Domestic Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary of Holdings that is incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States, any State thereof or the District of Columbia.

 

Pledge and Security Agreement

 

2


Equipment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a)(i) .

Excluded Collateral ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b) .

Excluded Contract ” means any contract (and any contract rights arising thereunder) to which any of the Grantors is a party on the date hereof or which is entered into by any Grantor after the date hereof which complies with Section 6.16 of the Credit Agreement (and the provisions of which are not agreed to by a Grantor for the purposes of excluding such contract from the Lien granted hereunder), in any case to the extent (but only to the extent) that a Grantor is prohibited from granting a security interest in, pledge of, or charge, mortgage or other Lien upon any such Property by reason of (a) a negative pledge, anti-assignment provision or other contractual restriction in existence on the date hereof or, as to contracts entered into after the date hereof, in existence in compliance with Section 6.16 of the Credit Agreement (and the provisions of which are not agreed to by a Grantor for the purposes of excluding such contract from the Lien granted hereunder), or (b) applicable Legal Requirement to which such Grantor or such Property is subject; provided , however , to the extent that (i) either of the prohibitions discussed in clause (a) or (b) above is ineffective or subsequently rendered ineffective under Sections 9-406, 9-407, 9-408 or 9-409 of the UCC or under any other Legal Requirement or is otherwise no longer in effect or enforceable, or (ii) the applicable Grantor has obtained the consent of the other parties to such Excluded Contract to the creation of a Lien on and security interest in, such Excluded Contract, then such contract (and any contract rights arising thereunder) shall cease to be an “Excluded Contract” and shall automatically be subject to the Lien and security interests granted hereby and to the terms and provisions of this Security Agreement as “Collateral”; provided further , that any Proceeds received by any Grantor from the sale, transfer or other disposition of Excluded Contracts shall constitute Collateral unless any Property constituting such Proceeds are themselves subject to the exclusions set forth above or otherwise constitute Excluded Collateral.

Excluded Foreign Stock ” means the Equity Interests issued by Foreign Subsidiaries other than (a) 65% of the Voting Securities issued by a First Tier Foreign Subsidiary and (b) 100% of Equity Interests issued by a First Tier Foreign Subsidiary that are not Voting Securities.

Excluded PMSI Collateral ” means any Property and Proceeds thereof (including insurance Proceeds) of a Grantor that is now or hereafter subject to a Lien securing purchase money debt or a Capital Lease Obligation to the extent (and only to the extent) that (a) the Indebtedness associated with such Lien is permitted under Section 6.01 of the Credit Agreement, and (b) the documents evidencing such purchase money debt or Capital Lease Obligation prohibit or restrict the granting of a Lien in such Property; provided , however , to the extent that either of the prohibitions discussed in clause (a) or (b) above is ineffective or subsequently rendered ineffective under Sections 9-406, 9-407, 9-408 or 9-409 of the UCC or under any other Legal Requirement or is otherwise no longer in effect, then such Property and Proceeds thereof shall cease to be “Excluded PMSI Collateral” and shall automatically be subject to the Lien and security interests granted hereby and to the terms and provisions of this Security Agreement as “Collateral”; provided further , that any Proceeds received by any Grantor from the sale, transfer or other disposition of Excluded PMSI Collateral shall constitute Collateral unless any Property constituting such Proceeds are themselves subject to the exclusions set forth above or otherwise constitute Excluded Collateral.

Excluded Trademark Collateral ” means all United States intent to use trademark applications with respect to which the grant of a security interest therein would impair the validity or enforceability of said intent to use trademark application under federal law; provided , however , to the extent that such applicable Legal Requirement is no longer in effect, then such trademark application shall cease to be an “Excluded Trademark Collateral” and shall automatically be subject to the Lien and security interests granted hereby and to the terms and provisions of this Security Agreement as “Collateral”; provided further , that any Proceeds received by any Grantor from the sale, transfer or other disposition of Excluded Trademark Collateral shall constitute Collateral unless any Property constituting such Proceeds are themselves subject to the exclusions set forth above or otherwise constitute Excluded Collateral.

 

Pledge and Security Agreement

 

3


First Tier Foreign Subsidiary ” means any Foreign Subsidiary the Equity Interests of which are held directly by Holdings or a Domestic Subsidiary.

Foreign Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

General Intangibles ” means all “general intangibles” and all “payment intangibles”, each as defined in the UCC, and shall include all interest rate or currency protection or Hedging Arrangements, all Tax refunds, all licenses, Permits, concessions and authorizations and all Intellectual Property Collateral (in each case, regardless of whether characterized as general intangibles under the UCC).

Governmental Approval ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a)(vi) .

Grantor ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble .

Indemnitee ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3(a) .

Intellectual Property Collateral ” means, collectively, the Computer Hardware and Software Collateral, the Copyright Collateral, the Patent Collateral, the Trademark Collateral and the Trade Secrets Collateral.

Inventory ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a)(ii) .

Lenders ” has the meaning set forth in the first recital.

Patent Collateral ” means (a) all inventions and discoveries, whether patentable or not, all letters patent and applications for letters patent throughout the world including, without limitation, those patents and patent applications referred to in Item A of Schedule III hereto, (b) all reissues, divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part, extensions, renewals and reexaminations of any of the items described in clause (a) , (c) all patent licenses, and other agreements providing any Grantor with the right to use any items of the type referred to in clauses (a) and (b) above, and (d) all Proceeds of, and rights associated with, the foregoing (including licenses, royalties income, payments, claims, damages and Proceeds of infringement suits), the right to sue third parties for past, present or future infringements of any patent or patent application, and for breach or enforcement of any patent license.

Pledged Interests ” means all Equity Interests or other ownership interests of any Pledged Interests Issuer, including those described in Item A of Schedule I hereto; all registrations, certificates, articles, by-laws, regulations, limited liability company agreements or constitutive agreements governing or representing any such interests; all options and other rights, contractual or otherwise, at any time existing with respect to such interests, as such interests are amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time, and together with any interests in any Pledged Interests Issuer taken in extension or renewal thereof or substitution therefor.

Pledged Interests Issuer ” means each Person identified in Item A of Schedule I hereto as the issuer of the Pledged Shares or the Pledged Interests identified opposite the name of such Person, and any other Domestic Subsidiary who issues Equity Interests or other ownership interests to any Grantor.

Pledged Note Issuer ” means each Person identified in Item B of Schedule I hereto as the issuer of the Pledged Notes identified opposite the name of such Person.

 

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Pledged Notes ” means all promissory notes of any Pledged Note Issuer evidencing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 6.02(d) of the Credit Agreement delivered by any Grantor to the Administrative Agent as Pledged Property hereunder, as such promissory notes are amended, modified or supplemented from time to time and together with any promissory note of any Pledged Note Issuer taken in extension or renewal thereof or substitution therefor.

Pledged Property ” means all Pledged Notes, Pledged Interests, Pledged Shares, all assignments of any amounts due or to become due with respect to the Pledged Interests or the Pledged Shares, all other instruments which are now being delivered by any Grantor to the Administrative Agent or may from time to time hereafter be delivered by any Grantor to the Administrative Agent for the purpose of pledging under this Security Agreement or any other Loan Document, and all Proceeds of any of the foregoing.

Pledged Shares ” means all Equity Interests of any Pledged Interests Issuer identified under Item A of Schedule I , which are evidenced by a certificate delivered by any Grantor to the Administrative Agent as Pledged Property hereunder.

Receivables ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a)(iii).

Related Contracts ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a)(iii).

Security Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble .

Termination Date ” means, subject to Section 2.3 , such time at which each of the following events shall have occurred at or prior to such time: (a) the termination of the Commitments, (b) the termination or expiration of all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit that have been Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement or with respect to which other arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender have been made), (c) the termination of all Hedge Contracts with the Lender Swap Counterparties (other than Hedge Contracts with any Lender Swap Counterparty with respect to which other arrangements satisfactory to such Lender Swap Counterparty and the Borrower have been made), and (d) the payment in full in cash of all Secured Obligations (other than indemnity obligations that survive the termination of any Loan Document for which no notice of a claim has been received by any Grantor).

Trademark Collateral ” means (a) (i) all trademarks, trade names, corporate names, company names, business names, fictitious business names, trade styles, service marks, certification marks, collective marks, logos and other source or business identifiers, and all goodwill of the business associated therewith, now existing or hereafter adopted or acquired, including, without limitation, those trademarks referred to in Item B of Schedule III hereto, whether currently in use or not, all registrations and recordings thereof and all applications in connection therewith, whether pending or in preparation for filing, including registrations, recordings and applications in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“ USPTO ”) or in any office or agency of the United States of America, or any state thereof or any other country or political subdivision thereof or otherwise, and all common-law rights relating to the foregoing, and (ii) the right to obtain all reissues, extensions or renewals of the foregoing (collectively referred to as the “ Trademarks ” and each, a “ Trademark ”), (b) all Trademark licenses for the grant by or to any Grantor of any right to use any Trademark, (c) all of the goodwill of the business connected with the use of, and symbolized by the items described in, clause (a) , and to the extent applicable clause (b) , (d) the right to sue third parties for past, present and future infringements of any Trademark Collateral described in clause (a) and, to the extent applicable, clause (b) , and (e) all Proceeds of, and rights associated with, the foregoing, including any claim by any Grantor against third parties for past, present or future infringement or dilution of any Trademark, Trademark registration or Trademark license, or for any injury to the goodwill associated with the use of any such Trademark or for breach or enforcement of any Trademark license and all rights corresponding thereto throughout the world.

 

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Trade Secrets Collateral ” means all common law and statutory trade secrets and all other confidential, proprietary or useful information and all know-how obtained by or used in or contemplated at any time for use in the business of any Grantor, and any patent applications in preparation for filing (all of the foregoing being collectively called a “ Trade Secret ”), including all Documents and things embodying, incorporating or referring in any way to such Trade Secret, all Trade Secret licenses, and including the right to sue for and to enjoin and to collect damages for the actual or threatened misappropriation of any Trade Secret and for the breach or enforcement of any such Trade Secret license.

UCC ” means the Uniform Commercial Code, as in effect in the State of New York, as the same may be amended from time to time; provided, however, in the event that, by reason of mandatory provisions of law, any or all of the attachment, perfection or priority of the security interest in any Collateral is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in a jurisdiction other than the State of New York, the term “UCC” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in such other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such attachment, perfection or priority and for purposes of definitions related to such provisions.

SECTION 1.2.  Credit Agreement Definitions . Unless otherwise defined herein or the context otherwise requires, capitalized terms used in this Security Agreement, including its preamble and recitals, have the meanings provided in the Credit Agreement.

SECTION 1.3.  UCC Definitions . Unless otherwise defined herein or in the Credit Agreement or the context otherwise requires, terms for which meanings are provided in the UCC are used in this Security Agreement, including its preamble and recitals, with such meanings.

SECTION 1.4.  Miscellaneous . Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Security Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Security Agreement, (e) any reference to any law or regulation herein shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (f) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

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ARTICLE II

SECURITY INTEREST

SECTION 2.1.  Grant of Security Interest .

(a) Each Grantor hereby pledges, hypothecates, assigns, charges, mortgages, delivers, and transfers to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of each Secured Party, and hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of each Secured Party, a continuing security interest in all of such Grantor’s right, title and interest in, to and under, all of the following, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by such Grantor, and wherever located and whether now owned or hereafter existing or arising (collectively, the “ Collateral ”):

(i) all equipment in all of its forms (including, but not limited to, all drilling platforms and rigs and remotely operated vehicles, trenchers, and other equipment used by any Grantor, vehicles, motor vehicles, rolling stock, vessels, aircraft) of such Grantor, wherever located, and all surface or subsurface machinery, equipment, facilities, supplies, or other tangible personal property, including tubing, rods, pumps, pumping units and engines, pipe, pipelines, meters, apparatus, boilers, compressors, liquid extractors, connectors, valves, fittings, power plants, poles, lines, cables, wires, transformers, starters and controllers, machine shops, tools, machinery and parts, storage yards and equipment stored therein, buildings and camps, telegraph, telephone, and other communication systems, loading docks, loading racks, and shipping facilities, and any manuals, instructions, blueprints, computer software (including software that is imbedded in and part of the equipment), and similar items which relate to the above, any and all additions, substitutions and replacements of any of the foregoing, wherever located, together with all improvements thereon and all attachments, components, parts, equipment and accessories installed thereon or affixed thereto, and any other item constituting “equipment” under the UCC (any and all of the foregoing being the “ Equipment” );

(ii) all inventory in all of its forms of such Grantor, wherever located, including (A) all oil, gas, or other Hydrocarbons and all products and substances derived therefrom, all raw materials and work in process therefore, finished goods thereof, and materials used or consumed in the manufacture or production thereof, (B) all documents of title covering any inventory, including, without limitation, work in process, materials used or consumed in any Grantor’s business, now owned or hereafter acquired or manufactured by any Grantor and held for sale in the ordinary course of its business (C) all goods in which such Grantor has an interest in mass or a joint or other interest or right of any kind (including goods in which such Grantor has an interest or right as consignee), (D) all goods which are returned to or repossessed by such Grantor, and all accessions thereto, products thereof and documents therefore, and (E) any other item constituting “inventory” under the UCC (any and all of the foregoing being the “ Inventory ”);

(iii) all accounts, money, payment intangibles, deposit accounts (including the Collateral Accounts and all amounts on deposit therein and all cash equivalent investments carried therein and all Proceeds thereof), contracts, contract rights, all rights constituting a right to the payment of money, Chattel Paper, documents, documents of title, instruments, letters of credit, letter of credit rights and General Intangibles of such Grantor, whether or not earned by performance or arising out of or in connection with the sale or lease of goods or the rendering of services, including all moneys due or to become due in repayment of any loans or advances, and all rights of such Grantor now or hereafter existing in and to all security agreements, guaranties, leases, agreements and other contracts securing or otherwise relating to any such accounts, money, payment intangibles, deposit accounts, contracts, contract rights, rights to the payment of money, Chattel Paper, documents, documents of title, instruments, letters of credit, letter of credit rights and General Intangibles (any and all such accounts, money, payment intangibles, deposit accounts, contracts, contract rights, rights to the payment of money, Chattel Paper, documents, documents of title, instruments, letters of credit, letter of credit rights and General Intangibles being the “ Receivables ”, and any and all such security agreements, guaranties, leases, agreements and other contracts being the “ Related Contracts” );

 

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(iv) all Intellectual Property Collateral of such Grantor;

(v) all books, correspondence, credit files, records, invoices, tapes, cards, computer runs, writings, data bases, information in all forms, paper and documents and other Property relating to, used or useful in connection with, evidencing, embodying, incorporating or referring to, any of the foregoing in this Section 2.1(a) ;

(vi) all governmental approvals, Permits, licenses, authorizations, consents, rulings, tariffs, rates, certifications, waivers, exemptions, filings, claims, orders, judgments and decrees and other Legal Requirements (each a “ Governmental Approval ”);

(vii) all interest rate swap agreements, interest rate cap agreements and interest rate collar agreements, and all other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Grantor against fluctuations in interest rates or currency exchange rates and all commodity hedge, commodity swap, exchange, forward, future, floor, collar or cap agreements, fixed price agreements and all other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Grantor against fluctuations in commodity prices (including, without limitation, all Hedge Contracts);

(viii) to the extent not included in the foregoing, all bank accounts, investment property, fixtures, supporting obligations and goods;

(ix) all Pledged Interests, Pledged Notes, Pledged Shares and any other Pledged Property whether now or hereafter delivered to the Administrative Agent in connection with this Security Agreement and all Distributions, interest, and other payments and rights with respect to such Pledged Property;

(x) (i) all policies of insurance now or hereafter held by or on behalf of such Grantor, including casualty, liability, key man life insurance, business interruption, foreign credit insurance, and any title insurance, (ii) all Proceeds of insurance, and (iii) all rights, now or hereafter held by such Grantor to any warranties of any manufacturer or contractor of any other Person;

(xi) all accessions, substitutions, replacements, products, offspring, rents, issues, profits, returns, income and Proceeds of and from any and all of the foregoing Collateral (including Proceeds which constitute Property of the types described in clauses (i) , (ii) , (iii) , (iv) , ( v) , ( vi ), (vii) , (viii), (ix) and (x) of this Section 2.1(a) and Proceeds deposited from time to time in any lock boxes of such Grantor, and, to the extent not otherwise included, all payments and Proceeds under insurance (whether or not the Administrative Agent is the loss payee thereof), or any condemnation award, indemnity, warranty or guaranty, payable by reason of loss or damage to or otherwise with respect to any of the Collateral);

(xii) any and all Liens and security interests (together with the documents evidencing such security interests) granted to such Grantor by an obligor to secure such obligor’s obligations owing under any Instrument, Chattel Paper, or contract that is pledged hereunder or with respect to which a security interest in such Grantor’s rights in such Instrument, Chattel Paper, or contract is granted hereunder;

(xiii) any and all guaranties given by any Person for the benefit of such Grantor which guarantees the obligations of an obligor under any Instrument, Chattel Paper, or contract, which are pledged hereunder; and

 

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(xiv) all of such Grantor’s other property and rights of every kind and description and interests therein, including without limitation, all other “ Accounts ”, “ Certificated Securities ”, “ Chattel Paper ”, “ Commercial Tort Claims ”, “ Commodity Accounts ”, “ Commodity Contracts ”, “ Deposit Accounts ”, “ Documents ”, “ Equipment ”, “ Fixtures ”, “ General Intangibles ”, “ Goods ”, “ Instruments ”, “ Inventory ”, “ Investment Property ”, “ Letter of Credit Rights ”, “ Letters of Credit ”, “ Money ”, “ Payment Intangibles ”, “ Proceeds ”, “ Securities ”, “ Securities Account ”, “ Security Entitlements ”, “ Supporting Obligations ” and “ Uncertificated Securities ” as such terms are defined in the UCC.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Security Agreement or any other Loan Document, and other than to the extent set forth in this Section 2.1(b) , the following Property shall be excluded from the Lien and security interest granted hereunder (and shall, as applicable, not be included as “Accounts”, “Certificated Securities”, “Chattel Paper”, “Collateral”, “Commodity Accounts”, “Commodity Contracts”, “Deposit Accounts”, “Documents”, “Equipment”, “Fixtures”, “General Intangibles”, “Goods”, “Instruments”, “Inventory”, “Investment Property”, “Money”, “Payment Intangibles”, “Proceeds”, “Securities”, “Securities Accounts”, “Security Entitlements”, “Supporting Obligations” or “Uncertificated Securities” for purposes of this Security Agreement) (collectively, the “ Excluded Collateral ”):

(i) Excluded Contracts;

(ii) Excluded PMSI Collateral;

(iii) Excluded Foreign Stock;

(iv) Excluded Trademark Collateral;

(v) Deposit Accounts held with Bank of America, N.A. that are permitted under Section 6.01(o) of the Credit Agreement; provided that , to the extent that (i) the Lien in favor of Bank of America, N.A. in such Deposit Accounts is ineffective or subsequently rendered ineffective under any Legal Requirement or is otherwise no longer in effect or enforceable, or (ii) the applicable Grantor has obtained the consent of Bank of America, N.A. to the creation of a Lien on and security interest in, such Deposit Accounts, then such Deposit Accounts shall cease to be “Excluded Collateral” and shall automatically be subject to the Lien and security interests granted hereby and to the terms and provisions of this Security Agreement as “Collateral;”

(vi) any Deposit Accounts or Securities Accounts holding cash or cash equivalents as collateral for the benefit of a Person that is not an Affiliate of a Grantor to the extent constituting a Permitted Lien under Section 6.01(f) of the Credit Agreement but only to the extent that (A) such Deposit Account or Securities Account, as applicable, is established after the date hereof solely for the purposes permitted under Section 6.01(f) of the Credit Agreement, (B) such Deposit Account or Securities Account only holds cash or cash equivalents for the benefit and use of such other Person and solely for the purposes permitted under Section 6.01(f) of the Credit Agreement, and (C) a written contract related to such Permitted Lien requires such Deposit Account or Securities Account to not be subject to other Liens; provided that , to the extent that (i) such Deposit Account or Securities Account ceases to satisfy any of the conditions in the foregoing clauses (A) – (C), (ii) the Lien in favor of such other Person in such Deposit Account or Securities Account is ineffective or subsequently rendered ineffective under any Legal Requirement or is otherwise no longer in effect or enforceable, or (iii) the applicable Grantor has obtained the consent of such other Person to the creation of a Lien on and security interest in, such Deposit Account or Securities Account, then such Deposit Account and Securities Account shall cease to be “Excluded Collateral” and shall automatically be subject to the Lien and security interests granted hereby and to the terms and provisions of this Security Agreement as “Collateral;”

 

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provided , however , that (x) the exclusion from the Lien and security interest granted by any Grantor hereunder of any Excluded Collateral shall not limit, restrict or impair the grant by such Grantor of the Lien and security interest in any accounts or receivables arising under any such Excluded Collateral or any payments due or to become due thereunder unless the conditions in effect which qualify such Property as Excluded Collateral applies with respect to such accounts and receivables and (y) any Proceeds received by any Grantor from the sale, transfer or other disposition of Excluded Collateral shall constitute Collateral unless the conditions in effect which qualify such Property as Excluded Collateral applies with respect to such Proceeds. Furthermore, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Security Agreement or in any other Loan Document, under no circumstances shall any Grantor be required to take any perfection step with respect to Excluded Perfection Collateral.

SECTION 2.2.  Security for Obligations .

(a) This Security Agreement, and the Collateral in which the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties is granted a security interest hereunder by each Grantor, secures the prompt payment in full in cash and performance of all Secured Obligations of each Grantor now or hereafter existing.

(b) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, it is the intention of each Grantor, the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties that the amount of the Secured Obligations secured by each Grantor’s interests in any of its Property shall be in, but not in excess of, the maximum amount permitted by fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer and other similar law, rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority applicable to such Grantor. Accordingly, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Security Agreement or in any other agreement or instrument executed in connection with the payment of any of the Secured Obligations, the amount of the Secured Obligations secured by each Grantor’s interests in any of its Property pursuant to this Security Agreement shall be limited to an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render such Grantor’s obligations hereunder or the Liens and security interest granted to the Administrative Agent hereunder subject to avoidance under Section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code or any comparable provision of any other applicable Legal Requirement.

SECTION 2.3.  Continuing Security Interest; Transfer of Advances; Reinstatement . This Security Agreement shall create continuing security interests in the Collateral and shall (a) except as otherwise provided in the Credit Agreement, remain in full force and effect until the Termination Date, (b) be binding upon each Grantor and its successors, transferees and assigns, and (c) inure, together with the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent hereunder, to the benefit of the Administrative Agent and each other Secured Party and its respective permitted successors, transferees and assigns, subject to the limitations as set forth in the Credit Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing clause (c) , any Lender may assign or otherwise transfer (in whole or in part) any Note, Advance or Commitment held by it as provided in Section 9.07 of the Credit Agreement, and any successor or assignee thereof shall thereupon become vested with all the rights and benefits in respect thereof granted to such Secured Party under any Loan Document (including this Security Agreement), or otherwise, subject, however, to any contrary provisions in such assignment or transfer, and as applicable to the provisions of Section 9.07 and Article VIII of the Credit Agreement.  If at any time all or any part of any payment theretofore applied by the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party to any of the Secured Obligations is or must be rescinded or returned by the Administrative Agent or any such Secured Party for any reason whatsoever (including, without limitation, the insolvency,

 

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bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding of any Grantor or any other Person), such Secured Obligations shall, for purposes of this Security Agreement, to the extent that such payment is or must be rescinded or returned, be deemed to have continued to be in existence, notwithstanding any application by the Administrative Agent or such Secured Party or any termination agreement or release provided to any Grantor, and this Security Agreement shall continue to be effective or reinstated, as the case may be, as to such Secured Obligations, all as though such application by the Administrative Agent or such Secured Party had not been made .

SECTION 2.4.  Grantors Remain Liable . Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, (a) each Grantor shall remain liable under the contracts and agreements included in the Collateral to the extent set forth therein, and will perform all of its duties and obligations under such contracts and agreements to the same extent as if this Security Agreement had not been executed, (b) the exercise by the Administrative Agent of any of its rights hereunder shall not release any Grantor from any of its duties or obligations under any such contracts or agreements included in the Collateral, and (c) neither the Administrative Agent nor any other Secured Party shall have any obligation or liability under any contracts or agreements included in the Collateral by reason of this Security Agreement, nor shall the Administrative Agent nor any other Secured Party be obligated to perform any of the obligations or duties of any Grantor thereunder or to take any action to collect or enforce any claim for payment assigned hereunder.

SECTION 2.5.  Delivery of Pledged Property .

(a) All certificates or instruments representing or evidencing (i) all Pledged Shares, Pledged Interests and Pledged Notes, (ii) other Collateral consisting of Instruments and Tangible Chattel Paper evidencing amounts payable in excess of $250,000 individually or $1,000,000 in the aggregate and (iii) any other Collateral which may be perfected by “possession” as such term is defined in the UCC with a value in excess of $250,000 individually or $1,000,000 in the aggregate, in each case, within thirty (30) days after such Grantor obtains an interest in such Collateral (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree to in its sole discretion) shall be delivered to and held by or on behalf of (or in the case of the Pledged Notes, endorsed to the order of) the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto, shall be in suitable form for transfer by delivery, and shall be accompanied by all necessary endorsements or instruments of transfer or assignment, duly executed in blank.

(b) To the extent any of the Collateral constitutes an “uncertificated security” (as defined in Section 8-102(a)(18) of the UCC) or a “security entitlement” (as defined in Section 8-102(a)(17) of the UCC), the applicable Grantor shall take and cause the appropriate Person (including any issuer, entitlement holder or securities intermediary thereof) to take all actions necessary to grant “control” (as defined in 8-106 of the UCC) to the Administrative Agent (for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties) over such Collateral.

SECTION 2.6.  Distributions on Pledged Shares . In the event that any Distribution with respect to any Pledged Shares or Pledged Interests pledged hereunder is permitted to be paid (in accordance with Section 6.05 of the Credit Agreement), such Distribution or payment may be paid directly to the applicable Grantor. If any Distribution is made in contravention of Section 6.05 of the Credit Agreement, the applicable Grantor shall hold the same segregated and in trust for the Administrative Agent until paid to the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section   4.1(e) during such time as any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

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SECTION 2.7.  Security Interest Absolute, etc . This Security Agreement shall in all respects be a continuing, absolute, unconditional and irrevocable grant of security interest, and shall remain in full force and effect until the Termination Date. All rights of the Secured Parties and the security interests granted to the Administrative Agent (for its benefit and the ratable benefit of each other Secured Party) hereunder, and all obligations of each Grantor hereunder, shall, in each case, be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable irrespective of (a) any lack of validity, legality or enforceability of any Loan Document, (b) the failure of any Secured Party (i) to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy against any Grantor or any other Person under the provisions of any Loan Document or otherwise, or (ii) to exercise any right or remedy against any other Grantor of, or Collateral securing, any Secured Obligations, (c) any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any part of the Secured Obligations, or any other extension, compromise or renewal of any Secured Obligations, (d) any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination of any Secured Obligations (except in the case of the occurrence of the Termination Date) for any reason, including any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise, and shall not be subject to (and each Grantor hereby waives any right to or claim of) any defense or setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever by reason of the invalidity, illegality, nongenuineness, irregularity, compromise, unenforceability of, or any other event or occurrence affecting, any Secured Obligations or otherwise (other than defense of payment), (e) any amendment to, rescission, waiver, or other modification of, or any consent to or departure from, any of the terms of any Loan Document, (f) any addition, exchange or release of any Collateral of the Secured Obligations, or any surrender or non-perfection of any Collateral, or any amendment to or waiver or release or addition to, or consent to or departure from, any other guaranty held by any Secured Party guaranteeing any of the Secured Obligations, or (g) any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a legal or equitable discharge of, any Grantor, any surety or any guarantor (other than defense of payment).

SECTION 2.8.  Waiver of Subrogation . Until 91 days after the Termination Date, each Grantor hereby irrevocably waives to the extent not prohibited by applicable Legal Requirement any claim or other rights which it may now or hereafter acquire against any Loan Party that arise from the existence, payment, performance or enforcement of such Grantor’s obligations under this Security Agreement or any other Loan Document, including any right of subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration or indemnification, any right to participate in any claim or remedy of any Secured Party against any Loan Party or any Collateral which any Secured Party now has or hereafter acquires, whether or not such claim, remedy or right arises in equity, or under contract, statute or common law, including the right to take or receive from any Loan Party, directly or indirectly, in cash or other Property or by set-off or in any manner, payment or security on account of such claim or other rights. If any amount shall be paid to any Grantor in violation of the preceding sentence and the Termination Date shall not have occurred, then such amount shall be deemed to have been paid to such Grantor for the benefit of, and held in trust for, the Administrative Agent (on behalf of the Secured Parties), and shall forthwith be paid to the Administrative Agent to be credited and applied upon the Secured Obligations, whether matured or unmatured. Each Grantor acknowledges that it will receive direct and indirect benefits from the financing arrangements contemplated by the Credit Agreement and that the waiver set forth in this Section 2.8 is knowingly made in contemplation of such benefits.

SECTION 2.9.  Election of Remedies . Except as otherwise provided in the Credit Agreement, if any Secured Party may, under applicable Legal Requirements, proceed to realize its benefits under any of this Security Agreement or the other Loan Documents giving any Secured Party a Lien upon any Collateral, either by judicial foreclosure or by non-judicial sale or enforcement, such Secured Party may, at its sole option, determine which of its remedies or rights it may pursue without affecting any of its rights and remedies under this Security Agreement. If, in the exercise of any of its rights and remedies, any Secured Party shall forfeit any of its rights or remedies, including its right to enter a deficiency judgment against any Loan Party or any other Person, whether because of any Legal Requirements pertaining to “election of remedies” or the like, each Grantor hereby consents to such action, to the extent not prohibited by any Legal Requirement, by such Secured Party and waives any claim based upon such action, even if such action by such Secured Party shall result in a full or partial loss of any rights of subrogation that such Grantor might otherwise have had but for such action by such Secured Party.

 

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ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

In order to induce the Secured Parties to enter into the Credit Agreement and make Advances thereunder and for the Issuing Lender to issue Letters of Credit thereunder, and to induce the Secured Parties to enter into Hedge Contracts and provide Banking Services, each Grantor represents and warrants unto each Secured Party as set forth in this Article III .

SECTION 3.1.  Validity, etc . This Security Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Grantor is a party constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of such Grantor, enforceable against such Grantor in accordance with their respective terms, (except, in any case, as such enforceability may be limited by applicable Debtor Relief Laws or similar laws at the time in effect affecting the rights of creditors generally and by general principles of equity) whether applied by a court of law or equity..

SECTION 3.2.  Ownership, No Liens, etc . Such Grantor is the legal and beneficial owner of, and has good title to (and has full right and authority to pledge, grant and assign) the Collateral, free and clear of all Liens, except for any Permitted Liens. No effective UCC financing statement or other filing similar in effect covering all or any part of the Collateral is on file in any recording office, except those filed in favor of the Administrative Agent relating to this Security Agreement, Permitted Liens or as to which a duly authorized termination statement relating to such UCC financing statement or other instrument has been delivered to the Administrative Agent on the Closing Date. This Security Agreement creates a valid security interest in the Collateral, securing the payment of the Secured Obligations, and will constitute valid and perfected first-priority security interests (subject to Permitted Liens) upon, in the case of Collateral in which a security interest may be perfected by filing a financing statement under the UCC in the applicable filing offices located in each Grantor’s location, as listed on Item A-1 of Schedule II attached hereto. All filings and other actions necessary, to the extent required hereby or by the other Loan Documents, to perfect and protect such security interest, in those portions of Collateral (other than Excluded Perfection Collateral) that can be perfected by, amongst other things, the filing of a financing statement or entering into of a Control Agreement, have been duly taken and such security interest shall be a first-priority security interest.

SECTION 3.3.  As to Equity Interests of the Subsidiaries, Investment Property .

(a) With respect to the Pledged Shares, all such Pledged Shares are duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.

(b) With respect to the Pledged Interests, no such Pledged Interests (i) are dealt in or traded on securities exchanges or in securities markets, (ii) expressly provide that such Pledged Interests are securities governed by Article 8 of the UCC, or (iii) are held in a Securities Account, except, with respect to this clause (b) , Pledged Interests (A) for which the Administrative Agent is the registered owner or (B) with respect to which the Pledged Interests Issuer has agreed in an authenticated record with such Grantor and the Administrative Agent to comply with any instructions of the Administrative Agent without the consent of such Grantor.

(c) Subject to Section 2.5(a) , such Grantor has delivered all Certificated Securities constituting Collateral held by such Grantor on the Closing Date to the Administrative Agent, together with undated stock powers duly executed in blank, or other equivalent instruments of transfer reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

 

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(d) With respect to Uncertificated Securities constituting Collateral owned by such Grantor, such Grantor has caused the Pledged Interests Issuer or other issuer thereof either (i) to register the Administrative Agent as the registered owner of such security, or (ii) to agree in an authenticated record with such Grantor and the Administrative Agent that such Pledged Interests Issuer or other issuer will comply with instructions with respect to such security originated by the Administrative Agent without further consent of such Grantor.

(e) The percentage of the issued and outstanding Pledged Shares and Pledged Interests of each Pledged Interests Issuer pledged by such Grantor hereunder is as set forth on Schedule I and the percentage of the total membership, partnership and/or other Equity Interests in the Pledged Interests Issuer is indicated on Schedule I . All of the Pledged Shares and Pledged Interests constitute one hundred percent (100%) of such Grantor’s interest in the applicable Pledged Interests Issuer, except in the case of outstanding Voting Securities that are issued by First Tier Foreign Subsidiaries with respect to which such Grantor has pledged 100% of the non-voting Equity Interests issued by such First Tier Foreign Subsidiaries and 65% of the outstanding Voting Securities issued by such First Tier Foreign Subsidiaries as indicated on Schedule   I .

(f) Such Grantor has no outstanding rights, rights to subscribe, options, warrants or convertible securities outstanding or any other rights outstanding whereby any Person would be entitled to acquire shares, member interests or units of any Pledged Interests Issuer.

(g) In the case of each Pledged Note, as of the Closing Date, all of such Pledged Notes have been duly authorized, executed, endorsed, issued and delivered, and are the legal, valid and binding obligation of the issuers thereof, and are not in default.

SECTION 3.4.  Grantor’s Name, Location, etc .

(a) Other than as otherwise permitted pursuant to any Loan Document, (i) the jurisdiction in which such Grantor is located for purposes of Sections 9-301 and 9-307 of the UCC is set forth in Item A-1 of Schedule II hereto (as such schedule may be amended or supplemented from time to time due to a change in circumstances after the date hereof), (ii) the place of business of such Grantor or, if such Grantor has more than one place of business, the chief executive office of such Grantor and the office where such Grantor keeps its records concerning the Receivables, and all originals of all Chattel Paper which evidence Receivables, is set forth in Item A-2 of Schedule II hereto (as such schedule may be amended or supplemented from time to time due to a change in circumstances after the date hereof), and (iii) such Grantor’s federal taxpayer identification number is set forth in Item A-3 of Schedule II hereto.

(b) Within the five years prior to the Closing Date, such Grantor has not been known by any legal name different from the one set forth on the signature page hereto, nor has such Grantor been the subject of any merger or other corporate reorganization, except as set forth in Item B of Schedule II hereto.

(c) As of the Closing Date, such Grantor is not a party to any federal, state or local government contract other than relating to royalties paid to governmental agencies, surety bonds and governmental permits.

(d) Such Grantor does not maintain any Deposit Accounts, Securities Accounts or Commodity Accounts with any Person, in each case, except as set forth on Item C of Schedule II .

(e) None of the Receivables in excess of $250,000 individually or $1,000,000 in the aggregate is evidenced by a promissory note or other instrument other than a promissory note or instrument that has been delivered to the Administrative Agent (with appropriate endorsements).

 

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(f) Such Grantor is not the beneficiary of any Letters of Credit, except as set forth on Item D of Schedule II hereto (as such schedule may be amended or supplemented from time to time). Such Grantor has obtained a legal, valid and enforceable consent of each issuer to the assignment to the Administrative Agent of the Proceeds of any Letters of Credit which have stated amounts in excess of $250,000 in the aggregate.

(g) Such Grantor does not have Commercial Tort Claims (i) in which a suit has been filed by such Grantor, and (ii) where the amount of damages reasonably expected to be claimed exceeds $250,000 in the aggregate, except as set forth on Item E of Schedule II .

(h) As of the Effective Date or such later date on which such Grantor joins this Security Agreement, the name set forth on the signature page attached hereto (or, if applicable, the signature page to the supplement document pursuant to which such Grantor joins this Security Agreement) is the true and correct legal name (as contemplated by the UCC) of such Grantor.

(i) Such Grantor has not consented to, and is otherwise unaware of, any Person (other than the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto or the applicable secured party in connection with a Permitted Lien) having control (within the meaning of Section 9-104 or Section 8-106 of the UCC) over any Collateral, or any other interest in any of such Grantor’s rights in respect thereof.

SECTION 3.5.  Possession of Inventory, Control; etc . Such Grantor (a) has exclusive possession and control, subject to Permitted Liens, of the Equipment and Inventory except as permitted under the Credit Agreement, and (b) is the sole entitlement holder of its Accounts and no other Person (other than the Administrative Agent pursuant to (i) this Security Agreement with respect to any Accounts maintained with the Administrative Agent or (ii) a Control Agreement with respect to any Accounts maintained with a bank other than the Administrative Agent) has “control” or “possession” of, or any other interest in, any of its Accounts or any other securities or Property credited thereto except as permitted pursuant to this Security Agreement.

SECTION 3.6.  Negotiable Documents, Instruments and Chattel Paper . Such Grantor has, contemporaneously herewith, delivered to the Administrative Agent possession of all originals of all Documents, Instruments, promissory notes, Pledged Notes and tangible Chattel Paper evidencing amounts payable in excess of $250,000 individually or $1,000,000 in the aggregate owned or held by such Grantor (duly endorsed, in blank, if requested by the Administrative Agent).

SECTION 3.7.  Intellectual Property Collateral .

(a) Such Grantor represents that except for any Patent Collateral, Trademark Collateral, and Copyright Collateral specified in Item A , Item B and Item C , respectively, of Schedule   III hereto, and any and all Trade Secrets Collateral, such Grantor does not own and has no interests in any Intellectual Property Collateral material to the operations or business of such Grantor as of the date hereof.

(b) Such Grantor further represents and warrants that, with respect to all material Intellectual Property Collateral (i) such Intellectual Property Collateral is valid, subsisting, unexpired and enforceable and has not been abandoned or adjudged invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, except such Intellectual Property Collateral that is not material to the operations or business of such Grantor or to the extent permitted by the Credit Agreement, (ii) such Grantor has not made a previous assignment, sale, transfer or agreement constituting a present or future assignment, sale or transfer of such Intellectual Property Collateral for purposes of granting a security interest or as Collateral that has not been terminated or released, (iii) the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Credit Agreement and this Security Agreement will not result in the termination or impairment of such Intellectual Property

 

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Collateral, and (iv) such Grantor is the sole and exclusive owner of the entire and unencumbered right, title and interest in and to such Intellectual Property Collateral, subject to Permitted Liens, and, to the knowledge of the Grantor, no claim has been made that the use of such Intellectual Property Collateral does or may, conflict with, infringe, misappropriate, dilute, misuse or otherwise violate any of the rights of any third party in any material respects.

(c) Such Grantor further represents and warrants, except as could not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change, that (i) such Grantor has made all necessary filings and recordations to protect its interest in such Intellectual Property Collateral, including recordations of any of its interests in the Patent Collateral and Trademark Collateral in the USPTO and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, in corresponding offices throughout the world, and its claims to the Copyright Collateral in the U.S. Copyright Office, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, in corresponding offices throughout the world and, to the extent necessary, has used and has directed all licensees to use proper statutory notice in connection with its use of any patent, Trademark and copyright in any of the Intellectual Property Collateral, (ii) such Grantor has taken all reasonable steps to safeguard its Trade Secrets and to its knowledge none of the Trade Secrets of such Grantor has been used, divulged, disclosed or appropriated for the benefit of any other Person other than such Grantor, (iii) to such Grantor’s knowledge, no third party is infringing upon any Intellectual Property Collateral owned or used by such Grantor, or any of its respective licensees, (iv) no settlement or consents, covenants not to sue, nonassertion assurances, or releases have been entered into by such Grantor or to which such Grantor is bound that adversely affects its rights to own or use any Intellectual Property Collateral, (v) such Grantor uses adequate standards of quality in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of all products sold and in the provision of all services rendered under or in connection with any Trademarks and has taken all commercially reasonable action necessary to insure that any licensees of any Trademarks owned by such Grantor use such adequate standards of quality, and (vi) such Grantor owns directly or is entitled to use by license or otherwise, any patents, Trademarks, tradenames, Trade Secrets, copyrights, mask works, licenses, technology, know-how, processes and rights with respect to any of the foregoing used in, and necessary for the conduct of such Grantor’s business.

SECTION 3.8.  Authorization, Approval, etc . Except for the filing or recording of UCC financing statements and consents, authorizations, filings or other actions which have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, no Governmental Approval, authorization, approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other third party is required either (a) for the grant by such Grantor of the security interest granted hereby or for the execution, delivery and performance of this Security Agreement by such Grantor, (b) for the perfection or maintenance of the security interests hereunder including the first-priority (subject to Permitted Liens) nature of such security interest (except with respect to the financing statements or, with respect to Intellectual Property Collateral, the recordation of any agreements with the USPTO or the U.S. Copyright Office) or the exercise by the Administrative Agent of its rights and remedies hereunder, or (c) for the exercise by the Administrative Agent of the voting or other rights provided for in this Security Agreement, except (i) with respect to any Pledged Shares or Pledged Interests, as may be required in connection with a disposition of such Pledged Shares or Pledged Interests by Legal Requirements affecting the offering and sale of securities generally, the remedies in respect of the Collateral pursuant to this Security Agreement and (ii) any “change of control” or similar filings required by state licensing agencies.

SECTION 3.9.  Best Interests . It is in the best interests of each Grantor to execute this Security Agreement in as much as such Grantor will, as a result of being the Borrower or such other Subsidiary of Holdings, derive substantial direct and indirect benefits from (a) the Advances and other extensions of credit (including Letters of Credit) made from time to time to the Borrower by the Lenders and the Issuing Lender pursuant to the Credit Agreement, (b) the Hedge Contracts entered into with the Lender Swap Counterparties, and (c) the Banking Services provided by the Banking Service Providers, and each

 

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Grantor agrees that the Secured Parties are relying on this representation in agreeing to make such Advances and other extensions of credit pursuant to the Credit Agreement to the Borrower. Furthermore, such extensions of credit, Hedging Arrangements and Banking Services are (i) in furtherance of each Grantor’s corporate or limited liability purposes, and (ii) necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of each Grantor’s business.

ARTICLE IV

COVENANTS

Each Grantor covenants and agrees that, until the Termination Date, it will perform, comply with and be bound by the obligations set forth below.

SECTION 4.1.  As to Investment Property, etc .

(a) Equity Interests of Subsidiaries . No Grantor shall allow or permit any of its Domestic Subsidiaries (i) that is a corporation, business trust, joint stock company or similar Person, to issue Uncertificated Securities, unless such Person promptly takes the actions set forth in Section 4.1(b) with respect to any such Uncertificated Securities, (ii) that is a partnership or limited liability company, to (A) issue Equity Interests that are to be dealt in or traded on securities exchanges or in securities markets, (B) expressly provide in its organizational documents that its Equity Interests are securities governed by Article 8 of the UCC, or (C) place such Subsidiary’s Equity Interests in a Securities Account, unless such Person promptly takes the actions set forth in Section 4.1(b) with respect to any such Equity Interests, and (iii) to issue Equity Interests in addition to or in substitution for the Pledged Property or any other Equity Interests pledged hereunder, except for additional Equity Interests issued to such Grantor; provided that (A) such Equity Interests are pledged and delivered to the Administrative Agent within thirty (30) days (or such later date as determined by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), and (B) within such thirty (30) day period, such Grantor delivers a supplement to Schedule I to the Administrative Agent identifying such new Equity Interests as Pledged Property, in each case, pursuant to the terms of this Security Agreement. No Grantor shall permit any of its Domestic Subsidiaries to issue any warrants, options, contracts or other commitments or other securities that are convertible to any of the foregoing or that entitle any Person to purchase any of the foregoing, and except for this Security Agreement or any other Loan Document, shall not, and shall not permit any of its Domestic Subsidiaries to, enter into any agreement creating any restriction or condition upon the transfer, voting or control of any Pledged Property.

(b) Investment Property (other than Certificated Securities) .

(i) With respect to any Deposit Accounts, Securities Accounts, Commodity Accounts, Commodity Contracts or Security Entitlements constituting Investment Property owned or held by any Grantor (other than constituting Excluded Collateral or Excluded Perfection Collateral), such Grantor will, unless otherwise permitted under the Credit Agreement, upon the Administrative Agent’s reasonable request either (A) cause the intermediary maintaining such Investment Property to execute a Control Agreement relating to such Investment Property pursuant to which such intermediary agrees to comply with the Administrative Agent’s instructions with respect to such Investment Property without further consent by such Grantor, or (B) transfer such Investment Property to intermediaries that have or will agree to execute such Control Agreements.

 

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(ii) With respect to any Uncertificated Securities (other than Uncertificated Securities credited to a Securities Account) constituting Investment Property owned or held by any Grantor, such Grantor will (x) cause the Pledged Interests Issuer or other issuer of such securities to either (A) register the Administrative Agent as the registered owner thereof on the books and records of the issuer, or (B) execute a Control Agreement relating to such Investment Property pursuant to which the Pledged Interests Issuer or other issuer agrees to comply with the Administrative Agent’s instructions with respect to such Uncertificated Securities without further consent by such Grantor and (y) take and cause the appropriate Person (including any issuer, entitlement holder or securities intermediary thereof) to take all other actions reasonably necessary to grant “control” (as defined in 8-106 of the UCC) to the Administrative Agent (for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties) over such Collateral.

(c) Certificated Securities (Stock Powers) . Each Grantor agrees that all Pledged Shares that are Certificated Securities (and all other certificated shares of Equity Interests constituting Collateral) delivered by such Grantor pursuant to this Security Agreement will be accompanied by undated stock powers duly executed in blank, or other equivalent instruments of transfer reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent. Each Grantor will, from time to time upon the reasonable request of the Administrative Agent, promptly deliver to the Administrative Agent such stock powers, instruments and similar documents, reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent, with respect to the Collateral as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request and will, from time to time upon the request of the Administrative Agent during the occurrence and continuance of any Event of Default, promptly transfer any Pledged Shares, Pledged Interests or other shares of Equity Interests constituting Collateral into the name of any nominee designated by the Administrative Agent.

(d) Continuous Pledge . Each Grantor will (subject to the terms of the Credit Agreement and this Security Agreement) deliver to the Administrative Agent and at all times keep pledged to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto, on a first-priority (subject to Permitted Liens), perfected basis all Pledged Property, Investment Property, all Dividends and Distributions with respect thereto, all Payment Intangibles to the extent they are evidenced by a Document, Instrument, promissory note or Chattel Paper evidencing amounts payable in excess of $250,000 individually or $1,000,000 in the aggregate, and all interest and principal with respect to such Payment Intangibles, and all Proceeds and rights from time to time received by or distributable to such Grantor in respect of any of the foregoing Collateral (other than, as to perfection, Excluded Perfection Collateral) within the time periods set forth herein. Each Grantor agrees that it will, promptly (but in any event no later than thirty (30) days) following receipt thereof, deliver to the Administrative Agent possession of all originals of Pledged Interests, Pledged Shares, Pledged Notes and any other Pledged Property, Payment Intangibles to the extent they are evidenced by negotiable Documents, Instruments, promissory notes and Chattel Paper evidencing amounts payable in excess of $250,000 individually or $1,000,000 in the aggregate that it acquires following the Closing Date and shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a supplement to Schedule I identifying any such new Pledged Interests, Pledged Shares, Pledged Notes or other Pledged Property.

(e) Voting Rights; Dividends, etc . Each Grantor agrees:

(i) that promptly upon receipt of notice of the occurrence and continuance of an Event of Default from the Administrative Agent and upon receipt of a written request therefor by the Administrative Agent, so long as such Event of Default shall continue, to deliver (properly endorsed where required hereby or requested by the Administrative Agent) to the Administrative Agent all Distributions with respect to Investment Property, all interest principal and other cash payments on Payment Intangibles, the Pledged Property and all Proceeds of the Pledged Property or any other Collateral, in case thereafter received by such Grantor, in each case, to the extent such Distribution is not permitted under Section 6.05 of the Credit Agreement, all of which shall be held by the Administrative Agent as additional Collateral; and

 

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(ii) if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and the Administrative Agent has notified such Grantor in writing of the Administrative Agent’s intention to exercise its voting power under this Section 4.1(e)(ii) ,

(A) the Administrative Agent may exercise (to the exclusion of such Grantor) the voting power and all other incidental rights of ownership with respect to any Pledged Shares, Pledged Interests, Investment Property or other Equity Interests constituting Collateral.  EACH GRANTOR HEREBY GRANTS THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AN IRREVOCABLE PROXY (WHICH IRREVOCABLE PROXY SHALL CONTINUE IN EFFECT UNTIL SUCH EVENT OF DEFAULT SHALL HAVE BEEN CURED OR WAIVED) EXERCISABLE UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, TO VOTE THE PLEDGED SHARES, PLEDGED INTERESTS, INVESTMENT PROPERTY AND SUCH OTHER COLLATERAL ; AND

(B) promptly deliver to the Administrative Agent such additional proxies and other documents as may be necessary to allow the Administrative Agent to exercise such voting power.

All Distributions, interest, principal, cash payments, Payment Intangibles and Proceeds that may at any time and from time to time be held by any Grantor but which such Grantor is then obligated to deliver to the Administrative Agent, shall, until delivery to the Administrative Agent, be held by such Grantor separate and apart from its other Property in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent agrees that unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and the Administrative Agent shall have given the notice referred to in Section   4.1 (e) , each Grantor shall be entitled to receive and retain all Distributions permitted by the Credit Agreement and shall have the exclusive voting power, and is granted a proxy, with respect to any Equity Interests (including any of the Pledged Shares and other Pledged Interests) constituting Collateral. The Administrative Agent shall, upon the written request of any Grantor, promptly deliver such proxies and other documents, if any, as shall be reasonably requested by such Grantor which are necessary to allow such Grantor to exercise that voting power with respect to any such Equity Interests (including any of the Pledged Shares and other Pledged Interests) constituting Collateral; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast, or consent, waiver, or ratification given, or action taken by such Grantor that would violate any provision of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document (including this Security Agreement).

SECTION 4.2.  Organizational Documents; Change of Name, etc . No Grantor will change its state of incorporation, formation or organization or its name, identity, organizational identification number or corporate structure except as permitted in the Credit Agreement.

SECTION 4.3.  As to Accounts and Receivables .

(a) Each Grantor shall have the right to collect all Accounts so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

(b) Subject to the provisions of applicable Legal Requirements, upon (i) the occurrence and continuance of an Event of Default and (ii) the delivery of written notice by the Administrative Agent to each Grantor, all Proceeds of Collateral received by any Grantor shall be delivered in kind to the Administrative Agent for deposit in a Deposit Account of such Grantor (A) maintained with the Administrative Agent or (B) maintained at a depositary bank that is a Lender other than the Administrative Agent to which such Grantor, the Administrative Agent and the depositary bank have

 

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entered into a Control Agreement in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion providing that the depositary bank will comply with the instructions originated by the Administrative Agent directing disposition of the funds in the account without further consent by such Grantor (any such Deposit Accounts, together with any other Accounts pursuant to which any portion of the Collateral is deposited with the Administrative Agent, a “ Collateral Account ,” and collectively, the “ Collateral Accounts ”), and such Grantor shall not commingle any such Proceeds, and shall hold separate and apart from all other Property, all such Proceeds in express trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent until delivery thereof is made to the Administrative Agent.

(c) Following the delivery of notice pursuant to clause (b)(ii) of this Section 4.3 during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent shall have the right to apply any amount in the Collateral Accounts to the payment of any Secured Obligations which are due and payable or in accordance with the Loan Documents.

(d) With respect to each of the Collateral Accounts, it is hereby confirmed and agreed that (i) deposits in such Collateral Accounts are subject to a security interest as contemplated hereby, (ii) such Collateral Accounts shall be under the control of the Administrative Agent, provided that the Administrative Agent shall have entered into a Control Agreement with respect to any Accounts that are maintained with a bank other than the Administrative Agent and (iii) the Administrative Agent shall have the sole right of withdrawal over such Collateral Accounts; provided that withdrawals shall only be made during the existence of an Event of Default.

(e) No Grantor shall adjust, settle, or compromise the amount or payment of any Account, nor release wholly or partly any account debtor or obligor thereof, nor allow any credit or discount thereon; provided that, a Grantor may make such adjustments, settlements or compromises and release wholly or partly any account debtor or obligor thereof and allow any credit or discounts thereon so long as (i) such action is taken in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices, and (ii) such action is, in such Grantor’s good faith business judgment, advisable.

SECTION 4.4.  As to Grantor’s Use of Collateral .

(a) Subject to clause (b) , each Grantor (i) may in the ordinary course of its business, at its own expense, sell, lease or furnish under the contracts of service any of the Inventory normally held by such Grantor for such purpose, and use and consume, in the ordinary course of its business, any raw materials, work in process or materials normally held by such Grantor for such purpose, (ii) shall, at its own expense, endeavor to collect in a commercially reasonable manner, as and when due, all amounts due with respect to any of the Collateral, including the taking of such action with respect to such collection as the Administrative Agent may request following the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default or, in the absence of such request, as such Grantor may deem advisable, and (iii) may grant, in the ordinary course of business, to any party obligated on any of the Collateral, any rebate, refund or allowance to which such party may be lawfully entitled, and may accept, in connection therewith, the return of Goods, the sale or lease of which shall have given rise to such Collateral.

(b) At any time following the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, whether before or after the maturity of any of the Secured Obligations, the Administrative Agent may (i) revoke any or all of the rights of any Grantor set forth in clause (a) of this Section 4.4 , (ii) notify any parties obligated on any of the Collateral to make payment to the Administrative Agent of any amounts due or to become due thereunder, and (iii) enforce collection of any of the Collateral by suit or otherwise and surrender, release, or exchange all or any part thereof, or compromise or extend or renew for any period (whether or not longer than the original period) any indebtedness thereunder or evidenced thereby.

 

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(c) Upon request of the Administrative Agent following the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, each Grantor will, at its own expense, notify any parties obligated on any of the Collateral to make payment to the Administrative Agent of any amounts due or to become due thereunder.

(d) At any time following the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may endorse, in the name of the applicable Grantor, any item, howsoever received by the Administrative Agent, representing any payment on or other Proceeds of any of the Collateral.

SECTION 4.5.  As to Equipment and Inventory and Goods . Each Grantor hereby agrees that it shall (a) keep all of the Equipment and Inventory (other than Inventory sold in the ordinary course of business) and Goods located in a jurisdiction within the United States of America or its offshore waters where all representations and warranties set forth in Article III shall be true and correct in all material respects (unless already qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Change in the text thereof, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects), and all action required pursuant to the second sentence of Section   4.13 shall have been taken with respect to the Equipment, Inventory and Goods, and (b) pay promptly when due all material property Taxes and other material Taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon, and all claims (including claims for labor, materials and supplies) against, the Equipment, Inventory and Goods, except to the extent the validity thereof is being diligently contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, and with respect to which adequate reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided.

SECTION 4.6.  As to Intellectual Property Collateral . Each Grantor covenants and agrees to comply with the following provisions as such provisions relate to any Intellectual Property Collateral material to the operations or business of such Grantor:

(a) such Grantor will not do or fail to perform any act whereby any Patent Collateral may lapse or become abandoned or dedicated to the public or unenforceable except upon the expiration of the life of the applicable patent, unless such Grantor shall reasonably and in good faith determine that any of such Patent Collateral is of negligible economic value to such Grantor;

(b) such Grantor will not (i) permit any of its licensees to (A) fail to maintain all of the Trademark Collateral in full force free from any claim of abandonment for non-use, (B) fail to maintain as in the past the quality of products and services offered under all of the Trademark Collateral, (C) fail to employ all of the Trademark Collateral registered with any federal or state or foreign authority with an appropriate notice of such registration, (D) knowingly adopt or use any other Trademark which is confusingly similar or a colorable imitation of any of the Trademark Collateral, (E) use any of the Trademark Collateral registered with any federal, state or foreign authority except for the uses for which registration or application for registration of all of the Trademark Collateral has been made, or (F) do or permit any act or knowingly omit to do any act whereby any of the Trademark Collateral may lapse or become invalid or unenforceable, or (ii) do or permit any act or knowingly omit to do any act whereby any of the Copyright Collateral or any of the Trade Secrets Collateral may lapse or become invalid or unenforceable or placed in the public domain except upon expiration of the end of an unrenewable term of a registration thereof, unless, in the case of any of the foregoing requirements in clauses (b)(i) and (b)(ii) above, the failure to do so, could not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

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(c) except where it could not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change, such Grantor shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent if it knows that any application or registration relating to any item of the Intellectual Property Collateral may become abandoned or dedicated to the public or placed in the public domain or invalid or unenforceable (other than upon the expiration of the life of the applicable patent), or of any adverse determination or development (including the institution of, or any such determination or development in, any proceeding in the USPTO, the U.S. Copyright Office or any foreign counterpart thereof or any court) regarding such Grantor’s ownership of any of the Intellectual Property Collateral, its right to register the same or to keep and maintain and enforce the same;

(d) in no event will such Grantor or any of its agents, employees, designees or licensees file an application for the registration of any material Intellectual Property Collateral with the USPTO, the U.S. Copyright Office or any similar office or agency in any other country or any political subdivision thereof, unless such Grantor promptly informs the Administrative Agent, and upon request of the Administrative Agent (subject to the terms of the Credit Agreement), such Grantor shall execute and deliver all agreements, instruments and documents as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request to evidence the Administrative Agent’s security interest in such Intellectual Property Collateral;

(e) such Grantor will take all necessary steps, including in any proceeding before the USPTO, the U.S. Copyright Office or (subject to the terms of the Credit Agreement) any similar office or agency in any other country or any political subdivision thereof, to maintain and pursue any application (and to obtain the relevant registration) filed with respect to, and to maintain any registration of, each material Intellectual Property Collateral, including the filing of applications for renewal, affidavits of use, affidavits of incontestability and opposition, interference and cancellation proceedings and the payment of fees and taxes (except to the extent that dedication, abandonment or invalidation is permitted under the foregoing clause (a) , (b) or (c));

(f) following the obtaining of an interest in any Intellectual Property Collateral by such Grantor, such Grantor shall deliver a supplement to Schedule III identifying such new Intellectual Property Collateral; and

(g) following the obtaining of an interest in any Intellectual Property Collateral by such Grantor or, following the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, such Grantor shall deliver all agreements, instruments and documents the Administrative Agent may reasonably request to evidence the Administrative Agent’s security interest in such Intellectual Property Collateral and as may otherwise be required to acknowledge or register or perfect the Administrative Agent’s interest in any part of such item of Intellectual Property Collateral, including, but not limited to, an IP Security Agreement or a supplement thereto.

SECTION 4.7.  As to Letter of Credit Rights .

(a) Each Grantor, by granting a security interest in its Letter of Credit Rights to the Administrative Agent, intends to (and hereby does) collaterally assign to the Administrative Agent its rights (including its contingent rights) to the Proceeds of all Letter of Credit Rights of which it is or hereafter becomes a beneficiary or assignee. Within thirty (30) days following the date on which any Grantor obtains any Letter of Credit Rights in excess of $250,000 in the aggregate after the date hereof, such Grantor shall (i) deliver a supplement to Schedule II identifying such new Letter of Credit Right and (ii) cause the issuer of each such Letter of Credit and each nominated person (if any) with respect thereto to consent to such assignment of the Proceeds thereof in a consent agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and deliver written evidence of such consent to the Administrative Agent.

 

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(b) At any time following the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, each Grantor will, promptly upon request by the Administrative Agent, (i) notify (and each Grantor hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to notify) the issuer and each nominated person with respect to each of the Letters of Credit that the Proceeds thereof have been assigned to the Administrative Agent hereunder and any payments due or to become due in respect thereof are to be made directly to the Administrative Agent and (ii) arrange for the Administrative Agent to become the transferee beneficiary of each Letter of Credit.

SECTION 4.8.  As to Commercial Tort Claims . Each Grantor covenants and agrees that, until the Termination Date, with respect to any Commercial Tort Claims seeking damages in excess of $250,000 in the aggregate hereafter arising, it shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, within thirty (30) days after such Commercial Tort Claim arises, a supplement to Schedule   II in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, identifying such new Commercial Tort Claims.

SECTION 4.9.  As to Electronic Chattel Paper and Transferable Records . If any Grantor at any time holds or acquires an interest in any electronic Chattel Paper or any “transferable record,” as that term is defined in Section 201 of the U.S. Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, or in Section 16 of the U.S. Uniform Electronic Transactions Act as in effect in any relevant jurisdiction, with a value in excess of $250,000 individually or $1,000,000 in the aggregate, such Grantor shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent thereof and, at the reasonable request of the Administrative Agent, shall take such action as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request to vest in the Administrative Agent control (for the ratable benefit of Secured Parties) under Section 9-105 of the UCC of such electronic Chattel Paper or control under Section 201 of the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act or, as the case may be, Section 16 of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, as so in effect in such jurisdiction, of such transferable record. The Administrative Agent agrees with each Grantor that the Administrative Agent will arrange, pursuant to procedures reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and so long as such procedures will not result in the Administrative Agent’s loss of control, for such Grantor to make alterations to the electronic Chattel Paper or transferable record permitted under Section 9-105 of the UCC or, as the case may be, Section 201 of the U.S. Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act or Section 16 of the U.S. Uniform Electronic Transactions Act for a party in control to allow without loss of control, unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would occur after taking into account any action by such Grantor with respect to such electronic Chattel Paper or transferable record.

SECTION 4.10. [Reserved].

SECTION 4.11. [Reserved].

SECTION 4.12.  Trade Secrets . With respect to any patent applications in preparation for filing that comprise Trade Secrets Collateral, Grantor shall have the right to assert its attorney-client privilege in such applications and not to disclose such applications unless and until an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing. If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, then at the request of the Administrative Agent, the Grantors shall deliver to the Administrative Agent any patent applications in preparation for filing and all documents and things embodying, incorporating or referring to inventions that in any way relate to such patent application.

SECTION 4.13.  Further Assurances, etc . Each Grantor shall warrant and defend the right and title herein granted unto the Administrative Agent in and to the Collateral (and all right, title and interest represented by the Collateral) against the claims and demands of all Persons whomsoever, subject to Permitted Liens. Each Grantor agrees that, from time to time at its own expense, it will promptly execute and deliver (or authorize the Administrative Agent to duly execute and deliver) all further instruments and documents, and take all further action, that may be reasonably necessary or that the Administrative Agent may reasonably request, in order to perfect, preserve and protect any security interest granted or purported

 

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to be granted hereby or to enable the Administrative Agent to exercise and enforce its rights and remedies hereunder with respect to any Collateral subject to the terms hereof. Each Grantor agrees that, upon the acquisition after the date hereof by such Grantor of any Collateral (other than Excluded Perfection Collateral), with respect to which the security interest granted hereunder is not perfected automatically upon such acquisition, to take such actions with respect to such Collateral or any part thereof as required by the Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Grantor will:

(a) from time to time upon the request of the Administrative Agent, promptly deliver to the Administrative Agent such stock powers, instruments and similar documents, reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent, with respect to such Collateral as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request and will, from time to time upon the reasonable request of the Administrative Agent, after the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, promptly transfer any securities constituting Collateral into the name of any nominee designated by the Administrative Agent; if any Collateral shall be evidenced by an Instrument, negotiable Document, promissory note or tangible Chattel Paper, deliver and pledge to the Administrative Agent hereunder such Instrument, negotiable Document, promissory note, Pledged Note or tangible Chattel Paper duly endorsed and accompanied by duly executed instruments of transfer or assignment, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(b) file (and hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to file after delivery of a copy thereof to such Grantor) such filing statements or continuation statements, or amendments thereto, and such other instruments or notices (including any assignment of claim form under or pursuant to the federal assignment of claims statute, 31 U.S.C. § 3726, any successor or amended version thereof or any regulation promulgated under or pursuant to any version thereof), as may be necessary or that the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in order to perfect and preserve the security interests and other rights granted or purported to be granted to the Administrative Agent hereby.

(c) [Reserved];

(d) not take or omit to take any action the taking or the omission of which would result in any impairment or alteration of any obligation of the maker of any Payment Intangible or other Instrument constituting Collateral, except as provided in Section 4.4 ;

(e) not create any tangible Chattel Paper in excess of $250,000 individually or $1,000,000 in the aggregate without placing a legend on such tangible Chattel Paper reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent indicating that the Administrative Agent has a security interest in such Chattel Paper;

(f) furnish to the Administrative Agent, from time to time at the Administrative Agent’s reasonable request, statements and schedules further identifying and describing the Collateral and such other reports in connection with the Collateral as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request, all in detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; and

(g) do all things reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent in accordance with this Security Agreement in order to enable the Administrative Agent to have and maintain control over the Collateral consisting of Investment Property, Deposit Accounts, Letter of Credit Rights and Electronic Chattel Paper.

 

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The authorization contained in this Section 4.13 shall be irrevocable and continuing until the Termination Date. Each Grantor agrees that a carbon, photographic or other reproduction of this Security Agreement or any UCC financing statement covering the Collateral or any part thereof shall be sufficient as a UCC financing statement where permitted by Legal Requirement. Each Grantor hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to file financing statements describing as the Collateral covered thereby “all of the debtor’s personal property or assets” or words to that effect, notwithstanding that such wording may be broader in scope than the Collateral described in this Security Agreement.

ARTICLE V

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

SECTION 5.1.  Administrative Agent Appointed Attorney -in -Fact . Each Grantor hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent its attorney-in-fact, with full authority in the place and stead of such Grantor and in the name of such Grantor or otherwise, from time to time in the Administrative Agent’s discretion, following the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, to take any action and to execute any instrument which the Administrative Agent may deem necessary or advisable to accomplish the purposes of this Security Agreement, including (a) to ask, demand, collect, sue for, recover, compromise, receive and give acquittance and receipts for moneys due and to become due under or in respect of any of the Collateral, (b) to receive, endorse, and collect any drafts or other Instruments, Documents and Chattel Paper, in connection with clause (a) above, (c) to file any claims or take any action or institute any proceedings which the Administrative Agent may deem necessary or desirable for the collection of any of the Collateral or otherwise to enforce the rights of the Administrative Agent with respect to any of the Collateral, and (d) to perform the affirmative obligations of such Grantor hereunder. EACH GRANTOR HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES, CONSENTS AND AGREES THAT THE POWER OF ATTORNEY GRANTED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION 5.1 IS IRREVOCABLE AND COUPLED WITH AN INTEREST AND SHALL BE EFFECTIVE UNTIL THE TERMINATION DATE.

SECTION 5.2.  Administrative Agent May Perform . If any Grantor fails to perform any agreement contained herein, following the expiration of any applicable grace or cure period, the Administrative Agent may during the continuance of any Event of Default itself perform, or cause performance of, such agreement, and the expenses of the Administrative Agent incurred in connection therewith shall be payable by such Grantor pursuant to Section 6.3 hereof and Section 9.01 of the Credit Agreement and the Administrative Agent may from time to time take any other action which the Administrative Agent reasonably deems necessary for the maintenance, preservation or protection of any of the Collateral or of its security interest therein.

SECTION 5.3.  Administrative Agent Has No Duty . The powers conferred on the Administrative Agent hereunder are solely to protect its interest (on behalf of the Secured Parties) in the Collateral and shall not impose any duty on it to exercise any such powers. Except for reasonable care of any Collateral in its possession and the accounting for moneys actually received by it hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall have no duty as to any Collateral or responsibility for (a) ascertaining or taking action with respect to calls, conversions, exchanges, maturities, tenders or other matters relative to any Investment Property and any other Pledged Property, whether or not the Administrative Agent has or is deemed to have knowledge of such matters, or (b) taking any necessary steps to preserve rights against prior parties or any other rights pertaining to any Collateral.

SECTION 5.4.  Reasonable Care . The Administrative Agent is required to exercise reasonable care in the custody and preservation of any of the Collateral in its possession; provided , that the Administrative Agent shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of any of the Collateral (a) if such Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal to that which the Administrative Agent accords its own personal property, or (b) if the Administrative Agent takes such action for that purpose as any Grantor reasonably requests in writing at times other than upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default; provided , further , that failure of the Administrative Agent to comply with any such request at any time shall not in itself be deemed a failure to exercise reasonable care.

 

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ARTICLE VI

REMEDIES

SECTION 6.1.  Certain Remedies . If any Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and subject to any notice requirements otherwise required herein or under any other Loan Document:

(a) The Administrative Agent may exercise in respect of the Collateral, in addition to other rights and remedies provided for herein or otherwise available to it, all the rights and remedies of a secured party on default under the UCC (whether or not the UCC applies to the affected Collateral) and also may (i) take possession of any Collateral not already in its possession without demand and without legal process, (ii) require any Grantor to, and each Grantor hereby agrees that it will, at its expense and upon request of the Administrative Agent forthwith, assemble all or part of the Collateral as directed by the Administrative Agent and make it available to the Administrative Agent at a place to be designated by the Administrative Agent that is reasonably convenient to both parties, (iii) subject to applicable Legal Requirement or agreements with landlords, bailees or warehousemen enter onto the Property where any Collateral is located and take possession thereof without demand and without legal process, and (iv) without notice except as specified below, lease, license, sell or otherwise dispose of the Collateral or any part thereof in one or more parcels at public or private sale, at any of the Administrative Agent’s offices or elsewhere, for cash, on credit or for future delivery, and upon such other terms as the Administrative Agent may deem commercially reasonable. Each Grantor agrees that, to the extent notice of sale shall be required by Legal Requirement, at least ten (10) days’ prior notice to the applicable Grantor of the time and place of any public sale or the time of any private sale is to be made shall constitute reasonable notification; provided , however , that with respect to Collateral that is (x) perishable or threatens to decline speedily in value, or (y) is of a type customarily sold on a recognized market (including but not limited to, Investment Property), no notice of sale or disposition need be given. For purposes of this Article VI , notice of any intended sale or disposition of any Collateral may be given by first-class mail, hand-delivery (through a delivery service or otherwise), facsimile or email, and shall be deemed to have been “sent” upon deposit in the U.S. Mails with adequate postage properly affixed, upon delivery to an express delivery service or upon electronic submission through telephonic or internet services, as applicable. The Administrative Agent shall not be obligated to make any sale of Collateral regardless of notice of sale having been given. The Administrative Agent may adjourn any public or private sale from time to time by announcement at the time and place fixed therefor, and such sale may, without further notice, be made at the time and place to which it was so adjourned.

(b) Each Grantor that is or may become a fee estate owner of Property where any Collateral is located agrees and acknowledges that (i) Administrative Agent may remove the Collateral or any part thereof from such Property in accordance with statutory law appertaining thereto without objection, delay, hindrance or interference by such Grantor and in such case such Grantor will make no claim or demand whatsoever against the Collateral, (ii) it will (x) cooperate with Administrative Agent in its efforts to assemble and/or remove all of the Collateral located on the such property; (y) permit Administrative Agent and its agents to enter upon such Property and occupy the Property at any or all times to conduct an auction or sale, and/or to inspect, audit, examine, safeguard, assemble, appraise, display, remove, maintain, prepare for sale or lease, repair, lease, transfer, auction and/or sell the Collateral; and (z) not hinder Administrative Agent’s actions in enforcing its security interest in the Collateral. Money damages may not be a sufficient remedy for a breach of this Section 6.1(b) . In addition to all other remedies available hereunder, under any other Loan Document, at law or in equity, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to seek, at such Grantor’s expense, equitable relief, including injunction and specific performance, without proof of actual damages.

 

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(c) Each Grantor agrees and acknowledges that a commercially reasonable disposition of Inventory, Equipment, Goods, Computer Hardware and Software Collateral, or Intellectual Property Collateral may be by lease or license of, in addition to the sale of, such Collateral. Each Grantor further agrees and acknowledges that the following shall be deemed a reasonable commercial disposition: (i) a disposition made in the usual manner on any recognized market, (ii) a disposition at the price current in any recognized market at the time of disposition, and (iii) a disposition in conformity with reasonable commercial practices among dealers in the type of Property subject to the disposition.

(d) All cash proceeds received by the Administrative Agent in respect of any sale of, collection from, or other realization upon, all or any part of the Collateral shall be applied by the Administrative Agent against, all or any part of the Secured Obligations as set forth in Section 7.06 of the Credit Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall not be obligated to apply or pay over for application noncash proceeds of collection or enforcement unless (i) the failure to do so would be commercially unreasonable, and (ii) the affected party has provided the Administrative Agent with a written demand to apply or pay over such noncash proceeds on such basis.

(e) The Administrative Agent may do any or all of the following: (i) transfer all or any part of the Collateral into the name of the Administrative Agent or its nominee, with or without disclosing that such Collateral is subject to the Lien hereunder, (ii) notify the parties obligated on any of the Collateral to make payment to the Administrative Agent of any amount due or to become due thereunder, (iii) withdraw, or cause or direct the withdrawal, of all funds with respect to the Collateral Account, (iv) enforce collection of any of the Collateral by suit or otherwise, and surrender, release or exchange all or any part thereof, or compromise or extend or renew for any period (whether or not longer than the original period) any obligations of any nature of any party with respect thereto, (v) endorse any checks, drafts, or other writings in the applicable Grantor’s name to allow collection of the Collateral, (vi) take control of any Proceeds of the Collateral, or (vii) execute (in the name, place and stead of the applicable Grantor) endorsements, assignments, stock powers and other instruments of conveyance or transfer with respect to all or any of the Collateral.

(f) No such exercise of remedies by the Administrative Agent or cure by the Administrative Agent of any Event of Default on any Grantor’s behalf shall operate as a waiver of any Secured Party’s rights with respect to such Event of Default or any other Event of Default.

SECTION 6.2.  Compliance with Restrictions . Each Grantor agrees that in any sale of any of the Collateral whenever an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Administrative Agent is hereby authorized to comply with any limitation or restriction in connection with such sale as it may be advised by counsel is necessary in order to avoid any violation of applicable Legal Requirement (including compliance with such procedures as may restrict the number of prospective bidders and purchasers, require that such prospective bidders and purchasers have certain qualifications, and restrict such prospective bidders and purchasers to Persons who will represent and agree that they are purchasing for their own account for investment and not with a view to the distribution or resale of such Collateral), or in order to obtain any required approval of the sale or of the purchaser by any Governmental Authority or official, and each Grantor further agrees that such compliance shall not result in such sale being considered or deemed not to have been made in a commercially reasonable manner, nor shall the Administrative Agent be liable nor accountable to such Grantor for any discount allowed by the reason of the fact that such Collateral is sold in compliance with any such limitation or restriction.

 

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SECTION 6.3.  Indemnity and Expenses .

(a) WITHOUT DUPLICATION OF ANY RELATED PROVISIONS IN THE CREDIT AGREEMENT, EACH GRANTOR PARTY HERETO AGREES TO, AND DOES HEREBY, JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY, INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, THE ISSUING LENDER, EACH LENDER, EACH LENDER SWAP COUNTERPARTY AND EACH OF THEIR RESPECTIVE RELATED PARTIES (EACH, AN “ INDEMNITEE ”) FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, PENALTIES, LIABILITIES AND EXPENSES OF ANY KIND OR NATURE (INCLUDING FEES, CHARGES AND DISBURSEMENTS OF COUNSEL AND ANY CONSULTANT FOR ANY INDEMNITEE), TO WHICH SUCH INDEMNITEE MAY BECOME SUBJECT OR THAT MAY BE INCURRED BY OR ASSERTED OR AWARDED AGAINST SUCH INDEMNITEE BY ANY PERSON (INCLUDING HOLDINGS, THE BORROWER, ANY SUBSIDIARY OR ANY AFFILIATE THEREOF), IN EACH CASE ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR BY REASON OF (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, IN CONNECTION WITH ANY INVESTIGATION, LITIGATION, OR PROCEEDING OR PREPARATION OF A DEFENSE IN CONNECTION THEREWITH) (I) THE EXECUTION OR DELIVERY OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, ANY HEDGE CONTRACT WITH ANY LENDER SWAP COUNTERPARTY, OR ANY AGREEMENT OR INSTRUMENT CONTEMPLATED THEREBY, THE PERFORMANCE BY THE PARTIES HERETO OR THERETO OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER OR THE CONSUMMATION OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY, (II) ANY ADVANCE OR LETTER OF CREDIT OR THE USE OR PROPOSED USE OF THE PROCEEDS THEREFROM (INCLUDING ANY REFUSAL BY THE ISSUING LENDER TO HONOR A DEMAND FOR PAYMENT UNDER A LETTER OF CREDIT IF THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH DEMAND DO NOT STRICTLY COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF SUCH LETTER OF CREDIT), (III) ANY ACTUAL OR ALLEGED PRESENCE OR RELEASE OR THREATENED RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON, AT, UNDER OR FROM ANY PROPERTY OWNED, LEASED OR OPERATED BY HOLDINGS, THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OR AFFILIATE THEREOF, OR ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIM RELATED IN ANY WAY TO HOLDINGS, THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OR AFFILIATE THEREOF AT ANY TIME, (IV) ANY ACTUAL OR PROSPECTIVE CLAIM, LITIGATION, INVESTIGATION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING, WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY, WHETHER BROUGHT BY A THIRD PARTY OR BY HOLDINGS, THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OR AFFILIATE THEREOF, AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ANY INDEMNITEE IS A PARTY THERETO, OR (V) ANY CLAIM (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS), INVESTIGATION, LITIGATION OR OTHER PROCEEDING (WHETHER OR NOT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR ANY LENDER SWAP COUNTERPARTY IS A PARTY THERETO) AND THE PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE THEREOF, ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THE ADVANCES, ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, ANY HEDGE CONTRACT WITH ANY LENDER SWAP COUNTERPARTIES, OR ANY DOCUMENTS CONTEMPLATED BY OR REFERRED TO HEREIN OR THEREIN OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY ( AND IN ALL CASES, WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY OR ARISING, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OUT OF THE COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY OR SOLE NEGLIGENCE OF SUCH INDEMNITEE ); PROVIDED THAT SUCH INDEMNITY SHALL NOT, AS TO ANY INDEMNITEE, BE AVAILABLE TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES OR RELATED EXPENSES ARE DETERMINED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION BY FINAL AND NON-APPEALABLE JUDGMENT (A) TO HAVE RESULTED FROM THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL

 

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MISCONDUCT OF SUCH INDEMNITEE, (B) TO HAVE RESULTED FROM A CLAIM BROUGHT BY THE BORROWER AGAINST ANY INDEMNITEE OF ANY MATERIAL BREACH IN BAD FAITH OF SUCH INDEMNITEE’S FUNDING OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT OR WITH RESPECT TO THE HEDGE CONTRACT WITH ANY LENDER SWAP COUNTERPARTIES, OR (C) ARE ON ACCOUNT OF A DISPUTE ARISING SOLELY AMONG INDEMNITEES (OTHER THAN THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT IN ITS ROLE AS SUCH) TO THE EXTENT SUCH DISPUTE DOES NOT INVOLVE AND IS NOT RELATED TO ANY ACT, OMISSION OR REPRESENTATION ON THE PART OF, OR ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED BY OR ON BEHALF OF, THE BORROWER, ANY GRANTOR OR AFFILIATES THEREOF.   THIS INDEMNITY SHALL NOT APPLY WITH RESPECT TO TAXES OTHER THAN ANY TAXES THAT REPRESENT LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, ETC. ARISING FROM ANY NON-TAX CLAIM.      No Grantor shall, without the prior written consent of each Indemnitee affected thereby, settle any threatened or pending claim or action that would give rise to the right of any Indemnitee to claim indemnification hereunder unless such settlement (x) includes a full and unconditional release of all liabilities arising out of such claim or action against such Indemnitee, (y) does not include any statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnitee, and (z) does not require any actions to be taken or refrained from being taken by any Indemnitee other than the execution of the related settlement agreement, if any.

(b) Other than as set forth in clause (c) below, each Grantor will within 30 days of invoice pay to the Administrative Agent and any legal counsel the amount of any and all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of its counsels and of any experts and agents, which the Administrative Agent and any legal counsel may incur in connection herewith, including without limitation in connection with the administration of this Security Agreement and the custody, preservation, use or operation of, any of the Collateral,

(c) Each Grantor will upon demand pay to the Administrative Agent and any legal counsel the amount of any and all documented out-of-pocket expenses, including the fees and disbursements of its counsels and of any experts and agents, which the Administrative Agent and any legal counsel may incur in connection (i) the enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of this Security Agreement, (ii) the sale of, collection from, or other realization upon, any of the Collateral, (iii) the exercise or enforcement of any of the rights of the Administrative Agent and any legal counsel or any of the Secured Parties hereunder, or (iv) the failure by any Grantor to perform or observe any of the provisions hereof, in each case, subject to the limitations that may be provided in Section 9.01 of the Credit Agreement.

SECTION 6.4.  Warranties . The Administrative Agent may sell the Collateral without giving any warranties or representations as to the Collateral. The Administrative Agent may disclaim any warranties of title or the like. Each Grantor agrees that this procedure will not be considered to adversely affect the commercial reasonableness of any sale of the Collateral.

SECTION 6.5.  Exempt Sale . If, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, there is any question that a public or semipublic sale or distribution of any Pledged Property will violate any state or federal securities law, the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion (a) may offer and sell securities privately to purchasers who will agree to take them for investment purposes and not with a view to distribution and who will agree to imposition of restrictive legends on the certificates representing the security, or (b) may sell such securities in an intrastate offering under Section 3(a)(11) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and no sale so made in good faith by the Administrative Agent shall be deemed to be not “commercially reasonable” solely because so made. Each Grantor shall cooperate fully with the Administrative Agent in selling or realizing upon all or any part of the Pledged Property. In addition, each Grantor shall fully comply with the securities laws of the United States, the State of New York and other states and take such actions as may be necessary to permit the Administrative Agent to sell or otherwise dispose of any securities representing the Pledged Property in compliance with such Legal Requirements.

 

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SECTION 6.6.  Cumulative Remedies . Each right, power and remedy herein specifically granted to the Administrative Agent or otherwise available to it shall be cumulative, and shall be in addition to every other right, power and remedy herein specifically given or now or hereafter existing at law, in equity or otherwise, and each such right, power and remedy, whether specifically granted herein or otherwise existing, may be exercised at any time and from time-to-time as often and in such order as may be deemed expedient by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion. No failure on the part of the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay in exercising, and no course of dealing with respect to, any such right, power or remedy, shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such rights, power or remedy preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right.

ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SECTION 7.1.  Loan Document . This Security Agreement is a Loan Document executed pursuant to the Credit Agreement and shall (unless otherwise expressly indicated herein) be construed, administered and applied in accordance with the terms and provisions thereof, including Article IX thereof.

SECTION 7.2.  Binding on Successors, Transferees and Assigns; Assignment . This Security Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until the Termination Date has occurred, shall be binding upon each Grantor and its successors, transferees and permitted assigns and, subject to the limitations set forth in the Credit Agreement, shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by each Secured Party and its successors, transferees and permitted assigns; provided that, no Grantor shall assign any of its obligations hereunder (unless otherwise permitted under the terms of the Credit Agreement or this Security Agreement).

SECTION 7.3.  Amendments, etc . No amendment to or waiver of any provision of this Security Agreement, nor consent to any departure by any Grantor from its obligations under this Security Agreement, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent (on behalf of the Lenders, the Majority Lenders or the Required Lenders, as the case may be, pursuant to Section 9.03 of the Credit Agreement) and such Grantor and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given.

SECTION 7.4.  Notices . Except as otherwise provided in this Security Agreement, all notices and other communications provided for hereunder shall be sent in the manner and subject to the terms of Section 9.09 of the Credit Agreement at the address or facsimile number of such party specified in the Credit Agreement, on the signature pages of this Security Agreement or at such other address or facsimile number as may be designated by such party in a notice to the other party. Except as otherwise provided in this Security Agreement, all such notices and communications shall be effective when delivered.

SECTION 7.5.  No Waiver . In addition to, and not in limitation of Section   2.7 , no failure on the part of any Secured Party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right.

 

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SECTION 7.6.  Waivers by Grantors . Each Grantor hereby waives:

(a) promptness, diligence, notice of acceptance and any other notice with respect to any of the Secured Obligations and this Security Agreement;

(b) any requirement that the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party protect, secure, perfect or insure any Lien or any Property subject thereto or exhaust any right or take any action against any Grantor, any Guarantor or any other Person or any Collateral; and

(c) any duty on the part of the Administrative Agent to disclose to any Grantor any matter, fact or thing relating to the business, operation or condition of any Grantor or any other Person and their respective assets now known or hereafter known by such Person.

SECTION 7.7.  Headings . The various headings of this Security Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Security Agreement or any provisions thereof.

SECTION 7.8.  Severability . In case one or more provisions of this Security Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable Legal Requirement, the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.

SECTION 7.9.  Counterparts . This Security Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Security Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Security Agreement.

SECTION 7.10.  Consent as Holder of Equity and as Pledged Interests Issuer . Each Grantor hereby consents to (a) the execution by each other Grantor of this Security Agreement and grant by each other Grantor of a security interest, encumbrance, pledge and hypothecation in all Pledged Interests and other Collateral of such other Grantor to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto, (b) without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Grantor consents to the transfer of any Pledged Interest to the Administrative Agent or its nominee pursuant to the terms of this Security Agreement following the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default and to the substitution of the Administrative Agent or its nominee as a partner under the limited partnership agreement or as a member under the limited liability company agreement, in any case, as heretofore and hereafter amended, and (c) to the extent such Grantor is also a Pledged Interests Issuer, agrees to comply with instructions with respect to the applicable Pledged Interests originated by the Administrative Agent without further consent of any other Grantor if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing. Furthermore, each Grantor as the holder of any Equity Interests in a Pledged Interests Issuer, hereby (i) waives all rights of first refusal, rights to purchase, and rights to consent to transfer (to any Secured Party or to any purchaser resulting from the exercise of a Secured Party’s remedy provided hereunder or under applicable Legal Requirement) and (ii) if required by the organizational documents of such Pledged Interests Issuer, agrees to cause such Pledged Interests Issuer to register the Lien granted hereunder and encumbering such Equity Interests in the registry books of such Pledged Interests Issuer.

 

Pledge and Security Agreement

 

31


SECTION 7.11.  Additional Grantors .  Additional Subsidiaries of Holdings may from time to time enter into this Security Agreement as a Grantor. Upon execution and delivery after the date hereof by the Administrative Agent and such Subsidiary of an instrument in the form of Annex   1 , such Subsidiary shall become a Grantor hereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named as a Grantor herein. The execution and delivery of any instrument adding an additional Grantor as a party to this Security Agreement shall not require the consent of any other Grantor hereunder. The rights and obligations of each Grantor hereunder shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new Grantor as a party to this Security Agreement.

SECTION 7.12.  Acknowledgment of Pledged Interests Issuers . Each Pledged Interests Issuer that is party hereto agrees that it will comply with instructions of the Administrative Agent with respect to the applicable Uncertificated Securities without further consent by the applicable Grantor if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

SECTION 7.13.  Conflicts with Credit Agreement . To the fullest extent possible, the terms and provisions of the Credit Agreement shall be read together with the terms and provisions of this Security Agreement so that the terms and provisions of this Security Agreement do not conflict with the terms and provisions of the Credit Agreement; provided, however, notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any of the terms or provisions of this Security Agreement conflict with any terms or provisions of the Credit Agreement, the terms or provisions of the Credit Agreement shall govern and control for all purposes; provided that the inclusion in this Security Agreement of terms and provisions, supplemental rights or remedies in favor of the Administrative Agent not addressed in the Credit Agreement shall not be deemed to be in conflict with the Credit Agreement and all such additional terms, provisions, supplemental rights or remedies contained herein shall be given full force and effect.

SECTION 7.14.  Waiver of Jury Trial EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LEGAL REQUIREMENT, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).   EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

SECTION 7.15.  Governing Law; Service of Process  This Security Agreement and any claim, controversy, dispute or cause of action (whether in contract or tort or otherwise) based upon, arising out of or relating to this Security Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York (including Section 5-1401 and Section 5-1402 of the General Obligations Law of the State of New York), without reference to any other conflicts or choice of law principles thereof, except to the extent that the validity or perfection of the security interests hereunder, or remedies hereunder, in respect of any particular Collateral are governed by the laws of a jurisdiction other than the State of New York.

SECTION 7.16.  Submission to Jurisdiction; Service of Process; Waiver of Venue .

(a) EACH GRANTOR IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT COMMENCE ANY ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING OF ANY KIND OR DESCRIPTION, WHETHER IN LAW OR EQUITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR

 

Pledge and Security Agreement

 

32


IN TORT OR OTHERWISE, AGAINST ANY SECURED PARTY OR ANY RELATED PARTY OF ANY SECURED PARTY IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATING HERETO OR THERETO, IN ANY FORUM OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY, AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LEGAL REQUIREMENT, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LEGAL REQUIREMENT. NOTHING IN THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT ANY SECURED PARTY MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST ANY GRANTOR OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 9.09 OF THE CREDIT AGREEMENT. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LEGAL REQUIREMENT.

(b) Each Grantor irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Legal Requirement, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Security Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in Section 7.16(a) . Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Legal Requirement, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

SECTION 7.17.  THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES.

THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES.

[Remainder of this page intentionally left blank. Signature pages to follow.]

 

Pledge and Security Agreement

 

33


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Security Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

 

GRANTORS :
PENN VIRGINIA HOLDING CORP.
By:  

/s/ Steven A. Hartman

Name:   Steven A. Hartman
Title:   Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Steven A. Hartman

Name:   Steven A. Hartman
Title:   Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
PENN VIRGINIA OIL & GAS CORPORATION
PENN VIRGINIA OIL & GAS GP LLC
PENN VIRGINIA OIL & GAS LP LLC
PENN VIRGINIA MC CORPORATION
PENN VIRGINIA MC ENERGY L.L.C.
PENN VIRGINIA MC GATHERING COMPANY L.L.C.
PENN VIRGINIA MC OPERATING COMPANY L.L.C.
PENN VIRGINIA RESOURCE HOLDINGS CORP.
Each By:  

/s/ Steven A. Hartman

Name:   Steven A. Hartman
Title:   Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
PENN VIRGINIA OIL & GAS, L.P.
By: Penn Virginia Oil & Gas GP LLC, its general partner
By:  

/s/ Steven A. Hartman

Name:   Steven A. Hartman
Title:   Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Signature page to Pledge and Security Agreement


ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT :
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION , as Administrative Agent
By:  

/s/ Bryan M. McDavid

Name:   Bryan M. McDavid
Title:   Director

 

Signature page to Pledge and Security Agreement


SCHEDULE I

to Pledge and Security

Agreement

ITEM A – PLEDGED INTERESTS

 

Common Stock

Pledgor

  

Pledged Interests Issuer
(corporate)

  

Cert. #

  

# of

Shares

  

Authorized

Shares

  

% of

Shares

Pledged

 

Limited Liability Company Interests

Pledgor

  

Pledged Interests

Issuer (limited

liability company)

  

% of Limited

Liability

Company Interests

Owned

  

% of Limited

Liability

Company

Interests

Pledged

  

Type of

Limited Liability

Company

Interests Pledged

 

Partnership Interests

Pledgor

  

Pledged Interests

Issuer (partnership)

  

% of Partnership

Interests Owned

  

% of Partnership

Interests Pledged

  

Type of Partnership
Interests Pledged

ITEM B – PLEDGED NOTES

1.  Pledged Note Issuer Description :

[                      ]

 

Pledge and Security Agreement


SCHEDULE II

to Pledge and Security

Agreement

Item A-1. Location of Grantor for purposes of UCC.

 

[                       ]

  

[                       ]

[                       ]

  

[                       ]

Item A-2. Grantor’s place of business or principal office.

 

[                       ]

[                       ]

[                       ]

Item A-3. Taxpayer ID number.

 

Steel Energy Ltd.

  

[                       ]

[                       ]

  

[                       ]

[                       ]

  

[                       ]

Item B. Merger or other corporate reorganization.

 

[                       ]

 

Pledge and Security Agreement


Item C. Deposit Accounts, Securities Accounts and Commodity Accounts.

[                      ]

Item D. Letter of Credit Rights.

[                      ]

Item E. Commercial Tort Claims.

[                      ]

 

Pledge and Security Agreement


SCHEDULE III – A

to Pledge and Security

Agreement

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COLLATERAL

Item A. Patent Collateral .

Issued Patents

 

Country   Serial No.   Issued Date    Inventor(s)    Title

 

Pending Patent Applications

 

Country   Serial No.   Filing Date    Inventor(s)    Title

Patent Applications in Preparation

[                      ]

SCHEDULE III – B

to Pledge and Security

Agreement

Item B. Trademark Collateral

 

Trademarks, Service Marks, Trademark Licenses

SCHEDULE III – C

to Pledge and Security

Agreement

Item C. Copyright Collateral .

[                      ]

 

Pledge and Security Agreement


Annex 1 to Pledge and Security

Agreement

SUPPLEMENT NO.     dated as of             , 20     (the “ Supplement ”), to the Pledge and Security Agreement dated as of September 12, 2016 (as amended, supplemented, restated, or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Security Agreement ”), among PENN VIRGINIA HOLDING CORP., a Delaware corporation (“ Borrower ”), PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION, a Virginia corporation (“ Holdings ”), each subsidiary of Holdings signatory thereto (together with the Borrower and Holdings, the “ Grantors ” and individually, a “ Grantor ”) and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “ Administrative Agent ”) under the Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined) for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties.

A. Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2016 (as amended, supplemented, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among the Borrower, Holdings, the lenders party thereto from time to time, the Administrative Agent and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as the administrative agent and issuing lender.

B. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Security Agreement and the Credit Agreement.

C. Section 7.11 of the Security Agreement provides that additional Subsidiaries of Holdings may become Grantors under the Security Agreement by execution and delivery of an instrument in the form of this Supplement. The undersigned Subsidiary of Holdings (the “ New Grantor ”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Credit Agreement to become a Grantor under the Security Agreement.

D. [Furthermore, pursuant to Section 6.16 of the Credit Agreement, the equity holder of each Subsidiary of Holdings that was not in existence on the date of the Credit Agreement is required to enter into the Security Agreement as a Grantor, or supplement its Collateral (as defined in the Security Agreement), to pledge the equity of such new Subsidiary. [Equity holder of new Subsidiary] (the “ Existing Grantor ”; and together with the New Grantor, each a “ Specific Grantor ” and, collectively, the “ Specific Grantors ”), is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Credit Agreement to supplement its Collateral under the Security Agreement.]

Accordingly, the Administrative Agent and the [New Grantor][Specific Grantors] agree as follows:

SECTION 1. [The Existing Grantor by its signature below (i) hereby agrees that, except as supplemented and renewed hereby, all of the terms, obligations, rights and conditions of the Security Agreement have not been amended in any way and are and will remain binding upon, and enforceable against the Existing Grantor (ii) reaffirms all the terms and provisions of the Security Agreement applicable to it as a Grantor thereunder and (iii) after giving effect to this Supplement, represents and warrants that the representations and warranties made by it as a Grantor thereunder are true and correct in all material respects (unless already qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Change in the text thereof, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of the date hereof.]

 

Annex 1 to Pledge and Security Agreement


SECTION 2. [The Existing Grantor agrees that the terms “Pledged Property”, “Pledged Interests”, and “Pledged Shares” as used in the Security Agreement are hereby supplemented to include, and the Existing Grantor hereby pledges to the Administrative Agent, and grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a continuing security interest in and Lien on all of the Existing Grantor’s right, title and interest in and to, all of its Equity Interests (as defined in the Security Agreement) or any other ownership interest described in, and set forth on, Schedule I , attached hereto and incorporated herein.]

SECTION 3. In accordance with Section 7.11 of the Security Agreement, the New Grantor by its signature below becomes a Grantor under the Security Agreement with the same force and effect as if originally named therein as a Grantor and the New Grantor hereby agrees (a) to all the terms and provisions of the Security Agreement applicable to it as a Grantor thereunder and (b) represents and warrants that the representations and warranties made by it as a Grantor thereunder are true and correct in all material respects (unless already qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Change in the text thereof, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of the date hereof. In furtherance of the foregoing, the New Grantor, as security for the payment and performance in full of the Secured Obligations (as defined in the Security Agreement), does hereby create and grant to the Administrative Agent, its successors and assigns, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, their successors and assigns as provided in the Security Agreement, a continuing security interest in and Lien on all of the New Grantor’s right, title and interest in and to the Collateral (as defined in the Security Agreement) of the New Grantor. Each reference to a “Grantor” in the Security Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Grantor. The Security Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 4. [The New Grantor][Each Specific Grantor] represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties that this Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject, as to enforceability, to equitable principles of general application (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law)).

SECTION 5. This Supplement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Supplement shall become effective when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of this Supplement that, when taken together, bear the signatures of the [New Grantor][Specific Grantors] and the Administrative Agent. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Supplement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Supplement.

SECTION 6. [The New Grantor][Each Specific Grantor] hereby agrees that the schedules attached to the Security Agreement are hereby supplemented by the corresponding schedules attached to this Supplement. [The New Grantor][Each Specific Grantor] hereby represents and warrants that the information provided in the schedules attached hereto are true and correct as of the date hereof.

SECTION 7. [The New Grantor][Each Specific Grantor] hereby expressly acknowledges and agrees to the terms of Section 6.3 ( Indemnity and Expenses ) of the Security Agreement and expressly acknowledges the irrevocable proxy provided in Section 4.1(e) of the Security Agreement. In furtherance thereof, [ NEW GRANTOR][EACH SPECIFIC GRANTOR] HEREBY GRANTS THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AN IRREVOCABLE PROXY (WHICH IRREVOCABLE PROXY SHALL CONTINUE IN EFFECT UNTIL THE TERMINATION DATE) EXERCISABLE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES PROVIDED IN SECTION 4.1 OF THE SECURITY AGREEMENT, TO VOTE THE PLEDGED SHARES, PLEDGED INTERESTS, INVESTMENT PROPERTY AND SUCH OTHER COLLATERAL .

 

Annex 1 to Pledge and Security Agreement


SECTION 8. Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Security Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 9. This Supplement and the Security Agreement and any claim, controversy, dispute or cause of action (whether in contract or tort or otherwise) based upon, arising out of or relating to this Supplement or the Security Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York (including Section 5-1401 and Section 5-1402 of the General Obligations Law of the State of New York), without reference to any other conflicts or choice of law principles thereof, except to the extent that the validity or perfection of the security interests hereunder, or remedies hereunder, in respect of any particular Collateral are governed by the laws of a jurisdiction other than the State of New York.

SECTION 10. In case one or more provisions of this Supplement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable Legal Requirement, the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein or in the Security Agreement shall not be affected or impaired thereby.

SECTION 11. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in the Security Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the [New Grantor][each Specific Grantor] shall be given to it at the address set forth under its signature hereto.

SECTION 12. [The New Grantor][Each Specific Grantor] agrees to reimburse the Administrative Agent for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this Supplement, including the reasonable fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 13. [THE NEW GRANTOR][EACH SPECIFIC GRANTOR] HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LEGAL REQUIREMENT, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS SUPPLEMENT, THE SECURITY AGREEMENT, OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).   EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

SECTION 14. Submission to Jurisdiction; Service of Process; Waiver of Venue .

(a) [THE NEW GRANTOR][EACH SPECIFIC GRANTOR] IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT COMMENCE ANY ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING OF ANY KIND OR DESCRIPTION, WHETHER IN LAW OR EQUITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT OR OTHERWISE, AGAINST ANY SECURED PARTY OR ANY RELATED PARTY OF ANY SECURED PARTY IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS SUPPLEMENT, THE SECURITY AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATING HERETO OR THERETO, IN ANY FORUM OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY, AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN

 

Annex 1 to Pledge and Security Agreement


DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LEGAL REQUIREMENT, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LEGAL REQUIREMENT. NOTHING IN THIS SUPPLEMENT, THE SECURITY AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT ANY SECURED PARTY MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS SUPPLEMENT, THE SECURITY AGREEMENT, OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST ANY GRANTOR OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 9.09 OF THE CREDIT AGREEMENT. NOTHING IN THIS SUPPLEMENT OR THE SECURITY AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LEGAL REQUIREMENT. 

(b) [THE NEW GRANTOR][EACH SPECIFIC GRANTOR] irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Legal Requirement, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Supplement, the Security Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in Section 14 (a) . Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Legal Requirement, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

THIS SUPPLEMENT, THE SECURITY AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES.

THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES HERETO.

[Signature page follows.]

 

Annex 1 to Pledge and Security Agreement


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the [New Grantor][Specific Grantors] and the Administrative Agent have duly executed this Supplement to the Security Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[Name of New Grantor],
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

Address:  

 

   
   
[Name of Existing Grantor],
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

Annex 1 to Pledge and Security Agreement


SCHEDULES TO SUPPLEMENT NO. 1

[AS APPROPRIATE]

 

Annex 1 to Pledge and Security Agreement

Exhibit 10.3

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This Registration Rights Agreement (including all exhibits hereto and as may be amended, supplemented or amended and restated from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof, this “ Agreement ”) is made and entered into as of September 12, 2016, by and among Penn Virginia Corporation, a Virginia corporation (the “ Company ”), and the other parties signatory hereto and any additional parties identified on the signature pages of any joinder agreement executed and delivered pursuant hereto (each a “ Holder ” and collectively, the “ Holders ”).

WHEREAS, the Company and certain affiliated debtors (collectively, the “ Debtors ”) filed a Plan of Reorganization pursuant to Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, on May 10, 2016 which, as amended, was confirmed by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on August 11, 2016 (including all exhibits, schedules and supplements thereto, the “ Plan ”); and

WHEREAS, the Plan provides that any recipient of shares of Common Stock (as defined below) of the Company that, together with any Affiliates (as defined below) or a Related Fund (as defined below), owns at least one percent (1%) of the Company’s Common Stock and that is either (i) a party to the Backstop Commitment Agreement or (ii) a holder of a General Unsecured Claim will enter into a registration rights agreement substantially in the form included in the Plan Supplement (as defined below); and

WHEREAS, the Company and the Holders are entering into this Agreement in furtherance of the aforesaid provisions of the Plan.

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each of the Holders agree as follows:

1. Definitions . Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Plan have the meanings given such terms in the Plan. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

Advice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 15(c) .

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any person, any other person which directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such person. The term “control” (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) as used in this definition means the possession, directly or indirectly (including through one or more intermediaries), of the power or a authority to direct or cause the direction of management, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Agreemen t” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Allowed General Unsecured Claim ” means an unsecured claim against a Debtor which either (i) was listed on the Debtors’ Schedules of Assets and Liabilities and not marked as “contingent” “disputed” or “unliquidated”, (ii) allowed by an order of the Bankruptcy Court, or (iii) temporarily allowed pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 3018 by an order of the Bankruptcy Court or a stipulation with the Debtors.


Asserted General Unsecured Claims ” means a claim asserted in a proof of claim with respect to an executory contract or unexpired lease pending the rejection of such contract or lease that is not an Allowed General Unsecured Claim.

Automatic Shelf Registration Statement ” means an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act, as such definition may be amended from time to time.

Backstop Commitment Agreement ” means that certain Backstop Commitment Agreement dated as of May 10, 2016 by and among the Company and the certain commitment parties thereto.

beneficially own ” (and related terms such as “beneficial ownership” and “beneficial owner”) shall have the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, and any Person’s beneficial ownership of securities shall be calculated in accordance with the provisions of such Rule.

Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

Business Day ” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday or a day on which commercial banks in New York City are required by law to be closed.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Common Stock ” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share, and any securities into which such shares of common stock may hereinafter be reclassified.

Company ” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Counsel to the Holders ” means (i) with respect to any Demand Registration, the counsel selected by the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities initially requesting such Demand Registration and (ii) with respect to any Underwritten Takedown or Piggyback Registration, the counsel selected by the Majority Holders.

Demand Registration Request ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) .

Effective Date ” means the date that a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement is first declared effective by the Commission.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Form S-1 ” means form S-1 under the Securities Act, or any other form hereafter adopted by the Commission for the general registration of securities under the Securities Act.

 

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Form S-3 ” means form S-3 under the Securities Act, or any other form hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same usage as Form S-3.

Form S-4 ” means form S-4 under the Securities Act, or any other form hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same usage as Form S-4.

Form S-8 ” means form S-8 under the Securities Act, or any other form hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same usage as Form S-8.

FINRA ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9 .

General Unsecured Claim” means an (i) Allowed General Unsecured Claim, or (ii) an Asserted General Unsecured Claim.

Grace Period ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(a) .

Holder ” or “ Holders ” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble. A Person shall cease to be a Holder hereunder at such time as it ceases to hold any Registrable Securities.

Indemnified Party ” has the meaning set forth in Section 11(c) .

Indemnifying Party ” has the meaning set forth in Section 11(c) .

Initial Registrable Securities Number ” means the number of Registrable Securities beneficially owned by all Holders as of the Plan Effective Date, appropriately adjusted for any stock splits, reverse stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions involving the Company’s Common Stock.

Initial Shelf Expiration Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(d)(i) .

Initial Shelf Registration Statement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a) .

Losses ” has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a) .

Majority Holders ” means, with respect to any Underwritten Offering, the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities to be included in such Underwritten Offering held by all Holders that have made the request requiring the Company to conduct such Underwritten Offering (but not including any Holders that have exercised “piggyback” rights hereunder to be included in such Underwritten Offering).

Other Holder ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(b) .

Person ” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

Piggyback Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) .

Piggyback Offering ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) .

 

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Plan ” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Plan Effective Date ” shall mean the date on which the Plan becomes effective.

Plan Supplement ” means the plan supplement to be filed by the Debtors with the Bankruptcy Court.

Proceeding ” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.

Prospectus ” means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.

“Qualified Listing” means the approval for the listing of the Company’s shares of Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange or The NASDAQ Stock Market.

Registrable Securities ” means, collectively, as of the Plan Effective Date, (a) all shares of Common Stock issued to any Holder or to any Affiliate or Related Fund of any Holder, either directly or pursuant to a joinder or assignment and any additional shares of Common Stock acquired by any Holder, Affiliate or Related Fund of any Holder in open market or other purchases after the Plan Effective Date and (b) any additional shares of Common Stock paid, issued or distributed in respect of any such shares by way of a stock dividend, stock split or distribution, or in connection with a combination of shares, and any security into which such Common Stock shall have been converted or exchanged in connection with a recapitalization, reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation, exchange, distribution or otherwise; provided , however , that as to any Registrable Securities, such securities shall cease to constitute Registrable Securities upon the earliest to occur of: (x) the date on which such securities are disposed of pursuant to an effective Registration Statement; and (y) the date on which such securities are disposed of pursuant to Rule 144 (or any similar provision then in effect) promulgated under the Securities Act.

Registration Statement ” means any one or more registration statements of the Company filed under the Securities Act that covers the resale of any of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation any Shelf Registration Statement), amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements, including post-effective amendments, all exhibits and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Registration Statements.

 

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Related Fund ” means, with respect to any Person, any fund, account or investment vehicle that is controlled or managed by such Person, by any Affiliate of such Person, or, if applicable, such Person’s investment manager.

Rule 144 ” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.

Rule 158 ” means Rule 158 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.

Rule 415 ” means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.

Rule 424 ” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Selling Stockholder Questionnaire ” means a questionnaire reasonably adopted by the Company from time to time.

Shelf Registration Statement ” means a Registration Statement filed with the Commission in accordance with the Securities Act for the offer and sale of Registrable Securities by Holders on a continuous or delayed basis pursuant to Rule 415.

Smaller Reporting Company ” means a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f) of Regulation S-K, as such definition may be amended from time to time.

Trading Day ” means a day during which trading in the Common Stock occurs in the Trading Market, or if the Common Stock is not listed on a Trading Market, a Business Day.

Trading Market ” means whichever of the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE Amex, the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the NASDAQ Global Market, the NASDAQ Capital Market, OTC Bulletin Board, or OTC Markets Group marketplace on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question.

Transfer ” has the meaning set forth in Section 13 .

Underwritten Offering ” means an offering Registrable Securities under a Registration Statement in which the Registrable Securities are sold to an underwriter for reoffering to the public.

Underwritten Takedown ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(g).

 

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Underwritten Offering Trigger Event ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(g) .

2. Initial Shelf Registration .

(a) The Company shall prepare a Shelf Registration Statement (the “ Initial Shelf Registration Statement ”), and shall include in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement the Registrable Securities of each Holder who shall request inclusion therein of some or all of their Registrable Securities by checking the appropriate box on the signature page of such Holder hereto or by written notice to the Company no later than 45 days after the Plan Effective Date. The Company shall file the Initial Shelf Registration Statement with the Commission on or prior to the later of (i) the 60th day following the Plan Effective Date and (ii) December 1, 2016; provided, however , that the Company shall not be required to file or cause to be declared effective the Initial Shelf Registration Statement unless Holders request (and have not by the seventy-fifth day after the Plan Effective Date revoked such request by written notice to the Company) the inclusion in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement of Registrable Securities constituting at least fifteen percent (15%) of all Registrable Securities, and such Holders otherwise timely comply with the requirements of this Agreement with respect to the inclusion of such Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

(b) The Company shall include in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement all Registrable Securities whose inclusion has been timely requested as aforesaid; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to include an amount of Registrable Securities in excess of the amount as may be permitted to be included in such Registration Statement under the rules and regulations of the Commission and the applicable interpretations thereof by the staff of the Commission.

(c) The Initial Shelf Registration Statement shall be on Form S-1; provided, however, that, if the Company becomes eligible to register the Registrable Securities for resale by the Holders on Form S-3 (including without limitation a Form S-3 filed as an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement), the Company shall be entitled to amend the Initial Shelf Registration Statement to a Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 or file a Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 in substitution of the Initial Shelf Registration Statement as initially filed.

(d) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Initial Shelf Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission as promptly as practicable, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep such Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective, and not subject to any stop order, injunction or other similar order or requirement of the Commission, until the earlier of (i) the expiration of one (1) year following Effective Date of the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, provided, however, that if at the time the Company is (A) eligible to register the Registrable Securities for resale by the Holders on Form S-3, or (B) a Smaller Reporting Company eligible to incorporate by reference pursuant to Item 12(b) of Form S-1, then such date shall be extended to three (3) years following the Effective Date of the Initial Shelf Registration Statement (such date the “ Initial Shelf Expiration Date ”); and (ii) the date that all Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement shall cease to be Registrable Securities. In the event of any stop order, injunction or other similar order or requirement of the Commission relating to the Initial Registration Statement, if any Registrable

 

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Securities covered by the Initial Shelf Registration Statement remain unsold, the period during which the Initial Shelf Registration Statement shall be required to remain effective will be extended by the number of days during which such stop order, injunction or similar order or requirement is in effect.

(e) If the Initial Shelf Registration Statement is on Form S-3 and, following the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement, the Company becomes ineligible to use Form S-3, then the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to amend the Initial Shelf Registration Statement to a Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-1, to be declared effective by the Commission as promptly as practicable. If any Registrable Securities covered by the Initial Shelf Registration Statement remain unsold, the period during which the Initial Shelf Registration Statement shall be required to remain effective will be extended by the number of days during which the Company was ineligible to use the Initial Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 and for which an Initial Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-1 was not effective.

(f) If the Initial Shelf Registration Statement is on Form S-1, then for so long as any Registrable Securities covered by the Initial Shelf Registration Statement remain unsold, the Company will file any supplements to the Prospectus or post-effective amendments required to be filed by applicable law in order to incorporate into such Prospectus any Current Reports on Form 8-K necessary or required to be filed by applicable law, any Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or any Annual Reports on Form 10-K filed by the Company with the Commission, or any other information necessary so that (i) the Initial Shelf Registration Statement shall not include any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the Company complies with its obligations under Item 512(a)(1) of Regulation S-K.

(g) At any time following the earlier of (i) eighteen (18) months following the Plan Effective Date and (ii) a Qualified Listing (the occurrence of (i) or (ii), an “ Underwritten Offering Trigger Event ”), upon the demand of one or more Holders, the Company shall facilitate a “takedown” of Registrable Securities in the form of an Underwritten Offering (each, an “Underwritten Takedown” ), in the manner and subject to the conditions described in Section 5 of this Agreement, provided that the number of shares included in such “takedown” shall equal at least twenty percent (20%) of the Initial Registrable Securities Number.

3. Subsequent Shelf Registration Statements

(a) After (i) the Effective Date of the Initial Shelf Registration Statement and prior to the Initial Shelf Expiration Date and (ii) for so long as any Registerable Securities remain outstanding, the Company shall use its best efforts to (A) ensure that it will be eligible to register the Registrable Securities on Form S-3 after the Initial Shelf Expiration Date, and (B) meet the requirements of General Instruction VII of Form S-1 after the Initial Shelf Expiration Date.

(b) After the Initial Shelf Expiration Date and for so long as any Registerable Securities remain outstanding, the Company shall use its best efforts to (A) be eligible and/or to maintain its eligibility to register the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, and (B) meet the requirements of General Instruction VII of Form S-1.

 

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(c) After the Initial Shelf Expiration Date, if there is not an effective Registration Statement which includes the Registrable Securities that is currently outstanding, the Company shall (i) if the Company is eligible to register the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, promptly file a Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to be declared effective, or (ii) if the Company is a Smaller Reporting Company eligible to incorporate by reference pursuant to Item 12(b) of Form S-1, promptly file a Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-1 and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to be declared effective.

4. Demand Registration

(a) At any time and from time to time on or following the Plan Effective Date, any Holder or group of Holders may request in writing (“ Demand Registration Request ”) that the Company effect the registration of all or part of such Holder’s or Holders’ Registrable Securities with the Commission under and in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act. The Company will file a Registration Statement covering such Holder’s or Holders’ Registrable Securities requested to be registered, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to be declared effective, as promptly as practicable after receipt of such request; provided , however , that the Company will not be required to file a Registration Statement pursuant to this Section 4 :

(A) unless either (i) the number of Registrable Securities requested to be registered on such Registration Statement equals at least twenty percent (20%) of the Initial Registrable Securities Number and (ii) the Registrable Securities requested to be sold by the Holders pursuant to such Registration Statement have an anticipated aggregate gross offering price (before deducting underwriting discounts and commission) of at least $75 million;

(B) if the Registrable Securities requested to be registered are already covered by an existing and effective Registration Statement and such Registration Statement may be utilized for the offer and sale of the Registrable Securities requested to be registered;

(C) if a registration statement filed by the Company shall have previously been initially declared effective by the Commission within the one hundred eighty (180) days preceding the date of such Demand Registration Request is made; and

(D) if the number of Demand Registration Requests previously made pursuant to this Section 4(a) shall equal or exceed five (5); provided, however that a Demand Registration Request shall not be considered made for purposes of this clause (D) unless the requested Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission for more than 75% of the full amount of Registrable Securities for which registration has been requested.

 

 

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(b) A Demand Registration Request shall specify (i) the then-current name and address of such Holder or Holders, (ii) the aggregate number of Registrable Securities requested to be registered, (iii) the total number of Registrable Securities then beneficially owned by such Holder or Holders, and (iv) the intended means of distribution. If at the time the Demand Registration Request is made the Company appears, based on public information available to such Holder or Holders, eligible to use Form S-3 for the offer and sale of the Registrable Securities, the Holder or Holders making such request may request that the registration be in the form of a Shelf Registration Statement (for the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall not be under the obligation to file a Shelf Registration on Form S-3 if, upon the advice of its counsel, it is not eligible to make such a filing).

(c) The Company may satisfy its obligations under Section 4(a) hereof by amending (to the extent permitted by applicable law) any registration statement previously filed by the Company under the Securities Act, so that such amended registration statement will permit the disposition (in accordance with the intended methods of disposition specified as aforesaid) of all of the Registrable Securities for which a Demand Registration Request has been properly made under Section 4(b) hereof. If the Company so amends a previously filed registration statement, it will be deemed to have effected a registration for purposes of Section 4(a) hereof; provided, however that the Effective Date of the amended registration statement, as amended pursuant to this Section 4(c) shall be the “the first day of effectiveness” of such Registration Statement for purposes of determining the period during which the Registration Statement is required to be maintained effective in accordance with Section 4(e) hereof.

(d) Within ten (10) days after receiving a Demand Registration Request, the Company shall give written notice of such request to all other Holders of Registrable Securities and shall, subject to the provisions of Section 5(c) in the case of an Underwritten Offering, include in such registration all such Registrable Securities with respect to which the Company has received written requests for inclusion therein within fifteen (15) days after the Company’s giving of such notice, provided that such Registrable Securities are not already covered by an existing and effective Registration Statement that may be utilized for the offer and sale of the Registrable Securities requested to be registered in the manner so requested; provided that the Company shall not be required to effectuate any Underwritten Offering prior to the Underwritten Offering Trigger Date.

(e) The Company will use its reasonable efforts to keep a Registration Statement that has become effective as contemplated by this Section 4 continuously effective, and not subject to any stop order, injunction or other similar order or requirement of the Commission:

(A) in the case of a Registration Statement other than a Shelf Registration Statement, until all Registrable Securities registered thereunder have been sold pursuant to such Registration Statement, but in no event later than two hundred seventy (270) days from the Effective Date of such Registration Statement; and

(B) in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, until the earlier of: (x) three (3) years following the Effective Date of such Shelf Registration Statement; and (y) the date that all Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement shall cease to be Registrable Securities;

 

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provided, however, that in the event of any stop order, injunction or other similar order or requirement of the Commission relating to any Shelf Registration Statement, if any Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement remain unsold, the period during which such Shelf Registration Statement shall be required to remain effective will be extended by the number of days during which such stop order, injunction or similar order or requirement is in effect; provided further, however , that if any Shelf Registration Statement was initially declared effective on Form S-3 and, prior to the date determined pursuant to Section 4(e)(B), the Company becomes ineligible to use Form S-3, the period during which such Shelf Registration Statement shall be required to remain effective will be extended by the number of days during which the Company did not have an effective Registration Statement covering unsold Registrable Securities initially registered on such Shelf Registration Statement.

(f) The Holder or Holders making a Demand Registration Request may, at any time prior to the Effective Date of the Registration Statement relating to such registration, revoke their request for the Company to effect the registration of all or part of such Holder’s or Holders’ Registrable Securities by providing a written notice to the Company. If, pursuant to the preceding sentence, the entire Demand Registration Request is revoked, then, at the option of the Holder or Holders who revoke such request, either (i) such Holder or Holders shall reimburse the Company for all of its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the preparation, filing and processing of the Registration Statement, which out-of-pocket expenses, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include overhead expenses and which requested registration shall not count as one of the permitted Demand Registration Requests hereunder or (ii) the requested registration that has been revoked will be deemed to have been effected for purposes of Section 4(a) .

(g) If a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Section 4 is a Shelf Registration Statement, then at any time following an Underwritten Offering Trigger Event upon the demand of one or more Holders, the Company shall facilitate a “takedown” of Registrable Securities in the form of an Underwritten Offering, in the manner and subject to the conditions described in Section 5 of this Agreement, provided that either (i) the number of shares included in such “takedown” shall equal at least twenty percent (20%) of the Initial Registrable Securities Number or (ii) the Registrable Securities requested to be sold by the Holders in such “takedown” shall have an anticipated aggregate offering price (before deducting underwriting discounts and commission) of at least $75 million.

5. Procedures for Underwritten Offerings . The following procedures shall govern Underwritten Offerings pursuant to Section 2(g) or Section 4(g) , whether in the case of an Underwritten Takedown or otherwise.

(a) (i) The Majority Holders shall select one or more investment banking firm(s) of national standing to be the managing underwriter or underwriters for any Underwritten Offering pursuant to a Demand Registration Request or an Underwritten Takedown with the consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed and (ii) the Company shall select one or more investment banking firms of national standing to be the managing underwriter or underwriters for any other Underwritten Offering with the consent of the Majority Holders, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.

 

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(b) All Holders proposing to distribute their securities through an Underwritten Offering, as a condition for inclusion of their Registrable Securities therein, shall agree to enter into an underwriting agreement with the underwriters; provided, however that the underwriting agreement is in customary form and reasonably acceptable to the Majority Holders and provided , further, however that no Holder of Registrable Securities included in any Underwritten Offering shall be required to make any representations or warranties to the Company or the underwriters (other than representations and warranties regarding (i) such Holder’s ownership of its Registrable Securities to be sold or transferred, (ii) such Holder’s power and authority to effect such transfer and (iii) such matters pertaining to compliance with securities laws as may be reasonably requested).

(c) If the managing underwriter or underwriters for an Underwritten Offering pursuant to a Demand Registration or an Underwritten Takedown advises the Holders that the total amount of Registrable Securities or other shares of Common Stock permitted to be registered is such as to materially adversely affect the success of such Underwritten Offering, the number of Registrable Securities or other shares of Common Stock to be registered on such Registration Statement will be reduced as follows: first , the Company shall reduce or eliminate the securities of the Company to be included by any Person other than a Holder or the Company; second , the Company shall reduce or eliminate any securities of the Company to be included by the Company; and third , the Company shall reduce the number of Registrable Securities to be included by Holders on a pro rata basis based on the total number of Registrable Securities requested by the Holders to be included in the Underwritten Offering.

(d) Within ten (10) days after receiving a request for an Underwritten Offering constituting a “takedown” from a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company shall give written notice of such request to all other Holders, and subject to the provisions of Section 5(c) hereof, include in such Underwritten Offering all such Registrable Securities with respect to which the Company has received written requests for inclusion therein within fifteen (15) days after the Company’s giving of such notice; provided, however that such Registrable Securities are covered by an existing and effective Shelf Registration Statement that may be utilized for the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities requested to be registered.

(e) The Company will not be required to undertake an Underwritten Offering pursuant to Section 2(g) or Section 4(g) :

(A) If, following the Underwritten Offering Trigger Event, the Company has undertaken an Underwritten Offering, whether for its own account or pursuant to this Agreement, within the one hundred eighty (180) days preceding the date of the request for such Underwritten Offering is given to the Company; and

(B) if the number of Underwritten Offerings previously made pursuant to Section 2(g) or Section 4(g) in the immediately preceding twelve (12)-month period shall exceed three (3); provided that an Underwritten Offering shall not be considered made for purposes of this clause (B) unless the offering has resulted in the disposition by the Holders of at least 75% of the amount of Registrable Securities requested to be included.

 

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6. Grace Periods .

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein—

(A) the Company shall be entitled to postpone the filing or effectiveness of, or, at any time after a Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission suspend the use of, a Registration Statement (including the Prospectus included therein) if in the good faith judgment of the Board, such registration, offering or use would reasonably be expected to materially affect in an adverse manner or materially interfere with any bona fide material financing of the Company or any material transaction under consideration by the Company or would require the disclosure of information that has not been, and is not otherwise required to be, disclosed to the public and the premature disclosure of which would materially affect the Company in an adverse manner; provided however , that in the event such Registration Statement relates to a Demand Registration Request or an Underwritten Offering pursuant to Section 2(g) or Section 4(g), then the Holders initiating such Demand Registration Request or such Underwritten Offering shall be entitled to withdraw the Demand Registration Request or request for the Underwritten Offering and, if such request is withdrawn, it shall not count against the limits imposed pursuant to Section 4(a)(D) or Section 5(e)(B) and the Company shall pay all registration expenses in connection with such registration; and

(B) at any time after a Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission and there is no duty to disclose under applicable law, the Company may delay the disclosure of material non-public information concerning the Company if the disclosure of such information at the time would, in the good faith judgment of the Board, adversely affect the Company (the period of a postponement or suspension as described in clause (A) and/or a delay described in this clause (B), a “ Grace Period ”).

(b) The Company shall promptly (i) notify the Holders in writing of the existence of the event or material non-public information giving rise to a Grace Period (provided that the Company shall not disclose the content of such material non-public information to any Holder, without the express consent of such Holder) or the need to file a post-effective amendment, as applicable, and the date on which such Grace Period will begin, (ii) use reasonable best efforts to terminate a Grace Period as promptly as practicable and (iii) notify the Holders in writing of the date on which the Grace Period ends.

(c) The duration of any one Grace Period shall not exceed forty-five (45) days, and the aggregate of all Grace Periods in total during any three hundred sixty-five (365) day period shall not exceed sixty (60) days. For purposes of determining the length of a Grace Period, the Grace Period shall be deemed to begin on and include the date the Holders receive the notice referred to in clause (i) of Section 6(b) and shall end on and include the later of the date the Holders receive the notice referred to in clause (iii) of Section 6(b) and the date referred to in such notice. In the event the Company declares a Grace Period, the period during which the Company is required to maintain the effectiveness of an Initial Shelf Registration Statement or a Registration Statement filed pursuant to a Demand Registration Request shall be extended by the number of days during which such Grace Period is in effect.

 

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7. Piggyback Registration

(a) If at any time, and from time to time, the Company proposes to—

(A) file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to an underwritten offering of Common Stock of the Company or any securities convertible or exercisable into Common Stock of the Company (other than with respect to a registration statement (i) on Form S-8 or any successor form thereto, (ii) on Form S-4 or any successor form thereto or (iii) another form not available for registering the Registrable Securities for sale to the public, whether or not for its own account; or

(B) conduct an underwritten offering constituting a “takedown” of a class of Common Stock or any securities convertible or exercisable into Common Stock registered under a shelf registration statement previously filed by the Company;

the Company shall give written notice (the “ Piggyback Notice ”) of such proposed filing or underwritten offering to the Holders at least ten (10) Business Days before the anticipated filing date. Such notice shall include the number and class of securities proposed to be registered or offered, the proposed date of filing of such registration statement or the conduct of such underwritten offering, any proposed means of distribution of such securities, any proposed managing underwriter of such securities and a good faith estimate by the Company of the proposed maximum offering price of such securities as such price is proposed to appear on the front cover page of such registration statement (or, in the case of an Underwritten Offering, would appear on the front cover page of a registration statement), and shall offer the Holders the opportunity to register such amount of Registrable Securities as each Holder may request on the same terms and conditions as the registration of the Company’s and/or the holders of other securities of the Company securities, as the case may be (a “ Piggyback Offering ”). Subject to Section 7(b) , the Company will include in each Piggyback Offering all Registrable Securities for which the Company has received written requests for inclusion within five (5) Business Days after the date the Piggyback Notice is given; provided, however, that in the case of the filing of a registration statement, such Registrable Securities are not otherwise registered pursuant to an existing and effective Shelf Registration Statement under this Agreement; provided further, however that, in the case of an underwritten offering in the form of a “takedown” under a shelf registration statement, such Registrable Securities are covered by an existing and effective Shelf Registration Statement that may be utilized for the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities requested to be offered.

(b) The Company will cause the managing underwriter or underwriters of the proposed offering to permit the Holders that have requested Registrable Securities to be included in the Piggyback Offering to include all such Registrable Securities on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities, if any, of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the managing underwriter or underwriters of such underwritten offering advises the Company and the selling Holders in writing that, in its view, the total amount of securities that the Company, such Holders and any other holders entitled to participate in such offering (“ Other Holders ”) propose to include in such offering is such as to materially adversely affect the success of such underwritten offering, then:

 

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(A) if such Piggyback Offering is an underwritten primary offering by the Company for its own account, the Company will include in such Piggyback Offering: (i)  first , all securities to be offered by the Company; (ii)  second , up to the full amount of securities requested to be included in such Piggyback Offering by the Holders; and (iii)  third , up to the full amount of securities requested to be included in such Piggyback Offering by all Other Holders;

(B) if such Piggyback Offering is an underwritten secondary offering for the account of Other Holders exercising “demand” rights (including pursuant to a Demand Registration Request), the Company will include in such registration: (i)  first , all securities of the Other Holder exercising “demand” rights (including pursuant to a Demand Registration Request) requested to be included therein; (ii)  second , up to the full amount of securities proposed to be included in the registration by the Company; and (C)  third , up to the full amount of securities requested to be included in such Piggyback Offering by the Holders and any Other Holders entitled to participate therein, allocated pro rata among such Holders and Other Holders on the basis of the amount of securities requested to be included therein by each such Holder or Other Holder;

such that, in each case, the total amount of securities to be included in such Piggyback Offering is the full amount that, in the view of such managing underwriter, can be sold without materially adversely affecting the success of such Piggyback Offering.

(c) If at any time after giving the Piggyback Notice and prior to the time sales of securities are confirmed pursuant to the Piggyback Offering, the Company determines for any reason not to register or delay the registration of the Piggyback Offering, the Company may, at its election, give notice of its determination to all Holders, and in the case of such a determination, will be relieved of its obligation to register any Registrable Securities in connection with the abandoned or delayed Piggyback Offering, without prejudice.

(d) Any Holder of Registrable Securities requesting to be included in a Piggyback Offering may withdraw its request for inclusion by giving written notice to the Company, at least three (3) Business Days prior to the anticipated Effective Date of the Registration Statement filed in connection with such Piggyback Offering, or in the case of a Piggyback Offering constituting a “takedown” off of a shelf registration statement, at least three (3) Business Days prior to the anticipated date of the filing by the Company under Rule 424 of a supplemental prospectus (which shall be the preliminary supplemental prospectus, if one is used in the “takedown”) with respect to such offering, of its intention to withdraw from that registration; provided , however , that (i) the Holder’s request be made in writing and (ii) the withdrawal will be irrevocable and, after making the withdrawal, a Holder will no longer have any right to include its Registrable Securities in that Piggyback Offering.

8. Registration Procedures . If and when the Company is required to effect any registration under the Securities Act as provided in Sections 2(a) , 4(a) , 5 or 7 of this Agreement, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to:

 

 

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(a) prepare and file with the Commission the requisite Registration Statement to effect such registration and thereafter use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become and remain effective, subject to the limitations contained herein;

(b) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and supplements to such Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement until such time as all of such Registrable Securities have been disposed of in accordance with the method of disposition set forth in such Registration Statement, subject to the limitations contained herein;

(c) (i) before filing a Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto, at the Company’s expense, furnish to the Holders whose securities are covered by the Registration Statement copies of all such documents, other than documents that are incorporated by reference into such Registration Statement or Prospectus, proposed to be filed and such other documents reasonably requested by such Holders (which may be furnished by email), and afford Counsel to the Holders a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on such documents; and (ii) in connection with the preparation and filing of each such Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement, (A) upon reasonable advance notice to the Company, give each of the foregoing such reasonable access to all financial and other records, corporate documents and properties of the Company as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of Counsel to the Holders and such underwriters, to conduct a reasonable due diligence investigation for purposes of the Securities Act and Exchange Act, and (B) upon reasonable advance notice to the Company and during normal business hours, provide such reasonable opportunities to discuss the business of the Company with its officers, directors, employees and the independent public accountants who have certified its financial statements as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of Counsel to the Holders and such underwriters, to conduct a reasonable due diligence investigation for purposes of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act;

(d) notify each selling Holder of Registrable Securities, promptly after the Company receives notice thereof, of the time when such Registration Statement has been declared effective or a supplement to any Prospectus forming a part of such Registration Statement has been filed;

(e) with respect to any offering of Registrable Securities, furnish to each selling Holder of Registrable Securities, and the managing underwriters for such Underwritten Offering, if any, without charge, such number of copies of the applicable Registration Statement, each amendment and supplement thereto, the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement (including each preliminary Prospectus, final Prospectus, and any other Prospectus (including any Prospectus filed under Rule 424, Rule 430A or Rule 430B promulgated under the Securities Act and any “issuer free writing prospectus” as such term is defined under Rule 433 promulgated under the Securities Act), all exhibits and other documents filed therewith and such other documents as such seller or such managing underwriters may reasonably request including in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such seller, and upon request, a copy of any and all transmittal letters or other correspondence to or received from, the Commission or any other governmental authority relating to such offer;

 

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(f) (i) register or qualify all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement under such other securities or blue sky laws of such states or other jurisdictions of the United States of America as the Holders covered by such Registration Statement shall reasonably request in writing, (ii) keep such registration or qualification in effect for so long as such Registration Statement remains in effect and (iii) take any other action that may be necessary or reasonably advisable to enable such Holders to consummate the disposition in such jurisdictions of the securities to be sold by such Holders, except that the Company shall not for any such purpose be required to qualify generally to do business as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction wherein it would not but for the requirements of this subsection (f) be obligated to be so qualified, to subject itself to taxation in such jurisdiction or to consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction;

(g) cause all Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other federal or state governmental agencies or authorities as necessary upon the opinion of counsel to the Company or Counsel to the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement to enable such Holder or Holders thereof to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with their intended method of distribution thereof;

(h) with respect to any Underwritten Offering, obtain and, if obtained, furnish to each Holder that is named as an underwriter in such Underwritten Offering and each other underwriter thereof, a signed

(A) opinion of outside counsel for the Company (including a customary 10b-5 statement), dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement and addressed to the underwriters, reasonably satisfactory (based on the customary form and substance of opinions of issuers’ counsel customarily given in such an offering) in form and substance to such underwriters, if any, and

(B) “comfort” letter, dated the date of the Underwriting Agreement and another dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement and addressed to the underwriters and signed by the independent public accountants who have certified the Company’s financial statements included or incorporated by reference in such registration statement, reasonably satisfactory (based on the customary form and substance of “cold comfort” letters of issuers’ independent public accountant customarily given in such an offering) in form and substance to such Holder and such underwriters, if any,

in each case, covering substantially the same matters with respect to such Registration Statement (and the Prospectus included therein) and, in the case of the accountants’ comfort letter, with respect to events subsequent to the date of such financial statements, as are customarily covered in opinions of issuer’s counsel and in accountants’ comfort letters delivered to underwriters in such types of offerings of securities;

 

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(i) notify each Holder of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement at any time when a Prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, upon discovery that, or upon the happening of any event as a result of which, the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made and for which the Company chooses to suspend the use of the Registration Statement and Prospectus in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, at the written request of any such Holder, promptly prepare and furnish to it a reasonable number of copies of a supplement to or an amendment of such Prospectus as may be necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such securities, such Prospectus, as supplemented or amended, shall not include 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 in the light of the circumstances under which they were made;

(j) notify the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement promptly of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of such Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information;

(k) advise the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement promptly after the Company receives notice or obtains knowledge of any order suspending the effectiveness of a registration statement relating to the Registrable Securities at the earliest practicable moment and promptly use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal;

(l) otherwise comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and any other governmental agency or authority having jurisdiction over the offering of Registrable Securities, and make available to its stockholders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve (12) months, but not more than eighteen (18) months, beginning with the first (1 st ) full calendar month after the Effective Date of such Registration Statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 promulgated thereunder and which requirement will be deemed satisfied if the Company timely files complete and accurate information on Form 10-Q and 10-K and Current Reports on Form 8-K under the Exchange Act and otherwise complies with Rule 158 under the Securities Act;

(m) (i) cause all Registrable Securities included in a Registration Statement to be listed on the national securities exchange(s) on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed, if the listing of such Registrable Securities is then permitted under the rules of such exchange(s), or (ii) if (x) the Company is not required pursuant to clause (i) above to list Registrable Securities on a specific national securities exchange

 

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and (y) at any time following the Underwritten Offering Trigger Date, one or more Holders holding at least thirty percent (30%) of the Initial Registrable Securities requests that the Company list such Registrable Securities on a national securities exchange in connection with an Underwritten Offering, use its reasonable best efforts to list the Registrable Securities on a national securities exchange designated by such requesting Holders;

(n) provide and cause to be maintained a transfer agent and registrar for the Registrable Securities included in a Registration Statement no later than the Effective Date thereof;

(o) enter into such agreements (including an underwriting agreement in customary form) and take such other actions as the Holders beneficially owning a majority of the Registrable Securities included in a Registration Statement or the underwriters, if any, shall reasonably request in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities, including customary indemnification; and provide reasonable cooperation, including causing at least one (1) executive officer and a senior financial officer to attend and participate in “road shows” and other information meetings organized by the underwriters, if any, as reasonably requested; provided , however, that the Company shall have no obligation to participate in more than two (2) “road shows” in any twelve (12)-month period and such participation shall not unreasonably interfere with the business operations of the Company;

(p) if requested by the managing underwriter(s) or the Holders beneficially owning a majority of the Registrable Securities being sold in connection with an Underwritten Offering, promptly incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information relating to the plan of distribution for such shares of Registrable Securities provided to the Company in writing by the managing underwriters and the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities being sold and that is required to be included therein relating to the plan of distribution with respect to such Registrable Securities, including without limitation, information with respect to the number of Registrable Securities being sold to such underwriters, the purchase price being paid therefor by such underwriters and with respect to any other terms of the Underwritten Offering of the Registrable Securities to be sold in such offering, and make any required filings with respect to such information relating to the plan of distribution as soon as practicable after notified of the information;

(q) cooperate with the Holders of Registrable Securities included in a Registration Statement and the managing underwriter(s), if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends, and enable such Registrable Securities to be in such share amounts and registered in such names as the managing underwriters, or, if none, the Holders beneficially owning a majority of the Registrable Securities being offered for sale, may reasonably request at least three (3) Business Days prior to any sale of Registrable Securities to the underwriters; and

 

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(r) otherwise use its reasonable best efforts to take all other steps necessary to effect the registration of such Registrable Securities contemplated hereby.

In addition, at least ten (10) Trading Days prior to the first anticipated filing date of a Registration Statement for any registration under this Agreement, the Company will notify each Holder of the information the Company requires from that Holder, including any update to or confirmation of the information contained in the Selling Stockholder Questionnaire, if any, which shall be completed and delivered to the Company promptly upon request and, in any event, within five (5) Trading Days prior to the applicable anticipated filing date. Each Holder further agrees that it shall not be entitled to be named as a selling securityholder in the Registration Statement or use the Prospectus for offers and resales of Registrable Securities at any time, unless such Holder has returned to the Company a completed and signed Selling Stockholder Questionnaire and a response to any requests for further information as described in the previous sentence and, if an Underwritten Offering, entered into an underwriting agreement with the underwriters in accordance with Section 5(b) and Section 10 . If a Holder of Registrable Securities returns a Selling Stockholder Questionnaire or a request for further information, in either case, after its respective deadline, the Company shall be permitted to exclude such Holder from being a selling security holder in the Registration Statement or any pre-effective or post-effective amendment thereto. Each Holder acknowledges and agrees that the information in the Selling Stockholder Questionnaire or request for further information as described in this Section 8 will be used by the Company in the preparation of the Registration Statement and hereby consents to the inclusion of such information in the Registration Statement.

9. Registration Expenses . All fees and expenses incident to the Company’s performance of or compliance with its obligations under this Agreement (excluding any underwriting discounts, fees or selling commissions or broker or similar commissions or fees, or transfer taxes of any Holder) shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings required to be made with any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, (B) with respect to compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws (including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with Blue Sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities and determination of the eligibility of the Registrable Securities for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as requested by the Holders) and (C) if not previously paid by the Company in connection with an Issuer Filing, with respect to any filing that may be required to be made by any broker through which a Holder intends to make sales of Registrable Securities with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“ FINRA ”) pursuant to the FINRA Rule 5110, so long as the broker is receiving no more than a customary brokerage commission in connection with such sale, (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses if the printing of prospectuses is reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) the reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with any road show for underwritten offerings, (vi) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vii) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the

 

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consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, the Company will pay the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Counsel to the Holders, including, for the avoidance of doubt, any expenses of Counsel to the Holders in connection with the filing or amendment of any Registration Statement, Prospectus or free writing prospectus hereunder.

10. Lockups.

(a) In connection with any Underwritten Takedown or underwritten registration pursuant to a Demand Registration Request or other underwritten public offering of equity securities by the Company, except with the written consent of the underwriters managing such offering, no Holder who participates in such offering or beneficially owns five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock at such time and a number of Registrable Securities that exceeds one percent (1%) of the Initial Registrable Securities Number shall 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 securities, without prior written consent from the Company, during the seven (7) days prior to and the ninety (90)-day period beginning on the date of closing of such offering (the “ Lockup Period ”), except as part of such offering, provided, that such Lockup Period restrictions are applicable on substantially similar terms to the Company and all of its and its subsidiaries’ executive officers and directors; provided that nothing herein will prevent any Holder from making a distribution of Registrable Securities to any of its partners, members or stockholders thereof or a transfer of Registrable Securities to an Affiliate or Related Fund that is otherwise in compliance with the applicable securities laws, so long as such distributees or transferees, as applicable, agree to be bound by the restrictions set forth in this Section 10(a) . Each Holder agrees to execute a lock-up agreement in favor of the Company’s underwriters to such effect and, in any event, that the Company’s underwriters in any relevant offering shall be third party beneficiaries of this Section 10(a) . The provisions of this Section 10(a) will no longer apply to a Holder once such Holder ceases to hold Registrable Securities.

(b) In connection with any Underwritten Offering, the Company shall not effect any public sale or distribution of equity securities of the Company, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for such securities, without prior written consent from the Majority Holders, during the Lockup Period, except as part of such offering, provided, that such Lockup Period restrictions are applicable on substantially similar terms to the Majority Holders. The Company agrees to execute a lock-up agreement in favor of the Majority Holders’ underwriters to such effect and, in any event, that the Majority Holders’ underwriters in any relevant offering shall be third party beneficiaries of this Section 10(b) . Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may effect a public sale or distribution of securities of the type described above and during the periods described above if such sale or distribution is made pursuant to registrations on Form S-4 or Form S-8 or as part of any registration of securities of offering and sale to employees, directors or consultants of the company and its subsidiaries pursuant to any employee stock plan or other employee benefit plan arrangement.

 

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11. Indemnification .

(a) Indemnification by the Company . The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Holder, the officers, directors, agents, partners, members, managers, stockholders, Affiliates, employees and investment managers of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, partners, members, managers, stockholders, agents and employees of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable costs of preparation and investigation and reasonable attorneys’ fees) and expenses (collectively, “ Losses ”), to which any of them may become subject, that arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus or (ii) any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (A) such untrue statements, alleged untrue statements, omissions or alleged omissions are based upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was provided by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or (B) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 8(i) , related to the use by a Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated and defined in Section 15(c) below, but only if and to the extent that following the receipt of the Advice the misstatement or omission giving rise to such Loss would have been corrected. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of an Indemnified Party (as defined in Section 11(c) ), shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the Holders, and shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

(b) Indemnification by Holders . Each Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its respective directors, officers, agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred, arising out of or are based upon any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, or any form of prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus, or any form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading (i) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statements or omissions are based upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein or (ii) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of

 

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Registrable Securities and was provided by such Holder expressly for use in a Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (iii) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 8(i) , to the extent, but only to the extent, related to the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 15(c) , but only if and to the extent that following the receipt of the Advice the misstatement or omission giving rise to such Loss would have been corrected. In no event shall the liability of any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of an Indemnified Party (as defined in Section 11(c)), shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the Holders, and shall be in addition to any liability which the Holder may otherwise have.

(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings . If any Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an “ Indemnified Party ”), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought (the “ Indemnifying Party ”) in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided , that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that such failure shall have materially and adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.

An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party shall have been advised by counsel that in the reasonable judgment of such counsel a conflict of interest exists if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party; provided , that the Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys at any time for all Indemnified Parties. The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.

 

 

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Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all reasonable and documented fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable and documented fees and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this Section 11(c) ) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, with reasonable promptness after receipt of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party; provided , that the Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse the Indemnifying Party for that portion of such fees and expenses applicable to such actions for which such Indemnified Party is finally judicially determined to not be entitled to indemnification hereunder. The failure to deliver written notice to the Indemnifying Party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such Indemnifying Party of any liability to the Indemnified Party under this Section 10 , except to the extent that the Indemnifying Party is materially and adversely prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.

(d) Contribution . If a claim for indemnification under Section 11(a) or (b)  is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless for any Losses, then each Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Losses, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission.

The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 11(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 11(d) , no Holder shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder 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 Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

12. Rule 144 and Rule 144A; Other Exemptions . With a view to making available to the Holders of Registrable Securities the benefits of Rule 144 and Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act and other rules and regulations of the Commission that may at any time permit a Holder of Registrable Securities to sell securities of the Company without registration, until the earlier of (a) such time as when no Registrable Securities remain outstanding and (b) such time as the Company is no longer subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Company covenants that it will (i) file in a timely manner all reports and other documents required, if any, to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations adopted thereunder or (ii) make available information necessary to comply with Rule 144 and Rule 144A, if available with respect to resales of the Registrable

 

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Securities under the Securities Act, at all times, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by (x) Rule 144 and Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act (if available with respect to resales of the Registrable Securities), as such rules may be amended from time to time or (y) any other rules or regulations now existing or hereafter adopted by the Commission. Upon the reasonable request of any Holder of Registrable Securities, the Company will deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such information requirements, and, if not, the specific reasons for non-compliance.

13. Transfer of Registration Rights . Any Holder may freely assign its rights hereunder on a pro rata basis in connection with any sale, transfer, assignment, or other conveyance (any of the foregoing, a “ Transfer ”) of Registrable Securities to any transferee or assignee; provided that all of the following additional conditions are satisfied: (a) such Transfer is effected in accordance with applicable securities laws; (b) such transferee or assignee agrees in writing to become subject to the terms of this Agreement; and (c) the Company is given written notice by such Holder of such Transfer, stating the name and address of the transferee or assignee and identifying the Registrable Securities with respect to which such rights are being transferred or assigned; and further provided, that (i) any rights assigned hereunder shall apply only in respect of the Registrable Securities that are Transferred and not in respect of any other securities that the transferee or assignee may hold and (ii) any Registrable Securities that are Transferred may cease to constitute Registrable Securities following such Transfer in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

14. Further Assurances . Each of the parties hereto shall execute all such further instruments and documents and take all such further action as any other party hereto may reasonably require in order to effectuate the terms and purposes of this Agreement.

15. Miscellaneous .

(a) Remedies . Any Person having rights under any provision of this Agreement shall be entitled to enforce such rights specifically to recover damages caused by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights granted by law. The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that money damages may not be an adequate remedy for any breach of the provisions of this Agreement and that any party may in its sole discretion apply to any court of law or equity of competent jurisdiction (without posting any bond or other security) for specific performance and for other injunctive relief in order to enforce or prevent violation of the provisions of this Agreement.

(b) Compliance . Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to it (unless an exemption therefrom is available) in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement and shall sell the Registrable Securities only in accordance with a method of distribution described in each Registration Statement

 

 

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(c) Discontinued Disposition . By its acquisition of Registrable Securities, each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of a Grace Period or any event of the kind described in Section 8(i) , such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under a Registration Statement until it is advised in writing (the “ Advice ”) by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus (as it may have been supplemented or amended) may be resumed. The Company may provide appropriate stop orders to enforce the provisions of this paragraph.

(d) Preservation of Rights . The Company shall not grant any registration rights to third parties which are more favorable than or inconsistent with the rights granted hereunder unless any such more favorable rights are concurrently added to the rights granted hereunder.

(e) No Inconsistent Agreements . The Company shall not hereafter enter into any agreement with respect to its securities which is inconsistent with or violates the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement.

(f) Amendments and Waivers . The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, or waived unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and Holders holding at least a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities; provided, however, that any party may give a waiver as to itself; provided further, however that no amendment, modification, supplement, or waiver that disproportionately and adversely affects, alters, or changes the interests of any Holder shall be effective against such Holder without the prior written consent of such Holder; and provided further that the waiver of any provision with respect to any Registration Statement or offering may be given by Holders holding at least a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities entitled to participate in such offering or, if such offering shall have been commenced, having elected to participate in such offering. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of certain Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be given by Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities to which such waiver or consent relates; provided , however , that the provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except in accordance with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence. No waiver of any terms or conditions of this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of any other breach of such terms and conditions or any other term or condition, nor shall any failure to enforce any provision hereof operate as a waiver of such provision or of any other provision hereof. No written waiver hereunder, unless it by its own terms explicitly provides to the contrary, shall be construed to effect a continuing waiver of the provisions being waived and no such waiver in any instance shall constitute a waiver in any other instance or for any other purpose or impair the right of the party against whom such waiver is claimed in all other instances or for all other purposes to require full compliance with such provision. The failure of any party to enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver of such provision and shall not affect the right of such party thereafter to enforce each provision of this Agreement in accordance with its terms.

(g) Notices . Any notice or other communication required or which may be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be sent by certified or regular mail, by private national courier service (return receipt requested, postage prepaid), by personal delivery, by electronic mail or by facsimile transmission. Such notice or communication shall be deemed given (i) if mailed, two days after the date of mailing, (ii) if sent by national courier service, one Business

 

25


Day after being sent, (iii) if delivered personally, when so delivered, (iv) if sent by electronic mail, on the Business Day such electronic mail is transmitted, or (v) if sent by facsimile transmission, on the Business Day such facsimile is transmitted, in each case as follows:

 

  (A) If to the Company:

Penn Virginia Corporation

Attn: Katie Ryan

14701 St. Mary’s Lane, Suite 275

Houston, TX 77079

Tel: (713) 722-6500

Fax: (713) 722-6609

E-mail: katie.ryan@penvirginia.com

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Attn: Justin Bernbrock and Benjamin Rhode

300 North LaSalle

Chicago, IL 60654

Tel: (312) 862-2000

Fax: (312) 862-2200

E-mail: Justin.bernbrock@kirkland.com

              Benjamin.rhode@kirkland.com

(B) If to the Holders (or to any of them), at their addresses as they appear in the records of the Company or the records of the transfer agent or registrar, if any, for the Common Stock.

If any time period for giving notice or taking action hereunder expires on a day which is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday in the State of New York or the jurisdiction in which the Company’s principal office is located, the time period shall automatically be extended to the Business Day immediately following such Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.

(h) Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any trustee in bankruptcy). In addition, and whether or not any express assignment shall have been made, the provisions of this Agreement which are for the benefit of the Holders of Registrable Securities (or any portion thereof) as such shall be for the benefit of and enforceable by any subsequent holder of any Registrable Securities (or of such portion thereof); provided , that such subsequent holder of Registrable Securities shall be required to execute a joinder to this Agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company agreeing to be bound by its terms. No assignment or delegation of this Agreement by the Company, or any of the Company’s rights, interests or obligations hereunder, shall be effective against any Holder without the prior written consent of such Holder.

 

26


(i) Execution and Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, any one of which need not contain the signatures of more than one party, but all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.

(j) Delivery by Facsimile . This Agreement, the agreements referred to herein, and each other agreement or instrument entered into in connection herewith or therewith or contemplated hereby or thereby, and any amendments hereto or thereto, to the extent signed and delivered by means of a facsimile machine or other electronic means, shall be treated in all manner and respects as an original agreement or instrument and shall be considered to have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in person. At the request of any party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument, each other party hereto or thereto shall re-execute original forms thereof and deliver them to all other parties. No party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument shall raise the use of a facsimile machine or other electronic means to deliver a signature or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through the use of a facsimile machine or other electronic means as a defense to the formation or enforceability of a contract and each such party forever waives any such defense.

(k) Governing Law; Venue . This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdiction) to the extent such rules or provisions would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York. Each of the parties to this Agreement consents and agrees that any action to enforce this Agreement or any dispute, whether such dispute arises in law or equity, arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be brought exclusively in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York or any New York State Court sitting in New York City. The parties hereto consent and agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts. Each of the parties to this Agreement waives and agrees not to assert in any such dispute, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any claim that (i) such party and such party’s property is immune from any legal process issued by such courts or (ii) any litigation or other proceeding commenced in such courts is brought in an inconvenient forum. The parties hereby agree that mailing of process or other papers in connection with any such action or proceeding to an address provided in writing by the recipient of such mailing, or in such other manner as may be permitted by law, shall be valid and sufficient service thereof and hereby waive any objections to service in the manner herein provided.

(l) Waiver of Jury Trial . Each of the parties to this Agreement hereby agrees to waive its respective rights to a jury trial of any claim or cause of action based upon or arising out of this Agreement. The scope of this waiver is intended to be all-encompassing of any and all disputes that may be filed in any court and that relate to the subject matter of this Agreement, including contract claims, tort claims and all other common law and statutory claims. Each party hereto acknowledges that this waiver is a material inducement to enter into this Agreement, that each has already relied on this waiver in entering into this Agreement, and that each will continue to rely on this waiver in their related future dealings. Each party hereto further warrants and represents that it has reviewed this waiver with its legal counsel and that it knowingly and voluntarily waives its jury trial rights following consultation with legal counsel. THIS WAIVER IS IRREVOCABLE, MEANING THAT IT MAY NOT BE MODIFIED EITHER ORALLY OR

 

27


IN WRITING (OTHER THAN BY A MUTUAL WRITTEN WAIVER SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO THIS SECTION 15(l) AND EXECUTED BY EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO), AND THIS WAIVER SHALL APPLY TO ANY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS, RENEWALS, SUPPLEMENTS OR MODIFICATIONS TO THIS AGREEMENT. In the event of litigation, this Agreement may be filed as a written consent to a trial by the court.

(m) 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 the effectiveness or validity of any provision in any other jurisdiction, and this Agreement shall be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.

(n) Descriptive Headings; Interpretation; No Strict Construction . The descriptive headings of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and do not constitute a substantive part of this Agreement. Whenever required by the context, any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular forms of nouns, pronouns, and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa. Reference to any agreement, document, or instrument means such agreement, document, or instrument as amended or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, and, if applicable, hereof. The words “include”, “includes” or “including” in this Agreement shall be deemed to be followed by “without limitation”. The use of the words “or,” “either” or “any” shall not be exclusive. The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. If an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto, 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. All references to laws, rules, regulations and forms in this Agreement shall be deemed to be references to such laws, rules, regulations and forms, as amended from time to time or, to the extent replaced, the comparable successor thereto in effect at the time. All references to agencies, self-regulatory organizations or governmental entities in this Agreement shall be deemed to be references to the comparable successors thereto from time to time.

(o) Entire Agreement . This Agreement and any certificates, documents, instruments and writings that are delivered pursuant hereto, constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties in respect of the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof.

(p) Termination . The obligations of the Company and of any Holder, other than those obligations contained in Section 10 and this Section 15 , shall terminate with respect to the Company and such Holder as soon as such Holder no longer beneficially owns any Registrable Securities.

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

28


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Steven A. Hartman

Name:   Steven A. Hartman
Title:   Senior VP, CFO and Treasurer


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

J.P. MORGAN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.

AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR AND AGENT FOR

CERTAIN CLIENT ACCOUNTS

 

By:  

/s/ James P. Shanahan, Jr.

Name:   James P. Shanahan, Jr.
Title:   Managing Director

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                      of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

J.P. MORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. AS TRUSTEE

FOR CERTAIN CLIENT ACCOUNTS

By:  

/s/ James P. Shanahan, Jr.

Name:   James P. Shanahan, Jr.
Title:   Managing Director

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

31


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

BBT Fund, L.P.

By: BBT Capital Management, LLC, Investment Manager

By:  

/s/ William D. Reimann

Name:   William D. Reimann
Title:   Vice President

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

32


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

Strategic Value Master Fund Ltd.

By:     Strategic Value Partners, LLC, its Investment Manager

By:  

/s/ Edward C. Kelly

Name:   Edward C. Kelly
Title:   Chief Operating Officer

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

33


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

Strategic Value Special Situations Master Fund III, L.P.

By:     SVP Special Situations III LLC, its Investment Manager

By:  

/s/ Edward C. Kelly

Name:   Edward C. Kelly
Title:   Chief Operating Officer

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

34


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

Strategic Value Opportunities Fund, L.P.

By:     SVP Special Situations III-A LLC, its Investment Manager

By:  

/s/ Edward C. Kelly

Name:   Edward C. Kelly
Title:   Chief Operating Officer

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

35


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

Contrarian Capital Management, L.L.C., on behalf

of various managed accounts and affiliated entities

 

By:  

/s/ Jon Bauer

Name:   Jon Bauer
Title:   Managing Member

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

36


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

Global Credit Advisers, LLC as investment advisor

 

By:  

/s/ Steven Hornstein

Name:   Steven Hornstein
Title:   Managing Member

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

37


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

KLS Diversified Asset Management LP

 

By:  

/s/ Timothy Quinn

Name:   Timothy Quinn
Title:   CFO

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

38


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

 

Debello Investors LLC
By:  

/s/ Arthur Amron

Name:   Arguments Amron
Title:   Vice President and Assistant Secretary

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

39


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

 

Wexford Spectrum Investors LLC
By:  

/s/ Arthur Amron

Name:   Arthur Amron
Title:   Vice President and Assistant Secretary

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

40


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

 

Wexford Catalyst Investors LLC
By:  

/s/ Arthur Amron

Name:   Arthur Amron
Title:   Vice President and Assistant Secretary

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

41


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

 

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
By:  

/s/ Katherine L. Stewart

Name:   Katherine L. Stewart
Title:   Authorized Signatory

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

42


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC., as investment manager

on behalf of certain funds

 

By:  

/s/ Glenn Voyles

Name:   Glenn Voyles
Title:   VP/Director of Portfolio Management

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

43


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

 

EGI-Fund B, L.L.C.
By:  

/s/ Philip G. Tinkler

Name:   Philip G. Tinkler
Title:   Vice President

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

44


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

Pine River Baxter Fund Ltd.

By:     Pine River Capital Management L.P.

Its:     Investment Manager

 

By:  

/s/ Nick Nusbaum

Name:   Nick Nusbaum
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

45


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

Pine River Master Fund Ltd.

By:     Pine River Capital Management L.P.

Its:     Investment Manager

By:  

/s/ Nick Nusbaum

Name:   Nick Nusbaum
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

46


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

LMA SPC for and on behalf of MA 89

Segregated Portfolio

By:     Pine River Capital Management L.P.

Its:     Investment Manager

 

By:  

/s/ Nick Nusbaum

Name:   Nick Nusbaum
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

47


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

Anchorage Capital Master Offshore, Ltd.

By:     Anchorage Capital Group, L.L.C., its investment manager

 

By:  

/s/ Natalie A. Birrell

Name:   Natalie A. Birrell
Title:   Chief Operating Officer

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

48


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

Raptor Energy, LP

By:     Anchorage Capital Group, L.L.C., its investment manager

 

By:  

/s/ Natalie A. Birrell

Name:   Natalie A. Birrell
Title:   Chief Operating Officer

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

49


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

THE MANGROVE PARTNERS MASTER FUND, LTD.

By:     MANGROVE PARTNERS, its Investment Manager

 

By:  

/s/ Ward Dietrich

Name:   Ward Dietrich
Title:   Authorized Person

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

50


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

Sunrise Partners Limited Partnership

 

By:  

/s/ Douglas W. Ambrose

Name:   Douglas W. Ambrose
Title:  

Executive Vice President of

Paloma Partners Management Company,

 

general partner of Sunrise Partners

Limited Partnership

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

51


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

 

Portrush Master Fund, Ltd.
By:  

/s/ Edward Labrenz

Name:   Edward Labrenz
Title:   Authorized Signatory

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

52


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

HOLDERS :

GMO CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES FUND, L.P.

 

By:  

/s/ Benny Yau

Name:   Benny Yau
Title:   Authorized Trader

 

x By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of all of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement.

 

¨ By checking this box, the Holder signing above hereby requests the inclusion of                     of its Registrable Securities in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, constituting less than all of its Registrable Securities.

 

53

Exhibit 10.4

SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT

BY AND AMONG

PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION,

AND

THE SHAREHOLDERS (AS DEFINED HEREIN)

DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 12, 2016


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  
ARTICLE I SHAREHOLDERS   
Section 1.1  

Shareholders

     1   
ARTICLE II MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF BUSINESS   
Section 2.1  

Restrictions on Authority of the Board

     2   
Section 2.2  

Directors’ Non-exclusive Services

     4   
Section 2.3  

Reimbursement of Expenses

     4   
ARTICLE III INFORMATION RIGHTS AND LISTING   
Section 3.1  

Information Rights of Shareholders; Records Required by Applicable Law; Right of Inspection

     4   
Section 3.2  

Information Rights of the Company

     6   
ARTICLE IV TRANSFER   
Section 4.1  

Transfer of Company Common Stock; Derivative Securities

     6   
Section 4.2  

General Provisions Regarding Transfers

     6   
Section 4.3  

Preemptive Rights

     7   
Section 4.4  

All Other Transfers Void

     9   
ARTICLE V MISCELLANEOUS   
Section 5.1  

Complete Agreement

     9   
Section 5.2  

Drag-Along Rights; Tag-Along Rights; Other Actions

     9   
Section 5.3  

Governing Law

     9   
Section 5.4  

No Assignment

     10   
Section 5.5  

Binding Effect

     10   
Section 5.6  

Severability

     10   
Section 5.7  

No Partition

     10   
Section 5.8  

Additional Documents and Acts

     10   
Section 5.9  

No Employment Rights

     10   
Section 5.10  

Amendments; Termination of Equity Rights

     10   
Section 5.11  

No Waiver

     11   
Section 5.12  

Notices

     11   
Section 5.13  

Consent to Jurisdiction; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

     11   
Section 5.14  

No Third Party Beneficiary

     13   
Section 5.15  

Confidentiality

     13   
Section 5.16  

Cumulative Remedies; Specific Performance

     13   
Section 5.17  

Exhibits and Schedules

     14   
Section 5.18  

Interpretation

     14   
Section 5.19  

Termination

     15   

 

i


SCHEDULE A  

COMPETITORS

  
EXHIBIT A  

DEFINITIONS

  
ANNEX I  

CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT

  

 

ii


SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT

This Shareholders Agreement (this “ Agreement ”) is made and entered into as of September 12, 2016 (the “ Effective Date ”) by and among Penn Virginia Corporation, a Virginia corporation (the “ Company ”), and the Shareholders (as defined herein). Capitalized terms used, but not otherwise defined, herein have the meanings set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto and made a part hereof by reference.

RECITALS

A. This Agreement is being entered into in connection with the distribution of all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (“ Company Common Stock ”) on the Effective Date to the Shareholders pursuant to that certain Second Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization (Technical Modifications), dated August 10, 2016 and filed by the Company and certain other affiliated debtors (collectively, the “ Debtors ”) with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof (the “ Reorganization Plan ”).

B. As of the date hereof, the Shareholders hold in the aggregate all of the Outstanding Company Common Stock.

C. The Reorganization Plan provides that this Agreement shall be deemed to be valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms, and each Shareholder shall be deemed to be bound hereby, in each case without the need for execution of this Agreement by any party hereto other than the Company.

The parties hereto desire to enter into this Agreement to establish certain arrangements with respect to the Company Common Stock and other related corporate matters of the Company.

NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt, adequacy and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Shareholders, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

SHAREHOLDERS

Section 1.1 Shareholders . Except for the obligations contained in Section 5.15 , a Person shall cease to be a Shareholder for all purposes upon the disposition of all of such Person’s Company Common Stock.


ARTICLE II

MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF BUSINESS

Section 2.1 Restrictions on Authority of the Board .

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, none of the following actions may be taken by the Company, directly or indirectly (and the Company shall cause its Subsidiaries to refrain from taking such actions) without a Shareholder Approval:

(i) any merger, consolidation, reorganization or equity recapitalization of the Company or its Subsidiaries (other than mergers or consolidations of a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company with another wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company or with the Company);

(ii) any sale, assignment or other transfer of all or substantially all of the assets or properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries (in each case, on a consolidated basis) and other than (x) sales, assignments and transfers between a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company and the Company or another wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company or (y) a pledge of assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with the new reserve-based lending facility credit agreement to be entered into by the Debtors or any of their successors on the terms set forth in the Exit Facility Term Sheet and the Exit Commitment Letters attached as Exhibit D and E, respectively, to that certain Restructuring Support Agreement, dated May 10, 2016, by and among the Debtors and the Restructuring Support Parties (as such term is defined in the Reorganization Plan);

(iii) any increase in the number of authorized shares of Company Common Stock or other capital stock of the Company or issuance of any preferred stock or other capital stock of the Company senior to the Company Common Stock;

(iv) any liquidation, dissolution or winding up or consenting to the entry of a decree or order appointing a trustee, custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee or similar official, in each case, of the Company or any material Subsidiary of the Company, or any action that would cause the foregoing, provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, no Shareholder Approval shall be required to institute bankruptcy proceedings, consent to the filing of a bankruptcy proceeding against it, or file a petition seeking reorganization under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or any similar applicable federal or state law;

(v) any amendment, modification or waiver of the Charter Documents of any of the Company’s material Subsidiaries other than (A) to correct any typographical or similar ministerial error, (B) to delete or add any provision required to be so deleted or added by any applicable law, (C) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision which may be inconsistent with any provision herein, and (D) to make any immaterial amendment or modification that is deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board, in each case set forth in clauses (A) through (D) above, which does not adversely affect the rights or obligations of any Shareholder, in its capacity as a Shareholder; provided that any such amendment that reasonably would be expected to disproportionately and adversely affect any Shareholder, in its capacity as a Shareholder, as compared to the other Shareholders, shall also require the prior written consent of each Shareholder so affected;

 

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(vi) engagement in any material new line of business substantially unrelated to any business or activity of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries currently conducted as of the date hereof, or any business or activity that is reasonably similar thereto or a reasonable extension, development or expansion thereof, or is complementary, incidental, ancillary or related thereto;

(vii) implementation of a new management Equity Incentive Plan or similar arrangement which could result, when combined with all other Equity Incentive Plans, in the aggregate issuance of more than ten percent (10%) of the Outstanding Company Common Stock; and

(viii) entry into any agreement, commitment or arrangement to effect, or requiring the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to effect, any of the foregoing.

(b) Affiliate Transactions . The Company shall not, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries not to, enter into, modify (including by waiver) or terminate any transaction or series of related transactions, or agreement, with any holder of Company Common Stock that (together with its Affiliates) holds at least five percent (5%) of the then Outstanding Company Common Stock or with any Director or officer of the Company, or with any Affiliate of any of the foregoing (any such transaction or series of related transactions or agreements, an “ Affiliate Transaction ”), unless (i) a majority of the Directors then serving on the Board who are not party to, or affiliated with such holder, or Affiliate thereof, that is a party to, such Affiliate Transaction (such majority, a “ Majority of Disinterested Directors ”) reasonably determines that such Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are at least as favorable to the Company and its Subsidiaries as could reasonably be obtained from an independent third party, (ii) such Affiliate Transaction is approved by a Majority of Disinterested Directors, and (iii) if and to the extent that an Affiliate Transaction involves the aggregate payment to or by the Company and its Subsidiaries equal to or in excess of five million dollars ($5,000,000), in addition to meeting the requirements in clauses (i) and (ii), either (x) the Company has obtained an opinion from a nationally recognized accounting or investment banking firm (to be selected and paid by the Company) that is independent, with no direct or indirect financial interest in the Company or its Subsidiaries, or in the proposed Affiliate Transaction or any other party thereto, that the proposed Affiliate Transaction is fair to the Shareholders from a financial point of view or (y) Shareholder Approval is obtained with respect to such Affiliate Transaction (disregarding, for such purposes, any holder of Company Common Stock, or Affiliate thereof, that is a party to such Affiliate Transaction, and the shares of Company Common Stock held by such Persons). Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except as required by applicable law, the Company’s performance of its obligations under the Backstop Commitment Agreement (as defined in the Reorganization Plan) or in connection with the consummation of the Rights Offering (as defined in the Reorganization Plan), in each case in accordance with the Reorganization Plan, shall not require any further consent or approval of the Board or the Shareholders.

 

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Section 2.2 Directors’ Non-exclusive Services . No Director shall be required to manage the Company as his or her sole and exclusive function and any Director or Shareholder may have other business interests and may engage in other activities in addition to those relating to the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Directors who are employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries shall be required to have such employment as their primary business function.

Section 2.3 Reimbursement of Expenses . Each Director shall be entitled to reimbursement from the Company of all expenses reasonably incurred and paid by such Director in connection with such Director’s services as a Director or otherwise incurred for the benefit of, or on behalf of, the Company. The Board may establish, from time to time, policies relating to expense reimbursement (including, what expenses, such as retained counsel or other advisors, will be reimbursable), which policies shall treat and apply to each Director (other than any employee of the Company serving as a Director) equally.

ARTICLE III

INFORMATION RIGHTS AND LISTING

Section 3.1 Information Rights of Shareholders; Records Required by Applicable Law; Right of Inspection .

(a) At any time that the Company is not obligated to file reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, unless the Company files reports required by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as a voluntary filer, each Shareholder, other than any Shareholder that is a Competitor, shall have the right to receive the following information (which right the Company may satisfy by providing access to each Shareholder to a confidential website such as Intralinks and timely posting such information on such website (which website shall have a system of email notification of new postings and may require confirmation by viewers of the site of the confidentiality obligations set forth in Section 5.15 , a “ Secure Site ”)), and each Shareholder may share and discuss such information (along with any other information provided to Shareholders pursuant to this Agreement and otherwise made available to Shareholders via the Secure Site) with its Affiliates, directors, officers, partners, managers, shareholders, employees, investors and advisors as well as any bona fide prospective purchaser of Company Common Stock that (x) is not a Competitor and (y) has entered into, and delivered to the Company, a confidentiality agreement substantially in the form set forth on Annex I attached hereto regarding the treatment of such information (and for the avoidance of doubt, at its election, the Company may share and discuss such information with any prospective purchaser of Company Common Stock):

(i) within ninety (90) days of the end of each fiscal year, copies of all annual financial statements and similar information of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year that would be required to be contained in a filing with the SEC on Form 10-K if the Company were required to file such forms, which financial statements shall (v) include a comparison to the prior fiscal year results; (w) be prepared in accordance with GAAP; (x) be audited by a nationally recognized accounting firm approved by the Board and accompanied by a report and opinion thereon by such accounting firm prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards that is not subject to any qualification as to the scope of such audit or

 

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with respect to accounting principles followed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries not in accordance with GAAP; (y) be accompanied by a management discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations with respect to such financial statements (an “ MD&A ”); and (z) be certified by the chief financial officer of the Company.

(ii) for each of the first three (3) fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Company, copies of all quarterly financial statements and similar information of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal quarter that would be required to be contained in a filing with the SEC on Form 10-Q if the Company were required to file such forms, which financial statements shall (w) include year-to-date results and a comparison to the corresponding period in the prior fiscal year; (x) be prepared in accordance with GAAP; (y) be accompanied by an MD&A; and (z) be delivered no later than forty-five (45) days following the end of such fiscal quarter.

(iii) all current reports that would be required to be filed with, and within the timing that would be required by, the SEC on Form 8-K if the Company were required to file such reports.

(b) The Company shall host, and each Shareholder, other than any Shareholder that is a Competitor, that (together with its Affiliates) holds at least one-half of one percent (0.5%) of the Outstanding Company Common Stock, shall have access to, quarterly conference calls with senior officers of the Company to discuss the status of the Company and its business and the business of its Subsidiaries (including updates to the budgets and projections of the Company and its Subsidiaries), which calls shall include a reasonable and customary question and answer session. Quarterly calls shall be hosted as promptly as reasonably practicable but in any event no later than twenty (20) Business Days after furnishing the annual and quarterly reports.

(c) During the term of the Company’s existence there shall be maintained in the Company’s principal office or at the office of the Company’s agents and representatives all records required to be kept pursuant to applicable law, including (whether or not so required) a current list of the names, addresses and shares of Company Common Stock held by each of the Shareholders (including the dates on which each of the Shareholders became a Shareholder), copies of federal, state and local information or income tax returns for each of the Company’s tax years, copies of this Agreement and each of the Company’s Charter Documents, including all amendments thereto and restatements thereof, and correct and complete books and records of account of the Company. Prior to any termination of the Company’s existence, the Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that, for a period of six (6) years after any such termination, such information, to the extent still in existence and available, may be obtained by a Shareholder’s request in writing to a legal advisor or agent of the Company to be designated prior to any such termination, with the cost (as reasonably determined by such legal advisor or agent) of accessing and providing such information being borne by the requesting Shareholder.

(d) On written request stating the purpose, a Shareholder that (together with its Affiliates) holds at least one-half of one percent (0.5%) of the Outstanding Company Common Stock may make reasonable inquiries of management and examine, at any reasonable time during business hours, for any proper purpose reasonably related to such Shareholder’s interest as a Shareholder of the Company, and at the Shareholder’s expense, records of the Company and

 

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its Subsidiaries; provided that the Company may limit access to certain information if and to the extent required by applicable law, if the Board reasonably deems such information to be competitively sensitive with respect to the Shareholder requesting such access or if granting such access could reasonably be expected in the loss or impairment of the Company to claim attorney client privilege, work product doctrine, or a similar protective privilege or doctrine with respect to the information ( provided that the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to allow for such access in a way that would not have any of the foregoing effects). Upon written request by any Shareholder made to the Company, the Company shall provide or make available to such Shareholder without charge true copies of this Agreement, the Company’s Charter Documents, and all amendments thereto and restatements thereof, which documents may be provided to such Shareholder by posting them on a Secure Site or on EDGAR.

Section 3.2 Information Rights of the Company . The Company may from time to time, but a Shareholder may be compelled to answer no more frequently than once per calendar quarter (unless, with respect to clause (a) hereof, required by applicable law), reasonably request of any or all Shareholders information (a) needed by the Company to comply with applicable law and/or (b) regarding such Shareholder’s “accredited investor” status (within the meaning of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act).

ARTICLE IV

TRANSFER

Section 4.1 Transfer of Company Common Stock; Derivative Securities . No Shareholder may Transfer, offer to Transfer, or accept an offer from any proposed Transferee for, all or any shares of its Company Common Stock or any amount of its Derivative Security to another Person except in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Article IV . A Transfer completed in accordance with this Article IV is referred to in this Agreement as a “ Permitted Transfer .”

Section 4.2 General Provisions Regarding Transfers .

(a) Without limiting any other provisions or restrictions or conditions of this Article IV , no Transfer of Company Common Stock or any Derivative Security or any other rights or obligations or interests of a Shareholder, as applicable, may be made under any circumstances unless such Transfer is made in accordance with the procedures set forth herein and such Transfer would not result in any of the following:

(i) Securities Laws . Any violation of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), or any regulation issued pursuant thereto, or any state securities laws or regulations, or any other applicable federal or state laws or order of any court having jurisdiction over the Company; or

(ii) Registration . Without limiting the restrictions set forth in the Charter Documents, until the Company becomes obligated to file reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, any requirement that the Company register the Company Common Stock or any other capital stock of the Company under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act or any regulation issued pursuant thereto.

 

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(b) Mechanics . Any Transfer of Company Common Stock shall be subject to the restrictions of this Section 4.2 . The Person proposing to make any such Transfer shall deliver to the Company (i) the name of the Person or Persons to whom the proposed Transfer is to be made (“ Transferee ”) and (ii) if reasonably requested by the Board, a written opinion of legal counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company’s legal counsel to the effect that the proposed Transfer may be effected without registration under the Securities Act or any applicable state law.

Section 4.3 Preemptive Rights . Any issuance of New Securities by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than an issuance of Exempt Securities, shall be subject to the following provisions:

(a) Right to Purchase New Securities . Except as otherwise provided in this Section 4.3 (including Section 4.3(e) hereof), the Company hereby grants to each Shareholder that, together with its Affiliates, holds of record at least one-half of one percent (0.5%) of the Outstanding Company Common Stock (the “ Qualified Shareholder ”) the right to purchase its pro rata share of any and all issuances, sales or distributions of New Securities proposed to be made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as set forth herein.

(b) Issuance Notice . The Company shall give each Person that on the date of an Issuance Notice is a Qualified Shareholder written notice of the Company’s intention to issue or sell New Securities (which notice may be provided by posting the requisite information on a Secure Site and notifying (or causing notification to be delivered to) each of such Qualified Shareholders of such posting in writing) (the “ Issuance Notice ”), describing the type and terms of the New Securities, the price at which such New Securities will be issued or sold and the general terms upon which the Company proposes to issue or sell the New Securities, including the anticipated date of such issuance, sale or distribution, the general use of proceeds thereof, a description of both the business purpose of the offering of such New Securities and the dilutive effects, if any, of such offering, and the record date for determining Qualified Shareholders and the pro rata share of each of them which, if not specified in the Issuance Notice, shall be the date of the Issuance Notice (the “ Preemptive Offer Record Date ”). Each Qualified Shareholder shall have ten (10) Business Days from the date the Issuance Notice is sent to deliver notice (the “ Response Notice ”) of its intention to purchase all or any portion of its pro rata share of the New Securities, based on the ratio of the shares of Company Common Stock held by such Qualified Shareholder on the Preemptive Offer Record Date to the number of shares of Company Common Stock held by all the Qualified Shareholders on the Preemptive Offer Record Date, and stating therein the quantity of New Securities it intends to purchase (each Qualified Shareholder who delivers a Response Notice hereunder is a “ Purchaser ” for purposes of this Section 4.3 ); provided that if the Company determines that a ten (10)-Business Day period is not practical, the Company shall specify a shorter period (which shall be as long a period as is reasonably practical but in no event less than three (3) Business Days) in the Issuance Notice. Such Response Notice shall constitute the irrevocable agreement of such Purchaser to purchase the quantity of New Securities indicated in the Response Notice at the price and upon the terms stated in the Issuance Notice; provided , however , that if the Company is proposing to issue, sell or distribute securities

 

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for consideration other than all cash, and subject to the limitations on the rights set forth in this Section 4.3 , the Company shall accept from such Purchaser either non-cash consideration that is reasonably comparable to the non-cash consideration proposed by the Company or the cash value of such non-cash consideration, in each case as determined in good faith by the Board. Any purchase of New Securities by a Purchaser pursuant to this Section 4.3 shall be consummated on or prior to the later of (x) the date on which all other Offered Securities described in the applicable Issuance Notice are issued, sold or distributed and (y) the second (2nd) Business Day following delivery of the Response Notice by such Purchaser.

(c) Sale to Other Persons . The Company shall have sixty (60) days from the date of the applicable Issuance Notice to consummate an issuance, sale or distribution of any New Securities which the Qualified Shareholders have not elected to purchase pursuant to Section 4.3(b) to other Persons at a price and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Company than those contained in the Issuance Notice, on the condition that any Person purchasing New Securities pursuant to such offer must comply with Section 4.2 . In the event that the sale of New Securities is not fully consummated within such sixty (60)-day period, then the Company shall be obligated once again to offer the purchase rights set forth in this Section 4.3 before it may subsequently sell such New Securities ( provided that such sixty (60)-day period shall automatically toll, but not for longer than one-hundred and eighty (180) days to the extent regulatory approval would be required for such Person to acquire such New Securities).

(d) Exempt Securities . Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.3 , Qualified Shareholders shall not have the right to participate in the issuance of any New Securities which are otherwise authorized to be issued in accordance with this Agreement (i) if such New Securities were issued as consideration in any merger, consolidation or combination with or acquisition of securities or assets of another Person in exchange for New Securities, (ii) if made upon conversion or exercise of any rights, convertible securities, options or warrants to purchase Company Common Stock or other capital stock of the Company, (iii) if made by any Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or any of its direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiaries, (iv) if made as securities which are the subject of a registration statement being filed under the Securities Act pursuant to a Qualified IPO, (v) if made to Directors, officers, employees or consultants as compensation pursuant to any Equity Incentive Plans approved in accordance with Section 2.1 or (vi) if such New Securities were issued in connection with the Backstop Commitment Agreement (as defined in the Reorganization Plan), or in connection with the consummation of the Rights Offering (as defined in the Reorganization Plan) in accordance with the Reorganization Plan (the New Securities described in the foregoing clauses (i) through (vi), “ Exempt Securities ”).

(e) Accelerated Buyer Transactions . Nothing in this Section 4.3 shall prevent the Company or its Subsidiaries from issuing or selling to any Person (the “ Accelerated Buyer ”) any New Securities without first complying with the provisions of this Section 4.3 ; provided that in connection with such issuance or sale (i) the Company gives reasonably prompt notice to the Qualified Shareholders of such issuance (after such issuance has occurred), which notice shall describe in reasonable detail the New Securities purchased by the Accelerated Buyer and the purchase price thereof and (ii) the Accelerated Buyer and the Company enable the Qualified Shareholders to effectively exercise their respective rights under this Section 4.3 with respect to their purchase of their pro rata share of the New Securities issued to the Accelerated Buyer

 

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within fifteen (15) Business Days after receipt of the notice by the Qualified Shareholder of such issuance to the Accelerated Buyer on the terms specified in this Section 4.3 . The Preemptive Offer Record Date for such issuance shall be the date such New Securities are issued to the Accelerated Buyer.

(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing, and without limiting any other right or remedy that may be available to the Company, the Board may deny any right contemplated by this Section 4.3 to any Person that is a transferee or purported transferee of any securities of the Company in violation of Section 4.2 .

Section 4.4 All Other Transfers Void . Any Transfer or purported Transfer in violation of the provisions of this Article IV shall be null and void ab initio, shall be of no force or effect and shall constitute a material breach of this Agreement.

ARTICLE V

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 5.1 Complete Agreement . This Agreement and the other agreements expressly referenced in this Agreement constitute the complete and exclusive statement of agreement among the Shareholders with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement supersedes all prior written and oral statements by and among the Shareholders or any of them, and except as otherwise specifically contemplated by this Agreement, no representation, statement, or condition or warranty not contained in this Agreement will be binding on the Shareholders or the Company or have any force or effect whatsoever.

Section 5.2 Drag-Along Rights; Tag-Along Rights; Other Actions .

(a) Each Shareholder hereby acknowledges and agrees that it is subject to the drag-along provisions and tag-along provisions set forth in Section 4.7 and Section 4.8, respectively, of the Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company (and any successor provision thereto).

(b) The Company by its execution hereof acknowledges that it has actual notice of the terms of this Agreement, consents hereto and hereby covenants with each of the Shareholders that it will at all times during the term of this Agreement be governed by the terms and provisions hereof in carrying out its business and affairs and, accordingly, shall give or cause to be given such notices, execute or cause to be executed such documents and do or cause to be done all such acts, matters and things as may from time to time be necessary or required to carry out the terms and intent hereof.

Section 5.3 Governing Law . This Agreement and the rights of the parties hereunder will be governed by, interpreted, and enforced in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without reference to conflicts of law principles; provided that, from and after the effectiveness of the Redomestication, this Agreement and the rights of the parties hereunder will be governed by, interpreted, and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without reference to conflicts of law principles.

 

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Section 5.4 No Assignment . No party hereto may assign any of its respective rights or delegate any of its respective obligations under this Agreement, and any attempted assignment or delegation in violation of the foregoing shall be null and void. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Person that acquires Company Common Stock pursuant to a Transfer made in accordance with Article IV and executes a joinder to this Agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, shall be entitled to rights under and be bound by this Agreement as if an original party hereto except as otherwise set forth herein.

Section 5.5 Binding Effect . Subject to the provisions of this Agreement relating to transferability or assignment, this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and each of the Shareholders, and their respective heirs, devisees, spouses, distributees, representatives, successors and permitted assigns.

Section 5.6 Severability . If any provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid, or unenforceable under any present or future laws applicable to the Company effective during the term of this Agreement, such provision will be fully severable; this Agreement will be construed and enforced as if such illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision had never comprised a part of this Agreement; and the remaining provisions of this Agreement will remain in full force and effect and will not be affected by the illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision or by its severance from this Agreement.

Section 5.7 No Partition . The parties acknowledge that the assets and properties of the Company are not and will not be suitable for partition. Thus, each Shareholder (on behalf of such Shareholder and their successors and assigns) hereby irrevocably waives any and all rights that such Shareholder may have to maintain any action for partition of such assets and properties, if any.

Section 5.8 Additional Documents and Acts . Each party hereto agrees to execute and deliver such additional documents and instruments and to perform such additional acts as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to effectuate, carry out, and perform all of the terms, provisions, and conditions of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

Section 5.9 No Employment Rights . Nothing in this Agreement shall confer upon any Person any right to be employed or to continue employment by the Company or any of its Affiliates, or interfere in any manner with any right of the Company or any of its Affiliates to terminate such employment at any time.

Section 5.10 Amendments; Termination of Equity Rights .

(a) All amendments to this Agreement will be in writing and subject to receipt of Shareholder Approval and approval by any other Shareholders whose approval is required pursuant to Section 5.10(b) .

(b) Any amendment or other modification that would adversely affect any Shareholder’s rights set forth in Section 3.1 (Information Rights of Shareholders; Records Required by Applicable Law; Right of Inspection) or Article IV (Transfer) shall require the written consent of each such Shareholder adversely affected; provided , however , that any amendment to Section 3.1 that only provides for a reasonable extension of time for the delivery

 

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of the financial statements or the other information to be delivered pursuant thereto shall only require a Shareholder Approval. If any amendment or other modification would adversely affect the rights and obligations of any Shareholder in a manner disproportionate relative to any other Shareholder or would subject a Shareholder to any obligation or liability not shared by each of the other Shareholders, then such amendment or other modification shall not be effective without the written consent of such Shareholder.

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the provisions of Sections 4.1, 4.2, and 4.4 shall automatically terminate and be of no further force and effect upon an OTC Listing.

Section 5.11 No Waiver . No delay, failure or waiver by any party to exercise any right or remedy under this Agreement, and no partial or single exercise of any such right or remedy, will operate to limit, preclude, cancel, waive or otherwise affect such right or remedy, nor will any single or partial exercise of such right or remedy limit, preclude, impair or waive any further exercise of such right or remedy or the exercise of any other right or remedy.

Section 5.12 Notices . Except as otherwise provided elsewhere in this Agreement regarding notices by electronic mail or other electronic means to Shareholders and the Board and regarding proxies, all notices, requests, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered (a) by personal delivery, (b) by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, (c) by telefacsimile or electronic mail, using equipment that provides written confirmation of delivery, or (d) by deposit in the U.S. Mail, postage prepaid, registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the Company at its principal executive office and to any Shareholder at the address then shown as the current address of such Shareholder specified on the Shareholder Registry. Any such notice shall be deemed to have been given on the date so delivered, if delivered personally, by overnight courier service or by electronic mail; or if by telefacsimile, on the first (1st) day following the transmission of such facsimile; or if mailed, four (4) calendar days after mailing. Any party may, at any time by giving five (5) calendar days’ prior written notice to the Company, specify a different address (physical or electronic) or telefacsimile number for notice purposes by sending notice thereof in the foregoing manner. Any notice required to be given by the Company to Shareholders may be given by posting to a Secure Site or on EDGAR (with email notification of such posting), and shall be deemed to be delivered on the date such posting is made.

Section 5.13 Consent to Jurisdiction; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL .

(a) Consent to Jurisdiction Prior to Redomestication . Prior to the Redomestication, the Company and each Shareholder (i) irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of any state court in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (and the appropriate appellate courts), for the purposes of any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of this Agreement and (ii) agrees to commence any such action, suit or proceeding either in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or if such suit, action or other proceeding may not be brought in such court for jurisdictional reasons, in any state court in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Notwithstanding the foregoing, prior to the Redomestication, any party hereto may commence an action, suit or proceeding with any

 

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governmental body anywhere in the world for the sole purpose of seeking recognition and enforcement of a judgment of any court referred to in the first sentence of this Section 5.13(a) . Prior to the Redomestication, the Company and each Shareholder further (x) agrees that service of any process, summons, notice or document by U.S. registered mail to such party’s respective address set forth on the Shareholder Registry (or in the case of the Company, at the Company’s principal office) shall be effective service of process for any action, suit or proceeding in Virginia with respect to any matters to which it has submitted to jurisdiction in this Section 5.13(a) and (y) irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any action, suit or proceeding arising out of this Agreement in (A) any state court in the Commonwealth of Virginia, or (B) the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, and hereby further irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such action, suit or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

(b) Consent to Jurisdiction Following Redomestication . Following the Redomestication, the Company and each Shareholder (i) irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of any state court in the State of Delaware, and the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (and the appropriate appellate courts), for the purposes of any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of this Agreement and (ii) agrees to commence any such action, suit or proceeding either in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware or if such suit, action or other proceeding may not be brought in such court for jurisdictional reasons, in any state court in the State of Delaware. Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the Redomestication, any party hereto may commence an action, suit or proceeding with any governmental body anywhere in the world for the sole purpose of seeking recognition and enforcement of a judgment of any court referred to in the first sentence of this Section 5.13(b) . Following the Redomestication, the Company and each Shareholder further (x) agrees that service of any process, summons, notice or document by U.S. registered mail to such party’s respective address set forth on the Shareholder Registry (or in the case of the Company, at the Company’s principal office) shall be effective service of process for any action, suit or proceeding in Delaware with respect to any matters to which it has submitted to jurisdiction in this Section 5.13(b) and (y) irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any action, suit or proceeding arising out of this Agreement in (A) any state court in the State of Delaware, or (B) the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, and hereby further irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such action, suit or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

(c) WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL . THE COMPANY AND EACH SHAREHOLDER HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, INVOLVING OR OTHERWISE IN RESPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR SUCH SHAREHOLDER’S OWNERSHIP OF COMPANY COMMON STOCK. THE COMPANY AND EACH SHAREHOLDER (i) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF THE COMPANY OR ANY SHAREHOLDER HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT THE COMPANY OR SUCH SHAREHOLDER WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (ii) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE COMPANY AND EACH SHAREHOLDER HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 5.13(c) .

 

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Section 5.14 No Third Party Beneficiary . Except as expressly provided in Section 5.5 , this Agreement is made solely and specifically among and for the benefit of the parties hereto (including each Shareholder), and their respective successors and permitted assigns, and no other Person will have any rights, interest, or claims hereunder or be entitled to any benefits under or on account of this Agreement as a third party beneficiary or otherwise.

Section 5.15 Confidentiality .

(a) The terms of this Agreement, the identity of any Person with whom the Company may be holding discussions with respect to any investment, acquisition, disposition or other transaction, any information disclosed to or received by any Shareholder pursuant to Section 3.1 or Annex I and all other business, financial or other information relating directly to the conduct of the business and affairs of the Company or its Subsidiaries or the relative or absolute rights or interests of any of the Shareholders (collectively, the “ Confidential Information ”) that has not been publicly disclosed by the Company is confidential and proprietary information of the Company, the disclosure of which would cause irreparable harm to the Company and the Shareholders. Accordingly, each Shareholder represents that it has not and agrees that it will not and will direct its shareholders, partners, directors, officers, agents, representatives, attorneys, accountants, advisors, employees, and Affiliates (collectively, its “ Representatives ”) not to, disclose to any Person any Confidential Information or confirm any statement made by third Persons regarding Confidential Information until the Company has publicly disclosed the Confidential Information; provided , however , that any Shareholder (or its Affiliates) may disclose such Confidential Information: (i) to the extent required by law (it being specifically understood and agreed that anything required to be set forth in a registration statement or any other document required to be filed pursuant to law will be deemed required by law, so long as the requirement to file such registration statement does not arise primarily in connection with a Transfer of securities of the Company), regulation or the listing standards of any national securities exchange, (ii) to the extent that the Confidential Information is publicly known or subsequently becomes publicly known other than through a breach of this Section 5.15(a) by such Shareholder, (iii) to the extent that the Confidential Information is already in possession of, or is subsequently received by, a Shareholder from a third party not known by the Shareholder to be subject to an obligation of confidentiality owed to the Company, or (iv) to a prospective Transferee that (x) is not known by such Shareholder to be a Competitor and (y) has entered into reasonable confidentiality arrangements enforceable by the Company as described in Section 3.1(a) , subject to the terms and conditions of such arrangements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Shareholder may disclose Confidential Information to its Representatives (i) who need to know such information for the sole purpose of advising such Shareholder and (ii) who are informed by such Shareholder of the confidential nature of such information; provided that each Shareholder will be responsible for any violation of this Section 5.15 by any of its Representatives as if they were parties hereto.

(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 5.15(a) each Shareholder agrees not to disclose any Confidential Information to any Person (other than a Person agreeing in a manner

 

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enforceable by the Company to maintain all Confidential Information in strict confidence or a judge, magistrate or referee in any action, suit or proceeding relating to or arising out of this Agreement or otherwise), and to keep confidential all documents (including responses to discovery requests) containing any Confidential Information. Each Shareholder hereby consents in advance to any motion for any protective order brought by the Company or any other Shareholder represented as being intended by the movant to implement the purposes of this Section 5.15 ; provided that, if a Shareholder receives a request to disclose any Confidential Information under the terms of a valid and effective order issued by a court or governmental agency and the order was not sought by or on behalf of or consented to by such Shareholder, then such Shareholder may disclose the Confidential Information to the extent required if the Shareholder as promptly as practicable (i) notifies the Company of the existence, terms and circumstances of the order, (ii) consults in good faith with the Company on the advisability of taking legally available steps to resist or to narrow the order and cooperates with the reasonable requests of the Company, at the Company’s sole cost and expense, in connection with the foregoing, and (iii) if disclosure of the Confidential Information is required, exercises its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain a protective order or other reliable assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded to the portion of the disclosed Confidential Information that the Company designates. The cost (including attorneys’ fees and expenses) of obtaining a protective order covering Confidential Information designated by the Company will be borne by the Company.

(c) The covenants contained in this Section 5.15 will survive the Transfer of the Company Common Stock of any Shareholder and the termination of this Agreement; provided , however , that this Section 5.15 will cease to be of any force and effect on the second (2nd) anniversary of the termination of this Agreement.

Section 5.16 Cumulative Remedies; Specific Performance .

(a) The rights and remedies of any party hereto as set forth in this Agreement are not exclusive and are in addition to any other rights and remedies now or hereafter provided by law or at equity.

(b) The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that money damages may not be an adequate remedy for any breach of the provisions of this Agreement and that, in addition to any other rights and remedies at law or in equity existing in its favor, any party hereto shall be entitled to specific performance and/or other injunctive relief from any court of law or equity of competent jurisdiction (without posting any bond or other security) in order to enforce or prevent violation of the provisions of this Agreement.

Section 5.17 Exhibits and Schedules . All Exhibits and Schedules attached hereto are hereby incorporated by reference into, and made a part of, this Agreement.

Section 5.18 Interpretation . The titles and section headings set forth in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be considered as part of agreement of the parties hereto. When the context requires, the plural shall include the singular and the singular the plural, and any gender shall include all other genders or neuter. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” No provision of

 

- 14 -


this Agreement shall be interpreted or construed against any party because such party or its counsel was the drafter thereof. Any reference to statutes or laws will include all amendments, modifications, or replacements of the specific sections and provisions concerned. Numbered or lettered articles, sections, and subsections herein contained refer to articles, sections, and subsections of this Agreement unless otherwise expressly stated.

Section 5.19 Termination . This Agreement will be automatically effective as of the Effective Date and will continue in effect thereafter until the earlier to occur of (a) its termination by the written agreement of the undersigned parties hereto (other than the Company) or their respective successors in interest, (b) its termination by the unanimous written consent of all Shareholders of the Company, (c) the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company and (d) the occurrence of a Public Listing. This Article V shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has executed this Agreement as of the date first set forth above.

 

PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ R. Seth Bullock

  Name: R. Seth Bullock
  Title:   Chief Restructuring Officer

[Signature Page to Shareholders Agreement]


SCHEDULE A

COMPETITORS

 

    Abraxas Petroleum

 

    Alta Mesa Holdings

 

    Anadarko

 

    Apache Co

 

    Aruba Petroleum

 

    Atlas Resource Partners

 

    Aterra Exploration

 

    Aurora Resources

 

    Austin Exploration (Aus-Tex Expl.)

 

    AWP Operating

 

    Baytex Energy

 

    BHP Billiton

 

    Blackbrush Oil & Gas

 

    BP

 

    BRC Operating

 

    Burnett Oil

 

    Cabot Oil & Gas

 

    Carrizo Oil & Gas

 

    Chaparral Energy

 

    Clayton Williams Energy, Inc.

 

    Chesapeake Energy

 

    Cheyenne Petroleum

 

    Comstock Resources

 

    ConocoPhillips – (Burlington Resources)

 

    Contanga Oil & Gas

 

    CML Exploration

 

    CNOOC (China National Offshore Oil Corporation)
    Cypress E&P

 

    Crimson Exploration (Contango Oil)

 

    Denali Oil & Gas

 

    Devon Energy Corp.

 

    Diamond Sabal Operating

 

    Eagle Ford Oil & Gas Corp.

 

    Earthsone Energy, Inc.

 

    EF Energy

 

    Encana Corp.

 

    Enduring Resources

 

    Enerjex Resources

 

    EOG Resources

 

    Escondido Resources

 

    Espada Operating

 

    EXCO Resources

 

    Exxon-XTO

 

    Goodrich Petroleum

 

    Halcon Resources

 

    Hess Corporation

 

    Hunt Oil

 

    Japan Petroleum Exploration

 

    Kinder Morgan (formerly El Paso)

 

    KNOC (Korea National Oil Corporation)

 

    Laredo Energy

 

    Lewis Energy Group (BP Partner)

 

    Lonestar Resources

 

    Lucas Energy

 

    Marathon Oil
 

 

 

Schedule A – Page 1


    Marubeni Corporation (Hunt Oil Partner)

 

    Matador Resources

 

    Mitsui

 

    Murphy Oil

 

    Newfield Exploration

 

    Noble Energy (formerly Rosetta)

 

    NFR Energy

 

    Patterson UTI

 

    Peregrine Petroleum

 

    PetroEdge

 

    PetroHawk (now BHP)

 

    PetroQuest

 

    Pioneer Natural Resources

 

    Primera Energy

 

    Redemption Oil & Gas

 

    Repsol (formerly Talisman)

 

    Ricochet Energy

 

    Riley Exploration

 

    Rock Oil Company

 

    Sabine Oil & Gas (formerly Forest)

 

    Sanchez Energy

 

    Sandstone Energy, LLC

 

    Saxon Oil Company

 

    Shell

 

    SM Energy (St. Mary Land & Exploration)

 

    Southern Bay Operating

 

    Statoil

 

    Stonegate Production

 

    Strand Energy

 

    Strike Energy
    Sundance Energy

 

    Swift Energy

 

    Tidal Petroleum

 

    TXCO Resources (Now, Newfield & Anadarko)

 

    Unit Corporation

 

    U.S. Energy Corp.

 

    Weber Energy

 

    WEJCO E&P

 

    ZaZa Energy
 

 

Schedule A – Page 2


EXHIBIT A

DEFINITIONS

As used in this Agreement, the following terms will have the following meanings, and all section references shall be to sections in this Agreement unless otherwise provided:

Accelerated Buyer ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3(e) .

Affiliate(s) ” means with respect to any Person, (i) any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person (for the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise); provided , however , that neither the Company nor any of its controlled Affiliates shall be deemed an Affiliate of any of the Shareholders (and vice versa), (ii) if such Person is an investment fund, an Affiliate shall include any other investment fund the primary investment advisor to which is the primary investment advisor to such Person or an Affiliate thereof and (iii) if such Person is a natural Person, any Family Member of such natural Person.

Affiliate Transaction ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b) .

Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Board ” means the board of directors of the Company.

Business Day ” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or date on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized by law to close for business.

Charter Documents ” means, with respect to the Company, the articles of incorporation and bylaws of the Company, as the same may be amended, supplemented, modified or restated from time to time, and with respect to any other Person, the articles of incorporation, bylaws, certificate of incorporation, certificate of formation, operating agreement, partnership agreement or any other similar incorporating or formation documents of such Person, as the same may be amended, supplemented, modified or restated from time to time.

Company ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Company Common Stock ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Competitor ” means any of the Persons set forth on Schedule A attached hereto and any of their controlled Affiliates (but, not, for the avoidance of doubt, any other Affiliates of such Persons unless expressly listed on Schedule A), which schedule may be modified by the Board in good faith from time to time to add one or more Persons who (i) engage in operations substantially similar to those engaged in by the Company as of the date hereof, and derive from such operations annual revenues at least comparable to those derived from such operations by Persons already designated as Competitors pursuant to the terms of this Agreement as of the end of the year immediately preceding the date hereof, and (ii) did not do so on or prior to the date hereof.

 

 

Exhibit A – Page 1


Confidential Information ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.15(a) .

Derivative Securities ” means direct or indirect options, rights, warrants or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, any Company Common Stock or any other capital stock of the Company.

Director ” means any member of the Board (other than any Person (if any) effecting observer rights on the Board).

EDGAR ” means the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System of the SEC.

Effective Date ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Equity Incentive Plans ” means any equity incentive plans for officers, employees or Directors of the Company.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

Exempt Securities ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3(d) .

Family Member ” means, with respect to any natural Person, such Person’s spouse and descendants (whether or not adopted) and any trust, family limited partnership or limited liability company that is and remains solely for the benefit of such Person’s spouse and/or descendants.

GAAP ” means the generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time in the U.S.

IPO ” means the first public offering of the Company pursuant to an effective Registration Statement under the Securities Act (other than on Forms S-4, S-8 or successors to such forms), covering the offer and sale of capital stock of the Company.

Issuance Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3(b) .

Listing ” means an OTC listing or a Public Listing.

Majority of Disinterested Directors ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b) .

MD&A ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(a)(i) .

New Securities ” means Company Common Stock and other capital stock and rights, convertible securities, options or warrants to purchase Company Common Stock or other capital stock issued subsequent to the Effective Date, whether or not authorized as of the Effective Date.

 

Exhibit A – Page 2


Outstanding Company Common Stock ” means, as of any given time, the then issued and outstanding Company Common Stock, excluding (unless calculated on a fully diluted basis) any Derivative Securities and any unvested or restricted Company Common Stock issued pursuant to an Equity Incentive Plan.

OTC Listing ” means the registration of the company Common Stock under the Exchange Act and qualification for quotation on the OTC Bulletin Board (or other available over the counter market).

Permitted Transfer ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1 .

Person ” means an individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, joint venture, trust, business trust, association, or similar entity, whether domestic or foreign, and the heirs, executors, legal representatives, successors and assigns of such entity where the context requires.

Preemptive Offer Record Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3(b) .

Public Listing ” means the listing of the Company Common Stock on a U.S. national securities exchange registered with the SEC (whether in connection with an initial public offering of the Company Common Stock or otherwise).

Purchaser ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3(b) .

Qualified IPO ” means a bona fide , marketed underwritten IPO after which closing such capital is quoted on the NASDAQ National Market or listed or quoted on the New York Stock Exchange or other national securities exchange acceptable to the Board and meeting one of the following two criteria: (i) the aggregate cash proceeds (net of underwriting discounts, commissions and offering expenses) of such offering to the Company exceed seventy five million dollars ($75 million), or (ii) at least twenty percent (20%) of the Outstanding Company Common Stock (calculated on a fully diluted basis, and for purposes of such calculation treating Company Common Stock issued in the IPO as Outstanding Company Common Stock) shall have been issued or sold to the public in connection with such IPO.

Qualified Shareholder ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3(a) .

Redomestication” means the change of the jurisdiction in which the Company is organized from the Commonwealth of Virginia to the State of Delaware.

Registration Rights Agreement ” means that certain registration rights agreement, dated as of September 12, 2016, by and among the Company and the investors party thereto.

Registration Statement ” means any registration statement of the Company under the Securities Act which permits the public offering of any of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), including the prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, all exhibits and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such registration statement.

 

Exhibit A – Page 3


Reorganization Plan ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Representatives ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.15(a) .

Response Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3(b) .

SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission and any governmental body or agency succeeding to the functions thereof.

Secure Site ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(a) .

Securities Act ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.2(a)(i) .

Shareholder ” means each Person (other than the Company) who shall be a party to or bound by this Agreement, pursuant to Section 4.2 or otherwise, so long as such Person shall “beneficially own” (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act) any Company Common Stock.

Shareholder Approval ” means the affirmative vote or written consent of the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Company Common Stock (subject to any adjustments or limitations on voting as set forth in the Charter Documents).

Shareholder Registry ” means a register of the Company indicating: (i) with respect to each issuance of Company Common Stock or other capital stock of the Company, the date of such issuance, the number of shares issued and the Shareholder to whom such shares were issued and (ii) with respect to each Permitted Transfer of Company Common Stock or other capital stock of the Company, the date of such Transfer, the number of shares Transferred and the identity of each of the Transferor and the Transferee(s) thereof.

Subsidiary ” means any Person the majority of the equity of which, directly, or indirectly through one or more other Persons, (a) the Company has the right to acquire or (b) is owned or controlled by the Company. As used in this definition, “control,” including, its correlative meanings, “controlled by” and “under common control with,” means possession, directly or indirectly, of power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies (whether through ownership of equity, by contract or otherwise). For the avoidance of doubt, Subsidiary shall include any Person that is included in the Company’s consolidated group for purposes of preparing the Company’s consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP.

Transfer ” means the sale, sale of any option or contract to purchase, purchase of any option or contract to sell, grant of any option, right or warrant to purchase, assignment, loan, offer, transfer, exchange or other disposition of any shares of Company Common Stock, whether or not for value, and whether voluntarily, by operation of law or otherwise, and includes foreclosure.

Transferee ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.2(b) .

 

Exhibit A – Page 4


United States ” means any federal department, division, agency, bureau, office, branch, court, commission, or other governmental instrumentality of the U.S. or any authority acting on its behalf.

U.S. ” means the United States of America.

 

Exhibit A – Page 5


ANNEX I

FORM OF

CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT

Penn Virginia Corporation

14701 St. Mary’s Lane, Suite 275

Houston, Texas 77079

[INSERT DATE]

[INSERT NAME OF POTENTIAL TRANSFEREE]

[INSERT ADDRESS OF POTENTIAL TRANSFEREE]

Ladies and Gentlemen:

In connection with the consideration by [INSERT NAME OF POTENTIAL TRANSFEREE] (“ you ” or “ your ”) of a potential investment in the Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Penn Virginia Corporation, a [Virginia] [Delaware] corporation (the “ Company ” and together with you, collectively, the “ Parties ” and each individually, a “ Party ”), or other securities of the Company (the “ Transaction ”), certain affiliates or shareholders of the Company, the Company or their respective representatives have furnished or may furnish you and your Representatives (as hereinafter defined) with non-public information regarding the Company, including, without limitation, information concerning the Company’s financial and operational performance, properties, prospects, activities and plans. You recognize and acknowledge that such information furnished or to be furnished to you and/or your Representatives in the future (whether oral or written) is proprietary to the Company and may include trade secrets or other highly confidential non-public business information the disclosure of which could harm the Company. In consideration for, and as a condition of, such non-public information being furnished to you (and your agents, representatives, attorneys, accountants, advisors, directors, officers, employees and affiliates, collectively, your “ Representatives ”), you agree to treat any and all information concerning the Company or any of its subsidiaries that has been or is to be furnished to you or your Representatives (regardless of the manner in which it is furnished, including, without limitation, in written or electronic format or orally, gathered by visual inspection or otherwise) by or on behalf of the Company or any of its affiliates or shareholders, together with any documents you create that contain or are based upon any such information, in whole or in part (collectively, “ Company Information ”), in accordance with the provisions of this letter agreement (this “ Agreement ”).

The term “ Company Information ” does not include information that you can demonstrate: (i) is obtained by you or your Representatives from a third party, who, after reasonable inquiry, is not known by you to be bound by any duty of confidentiality to or confidential agreement with the Company or any other Person (as defined below) with respect to Company Information or is otherwise prohibited from transmitting the information to you by a contractual, legal, fiduciary or other obligation to the Company or any other Person; (ii) is or becomes part of the public domain (other than through a breach of this Agreement by you or any

 

 

Annex I – Page 1


of your Representatives); (iii) is independently ascertained or developed by or for you or your Representatives or any third party without use of or reference to Company Information; or (iv) is approved for public release by written authorization of the Company. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “ Person ” shall be broadly interpreted to include, without limitation, any individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, joint venture, trust, business trust, association or similar entity, whether domestic or foreign, and the heirs, executors, legal representatives, successors and assigns of such entity where the context requires.

1. You hereby agree that you and your Representatives will, except to the extent required by applicable law or legal process, (a) keep the Company Information strictly confidential, (b) not disclose any of the Company Information in any manner whatsoever without the prior written consent of the Company and (c) not use the Company Information for any purpose other than considering and negotiating the Transaction; provided , however , that you may disclose any of such information to your Representatives (i) who need to know such information for the sole purpose of advising you and (ii) who are informed by you of the confidential nature of such information; provided , further , that you will (x) be responsible for any violation of this Agreement by any of your Representatives as if they were parties hereto and (y) provide the Company with the names of any your Representatives that receives Company Information. You agree to promptly notify the Company in writing of any unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company Information and such notice shall include a detailed description of the circumstances of the disclosure and the Persons involved.

2. In the event that you or any of your Representatives are required by applicable law or legal process to disclose any of the Company Information, you will promptly notify (except where such notice would be legally prohibited) the Company in writing so that the Company may seek a protective order or other appropriate remedy and (except to the extent legally prohibited) will reasonably cooperate with the Company (at the Company’s expense) to limit the disclosure to the greatest extent possible consistent with such applicable law or legal process, including, without limitation, in appropriate circumstances, seeking reliable assurances that confidential or “attorneys eyes only” treatment shall be accorded the Company Information. Any such Company Information that is (x) not required to be disclosed or (y) accorded confidential treatment shall continue to be Company Information to which this Agreement shall continue to apply. You acknowledge and agree that, for purposes of this Agreement, there shall be no “applicable law” requiring you to disclose any Company Information solely by virtue of the fact that, absent such disclosure, you would be prohibited from purchasing, selling, or engaging in derivative transactions with respect to, any securities of the Company or otherwise proposing or making an offer to do any of the foregoing.

3. All Company Information shall remain the property of the Company. Neither you nor any of your Representatives shall by virtue of disclosure to you or any of your Representatives, or your or any of your Representative’s use, of any Company Information acquire any rights with respect thereto, all of which rights (including, without limitation, all intellectual property rights) shall remain exclusively with the Company.

4. If you determine that you do not wish to proceed with a Transaction, you will promptly advise the Company of that decision. As soon as possible upon the Company’s written request, you and your Representatives shall destroy (or at the Company’s option (in its sole

 

Annex I – Page 2


discretion) return to the Company) all Company Information that has been disclosed to you or any of your Representatives, except for any such Company Information stored on electronic backup media to the extent that such information cannot be expunged without unreasonable effort. Upon returning or destroying such Company Information, you shall provide written notice to the Company certifying compliance with the foregoing sentence. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, you acknowledge and agree that this Agreement will continue to apply to any returned, held, retained or destroyed Company Information on the terms set forth herein.

5. You acknowledge and agree that all Company Information is furnished on an “AS IS” basis, without warranty of any kind. THE COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THE COMPANY INFORMATION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

6. You acknowledge that an award of money damages would be inadequate for any breach of this Agreement by you or any of your Representatives and would cause the Company irreparable harm. Therefore, you hereby agree that, in the event of any breach or threatened breach of this Agreement by you or any of your Representatives, the Company will be entitled to seek equitable relief, including, without limitation, injunctive relief and specific performance, as remedies for any such breach or threatened breach without the requirement of posting a bond or other security. Such remedies will not be the exclusive remedies for any breach of this Agreement, but will be in addition to all other remedies available at law or in equity to the Company.

7. This Agreement or any provision hereof may not be amended, modified or waived by course of dealing, usage in trade, conduct or any exchanges of communication, including, without limitation, e-mail or any other electronic or digital means, other than by amendment, in writing duly executed with the handwritten signatures of an authorized signatory of each of the Parties. The rights and remedies of the Parties are cumulative, and not alternative. Neither the failure nor any delay by any Party in exercising any right, power, or privilege under this Agreement will operate as a waiver of such right, power, or privilege, and no single or partial exercise of any such right, power, or privilege will preclude any other or further exercise of such right, power, or privilege or the exercise of any other right, power, or privilege. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, (a) no claim or right arising out of this Agreement can be discharged by one Party, in whole or in part, by a waiver or renunciation of the claim or right unless in writing signed by the other Party; (b) no waiver that may be given by a Party will be applicable except in the specific instance for which it is given; and (c) no notice to or demand on one Party will be deemed to be a waiver of any obligation of such Party or of the right of the Party giving such notice or demand to take further action without notice or demand as provided in this Agreement.

8. This Agreement constitutes the complete agreement between the Parties concerning the subject matter hereof and supersedes and cancels any and all prior communications and agreements between the Parties with respect thereto. This Agreement

 

Annex I – Page 3


relates only to the subject matter hereof and shall not be construed as an agreement to agree to enter into the Transaction or any transaction by either Party. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provisions of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect. If any of the covenants or provisions of this Agreement are determined to be unenforceable by reason of its extent, duration, scope or otherwise, then the Parties contemplate that the court making such determination shall reduce such extent, duration, scope or other provision and enforce them in their reduced form for all purposes contemplated by this Agreement.

9. Neither Party may assign any rights or delegate any duties under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other Party, which consent shall be at the other Party’s sole discretion. Any such attempted assignment or delegation without the other Party’s prior written consent will be null and void ab initio. This Agreement will be binding upon the Parties and their respective authorized successors and assigns.

10. You acknowledge and agree that no contract or agreement providing for any Transaction shall be deemed to exist between you and the Company or any of its affiliates or shareholders unless and until a final definitive agreement has been executed and delivered, and each Party hereby waives, in advance, any claims (including, without limitation, breach of contract) in connection with any Transaction unless and until a final definitive agreement has been executed and delivered with respect thereto. The Parties also agree that unless and until a final definitive agreement regarding a Transaction has been executed and delivered, neither Party will be under any legal obligation of any kind whatsoever with respect to such a Transaction by virtue of this Agreement, except for the matters specifically agreed to herein. You acknowledge and agree that the Company and its affiliates and shareholders reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to reject any and all proposals made by you or any of your Representatives with regard to the Transaction, and to terminate discussions and negotiations with you at any time.

11. This Agreement shall be deemed to have been made and executed in the [Commonwealth of Virginia] [State of Delaware], and any dispute arising hereunder shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the [Commonwealth of Virginia] [State of Delaware], without regard to its conflict of laws rules. You and the Company (i) irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of any state court in the [Commonwealth of Virginia] [State of Delaware] and the United States District Court for the [Eastern District of Virginia] [District of Delaware] (and the appropriate appellate courts) for the purposes of any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of this Agreement and (ii) agree to commence any such action, suit or proceeding either in the United States District Court for the [Eastern District of Virginia] [District of Delaware] or if such suit, action or other proceeding may not be brought in such court for jurisdictional reasons, in any state court in the State of Delaware.

12. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND YOU HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT OR YOU MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, INVOLVING OR OTHERWISE IN RESPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT.

 

Annex I – Page 4


13. Any notice hereunder shall be made in writing by overnight courier, personal delivery, facsimile or email (if telephonically confirmed), in each case to:

If to the Company :

Penn Virginia Corporation

14701 St. Mary’s Lane, Suite 275

Houston, Texas 77079

Attention: Katie Ryan

Facsimile: (713) 722-6620

If to you :

[INSERT ADDRESS OF POTENTIAL TRANSFEREE]

 

Attention:        
Facsimile:        
Telephone:        
Email:        

14. This Agreement shall expire on the earlier of (i) the date of the last to occur of (x) a definitive agreement relating to the Transaction is entered into by you and either the Company or any of its affiliates or shareholders and (y) you have become a party to the Shareholders Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2016, as amended from time to time, by and among the Company and the shareholders of the Company and (ii) the twenty-four (24) month anniversary of the date hereof.

15. This Agreement may be executed in two (2) or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together will be deemed to constitute this Agreement when a duly authorized representative of each Party has signed a counterpart. The Parties may sign and deliver this Agreement by facsimile or electronic (that is, .PDF) transmission. Each Party agrees that the delivery of this Agreement by facsimile or electronic transmission will have the same force and effect as delivery of original signatures.

 

Annex I – Page 5


Please confirm your agreement with the foregoing by signing and returning one copy of this Agreement to the undersigned, whereupon this letter agreement shall become a binding agreement between you and the Company.

 

Very truly yours,
PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

Accepted and agreed as of the date first written above:

 

[INSERT NAME OF POTENTIAL TRANSFEREE]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

Annex I – Page 6

Exhibit 99.1

PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION EMERGES FROM BANKRUPTCY

Company Has Commitment for Up to $200 Million in New Financing

and Closes on a $50 Million Rights Offering

Establishes Board of Directors Led by Chairman Harry Quarls

HOUSTON, TX, (September 12, 2016) — Penn Virginia Corporation (“Penn Virginia” or the “Company”) announced today that it has satisfied the conditions precedent to the effectiveness of its Plan of Reorganization (the “Plan”), which was confirmed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on August 11, 2016, and has emerged from bankruptcy. By working constructively with its creditors and other stakeholders, Penn Virginia emerged from bankruptcy having reduced its total long-term debt by approximately $1.1 billion and substantially improved its cost structure which provides the post-emergence Penn Virginia with a significantly improved capital structure to maximize the value of its asset portfolio.

In conjunction with its emergence from bankruptcy and pursuant to the Plan, the Company closed on its new senior secured revolving credit facility led by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., with a maximum note amount of $200 million and an initial borrowing base of $128 million. In addition, Penn Virginia received a $50 million new money contribution through a rights offering subscribed by a large portion of its existing unsecured bondholders, who, together with the Company’s existing secured lenders, sponsored the Plan. Upon emergence, Penn Virginia will have approximately $75.4 million drawn on its new revolving credit facility and $10.0 million of unrestricted cash.

Penn Virginia also announced today that it has established a Board of Directors, comprised of Harry Quarls (Chairman), Darin G. Holderness and Marc McCarthy. Other Directors may be appointed at a later date.

“Today begins a new chapter in the history of Penn Virginia,” said Mr. Quarls. “We have emerged from bankruptcy with a significantly de-leveraged balance sheet and committed financial support from our senior lenders and other stakeholders. With improved liquidity and a stronger capital structure, we are well-positioned to realize the full value of our excellent asset portfolio.”

Mr. Quarls added, “On behalf of the Company, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the many groups whose hard work enabled Penn Virginia to complete the bankruptcy process in four months. I would like to thank our employees, customers and vendors for their patience, commitment and ongoing support as we worked through this financial restructuring. I also want to acknowledge the collaborative efforts of our senior lenders and noteholders during this process. We are committed to working hard to reward their support as we refocus our attention on our operations. We look forward to working closely with all of our key stakeholders as we implement our long-term strategic plan.”

In accordance with the Plan, Penn Virginia’s existing common stock (OTC Pink: PVAHQ) has been cancelled, and its new common stock will be issued to the bondholders and certain general unsecured claimholders. The Company anticipates that its common stock will be traded over the counter pending assignment of a new ticker symbol and anticipates listing on a major exchange at a later date.


Additional information about Penn Virginia’s emergence from bankruptcy, including copies of documents related to the exit financing and rights offering, will be provided in an 8-K, which can be viewed on the Company’s website: http://www.pennvirginia.com/, or the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at www.sec.gov. Information about the bankruptcy restructuring, including copies of the Plan and other key bankruptcy case documents, is available at: http://dm.epiq11.com/PVA/Project.

Jefferies is acting as financial advisor, Alvarez & Marsal is acting as restructuring advisor, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is acting as legal counsel to the Company in connection with the bankruptcy process. Opportune is acting as financial advisor and Bracewell LLP is acting as legal counsel to Wells Fargo Bank,

N.A. PJT Partners LP is acting as financial advisor and Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP is acting as legal advisor for the Ad Hoc Committee of Noteholders.

ABOUT HARRY QUARLS

Harry Quarls currently serves as a Managing Director at Global Infrastructure Partners, a $33 billion infrastructure fund. He also serves as a Director for Woodbine Holdings LLC, Fairway Resources LLC, and Opal Resources LLC. He is Chairman of the Board for Woodbine Holdings.

Previously, Mr. Quarls served as Managing Director and Practice Leader for Global Energy at Booz & Co., a leading international management consulting firm, and served as member of Booz’s Board of Directors.

Mr. Quarls earned a M.B.A. degree from Stanford University and also holds ScM. and B.S. degrees, both in chemical engineering, from M.I.T. and Tulane University, respectively.

ABOUT DARIN G. HOLDERNESS

Darin G. Holderness, CPA, was the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Concho Resources until May 2016. Mr. Holderness has over 20 years of experience in the energy sector including nine years with KPMG LLP where his practice was focused in the energy industry and over 17 years in industry in ever increasing roles of responsibility including serving as Vice President and Controller of Pure Resources, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Basic Energy Services, Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of Pioneer Natural Resources, and most recently as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Eagle Rock Energy Partners.

Mr. Holderness is a 1986 graduate of Boise State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant.

ABOUT MARC MCCARTHY

Marc McCarthy is a Senior Managing Director at Wexford Capital LP, an energy focused asset management firm, having joined them in 2008. Marc currently serves as Chairman of Mammoth Energy Services and previously served as director of Coronado Midstream, LLC. and Energy Partners Corp. as Chairman from 2009-2014.


Previously, Mr. McCarthy worked in the Global Equity Research Department of Bear Stearns & Co., Inc. and was responsible for coverage of the international oil and gas sector. Mr. McCarthy joined Bear Stearns & Co. in 1997 and held various positions of increasing responsibility until his departure in June 2008, at which time he was a Senior Managing Director.

Mr. McCarthy is a Chartered Financial Analyst and received a B.A. in Economics from Tufts University.

ABOUT PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION

Penn Virginia Corporation is an independent oil and gas company engaged in the exploration, development and production of oil, NGLs and natural gas in various domestic onshore regions of the United States, with a primary focus in the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas. Penn Virginia recently relocated its corporate headquarters from Radnor, Pennsylvania to Houston, Texas. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.pennvirginia.com.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained herein that are not descriptions of historical facts are “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Because such statements include risks, uncertainties and contingencies, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning these and other factors can be found in our press releases and public periodic filings with the SEC. Many of the factors that will determine our future results are beyond the ability of management to control or predict. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s views only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACTS

Steve Hartman

Chief Financial Officer

(713) 722-6529