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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 11, 2017.

Registration No. 333-217539

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

AMENDMENT NO. 1

TO

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in Its charter)

 

Cayman Islands   3674   98-1013909

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial

Classification Code Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

c/o Maples Corporate Services Limited

P.O. Box 309

Ugland House

Grand Cayman

KY1-1104

Cayman Islands

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

 

Bruce Goldberg

Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

39870 Eureka Drive

Newark, CA 94560

(510) 623-1231

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

 

 

Copies to:

 

Alan F. Denenberg

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

1600 El Camino Real

Menlo Park, CA 94025

 

Tad J. Freese

Latham & Watkins LLP

140 Scott Drive

Menlo Park, CA 94025

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer   ☐  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)    Smaller reporting company  
     Emerging growth company  

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

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Each Class of

Securities to be Registered

  Amount to be
Registered (1)
  Proposed Maximum
Offering Price
Per Share
 

Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Offering

Price (1)

 

Amount of

Registration Fee (2)

Ordinary Shares, $0.03 par value

  6,095,000 shares   $15.00   $91,425,000   $10,596.16

 

 

(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Includes 795,000 shares that the underwriters have the option to purchase.

 

(2) The Registrant previously paid $5,795.00 of the amount on April 28, 2017 in connection with the initial filing of this Registration Statement.

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

 

 

 


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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion, dated May 11, 2017

PROSPECTUS

 

 

5,300,000 Shares

LOGO

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

Ordinary Shares

 

 

This is the initial public offering of ordinary shares of SMART Global Holdings, Inc. We are offering 5,300,000 of our ordinary shares. No public market currently exists for our ordinary shares.

We have applied to list our ordinary shares on The NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “SGH.” Upon completion of this offering, we will be a “controlled company” as defined in the NASDAQ corporate governance rules of The NASDAQ Global Market.

We are an “emerging growth company” as that term is used in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 and, as such, have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements.

We anticipate that the initial public offering price will be between $13.00 and $15.00 per ordinary share.

Investing in our ordinary shares involves risks. See “ Risk Factors ” beginning on page 14 of this prospectus.

 

     Per Share      Total  

Price to the public

   $                   $               

Underwriting discounts and commissions (1)

   $                   $  

Proceeds to us (before expenses)

   $                   $  

 

(1) We refer you to “ Underwriting ” beginning on page 137 of this prospectus for additional information regarding underwriting compensation.

To the extent the underwriters sell more than 5,300,000 ordinary shares in this offering, the underwriters have the option to purchase up to an additional 795,000 ordinary shares at the public offering price less the underwriting discount.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The underwriters expect to deliver the shares on or about                     , 2017.

 

 

 

Barclays   Deutsche Bank Securities

 

Jefferies   Stifel

 

 

Needham & Company   Roth Capital Partners

Prospectus dated                     , 2017


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LOGO

 

SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS

SSCS SMART SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICES


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

Summary

     1  

The Offering

     8  

Summary Consolidated Financial Data and Other Information

     10  

Risk Factors

     14  

Market and Industry Data

     49  

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     50  

Use of Proceeds

     51  

Dividend Policy

     52  

Capitalization

     53  

Dilution

     55  

Selected Consolidated Financial Data and Other Information

     57  

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

     61  

Business

     84  

Management

     101  

Executive Compensation

     109  

Principal Shareholders

     115  

Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions

     117  

Description of Share Capital

     122  

Shares Eligible for Future Sale

     130  

Taxation

     133  

Underwriting

     137  

Legal Matters

     145  

Experts

     145  

Enforcement of Judgments

     146  

Where You Can Find More Information

     147  

Index to Financial Statements

     F-1  

 

 

Unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, all references in this prospectus to “SMART Global Holdings” or the “Company,” “Registrant,” “we,” “our,” “ours,” “us” or similar terms refer to SMART Global Holdings, Inc., or SMART Global Holdings, together with its subsidiaries, and, where the context requires, our predecessor entities. We use a 52- to 53-week fiscal year ending on the last Friday in August. Unless the context indicates otherwise, whenever we refer in this prospectus to a particular year, with respect to ourselves, we mean the fiscal year ending in that particular calendar year. Financial information for two of our subsidiaries, SMART Modular Technologies Indústria de Componentes Eletrônicos Ltda., or SMART Brazil, and SMART Modular Technologies do Brasil Indústria e Comércio de Componentes Ltda., or SMART do Brazil, is included in our consolidated financial statements on a one-month lag because their fiscal years begin August 1 and end July 31.

All references herein to the “ real ,” “ reais ” or “R$” are to the Brazilian real . All references herein to “U.S. dollars,” “dollars” or “$” are to U.S. dollars. Solely for the convenience of the reader, we have translated certain amounts in this prospectus from reais into U.S. dollars using the exchange rate as reported by the Banco Central do Brazil as of January 31, 2017 of R$3.127 to $1.00. These translations should not be considered representations that any such amounts have been, could have been or could be converted into U.S. dollars at that or at any other exchange rate as of that or any other date. In addition, translations should not be construed as representations that the real amounts represent or have been or could be converted into U.S. dollars as of that or any other date.

 

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We have not authorized anyone to provide any information other than that contained in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we may have referred you. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We and the underwriters have not authorized any other person to provide you with different or additional information. Neither we nor the underwriters are making an offer to sell the ordinary shares in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. This offering is being made in the United States and elsewhere solely on the basis of the information contained in this prospectus. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of the ordinary shares. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since the date on the front cover of this prospectus.

 

 

Through and including                 , 2017 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers effecting transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

 

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SUMMARY

This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary may not contain all the information that may be important to you, and we urge you to read this entire prospectus carefully, including the “Risk Factors,” “Business” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections and our consolidated financial statements and notes to those statements, included elsewhere in this prospectus, before deciding to invest in our ordinary shares.

Our Business

Overview

We are a global leader in specialty memory solutions, serving the electronics industry for over 25 years. As part of our global business, we have established a leading market position, as measured by market share, in Brazil as the largest in-country manufacturer of memory for desktops, notebooks and servers, as well as mobile memory for smartphones. We also have a leading market position worldwide, as measured by revenue, in specialty memory where we work closely with original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, customers to develop memory solutions, which incorporate customer-specific requirements. We believe our customers rely on us as a strategic supplier due to our customer-specific designs, product quality and technical support, our global footprint and, in Brazil, our ability to provide locally manufactured memory products. We also provide customized, integrated supply chain services to certain OEM customers to assist them in the management and execution of their procurement processes. Our global, diversified customer base includes over 250 end customers such as Cisco Systems, Inc., or Cisco, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., or Samsung, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, or HPE, Dell Technologies, or Dell, and LG Electronics Inc., or LG.

Since 2002, when we commenced our operations in Brazil, we have invested over $170 million to build and improve our advanced manufacturing facilities and have assembled and trained a staff of over 480 employees, who comprise many of the leading semiconductor technology professionals in the country. In Brazil, we process imported wafers and cut, package and test them to create memory components used to manufacture modules and other memory and Flash-based products. We are the only company engaged in packaging and test for mobile memory for smartphones in Brazil. We have a strategic, long-term relationship with a global memory wafer supplier that has provided us with a stable source of competitively priced wafers for the Brazilian market and provides our supplier with access to that market through our in-country infrastructure and capabilities.

Our business in Brazil has historically focused on Dynamic Random Access Memory, or DRAM, components and modules for desktops, notebooks and servers, where local content and tax regulations provide substantial financial incentives to our customers to procure locally manufactured memory products, particularly when they are made with locally processed components. We have leveraged our experience and success in these markets to expand into mobile memory, primarily for smartphones, which include embedded multi-media controller, or eMMC, and embedded multi-chip packages, or eMCP, where additional local content requirements and tax incentives have been introduced. During the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, these mobile memory products accounted for 69%, 65% and 29%, respectively, of our net sales in Brazil. Based on expected unit sales for mobile phones in Brazil provided by ITData Consultoria, a Brazilian consulting and market intelligence firm, or ITData Consultoria, taking into account our average selling price of approximately $17.09 per component for mobile memory during the second quarter of fiscal 2017, we believe that the total addressable market for locally produced mobile memory for mobile phones in Brazil will reach approximately $499 million by 2019. We have also demonstrated our ability to service the smartphone market in Brazil as we are now qualified at seven of the top ten mobile vendors in Brazil representing, according to ITData Consultoria, 87% of the mobile phones sold in Brazil in calendar 2016. With the local content requirements for various information technology, or IT, products increasing, we believe that our local manufacturing capabilities

 



 

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provide a valuable and differentiated offering to our OEM customers in Brazil. We also believe that our long-term relationships with many of these customers as the largest supplier of locally manufactured memory products provides us with stability and visibility for our Brazilian business, as well as significant growth prospects.

In our specialty memory solutions business, we offer an extensive portfolio of over 2,000 products, which includes all generations of DRAM, as well as embedded and removable Flash, enterprise memory and hybrid volatile and non-volatile memory solutions. We also offer customized, integrated supply chain services to enable our customers to manage supply chain planning and execution, which reduces costs and increases productivity. Our supply chain services are based on our proprietary software platform that we develop and are integrated with our customers’ respective procurement management systems as well as our suppliers’ distribution management systems.

We believe our close collaboration with customers, customer-specific designs, long-lifecycle solutions and proprietary supply chain services create significant customer attachment, allow us to identify new opportunities for growth and provide us with a high level of relative visibility and stability through macroeconomic cycles. Furthermore, we believe our business has relatively low capital expenditure requirements, and we have been able to leverage a flexible cost structure to maintain generally stable margins throughout market cycles.

Our Industry

We believe that a number of trends are driving the expansion of our market opportunity in Brazil and elsewhere:

Memory continues to be critical to system performance . With the growth in mobility, cloud computing and data intensive applications, the importance of and demand for memory continues to increase. According to IDC Research, Inc., a global technology research and advisory firm, or IDC, worldwide demand for DRAM and NAND Flash memory units will increase by 117% and 358%, respectively, when comparing 2021 to 2016. Memory density also continues to increase. We believe that 8 gigabit, or Gb, die will be the next leading DRAM density, which will drive DRAM bit growth. According to IDC, 8Gb die will account for 40% of worldwide DRAM bit shipments in 2017, up from 7% in 2015. IDC forecasts that 8Gb die will grow rapidly in 2018, with 8Gb die accounting for 49% of worldwide DRAM bit shipments by 2018.

Stabilization of DRAM market. Industry consolidation, increased capital expenditure requirements, continued technology advancements and the shift in new production from DRAM to NAND have stabilized global DRAM supply and pricing in recent years. Furthermore, according to IDC, the top three DRAM suppliers are estimated to have 94% of the worldwide market share in 2016. In addition, an IDC report shows an increase in worldwide DRAM demand being driven by widening applications as usage of DRAM for smartphones is increasing along with worldwide consumption of DRAM for desktops, notebooks and servers. We believe this trend is expected to continue through at least 2021. According to IDC, while DRAM unit consumption is expected to be 117% higher in 2021 than in 2016, worldwide DRAM revenue for 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 is expected to be $41.2 billion, $54.6 billion, $47.5 billion, $45.3 billion, $45.5 billion and $44.4 billion, respectively, which is a significant reduction in the historic volatility experienced in the DRAM market.

Flash memory market continues to grow . Flash consumption is driven by the growth in demand for smartphones, solid state drives, or SSDs, for notebooks, servers and cloud computing, and other NAND-based applications. According to IDC, the worldwide NAND market is expected to grow from $31.9 billion in 2016 to $44.6 billion by 2021, representing a 6.9% compound annual growth rate, or CAGR.

Increasing memory demand for smartphones in Brazil . Consumer demand for smartphones in Brazil is expected to grow, supported by the growing middle class, improvement in cellular and wireless infrastructure

 



 

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and current low levels of penetration of mobile devices. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, the Brazilian middle class is expected to expand from 41% of the population, or 76 million people, in 2005, to 58% of the population, or 127 million people, by 2025. As a result, smartphone penetration is expected to increase. According to ITData Consultoria, sales of mobile phones in Brazil are expected to reach 53.5 million units in 2018 (a 6.7% increase over 2016) and to grow to 56.0 million units in 2020.

Increasing local content requirements in Brazil and other incentives . Local content requirements have been central to the Brazilian regulatory environment since the 1960s. These regulations are aimed at promoting job creation, sustaining economic growth and increasing the competitiveness of various domestic industries, and have helped enable a significant expansion of the Brazilian middle class. Local content requirements have been instrumental in the development of numerous key industries in Brazil, including automotive, oil and gas, aerospace, healthcare and IT. In the IT industry, government programs have been introduced to incentivize manufacturers to establish and expand their operations in Brazil and to incentivize OEMs to purchase locally manufactured components for their products. Local content requirements for mobile memory products for smartphones increased from 25% in 2015 to 50% in 2017 and is expected to increase to 60% in 2018.

Our Competitive Strengths

We believe our core competitive strengths include:

Strong presence in Brazil. We are the largest local manufacturer of DRAM components and DRAM modules for the desktop, notebook and server markets in Brazil as measured by market share. We are also the first company to develop manufacturing capabilities for Flash-based products in Brazil, where we are the leading manufacturer of mobile memory products, such as low power or mobile DRAM, eMMC and eMCP. We benefit from having a first mover advantage in Brazil and understand government initiatives and how to navigate regulatory requirements to benefit our company and our customers. We are the only company engaged in packaging and test for mobile memory for smartphones in Brazil.

Well positioned to benefit from Brazilian local content regulations. Increasing local content requirements help drive our growth strategy in Brazil. Global suppliers of memory components and modules not manufactured in Brazil cannot address the local content purchasing requirements of OEM customers selling products in Brazil. As a result of our infrastructure, scale and capabilities in Brazil, we have a significant advantage in being able to satisfy these local content requirements.

Business model focused on specialized markets and strong customer collaboration. The complexity of applications today requires sophisticated memory solutions with a high degree of specialization and customization to fulfill the requirements of OEMs. In specialty memory, we focus on opportunities in markets that feature products with longer life cycles (typically five to seven years), specialized form factors and customized firmware, which typically require intensive and time consuming qualification processes and create high switching costs for our customers.

Global footprint and delivery network . We are located near many of our largest customers and their manufacturing partners around the world, offering extensive global manufacturing, engineering and supply chain management capabilities. We have three manufacturing facilities located in the United States, Brazil and Malaysia; eight facilities with engineering and research and development operations located in five countries; and employees located in nine countries across the world.

Advanced manufacturing capabilities. We have invested in facilities and processes tailored to meet the exacting demands and specialized requirements of our OEM customers while maintaining a high level of efficiency, quality and productivity.

 



 

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Flexible operating model . We believe our operating model has enabled us to maintain margins that are more stable than those of many of the largest memory manufacturers, as such memory manufacturers own their own semiconductor wafer fabrication facilities, or wafer fabs. As we do not own or operate our own wafer fabs, we have low capital expenditures relative to semiconductor manufacturers. Our business also is characterized by low fixed costs. Both factors have helped us maintain generally stable margins through market cycles.

Ability to manage complex supply chains at scale. We integrate our proprietary supply chain software platform with our customers’ procurement management as well as our suppliers’ distribution management systems to enable supply chain planning and execution, which lowers costs and increases efficiency. We believe this ability to manage complex supply chains at scale helps our customers minimize inventory levels while ensuring timely supply of material.

Proven management team with history of execution . We have an experienced and long-serving senior management team with an average tenure of approximately 18 years. The management team has a successful track record of operating the business through many market cycles and industry changes.

Our Strategy

Our goals are to further strengthen our leadership position in the design, manufacture and supply of specialty memory solutions for leading OEMs and to pursue opportunities for growth in existing and new markets. We are pursuing the following strategies to achieve our goals:

Maintain our existing leadership in Brazil and enhance our manufacturing capabilities. We plan to continue to invest in our Brazilian desktop, notebook and server DRAM businesses to ensure that we are well positioned to maintain our leadership in these markets. We are enhancing our manufacturing capabilities to meet the increasing technological requirements of improved and new generations of DRAM devices needed to address the demand for our memory products manufactured in Brazil.

Capture growing mobile memory market in Brazil. We expect to continue to leverage our experience and success in our desktop, notebook and server DRAM business to capitalize upon high-growth markets for mobile memory. We will seek to grow our market share with OEMs that are currently utilizing imported mobile memory components to manufacture smartphones in Brazil, as local content requirements for mobile memory components, such as eMMC, eMCP and mobile DRAM, have been implemented.

Maintain our leadership in specialty memory . We intend to remain a leader among specialty memory suppliers. We will continue to focus on delivering innovative solutions to help our customers improve functionality, enhance their supply chain, reduce costs and accelerate their time-to-market.

Expand our total addressable market by offering innovative new products and by capitalizing on new market opportunities . We intend to leverage our experience and capabilities to launch new products and expand into new markets. We believe this will allow us to further penetrate our existing customers as well as increase the number of customers that we serve.

Expand our global coverage . Devices and applications using memory are required in every region of the world, requiring OEMs to maintain a global supply chain to meet that demand. In addition to the United States and Brazil, we plan to increase our presence internationally and target new OEM and original design manufacturer, or ODM, customers in Europe and Asia.

Risk Factors

Our business is subject to risks, as discussed more fully in the section entitled “Risk Factors.” You should carefully consider all of the risks discussed in the “Risk Factors” section before investing in our ordinary shares.

 



 

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The following risks, which are described more fully in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” may have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition, which could cause a decrease in the price of our ordinary shares and result in a loss of all or a portion of your investment:

 

   

we have experienced losses in the past and may experience losses in the future;

 

   

our operating results fluctuate from quarter to quarter and are unpredictable;

 

   

we depend on the desktop, notebook, server and smartphone markets in Brazil, which have in the past, and could again in the future, stop growing or contract;

 

   

the markets in which we compete have been highly cyclical and have experienced severe downturns;

 

   

declines in memory component prices and average selling prices may cause declines in our net sales and gross profit;

 

   

worldwide economic and political conditions as well as other factors may adversely affect our operations and cause fluctuations in the demand for our products;

 

   

our success in Brazil depends partly on the continuing existence of local content requirements for electronics products;

 

   

a significant portion of our net sales depends on the continuing existence of, and demand from, a limited number of key customers; and

 

   

the amount of corporate income and excise and import taxes we pay may increase significantly if tax incentives or tax holiday arrangements in Brazil or Malaysia are discontinued or if our interpretations and assumptions with respect to such tax incentives or tax holiday arrangements are incorrect.

Our History

Our business was originally founded in 1988 as SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., or SMART Modular, which became a publicly traded company in 1995. In 1999, SMART Modular was acquired by Solectron Corporation, or Solectron, and operated as its subsidiary. In 2004, a group of private equity investors acquired our business from Solectron, and we began to operate our business as an independent company, SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc., or SMART Worldwide. SMART Worldwide became a publicly traded company in 2006 and operated independently until substantially all of its equity interests were acquired by investment funds affiliated with Silver Lake Partners and Silver Lake Sumeru, or collectively, Silver Lake, in August 2011, which we refer to as the Acquisition. Following the Acquisition, SMART Worldwide, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of SMART Global Holdings, repositioned its business and began to operate as two business units: a business unit focused on the design, manufacture and sale of specialty memory products and services, and a business unit focused on Flash, or solid state, storage products, which we refer to as the Storage Business, substantially all of which we sold to SanDisk Corporation, or SanDisk, in August 2013.

Our Principal Investors

Upon completion of this offering, investment funds affiliated with Silver Lake will beneficially own approximately 62% of our outstanding ordinary shares, or approximately 59% if the underwriters exercise their overallotment option to purchase additional ordinary shares in full. In anticipation of this offering, we will enter into a new shareholder agreement, which we refer to in this prospectus as the Sponsor Shareholder Agreement, with Silver Lake, pursuant to which Silver Lake will have the right to nominate members of our board of directors as described in “Management—Board of Directors.” The Sponsor Shareholder Agreement will further provide that, for so long as Silver Lake collectively owns ordinary shares in an amount equal to or greater than 25% of our ordinary shares outstanding immediately following this offering, in addition to the approval of

 



 

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our board of directors, the approval of Silver Lake will be required for certain corporate actions such as change in control transactions, acquisitions with a value in excess of $5 million and any material change in the nature of the business conducted by us or our subsidiaries. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Sponsor Shareholder Agreement.”

Silver Lake is a global investment firm focused on the technology, technology-enabled and related growth industries with offices in Silicon Valley, New York, London, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo. Silver Lake was founded in 1999 and has over $24 billion in combined assets under management and committed capital across its large-cap private equity, middle-market private equity, growth equity and credit investment strategies.

Reverse Share Split

Our shareholders approved a 1-for-3 reverse share split of our share capital, which was effected on May 5, 2017. All references to ordinary shares, options to purchase ordinary shares, restricted stock units, or RSUs, share data, per share data, warrants, preferred shares and related information have been retroactively adjusted where applicable in this prospectus to reflect the reverse share split of our share capital as if it had occurred at the beginning of the earliest period presented.

Corporate Information

Our address in the Cayman Islands is c/o Maples Corporate Services Limited, P.O. Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman, KY1-1104, Cayman Islands. Our U.S. principal executive offices are located at 39870 Eureka Drive, Newark, California 94560. Our telephone number at this address is (510) 623-1231. Our principal website is http://www.smartm.com. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of this prospectus.

SMART Global Holdings, SMART Modular Technologies, SMART, the SMART logo and our other trademarks or service marks appearing in this prospectus are our property. Trade names, trademarks and service marks of other companies appearing in this prospectus are the property of the respective holders.

Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company

As a company with less than $1.07 billion in revenue during our last fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other obligations that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These reduced obligations include:

 

   

a requirement to have only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations disclosure; and

 

   

an exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

We may take advantage of these provisions for up to five years or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company if we have more than $1.07 billion in annual revenue, have more than $700 million in market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates or issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period. We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these reduced burdens. We have taken advantage of many of these reduced reporting burdens in this prospectus, and intend to do so in future filings. As a result, the information that we provide shareholders may be different than you might get from other public companies in which you hold equity.

 

 



 

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The JOBS Act permits an “emerging growth company” like us to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. We are irrevocably electing to “opt out” of this provision and, as a result, we will comply with new or revised accounting standards as required when they are adopted.

 



 

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THE OFFERING

This summary highlights information presented in greater detail elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary is not complete and does not contain all the information you should consider before investing in our ordinary shares. You should carefully read this entire prospectus before investing in our ordinary shares including “Risk Factors” and our consolidated financial statements.

 

Ordinary shares offered by us

5,300,000 shares (or 6,095,000 shares if the underwriters exercise their overallotment option to purchase additional shares in full)

 

Ordinary shares to be outstanding immediately after this offering

20,708,177 shares (or 21,503,177 shares if the underwriters exercise their overallotment option to purchase additional shares in full)

 

Use of proceeds

We estimate that the net proceeds to us from the offering will be approximately $66.6 million (or approximately $77.0 million, if the underwriters exercise their overallotment option to purchase additional shares in full), assuming an initial public offering price of $14.00 per ordinary share, the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus.

 

  We intend to use $60.0 million of the net proceeds from the offering to repay a portion of our outstanding indebtedness. In addition, we intend to use a portion of the net proceeds to make a payment of $4.7 million to affiliates of Silver Lake for unpaid management fees in respect of past periods under a management agreement, which we intend to terminate upon the completion of this offering. We intend to use any remaining net proceeds for general corporate purposes.

 

  See “Use of Proceeds” for more information.

 

Listing

We have applied to list our ordinary shares on The NASDAQ Global Market, or NASDAQ, under the symbol “SGH”.

 

Risk factors

See “Risk Factors” and the other information included in this prospectus for a discussion of factors you should consider before deciding to invest in our ordinary shares.

The number of our ordinary shares that will be outstanding after this offering is based on 15,408,177 ordinary shares outstanding as of February 24, 2017 (including 1,537,855 ordinary shares, assuming the net exercise of outstanding warrants to purchase 1,541,143 ordinary shares with an exercise price of $0.03 per share issued to our term loan lenders in November 2016, or the First Tranche Warrants, which will be deemed net exercised upon the completion of this offering if not previously exercised) and, as of that date:

 

   

excludes 1,474,807 ordinary shares subject to outstanding options, with a weighted-average exercise price of $10.74 per share;

 

   

excludes 493,316 ordinary shares subject to RSUs;

 

   

excludes 8,099,219 ordinary shares reserved for future issuance under our SMART Global Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated 2011 Share Incentive Plan, or the SGH Plan; and

 

   

excludes 1,926,428 ordinary shares subject to outstanding warrants with an exercise price of $0.03 per share issued to our term loan lenders in November 2016 and amended in April 2017, or the Second

 



 

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Tranche Warrants, which only become exercisable if there are balances outstanding under our existing term loans on November 5, 2017.

Unless otherwise indicated, all information contained in this prospectus assumes:

 

   

a 1-for-3 reverse share split of our share capital that was effected on May 5, 2017;

 

   

no exercise by the underwriters of their overallotment option to purchase up to 795,000 additional ordinary shares; and

 

   

the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which will occur prior to the closing of this offering.

 



 

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SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA AND OTHER INFORMATION

The summary consolidated statement of operations and balance sheet data for the years ended and as of August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015 presented below are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The selected consolidated statement of operations data for the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 and the selected consolidated balance sheet data as of February 24, 2017 have been derived from our unaudited consolidated interim financial information included elsewhere in this prospectus, which, in the opinion of our management, includes all adjustments necessary to present fairly our results of operations and financial condition at the dates and for the periods presented. The results for the six months ended February 24, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results that you should expect for the entire year ending August 25, 2017 or any other period.

We maintain our books and records in U.S. dollars and prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or U.S. GAAP.

This financial information should be read in conjunction with “Selected Consolidated Financial Data and Other Information,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto, included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

     Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 
     (in thousands, other than per share data)  

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:

        

Net sales

   $ 331,298     $ 238,613     $ 534,423     $ 643,469  

Cost of sales (1)

     264,431       192,169       427,491       512,032  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     66,867       46,444       106,932       131,437  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating expenses:

        

Research and development (1) (2)

     19,645       18,096       38,116       43,741  

Selling, general and administrative (1) (2)

     31,844       28,283       57,495       89,233  

Management advisory fees

     2,000       2,001       4,001       4,030  

Restructuring

     457       1,015       1,135       1,143  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     53,946       49,395       100,747       138,147  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) from operations

     12,921       (2,951     6,185       (6,710

Other income (expense):

        

Interest expense, net

     (14,778     (12,939     (25,575     (27,560

Other income (expense), net

     (902     (1,372     1,874       (5,532
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense

     (15,680     (14,311     (23,701     (33,092
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss before income taxes

     (2,759     (17,262     (17,516     (39,802

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes

     2,785       (108     2,444       6,649  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

   $ (5,544   $ (17,154   $ (19,960   $ (46,451
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss per share, basic and diluted

   $ (0.40   $ (1.24   $ (1.44   $ (3.36
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Shares used in computing basic and diluted net loss per share

     13,870       13,834       13,841       13,833  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 



 

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(1) Includes share-based compensation expense as follows:

 

Cost of sales

   $     268      $     236      $     461      $     771  

Research and development

     445        382        725        844  

Selling, general and administrative

     1,431        1,405        2,686        4,517  

 

(2) Includes amortization of intangible assets expense as follows:

 

Research and development

   $ 2,448      $ 2,448      $ 4,897      $   6,160  

Selling, general and administrative

     3,522        4,170        8,471        24,669  

 

     Six Months Ended      Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
     February 26,
2016
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 
     (dollars in thousands)  

Other Financial Data:

           

Adjusted EBITDA (1)

   $ 38,240      $ 18,105      $ 51,760      $ 55,762  

Gross billings to customers (2)

   $ 733,686      $ 1,024,527      $ 1,925,047      $ 2,147,437  

Days sales outstanding (DSO) (3)

     34        24        27        31  

Inventory turns (4)

     10        20        18        15  

Days payable outstanding (DPO) (5)

     50        44        40        51  

 

(1) We define Adjusted EBITDA as our net income (loss) adjusted to exclude share-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets, interest income (expense), provision for (benefit from) income taxes, depreciation and other adjustments. We have provided a reconciliation below of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss), the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure.

We have included Adjusted EBITDA in this prospectus because it is a key measure used by our management and board of directors to understand and evaluate our core operating performance and trends, to prepare and approve our annual budget and to develop short-term and long-term operational and compensation plans. In particular, the exclusion of certain non-cash, non-recurring or infrequent expenses in calculating Adjusted EBITDA can provide useful measures for period-to-period comparisons of our core business. Accordingly, we believe that Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating our operating results in the same manner as our management and board of directors.

Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider this measure in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under U.S. GAAP. Some of these limitations are:

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not consider the cost of equity-based compensation, which is an ongoing expense for us;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect cash capital past expenditures and future requirements for replacements or for new capital expenditures;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect tax payments that may represent a reduction in cash available to us; and

 

   

other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently, which reduces its usefulness as a comparative measure.

 



 

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Because of these limitations, you should consider Adjusted EBITDA along with other financial performance measures, including various cash flow metrics, net income (loss) and our other U.S. GAAP results. A reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) is provided below:

 

     Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
         2017        
    February 26,
         2016        
    August 26,
        2016         
    August 28,
        2015         
 
     (in thousands)  

Net loss

   $ (5,544   $ (17,154   $ (19,960   $ (46,451

Share-based compensation expense

     2,144       2,023       3,872       6,132  

Amortization of intangible assets

     5,970       6,618       13,368       30,829  

Interest expense, net

     14,778       12,939       25,575       27,560  

Provision for (benefit from) income tax

     2,785       (108     2,444       6,649  

Depreciation

     11,583       9,063       18,111       19,315  

Management advisory fees

     2,000       2,001       4,001       4,030  

Debt extension and extinguishment costs*

     3,130       —         —         —    

Restructuring

     457       1,015       1,135       1,143  

In-process research and development charge

     —         —         —         1,582  

Write-off of public offering expenses

     —         —         —         4,388  

Special retention bonuses

     25       1,013       1,611       123  

Storage sale-related legal costs

     —         —         —         987  

Valuation adjustment related to prepaid state value-added taxes

     —         —         908       —    

Investment advisory fees

     540       —         —         —    

Insurance settlement related to a fiscal 2013 claim

     —         —         —         (525

Obsolete inventory related to restructuring

     372       —         —         —    

Misappropriated product shipment

     —         695       695       —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 38,240     $ 18,105     $ 51,760     $ 55,762  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  * Debt extension costs consist of $1.7 million associated with the amendment of our senior secured term loan and revolving credit facility in November 2016 and debt extinguishment costs represent a $1.4 million loss on a February 2017 extinguishment.

 

(2) Gross billings to customers consists of product net sales and our gross billings for services. We provide procurement, logistics, inventory management, kitting or packaging services for certain customers. We account for sales from these services on an agency basis (that is, we recognize the fees associated with serving as an agent with no associated cost of sales). We recognize revenue for these arrangements as service revenue, which is determined as a fee for services based on material procurement costs. See Note 1(d) to our consolidated financial statements.
(3) We calculate days sales outstanding as (i) accounts receivable outstanding as of the period end divided by (ii) gross billings to customers for the period divided by the number of days in the period.
(4) We calculate inventory turns as (i) cost of sales plus cost of purchased materials—service for the period, on an annualized basis ( i.e. , multiplied by four and then divided by the number of quarters in the period) divided by (ii) inventory as of the period end.

 



 

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(5) We calculate days payables outstanding as (i) accounts payable outstanding as of the period end divided by (ii) (x) cost of sales plus cost of purchased materials—service for the period divided by (y) the number of days in the period.

 

     As of February 24, 2017  
     Actual      As  Adjusted (1)(2)  
     (in thousands)  

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:

     

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 23,341      $ 26,301  

Working capital

     94,359        100,985  

Total assets

     440,937        443,897  

Long-term debt

     202,744        142,744  

Total shareholders’ equity (deficit)

     20,708        87,334  

 

(1) As adjusted amounts give effect to the issuance and sale of 5,300,000 ordinary shares by us in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $14.00 per ordinary share, the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, and giving effect to the application of the net proceeds of the offering as set forth in “Use of Proceeds,” except for $1.0 million of the unpaid management fees that relate to the period subsequent to February 24, 2017.

 

(2) Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial offering price of $14.00 per ordinary share, the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease our cash and cash equivalents, working capital, total assets and total shareholders’ equity by $4.9 million, assuming the number of shares to be sold by us in this offering remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase or decrease of 1,000,000 shares in the number of ordinary shares offered by us would increase or decrease the cash and cash equivalents, working capital, total assets and total shareholders’ equity by $13.0 million, assuming the public offering price remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 



 

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RISK FACTORS

You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below and the other information in this prospectus before making an investment in our ordinary shares. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially and adversely affected if any of these risks occurs and, as a result, the market price of our ordinary shares could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.

This prospectus also contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. See “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” Our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including the risks facing our company described below and elsewhere in this prospectus.

Risks Relating to Our Business

We have experienced losses in the past and may experience losses in the future.

Our business has experienced quarterly and annual operating losses during the periods presented in the financial statements included in this prospectus. During the six months ended February 24, 2017, we had a net loss and income from operations of $5.5 million and $12.9 million, respectively. In fiscal 2016, we had a net loss and income from operations of $20.0 million and $6.2 million, respectively. In fiscal 2015, we had a net loss and loss from operations of $46.5 million and $6.7 million, respectively. Our ability to achieve and maintain profitability will depend in part on revenue growth from, among other things, increased demand for our memory solutions, products and related service offerings in our current markets including Brazil, as well as our ability to expand into new markets. We may not be successful in achieving and maintaining the necessary revenue growth. Moreover, as we continue to expend substantial funds for research and development projects, enhancements to sales and marketing efforts and to otherwise operate our business, we cannot assure you that we will achieve and maintain profitability on an annual or quarterly basis even if our revenue does grow.

Our operating results may fluctuate from quarter to quarter in the future, which makes them difficult to predict.

Our quarterly operating results have fluctuated in the past and may fluctuate in the future. As a result, our past quarterly operating results are not necessarily indicative of future performance. Furthermore, we may not be able to maintain the margins we have achieved in recent periods. Our operating results in any given quarter can be influenced by numerous factors, many of which we are unable to predict or are outside of our control, including:

 

   

the cyclical nature of the markets in which we compete;

 

   

changes in memory component prices or the average selling prices of our products, including fluctuations in the market price of DRAM and Flash memory components;

 

   

lack of growth or contraction or increased competition in the memory market in Brazil or other markets;

 

   

adverse changes to the local content regulations in Brazil;

 

   

corruption or adverse political situations in Brazil or other markets;

 

   

increased trade restrictions or trade wars;

 

   

the loss of, significant reduction in sales to, or demand from, key customers;

 

   

industry consolidation, which may further reduce the number of our potential customers and/or suppliers;

 

   

fluctuations in the markets served by our OEM customers, including the computing, networking, communications, storage, aerospace, defense, mobile and industrial markets;

 

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difficulty matching our purchasing and production to customer demand, which is difficult to forecast accurately;

 

   

cancellations, modifications or delays in customer orders, product returns and inventory value or obsolescence risk;

 

   

competitive developments, including the introduction of new competitive products;

 

   

our failure to develop new or enhanced products and introduce them in a timely manner; and

 

   

the other factors described in this “Risk Factors” section and elsewhere in this prospectus.

Due to the various factors mentioned above and other factors, the results of any prior quarterly or annual period should not be relied upon as an indication of our future operating performance. In one or more future periods, our results of operations may fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors. In that event, the market price of our ordinary shares would likely decline. In addition, the market price of our ordinary shares may fluctuate or decline regardless of our operating performance.

We depend on the desktop, notebook, server and smartphone markets in Brazil, and lack of growth, or the occurrence of contraction, in these markets have in the past, and could again in the future, have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

A significant portion of our sales and operations are focused on Brazil. Sales to customers in Brazil accounted for 47%, 46% and 52% of our net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively. We have invested substantial financial and management resources to develop a research and development center and a semiconductor packaging and test facility in Brazil in order to target the growing market for memory in Brazil and to take advantage of certain Brazilian laws and government incentives, as described below in “—Risks Relating to our International Operations.” Our future financial performance will depend in large part on growth in the Brazilian market, which may not grow again at historical rates, or at all.

Demand for our products in Brazil is dependent upon, among other things, demand in the markets served by our customers, including the Brazilian computing and mobile markets. From time to time, the markets served by our Brazilian customers have experienced downturns, often in connection with political unrest or in connection with, or in anticipation of, declines in general economic conditions. A decline or significant shortfall in demand in any of the markets that we serve could have a significant negative impact on the demand for our products. In addition, a prolonged economic downturn in Brazil, even absent a worldwide economic downturn, may lead to higher interest rates or significant changes in the rate of inflation in Brazil, or an inability of our Brazilian customers and suppliers to access capital on acceptable terms. Our customers and suppliers in Brazil could experience cash flow problems, credit defaults or other financial hardships. A major corruption scandal involving Brazil’s largest energy company, Petrobras, began to unfold in 2014, and by 2015 contributed to a significant decrease in the value of the Brazilian real , which in turn led to a substantial downturn in the Brazilian economy and a substantial rise in unemployment. This in turn had a significant negative impact on our revenues, results of operations and our financial condition.

In addition, as discussed in greater detail below, our sales and our profit margins in Brazil are favorably impacted by laws establishing local content requirements for electronics products. See “—Our success in Brazil depends in part on Brazilian laws establishing local content requirements for electronics products. The elimination of or a reduction in the local content requirements, or our inability to secure the benefits of these regulations, could significantly reduce the demand for, and the profit margins on, our products in Brazil.”

Any of these circumstances could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

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The markets in which we compete historically have been highly cyclical and have experienced severe downturns that have materially adversely affected, and may in the future materially adversely affect, our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Historically, the markets in which we compete have been highly cyclical and have experienced significant downturns often connected with, or in anticipation of, maturing product cycles of both component suppliers and electronic equipment manufacturers, and/or declines in general economic conditions. These downturns have been characterized by diminished product demand, production overcapacity, high inventory levels and accelerated erosion of selling prices and inventory values. Our industry depends on the continued growth of the electronics industry and on end-user demand for our customers’ products. Economic downturns often have had an adverse effect upon manufacturers and end-users of electronics products. The timing of new product developments, the lifecycle of existing electronics products and the level of acceptance and growth of new products can also affect demand for our products. Downturns in the markets we serve could have a significant negative impact on the demand for our products. Additionally, due to changing conditions, our customers have experienced and may in the future experience periods of excess inventory that could have a significant adverse impact on our sales. During an industry downturn, there is also a higher risk that some of our trade receivables become delinquent or even uncollectible and that our inventory would decrease in value. We cannot predict the timing or the severity of the cycles within our industry. In particular, it is difficult to predict how long and to what levels any industry upturn or downturn, or general economic strength or weakness, will last or develop.

Our customers primarily serve end users in the computing, networking, communications, storage, aerospace, defense, mobile and industrial markets. Sales of our products are dependent upon demand in these markets. From time to time, each of these markets has experienced cyclical downturns, often in connection with, or in anticipation of, declines in general economic conditions, and we may experience substantial period-to-period fluctuations in our operating results due to factors affecting these markets. Changes in end-user demand for our customers’ products could have a material adverse effect on demand for our products, particularly if the customer has accumulated excess inventories of products purchased from us or from competitors selling similar products. Reduced demand for our products could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Declines in memory component prices and our average selling prices may result in declines in our net sales and gross profit and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our industry has historically been characterized by declines in average selling prices. Our average selling prices may decline due to several factors, including general declines in demand for our products and excess supply of DRAM and Flash memory components as a result of overcapacity. In the past, transitions to smaller design geometries and other factors causing overcapacity in memory markets have led to significant increases in the worldwide supply of memory components. If not accompanied by increases in demand, supply increases usually result in significant declines in component prices and, in turn, declines in the average selling prices and profit margins of our products. During periods of overcapacity, our net sales may decline if we fail to increase sales volume of existing products or to introduce and sell new products in quantities sufficient to offset declines in selling prices. Our efforts to increase sales or to introduce new products to offset the impact of declines in average selling prices may not be successful. Furthermore, our competitors and customers also impose significant pricing pressures on us. These declines in average selling prices have in the past had, and may again in the future have, a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Declines in prices also could affect the valuation of our inventory, which could result in inventory write-downs. Declines in average selling prices also might enable OEMs to pre-install higher density memory modules into new systems at existing price points, thereby reducing the demand for future memory upgrades. In addition, our net sales and gross profit may be negatively affected by shifts in our product mix during periods of declining average selling prices.

 

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Worldwide economic and political conditions as well as other factors may adversely affect our operations and cause fluctuations in demand for our products.

Uncertainty in global economic and political conditions poses a risk to the overall economy, as consumers and businesses have made it difficult for customers, suppliers and us to accurately forecast and plan future business activities. Declines in the worldwide semiconductor market, economic conditions or consumer confidence would likely decrease the overall demand for our products. Other factors that could cause demand for our products to fluctuate include:

 

   

a downturn in the computing, networking, communications, storage, aerospace, defense, mobile or industrial markets;

 

   

changes in consumer confidence caused by changes in market conditions, including changes in the credit markets, expectations for employment and inflation and energy prices;

 

   

corruption or adverse political situations in Brazil or other markets;

 

   

increased trade restrictions or trade wars;

 

   

changes in the level of customers’ components inventory;

 

   

competitive pressures, including pricing pressures, from companies that have competing products, architectures, manufacturing technologies and marketing programs;

 

   

changes in technology or customer product needs;

 

   

strategic actions taken by our competitors; and

 

   

market acceptance of our products.

If demand for our products decreases, our manufacturing or assembly and test capacity could be under-utilized, and we may be required to record an impairment on our long-lived assets, including facilities and equipment, as well as intangible assets, which would increase our expenses. In addition, if product demand decreases or we fail to forecast demand accurately, we could be required to write-off inventory or record under-utilization charges, which would have a negative impact on our profitability. If product demand increases more or faster than anticipated, we may not be able to add manufacturing or assembly and test capacity fast enough to meet market demand. These changes in demand for our products, and changes in our customers’ product needs, could have a variety of negative effects on our competitive position and our financial results, and, in certain cases, may reduce our net sales, increase our costs, lower our profit margins or require us to recognize impairments of our assets. The occurrence of any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our success in Brazil depends in part on Brazilian laws establishing local content requirements for electronics products. The elimination of or a reduction in the local content requirements, or our inability to secure the benefits of these regulations, could significantly reduce the demand for, and the profit margins on, our products in Brazil.

Successive Brazilian governmental administrations have adopted economic policies intended to foster innovation and investment in local production, stimulate job growth, provide stimulus to exports and defend local manufacturers in various industries. In recent decades, the Brazilian government identified the design and manufacture of integrated circuits, or ICs, as a priority and established tax incentives and local content requirements intended to promote the development of the local IT industry. These incentives include the Lei da Informática—Processo Produtivo Básico, or PPB/IT Program, which is intended to promote local content by allowing qualified companies to sell specified IT products, including desktops, notebooks, servers, SmartTVs and mobile products, with a reduced Brazilian federal excise tax rate, or the IPI, as compared to the rate that is required to be collected by non-qualified suppliers. The PPB/IT Program provides an incentive for certain customers to purchase products from us because they are not required to pay the regular level of IPI on their

 

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purchases. Under the PPB/IT Program, the percentage of local content required in specified IT products has increased significantly from 2006 to present, and the law that provides the PPB/IT Program benefits is currently legislated to remain in force through the end of 2029. For example, under the PPB/IT Program, from 2006 to present the total requirement of DRAM modules made with locally packaged DRAM ICs for notebook computers has increased from 0% to 80% and is expected to remain at current levels through the end of 2029. In order to receive the intended treatment as a PPB/IT Program supplier, our subsidiary, SMART do Brazil, is required to invest in research and development activities in an amount equal to 3% of its gross annual sales revenues reduced by the following: the cost of raw materials qualified as products eligible for the PPB/IT Program, including the ICs that are purchased from our other Brazilian subsidiary, SMART Brazil, and that are used to make memory modules; applicable sales taxes; the value of products exported out of Brazil; and the value of products shipped to the Manaus Free Trade Zone. Brazil’s local content requirements for the IT industry have been subject to criticism by other governments and international organizations.

In 2013, the European Union, or the EU, later joined by Japan, requested the establishment of a panel within the World Trade Organization, or WTO, to determine whether certain measures enacted by the Brazilian government concerning tax incentives and local content requirements for the automotive sector and several other industries including the IT industry and including Brazil’s Support Program for the Technological Development of the Semiconductor and Display Industries Act, or PADIS, the PPB/IT Program and Lei do Bem, are inconsistent with WTO rules. The panel was formed, hearings were held and in December 2016, the WTO circulated its report to the parties. This report is subject to feedback from the parties and has not been released to the public. While we cannot predict the outcome of the WTO’s decision, a negative ruling could result in significant adverse changes to the local content rules and incentives available to us and our customers in Brazil. Any suspension, early termination or other adverse change in the local content requirements could significantly reduce the demand for, and the profit margins on, our products in Brazil, and would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

In addition, we benefit from various other tax incentives extended to us in Brazil to promote the development of the local IT industry, and are subject to related risks, as described below under “—Risks Relating to our International Operations—If the tax incentive or tax holiday arrangements from which we benefit in Brazil or Malaysia change or cease to be in effect or applicable in part or in whole, for any reason, or if our assumptions and interpretations regarding tax laws and incentive or holiday arrangements prove to be incorrect, the amount of corporate income, excise, import and contribution taxes we have to pay could increase significantly.”

Sales to a limited number of customers represent a significant portion of our net sales, and the loss of any key customer or key program, or the demands of our key customers, could materially harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our principal end customers include global OEMs that compete in the computing, networking, communications, storage, aerospace, defense, mobile and industrial markets. During the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, sales to our ten largest end customers (including sales to contract manufacturers or ODMs at the direction of such end customers) accounted for 77%, 81% and 75% of net sales, respectively. Of our end customers, Samsung accounted for 18%, 13% and 11% of net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively; Cisco accounted for 15%, 19% and 16% of net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively; Lenovo Group Ltd., or Lenovo, accounted for 13% of net sales in fiscal 2016; Hewlett-Packard Company, or HP, accounted for 14% of net sales in fiscal 2015 (in fiscal 2016, HP undertook a spin-off and divided into two distinct companies, following which neither company accounted for 10% or more of our net sales); and Dell accounted for 15% of net sales in fiscal 2015. Direct sales to Samsung accounted for 18%, 13% and 11% of net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively; direct sales to Flex Ltd., or Flex, accounted for 17% of net sales in fiscal 2016; direct sales to Hon Hai accounted for 11%, 11% and 11% of net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively; and direct sales to Dell accounted for 15% of net sales in fiscal 2015. While Samsung is a significant customer of ours, purchasing eMCPs from us in their smartphone division and DRAM modules from us in their PC division,

 

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Samsung’s semiconductor division is also a major supplier and a competitor. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Business—Our dependence on a small number of sole or limited source suppliers subjects us to certain risks, including the risk that we may be unable to obtain adequate supplies at a reasonable price and in a timely manner” and “—The memory market is intensely competitive, and we may not be able to maintain or improve our competitive position.”

We expect that sales to relatively few customers will continue to account for a significant percentage of our net sales for the foreseeable future. However, we can provide no assurance that any of these customers or any of our other customers will continue to utilize our products or our services at current levels, or at all. Although we have master agreements with one or more key customers, these agreements govern the terms and conditions of the relationship and do not contain requirements for them to purchase minimum volumes.

Our customer concentration may also subject us to perceived or actual bargaining leverage that our key customers may have, given their relative size and importance to us. Since a large percentage of our sales is to a small number of customers that are primarily large OEMs, these customers are able to exert, have exerted and we expect will continue to exert, pressure on us to make concessions on price and on terms and conditions which can adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. If our key customers seek to negotiate their agreements on terms less favorable to us and we accept such unfavorable terms, such unfavorable terms may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Accordingly, unless and until we diversify and expand our customer base, our future success will significantly depend upon the timing and volume of business from our largest customers and the financial and operational success of these customers. If we were to lose one of our key customers or have a key customer cancel a key program or otherwise significantly reduce its volume of business with us, our sales and profitability would be materially reduced and our business and financial condition would be seriously harmed.

The memory market is intensely competitive, and we may not be able to maintain or improve our competitive position.

The memory market is characterized by intense competition. Our competitors include many large domestic and international companies that have substantially greater financial, technical, marketing, distribution and other resources, greater name recognition, broader product lines, lower cost structures and longer-standing relationships with customers and suppliers than we do. As a result, our competitors may be able to respond better to new or emerging technologies or standards and to changes in customer requirements. Further, some of our competitors are in a better financial and marketing position from which to influence industry acceptance of a particular product standard or competing technology than we are. Our competitors may also be able to devote greater resources to the development, promotion and sale of products, and may be able to deliver competitive products at a lower price than we can.

Our primary competitors in the specialty memory market include Viking Technology (a division of Sanmina Corporation), or Viking Technology; ATP Electronics, Inc., or ATP; Unigen Corporation, or Unigen; Apacer Technology Inc., or Apacer; and Transcend Information, Inc., or Transcend. In Brazil, we compete against local manufacturers of DRAM modules and local manufacturers of memory ICs, including HT Micron Semicondutores Ltda., or HT Micron, and Multilaser Indústria de Equipamentos de Informática, Eletrônicos e Ópticos Ltda.

We compete globally against semiconductor memory IC manufacturers that also manufacture DRAM ICs and modules and Flash products, including Samsung; Micron Technology, Inc., or Micron; Western Digital Corporation, or Western Digital; SK Hynix Inc. or SK Hynix; and Toshiba Corporation, or Toshiba. While these companies generally focus on higher volume commodity products, they sometimes compete with some of our specialty memory products. In addition to competing with certain portions of our product offering, Samsung is also a major supplier and a significant customer. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Business—Sales to a limited number of customers represents a significant portion of our net sales, and the loss of any key customer or key program, or the demands of our key customers, could materially harm our business, results of operations and

 

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financial condition” and “—Our dependence on a small number of sole or limited source suppliers subjects us to certain risks, including the risk that we may be unable to obtain adequate supplies at a reasonable price and in a timely manner.”

In our supply chain services business, we compete in a fragmented market with a broad set of companies, including distributors and third party logistics providers as well as our customers’ in-house solutions.

Through imports of DRAM components and modules and Flash products, we face some of the same competitors in Brazil as we do elsewhere. We also face competition from local manufacturers of DRAM modules and Flash products, and expect to face competition in the future from local start-up semiconductor packaging companies, such as Adata Integration Brazil S/A, which has announced the beginning of production of its new packaging plant in Brazil in the first half of calendar year 2017. We believe that import duties and local content requirements in Brazil give us an advantage over companies that import DRAM modules or Flash products or import memory components; however, that competitive advantage may become less significant in the event that competitors build manufacturing facilities in Brazil or local content regulations change or are eliminated. As the local market grows, competition may increase in Brazil.

We face competition from existing competitors and expect to face new companies that may enter our existing or future markets with similar or alternative products, which may be less costly or provide additional features. We also face competition from current and prospective customers that evaluate our capabilities against the merits of manufacturing products internally. Competition may also arise due to the development of cooperative relationships among our current and potential competitors and/or suppliers or third parties to increase the ability of their products to address the needs of our prospective customers. Accordingly, it is possible that new competitors or alliances among competitors and/or suppliers may emerge and acquire significant market share.

We expect that our competitors will continue to improve the performance of their current products, reduce their prices and introduce new products that may offer greater performance and improved pricing, any of which could cause a decline in sales or market acceptance of our products. In addition, our competitors may develop enhancements to, or future generations of, competitive products that may render our technology or products obsolete or uncompetitive. To remain competitive, we must continue to provide technologically advanced products and manufacturing services, maintain high quality, offer flexible delivery schedules, deliver finished products on a reliable basis, reduce manufacturing and testing costs, and compete favorably on the basis of price. Competitive pressure has led in the past and may continue to lead to intensified price competition resulting in lower net sales and profit margins which could negatively impact our financial performance. Our efforts to maintain and improve our competitive position, or our failure to do so, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Industry consolidation and company failures may reduce the number of our potential customers, increase our reliance on our existing key customers and negatively impact the competitiveness of our supplier base.

Our customer and supplier markets are characterized by a limited number of large companies. Some participants in the industries in which we serve have merged and/or been acquired, and this trend may continue. In addition, there have been company failures among both our customer and supplier base. Industry consolidation and company failures could decrease the number of potential significant customers for our products and services. Consolidation and company failures in some of our customers’ industries may also result in the loss of customers. The decrease in the number of potential significant customers will increase our reliance on key customers and, due to the increased size of these companies, may negatively impact our bargaining position and thus our profit margins. Furthermore, the loss of, or a relatively reduced relationship with, key customers due to industry consolidation and company failures could negatively impact our business, results of operations and financial condition. Additionally, consolidation and company failures in our supplier base could reduce our purchasing alternatives and reduce the competition for our business resulting in higher cost of goods and less availability of components which would have a negative impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

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Customer demand is difficult to forecast accurately and, as a result, we may be unable to optimally match purchasing and production to customer demand, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

In most cases we do not obtain long-term purchase orders or commitments from our customers but instead we work with our customers to develop non-binding estimates or forecasts of future requirements. Utilizing these non-binding estimates or forecasts, we make significant decisions based on our estimates of customer requirements including determining the levels of business that we will seek and accept, production scheduling, component purchasing and procurement commitments, inventory levels, personnel and production facility needs and other resource requirements. A variety of conditions, both specific to each individual customer and generally affecting each customer’s industry, may cause customers to cancel, reduce or delay orders that were either previously made or anticipated, and often with little or no notice to us. Generally, customers may cancel, reduce or delay purchase orders and commitments without penalty. The short-term and flexible nature of commitments by many of our customers, and the possibility of unexpected changes in demand for their products, reduces our ability to accurately estimate future customer requirements. On occasion, customers may require rapid increases in production, which can challenge our resources and can reduce profit margins. We may not have sufficient capacity at any given time to meet our customers’ demands. Downturns in the markets in which our customers compete can, and have, caused our customers to significantly reduce the amount of products ordered from us or to cancel or delay existing orders leading to lower utilization of our facilities. This in turn can cause us to have more inventory than we need and can result in inventory write-downs or write-offs. Additionally, as many of our costs and operating expenses are relatively fixed, reduction in customer demand would have an adverse effect on our operating income, results of operations and financial condition.

We may experience inventory write-downs or write-offs.

To the extent we manufacture products or make purchases in anticipation of future demand that does not materialize, or in the event a customer cancels or reduces outstanding orders, we could experience an unanticipated increase in our inventory. We have had in the past and expect we could again have in the future, inventory write-downs and/or write-offs due to obsolescence, excess quantities and declines in market value below our costs. In particular, if product obsolescence causes product demand to decrease or we fail to forecast demand accurately, we could be required to write-off inventory or record under-utilization charges, which would have a negative impact on our profit margins and our profitability. Any one or more of these occurrences could have a negative impact on our results of operations and financial condition.

In connection with delivering our supply chain services, we make significant inventory purchases based on customer forecasts and/or customer purchase orders. In most instances, forecasts are non-binding and purchase orders can be rescheduled at the customer’s option, often times without penalty. When actual consumption does not meet the customer’s forecast or the customer’s purchase orders, it will result in unanticipated and sometimes significant increases in our inventory. Additionally, some of our logistics transactions contemplate extended periods of inventory management. These programs generally obligate customers to eventually purchase certain aged logistics inventory with minimal right to price reductions, and typically provide for periodic carrying charges. We can provide no assurance, however, that the customers will comply with these obligations. If a customer of our supply chain services has significant delays in delivery of inventory, this could have a negative impact on our profitability. If a customer of our supply chain services fails to consume the inventory that we purchase for it, this could result in significant inventory write-downs or write-offs. Any one or more of these occurrences could have a significant negative impact on our cash flows, business, results of operations and financial condition. At the end of each of the last four fiscal quarters, logistics inventory (including inventory specifically requested by customers) ranged between 36% and 47% of our total inventory.

New product development requires significant investment. Our failure to develop new or enhanced products and introduce them in a timely manner would undermine our competitiveness.

The memory market is subject to rapid technological change, product obsolescence, frequent new product introductions and feature enhancements, changes in end-user requirements and evolving industry standards. Our

 

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ability to successfully compete and to continue to grow our business depends in significant part upon our ability to develop, introduce and sell new and enhanced products on a timely and cost-effective basis, and to anticipate and respond to changing customer requirements. We have experienced, and may experience in the future, delays and unanticipated expenses in the development and introduction of new products. A failure to develop products with required feature sets or performance standards, or a delay as short as a number of weeks in bringing a new product to market could significantly reduce our return on investment as well as our net sales, all of which would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Delays in the development, introduction and qualification of new products could provide a competitor a first-to-market advantage and allow a competitor to achieve greater market share. These delays could also result in customers having the right to cancel orders without penalty. Defects or errors found in our products after sampling or commencement of commercial shipments could result in delays in market acceptance of our products. Lack of market acceptance for our new products for any reason would jeopardize our ability to recoup substantial research and development expenditures, hurt our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Accordingly, we can provide no assurance that our future product development efforts will be successful or result in products that gain market acceptance.

We have invested in the past and expect in the future to invest in new technologies and emerging markets. If these new technologies and emerging markets fail to gain acceptance or grow, it would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. In particular, we have made and expect to continue to make significant investments in embedded Flash-based products. There is significant competition in these markets and we can provide no assurance that we will develop and introduce products in a timely manner or that our new products will gain market acceptance, be price competitive or result in any significant increase in our net sales. If these investments fail to provide the expected returns, then such failure would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our OEM customers require that our products undergo a lengthy and expensive process of evaluation and qualification without any assurance of net sales.

Our products are often incorporated into our OEM customers’ systems at the design stage. As a result, we rely on OEMs to select our product designs, which we refer to as design wins, and then to qualify our products for production buys. We often incur significant expenditures in the development of a new product without any assurance that any OEM will select our product for design into its system. Additionally, in some instances, we are dependent on third parties to obtain or provide information that we need to achieve a design win. These third parties may not supply this information to us on a timely basis, if at all. Furthermore, even if an OEM designs one of our products into its system, we cannot be assured that they will qualify or use our product in production, that the OEM’s product will be commercially successful or that we will receive significant orders as a result of that design win or qualification. Generally, our OEM customers are not obligated to purchase our products even if we get a design win. If we are unable to achieve design wins or if our OEM customers’ systems incorporating our products are not commercially successful, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

In addition, because the qualification process is both product-specific and platform-specific, our existing customers sometimes require us to requalify our products, or to qualify our new products, for use in new platforms or applications. For example, as our OEM customers transition from second generation double-data-rate, or DDR2, DRAM architectures to third generation double-data-rate, or DDR3, or fourth generation double-data-rate, or DDR4, DRAM architectures, we must design and qualify new products for use by those customers. In the past, the process of design and qualification has taken several months to complete, during which time our net sales to those customers declined significantly. After our products are qualified, it can take several months before the customer begins production and we begin to generate net sales from such customer.

Likewise, when our suppliers discontinue production of components, it may be necessary for us to design and qualify new products for our customers. Such customers may require of us or we may decide to purchase an

 

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estimated quantity of discontinued memory components necessary to ensure a steady supply of existing products until products with new components can be qualified. Purchases of this nature may affect our liquidity. Additionally, our estimation of quantities required during the transition may be incorrect, which could adversely impact our results of operations through lost revenue opportunities or charges related to excess and obsolete inventory.

We must devote substantial resources, including design, engineering, sales, marketing and management efforts, to qualify our products with prospective customers in anticipation of sales. Significant delays in the qualification process could result in an inability to keep up with rapid technological change or new, competitive technologies. If we delay or do not succeed in qualifying a product with an existing or prospective customer, we will not be able to sell that product to that customer, which may result in us losing potential revenue and holding excess or obsolete inventory, any of which may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

If our OEM customers decide to utilize a standardized memory solution instead of our specialty memory products, our net sales and market share may decline.

Many of our specialty memory products are specifically designed for our OEM customers’ systems. In an effort to reduce costs and assure supply of their memory module requirements, a number of our OEM customers design commodity Joint Electron Device Engineering Council-standard, or JEDEC-standard, DRAM modules into their products. Although we also manufacture JEDEC-standard modules, an increase in such efforts by our customers could reduce the demand for our higher priced specialized or customized memory solutions, which in turn would have a negative impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, when customers utilizing custom memory solutions choose to adopt a JEDEC-standard instead of a custom module, new competitors producing standardized memory modules may take a portion of our customers’ business previously purchased from us.

Our dependence on a small number of sole or limited source suppliers subjects us to certain risks, including the risk that we may be unable to obtain adequate supplies at reasonable prices and in a timely manner.

We are dependent upon a small number of sole or limited source suppliers for certain materials, including certain critical components, we use in manufacturing our products. We purchase almost all of our materials from our suppliers on a purchase order basis and generally do not have long-term commitments from suppliers. Our suppliers are not required to supply us with any minimum quantities and there is no assurance that our suppliers will supply the quantities of components we may need to meet our production goals. Our major suppliers include Samsung, Micron and SK Hynix. These suppliers also compete with us in the memory market. For example, while Samsung, Micron and SK Hynix all sell DRAM modules to us, and Samsung and Micron supply us with DRAM ICs, Flash ICs and finished products, they also compete with us by selling DRAM ICs and modules and Flash ICs and finished products to many of our customers, usually focusing on higher volume commodity products. Samsung is also a significant customer, as Samsung’s smartphone division purchases eMCPs from us, and its PC division purchases DRAM modules from us.

In Brazil, we purchase the wafers used in our memory products exclusively from a single global memory wafer supplier. The target volume and pricing of wafers are established annually, and our purchases are generally made monthly on a purchase order basis and are not cancelable. In the event that our wafer supply relationship or our purchase orders are terminated, or if our supplier’s production of silicon wafers is reduced or disrupted, we may be unable to obtain sufficient quantities of high-quality wafers at reasonable prices, and in a timely manner, to fulfill our Brazilian customers’ requirements. In addition, there can be no assurance that we will reach agreement with our wafer supplier on the pricing and quantities of wafers that they will supply and we will purchase.

The markets in which we operate have experienced, and may experience in the future, shortages in components, including DRAM and Flash ICs, which are essential components of our memory products. These shortages cause some suppliers to place their customers, including us, on component allocation. As a result, we

 

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may not be able to obtain the components that we need to fill customer orders. If any of our suppliers experience quality control or intellectual property infringement problems, we may not be able to fill customer orders. Furthermore, our products that utilize that supplier’s components may be disqualified by one or more of our customers and we may not be able to fill their orders. The inability to fill customer orders could cause delays, customer cancellations, disruptions or reductions in product shipments or require costly product redesigns and/or re-qualifications which could, in turn, damage relationships with current or prospective customers, increase costs and have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

A disruption in or termination of our supply relationship with any of our significant suppliers or our inability to develop relationships with new suppliers, if required, would cause delays, disruptions or reductions in product manufacturing and shipments or require product redesigns which could damage relationships with our customers, increase our costs or the prices we need to charge for our products and could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Unless we maintain manufacturing efficiency, we may not become or remain profitable and our future profitability could be materially adversely affected.

The memory industry is characterized by constant and rapid technological changes and product obsolescence. For example, new manufacturing process technologies using smaller feature sizes and offering better performance characteristics are generally introduced every one to two years. The introduction of new manufacturing process technologies allows us to increase the functionality of our products while at the same time optimizing performance parameters, decreasing power consumption and/or increasing storage capacity. In order to remain competitive, it is essential that we secure the capabilities to develop and qualify new manufacturing process technologies. If we are delayed in transitioning to new technologies, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.

If the lifecycle of a product is shortened as a result of the introduction of a new technology, we may be forced to transition our manufacturing capabilities to a new configuration more quickly than originally planned. This can result in increased capital and other expenditures. This can also cause decreases in demand for the older technology products and our manufacturing or assembly and test capacity to be under-utilized. As a result, we may be required to record an impairment on our long-lived assets, including facilities and equipment, as well as intangible assets, which would increase our expenses. When new technologies are introduced, the capacity to manufacture the new products often cannot meet the demand and product shortages can arise. If our suppliers cannot support such demand, we may not be able to fill customer orders or participate in new markets as they emerge.

Our manufacturing efficiency can significantly affect our results of operations, and we cannot be sure that we will be able to maintain or increase our manufacturing efficiency to the same extent as our competitors. We continuously modify our manufacturing processes in an effort to improve yields and product performance and decrease costs. During periods when we are implementing new process technologies, manufacturing facilities may not be fully productive and may experience higher than acceptable defect rates. We may fail to achieve acceptable yields or may experience product delivery delays as a result of, among other things, capacity constraints, delays in the development of new process technologies, increased defect rates, changes in our process technologies, upgrades or expansion of existing facilities, impurities or other difficulties in the manufacturing process. Any of these occurrences could adversely impact our relationships with customers, cause harm to our reputation in the marketplace, cause customers to move future business to our competitors or cause us to make financial concessions to our customers. Improving our manufacturing efficiency in future periods is dependent on our ability to:

 

   

develop advanced process technologies and advanced products that utilize those technologies;

 

   

successfully transition to more advanced process technologies;

 

   

continue to reduce test times;

 

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ramp product and process technology improvements rapidly and effectively to commercial volumes across our facilities;

 

   

achieve acceptable levels of manufacturing output and yields, which may decrease as we implement more advanced technologies; and

 

   

maintain our quality controls and rely upon the quality and process controls of our suppliers.

Disruption of our operations at our manufacturing facilities would substantially harm our business.

A disruption at one of our manufacturing facilities could adversely impact our manufacturing operations and consequently our customer relations and our business. Such a disruption could result from, among other things, sustained process abnormalities, government intervention, waste disposal issues, power failures or other circumstances, or from ramp-up related challenges, such as obtaining sufficient raw materials, hiring of qualified factory personnel, installation and efficient operation of new equipment and management and coordination of our logistics networks within our global operations. We maintain insurance to protect against certain claims associated with business interruption; however, our insurance may not cover all or any part of a particular loss. Since a large percentage of our production is done in a small number of facilities, a disruption to operations, or a loss that is in excess of, or excluded from, our insurance coverage could adversely impact our business, results of operations and financial condition.

If our products are defective or are used in defective systems, we may be subject to warranty, product recalls or product liability claims.

If our products are defectively manufactured, contain defective components or are used in defective or malfunctioning systems, we could be subject to warranty and product liability claims and product recalls, safety alerts or advisory notices. While we have product liability insurance coverage, it may not be adequate to satisfy claims made against us. We also may be unable to obtain insurance in the future at satisfactory rates or in adequate amounts. Warranty and product liability claims or product recalls, regardless of their ultimate outcome, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and reputation, and on our ability to attract and retain customers. In addition, we may determine that it is in our best interest to accept product returns in circumstances where we are not contractually obligated to do so to maintain good relations with our customers. Accepting product returns may adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.

Our indemnification obligations to our customers and suppliers for product defects, intellectual property infringement and other matters could require us to pay substantial damages.

A number of our product sales and product purchase agreements provide that we will defend, indemnify and hold harmless our customers and suppliers from damages and costs which may arise from various matters including, without limitation, product warranty claims or claims for injury or damage resulting from defects in, or usage of, our products or the products of our suppliers. In addition, we currently have in effect a number of agreements in which we agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless our customers and suppliers from damages and costs which may arise from the infringement or alleged infringement by our products of third-party patents, trademarks or other intellectual property rights. We periodically have to respond to claims and may have to litigate indemnification obligations in the future.

Indemnification obligations could require us to expend significant amounts of money to defend claims and/or to pay damages or settlement amounts. We maintain insurance to protect against certain claims associated with the use of our products; however, our insurance may not cover all or any part of a claim asserted against us. Our insurance does not cover intellectual property infringement in most instances. A claim brought against us that is in excess of, or excluded from, our insurance coverage could adversely impact our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

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We may need to raise additional funds, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all.

We may need to raise additional funds, which we may seek to obtain through, among other things, public or private equity offerings and debt financings. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including, without limitation, our levels of net sales, our levels of inventory, the timing and extent of expenditures to support research and development activities, the expansion of manufacturing and test capacity and the continued market acceptance of our products. Additional funds may not be available on terms acceptable to us, or at all. If we issue equity or convertible debt securities to raise additional funds, our existing shareholders may experience dilution and the new equity or debt securities may have rights, preferences, and privileges senior to those of our then existing shareholders. If we incur additional debt, it may increase our leverage relative to our earnings or to our equity capitalization, as well as impose financial and operating covenants that could restrict the operations of our business. In addition, our existing indebtedness may limit our ability to obtain additional financing in the future, as discussed in greater detail below under “—Risks Relating to our Debt—Our indebtedness could impair our financial condition and harm our ability to operate our business.”

During the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, we spent $7.4 million, $13.8 million and $31.7 million, respectively, on capital expenditures, which we used, among other things, to expand manufacturing and test capacity as well as research and development. We plan to continue to make capital expenditures in the future. If our expected returns on these investments are not achieved, it could adversely impact our business, results of operations and financial condition.

If adequate capital is not available when needed, we may be required to modify our business model and operations to reduce spending. This could cause us to be unable to execute our business plan, take advantage of future opportunities or respond to competitive pressures or customer requirements. It may also cause us to delay, scale back or eliminate some or all of our research and development programs, or to reduce or cease operations, which could adversely impact our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We may make acquisitions of companies and/or technologies which involve numerous risks. If we are not successful in integrating the technologies, operations and personnel of acquired businesses or fail to realize the anticipated benefits of an acquisition, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected.

As part of our business and growth strategy, we may acquire or make significant investments in businesses, products or technologies in an effort to complement our existing product offering, expand our market coverage, increase our engineering workforce or enhance our technological capabilities. Any acquisitions or investments would expose us to the risks commonly encountered in acquisitions of businesses or technologies. Such risks include, among others:

 

   

problems integrating the purchased operations, technologies, products or personnel;

 

   

unanticipated costs or expenses associated with an acquisition or investment, including write-offs of goodwill or other intangible assets;

 

   

negative effects on profitability resulting from an acquisition or investment;

 

   

adverse effects on existing business relationships with suppliers and customers;

 

   

risks associated with entering markets in which we have little or no prior experience and markets with complex government regulations;

 

   

loss of key employees of the acquired business; and

 

   

litigation arising from an acquired company’s operations.

Problems encountered in connection with an acquisition could divert the attention of management, utilize scarce corporate resources and otherwise harm our business. If we make any future acquisitions, we could issue

 

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ordinary shares that would dilute our existing shareholders’ percentage ownership, incur substantial additional debt, expend cash and reduce our cash reserves or assume additional liabilities. Furthermore, acquisitions may require material charges and could result in adverse tax consequences, substantial depreciation, deferred compensation charges, liabilities under earn-out provisions, the amortization of amounts related to deferred compensation and identifiable purchased intangible assets or impairment of goodwill or other intangibles, any of which could negatively impact our business, results of operations and financial condition. We are unable to predict whether or when any prospective acquisition candidate will become available or the likelihood that any acquisition will be completed. We may expend significant resources and management time pursuing an acquisition that we are unable to consummate. Even if we do find suitable acquisition opportunities, we may not be able to consummate the acquisitions on commercially acceptable terms or at all, or may not realize the anticipated benefits of any acquisitions we do undertake. Our investments in private companies are subject to risk of loss of investment capital. These investments are inherently risky because the markets for the technologies or products they may have under development are typically in the early stages and may never materialize. We could lose our entire investment in these companies.

In connection with the sale of the Storage Business, we agreed to indemnify SanDisk against specified losses.

In August 2013, we completed the sale of substantially all of the Storage Business to SanDisk (now a part of Western Digital) for approximately $304 million in cash, subject to certain escrows and holdbacks. The sale agreement for the Storage Business, or the Sale Agreement, contained certain indemnification obligations that are typical for transactions of this nature, including, among others, for losses arising from breaches of our representations and warranties relating to the sale, as well as for taxes arising with respect to pre-closing tax periods. These indemnification obligations are subject to a number of limitations, including certain deductibles and caps and limited time periods for making indemnification claims. At the closing of the sale, $30.5 million of the purchase price was placed into a third party escrow to secure certain of our indemnification obligations. On August 21, 2014, SanDisk made a claim against us under the indemnification provisions of the Sale Agreement in connection with a lawsuit filed by Netlist, Inc., or Netlist, against SanDisk alleging that certain products of the Storage Business that we sold to SanDisk, infringe various Netlist patents, which SanDisk in turn alleges would, if true, constitute a breach of representations and warranties under the Sale Agreement. Under the Sale Agreement, our indemnification obligation in respect of intellectual property matters, including those claimed by SanDisk, is subject to a deductible of approximately $1.8 million and a cap of $60.9 million. The SanDisk claim included what purported to be an estimate of SanDisk’s alleged indemnifiable losses that is greater than the cap in the Sale Agreement for intellectual property matters.

On December 4, 2014, we entered into an agreement with SanDisk to release the entire balance of the third party escrow, and on December 5, 2014, we received $30.5 million that had previously been held in escrow. Following the release of the escrow, our board declared a $28.3 million cash distribution out of our share premium account which was paid in January 2015 to shareholders of record on January 1, 2015. The release of the escrow amount by SanDisk does not relieve us of our indemnification obligations to SanDisk, and SanDisk has not amended or reduced the amount of its indemnification claim.

We believe that the allegations giving rise to the indemnification claim are without merit and we intend to dispute SanDisk’s claim for indemnification. In addition, there may be other grounds for us to dispute the indemnification claim and/or the amounts of any indemnifiable losses of SanDisk. While we believe that the infringement claims are without merit, we can provide no assurance that SanDisk will be successful in defending the infringement claims or that we will otherwise be successful in disputing the indemnification claim and/or the amount of indemnifiable losses. In addition to the infringement claim described above, we continue to have an obligation to indemnify SanDisk for certain specified matters, including tax obligations for pre-closing tax periods, some of which indemnification obligations are capped at certain amounts and survive for periods of time set forth in the Sale Agreement. An indemnity claim brought against us by SanDisk, including the claim described above, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

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Our future success is dependent on our ability to retain key personnel, including our executive officers, and to attract qualified personnel. If we lose the services of these individuals or are unable to attract new talent, our business may be adversely affected.

Our future operating results depend in significant part upon the continued contributions of our key senior management and technical personnel, many of whom would be difficult to replace. We are particularly dependent on the continued service of Iain MacKenzie, our President and Chief Executive Officer, and Jack Pacheco, our Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Our future operating results also depend in significant part upon our ability to attract, train and retain qualified management, manufacturing and quality assurance, engineering, design, finance, marketing, sales and support personnel. We are continually recruiting such personnel in various parts of the world. However, competition for such personnel can be strong and we can provide no assurance that we will be successful in attracting or retaining such personnel now or in the future. In addition, particularly in the high-technology industry, the value of stock options, RSUs, grants or other share-based compensation is an important element in the retention of employees. Declines in the value of our ordinary shares after our initial public offering could adversely affect our ability to retain employees and we may have to take additional steps to make the equity component of our compensation packages more attractive to attract and retain employees. These steps could result in dilution to shareholders.

In Brazil in particular, there is limited availability of labor with the technical skills required for our operations. As a result, we rely heavily on our ability to train personnel or relocate individuals from outside of the country. Relocation from a foreign country is expensive. To keep pace with our anticipated growth in Brazil, we anticipate the need to increase the number of our technical personnel. Additionally, to meet the obligations associated with certain tax incentives, we are required to invest in research and development activities which could require an increase in engineering and other technical personnel. To the extent that competitors enter or expand in the local market, our labor force could be targeted, which could result in the loss of personnel and/or the increase in wages to retain personnel.

The loss of any key employee, the failure of any key employee to adequately perform in his or her current position, our inability to attract, train and retain skilled employees as needed or the inability of our key employees to expand, train and manage our employee base as needed, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We rely, in part, on third-party sales representatives to assist in selling our products, and the failure of these representatives to perform as expected could reduce our future sales.

Sales of our products to some of our OEM customers are accomplished, in part, through the efforts of third-party sales representatives. We are unable to predict the extent to which these third-party sales representatives will be successful in marketing and selling our products. Moreover, many of these third-party sales representatives also market and sell competing products and may more aggressively pursue sales of our competitors’ products. Our third-party sales representatives may terminate their relationships with us at any time on short or no notice. Our future performance may also depend, in part, on our ability to attract and retain additional third-party sales representatives that will be able to market and support our products effectively, especially in markets in which we have not previously sold our products. If we cannot retain our current third-party sales representatives or recruit additional or replacement third-party sales representatives or if these sales representatives are not effective, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

If we are unable to protect our intellectual property, our operating results may be adversely affected.

Our success is dependent, in part, upon protecting our intellectual property rights. We rely on a combination of trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, copyright and, to a lesser extent, patents. We do not own or apply for patents in respect of the majority of our products. The absence of patent protection for most of our products means that we cannot prevent our competitors from reverse-engineering and duplicating our products.

 

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We believe that our continued success depends largely on the technical expertise we have developed in manufacturing and designing products, and we rely on confidential proprietary information, including trade secrets and know-how to develop and maintain our competitive position. Any disclosure to or misappropriation by third parties of our confidential proprietary information could enable competitors to quickly duplicate or surpass our technological achievements, thus eroding our competitive position in our market. We seek to protect our confidential proprietary information, in part, by confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements and invention assignment agreements with our employees, consultants, advisors, contractors and collaborators. These agreements are designed to protect our proprietary information, however, we cannot be certain that such agreements have been entered into with all relevant parties, and we cannot be certain that our trade secrets and other confidential proprietary information will not be disclosed or that competitors will not otherwise gain access to our trade secrets or independently develop substantially equivalent information and techniques. For example, any of these parties may breach the agreements and disclose our proprietary information, including our trade secrets, and we may not be able to obtain adequate remedies for such breaches. We also seek to preserve the integrity and confidentiality of our confidential proprietary information by maintaining physical security of our premises and physical and electronic security of our information technology systems, but it is possible that these security measures could be breached. If any of our confidential proprietary information were to be lawfully obtained or independently developed by a competitor, we would have no right to prevent such competitor from using that technology or information to compete with us, which could harm our competitive position.

It is possible that our efforts to protect our intellectual property rights may not:

 

   

prevent our competitors from independently developing similar products, duplicating our products or from designing around the patents owned by us;

 

   

prevent third-party patents from having an adverse effect on our ability to do business;

 

   

prevent disputes with third parties regarding ownership of our intellectual property rights;

 

   

prevent the challenge, invalidation or circumvention of our existing patents;

 

   

result in issued patents or registered trademarks from any of our pending applications; or

 

   

result in patents that lead to commercially viable products or provide competitive advantages for our products.

If any of our issued patents are found to be invalid or if any of our patent applications are rejected, our ability to exclude competitors from making, using or selling the same or similar products as us could be compromised. In addition, because we conduct a substantial portion of our operations and sell a large percentage of our products outside the United States, we have exposure to intellectual property risks from operating in foreign countries, many of which have laws that may not adequately protect our intellectual property rights.

Activities in the area of intellectual property rights, including litigation and various patent processes can cause us to incur substantial expenses. We are currently involved in contested proceedings, which may result in decisions against us.

The markets in which we compete are characterized by frequent claims alleging misappropriation of trade secrets or infringement of patents, trademarks, copyrights or other intellectual property rights of others. From time to time, third parties may assert against us or our customers alleged infringement of such intellectual property rights on technologies that are important to our business. We can provide no assurance that third parties will not in the future pursue claims against us or our customers with respect to the alleged infringement of intellectual property rights. In addition, litigation or other legal and technical processes may be necessary to protect our intellectual property rights, to determine the validity and scope of the proprietary rights of others or to defend against third party claims of infringement and/or invalidity. Litigation and other legal and administrative processes, whether as plaintiff, defendant, or otherwise, could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of

 

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operations and financial condition, whether or not such litigation or other processes are ultimately determined in our favor. In the event of an adverse result in, or a settlement of, a litigation matter, we could be required to pay substantial damages or settlement amounts; cease the manufacture, use, import and sale of certain products or components; expend significant resources to develop or acquire rights to use non-infringing technology; and/or discontinue the use of certain processes or obtain licenses and pay one-time fees and/or on-going royalties to use the infringing or allegedly infringing technology. The occurrence of any of the foregoing could result in unexpected expenses or require us to recognize an impairment of our assets, which would reduce the value of our assets and increase our expenses. Alternate technology development or license negotiations would likely result in significant expenses and divert the efforts of our technical and management personnel. We cannot assure that we would be successful in such development or negotiations. Moreover, there could be public announcements of the results of interim proceedings or developments. If securities analysts or investors perceive these announcements or results to be negative, it could have a substantial adverse effect on the price of our ordinary shares.

We are currently involved in patent litigation with Netlist. In our proceeding with Netlist, we filed a complaint against Netlist, alleging infringement of certain claims of one of our patents. Netlist filed certain counterclaims and has sought compensatory damages for the harm it claims to have suffered, as well as an award of treble damages and attorneys’ fees.

As we increase our sales, develop more technology and expand our product offerings, the possibility of being involved in more intellectual property contests grows. Increased intellectual property contests could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We may not have rights to manufacture and sell particular products that we currently offer, or we may be required to pay a royalty to sell certain products.

The memory and storage markets are constantly undergoing rapid technological change and evolving industry standards. From time to time, third parties may claim that we are infringing upon technology to which they have proprietary rights and that we require a license to manufacture and/or sell certain of our products. If we are unable to supply certain products at competitive prices due to royalty payments we are required to make or at all because we were unable to secure a required license, our customers might cancel orders or seek other suppliers to replace us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Changes in, or interpretations of, tax regulations or rates, or changes in the geographic dispersion of our net sales, or changes in other tax benefits, may adversely affect our income, value-added and other taxes, which may in turn have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

Our future effective tax rates could be unfavorably affected by the resolution of issues arising from tax audits with various tax authorities in the United States and abroad; adjustments to income taxes upon finalization of various tax returns; increases in expenses not deductible for tax purposes, including write-offs of acquired in-process research and development and impairments of goodwill in connection with acquisitions; changes in available tax credits; changes in tax laws or regulations or tax rates; changes in the interpretation or application of tax laws; changes in tax regulations or rates; increases or decreases in the amount of net sales or earnings in countries with particularly high or low statutory tax rates; changes in exemptions from taxes in certain jurisdictions or in connection with certain transactions; or by changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities. In addition, taxable income in any jurisdiction is dependent upon acceptance of our operational practices and intercompany transfer pricing by local tax authorities as being on an arm’s length basis. Due to inconsistencies in application of the arm’s length standard among taxing authorities, as well as lack of adequate treaty-based protection, transfer pricing challenges by tax authorities could, if successful, substantially increase our income tax expense. While we enjoy and expect to continue to enjoy beneficial tax treatment in certain foreign jurisdictions, most notably Brazil and Malaysia, we are subject to meeting specific conditions in order to

 

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receive the beneficial treatment. Additionally, many of the beneficial treatments must be renewed periodically, and our enjoyment thereof is conditioned upon compliance with several legal requirements and is subject to change. See “—Risks Relating to our International Operations—If the tax incentive or tax holiday arrangements from which we benefit in Brazil or Malaysia change or cease to be in effect or applicable in part or in whole, for any reason, or if our assumptions and interpretations regarding tax laws and incentive or holiday arrangements prove to be incorrect, the amount of corporate income, excise, import and contribution taxes we have to pay could increase significantly.”

We are subject to tax examination in the United States and in foreign jurisdictions, including in Brazil where we have had several audits and are currently being audited with respect to certain taxes. We regularly assess the likelihood of outcomes resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of our provision for taxes and have reserved for potential adjustments that may result from current examinations. We believe such estimates to be reasonable; however, there can be no assurance that the final determination of any examinations will be in the amounts of our estimates.

Any significant variance in the results of an examination as compared to our estimates, any failure to continue to receive any beneficial tax treatment in any of our foreign locations or any increase in our future effective tax rates due to any of the factors set forth above or otherwise could reduce net income and have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

If Brazilian administrative tax courts find that we have used an incorrect product code on our imports, then the amount of taxes, interest and penalties that we have to pay on past transactions could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

On February 23, 2012, Brazilian federal tax authorities served our Brazilian operating subsidiary, SMART Brazil, with a tax assessment for approximately R$117.0 million (or $37.4 million), alleging that SMART Brazil had incorrectly used an import product classification code for its imports of unmounted ICs for the five calendar years of 2007 through and including 2011. Brazilian federal tax authorities subsequently served a second assessment for an administrative penalty of approximately R$6.0 million (or $1.9 million) for the alleged use of an improper import code. Each assessment is subject to increases for interest and other charges.

In March 2012, SMART Brazil filed defenses to the tax assessments. On May 2, 2013, the first level administrative tax court ruled in favor of the tax authorities and against SMART Brazil for the first tax assessment, but did not rule on the second assessment for the administrative penalty. SMART Brazil filed an appeal on May 31, 2013 at the second level tax court, known as CARF. SMART Brazil’s appeal resulted in a unanimous favorable decision rejecting the position of the tax authorities. Subsequently, the tax authorities filed a request for clarification of certain points in the decision published by CARF, and on September 17, 2014, we received a unanimous ruling rejecting the tax authorities request for clarification. On November 7, 2014, the tax authorities notified CARF that they would not be appealing the CARF decision. As a result, the R$117.0 million (or $37.4 million) tax assessment has been extinguished. We have not received a decision from the first level administrative court with respect to the second notice of assessment for the administrative penalty.

Due to the issuance of these tax assessments, Brazilian federal tax authorities conducted an enrollment of assets of SMART Brazil. Brazilian legislation states that whenever the sum of the debts owed to the Brazilian Revenue Service exceeds 30% of the known equity of a company and R$2.0 million (or $0.6 million), the Brazilian Revenue Service may conduct an enrollment of assets of the company, which is a means of monitoring the company’s equity. During this period, the taxpayer must notify the Brazilian Revenue Service of any disposal, encumbrance or transfer of the assets or rights enrolled within five days from the occurrence of the act; if the company does not provide such notice, then the Brazilian Revenue Service may file a tax injunction. The enrollment does not constitute a lien or encumbrance on the assets. The assets covered by the enrollment are typically assets classified as fixed assets or non-current assets and include assets that are subject to any form of registration before a public deed service or equivalent, such as real estate and vehicles. Other assets may be

 

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subject to enrollment in the event that the assets described above are not sufficient to satisfy the amount of the tax liability. The enrollment does not create any limitation or prohibition against remitting dividends or making cash payments of interest on equity. As the first assessment for R$117.0 million (or $37.4 million) has been extinguished, SMART Brazil has petitioned to have the enrollment cancelled. While the tax authorities have substantially reduced the amount of the enrollment to R$13.9 million (or $4.4 million) as of January 31, 2017, there can be no assurance that the enrollment will be cancelled unless all of the assessments are extinguished.

On December 12, 2013, SMART Brazil received another notice of assessment in the amount of R$3.6 million (or $1.2 million) with respect to the same import-related tax issues and penalties as discussed above. This new assessment does not seek import duties and related taxes on DRAM products and only seeks import duties and related taxes on Flash unmounted components with respect to the months of January 2012 to June 2012. This is because SMART Brazil’s imports of DRAM unmounted components were subject to 0%, and after June 2012, SMART Brazil’s imports of Flash unmounted components became subject to 0%, import duties and related taxes as a result of PADIS. Even with this 0%, if SMART Brazil is found to have used the incorrect product classification code, SMART Brazil will be subject to an administrative penalty equal to 1% of the value of the imports. SMART Brazil has filed defenses to this assessment.

We can provide no assurance that SMART Brazil ultimately will prevail on the remaining tax assessments or the administrative penalties, and no amounts have been accrued in the financial statements for any such assessments or penalties. In addition, in the event that SMART Brazil does not prevail, the amount of the assessments and the penalties and interest could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards are limited.

As of August 26, 2016, we had U.S. federal and California state net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $98.5 million and $57.9 million, respectively. The federal net operating loss carryforwards will expire, if not utilized, in fiscal 2023 through fiscal 2036, and the California net operating loss carryforwards will expire in fiscal 2017 through fiscal 2036, both in varying amounts, if not utilized. In addition, under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, if a corporation undergoes an “ownership change,” the corporation’s ability to use its pre-change net operating loss carryforwards to offset its post-change taxable income may be limited. In general, an “ownership change” will occur if there is a cumulative change in our ownership by certain “5-percent shareholders” that exceeds 50 percentage points over a rolling three-year period. Similar rules may apply under state tax laws. Our net operating loss carryforwards are subject to limitations per Section 382 of the Code. We have experienced ownership changes in the past, and we may experience ownership changes in the future as a result of this offering or future transactions in our ordinary shares, some changes of which may be outside our control. As a result, our ability to use our pre-change net operating loss carryforwards to offset post-change U.S. federal and state taxable income may be subject to additional limitations.

If our goodwill or intangible assets become impaired, we may be required to record a significant charge to earnings.

Under U.S. GAAP, we review our long-lived intangible and tangible assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. Goodwill is required to be tested for impairment at least annually. Factors that may be considered a change in circumstances indicating that the carrying value of our goodwill or other intangible assets may not be recoverable include declines in our share price and market capitalization or future cash flow projections. We may be required to record a significant charge to earnings in our financial statements during the period in which any impairment of our goodwill or other intangible assets is determined. Impairment charges could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

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We are subject to a variety of federal, state, foreign and international laws and regulatory regimes. Failure to comply with governmental laws and regulations could subject us to, among other things, mandatory product recalls, penalties and investigation and legal expenses which could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our business is subject to regulation by various U.S. federal and state governmental agencies. Such regulation includes, without limitation, the radio frequency emission regulatory activities of the Federal Communications Commission, the antitrust regulatory activities of the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, and the Department of Justice, the consumer protection laws of the FTC, the import/export regulatory activities of the Department of Commerce, the product safety regulatory activities of the Consumer Products Safety Commission, the regulatory activities of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the environmental regulatory activities of the Environmental Protection Agency, the labor regulatory activities of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the export control regulatory activities of the Department of State, and tax and other regulations by a variety of regulatory authorities in each of the areas in which we conduct business. We are also subject to similar, and in some cases additional, regulation in other countries where we conduct business, including import and export laws and foreign currency control. In certain jurisdictions, such regulatory requirements may be more stringent and complex than in the United States. We are also subject to a variety of U.S. federal and state employment and labor laws and regulations, including, without limitation, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the Worker Adjustment and Restructuring Notification Act, which requires employers to give affected employees at least 60 days’ notice of a plant closing or a mass layoff, and other regulations related to working conditions, wage-hour pay, overtime pay, employee benefits, antidiscrimination and termination of employment.

Like other companies operating or selling internationally, we are subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, and other laws which generally prohibit improper payments or offers of payments to foreign governments and their officials and political parties by U.S. companies and their intermediaries for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business or otherwise obtaining favorable treatment. We are also subject to similar or even more restrictive anticorruption laws imposed by the governments of other countries where we do business, including the UK Bribery Act, the Malaysian Anticorruption Act and the Brazil Clean Company Act. We make sales and operate in countries known to experience corruption that are rated as high-risk nations. Our business activities in such countries create the risk of unauthorized conduct by one or more of our employees, consultants, customs brokers, freight forwarders, sales agents or distributors that could be in violation of various laws including the FCPA or similar local regulations. In addition, we may be held liable for actions taken by such parties even though such parties are not subject to the FCPA or similar laws. Any determination that we have violated the FCPA or similar laws may result in severe criminal or civil sanctions, and we may be subject to other liabilities that could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our Brazilian operations are subject to periodic and regular investigations by labor officials and governmental bodies, including the Brazilian Ministry of Labor and the Brazilian Labor Public Prosecutor’s Office, with respect to our compliance with labor rules and regulations. These investigations could result in fines and proceedings that may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Noncompliance with applicable regulations or requirements could subject us to investigations, sanctions, mandatory product recalls, enforcement actions, disgorgement of profits, disbarment from government projects, fines, damages and civil and criminal penalties or injunctions that could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, from time to time we have received, and may receive in the future, correspondence from former employees and parties with whom we have done business with, threatening to bring claims against us alleging that we have violated one or more regulations related to customs, labor and employment, foreign currency control or other laws or regulations. An adverse outcome in any litigation or proceeding related to such matters could require us to pay damages, attorneys’ fees and/or other costs.

 

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If any governmental sanctions were to be imposed, or if we were not to prevail in any civil action or criminal proceeding, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected. In addition, responding to any litigation or action would likely result in a significant diversion of management’s attention and resources and a significant increase in professional fees.

We could incur substantial costs or liabilities as a result of violations of environmental laws.

Our operations and properties are subject to a variety of U.S., foreign government and international environmental laws and regulations governing, among other things, environmental licensing and registries, protection of flora and fauna, air emissions, use of water resources, wastewater discharges, management and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous materials and wastes, reverse logistics (take-back policy) and remediation of releases of hazardous materials. Our failure to comply with present and future requirements, or the management of known or identification of new or unknown contamination, could cause us to incur substantial costs, including cleanup costs, indemnifications, compensations, fines, suspension of activities and other penalties, investments to upgrade our facilities or change our processes or curtailment of operations. For example, the presence of lead in quantities not believed to be significant have been found in the ground under one of the multi-tenant buildings we lease in Brazil. While we did not cause the contamination, we may be held responsible if remediation is required, although we may be entitled to seek indemnification from responsible parties under Brazilian law and from our lessor under our lease. The identification of presently unidentified environmental conditions, more vigorous enforcement by regulatory agencies, enactment of more stringent laws and regulations or other unanticipated events may arise in the future and give rise to material environmental liabilities and related costs. The occurrence of any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Worldwide political conditions and threats of terrorist attacks may adversely affect our operations and demand for our products.

Armed conflicts around the world could have an impact on our sales, our supply chain and our ability to deliver products to our customers. Political and economic instability in some regions of the world could also have a negative impact on our business. More generally, various events could cause consumer confidence and spending to decrease, or could result in increased economic or financial volatility, any of which could result in a decrease in demand for our products.

Additionally, the occurrence or threat of terrorist attacks may in the future adversely affect demand for our products. In addition, such attacks may negatively affect our operations directly or indirectly and such attacks or other armed conflicts may directly impact our physical facilities or those of our suppliers or customers. Such attacks may make travel and the transportation of our products more difficult and more expensive, ultimately having a negative effect on our business.

Any such occurrences could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our operations in different parts of the world could be subject to natural disasters, health epidemics and other business disruptions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operation and financial condition.

Our operations in different parts of the world could be subject to natural disasters, including earthquakes, monsoons, cyclones and floods. For example, our United States headquarters in Newark, California is located near major earthquake fault lines. Our manufacturing facility in Penang, Malaysia is also prone to natural disasters, such as cyclones, monsoons and floods. In the event of a major earthquake, cyclone, monsoon or other natural or manmade disaster, we could experience business interruptions, destruction of facilities and/or loss of life, any of which could materially adversely affect our business.

 

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In addition, our business could be adversely affected by the outbreak of influenza A (H1N1), avian influenza, H7N9, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Zika, ebola or other pandemics. Any occurrence of these pandemic diseases or other adverse public health developments in Malaysia or elsewhere could severely disrupt our business or the business of our customers and suppliers, which could materially adversely affect our business.

Since a large percentage of our production is done in a small number of facilities, a disruption to operations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Risks Relating to our International Operations

Significant changes in the political or economic environments in Brazil or Malaysia could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We have extensive operations in Malaysia and significant operations and sales in Brazil. The governments of these countries frequently intervene in their respective economies and occasionally make significant changes in policies and regulations. The Brazilian government’s actions to control inflation and other policies and regulations have often involved, among other measures, increases in interest rates, changes in tax policies, price controls, currency devaluations, capital controls and limits on imports. Our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as the market price of our securities, may be adversely affected by changes in these and in other countries, to policies or regulations involving or affecting general economic factors, such as:

 

   

interest rates;

 

   

exchange rates and currency controls and restrictions on the movement of capital out of country, such as those which were briefly imposed in 1989 and early 1990 in Brazil;

 

   

currency fluctuations;

 

   

import and export controls;

 

   

inflation;

 

   

liquidity of the domestic capital and lending markets;

 

   

reduction or cancellation of tax incentives to which we are currently entitled;

 

   

other changes to tax and regulatory policies; and

 

   

other political, social and economic developments.

A major corruption scandal involving Brazil’s largest energy company, Petrobras, began to unfold in 2014, and by 2015 contributed to a significant decrease in the value of the Brazilian real , which in turn led to a substantial downturn in the Brazilian economy and a substantial rise in unemployment, and ultimately resulted in the impeachment of the president of the country. We cannot predict what fiscal, monetary, social and other policies will be adopted by the new administration or whether the economic policies that were adopted by the prior administration will be maintained. Uncertainties and speculation about actions of the new administration may result in further adverse consequences to the Brazilian economy and to our business, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, market conditions in Brazil have been volatile during this time of significant change due to these uncertainties, which may influence investors’ perception of risk in Brazil.

If the tax incentive or tax holiday arrangements from which we benefit in Brazil or Malaysia change or cease to be in effect or applicable in part or in whole, for any reason, or if our assumptions and interpretations regarding tax laws and incentive or holiday arrangements prove to be incorrect, the amount of corporate income, excise, import and contribution taxes we have to pay could increase significantly.

We have structured our operations in a manner designed to maximize our benefit from various tax incentives and/or tax holidays extended to manufacturers in Brazil and Malaysia to encourage investment and

 

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employment. In Brazil, we participate in the following government investment incentive programs, among others:

 

   

Support Program for the Technological Development of the Semiconductor and Display Industries (PADIS), 2007, extended in 2016 . PADIS is designed to promote the development of the local semiconductor industry. In December 2010 and January 2011, the required agencies of the Brazilian government approved our application for beneficial tax treatment under the PADIS program for DRAM ICs and we began operations under the PADIS rules in February 2011. Subsequently, we received approvals for PADIS benefits for microSD cards and USB Flash drives in June 2012, mobile, or low power DRAM in March 2013, eMMC and Flash Fine-pitch Ball Grid Array, or Flash FBGA, in February 2014, eMCP in June 2014, DDR4 DRAM in July 2016, and for any other mounted components in May 2015. The PADIS benefits include: (i) relief from Brazil’s corporate income tax, resulting in a reduction in the Brazilian statutory income tax rate from 34% to 9% on taxable income from the semiconductor IC portion of our operations, (ii) relief from the PIS and COFINS Contributions, the IPI, and Brazil’s import tax, on both the import and domestic acquisition of fixed assets, inputs, software and sale of final products eligible for PADIS, and (iii) relief from Brazil’s tax on outbound royalties, or CIDE. To realize these benefits, our subsidiary, SMART Brazil, is required to invest a percentage of its gross annual semiconductor sales revenues (reduced by the following: the cost of raw materials covered within the scope of PADIS, applicable sales taxes, the value of products exported out of Brazil and the value of products shipped to the Manaus Free Trade Zone) in research and development activities conducted in Brazil each calendar year. The applicable percentage was 3% for 2015, increasing to 4% for 2016 through 2018, and increasing to 5% for 2019 and beyond. Furthermore, SMART Brazil is not permitted to distribute to shareholders (through dividends, capital reductions or otherwise) the amount of corporate income taxes not paid as a result of the PADIS benefits. Failure to comply with our obligations under the PADIS would result in our being charged the amount of the relieved taxes, plus interest equal to the Central Bank of Brazil’s overnight rate, or the SELIC rate, plus a 75% penalty and could also result in the suspension of our participation in PADIS and ultimate termination of PADIS should SMART Brazil fail to repair the infraction within 90 days or should SMART Brazil have PADIS suspended twice in the period of two years. If SMART Brazil’s participation in PADIS were terminated, it would be permitted to reapply for the program only after a two-year period.

 

   

Lei da Informática—Processo Produtivo Básico (PPB/IT Program), 1991 . Brazil’s PPB/IT Program, in which we also began to participate in February 2011, is intended to promote local content by allowing qualified PPB/IT Program companies to sell certain IT products with a reduced rate of IPI as compared to the rate that is required to be collected by non-qualified suppliers. The PPB/IT Program provides an incentive for certain customers to purchase from us because our sales will not be subject to the regular level of IPI. In order to receive the intended treatment as a PPB/IT Program supplier, our subsidiary SMART do Brazil is required to invest in research and development activities conducted in Brazil in an amount equal to 3% of its gross annual sales revenues reduced by the following: the cost of raw materials qualified as products eligible for the PPB/IT Program, including the ICs that are purchased from our other Brazilian subsidiary, SMART Brazil, and that are used to make memory modules; applicable sales taxes; the value of products exported out of Brazil; and the value of products shipped to the Manaus Free Trade Zone. Failure to comply with our obligations under the PPB/IT Program would result in our being charged the amount of the relieved taxes, plus interest equal to the SELIC rate, plus a 75% penalty and could also result in the suspension of our participation in the PPB/IT Program and ultimate termination should SMART do Brazil fail to cure the infraction within 180 days.

Compliance with these programs is measured annually, on a calendar year basis. We believe that we have fulfilled these research and development investment requirements through 2016; however, for certain years the authorities in Brazil have not yet completed the relevant review. For calendar year 2012, the authorities have asserted that certain of our research and development investments may not have qualified for the PPB/IT Program. We are disputing their assertion, and the amount in question is not material in any event. We cannot guarantee, however, that we will be able to make the required investments in the future or that the Brazilian tax

 

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authorities will agree with our classification of certain expenses as constituting research and development, in which case we may lose the anticipated benefits of these programs and could be penalized for failing to pay required statutory income taxes or to collect the required IPI upon our sales. In addition, there is a risk that modifications to tax laws may prohibit, interrupt, limit, terminate early or change the use of these existing tax incentives.

In 2013, the EU, later joined by Japan, requested the establishment of a panel within the WTO to determine whether certain measures enacted by the Brazilian government concerning tax incentives and local content requirements for the automotive sector and several other industries including the IT industry and including PADIS, the PPB/IT Program and Lei do Bem, are inconsistent with WTO rules. The panel was formed, hearings were held and in December 2016, the WTO circulated its report to the parties. This report is subject to feedback from the parties and has not been released to the public. While we cannot predict the outcome of the WTO’s decision, a negative ruling could result in significant adverse changes to the local content rules and incentives available to us and our customers in Brazil.

Any suspension, early termination or other adverse change in the local content requirements in Brazil, or our failure to comply with the requirements of the various regulations, could significantly reduce the demand for, and the profit margins on, our products in Brazil, and would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

In addition, we have obtained tax incentives from Malaysia, which provide that certain classes of income we earn in Malaysia are subject to tax holidays. Each tax incentive is separate and distinct from the others and may be granted, withheld, extended, modified, truncated, complied with or terminated independently without any effect on the other incentives. To retain these tax benefits in Malaysia, we must continue to meet certain operating conditions specific to each incentive relating to, among other things, investments in fixed assets, research and development expenditures, minimum operating expenditures, required ratio of staff with degrees in science and technology, local purchasing programs, minimum numbers of patents with local involvement and registration and segregated accounting for the covered products or businesses. The Malaysian tax incentives are presently scheduled to expire at various dates in calendar 2018. If we cannot or elect not to comply with the operating conditions included in any particular tax incentive, we will lose the related tax benefits. In such event, we could be required to refund material tax benefits previously realized by us with respect to that incentive and, depending on the incentive at issue, could likely be required to modify our operational structure and tax strategy. Any such modified structure or strategy may not be as beneficial to us from an income tax expense or operational perspective as the benefits provided under the present tax incentive arrangements.

Our interpretations and conclusions regarding the tax incentives are not binding on any taxing authority. If our assumptions about tax and other laws are incorrect, if these tax incentives are substantially modified or rescinded or if we fail to meet the conditions of any of the tax incentives, we could suffer material adverse tax and other financial consequences including owing significant amounts of taxes and penalties that would increase our expenses, reduce our profitability and adversely affect our cash flows, results of operations and financial condition.

Our business is subject to the risks generally associated with international business operations.

Sales outside of the United States accounted for 79%, 80% and 81% of our net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively. In addition, a significant portion of our product design and manufacturing is performed at our facilities in Brazil and Malaysia. As a result, our business is and will continue to be subject to the risks generally associated with international business operations in Brazil, Malaysia and other foreign countries, including:

 

   

changes in tax and other laws and regulations, including recent proposals to impose a tax on goods imported into the United States;

 

   

changes in social, political and economic conditions;

 

   

transportation delays;

 

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power and other utility shutdowns or shortages;

 

   

limitations on foreign investment;

 

   

restrictions on currency convertibility and volatility of foreign exchange markets;

 

   

import-export quotas;

 

   

increased trade regulations or trade wars;

 

   

corruption or adverse political situations in Brazil or other markets;

 

   

changes in local labor conditions;

 

   

difficulties resulting from different employment regulations;

 

   

difficulties in obtaining governmental approvals;

 

   

expropriation and nationalization of our assets in a particular jurisdiction; and

 

   

restrictions on repatriation of cash, dividends or profits.

Some of the foreign countries in which we do business or have operations have been subject to social and political instability in the past, and interruptions in operations could occur in the future. Our net sales, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected by any of the foregoing factors.

Our global operations expose us to numerous and sometimes conflicting legal and regulatory requirements, and violation of these regulations could harm our business.

We are subject to numerous, and sometimes conflicting, legal regimes on matters as diverse as anticorruption, import/export controls, content requirements, trade restrictions, tariffs, taxation, sanctions, immigration, internal and disclosure control obligations, securities regulation, anti-competition, data privacy and labor relations. This includes in emerging markets where legal systems may be less developed or familiar to us. Compliance with diverse legal requirements is costly, time consuming and requires significant resources. Violations of one or more of these regulations in the conduct of our business could result in significant fines, criminal sanctions against us or our officers, prohibitions on doing business and damage to our reputation. Violations of these regulations in connection with the performance of our obligations to our customers or suppliers also could result in liability for significant monetary damages, fines and/or criminal prosecution, unfavorable publicity and other reputational damage, restrictions on our ability to process information and allegations by our customers or suppliers that we have not performed our contractual obligations. Due to the varying degrees of development of the legal systems of the countries in which we operate or sell, local laws might be insufficient to protect our rights.

Our operations in foreign countries are more difficult to manage, which may expose us to additional risks that may not exist in the United States, which in turn could have a negative impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

A significant portion of our operations is outside of the United States. Additionally, international sales account for a significant portion of our overall sales. In some of the countries in which we operate or sell our products, it is difficult to recruit, employ and retain qualified personnel to manage and oversee our local operations, sales and other activities. The effects of instabilities in the labor market, including strikes, work stoppages, protests and changes in employment regulations, increases in wages and the conditions of collective bargaining agreements could directly affect the development of our activities and those of our customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our results. Further, given our executive officers’ lack of physical proximity to our foreign country activities and the inherent limitations of cross-border information flow, our executive officers may at times face extra challenges in their ability to effectively oversee the day-to-day management of our international operations. The challenges facing management to effectively recruit, employ and retain qualified personnel and to otherwise effectively manage our international operations could result in compliance, control or other issues that could have a material negative impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

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If we were to lose the tax-related benefits of being a Cayman Islands company, our business could be adversely affected.

We are a Cayman Islands company and operate through subsidiaries in a number of countries throughout the world. As a result, income generated in certain non-U.S. subsidiaries is not subject to taxation in the United States. We are subject to changes in tax laws, treaties and regulations or the interpretation or enforcement thereof in the United States, the Cayman Islands and jurisdictions in which we or any of our subsidiaries operate or are resident. In the past, legislative proposals have been introduced in the United States that, if enacted into law, could result in us being considered a U.S. company for tax purposes. This could have the effect of subjecting a larger portion of our worldwide income to U.S. taxation. While no such laws have been enacted to date, there can be no assurance that they will not be enacted in the future.

Unfavorable currency exchange rate fluctuations could cause currency exchange losses, result in our products becoming relatively more expensive to our overseas customers and increase our manufacturing costs, each of which could adversely affect our business and our profitability.

Our international sales and our operations in foreign countries expose us to certain risks associated with fluctuating currency values and exchange rates. Because some of our sales are denominated in U.S. dollars, increases in the value of the U.S. dollar could increase the price of our products so that they become relatively more expensive to customers in a particular country, possibly leading to a reduction in sales and profitability in that country. Some of the sales of our products, including sales in Brazil, are denominated in foreign currencies. Gains and losses on the conversion to U.S. dollars of such revenues and of other associated monetary assets and liabilities, as well as profits and losses incurred in certain countries, may contribute to fluctuations in the value of our assets and our results of operations. We also have costs and expenses that are denominated in foreign currencies, and decreases in the value of the U.S. dollar could result in increases in such costs that could have a significant negative impact on our results of operations. In addition, fluctuating values between the U.S. dollar and other currencies can result in currency gains which are used in the computation of foreign taxes and can increase foreign taxable income. We do not presently purchase financial instruments to hedge foreign exchange risk, but we may do so in the future.

We are a holding company. If enacted, exchange controls may limit our ability to receive dividends and other distributions from our foreign subsidiaries.

We conduct all of our operations through subsidiaries and are dependent on dividends or other intercompany transfers of funds from our subsidiaries to meet our obligations and pay intercompany dividends. If enacted, restrictions on intercompany dividends or other distributions in certain jurisdictions could have a material adverse effect on our ability to transfer funds from certain subsidiaries. Additionally, Brazilian law permits the Brazilian government to impose temporary restrictions on conversions of Brazilian currency into foreign currencies and on remittances to foreign investors of proceeds from their investments in Brazil whenever there is a serious imbalance in Brazil’s balance of payments or there are reasons to expect a pending serious imbalance. Aside from the remittance restrictions imposed for approximately six months in 1989 and early 1990, the Brazilian government last imposed remittance restrictions more than 25 years ago. The Brazilian government may take similar measures in the future. Any imposition of restrictions on conversions and remittances could hinder or prevent us from converting Brazilian reais into U.S. dollars or other foreign currencies and remitting abroad dividends, distributions or the proceeds from operations in Brazil.

Inflation and certain measures by the Brazilian government to curb inflation have historically adversely affected the Brazilian economy and Brazilian securities market, and high levels of inflation in the future would adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

In the past, Brazil has experienced extremely high rates of inflation. Inflation and some of the measures taken by the Brazilian government in an attempt to curb inflation have had significant negative effects on the

 

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Brazilian economy generally. Inflation, policies adopted to curb inflationary pressures and uncertainties regarding possible future governmental intervention have contributed to economic uncertainty and heightened volatility in the Brazilian securities market.

Since the introduction of the real in 1994, Brazil’s inflation rate has been substantially lower than in previous periods. According to the Extended National Consumer Price Index (Índice Nacional de Preços ao Consumidor Amplo), Brazilian inflation rates were 6.3%, 10.7%, 6.4%, 5.9%, 5.8% and 6.5% in 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. However, the Brazilian government’s measures to control inflation have often included maintaining a tight monetary policy with high interest rates, thereby restricting the availability of credit and reducing economic growth. The Central Bank of Brazil has frequently adjusted the interest rate in situations of economic uncertainty and to achieve objectives under the economic policy of the Brazilian government. Inflation, along with government measures to curb inflation and public speculation about possible future government measures, have had significant negative effects on the Brazilian economy and contributed to economic uncertainty in Brazil and heightened volatility in the Brazilian securities market, which may have an adverse effect on us.

If Brazil experiences substantial inflation or deflation in the future, we and our ability to comply with our obligations may be adversely affected. In addition, we may not be able to adjust the prices we charge our customers to offset the impact of inflation on our expenses, leading to an increase in our expenses and a reduction in our net operating margin. This could have a material negative impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Developments and the perception of risk in other countries, such as the 2008-2009 developments in the global financial markets, and particularly in emerging market countries, may adversely affect the perceived value of companies with substantial operations in Brazil, causing the market price of our ordinary shares to decline.

The market value of securities of companies with substantial operations in Brazil is affected to varying degrees by political, economic and market conditions in other countries, including other Latin American and emerging market countries. Developments or economic conditions in other emerging market countries have at times significantly affected the availability of credit to the Brazilian economy and resulted in considerable outflows of funds from Brazil and decreases in the amount of foreign investments in Brazil. Although economic conditions in these countries may differ significantly from economic conditions in Brazil, investors’ reactions to developments in these other countries, such as the 2008-2009 developments in the global financial markets, may have an adverse effect on the market value of Brazilian companies or companies with significant operations in Brazil. Since a significant portion of our total assets is located in Brazil, a decrease of the perceived value of companies with substantial operations in Brazil could adversely impact the market price of our ordinary shares.

Risks Relating to our Debt

Our indebtedness could impair our financial condition and harm our ability to operate our business.

Certain of our subsidiaries have incurred indebtedness under a senior secured term loan and revolving credit facility, which we refer to, together with all related loan documents and as amended and restated in November 2016, as the Senior Secured Credit Agreement. The obligations under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement are jointly and severally guaranteed on a senior basis by certain of our subsidiaries and secured by a pledge of the capital stock of, or equity interests in, most of our subsidiaries and by substantially all of our assets and those of our subsidiaries.

Our Brazilian operating subsidiary, SMART Brazil, has incurred additional indebtedness under a credit facility with the Brazilian Development Bank, or BNDES, which we refer to, together with all related loan documents and as amended from time to time, as the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement. Under the BNDES 2013

 

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Credit Agreement, credit in the amount of R$50.6 million (or $16.2 million) was made available to SMART Brazil for investments in infrastructure, research and development in Brazil and acquisitions of equipment not otherwise available in the Brazilian domestic market. Our obligations under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement are guaranteed by Banco Itaú BBA S.A., or Itaú Bank, which guarantee is in turn secured by a guarantee from SMART Brazil and SMART do Brazil and a commitment by SMART Brazil to maintain minimum cash balances with Itaú Bank equal to 11.85% of the maximum aggregate balance of principal, interest and fees outstanding under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement, or R$6.0 million (or $1.9 million) of required cash balances.

In December 2014, SMART Brazil entered into a second credit facility with BNDES, which we refer to, together with all related loan documents and as amended from time to time, as the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement. The BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement and the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement are collectively referred to as the BNDES Agreements. Under the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement, a total of R$52.8 million (or $16.9 million) was made available to SMART Brazil for research and development conducted in Brazil related to IC packaging and for acquisitions of equipment not otherwise available in the Brazilian domestic market. SMART Brazil’s obligations under the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement are also guaranteed by Itaú Bank, which guarantee is in turn secured by a guarantee from SMART Brazil and SMART do Brazil and a commitment by SMART Brazil to maintain minimum cash balances with Itaú Bank equal to 30.31% of the maximum aggregate balance of principal, interest and fees outstanding under the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement, or approximately R$16.0 million (or $5.1 million) of required cash balances.

As of February 24, 2017, the outstanding principal balance under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement and the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement, respectively, was $216.0 million, R$31.9 million (or $10.2 million) and R$46.2 million (or $14.8 million). We have a right to draw an additional $50.0 million under the revolving loan provisions of the Senior Secured Credit Agreement.

Our indebtedness may have important consequences, including, but not limited to, the following:

 

   

increasing our vulnerability to general economic downturns and adverse industry conditions;

 

   

requiring us to dedicate a significant portion of our cash flows from operations to the payment of interest and principal on our debt, which would reduce the funds available to us for our working capital, capital expenditures or other general corporate requirements;

 

   

limiting our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and industry;

 

   

placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors with less indebtedness or more liquidity; and

 

   

limiting our ability to obtain additional financing in the future for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, general corporate purposes or other purposes.

All of our debt under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and approximately half of the debt under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement bears interest at variable rates. If the rates were to increase significantly, our ability to borrow additional funds may be reduced and the risks related to our indebtedness would be exacerbated.

Our Senior Secured Credit Agreement contains restrictions that limit our flexibility in operating our business.

Our Senior Secured Credit Agreement contains restrictive covenants that limit our ability to engage in specified transactions and prohibit us from voluntarily prepaying certain of our other indebtedness. These covenants limit our ability to, among other things:

 

   

incur additional indebtedness;

 

   

pay dividends on, or repurchase or make distributions in respect of, our capital stock or make other restricted payments;

 

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make certain investments, including limitations on capital expenditures and acquisitions;

 

   

sell or transfer assets;

 

   

enter into or effect sale leaseback transactions;

 

   

enter into swap agreements;

 

   

prepay, repurchase, redeem, otherwise defease or amend the terms of any subordinated indebtedness;

 

   

change fiscal periods;

 

   

create liens;

 

   

enter into contractual obligations that restrict our ability to grant liens on assets or capital stock;

 

   

change the character of our business;

 

   

consolidate, merge, sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets; and

 

   

enter into certain transactions with affiliates.

Under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, under certain circumstances we also are required to satisfy and maintain specified financial ratios. Our ability to meet those financial ratios could be affected by events beyond our control, and there can be no assurance that we will meet those ratios.

The failure to comply with any of these covenants would cause a default under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement. A default, if not waived, could result in acceleration of the outstanding indebtedness under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, in which case such indebtedness would become immediately due and payable. If any default occurs, we may not be able to pay our debt or borrow sufficient funds to refinance it. Even if new financing is available, it may not be available on terms that are acceptable to us. Complying with these covenants may cause us to take actions that we otherwise would not take or not take actions that we otherwise would take.

Our ability to generate cash to service our debt depends on many factors beyond our control.

Our ability to make scheduled payments on or to refinance our debt obligations depends on the financial condition and operating performance of our business. This, to a certain extent, is subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business, regulatory and other factors beyond our control. Our business may not generate sufficient cash flows from operations, and future borrowings may not be available to us under our Senior Secured Credit Agreement or the BNDES Agreements in an amount sufficient to enable us to service our debt or to fund our other liquidity needs. If we are unable to meet our debt obligations or fund our other liquidity needs, we may need to restructure or refinance all or a portion of our debt or sell certain of our assets on or before the maturity of our debt. We may not be able to restructure or refinance any of our debt on commercially reasonable terms, if at all, which could cause us to default on our debt obligations and impair our liquidity. Any refinancing of our indebtedness could be at higher interest rates and may require us to comply with more onerous covenants that could further restrict our business operations.

In addition, if our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures, or to sell assets or seek additional capital. These alternative measures may not be available to us, may not be successful and may not permit us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations, which could result in substantial liquidity problems. Our Senior Secured Credit Agreement restricts our ability to dispose of our assets and use the proceeds from the disposition. We may not be able to consummate those dispositions or to obtain the proceeds which we could realize from them, and these proceeds may not be adequate to meet any debt service obligations then due. Any of these circumstances could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

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Disruption in the financial markets may adversely impact the availability and cost of credit and cause other disruptions and additional costs at a time when we may need capital to refinance our debt or to fund growth.

Refinancing our existing debt or securing new debt or equity financing may be difficult, expensive, dilutive or impossible. As in the past, future instability in the financial markets may have an adverse effect on the U.S. and/or world economy which could adversely impact our business. If we are not able to obtain the capital required to refinance our existing debt or to fund future growth or if we are required to incur significant expenses and/or dilution to do so, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition and may require us to undertake alternative plans, such as selling assets, reducing or delaying capital investments or downsizing our business.

Risks Relating to Investments in Cayman Islands Companies

We are a Cayman Islands company and, because the rights of shareholders under Cayman Islands law differ from those under U.S. law, shareholders may have difficulty protecting their shareholder rights.

Our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Cayman Islands Companies Law (2016 Revision), or the Companies Law, and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from English common law, which has persuasive, but not binding, authority on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a less exhaustive body of securities laws as compared to the United States, and some states, such as Delaware, have more fulsome and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law. See “Description of Share Capital—Comparison of Cayman Islands Corporate Law.”

It may be difficult to enforce a judgment of U.S. courts for civil liabilities under U.S. federal securities laws against us in the Cayman Islands.

We are a company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands courts are unlikely:

 

   

to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States based on certain civil liability provisions of U.S. securities laws; or

 

   

to impose liabilities against us, in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, based on certain civil liability provisions of U.S. securities laws that are penal in nature.

Although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum, and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, and/or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.

 

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As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by management, members of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a U.S. company. See “Enforcement of Judgments.”

Risks Relating to Our Ordinary Shares and the Offering

Control by our principal shareholders could adversely affect our other shareholders.

Prior to the completion of this offering, a substantial portion of our outstanding ordinary shares will be owned by investment funds affiliated with Silver Lake. Immediately following the completion of this offering, Silver Lake will own 62% of our outstanding ordinary shares, or 59% if the underwriters exercise their overallotment option to purchase additional shares in full. In addition, pursuant to the terms of the Sponsor Shareholder Agreement we will enter into in connection with this offering, Silver Lake will have the right to nominate members of our board of directors as described in “Management—Board of Directors.” The Sponsor Shareholder Agreement will further provide that, for so long as Silver Lake collectively owns ordinary shares in an amount equal to or greater than 25% of our ordinary shares outstanding immediately following this offering, in addition to the approval of our board of directors, the approval of Silver Lake will be required for certain corporate actions such as change in control transactions, acquisitions with a value in excess of $5 million and any material change in the nature of the business conducted by us or our subsidiaries. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Sponsor Shareholder Agreement.” As a result, based on Silver Lake’s ownership of our ordinary shares and the rights in the Sponsor Shareholder Agreement, Silver Lake will have the ability to elect the members of our board of directors, and thereby to control our management and affairs. Silver Lake will have a continuing ability to control our board of directors and will continue to have significant influence over our affairs for the foreseeable future. This concentrated control will limit the ability of other shareholders to influence corporate matters and, as a result, we may take actions that our other shareholders do not view as beneficial. For example, this concentration of control could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control or otherwise discouraging a potential acquirer from attempting to obtain control of us, which in turn could cause the market price of our ordinary shares to decline or prevent our shareholders from realizing a premium over the market price for their ordinary shares. Furthermore, Silver Lake may have interests that are different from, or opposed to, the interests of the public shareholders.

The price of our ordinary shares may be volatile and subject to wide fluctuations.

The initial public offering price for our ordinary shares will be determined by negotiations between us and the underwriters and may not be indicative of prices that will prevail in the open market following this offering. The market price of the securities of technology companies can be especially volatile. Broad market and industry factors may adversely affect the market price of our ordinary shares regardless of our actual operating performance. The market price of our ordinary shares could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to the risk factors listed in this section and others beyond our control, including, among other things:

 

   

actual or anticipated variations in our operating results;

 

   

overall conditions in our industry;

 

   

events affecting Brazil or the market for our products there;

 

   

addition or loss of a major customer or of significant business at a major customer;

 

   

changes in laws or regulations applicable to our products or our operations;

 

   

actual or anticipated changes in our growth rate relative to our competitors;

 

   

announcements of technological innovations by us or other companies operating in our industry;

 

   

announcements by us or our competitors of significant acquisitions, strategic partnerships, divestitures, restructuring initiatives or other events that affect us or companies in our industry;

 

   

additions or departures of key personnel;

 

   

competition from existing products or new products that may emerge;

 

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the failure of financial analysts to cover our company after this offering;

 

   

changes in financial estimates by financial analysts, any failure by us to meet or exceed any of these estimates or changes in the recommendations of any financial analysts that elect to follow our company or our competitors;

 

   

changes in the market valuations of other companies operating in our industry;

 

   

developments in existing litigation or disputes or the filing of new litigation or claims against us;

 

   

disputes or other developments related to proprietary rights, including patents, litigation matters and our ability to obtain intellectual property protection for our technologies;

 

   

announcement of, or expectation of, additional financing efforts;

 

   

future sales of our ordinary shares;

 

   

share price and volume fluctuations attributable to inconsistent trading volume levels of our ordinary shares;

 

   

the expiration of contractual lock-up agreements with us and our executive officers, directors and shareholders; and

 

   

general economic and market conditions.

In addition, the stock market in general has experienced substantial price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of particular companies affected. These broad market and industry factors may materially harm the market price of our ordinary shares, regardless of our operating performance. In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of certain companies’ securities, securities class action litigation has been instituted against these companies. This litigation, if instituted against us, could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.

There is no existing market for our ordinary shares, and we do not know whether one will develop to provide you with adequate liquidity.

Prior to this offering, there has not been a public market for our ordinary shares. If an active trading market does not develop, you may have difficulty selling any of our ordinary shares that you buy. We cannot predict the extent to which investor interest in our company will lead to the development of an active trading market on NASDAQ or otherwise, or how liquid that market might become. Consequently, you may not be able to sell our ordinary shares when desired at prices equal to or greater than the price paid by you in this offering or in the secondary market, or at all.

If financial analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or publish negative reports about our business, our share price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our ordinary shares will depend in part on the research and reports that financial analysts publish about us or our business. We do not have any control over these analysts. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our shares or change their opinion of our shares, our share price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause our share price or trading volume to decline.

If our estimates or judgments relating to our critical accounting policies are based on assumptions that change or prove to be incorrect, our results of operations could fall below expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the market price of our ordinary shares.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and

 

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accompanying notes. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, as described in the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets, liabilities, equity, revenue and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Significant assumptions and estimates used in preparing our consolidated financial statements include those related to revenue recognition, accounts receivable, inventory valuation, income taxes, impairment of long-lived assets and long-lived assets to be disposed, share-based compensation and fair value of ordinary shares. If our assumptions change or if actual circumstances differ from those in our assumptions, our results of operations may be adversely affected and may fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the market price of our ordinary shares.

Future sales of our ordinary shares in the public market, or the perception that these sales may occur, could cause our share price to fall.

Sales of substantial amounts of our ordinary shares in the public market, or the perception that these sales may occur, could cause the market price of our ordinary shares to decline. This could also impair our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of our equity securities. Under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, we are authorized to issue up to 200,000,000 ordinary shares, of which 20,708,177 ordinary shares will be outstanding following this offering. We, our directors and executive officers and holders of substantially all of our outstanding equity securities have agreed with the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to offer, sell, or dispose of any ordinary shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any ordinary shares during the 180-day period following the date of this prospectus. The underwriters may, in their sole discretion, release all or some portion of the ordinary shares subject to lock-up agreements prior to expiration of the lock-up period. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale.”

Following the expiration of the lock-up period, certain of our existing shareholders and holders of options, RSUs and warrants, in the event they become exercisable, have the right to demand that we file a registration statement covering the offer and sale of their ordinary shares and shares issuable under such options, RSUs and warrants under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and to require us to include their securities on a registration statement filed by us after this offering. If we file a registration statement for the purpose of selling additional ordinary shares to raise capital and are required to include ordinary shares held by these shareholders pursuant to the exercise of their registration rights, our ability to raise capital may be impaired. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Registration Rights Agreement.” In addition, we intend to file a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register the shares available for issuance under our SGH Plan. Once we register these ordinary shares and after the expiration of the 180-day lock up period, they can be freely sold in the public market upon issuance and once vested, subject to any restrictions on such shares pursuant to the terms of award agreements or contractual arrangements the holders may have with us or Silver Lake.

We cannot predict the size of future sales or issuances of our ordinary shares or the effect, if any, that such future sales and issuances would have on the market price of our ordinary shares.

The requirements of being a public company will increase our costs and may disrupt the regular operations of our business.

Since August 2011, we have operated as a privately owned company. As a public company, we expect to incur significant additional legal, accounting, reporting and other expenses.

We also anticipate that we will incur costs associated with corporate governance requirements, including requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, as well as rules implemented by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, and NASDAQ. We expect these rules and regulations to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and make some management and corporate governance activities more time

 

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consuming and costly, particularly after we are no longer an “emerging growth company.” These rules and regulations may make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. This could have an adverse impact on our ability to recruit and bring on qualified directors.

The additional demands associated with being a public company may disrupt regular operations of our business by diverting the attention of some of our senior management team away from revenue producing activities to management and administrative oversight, adversely affecting our ability to attract and complete business opportunities and increasing the difficulty in both retaining professionals and managing and growing our businesses. Any of these effects could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

For as long as we are an “emerging growth company” under the JOBS Act, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years. See “Summary—Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company.” Even if our management concludes that our internal controls over financial reporting are effective, our independent registered public accounting firm may still issue a report that is qualified if it is not satisfied with our controls or the level at which our controls are documented, designed, operated or reviewed, or if it interprets the relevant requirements differently from us. In addition, in connection with the implementation of the necessary procedures and practices related to internal control over financial reporting, we may identify deficiencies that we may not be able to remediate in time to meet the deadline imposed by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for compliance with the requirements of Section 404. Failure to comply with Section 404 could subject us to regulatory scrutiny and sanctions, impair our ability to raise revenue, cause investors to lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and negatively affect the price of our ordinary shares.

As a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NASDAQ corporate governance rules, we are permitted to, and we will, rely on exemptions from certain NASDAQ corporate governance standards, including the requirement that a majority of our board of directors consist of independent directors. Our reliance on such exemptions may afford less protection to holders of our ordinary shares.

The NASDAQ corporate governance rules require listed companies to have, among other things, a majority of independent board members and independent director oversight of executive compensation, nomination of directors and corporate governance matters. However, we intend to rely on the “controlled company” exemption under the NASDAQ corporate governance rules. A “controlled company” under the NASDAQ corporate governance rules is a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company. Following this offering, Silver Lake will control a majority of the voting power of our outstanding ordinary shares, making us a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NASDAQ corporate governance rules. As a controlled company, we would be eligible to, and we intend to, elect not to comply with certain of the NASDAQ corporate governance standards, including the requirement that a majority of directors on our board of directors are independent directors and the requirement that our compensation committee and our nominating and corporate governance committee consist entirely of independent directors. Accordingly, our shareholders will not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the NASDAQ corporate governance standards, and the ability of our independent directors to influence our business policies and affairs may be reduced.

We are an “emerging growth company” and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies will make our ordinary shares less attractive to investors.

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, and we intend to take advantage of certain accommodations that are not available to public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of

 

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Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and providing two years of audited financial statements, rather than three years, and three years, rather than five years, of selected financial data in this prospectus. We cannot predict if investors will find our ordinary shares less attractive because we will take advantage of these accommodations. If some investors find our ordinary shares less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our ordinary shares and our share price may be more volatile.

In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. However, we are choosing to “opt out” of such extended transition period, and as a result, we will comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that our decision to opt out of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards is irrevocable.

Anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents may discourage our acquisition by a third party, which could limit shareholders’ opportunity to sell their ordinary shares at a premium.

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association include provisions that could limit the ability of others to acquire control of us, modify our structure or cause us to engage in change of control transactions. These provisions include, among other things:

 

   

a classified board of directors with staggered three-year terms;

 

   

restrictions on the ability of our shareholders to call meetings or make shareholder proposals;

 

   

our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a vote of shareholders representing at least 75% of the outstanding ordinary shares or by a unanimous written consent;

 

   

so long as Silver Lake collectively owns at least 40% of our outstanding ordinary shares, directors may be removed with or without cause, the size our board may be increased and vacancies on the board may be filled upon the affirmative vote of a majority of our outstanding ordinary shares; however, at any time when Silver Lake owns less than 40% of our outstanding ordinary shares, shareholders will not be permitted to increase the size of our board, fill vacancies on our board or remove directors without cause; and

 

   

the ability of our board of directors, without action by our shareholders, to issue 30,000,000 preferred shares and to issue additional ordinary shares that could have the effect of impeding the success of an attempt to acquire us or otherwise effect a change in control.

These provisions could deter, delay or prevent a third party from acquiring control of us in a tender offer or similar transactions, even if such transaction would benefit our shareholders. Even in the absence of a takeover attempt, the existence of these provisions may adversely affect the prevailing market price of our ordinary shares if they are viewed as discouraging future takeover attempts.

We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

We currently intend to retain our future earnings, if any, for the foreseeable future, to repay indebtedness and to fund the development and growth of our business. We do not intend to pay any dividends to holders of our ordinary shares. In addition, our Senior Secured Credit Agreement contains restrictions on our ability to pay dividends. As a result, capital appreciation in the price of our ordinary shares, if any, will be your only source of gain on an investment in our ordinary shares.

 

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MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA

Market data and certain industry forecast data used in this prospectus were obtained from internal reports and studies, where appropriate, as well as estimates, market research, publicly available information (including information available from the SEC website) and industry publications, including IDC and ITData Consultoria. Industry publications generally state that the information they include has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but that the accuracy and completeness of such information is not guaranteed. Similarly, internal reports and studies, estimates and market research, which we believe to be reliable and accurately extracted by us for use in this prospectus, have not been independently verified. However, we believe such data is accurate.

Certain information in the text of the prospectus is contained in independent industry publications, including the following reports of IDC:

 

   

Worldwide CY4Q16 DRAM Market Update

 

   

Worldwide CY4Q16 NAND Market Update

The IDC report(s) described herein represent(s) data, research opinion or viewpoints published, as part of a syndicated subscription service, by IDC, and are not representations of fact. Each IDC report speaks as of its original publication date (and not as of the date of this prospectus) and the opinions expressed in the IDC report(s) are subject to change without notice.

 

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “expect,” “should,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate” and “potential,” among others.

Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places in this prospectus and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our intent, belief or current expectations. Forward-looking statements are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to, those identified under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus. These risks and uncertainties include factors relating to:

 

   

the losses we have experienced in the past and may experience in the future;

 

   

the unpredictable fluctuation of our operating results from quarter to quarter;

 

   

the highly cyclical markets in which we compete have experienced severe downturns;

 

   

declines in memory component prices and average selling prices that may cause declines in our net sales and gross profit;

 

   

worldwide economic and political conditions in Brazil or other countries, as well as other factors may adversely affect our operations and cause fluctuations in the demand for our products;

 

   

our dependence on growth in the memory market in Brazil, which could cease or contract;

 

   

the dependence of our sales and profit margins in Brazil on the continuing existence of local content requirements for electronics products;

 

   

the dependence of a significant portion of our net sales on the continuing existence of, and demand from, a limited number of key customers;

 

   

the amount of corporate income and excise and import taxes we pay that may increase significantly if tax incentives or tax holiday arrangements in Brazil or Malaysia are discontinued or if our interpretations and assumptions with respect to such tax incentives or tax holiday arrangements are incorrect;

 

   

other factors that may affect our financial condition, liquidity and results of operations; and

 

   

other risk factors discussed under “Risk Factors.”

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update them in light of new information or future developments or to release publicly any revisions to these statements in order to reflect later events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as otherwise required by the rules and regulations of the SEC.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We expect to receive total estimated net proceeds of approximately $66.6 million (or approximately $77.0 million if the underwriters exercise their overallotment option to purchase additional shares in full), based on the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and expenses payable by us. Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial offering price of $14.00 per ordinary share, the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease the net proceeds to us by $4.9 million, assuming the number of shares to be sold by us in this offering remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase or decrease of 1,000,000 in the number of ordinary shares offered by us would increase or decrease the net proceeds to us by $13.0 million, assuming the public offering price remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

We intend to use $60.0 million of the net proceeds from the offering to repay a portion of our outstanding term loans under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement. The indebtedness that we intend to repay bears interest at a rate of 9.25% per annum and matures in August 2019. Affiliates of certain of the underwriters of this offering are lenders under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement. See “Underwriting”. In addition, we intend to use $4.7 million of the net proceeds to make a payment to affiliates of Silver Lake for unpaid management fees in respect of past periods under the Amended and Restated Transaction and Management Fee Agreement, which we intend to terminate upon the completion of this offering. We intend to use any remaining net proceeds for general corporate purposes. Our management will have broad discretion in using any such proceeds.

Pending specific application of these proceeds, we expect to invest them primarily in short-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing securities.

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

We do not plan to pay dividends on our ordinary shares for the foreseeable future. The payment of cash dividends on ordinary shares is restricted under the terms of our Senior Secured Credit Agreement. In addition, because we are a holding company, our ability to pay cash dividends on our ordinary shares may be limited by restrictions on our ability to obtain sufficient funds through dividends from subsidiaries, including restrictions under the terms of the Senior Secured Credit Agreement. Subject to the foregoing, the amount of any distributions, if any, will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on many factors, such as our results of operations, financial condition, cash requirements, prospects and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors. If we do pay a cash dividend on our ordinary shares in the future, we will pay such dividend out of our profits or share premium (subject to solvency requirements) as permitted under Cayman Islands law.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The tables below set forth our cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of February 24, 2017 derived from our unaudited consolidated interim financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP:

 

   

on an actual basis; and

 

   

as adjusted to give effect to (i) the amendment and restatement of our memorandum and articles of association, which will occur prior to the closing of this offering, (ii) the deemed net exercise of the First Tranche Warrants for 1,537,855 shares, which will occur upon the completion of this offering, (iii) our sale of the ordinary shares in the offering and our receipt of approximately $66.6 million in estimated net proceeds, assuming an initial public offering price of $14.00 per ordinary share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus), after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, and (iv) the application of the net proceeds of the offering as set forth in “Use of Proceeds,” except for $1.0 million of the unpaid management fees that relate to the period subsequent to February 24, 2017.

You should read these tables in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Use of Proceeds” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included in this prospectus.

 

     As of February 24, 2017  
     Actual     As  Adjusted (1)  
     (in thousands, except share
and per share amounts)
 

Cash and cash equivalents

   $    23,341     $ 26,301  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Long-term debt, excluding current portion

   $ 202,744     $ 142,744  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Shareholders’ equity:

    

Preferred shares, $0.03 par value per share; no shares authorized, actual;             shares authorized, as adjusted; no shares issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted

     —         —    

Ordinary shares, $0.03 par value per share; 70,000,000 shares authorized, actual; 200,000,000 shares authorized, as adjusted; 13,870,322 shares issued and outstanding, actual; 20,708,177 shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted

     416       621  

Additional paid-in capital

     168,769       235,190  

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

     (143,519     (143,519

Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)

     (4,958     (4,958
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total shareholders’ equity (deficit)

     20,708       87,334  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total capitalization

   $ 223,452     $ 230,078  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1) Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial offering price of $14.00 per ordinary share, the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease our cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total shareholders’ equity and total capitalization by $4.9 million, assuming the number of shares to be sold by us in this offering remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase or decrease of 1,000,000 in the number of ordinary shares offered by us would increase or decrease our cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total shareholders’ equity and total capitalization by $13.0 million, assuming the public offering price remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

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The as adjusted column in the table above is based on 20,708,177 ordinary shares outstanding as of February 24, 2017 (including 1,537,855 ordinary shares, assuming the net exercise of the First Tranche Warrants, which will be deemed net exercised upon the completion of this offering if not previously exercised), and, as of that date:

 

   

excludes 1,474,807 ordinary shares subject to outstanding options with a weighted-average exercise price of $10.74 per share;

 

   

excludes 493,316 ordinary shares subject to outstanding RSUs;

 

   

excludes 8,099,219 ordinary shares reserved for future issuance under the SGH Plan; and

 

   

excludes 1,926,428 ordinary shares subject to the Second Tranche Warrants, which only become exercisable if there are balances outstanding under our existing term loans on November 5, 2017.

 

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DILUTION

If you invest in our ordinary shares, your interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the public offering price per share of our ordinary shares and the pro forma net tangible book value per share of ordinary shares immediately upon completion of this offering.

At February 24, 2017, we had a negative net tangible book value of $36.5 million, corresponding to a negative net tangible book value of $2.63 per share. Net tangible book value per share represents the amount of our total assets less our total liabilities, excluding goodwill and other intangible assets, divided by 13,870,322, the total number of our shares outstanding at February 24, 2017.

After giving effect to the sale by us of the 5,300,000 ordinary shares offered by us in the offering, and assuming an initial public offering price of $14.00 per ordinary share (the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus) and the net exercise of the First Tranche Warrants, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our net tangible book value at February 24, 2017 would have been approximately $30.2 million, representing $1.46 per share. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $4.09 per share to existing shareholders and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $12.54 per share to new investors purchasing ordinary shares in this offering. Dilution for this purpose represents the difference between the price per ordinary share paid by these purchasers and net tangible book value per ordinary share immediately after the completion of the offering.

The following table illustrates this dilution to new investors purchasing ordinary shares in the offering.

 

Assumed initial public offering price per share

     $ 14.00  

Net tangible book value per share at February 24, 2017

   $ (2.63  

Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors

     4.09    
  

 

 

   

Pro forma net tangible book value per share after the offering

       1.46  
    

 

 

 

Dilution per share to new investors

     $ 12.54  
    

 

 

 

A $1.00 increase or decrease in the offering price per ordinary share, respectively, would increase or decrease the pro forma net tangible book value after this offering by $0.24 per share and the dilution to investors in the offering by $13.31 per share. Similarly, an increase or decrease of 1,000,000 shares in the number of ordinary shares offered by us would increase or decrease the pro forma net tangible book value by $0.53 per share or ($0.59) per share, assuming the public offering price remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

If the underwriters exercise their overallotment option to purchase additional shares in full, the pro forma net tangible book value per share after giving effect to this offering would be $1.88 per share, and the dilution in net tangible book value per share to investors in this offering would be $12.12 per share.

The following table summarizes, on a pro forma basis as of February 24, 2017, the difference between existing shareholders and new investors with respect to the number of ordinary shares purchased from us, the total consideration paid to us and the average price per share paid or to be paid to us at an assumed public offering price of $14.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, before deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us:

 

     Shares Purchased     Total Consideration     Average Price
Per Share
 
     Number      Percent     Amount      Percent    

Existing shareholders

     15,408,177        74   $ 109,501,000        60   $ 7.11  

New public investors

     5,300,000        26       74,200,000        40       14.00  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

Total

     20,708,177        100.0   $ 183,701,000        100.0  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

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Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $14.00 per share, the midpoint of the estimated public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease total consideration paid by new investors and total consideration paid by all shareholders by approximately $4.9 million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

Except as otherwise indicated, the above discussion and tables assume no exercise of the underwriters’ overallotment option to purchase additional shares. If the underwriters exercise their overallotment option to purchase 795,000 additional shares in full, our existing shareholders would own 72% and our new investors would own 28% of the total number of our ordinary shares outstanding upon the completion of this offering.

To the extent that any outstanding options are exercised, investors will experience further dilution.

The number of our ordinary shares that will be outstanding after this offering is based on 15,408,177 ordinary shares outstanding as of February 24, 2017 (including 1,537,855 ordinary shares, assuming the net exercises of the First Tranche Warrants, which will be deemed net exercised upon the completion of this offering, if not previously exercised) and, as of that date:

 

   

excludes 1,474,807 ordinary shares subject to outstanding options with a weighted-average exercise price of $10.74 per share;

 

   

excludes 493,316 ordinary shares subject to outstanding RSUs;

 

   

excludes 8,099,219 ordinary shares reserved for future issuance under the SGH Plan; and

 

   

excludes 1,926,428 ordinary shares subject to the Second Tranche Warrants, which only become exercisable if there are balances outstanding under our existing term loans on November 5, 2017.

 

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SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA AND OTHER INFORMATION

The selected consolidated statement of operations and balance sheet data for the years ended and as of August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015 presented below are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The selected consolidated statement of operations data for the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 and the selected consolidated balance sheet data as of February 24, 2017 have been derived from our unaudited consolidated interim financial information included elsewhere in this prospectus, which, in the opinion of our management, includes all adjustments necessary to present fairly our results of operations and financial condition at the dates and for the periods presented. The results for the six months ended February 24, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results that you should expect for the entire year ending August 25, 2017 or any other period.

We maintain our books and records in U.S. dollars and prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

This financial information should be read in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto, included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

     Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 
     (in thousands, other than per share data)  

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:

        

Net sales

   $ 331,298     $ 238,613     $ 534,423     $ 643,469  

Cost of sales (1)

     264,431       192,169       427,491       512,032  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     66,867       46,444       106,932       131,437  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating expenses:

        

Research and development (1) (2)

     19,645       18,096       38,116       43,741  

Selling, general and administrative (1) (2)

     31,844       28,283       57,495       89,233  

Management advisory fees

     2,000       2,001       4,001       4,030  

Restructuring

     457       1,015       1,135       1,143  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     53,946       49,395       100,747       138,147  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) from operations

     12,921       (2,951     6,185       (6,710

Other income (expense):

        

Interest expense, net

     (14,778     (12,939     (25,575     (27,560

Other income (expense), net

     (902     (1,372     1,874       (5,532
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense

     (15,680     (14,311     (23,701     (33,092
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss before income taxes

     (2,759     (17,262     (17,516     (39,802

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes

     2,785       (108     2,444       6,649  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

   $ (5,544   $ (17,154   $ (19,960   $ (46,451
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss per share, basic and diluted

   $ (0.40   $ (1.24   $ (1.44   $ (3.36
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Shares used in computing basic and diluted
net loss per share

     13,870       13,834       13,841       13,833  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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(1) Includes share-based compensation expense as follows:

 

Cost of sales

   $   268      $   236      $   461      $   771  

Research and development

     445        382        725        844  

Selling, general and administrative

     1,431          1,405        2,686        4,517  

 

(2) Includes amortization of intangible assets expense as follows:

 

Research and development

   $ 2,448      $ 2,448      $ 4,897      $   6,160  

Selling, general and administrative

     3,522        4,170        8,471        24,669  

 

     Six Months Ended      Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
     February 26,
2016
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 
     (dollars in thousands)  

Other Financial Data:

           

Adjusted EBITDA (1)

   $ 38,240      $ 18,105      $ 51,760      $ 55,762  

Gross billings to customers (2)

   $ 733,686      $ 1,024,527      $ 1,925,047      $ 2,147,437  

Days sales outstanding (DSO) (3)

     34        24        27        31  

Inventory turns (4)

     10        20        18        15  

Days payable outstanding (DPO (5)

     50        44        40        51  

 

(1) We define Adjusted EBITDA as our net income (loss) adjusted to exclude share-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets, interest income (expense), provision for (benefit from) income taxes, depreciation and other adjustments. We have provided a reconciliation below of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss), the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure.

We have included Adjusted EBITDA in this prospectus because it is a key measure used by our management and board of directors to understand and evaluate our core operating performance and trends, to prepare and approve our annual budget and to develop short-term and long-term operational and compensation plans. In particular, the exclusion of certain non-cash, non-recurring or infrequent expenses in calculating Adjusted EBITDA can provide useful measures for period-to-period comparisons of our core business. Accordingly, we believe that Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating our operating results in the same manner as our management and board of directors.

Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider this measure in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under U.S. GAAP. Some of these limitations are:

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not consider the cost of equity-based compensation, which is an ongoing expense for us;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect cash capital past expenditures and future requirements for replacements or for new capital expenditures;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect tax payments that may represent a reduction in cash available to us; and

 

   

other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently, which reduces its usefulness as a comparative measure.

 

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Because of these limitations, you should consider Adjusted EBITDA along with other financial performance measures, including various cash flow metrics, net income (loss) and our other U.S. GAAP results. A reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) is provided below:

 

     Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 
     (in thousands)  

Net loss

   $ (5,544   $ (17,154   $ (19,960   $ (46,451

Share-based compensation expense

     2,144       2,023       3,872       6,132  

Amortization of intangible assets

     5,970       6,618       13,368       30,829  

Interest expense, net

     14,778       12,939       25,575       27,560  

Provision for (benefit from) income tax

     2,785       (108     2,444       6,649  

Depreciation

     11,583       9,063       18,111       19,315  

Management advisory fees

     2,000       2,001       4,001       4,030  

Debt extention and extinguishment costs*

     3,130       —         —         —    

Restructuring

     457       1,015       1,135       1,143  

In-process research and development charge

     —         —         —         1,582  

Write-off of public offering expenses

     —         —         —         4,388  

Special retention bonuses

     25       1,013       1,611       123  

Storage sale-related legal costs

     —         —         —         987  

Valuation adjustment related to prepaid state value-added taxes

     —         —         908       —    

Investment advisory fees

     540       —         —         —    

Insurance settlement related to a fiscal 2013 claim

     —         —         —         (525

Obsolete inventory related to restructuring

     372       —         —         —    

Misappropriated product shipment

     —         695       695       —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 38,240     $ 18,105     $ 51,760     $ 55,762  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  * Debt extension costs consist of $1.7 million associated with the amendment of our senior secured term loan and revolving credit facility in November 2016 and debt extinguishment costs represent a $1.4 million loss on a February 2017 extinguishment.

 

(2) Gross billings to customers consists of product net sales and our gross billings for services. We provide procurement, logistics, inventory management, kitting or packaging services for certain customers. We account for sales from these services on an agency basis (that is, we recognize the fees associated with serving as an agent with no associated cost of sales). We recognize revenue for these arrangements as service revenue, which is determined as a fee for services based on material procurement costs. See Note 1(d) to our consolidated financial statements.
(3) We calculate days sales outstanding as (i) accounts receivable outstanding as of the period end divided by (ii) gross billings to customers for the period divided by the number of days in the period.
(4) We calculate inventory turns as (i) cost of sales plus cost of purchased materials—service for the period, on an annualized basis ( i.e. , multiplied by four and then divided by the number of quarters in the period) divided by (ii) inventory as of the period end.
(5) We calculate days payables outstanding as (i) accounts payable outstanding as of the period end divided by (ii) (x) cost of sales plus cost of purchased materials—service for the period divided by (y) the number of days in the period.

 

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     As of  
     February 24,
2017
     August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 
     (in thousands)  

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:

       

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 23,341      $ 58,634     $ 68,094  

Working capital

     94,359        90,095       98,074  

Total assets

     440,937        458,655       564,707  

Long-term debt

     202,744        225,587       234,617  

Total shareholders’ equity (deficit)

     20,708        (1,237     8,639  

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF

OPERATIONS

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes and other financial information, which appear elsewhere in this prospectus. The following discussion contains forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. See the disclosure regarding “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” Our actual results could differ materially from the results contemplated by these forward-looking statements due to certain factors, including those factors discussed below and elsewhere in this prospectus.

We use a 52- to 53-week fiscal year ending on the last Friday in August. Unless the context indicates otherwise, whenever we refer in this prospectus to a particular year, with respect to ourselves, we mean the fiscal year ending in that particular calendar year. Financial information for two of our subsidiaries SMART Brazil and SMART do Brazil is included in our consolidated financial statements on a one-month lag because their fiscal years begin August 1 and end July 31.

Overview

We are a global leader in specialty memory solutions, serving the electronics industry for over 25 years. As part of our global business, we have established a leading market position, as measured by market share, in Brazil as the largest in-country manufacturer of memory for desktops, notebooks and servers, as well as mobile memory for smartphones. We also have a leading market position worldwide, as measured by revenue, in specialty memory where we work closely with OEM customers to develop memory solutions, which incorporate customer-specific requirements. We believe our customers rely on us as a strategic supplier due to our customer-specific designs, product quality and technical support, our global footprint and, in Brazil, our ability to provide locally manufactured memory products. We also provide customized, integrated supply chain services to certain OEM customers to assist them in the management and execution of their procurement processes.

Our business was originally founded in 1988 as SMART Modular, which became a publicly traded company in 1995. In 1999, SMART Modular was acquired by Solectron and operated as its subsidiary. In 2002, we acquired a memory module manufacturing company in Brazil to expand our global footprint and our manufacturing capabilities. In 2004, a group of private equity investors acquired our business from Solectron, and we began to operate our business as SMART Worldwide. SMART Worldwide became a publicly traded company in 2006 and operated independently until the Acquisition by Silver Lake in August 2011. Following the Acquisition, SMART Worldwide, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of SMART Global Holdings, repositioned its business and began to operate as two business units: a business unit focused on the design, manufacture and sale of memory products and services, and the Storage Business, substantially all of which we sold to SanDisk in August 2013.

Since 2002, when we commenced our operations in Brazil, we have invested over $170 million to build and improve our advanced manufacturing facilities and have assembled and trained a staff of over 480 employees, who comprise many of the leading semiconductor technology professionals in the country. In Brazil, we process imported wafers and cut, package and test them to create memory components used to manufacture modules and other memory and Flash-based products. We are the only company engaged in packaging and test for mobile memory for smartphones in Brazil. We have a strategic, long-term relationship with a global memory wafer supplier that has provided us with a stable source of competitively priced wafers for the Brazilian market and provides our supplier with access to that market through our in-country infrastructure and capabilities.

Our business in Brazil has historically focused on DRAM components and modules for desktops, notebooks and servers, where local content and tax regulations provide substantial financial incentives to our customers to procure locally manufactured memory products, particularly when they are made with locally processed components. We have leveraged our experience and success in these markets to expand into mobile memory,

 

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primarily for smartphones, which include eMMC and eMCP, where additional local content requirements and tax incentives have been introduced. During the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, these mobile memory products accounted for 69%, 65% and 29%, respectively, of our net sales in Brazil. Based on expected unit sales for mobile phones in Brazil provided by ITData Consultoria, taking into account our average selling price of approximately $17.09 per component for mobile memory during the second quarter of fiscal 2017, we believe that the total addressable market for locally produced mobile memory for mobile phones in Brazil will reach approximately $499 million by 2019. We have also demonstrated our ability to service the smartphone market in Brazil as we are now qualified at seven of the top ten mobile vendors in Brazil representing, according to ITData Consultoria, 87% of the mobile phones sold in Brazil in calendar 2016. With the local content requirements for various IT products increasing, we believe that our local manufacturing capabilities provide a valuable and differentiated offering to our OEM customers in Brazil. We also believe that our long-term relationships with many of these customers as the largest supplier of locally manufactured memory products provides us with visibility for our Brazilian business.

We began participating in Brazil’s PPB/IT Program in February 2011. The PPB/IT Program is intended to promote local content by allowing qualified PPB/IT Program companies to sell certain IT products with a reduced rate of IPI as compared to the rate that is required to be collected by non-qualified suppliers. The PPB/IT Program provides an incentive for certain customers to purchase from us because our sales will not be subject to the regular level of IPI. In order to receive the intended treatment as a PPB/IT Program supplier, our subsidiary SMART do Brazil is required to invest in research and development activities conducted in Brazil in an amount equal to 3% of its gross annual sales revenues reduced by the following: the cost of raw materials qualified as products eligible for the PPB/IT Program, including the ICs that are purchased from our other Brazilian subsidiary, SMART Brazil, and that are used to make memory modules; applicable sales taxes; the value of products exported out of Brazil; and the value of products shipped to the Manaus Free Trade Zone. In August 2014, the government of Brazil enacted legislation extending the PPB/IT Program until 2029 and maintaining the required research and development investment with respect to DRAM modules at 3.00% of adjusted sales through 2029, repealing the previously approved increases to 3.75% in 2015 and 3.50% in 2016 through 2019.

In 2013, the EU, later joined by Japan, requested the establishment of a panel within the WTO to determine whether certain measures enacted by the Brazilian government concerning tax incentives and local content requirements for the automotive sector and several other industries including the IT industry and including PADIS, the PPB/IT Program and Lei do Bem, are inconsistent with WTO rules. The panel was formed, hearings were held and in December 2016, the WTO circulated its report to the parties. This report is subject to feedback from the parties and has not been released to the public. While we cannot predict the outcome of the WTO’s decision, a negative ruling could result in significant adverse changes to the local content rules and incentives available to us and our customers in Brazil. Any suspension, early termination or other adverse change in the local content requirements could significantly reduce the demand for, and the profit margins on, our products in Brazil, and would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

A major corruption scandal involving Brazil’s largest energy company, Petrobras, began to unfold in 2014, and by 2015 contributed to a significant decrease in the value of the Brazilian real , which in turn led to a substantial downturn in the Brazilian economy and a substantial rise in unemployment. Our net sales in Brazil decreased from $407.4 million in fiscal 2014 to $245.5 million in fiscal 2016. While economic conditions in Brazil remain challenging, the value of the Brazilian real has strengthened in recent periods, and our net sales in Brazil increased from $99.2 million in the six months ended February 26, 2016 to $154.3 million in the six months ended February 24, 2017.

In our specialty memory solutions business, we offer an extensive portfolio of over 2,000 products, which includes all generations of DRAM, as well as embedded and removable Flash, enterprise memory and hybrid volatile and non-volatile memory solutions. We also offer customized, integrated supply chain services to enable our customers to manage supply chain planning and execution, which reduces costs and increases productivity. Our supply chain services are based on our proprietary software platform that we develop and are integrated with

 

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our customers’ respective procurement management systems as well as our suppliers’ distribution management systems.

We generated net sales of $331.3 million, $534.4 million and $643.5 million during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively. Our net sales grew 39% during the six months ended February 24, 2017 over the same period in the prior year and decreased 17% in fiscal 2016 over fiscal 2015. Our net loss was $5.5 million, $20.0 million and $46.5 million during the six months ended February 24, 2017, fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively. Our income (loss) from operations was $12.9 million during the six months ended February 24, 2017, $6.2 million in fiscal 2016 and ($6.7) million in fiscal 2015.

Our global, diversified customer base includes over 250 end customers, such as Cisco, Samsung, HPE, Dell and LG. Our top ten end customers, five of which have been our end customers for over a decade, accounted for 81% of our net sales, including sales to contract manufacturers or ODMs at the direction of such end customers, in fiscal 2016. Of our end customers, Samsung accounted for 18%, 13% and 11% of net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively; Cisco accounted for 15%, 19% and 16% of net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively; Lenovo accounted for 13% of net sales in fiscal 2016; HP accounted for 14% of net sales in fiscal 2015 (in fiscal 2016, HP undertook a spin-off and divided into two distinct companies, following which neither company accounted for 10% or more of our net sales); and Dell accounted for 15% of net sales in fiscal 2015. Direct sales to Samsung accounted for 18%, 13% and 11% of net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively; direct sales to Flex accounted for 17% of net sales in fiscal 2016; direct sales to Hon Hai accounted for 11%, 11% and 11% of net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively; and direct sales to Dell accounted for 15% of net sales in fiscal 2015. During these periods, no other customers accounted for more than 10% of our net sales. Of the $331.3 million of net sales for the six months ended February 24, 2017, 47% were generated in Brazil, 25% were generated in Asia, 24% were generated in North America and 4% were generated in Europe. Of the $534.4 million of net sales in fiscal 2016, 46% were generated in Brazil, 26% were generated in Asia, 23% were generated in North America and 5% were generated in Europe. For further geographic information regarding our net sales and property and equipment, net, see Note 11 to our consolidated financial statements.

Components of Operating Results

Net Sales

We generate product revenues predominantly from sales of our memory solutions, including memory modules, Flash memory cards and other solid state storage products, principally to OEMs that compete in the computing, networking, communications, storage, aerospace, defense, mobile and industrial markets. Sales of our products are made primarily pursuant to purchase orders and are not based on long-term supply agreements. We generate service revenue by providing procurement, logistics, inventory management, temporary warehousing, kitting and packaging services. Our net sales are dependent upon demand in the end markets for our customers’ products and fluctuations in end-user demand can have a rapid and material effect on our net sales. Furthermore, sales to relatively few customers have accounted for, and we expect for the foreseeable future will continue to account for, a significant percentage of our net sales.

Cost of Sales

The most significant components of cost of sales are materials, fixed manufacturing costs, labor, depreciation, freight and customs charges. Increases in capital expenditures may increase our future cost of sales due to higher levels of depreciation expense. Cost of sales also includes any inventory write-downs. We have in the past, and may in the future, write down inventory for a variety of reasons, including obsolescence, excess quantities and declines in market value below our cost. A significant percentage of our cost of sales consists of the cost of DRAM and Flash components and wafers. While we have historically received competitive pricing

 

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and have had consistent sources of supply for these supplies, we do not have agreements that provide us with fixed pricing or guarantees of supply. Increases in DRAM pricing typically improve our margins, at least in the short term and particularly in our operations in Brazil, as we consume previously purchased inventory. However, declines in DRAM pricing often require us to reduce our prices even as we consume higher priced DRAM inventory, thereby reducing our margins.

Gross Profit

Gross profit and gross margin has been and will continue to be affected by a variety of factors, including the average sales prices of our products, manufacturing and overhead costs, the mix of products sold and our ability to leverage our existing infrastructure as we continue to grow. We expect our gross margins to fluctuate over time depending on the factors described above.

Operating Expenses

Our operating expenses consist of research and development expense, selling, general and administrative expense and management advisory fees. Personnel costs are the most significant component of operating expenses.

Research and development expense. Research and development expense consists primarily of personnel costs, consulting costs, allocated overhead and other costs to support our development activities. To date, we have expensed all research and development costs as incurred. We expect research and development expense to increase in absolute dollars as we continue to invest in our research and product development efforts to enhance our product capabilities and access new customer markets, although such expense may fluctuate as a percentage of total net sales. In order to qualify for certain tax incentives under PADIS and PPB/IT Program in Brazil, we are required to expend a minimum amount on research and development in Brazil.

Selling, general and administrative expense. Sales and marketing expense consists primarily of personnel costs, sales commission costs and allocated overhead. We expense sales commission costs as incurred. Sales and marketing expense also includes costs for recruiting and training channel partners, market development programs, promotional and other marketing activities, travel, office equipment and outside consulting costs. We expect sales and marketing expense to increase in absolute dollars as we expand our sales and marketing headcount in all markets and expand our international operations, although such expense may fluctuate as a percentage of net sales.

General and administrative expense consists primarily of personnel costs, facilities and non-manufacturing equipment costs, allowances for bad debt and other support costs, including utilities, insurance and professional fees. We expect that we will incur increased general and administrative expenses as a result of being a publicly-traded company, including significant increased legal and accounting costs related to compliance with rules and regulations implemented by the SEC and NASDAQ, as well as additional insurance, investor relations and other costs associated with being a public company.

Management advisory fees. Management advisory fees consist of quarterly fees plus out-of-pocket expenses, which are payable by us to Silver Lake Management Company III, L.L.C. and Silver Lake Management Company Sumeru, L.L.C., affiliates of Silver Lake, or the Managers, under the Amended and Restated Transaction and Management Fee Agreement, or the Management Agreement. We will no longer be obligated to pay such fees following a payment by us to the Managers of $4.7 million for unpaid fees in respect of past periods. We intend to terminate the Management Agreement upon the completion of this offering.

Interest Expense, Net

Interest expense, net consists primarily of interest expense on our debt obligations.

 

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Other Income (Expense), Net

Other income (expense), net includes gains and losses from foreign currency transactions and other non-operating items.

Provision for (Benefit from) Income Taxes

We record income taxes using the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in our financial statements or tax returns. In estimating future tax consequences, we generally consider all expected future events other than enactments or changes in the tax law or rates. We provide valuation allowances when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.

We recognize a tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. We then measure the tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such positions based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon settlement. In the event that we recognize any unrecognized tax benefits, the effective tax rate will be affected. If recognized, approximately $2.1 million of unrecognized tax benefit would impact the effective tax rate at August 26, 2016. Although we believe our estimates are reasonable, we cannot assure that the final tax outcome of these matters will be the same as these estimates. We update these estimates quarterly based on factors such as changes in facts or circumstances, changes in tax law, new audit activity and effectively settled issues.

We follow specific and detailed guidelines in each tax jurisdiction regarding the recoverability of any tax assets recorded on the balance sheet and provide necessary valuation allowances as required. Future realization of deferred tax assets ultimately depends on the existence of sufficient taxable income of the appropriate character (for example, ordinary income or capital gain) within the carryback or carryforward periods available under the tax law. We regularly review our deferred tax assets for recoverability based on historical taxable income, projected future taxable income, the expected timing of the reversals of existing temporary differences and tax planning strategies. Our judgments regarding future profitability may change due to many factors, including future market conditions and our ability to successfully execute our business plans and/or tax planning strategies. Should there be a change in our ability to recover our deferred tax assets, our tax provision would increase or decrease in the period in which the assessment is changed.

 

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Results of Operations

The following tables summarize our consolidated results of operations for the periods presented. The period-to-period comparison of results is not necessarily indicative of results for future periods.

 

     Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 
     (in thousands, other than per share data)  

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:

        

Net sales

   $ 331,298     $ 238,613     $ 534,423     $ 643,469  

Cost of sales (1)

     264,431       192,169       427,491       512,032  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     66,867       46,444       106,932       131,437  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating expenses:

        

Research and development (1) (2)

     19,645       18,096       38,116       43,741  

Selling, general and administrative (1) (2)

     31,844       28,283       57,495       89,233  

Management advisory fees

     2,000       2,001       4,001       4,030  

Restructuring

     457       1,015       1,135       1,143  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     53,946       49,395       100,747       138,147  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) from operations

     12,921       (2,951     6,185       (6,710

Other income (expense):

        

Interest expense, net

     (14,778     (12,939     (25,575     (27,560

Other income (expense), net

     (902     (1,372     1,874       (5,532
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense

     (15,680     (14,311     (23,701     (33,092
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss before income taxes

     (2,759     (17,262     (17,516     (39,802

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes

     2,785       (108     2,444       6,649  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

   $ (5,544   $ (17,154   $ (19,960   $ (46,451
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss per share, basic and diluted

   $ (0.40   $ (1.24   $ (1.44   $ (3.36
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Shares used in computing basic and diluted net loss per share

     13,870       13,834       13,841       13,833  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1) Includes share-based compensation expense as follows:

 

Cost of sales

     $   268      $ 236      $ 461      $ 771  

Research and development

     445        382        725        844  

Selling, general and administrative

     1,431        1,405        2,686        4,517  

 

(2) Includes amortization of intangible assets expense as follows:

 

Research and development

   $ 2,448      $ 2,448      $ 4,897      $ 6,160  

Selling, general and administrative

     3,522        4,170        8,471        24,669  

 

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     Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 

Net sales

     100     100     100     100

Cost of sales

     80       80       80       80  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     20       20       20       20  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating expenses:

        

Research and development

     6       8       7       6  

Selling, general and administrative

     10       12       11       14  

Management advisory fees

     1       1       1       1  

Restructuring

     0       0       0       0  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     17       21       19       21  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) from operations

     3       (1     1       (1

Other income (expense):

        

Interest expense, net

     (4     (5     (5     (4

Other income (expense), net

     0       (1     0       (1
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense

     (4     (6     (5     (5
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss before income taxes

     (1     (7     (4     (6

Provision for income taxes

     1       0       0       1  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

     (2 %)      (7 %)      (4 %)      (7 %) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comparison of the Six Months Ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016

Net Sales, Cost of Sales and Gross Margin

 

     Six Months Ended     Change  
     February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    Amount      %  
     (in thousands, except percentages)  

Net sales

   $ 331,298     $ 238,613     $ 92,685        38.8

Cost of sales (1)

     264,431       192,169       72,262        37.6
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

Gross profit

   $ 66,867     $ 46,444     $ 20,423        44.0
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

Gross margin

     20.2     19.5     

 

  (1) Includes share-based compensation expense of $0.3 million and $0.2 million in the same six-month period in both fiscal 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Net sales increased by $92.7 million, or 38.8%, during the six months ended February 24, 2017 compared to the same period in the prior year. The increase in net sales was primarily due to a 43% higher sales volume of mobile memory products in Brazil, which was driven in part by new product introductions of higher density eMCP products and the increase in local content requirements from 25% to 40% for mobile memory products for smartphones. Strategic investments to increase production capacity in prior periods helped enable us to meet the increased demand in the Brazil mobile memory market. Our specialty DRAM sales were also positively impacted by overall strength in the worldwide DRAM market, leading to 32% higher volume and a 17% increase in the average selling prices, as well as strength in the server, networking and communications markets.

Cost of sales increased by $72.3 million, or 37.6%, during the six months ended February 24, 2017 compared to the same period in the prior year, primarily due to an increase of 40% in the cost of materials for the higher level of sales, as well as higher depreciation in Brazil due to the technology transition from DDR3 FBGA

 

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packaging to DDR4 flip chip. Included in the cost of sales increase was an unfavorable foreign exchange impact of $3.1 million due to locally sourced cost of sales in Brazil. Gross margin increased to 20.2% during the six months ended February 24, 2017, compared to 19.5% for the same period in fiscal 2016, primarily due to higher Brazil mobile memory and specialty DRAM revenue while cost of sales associated with higher density memory modules increased at a lower rate.

Operating Expenses

 

                                                   
     Six Months Ended      Change  
     February 24,
2017
     February 26,
2016
     Amount     %  
     (in thousands, except percentages)  

Operating expenses:

          

Research and development (1) (2)

   $ 19,645      $ 18,096      $ 1,549       8.6

Selling, general and administrative (1) (2)

     31,844        28,283        3,561       12.6

Management advisory fees

     2,000        2,001        (1     (0.0 %) 

Restructuring

     457        1,015        (558     (55.0 %) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

Total operating expenses

   $ 53,946      $ 49,395      $ 4,551       9.2
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

  (1) Includes share-based compensation expense as follows:

 

                                                   

Research and development

   $ 445      $ 382      $ 63        16.5

Selling, general and administrative

     1,431        1,405        26        1.9
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

Total

   $   1,876      $   1,787      $ 89        5.0
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

  (2) Includes amortization of intangible assets expense as follows:

 

                                                   

Research and development

   $ 2,448      $ 2,448      $ —         0.0

Selling, general and administrative

     3,522        4,170        (648     (15.5 %) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

Total

   $   5,970      $   6,618      $ (648     (9.8 %) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

Research and Development Expense

Research and development expense increased by $1.5 million, or 8.6%, during the six months ended February 24, 2017 compared to the same period in the prior year. The increase was primarily due to higher personnel-related expenses in Brazil, as well as higher depreciation relating to research and development expenses as part of the requirements of the PADIS and PPB/IT Program for Brazil. Included in the research and development expense increase was an unfavorable foreign exchange impact of $0.9 million.

Selling, General and Administrative Expense

Selling, general and administrative expense increased by $3.6 million, or 12.6%, during the six months ended February 24, 2017 compared to the same period in the prior year. The increase was primarily due to $1.7 million debt extension costs, as well as personnel-related, facilities and professional services expenses, aggregating $2.4 million, partially offset by a $0.6 million decrease in intangible amortization expense as some intangible assets became fully amortized. Included in the selling, general and administrative expense increase was an unfavorable foreign exchange impact of $0.9 million.

 

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Other Income (Expense)

 

     Six Months Ended     Change  
     February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    Amount     %  
     (in thousands, except percentages)  

Other income (expense):

        

Interest expense, net

   $ (14,778   $ (12,939   $ (1,839     14.2

Other income (expense), net

     (902     (1,372     470       (34.3 %) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

Total other expense

   $ (15,680   $ (14,311   $ (1,369     9.6
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

Interest expense, net increased $1.8 million, or 14.2%, during the six months ended February 24, 2017 compared to the same period in the prior year primarily due to additional debt discount amortization and interest expense related to our debt extension. Other income (expense), net increased by $0.5 million primarily due to $1.8 million currency gains (mainly in Brazil), partially offset by a $1.4 million loss on a February 2017 debt extinguishment.

Provision for (Benefit from) Income Taxes

 

     Six Months Ended     Change  
     February 24,
2017
     February 26,
2016
    Amount      %  
     (in thousands, except percentages)  

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes

   $ 2,785      $ (108   $ 2,893        (2678.7 %) 

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes increased by $2.9 million during the six months ended February 24, 2017 compared to the same period in the prior year primarily due to higher income in non-U.S. jurisdictions subject to tax and increased withholding taxes.

Comparison of the Years Ended August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015

Net Sales, Cost of Sales and Gross Margin

 

     Fiscal Year Ended     Change  
     August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
    Amount     %  
     (in thousands, except percentages)  

Net sales

   $ 534,423     $ 643,469     $ (109,046     (16.9 %) 

Cost of sales (1)

     427,491       512,032       (84,541     (16.5 %) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

Gross profit

   $ 106,932     $ 131,437     $ (24,505     (18.6 %) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

Gross margin

     20.0     20.4    

 

  (1) Includes share-based compensation expense of $0.5 million and $0.8 million in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Net sales decreased by $109.0 million, or 16.9%, during fiscal 2016 compared to the prior fiscal year. The decrease in net sales was primarily due to 47% lower volume and 32% lower average selling price of our DRAM products in Brazil due in large part to a major corruption scandal involving Brazil’s largest energy company, Petrobras, which began to unfold in calendar 2014, and by calendar 2015 contributed to a significant decrease in the value of the Brazilian real . This led to a substantial downturn in the Brazilian economy toward the end of fiscal 2015, which continued into fiscal 2016. The decrease in net sales was offset in part by a 79% increase in average selling prices and a 15% increase in volume for our mobile memory products in Brazil, as local content requirements for mobile memory products for smartphones increased from 25% to 40% in 2016. In addition, our

 

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net sales were also negatively impacted by lower worldwide DRAM prices, leading to a 23% decrease in our average selling prices of our specialty DRAM products in fiscal 2016, partially offset by 10% higher volume.

Cost of sales decreased by $84.5 million, or 16.5%, during fiscal 2016 compared to the prior fiscal year. The decrease in cost of sales was driven primarily by a $73.4 million decrease in the cost of materials due to lower sales. In addition, our factory overhead and other components of cost of sales decreased by $11.1 million, primarily due to lower production costs, personnel-related expenses and depreciation as well as charges for inventory reserves. The cost of sales decrease is net of an offsetting favorable foreign exchange impact of $10.7 million due to locally sourced cost of sales in Brazil. Gross margin remained relatively flat for both periods.

Operating Expenses

 

     Fiscal Year Ended      Change  
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
     Amount     %  
     (in thousands, except percentages)  

Operating expenses:

          

Research and development (1) (2)

   $ 38,116      $ 43,741      $ (5,625     (12.9 %) 

Selling, general and administrative (1) (2)

     57,495        89,233        (31,738     (35.6 %) 

Management advisory fees

     4,001        4,030        (29     (0.7 %) 

Restructuring

     1,135        1,143        (8     (0.7 %) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

Total operating expenses

   $ 100,747      $ 138,147      $ (37,400     (27.1 %) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

  (1) Includes share-based compensation expense as follows:

 

Research and development

   $ 725      $ 844      $ (119     (14.1 %) 

Selling, general and administrative

     2,686        4,517        (1,831     (40.5 %) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

Total

   $ 3,411      $ 5,361      $ (1,950     (36.4 %) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

  (2) Includes amortization of intangible assets expense as follows:

 

Research and development

   $ 4,897      $ 6,160      $ (1,263     (20.5 %) 

Selling, general and administrative

     8,471        24,669        (16,198     (65.7 %) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

Total

   $ 13,368      $ 30,829      $ (17,461     (56.6 %) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

Research and Development Expense

Research and development expense decreased by $5.6 million, or 12.9%, during fiscal 2016 compared to the prior fiscal year. The decrease was primarily due to decreased spending as a result of the deteriorating economic conditions in Brazil, lower intangible amortization expense as certain intangible assets were fully amortized in fiscal 2015, as well as an in-process research and development charge of $1.6 million in fiscal 2015, which did not recur in fiscal 2016. Included in the research and development expense decrease was a favorable foreign exchange impact of $3.4 million.

Selling, General and Administrative Expense

Selling, general and administrative expense decreased by $31.7 million, or 35.6%, during fiscal 2016 compared to the prior fiscal year. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease of $16.2 million in intangible amortization expense related to assets that were fully amortized in fiscal 2015, lower professional services and personnel-related costs, aggregating $8.9 million, as well as a non-recurring write-off of $4.0 million of deferred

 

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public offering costs in fiscal 2015. Included in the selling, general and administrative expense decrease was a favorable foreign exchange impact of $3.7 million.

Other Income (Expense)

 

     Fiscal Year Ended     Change  
     August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
    Amount      %  
     (in thousands, except percentages)  

Other income (expense):

         

Interest expense, net

   $ (25,575   $ (27,560   $ 1,985        (7.2 %) 

Other income (expense), net

     1,874       (5,532     7,406        (133.9 %) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

Total other expense

   $ (23,701   $ (33,092   $ 9,391        (28.4 %) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

Interest expense, net, decreased by $2.0 million, or 7.2%, during fiscal 2016 compared to the prior fiscal year primarily due to $0.5 million higher interest income and $1.4 million lower interest expense, due mainly to lower balances on our revolver and term loan. Other income (expense), net increased by $7.4 million during fiscal 2016 compared to the prior fiscal year. This increase was primarily due to an $11.8 million currency gain (mainly in Brazil) arising from transactions not denominated in the functional currency, partially offset by a $4.3 million decrease in fees received in fiscal 2015 under a transition services agreement that we entered into with SanDisk in connection with the sale of the Storage Business as this agreement terminated in fiscal 2015.

Provision for (Benefit from) Income Taxes

 

     Fiscal Year Ended      Change  
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
     Amount     %  
     (in thousands, except percentages)  

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes

   $ 2,444      $ 6,649      $ (4,205     (63.2 %) 

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes decreased by $4.2 million, or 63.2%, during fiscal 2016 compared to the prior fiscal year primarily due to lower foreign income in certain taxable jurisdictions.

 

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Quarterly Results of Operations

The following unaudited quarterly consolidated statements of operations data for the first two quarters of fiscal 2017 and each of the four quarters of fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015 have been prepared on a basis consistent with our audited annual consolidated financial statements and include, in our opinion, all normal recurring adjustments necessary for the fair statement of the financial information contained in those statements. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected in the future, and the results for any quarter are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for a full year or any other period. The following quarterly financial data should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

    Three Months Ended  
    Feb 24,
2017
    Nov 25,
2016
    Aug 26,
2016
    May 27,
2016
    Feb 26,
2016
    Nov 27,
2015
    Aug 28,
2015
    May 29,
2015
    Feb 27,
2015
    Nov 28,
2014
 
          (in thousands)  

Consolidated Statements of Operations:

                   

Net sales:

                   

Brazil DRAM

  $ 28,695     $ 19,328     $ 19,473     $ 20,824     $ 20,804     $ 25,835     $ 39,354     $ 51,336     $ 65,120     $ 83,261  

Brazil Mobile Memory

    49,932       56,211       46,992       58,916       29,583       23,473       16,492       34,416       31,475       15,626  

Specialty Memory

    93,327       83,805       79,736       69,869       66,574       72,344       76,610       72,414       71,206       86,159  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total net sales

    171,954       159,344       146,201       149,609       116,961       121,652       132,456       158,166       167,801       185,046  

Cost of sales (1)

    134,797       129,634       116,325       118,997       93,865       98,304       110,672       125,016       129,573       146,771  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

    37,157       29,710       29,876       30,612       23,096       23,348       21,784       33,150       38,228       38,275  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating expenses:

                   

Research and development (1)(2)

    9,948       9,697       10,353       9,667       8,960       9,136       10,310       11,879       9,318       12,234  

Selling, general and
administrative (1)(2)

    16,434       15,410       14,532       14,680       13,169       15,114       21,907       20,321       22,868       24,137  

Management advisory fees

    1,000       1,000       1,000       1,000       1,001       1,000       1,000       1,034       999       997  

Restructuring

    471       (14     (8     128       330       685       1,143       —         —         —    
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

    27,853       26,093       25,877       25,475       23,460       25,935       34,360       33,234       33,185       37,368  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
                   

Income (loss) from operations

    9,304       3,617       3,999       5,137       (364     (2,587     (12,576     (84     5,043       907  

Other income (expense):

                   

Interest expense, net

    (8,512     (6,266     (6,310     (6,326     (6,434     (6,505     (6,772     (7,050     (7,225     (6,513

Other income (expense), net

    (1,005     103       1,144       2,102       (177     (1,195     (1,528     (1,730     (1,188     (1,086
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense

    (9,517     (6,163     (5,166     (4,224     (6,611     (7,700     (8,300     (8,780     (8,413     (7,599
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

    (213     (2,546     (1,167     913       (6,975     (10,287     (20,876     (8,864     (3,370     (6,692

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes

    2,124       661       294       2,258       (640     532       849       1,558       2,302       1,940  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

  $ (2,337   $ (3,207   $ (1,461   $ (1,345   $ (6,335   $ (10,819   $ (21,725   $ (10,422   $ (5,672   $ (8,632
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1) Includes share-based compensation expense as follows:

 

Cost of sales

  $ 142     $ 126     $ 113     $ 112     $ 83     $ 153     $ 194     $ 172     $ 227     $ 178  

Research and development

    230       215       162       181       159       223       253       193       210       188  

Selling, general and administrative

    722       709       627       654       402       1,003       1,041       1,022       1,429       1,025  

 

(2) Includes amortization of intangible assets expense as follows:

 

Research and development

  $ 1,224     $ 1,224     $ 1,225     $ 1,224     $ 1,224     $ 1,224     $ 1,224     $ 1,224     $ 1,224     $ 2,488  

Selling, general and administrative

    1,723       1,799       2,196       2,105       2,068       2,102       6,000       6,053       6,232       6,384  

 

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The following table provides a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) for the periods presented.

 

    Three Months Ended  
    Feb 24,
2017
    Nov 25,
2016
    Aug 26,
2016
    May 27,
2016
    Feb 26,
2016
    Nov 27,
2015
    Aug 28,
2015
    May 29,
2015
    Feb 27,
2015
    Nov 28,
2014
 
    (in thousands)  

Net loss

  $ (2,337   $ (3,207   $ (1,461   $ (1,345   $ (6,335   $ (10,819   $ (21,725   $ (10,422   $ (5,672   $ (8,632

Share-based compensation expense

    1,094       1,050       902       947       644       1,379       1,488       1,387       1,866       1,391  

Amortization of intangible assets

    2,947       3,023       3,421       3,329       3,292       3,326       7,224       7,277       7,456       8,872  

Interest expense, net

    8,512       6,266       6,310       6,326       6,434       6,505       6,772       7,050       7,225       6,513  

Provision for (benefit from) income tax

    2,124       661       294       2,258       (640     532       849       1,558       2,302       1,940  

Depreciation

    6,044       5,539       4,668       4,380       4,467       4,596       4,857       4,567       4,934       4,957  

Management advisory fees

    1,000       1,000       1,000       1,000       1,001       1,000       1,000       1,034       999       997  

Debt extension and extinguishment costs*

    3,130       —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

Restructuring

    471       (14     (8     128       330       685       1,143       —         —         —    

In-process research and development charge

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         1,582       —         —    

Write-off of public offering expenses

    —         —         —         —         —         —         3,962       —         —         426  

Special retention bonuses

    —         25       265       333       306       707       123       —         —         —    

Storage sale-related legal costs

    —         —         —         —         —         —         (780     256       750       761  

Valuation adjustment related to prepaid state value-added taxes

    —         —         908       —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

Investment advisory fees

    134       406       —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

Insurance settlement related to a fiscal 2013 claim

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —         (525

Obsolete inventory related to restructuring

    372       —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

Misappropriated product shipment

    —         —         —         —         —         695       —         —         —         —    
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

  $   23,491     $   14,749     $   16,299     $   17,356     $     9,499     $     8,606     $     4,913     $   14,289     $   19,860     $   16,700  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

* Debt extension costs consist of $1.7 million associated with the amendment of our senior secured term loan and revolving credit facility in November 2016 and debt extinguishment costs represent a $1.4 million loss on a February 2017 extinguishment.

Quarterly Sales Trends

Net sales for the three sequential fiscal quarters ended February 26, 2016 were adversely impacted by a major corruption scandal involving Brazil’s largest energy company, Petrobras, which began to unfold in 2014, and by 2015 contributed to a significant decrease in the value of the Brazilian real , which in turn led to a substantial downturn in the Brazilian economy and a substantial rise in unemployment. In other quarters, net sales fluctuated as a result of a variety of factors, principally the state of the overall DRAM market, and the demand levels impacting the mobile memory market in Brazil.

 

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

     As of  
     February 24,
2017
     February 26,
2016
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 
     (in thousands)  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 23,341      $ 83,813      $ 58,634      $ 68,094  

 

     Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 
     (in thousands)  

Cash provided by (used in) operating activities

   $ (15,648   $ 26,012     $ 15,050     $ 40,762  

Cash used in investing activities

     (7,353     (5,316     (13,369     (8,716

Cash used in financing activities

     (12,673     (3,236     (10,914     (32,645

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and
cash equivalents

     381       (1,741     (227     (9,399
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash
equivalents

   $ (35,293   $ 15,719     $ (9,460   $ (9,998
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

At February 24, 2017, we had cash and cash equivalents of $23.3 million, of which approximately $18.0 million was held outside of the United States.

We expect that our existing cash and cash equivalents and cash generated by operating activities will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next twelve months. Our principal uses of cash and capital resources are debt service requirements as described below, capital expenditures, research and development expenditures and working capital requirements. We expect that future capital expenditures will focus on expanding capacity of our Brazilian operations, expanding our research and development activities, manufacturing equipment upgrades and/or acquisitions and IT infrastructure and software upgrades. Cash and cash equivalents consist of funds held in demand deposit accounts and money market funds. We do not enter into investments for trading or speculative purposes.

Operating Activities

During the six months ended February 24, 2017, cash used in operating activities was $15.6 million. The primary factors affecting our cash flows during this period were $34.0 million change in our net operating assets and liabilities and a $5.5 million net loss, offset by $23.9 million of non-cash related expenses. The $34.0 million change in net operating assets and liabilities consisted of decreases of $3.4 million in accounts receivable and $1.5 million in prepaid expenses and other assets, and an increase of $3.3 million in accrued expenses and other liabilities, offset by an increase of $26.4 million in inventory, and a decrease of $15.7 million in accounts payable. The decreases in accounts receivable and accounts payable were primarily due to lower gross sales, while the increase in inventory was due to higher DRAM prices. See the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies.”

During fiscal 2016, cash provided by operating activities was $15.1 million. The primary factors affecting our cash flows during this period were $38.6 million of non-cash related expenses, offset by a $20.0 million net loss and a $3.5 million change in our net operating assets and liabilities. The $3.5 million change in operating assets and liabilities consisted of decreases of $44.9 million in accounts receivable, $31.3 million in inventory and $11.0 million in prepaid expenses and other assets, offset by decreases of $86.5 million in accounts payable and $4.2 million in accrued expenses and other liabilities. The decreases in accounts receivable, inventory and accounts payable were primarily due to lower gross sales.

 

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During fiscal 2015, cash provided by operating activities was $40.8 million. The primary factors affecting our cash flows during this period were $64.2 million of non-cash related expenses and a $23.1 million change in our net operating assets and liabilities, offset by a $46.5 million net loss. The $23.1 million change in operating assets and liabilities consisted of a decrease of $8.6 million in accounts receivable and an increase of $53.2 million in accounts payable, offset by increases of $20.0 million in inventory and $0.4 million in prepaid expenses and other assets, and a decrease of $18.3 million in accrued expenses and other liabilities. The increases in inventory and accounts payable were primarily due to higher gross sales.

Investing Activities

Net cash used in investing activities during the six months ended February 24, 2017 was $7.4 million consisting of purchases of property and equipment. Net cash used in investing activities during fiscal 2016 was $13.4 million consisting primarily of $13.8 million used for purchases of property and equipment. Net cash used in investing activities during fiscal 2015 was $8.7 million, primarily resulting from $31.7 million used for purchases of property and equipment, $6.1 million of restricted cash related to our BNDES Credit Agreements in Brazil and $1.6 million used to purchase other assets, offset by $30.5 million of proceeds from the Escrow Release related to the sale of our Storage Business.

Financing Activities

Net cash used in financing activities during the six months ended February 24, 2017 was $12.7 million, consisting of long-term debt payments for both the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and the BNDES Credit Agreements, as well as payment for extinguishment of long-term debt. Net cash used in financing activities during fiscal 2016 was $10.9 million, consisting primarily of $16.7 million of long-term debt payments, offset by $5.8 million received under our BNDES Credit Agreements in Brazil. Net cash used in financing activities during fiscal 2015 was $32.6 million, consisting primarily of $28.3 million for distribution of share premium to our shareholders in connection with the Escrow Release, $13.3 million of long-term debt payments, $3.1 million for payment of costs related to our proposed initial public offering, $1.1 million of payments for the cancellation of options related to the Escrow Release and $0.9 million for strike price floor payments to optionholders as equitable adjustments required under the SGH Plan in connection with the Escrow Release, offset by $14.1 million received under our BNDES Credit Agreements in Brazil.

Contractual Obligations

Our contractual obligations as of February 24, 2017 (giving effect to the subsequent amendment to the Senior Secured Credit Agreement) are set forth below:

 

     Payments due by Period  
     1 year      2-3 years      4-5 years      After 5 years      Total  
     (in millions)  

Senior Secured Credit Agreement Debt

   $ 7.8      $ 208.2      $ —        $ —        $ 216.0  

Interest expense in connection with the Senior Secured Credit Agreement

     10.0        39.6        —          —          49.6  

BNDES Credit Agreements

     4.2        16.6        4.2        —          25.0  

Interest expense in connection with the BNDES Credit Agreements

     0.5        1.1        0.1        —          1.7  

Operating leases

     1.3        4.9        4.5        1.6       
12.3
 

Non-cancellable product purchase commitments

     43.5        —          —          —          43.5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total contractual obligations

   $ 67.3      $ 270.4      $ 8.8      $ 1.6      $ 348.1  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Senior Secured Credit Agreement

Certain of our wholly owned subsidiaries are borrowers under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement provided by a syndicate of bank lenders. The Senior Secured Credit Agreement provides for a $310.0 million senior secured term loan facility maturing on August 26, 2019 and a $50.0 million revolving facility also maturing on August 26, 2019. The Senior Secured Credit Agreement is jointly and severally guaranteed on a senior basis by certain of our other wholly owned subsidiaries, which we refer to, together with the borrowers under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, as the loan parties. In addition, the Senior Secured Credit Agreement is secured by a pledge of the capital stock of, or equity interests in, certain of our subsidiaries and by substantially all of the assets of certain of our subsidiaries. We are not a loan party under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement.

The Senior Secured Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants including, among other things, limitations on the loan parties’ ability to engage in certain transactions, incur debt, pay dividends and make investments. If letters of credit in excess of $1.0 million (not including any cash collateralized letters of credit) or any revolving loans are outstanding at the end of any fiscal quarter, then the secured net leverage ratio cannot exceed 4.5:1.0 as of the end of the applicable fiscal quarter. The borrowers under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement did not have any borrowings under the revolving facility and did not have letters of credit in excess of $1.0 million on any measurement date during the six months ended February 24, 2017 or in fiscal 2016 and 2015.

Loans under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement bear interest at a rate per annum equal to an applicable margin plus, at the borrowers’ option, either (i) a LIBOR rate (with a floor of 1.25% on term loans and a floor of 1.00% on revolving loans), or (ii) a base rate (with a floor of 2.25% on term loans and a floor of 2.00% on revolving loans). The applicable margin for term loans with respect to LIBOR borrowings is 8.0% increasing to 8.75% on November 5, 2017 if there are balances still outstanding on the term loans on such date, and with respect to base rate borrowings is 7.0% increasing to 7.75% on November 5, 2017 if there are balances still outstanding on term loans on such date. The applicable margin for revolving loans adjusts every quarter based on the secured leverage ratio. The applicable margin for revolving loans with respect to LIBOR borrowings is in the range of 3.75% to 4.00% and the applicable margin for revolving loans with respect to base rate borrowings is in the range of 2.75% to 3.00%. Interest on base rate loans is payable on the last day of each fiscal February, May, August and November. Interest on LIBOR-based loans is payable every one, two, three, six, nine or twelve months after the date of each borrowing, dependent on the particular interest period selected with respect to such borrowing.

The Senior Secured Credit Agreement requires quarterly scheduled principal payments of term loans. During the six months ended February 24, 2017, and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, the borrowers made scheduled principal payments totaling $7.8 million, $13.3 million and $13.3 million, respectively. The remaining quarterly payments are in the amounts of $3.9 million per quarter through and including the third quarter of fiscal 2019. The balance of the principal amount then outstanding is due in full on the maturity date of August 26, 2019. The required principal payment amounts may be reduced by certain permitted prepayments of principal.

The borrowers have the right at any time to make optional prepayments of the principal amounts outstanding under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement. If there are balances still outstanding on the term loans as of November 5, 2017, the borrowers are obligated to pay a fee of $5 million in cash to term lenders of record as of November 5, 2016.

The Senior Secured Credit Agreement also requires certain mandatory prepayments of principal whereby the borrowers must prepay outstanding term loans, subject to certain exceptions, which includes, among other things:

 

   

75% of excess cash flow after each fiscal year if the secured leverage ratio is greater than 2.0:1.0; 50% of excess cash flow if the secured leverage ratio is greater than 1.5:1.0 but less than or equal to 2.0:1.0; 25% of excess cash flow if the secured leverage ratio is greater than 1.0:1.0 but less than or equal to

 

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1.5:1.0; and 0% of excess cash flow if the secured leverage ratio is less than or equal to 1.0:1.0, which amounts will be reduced by any permitted voluntary prepayments of principal made in the applicable fiscal year;

 

   

100% of the net cash proceeds of certain asset sales or other dispositions of property of the borrower or any restricted subsidiary;

 

   

100% of the net cash proceeds from the incurrence of debt by any restricted subsidiary, other than proceeds from debt permitted to be incurred under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement (subject to certain customary exceptions); and

 

   

100% of any cash and cash equivalents on the balance sheet at the end of any fiscal quarter, in excess of $25 million (such amount being subject to certain specified adjustments).

Early mandatory repayments of principle are applied in the reverse order of maturity.

In November 2016, we issued warrants, or the Lender Warrants, to purchase 3,467,571 of our ordinary shares to the term loan lenders, or the Warrant Holders, in connection with the amendment and restatement of our Senior Secured Credit Agreement. The Lender Warrants are exercisable at $0.03 per share, with 1,541,143 First Tranche Warrants currently exercisable. Upon the completion of this offering, the First Tranche Warrants will be deemed net exercised if not previously exercised, and the 1,926,428 Second Tranche Warrants, as amended in April 2017, will remain outstanding but will only become exercisable if there are balances outstanding under our existing term loans on November 5, 2017.

As of February 24, 2017, the outstanding principal balance of term loans under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement was $216.0 million, and there were no outstanding borrowings under the revolving loan.

BNDES Credit Agreements

In December 2013, SMART Brazil, one of our Brazilian subsidiaries, entered into the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement. Under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement, a total of R$50.6 million (or $16.2 million) was made available to SMART Brazil for investments in infrastructure, research and development in Brazil and acquisitions of equipment not otherwise available in the Brazilian domestic market. Our obligations under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement are guaranteed by Itaú Bank, which guarantee is in turn secured by a guarantee from SMART Brazil and SMART do Brazil and a commitment by SMART Brazil to maintain minimum cash balances with Itaú Bank equal to 11.85% of the maximum aggregate balance of principal, interest and fees outstanding under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement. As of February 24, 2017, the committed amount was R$6.0 million (or $1.9 million), which is shown on our consolidated balance sheets as restricted cash.

Approximately half of the available debt under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement accrues interest at a fixed rate of 3.5% per annum while the other half accrues interest at a floating rate of 0.5% above the TJLP rate published by the Central Bank of Brazil, or BZTJLP, corresponding to an effective interest rate of 5.5% per annum. The facility under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement is a term loan fully amortizing in 48 equal monthly installments beginning on August 15, 2015 with the final principal payment being due on July 15, 2019.

As of February 24, 2017, our outstanding debt under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement was R$31.9 million (or $10.2 million), of which R$15.7 million (or $5.0 million) accrues interest at the fixed rate of 3.5% and R$16.2 million (or $5.2 million) accrues interest at the floating rate of 0.5% above BZTJLP (5.0%).

In December 2014, SMART Brazil entered into the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement. The BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement and the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement are collectively referred to as the BNDES Agreements. Under the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement, a total of R$52.8 million (or $16.9 million) was made available to SMART Brazil for research and development conducted in Brazil related to IC packaging and for

 

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acquisitions of equipment not otherwise available in the Brazilian domestic market. SMART Brazil’s obligations under the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement are also guaranteed by Itaú Bank, which guarantee is in turn secured by a guarantee from SMART Brazil and SMART do Brazil and a commitment by SMART Brazil to maintain minimum cash balances with Itaú Bank equal to 30.31% of the maximum aggregate balance of principal, interest and fees outstanding under the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement, or approximately R$16.0 million (or $5.1 million) of required cash balances.

The available debt under the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement accrues interest at a fixed rate of 4% per annum. The BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement is a term loan fully amortizing in 48 equal monthly installments beginning on August 15, 2016 with the final principal payment being due on July 15, 2020.

As of February 24, 2017, our outstanding debt under the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement was R$46.2 million (or $14.8 million).

While the BNDES Agreements do not include any financial covenants, they contain affirmative and negative covenants customary for loans of this nature, including, among other things, an obligation to comply with all laws and regulations; a right for BNDES to terminate the loan in the event of a change of effective control; and a prohibition against the disposition or encumbrance, without BNDES consent, of intellectual property developed with the funds from the loans.

The future minimum principal payments under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and the BNDES Agreements as of February 24, 2017 are (in thousands):

 

     Senior
Secured
Credit
Agreement
               
        BNDES      Total  

Fiscal year ending August:

        

2017

   $ 7,750      $ 4,152      $ 11,902  

2018

     15,500        8,304        23,804  

2019

     192,760        8,308        201,068  

2020

     —          4,227        4,227  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 216,010      $ 24,991      $ 241,001  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Tender Offer

On April 25, 2016, we offered the SGH Plan option holders the opportunity to exchange certain outstanding and unexercised options with exercise prices higher than $11.55 per share for new replacement options with the following terms: (a) an exercise price of $11.55 per share, (b) a lower number of shares based on pre-determined formula, (c) a vesting schedule of 2 years with 50% vesting on first anniversary and the balance vesting quarterly over the second year, and (d) a new ten-year term.

On May 23, 2016, the exchange, or the Tender Offer, was completed and resulted in 1,652,575 options being cancelled, in exchange for 811,277 replacement options. As a result of the Tender Offer, there was an option modification charge of $2.7 million to be expensed over the next two years, which is the vesting period of the replacement options.

Off Balance Sheet Arrangements

We do not have any relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, such as entities often referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purposes. In

 

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addition, we do not have any undisclosed borrowings or debt, and we have not entered into any synthetic leases. We are, therefore, not materially exposed to any financing, liquidity, market or credit risk that could arise if we had engaged in such relationships.

We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a current or future effect on our financial condition, changes in financial conditions, net sales or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources that is material to investors.

Critical Accounting Policies

We believe the following critical accounting policies are the most significant to the presentation of our financial statements and they at times require the most difficult, subjective and complex estimates.

Revenue Recognition

Our product revenues are predominantly derived from the sale of specialty memory solutions, including memory modules, Flash memory cards and solid state storage products, which we design and manufacture. We recognize revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, product delivery has occurred, the sales price is fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. Product revenue typically is recognized at the time of shipment or when the customer takes title to the goods. Amounts billed to customers related to shipping and handling are classified as sales, while costs incurred by us for shipping and handling are classified as cost of sales. Taxes, including value-added taxes, assessed by a government authority that are both imposed on and concurrent with a specific revenue producing transaction are excluded from revenue.

Our service revenues are derived from procurement, logistics, inventory management, temporary warehousing, kitting and packaging services. The terms of our contracts vary, but we generally recognize service revenue upon the completion of the contracted services. Our service revenue is accounted for on an agency basis. Service revenue for these arrangements is typically based on material procurement costs plus a fee for the services provided. We determine whether to report revenue on a net or gross basis depending on a number of factors, including whether we are the primary obligor in the arrangement, have general inventory risk, have the ability to set the price, have the ability to determine who the suppliers are, can physically change the product or have credit risk. Under some service arrangements, we retain inventory risk. All inventories held under service arrangements are included in the inventories reported on the consolidated balance sheet.

The following is a summary of our gross billings to customers and net sales for services and products (in thousands):

 

     Six Months Ended      Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
     February 26,
2016
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 

Service revenue, net

   $ 17,984      $ 22,088      $ 44,453      $ 40,235  

Cost of purchased materials—service (1)

     402,388        785,914        1,390,624        1,503,968  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Gross billings for services

     420,372        808,002        1,435,077        1,544,203  

Product net sales

     313,314        216,525        489,970        603,234  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Gross billings to customers

   $ 733,686      $ 1,024,527      $ 1,925,047      $ 2,147,437  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Product net sales

   $ 313,314      $ 216,525      $ 489,970      $ 603,234  

Service revenue, net

     17,984        22,088        44,453        40,235  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net sales

   $ 331,298      $ 238,613      $ 534,423      $ 643,469  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1) Represents cost of sales associated with service revenue reported on a net basis.

 

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Inventory Valuation

At each balance sheet date, we evaluate our ending inventories for excess quantities and obsolescence. This evaluation includes analysis of sales levels by product family. Among other factors, we consider historical demand and forecasted demand in relation to the inventory on hand, competitiveness of product offerings, market conditions and product life cycles when determining obsolescence and net realizable value. We adjust the carrying values to approximate the lower of our manufacturing cost or net realizable value. Inventory cost is determined on a specific identification basis and includes material, labor and manufacturing overhead. From time to time, our customers may request that we purchase and maintain significant inventory of raw materials for specific programs. Such inventory purchases are evaluated for excess quantities and potential obsolescence and could result in a provision at the time of purchase or subsequent to purchase. Inventory levels may fluctuate based on inventory held under service arrangements. Our provisions for excess and obsolete inventory are also impacted by our arrangements with our customers and/or suppliers, including our ability or inability to re-sell such inventory to them. If actual market conditions or our customers’ product demands are less favorable than those projected or if our customers or suppliers are unwilling or unable to comply with any arrangements related to their purchase or sale of inventory, additional provisions may be required and would have a negative impact on our gross margins in that period. We have had material inventory write-downs in the past for reasons such as obsolescence, excess quantities and declines in market value below our costs, and we may be required to do so from time to time in the future. Our inventory write-downs were $1.8 million, $0.9 million, $1.8 million and $2.2 million for the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 and fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Income Taxes

We use the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis and net operating loss and credit carry-forwards. When necessary, a valuation allowance is recorded or reduced to value tax assets to amounts expected to be realized. The effect of changes in tax rates is recognized in the period in which the rate change occurs. U.S. income and foreign withholding taxes are not provided on that portion of unremitted earnings of foreign subsidiaries that are expected to be reinvested indefinitely.

After excluding ordinary losses in a tax jurisdiction for which no tax benefit can be recognized, we estimate our annual effective tax rate and apply such rate to year-to-date income, adjusting for unusual or infrequent items that are treated as discrete events in the period. We also evaluate our valuation allowance to determine if a change in circumstances causes a change in judgment regarding realization of deferred tax assets in future years. If the valuation allowance is adjusted as a result of a change in judgment regarding future years, that adjustment is recorded in the period of such change affecting our tax expense in that period.

The calculation of our tax liabilities involves accounting for uncertainties in the application of complex tax rules, regulations and practices. We recognize benefits for uncertain tax positions based on a two-step process. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition of a benefit (or the absence of a liability) by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the position taken will be sustained upon audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. If it is not, in our judgment, more likely than not that the position will be sustained, then we do not recognize any benefit for the position. If it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained, a second step in the process is required to estimate how much of the benefit we will ultimately receive. This second step requires that we estimate and measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. It is inherently difficult and subjective to estimate such amounts. We reevaluate these uncertain tax positions on a quarterly basis. The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would affect the effective tax rate, if recognized, is $2.1 million for fiscal 2016. This evaluation is based on a number of factors including, but not limited to, changes in facts or circumstances, changes in tax law, new facts, correspondence with tax authorities during the course of an audit, effective settlement of audit issues and commencement of new audit

 

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activity. Such a change in recognition or measurement could result in the recognition of a tax benefit or an additional charge to the tax provision in the period.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed

We review our long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets. As of February 24, 2017, the carrying value of goodwill and intangible assets was $46.1 million and $11.1 million, respectively. Assets to be disposed are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value, less cost to sell.

Share-Based Compensation

We recognize compensation costs related to share-based awards granted to employees based on the estimated fair value of the awards on the date of grant, net of estimated forfeitures. We estimate the grant date fair value, and the resulting share-based compensation expense, using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The grant date fair value of the share-based awards is generally recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the respective awards.

We have used the Black-Scholes valuation model to assist us in determining the fair value of share-based awards. The Black-Scholes model requires the use of subjective and highly complex assumptions which determine the fair value of share-based awards. The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model that uses the assumptions noted in the following table. The expected volatility is based on the historical volatilities of the common stock of comparable publicly traded companies. The expected term of options granted represents the weighted average period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding giving consideration to vesting schedules and the historical exercise patterns. The risk-free interest rate for the expected term of the option is based on the average U.S. Treasury yield curve at the end of the quarter in which the option was granted.

We used the following assumptions to value options granted under our SGH equity plan during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016, and in fiscal 2016 and 2015:

 

     Six Months Ended      Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
     February 26,
2016
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 

Stock options:

           

Expected term (years)

     6.25        6.25        6.25        6.25  

Expected volatility

     54.41% - 55.75%        49.46% - 51.92%        49.46% - 56.00%        49.51% - 53.28%  

Risk-free interest rate

     1.96% - 2.01%        1.39% -1.82%        1.36% - 1.82%        1.49% - 1.72%  

Expected dividends

     —          —          —          —    

The following table sets forth our total share-based compensation expense during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015 (in thousands):

 

     Six Months Ended      Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
     February 26,
2016
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 

Cost of sales

   $ 268      $ 236      $ 461      $ 771  

Research and development

     445        382        725        844  

Selling, general and administrative

     1,431        1,405        2,686        4,517  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 2,144      $ 2,023      $ 3,872      $ 6,132  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Fair value of ordinary shares . The fair value of the ordinary shares underlying our share options for each of our equity plans has historically been determined by our board of directors. Because there has been no public market for our ordinary shares and in the absence of recent arm’s length cash sales transactions of our ordinary shares with independent third parties, our board of directors has determined the fair value of our ordinary shares by considering at the time of grant a number of objective and subjective factors, including the following: the value of tangible and intangible assets of our company, the present value of anticipated future cash flows of our company, the market value of stock or equity interests in similar corporations and other entities engaged in businesses substantially similar to those engaged in by our company, our current financial condition and anticipated expenses, our need for additional capital, current and potential strategic relationships and competitive developments and periodic valuations from an independent third-party valuation firm.

The valuations used the income, guideline and transaction approaches based on our expected future cash flows and applied a discount for lack of marketability. The guideline approach measures value on a minority-interest basis; the transaction and income approaches measure value on a controlling basis. This approach is outlined in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Practice Aid, “Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation” as the probability weighted expected return method. Enterprise values were calculated based on three exit scenarios, including an initial public offering, merger or acquisition, or M&A, and continuing to operate on a standalone basis. Each value was weighted equally together to arrive at an indicated enterprise value. In estimating the value of equities, management estimated a term for each of the initial public offering, M&A and continuing to operate on a stand-alone basis scenarios.

Following the completion of this offering, the fair value of our ordinary shares generally will be determined by reference to the closing sales price of a share of our ordinary shares on the grant date (or if there is no closing price as of such date, the last preceding date for which a closing sales price is quoted); provided, that with respect to any equity awards granted after the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, but prior to the date on which the shares subject to this offering are publicly traded, the fair value will be the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure about Market Risk

Our exposure to market rate risk includes risk of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, changes in interest rates and translation risk.

Foreign Exchange Risks

We are subject to inherent risks attributed to operating in a global economy. Our international sales and our operations in foreign countries subject us to risks associated with fluctuating currency values and exchange rates. Because a portion of our sales are denominated in United States dollars, increases in the value of the United States dollar could increase the price of our products so that they become relatively more expensive to customers in a particular country, possibly leading to a reduction in sales and profitability in that country. A significant portion of the sales of our products are denominated in reais . In addition, we have certain costs that are denominated in foreign currencies, and decreases in the value of the U.S. dollar could result in increases in such costs that could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. We do not currently purchase financial instruments to hedge foreign exchange risk, but may do so in the future.

As a result of our international operations, we generate a portion of our net sales and incur a portion of our expenses in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, particularly the reais . Approximately 47%, 46% and 52% of our net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively, originated in reais . We present our combined financial statements in U.S. dollars, and we must translate the assets, liabilities, net sales and expenses of a substantial portion of our foreign operations into U.S. dollars at applicable exchange rates. Consequently, increases or decreases in the value of the U.S. dollar may affect the value of these items with respect to our non-U.S. dollar businesses in our combined financial statements, even if their value has not changed in their local currency. Our customer pricing and material cost of sales are based on U.S. dollars, as

 

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is the global market for memory products. Accordingly, the impact of currency fluctuations to our consolidated statement of operations is primarily to our other costs of sales (i.e., non-material components) and our operating expenses as those items are typically denominated in local currency. Our consolidated statement of operations is also impacted by foreign currency gains and losses recorded in Other Income (Expense) arising from transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of the respective subsidiary. These translations could significantly affect the comparability of our results between financial periods or result in significant changes to the carrying value of our assets, liabilities and equity. As a result, changes in foreign currency exchange rates impact our reported results.

During the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, we recorded $0.3 million, $1.1 million, and ($10.7) million, respectively, of foreign exchange gains (losses). The loss in fiscal 2015 was primarily related to the devaluation of the Brazilian real associated with the corruption scandal in fiscal 2015.

Interest Rate Risk

We are subject to interest rate risk in connection with our long-term and short-term debt, including the $216.0 million aggregate balance under the term loan under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, R$31.9 million (or $10.2 million) balance under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement and R$46.2 million (or $14.8 million) balance under the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement, in each case as of February 24, 2017. Although we did not have any revolving balances outstanding as of February 24, 2017, the revolving facility under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement provides for borrowings of up to $50 million that would also bear interest at variable rates. Assuming that we will satisfy the financial covenants required to borrow and that the Senior Secured Credit Agreement is fully drawn and other variables are held constant, each 1.0% increase in interest rates on our variable rate borrowings would result in an increase in annual interest expense and a decrease in our cash flow and income before taxes of $2.8 million per year.

Inflation Risk

We do not believe that inflation has had a material effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. If our costs were to become subject to significant inflationary pressures, we may not be able to fully offset such higher costs through price increases. Our inability or failure to do so could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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BUSINESS

Overview

We are a global leader in specialty memory solutions, serving the electronics industry for over 25 years. As part of our global business, we have established a leading market position, as measured by market share, in Brazil as the largest in-country manufacturer of memory for desktops, notebooks and servers, as well as mobile memory for smartphones. We also have a leading market position worldwide, as measured by revenue, in specialty memory where we work closely with OEM customers to develop memory solutions, which incorporate customer-specific requirements. We believe our customers rely on us as a strategic supplier due to our customer-specific designs, product quality and technical support, our global footprint and, in Brazil, our ability to provide locally manufactured memory products. We also provide customized, integrated supply chain services to certain OEM customers to assist them in the management and execution of their procurement processes. Our global, diversified customer base includes over 250 end customers such as Cisco, Samsung, HPE, Dell and LG.

Since 2002, when we commenced our operations in Brazil, we have invested over $170 million to build and improve our advanced manufacturing facilities and have assembled and trained a staff of over 480 employees, who comprise many of the leading semiconductor technology professionals in the country. In Brazil, we process imported wafers and cut, package and test them to create memory components used to manufacture modules and other memory and Flash-based products. We are the only company engaged in packaging and test for mobile memory for smartphones in Brazil. We have a strategic, long-term relationship with a global memory wafer supplier that has provided us with a stable source of competitively priced wafers for the Brazilian market and provides our supplier with access to that market through our in-country infrastructure and capabilities.

Our business in Brazil has historically focused on DRAM components and modules for desktops, notebooks and servers, where local content and tax regulations provide substantial financial incentives to our customers to procure locally manufactured memory products, particularly when they are made with locally processed components. We have leveraged our experience and success in these markets to expand into mobile memory, primarily for smartphones, which include eMMC and eMCP, where additional local content requirements and tax incentives have been introduced. During the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, these mobile memory products accounted for 69%, 65% and 29%, respectively, of our net sales in Brazil. Based on expected unit sales for mobile phones in Brazil provided by ITData Consultoria, taking into account our average selling price of approximately $17.09 per component for mobile memory during the second quarter of fiscal 2017, we believe that the total addressable market for locally produced mobile memory for mobile phones in Brazil will reach approximately $499 million by 2019. We have also demonstrated our ability to service the smartphone market in Brazil as we are now qualified at seven of the top ten mobile vendors in Brazil representing, according to ITData Consultoria, 87% of the mobile phones sold in Brazil in calendar 2016.

The Brazilian government has a long history of utilizing local content requirements to promote job creation, sustain economic growth and increase the competitiveness of various domestic industries. Local content requirements have been important in the development of numerous industries in Brazil, including automotive, oil and gas, aerospace, healthcare and IT. Beginning in 1991, local content regulation was introduced to vitalize Brazil’s IT industry. Specifically, requirements for locally manufactured memory have been in place for over 22 years and have increased significantly over time as manufacturing capacity has increased. For example, in notebooks, the requirement for locally manufactured DRAM ICs has increased from 30% in 2010 to 80% in 2016, which means that 80% of the DRAM modules purchased by an OEM in 2016 for use in notebooks for the Brazil market must contain ICs locally manufactured in order for the OEM to qualify for certain tax benefits. As a result of the proliferation of mobile devices, the requirement for locally manufactured embedded memory for smartphones was introduced in March 2014, which has increased from 15% in 2014 to 50% in 2017 and is expected to increase to 60% in 2018. While qualified suppliers are allowed to import a relatively small portion of this requirement with minimal local processing, we are the only company currently qualified that can package

 

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and test these products locally. With the local content requirements for various IT products increasing, we believe that our local manufacturing capabilities provide a valuable and differentiated offering to our OEM customers in Brazil. We also believe that our long-term relationships with many of these customers as the largest supplier of locally manufactured memory products provides us with stability and visibility for our Brazilian business, as well as significant growth prospects.

In our specialty memory solutions business, we focus on providing extensive customer-specific design, manufacturing, technical support and value-added testing services that differ from the core focus of standard memory module providers. We collaborate closely with our global OEM customers throughout their design process and across multiple projects to create memory solutions for demanding applications with differentiated requirements, such as specific form factors, higher density, lower power, specific firmware or greater durability and reliability compared to standard memory modules. We target opportunities where we believe we can be a primary supplier of longer-lifecycle memory solutions to OEM customers for diverse and growing end markets within the networking, communications, storage, industrial, medical and automotive industries. In our specialty memory solutions business, we offer an extensive portfolio of over 2,000 products, which includes all generations of DRAM, as well as embedded and removable Flash, enterprise memory and hybrid volatile and non-volatile memory solutions. We also offer customized, integrated supply chain services to enable our customers to manage supply chain planning and execution, which reduces costs and increases productivity. Our supply chain services are based on our proprietary software platform that we develop and are integrated with our customers’ respective procurement management systems as well as our suppliers’ distribution management systems.

We believe our close collaboration with customers, customer-specific designs, long-lifecycle solutions and proprietary supply chain services create significant customer attachment, allow us to identify new opportunities for growth and provide us with a high level of relative visibility and stability through macroeconomic cycles. Furthermore, we believe our business has relatively low capital expenditure requirements, and we have been able to leverage a flexible cost structure to maintain generally stable margins throughout market cycles.

We sell our solutions directly to a diversified base of global OEMs. Our top ten end customers, five of which have been our end customers for over a decade, accounted for 81% and 75% of our net sales in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively. Our global sales channel consists of a direct sales force supported by a broad network of independent sales representatives located throughout North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Our integrated sales process incorporates our direct sales force and customer service representatives and a high level of involvement from our senior executives. Our on-site field application engineers, or FAEs, collaborate with our OEM customers and provide us with insight into their product roadmaps, allowing us to identify opportunities to grow our business. The combination of our integrated sales network with our FAEs allows us to be more responsive to each customer’s unique requirements, enabling us to navigate the complex qualification processes at leading global OEMs. We believe our strong and often longstanding relationships with our customers reinforce our competitive position.

Our Industry

We believe that significant opportunities exist across the major markets in which our business operates due to the increasing global demand for existing and next generation memory technologies and OEM requirements for high quality and reliability backed by premium service and support. We believe that a number of trends are driving the expansion of our market opportunity in Brazil and elsewhere:

Memory continues to be critical to system performance . With the growth in mobility, cloud computing and data intensive applications, the importance of and demand for memory continues to increase. According to IDC, worldwide demand for DRAM and NAND Flash memory units will increase by 117% and 358%, respectively, when comparing 2021 to 2016. The increasing diversity of demanding applications requires memory solutions tailored to meet these varying and growing needs. Memory density also continues to increase. We believe that 8Gb die will be the next leading DRAM density, which will drive DRAM bit growth. According to IDC, 8Gb die

 

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will account for 40% of worldwide DRAM bit shipments in 2017, up from 7% in 2015. IDC forecasts that 8Gb die will grow rapidly in 2018, with 8Gb die accounting for 49% of worldwide DRAM bit shipments by 2018. Higher memory densities, lower power requirements and increasingly smaller form factors are especially important in mobile and embedded devices, where high performance and lower power consumption are critical.

Stabilization of DRAM market . Industry consolidation, increased capital expenditure requirements, continued technology advancements and the shift in new production from DRAM to NAND have stabilized global DRAM supply and pricing in recent years. Furthermore, according to IDC, the top three DRAM suppliers are estimated to have 94% of the worldwide market share in 2016. In addition, an IDC report shows an increase in worldwide DRAM demand being driven by widening applications as usage of DRAM for smartphones is increasing along with worldwide consumption of DRAM for desktops, notebooks and servers. We believe this trend is expected to continue through at least 2021. Continuous advancements in process geometries require significant capital investments, making it difficult for new entrants and for existing suppliers to increase memory supply. According to IDC, while DRAM unit consumption is expected to be higher in 2021 than in 2016, worldwide DRAM revenue for 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 is expected to be $41.2 billion, $54.6 billion, $47.5 billion, $45.3 billion, $45.5 billion and $44.4 billion, respectively, which is a significant reduction in the historic volatility experienced in the DRAM market.

Flash memory market continues to grow . Flash consumption is driven by the growth in demand for smartphones, SSDs for notebooks, servers and cloud computing, and other NAND based applications. According to IDC, the worldwide NAND market is expected to grow from $31.9 billion in 2016 to $44.6 billion by 2021, representing a 6.9% CAGR.

Increasing memory demand for smartphones in Brazil . Consumer demand for smartphones in Brazil is expected to grow, supported by the growing middle class, improvement in cellular and wireless infrastructure and current low levels of penetration of mobile devices. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, the Brazilian middle class is expected to expand from 41% of the population, or 76 million people, in 2005, to 58% of the population, or 127 million people, by 2025. As a result, smartphone penetration is expected to increase. According to ITData Consultoria, sales of mobile phones in Brazil are expected to reach 53.5 million units in 2018 (a 6.7% increase over 2016) and to grow to 56.0 million units in 2020, with smartphones sales expected to account for 50.0 million units in 2018 (a 12% increase over 2016) and 53.5 million units in 2020. We expect this increase in smartphone penetration to drive a corresponding increase in the demand for mobile memory components and modules.

Increasing local content requirements in Brazil and other incentives. Local content requirements have been central to the Brazilian regulatory environment since the 1960s. These regulations are aimed at promoting job creation, sustaining economic growth and increasing the competitiveness of various domestic industries, and have helped enable a significant expansion of the Brazilian middle class. Local content requirements have been instrumental in the development of numerous key industries in Brazil, including automotive, oil and gas, aerospace, healthcare and IT. For example, local content regulation in Brazil’s automotive industry has helped the country become the world’s eighth largest automotive market and tenth largest producer of cars and commercial vehicles in 2016, according to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers. Once implemented, Brazil’s local content requirements have been generally maintained or increased over time. In 2012, regulations were passed that require that automotive companies perform certain manufacturing activities in Brazil, and the granting of tax relief is conditioned on the amount of local content applied within the manufacturing process.

In the IT industry, government programs have been introduced to incentivize manufacturers to establish and expand their operations in Brazil and to incentivize OEMs to purchase locally manufactured components for their products.

 

   

Lei da Informática—Processo Produtivo Básico (PPB/IT Program), 1991 : Provides for significant tax benefits for companies that develop or produce computing and automation goods locally and invest in

 

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IT-related research and development in Brazil. The PPB/IT Program requirements for local content are published publicly on a periodic basis and typically include the requirements for the three to four-year period following publication. The PPB/IT Program requirements for locally sourced memory components from calendar years 2008 to 2019 are set forth below.

 

Local Content Requirements

 

PPB/IT Program Requirements for PC and
Server Memory

  2008     2009     2010     2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019  

Notebook DRAM

  IC Packaging     0     30     30     40     50     60     80     80     80     80     80     80

Desktop DRAM

  IC Packaging     10     10     10     10     10     30     50     60     80     80     80     80

Server DRAM

  IC Packaging     80     80     80     80     80     80     80     80     80     80     80     80

PPB/IT Program Requirements for Mobile
Memory

  2008     2009     2010     2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019  

Notebook SSD

  IC Packaging     0     0     0     35     40     30     40     40     40     40     40     40

SSD Module

  Flash IC Packaging     0     0     0     0     0     40     60     80     30     40     60     80

Mobile/Smartphones

  microSD Cards     0     0     0     0     5     5     10     20     40     50     50     50
  All Other Memory
Types (1)
    0     0     0     0     0     0     5     20     40     50     60 % (2)       60 % (2)  

PPB/IT Program Requirements for TV

  2008     2009     2010     2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019  

TV

  IC Packaging     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     30     40     40     40

 

(1) Includes mobile DRAM, eMMC and eMCP.
(2) For mobile memory components, 60% has been recommended by the ministries for 2018 and 2019 but is still subject to final approval.

Source: Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Interministerial Ordinances 287/2014, 85/2014, 239/2016, 179/2016, 141/2015, 263/2014, 14/2016 and 21/2017 and Public Consultation 36/16.

OEMs that are PPB/IT Program-compliant and who fulfill the above local content requirements receive substantial benefits, including a reduction in excise taxes on their purchases from qualified suppliers as well as a reduction in the taxes that they are required to charge on sales to their end customers. We estimate that the aggregate of the PPB/IT Program-related tax benefits is around 28% of the resale value of the OEM’s end products. These tax benefits provide a strong incentive for OEMs to purchase products from local content manufacturers such as us. Local content requirements for mobile memory products for smartphones increased from 25% in 2015 to 50% in 2017 and is expected to increase to 60% in 2018.

Other tax incentives introduced to incentivize manufacturers to establish and expand their operations in Brazil, include the following:

 

   

Lei do Bem, 2005: Fosters technology innovation in Brazil by providing a reduction in corporate income tax through allowance of expenses related to research and development activities.

 

   

PADIS, 2007, extended in 2016: Awards incentives and provides significant tax relief, including reductions in the Brazilian aggregate statutory income tax rates, to semiconductor and display companies that invest in research and development and that promote the development, design, test and packaging processes in Brazil. Furthermore, combining PADIS and PPB/IT Program-compliance provides additional financial incentives to OEMs that purchase modules containing components that are locally processed from wafers.

In 2013, the EU, later joined by Japan, requested the establishment of a panel within the WTO to determine whether certain measures enacted by the Brazilian government concerning tax incentives and local content requirements for the automotive sector and several other industries including the IT industry and including PADIS, the PPB/IT Program and Lei do Bem, are inconsistent with WTO rules. The panel was formed, hearings were held and in December 2016, the WTO circulated its report to the parties. This report is subject to feedback from the parties and has not been released to the public. While we cannot predict the outcome of the WTO’s decision, a negative ruling could result in significant adverse changes to the local content rules and incentives available to us and our customers in Brazil. Any suspension, early termination or other adverse change in the

 

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local content requirements could significantly reduce the demand for, and the profit margins on, our products in Brazil, and would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our Competitive Strengths

We believe our core competitive strengths include:

Strong presence in Brazil. We are the largest local manufacturer of DRAM components and DRAM modules for the desktop, notebook and server markets in Brazil as measured by market share. We are also the first company to develop manufacturing capabilities for Flash-based products in Brazil, where we are the leading manufacturer of mobile memory products, such as mobile DRAM, eMMC and eMCP. We benefit from having a first mover advantage in Brazil (having invested over $170 million in the country since 2002 to build and improve our advanced manufacturing facilities) and understand government initiatives and how to navigate regulatory requirements to benefit our company and our customers. We believe we are well positioned to maintain our established leadership in Brazil’s memory market and to extend our leadership in the growing mobile memory market.

Our experience in Brazil has helped us develop expertise in semiconductor technology and advanced manufacturing that allows us to be a trusted local supplier to OEMs. We have demonstrated our ability to produce solutions with shrinking geometries and increasing complexity. In addition, we benefit from a strategic wafer supply relationship that has provided us with a strong, continuous supply of competitively priced wafers for use in the local market. Through this relationship, our collaboration on technology and processes with key suppliers and our continued capital investment, we strive to maintain our advanced manufacturing capabilities and operate at a high level of efficiency with capabilities and scale that are difficult for a competitor to replicate. We have also made significant investments in assembling and training a staff of over 480 employees who comprise many of the leading semiconductor technology professionals in the country.

Well positioned to benefit from Brazilian local content regulations. Increasing local content requirements help drive our growth strategy in Brazil. For example, local content requirements for mobile memory products for smartphones increased from 25% in 2015 to 50% in 2017 and is expected to increase to 60% in 2018. While qualified suppliers are allowed to import a relatively small portion of this requirement with minimal local processing, we are the only company currently qualified that can package and test these products locally. Global suppliers of memory components and modules not manufactured in Brazil cannot address the local content purchasing requirements of OEM customers selling products in Brazil. As a result of our infrastructure, scale and capabilities in Brazil, we have a significant advantage in being able to satisfy these local content requirements.

Business model focused on specialized markets and strong customer collaboration. The complexity of applications today requires sophisticated memory solutions with a high degree of specialization and customization to fulfill the requirements of OEMs. In specialty memory, we focus on opportunities in markets that feature products with longer life cycles (typically five to seven years), specialized form factors and customized firmware which typically require intensive and time consuming qualification processes and create high switching costs for our customers. Our research and development teams are closely aligned with our customers, and this collaboration enables early stage adoption of our solutions and significant visibility into our customers’ product roadmaps. Our global supply chain services also foster further customer attachment. Our high level of collaboration and integration with our customers make it difficult, costly and time consuming for them to switch to an alternative supplier.

Global footprint and delivery network. We are located near many of our largest customers and their manufacturing partners around the world, offering extensive global manufacturing, engineering and supply chain management capabilities. We have three manufacturing facilities located in the United States, Brazil and Malaysia; eight facilities with engineering and research and development operations located in five countries; and employees located in nine countries across the world. Our established global network of component sources

 

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helps to ensure that our pricing remains competitive and that we are able to provide a stable source of supply for our customers.

Advanced manufacturing capabilities. We have invested in facilities and processes tailored to meet the exacting demands and specialized requirements of our OEM customers while maintaining a high level of efficiency, quality and productivity. Our advanced processes enable us to provide quick turnaround to meet our customer demands. Our extensive quality control programs and sophisticated test capabilities help to ensure a low defect rate and, for markets that require it, we offer reliability testing and screening substantially above standard industry practices. Our advanced manufacturing capabilities and processes are International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, 9001:2008, 14001:2004 and Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series, or OHSAS, 18001:2007 compliant, and our manufacturing facilities have been audited for compliance with the standards of the Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition, or EICC, which is increasingly a requirement of major global OEMs.

Flexible operating model. We believe our operating model has enabled us to maintain margins that are more stable than those of many of the largest memory manufacturers, as such memory manufacturers own their own wafer fabs which are extremely costly to build. Our advanced manufacturing capabilities are focused on packaging and test of ICs after they are produced in wafer form at a wafer fab. As we do not own or operate our own wafer fabs, we have low capital expenditures relative to semiconductor manufacturers. Our business also is characterized by low fixed costs. Both factors have helped us maintain generally stable margins through market cycles.

Ability to manage complex supply chains at scale . Our need to manage complex supply chains helped us develop our proprietary software platform, utilized by a team of dedicated professionals to meet the specific needs of our customers. We integrate our proprietary software platform with our customers’ procurement management as well as our suppliers’ distribution management systems to enable supply chain planning and execution, which lowers costs and increases efficiency. We believe this ability to manage complex supply chains at scale helps our customers minimize inventory levels while ensuring timely supply of material.

Proven management team with history of execution. We have an experienced and long-serving senior management team with an average tenure of approximately 18 years. The management team has a successful track record of operating the business through many market cycles and industry changes. Our senior management team has deep relationships throughout the sector and extensive knowledge of the global memory market as well as the Brazilian IT industry and regulatory environment.

Our Strategy

Our goals are to further strengthen our leadership position in the design, manufacture and supply of specialty memory solutions for leading OEMs and to pursue opportunities for growth in existing and new markets. We are pursuing the following strategies to achieve our goals:

Maintain our existing leadership in Brazil and enhance our manufacturing capabilities. We plan to continue to invest in our Brazilian desktop, notebook and server DRAM businesses to ensure that we are well positioned to maintain our leadership in these markets. We are enhancing our manufacturing capabilities to meet the increasing technological requirements of improved and new generations of DRAM devices needed to address the demand for our memory products manufactured in Brazil. We expect these enhancements to enable us to improve efficiencies, increase yields and advance our competitive position in our core DRAM businesses.

Capture growing mobile memory market in Brazil. We expect to continue to leverage our experience and success in our desktop, notebook and server DRAM business to capitalize upon high-growth markets for mobile memory. We will seek to grow our market share with OEMs that are currently utilizing imported mobile memory components to manufacture smartphones in Brazil, as local content requirements for mobile memory components, such as eMMC, eMCP and mobile DRAM, increased from 40% in 2016 to 50% in 2017 and is expected to increase to 60% in 2018. In December 2013 and again in December 2014, one of our subsidiaries in

 

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Brazil obtained financing from BNDES to purchase capital equipment and invest in further expansion of our operations in Brazil. We utilized much of the proceeds from the BNDES Agreements to purchase capital equipment and expand our manufacturing capabilities to capture growth opportunities in the mobile memory market. We believe our investments in infrastructure, customer relationships and broad set of solutions position us to capitalize on growing mobile memory demand and increasing local content requirements.

Maintain our leadership in specialty memory. We intend to remain a leader among specialty memory suppliers. We will continue to focus on delivering innovative solutions to help our customers improve functionality, enhance their supply chain, reduce costs and accelerate their time-to-market. To ensure we can meet the demands of our existing customers, we will continue to invest in research and development, our facilities and our workforce, especially as our new product offerings in DDR4 and embedded Flash memory continue to ramp.

Expand our total addressable market by offering innovative new products and by capitalizing on new market opportunities . We intend to leverage our experience and capabilities to launch new products and expand into new markets. We believe this will allow us to further penetrate our existing customers as well as increase the number of customers that we serve. Our strategy is based on providing specialized products that require levels of service and support that larger semiconductor manufacturers often do not provide. As part of this strategy, we introduced eMMC products for networking, communications, industrial and medical markets, where we expect strong growth for eMMC solutions. We believe that our long-term customer and supplier relationships provide a key advantage in gaining entry into new markets. In addition, we recently added memory solutions for SmartTVs to our product offerings in Brazil. We plan to continue investing in innovation in strategic areas, such as Flash and solid state storage and the evolving technology transition to DDR4.

Expand our global coverage. Devices and applications using memory are required in every region of the world, requiring OEMs to maintain a global supply chain to meet that demand. In addition to the United States and Brazil, we plan to increase our presence internationally and target new OEM and ODM customers in Europe and Asia.

Our Products and Services

We design, manufacture and supply specialty memory solutions for leading OEMs worldwide. By working closely with our customers we are able to deliver technically advanced products designed to meet their specific needs. As a result of close collaboration with our customers and suppliers, we are able to design competitive solutions to satisfy our customers’ memory and storage requirements, shorten their time-to-market and enhance the performance of their end products. We also offer a wide array of integrated supply chain services to enable our customers to manage supply chain planning and execution, which reduces costs and increases productivity.

 

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Category

  

Description

  

SMART Product

Brazil    DRAM Components   

Modules for desktops, notebooks and

  

• DRAM ICs

   DRAM Modules    servers and ICs for SmartTVs   

• RDIMM,UDIMM,SODIMM,DIMM

   Flash Components   

Mobile DRAM and Flash

  

• Flash ICs

   Mobile Memory   

products for mobile devices

  

• LPDDR3, eMMC, eMCP

• Flash FBGA

• Flash: LGA /microSD /UFD

• Flash: SSD

 

Specialty Memory

  

 

DRAM

  

 

Specialty DRAM modules:

• DDR4

• DDR3

• DDR2

• DDR

• PC133/100

• FPM/EDO

• SDRAM

  

 

• NVDIMM

• LRDIMM

• FBDIMM

• RDIMM

• UDIMM

• SO-DIMM

• Mini-DIMM

• XR-DIMM

• MIP: Module in a package

  

 

Flash

  

 

Embedded and Removable NAND Flash:

• SLC

• MLC

  

 

• eMMC

• Compact Flash: CF card, CFast

• SATA: mSATA, SATA Slim, iSATA, uSATA

• 2.5” SSD, M.2

• EFD: Embedded flash drive

• USB: eUSB, Enterprise USBMK

• SD cards

• microSD cards

• M.2 PCIe NVMe

 

Supply Chain Services

  

 

Supply Chain Services

  

 

Customized, integrated supply chain services to assist customers in the management and execution of their procurement processes

  

 

• Procurement

• Inventory management

• Temporary warehousing

• Kitting

• Packaging services

• Programming

DRAM

In Brazil, we process imported wafers and cut, package and test them to create DRAM memory components used to manufacture modules and other products. We also manufacture standard, high-volume DRAM modules for desktop, notebook and server applications. In 2014, we began to manufacture mobile DRAM components to address new markets in Brazil for mobile products, such as smartphones.

In our specialty memory solutions business, we offer an extensive lineup of DRAM modules utilizing a wide range of DRAM technologies from legacy Synchronous DRAM to double-data-rate, or DDR, DDR2, DDR3 and leading-edge, high-performance DDR4 DRAM devices. These modules encompass a broad range of form factors and functions, including dual in-line memory modules, or DIMMs, nonvolatile DIMMs, load reducing DIMMs, registered DIMMs, unbuffered DIMMs, small outline dual in-line memory modules, and mini-DIMMs and XR-DIMMs for industrial, communications and networking applications. These memory modules come in configurations of up to 288 pins and densities of up to 128 gigabytes. We utilize advanced printed circuit board and device packaging/stacking technologies to achieve cost-effective high-density solutions. We also develop specialized memory module designs based on specific OEM requirements. We employ extensive software based electrical and thermal simulations in the design of DDR, DDR2, DDR3 and DDR4 DIMMs and test those designs on high-end functional testers utilizing a broad set of test suites. These products are designed to meet the quality requirements of enterprise class systems pursuant to stringent specifications required by various high speed applications described above.

 

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Flash

In Brazil, we have in the past three years begun to process wafers to create Flash components. We use these components to manufacture eMMC and eMCP products to address the markets for mobile products in Brazil, including smartphones.

In our specialty memory solutions business, we design and manufacture Flash memory products in a variety of form factors and capacities. Our wide range of Flash memory products includes CompactFlash, SD/micro SD Cards and PCIe configurations. We also offer USB products in removal key and embedded configurations, and Serial Advanced Technology Attachment, or SATA, products in mSATA, SATA Slim, iSATA, uSATA, M.2 and 2.5” form factors. Our Flash modules are predominantly used in communications equipment, aerospace, automotive, industrial, defense, printers, servers and storage, switches and routers. Additionally, we are developing a line of eMMCs to address industrial, medical and networking specialty memory markets.

Supply Chain Services

We also offer supply chain services, including procurement, logistics, inventory management, temporary warehousing, programming, kitting and packaging services. We tailor our supply chain service offerings to meet the specific needs of our customers to enable our customers to manage supply chain planning and execution, which reduces costs and increases productivity. Our supply chain services are based on our proprietary software platform that we develop, which are then integrated with our customers’ respective procurement management systems as well as our suppliers’ distribution management systems. Our global footprint allows us to provide these services to our customers and their manufacturing partners in many regions of the world. Our global inventory management capabilities allow us to manage a vast array of customer and supplier part numbers across our worldwide manufacturing and logistics hubs, helping our customers minimize inventory levels while maintaining reliable delivery and availability of supply. In fiscal 2016, we processed over 1.9 million transactions with an aggregate value of $1.4 billion. We believe that our close collaboration with customers on proprietary supply chain services increases the switching costs and the level of attachment of our specialty memory customers.

Manufacturing and Test

Manufacturing

We have manufacturing facilities in Atibaia, Brazil; Newark, California; and Penang, Malaysia. Our manufacturing facilities have been ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:2007 certified. Additionally, we are a member of the EICC, and our manufacturing facilities are compliant with the EICC Code of Conduct, which is increasingly a business requirement of global OEM customers. We believe that our manufacturing operations have benefited from our many years of design experience and our existing library of proven designs which stress high manufacturability and quality. Over 25 years of manufacturing experience enables us to quickly move from manufacturing initiation to full production volumes of new products which is paramount in helping our customers achieve rapid time-to-market for their new product introductions. As a result of our design efficiencies, high level of automation and expertise in utilizing advanced manufacturing processes, we achieve high manufacturing yields and reduced direct labor costs and offer our customers quick turnaround of both small and large production orders, which is a key factor in enabling our build-to-order model.

While we do not own or operate wafer fabs, we have capabilities for subsequent stages of the product manufacturing cycle. Our manufacturing capabilities in Brazil consist of receiving unmounted ICs in wafer form from third-party wafer fabs, preparing and packaging the ICs into semiconductor components, testing the components, and in some cases placing these components on substrates or printed circuit boards to make modules or multi-chip packages. Our advanced manufacturing capabilities have enabled us to become the largest local manufacture of DRAM components and DRAM modules for the desktop, notebook and server markets in Brazil, as measured by market share. In recent years, we have expanded our manufacturing capabilities to enable us to manufacture mobile DRAM components and products as well as to process Flash wafers to manufacture

 

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NAND components. We also manufacture various Flash-based products, including eMCP and eMMC products. Through our investments and experience in Brazil, we have developed expertise in semiconductor technology and advanced manufacturing that allows us to manufacture products with shrinking geometries and increasing complexity. We continue to make significant capital investments to expand our manufacturing capabilities and operate at a high level of efficiency.

Test

Product testing is an important aspect of our manufacturing operations and we believe that we have established substantial technical expertise in the testing of products for high-end applications. Our extensive testing capabilities not only help to ensure a low defect rate, but they also enable us, in certain situations, to sell specialized testing as an additional service. We test our products for full functionality and we design customer-specific testing processes that differ from the core focus of standard memory module providers. We have achieved stringent quality targets across a broad spectrum of system applications and customer-specific designs. Our staff includes experienced test engineers who have developed proprietary testing routines and parameters which, combined with our advanced test equipment, enable us to diagnose problems in components as well as in system design, and enable us to characterize the performance of new products and to provide high quality products in volume.

We employ extensive software-based electrical and thermal simulations in the design of DDR, DDR2, DDR3 and DDR4 modules and test those designs on high-end functional testers utilizing a broad set of test suites. These tests are designed to meet the quality requirements of enterprise class systems pursuant to stringent specifications required by various high speed applications. We also conduct design verification testing of hardware and firmware as well as system integration and reliability testing. We work to continually improve our test routines and associated software and have recently developed a high-volume, fully automated reliability testing and screening capability substantially beyond standard industry practices that enables us to reduce the occurrence of early life failures and weak module fallout which can save our customers from the often significant expenses associated with replacing products that fail after their field deployment.

Customers

Our principal end customers include global OEMs that compete in the computing, networking, communications, storage, aerospace, defense, mobile and industrial markets. Overall, we served more than 250 end customers in fiscal 2016. During the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, sales to our ten largest end customers (including sales to contract manufacturers or ODMs at the direction of such end customers) accounted for 77%, 81% and 75% of net sales, respectively. Of our end customers, Samsung accounted for 18%, 13% and 11% of net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively; Cisco accounted for 15%, 19% and 16% of net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively; Lenovo accounted for 13% of net sales in fiscal 2016; HP accounted for 14% of net sales in fiscal 2015 (in fiscal 2016, HP undertook a spin-off and divided into two distinct companies, following which neither company accounted for 10% or more of our net sales); and Dell accounted for 15% of net sales in fiscal 2015. Direct sales to Samsung accounted for 18%, 13% and 11% of net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively; direct sales to Flex accounted for 17% of net sales in fiscal 2016; direct sales to Hon Hai accounted for 11%, 11% and 11% of net sales during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively; and direct sales to Dell accounted for 15% of net sales in fiscal 2015. During these periods, no other customers accounted for more than 10% of our net sales. Our longstanding relationship with Cisco, spanning approximately 20 years, exists within multiple business units and engineering organizations within Cisco. Our products are manufactured on a build-to-order basis for OEMs. Our sales are made primarily pursuant to customer purchase orders and are not based on long-term supply agreements. Most of our business is on a purchase order basis; accordingly, we have limited backlog and we do not believe our backlog is material or indicative of anticipated net sales.

 

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Suppliers

To address the needs of our customers, we have developed and maintained relationships with leading semiconductor suppliers located in Asia, Europe and the Americas. Our semiconductor suppliers include many of the world’s largest memory manufacturers including Samsung, Micron, SK Hynix and Toshiba. We frequently work jointly with our suppliers in bidding for customers’ design-in opportunities. We also work closely with our suppliers to better ensure that materials are available and delivered on time. Our established global network of component sources helps to ensure that our pricing remains competitive and that we are able to provide a stable source of supply for our customers.

We believe that our longstanding relationships with leading suppliers put us in a favorable position to procure sufficient quantities of materials, including during periods of industry shortages. Our flexible and responsive global manufacturing capabilities, inventory management systems and global IT system allow us to cost-effectively move materials from one site to another and often deploy what might otherwise be excess inventory among other products and OEM customers. We purchase almost all of our materials, including wafers used in our memory products in Brazil, from our suppliers on a purchase order basis and generally do not have long-term commitments from suppliers.

Sales, Support and Marketing

We primarily sell our products directly to global OEMs through our direct sales force located across North America, Latin America, Asia and Europe. Our sales and marketing efforts are conducted through an integrated process incorporating our direct sales force, customer service representatives and our FAEs with a network of independent sales representatives. Our sales and marketing efforts also include a high level of involvement from our senior executives. Larger OEM customers are also often supported by dedicated sales and support teams. As of February 24, 2017, we had 56 sales and marketing personnel worldwide.

Our on-site FAEs work closely with our sales team to provide product design support to our OEM customers. Our FAEs collaborate closely with our OEM customers, providing us with insight into their product roadmaps and allowing us to identify opportunities at an early stage to help grow our business. The combination of our integrated sales network with our FAEs enables us to be more responsive and successful in navigating through each customer’s unique and oftentimes complex design qualification process.

Our marketing activities include advertising in technical journals, publishing articles in leading industry periodicals and utilizing direct email solicitation. In addition to these marketing activities, we also participate in many industry trade shows worldwide. We have active memberships in industry organizations such as JEDEC, the USB Implementers Forum, the SD Card Association, the Storage Networking Industry Association, the CompactFlash Association, and Peripheral Component Interconnect Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG).

Research and Development

The timely development of new products is essential to maintaining our competitive position. Our research and development activities are conducted primarily at our research and development centers in Newark and Irvine, California; Atibaia, Brazil; Penang, Malaysia; Gilbert, Arizona; Seongnam-City, South Korea; and Tewksbury, Massachusetts. In 2013 we opened a new research and development center in New Taipei City, Taiwan. Our research and development activities are focused on driving innovation in our products as well as continuous process improvement for our procurement and manufacturing. Our product development includes innovations for next generation DRAM products, mobile DRAM, hybrid memories such as hybrid volatile and non-volatile DRAM or NVDIMM, enterprise memory, and many Flash-based products, such as eMMC and eMCP. We plan to continue to devote research and development efforts to the innovation and design of these and other new products which address the requirements of our customers, especially for growing markets for DRAM and Flash mobile memory products, such as mobile and automotive.

 

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We are developing a broad offering of Flash-based products targeting the automotive, industrial, medical, communications, mobile and networking markets. In order to enhance our efforts to develop innovative Flash products, we have increased our engineering resources significantly, including opening our research and development center in New Taipei City in 2013, where our engineering team is dedicated to firmware development, systems engineering and integration, system and platform validation and applications, and product and reliability engineering for new Flash memory products, including our eMMC product. In addition, in order to take advantage of local regulations and government incentive programs for the growing mobile memory market in Brazil, we have invested substantial financial and management resources to expand our Brazilian research and development capabilities to enable us to develop a broad offering of Flash-based products for the local market.

Our advanced engineering and design capabilities allow us to address our customers’ increasingly complex needs. We design our products to be compatible with existing industry standards and, where appropriate, develop and promote new standards or provide custom solutions to meet customers’ requirements. An important aspect of our research and development effort is understanding the challenges presented by our customers’ requirements and addressing them by utilizing our industry knowledge, proprietary technologies and technical expertise. By working closely with our customers and suppliers, we are able to deliver technically advanced products designed to meet customer-specific needs with competitive solutions to satisfy our customers’ memory and storage requirements, shorten their time-to-market and enhance the performance of our customers’ end products.

We spent $19.6 million, $38.1 million and $43.7 million on research and development during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively. As of February 24, 2017, we had 129 research and development personnel worldwide.

Competition

We primarily compete against global and local memory module providers, and to a lesser extent, large semiconductor memory IC manufacturers that utilize a portion of their capacity to manufacture memory modules. The principal competitive factors in our markets include the ability to meet customer-specific requirements and provide high product quality, strong technical support, technologically advanced products and services, advanced testing capabilities, flexible and global delivery options, reliable supply and reasonable pricing. Our principal competitors include:

 

   

Providers of specialty memory products, including Viking Technology, ATP, Unigen, Apacer and Transcend;

 

   

In Brazil, local manufacturers of DRAM modules and Flash products and local manufacturers of memory ICs, including HT Micron;

 

   

Semiconductor memory IC manufacturers that also manufacture DRAM modules and Flash products, including Samsung, Micron, Western Digital, SK Hynix and Toshiba; and

 

   

In our supply chain services business, a broad set of companies, including distributors and third party logistics providers as well as our customers’ in-house solutions.

Some of our global competitors are large international companies that have substantially greater financial, technical, marketing, distribution and other resources, as well as greater name recognition and longer-standing relationships with customers and suppliers than we do. In contrast with our focus on specialty memory products with high levels of service and support, these competitors are generally focused on high-volume memory and storage products that are manufactured to industry standard specifications, and they have limited customization and service capabilities.

In addition, some of our competitors are also our suppliers or customers. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Business—Sales to a limited number of customers represents a significant portion of our net sales, and the loss of any key customer or key program, or the demands of our key customers, could materially harm our

 

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business, results of operations and financial condition” and “—Our dependence on a small number of sole or limited source suppliers subjects us to certain risks, including the risk that we may be unable to obtain adequate supplies at a reasonable price and in a timely manner.”

In Brazil, our competitors are generally much smaller in scale than we are in terms of revenue and capabilities for manufacturing and for research and development. To a lesser degree, we compete with companies that import DRAM and Flash components and products. We believe that import duties and local content requirements in Brazil give us an advantage over these companies. As the local market grows, competition may increase in Brazil.

Intellectual Property

We rely on a combination of trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, copyright and, to a lesser extent, patents to protect our intellectual property rights. As of April 28, 2017, we have 26 issued patents, including 25 patents issued in the United States and one patent issued in South Korea, expiring between 2022 and 2035, excluding any additional patent term for patent term adjustments. In addition, we have 29 patent applications pending, including 17 patent applications in the United States, seven patent applications in Brazil, three patent applications in Malaysia, one patent application in South Korea, and one patent application in Argentina. We also own a number of trademark registrations, including registrations in the United States for the word marks MHUB and SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES and for our stylized “S” logo in combination with the word SMART and, in Brazil, registrations for our stylized “S” logo.

While many of our products contain proprietary aspects, the majority of our products are built to meet industry standards, such as those set by JEDEC, the standards-setting organization for the semiconductor industry. The absence of patent protection for most of our products means that we cannot prevent our competitors from reverse-engineering and duplicating those products. Much of our intellectual property is know-how and trade secrets, and often we rely on the technological skills and innovation of our personnel rather than on patent protection. We believe that our continued success depends largely on our customer relationships, manufacturing and support capabilities and the technical expertise we have developed in manufacturing and designing products, and we rely on trade secret laws and non-disclosure agreements to protect this aspect of our business.

Employees

As of February 24, 2017, we had 1,139 full-time employees.

Our employee relations in Brazil are subject to Brazilian labor laws and regulations as well as collective bargaining arrangements that are negotiated every year. Four of these collective bargaining agreements are specific to our company while there are other collective bargaining agreements that are generally applicable to certain segments of the electronics industry. The applicable labor laws and regulations, as well as the collective bargaining agreements, principally relate to matters such as formal working time compensation, paid annual vacation, paid sick days, length of the workday and payments for overtime, profit sharing and severance. Although a very small number of our employees in Brazil are members of a labor union, all employees in Brazil are represented by the unions for labor and employment matters.

We have never experienced a work stoppage in any of our locations worldwide, and we consider our employee relations to be good.

 

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Facilities

We have facilities in Newark, California; Atibaia, Brazil; Penang, Malaysia; New Taipei City, Taiwan; Gilbert, Arizona; Tewksbury, Massachusetts; Irvine, California; East Kilbride, Scotland; and Seongnam-City, South Korea.

 

Location

  

Facility size
(Sq. Feet)

  

Leased or
Owned

  

Lease Expiration

  

Capabilities

Newark, CA

   79,480 13,863   

Leased

Leased

  

April 2021

September 2017

  

U.S. Headquarters Procurement

R&D

Manufacturing

Sales

Supply Chain Services

Atibaia, Brazil

   121,632    Leased    June 2022   

Procurement

R&D

Manufacturing

Sales

Penang, Malaysia*

   86,730    Owned    N/A   

Procurement

R&D

Manufacturing

Sales

Supply Chain Services

New Taipei City, Taiwan

   13,957    Leased    November 2019   

Procurement

R&D

Sales

Gilbert, AZ

   9,750    Leased    February 2019   

Procurement

R&D

Sales

Tewksbury, MA

   7,666    Leased    July 2018    R&D

Irvine, CA

   4,394    Leased    August 2017   

Procurement

R&D

Sales

East Kilbride, Scotland

   3,300    Leased    July 2019    Supply Chain Services

Seongnam-City, South Korea

   2,836    Leased    July 2018    R&D

 

* Our Penang facility is situated on leased land with a term expiring in 2070.

We also lease a number of smaller design, planning and sales facilities worldwide.

Brazilian Local Content Requirements and Other Regulatory Issues

Brazilian Local Content Requirements

We expect to continue to invest both in maintaining our leadership position, as measured by market share, in our core Brazilian desktop, notebook and server DRAM businesses and in positioning ourselves to be a leading provider in Brazil for mobile DRAM and Flash memory products. We further expect that local content requirements as well as other government incentive programs in Brazil will help drive our growth strategies, as various tax incentives exist to promote the development of the local IT industry. In Brazil, we participate in three government investment incentive programs.

 

   

PPB/IT Program, 1991 : Provides for significant relief from various tax provisions for companies that develop or produce computing and automation goods and invest in IT-related research and development

 

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in Brazil. OEMs that are PPB/IT Program-compliant and who fulfill the local content requirements receive substantial benefits including a reduction in excise taxes on their purchases from qualified suppliers as well as a reduction in the taxes that they are required to charge on sales to their end customers. We estimate that the aggregate of the PPB/IT Program-related tax benefits can range from 15% to as high as 36% of the resale value of the OEMs’ end products. These tax benefits are a strong incentive for OEMs to purchase products from local content manufacturers such as SMART Brazil, our Brazilian operating subsidiary.

 

   

Lei do Bem, 2005 : Fosters technology innovation in Brazil by providing a reduction in corporate income tax through the allowance of deductions for expenses related to research and development activities.

 

   

PADIS, 2007, extended in 2016: Awards incentives and significant tax relief, including reductions in the Brazilian aggregate statutory income tax rates, to semiconductor and display companies that invest in research and development and that promote the development, design, test and packaging processes in Brazil. Furthermore, combining PADIS with PPB/IT Program-compliance provides additional financial incentives to OEMs that purchase modules that contain components that are locally processed from wafers.

As the leading local manufacturer of desktop, notebook and server DRAM modules and DRAM components as well as DRAM and Flash mobile memory products in Brazil, as measured by market share, we benefit substantially from these incentives and local content requirements. A cancellation, reduction or other adverse change in any of these incentives or local content requirements, or our failure to meet these requirements, could have a negative impact on our tax rates and could significantly reduce the demand for, and the profit margins on, our products in Brazil.

In 2013, the EU, later joined by Japan, requested the establishment of a panel within the WTO to determine whether certain measures enacted by the Brazilian government concerning tax incentives and local content requirements for the automotive sector and several other industries including the IT industry and including PADIS, the PPB/IT Program and Lei do Bem, are inconsistent with WTO rules. The panel was formed, hearings were held and in December 2016, the WTO circulated its report to the parties. This report is subject to feedback from the parties and has not been released to the public. While we cannot predict the outcome of the WTO’s decision, a negative ruling could result in significant adverse changes to the local content rules and incentives available to us and our customers in Brazil. Any suspension, early termination or other adverse change in the local content requirements could significantly reduce the demand for, and the profit margins on, our products in Brazil, and would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Environmental Regulations

Our operations and properties are subject to a variety of environmental laws and regulations of the United States and other jurisdictions governing, among other things, air emissions, wastewater discharges, management and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous materials and wastes, reverse logistics (take-back policy) and remediation of releases of hazardous materials. The presence of lead in quantities not believed to be significant have been found in the ground under one of the multi-tenant buildings we lease in Brazil. While we did not cause the contamination, we may be held responsible if remediation is required, although we may be entitled to seek indemnification from responsible parties under Brazilian law and from our lessor under our lease. We cannot be certain that identification of presently unidentified environmental conditions, more vigorous enforcement by regulatory agencies, enactment of more stringent laws and regulations or other unanticipated events will not arise in the future and cause additional material liabilities which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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Legal Proceedings

We are currently involved in, and may in the future be involved in, legal proceedings, claims and government investigations in the ordinary course of business. We are involved in litigation, and may in the future be involved in litigation, with third parties asserting, among other things, infringement of their intellectual property rights. We are currently involved in several proceedings, including the following:

Netlist patent litigation . On September 10, 2012, SMART Modular filed a complaint in the Eastern District of California against Netlist alleging infringement of certain claims of SMART Modular’s U.S. Patent No. 8,250,295, or the ‘295 patent, and seeking, among other things, a preliminary injunction. Netlist filed certain counterclaims alleging, among other things, attempted monopolization, collusion, unfair competition, fraud on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, or the USPTO, and sham litigation, and asserting that the ‘295 patent is invalid. The counterclaims do not specify the amount of damages. Netlist also filed a request for reexamination of the ‘295 patent in the USPTO. On May 30, 2013, the court denied SMART Modular’s motion for a preliminary injunction and granted a stay in the proceedings pending the outcome of the reexamination. On or about April 29, 2014, the USPTO issued a non-final Action Closing Prosecution, or ACP, confirming the patentability of the original claims of SMART Modular’s ‘295 patent and rejecting certain claims added during the reexamination process. On May 29, 2014, after the ACP, SMART Modular filed comments requesting that all of the original claims and certain of the added claims be confirmed as patentable. On June 30, 2014, Netlist filed comments challenging SMART Modular’s comments to the ACP. On August 4, 2015, the USPTO rejected Netlist’s challenges and affirmed its previous decision confirming the patentability of the original claims of SMART Modular’s ‘295 patent. On September 4, 2015, Netlist filed an appeal of the USPTO examiner’s decision to the Patent Trial and Appeals Board, or the PTAB. On February 25, 2016, the USPTO ruled in favor of SMART Modular and on September 21, 2016, the court granted SMART Modular’s motion to lift the stay in the Eastern District of California case. On November 14, 2016, the PTAB reversed the examiner’s decision to confirm certain claims of SMART Modular’s ‘295 patent and reversed the examiner’s decision to determine that certain newly added claims are patentable. On February 22, 2017, Netlist filed a motion to reinstate the stay in the court proceedings pending the outcome of the USPTO proceedings. SMART Modular filed an opposition to this motion, which is pending. SMART Modular is evaluating the next course of action with respect to the proceedings in the USPTO and the Eastern District of California.

On July 1, 2013, Netlist filed a lawsuit in the Central District of California against SMART Modular alleging claims very similar to Netlist’s counterclaims set forth in the Eastern District case. Netlist later amended its complaint to add additional parties, including SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc., or SMART Worldwide Holdings. Netlist has sought compensatory damages for the harm it claims to have suffered, as well as an award of treble damages and attorneys’ fees. The claims against SMART Modular and SMART Worldwide Holdings were transferred to the Eastern District of California.

We believe that there are valid defenses to all of the claims and counterclaims made by Netlist and that the claims are without merit. SMART Modular and SMART Worldwide Holdings intend to vigorously fight the claims and counterclaims. The Company believes that the likelihood of any material charge resulting from these claims is remote.

Brazil tax assessments . On February 23, 2012, Brazilian federal tax authorities served our Brazilian operating subsidiary, SMART Brazil, with a tax assessment for approximately R$117.0 million (or $37.4 million), alleging that SMART Brazil had incorrectly used an import product classification code for its imports of unmounted ICs for the five calendar years of 2007 through and including 2011. The Brazilian tax authorities asserted that a different classification code, which carries an import duty of 8%, excise tax of 5% and the PIS and COFINS Contributions, at an aggregate 9.25%, should have been used instead of the classification code used by SMART Brazil, which carries an import duty of 0%, tax on manufactured products of 2% and PIS and COFINS Contributions at the same 9.25% rate. Brazilian federal tax authorities subsequently served a second assessment for an administrative penalty of approximately R$6.0 million (or $1.9 million) for the alleged use of an improper import code. Each assessment is subject to increases for interest and other charges.

 

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In March 2012, SMART Brazil filed defenses to the tax assessments. On May 2, 2013, the first level administrative tax court ruled in favor of the tax authorities and against SMART Brazil for the first tax assessment, but did not rule on the second assessment for the administrative penalty. SMART Brazil filed an appeal on May 31, 2013 at the second level tax court, known as CARF. SMART Brazil’s appeal was heard on November 26, 2013, and resulted in a unanimous favorable decision rejecting the position of the tax authorities. The ruling was published by the tax authorities and made official in February 2014. Subsequently, the tax authorities filed a request for clarification of certain points in the decision published by CARF, and on September 17, 2014, we received a unanimous ruling rejecting the tax authorities’ request for clarification. This ruling was published in October 2014. On November 7, 2014, the tax authorities notified CARF that they will not be appealing the CARF decision. As a result, the R$117.0 million (or $37.4 million) tax assessment has been extinguished. We have not received a decision from the first level administrative court with respect to the second notice of assessment for the administrative penalty. Due to the issuance of these tax assessments, Brazilian federal tax authorities conducted an enrollment of assets of SMART Brazil. Brazilian legislation states that whenever the sum of the debts owed to the Brazilian Revenue Service exceeds 30% of the known equity of a company and R$2.0 million (or $0.6 million), the Brazilian Revenue Service may conduct an enrollment of assets of the company, which is a means of monitoring the company’s equity. During this period, the taxpayer must notify the Brazilian Revenue Service of any disposal, encumbrance or transfer of the assets or rights enrolled within five days from the occurrence of the act; if the company does not provide such notice, then the Brazilian Revenue Service may file a tax injunction. The enrollment does not constitute a lien or encumbrance on the assets. The assets covered by the enrollment are typically assets classified as fixed assets or non-current assets and include assets that are subject to any form of registration before a public deed service or equivalent, such as real estate and vehicles. Other assets may be subject to enrollment in the event that the assets described above are not sufficient to satisfy the amount of the tax liability. The enrollment does not create any limitation or prohibition against remitting dividends or making cash payments of interest on equity. As the first assessment for R$117.0 million (or $37.4 million) has been extinguished, SMART Brazil has petitioned to have the enrollment cancelled. While the tax authorities have substantially reduced the amount of the enrollment to R$13.9 million (or $4.4 million) as of January 31, 2017, there can be no assurance that the enrollment will be cancelled unless all of the assessments are extinguished.

On December 12, 2013, SMART Brazil received another notice of assessment in the amount of R$3.6 million (or $1.2 million) relating to the same import issues and penalties described above, but for calendar years 2012 and 2013. This assessment only covers import-related taxes for the months of January 2012 to June 2012 because after this period the import duty and related taxes became 0% as a result of amendments to PADIS.

Although we believe that we have valid defenses to the assessment actions described above, we cannot provide assurance that we will ultimately prevail on the remaining tax assessments or the administrative penalties. In the event that we do not prevail in the assessment actions described above, the aggregate amount of the assessments and related penalties and interest could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flow and financial condition.

General. Litigation in general, and intellectual property litigation and governmental proceedings and litigation in particular, can be expensive and disruptive to normal business operations. Moreover, the results of complex legal proceedings are difficult to predict. We believe that we have defenses to the cases currently pending against us, including those set forth above, and although the results of these proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, we do not believe that there is a reasonable possibility that the final outcome of these matters will have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition. Regardless of the outcome, current or future litigation can have an adverse impact on us because of defense and settlement costs, diversion of management resources and other factors. For further information regarding the legal proceedings, claims and government investigations that we are involved in, see Note 10(c) to our consolidated financial statements.

 

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MANAGEMENT

Executive Officers and Directors

The following table sets forth the name, age and position of each of our executive officers and directors as of April 30, 2017.

 

Name

   Age     

Position

Executive Officers:

     

Iain MacKenzie

     58      President and Chief Executive Officer, Director

Jack Pacheco

     57      Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Alan Marten

     57      Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer

KiWan Kim

     54      Senior Vice President, Emerging Markets and President, SMART Brazil

Bruce Goldberg

     61      Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary

Non-Employee Directors:

     

Ajay Shah (2)

     57      Chairman of the Board

James Davidson

     57      Director

Kenneth Hao

     48      Director

Paul Mercadante (3)

     56      Director

Sandeep Nayyar (1)(3)

     57      Director

Mukesh Patel (1)(2)

     59      Director

Jason White (1)(3)

     36      Director

 

(1) Member of the audit committee.
(2) Member of the compensation committee.
(3) Member of the nominating and corporate governance committee.

Executive Officers

Iain MacKenzie has served as President of SMART Modular since February 2002. He served as a director of SMART Worldwide since April 2004 and became Chief Executive Officer of SMART Worldwide in September 2005. Mr. MacKenzie also served as a director of SMART Global Holdings since the Acquisition in August 2011. Previously, from 1998 to 2002, Mr. MacKenzie served as Vice President of Worldwide Operations through the sale of SMART Modular to Solectron, an electronics manufacturing services provider, in November 1999, and its integration into Solectron’s Technology Solutions Business unit. Prior to that, Mr. MacKenzie was responsible for the formation and growth of SMART Modular Technologies (Europe) Ltd., and he served as its general manager from 1997 to 1998. Before joining us in 1997, Mr. MacKenzie held various management and leadership positions at other high technology corporations including Hughes Microelectronics, Ferrofluidics, Inc. (NH), Digital Equipment Corp. (semiconductor division), and Apricot Computers Ltd., which was acquired by Mitsubishi Company. Mr. MacKenzie currently serves as a director of Ichor Systems and a member of its Compensation Committee and Audit Committee. Mr. MacKenzie holds the Higher National Diploma in mechanical and production engineering and the Ordinary National Diploma in electrical/electronics engineering, both from the Kirkcaldy College of Technology (Fife University) in Scotland.

As our President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. MacKenzie brings to our board of directors significant senior leadership, as well as technical expertise and significant experience in operations, engineering, sales, marketing and international transactions. As our top executive, Mr. MacKenzie has direct responsibility for strategy development and execution, and we believe that this perspective, coupled with his 19-year tenure with us, makes him well suited for service on our board of directors.

Jack Pacheco has served as our Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer since October 2011. Previously, from 2004 to 2008, Mr. Pacheco served as our Chief Financial Officer. Prior to rejoining us, from 2008 to 2011, Mr. Pacheco served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Mirion

 

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Technologies, Inc., a provider of radiation detection, measurement, analysis and monitoring products. From 2001 to 2004, Mr. Pacheco served as Chief Financial Officer for Ignis Optics, Inc., an optical components startup acquired by Bookham Technology Inc. He holds an M.B.A. degree from Golden Gate University and a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Washington State University.

Alan Marten has served as our Chief Strategy Officer since 2013 and Senior Vice President since October 2007. Previously, he served as Vice President and General Manager of our Memory Business Unit from April 2004 to October 2007 and held an equivalent position when our company was a business unit within Solectron from 1999 through its divestiture in 2004. Mr. Marten also held the positions of Vice President of Sales and Marketing from 1995 to 1999, and Director of Sales from 1990 to 1994. Prior to that, Mr. Marten served as Director of Product Management, Semiconductor and Memory Products, at Arrow Electronics, Inc. from 1987 to 1989. Mr. Marten began his career at Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. as a financial analyst and product-marketing manager. Mr. Martens holds a B.S. degree in Economics from Santa Clara University.

KiWan Kim has served as our Senior Vice President, Emerging Markets and President, SMART Brazil since January 2010 and is responsible for developing strategies to grow our business in emerging markets. Previously, from December 2000 to December 2009, Mr. Kim served in various positions in our company, including Vice President of Strategic Planning and Advanced Packaging from November 2006 to December 2009, Vice President and General Manager of our Display Product Group from October 2004 to October 2006 and Vice President of our DRAM Business Unit from December 2000 to September 2004. Mr. Kim began his career at Samsung Electronics, where he spent 13 years in various positions, ultimately serving as Sales Director. Mr. Kim holds a B.B.A. degree from Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea.

Bruce Goldberg has served as our Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer since August 2009 and as our Secretary since December 2016. Previously, from 1988 to 2007, Mr. Goldberg served in various legal and executive positions at All American Semiconductor, Inc., ultimately serving as President and Chief Executive Officer from 1997 to 2007. From 2007 to 2008, Mr. Goldberg served as a consultant to a public telecommunications company and, in 2008, as interim General Counsel for VeriFone Systems Inc. Mr. Goldberg holds a B.B.A. degree in Finance from the University of Miami School of Business and a J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law.

Non-Employee Directors

Ajay Shah has served as director and Chairman of the Board of SMART Worldwide since its spin-off from Solectron in April 2004 and a director and Chairman of the Board of SMART Global Holdings since the Acquisition in August 2011. Mr. Shah joined Silver Lake, a global investment firm, in 2007, and is the co-founder and Managing Partner of the firm’s middle market strategy, Silver Lake Sumeru. Since 2014, Mr. Shah has also served as a Senior Operating Partner of Sumeru Equity Partners, a middle-market private equity firm. Previously, he founded Shah Capital Partners, a private equity firm. Mr. Shah co-founded SMART Modular in 1988 and served as Chairman of the board of directors and Chief Executive Officer through SMART Modular’s initial public offering in 1995 and until 1999, when it was acquired by Solectron. Mr. Shah founded and managed the Technology Solutions Business unit of Solectron from 1999 to 2002. Mr. Shah currently serves on the boards of directors of a number of private technology companies including Opera Solutions, LLC and Velocity Technology Solutions, Inc. Mr. Shah previously served on the boards of directors of Magellan Navigation, Inc., AVI-SPL, Inc., CMAC MicroTechnology, Flex, Ingenient Technologies Inc., Northern California Public Broadcasting, Power-One, Inc., PulseCore Semiconductor, Spansion Inc. and TES Electronic Solutions. He is a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum, serves on the boards of National Audubon Society and The Indian School of Business, India and is a Trustee of the America India Foundation. Mr. Shah has a B.S. in Engineering from the University of Baroda, India and an M.S. degree in Engineering Management from Stanford University.

As co-founder and former Chief Executive Officer of SMART Modular, Mr. Shah brings to our board of directors extensive strategic and operational experience, as well as considerable historical knowledge about our

 

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company and industry. We believe that these factors, combined with Mr. Shah’s substantial experience in investing and finance and his service on the boards and board committees of technology companies make him well qualified for service as a director and Chairman of the board of directors of SMART Global Holdings.

James Davidson has served as a director since 2011. Mr. Davidson co-founded Silver Lake in 1999 and serves as a Managing Partner and Managing Director. From 1990 to 1998, Mr. Davidson was an investment banker with Hambrecht & Quist, a technology-focused investment bank and venture capital firm, most recently serving as Managing Director and Head of Technology Investment Banking. From 1984 to 1990, Mr. Davidson was a corporate and securities lawyer with Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro. Mr. Davidson currently serves on the boards of directors of a number of private technology companies. In addition, Mr. Davidson previously served on the boards of directors of Avago Technologies Ltd., Flex and Seagate Technology plc. Mr. Davidson holds B.S. degrees in Mathematics and Political Science from the University of Nebraska and a J.D. from the University of Michigan.

We believe that Mr. Davidson’s leadership and business experience, his broad understanding of the operational, financial and strategic issues facing technology companies and his service on the boards and board committees of technology companies make him well qualified for service as a director.

Kenneth Hao has served as a director since 2011. He is a Managing Partner and Managing Director of Silver Lake. Prior to joining Silver Lake in 2000, Mr. Hao was an investment banker with Hambrecht & Quist, a technology-focused investment bank and venture capital firm, for 10 years, most recently serving as a Managing Director in the Technology Investment Banking group. Mr. Hao currently serves on the boards of directors of Broadcom, SolarWinds and Symantec. In addition, Mr. Hao previously served as a director of NetScout Systems, Inc., UGS Corp., Network General Corporation and Certance Holdings, which was acquired by Quantum Corporation and formerly a division of Seagate Technology. Mr. Hao holds an A.B. degree in Economics from Harvard College.

We believe that Mr. Hao’s substantial experience as an investor in, and advisor to, technology companies and his service on the boards and board committees of technology companies make him well qualified for service as a director.

Paul Mercadante has served as a director since August 2011. He joined Silver Lake in 2007, and serves as a Managing Director of Silver Lake Sumeru. Mr. Mercadante has also served as a Managing Director of Sumeru Equity Partners since 2014. Previously, Mr. Mercadante was Operating Partner at Shah Capital Partners from 2004 to 2006. Prior to that, from 2002 to 2004, Mr. Mercadante was President of Force Computers, an embedded computing business owned by Solectron, which subsequently was acquired by Motorola, Inc. Prior to Force Computers, Mr. Mercadante was Vice President of Strategic Planning for the Technology Solutions Business Unit of Solectron and Vice President and Product Line Manager of SMART Modular. Mr. Mercadante currently serves on the boards of directors of a number of private technology companies. In addition, Mr. Mercadante previously served on the board of directors of Spansion Inc. Mr. Mercadante holds a B.A. degree in Economics from the State University of New York.

We believe that Mr. Mercadante’s substantial experience in private equity and finance, his technology background and his service on the boards and board committees of technology companies make him well qualified for service as a director.

Sandeep Nayyar has served as a director since September 2014. Mr. Nayyar has been the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Power Integrations, Inc., a supplier of high performance electronic components, from 2010 to the present. Prior to that, from 2001 to 2009, Mr. Nayyar served as the Vice President of Finance for Applied Biosystems, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of life-sciences products. From 1990 to 2001, Mr. Nayyar served in various senior finance roles at Quantum Corporation, a computer storage company. Mr. Nayyar served as an Audit Manager at Ernst & Young LLP, a public accounting firm from 1986 to 1990.

 

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Mr. Nayyar is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of California and has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Delhi, India.

We believe that Mr. Nayyar’s experience in complex technology companies in the semiconductor, life sciences and storage industries, and the perspective he brings as a Certified Public Accountant, make him well qualified for service as a director.

Mukesh Patel has served as a director of SMART Worldwide since April 2004, as a director of SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc. since March 2012 and as a director of SMART Global Holdings since March 2013. Mr. Patel is the founder and Managing Director of Invati Capital LLC, a role he has held since 2008. Previously, Mr. Patel served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Metta Technology, which he co-founded in 2004, until its acquisition by LSI Logic Corporation in 2006. From 1999 to 2001, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Sparkolor Corporation, which was acquired by Intel Corporation in 2002. Mr. Patel co-founded our company in 1988 and served as a director and in various management and executive roles until its acquisition by Solectron in 1999, including as Vice President, Engineering, from 1989 to 1995, and Vice President and General Manager Memory/Processor Product Line, from 1995 to 1999. Prior to co-founding our company, Mr. Patel served in various roles at semiconductor technology companies, including Seeq Technology Corporation, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. and Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. Mr. Patel currently serves on the boards of directors of a number of other private technology companies, including AEHR Test Systems. He holds a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Bombay University, India.

As our co-founder and former executive, Mr. Patel brings to our board of directors significant strategic and operational experience, as well as a wealth of historical knowledge about our company and industry. These factors, combined with Mr. Patel’s experience as a venture capital investor and semiconductor executive, his service on the boards and board committees of technology companies and his expertise in mergers and acquisitions make him well qualified for service as a director.

Jason White has served as a director since 2011. He joined Silver Lake in 2006, and is a Director of Silver Lake Partners. Prior to joining Silver Lake, Mr. White was an investment banker with the Media & Communications Investment Banking Group and the Equity Products Group at Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, an investment bank, from 2003 to 2006. Mr. White currently serves on the boards of directors of a number of private technology companies. Mr. White holds a B.S.E. degree in Operations Research & Financial Engineering from Princeton University.

We believe that Mr. White’s experience in investment banking and private equity make him well qualified for service as a director.

Our executive officers are appointed by, and serve at the discretion of, our board of directors. There are no family relationships between our directors and executive officers.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

Our board of directors has adopted a code of business conduct and ethics that applies to all of our employees, executive officers and directors, including our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and other executive and senior financial officers. The full text of our code of business conduct and ethics will be posted on the investor relations page on our website. We intend to disclose any amendments to our code of business conduct and ethics, or waivers of its requirements, on our website or in filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act.

Board of Directors

Our board of directors currently consists of, and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association authorize, eight directors, two of whom will be “independent” as defined under the applicable rules

 

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and regulations of the SEC and NASDAQ at the time of the completion of this offering. Any director on our board may be removed by way of an ordinary resolution of shareholders or by shareholders holding a majority of our outstanding ordinary shares by notice in writing to us, so long as Silver Lake collectively owns at least 40% of our outstanding ordinary shares. See “Description of Share Capital—Anti-Takeover Provisions of our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association” elsewhere in this prospectus.

Pursuant to the Sponsor Shareholder Agreement described under “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Sponsor Shareholder Agreement,” Silver Lake will be entitled to nominate members of our board of directors as follows: so long as affiliates of Silver Lake own, in the aggregate, (i) at least 50% of our ordinary shares outstanding immediately following the consummation of this offering, Silver Lake will be entitled to nominate five directors, (ii) less than 50% but at least 35% of our ordinary shares outstanding immediately following the consummation of this offering, Silver Lake will be entitled to nominate four directors, (iii) less than 35% but at least 20% of our ordinary shares outstanding immediately following the consummation of this offering, Silver Lake will be entitled to nominate three directors, (iv) less than 20% but at least 10% of our ordinary shares outstanding immediately following the consummation of this offering, Silver Lake will be entitled to nominate two directors, (v) less than 10% but at least 5% of our ordinary shares outstanding immediately following the consummation of this offering, Silver Lake will be entitled to nominate one director, and (vi) less than 5% of our ordinary shares outstanding immediately following the consummation of this offering, Silver Lake will not be entitled to nominate any directors.

We refer to directors nominated by Silver Lake in this prospectus as the Silver Lake Directors. The initial Silver Lake Directors are Messrs. Davidson, Hao, White, Shah and Mercadante. The affiliates of Silver Lake Partners, Silver Lake Sumeru and Ajay Shah will agree in the Sponsor Shareholder Agreement to vote their shares in favor of the directors nominated as set forth above, and we will agree to take actions necessary to facilitate such nominations.

In accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, our board of directors will be divided into three classes with staggered three year terms. At each annual meeting of shareholders after the initial classification, the successors to the directors whose terms will then expire will be elected to serve from the time of election and qualification until the third annual meeting following their election. Our directors will be divided among the three classes as follows:

 

   

the Class I directors will be Sandeep Nayyar and Mukesh Patel and their terms will expire at the annual meeting of shareholders to be held in 2018;

 

   

the Class II directors will be Ajay Shah and Jason White, and their terms will expire at the annual meeting of shareholders to be held in 2019; and

 

   

the Class III directors will be Paul Mercadante and Kenneth Hao, and Iain MacKenzie their terms will expire at the annual meeting of shareholders to be held in 2020.

Any increase or decrease in the number of directors will be distributed among the three classes so that, as nearly as possible, each class will consist of one-third of the directors. This classification of our board of directors may have the effect of delaying or preventing changes in control of our company. See “Description of Share Capital—Anti-Takeover Provisions—Classified Board of Directors” elsewhere in this prospectus.

Controlled Company Exemption

Upon completion of this offering, investment funds affiliated with Silver Lake will beneficially own approximately 62% of our outstanding ordinary shares, or approximately 59% if the underwriters exercise their overallotment option to purchase additional ordinary shares in full. As a result, we intend to rely on the “controlled company” exemption under the NASDAQ corporate governance rules, including exemptions from the requirements that a majority of the directors on our board of directors be independent directors and the requirement that our compensation committee and our nominating and corporate governance committee consist entirely of independent directors.

 

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The “controlled company” exemption does not modify the independence requirements for the audit committee, which require that our audit committee be comprised exclusively of independent directors. However, under the NASDAQ corporate governance rules, we are permitted to phase in our independent audit committee with one independent member at the time of listing, a majority of independent members within 90 days of listing and a fully independent committee within one year of listing.

If at any time we cease to be a “controlled company” under the NASDAQ corporate governance rules, our board of directors will take all action necessary to comply with the NASDAQ corporate governance rules.

Board Committees

We have established three committees of the board of directors, an Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and have adopted a written charter for each of the committees that satisfies the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and NASDAQ. Each committee’s members and functions are described below.

Pursuant to the Sponsor Shareholder Agreement, for so long as Silver Lake may nominate a Silver Lake Director, Silver Lake is entitled to have a Silver Lake Director serve as a member of each of the committees of the board of directors; however, if we establish a committee to consider a proposed transaction between Silver Lake and us, then such board committee may exclude from participation such Silver Lake Director nominated by the Silver Lake entity which transaction is being considered by such committee. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Sponsor Shareholder Agreement” elsewhere in this prospectus.

Audit Committee

Our audit committee consists of three directors, Mukesh Patel, Jason White and Sandeep Nayyar, its chair. Our board of directors has determined that Sandeep Nayyar and Mukesh Patel satisfy the “independence” requirements of the NASDAQ and the Exchange Act. We will phase-in to the independence requirements of the NASDAQ corporate governance rules, which require a fully independent committee within one year of listing. In addition, our board of directors has determined that all three members are qualified as audit committee financial experts within the meaning of SEC regulations. The audit committee oversees our accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of the financial statements of our company. The audit committee is responsible for, among other things:

 

   

selecting the independent auditors and pre-approving all auditing and non-auditing services permitted to be performed by the independent auditors;

 

   

setting clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the independent auditors;

 

   

reviewing with the independent auditors any audit problems or difficulties and management’s response;

 

   

reviewing and approving all related party transactions;

 

   

discussing the annual audited financial statements with management and the independent auditors;

 

   

discussing with management and the independent auditors major issues regarding accounting principles and financial statement presentations;

 

   

reviewing reports prepared by management or the independent auditors relating to significant financial reporting issues and judgments;

 

   

reviewing with management and the independent auditors related party transactions and off-balance sheet transactions and structures;

 

   

reviewing with management and the independent auditors the effect of regulatory and accounting initiatives;

 

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reviewing policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management;

 

   

reviewing our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting;

 

   

reviewing reports from the independent auditors regarding all critical accounting policies and practices to be used by our company;

 

   

establishing procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints we receive regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters and the confidential, anonymous submission by our employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters;

 

   

periodically reviewing and reassessing the adequacy of our audit committee charter;

 

   

such other matters that are specifically delegated to our audit committee by our board of directors from time to time; and

 

   

meeting separately with management, the internal auditors and the independent auditors on a periodic basis.

Compensation Committee

Our compensation committee consists of two directors, Mukesh Patel and Ajay Shah, its chair. We intend to avail ourselves of certain exemptions afforded to controlled companies under NASDAQ corporate governance rules, which will exempt us from the requirement that we have a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors. The compensation committee is responsible for, among other things:

 

   

reviewing and approving the compensation for our senior executives;

 

   

reviewing and evaluating our executive compensation and benefits policies generally;

 

   

reporting to our board of directors periodically;

 

   

evaluating its own performance and reporting to our board of directors on such evaluation;

 

   

periodically reviewing and assessing the adequacy of the compensation committee charter and recommending any proposed changes to our board of directors; and

 

   

such other matters that are specifically delegated to the compensation committee by our board of directors from time to time.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Our nominating and corporate governance committee consists of three directors, Paul Mercadante, Sandeep Nayyar and Jason White, its chair. We intend to avail ourselves of certain exemptions afforded to controlled companies under NASDAQ corporate governance rules, which will exempt us from the requirement that we have a nominating and governance committee composed entirely of independent directors. The nominating and corporate governance committee is responsible for, among other things:

 

   

identifying and recommending to the board of directors qualified individuals for membership on the board of directors and its committees;

 

   

evaluating, at least annually, its own performance and reporting to the board of directors on such evaluation;

 

   

overseeing compliance with the corporate governance guidelines and code of business conduct and ethics and reporting on such compliance to the board of directors; and

 

   

reviewing and assessing periodically the adequacy of its charter and recommending any proposed changes to the board of directors for approval.

 

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Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

None of the members of our compensation committee is or has been an officer or employee of our company. None of our executive officers currently serves, or in the past year has served, as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee (or other board committee performing equivalent functions) of any entity that has one or more of its executive officers serving on our board of directors or compensation committee. Ajay Shah has been designated by Silver Lake to serve on our Compensation Committee and is affiliated with the Silver Lake entities that are party to our Management Agreement. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Management Agreement.”

Duties of Directors and Conflicts of Interest

Under Cayman Islands law, our directors have a duty of loyalty to act honestly, in good faith and with a view to our best interests. Our directors also have a duty to exercise the care, diligence and skills that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances. In fulfilling their duty of care to us, our directors must ensure compliance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. In certain limited circumstances, a shareholder has the right to seek damages if a duty owed by our directors is breached.

Pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, a director who is in any way interested in a contract or transaction with the company will declare the nature of his interest at a meeting of the board of directors. A director may vote in respect of any such contract or transaction notwithstanding that he may be interested therein and if he does so his vote will be counted and he may be counted in the quorum at any meeting of the board of directors at which any such contract or transaction shall come before the meeting for consideration. See “Description of Share Capital.”

Director Compensation

Our non-employee directors did not receive in fiscal 2016 any cash or equity compensation for their service on our board of directors and committees of our board of directors. As of the end of fiscal 2016, Mr. Nayyar held 4,484 RSUs. No other non-employee directors held any equity awards.

On October 18, 2016, Mr. Nayyar received annual retainers of $20,000 for serving as our independent director and $6,000 for serving as the chair of our audit committee, in each case payable quarterly commencing with the first quarter of fiscal 2017. In addition, Mr. Nayyar received 5,333 RSUs with 50% vesting on September 23, 2017 and 50% vesting on September 23, 2018. As of February 24, 2017, no other non-employee directors held any equity awards.

Mr. MacKenzie, our only employee director, receives no compensation for his services as a director.

Following the completion of this offering, we intend to implement a policy pursuant to which our non-employee directors would be eligible to receive equity awards and cash retainers as compensation for service on our board of directors and committees of our board of directors.

 

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation paid to Iain MacKenzie, our President and Chief Executive Officer, and our two other most highly compensated executive officers, Jack Pacheco, our Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, and Alan Marten, our Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, during fiscal 2016. We refer to these individuals as our “named executive officers.”

 

Name and Principal Position

  Fiscal Year     Salary
($)
    Option
Awards
($) (1)
    Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($) (2)
    All Other
Compensation
($) (3)
    Total
($)
 

Iain MacKenzie,

President and Chief Executive Officer, Director

    2016       533,000       1,592,933       391,462       14,824       2,532,219  

Jack Pacheco,

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer

    2016       400,000       433,397       218,365       14,700       1,066,462  

Alan Marten,

Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer

    2016       300,000       613,694       135,000       12,908       1,061,602  

 

(1) Amount represents option awards issued pursuant to the SGH Plan and represents the grant date fair value of such awards granted during fiscal 2016, as calculated in accordance with ASC 718 or the incremental fair value of option awards issued in replacement of cancelled options. See Note 9(a) to the fiscal 2016 consolidated financial statements included in this prospectus for the assumptions used in calculating this amount.
(2) See the “Incentive Plan Awards” section below for a description of these amounts.
(3) Amounts in this column consist of (i) 401(k) match of $10,600 for each of Messrs. MacKenzie, Pacheco and Marten, respectively; (ii) reimbursed financial consulting expenses of $4,224 and $4,100 for Messrs. MacKenzie and Pacheco, respectively; and (iii) charitable gift matching donations of $2,308 for Mr. Marten.

Employment and Severance Agreements

We have entered into agreements with our named executive officers, pursuant to which such officer will be eligible for severance and/or change in control benefits under specified conditions. The following summarizes the severance and change in control benefits under these agreements:

Iain MacKenzie

We have entered into an employment agreement with Mr. MacKenzie that provides for the severance payments and benefits described below. The initial term of Mr. MacKenzie’s employment agreement ended on August 28, 2015, at which time it automatically renewed for an additional one-year term, and has and will continue to be automatically renewed for successive one-year periods thereafter, unless either party provides written notice of termination no later than 90 days prior to the expiration of the then-current term.

Benefits provided upon termination or non-renewal by us without cause, or termination by employee for good reason . Subject to the execution and non-revocation of a release of claims against us or any of our affiliates within 60 days following termination, if Mr. MacKenzie’s employment is terminated by us without cause (as defined in Mr. MacKenzie’s employment agreement), we provide a notice of our intention not to renew Mr. MacKenzie’s employment at the end of any current term or if Mr. MacKenzie terminates employment for

 

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good reason (as defined in Mr. Mackenzie’s employment agreement), then in any of these events we will be obligated to (i) pay an amount equal to 100% of his then current annual base salary plus the annual bonus paid or payable with respect to the most recently ended fiscal year (in addition to the annual bonus paid or payable with respect to the most recently completed fiscal year), payable in a lump sum on the first payroll date following the date the release of claims becomes effective and irrevocable, (ii) pay, to the extent a bonus could be earned for the year, any annual bonus for the current fiscal year pro-rated through the date of termination (based on the board of directors’ determination of our performance through the date of termination) payable when we pay bonuses to other senior executives and (iii) continue to provide for or reimburse health benefit continuation coverage until the earlier of 12 months following the date of termination or the date Mr. MacKenzie becomes eligible for health benefits with another employer.

Benefits provided upon termination by us without cause or termination by employee for good reason related to a change of control . Subject to the execution and non-revocation of a release of claims against us or any of our affiliates, if Mr. MacKenzie’s employment is terminated within 12 months following a change in control (as defined in Mr. MacKenzie’s employment agreement) by Mr. MacKenzie for good reason or by us without cause, then in lieu of the basic severance above, we will be obligated to: (i) pay an amount equal to 200% of his then current annual base salary plus 200% the annual bonus paid or payable for the most recently completed fiscal year (in addition to the annual bonus paid or payable for the most recently completed fiscal year), payable in a lump sum on the first payroll date following the date the release of claims becomes effective and irrevocable, (ii) pay, to the extent a bonus could be earned for the year, any annual bonus for the current fiscal year pro-rated through the date of termination (based on the board of directors’ determination of our performance through the date of termination), payable when we pay bonuses to other senior executives, (iii) continue to provide for or reimburse health benefit continuation coverage until the earlier of 24 months following the date of termination or the date Mr. MacKenzie becomes eligible for health benefits with another employer and (iv) accelerate the vesting of 100% of Mr. MacKenzie’s unvested and outstanding options.

Jack Pacheco

We have entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Pacheco that provides for the severance payments and benefits described below. The initial term of Mr. Pacheco’s employment agreement ended on October 9, 2014, at which time it automatically renewed for an additional one-year term, and has and will continue to be automatically renewed for successive one-year periods thereafter, unless either party provides written notice of termination no later than 90 days prior to the expiration of the then-current term.

Benefits provided upon termination or non-renewal by us without cause, or termination by employee for good reason . Subject to the execution and non-revocation of a release of claims against us or any of our affiliates within 60 days following termination, if Mr. Pacheco’s employment is terminated by us without cause (as defined in Mr. Pacheco’s employment agreement), if we provide a notice of our intention not to renew Mr. Pacheco’s employment at the end of any current term or if Mr. Pacheco terminates employment for good reason (as defined in Mr. Pacheco’s employment agreement), then in any of these events, we will be obligated to (i) pay an amount equal to 25% of his then current annual base salary; (ii) pay, to the extent a bonus could be earned for the year, the annual bonus for the then current fiscal year pro-rated through the date of termination (based on the board of directors’ determination of our performance through the date of termination); and (iii) continue to provide for or reimburse health benefit continuation coverage until the earlier of nine months following the date of termination or the date Mr. Pacheco becomes eligible for health benefits with another employer. We are obligated to pay the foregoing benefits in accordance with our regular payroll practices in equal or substantially equal payments over a maximum of 12 months following the execution and non-revocation of Mr. Pacheco’s release of claims against us or any of our affiliates.

Benefits provided upon termination by us without cause or termination by employee for good reason related to a change of control . Subject to the execution and non-revocation of a release of claims against us or any of our affiliates, if Mr. Pacheco’s employment is terminated within 12 months following a change in control (as defined

 

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in Mr. Pacheco’s employment agreement) by Mr. Pacheco for good reason or by us without cause, then in lieu of the basic severance above, we will be obligated to: (i) pay an amount equal to 100% of his then current annual base salary plus 150% the annual bonus paid or payable for the most recently completed fiscal year (in addition to the annual bonus paid or payable for the most recently completed fiscal year), (ii) pay any annual bonus for the current fiscal year pro-rated through the date of termination (based on the board of directors’ determination of our performance through the date of termination), (iii) continue to provide for or reimburse health benefit continuation coverage until the earlier of 18 months following the date of termination or the date Mr. Pacheco becomes eligible for health benefits with another employer and (iv) accelerate the vesting of 100% of Mr. Pacheco’s unvested and outstanding options. We are obligated to pay the foregoing benefits in accordance with our regular payroll practices in equal or substantially equal payments over a maximum of 12 months following the execution and non-revocation of Mr. Pacheco’s release of claims against us or any of our affiliates.

Alan Marten

We have entered into a severance and change of control agreement with Mr. Marten providing for the severance and change in control benefits set forth below. The initial term of the agreement ended on December 10, 2014, at which time it automatically renewed for an additional one-year term, and has and will continue to be automatically renewed for successive one-year periods thereafter, unless we give written notice of termination at least 30 days prior to the expiration of the then-current term; provided that we may not give such notice if a change of control (as defined in Mr. Marten’s severance and change in control agreement) has occurred prior to such date until at least 12 months following such change of control.

Benefits provided upon termination without cause . Subject to the execution and non-revocation of a release of claims against us or any of our affiliates, if Mr. Marten is terminated by us without cause (as defined in Mr. Marten’s severance and change of control agreement), we will be obligated to: (i) pay an amount equal to 75% of his then existing annual base salary in a lump sum within 60 days following termination, (ii) pay, to the extent a bonus could be earned for the year, any annual bonus for the current fiscal year pro-rated through the date of termination in a lump sum within 60 days following termination and (iii) continue to provide and to pay for health benefit continuation coverage until the earlier of 9 months following the date of termination or the date Mr. Marten becomes eligible for health benefits with another employer.

Benefits provided upon a change of control . Upon a change of control, a pro-rated portion of any options or share-based awards that remain subject to issuance or vesting based on performance shall be issued and/or vested based on performance measured immediately prior to the change of control. The remainder of the options or share-based awards that remain subject to issuance or vesting based on performance shall be issued and/or vested in equal monthly installments over the original performance period, unless the successor to the company does not assume or substitute such remaining options or share-based awards with a substantially equivalent award, in which case such remaining options or share-based awards shall be issued and/or vested upon the change of control.

Benefits provided upon termination by us without cause or termination by employee for good reason related to a change of control . Subject to the execution and non-revocation of a release of claims against us or any of our affiliates, if within the two months prior to or the twelve months after a change of control Mr. Marten is terminated by us without cause or Mr. Marten resigns for good reason (as defined in Mr. Marten’s severance and change of control agreement), then in lieu of the basic severance above, we will be obligated to: (i) pay an amount equal to 150% of his then current annual base salary plus 150% the annual bonus paid or payable for the most recently completed fiscal year (in addition to the annual bonus paid or payable for the most recently completed fiscal year) in a lump sum within 60 days following termination, (ii) pay, to the extent a bonus could be earned for the year, any annual bonus for the current fiscal year pro-rated through the date of termination in a lump sum within 60 days following termination, (iii) continue to provide for or reimburse health benefit continuation coverage until the earlier of 18 months following the date of termination or the date Mr. Marten becomes eligible for health benefits with another employer and (iv) accelerate the vesting of 100% of Mr. Marten’s unvested and outstanding options or share-based awards.

 

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Incentive Plan Awards

The total amount of cash incentives paid to Messrs. MacKenzie, Pacheco and Marten in fiscal 2016 is set forth under the “Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation” column of the Summary Compensation Table. For fiscal 2016, the target bonuses for Messrs. MacKenzie, Pacheco and Marten were 100%, 75% and 65% of base salary, respectively.

Our named executive officers are eligible to participate in our cash incentive program, which is designed to reward overall company performance and to encourage individual performance and individual contribution to company performance. In fiscal 2016, 80% of the target incentives were related to achievement of non-U.S. GAAP adjusted EBITDA for the overall company, and 20% of the target incentives were related to other business goals.

Executives were required to be actively employed on the date the cash incentive was paid to earn the applicable bonus. In 2016, 34% of the targeted annual bonus was attainable for first half performance, with payment not to exceed 34% of the annual target for the first half, and 66% of the targeted annual bonus was attributable to the second half and was paid based on performance for the year as a whole. For the full year, we paid Messrs. MacKenzie, Pacheco and Marten 73% of their respective annualized targeted cash incentive.

Equity Awards

In connection with the Tender Offer, the options awards referenced in the table under “Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End” below sets forth options that were issued in May 2016 to the named executive officers in exchange for the cancellation of a number of previously outstanding options. As a result, the options issued in fiscal 2016 have a special vesting schedule of 50% vesting in May 2017 and the balance vesting quarterly over the following year.

Pension Benefits and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

We do not provide a pension plan for our employees, and none of our named executive officers participated in a nonqualified deferred compensation plan in fiscal 2016.

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End

The following table sets forth information concerning outstanding options to purchase our ordinary shares held by our named executive officers as of the end of fiscal 2016. There were no unvested stock awards other than options at such date.

 

Name

   Grant
Date
     Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
Exercisable
     Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
Unexercisable
    Option
Exercise

Price
     Option
Expiration
Date
 

Iain MacKenzie,

President and Chief Executive Officer, Director

    

09/28/10

10/26/11

05/23/16

 

 

 

    

15,583

19,384

—  

 

 

 

    

—  

—  

191,533

 

 

(1)  

  $

$

$

2.64

22.47

11.55

 

 

 

    

09/28/20

10/26/19

05/23/26

 

 

 

Jack Pacheco,

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer

    

09/23/14

05/23/16

 

 

    

26,225

—  

 

 

    

28,505

90,753

 

(1)  

  $

$

24.93

11.55

 

 

    

09/23/24

05/23/26

 

 

Alan Marten,

Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer

    

09/23/08

09/29/09

09/28/10

10/02/07

05/23/16

 

 

 

 

 

    

26,666

33,333

20,000

8,694

—  

 

 

 

 

 

    

—  

—  

—  

—  

96,922

 

 

 

 

(1)  

  $

$

$

$

$

2.64

2.64

2.64

3.33

11.55

 

 

 

 

 

    

09/23/18

09/29/19

09/27/20

10/02/17

05/23/26

 

 

 

 

 

 

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(1) In connection with the Tender Offer, the options awards referenced in the table sets forth options that were issued in May 2016 in exchange for the cancellation of a number of previously outstanding options and therefore have a special vesting schedule of 50% vesting on the first anniversary and the balance vesting quarterly over the second year.

Employee Benefit and Share Plans

SMART Global Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated 2011 Share Incentive Plan

Our SGH Plan was originally approved by our board of directors and shareholders in 2011 as a continuation of a prior plan and will be further amended and restated effective upon the consummation of this initial public offering, subject to approval by our board of directors.

As of February 24, 2017, equity awards for 1,474,807 options to purchase ordinary shares were outstanding with a weighted-average exercise price of approximately $10.74 per ordinary share, other awards with respect to 493,316 shares were outstanding, and 1,271,407 ordinary shares remained available for future grants.

Effective upon the consummation of our initial public offering, we expect to reserve 1,500,000 ordinary shares for future grants, plus any shares that are returned to the SGH Plan as a result of forfeiture or other termination of outstanding awards. In addition, if approved by our board of directors or an applicable committee of our board of directors, the number of shares reserved under the SGH Plan will be subject to an annual increase on the first day of each fiscal year for ten years, equal to the least of (i) 1,500,000 shares, (ii) 2.5% of the shares outstanding (on an as converted basis) on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year and (iii) such smaller number of shares as determined by our board of directors or committee.

Pursuant to the terms of the SGH Plan, our board of directors, or a committee appointed by our board, will act as the administrator of the SGH Plan.

The SGH Plan provides for grants of options, RSUs, restricted stock awards and other equity-based awards with respect to our ordinary shares to our employees, directors and consultants, as well as for cash-based performance awards. Options granted under the SGH Plan have exercise prices of no less than the fair market value of such shares on the grant date and a maximum term of ten years. The vesting requirements, as well as any other terms and conditions, of equity and cash awards will be determined by the administrator. Vesting may be time-based or performance-based or a combination. The SGH Plan has limits on the amounts of options and performance-based awards that may be granted to individuals during any calendar year, as well as separate limits on the number of awards that may be granted to non-employee directors.

In the event of any share dividend, share split, reverse share split, reorganization, recapitalization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, spin-off, combination, transaction or exchange of shares, or other corporate exchange, or any cash dividend or distribution to shareholders other than ordinary cash dividends or any transaction similar to the foregoing, the administrator shall equitably adjust:

 

   

the number or kind of shares or securities issued or reserved for issuance pursuant to the SGH Plan or pursuant to outstanding awards under the SGH Plan, as well as any individual award limits under the SGH Plan;

 

   

the exercise price of any option; and/or

 

   

any other affected terms of such awards.

Upon a change in control, as defined in the SGH Plan, the administrator may cause any outstanding award to be:

 

   

continued by us;

 

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assumed, or substituted with a substantially equivalent award, by the successor company (or its parents or any of its subsidiaries); or

 

   

canceled in consideration of a cash payment or alternative award equal in value of the consideration to be paid in the change in control transaction, directly or indirectly, to holders of the same number of shares subject to such award (or if no consideration is paid, then the fair market value) over the aggregate exercise price.

In the event of a dissolution or liquidation, then all outstanding awards will terminate immediately prior to such event. The administrator may amend, modify or terminate any award under the SGH Plan; provided that any such amendment, modification or termination that would adversely affect a participant’s rights requires the consent of such participant.

The SGH Plan will terminate in 2027 unless the term is extended or terminated earlier by the board of directors.

401(k) Plan

We maintain a tax-qualified retirement plan, or the 401(k) plan, for U.S. employees that provides eligible employees with an opportunity to save for retirement on a tax-advantaged basis. Eligible employees are able to participate in the 401(k) plan when they meet the 401(k) plan’s eligibility requirements, and participants are able to defer eligible compensation subject to applicable annual Code limits. All participants’ interests in their deferrals are 100% vested when contributed. The 401(k) plan permits us to make matching contributions and profit sharing contributions to eligible participants.

Indemnification and Insurance

As we are a Cayman Islands exempted company, the laws of the Cayman Islands will be relevant to the provisions relating to indemnification of our directors and officers. Although the Companies Law does not specifically restrict a Cayman Islands exempted company’s ability to indemnify its directors or officers, it does not expressly provide for such indemnification either. Certain Commonwealth case law (which is likely to be persuasive in the Cayman Islands), however, indicates that the indemnification is generally permissible, unless there had been actual fraud, willful default or reckless disregard on the part of the director or officer in question.

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that each of our directors, agents or officers shall be indemnified out of our assets against any liability incurred by them as a result of any act or failure to act in carrying out their functions other than such liability, if any, that they may incur by their own actual fraud, willful neglect or default. No such director, agent or officer shall be liable to us for any loss or damage in carrying out their functions unless that liability arises through the actual fraud, willful neglect or default of such director, agent or officer.

We have also entered into indemnification agreements with our directors, executive officers and certain other employees under which we have agreed to indemnify each such person and hold them harmless against expenses, judgments, fines and amounts payable under settlement agreements in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding to which they have been made a party or in which they became involved by reason of the fact that they are or were our director or officer. Except with respect to expenses to be reimbursed by us in the event that the indemnified person has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of the action, suit or proceeding, our obligations under the indemnification agreements are subject to certain customary restrictions and exceptions.

In addition, we maintain standard policies of insurance under which coverage is provided to our directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act, and to us with respect to payments which may be made by us to such directors and officers pursuant to the above indemnification provision or otherwise as a matter of law.

 

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PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

Each of our ordinary shares entitles its holder to one vote. The following table presents the beneficial ownership of our shares as of April 30, 2017 for:

 

   

each of our named executive officers;

 

   

each of our directors;

 

   

each person known to us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our ordinary shares; and

 

   

all of our executive officers and directors as a group.

We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC. Except as indicated by the footnotes below, we believe, based on the information furnished to us, that the persons and entities named in the tables below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all ordinary shares that they beneficially own, subject to applicable community property laws.

Ordinary shares subject to options that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 30, 2017 are deemed to be outstanding and to be beneficially owned by the person holding the options for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of that person but are not treated as outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. Percentage ownership is based on 14,013,069 ordinary shares outstanding on April 30, 2017.

We have based our calculation of the percentage of beneficial ownership after the offering on ordinary shares outstanding immediately after the completion of this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares).

 

Name of Beneficial Owner

   Number of  Shares
Beneficially Owned (1)
    Percentage of Shares Beneficially Owned  
     Before the Offering     After the Offering  

5% Shareholders:

      

Entities affiliated with Silver Lake Partners (2)

     8,504,504       60.7     40.8

Entities affiliated with Silver Lake Sumeru (3)

     4,252,251       30.3     20.4

Directors and Named Executive Officers:

      

Iain MacKenzie (4)

     514,060       3.6     2.4

Jack Pacheco (5)

     79,517 *      

Alan Marten (6)

     223,272       1.6     1.1

Ajay Shah (3)(7)

     244,603       1.7     1.2

James Davidson (2)(3)

     —         —      

Kenneth Hao (2)

     —         —      

Paul Mercadante (3)

     —         —      

Sandeep Nayyar (8)

     2,989    

Mukesh Patel (9)

     159,001       1.1  

Jason White (10)

     —         —      

All directors and executive officers as a group
(12 persons)
(11)

     1,367,185       9.5     6.4

 

* Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1%
(1) Shares shown in the table above include shares held in the beneficial owner’s name or jointly with others, or in the name of a bank, nominee or trustee for the beneficial owner’s account.
(2)

Consists of (i) 8,458,920 shares held of record by Silver Lake Partners III Cayman (AIV III), L.P. (“SLP III Cayman”), the general partner of which is Silver Lake Technology Associates III Cayman, L.P. (“SLTA III Cayman”), and (ii) 45,584 shares held of record by Silver Lake Technology Investors III Cayman, L.P. (together with SLP III Cayman and SLTA III Cayman, the “SLP III Cayman Entities”), the general partner

 

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  of which is SLTA III Cayman. Silver Lake (Offshore) AIV GP III, Ltd. (“SL III Offshore Ltd”) is the general partner of SLTA III Cayman. As such, SL III Offshore Ltd may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of the securities over which any of the SLP III Cayman Entities has voting or dispositive power. SL III Offshore Ltd is controlled by a board of eight directors that acts by majority approval and possesses sole voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by the SLP III Cayman Entities. The address for each of the entities referenced above is c/o Silver Lake, 2775 Sand Hill Road, Suite 100, Menlo Park, CA 94025.
(3) Consists of (i) 4,201,097 shares held of record by Silver Lake Sumeru Fund Cayman, L.P. (“SLS Cayman”), the general partner of which is Silver Lake Technology Associates Sumeru Cayman, L.P. (“SLTA Sumeru Cayman”), the general partner of which is SLTA Sumeru (GP) Cayman L.P. (“SLTA Sumeru GP Cayman”), and (ii) 51,154 shares held of record by Silver Lake Technology Investors Sumeru Cayman, L.P. (together with SLS Cayman, SLTA Sumeru Cayman, SLTA Sumeru GP Cayman, the “SLS Cayman Entities”), the general partner of which is SLTA Sumeru Cayman. Silver Lake Sumeru (Offshore) AIV GP, Ltd. (“SL Sumeru Offshore Ltd”) is the general partner of SLTA Sumeru GP Cayman. As such, SL Sumeru Offshore Ltd may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of the securities over which any of the SLS Cayman Entities has voting or dispositive power. SL Sumeru Offshore Ltd. is controlled by a board of nine directors that acts by majority approval and possesses sole voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by the SLS Cayman Entities. The address for each of the entities referenced above is c/o Silver Lake, 2775 Sand Hill Road, Suite 100, Menlo Park, CA 94025.
(4) Consists of (i) 383,326 shares of record held by Mr. MacKenzie and (ii) 130,734 shares issuable pursuant to outstanding share options which are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 30, 2017.
(5) Consists of 79,517 shares issuable pursuant to outstanding share options which are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 30, 2017.
(6) Consists of (i) 112,666 shares of record held by Mr. Marten and (ii) 110,606 shares issuable pursuant to outstanding share options which are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 30, 2017.
(7) Consists of (i) 93,878 shares of record held by Krishnan-Shah Family Partners, L.P. Fund No. 1, for which Mr. Shah serves as a trustee; (ii) 10,561 shares of record held by Krishnan-Shah Family Partners, L.P. Fund No. 3, for which Mr. Shah serves as a trustee; (iii) 116,749 shares of record held by The Ajay B. Shah and Lata K. Shah 1996 Trust (U/A/D 5/28/1996), for which Mr. Shah serves as a trustee; (iv) 18,118 shares of record held by Krishnan-Shah Family Partners, L.P. Fund No. 4, for which Mr. Shah serves as a trustee; and (v) 5,297 shares held of record by Mr. Shah. The address for Mr. Shah is c/o Silver Lake, 2775 Sand Hill Road, Suite 100, Menlo Park, CA 94025.
(8) The address for Mr. Nayyar is c/o Power Integrations, Inc., 5245 Hellyer Avenue, San Jose, CA 95138.
(9) Consists of (i) 94,762 shares held of record by Patel Family Partners L.P.—Fund No. 2, for which Mr. Patel serves as a trustee; (ii) 54,705 shares held of record by The Patel Revocable Trust (U/A/D 6/6/2002), for which Mr. Patel serves as a trustee; and (iii) 9,534 shares held of record by Mr. Patel.
(10) The address for Mr. White is c/o Silver Lake, 2775 Sand Hill Road, Suite 100, Menlo Park, CA 94025.
(11) Includes 375,419 shares issuable pursuant to outstanding share options which are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 30, 2017.

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Since August 30, 2014, there has not been, nor is there any proposed transaction in which we were or will be a party, in which the amount involved exceeded or will exceed $120,000 and in which any director, executive officer, holder of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities, or any member of the immediate family of any of the foregoing persons, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, other than as set forth below and the compensation, employment and other agreements and transactions which are described in “Management” and “Executive Compensation” elsewhere in this prospectus.

Sponsor Shareholder Agreement

In anticipation of this offering, we have entered into the Sponsor Shareholder Agreement with Silver Lake and Ajay Shah and his affiliated investment vehicles. The Sponsor Shareholder Agreement will become effective upon the closing of this offering. The Sponsor Shareholder Agreement, as further described below, will contain specific rights, obligations and agreements of these parties as owners of our ordinary shares. In addition, the Sponsor Shareholder Agreement will contain provisions related to the composition of our board of directors and its committees, which are discussed under “Management—Board of Directors” and “Management—Board Committees.”

Sponsor Approvals

Under the Sponsor Shareholder Agreement, the actions listed below by us or any of our subsidiaries will require the approval of Silver Lake for so long as Silver Lake collectively owns ordinary shares in an amount equal to or greater than 25% of our ordinary shares outstanding immediately following the consummation of this offering. The actions include:

 

   

entering into change of control transactions;

 

   

acquiring or disposing of assets or entering into joint ventures with a value in excess of $5 million;

 

   

incurring capital expenditures in any fiscal year in excess of 10% over the amount of capital expenditures provided for in the annual budget;

 

   

incurring indebtedness for borrowed money;

 

   

initiating any liquidation, dilution, bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding involving any of our subsidiaries;

 

   

making any material change in the nature of the business conducted by us or our subsidiaries;

 

   

terminating the employment of our Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer or hiring a new Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer;

 

   

changing the size or composition of our board of directors;

 

   

entering into certain transactions with Silver Lake Partners, Silver Lake Sumeru or any of our other affiliates; and

 

   

amending, waiving or otherwise modifying the Investors Shareholders Agreement or any other key contractual terms with our management.

Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement

In connection with the closing of the Acquisition, and as a condition to being eligible to receive future grants of share-based incentives, certain employee investors entered into a shareholder agreement, which we refer to in this prospectus as the Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement, with us, Silver Lake and Ajay

 

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Shah and his affiliated investment vehicles. Under the Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement, the employee investors are subject to certain transfer restrictions, drag-along rights and call rights. The drag-along rights and call rights will terminate upon the occurrence of this offering; however, certain transfer restrictions survive this offering, including that no such employee investor may transfer our ordinary shares without the consent of Silver Lake to any person that is a competitor or potential competitor of ours or that is known to hold (directly or indirectly) more than 5% ownership interest in any such competitor (other than in a registered public offering or under Rule 144 through a securities exchange or national quotation system or through a broker, dealer or other market maker, in a manner in which the identity of the purchaser has not been designated by the seller and is effected in a manner through which the identity of the purchaser would not customarily be available to the seller).

Investors Shareholders Agreement

In connection with the closing of the Acquisition, certain management and employee investors entered into a shareholder agreement with us, Silver Lake and Ajay Shah and his affiliated investment vehicles. This agreement was amended and restated as of November 5, 2016 in connection with the amendment and restatement of our Senior Secured Credit Agreement, at which time the Warrant Holders became parties to the agreement, which we refer to in this prospectus as the Investors Shareholders Agreement. Under the Investors Shareholders Agreement, the Warrant Holders and certain members of our management are subject to transfer restrictions, tag-along rights, drag-along rights, participation rights and call rights. The tag-along rights, drag-along rights, participation rights and call rights will terminate upon the occurrence of this offering; however, certain transfer restrictions survive this offering including that no such Warrant Holders or management investors may transfer our ordinary shares without the consent of Silver Lake to any person that is a competitor or potential competitor of ours or that is known to hold (directly or indirectly) more than 5% ownership interest in any such competitor (other than in a registered public offering or under Rule 144 through a securities exchange or national quotation system or through a broker, dealer or other market maker, in a manner in which the identity of the purchaser has not been designated by the seller and is effected in a manner through which the identity of the purchaser would not customarily be available to the seller).

In addition, a group of key management investors, including Iain MacKenzie, Alan Marten and Bruce Goldberg, are also subject to additional transfer restrictions following this offering until the third anniversary of such initial public offering. These transfer restrictions include caps on the number of ordinary shares that may be transferred by such key management investor (or his or her permitted transferees). Such caps will be based on the number of shares transferred by the Silver Lake investors during the applicable period; provided that (i) from the period beginning on the first anniversary of this offering and ending on the second anniversary of this offering, the cap with respect to each key management investor shall be no lower than 20% of the sum of the number of ordinary shares held by such investor and the number of ordinary shares underlying vested options and RSUs held by such investor, each as of the first anniversary of this offering and (ii) from the period beginning on the second anniversary of this offering and ending on the third anniversary of this offering, the cap with respect to each key management investor shall be no lower than 20% of the sum of the number of ordinary shares held by such investor and the number of ordinary shares underlying vested options and RSUs held by such investor, each as of the second anniversary of this offering.

Management Agreement

In August 2011, in connection with the closing of the Acquisition, we became party to a transaction and management fee agreement with the Managers, which, as amended and restated as of November 5, 2016 in connection with the amendment and restatement of our Senior Secured Credit Agreement, we refer to in this prospectus as the Management Agreement. At the closing of the Acquisition, we paid the Managers a $15.0 million transaction fee for services provided to us in evaluating, negotiating, documenting, financing and closing the Acquisition.

 

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Pursuant to the Management Agreement, following the closing of the Acquisition, we retained the Managers to provide general executive, management and other services to us, for which we record quarterly fees of $1.0 million, plus out-of-pocket expenses. During the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal years 2016 and 2015, we recorded expenses of $2.0 million, $4.0 million and $4.0 million, respectively, in connection with the Management Agreement, of which $3.7 million was unpaid as of February 24, 2017. We expect to record quarterly expenses in connection therewith until the completion of this offering.

The Management Agreement has an initial term of 10 years from the date of the original agreement, with automatic one-year renewal terms thereafter, subject to the Managers’ right to terminate the agreement in connection with a change in control transaction or an initial public offering. The Management Agreement specifies that, upon termination, we will pay to the Managers any unpaid management fees. We and the Managers intend to terminate the Management Agreement upon the completion of this offering and to make a related payment of approximately $4.7 million for unpaid management fees in respect of past periods, in accordance with the termination provisions of the agreement. See “Use of Proceeds.”

Indemnification

Under the Sponsor Shareholder Agreement, we will agree, subject to certain exceptions, to indemnify Silver Lake and various affiliated persons from certain losses arising out of the indemnified persons’ investment in, or actual, alleged or deemed control or ability to influence, us.

We also have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers and intend to continue doing so in the future. See “Executive Compensation—Indemnification and Insurance.”

Registration Rights Agreement

We entered into a registration rights agreement, dated August 26, 2011, with Silver Lake, Mr. Ajay Shah and certain entities affiliated with him, Mr. Mukesh Patel and certain entities affiliated with him and certain of our executive officers. This agreement was amended and restated as of November 5, 2016 in connection with the amendment and restatement of our Senior Secured Credit Agreement, at which time the Warrant Holders became parties to the agreement, which we refer to in this prospectus as the Registration Rights Agreement. Upon the completion of this offering, holders of a total of 16,379,514 ordinary shares as of April 30, 2017, including 825,302 shares subject to options and 1,541,143 shares underlying the First Tranche Warrants, in each case exercisable as of April 30, 2017 or exercisable within 60 days of April 30, 2017, will have the right to require us to register these shares under the Securities Act or to participate in future registrations of securities by us, under the circumstances described below. In addition, the benefits of the Registration Rights Agreement would apply to the ordinary shares underlying the Second Tranche Warrants if there are still balances outstanding under our existing term loans on November 5, 2017 and the Second Tranche Warrants are exercised thereafter. After registration pursuant to these rights, these shares will become freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act. If not otherwise exercised, the rights described below will expire (a) with the prior consent of both Silver Lake and the Warrant Holders in connection with a non-qualifying change of control, as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement, (b) with the prior consent of Silver Lake in connection with any other change of control, as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement, or (c) with respect to any party to the Registration Rights Agreement, at such time such party does not beneficially own any registrable shares subject to the Registration Rights Agreement.

Shelf Registration Rights

Beginning 90 days after the date on which Silver Lake is no longer subject to any lock-up or contractual restrictions (excluding the Sponsor Shareholder Agreement), Silver Lake may at any time request in writing that we file a shelf registration statement to permit the sale or distribution of all or a portion of their registrable shares. Beginning 90 days after the date on which the Warrant Holders are no longer subject to any lock-up or contractual restrictions, the Warrant Holders may at any time request in writing that we file a shelf registration statement to permit the sale or distribution of their registrable shares at an aggregate offering price of at least

 

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$25 million. Subject to specified limitations set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement, holders may request that their registrable shares be joined to this request. Subject to specified limitations set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement, we may delay filing a registration statement pursuant to this provision on no more than two occasions in any 12-month period.

Demand Registration Rights

Subject to specified limitations set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement, Silver Lake may demand in writing that we register all or a portion of the registrable shares under the Securities Act if the total amount of registrable shares registered can reasonably be anticipated to have a net aggregate offering price of at least $25 million. Subject to specified limitations set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement, we may delay filing a registration statement pursuant to this provision on no more than two occasions in any 12-month period.

Piggyback Registration Rights

In the event that we propose to register any of our shares under the Securities Act, either for our own account or for the account of other security holders, each holder of registrable shares is entitled to notice of such registration and are entitled to certain “piggyback” registration rights allowing them to include their shares in such registration, subject to certain marketing and other limitations. Any such limitations on the number of registrable securities that may be included by such holders must be on a pro-rata basis.

The Registration Rights Agreement also contains certain customary cross-indemnification provisions.

Other Relationships

In addition to transactions pursuant to the Management Agreement, in the ordinary course of business, we sold goods and services to affiliates of Silver Lake during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, for which we recorded net sales of $26.7 million, $38.8 million and $97.0 million, respectively. In October 2013, investment funds affiliated with Silver Lake, together with other investors, acquired Dell, one of our top three end customers by net sales during fiscal 2015.

We also have entered into employment agreements with our executive officers. See “Executive Compensation—Employment and Severance Agreements.”

Procedures for Approval of Related Person Transactions

Pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, a director who is in any way interested in a contract or transaction with the company will declare the nature of his interest at a meeting of the board of directors. A director may vote in respect of any such contract or transaction notwithstanding that he may be interested therein and if he does so his vote will be counted and he may be counted in the quorum at any meeting of the board of directors at which any such contract or transaction shall come before the meeting of the board of directors for consideration. In connection with this offering, we have adopted a written audit committee charter, pursuant to which the audit committee must review all related party transactions required to be disclosed in our financial statements and approve any such related party transaction, unless the transaction is approved by another independent committee of our board. In approving or rejecting the proposed agreement, our audit committee shall consider the relevant facts and circumstances available and deemed relevant to the audit committee, including, but not limited to the risks, costs and benefits to us, the terms of the transaction, the availability of other sources for comparable services or products and, if applicable, the impact on a director’s independence. In addition, our written code of business conduct and ethics requires that directors, executive officers and employees make appropriate disclosure of potential conflicts of interest situations to the audit committee, in the case of directors and executive officers, or to the supervisor who will then seek authorization from the compliance officer, in the case of employees.

 

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Prior to this offering, we have not had a written policy for the review and approval of transactions with related persons. However, our board of directors has reviewed and approved any transaction where a director or executive officer had a financial interest, including the transactions described above. Prior to approving such a transaction, the material facts as to a director’s or officer’s relationship or interest as to the agreement or transaction were disclosed to our board of directors. Our board of directors would take this information into account when evaluating the transaction and in determining whether such transaction was fair to us and in the best interest of all of our shareholders.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL

The following description of our share capital assumes the adoption of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, which we will file in connection with this offering. Throughout this description, we summarize the material terms of our share capital as though such amended and restated memorandum and articles of association were presently in effect. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association authorize the issuance of up to 200,000,000 ordinary shares and 30,000,000 preferred shares. As of February 24, 2017, 13,870,322 ordinary shares were issued and outstanding and held of record by 98 shareholders. In addition, 3,467,571 ordinary shares were subject to warrants outstanding as of February 24, 2017, with an exercise price of $0.03 per share, and 1,474,807 ordinary shares were subject to options outstanding as of February 24, 2017, with a weighted-average exercise price of $10.74 per share.

We are incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability under Cayman Islands law and our affairs are governed by the provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as amended and restated from time to time, and by the provisions of the Companies Law. A Cayman Islands company qualifies for exempted status if its operations will be conducted mainly outside of the Cayman Islands. Exempted companies are exempted from complying with certain provisions of the Companies Law. An exempted company is not required to obtain prior approval for registration or to hold an annual general meeting, and the annual return that must be filed with the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands is considerably more simple than for non-exempted Cayman Islands companies. Names of shareholders are not required to be filed with the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands. While there are currently no forms of direct taxation, withholding or capital gains tax in the Cayman Islands, an exempted company is entitled to apply for a tax exemption certificate from the Governor in Cabinet, which provides written confirmation that, among other things, should the laws of the Cayman Islands change, the company will not be subject to taxes for the period during which the certificate is valid (usually 20 years). See “Taxation—Cayman Islands Tax Considerations.” The following is a summary of some of the more important terms of our share capital that we expect will become effective on the consummation of this offering. For a complete description, you should refer to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, which are filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and the applicable provisions of the Companies Law.

Ordinary Shares

General

All of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares are fully paid and non-assessable. The ordinary shares are issued in registered form. Our ordinary shares are not entitled to any sinking fund or pre-emptive or redemption rights. Our shareholders may freely hold and vote their shares.

Dividends

The holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors subject to the Companies Law. Dividends may be paid only out of profits, which include net earnings and retained earnings undistributed in prior years, and out of share premium, a concept analogous to paid-in surplus in the United States, subject to a statutory solvency test.

Voting Rights

Each shareholder is entitled to one vote for each ordinary share on all matters upon which the ordinary shares are entitled to vote, including the election of directors. Voting at any shareholders’ meeting is by way of a poll.

A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of one or more holders of shares present in person or by proxy (or, if a corporation or other non-natural person, by its duly authorized representative) together

 

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holding (or representing by proxy) not less than a majority of the total voting power of all shares outstanding and entitled to vote. General meetings of our shareholders are held annually and may be convened by our board of directors on its own initiative. Extraordinary meetings of our shareholders may be called at any time only by or at the direction of the board of directors or the chairman of the board of directors; however, so long as Silver Lake owns at least 40% of our outstanding ordinary shares, extraordinary meetings of our shareholders will also be called by the board of directors at the request of either Silver Lake Partners or Silver Lake Sumeru. Advance notice to shareholders of at least 14 calendar days is required for the convening of any annual general meeting or other shareholders’ meetings.

An ordinary resolution to be passed by the shareholders requires a simple majority of votes cast in a general meeting, while a special resolution requires no less than 75% of the votes cast. Under the Companies Law, certain matters must be approved by special resolution of the shareholders, including alteration of the memorandum or articles of association, reduction of share capital, change of name, or voluntary winding up the company.

Liquidation

On a return of capital on winding up or otherwise (other than on conversion, redemption or purchase of shares), assets available for distribution among the holders of ordinary shares shall be distributed among the holders of the ordinary shares in accordance with the Companies Law and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. If our assets available for distribution are insufficient to repay all of the paid-up capital, the assets will be distributed so that the losses are borne by our shareholders proportionately.

Inspection of Books and Records

Holders of our ordinary shares will have no general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of shareholders or our corporate records.

Register of Members

Under Cayman Islands law, we must keep a register of members and include the following items:

 

   

the names and addresses of the members, a statement of the shares held by each member and the amount paid or agreed to be considered as paid on the shares of each member;

 

   

the date on which the name of any person was entered on the register as a member; and

 

   

the date on which any person ceased to be a member.

Under Cayman Islands law, the register of members is prima facie evidence of the matters set forth therein ( i.e. , the register will raise a presumption of fact on the matters referred to above unless rebutted), and a member registered in the register of members shall be deemed as a matter of Cayman Islands law to have legal title to the shares as set against its name in the register of members. Upon the closing of this offering, the register of members shall be immediately updated to reflect the shares that we will have issued in connection with this offering. Once our register of members has been updated, the shareholders recorded in the register of members shall be deemed to have legal title to the shares set against their names. If the name of any person is incorrectly entered in or omitted from our register of members, or if there is any default or unnecessary delay in updating the register for any person that has ceased to be a member of our company, such aggrieved person or member (or any member of our company or our company itself) may apply to the Cayman Islands Grand Court for an order that the register be rectified, and the Court may either refuse such application or, if satisfied with the justice of the case, order the register be rectified.

Undesignated Preferred Shares

Pursuant to our amended and restated articles of association, our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the shareholders, to issue up to 30,000,000 preferred shares in one or more series and to

 

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designate the price, rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of such preferred shares without any further vote or action by our shareholders, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of the ordinary shares.

Lender Warrants

In November 2016, we issued Lender Warrants to purchase 3,467,571 of our ordinary shares to the Warrant Holders. The Lender Warrants are exercisable at $0.03 per share, with the 1,541,143 First Tranche Warrants currently exercisable. Upon the completion of this offering, the First Tranche Warrants will be deemed net exercised if not previously exercised, and the 1,926,428 Second Tranche Warrants, as amended in April 2017, will remain outstanding but will only become exercisable if there are balances outstanding under our existing term loans on November 5, 2017.

Registration Rights Agreement

See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Registration Rights Agreement” and “Shares Eligible for Future Sale—Registration Rights” for a description of the Registration Rights Agreement entered into with Silver Lake, certain entities affiliated with Mr. Ajay Shah, certain entities affiliated with Mr. Mukesh Patel, the Warrant Holders and certain of our executive officers.

Sponsor Shareholder Agreement

Pursuant to our Sponsor Shareholder Agreement, we will not take certain actions specified in the Sponsor Shareholder Agreement without the consent of Silver Lake. Please see “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Sponsor Shareholder Agreement” elsewhere in this prospectus.

Anti-Takeover Provisions of our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association

Some provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company or management that shareholders might otherwise view as favorable and are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened acquisition of our company. These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, reduce our vulnerability to a hostile change in control or other unsolicited acquisition proposal and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize shareholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us. However, these provisions may have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a merger or acquisition of our company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or other takeover attempt that a shareholder might consider in its best interest, including attempts that might result in a premium over the prevailing market price for our ordinary shares.

Classified Board of Directors

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that our board of directors is classified into three classes of directors with staggered three year terms . A third party may be discouraged from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us as it is more difficult and time consuming for shareholders to replace a majority of the directors on a classified board of directors . See “Management—Board of Directors.”

Breaches of Fiduciary Duty

To the maximum extent permitted under Cayman Islands law, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will indemnify our directors against any personal liability of our directors for breaches of fiduciary duty.

 

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Removal of Directors

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that directors may be removed with or without cause upon the affirmative vote of a majority of our outstanding ordinary shares, so long as Silver Lake collectively owns at least 40% of our outstanding ordinary shares; however, at any time when Silver Lake collectively owns less than 40% of our outstanding ordinary shares, directors may only be removed for cause, and only by the affirmative vote of holders of at least 75% of our outstanding ordinary shares.

Vacancies

In addition, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association also provides that any newly created directorship on the board of directors that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancies on our board of directors will be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, even if less than a quorum, by a sole remaining director or by the affirmative vote of a majority of our outstanding ordinary shares, so long as Silver Lake collectively owns at least 40% of our outstanding ordinary shares; however, at any time when Silver Lake collectively owns less than 40% of our outstanding ordinary shares, any newly created directorship on the board of directors that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancy occurring in the board of directors may be filled only by a majority of the remaining directors, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (and not by the shareholders). Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that the board of directors may increase the number of directors by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors or, at any time when Silver Lake collectively owns at least 40% of our outstanding ordinary shares, by the affirmative vote of a majority of our outstanding ordinary shares.

Board Quorum

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that at any meeting of the board of directors, a majority of the total number of directors then in office constitutes a quorum for all purposes; however, so long as there is at least one Silver Lake Director on the board, a quorum shall also require at least one Silver Lake Director for all purposes. Following the consummation of this offering, if any such required Silver Lake Director fails to appear at a meeting of the board of directors, and such meeting is adjourned with proper notice and postponed with no change to the agenda, and such Silver Lake Director again fails to appear at such postponed meeting, a majority of the total number of directors then in office without such Silver Lake Director constitutes a quorum for all purposes.

Shareholder Action by Written Consent

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that any action required to be taken at any annual or extraordinary meeting of the shareholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote if, in the case of an ordinary resolution, a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by the holders of outstanding ordinary shares 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 of our outstanding ordinary shares were present and voted, or in the case of a special resolution by all holders of ordinary shares having the right to vote, unless our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides otherwise, so long as Silver Lake collectively owns at least 40% of our outstanding ordinary shares. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will preclude shareholder action by written consent at any time when Silver Lake collectively owns less than 40% of our outstanding ordinary shares, provided that shareholders may always act by a unanimous written resolution.

Extraordinary Shareholder Meetings

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association limits the ability of shareholders to requisition and convene general meetings of shareholders and provides that extraordinary meetings of our

 

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shareholders may be called at any time only by or at the direction of the board of directors or the chairman of the board of directors; however, so long as Silver Lake collectively owns at least 40% of our outstanding ordinary shares, extraordinary meetings of our shareholders may also be called by the board of directors at the request of either Silver Lake Partners or Silver Lake Sumeru.

Supermajority Provisions

Cayman Islands law and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that the affirmative vote of at least 75% of our outstanding ordinary shares attending and voting at a general meeting or a unanimous written resolution is required to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.

The combination of the foregoing provisions will make it more difficult for our existing shareholders to replace our board of directors as well as for another party to obtain control of us by replacing our board of directors. Because our board of directors has the power to retain and discharge our officers, these provisions could also make it more difficult for existing shareholders or another party to effect a change in management. However, under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association for a proper purpose and for what they believe in good faith to be in the best interests of our company.

Comparison of Cayman Islands Corporate Law

Cayman Islands companies are governed by the Companies Law. The Companies Law is modeled on English Law but does not follow recent English Law statutory enactments, and differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of the material differences between the provisions of the Companies Law applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders.

Mergers and Similar Arrangements

In certain circumstances the Companies Law allows for mergers or consolidations between two or more Cayman Islands companies, or between one or more Cayman Islands companies and one or more companies incorporated in another jurisdiction (provided that is permitted or not prohibited by the laws of that other jurisdiction).

Where the merger or consolidation is between two Cayman Islands companies, the directors of each company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation containing certain prescribed information. That plan or merger or consolidation must then be authorized by either (i) a special resolution of the shareholders of each company; or (ii) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company’s articles of association. A shareholder may have the right to vote on a merger or consolidation regardless of whether the shares that he holds otherwise give him voting rights. No shareholder resolution is required for a merger between a parent company ( i.e. , a company that owns at least 90% of the issued shares of each class in a subsidiary company) and its subsidiary company if a copy of the plan of merger is given to every member of such subsidiary company unless a member agrees otherwise. The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest of a constituent company must be obtained, unless the court waives such requirement. If the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies is satisfied that the requirements of the Companies Law (which includes certain other formalities) have been complied with, the Registrar of Companies will register the plan of merger or consolidation.

Where the merger or consolidation involves a foreign company, the procedure is similar, save that with respect to the foreign company, the director of the Cayman Islands company is required to make a declaration to the effect that, having made due enquiry, he is of the opinion that the requirements set out below have been

 

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met: (i) that the merger or consolidation is permitted or not prohibited by the constitutional documents of the foreign company and by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the foreign company is incorporated, and that those laws and any requirements of those constitutional documents have been or will be complied with; (ii) that no petition or other similar proceeding has been filed and remains outstanding or order made or resolution adopted to wind up or liquidate the foreign company in any jurisdictions; (iii) that no receiver, trustee, administrator or other similar person has been appointed in any jurisdiction and is acting in respect of the foreign company, its affairs or its property or any part thereof; (iv) that no scheme, order, compromise or other similar arrangement has been entered into or made in any jurisdiction whereby the rights of creditors of the foreign company are and continue to be suspended or restricted.

Where the surviving company is the Cayman Islands company, the director of the Cayman Islands company is further required to make a declaration to the effect that, having made due enquiry, he is of the opinion that the requirements set out below have been met: (i) that the foreign company is able to pay its debts as they fall due and that the merger or consolidated is bona fide and not intended to defraud unsecured creditors of the foreign company; (ii) that in respect of the transfer of any security interest granted by the foreign company to the surviving or consolidated company (a) consent or approval to the transfer has been obtained, released or waived; (b) the transfer is permitted by and has been approved in accordance with the constitutional documents of the foreign company; and (c) the laws of the jurisdiction of the foreign company with respect to the transfer have been or will be complied with; (iii) that the foreign company will, upon the merger or consolidation becoming effective, cease to be incorporated, registered or exist under the laws of the relevant foreign jurisdiction; and (iv) that there is no other reason why it would be against the public interest to permit the merger or consolidation.

Where the above procedures are adopted, the Companies Law provides for a right of dissenting shareholders to be paid a payment of the fair value of his shares upon their dissenting to the merger or consolidation if they follow a prescribed procedure. In essence, that procedure is as follows: (i) the shareholder must give his written objection to the merger or consolidation to the constituent company before the vote on the merger or consolidation, including a statement that the shareholder proposes to demand payment for his shares if the merger or consolidation is authorized by the vote; (ii) within 20 days following the date on which the merger or consolidation is approved by the shareholders, the constituent company must give written notice to each shareholder who made a written objection; (iii) a shareholder must within 20 days following receipt of such notice from the constituent company, give the constituent company a written notice of his intention to dissent including, among other details, a demand for payment of the fair value of his shares; (iv) within seven days following the date of the expiration of the period set out in paragraph (ii) above or seven days following the date on which the plan of merger or consolidation is filed, whichever is later, the constituent company, the surviving company or the consolidated company must make a written offer to each dissenting shareholder to purchase his shares at a price that the company determines is the fair value and if the company and the shareholder agree the price within 30 days following the date on which the offer was made, the company must pay the shareholder such amount; (v) if the company and the shareholder fail to agree a price within such 30-day period, within 20 days following the date on which such 30-day period expires, the company (and any dissenting shareholder) must file a petition with the Cayman Islands Grand Court to determine the fair value and such petition must be accompanied by a list of the names and addresses of the dissenting shareholders with whom agreements as to the fair value of their shares have not been reached by the company. At the hearing of that petition, the court has the power to determine the fair value of the shares together with a fair rate of interest, if any, to be paid by the company upon the amount determined to be the fair value. Any dissenting shareholder whose name appears on the list filed by the company may participate fully in all proceedings until the determination of fair value is reached. These rights of a dissenting shareholder are not available in certain circumstances, for example, to dissenters holding shares of any class in respect of which an open market exists on a recognized stock exchange or recognized interdealer quotation system at the relevant date or where the consideration for such shares to be contributed are shares of any company listed on a national securities exchange or shares of the surviving or consolidated company.

 

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Moreover, Cayman Islands law also has separate statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction or amalgamation of companies in certain circumstances, schemes of arrangement will generally be more suited for complex mergers or other transactions involving widely held companies, commonly referred to in the Cayman Islands as a “scheme of arrangement” which may be tantamount to a merger. In the event that a merger was sought pursuant to a scheme of arrangement (the procedure of which are more rigorous and take longer to complete than the procedures typically required to consummate a merger in the United States), the arrangement in question must be approved by a majority in number of each class of shareholders and creditors with whom the arrangement is to be made and who must in addition represent three-fourths in value of each such class of shareholders or creditors, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting, or meeting summoned for that purpose. The convening of the meetings and subsequently the terms of the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder would have the right to express to the court the view that the transaction should not be approved, the court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it satisfies itself that:

 

   

we are not proposing to act illegally or beyond the scope of our corporate authority and the statutory provisions as to majority vote have been complied with;

 

   

the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question;

 

   

the arrangement is such as a businessman would reasonably approve; and

 

   

the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Law or that would amount to a “fraud on the minority.”

If a scheme of arrangement or takeover offer (as described below) is approved, any dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of United States corporations, providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.

Squeeze-out Provisions

When a takeover offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% of the shares to whom the offer is made within four months, the offeror may, within a two-month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands but this is unlikely to succeed unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith, collusion or inequitable treatment of the shareholders.

Further, transactions similar to a merger, reconstruction and/or an amalgamation may in some circumstances be achieved through other means to these statutory provisions, such as a share capital exchange, asset acquisition or control, through contractual arrangements, of an operating business.

Shareholders’ Suits

Our Cayman Islands counsel is not aware of any reported class action having been brought in a Cayman Islands court. Derivative actions have been brought in the Cayman Islands courts, and the Cayman Islands courts have confirmed the availability for such actions. In most cases, we will be the proper plaintiff in any claim based on a breach of duty owed to us, and a claim against (for example) our officers or directors usually may not be brought by a shareholder. However, based on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority and be applied by a court in the Cayman Islands, exceptions to the foregoing principle apply in circumstances in which:

 

   

a company is acting, or proposing to act, illegally or beyond the scope of its authority;

 

   

the act complained of, although not beyond the scope of the authority, could be effected if duly authorized by more than the number of votes which have actually been obtained; or

 

   

those who control the company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.”

 

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A shareholder may have a direct right of action against us where the individual rights of that shareholder have been infringed or are about to be infringed.

Enforcement of Civil Liabilities

The Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States and provides less protection to investors. Additionally, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to sue before the federal courts of the United States. Although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize a foreign judgment as the basis for a claim at common law in the Cayman Islands, provided such judgment:

 

   

is given by a competent foreign court;

 

   

imposes on the judgment debtor a liability to pay a liquidated sum for which the judgment has been given;

 

   

is final;

 

   

is not in respect of taxes, a fine or a penalty; and

 

   

was not obtained in a manner and is not of a kind the enforcement of which is contrary to the public policy of the Cayman Islands.

Limitations on Liability and Indemnification Matters

See “Executive Compensation—Indemnification and Insurance.”

Listing

We have applied to list our ordinary shares on The NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “SGH”.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

Computershare Trust Company, N.A. is acting as transfer agent and registrar for our ordinary shares. The transfer agent’s address is 250 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021.

 

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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our ordinary shares, and we cannot predict the effect, if any, that market sales of our ordinary shares or the availability of our ordinary shares for sale will have on the market price of our ordinary shares prevailing from time to time. Future sales of our ordinary shares in the public market, or the availability of such shares for sale in the public market, could adversely affect market prices prevailing from time to time. As described below, only a limited number of our ordinary shares will be available for sale shortly after this offering due to contractual and legal restrictions on resale. Nevertheless, sales of our ordinary shares in the public market after such restrictions lapse, or the perception that those sales may occur, could adversely affect the prevailing market price at such time and our ability to raise equity capital in the future.

Following the completion of this offering, based on the number of our ordinary shares outstanding as of February 24, 2017, we will have a total of 20,708,177 ordinary shares outstanding. Of these outstanding shares, all ordinary shares sold in this offering will be freely tradable, except that any shares purchased in this offering by our affiliates, as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, would only be able to be sold in compliance with the Rule 144 limitations described below.

The remaining outstanding ordinary shares will be, and shares subject to outstanding stock options will be upon issuance, deemed “restricted securities” as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Restricted securities may be sold in the public market only if they are registered or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rule 144 or Rule 701 under the Securities Act, which rules are summarized below. All of our executive officers, directors and holders of substantially all of our equity securities have entered into lock-up agreements with the underwriters under which they have agreed, subject to specific exceptions, not to sell any of our equity securities for 180 days following the date of this prospectus. As a result of these agreements and subject to the provisions of Rule 144 or Rule 701, ordinary shares will be available for sale in the public market as follows:

 

   

beginning on the date of this prospectus, all ordinary shares sold in this offering will be immediately available for sale in the public market except to the extent purchased by one of our affiliates; and

 

   

beginning 181 days after the date of this prospectus, the remainder of the ordinary shares will be eligible for sale in the public market from time to time thereafter, subject in some cases to restrictions in award agreements and contractual obligations with us or with Silver Lake or the volume and other restrictions of Rule 144, as described below.

Lock-up Agreements

We, our executive officers and directors and holders of substantially all of our outstanding equity securities have agreed not to sell or transfer any ordinary shares or securities convertible into, exchangeable for, exercisable for, or repayable with ordinary shares, for 180 days after the date of this prospectus without first obtaining the written consent of Barclays Capital Inc. Specifically, we and these other persons have agreed, with certain limited exceptions, not to directly or indirectly:

 

   

offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any ordinary shares (including, without limitation, ordinary shares that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and ordinary shares that may be issued upon exercise of any options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for ordinary shares;

 

   

enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of ordinary shares, whether any such transaction described in the immediately preceding bullet or this bullet is to be settled by delivery of ordinary shares or other securities, in cash or otherwise;

 

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make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any ordinary shares or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for ordinary shares or any of our other securities; or

 

   

publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case for a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 180th day after the date of this prospectus.

This lock-up provision applies to ordinary shares and to securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or repayable with ordinary shares. It also applies to ordinary shares owned now or acquired later by the person executing the agreement or for which the person executing the agreement later acquires the power of disposition. Barclays Capital Inc. may, in its discretion, release any of the securities subject to these lock-up agreements at any time.

Rule 144

In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, once we have been subject to the public company reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act for at least 90 days, a person who is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates for purposes of the Securities Act at any time during the 90 days preceding a sale and who has beneficially owned the ordinary shares proposed to be sold for at least six months is entitled to sell those shares without complying with the manner of sale, volume limitation or notice provisions of Rule 144, subject to compliance with the public information requirements of Rule 144. If such a person has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least one year, including the holding period of any prior owner other than our affiliates, then that person would be entitled to sell those shares without complying with any of the requirements of Rule 144.

In general, under Rule 144, as currently in effect, our affiliates or persons selling ordinary shares on behalf of our affiliates are entitled to sell upon expiration of the market standoff agreements and lock-up agreements described above, within any three-month period, a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of:

 

   

1% of the number of our ordinary shares then outstanding, which will equal 207,081 shares immediately after this offering; or

 

   

the average weekly trading volume of our ordinary shares during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to that sale.

Sales under Rule 144 by our affiliates or persons selling ordinary shares on behalf of our affiliates are also subject to certain manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.

Rule 701

Rule 701 generally allows a shareholder who purchased ordinary shares pursuant to a written compensatory plan or contract and who is not deemed to have been an affiliate of our company during the immediately preceding 90 days to sell these shares in reliance upon Rule 144, but without being required to comply with the public information, holding period, volume limitation or notice provisions of Rule 144. Rule 701 also permits affiliates of our company to sell their Rule 701 shares under Rule 144 without complying with the holding period requirements of Rule 144. All holders of Rule 701 shares, however, are required to wait until 90 days after the date of this prospectus before selling those shares pursuant to Rule 701.

Registration Rights

See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Registration Rights Agreement” for a description of the Registration Rights Agreement entered into with Silver Lake, certain entities affiliated with

 

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Mr. Ajay Shah, certain entities affiliated with Mr. Mukesh Patel, the Warrant Holders and certain of our executive officers. Upon the completion of this offering, holders of a total of 16,379,514 ordinary shares as of April 30, 2017, including 825,302 shares subject to options and 1,541,143 shares underlying the First Tranche Warrants, in each case exercisable as of April 30, 2017 or exercisable within 60 days of April 30, 2017, will have the right to require us to register these shares under the Securities Act or to participate in future registrations of securities by us, pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement. In addition, the benefits of the Registration Rights Agreement would apply to the ordinary shares underlying the Second Tranche Warrants if there are still balances outstanding under our existing term loans on November 5, 2017 and the Second Tranche Warrants are exercised thereafter. After registration pursuant to these rights, these shares will become freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act. If not otherwise exercised, the rights described below will expire (a) with the prior consent of both Silver Lake and the Warrant Holders in connection with a non-qualifying change of control, as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement, (b) with the prior consent of Silver Lake in connection with any other change of control, as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement, or (c) with respect to any party to the Registration Rights Agreement, at such time such party does not beneficially own any registrable shares subject to the Registration Rights Agreement.

Registration Statement

We intend to file a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act promptly after the completion of this offering to register ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options, as well as any ordinary shares reserved for future issuance, under our SGH Plan. The registration statement on Form S-8 is expected to become effective immediately upon filing, and ordinary shares covered by the registration statement will then become eligible for sale in the public market, subject to the Rule 144 limitations applicable to affiliates, vesting restrictions and any applicable market standoff agreements and lock-up agreements. See the section titled “Executive Compensation—Employee Benefit and Stock Plans” for a description of our equity compensation plans.

 

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TAXATION

The following summary contains a description of certain Cayman Islands and U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of ordinary shares, but it does not purport to be a comprehensive description of all the tax considerations that may be relevant to a decision to purchase ordinary shares. The summary is based upon the tax laws of Cayman Islands and regulations thereunder and on the tax laws of the United States and regulations thereunder as of the date hereof, which are subject to change.

Cayman Islands Tax Considerations

Prospective investors should consult their professional advisers on the possible tax consequences of buying, holding or selling any of our ordinary shares under the laws of their country of citizenship, residence or domicile. The following is a discussion on certain Cayman Islands income tax consequences of an investment in our ordinary shares. The discussion is a general summary of present law, which is subject to prospective and retroactive change. It is not intended as tax advice, does not consider any investor’s particular circumstances and does not consider tax consequences other than those arising under Cayman Islands law.

Payments of dividends and capital in respect of our ordinary shares will not be subject to taxation in the Cayman Islands and no withholding will be required on the payment of a dividend or capital to any holder of our ordinary shares, as the case may be, nor will gains derived from the disposal of our ordinary shares be subject to Cayman Islands income or corporation tax. The Cayman Islands currently have no income, corporation or capital gains tax and no estate duty, inheritance tax or gift tax.

No stamp duty is payable in respect of the issue of our ordinary shares or on an instrument of transfer in respect of an ordinary share.

The Company has been incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company with limited liability and, as such, has obtained an undertaking from the Governor in Cabinet of the Cayman Islands in substantially the following form:

The Tax Concessions Law

(2011 Revision)

Undertaking as to Tax Concessions

In accordance with Section 6 of the Tax Concessions Law (2011 Revision) the Governor in Cabinet undertakes with SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”).

 

  (a) that no Law which is hereafter enacted in the Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations shall apply to the Company or its operations; and

 

  (b) in addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax shall be payable:

 

  (i) on or in respect of the shares, debentures or other obligations of the Company; or

 

  (ii) by way of the withholding in whole or part, of any relevant payment as defined in Section 6(3) of the Tax Concessions Law (2011 Revision).

These concessions shall be for a period of TWENTY years from the 13th day of May 2014.

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

In the opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, the following is a description of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to the U.S. Holders described below of owning and disposing of our ordinary shares. It is not a comprehensive description of all tax considerations that may be relevant to a particular person’s decision

 

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to acquire the ordinary shares. This discussion applies only to a U.S. Holder that acquires our ordinary shares pursuant to this offering and holds them as capital assets for tax purposes. In addition, it does not describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant in light of the U.S. Holder’s particular circumstances, including alternative minimum tax consequences, the potential application of the Medicare contribution tax and tax consequences applicable to U.S. Holders subject to special rules, such as:

 

   

certain financial institutions;

 

   

dealers or traders in securities who use a mark-to-market method of tax accounting;

 

   

persons holding our ordinary shares as part of a hedging transaction, straddle, wash sale, conversion transaction or integrated transaction or persons entering into a constructive sale with respect to the ordinary shares;

 

   

persons whose functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar;

 

   

entities classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

 

   

tax-exempt entities, “individual retirement accounts” or “Roth IRAs”;

 

   

persons that own or are deemed to own ten percent or more of our voting stock; or

 

   

persons holding our ordinary shares in connection with a trade or business conducted outside of the United States.

If an entity that is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes owns ordinary shares, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partnerships owning our ordinary shares and partners in such partnerships should consult their tax advisers as to the particular U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of our ordinary shares.

This discussion is based on the Code, administrative pronouncements, judicial decisions and final, temporary and proposed Treasury regulations, all as of the date hereof, any of which is subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.

A “U.S. Holder” is a holder who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is a beneficial owner of ordinary shares and is:

 

   

a citizen or individual resident of the United States;

 

   

a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state therein or the District of Columbia; or

 

   

an estate or trust the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source.

U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers concerning the U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of owning and disposing of our ordinary shares in their particular circumstances.

This discussion assumes that the Company is not, and will not become, a passive foreign investment company, as described below.

Taxation of Distributions

As discussed above under “Dividend Policy,” the Company does not currently intend to declare dividends on our ordinary shares in the foreseeable future. In the event that the Company does pay dividends, distributions paid on our ordinary shares, other than certain pro rata distributions payable only in ordinary shares, will be treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid out of the Company’s current or

 

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accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). Subject to applicable limitations, dividends paid by qualified foreign corporations to certain non-corporate U.S. Holders may be taxable at preferential rates. A non-U.S. corporation is treated as a qualified foreign corporation with respect to dividends paid on stock that is readily tradable on a securities market in the United States, such as NASDAQ, on which the Company has applied to list its ordinary shares. Non-corporate U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the availability of the reduced tax rate on dividends. The amount of the dividend will generally be treated as foreign-source dividend income to U.S. Holders for foreign tax credit purposes and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction generally available to U.S. corporations under the Code. Dividends will be included in a U.S. Holder’s income on the date of the U.S. Holder’s receipt of the dividend.

Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Ordinary Shares

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, gain or loss realized on the sale or other taxable disposition of our ordinary shares will be capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder held the ordinary shares for more than one year. The amount of the gain or loss will equal the difference between the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the ordinary shares disposed of and the amount realized on the disposition. This gain or loss will generally be U.S.-source gain or loss for foreign tax credit purposes.

Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules

In general, a non-U.S. corporation is a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for any taxable year if: (i) 75% or more of its gross income consists of passive income or (ii) 50% or more of the average quarterly percentage of its assets consists of assets that produce, or are held for the production of, passive income. For this purpose, passive income generally includes dividends, interest, royalties, rents and capital gains. Goodwill is generally treated as a non-passive asset. The average quarterly percentage of a corporation’s active and passive assets for a taxable year is determined by value unless a corporation is a controlled foreign corporation, or CFC, that is not a publicly traded corporation for the taxable year, in which case it is determined in accordance with the corporation’s adjusted basis in the assets. The Company expects to be a CFC for our current taxable year.

If a non-U.S. corporation owns at least 25% (by value) of the stock of another corporation, it will be treated, for purposes of the PFIC tests, as owning its proportionate share of the other corporation’s assets and receiving its proportionate share of the other corporation’s income. Under attribution rules, if the Company is a PFIC, U.S. Holders will be deemed to own their proportionate share of lower-tier PFICs and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on (i) certain distributions by a lower-tier PFIC and (ii) a disposition of shares of a lower-tier PFIC, in each case as if the U.S. Holder held such shares directly, even though the U.S. Holders have not received the proceeds of those distributions or dispositions directly.

Based upon the nature of our business and the expected composition of our income and assets following the offering, the Company does not expect to be a PFIC for our current taxable year or in the foreseeable future. However, the determination of whether the Company is a PFIC is an annual test based on the composition of our income and assets and the value of our assets from time to time, which may be based in part on the market price of our ordinary shares, which is likely to fluctuate, and there are uncertainties as to the appropriate characterization and value of certain of our assets for purposes of the PFIC tests. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the Company will not be a PFIC for our current or any future taxable year.

In general, if the Company were a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder held ordinary shares, gain recognized by a U.S. Holder on a sale or other disposition (including certain pledges) of our ordinary shares would be allocated ratably over the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares. The amounts allocated to the taxable year of the sale or other disposition and to any year before the Company became a PFIC would be taxed as ordinary income. The amount allocated to each other taxable year would be subject to tax at the highest rate in effect for individuals or corporations, as appropriate, for that taxable year, and an interest charge would be imposed on the tax on the amount allocated to that taxable year. Further, to the extent that any

 

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distribution received by a U.S. Holder on its ordinary shares exceeds 125% of the average of the annual distributions on the ordinary shares received during the preceding three years or the U.S. Holder’s holding period, whichever is shorter, that distribution would be subject to taxation in the same manner as gain described immediately above. Certain elections may be available that would result in alternative treatments (such as mark-to-market treatment) of the ordinary shares. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers to determine whether any of these elections would be available and, if so, what the consequences of the alternative treatments would be in their particular circumstances.

If the Company were a PFIC for any year during which a U.S. Holder held ordinary shares, it generally would continue to be treated as a PFIC with respect to that holder for all succeeding years during which the U.S. Holder held ordinary shares, even if the Company ceased to meet the threshold requirements for PFIC status. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the potential availability of a “deemed sale” election that would allow them to eliminate this continuing PFIC status under certain circumstances.

If a U.S. Holder owns ordinary shares during any year in which the Company is a PFIC (or is treated as such with respect to the U.S. Holder), the holder will generally be required to file an IRS Form 8621 with their annual U.S. federal income tax return, subject to certain exceptions.

U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding whether the Company is or may become a PFIC and the potential application of the PFIC rules.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Payments of dividends and sales proceeds that are made within the United States or through certain U.S.-related financial intermediaries generally are subject to information reporting, and may be subject to backup withholding, unless (i) the U.S. Holder is a corporation or other exempt recipient or (ii) in the case of backup withholding, the U.S. Holder provides a correct taxpayer identification number and certifies that it is not subject to backup withholding.

The amount of any backup withholding from a payment to a U.S. Holder will be allowed as a credit against the holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle it to a refund, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Certain U.S. Holders who are individuals, and certain entities controlled by individuals, may be required to report information relating to their ownership of an interest in certain foreign financial assets in excess of certain thresholds, including stock of a non-U.S. person, generally on IRS Form 8938, subject to exceptions (including an exception for stock held through a U.S. financial institution). U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding their reporting obligations with respect to ordinary shares.

 

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UNDERWRITING

Barclays Capital Inc. is acting as the representative of the underwriters of this offering. Under the terms of an underwriting agreement, which will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, each of the underwriters named below has severally agreed to purchase from us the respective number of ordinary shares shown opposite its name below:

 

Underwriters

   Number of Shares  

Barclays Capital Inc.

  

Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc.

  

Jefferies LLC

  

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

  

Needham & Company, LLC

  

Roth Capital Partners, LLC

  
  

 

 

 

Total

     5,300,000  
  

 

 

 

The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters’ obligation to purchase ordinary shares depends on the satisfaction of the conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, including:

 

   

the obligation to purchase all of the ordinary shares offered hereby (other than those ordinary shares covered by their overallotment option to purchase additional shares as described below), if any of the shares are purchased;

 

   

the representations and warranties made by us to the underwriters are true;

 

   

there is no material change in our business or the financial markets; and

 

   

we deliver customary closing documents to the underwriters.

Commissions and Expenses

The following table summarizes the underwriting discounts and commissions we will pay to the underwriters. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional ordinary shares. The underwriting fee is the difference between the initial price to the public and the amount the underwriters pay to us for the ordinary shares.

 

     No Exercise      Full Exercise  

Per Ordinary Share

   $                   $               

Total

   $      $  

The representative has advised us that the underwriters propose to offer the ordinary shares directly to the public at the public offering price on the cover of this prospectus and to selected dealers, which may include the underwriters, at such offering price less a selling concession not in excess of $             per ordinary share. After the offering, the representative may change the offering price and other selling terms.

The expenses of the offering that are payable by us are estimated to be approximately $2.4 million (excluding underwriting discounts and commissions). We have also agreed to reimburse the underwriters for their legal expenses relating to clearance of the offering with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. in an amount up to $35,000.

Option to Purchase Additional Shares

We have granted the underwriters an option exercisable for 30 days after the date of this prospectus to purchase, from time to time, in whole or in part, up to an aggregate of 795,000 ordinary shares from us at the

 

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public offering price less underwriting discounts and commissions. This option may be exercised to the extent the underwriters sell more than 5,300,000 ordinary shares in connection with this offering. To the extent that this option is exercised, each underwriter will be obligated, subject to certain conditions, to purchase its pro rata portion of these additional ordinary shares based on the underwriter’s percentage underwriting commitment in the offering as indicated in the table at the beginning of this “Underwriting” section.

Lock-Up Agreements

We, all of our directors and executive officers and holders of substantially all of our outstanding ordinary shares have agreed that, subject to certain limited exceptions, without the prior written consent of Barclays Capital Inc., we and they will not directly or indirectly, (i) offer for sale, sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any ordinary shares (including, without limitation, ordinary shares that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by us or them in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and ordinary shares that may be issued upon exercise of any options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for ordinary shares; (ii) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of ordinary shares, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of ordinary shares or other securities, in cash or otherwise; (iii) make any demand for or exercise any right or file or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any ordinary shares or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into ordinary shares or any of our other securities; or (iv) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus.

Barclays Capital Inc., in its sole discretion, may release the ordinary shares and other securities subject to the lock-up agreements described above in whole or in part at any time with or without notice. When determining whether or not to release ordinary shares and other securities from lock-up agreements, Barclays Capital Inc. will consider, among other factors, the holder’s reasons for requesting the release, the number of ordinary shares and other securities for which the release is being requested and market conditions at the time.

Offering Price Determination

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our ordinary shares. The initial public offering price will be negotiated between the representative and us. In determining the initial public offering price of our ordinary shares, the representative will consider:

 

   

the history and prospects for the industry in which we compete;

 

   

our financial information;

 

   

the ability of our management and our business potential and earning prospects;

 

   

the prevailing securities markets at the time of this offering; and

 

   

the recent market prices of, and the demand for, publicly traded shares of generally comparable companies.

Indemnification

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act and to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make for these liabilities.

 

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Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids

The representative may engage in stabilizing transactions, short sales and purchases to cover positions created by short sales and penalty bids or purchases for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the ordinary shares, in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act:

 

   

Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.

 

   

A short position involves a sale by the underwriters of shares in excess of the number of shares the underwriters are obligated to purchase in the offering, which creates the syndicate short position. This short position may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of shares involved in the sales made by the underwriters in excess of the number of shares they are obligated to purchase is not greater than the number of shares that they may purchase by exercising their overallotment option to purchase additional shares. In a naked short position, the number of shares involved is greater than the number of shares in their overallotment option to purchase additional shares. The underwriters may close out any short position by either exercising their overallotment option to purchase additional shares and/or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through their overallotment option to purchase additional shares. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there could be downward pressure on the price of the shares in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering.

 

   

Syndicate-covering transactions involve purchases of the ordinary shares in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions.

 

   

Penalty bids permit the representative to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the ordinary shares originally sold by the syndicate member is purchased in a stabilizing or syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions.

These stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our ordinary shares or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our ordinary shares. As a result, the price of our ordinary shares may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. These transactions may be effected on NASDAQ or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

Neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our ordinary shares. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters make representation that the representative will engage in these stabilizing transactions or that any transaction, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

Electronic Distribution

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the Internet sites or through other online services maintained by one or more of the underwriters and/or selling group members participating in this offering, or by their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms online and, depending upon the particular underwriter or selling group member, prospective investors may be allowed to place orders online. The underwriters may agree with us to allocate a specific number of ordinary shares for sale to online brokerage account holders. Any such allocation for online distributions will be made by the representative on the same basis as other allocations.

Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on any underwriter’s or selling group member’s web site and any information contained in any other web site maintained by an underwriter or selling

 

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group member is not part of the prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or any underwriter or selling group member in its capacity as underwriter or selling group member and should not be relied upon by investors.

The NASDAQ Global Market

We have applied to list our ordinary shares on NASDAQ under the symbol “SGH”.

Discretionary Sales

The underwriters have informed us that they do not expect to sell more than 5% of the ordinary shares sold in this offering to accounts over which they exercise discretionary authority.

Stamp Taxes

If you purchase ordinary shares offered in this prospectus, you may be required to pay stamp taxes and other charges under the laws and practices of the country of purchase, in addition to the offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus.

Relationships

Certain of the underwriters and their related entities have engaged and may engage in commercial and investment banking transactions with us in the ordinary course of their business. They have received customary compensation and expenses for these commercial and investment banking transactions.

Affiliates of Barclays Capital Inc. are lenders under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and affiliates of Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. and Jefferies LLC are lenders under the revolving facility of the Senior Secured Credit Agreement. In such capacity, such affiliates have received, and will in the future receive, customary fees and compensation in the ordinary course of business. In November 2016, in connection with the amendment and restatement of the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, an affiliate of Barclays Capital Inc. received 1,450 First Tranche Warrants and 1,813 Second Tranche Warrants. As of May 11, 2017, affiliates of Barclays Capital Inc. held 175,390 First Tranche Warrants and 219,237 Second Tranche Warrants. For more information regarding the Lender Warrants, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Contractual Obligations —Senior Secured Credit Agreement.”

In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and certain of their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of the issuer or its affiliates. If the underwriters or their affiliates have a lending relationship with us, they routinely hedge their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. The underwriters and their affiliates may hedge such exposure by entering into transactions that consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities or the securities of our affiliates, including potentially the ordinary shares offered hereby. Any such short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the ordinary shares offered hereby. The underwriters and certain of their affiliates may also communicate independent investment recommendations, market color or trading ideas and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

 

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Selling Restrictions

Notice to Prospective Investors in Brazil

For purposes of Brazilian law, this offer of securities is addressed to you personally, upon your request and for your sole benefit, and is not to be transmitted to anyone else, to be relied upon elsewhere or for any other purpose either quoted or referred to in any other public or private document or to be filed with anyone, without our prior express and written consent.

This offering does not constitute or form part of any public offering of shares in Brazil and, accordingly, has not been and will not be registered under Brazilian Federal Law No. 6385 of December 7, 1976, as amended, Brazilian Securities Commission (CVM) Rule (Instrução) No. 400 of December 29, 2003, as amended, or under any other Brazilian securities law or regulation. Furthermore, our ordinary shares and we have not been and will not be registered before the CVM under CVM Rule (Instrução) No. 480 of December 7, 2009, as amended.

Therefore, the ordinary shares offered hereby have not been, will not be and may not be offered for sale or sold in Brazil except in circumstances that do not constitute a public offering or other unauthorized distribution under applicable Brazilian laws and regulations. Documents relating to the ordinary shares, as well as the information contained therein, may not be supplied to the public as a public offering in Brazil or be used in connection with any offer for subscription or sale of the shares to the public in Brazil.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area that has implemented the Prospectus Directive, or Relevant Member State, an offer to the public of any ordinary shares that are the subject of the offering contemplated herein may not be made in that Relevant Member State, except that an offer to the public in that Relevant Member State of any ordinary shares may be made at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Directive, if they have been implemented in that Relevant Member State:

 

   

to legal entities which are qualified investors as defined under the Prospectus Directive;

 

   

by the underwriters to fewer than 100, or, if the Relevant Member State has implemented the relevant provisions of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150, natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representative of the underwriters for any such offer; or

 

   

in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive;

provided that no such offer of ordinary shares shall result in a requirement for us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 16 of the Prospectus Directive.

Each person in a Relevant Member State who receives any communication in respect of, or who acquires any ordinary shares under, the offers contemplated here in this prospectus will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with each underwriter and us that:

 

   

it is a qualified investor as defined under the Prospectus Directive; and

 

   

in the case of any ordinary shares acquired by it as a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, (i) the ordinary shares acquired by it in the offering have not been acquired on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in any Relevant Member State other than qualified investors, as that term is defined in the Prospectus Directive, or in the circumstances in which the prior consent of the representative of the underwriters has been given to the offer or resale; or (ii) where ordinary shares have been acquired by it on behalf of persons in any Relevant Member State other than qualified investors, the offer of such ordinary shares to it is not treated under the Prospectus Directive as having been made to such persons.

 

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For the purposes of this representation and the provision above, the expression an “offer of ordinary shares to the public” in relation to any ordinary shares in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any ordinary shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the ordinary shares, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Relevant Member State, the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State) and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State, and the expression “2010 PD Amending Directive” means Directive 2010/73/EU.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom

This prospectus has only been communicated or caused to have been communicated, and will only be communicated or caused to be communicated, as an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act of 2000 (as amended), or FSMA) as received in connection with the issue or sale of the shares in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the Company. All applicable provisions of the FSMA will be complied with in respect to anything done in relation to the shares in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada

The ordinary shares may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the ordinary shares must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland

The ordinary shares may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, or SIX, or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under Article 652a or Article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under Article 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the Company or the ordinary shares have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of ordinary shares will not be supervised by, the Swiss

 

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Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA and the offer of ordinary shares has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes, or CISA. The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of ordinary shares.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre

This prospectus relates to an “Exempt Offer” in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority, or DFSA. This prospectus is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for the prospectus. The shares to which this prospectus relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the ordinary shares offered should conduct their own due diligence on the ordinary shares. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Australia

No placement document, prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document has been lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission in relation to the offering. This prospectus does not constitute a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act 2001, or the Corporations Act, and does not purport to include the information required for a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act.

Any offer in Australia of the ordinary shares may only be made to persons, which we refer to as Exempt Investors, who are “sophisticated investors” (within the meaning of Section 708(8) of the Corporations Act), “professional investors” (within the meaning of Section 708(11) of the Corporations Act) or otherwise pursuant to one or more exemptions contained in Section 708 of the Corporations Act so that it is lawful to offer the ordinary shares without disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act.

The ordinary shares applied for by Exempt Investors in Australia must not be offered for sale in Australia in the period of 12 months after the date of allotment under the offering, except in circumstances where disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act would not be required pursuant to an exemption under Section 708 of the Corporations Act or otherwise or where the offer is pursuant to a disclosure document which complies with Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act. Any person acquiring ordinary shares must observe such Australian on-sale restrictions.

This prospectus contains general information only and does not take account of the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person. It does not contain any securities recommendations or financial product advice. Before making an investment decision, investors need to consider whether the information in this prospectus is appropriate to their needs, objectives and circumstances and, if necessary, seek expert advice on those matters.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong

The ordinary shares have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (i) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made under such ordinance or (ii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of such ordinance. No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the ordinary shares has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of

 

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any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to ordinary shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made under such ordinance.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Japan

The ordinary shares have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948, as amended) and, accordingly, will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan, or for the benefit of any Japanese Person or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to any Japanese Person, except in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines promulgated by relevant Japanese governmental or regulatory authorities in effect at the relevant time. For the purposes of this paragraph, “Japanese Person” shall mean any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Singapore

This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of ordinary shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the ordinary shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore, or the SFA; (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:

 

   

a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)), the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or

 

   

a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor), which sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor,

securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:

 

   

to an institutional investor or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA;

 

   

where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;

 

   

where the transfer is by operation of law;

 

   

as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or

 

   

as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Certain matters of U.S. federal and New York State law will be passed upon for us by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, Menlo Park, California. Certain legal matters relating to this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Latham & Watkins LLP. The validity of the ordinary shares and certain other matters of Cayman Island law will be passed upon for us by Maples and Calder, Cayman Islands, and for the underwriters by Walkers, Cayman Islands.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements as of August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, and for the years then ended, included in this prospectus have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report appearing herein. Such financial statements have been so included in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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ENFORCEMENT OF JUDGMENTS

We are an exempted company under the laws of the Cayman Islands, and certain of the board members of each of our subsidiaries and certain of the experts named herein reside outside the United States. Certain of our assets and the assets of such other persons are located outside the United States.

We have been advised by Maples and Calder, Cayman Islands, our Cayman Islands legal counsel, that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (i) to recognize or enforce against the Company, its directors or officers judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any State; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against the Company, its directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any State, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final, conclusive, for a liquidated sum and must not be in respect of taxes, fines or penalties, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere. There is recent Privy Council authority (which is binding on the Cayman Islands Court) in the context of a reorganization plan approved by the New York Bankruptcy Court that suggests that due to the universal nature of bankruptcy/insolvency proceedings, foreign money judgments obtained in foreign bankruptcy/insolvency proceedings may be enforced without applying the principles outlined above. However, a more recent English Supreme Court authority (which is highly persuasive but not binding on the Cayman Islands Court) has expressly rejected that approach in the context of a default judgment obtained in an adversary proceeding brought in the New York Bankruptcy Court by the receivers of the bankruptcy debtor against a third party, which would not have been enforceable upon the application of the traditional common law principles summarized above. It held that foreign money judgments obtained in bankruptcy/insolvency proceedings should be enforced by applying the principles set out above and not by the simple exercise of the Court’s discretion. Those cases have now been considered by the Cayman Islands Court. The Cayman Islands Court was not asked to consider the specific question of whether a judgment of a bankruptcy court in an adversary proceeding would be enforceable in the Cayman Islands, but it did endorse the need for active assistance of overseas bankruptcy proceedings. We understand that the Cayman Islands Court’s decision in that case has been appealed and it remains the case that the law regarding the enforcement of bankruptcy/insolvency-related judgments is still in a state of uncertainty.

There can be no assurance that investors will be able to enforce against us, our board members or the experts named herein, any judgments in civil and commercial matters, including judgments under the securities laws of the United States or any state. In addition, it is uncertain whether a court in the Cayman Islands would impose civil liability on us or such other persons in an original action predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in the Cayman Islands against us or such persons.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement (including amendments and exhibits to the registration statement) on Form S-1 under the Securities Act. This prospectus, which is part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules to the registration statement. For further information, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as part of the registration statement. If a document has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, we refer you to the copy of the document that has been filed. Each statement in this prospectus relating to a document filed as an exhibit is qualified in all respects by the filed exhibit.

Upon completion of this offering, we will become subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act. Accordingly, we will be required to file reports and other information with the SEC, including annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. You may inspect and copy reports and other information filed with the SEC at the Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20549. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, the SEC maintains an Internet website that contains reports and other information about issuers, like us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is www.sec.gov.

 

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INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

     Page  

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     F-2  

Consolidated Balance Sheets

     F-3  

Consolidated Statements of Operations

     F-4  

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss

     F-5  

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit)

     F-6  

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

     F-7  

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

     F-8  

 

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

Newark, California

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of SMART Global Holdings, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive loss, shareholders’ equity (deficit) and cash flows for the years then ended. These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion . An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of SMART Global Holdings, Inc. and subsidiaries as of August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the years then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

San Jose, California

November 29, 2016

(May 11, 2017 as to Note 1(y))

 

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Index to Financial Statements

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

     February 24,
2017
    August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 
Assets      (unaudited)      

Current assets:

      

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 23,341     $ 58,634     $ 68,094  

Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $192, $228 and $347 as of February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, respectively

     138,592       141,036       184,082  

Inventories

     131,884       103,066       132,904  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     13,346       16,522       26,023  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     307,163       319,258       411,103  

Property and equipment, net

     53,902       57,600       60,311  

Other noncurrent assets

     22,701       19,937       19,459  

Intangible assets, net

     11,112       16,884       30,240  

Goodwill

     46,059       44,976       43,594  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 440,937     $ 458,655     $ 564,707  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity       

Current liabilities:

      

Accounts payable

   $ 183,331     $ 197,976     $ 284,180  

Accrued liabilities

     17,311       14,071       16,467  

Current portion of long-term debt

     12,162       17,116       12,382  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     212,804       229,163       313,029  

Long-term debt

     202,744       225,587       234,617  

Deferred tax liabilities

     2,174       2,677       4,193  

Other long-term liabilities

     2,507       2,465       4,229  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

   $ 420,229     $ 459,892     $ 556,068  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Commitments and contingencies (see Note 10)

      

Shareholders’ equity (deficit):

      

Ordinary shares, $0.03 par value. Authorized 70,000 shares; issued and outstanding 13,870, 13,869 and 13,836 shares as of February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, respectively

     416       416       415  

Additional paid-in capital

     168,769       145,284       141,404  

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

     (143,519     (147,523     (153,726

Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)

     (4,958     586       20,546  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total shareholders’ equity (deficit)

     20,708       (1,237     8,639  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

   $ 440,937     $ 458,655     $ 564,707  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

     Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year ended  
   February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    August  26,
2016
    August  28,
2015
 
        
   (unaudited)              

Net sales (1)

   $ 331,298     $ 238,613     $ 534,423     $ 643,469  

Cost of sales

     264,431       192,169       427,491       512,032  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

     66,867       46,444       106,932       131,437  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating expenses:

        

Research and development

     19,645       18,096       38,116       43,741  

Selling, general, and administrative

     31,844       28,283       57,495       89,233  

Management advisory fees

     2,000       2,001       4,001       4,030  

Restructuring charge

     457       1,015       1,135       1,143  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     53,946       49,395       100,747       138,147  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) from operations

     12,921       (2,951     6,185       (6,710
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Interest expense, net

     (14,778     (12,939     (25,575     (27,560

Other income (expense), net

     (902     (1,372     1,874       (5,532
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense

     (15,680     (14,311     (23,701     (33,092
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss before income taxes

     (2,759     (17,262     (17,516     (39,802

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes

     2,785       (108     2,444       6,649  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

   $ (5,544   $ (17,154   $ (19,960   $ (46,451
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss per share, basic and diluted

   $ (0.40   $ (1.24   $ (1.44   $ (3.36
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Shares used in computing basic and diluted net loss per share

     13,870       13,834       13,841       13,833  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1) Includes sales to affiliates of $26,688, $22,807, $38,817 and $96,996 in the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016, and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively (see Note 3).

 

 

 

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

F-4


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss

(In thousands)

 

    Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year ended  
    February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 
    (unaudited)              

Net loss

  $ (5,544   $ (17,154   $ (19,960   $ (46,451

Other comprehensive loss:

       

Foreign currency translation

    4,004       (22,333     6,203       (70,970
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other comprehensive loss

    4,004       (22,333     6,203       (70,970
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive loss

  $ (1,540   $ (39,487   $ (13,757   $ (117,421
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

F-5


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit)

(In thousands)

 

   

 

Ordinary shares

    Additional
paid-in

capital
    Accumulated
Other
comprehensive

loss
    Retained
earnings
(accumulated
deficit)
    Total
shareholders’
equity (deficit)
 
    Shares     Amount          

Balances as of August 29, 2014

    13,831     $ 415     $ 165,625     $ (82,756   $ 66,997     $ 150,281  

Stock-based compensation expense

    —         —         6,132       —         —         6,132  

Issuance of ordinary shares from exercises

    5       —         12       —         —         12  

Distribution of share premium

    —         —         (28,338     —         —         (28,338

Payments for strike price reductions

    —         —         (900     —         —         (900

Payments for Storage options related to Escrow Release

    —         —         (1,127     —         —         (1,127

Foreign currency translation

    —         —         —         (70,970     —         (70,970

Net loss

    —         —         —         —         (46,451     (46,451
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balances as of August 28, 2015

    13,836       415       141,404       (153,726     20,546       8,639  

Stock-based compensation expense

    —         —         3,872       —         —         3,872  

Issuance of ordinary shares from exercises

    43       1       132       —         —         133  

Issuance of ordinary shares from release of restricted stock units

    1       —         —         —         —         —    

Repurchase of ordinary shares

    (11     —         (124     —         —         (124

Foreign currency translation

    —         —         —         6,203       —         6,203  

Net loss

    —         —         —         —         (19,960     (19,960
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balances as of August 26, 2016

    13,869       416       145,284       (147,523     586       (1,237

Stock-based compensation expense*

    —         —         2,144       —         —         2,144  

Issuance of ordinary shares from release of restricted stock units*

    1       —         —         —         —         —    

Warrants issued in connection with debt*

    —         —         21,341       —         —         21,341  

Foreign currency translation*

    —         —         —         4,004       —         4,004  

Net loss*

    —         —         —         —         (5,544     (5,544
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balances as of February 24, 2017*

    13,870     $ 416     $ 168,769     $ (143,519   $ (4,958   $ 20,708  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

* unaudited

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

F-6


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(In thousands)

 

     Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year ended  
   February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 
   (unaudited)              

Cash flows from operating activities:

        

Net loss

   $ (5,544   $ (17,154   $ (19,960   $ (46,451

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:

        

Depreciation and amortization

     17,553       15,681       31,480       50,145  

Share-based compensation

     2,144       2,023       3,872       6,132  

Provision for (recovery from) doubtful accounts receivable and sales returns

     (174     (19     18       109  

Deferred income tax benefit

     (1,111     (389     (1,417     (2,464

(Gain) loss on disposal of property and equipment

     129       (111     (55     122  

Extinguishment loss on long-term debt

     1,386       —         —         —    

Amortization of debt issuance costs

     1,223       1,511       3,042       2,963  

Amortization of debt original issuance discount

     541       820       1,654       1,599  

Amortization of debt discount

     2,180       —         —         —    

Write-off of other assets

     —         —         —         1,582  

Write-off of deferred initial public offering costs

     —         —         —         3,962  

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

        

Accounts receivable

     3,375       45,293       44,922       8,597  

Inventories

     (26,351     27,756       31,326       (19,989

Prepaid expenses and other assets

     1,476       1,810       11,007       (451

Accounts payable

     (15,726     (46,266     (86,588     53,236  

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     3,251       (4,943     (4,251     (18,330
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

     (15,648     26,012       15,050       40,762  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

        

Capital expenditures and deposits on equipment

     (7,395     (5,742     (13,844     (31,663

Restricted cash

     —         181       194       (6,115

Proceeds from sale of property and equipment

     42       245       281       161  

Purchase of other assets

     —         —         —         (1,597

Proceeds from Escrow Release related to sale of business

     —         —         —         30,498  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

     (7,353     (5,316     (13,369     (8,716
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities:

        

Distribution of share premium

     —         —         —         (28,338

Payment for strike price reductions

     —         —         —         (900

Proceeds from long-term debt borrowing

     —         5,179       5,771       14,060  

Long-term debt payment

     (11,735     (8,285     (16,694     (13,258

Payment for extinguishment of long-term debt

     (938     —         —         —    

Payment of costs related to initial public offering

     —         (6     —         (3,094

Payment for Storage options related to Escrow Release

     —         —         —         (1,127

Proceeds from borrowings under revolving line of credit

     215,250       119,200       279,200       357,000  

Repayments of borrowings under revolving line of credit

     (215,250     (119,200     (279,200     (357,000

Proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares from share option exercises

     —         —         133       12  

Repurchase of ordinary shares

     —         (124     (124     —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in financing activities

     (12,673     (3,236     (10,914     (32,645

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

     381       (1,741     (227     (9,399
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

     (35,293     15,719       (9,460     (9,998

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     58,634       68,094       68,094       78,092  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 23,341     $ 83,813     $ 58,634     $ 68,094  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:

        

Cash paid during the year:

        

Cash paid for interest

   $ 11,591     $ 11,280     $ 22,413     $ 23,750  

Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds

     1,771       1,309       5,300       7,996  

Noncash activities information:

        

Capital expenditures included in accounts payable at period end

     385       767       552       633  

Warrants issued in connection with debt

     21,341       —         —         —    

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

F-7


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

and Subsidiaries

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015

 

(1) Overview, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

 

(a) Overview

On August 26, 2011, SMART Global Holdings, Inc., formerly known as Saleen Holdings, Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company (SMART Global Holdings, and together with its subsidiaries, the Company), consummated a transaction with SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc., formerly known as SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc. (SMART Worldwide), pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the Merger Agreement) whereby, through a series of transactions, SMART Global Holdings acquired substantially all of the equity interests of SMART Worldwide with SMART Worldwide surviving as an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of SMART Global Holdings (the Acquisition). SMART Global Holdings is an entity that was formed by investment funds affiliated with Silver Lake Partners and Silver Lake Sumeru (collectively Silver Lake). As a result of the Acquisition, since there was a change of control resulting in Silver Lake as the controlling shareholder group, the Company applied the acquisition method of accounting and established a new basis of accounting.

Prior to the second quarter of fiscal 2015, the Company operated as two reporting units: Memory and Storage. SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc. (Memory), through its subsidiaries, provides specialty memory solutions sold primarily to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Memory offers these solutions to customers worldwide and also offers custom supply chain services including procurement, logistics, inventory management, temporary warehousing, kitting and packaging services. SMART Storage Systems (Global Holdings), Inc. (Storage), through its subsidiaries, is a designer, manufacturer and supplier of Flash-based solid state drives (SSDs) sold to customers worldwide.

During fiscal year 2013, the Company separated the Storage operating segment into two reporting units, Enterprise and High Reliability Solutions (HRS). In August 2013, Storage sold the Enterprise business to SanDisk Corporation (SanDisk) for approximately $304 million in cash (the Sale), subject to certain adjustments and certain escrow and holdback provisions (see Note 2 for further discussion of the Escrow).

On December 1, 2014, Storage sold HRS to a subsidiary of Memory. As of January 2, 2015, Memory merged with and into SMART Worldwide (the Memory-WWH Merger) with SMART Worldwide being the surviving entity and Memory no longer having a separate corporate existence. As of February 12, 2015, Storage was merged with and into a direct wholly owned subsidiary of SMART Global Holdings, Saleen Intermediate Holdings, Inc. (the Storage-Intermediate Merger) with Saleen Intermediate Holdings, Inc. (Saleen Intermediate) being the surviving entity and Storage no longer having a separate corporate existence.

The Company’s U.S. headquarters is in Newark, California, and the Company has operations in the United States, Brazil, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Scotland, Singapore and South Korea.

 

(b) Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements comprise SMART Global Holdings and its wholly owned subsidiaries. Intercompany transactions have been eliminated in the consolidated financial statements.

The Company uses a 52- to 53-week fiscal year ending on the last Friday in August. Fiscal 2016 and 2015 ended on August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, respectively, and both included 52 weeks. The six month periods ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 were both 26-week fiscal periods.

 

F-8


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements and related notes have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP) and in conformity with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) applicable to interim financial information. As such, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in complete annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals, necessary to present fairly the financial position of the Company and its results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented. The financial data and other information disclosed in these notes to the consolidated financial statements related to the interim periods are unaudited.

All financial information for two of the Company’s subsidiaries, SMART Modular Technologies Indústria de Componentes Eletrônicos Ltda. (SMART Brazil) and SMART Modular Technologies do Brasil Indústria e Comércio de Componentes Ltda. (SMART do Brazil), is included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements on a one-month lag because their fiscal years begin August 1 and end July 31.

 

(c) Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods presented. Actual results could differ from the estimates made by management. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include the useful lives of long-lived assets, the valuation of deferred tax assets and inventory, share-based compensation, the estimated net realizable value of Brazilian tax credits, income tax uncertainties and other contingencies.

 

(d) Revenue Recognition

Product revenue is recognized when there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, product delivery has occurred, the sales price is fixed or determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured. Product revenue typically is recognized at the time of shipment or when the customer takes title to the goods. All amounts billed to a customer related to shipping and handling are classified as revenue, while all costs incurred by the Company for shipping and handling are classified as cost of sales. Sales taxes collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities are accounted for on a net basis and, therefore, are excluded from net sales in the consolidated statements of operations.

In addition, the Company has classes of transactions with customers that are accounted for on an agency basis (i.e., the Company recognizes as revenue the amount billed less the material procurement costs of products serviced as an agent with the cost of providing these services embedded with the cost of sales). The Company provides procurement, logistics, inventory management, temporary warehousing, kitting and packaging services for these customers. Revenue from these arrangements is recognized as service revenue and is determined by a fee for services based on material procurement costs. The Company recognizes service revenue upon the completion of the services, typically upon shipment of the product. There are no postshipment obligations subsequent to shipment of the product under the agency arrangements.

 

F-9


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

The following is a summary of the Company’s gross billings to customers and net sales for services and products (in thousands):

 

     Six Months Ended      Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
     February 26,
2016
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 

Service revenue, net

   $ 17,984      $ 22,088      $ 44,453      $ 40,235  

Cost of purchased materials—service (1)

     402,388        785,914        1,390,624        1,503,968  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Gross billings for services

     420,372        808,002        1,435,077        1,544,203  

Product net sales

     313,314        216,525        489,970        603,234  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Gross billings to customers

   $ 733,686      $ 1,024,527      $ 1,925,047      $ 2,147,437  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Product net sales

   $ 313,314      $ 216,525      $ 489,970      $ 603,234  

Service revenue, net

     17,984        22,088        44,453        40,235  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net sales

   $ 331,298      $ 238,613      $ 534,423      $ 643,469  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (1) Represents cost of sales associated with service revenue reported on a net basis.

 

(e) Cash and Cash Equivalents

All highly liquid investments with maturities of 90 days or less from original dates of purchase are carried at cost, which approximates fair value, and are considered to be cash. Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, cash deposited in checking and saving accounts, money market accounts, and securities with maturities of less than 90 days at the time of purchase.

 

(f) Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

The Company evaluates the collectibility of accounts receivable based on a combination of factors. In cases where the Company is aware of circumstances that may impair a specific customer’s ability to meet its financial obligations, the Company records a specific allowance against amounts due and, thereby, reduces the net recognized receivable to the amount management reasonably believes will be collected. For all other customers, the Company recognizes allowances for doubtful accounts based on a combination of factors including the length of time the receivables are outstanding, industry and geographic concentrations, the current business environment and historical experience.

 

(g) Sales of Receivables

Designated subsidiaries of the Company may, from time to time, sell certain of their receivables to third parties. Sales of receivables are recognized at the point in which the receivables sold are transferred beyond the reach of the Company and its creditors, the purchaser has the right to pledge or exchange the receivables and the subsidiaries have surrendered control over the transferred receivables. See Note 4 for further details.

 

(h) Inventories

Inventories are valued at the lower of actual cost or market value. Inventory value is determined on a specific identification basis for material and an allocation of labor and manufacturing overhead. At each balance sheet date, the Company evaluates the ending inventories for excess quantities and obsolescence. This evaluation includes an analysis of sales levels by product family and considers historical demand and forecasted demand in relation to the inventory on hand, competitiveness of product offerings, market conditions and product life cycles. The Company adjusts carrying value to the lower of its cost or market value. Inventory write-downs are not reversed and create a new cost basis.

 

F-10


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements
(i) Prepaid State Value-Added Taxes (ICMS)

Since 2004, the Sao Paulo State tax authorities have granted SMART Brazil a tax benefit to defer and eventually eliminate the payment of ICMS levied on certain imports from independent suppliers. This benefit, known as an ICMS Special Regime, is subject to renewal every two years. When the then current ICMS Special Tax Regime expired on March 31, 2010, SMART Brazil timely applied for a renewal of the benefit, however, the renewal was not granted until August 4, 2010.

On June 22, 2010, the Sao Paulo authorities published a regulation allowing companies that applied for a timely renewal of an ICMS Special Regime to continue utilizing the benefit until a final conclusion on the renewal request was rendered. As a result of this publication, SMART Brazil was temporarily allowed to utilize the benefit while it waited for its renewal. From April 1, 2010, when the ICMS benefit lapsed, through June 22, 2010 when the regulation referred to above was published, SMART Brazil was required to pay the ICMS taxes on imports, which payments result in ICMS credits that may be used to offset ICMS obligations generated from sales by SMART Brazil of its products; however, the vast majority of SMART Brazil’s sales in Sao Paulo were either subject to a lower ICMS rate or were made to customers that were entitled to other ICMS benefits that enabled them to eliminate the ICMS levied on their purchases of products from SMART Brazil. As a result, from April 1, 2010 through June 22, 2010, SMART Brazil did not have sufficient ICMS collections against which to apply the credits and the credit balance increased significantly.

Effective February 1, 2011, in connection with its participation in a Brazilian government incentive program known as Support Program for the Technological Development of the Semiconductor and Display Industries Laws, or PADIS, SMART Brazil spun off the module manufacturing operations into SMART do Brazil, a separate subsidiary of the Company. In connection with this spin off, SMART do Brazil applied for a tax benefit from the State of Sao Paulo in order to obtain a deferral of state ICMS. This tax benefit is referred to as State PPB, or CAT 14. The CAT 14 approval was not obtained until July 21, 2011, and from February 1, 2011 until the CAT 14 approval was granted, SMART do Brazil did not have sufficient ICMS collections against which to apply the credits accrued upon payment of the ICMS on SMART do Brazil’s imports and inputs locally acquired, and therefore, it generated additional excess ICMS credits.

As of February 24, 2017, the total ICMS tax credits reported on the Company’s accompanying consolidated balance sheet are R$40.3 million (or $12.9 million), of which (i) R$36.2 million (or $11.6 million) are fully vested ICMS credits, classified as other noncurrent assets, and (ii) R$4.1 million (or $1.3 million) are ICMS credits subject to vesting in 48 equal monthly amounts, classified as other noncurrent assets (R$1.5 million or $0.5 million) and prepaid expenses and other current assets (R$2.7 million or $0.9 million). As of August 26, 2016, the total ICMS tax credits reported on the Company’s accompanying consolidated balance sheet are R$39.5 million (or $12.2 million), of which (i) R$33.1 million (or $10.2 million) are fully vested ICMS credits, classified as other noncurrent assets, and (ii) R$6.4 million (or $2.0 million) are ICMS credits subject to vesting in 48 equal monthly amounts, classified as other noncurrent assets (R$2.9 million or $0.9 million) and prepaid expenses and other current assets (R$3.5 million or $1.1 million). It is expected that the excess ICMS credits will continue to be recovered in fiscal 2017 through fiscal 2022. The Company updates its forecast of the recoverability of the ICMS credits quarterly, considering the following key variables in Brazil: timing of government approvals of automated credit utilization, the total amount of sales, the product mix and the inter and intra state mix of sales. If these estimates or the mix of products or regions vary, it could take longer or shorter than expected to recover the accumulated ICMS credits, resulting in a reclassification of ICMS credits from current to noncurrent, or vice versa.

In April and June 2016, SMART Brazil and SMART do Brazil, respectively, filed cases with the Brazilian tax authorities to seek approval to sell these excess ICMS credits. If approval is obtained, it is anticipated to take approximately 24 to 36 months from April 2016 to complete the sale of excess ICMS credits. Such sales of ICMS excess credits usually incur a discount to the face amount of the credits sold.

 

F-11


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

The Company expects that it will recover these excess credits by means of a sale, as such the Company recorded a valuation adjustment of R$3.0 million (or $0.9 million) in fiscal 2016, which represents the estimated discount that the Company will need to offer in order to sell the ICMS credits to other companies if and when the approval from the tax authorities is obtained. This charge is classified as cost of sales in the Company’s accompanying consolidated statement of operations.

 

(j) Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are recorded at cost. Depreciation and amortization are computed based on the shorter of the estimated useful lives or the related lease terms, using the straight-line method. Estimated useful lives are presented below:

 

     Period  

Asset:

  

Manufacturing equipment

     2 to 5 years  

Office furniture, software, computers and equipment

     2 to 5 years

Leasehold improvements*

     2 to 70 years  

 

  * Includes the Penang facility, which is situated on leased land with a term expiring in 2070.

 

(k) Goodwill

The Company performs a goodwill impairment test annually during the fourth quarter of its fiscal year and more frequently if events or circumstances indicate that impairment may have occurred. Such events or circumstances may, among others, include significant adverse changes in the general business climate. The Company performed the impairment tests on the first day of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015, and determined there was no impairment. As of February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016, and August 28, 2015, the carrying value of goodwill on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet was $46.1 million, $45.0 million and $43.6 million, respectively.

When conducting the annual impairment test for goodwill, the Company compares the estimated fair value of a reporting unit containing goodwill to its book value. The estimated fair value is computed using two approaches: the income approach, which is the present value of expected cash flows, discounted at a risk-adjusted weighted average cost of capital; and the market approach, which is based on using market multiples of companies in similar lines of business. If the fair value of the reporting unit is determined to be more than its book value, no goodwill impairment is recognized. If the fair value of the reporting unit is determined to be less than its book value, actual goodwill impairment, if any, is computed using a second step of the impairment test. The second step requires the fair value of the reporting unit to be allocated to all the assets and liabilities of the reporting unit as if the reporting unit had been acquired in a business combination at the date of the impairment test. The excess of the fair value of the reporting unit over the fair value of assets less liabilities is the implied value of goodwill and is used to determine the amount of impairment.

All of the $46.1 million carrying value of goodwill on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of February 24, 2017 is associated with the Company’s single reporting unit. No impairment of goodwill was recognized through February 24, 2017.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during the six months ended February 24, 2017, fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015 are as follows (in thousands):

 

     Total  

Balance as of August 29, 2014

   $ 57,940  

Translation adjustments

     (14,346
  

 

 

 

Balance as of August 28, 2015

     43,594  

Translation adjustments

     1,382  
  

 

 

 

Balance as of August 26, 2016

     44,976  

Translation adjustments

     1,083  
  

 

 

 

Balance as of February 24, 2017

   $ 46,059  
  

 

 

 

 

(l) Intangible Assets, Net

The following table summarizes the gross amounts and accumulated amortization of intangible assets from the Acquisition by type as of February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015 (dollars in thousands):

 

            February 24, 2017  
     Weighted
avg. life
(yrs)
     Gross
Carrying
amount
     Accumulated
amortization
    Net  

Customer relationships

     5      $ 104,212      $ (96,528   $ 7,684  

Technology

     4        75,397        (71,969     3,428  

Trademarks/tradename

     5        10,217        (10,217     —    

Favorable leases

     4        234        (234     —    
     

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total SGH

      $ 190,060      $ (178,948   $ 11,112  
     

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

          August 26, 2016     August 28, 2015  
    Weighted
avg. life
(yrs)
    Gross
Carrying
amount
    Accumulated
amortization
    Net     Gross
Carrying
amount
    Accumulated
amortization
    Net  

Customer relationships

    5     $ 103,279     $ (92,326   $ 10,953     $ 102,088     $ (84,700   $ 17,388  

Technology

    4       74,063       (68,186     5,877       72,361       (61,588     10,773  

Trademarks/tradename

    5       10,092       (10,043     49       9,934       (7,900     2,034  

Favorable leases

    4       228       (223     5       221       (176     45  
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total SGH

    $ 187,662     $ (170,778   $ 16,884     $ 184,604     $ (154,364   $ 30,240  
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Amortization expense related to intangible assets totaled approximately $6.0 million, $6.6 million, $13.4 million and $30.8 million during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively. Acquired intangibles are amortized on a straight-line basis over the remaining estimated economic life of the underlying intangible assets.

 

     Six Months Ended      Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
     February 26,
2016
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 
     (unaudited)                

Amortization of intangible assets classification (in thousands):

 

        

Research and development

   $ 2,448      $ 2,448      $ 4,897      $ 6,160  

Selling, general and administrative

     3,522        4,170        8,471        24,669  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 5,970      $ 6,618      $ 13,368      $ 30,829  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Index to Financial Statements

As of August 26, 2016, estimated amortization expenses of these intangible assets for each of the fiscal years in the remaining economic live are as follows (in thousands):

 

     Amount  

Fiscal year ending August:

  

2017

   $ 11,909  

2018

     4,710  

2019

     265  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 16,884  
  

 

 

 

 

(m) Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived assets, excluding goodwill, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset group may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset group to the future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the asset group. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets. Assets to be disposed are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value, less cost to sell. No impairment of long-lived assets was recognized during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 or in fiscal 2016 and 2015.

 

(n) Research and Development Expense

Research and development expenditures are expensed in the period incurred.

 

(o) Deferred Initial Public Offering (IPO) Costs Charge

The Company has a policy to defer all direct and incremental costs related to an IPO in order to offset the IPO proceeds. As of February 24, 2017, the Company had no accrued IPO costs. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, the Company decided to postpone the offering efforts that were underway at that time and expensed $4.0 million of deferred IPO costs; this expense is included in selling, general and administrative expenses in fiscal 2015.

 

(p) Restructuring Expense

In fiscal 2016 and 2015, the Company had multiple reductions-in-force in order to streamline operations and achieve operating efficiencies. During the six months ended February 24, 2017, the Company recorded restructuring costs of $0.5 million for severance, severance-related benefits and building-related charges, of which $0.2 million was remaining to be paid as of February 24, 2017. During the fiscal year ended August 26, 2016, the Company recorded restructuring costs of $1.1 million for severance and severance-related benefits most of which was settled prior to August 26, 2016. During the fiscal year ended August 28, 2015, the Company recorded restructuring costs of $1.1 million for severance and severance-related benefits of which $1.0 million was settled prior to August 28, 2015 and the remaining accrued liability of $0.1 million was paid in December 2015. For both fiscal 2016 and 2015, the reductions-in-force were completed by the end of the respective periods.

 

(q) Income Taxes

The Company uses the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis and net operating loss and credit carryforwards. When necessary, a valuation allowance is recorded to reduce tax assets to amounts expected to be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be

 

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Index to Financial Statements

recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income (or loss) in the period that includes the enactment date. The Company recognizes the effect of income tax positions only if those positions are more likely than not of being sustained. Recognized income tax positions are measured at the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely of being realized. Changes in recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which the change in judgment occurs. The Company records interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in tax expense.

 

(r) Foreign Currency Translation

For foreign subsidiaries using the local currency as their functional currency, assets and liabilities are translated at exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date and income and expenses are translated at average exchange rates during the period. The effect of this translation is reported in other comprehensive income (loss). In fiscal 2016 and 2015, foreign currency translation was primarily impacted by the fluctuation in the Brazil Reis exchange rate, due primarily to the economic instability in Brazil. Exchange gains and losses arising from transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of the respective foreign subsidiaries are included in results of operations.

For foreign subsidiaries using the U.S. dollar as their functional currency, the financial statements of these foreign subsidiaries are remeasured into U.S. dollars using the historical exchange rate for property and equipment and certain other nonmonetary assets and liabilities and related depreciation and amortization on these assets and liabilities. The Company uses the exchange rate at the balance sheet date for the remaining assets and liabilities, including deferred taxes. A weighted average exchange rate is used for each period for revenues and expenses.

All foreign subsidiaries, except Brazil and South Korea, use the U.S. dollar as their functional currency. The gains or losses resulting from the remeasurement process are recorded in other expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

During the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded $0.3 million, ($1.6) million, $1.1 million and ($10.7) million, respectively, of foreign exchange gains (losses) primarily related to its Brazilian operating subsidiaries.

 

(s) Share-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for share-based compensation under ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation , which requires companies to recognize in their statement of operations all share-based payments, including grants of share options and other types of equity awards, based on the grant-date fair value of such share-based awards.

 

     Six Months Ended      Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
     February 26,
2016
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 
     (unaudited)                

Stock-based compensation expense by category (in thousands):

           

Cost of sales

   $ 268      $ 236      $ 461      $ 771  

Research and development

     445        382        725        844  

Selling, general and administrative

     1,431        1,405        2,686        4,517  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 2,144      $ 2,023      $ 3,872      $ 6,132  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(t) Loss Contingencies

The Company is subject to the possibility of various loss contingencies arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company considers the likelihood of a loss and the ability to reasonably estimate the amount

 

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Index to Financial Statements

of loss in determining the necessity for and amount of any loss contingencies. Estimated loss contingencies are accrued when it is probable that a liability has been incurred or an asset impaired and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. The Company regularly evaluates the most current information available to determine whether any such accruals should be recorded or adjusted.

 

(u) Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Comprehensive income (loss) consists of net income (loss) and other gains and losses affecting shareholders’ equity that, under U.S. GAAP are excluded from net income (loss). For the Company, other comprehensive income (loss) generally consists of foreign currency translation adjustments.

 

(v) Concentration of Credit and Supplier Risk

The Company’s concentration of credit risk consists principally of cash and cash equivalents and accounts receivable. The Company’s revenues and related accounts receivable reflect a concentration of activity with three customers (see Note 12). The Company does not require collateral or other security to support accounts receivable. The Company performs periodic credit evaluations of its customers to minimize collection risk on accounts receivable and maintains allowances for potentially uncollectible accounts.

The Company relies on five suppliers for the majority of its raw materials. At February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, the Company owed these five suppliers $146.4 million, $164.8 million and $127.2 million, respectively, which was recorded as accounts payable and accrued liabilities. The inventory purchases from these suppliers during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015 were $0.6 billion, $0.6 billion, $1.2 billion and $1.5 billion, respectively.

 

(w) Transition Services Agreement

On August 22, 2013, the Company entered into a transition service agreement with SanDisk, pursuant to which the Company has provided services to facilitate the orderly transfer of the Enterprise business unit which SanDisk had purchased from the Company. The nature, magnitude and duration of the services provided under the agreement varied depending on the specific circumstances of the service, location or business need. The fees related to the agreement are recorded in other income and the associated costs are primarily selling, general and administrative expenses. The services provided under this agreement included manufacturing services, support of financial and operational processes and information services and were immaterial to the Company. This agreement was concluded in May 2015. The Company recognized $4.3 million of other income related to this transition services agreement in fiscal 2015.

 

(x) New Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU” No. 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment , which simplified the accounting for goodwill impairment by eliminating step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. ASU 2017-04 will be effective for the Company beginning on December 15, 2019 and early adoption is permitted. The Company will adopt this ASU in fiscal 2017 and it does not believe the adoption will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash , which clarifies the presentation of changes in restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-18 will be effective for the Company beginning on December 15, 2017 and early adoption is permitted. The Company does not believe the adoption of ASU 2016-18 will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

 

F-16


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Index to Financial Statements

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Cash Flow Statements, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments . The new guidance is intended to address the diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows under Topic 230, Statement of Cash Flows, and other Topics. The guidance addresses eight specific cash flow classification issues with the objective of reducing diversity in practice. The amendments are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted including adoption in an interim period. If an entity early adopts the amendments in an interim period, any adjustments should be reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year that includes the interim period. An entity that elects early adoption must adopt all of the amendments in the same period. The amendments should be applied using a retrospective transition period to each period presented. The Company does not believe the adoption of ASU 2016-15 will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting , which simplified certain aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including income taxes, classification of awards and classification in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-09 will be effective for the Company on September 1, 2017. For all other entities, the amendments are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted in any interim or annual period. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2016-09 on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) , which modified lease accounting for both lessees and lessors to increase transparency and comparability by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases under previous accounting standards and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. ASU 2016-02 will be effective for the Company beginning on September 1, 2019 and early adoption is permitted. Although the Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2016-02 on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures, as disclosed in Note 10(a), the Company has over $14 million in lease commitments at August 26, 2016 and believes that the adoption will have a material impact to the consolidated financial statements.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities , which updates certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments. ASU 2016-01 will be effective for the Company beginning on September 1, 2018. The Company does not believe the adoption of ASU 2016-01 will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes , which simplifies the presentation of deferred income taxes by requiring that deferred tax assets and liabilities be classified as noncurrent on the balance sheet. ASU 2015-17 will be effective for the Company beginning on September 1, 2017 with early application permitted as of the beginning of any interim or annual reporting period. The Company early adopted this ASU in fiscal 2017 and it did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs , which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. Amortization of the costs will continue to be reported as interest expense. ASU 2015-03 is effective for the Company’s annual and interim reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2015. However, early adoption is permitted and the Company adopted this standard in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016, and the guidance was applied retrospectively to each prior period presented in the Company’s financials. The accompanying consolidated balance for fiscal 2015 reflects the reclassification of unamortized debt issuance costs associated with the issuance of the term loan of $2.9 million from other current assets and $2.4 million from other noncurrent assets to long-term debt.

 

F-17


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Index to Financial Statements

In May 2014, the FASB issued a new standard, ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers , as amended, which will supersede nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance. Under ASU 2014-09, an entity is required to recognize revenue upon transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the expected consideration received in exchange for those goods or services. ASU No. 2014-09 defines a five-step process in order to achieve this core principle, which may require the use of judgment and estimates, and also requires expanded qualitative and quantitative disclosures relating to the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers, including significant judgments and estimates used. The FASB has recently issued several amendments to the new standard, including clarification on identifying performance obligations. The amendments include ASU No. 2016-08, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)—Principal versus Agent Considerations , which was issued in March 2016, and clarifies the implementation guidance for principal versus agent considerations in ASU 2014-09. The new standard permits adoption either by using (i) a full retrospective approach for all periods presented in the period of adoption or (ii) a modified retrospective approach with the cumulative effect of initially applying the new standard recognized at the date of initial application and providing certain additional disclosures. The new standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company does not plan to early adopt, and accordingly, will adopt the new standard effective September 1, 2018. The Company currently plans to adopt using the modified retrospective approach; however, a final decision regarding the adoption method has not been finalized at this time. The Company’s final determination will depend on a number of factors such as the significance of the impact of the new standard on the Company’s financial results, system readiness, including that of software procured from third-party providers if needed, and the Company’s ability to accumulate and analyze the information necessary to assess the impact on the financial statements, as necessary. The Company is in the initial stages of its evaluation of the impact of the new standard on its accounting policies, processes, and system requirements. The Company has assigned internal resources and, if necessary, will engage third party service providers to assist in the evaluation. Furthermore, the Company has made and will continue to make investments in its systems to enable timely and accurate reporting under the new standard. While the Company continues to assess all potential impacts under the new standard, there is the potential for significant impacts to the timing of recognition of revenue.

 

(y) Subsequent Events

On May 5, 2017, the Company’s shareholders approved a 1-for-3 reverse share split of its share capital. All references to ordinary shares, options to purchase ordinary shares, exercise prices, restricted stock units, share data, per share data, warrants and related information have been adjusted within these financial statements, on a retroactive basis, to reflect this 1-for-3 reverse share split as if it had occurred at the beginning of the earliest period presented.

In addition, on May 5, 2017, the Company’s authorized share capital increased from 70,000,000 shares with a par value of $0.01 to 200,000,000 shares with a par value of $0.03. The shareholders approved that the authorized share capital of the Company be increased from $700,000 divided into 70,000,000 ordinary shares, par value $0.01 per share, to $6,000,000 divided into 200,000,000 ordinary shares, par value $0.03 per share, by the creation of an additional 530,000,000 ordinary shares with a par value of $0.01 each to rank pari passu in all respects with the existing ordinary shares, and the consolidating all of the 600,000,000 ordinary shares with a $0.01 par value into 200,000,000 ordinary shares with a $0.03 par value.

The Company has evaluated subsequent events through November 29, 2016, the date on which the August 26, 2016 annual audited financial statements were originally issued, and May 11, 2017, the date on which the retrospectively revised August 26, 2016 annual audited financial statements were issued (as to the 1-for-3 reverse share split described herein). The Company has evaluated subsequent events through April 7, 2017, the date on which the February 24, 2017 unaudited interim financial statements were originally issued, and May 11, 2017, the date on which the retrospectively revised February 24, 2017 unaudited interim financial statements were issued (as to the 1-for-3 reverse share split described herein).

 

F-18


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Index to Financial Statements
(2) Escrow Release

The terms of the Sale of the Enterprise business unit to SanDisk in August 2013 required that 10% of the Sale proceeds be set aside in an escrow account (the Escrow) to satisfy any claims under certain indemnification obligations that could have arisen under the Stock Purchase Agreement entered into in July 2013 between Storage and SanDisk (the Sale Agreement). The indemnification obligations relate to representations and warranties that are typical in transactions of this nature including, without limitation, representations as to the accuracy of financial information, absence of undisclosed liabilities, compliance with laws, clear title to assets sold, proper payment of taxes and correct filings of tax returns, and no infringement of intellectual property rights of third parties. On August 21, 2014, SanDisk made a claim for an amount in excess of the amount held in escrow (see Note 10(c) Commitments and Contingencies). On December 4, 2014, SanDisk and the Company instructed the escrow agent to release the entire escrow balance (the Escrow Release). On December 5, 2014, the Company received $30.5 million from the escrow account. On January 1, 2015, utilizing the funds received from the Escrow Release, the Company’s board of directors declared a $28.3 million cash distribution out of the Company’s share premium account (additional paid-in capital) to be paid to holders of record of ordinary shares of the Company on that date (the Escrow Distribution). The Escrow Distribution was paid to the shareholders in January 2015.

 

(3) Related Party Transactions

In the normal course of business, the Company had transactions with its affiliates as follows (in thousands):

 

     Six Months Ended      Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
     February 26,
2016
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 
     (unaudited)                

Affiliates:

           

Net sales

   $ 26,688      $ 22,807      $ 38,817      $ 96,996  

Expenses:

           

Management advisory fees

     2,000        2,001        4,001        4,030  

On October 29, 2013, investment funds affiliated with Silver Lake completed a go-private transaction with Dell Inc., a customer of the Company. Accordingly, Dell is considered an affiliate of the Company since that date.

As of February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, amounts due from these affiliates were $7.2 million, $0.4 million and $6.0 million, respectively.

On August 26, 2011, Saleen Acquisition, Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company (Merger Sub) entered into a Transaction and Management Fee Agreement (the Management Agreement) with Silver Lake Management Company III, L.L.C. and Silver Lake Management Company Sumeru, L.L.C. (collectively, the Managers), which entities are affiliated with Silver Lake. As part of the Acquisition, Merger Sub was merged into SMART Worldwide. Pursuant to the Management Agreement, each of the Managers provides Services, as defined in the Management Agreement, for which the Managers, or their designees, are entitled to receive annual fees in the amount of $4.0 million per year which accrue in quarterly installments in arrears at the end of each calendar quarter, plus out-of-pocket expenses. The amount of the fees is subject to adjustments, as set forth in the Management Agreement. The Management Agreement has an initial term of ten years with automatic one-year renewal terms thereafter. During the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016, and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, the Company expensed $2.0 million, $2.0 million, $4.0 million and $4.0 million, respectively, in management advisory fees and related expenses and had a payable due to the Managers of $3.7 million, $1.7 million and $0.7 million as of February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, respectively.

 

F-19


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Index to Financial Statements
(4) Accounts Receivable Purchasing Facility

In May 2012, SMART Modular Technologies, Inc. (SMART Modular) and SMART Modular Technologies (Europe) Limited (collectively, for this footnote only, Sellers), both wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company, entered into a Receivables Purchasing Agreement (as amended, the RPA) with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (Wells Fargo). Under the RPA, the Sellers can offer to sell to Wells Fargo certain Eligible Receivables (as defined in the RPA) due from certain designated customers, and Wells Fargo has the right to purchase Eligible Receivables offered for sale by Sellers. The maximum amount of Eligible Receivables that Wells Fargo can purchase is capped based upon the aggregate outstanding balances of purchased receivables which maximum is set at $50 million with sublimits assigned to each of Sellers’ customers that are approved for the program. Wells Fargo has no obligation to purchase any Eligible Receivables under the RPA. All purchases of Eligible Receivables are at a discount equal to a 2-month LIBOR plus 2.75% annual discount margin, calculated on a daily basis for the number of days between the payment of the purchase price by Wells Fargo to the Sellers and the actual collection of the Eligible Receivables by Wells Fargo from the account debtor. Purchases are also subject to a 95% advance rate with the 5% being reimbursed to the Sellers upon collection by Wells Fargo from the account debtor. Under the terms of the RPA, Sellers retain limited recourse for product warranties and commercial disputes and Wells Fargo bears the full risk of insolvency and collectability. Sellers are appointed as the agent of Wells Fargo to perform collection services. The RPA is not a committed facility and can be terminated by either party upon 30 days’ notice. The RPA has standard representations and warranties, including for the validity and collectability of the Eligible Receivables, and various negative and affirmative covenants that are typical for arrangements of this nature. The obligations of the Sellers are jointly and severally guaranteed by SMART Worldwide and its subsidiary SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc. (Global). Financing under this receivables purchase program qualifies for off-balance sheet financing as the transfer of receivables to Wells Fargo represents a true-sale.

During the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, the Sellers sold $112.4 million, $431.3 million, $639.8 million and $717.6 million of accounts receivables under the RPA respectively. The outstanding balance of receivables sold and not yet collected was approximately $25.9 million, $28.5 million and $78.9 million as of February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, respectively. Total interest expense fees paid during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015 was $0.4 million, $1.1 million, $1.8 million and $1.9 million, respectively.

 

(5) Balance Sheet Details

Inventories

Inventories consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     February 24,
2017
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 
     (unaudited)                

Raw materials

   $ 59,015      $ 46,746      $ 57,894  

Work in process

     19,059        10,932        11,360  

Finished goods

     53,810        45,388        63,650  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total inventories*

   $ 131,884      $ 103,066      $ 132,904  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  * As of February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, 38%, 45% and 48%, respectively, of total inventories represented inventory held under the Company’s supply chain services.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets

Prepaid expenses and other current assets consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     February 24,
2017
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 
     (unaudited)                

Prepayment for VAT and other transaction taxes

   $ 2,791      $ 1,478      $ 2,479  

Prepaid ICMS taxes in Brazil*

     —          —          2,404  

Receivable from Purchasing Facility**

     1,295        1,429        3,946  

Unbilled service receivables

     1,504        3,563        9,016  

Prepaid income taxes

     3,666        4,602        2,519  

Deferred tax assets

     —          812        1,114  

Other prepaid expenses and other current assets

     4,090        4,638        4,545  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total prepaid expenses and other current assets

   $ 13,346      $ 16,522      $ 26,023  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  * See Note 1(i)
  ** See Note 4.

Property and Equipment, Net

Property and equipment consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     February 24,
2017
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 
     (unaudited)                

Office furniture, software, computers and equipment

   $   17,010      $   15,932      $   16,432  

Manufacturing equipment

     91,809        89,432        77,677  

Leasehold improvements*

     22,509        20,490        14,334  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
     131,328        125,854        108,443  

Less accumulated depreciation and amortization

     77,426        68,254        48,132  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net property and equipment

   $ 53,902      $ 57,600      $ 60,311  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  * Includes Penang facility, which is situated on leased land.

Depreciation and amortization expense for property and equipment was approximately $11.6 million, $9.1 million, $18.1 million and $19.3 million during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Other Noncurrent Assets

Other noncurrent assets consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     February 24,
2017
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 
     (unaudited)                

Prepaid ICMS taxes in Brazil*

   $ 11,574      $ 10,219      $ 6,581  

Prepayment for VAT and other transaction taxes

     521        980        3,752  

Restricted cash

     7,035        6,792        6,693  

Deferred tax assets

     1,556        290        127  

Other

     2,015        1,656        2,306  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total other noncurrent assets

   $ 22,701      $ 19,937      $ 19,459  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  * See Note 1(i)

 

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Index to Financial Statements

Accrued Liabilities

Accrued liabilities consisted of (in thousands):

 

     February 24,
2017
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 
     (unaudited)                

Accrued employee compensation

   $ 10,336      $ 8,888      $ 5,356  

Accrued credits payable to customers

     724        —          3,144  

VAT and other transaction taxes payable

     1,107        1,791        4,261  

Income taxes payable

     1,917        1,055        588  

Accrued warranty reserve

     303        266        290  

Deferred tax liability

     —          155        195  

Other accrued liabilities

     2,924        1,916        2,633  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total accrued liabilities

   $ 17,311      $ 14,071      $ 16,467  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(6) Income Taxes

Loss before provision for income taxes for all annual periods presented consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     Fiscal Year Ended  
     August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 

U.S.

   $ (5,545   $ (26,680

Non-U.S.

     (11,971     (13,122
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

   $ (17,516   $ (39,802
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

The components of the provision for income taxes are as follows (in thousands):

 

     Fiscal Year Ended  
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 

Current:

     

Federal

   $ 3      $ (352

State

     50        58  

Other foreign

     3,678        9,407  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     3,731        9,113  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Deferred:

     

Federal and state

     —          (308

Other foreign

     (1,287      (2,156
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     (1,287      (2,464
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total income tax provision

   $ 2,444      $ 6,649  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Index to Financial Statements

In applying the statutory tax rate in the effective income tax rate reconciliation, the Company used the U.S. statutory tax rate, rather than the Cayman Islands zero percent tax rate. The effective income tax rate, expressed as a percentage of income before income taxes, varied from the U.S. statutory income tax rate applied to loss before provision for income taxes as a result of the following items:

 

     Fiscal Year Ended  
     August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 

Statutory tax benefit rate

     35.0     35.0

Foreign income taxes at different rates

     (37.5     (30.6

State income tax, net of federal tax benefit

     (0.2     2.1  

Tax on uncertain tax positions

     0.3       0.1  

Change in valuation allowance

     (9.7     (21.7

Non-deductible expenses

     —         (0.2

Other—net

     (1.8     (1.4
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Effective income tax rate

     (13.9 )%      (16.7 )% 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

The tax effects of temporary differences that gave rise to significant portions of deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows (in thousands):

 

     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 

Deferred tax assets:

     

Accruals and allowances

   $ 2,094      $ 2,235  

Share-based compensation

     9,186        8,169  

Research and other tax credits carryforwards

     522        117  

Property and equipment

     838        790  

Net operating loss carryforwards

     33,520        34,311  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Deferred tax assets

     46,160        45,622  

Valuation allowance

     (43,644      (41,112
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Deferred tax assets after valuation allowance

     2,516        4,510  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Deferred tax liabilities:

     

Unrealized gain on currency

     —          (388

Purchase accounting intangibles

     (4,160      (7,075

Other

     —          (194
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net deferred tax liabilities

     (4,160      (7,657
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net deferred tax assets (liabilities)

   $ (1,644    $ (3,147
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The net deferred tax assets (liabilities) are classified as follows in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets (in thousands):

 

     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 

Net current deferred tax assets (liabilities)

   $ 743      $ 919  

Net long-term deferred tax assets (liabilities)

     (2,387      (4,066
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total net deferred tax liabilities

   $ (1,644    $ (3,147
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

As of August 26, 2016, the Company had U.S. (federal) and California (state) net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $98.5 million and $57.9 million, respectively. The federal net operating loss carryforwards will expire, if not utilized, in fiscal 2023 through fiscal 2036, and the California net operating loss carryforwards will expire in fiscal 2017 through fiscal 2036, both in varying amounts. These federal

 

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Index to Financial Statements

and California carryforwards are subject to an annual limitation, under the provisions of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Section 382 provides an annual limitation on net operating loss carryforwards following an ownership change. Any unused annual limitation is carried forward and added to the limitation in the subsequent year.

During fiscal 2016 and 2015, there were no excess tax deductions attributable to share-based payments that reduce taxes payable. Accordingly, the Company recorded no tax benefit to additional paid-in capital.

The valuation allowance on deferred tax assets, primarily related to U.S. net operating loss carry forwards and tax credit carryforwards, was $43.6 million and $41.1 million as of August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, respectively. The increase in valuation allowance of $2.5 million is primarily attributable to the increase in U.S. deferred tax assets for timing differences, net operating losses and tax credits that require a full valuation allowance. We intend to maintain a valuation allowance until sufficient positive evidence exists to support the realization of such deferred tax assets.

Provisions have been made for deferred income taxes on undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries to the extent that dividend payments by such foreign subsidiaries are expected to result in additional tax liability. The undistributed foreign earnings of approximately $166.3 million would not be included in U.S. taxable income because the U.S. subsidiaries are not direct or indirect shareholders of these foreign subsidiaries. The Company, a Cayman Islands entity, is the indirect holding company for which the Cayman Islands do not assess income taxes. The undistributed foreign earnings would incur an insignificant amount of foreign country withholding taxes if it were to be distributed to the Company due to foreign tax laws and rulings.

The Company’s Malaysia subsidiary, SMART Modular Technologies Sdn. Bhd. (SMART Malaysia), has been approved for tax holidays for the operations of its Pioneer business and Global Supply Chain (GSC) business. Both tax holidays are effective for five years. The Pioneer tax holiday commenced on January 1, 2014 and will expire on December 31, 2018. The GSC tax holiday commenced on September 1, 2013 and will expire on August 31, 2018. The Malaysian tax holidays are subject to certain conditions, with which SMART Malaysia has complied for all applicable periods in fiscal 2016 and 2015. The net impact of these tax holidays in Malaysia, as compared to the Malaysia statutory tax rate, was to decrease income tax expense by approximately $4.9  million ($0.36 per share) and $7.8 million ($0.57 per share) in fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015, respectively.

Effective February 1, 2011, SMART Brazil began to participate in PADIS. This program is specifically designed to promote the development of the local semiconductor industry. The Brazilian government has approved multiple applications for different products by SMART Brazil for certain beneficial tax treatment under the PADIS incentive. This beneficial tax treatment includes a reduction in the Brazil statutory income tax rate from 34% to 9% on taxable income for the Brazilian semiconductor operations of SMART Brazil. The net impact of the PADIS beneficial tax treatment, as compared to the Brazilian statutory tax rate, was to decrease income tax expense by approximately $0.7 million ($0.06 per share) and $10.3 million ($0.75 per share) for fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015, respectively. In order to receive the expected benefits, SMART Brazil is required to invest 5% of its net semiconductor sales in research and development (R&D) activities each calendar year, which is the measurement period. In May 2014, the R&D investment requirement was reduced to 3% for calendar years 2014 and 2015. SMART Brazil fulfilled this R&D investment requirement in calendar year 2015 and expects to fulfill this R&D requirement in calendar year 2016 which will be 4%. In computing the tax expense for fiscal 2016 and 2015, the Company estimated its annual effective tax rate including the anticipated impact of beneficial tax treatment under the PADIS incentive.

The total gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits was approximately $15.3 million and $14.0 million as of August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, respectively. The Company records interest and penalties on unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. The balance of accrued interest and penalties on unrecognized tax benefits was $0.3 million as of both August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015. As of August 26, 2016, changes to our uncertain tax positions in the next twelve months that are reasonably possible are not expected to have a significant impact on our financial position or results of operations.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

The aggregate changes in the balance of unrecognized tax benefits were as follows (in thousands):

 

     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 

Unrecognized tax benefits, beginning of period

   $ 14,048      $ 19,272  

Tax positions taken in prior periods:

     

Gross increases

     823        462  

Gross decreases

     (58      (5,802

Tax positions taken in current period:

     

Gross increases

     520        174  

Settlements

     —          —    

Lapse of statute of limitations

     —          (58
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Unrecognized tax benefits, end of period

   $ 15,333      $ 14,048  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would affect the effective tax rate, if recognized is $2.1 million and $2.2 million for fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015, respectively.

The Company’s U.S. subsidiaries file federal and state income/franchise tax returns in the United States. The tax periods ended August 2013 through August 2016 remain open to federal income tax examination. Generally, in the major state jurisdictions, the tax periods ended August 2012 through August 2016 remain open to state income/franchise tax examination. In addition, any prior year that generated a net operating loss or tax credit carryforward available for use in the taxable periods ending after August 2012 and August 2011 for federal and state income/franchise taxes, respectively, remains open to income tax examination to the extent of such net operating loss carryforward.

The Company’s non-U.S. subsidiaries file income tax returns in various non-U.S. jurisdictions, including Malaysia, Brazil, Luxembourg, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Italy. The years that are open for examination by the tax authorities of these jurisdictions vary by country. The earliest year open for examination by any non-U.S. subsidiary is the fiscal year ended August 2010 is SMART Malaysia.

The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act (“Act”) was signed into law on December 18, 2015. The Act contains a number of provisions including, most notably, a retroactive and permanent reinstatement of the United States federal research tax credit. The Act did not have a material impact on our effective tax rate for fiscal 2016 due to the effect of the valuation allowance on the Company’s deferred tax assets.

 

(7) Long-Term Debt

Senior Secured Credit Agreement

On August 26, 2011, in connection with the Acquisition, Memory and certain of its subsidiaries entered into a new senior secured credit agreement (together with all related loan documents, and as amended from time to time, prior to Amendment 4 and the ARCA, each as defined below, the Senior Secured Credit Agreement) with the lenders party thereto. Memory and, after the Memory-WWH Merger, SMART Worldwide as Memory’s successor in interest, the borrowers named in the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and the subsidiaries of Memory that entered into a guarantee with respect to the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, are collectively referred to as the Loan Parties and together with SMART Malaysia, the Credit Group. The Senior Secured Credit Agreement provides for a $310 million senior secured term loan B facility and a $50 million revolving facility. The maturity dates of the term loan B facility and the revolving facility were extended to August 26, 2019 under the ARCA as discussed below. SMART Global Holding is not a party to the Senior Secured Credit Agreement. As a result of the Memory-WWH Merger, SMART Worldwide assumed all of the obligations of Memory and became one of the Loan Parties and a member of the Credit Group as of January 2, 2015. Term loans aggregating $310.0 million were issued on August 26,

 

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Index to Financial Statements

2011 at a discount of 3.5% or $10.9 million, resulting in net proceeds of $299.1 million to Global and SMART Modular, wholly owned subsidiaries of SMART Worldwide and the co-borrowers under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement.

The Senior Secured Credit Agreement is jointly and severally guaranteed on a senior basis by certain subsidiaries of Global (excluding, among other subsidiaries, SMART Malaysia). In addition, the Senior Secured Credit Agreement is secured by a pledge of the capital stock of, or equity interests in, most of the subsidiaries of SMART Worldwide (including, without limitation, SMART Malaysia) and by substantially all of the assets of SMART Worldwide and the subsidiaries of SMART Worldwide, excluding the assets of SMART Malaysia and certain other subsidiaries.

Covenants . The Senior Secured Credit Agreement contains various representations and warranties and affirmative and negative covenants that are usual and customary for loans of this nature including, among other things, limitations on the Loan Parties’ ability to engage in certain transactions, incur debt, pay dividends, and make investments. If letters of credit in excess of $1.0 million in the aggregate, or any revolving loans are outstanding at the end of any fiscal quarter, then the Secured Net Leverage ratio cannot exceed 4.5:1.0 as of the end of the applicable fiscal quarter. SMART Worldwide and its subsidiaries did not have any borrowings under the revolver and did not have letters of credit in excess of $1.0 million on any measurement date during fiscal 2016 and 2015. In order to draw on the revolving facility, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio cannot exceed 4.5:1.0 when taking the requested draw into account.

Interest and Interest Rates . Loans under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement bear interest at a rate equal to an applicable margin plus, at the borrowers’ option, either (i) a LIBOR rate (with a floor of 1.25% on term loans and a floor of 1.00% on revolving loans), or (ii) a base rate (with a floor of 2.25% on term loans and a floor of 2.00% on revolving loans). The applicable margin for term loans with respect to LIBOR borrowings is 7.0% and with respect to base rate borrowings is 6.0%. The interest rate on the term loan was 8.25% as of August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015. The applicable margin for revolving loans adjusts every quarter. The adjustments are based on the Secured Net Leverage Ratio for the most recent fiscal quarter for which financial statements were delivered to the lenders. The applicable margin for revolving loans with respect to LIBOR borrowings ranges from 3.75% to 4.00% and the applicable margin for revolving loans with respect to base rate borrowings ranges from 2.75% to 3.00%. Interest on base rate loans under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement is payable on the last day of each February, May, August and November. Interest on LIBOR-based loans under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement is payable every one, two, three, six, nine or twelve months after the date of each borrowing, dependent on the particular interest rate selected with respect to such borrowing.

Principal Payments . The Senior Secured Credit Agreement required quarterly scheduled principal payments of term loans. These quarterly principal repayments were reduced from their original amounts as a result of the April 2012 Prepayment and January 2014 Prepayment discussed below. During the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016, and in fiscal 2016 and 2015, SMART Worldwide and Memory made scheduled principal payments of $7.8 million, $6.6 million, $13.3 million and $13.3 million, respectively.

Prepayments . The borrowers have the right at any time to make optional prepayments of the principal amounts outstanding under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement. On or about April 9, 2012, the subsidiary borrowers of Memory made a discounted prepayment of $25 million resulting in a principal reduction of $36.7 million (the April 2012 Prepayment). The April 2012 Prepayment was made at a 32% discount to par value and resulted in an $8.9 million gain on early repayment of long-term debt in fiscal 2012. Memory incurred $0.2 million of agent and attorney fees in connection with the April 2012 Prepayment. On or about January 7, 2014, the subsidiary borrowers of Memory made another discounted prepayment in the amount of $6.6 million resulting in a principal reduction of $7.5 million (the January 2014 Prepayment). The January 2014 Prepayment was made at a 12% discount to par value and resulted in a $0.4 million gain on early repayment of long-term debt in the second quarter of fiscal 2014.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

The Senior Secured Credit Agreement also requires certain mandatory prepayments of principal whereby the borrowers must prepay outstanding loans, subject to certain exceptions, which includes, among other things:

 

   

75% of excess cash flow after each fiscal year if the Secured Net Leverage Ratio is greater than 2.0:1.0; 50% of excess cash flow if the Secured Net Leverage Ratio is greater than 1.5:1.0 but less than or equal to 2.0:1.0; 25% of excess cash flow if the Secured Net Leverage Ratio is greater than 1.0:1.0 but less than or equal to 1.5:1.0; and 0% of excess cash flow if the Secured Net Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to 1.0:1.0, which amounts will be reduced by any permitted voluntary prepayments of principal made in the applicable fiscal year;

 

   

100% of the net cash proceeds of certain asset sales or other dispositions of property of SMART Worldwide or any restricted subsidiary, subject to the borrowers’ rights to reinvest the proceeds; and

 

   

100% of the net cash proceeds of incurrence of certain debt by any restricted subsidiary, other than proceeds from certain debt to be incurred under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement.

During fiscal 2016 and 2015, SMART Worldwide and Memory were not required to make any mandatory prepayments.

Memory incurred approximately $18.4 million in debt issuance costs upon entering into the Senior Secured Credit Agreement. Debt issuance costs related to this loan and the debt discount of $10.9 million are being amortized to interest expense based on the effective interest rate method over the life of this loan. The April 2012 Prepayment resulted in a write-off of $2.9 million of original issue discount and debt issuance fees. The January 2014 Prepayment resulted in a write-off of $0.4 million of original issue discount and debt issuance fees.

As of December 4, 2015, the Credit Group entered into Amendment No. 3 to the Credit Agreement (Amendment 3) which enabled the Credit Group to draw on the revolving facility if the Secured Net Leverage Ratio did not exceed 5.5:1.0 in the first fiscal quarter of 2016; if the Secured Net Leverage Ratio did not exceed 6.75:1.0 in the second fiscal quarter of 2016; and if the Secured Net Leverage Ratio did not exceed 5.75:1.0 in the third fiscal quarter of 2016; in each instance when taking the requested draw into account. Additionally, until August 26, 2016, Amendment 3 further limited the Credit Group’s ability to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness, permit liens, make investments, sell assets, make restricted payments or prepay junior debt.

On November 29, 2016, the Credit Group received all required approvals from the Lenders and entered into Amendment No. 4 to the Credit Agreement (Amendment 4) dated as of November 5, 2016 (the Amendment Date) which, among other things, adopted the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement among SMART Worldwide, Global, SMART Modular and the Loan Parties and lenders party thereto (the ARCA or debt extension). Pursuant to Amendment 4, the borrowers agreed to pay the Administrative Agent a fee in the amount of $1 million pursuant to a separate agreement and a fee, to be paid in the form of an additional term loan, in the amount of $5 million for the ratable account of the term lenders party to Amendment 4. Additionally, SMART Global Holdings was obligated to make an aggregate equity investment of at least $9.9 million in cash in Global, and SMART Global Holdings was obligated on the Amendment Date to issue warrants (the Lender Warrants) to purchase 20%, on a pro forma basis, of the outstanding ordinary shares of SMART Global Holdings, to the term lenders party to Amendment 4 upon the signing of Amendment 4, which Warrants are exercisable at $0.03 per share, with warrants totaling 10% of SMART Global Holdings shares exercisable immediately and warrants to purchase an additional 10% of SMART Global Holdings then outstanding shares, exercisable only if there are balances still outstanding on the term loans at the one year anniversary of the effective date of the Amendment Date. The relative fair value of the warrants and the fees payable to the lenders in connection with the ARCA were recorded as debt discount and will result in additional interest expense over the amended term of the loan using the effective interest method following debt modification accounting.

Under the terms of the ARCA, the maturity date of the term loans and the revolving loans was extended to August 26, 2019. If there are balances still outstanding on the term loans at the one year

 

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Index to Financial Statements

anniversary of the ARCA, the borrowers are obligated to pay an additional fee to the term lenders of $5 million in cash. In addition, the ARCA increases the quarterly scheduled principal payments of term loans to $3,875,000 per quarter to be paid on the last day of each fiscal quarter starting November 25, 2016. The balance of the principal amount then outstanding is due in full on the maturity date of August 26, 2019. Additionally the ARCA further limited the Credit Group’s ability to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness, permit liens, make investments, sell assets, retain cash proceeds from the sale of assets, make restricted payments or prepay junior debt. The ARCA reduces the limit on the allowable sale or factoring of accounts receivables to $60 million as of the ARCA effective date and to $50 million on the first anniversary of the Amendment Date if there are still balances outstanding on the term loans on such date. The ARCA also requires the borrowers to repay principal after the end of each quarter in an amount equal to any cash and cash equivalents on the balance sheet for such quarter, in excess of $25 million; provided that, for the fiscal quarters ended November 25, 2016 and February 24, 2017 such prepayment shall not be in an amount that would cause the Secured Net Leverage Ratio to exceed the amount permissible to incur all amounts of revolving loans otherwise available under the revolving commitments provided under the ARCA. Under the terms of the ARCA the borrowers can no longer reinvest in the Credit Group, proceeds from the sale of assets which proceeds must be used to repay principal except that, in certain situations the borrowers may retain an aggregate of $40 million from such sale proceeds solely to the extent necessary to meet the requirement to have a total of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents plus available unused funds under the revolving commitments equal to $40 million during the 60 days following receipt of such proceeds. Early mandatory repayments of principle are applied in the reverse order of maturity.

Under the ARCA the interest rate charged on loans has been amended to be a rate equal to an applicable margin plus, at the borrowers’ option, either (i) a LIBOR rate (with a floor of 1.25% on term loans and a floor of 1.00% on revolving loans), or (ii) a base rate (with a floor of 2.25% on term loans and a floor of 2.00% on revolving loans). The applicable margin for term loans with respect to LIBOR borrowings is 8.0% increasing to 8.75% on the first anniversary of the effective date of the ARCA if there are balances still outstanding on the term loans on such date, and with respect to base rate borrowings is 7.0% increasing to 7.75% on the first anniversary of the ARCA if there are balances still outstanding on term loans on such date. The applicable margin for revolving loans continues to adjust every quarter with such adjustments are now based on the Secured Leverage Ratio for the most recent fiscal quarter for which financial statements were delivered to the lenders. The applicable margin for revolving loans with respect to LIBOR borrowings remains in the range of 3.75% to 4.00% and the applicable margin for revolving loans with respect to base rate borrowings remains in the range of 2.75% to 3.00%. Interest on base rate loans under the ARCA is payable on the last day of each February, May, August and November. Interest on LIBOR-based loans under the ARCA is payable every one, two, three, six, nine or twelve months after the date of each borrowing, dependent on the particular interest rate selected with respect to such borrowing.

As of February 24, 2017, the outstanding principal balance of term loans under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement was $216.0 million and there were no outstanding revolving loans. As of August 26, 2016, the outstanding principal balance of term loans under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement was $218.8 million and there were no outstanding revolving loans. The fair value of the term loans as of February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015 was estimated to be approximately $187.9 million, $192.5 million and $219.3 million, respectively. As of February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, since the Company used broker quotes from inactive markets and there were no unobservable inputs, this was treated as a Level 2 financial instrument.

BNDES Credit Agreements

In December 2013, SMART Brazil, entered into a credit facility with the Brazilian Development Bank, or BNDES, referred to as the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement. Under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement, a total of R$50.6 million (or $16.2 million) was made available to SMART Brazil for investments in infrastructure, research and development conducted in Brazil and acquisitions of equipment not otherwise available in the Brazilian domestic market. SMART Brazil’s obligations under the BNDES 2013 Credit

 

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Index to Financial Statements

Agreement are guaranteed by Banco Itaú BBA S.A., or Itaú Bank, which guarantee is in turn secured by a guarantee from SMART Brazil and SMART do Brazil and a commitment by SMART Brazil to maintain minimum cash balances with Itaú Bank equal to 11.85% of the maximum aggregate balance of principal, interest and fees outstanding under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement. As of both February 24, 2017 and August 26, 2016, the committed amount was R$6.0 million (or $1.9 million), which is shown on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets as restricted cash in other noncurrent assets.

Approximately half of the available debt under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement accrues interest at a fixed rate while the other half accrues interest at a floating rate. The facility under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement is a term loan fully amortizing in 48 equal monthly installments beginning on August 15, 2015 with the final principal payment being due on July 15, 2019.

As of February 24, 2017, SMART Brazil’s outstanding debt under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement was R$31.9 million (or $10.2 million), of which R$15.7 million (or $5.0 million) accrues interest at the fixed rate of 3.5% and R$16.2 million (or $5.2 million) of the debt accrues interest at the floating rate of 0.5% above the TJLP rate published by the Central Bank of Brazil, or BZTJLP (5.0%), combined corresponding to an overall effective interest rate of 5.5% per annum. As of August 26, 2016, SMART Brazil’s outstanding debt under the BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement was R$38.2 million (or $11.8 million), of which R$18.9 million (or $5.8 million) accrues interest at the fixed rate of 3.5% and R$19.3 million (or $6.0 million) of the debt accrues interest at the floating rate of 0.5% above the TJLP rate published by the Central Bank of Brazil, or BZTJLP (5.0%), combined corresponding to an overall effective interest rate of 5.5% per annum.

In December 2014, SMART Brazil, entered into a second credit facility with BNDES, referred to as the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement. The BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement and the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement are collectively referred to as the BNDES Agreements. Under the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement, a total of R$52.8 million (or $16.9 million) was made available to SMART Brazil for research and development conducted in Brazil related to integrated circuit (IC) packaging and for acquisitions of equipment not otherwise available in the Brazilian domestic market.

SMART Brazil’s obligations under the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement are also guaranteed by Itaú Bank, which guarantee is in turn secured by a guarantee from SMART Brazil and SMART do Brazil and a commitment by SMART Brazil to maintain minimum cash balances with Itaú Bank equal to 30.31% of the maximum aggregate balance of principal, interest and fees outstanding under the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement, or approximately R$16.0 million (or $5.1 million) of required cash balances, which is shown on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets as restricted cash in other noncurrent assets.

The available debt under the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement accrues interest at a fixed rate of 4% per annum. The BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement is a term loan fully amortizing in 48 equal monthly installments beginning on August 15, 2016 with the final principal payment being due on July 15, 2020.

As of February 24, 2017 and August 26, 2016, SMART Brazil’s outstanding debt under the BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement was R$46.2 million (or $14.8 million) and R$52.8 million (or $16.3 million), respectively.

While the BNDES Agreements do not include any financial covenants, they contain affirmative and negative covenants customary for loans of this nature, including, among other things, an obligation to comply with all laws and regulations; a right for BNDES to terminate the loan in the event of a change of effective control; and a prohibition against the disposition or encumbrance, without BNDES consent, of intellectual property developed with the funds from the loans. The BNDES 2013 Credit Agreement includes an obligation to draw down the entire loan within specified periods of time or pay unused commitment fees of 0.1%. The BNDES 2014 Credit Agreement required a loan fee of 0.3% of the total face amount of the loan facility.

The fair value of amounts outstanding under the BNDES Agreements as of February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015 was estimated to be approximately $18.8 million, $19.4 million and

 

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$12.9 million, respectively. Since the Company used broker quotes from inactive markets and there were no unobservable inputs, this was treated as a Level 2 financial instrument.

The Senior Secured Credit agreement and the BNDES Agreements are classified as follows in the accompanying consolidating balance sheets (in thousands):

 

     February 24,
2017
    August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 
     (unaudited)              

Term loan

   $ 216,010     $ 218,760     $ 232,018  

BNDES 2013 principal balance

     10,212       11,785       14,910  

BNDES 2014 principal balance

     14,779       16,306       8,839  

Unamortized 3.5% debt discount

     (1,156     (1,716     (3,370

Unamortized debt issuance costs

     (24,939     (2,432     (5,398
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net amount

     214,906       242,703       246,999  

Current portion of long-term debt

     (12,162     (17,116     (12,382
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Long-term debt

   $ 202,744     $ 225,587     $ 234,617  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

The future minimum principal payments under the ARCA and the BNDES Agreements as of August 26, 2016 are (in thousands):

 

     ARCA      BNDES      Total  

Fiscal year ending August:

        

2017

   $ 15,500      $ 7,998      $ 23,498  

2018

     15,500        8,005        23,505  

2019

     192,760        8,005        200,765  

2020

     —          4,083        4,083  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 223,760      $ 28,091      $ 251,851  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(8) Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The fair value of the Company’s cash, cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable approximates the carrying amount due to the relatively short maturity of these items. Cash and cash equivalents consist of funds held in general checking and savings accounts, money market accounts, and securities with maturities of less than 90 days at the time of purchase. The Company does not have investments in variable rate demand notes or auction rate securities.

The FASB guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets to identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below:

 

   

Level 1. Valuations based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that an entity has the ability to access. The Company’s Level 1 assets include money market funds that are classified as cash equivalents and restricted cash which is classified under long-term assets.

 

   

Level 2. Valuations based on quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable data for substantially the full term of the assets and liabilities. The Company’s Level 2 liabilities include the term loans under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and the BNDES Credit Agreements that are classified as long-term debt.

 

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Level 3. Valuations based on inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. The Company did not have any financial instruments measured under Level 3 as of February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015.

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis include the following (in millions):

 

    Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical Assets
or Liabilities

(Level 1)
    Observable/
Unobservable
Inputs
Corroborated by
Market Data

(Level 2)
    Significant
Unobservable
Inputs

(Level 3)
    Total  

Balances as of February 24, 2017 (unaudited):

       

Assets

       

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 23.3     $ —       $ —       $ 23.3  

Restricted cash (1)

    7.0       —         —         7.0  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets measured at fair value

  $ 30.3     $ —       $ —       $ 30.3  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities

          —    

Term loan

  $ —       $ 187.9     $ —       $ 187.9  

BNDES Credit Agreements

    —         18.8       —         18.8  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities measured at fair value (2)

  $ —       $ 206.7     $ —       $ 206.7  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balances as of August 26, 2016:

       

Assets

       

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 58.6     $ —       $ —       $ 58.6  

Restricted cash (1)

    6.8       —         —         6.8  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets measured at fair value

  $ 65.4     $ —       $ —       $ 65.4  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities

          —    

Term loan

  $ —       $ 192.5     $ —       $ 192.5  

BNDES Credit Agreements

    —         19.4       —         19.4  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities measured at fair value (2)

  $ —       $ 211.9     $ —       $ 211.9  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balances as of August 28, 2015:

       

Assets

       

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 68.1     $ —       $ —       $ 68.1  

Restricted cash (1)

    6.7       —         —         6.7  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets measured at fair value

  $ 74.8     $ —       $ —       $ 74.8  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities

          —    

Term loan

  $ —       $ 219.3     $ —       $ 219.3  

BNDES Credit Agreements

    —         12.9       —         12.9  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities measured at fair value (2)

  $ —       $ 232.2     $ —       $ 232.2  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (1) Included in other noncurrent assets on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.
  (2) Included under long-term debt on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

 

(9) Share-Based Compensation and Employee Benefit Plans

 

(a) Share-Based Compensation

Equity Awards

On August 26, 2011, the board of directors adopted the Saleen Holdings, Inc. 2011 Stock Incentive Plan which has been amended and restated and is now known as the SMART Global Holdings, Inc. 2011 Share Incentive Plan (the SGH Plan). The SGH Plan provides for grants of equity awards to employees, directors and consultants of SMART Global Holdings and its subsidiaries. Options granted under the SGH Plan provide the option to purchase SMART Global Holdings’ ordinary shares at the fair value of such

 

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shares on the grant date. The options generally vest over a four-year period beginning on the grant date with a two year cliff and then monthly thereafter, and generally have a ten year term. Options granted after August 26, 2011 and before September 23, 2014 have an eight year term. As of February 24, 2017, there were 8,099,219 ordinary shares reserved for issuance under the SGH Plan, of which 1,271,407 ordinary shares were available for grant. As of August 26, 2016, there were 8,099,219 ordinary shares reserved for issuance under the SGH Plan, of which 1,708,433 ordinary shares were available for grant.

In October 2011, the board of directors of Memory approved the SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc. 2011 Share Incentive Plan (the Memory Plan). The Memory Plan provided for grants of equity awards to employees, directors and consultants of Memory and its subsidiaries. Options granted under the Memory Plan provided the option to purchase Memory’s ordinary shares at the fair value of such shares on the grant date. The options generally vest over a four year period beginning on the grant date with a two year cliff and then monthly thereafter, and generally have an eight year term. On January 2, 2015, the Memory Plan was cancelled as a result of the Memory-WWH Merger.

In October 2011, the board of directors of Storage approved the SMART Storage Systems (Global Holdings), Inc. 2011 Share Incentive Plan (the Storage Plan). The Storage Plan provided for grants of equity awards to employees, directors and consultants of Storage and its subsidiaries. Options granted under the Storage Plan provided the option to purchase Storage’s ordinary shares at the fair value of such shares on the grant date. During fiscal 2013 and 2012, certain Memory employees who performed functions for Storage also received option grants under the Storage Plan; these were accounted for as employee awards based on common control and ownership of the two affiliated companies. The options generally vested over a four year period beginning on the grant date with a two year cliff and then monthly thereafter, and generally have an eight year term. On February 12, 2015, the Storage Plan was cancelled as a result of the Storage-Intermediate Merger.

On August 19, 2014, the shareholders authorized that the name of the Company be changed from Saleen Holdings, Inc. to SMART Global Holdings, Inc. and that the authorized share capital of the Company be increased from $500,000 divided into 50,000,000 ordinary shares, par value $0.01 per share, to $600,000 divided into 60,000,000 ordinary shares, par value $0.01 per share, by the creation of an additional 10,000,000 ordinary shares with a par or nominal value of $0.01 each ranking pari passu in all respects with the existing ordinary shares.

On August 19, 2014, the shareholders also authorized that the SGH Plan be amended and restated to, among other things, increase the amount of ordinary shares, par value $0.03 per share, available under the SGH Plan from 6,099,219 ordinary shares to 8,099,219 ordinary shares.

Tender Offer

On April 25, 2016, the Company offered the SGH Plan option holders the opportunity to exchange certain outstanding and unexercised grants with exercise prices higher than $11.55 per share, for new replacement grants with the following terms: (a) an exercise price of $11.55 per share, (b) a lower number of shares based on pre-determined formula, (c) a vesting schedule of 2 years with 50% vesting on first anniversary and the balance vesting quarterly over the second year, and (d) a new ten-year term.

On May 23, 2016, the Tender Offer was completed and resulted in 1,652,575 options being cancelled, in exchange for 811,277 replacement options. As a result of the Tender Offer, there was an option modification charge of $2.7 million which will be expensed over the next 2 years, which is the vesting period of the replacement grants.

Option Exchange

On January 2, 2015, as a result of the Memory-WWH Merger, Memory merged with and into SMART Worldwide and Memory ceased to exist as a separate legal entity. Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement among Memory, SMART Worldwide and SMART Global Holdings, SMART Global Holdings

 

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assumed all unexercised options under the Memory Plan with a continuation of their respective vesting schedules and otherwise on the same terms and conditions to which such assumed options were subject prior to the assumption except for adjustments to the exercise price and quantity of underlying shares (the Option Exchange). The methodology used in the Option Exchange was intended to preserve the intrinsic value of such assumed options pursuant to the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. As a result of the Option Exchange, 5,570,580 options outstanding under the Memory Plan were exchanged for 1,216,312 options under the SGH Plan. The Option Exchange resulted in an option modification charge of $0.5 million share-based compensation expense, of which $0.3 million was recognized upon the modification (in the second quarter of fiscal 2015) and the remaining $0.2 million will be recognized over the remaining service period.

Sale Impact on Share Options, Restricted Stock Awards (RSAs) and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)

In connection with the Sale in August 2013, certain transactions occurred relating to share options, RSAs and RSUs under the SGH Plan. In connection with an Escrow Distribution (as defined in Note 2) declared on January 1, 2015 (see Note 2), the following transactions occurred in the second quarter of fiscal 2015: (a) all SGH options received a strike price reduction of $2.04 per share in order to make an equitable adjustment as required in the SGH Plan due to the extraordinary cash distribution to shareholders resulting from the Escrow Distribution and, to the extent that the strike price reduction would have gone below the strike price floor of $2.64 per share, a strike price floor payment was made; (b) for the awards under the Storage Plan that were fully or partially accelerated in August 2013 in connection with the Sale, an additional cash payment was made; and (c) all RSU unexpired and outstanding as of January 1, 2015 received an adjustment in quantity in order to make an equitable adjustment as required in the SGH Plan due to the extraordinary cash distribution to shareholders resulting from the Escrow Distribution.

Summary of Assumptions and Activity

The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model that uses the assumptions noted in the following table. The fair value of the ordinary shares underlying the Company’s equity awards has historically been determined by the Company’s board of directors. Because there has been no public market for the Company’s ordinary shares and in the absence of recent arm’s-length cash sales transactions of the Company’s ordinary shares with independent third parties, the Company’s board of directors has determined the fair value of the Company’s ordinary shares by considering at the time of grant a number of objective and subjective factors, including the following: the value of tangible and intangible assets of the Company, the present value of anticipated future cash flows of the Company, the market value of stock or equity interests in similar corporations and other entities engaged in businesses substantially similar to those engaged in by the Company, the Company’s current financial condition and anticipated expenses, control discounts for the lack of marketability, the Company’s need for additional capital, current and potential strategic relationships and competitive developments and periodic valuations from an independent third-party valuation firm.

The expected volatility is based on the historical volatilities of the common stock of comparable publicly traded companies. The expected term of options granted represents the weighted average period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding giving consideration to vesting schedules and the historical exercise patterns. The risk-free interest rate for the expected term of the option is based on the average U.S. Treasury yield curve at the end of the quarter in which the option was granted.

 

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The following assumptions were used to value the Company’s stock options:

 

     Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24, 2017     February 26, 2016     August 26, 2016     August 28, 2015  
     (unaudited)              

Stock options:

        

Expected term (years)

     6.25       6.25       6.25       6.25  

Expected volatility

     54.41% - 55.75%       49.46% - 51.92%       49.46% - 56.00%       49.51% - 53.28%  

Risk-free interest rate

     1.96% - 2.01%       1.39% - 1.82%       1.36% - 1.82%       1.49% - 1.72%  

Expected dividends

     —         —         —         —    

SGH Plan—Options

A summary of option activity for the SGH Plan is presented below (dollars and shares in thousands, except per share data):

 

     Shares     Weighted
average
per share
exercise
price
     Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
(years)
     Aggregate
intrinsic
value
 

SGH Plan:

          

Options outstanding at August 29, 2014

     657     $ 10.74        5.01      $ 12,396  

Options granted (1)

     1,825       23.64        

Options exercised

     (5     2.64        

Options forfeited and canceled

     (48     20.82        
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Options outstanding at August 28, 2015

     2,429     $ 19.62        5.37      $ 3,548  

Options granted (2)

     925       11.46        

Options exercised

     (43     3.06        

Options forfeited and canceled (3)

     (1,783     23.34        
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Options outstanding at August 26, 2016

     1,528     $ 10.80        7.36      $ 2,373  

Options granted

     24       9.03        

Options cancelled

     (77     11.19        
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Options outstanding at February 24, 2017

     1,475     $ 10.74        6.77      $ 8,073  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Options exercisable at February 24, 2017

     566     $ 8.69        2.97      $ 4,814  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Options vested and expected to vest at February 24, 2017

     1,425     $ 10.71        6.68      $ 7,885  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (1) Includes 1,216 shares granted in connection with the Option Exchange.
  (2) Includes 811 shares granted in connection with the Tender Offer.
  (3) Includes 1,653 shares cancelled in connection with the Tender Offer.

The Black-Scholes weighted average fair value of options granted under the SGH Plan during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and fiscal 2016 and 2015 was $4.86, $9.60 and $6.75 per share, respectively. The total intrinsic value of employee stock options exercised in fiscal 2016 and 2015 was approximately $0.4 million and $0.1 million, respectively. As of February 24, 2017, there was approximately $5.5 million of unrecognized compensation costs related to stock options under the SGH Plan, which will be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.41 years. As of August 26, 2016, there was approximately $8.2 million of unrecognized compensation costs related to stock options under the SGH Plan, which will be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.92 years.

 

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In connection with the Escrow Distribution declared on January 1, 2015 (see Note 2), the following transactions occurred: all SGH outstanding options received a strike price reduction of $2.04 per share in order to make an equitable adjustment as required in the SGH Plan due to the extraordinary cash distribution to shareholders resulting from the Escrow Distribution and, to the extent that the strike price reduction would have gone below the strike price floor of $2.64 per share, strike price floor payments aggregating $0.9 million were made in January 2015. The strike price adjustments did not result in any additional share-based compensation expense to the Company since the fair value of the options decreased after the modification.

Memory Plan

A summary of option activity for the Memory Plan is presented below (dollars and shares in thousands except per share data):

 

     Shares     Weighted
average
per share
exercise
price
     Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
(years)
     Aggregate
intrinsic
value
 

Memory Plan:

          

Options outstanding at August 29, 2014

     5,644     $ 4.84        5.34      $ 5,048  

Options forfeited and cancelled

     (73     4.27        

Options cancelled in exchange for SGH options

     (5,571   $ 4.84        
  

 

 

   

 

 

       

Options outstanding at February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015

     —       $ —          —        $ —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Options exercisable at February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015

     —       $ —          —        $ —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Options vested and expected to vest at February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015

     —       $ —          —        $ —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

As a result of the Option Exchange on January 2, 2015, all 5,570,580 options outstanding under the Memory Plan were exchanged for 1,216,312 options under the SGH Plan. As a result of the Memory-WWH Merger, the Memory Plan was cancelled on January 2, 2015.

As of February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, there was no unrecognized compensation cost related to the Memory Plan.

Storage Plan

In connection with the Escrow Release (as defined in Note 2) additional cash payments aggregating $1.1 million were made in December 2014 to Enterprise, Memory and HRS employees in connection with the options under the Storage Plan that were accelerated and cancelled in connection with the Sale.

On February 12, 2015, the Storage Plan was cancelled as a result of the Storage-Intermediate Merger. As of February 24, 2017, August 26, 2016 and August 28, 2015, there was no unrecognized compensation cost related to the Storage Plan.

 

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SGH Plan—Restricted Stock Units and Restricted Stock Awards

A summary of the changes in RSAs and RSUs outstanding is presented below (dollars and shares in thousands, except per share data):

 

     Shares     Weighted
average
grant date
fair value
per share
     Aggregate
intrinsic
value
 

SGH Plan:

       

Awards outstanding at August 29, 2014

     —       $ —        $ —    

Awards granted

     6       26.97     
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Awards outstanding at August 28, 2015

     6     $ 26.97      $ 63  

Awards vested and paid out

     (2     26.97     
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Awards outstanding at August 26, 2016

     4     $ 26.97      $ 40  

Awards granted

     490       7.74     

Awards vested and paid out

     (1     26.97     
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Awards outstanding at February 24, 2017

     493     $ 7.87      $ 7,503  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

The share-based compensation expense related to RSAs and RSUs during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016, and in fiscal 2016 and 2015 was approximately $0.1 million, $24 thousand, $40 thousand and $30 thousand, respectively. The total fair value of shares vested during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015 was approximately $13 thousand, $16 thousand, $16 thousand and $0, respectively.

Equity Rights and Restrictions

The holders of ordinary shares of SMART Global Holdings are entitled to such dividends and other distributions as may be declared by the board of directors of SMART Global Holdings from time-to-time, out of the funds of SMART Global Holdings lawfully available therefor.

All SMART Global Holdings shares owned by employees (Employee Shares) and all shares underlying the SMART Global Holdings options (Option Shares), RSUs (RSU Shares) and Lender Warrants (Warrant Shares; Employee Shares, Option Shares, RSU Shares and Warrant Shares are collectively referred to as Restricted Shares) are subject to either the Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement dated August 26, 2011 (the Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement) or the Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement dated as of November 5, 2016 (as amended, the Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement; the Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement and the Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement are collectively referred to as the Shareholders Agreements). Effective November 5, 2016, the Management Investors Shareholder Agreement was amended to include shares issued pursuant to the Lender Warrants. Under the terms of the Shareholders Agreements, the Restricted Shares cannot be sold or otherwise transferred except under limited circumstances, are subject to lock-up restrictions in the event of an initial public offering, are subject to drag-along obligations whereby a shareholder may be required to sell certain amounts of their shares along with Silver Lake at a price set by Silver Lake, and are subject to call-rights whereby SMART Global Holdings or Silver Lake may have the right to purchase the Restricted Shares at prices subject to certain pre-determined formulas upon termination of employment or services from the Company and only in the event that the Restricted Shares have been issued, vested (if applicable) and outstanding for at least six months. Additionally, all Restricted Shares are subject to an irrevocable proxy granted to Silver Lake to vote or act on behalf of the employee shareholders in connection with any and all matters set forth in the Shareholders Agreements as to which any vote or actions may be requested or required.

Owners of Restricted Shares covered by the Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement, subject to certain exceptions and conditions, are entitled to certain tag-along rights to sell certain amounts of

 

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Restricted Shares along with certain sales by the affiliates of Silver Lake at the same price and on the same other terms as the affiliates of Silver Lake. Additionally, owners of Restricted Shares covered by the Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement, subject to certain exceptions and prior to the completion of an initial public offering of SMART Global Holdings shares, are entitled to participation rights, which enable them to purchase a portion of any issuances of shares of equity securities or debt securities that are convertible or exchangeable into equity securities.

 

(b) Savings and Retirement Program

The Company offers a 401(k) Plan to U.S. employees, which provides for tax-deferred salary deductions for eligible U.S. employees. Employees may contribute up to 60% of their annual eligible compensation to this plan, limited by an annual maximum amount determined by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The Company may also make discretionary matching contributions, which vest immediately, as periodically determined by management. The matching contributions made by the Company during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015 were approximately $0.5 million, $0.4 million, $0.8 million and $0.8 million, respectively.

 

(10) Commitments and Contingencies

 

(a) Commitments

Minimum rent payments under operating leases are recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease including any periods of free rent. Rent expense for operating leases during the six months ended February 24, 2017 and February 26, 2016 and in fiscal 2016 and 2015 was $1.4 million, $1.1 million, $2.4 million, and $2.4 million, respectively.

Future minimum lease payments under all leases as of August 26, 2016 are as follows (in thousands):

 

     Amount  

Fiscal year ended August:

  

2017

   $ 2,481  

2018

     2,343  

2019

     2,205  

2020

     2,122  

2021

     1,946  

Thereafter

     2,926  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 14,023  
  

 

 

 

 

(b) Product Warranty and Indemnities

Product warranty reserves are established in the same period that revenue from the sale of the related products is recognized, or in the period that a specific issue arises as to the functionality of a Company’s product. The amounts of the reserves are based on established terms and the Company’s best estimate of the amounts necessary to settle future and existing claims on products sold as of the balance sheet date.

The following table reconciles the changes in the Company’s accrued warranty (in thousands):

 

     Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 
     (unaudited)              

Beginning accrued warranty reserve

   $ 266     $ 290     $ 290     $ 238  

Warranty claims

     (244     (108     (345     (690

Provision for product warranties

     281       134       321       742  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ending accrued warranty reserve

   $ 303     $ 316     $ 266     $ 290  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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Product warranty reserves are recorded in accrued liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

In addition to potential liability for warranties related to defective products, the Company currently has in effect a number of agreements in which it has agreed to defend, indemnify and hold harmless its customers and suppliers from damages and costs, which may arise from product defects as well as from any alleged infringement by its products of third-party patents, trademarks or other proprietary rights. The Company believes its internal development processes and other policies and practices limit its exposure related to such indemnities. Maximum potential future payments cannot be estimated because many of these agreements do not have a maximum stated liability. However, to date, the Company has not had to reimburse any of its customers or suppliers for any losses related to these indemnities. The Company has not recorded any liability in its financial statements for such indemnities.

 

(c) Legal Matters

From time to time, the Company is involved in legal matters that arise in the normal course of business. Litigation in general and intellectual property, employment and shareholder litigation in particular, can be expensive and disruptive to normal business operations. Moreover, the results of complex legal proceedings are difficult to predict. The Company believes that it has defenses to the cases pending, including those set forth below. Except as noted below, the Company is not currently able to estimate, with reasonable certainty, the possible loss, or range of loss, if any, from such legal matters, and accordingly, no provision for any potential loss, which may result from the resolution of these matters, has been recorded in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

Indemnification Claims by SanDisk

In connection with the Company’s Sale of the Enterprise business to SanDisk in August 2013, the Sale Agreement contained certain indemnification obligations, including, among others, for losses arising from breaches of representations and warranties relating to the Sale. These indemnification obligations are subject to a number of limitations, including certain deductibles and caps and limited time periods for making indemnification claims. At the closing of the Sale, $30.5 million of the purchase price was placed into a third party escrow to secure certain of the Company’s indemnification obligations. The escrow was due to terminate on August 22, 2014 in the event that SanDisk did not timely submit a claim for indemnification. On August 21, 2014, SanDisk made a claim against the Company under the indemnification provisions of the Sale Agreement in connection with a lawsuit filed by Netlist, Inc. (Netlist) against SanDisk alleging that certain products of the Enterprise business infringe various Netlist patents, which SanDisk in turn alleges would, if true, constitute a breach of representations and warranties under the Sale Agreement. Under the Sale Agreement, the Company’s indemnification obligation in respect of intellectual property matters, such as those claimed by SanDisk, is subject to a deductible of approximately $1.8 million and a cap of $60.9 million. As required in the Sale Agreement, the SanDisk claim purported to include a preliminary good faith estimate of SanDisk’s alleged indemnifiable losses, which estimate was greater than the Sale Agreement cap for intellectual property matters. The Company believes that the allegations giving rise to the indemnification claim are without merit and the Company intends to dispute SanDisk’s claim for indemnification. In addition, there may be other grounds for the Company to dispute the indemnification claim and/or the amounts of any indemnifiable losses of SanDisk. On December 4, 2014, SanDisk and the Company agreed to the Escrow Release and SanDisk and the Company instructed the escrow agent to release the entire escrow balance. On December 5, 2014, the Company received $30.5 million from the Escrow Release. The Escrow Release does not relieve the Company of its indemnification obligations to SanDisk, and SanDisk has not amended or reduced the amount of its indemnification claim.

Netlist

On September 10, 2012, SMART Modular filed a complaint in the Eastern District of California against Netlist alleging infringement of certain claims of SMART Modular’s U.S. Patent No. 8,250,295 (the

 

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Index to Financial Statements

‘295 patent) and seeking, among other things, a preliminary injunction. Netlist filed certain counterclaims alleging, among other things, attempted monopolization, collusion, unfair competition, fraud on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (the USPTO) and sham litigation, and asserting that the ‘295 patent is invalid. The counterclaims do not specify the amount of damages. Netlist also filed a request for reexamination of the ‘295 patent in the USPTO. On May 30, 2013, the court denied SMART Modular’s motion for a preliminary injunction and granted a stay in the proceedings pending the outcome of the reexamination. On or about April 29, 2014, the USPTO issued a non-final Action Closing Prosecution (ACP) confirming the patentability of the original claims of SMART Modular’s ‘295 patent and rejecting certain claims added during the reexamination process. On May 29, 2014, after the ACP, SMART Modular filed comments requesting that all of the original claims and certain of the added claims be confirmed as patentable. On June 30, 2014, Netlist filed comments challenging SMART Modular’s comments to the ACP. On August 4, 2015, the USPTO rejected Netlist’s challenges and affirmed its previous decision confirming the patentability of the original claims of SMART Modular’s ‘295 patent. On September 4, 2015, Netlist filed an appeal of the USPTO examiner’s decision to the Patent Trial and Appeals Board (the PTAB). On February 25, 2016, the USPTO ruled in favor of SMART and on September 21, 2016, the court granted SMART’s motion to lift the stay in the Eastern District of California case. On November 14, 2016, the PTAB reversed the examiner’s decision to confirm certain claims of SMART Modular’s ‘295 patent and reversed the examiner’s decision to determine that certain newly added claims are patentable. On February 22, 2017, Netlist filed a motion to reinstate the stay in the court proceedings pending the outcome of the USPTO proceedings. SMART Modular filed an opposition to this motion, which is pending. SMART Modular is evaluating the next course of action with respect to the proceedings in the USPTO and the Eastern District of California.

On July 1, 2013, Netlist filed a lawsuit in the Central District of California against SMART Modular alleging claims very similar to Netlist’s counterclaims set forth in the Eastern District case. Netlist later amended its complaint to add additional parties, including SMART Worldwide. Netlist has sought compensatory damages for the harm it claims to have suffered, as well as an award of treble damages and attorneys’ fees. The claims against SMART Modular and SMART Worldwide were transferred to the Eastern District of California.

The Company believes that there are valid defenses to all of the claims and counterclaims made by Netlist and that the claims are without merit. SMART Modular and SMART Worldwide intends to vigorously fight the claims and counterclaims. The Company believes that the likelihood of any material charge resulting from these claims is remote.

 

(d) Contingencies

Import Duty Tax assessment in Brazil

On February 23, 2012, SMART Brazil was served with a notice of a tax assessment for approximately R$117 million (or $37.4 million) (the First Assessment). The assessment was from the federal tax authorities of Brazil and related to four taxes in connection with importation processes. The tax authorities claimed that SMART Brazil categorized its imports of unmounted integrated circuits in the format of wafers under an incorrect product classification code, which carries an import duty of 0%. The authorities alleged that a different classification code should have been used that would require an 8% import duty and the authorities were seeking to recover these duties, as well as other related taxes, for the five calendar years of 2007 through and including 2011. Subsequent to the initial assessment, SMART Brazil received a second notice of an additional administrative penalty of approximately R$6.0 million (or $1.9 million) directly related to the same issue and which has been imposed exclusively for the alleged usage of an inappropriate import tax code (the Second Assessment).

The Company believes that SMART Brazil used the correct product code on its imports and that none of the above assessments are due. In March 2012, SMART Brazil filed defenses to the First Assessment and the Second Assessment. On May 2, 2013, the first level administrative tax court issued a ruling in favor of

 

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Index to Financial Statements

the tax assessor and against SMART Brazil on the First Assessment. On May 31, 2013, SMART Brazil filed an appeal to the second level tax court known as CARF. The appeal was heard on November 26, 2013 and the Company received a unanimous favorable ruling rejecting the position of the tax authorities. This ruling was published by the tax authorities and made official in February 2014. Subsequently, the tax authorities filed a request for clarification and on September 17, 2014, the Company received a unanimous ruling rejecting the request from the tax authorities for clarification. On November 7, 2014, the tax authorities notified CARF that they would not be appealing the CARF decision, and the First Assessment has been extinguished. SMART Brazil has not received a decision from the first level administrative court with respect to the Second Assessment.

On December 12, 2013, SMART Brazil received another notice of assessment in the amount of R$3.6 million (or $1.2 million) with respect to the same import-related tax issues and penalties discussed above for 2012 and 2013 (the Third Assessment). The Third Assessment does not seek import duties and related taxes on DRAM products and only seeks import duties and related taxes on Flash unmounted components with respect to the months of January 2012 to June 2012. This is because SMART Brazil’s imports of DRAM unmounted components were subject to 0%, and, after June 2012, SMART Brazil’s imports of Flash unmounted components became subject to 0%, import duties and related taxes, both as a result of PADIS. Even with this 0%, if SMART Brazil is found to have used the incorrect product classification code, SMART Brazil will be subject to an administrative penalty equal to 1% of the value of the imports. SMART Brazil has filed defenses to the Third Assessment. The Company believes that SMART Brazil used the correct product code on its imports and that the Third Assessment is incorrect. SMART Brazil intends to vigorously fight this matter. Although SMART Brazil did not receive the Third Assessment until December 12, 2013, the Third Assessment was issued before the CARF decision in favor of SMART Brazil on the First Assessment as discussed above was published.

The amounts claimed by the tax authorities on the Second Assessment and on the Third Assessment are subject to increases for interest and other charges, which resulted in a combined assessment balance of approximately R$14.0 million (or $4.5 million) and R$13.3 million (or $4.1 million) as of February 24, 2017 and August 26, 2016, respectively.

As a result of the CARF decision in favor of SMART Brazil on the First Assessment, the Company believes that the probability of any material charges as a result of the Second Assessment and the Third Assessment is remote and the Company does not expect the resolution of these disputed assessments to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. While the Company believes that the Second Assessment and the Third Assessment are incorrect, there can be no assurance that SMART Brazil will prevail in the disputes.

 

(11) Segment and Geographic Information

The Company operates in one reportable segment: the design, manufacture and sale of specialty memory solutions and services to the electronics industry. The Company’s chief operating decision-maker, the President and CEO, evaluates financial performance on a company-wide basis.

 

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A summary of the Company’s net sales by geographic area, based on the ship-to location of the customer, and property and equipment by geographic area is as follows (in thousands):

 

    Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year Ended  
    February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 
    (unaudited)              

Geographic Net Sales:

       

U.S.

  $ 69,616     $ 50,956     $ 104,788     $ 124,560  

Brazil

    154,262       99,236       245,503       336,442  

Asia

    82,969       68,667       141,811       137,769  

Europe

    14,979       11,853       24,502       26,238  

Other Americas

    9,472       7,901       17,819       18,460  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

  $ 331,298     $ 238,613     $ 534,423     $ 643,469  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

     February 24,
2017
     August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 
     (unaudited)                

Property and Equipment, Net:

        

U.S.

   $ 2,835      $ 2,908      $ 3,618  

Brazil

     42,698        44,339        45,121  

Malaysia

     5,754        6,722        7,376  

Other

     2,615        3,631        4,196  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 53,902      $ 57,600      $ 60,311  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(12) Major Customers

A majority of the Company’s net sales are attributable to customers operating in the information technology industry. Net sales to significant end user customers, including sales to their manufacturing subcontractors, defined as net sales in excess of 10% of total net sales, are as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

     Six Months Ended  
     February 24, 2017     February 26, 2016  
     Amount      Percentage
of net sales
    Amount      Percentage
of net sales
 
     (unaudited)  

Customer A

   $ 59,461        18   $ 36,263        15

Customer B

     49,975        15     48,614        20
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 109,436        33   $ 84,877        35
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     Fiscal Year Ended  
     August 26, 2016     August 28, 2015  
     Amount      Percentage
of net sales
    Amount      Percentage
of net sales
 
     (unaudited)  

Customer A

   $ 70,670        13   $ 69,773        11

Customer B

     100,529        19     101,127        16

Customer C

     71,063        13     —          —    

Customer D

     —          —         92,586        14

Customer E

     —          —         95,962        15
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 242,262        45   $ 359,448        56
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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As of February 24, 2017, three direct customers that represented less than 10% of net sales, Customers F, H and I, accounted for approximately 28%, 16% and 13% of accounts receivable, respectively. As of August 26, 2016, direct customer Customer F accounted for approximately 28% of accounts receivable. As of August 28, 2015, direct customers Customer F and Customer D accounted for approximately 48% and 14% of accounts receivable, respectively.

 

(13) Net Loss Per Share

Basic net loss per ordinary share is calculated by dividing net loss by the weighted average of ordinary shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per ordinary share is calculated by dividing the net loss by the weighted average of ordinary shares and dilutive potential ordinary shares outstanding during the period. Dilutive potential ordinary shares consist of dilutive shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options and vesting of RSUs computed using the treasury stock method. The dilutive weighted shares are excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share when a net loss is recorded for the period as their effect would be anti-dilutive.

The following table sets forth for all periods presented the computation of basic and diluted net loss per ordinary share, including the reconciliation of the numerator and denominator used in the calculation of basic and diluted net loss per share (dollars and shares in thousands, except per share data):

 

     Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    August 26,
2016
    August 28,
2015
 
     (unaudited)              

Numerator:

        

Net loss

   $ (5,544   $ (17,154   $ (19,960   $ (46,451

Denominator:

        

Weighted average ordinary shares, basic

     13,870       13,834       13,841       13,833  

Weighted average ordinary shares equivalent from stock options and awards

     —         —         —         —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Weighted average ordinary shares and ordinary share equivalents outstanding, diluted

     13,870       13,834       13,841       13,833  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic and diluted loss per share

   $ (0.40   $ (1.24   $ (1.44   $ (3.36
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Anti-dilutive weighted shares excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share

     2,139       2,319       2,084       1,141  

 

(14) Other Income (Expense), Net

The following table provides the detail of other income (expense), net as follows (in thousands):

 

     Six Months Ended     Fiscal Year Ended  
     February 24,
2017
    February 26,
2016
    August 26,
2016
     August 28,
2015
 
     (unaudited)               

Foreign currency gains (losses)

   $ 262     $ (1,552   $ 1,101      $ (10,747

Loss on extinguishment of debt

     (1,386     —         —          —    

Transition services agreement income*

     —         —         —          4,341  

Other

     222       180       773        874  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total other income (expense), net

   $ (902   $ (1,372   $ 1,874      $ (5,532
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

* Agreement entered into with SanDisk (see Note 1(w)).

 

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5,300,000 Shares

LOGO

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

Ordinary Shares

 

 

Prospectus

                    , 2017

 

Barclays

 

Deutsche Bank Securities

 

Jefferies

 

Stifel

 

 

Needham & Company

 

Roth Capital Partners


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution .

 

     Amount
To Be Paid
 

Registration fee

   $ 10,596  

FINRA filing fee

     14,214  

NASDAQ listing fee

     125,000  

Transfer agent’s fees

     5,600  

Printing and engraving expenses

     325,000  

Legal fees and expenses

     1,200,000  

Accounting fees and expenses

     500,000  

Miscellaneous

     200,000  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 2,380,410  
  

 

 

 

Each of the amounts set forth above, other than the Registration fee and the FINRA filing fee, is an estimate.

Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers .

As we are a Cayman Islands exempted company, the laws of the Cayman Islands will be relevant to the provisions relating to indemnification of our directors and officers. Although the Companies Law does not specifically restrict a Cayman Islands exempted company’s ability to indemnify its directors or officers, it does not expressly provide for such indemnification either. Certain Commonwealth case law (which is likely to be persuasive in the Cayman Islands), however, indicates that the indemnification is generally permissible, unless there had been actual fraud, willful default or reckless disregard on the part of the director or officer in question.

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that each of our directors, agents or officers shall be indemnified out of our assets against any liability incurred by him as a result of any act or failure to act in carrying out his functions other than such liability, if any, that he may incur by his own willful neglect or default. No such director, agent or officer shall be liable to us for any loss or damage in carrying out his functions unless that liability arises through the willful neglect or default of such director, agent or officer.

We have also entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers under which we have agreed to indemnify each such person and hold him harmless against expenses, judgments, fines and amounts payable under settlement agreements in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding to which he has been made a party or in which he became involved by reason of the fact that he is or was our director or officer. Except with respect to expenses to be reimbursed by us in the event that the indemnified person has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of the action, suit or proceeding, our obligations under the indemnification agreements are subject to certain customary restrictions and exceptions. The indemnification agreements are governed under Cayman Islands law or New York law.

In addition, we maintain standard policies of insurance under which coverage is provided to our directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act, and to us with respect to payments which may be made by us to such directors and officers pursuant to the above indemnification provision or otherwise as a matter of law.

The proposed form of Underwriting Agreement, to be filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Registration Statement, provides for indemnification of directors and officers of the Registrant by the underwriters against certain liabilities.

 

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Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

Since three years before the date of the initial filing of this Registration Statement, the Registrant has sold the following securities without registration under the Securities Act, giving effect to a 1-for-3 reverse share split of our share capital that was effected on May 5, 2017:

 

  (1) the Registrant has granted a total of 3,251,049 options to purchase ordinary shares to certain employees under the SGH Plan, which includes 811,277 options that were issued in exchange for 1,652,575 options that were cancelled in the Tender Offer on May 23, 2016, and also includes 1,216,312 options that were issued in exchange for 5,570,580 options that were cancelled in the Option Exchange on January 2, 2015 in connection with the termination of an employee option plan of one of our former subsidiaries;

 

  (2) the Registrant has granted a total of 496,304 RSUs to certain employees and directors under the SGH Plan;

 

  (3) the Registrant has issued a total of 193,937 ordinary shares pursuant to exercises of options and 2,989 ordinary shares pursuant to the vesting of RSUs which were previously granted under its SGH Plan; and

 

  (4) in November 2016, the Registrant issued Lender Warrants to purchase 3,467,571 of our ordinary shares to the Warrant Holders in connection with the amendment and restatement of the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, which are exercisable at $0.03 per share.

The option and RSU grants and the share and warrant issuances described above were effected without registration in reliance on (1) the exemptions afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, because the sales did not involve any public offering, (2) Rule 701 promulgated under the Securities Act for shares that were sold under a written compensatory benefit plan or contract for the participation of employees, directors, officers, consultants and advisors of the Registrant and (3) Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act relating to offerings of securities outside of the United States.

 

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Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

(a) The following exhibits are filed as part of this Registration Statement:

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

    1.1    Form of Underwriting Agreement
    2.1+    Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 26, 2011, among Saleen Holdings, Inc., Saleen Acquisition, Inc. and SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc.
    3.1*    Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, to be in effect upon completion of this offering
    4.1    [Reserved]
    4.2    Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2016, by and among SMART Global Holdings, Inc., Silver Lake Partners III Cayman (AIV III), L.P., Silver Lake Technology Investors III Cayman, L.P., Silver Lake Sumeru Fund Cayman, L.P., Silver Lake Technology Investors Sumeru Cayman, L.P., Mr. Ajay B. Shah, Krishnan-Shah Family Partners, L.P., Fund No. 1, Krishnan-Shah Family Partners, L.P., Fund No. 3, Krishnan-Shah Family Partners, L.P., Fund No. 4, The Ajay B. Shah and Lata K. Shah 1996 Trust u/a/d 5/28/1996, Mr. Mukesh A. Patel, Patel Family Partners, LP – Fund No. 2, The Patel Revocable Trust u/a/d 6/6/2002, the Management Holders and the Warrant Holders
    4.3*    Form of Sponsor Shareholder Agreement, to be in effect upon completion of this offering
    4.4    Saleen Holdings, Inc. Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011, by and among Saleen Holdings, Inc., Silver Lake Partners III Cayman (AIV III), L.P., Silver Lake Technology Investors III Cayman, L.P., Silver Lake Sumeru Fund Cayman, L.P., Silver Lake Technology Investors Sumeru Cayman, L.P. and the Employee Investors.
    4.5    Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2016, by and among SMART Global Holdings, Inc., Silver Lake Partners III Cayman (AIV III), L.P., Silver Lake Technology Investors III Cayman, L.P., Silver Lake Sumeru Fund Cayman, L.P., Silver Lake Technology Investors Sumeru Cayman, L.P., the Management Investors and the Warrant Investors
    4.6    Form of Warrant to Purchase Ordinary Shares and Form of Amended and Restated Warrant to Purchase Ordinary Shares (with respect to the Second Tranche Warrants)
    5.1    Opinion of Maples and Calder
    8.1    Opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
  10.1†    Form of Indemnification Agreement entered into with each of the Registrant’s officers and directors
  10.2†    SMART Global Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated 2011 Share Incentive Plan, and forms of award agreements thereunder
  10.3†+    Employment Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2012, among SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., Saleen Holdings, Inc. and Iain MacKenzie
  10.4†+    Employment Agreement, dated as of October 10, 2011, between SMART Modular Technologies, Inc. and Jack Pacheco
  10.5†+    Severance and Change of Control Agreement, dated as of December 10, 2010, between SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc. and Alan Marten
  10.6†+    Severance and Change of Control Agreement, dated as of December 10, 2010, between SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc. and Bruce Goldberg
  10.7†+    Severance and Change of Control Agreement, dated as of December 10, 2010, between SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc. and KiWan Kim
  10.8+    Credit Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011, among SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the Lender Parties thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent
  10.9+    Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement, dated as of December 13, 2011, among SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent

 

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Index to Financial Statements

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

  10.10+    First Refinancing Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of August 20, 2014, among SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the new revolving lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent
  10.11+    Master Guarantee Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011, among SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the subsidiary guarantors identified therein and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative Agent
  10.12+    Collateral Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011, among SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the other grantors party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative Agent
  10.13    Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement, dated as of September 19, 2014, among SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the lenders party thereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as Administrative Agent
  10.14    Amendment No. 3 to Credit Agreement, dated as of December 4, 2015, among SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., the revolving lenders party thereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as Administrative Agent
  10.15    Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2016, among SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., the lenders party thereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as Administrative Agent
  10.16    Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2016, among SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the lenders party thereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as Administrative Agent
  10.17+    Lease Agreement, dated as of February 18, 2009, between Newark Eureka Industrial Capital LLC and SMART Modular Technologies, Inc.
  10.18+    First Amendment to Lease Agreement, dated as of April 29, 2014, between Newark Eureka Industrial Capital LLC and SMART Modular Technologies, Inc.
  10.19    Amended and Restated Transaction and Management Fee Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2016, among SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc., Silver Lake Management Company III, L.L.C. and Silver Lake Management Company Sumeru, L.L.C.
  10.20+    Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of July 2, 2013, among SMART Storage Systems (Global Holdings), Inc., SanDisk Corporation, SanDisk Manufacturing and solely for the purposes of Section 5.7(c), Section 5.8, Article VIII and Article IX, Saleen Holdings, Inc., Saleen Intermediate Holdings, Inc. and SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc.
  10.21+    Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 16, 2012, among SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Europe) Limited and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as amended
  10.22+    First Amendment to Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 28, 2013, among SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Europe) Limited and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and confirmed by SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc.
  10.23*    SMART Global Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated Share Incentive Plan, to be in effect upon completion of this offering
  21.1    Subsidiaries of the Registrant
  23.1    Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP
  23.2    Consent of Maples and Calder (included in Exhibit 5.1)
  24.1+    Power of Attorney (included on page II-7 of the original filing of this Registration Statement)

 

Indicates management contract or compensatory plan.
* To be filed by amendment.
+ Previously filed.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

(b) No financial statement schedules are provided because the information called for is not required or is shown either in the financial statements or the notes thereto.

Item 17. Undertakings

The undersigned hereby undertakes:

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriter at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.

(b) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the provisions referenced in Item 14 of this Registration Statement, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered hereunder, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

(c) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of this Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective.

(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(d) Each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

(e) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities: The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(1) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

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Index to Financial Statements

(2) any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(3) the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(4) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

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Index to Financial Statements

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Newark, State of California, on the 11th day of May, 2017.

 

SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.

By:

 

 /s/ Iain MacKenzie

 

Name:

 

    Iain MacKenzie

 

Title:

 

    President & Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Iain MacKenzie

Iain MacKenzie

  

President &

Chief Executive Officer

( Principal Executive Officer )

  May 11, 2017

/s/ Jack Pacheco

Jack Pacheco

  

Senior Vice President,

Chief Operating Officer &

Chief Financial Officer

( Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  May 11, 2017

*

Ajay Shah

  

Director

  May 11, 2017

*

James Davidson

  

Director

  May 11, 2017

*

Kenneth Hao

  

Director

  May 11, 2017

*

Paul Mercadante

  

Director

  May 11, 2017

*

Jason White

  

Director

  May 11, 2017

*

Mukesh Patel

  

Director

  May 11, 2017

*

Sandeep Nayyar

  

Director

  May 11, 2017

* By:

 

/s/ Iain MacKenzie

Iain MacKenzie

Attorney-in-Fact

    

 

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Index to Financial Statements

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number

    

Description

    1.1      Form of Underwriting Agreement
    2.1+      Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 26, 2011, among Saleen Holdings, Inc., Saleen Acquisition, Inc. and SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc.
    3.1*      Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, to be in effect upon completion of this offering
    4.1      [Reserved]
    4.2      Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2016, by and among SMART Global Holdings, Inc., Silver Lake Partners III Cayman (AIV III), L.P., Silver Lake Technology Investors III Cayman, L.P., Silver Lake Sumeru Fund Cayman, L.P., Silver Lake Technology Investors Sumeru Cayman, L.P., Mr. Ajay B. Shah, Krishnan-Shah Family Partners, L.P., Fund No. 1, Krishnan-Shah Family Partners, L.P., Fund No. 3, Krishnan-Shah Family Partners, L.P., Fund No. 4, The Ajay B. Shah and Lata K. Shah 1996 Trust u/a/d 5/28/1996, Mr. Mukesh A. Patel, Patel Family Partners, LP – Fund No. 2, The Patel Revocable Trust u/a/d 6/6/2002, the Management Holders and the Warrant Holders
    4.3*      Form of Sponsor Shareholder Agreement, to be in effect upon completion of this offering
    4.4      Saleen Holdings, Inc. Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011, by and among Saleen Holdings, Inc., Silver Lake Partners III Cayman (AIV III), L.P., Silver Lake Technology Investors III Cayman, L.P., Silver Lake Sumeru Fund Cayman, L.P., Silver Lake Technology Investors Sumeru Cayman, L.P. and the Employee Investors.
    4.5      Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2016, by and among SMART Global Holdings, Inc., Silver Lake Partners III Cayman (AIV III), L.P., Silver Lake Technology Investors III Cayman, L.P., Silver Lake Sumeru Fund Cayman, L.P., Silver Lake Technology Investors Sumeru Cayman, L.P., the Management Investors and the Warrant Investors
    4.6      Form of Warrant to Purchase Ordinary Shares and Form of Amended and Restated Warrant to Purchase Ordinary Shares (with respect to the Second Tranche Warrants)
    5.1      Opinion of Maples and Calder
    8.1      Opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
  10.1†      Form of Indemnification Agreement entered into with each of the Registrant’s officers and directors
  10.2†      SMART Global Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated 2011 Share Incentive Plan, and forms of award agreements thereunder
  10.3†+      Employment Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2012, among SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., Saleen Holdings, Inc. and Iain MacKenzie
  10.4†+      Employment Agreement, dated as of October 10, 2011, between SMART Modular Technologies, Inc. and Jack Pacheco
  10.5†+      Severance and Change of Control Agreement, dated as of December 10, 2010, between SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc. and Alan Marten
  10.6†+      Severance and Change of Control Agreement, dated as of December 10, 2010, between SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc. and Bruce Goldberg
  10.7†+      Severance and Change of Control Agreement, dated as of December 10, 2010, between SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc. and KiWan Kim
  10.8+      Credit Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011, among SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the Lender Parties thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

Exhibit
Number

    

Description

  10.9+      Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement, dated as of December 13, 2011, among SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent
  10.10+      First Refinancing Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of August 20, 2014, among SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the new revolving lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent
  10.11+      Master Guarantee Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011, among SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the subsidiary guarantors identified therein and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative Agent
  10.12+      Collateral Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011, among SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the other grantors party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative Agent
  10.13      Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement, dated as of September 19, 2014, among SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the lenders party thereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as Administrative Agent
  10.14      Amendment No. 3 to Credit Agreement, dated as of December 4, 2015, among SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., the revolving lenders party thereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as Administrative Agent
  10.15      Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2016, among SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., the lenders party thereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as Administrative Agent
  10.16      Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2016, among SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the lenders party thereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as Administrative Agent
  10.17+      Lease Agreement, dated as of February 18, 2009, between Newark Eureka Industrial Capital LLC and SMART Modular Technologies, Inc.
  10.18+      First Amendment to Lease Agreement, dated as of April 29, 2014, between Newark Eureka Industrial Capital LLC and SMART Modular Technologies, Inc.
  10.19      Amended and Restated Transaction and Management Fee Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2016, among SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc., Silver Lake Management Company III, L.L.C. and Silver Lake Management Company Sumeru, L.L.C.
  10.20+      Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of July 2, 2013, among SMART Storage Systems (Global Holdings), Inc., SanDisk Corporation, SanDisk Manufacturing and solely for the purposes of Section 5.7(c), Section 5.8, Article VIII and Article IX, Saleen Holdings, Inc., Saleen Intermediate Holdings, Inc. and SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc.
  10.21+      Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 16, 2012, among SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Europe) Limited and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as amended
  10.22+      First Amendment to Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 28, 2013, among SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Europe) Limited and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and confirmed by SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc.
  10.23*      SMART Global Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated Share Incentive Plan, to be in effect upon completion of this offering


Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

21.1    Subsidiaries of the Registrant
23.1    Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP
23.2    Consent of Maples and Calder (included in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1+    Power of Attorney (included on page II-7 of the original filing of this Registration Statement)

 

Indicates management contract or compensatory plan.
* To be filed by amendment.
+ Previously filed.

Exhibit 1.1

[                    ] Shares

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

Ordinary Shares

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

[                    ], 2017

B ARCLAYS C APITAL I NC .

As Representative of the several

Underwriters named in Schedule I attached hereto,

c/o Barclays Capital Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, New York 10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

SMART Global Holdings, Inc., an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “ Company ”), proposes to sell [•] ordinary shares (the “ Firm Shares ”), par value $0.03 per share, in the capital of the Company (the “ Ordinary Shares ”). In addition, the Company proposes to grant to the underwriters (the “ Underwriters ”) named in Schedule I attached to this agreement (this “ Agreement ”) an option to purchase up to [•] additional Ordinary Shares on the terms set forth in Section 2 (the “ Option Shares ”). The Firm Shares and the Option Shares, if purchased, are hereinafter collectively called the “ Shares ”. This Agreement is to confirm the agreement concerning the purchase of the Shares from the Company by the Underwriters.

1. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Company . The Company represents, warrants and agrees that:

(a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-217539) relating to the Shares has (i) been prepared by the Company in conformity with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) thereunder; (ii) been filed with the Commission under the Securities Act; and (iii) become effective under the Securities Act. Copies of such registration statement and any amendment thereto have been delivered by the Company to you as the representative (the “ Representative ”) of the Underwriters. As used in this Agreement:

(i) “ Applicable Time ” means [            ] p.m. (New York time) on the date of this Agreement or such other time as agreed to by the Company and the Representative;


(ii) “ Effective Date ” means the date and time at which such registration statement, or the most recent post-effective amendment thereto, was declared effective by the Commission;

(iii) “ Issuer Free Writing Prospectus ” means each “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act);

(iv) “ Preliminary Prospectus ” means any preliminary prospectus relating to the Shares included in such registration statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act;

(v) “ Pricing Disclosure Package ” means, as of the Applicable Time, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, together with the information included in Schedule III hereto and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed or used by the Company at or before the Applicable Time, other than a road show, that is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus but is not required to be filed under Rule 433 under the Securities Act;

(vi) “ Prospectus ” means the final prospectus relating to the Shares, as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act;

(vii) “ Registration Statement ” means such registration statement, as amended as of the Effective Date, including any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, all exhibits to such registration statement and including the information deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Securities Act to be part of such registration statement as of the Effective Date;

(viii) “ Testing-the-Waters Communication ” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act; and

(ix) “ Written Testing-the-Waters Communication ” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

Any reference to the “ most recent Preliminary Prospectus ” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement or filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act prior to or on the date hereof. [Any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include the abbreviated registration statement to register additional Ordinary Shares under rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “ Rule 462(b) Registration Statement ”).] The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceeding or examination for such purpose has been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission.

 

2


(b) From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any Person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and will be an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “ Emerging Growth Company ”).

(c) The Company (i) has not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications, with the consent of the Representative, with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representative to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representative has been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed or approved for distribution any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule VI hereto.

(d) The Company was not at the time of initial filing of the Registration Statement and at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Shares, is not on the date hereof and will not be on the applicable Delivery Date, an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act).

(e) The Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects on the Effective Date and on the applicable Delivery Date, and any amendment to the Registration Statement filed after the date hereof will conform in all material respects when filed, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. The most recent Preliminary Prospectus conformed, and, when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and on the applicable Delivery Date the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

(f) The Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

(g) The Prospectus will not, as of its date or as of the applicable Delivery Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

 

3


(h) The Pricing Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

(i) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule IV hereto, when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule IV hereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

(j) No Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, as of the Applicable Time, when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication listed on Schedule VI hereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e) and the Company has filed publicly on EDGAR at least 15 calendar days prior to any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act), any confidentially submitted registration statement and registration statement amendments relating to the offer and sale of the Shares. Each Written Testing-the-Waters Communications did not, as of the Applicable Time, and at all times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Shares will not, include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.

(k) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder on the date of first use, and the Company has complied with all prospectus delivery and any filing requirements applicable to such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to the Securities Act and rules and regulations thereunder. The Company has not made any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representative, except as set forth on Schedule V hereto. The Company has retained in accordance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that were not required to be filed pursuant to the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. The Company has taken all actions necessary so that any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) in connection with the offering of the Shares will not be required to be filed pursuant to the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

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(l) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized, is validly existing and in good standing as a corporation or other business entity under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and is duly qualified to do business and in good standing as a foreign corporation or other business entity in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except in the case of the Company’s subsidiaries where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, shareholders’ equity, properties, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “ Material Adverse Effect ”). The Company and each of its subsidiaries have all power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the business in which it is engaged. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed on Schedule VI hereto. None of the subsidiaries of the Company (other than SMART Global Holdings, Inc., Saleen Intermediate Holdings, Inc., SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (CI), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies (LX) S.à r.l., SMART Modular Technologies Sdn. Bhd., SMART Modular Technologies Indústria de Componentes Eletrônicos Ltda., SMART Modular Technologies do Brasil - Indústria e Comercio de Componentes Ltda., SMART Modular Technologies (DH), Inc. and SMART Modular Technologies, Inc.) is a “significant subsidiary” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act).

(m) The Company has an authorized share capital as set forth in each of the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares in the capital of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, conform to the description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and were issued in compliance with all applicable federal, state and other securities laws and not in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right. All of the Company’s options, warrants and other rights to purchase or exchange any securities for shares in the capital of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, conform to the description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and were issued in compliance with all applicable federal, state and other securities laws. All of the issued shares in the capital, or other ownership interest, of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and (except for directors’ qualifying shares for foreign subsidiaries) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or for such liens, encumbrances, equities, or claims as would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(n) The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriters hereunder have been duly authorized and, upon payment and delivery in accordance with this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, will conform to the description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, will be issued in compliance with all applicable federal, state and other securities laws and will be free of statutory, constitutional and contractual preemptive rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights.

 

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(o) The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(p) The issue and sale of the Shares, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, impose any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the memorandum and articles of association (or similar constitutional documents) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or (iii) result in any violation of any statute or any judgment, order, decree, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets, except, with respect to clauses (i) and (iii), conflicts, breaches, liens, charges, encumbrances or violations that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(q) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing, registration or qualification with, any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets is required for the issue and sale of the Shares, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, except for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, filings, registrations or qualifications as may be required under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), and applicable state securities laws and/or the bylaws and rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (the “ FINRA ”) in connection with the purchase and sale of the Shares by the Underwriters.

(r) The historical financial statements (including the related notes and supporting schedules) included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby at the dates and for the periods indicated and have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved.

(s) Deloitte & Touche LLP (“ Deloitte ”), who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, whose report appears in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 7(g) hereof, are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

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(t) The Company maintains internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of the Company’s financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and to maintain accountability for its assets, (iii) access to the Company’s assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for the Company’s assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. As of the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries reviewed or audited by Deloitte and the audit committee of the board of directors of the Company (the “ Audit Committee ”), there were no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls.

(u) (i) The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act), (ii) such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that the information is accumulated and communicated to management of the Company, including its principal executive officers and principal financial officers, as appropriate, and (iii) such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established.

(v) Since the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries reviewed or audited by Deloitte and the Audit Committee, (i) the Company has not been advised of or become aware of (A) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that are reasonably likely to adversely affect the ability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries to record, process, summarize and report financial data, or any material weaknesses in internal controls, or (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Company and each of its subsidiaries; and (ii) there have been no significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that would materially affect internal controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

(w) The section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Critical Accounting Policies” set forth in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus accurately describes in all material respects (i) the accounting policies that the Company believes are the most important in the portrayal of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations and that require management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgments (“ Critical Accounting Policies ”); (ii) the judgments and uncertainties affecting the application of such Critical Accounting Policies; and (iii) the likelihood that materially different amounts would be reported under different conditions or using different assumptions and an explanation thereof.

(x) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith. As of the date of the initial filing of the Registration Statement, there were no outstanding personal loans made, directly or indirectly, by the Company to any director or executive officer of the Company.

 

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(y) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (A) sustained any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, (B) issued or granted any securities (other than in connection with the Company’s equity incentive plan or stock ownership plan in effect on the date hereof and described in the Pricing Disclosure Package), (C) incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other than liabilities and obligations that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, (D) entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business, or (E) declared or paid any dividend on its share capital, partnership or limited liability company interest, as applicable, and (ii) there has not been any change in the share capital (other than the conversion, exchange, or exercise of convertible, exchangeable or exercisable securities, including options and warrants) or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any adverse change, or any development involving a prospective adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, shareholders’ equity, properties, management, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case except as would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(z) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, charges, encumbrances and defects, except such security interests, claims, liens, charges, encumbrances and defects as: (i) are described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (ii) do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or (iii) would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. All assets held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such assets by the Company and its subsidiaries or except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(aa) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Company and each of its subsidiaries have (i) such permits, licenses, patents, franchises, certificates of need, granting acts for special tax treatments (including, without limitation, a qualification to benefit from the Brazilian government-sponsored Support Program for the Technological Development of the Semiconductor and Display Industries Act (“ PADIS ”) and from Lei da Informática—Processo Productivo Básico (“ PPB/IT Program ”)) and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities (“ Permits ”) as are necessary under applicable law to own their properties and conduct their businesses in the manner described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, except for any of the foregoing that would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (ii)

 

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has, fulfilled and performed all of its obligations with respect to such Permits, and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the holder or any such Permits, except for any of the foregoing that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such Permits or has any reason to believe that any such Permits will not be renewed in the ordinary course.

(bb) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and each of its subsidiaries owns or possesses adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, know-how, software, systems and technology (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses and (ii) except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each of its subsidiaries have no reason to believe that the conduct of their respective businesses will conflict with, and have not received any notice of any claim of conflict with, any such rights of others.

(cc) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject that would, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or would, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; and to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or others.

(dd) There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Registration Statement or the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that are not described or filed as required. The statements made in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of the contracts and other documents described and filed, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such contracts and documents in all material respects. To the Company’s knowledge, no other party to any such contract or other document has any intention not to render full performance as contemplated by the terms thereof.

(ee) The Company and each of its subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance from insurers of recognized financial responsibility in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective properties. Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and other than as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) all policies of insurance of the Company and its subsidiaries are in full force and effect; (ii) the Company and each of its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies in all material respects; (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance; and (iv) there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause.

 

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(ff) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company, on the one hand, and the directors or, officers of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, the shareholders, customers or suppliers of the Company, on the other hand, that is required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder to be described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus which is not so described.

(gg) No labor disturbance by or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(hh) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) is in violation of its memorandum and articles of association (or similar constitutional documents), (ii) is in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant, condition or other obligation contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject, or (iii) is in violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over it or its property or assets except in the case of each of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), to the extent any such conflict, breach, violation or default would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(ii) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (i) there are no proceedings that are pending, or known to the Company to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, judgments, decrees, permits or other legal requirements of any governmental authority, including without limitation any international, foreign, national, state, provincial, regional, or local authority, relating to pollution, the protection of the environment, or natural resources, or to use, handling, storage, manufacturing, transportation, treatment, discharge, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“ Environmental Laws ”) in which a governmental authority is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $1,000,000 or more will be imposed and (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, including any pending or formally proposed Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(jj) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof, subject to permitted extensions, and have paid all taxes due, and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor does the Company have any knowledge of any tax deficiencies that have been, or would reasonably be expected to be asserted against the Company, that would, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(kk) Other than as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ ERISA ”)) for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”)) would have any liability (each a “ Plan ”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of all applicable statutes, rules and regulations including ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) with respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (A) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (B) no Plan is or is reasonably expected to be “at risk” status (within the meaning of Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA) (C) there has been no 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 Plan or the receipt by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates from the PBGC or the plan administrator of any notice relating to the intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan, (D) no conditions contained in Section 303(k)(1)(A) of ERISA for imposition of a lien shall have been met with respect to any Plan and (E), (C) the fair market value of the assets under each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan), and (D) neither the Company or any member of its Controlled Group has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(c)(3) of ERISA) (“ Multiemployer Plan ”); (iv) no Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, “insolvent” (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA), in “reorganization” (within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA), or in “endangered” or “critical” status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 304 of ERISA); and (v) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

(ll) No governmental approvals are currently required in order for the Company to pay dividends, interest attributable to shareholders’ equity or other distributions declared by the Company to the holders of the Shares.

(mm) Except as otherwise disclosed in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, no subsidiary of the Company is prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, or from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company, or from taking similar actions.

 

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(nn) The statistical and market-related data included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable in all material respects.

(oo) The Company is not, and as of the applicable Delivery Date and, after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, will not be, be required to be registered as (i) an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “ Investment Company Act ”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, or (ii) a “business development company” (as defined in Section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act).

(pp) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act.

(qq) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against any of them or the Underwriters for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

(rr) The Company has not sold or issued any securities that would be required to be integrated with the offering of the Shares contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Securities Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or the interpretations thereof by the Commission.

(ss) The Company and its affiliates have not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or that has constituted, or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company in connection with the offering of the Shares.

(tt) The Shares have been approved for listing, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution on, The NASDAQ Global Market.

(uu) The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of any Delivery Date and completion of the distribution of the Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the Representative has consented in accordance with Section 1(j) or 5(a)(iv) and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus set forth on Schedule V hereto.

 

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(vv) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of or has received notice of any violation with respect to any federal or, state or foreign law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, nor any applicable federal or, state or foreign wage and hour laws, nor any state law precluding the denial of credit due to the neighborhood in which a property is situated, the violation of any of which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(ww) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, any director, officer, controlled affiliate, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, employee or non-controlled affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company or any of its subsidiaries: (i) made any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect bribe, kickback, rebate, payoff, influence payment, or otherwise unlawfully provided anything of value, to any “foreign official” (as defined in the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (collectively, the “ FCPA ”)) or domestic government official; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the FCPA, the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, as amended (the “Bribery Act 2010”), or any other applicable anti-bribery statute or regulation. The Company, its subsidiaries and their controlled affiliates have each conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA, Bribery Act 2010 and all other applicable anti-bribery law or regulation and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(xx) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions in which the Company or any of its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, that have been issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “ Money Laundering Laws ”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(yy) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is: (i) currently subject to or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“ OFAC ”), the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council ( “UNSC” ), the European Union (“ EU ”), Her Majesty’s Treasury (“ HMT ”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “ Sanctions ”); or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria and Crimea), any United Nations sanctions and/or measures adopted by the European Union Council for Common Foreign & Security Policy extended to the Cayman Islands by the Order of Her Majesty in Council or any similar sanctions imposed by any other body, governmental or other, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (collectively, “ other economic sanctions ”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture

 

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partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person, or in any country or territory, that currently is the subject or target of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction whether as an underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. The Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in for the past five years, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any individual or entity, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction, is or was the subject or target of Sanctions.

(zz) No stamp, issue, registration, transfer or similar taxes and duties, including interest and penalties, are payable in the Cayman Islands on or in connection with the issuance and sale of any Shares by the Company pursuant to this Agreement or the execution and delivery of this Agreement (unless this Agreement is hereafter brought within the jurisdiction of the Cayman Islands (e.g. for the purposes of enforcement) in which case stamp duty of CI$2.00 (US$2.44) will be payable).

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

2. Purchase of the Shares by the Underwriters . On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants contained in, and subject to the terms and conditions of, this Agreement, the Company agrees to sell [•] Firm Shares to the several Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite that Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto. The respective purchase obligations of the Underwriters with respect to the Firm Shares shall be rounded among the Underwriters to avoid fractional shares, as the Representative may determine.

In addition, the Company grants to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to [•] additional Option Shares. Such option is exercisable in the event that the Underwriters sell more Ordinary Shares than the number of Firm Shares in the offering and as set forth in Section 4 hereof. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Option Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representative may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Option Shares to be sold on such Delivery Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

The purchase price payable by the Underwriters for both the Firm Shares and any Option Shares is $[•] per share.

The Company is not obligated to deliver any of the Firm Shares or Option Shares to be delivered on the applicable Delivery Date, except upon payment for all such Shares to be purchased on such Delivery Date as provided herein.

 

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3. Offering of Shares by the Underwriters . Upon authorization by the Representative of the release of the Firm Shares, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions to be set forth in the Prospectus.

4. Issue of and Payment for the Shares. Payment for the Firm Shares and issuance thereof shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the third full business day following the date of this Agreement or at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement between the Representative and the Company. This date and time are sometimes referred to as the “ Initial Delivery Date ”. The Firm Shares shall be issued to or as instructed by the Representatives for the account of each Underwriter against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representative and of the respective aggregate purchase prices of the Firm Shares being sold by the Company to or upon the order of the Company of the purchase price by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Company. Time shall be of the essence, and issuance as specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. The Company shall issue the Firm Shares through the facilities of DTC unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct.

The option granted in Section 2 will expire 30 days after the date of this Agreement and may be exercised in whole or from time to time in part by written notice being given to the Company by the Representative; provided that if such date falls on a day that is not a business day, the option granted in Section 2 will expire on the next succeeding business day. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised, the names in which the Option Shares are to be registered, the denominations in which the Option Shares are to be issued and the date and time, as determined by the Representative, when the Option Shares are to be delivered; provided, however , that this date and time shall not be earlier than the Initial Delivery Date nor earlier than the second business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised. Each date and time the Option Shares are delivered is sometimes referred to as an “ Option Shares Delivery Date ”, and the Initial Delivery Date and any Option Shares Delivery Date are sometimes each referred to as a “ Delivery Date ”.

Issue of the Option Shares by the Company and payment for the Option Shares by the several Underwriters through the Representative shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in the preceding paragraph or at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement between the Representative and the Company. On each Option Shares Delivery Date, the Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, the Option Shares, to the Representative for the account of each Underwriter, against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representative and of the respective aggregate purchase prices of the Option Shares being sold by the Company to or upon the order of the Company of the purchase price by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Company. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. The Company shall deliver the Option Shares through the facilities of DTC unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct in writing no later than two business days prior to the applicable Delivery Date.

 

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5. Further Agreements of the Company and the Underwriters .

(a) The Company agrees:

(i) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representative and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the last Delivery Date except as provided herein; to advise the Representative, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representative with copies thereof; to advise the Representative, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding or examination for any such purpose or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly its best efforts to obtain its withdrawal.

(ii) To furnish promptly to the Representative and to counsel for the Underwriters a signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission, and each amendment thereto filed with the Commission, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith.

(iii) To deliver promptly to the Representative such number of the following documents as the Representative shall reasonably request: (A) conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case excluding exhibits other than this Agreement and the computation of per share earnings), (B) each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amended or supplemented Prospectus, and (C) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time after the date hereof in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares or any other securities relating thereto and if at such time any events shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act, to notify the Representative and, upon their reasonable request, to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.

 

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(iv) To file promptly with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that may, in the reasonable judgment of the Company or the Representative, be required by the Securities Act or requested by the Commission.

(v) Prior to filing with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, to furnish a copy thereof to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters and obtain the consent of the Representative to the filing which shall not be unreasonably withheld.

(vi) Not to make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representative.

(vii) To comply with all applicable requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act with respect to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. If at any time after the date hereof any events shall have occurred as a result of which any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to notify the Representative and, upon their reasonable request, to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter as many copies as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that will correct such conflict, statement or omission or effect such compliance.

(viii) As soon as practicable after the Effective Date (it being understood that the Company shall have until at least 410 days or, if the fourth quarter following the fiscal quarter that includes the Effective Date is the last fiscal quarter of the Company’s fiscal year, 455 days after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter), to make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to deliver to the Representative an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158) , provided that the Company may satisfy the requirements of this subsection by filing such information with the Commission via the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system.

(ix) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representative may reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of Canada and such other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Shares; provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to (A) qualify as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (B) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction, or (C) subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be subject.

 

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(x) For a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 180th day after the date of the Prospectus (the “ Lock-Up Period ”), not to, directly or indirectly, (A) offer for sale, sell (including short sales), pledge, grant security over, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or would be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any Ordinary Shares (other than the Shares to be sold hereunder) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares (other than the Shares and Ordinary Shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans existing on the date hereof), or sell or grant options, rights or warrants with respect to any Ordinary Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares (other than the grant of options or other equity awards pursuant to equity award plans existing on the date hereof), (B) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of such Ordinary Shares, whether any such transaction described in clause (A) or (B) above is to be settled by issue of Ordinary Shares or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (C) file or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Ordinary Shares or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into Ordinary Shares or any other securities of the Company (other than the registration of the offer and sale of the Shares under the Securities Act pursuant hereto), or (D) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case without the prior written consent of the Representative, on behalf of the Underwriters.

The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to (a) the issuance by the Company of Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of a warrant of which the Underwriters have been advised in writing on the date hereof, (b) the issuance by the Company of any Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares pursuant to any warrants or equity incentive plan or stock ownership plan in effect on the date hereof and described in the Pricing Disclosure Package, (c) the filing by the Company of a registration statement with the Commission on Form S-8 in respect of any Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares issued under or the grant of any award pursuant to an employee benefit plan in effect on the date hereof and described in the Disclosure Package, or (d) the issuance of Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares in connection with the acquisition by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of the assets of, or a majority or controlling portion of the equity of, any other entity or the entry by the Company or any of its subsidiaries into a joint venture with another entity, so long as the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares issued or issuable upon exchange or conversion of any securities convertible into or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares under this clause shall not exceed (x) 10% of the total number of Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding as of the date of such acquisition or joint venture agreement, as the case may be, and (y) the recipient of such Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares shall have executed and delivered to the Representative a letter or letters, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

 

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(xi) To cause each officer, director and certain securityholders of the Company set forth on Schedule III hereto to furnish to the Representative, prior to the Initial Delivery Date, a letter or letters, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “ Lock-Up Agreements ”).

(xii) To enforce the terms of all existing agreements, plans and arrangements restricting the transfer by any holder of such holder’s Ordinary Shares or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares following the offering of the Ordinary Shares contemplated hereby. During the Lock-Up Period, the Company shall enforce, and not waive or amend, any such transfer restriction, including any “market standoff,” “holdback” or similar agreement or provision, applicable to any Ordinary Shares or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares, unless the Company shall have obtained the prior written consent the Representative; provided that this Section 5(a)(xii) shall not prohibit the Company from effecting such a waiver or amendment to permit a transfer of securities which is permissible under the terms of the lock-up letters described in Section 5(a)(xi).

(xiii) If the Representative, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a Lock-Up Agreement for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by issuing a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, and containing such other information as the Representative may require with respect to the circumstances of the release or waiver and/or the identity of the officer(s) and/or director(s) with respect to which the release or waiver applies, through a major news service or any other method that satisfies the obligations described in FINRA Rule 5131(d)(2) at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

(xiv) To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares being sold by the Company substantially in accordance with the description as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds.”

(xv) To file with the Commission such information on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K as may be required by Rule 463 under the Securities Act.

(xvi) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, to file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and, at the time of filing pay the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for payment of such fees pursuant to Rule 111 under the Securities Act.

 

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(xvii) To promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the time when a prospectus relating to the offering or sale of the Shares or any other securities relating thereto is not required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) and (B) completion of the Lock-Up Period.

(xviii) If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, to promptly notify the Representative and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission. The Company will promptly notify the Representative of (A) any distribution by the Company of Written Testing-the-Waters Communications and (B) any request by the Commission for information concerning the Written Testing-the-Waters Communications.

(xix) The Company and its affiliates will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that reasonably would be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company in connection with the offering of the Shares.

(b) Each Underwriter severally agrees that such Underwriter shall not include any “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) used or referred to by such Underwriter without the prior consent of the Company (any such issuer information with respect to whose use the Company has given its consent, “ Permitted Issuer Information ”); provided that (i) no such consent shall be required with respect to any such issuer information contained in any document filed by the Company with the Commission prior to the use of such free writing prospectus, and (ii) “issuer information”, as used in this Section 5(b), shall not be deemed to include information prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter on the basis of or derived from issuer information.

6. Expenses . The Company agrees, whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay all expenses, costs, fees and taxes incident to and in connection with (a) the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares and any stamp duties or other taxes payable in that connection, and the preparation and printing of certificates for the Shares; (b) the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, and any amendment or supplement thereto; (c) the distribution of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, and any amendment or supplement thereto, all as provided in this Agreement; (d) the production and distribution of this Agreement, any supplemental agreement among

 

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Underwriters, and any other related documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (e) any required review by the FINRA of the terms of sale of the Shares (including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters in an amount not to exceed $35,000, when taken together with the fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with clause (g) of this Section 6); (f) the listing of the Shares on The NASDAQ Global Market and/or any other exchange; (g) the qualification of the Shares under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in Section 5(a)(ix) and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters in an amount not to exceed $35,000, when taken together with the fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with clause (e) of this Section 6); (h) the preparation, printing and distribution of one or more versions of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus for distribution in Canada, including in the form of a Canadian “wrapper” (including related fees and expenses of Canadian counsel to the Underwriters); (i) the investor presentations on any “road show” or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with any electronic road show, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and fifty percent (50%) of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show (the remaining fifty percent (50%) of the cost of such aircraft to be paid by the Underwriters); and (j) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement; provided that, except as provided in this Section 6 and in Section 11, the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and expenses, including the costs and expenses of their counsel, any transfer taxes on the Shares which they may sell and the expenses of advertising any offering of the Shares made by the Underwriters.

7. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations . The respective obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on each Delivery Date, of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:

(a) The Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 5(a)(i). The Company shall have complied with all filing requirements applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus used or referred to after the date hereof; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceeding or examination for such purpose shall have been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission; and any request of the Commission for inclusion of additional information in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise shall have been complied with. If the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement.

 

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(b) No Underwriter shall have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to such Delivery Date that the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, is material or omits to state a fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(c) Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP shall have furnished to the Representative its written opinion and negative assurance letter, as counsel to the Company, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

(d) Maples and Calder shall have furnished to the Representative its written opinion, as counsel to the Company, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

(e) Machado Meyer shall have furnished to the Representative its written opinion, as counsel to the Company, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

(f) The Representative shall have received from (i) Latham & Watkins LLP and (ii) Walkers, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated such Delivery Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Shares, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package and other related matters as the Representative may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(g) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received from Deloitte a letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the date hereof (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and (ii) stating, as of the date hereof (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date hereof), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.

(h) With respect to the letter of Deloitte referred to in the preceding paragraph and delivered to the Representative concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (the “ initial letter ”), the Company shall have furnished to the Representative a letter (the “ bring-down letter ”) of such accountants, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date of the bring-down letter (or, with respect to

 

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matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Prospectus, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date of the bring-down letter), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by the initial letter, and (iii) confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set forth in the initial letter.

(i) The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate, dated such Delivery Date, of its Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer stating that :

(i) The representations, warranties and agreements of the Company in Section 1 are true and correct on and as of such Delivery Date, and the Company has complied in all material respects with all its agreements contained herein and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Delivery Date;

(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued; and no proceedings or examination for that purpose have been instituted or, to the knowledge of such officers, threatened; and

(iii) They have examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, to their knowledge, (A) (1) the Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date, (2) the Prospectus, as of its date and on the applicable Delivery Date, and (3) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact and did not and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (except in the case of the Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and (B) since the Effective Date, no event has occurred that should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that has not been so set forth; and

(j) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, or (ii) since such date there shall not have been any change in the share capital (other than the conversion, exchange or exercise of convertible, exchangeable or exercisable securities, including options and warrants) or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, shareholders’ equity, properties, management, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is, individually or in the aggregate, in the judgment of the Representative, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

 

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(k) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company’s debt securities or preferred shares by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined by the Commission in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act), and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company’s debt securities or preferred shares.

(l) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) (A) trading in securities generally on any securities exchange that has registered with the Commission under Section 6 of the Exchange Act (including the New York Stock Exchange, The NASDAQ Global Select Market, The NASDAQ Global Market or The NASDAQ Capital Market), or (B) trading in any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been suspended or materially limited or the settlement of such trading generally shall have been materially disrupted or minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or state authorities, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United States or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States, or (iv) there shall have occurred such a material adverse change in general economic, political or financial conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of terrorist activities after the date hereof (or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States shall be such) or any other calamity or crisis either within or outside the United States, as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or delivery of the Shares being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

(m) The NASDAQ Global Market shall have approved the Shares for listing, subject only to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution.

(n) The Lock-Up Agreements between the Representative and the officers, directors and shareholders of the Company set forth on Schedule II, delivered to the Representative on or before the date of this Agreement, shall be in full force and effect on such Delivery Date.

(o) On or prior to each Delivery Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Underwriters such further customary certificates and documents as the Representative may reasonably request.

 

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All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

8. Indemnification and Contribution .

(a) The Company hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Shares), to which that Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (A) any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (B) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (C) any Permitted Issuer Information used or referred to in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) used or referred to by any Underwriter, (D) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) not constituting an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (“ Marketing Materials ”), or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any Marketing Materials, any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and shall reimburse each Underwriter and each such affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person promptly upon demand in writing for any legal or other documented out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by that Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided , however , that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any such amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any Marketing Materials, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information consists solely of the information specified in Section 8(e)). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have to any Underwriter or to any affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person of that Underwriter.

 

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(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors and officers who have signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof, to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or any Marketing Materials, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or any Marketing Materials, any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of that Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is limited to the information set forth in Section 8(e). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability that any Underwriter may otherwise have to the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided , however , that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 8 except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights and defenses) by such failure and, provided , further , that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. If any such claim or action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however , that the indemnified party shall have the right to employ one counsel (in addition to local counsel) to represent jointly the indemnified party and those other indemnified parties and their respective directors, officers, employees and controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under this Section 8 if (i) the indemnified party and the indemnifying party shall have so mutually agreed; (ii) the indemnifying party has failed

 

26


within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; (iii) the indemnified party and its directors, officers, employees and controlling persons shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to them that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnified parties or their respective directors, officers, employees or controlling persons, on the one hand, and the indemnifying party, on the other hand, and representation of both sets of parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them, and in any such event the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be paid by the indemnifying party. In no event shall the indemnifying party be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to local counsel) separate from its own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall (x) without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and does not include a statement as to, or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party, or (y) be liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written consent, but if settled with the consent of the indemnifying party or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 8(a) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request or disputed in good faith the indemnified party’s entitlement to such reimbursement prior to the date of such settlement.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 8(a) and 8(b) in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the offering of the Shares, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the

 

27


Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Shares purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the Shares purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 8(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(d), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute as provided in this Section 8(d) are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

(e) The Underwriters severally confirm and the Company acknowledges and agrees that the statements regarding delivery of Ordinary Shares by the Underwriters set forth on the cover page of, and the concession and reallowance figures and the paragraph relating to stabilization by the Underwriters appearing under the caption “Underwriting” in, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus are correct and constitute the only information concerning such Underwriters furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Materials.

 

28


9. Defaulting Underwriters .

(a) If, on any Delivery Date, any Underwriter defaults in its obligations to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase under this Agreement, the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares by the non-defaulting Underwriters or other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms. In the event that within the respective prescribed periods, the non-defaulting Underwriters notify the Company that they have so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, or the Company notifies the non-defaulting Underwriters that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone such Delivery Date for up to seven full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any such other document or arrangement that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context requires otherwise, any party not listed in Schedule I hereto that, pursuant to this Section 9, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the total number of Shares that remain unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the total number of Shares, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the total number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the total number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; provided that the non-defaulting Underwriters shall not be obligated to purchase more than [110%] of the total number of Shares that it agreed to purchase on such Delivery Date pursuant to the terms of Section 2.

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the total number of Shares that remain unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the total number of all the Shares, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 9 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Sections 6 and 11 and except that the provisions of Section 8 shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

 

29


(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

10. Termination. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by the Representative by notice given to and received by the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Firm Shares if, prior to that time, any of the events described in Sections 7(j), 7(k) and 7(l) shall have occurred or if the Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement.

11. Reimbursement of Underwriters Expenses . If (a) the Company shall fail to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters for any reason, or (b) the Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters) incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the proposed purchase of the Shares, and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representative. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9 by reason of the default of one or more Underwriters, the Company shall not be obligated to reimburse any defaulting Underwriter on account of those expenses.

12. Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters’ research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriters’ research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company and/or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Company by such Underwriters’ investment banking divisions. The Company acknowledges that each of the Underwriters is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

13. No Fiduciary Duty . The Company acknowledges and agrees that in connection with this offering, sale of the Shares or any other services the Underwriters may be deemed to be providing hereunder, notwithstanding any preexisting relationship, advisory or otherwise, between the parties or any oral representations or assurances previously or subsequently made by the Underwriters: (a) no fiduciary or agency relationship between the Company and any other person, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, exists; (b) the Underwriters are not acting as advisors, expert or otherwise, to the Company, including, without limitation, with respect to the determination of the public offering price of the Shares,

 

30


and such relationship between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, is entirely and solely commercial, based on arms-length negotiations; (c) any duties and obligations that the Underwriters may have to the Company shall be limited to those duties and obligations specifically stated herein; and (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company hereby waives any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach of fiduciary duty in connection with this offering.

14. Notices, etc. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and:

(a) if to the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Syndicate Registration (Fax: (646) 834-8133), with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section 8(c)), to the Director of Litigation, Office of the General Counsel, Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019; and

(b) if to the Company, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Bruce Goldberg, Vice President, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, SMART Global Holdings, Inc., 39870 Eureka Drive, Newark, CA 94560, fax: (510) 624-8231.

Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof. The Company shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request, consent, notice or agreement given or made on behalf of the Underwriters by the Representative.

15. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors. This Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons, except that (a) the representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall also be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors, officers and employees of the Underwriters and each person or persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, and (b) the indemnity agreement of the Underwriters contained in Section 8(b) of this Agreement shall be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors, the officers of the Company who have signed the Registration Statement and any person controlling the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than the persons referred to in this Section 15, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.

16. Survival. The respective indemnities, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any of them or any person controlling any of them.

 

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17. Definition of the Terms “Business Day”, “Affiliate” and “Subsidiary” . For purposes of this Agreement, (a) “ business day ” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close, and (b) “ affiliate ” and “ subsidiary ” have the meanings set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

18. Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflict of laws principles (other than Section  5-1401 of the General Obligations Law).

19. Waiver of Jury Trial . The Company and the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

21. Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

 

32


If the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement between the Company and the Underwriters, please indicate your acceptance in the space provided for that purpose below.

 

Very truly yours,
SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

33


Accepted:
B ARCLAYS C APITAL I NC .

 

For itself and as Representative of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto

By B ARCLAYS C APITAL I NC .
By:    
  Authorized Representative

 

34


SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriters

   Number of Firm
Shares
 
Barclays Capital Inc.   
Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc.   
Jefferies LLC   
  
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated   
  

 

 

 
Needham & Company, LLC   
  

 

 

 
Roth Capital Partners, LLC   
  

 

 

 

Total

  
  

 

 

 


SCHEDULE II

PERSONS DELIVERING LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS


SCHEDULE III

ORALLY CONVEYED PRICING INFORMATION

 

1. [ Public offering price ]

 

2. [ Number of Firm Shares ]

 

3. [ Number of Option Shares ]


SCHEDULE IV

ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES – ROAD SHOW MATERIALS

[Insert list of certain “road show” materials]


SCHEDULE V

ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS

[Insert list of all “Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses”]


SCHEDULE VI

WRITTEN TESTING-THE-WATERS COMMUNICATIONS

[Insert list of all Written Testing-the-Waters Communications]


LOCK-UP LETTER AGREEMENT

B ARCLAYS C APITAL I NC .

As Representative of the several

Underwriters named in Schedule I

to the Underwriting Agreement referred to below,

c/o Barclays Capital Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, New York 10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that Barclays Capital Inc., as representative (the “ Representative ”) of the several underwriters (the “ Underwriters ”), proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) providing for the purchase by the Underwriters of shares (the “ Shares ”) of ordinary shares, par value $0.01 per share (the “ Ordinary Shares ”), of SMART Global Holdings, Inc., an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “ Company ”), and that the Underwriters propose to reoffer the Shares to the public (the “ Offering ”).

In consideration of the execution of the Underwriting Agreement by the Underwriters, and for other good and valuable consideration, the undersigned hereby irrevocably agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, directly or indirectly, (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any Ordinary Shares (including, without limitation, Ordinary Shares that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Ordinary Shares that may be issued upon exercise of any options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares, (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of Ordinary Shares, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) above or this clause (2) is to be settled by delivery of Ordinary Shares or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Ordinary Shares or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares or any other securities of the Company, or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case for a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 180th day after the date of the Prospectus relating to the Offering (such 180-day period, the “ Lock-Up Period ”).


The foregoing paragraph shall not apply to: (a) transactions relating to Ordinary Shares or other securities acquired in the open market after the completion of the Offering; (b) any Shares that the undersigned may purchase in the Offering, including, unless the undersigned is an officer or director, issuer-directed Shares, as referred to in FINRA Rule 5131(d)(2)(A) that the undersigned may purchase in the Offering pursuant to an allocation of Shares that is directed in writing by the Company; provided that it shall be a condition to any transfer pursuant to this clause (b) that each party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) shall not be required by law (including without limitation the disclosure requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”)) to make, and shall agree to not voluntarily make, any filing or public announcement of the transfer or disposition prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period (except that, if required by law, such party may make such a filing or public announcement, provided such filing or public announcement does not report a reduction in beneficial ownership); (c) (i) bona fide gifts to any person, (ii)  contributions to a family foundation for bona fide estate or tax planning purposes, (iii) transfers that are made exclusively between and among the undersigned or members of the undersigned’s family, or any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or members of the undersigned’s family, or any affiliates of the undersigned or, (iv) if the undersigned is a corporation, limited partnership, limited liability company or other entity, transfers to its shareholders, limited partners or members; provided that it shall be a condition to any transfer pursuant to this clause (c) that (A) subject to clause (i) below, the transferee/donee agrees to be bound by the terms of this letter agreement to the same extent as if the transferee/donee were a party hereto, and (B) each party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) shall not be required by law (including without limitation the disclosure requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) to make, and shall agree to not voluntarily make, any filing or public announcement of the transfer or disposition prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period (except that, if required by law, such party may make such a filing or public announcement, provided such filing or public announcement does not report a reduction in beneficial ownership); (d) transfers by will or intestacy or by operation of law, such as pursuant to a domestic relations order or in connection with a divorce settlement; provided that it shall be a condition to any transfer pursuant to this clause (d) that the transferee/donee agrees to be bound by the terms of this letter agreement to the same extent as if the transferee/donee were a party hereto; (e) the exercise of warrants or the exercise of stock options granted pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans or that are otherwise outstanding on the date hereof; provided , that the restrictions in this letter agreement shall apply to Ordinary Shares issued upon such exercise; (f) forfeitures or cancellations of Ordinary Shares to the Company to satisfy tax withholding requirements; (g) the establishment or amendment of any contract, instruction or plan in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 (a “ Rule 10b5-1 Plan ”) under the Exchange Act; provided , however , that no sales of Ordinary Shares or securities convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, Ordinary Shares,

 

2


shall be made pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Plan prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period; provided further , that to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Ordinary Shares may be made under such 10b5-1 Plan during the Lock-Up Period; (h) any demands or requests for, exercise any right with respect to, or take any action in preparation of, the registration by the Company under the Securities Act of the undersigned’s Ordinary Shares, provided that no transfer of the undersigned’s Ordinary Shares registered pursuant to the exercise of any such right may take place and no registration statement shall be filed under the Securities Act with respect to any of the undersigned’s Ordinary Shares during the Lock-Up Period; and (i) pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar business combination transaction made to all holders of the Ordinary Shares involving a Change of Control (as defined below) of the Company (including, without limitation, entering into any lock-up, voting or similar agreement pursuant to which the undersigned may agree to transfer, sell, tender or otherwise dispose of Ordinary Shares (or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares), or vote any Ordinary Shares in favor of such transaction); provided, that, in the event that such transaction is not completed, the Ordinary Shares owned by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this agreement.

For purposes of this letter agreement, “Change of Control” means the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons (other than the Underwriters pursuant to the Offering), of the Ordinary Shares if such person or group of affiliated persons did not hold, immediately prior to such transfer, and, immediately after such transfer, would hold, a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity).

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the undersigned agrees that the provisions set forth in the prior two paragraphs shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed Shares, as referred to in FINRA Rule 5131(d)(2)(A) that the undersigned may purchase in the Offering pursuant to an allocation of Shares that is directed in writing by the Company, (ii) the Representative agrees that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of Ordinary Shares, the Representative will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (iii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by issuing a press release through a major news service (as referred to in FINRA Rule 5131(d)(2)(B)) at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representative hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if both (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration, and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this letter agreement that are applicable to the transferor, to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.

 

3


In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company and its transfer agent are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this letter agreement.

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters will proceed with the Offering in reliance on this letter agreement.

Whether or not the Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.

For the avoidance of doubt, affiliates of the undersigned that have not separately signed a lock-up agreement may engage in brokerage, investment advisory, financial advisory, anti-raid advisory, merger advisory, financing, asset management, trading, market making, arbitrage, principal investing and other similar activities conducted in the ordinary course of their affiliates’ business, other than with respect to Ordinary Shares currently owned by the undersigned. For the avoidance of doubt, it is acknowledged and agreed that (i) any entity in which any of the undersigned’s affiliated investment funds may now or in the future have an investment and (ii) any entity (other than the undersigned) on whose board of directors one or more of the undersigned’s officers may now or in the future serve, shall not be deemed subject to, or bound by, this letter agreement, in part or in its entirety, except, in each case, to the extent the undersigned directly or indirectly possesses and exercises the power to dispose or direct the disposition of Ordinary Shares or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares held by or on behalf of any such entity or to cause any such entity to enter into a transaction that would be prohibited by this letter agreement if effected directly by the undersigned.

This letter agreement shall automatically terminate, and the undersigned shall be immediately released from its obligations and restrictions under this letter agreement without any further action by or on behalf of any of the parties hereto, upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (1) the termination of the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) prior to payment for and delivery of the Shares, (2) the delivery by the Company to the Representative of notice that it has determined not to proceed with the Offering, or delivery by Silver Lake Partners III Cayman (AIV III), L.P. and Silver Lake Sumeru Fund to the Representative of notice that they have determined not to proceed with the Offering, or (3) December 31, 2017, in the event that the Underwriting Agreement has not been executed by that date.

[Signature page follows]

 

4


The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this letter agreement and that, upon request, the undersigned will execute any additional documents necessary in connection with the enforcement hereof. Any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of the undersigned.

 

Very truly yours,
IF AN INDIVIDUAL:
By:    
  (duly authorized signature)
Name:    
  (please print full name)
Date:    
IF AN ENTITY:
 

 

(please print complete name of entity)
By:    
  (duly authorized signature)
Name:    
  (please print full name)
Title:    
  (please print full title)

 

Exhibit A-5


EXHIBIT B

Form of Press Release

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

[ Insert date ]

SMART Global Holdings, Inc., (the “ Company ”) announced today that Barclays Capital Inc., the lead book-running manager in the Company’s recent public sale of [•] Ordinary Shares is [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to [•] shares of the Company’s Ordinary Shares held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on [ insert date ], and the Ordinary Shares may be sold or otherwise disposed of on or after such date.

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Exhibit B-1

Exhibit 4.2

Execution Version

 

 

 

SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

Dated as of November 5, 2016

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  
Article I  
DEFINITIONS  

Section 1.1

  Definitions      2  

Section 1.2

  Definitions Cross References      8  

Section 1.3

  General Interpretive Principles      9  
Article II  
REGISTRATION RIGHTS  

Section 2.1

  Shelf Registration      9  

Section 2.2

  Demand Registration      14  

Section 2.3

  Piggyback Registration      17  

Section 2.4

  Expenses of Registration      19  

Section 2.5

  Obligations of the Company      19  

Section 2.6

  Indemnification      24  

Section 2.7

  Information by Holder      27  

Section 2.8

  Transfer of Registration Rights; Additional Management Holders; General Transfer Restrictions on Exercise of Rights      27  

Section 2.9

  Delay of Registration      28  

Section 2.10

  Limitations on Subsequent Registration Rights      28  

Section 2.11

  Reporting      28  

Section 2.12

  Black-Out Periods      29  

Section 2.13

  Clear Market      30  

Section 2.14

  Discontinuance of Distributions and Use of Prospectus & Free Writing Prospectus      30  
Article III  
MISCELLANEOUS  

Section 3.1

  Term      31  

Section 3.2

  Registering Entity      31  

Section 3.3

  Further Assurances      31  

Section 3.4

  Confidentiality      31  

Section 3.5

  Entire Agreement      32  

Section 3.6

  Specific Performance      32  

 

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Section 3.7

  Governing Law      32  

Section 3.8

  Submissions to Jurisdictions; WAIVERS OF JURY TRIALS      32  

Section 3.9

  Obligations      33  

Section 3.10

  Consents, Approvals and Actions      34  

Section 3.11

  Amendment and Waiver      35  

Section 3.12

  Binding Effect      35  

Section 3.13

  Third Party Beneficiaries      35  

Section 3.14

  Notices      35  

Section 3.15

  No Third Party Liability      37  

Section 3.16

  No Partnership      37  

Section 3.17

  Aggregation      37  

Section 3.18

  Severability      37  

Section 3.19

  Counterparts      37  

Exhibit A : Form of Joinder Agreement

Exhibit B : Management Holders as of November 5, 2016

 

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SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (as may be amended, supplemented, restated or modified from time to time, this “ Agreement ”) is made as of November 5, 2016, by and among SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a Saleen Holdings, Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company, Silver Lake Partners III Cayman (AIV III), L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the “ SLP Investor ”), Silver Lake Technology Investors III Cayman, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the “ SLP Co-Investor ”), Silver Lake Sumeru Fund Cayman, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the “ SLS Investor ”), Silver Lake Technology Investors Sumeru Cayman, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the “ SLS Co-Investor ”), Mr. Ajay B. Shah, an individual (“ Mr.  Shah ”), Krishnan-Shah Family Partners, L.P., Fund No. 1, a California limited partnership (“ Shah Fund 1 ”), Krishnan-Shah Family Partners, L.P., Fund No. 3, a California limited partnership (“ Shah Fund 3 ”), Krishnan-Shah Family Partners, L.P., Fund No. 4, a California limited partnership (“ Shah Fund 4 ”), The Ajay B. Shah and Lata K. Shah 1996 Trust u/a/d 5/28/1996, a California revocable trust (“ Shah Trust ”, and together with Mr. Shah, Shah Fund 1, Shah Fund 3 and Shah Fund 4, collectively the “ Shah Investors ”), Mr. Mukesh A. Patel, an individual (“ Mr.  Patel ”), Patel Family Partners, LP – Fund No. 2, a California limited partnership (“ Patel Fund 2 ”), The Patel Revocable Trust u/a/d 6/6/2002, a California revocable trust (“ Patel Trust ”, and together with Mr. Patel and Patel Fund 2, collectively the “ Patel Investors ”) and the Management Holders (as defined below).

WHEREAS, the Company (as defined below), the SLP Investor, the SLP Co-Investor, the SLS Investor, the SLS Co-Investor, the Shah Investors, the Patel Investors and the Management Holders entered into that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011 (the “ Prior Agreement ”), in order to set forth certain registration rights applicable to Registrable Securities (as defined below) of the Company;

WHEREAS, in connection with a contemplated amendment to the credit agreement of certain of the Company’s Subsidiaries (as defined below), the Warrant Holders (as defined below) received Warrants (as defined below) to purchase Warrant Shares (as defined below), dated as of the date hereof, between the Company and such Warrant Holder (each, a “ Warrant ”), pursuant to which such Warrant Holders are entitled to exercise such Warrants upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein; and

WHEREAS, the Company, the SLP Investor, the SLP Co-Investor, the SLS Investor and the SLS Co-Investor desire to amend and restate the Prior Agreement in connection with the contemplated amendment to such credit agreement in order to set forth certain registration rights of the Warrant Holders.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements and obligations set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

 

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ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1 Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Adverse Disclosure ” means public disclosure of material non-public information which, in the Board’s good faith judgment, after consultation with outside counsel to the Company, (i) would be required to be made in any report or Registration Statement filed with the SEC by the Company so that such report or Registration Statement would not be materially misleading, (ii) would not be required to be made at such time but for the filing, effectiveness or continued use of such report or Registration Statement and (iii) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for not disclosing publicly.

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that Controls, is Controlled by, or is under common Control with such Person. The term “ Control ” means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. “ Controlled ” and “ Controlling ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of this Agreement, (i) the Company, its Subsidiaries and its other Controlled Affiliates shall not be considered Affiliates of any of the Holders or any of such party’s Affiliates (other than the Company, its Subsidiaries and its other Controlled Affiliates), (ii) none of the SLP Holders, SLS Holders, Shah Holders or Patel Holders shall be considered Affiliates of each other, and (iii) except with respect to Section 3.15, none of the Sponsor Holders shall be considered Affiliates of (A) any portfolio company in which any of the Sponsor Holders or any of their investment fund Affiliates have made a debt or equity investment (and vice versa) or (B) any limited partners, non-managing members or other similar direct or indirect investors in any of the Sponsor Holders or their affiliated investment funds.

Automatic Shelf Registration Statement ” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 405 (or any successor provision) of the Securities Act.

beneficial ownership ” and “ beneficially own ” and similar terms have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act; provided , however that (i) no party hereto shall be deemed to beneficially own any Securities of the Company held by any other party hereto solely by virtue of the provisions of this Agreement (other than this definition) and (ii) with respect to any Securities held by a party hereto that are exercisable for, convertible into or exchangeable for Shares upon delivery of consideration to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, such Shares shall not be deemed to be beneficially owned by such party unless, until and to the extent such Securities have been exercised, converted or exchanged and such consideration has been delivered by such party to the Company or such Subsidiary.

Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

Business Day ” means a day, other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banks located in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to close.

 

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Change of Control ” means the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the sale, lease or transfer, in one (1) or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (which assets may include the capital stock of Subsidiaries), to any Person other than the Sponsor Holders or their Affiliates or (ii) the acquisition, directly or indirectly, by any Person or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) other than the Sponsor Holders or their Affiliates, in a single transaction or in a related series of transactions, by way of merger, consolidation or other business combination or purchase of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) of capital stock representing 50% or more of the total voting power of the Company or any of its direct or indirect parent companies holding directly or indirectly greater than 50% of the total voting power of the Company.

Company ” means SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a Saleen Holdings, Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company (including any of its successors by merger, acquisition, reorganization, conversion or otherwise, and, in connection with any Initial Public Offering, the Registering Entity).

Effectiveness Date ” means the date on which the Sponsor Holders are no longer subject to any underwriter’s lock-up or other contractual restriction (excluding the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement) on the sale of Registrable Securities in connection with an Initial Public Offering.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

Free Writing Prospectus ” means an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, relating to an offer of Registrable Securities.

Holders ” means, collectively, (i) the SLP Holders, (ii) the SLS Holders, (iii) the Shah Holders, (iv) the Management Holders, (v) the Warrant Holders and (vi) the Patel Holders.

Initial Public Offering ” means the consummation of an underwritten initial public offering that is registered under the Securities Act of Shares.

Investors Shareholders Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Company, the Sponsor Holders party thereto, the Management Holders party thereto and the Warrant Holders party thereto, as it may be amended from time to time.

Joinder Agreement ” means a joinder agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.

Management Holder ” means (i) the parties identified on Exhibit B hereto as “Management Holders” and any Person other than the Company, the Sponsor Holders, the Shah Holders, the Patel Holders and the Warrant Holders that becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 2.8(b), whether or not such Person is an employee or consultant of the Company or its Subsidiaries, and (ii) any of their respective designated transferees or successors pursuant to Section 2.8(a) below that hold Registrable Securities or securities exercisable for or convertible into Registrable Securities.

 

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Marketable Securities ” means equity securities that are (i) traded on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market or any successors thereto or any other nationally or globally recognized stock exchange and (ii) registered pursuant to an effective registration statement or can be sold without registration pursuant to Rule 144 without volume limitation or other restrictions on transfer thereunder.

Non-Qualifying Change of Control ” means any Change of Control immediately after the consummation of which (i) the Warrant Holders continue to own any Registrable Securities (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any securities of the acquiror of the Company in connection with such Change of Control), (ii) the consideration received by the Warrant Holders in connection therewith (or receivable upon the exercise of the Warrants) includes equity securities that are not Marketable Securities and (iii) the Silver Lake Investors or their Affiliates have the right to cause the Company or other successor entity thereto to register the equity securities of the Company or such other successor entity held by the Silver Lake Investors or their Affiliates.

Options ” mean any rights or options to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire Shares granted pursuant to any employment or consulting agreement with the Company or its Subsidiaries or pursuant to any equity compensation plan or program of the Company.

Patel Holders ” means, collectively, the Patel Investors and any of their respective designated transferees or successors pursuant to Section 2.8(a) below that hold Registrable Securities or securities exercisable for or convertible into Registrable Securities.

Patel Side Letter ” means the Side Letter, dated as of August 26, 2011, by and among the Company and the Patel Holders, as it may be amended from time to time.

Person ” means an individual, any general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity, or a government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Prospectus ” means the prospectus included in any Registration Statement, all amendments and supplements to such prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all other material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.

register ”, “ registered ” and “ registration ” means a registration effected pursuant to a registration statement filed with the SEC (a “ Registration Statement ”) in compliance with the Securities Act, and the declaration or ordering by the SEC of the effectiveness of such Registration Statement.

Registering Entity ” means the Company or if the entity registering Shares in connection with the Initial Public Offering is (i) any other Subsidiary of the Company or (ii) the resulting entity from (A) a conversion of the Company to any other capital structure, (B) the

 

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conversion of the Company into a successor corporation or other entity and/or (C) the formation of a new entity that will issue Shares to the public and acquire, directly or indirectly, Securities in the Company in order to give effect to such Initial Public Offering, such other Subsidiary or resulting entity.

Registrable Securities ” means (i) Shares (including Warrant Shares) held (whether now held or hereafter acquired) by a party to this Agreement (including any additional Management Holder to the extent permitted by Section 2.8(b) below) or any designated transferee or successor to the extent permitted by Section 2.8(a) below or, without duplication, by any shareholder of the Company that holds registration or similar rights pursuant to an agreement between such shareholder and the Company and (ii) any Shares issued as (or as of any such date of determination then currently issuable upon the conversion or exercise of any warrant, right or other security that is issued as) a dividend or other distribution with respect to, or in exchange or in replacement of, such Shares contemplated by the immediately foregoing clause (i); provided , however , that Shares shall cease to be Registrable Securities if (a) a Registration Statement covering such Shares has been declared effective by the SEC and such Shares have been disposed of pursuant to such effective Registration Statement, (b) a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (or any successor form) covering such Shares is effective, (c) such Shares are distributed pursuant to Rule 144 or 145 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule or other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act), (d) such Shares cease to be outstanding, (e) such Shares are eligible for sale without registration pursuant to Rule 144 without volume limitation or other restrictions on transfer thereunder and are not otherwise subject to any transfer restrictions in Article IV of the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, Article III of the Investors Shareholders Agreement or the Patel Side Letter or (f) such Shares shall have been otherwise transferred and such Shares may be publicly resold without registration under the Securities Act. For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood (x) that, with respect to any Registrable Securities for which a Holder holds vested but unexercised Options or other Securities exercisable for, convertible into or exchangeable for Registrable Securities, to the extent that such Registrable Securities are to be sold pursuant to Article II, such Holder must exercise the relevant Option or other Security or exercise, convert or exchange such other relevant Security and transfer the relevant underlying securities that are Registrable Securities (rather than the Option or other Security) (in each case, net of any amounts required to be withheld by the Company in connection with such exercise) and (y) that Registrable Securities shall not include Warrants.

Registration Expenses ” means any and all expenses incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) all registration and filing fees, and any other fees and expenses associated with filings required to be made with the SEC, FINRA and, if applicable, the fees and expenses of any “qualified independent underwriter,” as such term is defined in Rule 2720 of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (or any successor provision), and of its counsel, (ii) all fees and expenses of complying with any securities or blue sky laws (including fees and disbursements of counsel for the underwriters in connection with blue sky qualifications of the Registrable Securities), (iii) all printing, duplicating, word processing, messenger, telephone, facsimile and delivery expenses (including expenses of printing certificates for the Registrable Securities in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company and of printing Prospectuses and Free Writing Prospectuses), (iv) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on

 

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any securities exchange or quotation of the Registrable Securities on any inter-dealer quotation system, (v) all applicable rating agency fees with respect to the Registrable Securities, (vi) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and of its independent public accountants, including the expenses of any special audits and/or comfort letters required by or incident to such performance and compliance, (vii) any fees and disbursements of underwriters customarily paid by the issuers or sellers of securities, including liability insurance if the Company so desires or if the underwriters so require, and the reasonable fees and expenses of any special experts retained in connection with the requested registration, but excluding underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if any, (viii) Securities Act liability insurance or similar insurance if the Company so desires or the underwriters so require in accordance with then-customary underwriting practice, (ix) if any of the Sponsor Holders are selling Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration, all reasonable fees and disbursements of legal counsel to such Sponsor Holders and an accounting firm of such Sponsor Holders, (x) if any of the Management Holders are selling Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration, the reasonable fees and disbursements of one (1) legal counsel to such Management Holders up to $50,000, (xi) if any of the Warrant Holders are selling Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration, the reasonable fees and disbursements of one (1) legal counsel to such Warrant Holders up to $50,000, (xii) any reasonable fees and disbursements of underwriters customarily paid by issuers or sellers of securities, (xiii) all fees and expenses of any special experts or other Persons retained by the Company in connection with any Registration, (xiv) all of the Company’s internal expenses (including all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), (xv) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to analyst and investor presentations or any “road show” undertaken in connection with the registration and/or marketing of the Registrable Securities (including all travel, meals and lodging and the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses of the Holders) and (xvi) any other fees and disbursements customarily paid by the issuers of securities.

Rule 144 ” means Rule 144 (or any successor provision) under the Securities Act, as such provision is amended from time to time.

SEC ” means the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor agency.

Securities ” means any equity securities of the Company (or any equity securities of the Registering Entity), including any Shares, Warrants, Warrant Shares and Options.

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

Shah Holders ” means, collectively, the Shah Investors and any of their respective designated transferees or successors pursuant to Section 2.8(a) below that hold Registrable Securities or securities exercisable for or convertible into Registrable Securities.

Shares ” means the ordinary shares, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, and any securities into which such Shares shall have been changed, or any securities resulting from any reclassification, recapitalization or similar transactions with respect to such Shares (including any shares of common stock or ordinary shares of the Registering Entity).

 

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Shelf Percentage ” means, with respect to any Shelf Request, the fraction, expressed as a percentage, determined by dividing (i) the Shelf Request by (ii) the total number of Registrable Securities held by the Shelf Initiating Holders as of the date of such Shelf Request.

Shelf Registration Statement ” means a Registration Statement of the Company filed with the SEC on Form S-3 or on Form S-1 (or any successor form) for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC) covering the Registrable Securities, as applicable.

SLP Holders ” means, collectively, the SLP Investor, the SLP Co-Investor and any of their respective designated transferees or successors pursuant to Section 2.8(a) below that hold Registrable Securities or securities exercisable for or convertible into Registrable Securities.

SLS Holders ” means, collectively, the SLS Investor, the SLS Co-Investor and any of their respective designated transferees or successors pursuant to Section 2.8(a) below that hold Registrable Securities or securities exercisable for or convertible into Registrable Securities.

Sponsor Holders ” means, collectively, the SLP Holders and SLS Holders.

Sponsor Shareholders Agreement ” means the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011, by and among the Company, the Sponsor Holders party thereto and the Shah Holders party thereto, as it may be amended from time to time.

Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person, any entity of which (i) a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock or equivalent ownership interests entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers, trustees or other members of the applicable governing body thereof is at the time owned or Controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one (1) or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof, or (ii) if no such governing body exists at such entity, a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock or equivalent ownership interests of the entity is at the time owned or Controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one (1) or more Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof. For purposes hereof, a Person or Persons shall be deemed to have a majority ownership interest in a limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity if such Person or Persons shall be allocated a majority of limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity gains or losses or shall be or Control the managing member or general partner of such limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity.

Third Party Holder ” means any holder (other than a Holder) of Transferable Shares who exercises contractual rights to participate in a registered offering of Shares.

Transferable Shares ” means (i) Shares and (ii) Shares issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any convertible debt security or preferred security that is currently exercisable for, convertible into or exchangeable for, as of the relevant date of determination, Shares.

 

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Warrant ” means the Warrant to purchase Ordinary Shares, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Company and the Warrant Holders party thereto, as it may be amended from time to time.

Warrant Holder ” means any duly registered holder, of a Warrant (under the terms and conditions thereof) or Warrant Shares (or any Registrable Securities issued as a dividend or other distribution with respect to, or in exchange or in replacement of, such Warrant Shares), that becomes a party to the Investors Shareholders Agreement and this Agreement from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, and any of their respective designated transferees or successors pursuant to Section 2.8(a) below that hold Registrable Securities or securities exercisable for or convertible into Registrable Securities.

Warrant Shares ” has the meaning set forth in the applicable Warrant.

Well-Known Seasoned Issuer ” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 405 (or any successor provision) of the Securities Act.

Section 1.2 Definitions Cross References . The following terms are defined in the corresponding Sections of this Agreement:

 

Term

  

Section

Agreement

  

Preamble

Chosen Courts

  

Section 3.8(a)

Company Indemnifiable Persons

  

Section 2.6(a)

Control Holder

  

Section 2.5(d)

Demand Delay

  

Section 2.2(a)(ii)

Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders

  

Section 2.2(a)

Demand Participating Sponsor Holders

  

Section 2.2(a)(ii)

Demand Registration

  

Section 2.2(a)

Holder Indemnifiable Persons

  

Section 2.6(b)

Indemnified Person

  

Section 2.6(c)

Indemnifying Person

  

Section 2.6(c)

Initiating Shelf Take-Down Holder

  

Section 2.1(d)(i)

Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down

  

Section 2.1(d)(iii)

Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice

  

Section 2.1(d)(iii)

Mr. Patel

  

Preamble

Mr. Shah

  

Preamble

Patel Fund 2

  

Preamble

Patel Trust

  

Preamble

Patel Investors

  

Preamble

Prior Agreement

  

Recitals

Shah Fund 1

  

Preamble

Shah Fund 3

  

Preamble

Shah Fund 4

  

Preamble

Shah Investors

  

Preamble

Shah Trust

  

Preamble

 

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Shelf Holder

  

Section 2.1(a)

Shelf Initiating Holders

  

Section 2.1(a)

Shelf Registration Notice

  

Section 2.1(a)

Shelf Request

  

Section 2.1(a)

Shelf Participating Sponsor Holders

  

Section 2.1(b)

Shelf Period

  

Section 2.1(b)

Shelf Suspension

  

Section 2.1(c)

Shelf Take-Down

  

Section 2.1(d)(i)

Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders

  

Section 2.1(d)(ii)

SLP Co-Investor

  

Preamble

SLP Investor

  

Preamble

SLS Co-Investor

  

Preamble

SLS Investor

  

Preamble

Special Registration

  

Section 2.13

Sponsor Underwritten Offering

  

Section 2.13

Third Party Shelf Holder

  

Section 2.1(a)

Underwritten Shelf Take-Down

  

Section 2.1(d)(ii)

Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice

  

Section 2.1(d)(ii)

Section 1.3 General Interpretive Principles . The name assigned to this Agreement and the section captions used herein are for convenience of reference only and shall not be construed to affect the meaning, construction or effect hereof. Unless otherwise specified, the terms “hereof,” “herein” and similar terms refer to this Agreement as a whole, and references herein to Articles or Sections refer to Articles or Sections of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the words, “include,” “includes” and “including,” when used herein, shall be deemed in each case to be followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “dollars” and “$” shall mean United States dollars. Except as otherwise set forth herein, Shares underlying unexercised Options that have been issued by the Company shall not be deemed “outstanding” for any purposes in this Agreement. 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 will be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties and no presumption or burden of proof will arise favoring or disfavoring any party because of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement.

ARTICLE II

REGISTRATION RIGHTS

Section 2.1 Shelf Registration .

(a) Filing . At any time after the date that is 90 days after the Effectiveness Date, one or more of the Sponsor Holders or Warrant Holders may deliver a written request to the Company (the Sponsor Holders or Warrant Holders delivering such a request, the “ Shelf Initiating Holders ”) to file a Shelf Registration Statement (a “ Shelf Registration Notice ”), and subject to the Company’s rights under Section 2.1(c) and the limitations set forth in Section 2.1(d), the Company shall (i) promptly (but in any event no later than ten (10) days prior to the date such Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective) give written notice of the proposed

 

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registration to all other Holders and Third Party Holders (which such notice will include the applicable Shelf Percentage (as defined below)) and (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to file as soon as possible with the SEC and cause to be declared effective under the Securities Act as soon as possible a Shelf Registration Statement (which shall be designated by the Company as an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement if the Company is a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer at the time of filing such Shelf Registration Statement with the SEC) as will permit or facilitate the sale and distribution of all or such portion of such Shelf Initiating Holders’ Registrable Securities as are specified in such Shelf Registration Notice (such portion, the “ Shelf Request ”), together with (x) all or such portion of the Registrable Securities of any other Holders joining in such demand as are specified in a written demand received by the Company within ten (10) days after such written notice is given (each such Holder and each such Shelf Initiating Holder, as the case may be, a “ Shelf Holder ”) (such amount not in any event to exceed the Shelf Percentage of the total Registrable Securities held by such Shelf Holder as of the date of such written notice) and (y) all or such portion of the shares of any Third Party Holder that joins in such demand pursuant to its contractual rights to so participate (each such Third Party Holder, a “ Third Party Shelf Holder ”) (such amount not in any event to exceed the Shelf Percentage of the total Registrable Securities held by such Third Party Shelf Holder as of the date of such written notice); provided , however , that if a Shelf Registration Notice is delivered prior to the Effectiveness Date, the Company shall not be obligated to file (but shall be obligated to prepare) such Shelf Registration Statement prior to the Effectiveness Date); and provided , further , however , that if the Company is permitted by applicable law, rule or regulation to add selling shareholders to a Shelf Registration Statement without filing a post-effective amendment, a Holder may request the inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities (such amount not in any event to exceed the Shelf Percentage of the total Registrable Securities held by such Holder) in such Shelf Registration Statement at any time or from time to time, and the Company shall add such Registrable Securities to the Shelf Registration Statement as promptly as reasonably practicable, and such Holder shall be deemed a Shelf Holder. If, on the date of any such demand, the Company does not qualify to file a Shelf Registration Statement, then the provisions of Section 2.2 hereof shall apply instead of this Section 2.1. In no event shall the Company be required to file, and maintain effectiveness pursuant to Section 2.1(b) of, (I) more than one (1) Shelf Registration Statement at any one (1) time pursuant to this Section 2.1, so long as any Registrable Securities set forth in any Shelf Request by the Shelf Initiating Holders are registered on such Shelf Registration Statement, (II) in the case of the Warrant Investors, any Shelf Request having a reasonably anticipated aggregate offering price of less than $25,000,000 or (III) a Shelf Registration Statement of any type other than on Form S-3 (or any successor form) unless the Shelf Initiating Holders with respect to such Shelf Registration Statement are the Sponsor Holders.

(b) Continued Effectiveness . The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep such Shelf Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2.1(a) hereof continuously effective under the Securities Act in order to permit the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus forming a part thereof to be usable by the Shelf Holders until the earlier of (i) the date as of which all Registrable Securities registered by such Shelf Registration Statement have been sold and (ii) such shorter period as the Shelf Initiating Holders and, in the case of any Shelf Registration Statement initiated by a Sponsor Holder, any other Shelf Holder that is a Sponsor Holder (collectively, the “ Shelf Participating Holders ”) may mutually determine (such period of effectiveness, the “ Shelf Period ”). Subject to the Company’s rights under Section 2.1(c), the Company shall not be deemed to have used its reasonable best efforts to keep the

 

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Shelf Registration Statement effective during the Shelf Period if the Company voluntarily takes any action or omits to take any action that would result in Shelf Holders not being able to offer and sell any Registrable Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement during the Shelf Period, unless such action or omission is (x) a Shelf Suspension permitted pursuant to Section 2.1(c) or (y) required by applicable law, rule or regulation.

(c) Suspension of Filing or Registration . If the Company shall furnish to the Shelf Participating Holders, a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer or equivalent senior executive of the Company, stating that the filing, effectiveness or continued use of the Shelf Registration Statement would require the Company to make an Adverse Disclosure, then the Company shall have a period of not more than sixty (60) days or such longer period as the Shelf Participating Holders shall mutually consent to in writing, within which to delay the filing or effectiveness (but not the preparation) of such Shelf Registration Statement or, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement that has been declared effective, to suspend the use by Shelf Holders of such Shelf Registration Statement (in each case, a “ Shelf Suspension ”); provided , however , that, unless mutually consented to in writing by the Shelf Participating Holders, the Company shall not be permitted to exercise more than two (2) Shelf Suspensions pursuant to this Section 2.1(c) and Demand Delays pursuant to Section 2.2(a)(ii) in the aggregate, or aggregate Shelf Suspensions pursuant to this Section 2.1(c) and Demand Delays pursuant to Section 2.2(a)(ii) of more than ninety (90) days, in each case, during any twelve-month (12) period. Each Shelf Holder shall keep confidential the fact that a Shelf Suspension is in effect, the certificate referred to above and its contents for the permitted duration of the Shelf Suspension or until otherwise notified by the Company, except (A) in the case of any Shelf Holder, for disclosure to any of such Shelf Holder’s employees, agents and professional advisers who are obligated to keep it confidential, (B) in the case of any Shelf Participating Holder, for disclosures to the extent required in order to comply with reporting obligations to its limited partners who have agreed to keep such information confidential and (C) as required by law. In the case of a Shelf Suspension that occurs after the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, the Shelf Holders agree to suspend use of the applicable Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus for the permitted duration of such Shelf Suspension in connection with any sale or purchase of, or offer to sell or purchase, Registrable Securities, upon receipt of the certificate referred to above. The Company shall immediately notify the Shelf Holders upon the termination of any Shelf Suspension, and (i) in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement that has not been declared effective, shall promptly thereafter file the Shelf Registration Statement and use its reasonable best efforts to have such Shelf Registration Statement declared effective under the Securities Act and (ii) in the case of an effective Shelf Registration Statement, shall amend or supplement the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus, if necessary, so it does not contain any material misstatement or omission prior to the expiration of the Shelf Suspension and furnish to the Shelf Holders such numbers of copies of the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus as so amended or supplemented as the Shelf Holders may reasonably request. The Company agrees, if necessary, to supplement or make amendments to the Shelf Registration Statement if required by the registration form used by the Company for the Shelf Registration Statement or by the instructions applicable to such registration form or by the Securities Act or the rules or regulations promulgated thereunder or as may reasonably be requested by any Shelf Participating Holder.

 

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(d) Shelf Take-Downs .

(i) Subject to Section 2.8(c), an offering or sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement (each, a “ Shelf Take-Down ”) may be initiated by any of the Shelf Holders (each, an “ Initiating Shelf Take-Down Holder ”) (other than an Underwritten Shelf-Take Down or Marketed Underwritten Shelf-Take Down which, for the avoidance of doubt, may only be initiated by a Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holder pursuant to Section 2.1(d)(ii) or Section 2.1(d)(iii), respectively). Except as set forth in Section 2.1(d)(iii) with respect to Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Downs, each such Initiating Shelf Take-Down Holder shall not be required to permit the offer and sale of Registrable Securities by other Shelf Holders or Third Party Shelf Holders in connection with any such Shelf Take-Down initiated by such Initiating Shelf Take-Down Holder. Notwithstanding the foregoing:

(A) each of the Management Holders (collectively), together with their respective designated transferees or successors pursuant to Section 2.8(a), may only initiate a total of four (4) Shelf Take-Downs in the aggregate pursuant to this Section 2.1(d)(i) in any consecutive 12-month period;

(B) each of the Warrant Holders (collectively), together with their respective designated transferees or successors pursuant to Section 2.8(a), may only initiate a total of four (4) Shelf Take-Downs in the aggregate pursuant to this Section 2.1(d)(i) in any consecutive 12-month period;

(C) no Management Holder, together with its designated transferees or successors pursuant to Section 2.8(a), may initiate a Shelf Take-Down pursuant to this Section 2.1(d)(i) which, together with any Registrable Securities included by other Management Holders, contemplates the distribution or sale of Registrable Securities in any one (1) Shelf-Take Down having a reasonably anticipated net aggregate offering price of less than $2,500,000; and

(D) no Warrant Holder, together with its designated transferees or successors pursuant to Section 2.8(a), may initiate a Shelf Take-Down pursuant to this Section 2.1(d)(i) which, together with any Registrable Securities included by other Warrant Holders, contemplates the distribution or sale of Registrable Securities in any one (1) Shelf-Take Down having a reasonably anticipated net aggregate offering price of less than $2,500,000.

(ii) Subject to Section 2.8(c), if the Initiating Shelf Take-Down Holder is one (1) or more Shelf Participating Holder(s) that is or are a Sponsor Holder(s) (the “ Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders ”) and such Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders elect by written request to the Company (an “ Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice ”), a Shelf Take-Down shall be in the form of an underwritten offering (an “ Underwritten Shelf Take-Down ”) and if necessary or if requested by the Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders, the Company shall amend or supplement the Shelf Registration Statement for such purpose as soon as practicable. Such Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders shall have the right to select the managing underwriter or underwriters to administer such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down; provided that such managing underwriter or underwriters shall be reasonably acceptable to the Company.

 

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Notwithstanding the delivery of any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice, all determinations as to whether to complete any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down and as to the timing, manner, price and other terms and conditions of any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down shall be at the sole discretion of the Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders.

(iii) If the plan of distribution set forth in any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice includes a customary “road show” (including an “electronic road show”) or other substantial marketing effort by the Company and the underwriters over a period expected to exceed 48 hours (a “ Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down ”), promptly upon delivery of such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice (but in no event more than two (2) Business Days thereafter), the Company shall promptly deliver a written notice (a “ Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice ”) of such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down to all Shelf Holders of Registrable Securities under such Shelf Registration Statement (other than the Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders), and, in each case subject to Section 2.1(d)(iv) and Section 2.8(c), the Company shall include in such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down all such Registrable Securities of such Shelf Holders that are registered on such Shelf Registration Statement for which the Company has received written requests, which requests must specify the aggregate amount of such Registrable Securities of such Holder to be offered and sold pursuant to such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, for inclusion therein within two (2) Business Days after the date that such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice has been delivered. Notwithstanding the delivery of any Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice, all determinations as to whether to complete any Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down and as to the timing, manner, price and other terms and conditions of any Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down shall be at the sole discretion of the Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders. Each of the Shelf Holders agrees to reasonably cooperate with each of the other Shelf Holders to establish notice, delivery and documentation procedures and measures to facilitate such other Shelf Holder’s participation in future potential Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Downs pursuant to Section 2.1(d)(iii)-(iv).

(iv) The right of any Shelf Holders to participate in an Underwritten Shelf Take-Down or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down shall be conditioned upon such Shelf Holder’s compliance with the terms and conditions of this Section 2.1(d)(iv). In connection with any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down or Marketed Underwritten Shelf-Take Down, the Company shall, together with all Shelf Holders and Third Party Shelf Holders of Registrable Securities of the Company proposing to distribute their securities through such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down in accordance with this Section 2.1(d), enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form (containing such representations and warranties by the Company and such other terms as are generally prevailing in agreements of that type) with the managing underwriter or underwriters selected by the Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders in accordance with Section 2.1(d)(ii). The Shelf Participating Holders shall cooperate with the Company in the negotiation of such underwriting agreement and shall give consideration to the reasonable suggestions of the Company regarding the form thereof. Such underwriting agreement shall contain such representations and warranties by, and the other agreements on the part of, the Company to and for the benefit of the

 

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Shelf Holders and Third Party Shelf Holders a party thereto as are customarily made by issuers to selling stockholders in secondary underwritten public offerings. No Shelf Holder shall be entitled to participate in an Underwritten Shelf Take-Down or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down in accordance with this Section 2.1(d) unless such Shelf Holder completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting agreement. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 2.1, if the managing underwriter or underwriters of a proposed underwritten offering of the Registrable Securities included in an Underwritten Shelf Take-Down or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down shall advise the Company and the Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders that the number of securities requested to be included in such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without being likely to have a significant adverse effect on the price, timing or distribution of the securities offered or the market for the securities offered, then the Company shall so advise all Shelf Holders of Registrable Securities that have requested to participate in such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down (other than the Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders), and the number of shares of Registrable Securities that may be included in such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down (i) first , shall be allocated pro rata among the Shelf Holders (including the Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders and other Shelf Participating Holders, as applicable) that have requested to participate in such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down based on the relative number of Registrable Securities then held by each such Shelf Holder ( provided that any securities thereby allocated to a Shelf Holder that exceed such Shelf Holder’s request shall be reallocated among the remaining requesting Shelf Holders in like manner), (ii) second , and only if all the securities referred to in clause (i) have been included in such registration, the number of securities that the Company proposes to include in such registration that, in the opinion of the managing underwriter or underwriters, can be sold without having such adverse effect and (iii) third , and only if all of the securities referred to in clause (ii) have been included in such registration, any other securities eligible for inclusion in such registration that, in the opinion of the managing underwriter or underwriters, can be sold without having such adverse effect. No Registrable Securities excluded from an Underwritten Shelf Take-Down or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down by reason of the managing underwriter’s or underwriters’ marketing limitation shall be included in such underwritten offering.

Section 2.2 Demand Registration .

(a) Demand for Registration . If the Company shall receive from one (1) or more of the Sponsor Holders (such Sponsor Holders, the “ Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders ”) a written demand that the Company effect any registration (a “ Demand Registration ”) of Registrable Securities held by such Sponsor Holders having a reasonably anticipated net aggregate offering price (after deduction of underwriter commissions and offering expenses) of at least $25,000,000, the Company will:

 

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(i) promptly (but in any event within ten (10) days after the date a Registration Statement for such Demand Registration is initially filed) give written notice of the proposed registration to all other Holders; and

(ii) use its reasonable best efforts to effect such registration as soon as practicable as will permit or facilitate the sale and distribution of all or such portion of such Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders’ Registrable Securities as are specified in such demand, together with all or such portion of the Registrable Securities of any other Holders joining in such demand as are specified in a written demand received by the Company within ten (10) days after such written notice is given; provided that the Company shall not be obligated to file any Registration Statement or other disclosure document pursuant to this Section 2.2 (but shall be obligated to continue to prepare such Registration Statement or other disclosure document) if the Company shall furnish to the Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders and any other Sponsor Holder participating in such Demand Registration (collectively, the “ Demand Participating Sponsor Holders ”) a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer or equivalent senior executive of the Company, stating that the filing or effectiveness of such Registration Statement would require the Company to make an Adverse Disclosure, in which case the Company shall have an additional period (each, a “ Demand Delay ”) of not more than sixty (60) days (or such longer period as may be mutually agreed upon by the Demand Participating Sponsor Holders) within which to file such Registration Statement; provided , however , that the Company shall not exercise more than two (2) Demand Delays pursuant to this Section 2.2(a)(ii) and Shelf Suspensions pursuant to Section 2.1(c) in the aggregate, or aggregate Demand Delays pursuant to this Section 2.2(a)(ii) and Shelf Suspensions pursuant to Section 2.1(c) of more than ninety (90) days, in each case, during any twelve-month (12) month period. Each Holder shall keep confidential the fact that a Demand Delay is in effect, the certificate referred to above and its contents for the permitted duration of the Demand Delay or until otherwise notified by the Company, except (A) in the case of any Holder, for disclosure to such Holder’s employees, agents and professional advisers who need to know such information and are obligated to keep it confidential, (B) in the case of the Sponsor Holders, for disclosures to the extent required in order to comply with reporting obligations to its limited partners who have agreed to keep such information confidential and (C) as required by law. In the case of a Demand Delay, the Holders agree to suspend use of the applicable Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus for the permitted duration of such Demand Delay in connection with any sale or purchase of, or offer to sell or purchase, Registrable Securities, upon receipt of the certificate referred to above. The Company shall immediately notify the Holders upon the termination of any Demand Delay, and (i) in the case of a Registration Statement that has not been declared effective, shall promptly thereafter file the Registration Statement and use its reasonable best efforts to have such Registration Statement declared effective under the Securities Act and (ii) in the case of an effective Registration Statement, shall amend or supplement the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus, if necessary, so it does not contain any material misstatement or omission prior to the expiration of the Demand Delay and furnish to the Holders such numbers of copies of the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus as so amended or supplemented as the Holders may reasonably request. The Company agrees, if necessary, to supplement or make amendments to the Registration Statement if required by the registration form used by the Company for the Demand Registration or by the instructions applicable to such registration form or by the Securities Act or the rules or regulations promulgated thereunder or as may reasonably be requested by any Demand Participating Sponsor Holders.

 

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(b) Underwriting . If the Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders intend to distribute the Registrable Securities covered by their demand by means of an underwritten offering, they shall so advise the Company as part of their demand made pursuant to this Section 2.2, and the Company shall include such information in the written notice referred to in Section 2.2(a)(i). In such event, the right of any Holder to registration pursuant to this Section 2.2 shall be conditioned upon such Holder’s participation in such underwritten offering and the inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in the underwritten offering to the extent provided herein. The Company shall, together with all holders of Registrable Securities of the Company proposing to distribute their securities through such underwritten offering, enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form (containing such representations and warranties by the Company and such other terms as are generally prevailing in agreements of that type) with the managing underwriter or underwriters selected by the Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders and reasonably satisfactory to the Company. The Demand Participating Sponsor Holders shall cooperate with the Company in the negotiation of such underwriting agreement and shall give consideration to the reasonable suggestions of the Company regarding the form thereof. Such underwriting agreement shall contain such representations and warranties by, and the other agreements on the part of, the Company to and for the benefit of the Holders a party thereto as are customarily made by issuers to selling stockholders in secondary underwritten public offerings. No Holder shall be entitled to participate in such underwritten offering unless such Holder completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting agreement. Notwithstanding anything other provision of this Section 2.2, if the managing underwriter or underwriters of a proposed underwritten offering of the Registrable Securities included in a Demand Registration shall advise the Company and the Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders that the number of securities requested to be included in such Demand Registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without being likely to have a significant adverse effect on the price, timing or distribution of the securities offered or the market for the securities offered, then the Company shall so advise all Holders of Registrable Securities that have requested to participate in such Demand Registration (other than the Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders), and the number of shares of Registrable Securities that may be included in such Demand Registration (i) first , shall be allocated pro rata among the Holders (including the Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders and other Demand Participating Sponsor Holders, as applicable) that have requested to participate in such Demand Registration based on the relative number of Registrable Securities then held by each such Holder ( provided that any securities thereby allocated to a Holder that exceed such Holder’s request shall be reallocated among the remaining requesting Holders in like manner), (ii) second , and only if all the securities referred to in clause (i) have been included in such Demand Registration, the number of securities that the Company proposes to include in such Demand Registration that, in the opinion of the managing underwriter or underwriters, can be sold without having such adverse effect and (iii)  third , and only if all of the securities referred to in clause (ii) have been included in such Demand Registration, any other securities eligible for inclusion in such Demand Registration that, in the opinion of the managing underwriter or underwriters, can be sold without having such adverse effect. No Registrable Securities excluded from the underwritten offering by reason of the managing underwriter’s or

 

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underwriters’ marketing limitation shall be included in such Demand Registration. Notwithstanding the delivery of any notice of a Demand Registration, all determinations as to whether to complete any Demand Registration and as to the timing, manner, price and other terms and conditions of any Demand Registration shall be at the sole discretion of the Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders. Each of the Holders agrees to reasonably cooperate with each of the other Holders to establish notice, delivery and documentation procedures and measures to facilitate such other Holder’s participation in future potential Demand Registrations pursuant this Section 2.2.

(c) Right to Terminate, Withdraw and/or Delay Registration . The Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders shall have the right to terminate, withdraw and/or delay any Demand Registration initiated by them under this Section 2.2 prior to the effectiveness of such Demand Registration whether or not any Holder has elected to include Registrable Securities in such Demand Registration and, thereupon, the Company shall be relieved of its obligation to register any Registrable Securities under this Section 2.2 in connection with such Demand Registration (but not from its obligation to pay the Registration Expenses in connection therewith pursuant to Section 2.4), and (ii) in the case of a determination to delay registration, the Company shall delay registering all Registrable Securities under this Section 2.2, for the same period as the delay in registering the Registrable Securities proposed to be included by the Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders. For the avoidance of doubt, (i) none of the Initiating Shelf Take-Down Holders shall have any liability or obligation to any other Shelf Holders following their determination to terminate, withdraw and/or delay any Shelf Take-Down initiated by them under Section 2.1(d) and (ii) none of the Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders shall have any liability or obligation to any other Holder following their determination to terminate, withdraw and/or delay any Demand Registration initiated by them under this Section 2.2.

Section 2.3 Piggyback Registration .

(a) If at any time or from time to time the Company shall determine to register any of its equity securities, either for its own account or for the account of security holders (other than (1) in a registration relating solely to employee benefit plans, (2) a Registration Statement on Form S-4 or S-8 (or any successor forms), (3) a registration pursuant to which the Company is offering to exchange its own securities for other securities, (4) a Registration Statement relating solely to dividend reinvestment or similar plans, (5) a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to which only the initial purchasers and subsequent transferees of debt securities of the Company or any Subsidiary that are convertible for Transferable Shares and that are initially issued pursuant to Rule 144A and/or Regulation S (or any successor provision) of the Securities Act may resell such notes and sell the Transferable Shares into which such notes may be converted or (6) a registration pursuant to Section 2.1 or Section 2.2 hereof, it being understood that this clause (6) does not limit the rights of Holders to make requests pursuant to such Sections or otherwise limit the applicability thereof), the Company will:

 

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(i) promptly (but in any event within ten (10) days after the date the relevant Registration Statement is initially filed) give to each Holder written notice thereof; and

(ii) include in such registration (and any related qualification under state securities laws or other compliance), and in any underwritten offering involved therein, all the Registrable Securities specified in a written request or requests made within ten (10) days after receipt of such written notice from the Company by any Holder or Holders, except as set forth in Section 2.3(b) below.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 2.3 shall not apply in respect of any Holder in an Initial Public Offering, unless (x) one (1) or more of the Sponsor Holders elect to participate in such registration for such Initial Public Offering or (y) the Sponsor Holders, in their sole discretion, provide advanced written consent to the Company to include the Registrable Securities of any one (1) or more other Holders specified in such consent in a registration for such Initial Public Offering pursuant to this Section 2.3. For the avoidance of doubt, the inclusion of the Registrable Securities of any Holder in such registration pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall in all cases be subject to Section 2.8(c).

(b) Underwriting . If the Company intends to distribute the Registrable Securities covered by its registration by means of an underwritten offering, the Company shall so advise the Holders as a part of the written notice given pursuant to Section 2.3(a)(i). In such event, the right of any Holder to registration pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be conditioned upon such Holder’s participation in such underwritten offering and the inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in the underwritten offering to the extent provided herein. The Company shall, together with all holders of Registrable Securities of the Company proposing to distribute their securities through such underwritten offering, enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form (containing such representations and warranties by the Company and such other terms as are generally prevailing in agreements of that type) with the managing underwriter or underwriters selected for such underwriting by the Company. Such underwriting agreement shall contain such representations and warranties by, and the other agreements on the part of, the Company to and for the benefit of the Holders a party thereto as are customarily made by issuers to selling stockholders in secondary underwritten public offerings. No Holder shall be entitled to participate in such underwritten offering unless such Holder completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting agreement. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 2.3, if the managing underwriter or underwriters of a proposed underwritten offering of the Registrable Securities included in a registration pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall advise the Company and the Sponsor Holders that have requested to participate in such registration that the number of securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without being likely to have a significant adverse effect on the price, timing or distribution of the securities offered or the market for the securities offered, then the number of shares of Registrable Securities that may be included in such registration shall be (i) first , 100% of the securities that the Company proposes to sell, and (ii) second , and only if all the securities referred to in clause (i) have been included, the number of Registrable Securities that, in the opinion of such managing underwriter or underwriters, can be sold without having such adverse effect in such registration, with such number to be allocated pro rata among such Holders (including any Sponsor Holder) that have requested to participate in such registration based on the relative number of Registrable Securities then held by each such Holder ( provided that any securities thereby allocated to a Holder that exceed such Holder’s request shall be reallocated among the remaining requesting Holders (in like manner) and (iii) third , and only if

 

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all of the Registrable Securities referred to in clause (ii) have been included in such registration, any other securities eligible for inclusion in such registration that, in the opinion of the managing underwriter or underwriters, can be sold without having such adverse effect in such registration. No securities excluded from the underwriting by reason of the managing underwriter’s or underwriters’ marketing limitation shall be included in such registration.

(c) Right to Terminate, Withdraw and/or Delay Registration . The Company shall have the right to terminate, withdraw and/or delay any registration initiated by it under this Section 2.3 prior to the effectiveness of such registration whether or not any Holder has elected to include securities in such registration and, thereupon, (i) in the case of a determination to terminate or withdraw any registration, the Company shall be relieved of its obligation to register any Registrable Securities under this Section 2.3 in connection with such registration (but not from its obligation to pay the Registration Expenses in connection therewith pursuant to Section 2.4), without prejudice, however, to the rights of the Sponsor Holders who had elected to participate in such registration to request that such registration be effected as a Demand Registration under Section 2.2, and (ii) in the case of a determination to delay registration, in the absence of a request by the Sponsor Holders who had elected to participate in such registration to request that such registration be effected as a Demand Registration under Section 2.2, the Company shall be permitted to delay registering any Registrable Securities under this Section 2.3, for the same period as the delay in registering the other equity securities covered by such registration.

Section 2.4 Expenses of Registration . All Registration Expenses shall be borne by the Company; provided , however , that the Company shall not be required to pay stock transfer taxes or underwriters’ discounts or selling commissions relating to Registrable Securities.

Section 2.5 Obligations of the Company . In connection with the Company’s registration obligations under this Article II and subject to the applicable terms and conditions set forth therein, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect such registration to permit the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof as expeditiously as reasonably practicable, and in connection therewith the Company shall:

(a) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement with respect to such Registrable Securities, including all exhibits and financial statements required under the Securities Act to be filed therewith, and before filing any such Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, (i) furnish to the underwriters, if any, and the participating Sponsor Holders and other Shelf Initiating Holders, if any, copies of all such documents prepared to be filed, which documents shall be subject to the review of such underwriters and such Sponsor Holders and their respective counsel and (ii) except in the case of a registration under Section 2.3, not file any Registration Statement or Prospectus or amendments or supplements thereto to which any such Holders or underwriters, if any, shall reasonably object;

 

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(b) subject to Section 2.1(b) in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable, and keep such Registration Statement effective for (i) the lesser of one hundred eighty (180) days or until the Holder or Holders of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have completed the distribution relating thereto or (ii) for such longer period as may be prescribed herein;

(c) prepare and file with the SEC such pre- and post-effective amendments to such Registration Statement, supplements to the Prospectus and such amendments or supplements to any Free Writing Prospectus as may be (x) reasonably requested by any participating Sponsor Holder or other Shelf Initiating Holder, (y) reasonably requested by any other participating Holder (to the extent such request relates to information relating to such Holder), or (z) necessary to keep such Registration effective for the period of time required by this Agreement, and comply with provisions of the applicable securities laws with respect to the sale or other disposition of all securities covered by such Registration Statement during such period in accordance with the intended method or methods of disposition by the sellers thereof set forth in such Registration Statement;

(d) permit any Holder that (in the good faith reasonable judgment of such Holder) might be deemed to be a controlling person of the Company (a “ Control Holder ”) to participate in good faith in the preparation of such Registration Statement and to cooperate in good faith to include therein material, furnished to the Company in writing, that in the reasonable judgment of such Holder and its counsel should be included;

(e) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus supplement, Free Writing Prospectus or post-effective amendment to the applicable Registration Statement such information as the managing underwriter or underwriters and any participating Sponsor Holder or any Shelf Initiating Holder agree should be included therein relating to the plan of distribution with respect to such Registrable Securities, and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement, Free Writing Prospectus or post-effective amendment as soon as reasonably practicable after being notified of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement, Free Writing Prospectus or post-effective amendment;

(f) furnish to the Holders of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement and each underwriter, if any, without charge, such numbers of copies of the Registration Statement and the related Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein and a preliminary prospectus, in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act (it being understood that the Company consents to the use of such Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto by such Holders and the underwriters, if any, in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities thereby), and such other documents as they may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of Registrable Securities

(g) in the event of any underwritten public offering, enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form (containing such representations and warranties by the Company and such other terms as are generally prevailing in agreements of that type), with the managing underwriter(s) of such offering. Each Holder participating in such underwriting shall also enter into and perform its obligations under such an agreement;

 

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(h) notify each Holder of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement and the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, and (if requested) confirm such advice in writing and provide copies of the relevant documents, as soon as reasonably practicable after notice thereof is received by the Company (i) when the applicable Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been filed or becomes effective, and when the applicable Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been filed, (ii) of any written comments by the SEC or any request by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to such Registration Statement, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information, (iii) of the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement or any order by the SEC or any other regulatory authority preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary or final Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for such purposes, (iv) if, at any time, the representations and warranties of the Company in any applicable underwriting agreement cease to be true and correct in all material respects, (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction and (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction;

(i) promptly notify each Holder of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement and the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, when the Company becomes aware of the happening of any event as a result of which the applicable Registration Statement, the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement (as then in effect) or any Free Writing Prospectus contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of such Prospectus, any preliminary Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, when any Free Writing Prospectus includes information that may conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such time period to amend or supplement such Registration Statement, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act and, in either case as promptly as reasonably practicable thereafter, prepare and file with the SEC, and furnish without charge to such Holders or the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, an amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus which shall correct such misstatement or omission or effect such compliance;

(j) use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary or final prospectus and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the withdrawal of any such order as soon as practicable;

(k) use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registrable Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable the seller or sellers thereof or the underwriter or underwriters, if any, to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities;

 

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(l) make available for inspection by each Holder including Registrable Securities in such registration, any underwriter participating in any distribution pursuant to such registration, and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by such Holder or underwriter, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company, as such parties may reasonably request, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Holder, underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with such Registration Statement;

(m) use its reasonable best efforts to register or qualify, and cooperate with the Holders of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement, the underwriters, if any, and their respective counsel, in connection with the registration or qualification of such Registrable Securities for offer and sale under the securities or “Blue Sky” or securities laws of each state and other jurisdiction of the United States as any such Holder or underwriters, if any, or their respective counsel reasonably request in writing, and do any and all other things reasonably necessary or advisable to keep such registration or qualification in effect for such period as required by Section 2.1(b); provided that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or take any action which would subject it to taxation service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;

(n) not later than the effective date of the applicable Registration Statement, provide a CUSIP number for all Registrable Securities and provide the applicable transfer agent with printed certificates for the Registrable Securities which are in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company;

(o) make such representations and warranties to the Holders including Registrable Securities in such registration and the underwriters or agents, if any, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers in secondary underwritten public offerings;

(p) enter into such customary agreements (including underwriting and indemnification agreements) and take all such other actions as any Sponsor Holder participating in such registration or the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, reasonably request in order to expedite or facilitate the registration and disposition of such Registrable Securities;

(q) obtain for delivery to the Holders of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement and to the underwriters, if any, an opinion or opinions from counsel for the Company, dated the effective date of the Registration Statement or, in the event of an underwritten offering, the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement, in customary form, scope and substance, which opinions shall be reasonably satisfactory to such Holders or underwriters, as the case may be, and their respective counsel;

 

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(r) in the case of an underwritten offering, obtain for delivery to the Company and the underwriters, with copies to the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration, a cold comfort letter from the Company’s independent certified public accountants in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by cold comfort letters as the managing underwriter or underwriters reasonably request, dated the date of execution of the underwriting agreement and brought down to the closing under the underwriting agreement;

(s) use its reasonable best efforts to list the Registrable Securities that are Transferable Shares covered by such Registration Statement with any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Transferable Shares are then listed;

(t) provide and cause to be maintained a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement from and after a date not later than the effective date of such Registration Statement;

(u) cooperate with Holders including Registrable Securities in such registration and the managing underwriters, if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold, such certificates to be in such denominations and registered in such names as such Holders or the managing underwriters may request at least two (2) Business Days prior to any sale of Registrable Securities;

(v) cooperate with each Holder of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement and each underwriter, if any, participating in the disposition of such Registrable Securities and their respective counsel in connection with any filings required to be made with the FINRA;

(w) use its reasonable best efforts to comply with all applicable securities laws and make available to its Holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;

(x) make available upon reasonable notice at reasonable times and for reasonable periods for inspection by any Sponsor Holder or Control Holder or Shelf Initiating Holder participating in such registration, by any underwriter participating in any disposition to be effected pursuant to such Registration Statement and by any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by such Sponsor Holder(s) or Control Holder(s) or Shelf Initiating Holder(s) or any such underwriter, all pertinent financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company, and cause all of the Company’s officers, directors and employees and the independent public accountants who have certified its financial statements to make themselves available to discuss the business of the Company and to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Person in connection with such Registration Statement as shall be necessary to enable them to exercise their due diligence responsibility; provided that any such Person gaining access to information regarding the Company pursuant to this Section 2.5(x) shall agree to hold in strict confidence and shall not make any disclosure or use any information regarding the Company that the Company determines in good faith to be confidential, and of which determination such Person is notified, unless (w) the release of such information is requested or required by law or by deposition, interrogatory, requests for information or documents by a governmental entity, subpoena or similar process, (x) such information is or

 

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becomes publicly known other than through a breach of this or any other agreement of which such Person has actual knowledge, (y) such information is or becomes available to such Person on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Company or (z) such information is independently developed by such Person; and

(y) in the case of an underwritten offering, cause the senior executive officers of the Company to participate in the customary “road show” presentations that may be reasonably requested by the underwriters and otherwise to facilitate, cooperate with and participate in each proposed offering contemplated herein and customary selling efforts related thereto.

Section 2.6 Indemnification .

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Holder of Registrable Securities, each of such Holder’s respective direct or indirect partners, members or shareholders and each of such partner’s, member’s or shareholder’s partners, members or shareholders and, with respect to all of the foregoing Persons, each of their respective Affiliates, officers, directors, employees, trustees or agents and each Person, if any, who controls such Persons within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, with respect to any registration, qualification, compliance or sale effected pursuant to this Article II, and each underwriter, if any, and each Person who controls any underwriter, of the Registrable Securities held by or issuable to such Holder (collectively, the “ Company Indemnifiable Persons ”), against all claims, losses, damages and liabilities (or actions in respect thereto) to which they may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state law arising out of or based on (i) any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any Prospectus, offering circular, Free Writing Prospectus or other similar document (including any related Registration Statement, notification, or the like) incident to any such registration, qualification, compliance or sale effected pursuant to this Article II, or based on any omission (or alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances in which they were made, (ii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of any federal, state or common law rule or regulation applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with any such registration, qualification, compliance or sale, (iii) any failure to register or qualify Registrable Securities in any state where the Company or its agents have affirmatively undertaken or agreed in writing (including pursuant to Section 2.5(m)) that the Company (the undertaking of any underwriter being attributed to the Company) will undertake such registration or qualification on behalf of the Holders of such Registrable Securities ( provided that in such instance the Company shall not be so liable if it has undertaken its reasonable best efforts to so register or qualify such Registrable Securities) or (iv) any actions or inactions or proceedings in respect of the foregoing whether or not any such Company Indemnifiable Person is a party thereto, and the Company will reimburse, as incurred, each such Company Indemnifiable Person for any legal and any other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such claim, loss, damage, liability or action; provided that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such claim, loss, damage, liability or expense arises out of or is based on any untrue statement or omission made in reliance and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Holder or underwriter expressly for use therein. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Company Indemnifiable Person.

 

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(b) Each Holder (if Registrable Securities held by or issuable to such Holder are included in such registration, qualification, compliance or sale pursuant to this Article II) agrees (severally and not jointly) to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company, each of its officers, directors, employees, shareholders, affiliates and agents and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, each underwriter, if any, and each Person who controls any underwriter, of the Company’s securities covered by such a Registration Statement, and each other Holder, each of such other Holder’s respective direct or indirect partners, members or shareholders and each of such partner’s, member’s or shareholder’s partners, members or shareholders and, with respect to all of the foregoing Persons, each of their respective Affiliates, officers, directors, employees, trustees or agents and each Person, if any, who controls such Persons within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively, the “ Holder Indemnifiable Persons ”), against all claims, losses, damages and liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arising out of or based on any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any Prospectus, offering circular, Free Writing Prospectus or other similar document (including any related Registration Statement, notification, or the like) incident to any such registration, qualification, compliance or sale effected pursuant to this Article II, or based on any omission (or alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances in which they were made, and will reimburse, as incurred, each such Holder Indemnifiable Persons for any legal or any other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such claim, loss, damage, liability or action, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) or omission (or alleged omission) was made in such Registration Statement, Prospectus, offering circular, Free Writing Prospectus or other document, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein that was not corrected in a subsequent writing prior to or concurrently with the sale of the Registrable Securities to the Person asserting the claim; provided , however , that the aggregate liability of each Holder hereunder shall be limited to the gross proceeds after underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.

(c) Each Company Indemnifiable Person and Holder Indemnifiable Person entitled to indemnification under this Section 2.6 (the “ Indemnified Party ”) shall give written notice to the party required to provide such indemnification (the “ Indemnifying Party ”) of any claim as to which indemnification may be sought promptly after such Indemnified Party has actual knowledge thereof and shall permit the Indemnifying Party to assume the defense of any such claim or any litigation resulting therefrom with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party; provided that the Indemnified Party may participate in such defense at the Indemnifying Party’s expense if (i) the Indemnified Party has reasonably concluded (based upon advice of its counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other Indemnified Parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Party or (ii) in the reasonable judgment of the Indemnified Party (based upon the advice of its counsel) a conflict of

 

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interest may exist between the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party with respect to such claim or any litigation resulting therefrom (in which case, if the Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that the Indemnified Party elects to employ separate counsel at the Indemnifying Party’s expense, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense of such claim or any litigation resulting therefrom on behalf of the Indemnified Party); and provided further that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations under this Article II, except to the extent that such failure to give notice materially prejudices the Indemnifying Party in the defense of any such claim or any such litigation. An Indemnifying Party, in the defense of any such claim or litigation, may, without the consent of each Indemnified Party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement that (i) includes as a term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff therein to such Indemnified Party of an unconditional release from all liability with respect to such claim or litigation and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of such Indemnified Party, and provided that any sums payable in connection with such settlement are paid in full by the Indemnifying Party. If such defense is not assumed by the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party will not be subject to any liability for any settlement made without its prior written consent, but such consent may not be unreasonably withheld. It is understood that the Indemnifying Party or Parties shall not, except as specifically set forth in this Section 2.6(c), in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees, disbursements or other charges of more than one (1) separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one (1) time unless (x) the employment of more than one (1) counsel has been authorized in writing by the Indemnifying Party or Parties, (y) an Indemnified Party has reasonably concluded (based upon advice of its counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the other Indemnified Parties, or (z) a conflict or potential conflict exists or may exist (based upon advice of counsel to an Indemnified Party) between such Indemnified Party and the other Indemnified Parties, in each of which cases the Indemnifying Party shall be obligated to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such additional counsel or counsels.

(d) If for any reason the indemnification provided for in Section 2.6(a) or Section 2.6(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient in respect of any claims, losses, damages and liabilities referred to therein, then the Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Indemnified Party as a result of such claims, losses, damages and liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party, on the one hand, and the Indemnified Party or Parties, on the other hand, in connection with the acts, statements or omissions that resulted in such claims, losses, damages and liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. In connection with any Registration Statement filed with the SEC by the Company, the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party, on the one hand, and the Indemnified Party, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Indemnifying Party or by the Indemnified Party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 2.6(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 2.6(d). No Person guilty

 

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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. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Party as a result of the claims, losses, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 2.6(a) and Section 2.6(b) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 2.6(d), in connection with any Registration Statement filed by the Company, any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the dollar amount of the gross proceeds (less underwriting discounts and commissions) received by such Holder under the sale of Registrable Securities giving rise to such contribution obligation less any amount paid by such Holders pursuant to Section 2.6(b). If indemnification is available under this Section 2.6, the Indemnifying Parties shall indemnify each Indemnified Party to the full extent provided in Section 2.6(a) and Section 2.6(b) without regard to the provisions of this Section 2.6(d).

(e) The indemnities provided in this Section 2.6 (i) shall survive the transfer of any Registrable Securities by such Holder and (ii) are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may be available to any Indemnified Party at law or in equity or pursuant to any other agreement.

Section 2.7 Information by Holder . Each Holder of Registrable Securities included in any registration shall furnish to the Company such information regarding such Holder and the distribution proposed by such Holder as the Company may reasonably request and as shall be required in connection with any registration, qualification or compliance referred to in this Article II.

Section 2.8 Transfer of Registration Rights ; Additional Management Holders; General Transfer Restrictions on Exercise of Rights .

(a) The rights contained in Section 2.1, Section 2.2 or Section 2.3 hereof to cause the Company to register the Registrable Securities may be transferred or otherwise conveyed by (i) a Sponsor Holder or Shah Holder pursuant to a transfer permitted under Article IV of the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, (ii) a Management Holder or Warrant Holder pursuant to a transfer permitted under Article III of the Investors Shareholders Agreement or (iii) a Patel Holder pursuant to a transfer permitted under the Patel Side Letter; provided that such transferee shall only be admitted as a party hereunder upon its, his or her signing and delivery of a Joinder Agreement and the acceptance thereof by the Company, whereupon such Person will be treated as a Holder for all purposes of this Agreement, with the same rights, benefits and obligations hereunder as the transferring Holder with respect to the transferred Registrable Securities (except that if the transferee was a Holder prior to such transfer, such transferee shall have the same rights, benefits and obligations with respect to such transferred Registrable Securities as were applicable to Registrable Securities held by such transferee prior to such transfer).

 

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(b) The rights of a Management Holder hereunder may be conferred upon an employee of the Company or Subsidiary of the Company or other person who receives Registrable Securities from the Company; provided that such person shall only be admitted as a party hereunder (i) with the prior written consent of the Sponsor Holders and (ii) upon his or her signing and delivery of a Joinder Agreement and the acceptance thereof by the Company, whereupon such person will be treated as a Management Holder for all purposes of this Agreement, with the same rights, benefits and obligations hereunder as the other Management Holders.

(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, (i) each of the Sponsor Holders and Shah Holders acknowledges and agrees that any exercise of the rights contained in Section 2.1, Section 2.2 or Section 2.3 hereof are subject to (x) the governance provisions set forth in Article II of the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement and (y) the transfer restrictions set forth in Article III of the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement in all respects, (ii) each of the Management Holders acknowledges and agrees that any exercise of the rights contained in Section 2.1, Section 2.2 or Section 2.3 hereof are subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in Article III of the Investors Shareholders Agreement in all respects, and (iii) each of the Patel Holders acknowledges and agrees that any exercise of the rights contained in Section 2.1, Section 2.2 or Section 2.3 hereof are subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in Patel Side Letter in all respects.

(d) The Warrant Holders shall not be added as parties to and be bound by and receive the benefits and be subject to the obligations provided by this Agreement as a Warrant Holder unless and until the signing and delivery of a Joinder Agreement by such Warrant Holder in such capacity and the acceptance thereof by the Company. To the extent permitted by Section 3.11, amendments may be effected to this Agreement reflecting such rights and obligations of such Warrant Holders as the Company and the Sponsor Holders and such Warrant Holder may agree.

Section 2.9 Delay of Registration . No Holder shall have any right to obtain, and hereby waives any right to seek, an injunction restraining or otherwise delaying any registration as the result of any controversy that might arise with respect to the interpretation or implementation of this Article II.

Section 2.10 Limitations on Subsequent Registration Rights . From and after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Sponsor Holders, enter into any agreement with respect to its Securities that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders by this Agreement, including by allowing any holder or prospective holder of any Securities of the Company (a) to include any Securities in any registration filed under Section 2.1, Section 2.2 or Section 2.3 hereof, unless, in each case, under the terms of such agreement, such holder or prospective holder may include such Securities in any such registration only to the extent that the inclusion of such Securities will not diminish the amount of Registrable Securities that are included in such registration or (b) to require the Company to effect a registration pursuant to demand registration rights.

Section 2.11 Reporting . The Company covenants that it will file the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations adopted by the SEC thereunder (or, if the Company is not required to file such reports, it will, upon the reasonable request of the Sponsor Holders, make publicly available such

 

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necessary information for so long as necessary to permit sales pursuant to Rules 144, 144A or Regulation S under the Securities Act), and it will take such further action as any Sponsor Holder or Warrant Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable the Holders, following the Initial Public Offering, to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by (i) Rules 144, 144A or Regulation S under the Securities Act, as such Rules may be amended from time to time, or (ii) any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC. Upon the reasonable request of a Holder, the Company will deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements and, if not, the specifics thereof.

Section 2.12 Black-Out Periods . In the event of an Underwritten Shelf Take-Down or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down pursuant to Section 2.1(d) or an underwritten offering of Shares pursuant to Section 2.2 or Section 2.3, the Company and each of the (x) Warrant Holders, in the case of an Initial Public Offering, (y) Warrant Holders that, together with its Affiliates, owns more than 5% of the outstanding Registrable Securities, in the case of any such underwritten offering other than an Initial Public Offering and (z) other Holders agrees, if requested by the managing underwriter or underwriters in such underwritten offering (or if requested by (A) the Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders in the case of an Underwritten Shelf Take-Down or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down pursuant to Section 2.1(d) or (B) the Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders in the case of an underwritten Demand Registration pursuant Section 2.2), not to (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any Securities (including Securities that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and Securities that may be issued upon exercise of any Options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Securities, (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Securities or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Securities or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case, during the period beginning 7 days before, and ending (x) one hundred eighty (180) days in the event of an Initial Public Offering or (y) ninety (90) days in the event of any other underwritten offering (or, in each case, (A) in the event of an Underwritten Shelf Take-Down or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down pursuant to Section 2.1(d) or an underwritten Demand Registration pursuant Section 2.2, such lesser period as may be agreed by the Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders or the Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders or, if applicable, the managing underwriter or underwriters, or (B) in event of any other underwritten offering, such other period as may be reasonably requested by the Company or the managing underwriter or underwriters to accommodate regulatory restrictions on (i) the publication or other distribution of research reports and (ii) analyst recommendations and opinions, including, but not limited to, the restrictions contained in the FINRA rules or any successor provisions or amendments thereto) after, the date of the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with such underwritten offering, to the extent timely notified in writing by the Company, the Shelf Take-Down Initiating Sponsor Holders, the Demand Initiating Sponsor Holders or the managing underwriter or underwriters, as the case may be; provided that no Holder shall be

 

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subject to any such black-out period of longer duration than that applicable to any Sponsor Holder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, during the periods described above the Company may effect a Special Registration (as defined below). The Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to obtain from each holder of restricted securities of the Company which securities are the same as or similar to the Registrable Securities being registered, or any restricted securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any of such securities, an agreement not to effect any public sale or distribution of such securities during any such period referred to in this Section 2.12, except as part of any such registration, if permitted. Without limiting the foregoing (but subject to Section 2.10), if after the date hereof the Company grants any Person (other than a Holder) any rights to demand or participate in a registration, the Company agrees that the agreement with respect thereto shall include such Person’s agreement to comply with any black-out period required by this Section 2.12 as if it were a Holder hereunder. If requested by the managing underwriter or underwriters of any such underwritten offering, the Company and each Holder shall execute a customary agreement reflecting its agreement set forth in this Section 2.12. The Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to the Securities subject to the foregoing restriction until the end of the period referenced above.

Section 2.13 Clear Market . With respect to any underwritten offerings of Registrable Securities of the Sponsor Holders (each a “ Sponsor Underwritten Offering ”), the Company agrees not to effect (other than pursuant to the registration applicable to such Sponsor Underwritten Offering, pursuant to a Special Registration or pursuant to the exercise by any other Sponsor Holder of any of its rights under Section 2.1 or Section 2.2) any public sale or distribution, or to file any Registration Statement (other than pursuant to the Registration applicable to such Sponsor Underwritten Offering, pursuant to a Special Registration or pursuant to the exercise by any other Sponsor Holder of any of its rights under Section 2.1 or Section 2.2) covering any of its Securities or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for such Securities, during the period not to exceed ten (10) days prior and (i) one hundred eighty (180) days after such Sponsor Underwritten Offering in the event such offering is an Initial Public Offering or (y) ninety (90) days after any other Sponsor Underwritten Offering. For purposes of this Section 2.13, “ Special Registration ” means the registration of (A) Securities or other rights in respect thereof solely registered on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (or any successor form) or (B) Securities or other rights in respect thereof to be offered to directors, employees, consultants, customers, lenders or vendors of the Company or its Subsidiaries or in connection with dividend reinvestment plans.

Section 2.14 Discontinuance of Distributions and Use of Prospectus  & Free Writing Prospectus . Each Holder of Registrable Securities included in any Registration Statement agrees that, upon delivery of any notice by the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 2.5(h)(iii), (iv), or (v) or Section 2.5(i), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement until (a) such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus contemplated by Section 2.5(i), (b) such Holder is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, may be resumed, (c) such Holder is advised in writing by the Company of the termination, expiration or cessation of such order or suspension referenced in Section 2.5(h)(iii) or (v) or (d) such Holder is advised in writing by the Company that the representations and warranties of the Company in such applicable underwriting agreement are true and correct in all

 

30


material respects. If so directed by the Company, such Holder shall deliver to the Company (at the Company’s expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at the time of delivery of such notice. In the event the Company shall give any such notice, the period during which the applicable Registration Statement is required to be maintained effective shall be extended by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when each seller of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement either receives the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus contemplated by Section 2.5(i) or is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus may be resumed.

ARTICLE III

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 3.1 Term . This Agreement shall terminate (a) with respect to all Holders, with the prior written consent of both the Sponsor Holders and, solely in the event of a Non-Qualifying Change of Control, the Warrant Holders, in connection with the consummation of a Change of Control or (b) with respect to any Holder, at such time as such Holder, together with its Affiliates, does not beneficially own any Registrable Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of Section 2.6, Section 2.11 and all of this Article III shall survive any such termination.

Section 3.2 Registering Entity . Immediately prior to the consummation of an Initial Public Offering or a Non-Qualifying Change of Control, if the Registering Entity or other successor entity (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the acquirer of the Company in connection with such Non-Qualifying Change of Control) is not the Company, the Company shall take such actions as may reasonably be necessary to cause the Registering Entity or such other successor entity to become a party hereto, with the rights, benefits and obligations of the Company hereunder; provided that the Registering Entity and each Holder shall, to the extent appropriate, as determined by the Sponsor Holders, execute a registration rights agreement with terms that are substantially equivalent (to the extent practicable) to, mutatis mutandis , the terms of this Agreement.

Section 3.3 Further Assurances . From time to time, at the reasonable request of any other party hereto and without further consideration, each party hereto shall execute and deliver such additional documents and take all such further action as may be necessary or appropriate to consummate and make effective, in the most expeditious manner practicable, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Section 3.4 Confidentiality . The terms of this Agreement and any information relating to any exercise of rights hereunder shall be confidential and no party to this Agreement shall disclose to any Person not a party to this Agreement any of the terms of this Agreement, except (a) in the case of each of the Sponsor Holders or Warrant Holders, to such Holder’s partners, members, advisors, employees, agents, accountants, trustee, attorneys, Affiliates and investment vehicles managed or advised by such Holder or the partners, members, advisors,

 

31


employees, agents, accountants, trustee or attorneys of such Affiliates or managed or advised investment vehicles, in each case so long as such Persons agree to keep such information confidential, (b) to such party’s advisors and (c) as may be required by applicable law (including under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act), this Agreement, exchange listing requirements, in connection with any litigation among the parties hereto or to negotiate and effect a transfer permitted under the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, the Investors Shareholders Agreement or the Patel Side Letter.

Section 3.5 Entire Agreement . This Agreement (together with the exhibits hereto, the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, the Investors Shareholders Agreement and the Patel Side Letter) constitutes the entire understanding and agreement between the parties and supersedes and replaces any prior understanding, agreement or statement of intent, in each case, written or oral, of any and every nature with respect thereto. In the event of any inconsistency between this Agreement and any document executed or delivered to effect the purposes of this Agreement, including the bylaws (or equivalent organizational and governing documents) of any company, this Agreement shall govern as among the parties hereto.

Section 3.6 Specific Performance . Subject to Section 2.9, the parties hereto agree that the obligations imposed on them in this Agreement are special, unique and of an extraordinary character, and that, in the event of breach by any party, damages would not be an adequate remedy and each of the other parties shall be entitled to specific performance and injunctive and other equitable relief in addition to any other remedy to which it may be entitled, at law or in equity. The parties hereto further agree to waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with the obtaining of any such injunctive or other equitable relief.

Section 3.7 Governing Law . This Agreement and all claims or causes of action (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including any claim or cause of action based upon, arising out of or related to any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws.

Section 3.8 Submissions to Jurisdictions; WAIVERS OF JURY TRIALS .

(a) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably acknowledges and consents that any legal action or proceeding brought with respect to this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement may only be brought in the courts of the State of Delaware or in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (collectively, the “ Chosen Courts ”), and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submits to and accepts with regard to any such action or proceeding, for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, the exclusive jurisdiction of the Chosen Courts, as applicable. Each party hereby further irrevocably waives any claim that any Chosen Court lacks jurisdiction over such party, and agrees not to plead or claim, in any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby brought in the Chosen Courts, that any such court lacks jurisdiction over such party.

 

32


(b) Each party irrevocably consents to the service of process in any legal action or proceeding brought with respect to this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to such party, at its address for notices as provided in Section 3.14 of this Agreement, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing. Each party hereby irrevocably waives any objection to such service of process and further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any action or proceeding commenced hereunder or under any other documents contemplated hereby, that service of process was in any way invalid or ineffective. Subject to Section 3.8(c), the foregoing shall not limit the rights of any party to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable law. The foregoing consents to jurisdiction shall not constitute general consents to service of process in the State of Delaware for any purpose except as provided above and shall not be deemed to confer rights on any Person other than the respective parties to this Agreement.

(c) Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right it may have under the laws of any jurisdiction to commence by publication any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement or any of the obligations under or relating to this Agreement. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives the objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any suit, action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement in any of the Chosen Courts, and hereby further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim that any such Chosen Court is not a convenient forum for any such suit, action or proceeding, as applicable.

(d) The parties hereto agree that any judgment obtained by any party hereto or its successors or assigns in any action, suit or proceeding referred to above may, in the discretion of such party (or its successors or assigns), be enforced in any jurisdiction, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

(e) EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. EACH OF THE PARTIES (I) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (II) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 3.8(E).

Section 3.9 Obligations . All obligations hereunder shall be satisfied in full without set-off, defense or counterclaim.

 

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Section 3.10 Consents, Approvals and Actions .

(a) Subject to the terms of the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, if any consent, approval or action of the Sponsor Holders is required at any time pursuant to this Agreement (including with respect to any amendments pursuant to Section 3.11), such consent, approval or action shall be deemed given if the holders of a majority of the outstanding Registrable Securities held by the Sponsor Holders, taken together, at such time provide such consent, approval or action in writing at such time, in each case so long as all Sponsor Holders are treated equally with respect to any such consent, approval or action.

(b) If any consent, approval or action of the SLP Holders is required at any time pursuant to this Agreement (including with respect to any amendments pursuant to Section 3.11), such consent, approval or action shall be deemed given if the holders of a majority of the outstanding Registrable Securities held by the SLP Holders, taken together, at such time provide such consent, approval or action in writing at such time.

(c) If any consent, approval or action of the SLS Holders is required at any time pursuant to this Agreement (including with respect to any amendments pursuant to Section 3.11), such consent, approval or action shall be deemed given if the holders of a majority of the outstanding Registrable Securities held by the SLS Holders, taken together, at such time provide such consent, approval or action in writing at such time.

(d) If any consent, approval or action of the Shah Holders is required at any time pursuant to this Agreement (including with respect to any amendments pursuant to Section 3.11), such consent, approval or action shall be deemed given if the holders of a majority of the outstanding Registrable Securities held by the Shah Holders, taken together, at such time provide such consent, approval or action in writing at such time.

(e) If any consent, approval or action of the Management Holders is required at any time pursuant to this Agreement (including with respect to any amendments pursuant to Section 3.11), such consent, approval or action shall be deemed given if the holders of a majority of the outstanding Registrable Securities held by the Management Holders, taken together, at such time provide such consent, approval or action in writing at such time.

(f) If any consent, approval or action of the Warrant Holders is required at any time pursuant to this Agreement (including with respect to any amendments pursuant to Section 3.11, but excluding the exercise of any registration rights, Shelf Take-Downs, or any other rights granted to Warrant Holders hereunder, which may be exercised by any Warrant Holders subject to the limitations set forth herein), such consent, approval or action shall be deemed given if the holders of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the outstanding Registrable Securities held by the Warrant Holders, taken together, at such time provide such consent, approval or action in writing at such time.

(g) If any consent, approval or action of the Patel Holders is required at any time pursuant to this Agreement (including with respect to any amendments pursuant to Section 3.11), such consent, approval or action shall be deemed given if the holders of a majority of the outstanding Registrable Securities held by the Patel Holders, taken together, at such time provide such consent, approval or action in writing at such time.

 

34


Section 3.11 Amendment and Waiver .

(a) Any amendment to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall require the written consent of (i) the Company, (ii) the Sponsor Holders and (iii) if the amendment, by its terms, would be materially and disproportionally adverse to the Shah Holders, Management Holders, Warrant Holders or Patel Holders as compared to the Sponsor Holders, the Shah Holders, Management Holders, Warrant Holders or Patel Holders, as applicable. The immediately foregoing clause (iii) shall not apply with respect to (1) amendments contemplated by Section 3.2, (2) amendments that do not apply to Management Holders or to Warrant Holders or (3) amendments to reflect the addition of a new third-party holding Registrable Securities (other than (x) a designated transferee of Registrable Securities as a party hereto pursuant to Section 2.8(a) or (y) an additional Management Holder as a party hereto pursuant to Section 2.8(b)).

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any addition of (i) a designated transferee of Registrable Securities as a party hereto pursuant to Section 2.8(a) or (ii) an additional Management Holder as a party hereto pursuant to Section 2.8(b) in each case shall not constitute an amendment hereto and the applicable Joinder Agreement need be signed only by the Company and such transferee, recipient or additional Management Holder.

(c) Any failure by any party at any time to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be construed a waiver of such provision or any other provisions hereof.

Section 3.12 Binding Effect . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the provisions hereof shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the parties’ successors and permitted assigns.

Section 3.13 Third Party Beneficiaries . Except for Section 2.6 and Section 3.15 (which will be for the benefit of the Persons set forth therein, and any such Person will have the rights provided for therein), this Agreement does not create any rights, claims or benefits inuring to any Person that is not a party hereto, and it does not create or establish any third party beneficiary hereto.

Section 3.14 Notices . Any and all notices, designations, offers, acceptances or other communications provided for herein shall be deemed to be sufficient if contained in a written instrument delivered in person or sent by facsimile, e-mail, nationally-recognized overnight courier or first class registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, which shall be addressed, (a) in the case of the Company, to its principal office, (b) in the case of any Management Holder, to the address, e-mail address or telecopy number of such Management Holder set forth in the Company’s books and records or, if applicable, the Joinder Agreement of such Management Holder, (c) in the case of any Warrant Holder, to the address, e-mail address or telecopy number of such Warrant Holder set forth in the applicable Joinder Agreement of such Warrant Holder or (d) in the case of any other party hereto, to the following respective addresses, e-mail addresses or telecopy numbers:

 

35


If to any SLP Holder or SLS Holder, to:

c/o Silver Lake Partners

c/o Silver Lake Sumeru

2775 Sand Hill Road, Suite 100

Menlo Park, CA 94025

Fax No.: (650) 233-8125

Attention: Karen King

karen.king@silverlake.com

and

c/o Silver Lake Partners

c/o Silver Lake Sumeru

9 West 57th Street, 32nd Floor

New York, New York 10019

Fax: (212) 981-3535

Attention: Andrew Schader

Email: andy.schader@silverlake.com

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

2550 Hanover Street

Palo Alto, CA 94304

Fax No.: (650) 251-5002

Attention: Chad Skinner

Email: cskinner@stblaw.com

If to any Shah Holder, to:

27241 Altamont Road

Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

Fax No.: 650-947-8147

Attention: Ajay B. Shah

Email: ajay.shah@SilverLake.com

If to any Patel Holder, to:

8624 White Oak Court

Pleasanton, CA 94588

Fax No.: 925-249-0731

Attention: Mukesh A. Patel

Email:mukesh@invaticapital.com

Any and all notices, designations, offers, acceptances or other communications shall be conclusively deemed to have been given, delivered or received (i) in the case of personal delivery, on the day of actual delivery thereof, (ii) in the case of facsimile or e-mail, on the day of transmittal thereof if given during the normal business hours of the recipient, and on the

 

36


Business Day during which such normal business hours next occur if not given during such hours on any day, (iii) in the case of dispatch by nationally-recognized overnight courier, on the next Business Day following the disposition with such nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iv) in the case of mailing, on the third (3 rd ) Business Day after the posting thereof. By notice complying with the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.14, each party shall have the right to change its mailing address, e-mail address or telecopy number for the notices and communications to such party.

Section 3.15 No Third Party Liability . This Agreement may only be enforced against the named parties hereto. All claims or causes of action (whether in contract or tort) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement, or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement or as an inducement to enter into this Agreement), may be made only against the entities that are expressly identified as parties hereto; and no past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, partner, stockholder, Affiliate, portfolio company in which any such party or any of its investment fund Affiliates have made a debt or equity investment (and vice versa), agent, attorney or representative of any party hereto (including any Person negotiating or executing this Agreement on behalf of a party hereto), unless party to this Agreement, shall have any liability or obligation with respect to this Agreement or with respect any claim or cause of action (whether in contract or tort) that may arise out of or relate to this Agreement, or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including a representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement or as an inducement to enter into this Agreement).

Section 3.16 No Partnership . Nothing in this Agreement and no actions taken by the parties under this Agreement shall constitute a partnership, association or other co-operative entity between any of the parties or constitute any party the agent of any other party for any purpose.

Section 3.17 Aggregation . All Registrable Securities held or acquired by any (a) SLP Holder and its controlled Affiliates, (b) SLS Holder and its controlled Affiliates, (c) Shah Holder and its controlled Affiliates, (d) Management Holder and its controlled Affiliates, (e) Warrant Holder and its controlled Affiliates or (f) Patel Holder and its controlled Affiliates shall be aggregated together for the purpose of determining the availability of any rights under and application of any limitations under this Agreement, and each such Holder and its controlled Affiliates may apportion such rights as among themselves in any manner they deem appropriate.

Section 3.18 Severability . If any portion of this Agreement shall be declared void or unenforceable by any court or administrative body of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed severable from the remainder of this Agreement, which shall continue in all respects valid and enforceable.

Section 3.19 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts (which delivery may be by electronic transmission), each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute a single instrument.

[ The remainder of this page intentionally left blank. ]

 

37


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has executed this Registration Rights Agreement or caused this Registration Rights Agreement to be signed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as a deed as of the date first written above.

 

COMPANY :

   

SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.

   
      In the presence of:
By:  

/s/ Iain MacKenzie

   

/s/ Bruce Goldberg

Name:   Iain MacKenzie     Signature of Witness
Title:   President & CEO     Name of Witness: Bruce Goldberg

[ Signature Pages Follow ]

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


SLP INVESTOR:    
SILVER LAKE PARTNERS III CAYMAN    
(AIV III), L.P.    
By:   Silver Lake Technology Associates III    
  Cayman, L.P., its General Partner    
By:   Silver Lake (Offshore) AIV GP III, Ltd.,    
  its General Partner    
      In the presence of:
By:  

/s/ James A. Davidson

   

/s/ Janet Roselli Beyinez

  Name: James A. Davidson     Signature of Witness
  Title: Director     Name of Witness: Janet Roselli Beyinez
SLP CO-INVESTOR:    
SILVER LAKE TECHNOLOGY INVESTORS    
III CAYMAN, L.P.    
By:   Silver Lake Technology Associates III    
  Cayman, L.P., its General Partner    
By:   Silver Lake (Offshore) AIV GP III, Ltd.,    
  its General Partner    
      In the presence of:
By:  

/s/ James A. Davidson

   

/s/ Janet Roselli Beyinez

  Name: James A. Davidson     Signature of Witness
  Title: Director     Name of Witness: Janet Roselli Beyinez

[ Signature Pages Follow ]

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


SLS INVESTOR:    
SILVER LAKE SUMERU FUND CAYMAN, L.P.    
By:   Silver Lake Technology Associates Sumeru    
  Cayman, L.P., its General Partner    
By:   SLTA Sumeru (GP) Cayman, L.P., its    
  General Partner    
By:   Silver Lake Sumeru (Offshore) AIV GP,    
  Ltd., its General Partner    
      In the presence of:
By:  

/s/ Paul Mercadante

   

/s/ Cynthia Reyes-Orosco

  Name: Paul Mercadante     Signature of Witness
  Title: Director     Name of Witness: Cynthia Reyes-Orosco
SLS CO-INVESTOR:    
SILVER LAKE TECHNOLOGY INVESTORS    
SUMERU CAYMAN, L.P.    
By:   Silver Lake Technology Associates Sumeru    
  Cayman, L.P., its General Partner    
By:   SLTA Sumeru (GP) Cayman, L.P., its    
  General Partner    
By:   Silver Lake Sumeru (Offshore) AIV GP,    
  Ltd., its General Partner    
      In the presence of:
By:  

/s/ Paul Mercadante

   

/s/ Cynthia Reyes-Orosco

  Name: Paul Mercadante     Signature of Witness
  Title: Director     Name of Witness: Cynthia Reyes-Orosco

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER (J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.’s affiliate and designee):

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

 

In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Christopher Cestaro

   

/s/ Eric Ramnauth

  Name: Christopher Cestaro     Signature of Witness
  Title: Authorized Signatory     Name of Witness: Eric Ramnauth

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER :    
Napier Park Select Master Fund L.P.    
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Ram Putcha

   

/s/ Rebecca Song

  Name: Ram Putcha     Signature of Witness
  Title: Managing Director     Name of Witness: Rebecca Song

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER:

   

AllianceBernstein Global High Income Fund, Inc.

   

In the presence of:

   

By:

 

/s/ Jacqueline August

   

/s/ Tyena Iglesias

 

Name: Jacqueline August

   

Signature of Witness

 

Title: Assistant Vice President

   

Name of Witness: Tyena Iglesias

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER:    
AB Collective Investment Trust Series—AB US High Yield Collective Trust
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Jacqueline August

   

/s/ Tyena Iglesias

  Name: Jacqueline August     Signature of Witness
  Title: Assistant Vice President     Name of Witness: Tyena Iglesias

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER:    
AB High Income Fund, Inc.    
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Jacqueline August

   

/s/ Tyena Iglesias

  Name: Jacqueline August     Signature of Witness
  Title: Assistant Vice President     Name of Witness: Tyena Iglesias

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER :

AB Bond Fund, Inc.—AB High Yield Portfolio

 

In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Jacqueline August

   

/s/ Tyena Iglesias

  Name: Jacqueline August     Signature of Witness
  Title: Assistant Vice President     Name of Witness: Tyena Iglesias

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER:

Banco do Brasil, S.A., acting through its New York Branch

 

By:  

/s/ Joao Fruet

  Name: Joao Fruet
  Title: General Manager
By:  

/s/ Reinaldo Lima

  Name: Reinaldo Lima
  Title: General Manager
In the presence of:
By:  

/s/ Jakov Grbic

Signature of Witness
Name of Witness: Jakov Grbic

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER:

 

Barclays Bank PLC    
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Alexander Stromberg

   

/s/ Jason T. Short

  Name: Alexander Stromberg     Signature of Witness
  Title: Managing Director     Name of Witness: Jason T. Short

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER:

BlueMountain CLO 2011-1 Ltd

BY: BLUEMOUNTAIN CAPITAL

MANAGEMENT, LLC,

Its Collateral Manager

 

In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Meghan Fornshell

   

 

  Name: Meghan Fornshell     Signature of Witness
  Title: Operations Analyst     Name of Witness:
By:      
  Name:    
  Title:    

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER:

BlueMountain CLO II, LTD

BY: BLUEMOUNTAIN CAPITAL

MANAGEMENT, LLC,

Its Collateral Manager

 

In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Meghan Fornshell

   

 

  Name: Meghan Fornshell     Signature of Witness
  Title: Operations Analyst     Name of Witness:
By:      
  Name:    
  Title:    

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER:

BlueMountain CLO III, LTD

BY: BLUEMOUNTAIN CAPITAL

MANAGEMENT, LLC,

Its Collateral Manager

 

In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Meghan Fornshell

   

 

  Name: Meghan Fornshell     Signature of Witness
  Title: Operations Analyst     Name of Witness:
By:      
  Name:    
  Title:    

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER:

CPPIB Credit Investments III Inc.

 

In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ John Graham

   

/s/ Vincent Hui

  Name: John Graham     Signature of Witness
  Title: Authorized Signatory     Name of Witness: Vincent Hui

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER:

Oaktree Value Opportunities Fund Holdings, L.P.

By:   Oaktree Value Opportunities Fund GP, L.P.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Value Opportunities Fund GP Ltd.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Director
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name:   Robert O’Leary
Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name:   Brook Hinchman
Title:   Senior Vice President
Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIII Delaware, L.P.
By:   Oaktree Fund GP, LLC
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Fund GP I, L.P.
Its:   Managing Member
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name:   Robert O’Leary
Title:   Authorized Signatory
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name:   Brook Hinchman
Title:   Authorized Signatory

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


Oaktree Huntington Investment Fund, L.P.
By:   Oaktree Huntington Investment Fund GP, L.P.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Huntington Investment Fund GP Ltd.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Director
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name:   Robert O’Leary
Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name:   Brook Hinchman
Title:   Senior Vice President
Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIII (Parallel 2), L.P.
By:   Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIII GP, L.P.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIII GP Ltd.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Director
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name:   Robert O’Leary
Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name:   Brook Hinchman
Title:   Senior Vice President

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIIIb Delaware, L.P.
By:   Oaktree Fund GP, LLC
Its:   General partner
By:   Oaktree Fund GP I, L.P.
Its:   Managing Member
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name:   Robert O’Leary
Title:   Authorized Signatory
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name:   Brook Hinchman
Title:   Authorized Signatory

 

With respect to each of the signatures of the above entities, in the presence of:

 

/s/ Tom Reed

Signature of Witness
Name of Witness: Tom Reed

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER :

 

D-Star LTD.      
In the presence of:      
By:   

/s/ Ram Putcha

     

/s/ Rebecca Song

   Name: Ram Putcha       Signature of Witness
   Title: Managing Director       Name of Witness: Rebecca Song

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER :

SSF Trust,

By: Symphony Asset Management LLC

 

In the presence of:      
By:   

/s/ Gunther Stein

     

/s/ Aaron Deering

   Name: Gunther Stein       Signature of Witness
   Title: CIO       Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER :

Nuveen Senior Income Fund,

By: Symphony Asset Management LLC

 

In the presence of:      
By:   

/s/ Gunther Stein

     

/s/ Aaron Deering

   Name: Gunther Stein       Signature of Witness
   Title: CIO       Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER :

Nuveen Short Duration Credit Opportunities Fund,

By: Symphony Asset Management LLC

 

In the presence of:      
By:`  

/s/ Gunther Stein

     

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein       Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO       Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER :      
Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund,      
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC      
In the presence of:      
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

     

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein       Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO       Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER :      
Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund,      
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC      
In the presence of:      
        
By:   

/s/ Gunther Stein

     

/s/ Aaron Deering

   Name: Gunther Stein       Signature of Witness
   Title: CIO       Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER :

     

Symphony CLO VII, Ltd.,

     

By: Symphony Asset Management LLC

     

In the presence of:

     
       
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

     

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein       Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO       Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER :      
California Street CLO V, Ltd.,      
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC      
In the presence of:      
       
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

     

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein       Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO       Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER :      
California Street CLO IV, Ltd.,      
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC      
In the presence of:      
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

     

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein       Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO       Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER :      
California Street CLO III, Ltd.,      
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC      
In the presence of:      
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

     

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein       Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO       Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


WARRANT HOLDER :      
California Street CLO II, Ltd.,      
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC      
In the presence of:      
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

     

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein       Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO       Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF JOINDER AGREEMENT

The undersigned is executing and delivering this Joinder Agreement pursuant to that certain Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement of SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a Saleen Holdings, Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company, dated as of November 5, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance with the terms thereof, the “ Registration Rights Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Joinder Agreement shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Registration Rights Agreement.

By executing and delivering this Joinder Agreement to the Registration Rights Agreement, the undersigned hereby agrees to become a party to, to be bound by, and to comply with the provisions of the Registration Rights Agreement as a [SLP Holder][SLS Holder][Shah Holder][Management Holder][Patel Holder][Warrant Holder].

Accordingly, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Joinder Agreement as of the          day of                     ,             .

 

 

Signature

 

Print Name
Address:                                                                                         

 

 

Telephone:                                                                                     
Facsimile:                                                                                      
E-mail:                                                                                           

 

AGREED AND ACCEPTED

as of the         day of                     ,             .

 

SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.

By:  

 

 

Name:

 

Title:


EXHIBIT B

MANAGEMENT HOLDERS

(as of November 5, 2016)

Iain MacKenzie

Alan Marten

Bruce Goldberg

Jack Pacheco

Michael Rubino

Rogerio Nunes

Kiwan Kim

Anjali Reddy

Frank Perezalanzo

Jefferey Milano

Gary Mossotti

Li Lin Foo

Vejaya K. Narayanan

Randy Cohen

Daniel Hassett

Grady Lambert

Bernie Rub

Michael Robinson

Exhibit 4.4

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

 

SALEEN HOLDINGS, INC.

EMPLOYEE INVESTORS SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT

Dated as of August 26, 2011

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  
  Article I   
  DEFINITIONS   

Section 1.1.

  Definitions      1  

Section 1.2.

  Definitions Cross References      5  

Section 1.3.

  General Interpretive Principles      5  
  Article II   
  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES   

Section 2.1.

  Representations and Warranties of Each of the Employee Investors      6  
  Article III   
  TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS   

Section 3.1.

  General Restrictions on Transfers      7  

Section 3.2.

  Permitted Transfers      9  

Section 3.3.

  Pre-Initial Public Offering Transfers      9  

Section 3.4.

  Black-Out Periods      9  

Section 3.5.

  Drag-Along Rights      10  
  Article IV   
  CALL RIGHTS   

Section 4.1.

  Certain Definitions      13  

Section 4.2.

  Call      15  

Section 4.3.

  Settlement with Company Note      15  

Section 4.4.

  Call Option of the Silver Lake Investors      16  

Section 4.5.

  Further Assurances      16  

Section 4.6.

  Termination of Article V      17  
  Article V   
  ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES   

Section 5.1.

  Further Assurances      17  


Section 5.2.

  Other Businesses; Waiver of Certain Duties      17  

Section 5.3.

  Confidentiality      19  

Section 5.4.

  GRANT OF IRREVOCABLE PROXY      19  

Section 5.5.

  Distributions in Connection with Merger or Initial Public Offering; Cooperation with Initial Public Offering Reorganization and SEC Filings      20  
  Article VI   
  ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE INVESTORS   

Section 6.1.

  Additional Employee Investors      21  
  Article VII   
  MISCELLANEOUS   

Section 7.1.

  Entire Agreement      22  

Section 7.2.

  Specific Performance      22  

Section 7.3.

  Governing Law      22  

Section 7.4.

  Submissions to Jurisdictions; WAIVERS OF JURY TRIALS      22  

Section 7.5.

  Obligations      24  

Section 7.6.

  Consents, Approvals and Actions      24  

Section 7.7.

  Amendment and Waiver      24  

Section 7.8.

  Assignment      24  

Section 7.9.

  Binding Effect      25  

Section 7.10.

  Third Party Beneficiaries      25  

Section 7.11.

  Termination      25  

Section 7.12.

  Notices      25  

Section 7.13.

  No Third Party Liability      26  

Section 7.14.

  No Partnership      26  

Section 7.15.

  Aggregation      26  

Section 7.16.

  Severability      27  

Section 7.17.

  Counterparts      27  

 

2


SALEEN HOLDINGS, INC.

EMPLOYEE INVESTORS SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT

This EMPLOYEE INVESTORS SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is made as of August 26, 2011, by and among Saleen Holdings, Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company (together with its successors and assigns, the “ Company ”), Silver Lake Partners III Cayman (AIV III), L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the “ SLP Investor ”), Silver Lake Technology Investors III Cayman, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the “ SLP Co-Investor ”), Silver Lake Sumeru Fund Cayman, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the “ SLS Investor ”), Silver Lake Technology Investors Sumeru Cayman, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the “ SLS Co-Investor ”), and the Employee Investors (as defined below) who becomes a party hereto.

WHEREAS, the Company, the SLP Investor, the SLP Co-Investor, the SLS Investor and the SLS Co-Investor desire to set forth certain rights and obligations of the Employee Investors with respect to the ownership of Securities (as defined below) by the Employee Investors.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements and obligations set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1. Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that Controls, is Controlled by, or is under common Control with such Person. The term “ Control ” means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. “ Controlled ” and “ Controlling ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of this Agreement, (i) the Company, its Subsidiaries and its other Controlled Affiliates shall not be considered Affiliates of any of the Silver Lake Investors or the Employee Investors or any of such party’s Affiliates (other than the Company, its Subsidiaries and its other Controlled Affiliates) and (ii) except with respect to Section 5.2(a), Section 5.2(b) and Section 7.13, none of the Silver Lake Investors shall be considered Affiliates of (A) any portfolio company in which any of the Silver Lake Investors or any of their investment fund Affiliates have made a debt or equity investment (and vice versa) or (B) any limited partners, non-managing members or other similar direct or indirect investors in any of the Silver Lake Investors or their affiliated investment funds.

Agreement ” means this Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement (including the exhibits attached hereto) as the same may be amended, supplemented, restated or modified from time to time.

 

1


Applicable Employee ” means (i) with respect to any Employee Investor that is or was an employee or consultant of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, such employee or consultant, and (ii) with respect to any Employee Investor that is not and was not an employee or consultant of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the current or former employee or consultant of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to whom such Employee Investor is an Affiliate on the date of this Agreement or a Permitted Transferee from and after the date of this Agreement.

beneficial ownership ” and “ beneficially own ” and similar terms have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act; provided , however that (i) no party hereto shall be deemed to beneficially own any Securities of the Company held by any other party hereto solely by virtue of the provisions of this Agreement (other than this definition) and (ii) with respect to any Securities held by a party hereto that are exercisable for, convertible into or exchangeable for Shares upon delivery of consideration to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, such Shares shall not be deemed to be beneficially owned by such party unless, until and to the extent such Securities have been exercised, converted or exchanged and such consideration has been delivered by such party to the Company or such Subsidiary.

Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

Business Day ” means a day, other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banks located in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to close.

Code ” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

Employee Investor ” means any Person other than the Company and the Silver Lake Investors that becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Article VI hereof, whether or not such Person is an employee or consultant of the Company or its Subsidiaries.

Encumbrance ” means any charge, claim, community or other marital property interest, right of first option, right of first refusal, mortgage, pledge, lien or other encumbrance (except as resulting from the express terms of this Agreement).

ERISA ” means the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

Initial Public Offering ” means the consummation of an underwritten initial public offering that is registered under the Securities Act of Shares of the Company or the equity securities of the Registering Entity as contemplated by Section 5.5.

Joinder Agreement ” means a joinder agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.

 

2


Management Agreement ” means the Transaction and Management Fee Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Company and Silver Lake Management Company III, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company, and Silver Lake Management Company Sumeru, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company.

Management Investors Shareholders Agreement ” means the Management Investors Shareholders Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Company, the Silver Lake Investors party thereto and the other signatories thereto, as it may be amended from time to time.

Merger Agreement ” means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 25, 2011, by and among SMART, the Company and Saleen Acquisition, Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company.

Options ” mean any rights or options to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire Shares granted pursuant to any employment or consulting agreement with the Company or its Subsidiaries or pursuant to any equity compensation plan or program of the Company.

Permitted Transferee ” means, with respect to a Employee Investor, (i) any Person who takes from such Employee Investor upon death by bequest, devise or descent, (ii) the spouse and lineal descendants (including children by adoption and step children) of the Applicable Employee for such Employee Investor, (iii) a trust or custodianship formed in connection with the bona fide estate planning activities of the relevant Applicable Employee (A) the current, non-contingent beneficiaries of which may include only the Applicable Employee for such Employee Investor, and the spouse and lineal descendants (including children by adoption and step children) of such Applicable Employee, and (B) with respect to which such Applicable Employee is the sole trustee or custodian (or is a co-trustee or co-custodian along with such Applicable Employee’s spouse), or (iv) any limited liability company or partnership (A) with respect to which at least eighty percent (80%) all of the outstanding equity interests are beneficially owned solely by the Applicable Employee for such Employee Investor, and/or the spouse and lineal descendants (including children by adoption and step children) of such Applicable Employee, (B) with respect to which such Applicable Employee, and/or any of the spouse and lineal descendants (including children by adoption and step children) of such Applicable Employee, are the sole managers or managing members (if a limited liability company) or directly or indirectly control the sole general partners (if a limited partnership) and otherwise have the sole power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies, directly or indirectly, of such limited liability company or partnership, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise and (C) which entity is not formed with the purpose or intent of circumventing the requirements of Section 3.3 or Section 3.4.

Person ” means an individual, any general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity, or a government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

3


Restricted Stock Units ” means an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver Shares following the lapse of the vesting restrictions applicable thereto (including, without limitation, that an Applicable Employee remain in continued employment with, or engagement by, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for a specified period of time).

Rule 144 ” means Rule 144 (or any successor provision) under the Securities Act, as such provision is amended from time to time.

SEC ” means the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor agency.

Securities ” means any equity securities of the Company, including any Shares and Options.

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

Shares ” means the ordinary shares, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.

Silver Lake Investors ” means, collectively, (i) the SLP Investor, the SLP Co-Investor and any of their respective Affiliates, designated transferees or successors that hold Securities, and (ii) the SLS Investor, the SLS Co-Investor and any of their respective Affiliates, designated transferees or successors that hold Securities.

SMART ” means Smart Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company.

Sponsor Shareholders Agreement ” means the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Company, the Silver Lake Investors party thereto and the other signatories thereto, as it may be amended from time to time.

Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person, any entity of which (i) a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock or equivalent ownership interests entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers, trustees or other members of the applicable governing body thereof is at the time owned or Controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one (1) or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof, or (ii) if no such governing body exists at such entity, a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock or equivalent ownership interests of the entity is at the time owned or Controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one (1) or more Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof. For purposes hereof, a Person or Persons shall be deemed to have a majority ownership interest in a limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity if such Person or Persons shall be allocated a majority of limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity gains or losses or shall be or Control the managing member or general partner of such limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity.

 

4


Transferable Shares ” means (i) Shares, (ii) Shares issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any convertible debt security or preferred security that is currently exercisable for, convertible into or exchangeable for, as of the relevant date of determination, Shares, (iii) solely with respect to Section 3.5 and Article IV, the number of Shares issuable upon exercise of Options that are vested and exercisable as of the relevant date of determination, and (iv) solely with respect to Section 3.5 and Article IV, Restricted Stock Units.

Section 1.2. Definitions Cross References . The following terms are defined in the corresponding Sections of this Agreement:

 

Term

  

Section

Agreement

   Preamble

Call

   Section 4.2(a)

Call Date

   Section 4.1(a)

Call Group

   Section 4.1(b)

Call Price

   Section 4.1(c)

Call Shares

   Section 4.1(d)

Call Termination Date

   Section 4.1(e)

Cause

   Section 4.1(f)

Cayman Court

   Section 7.4(a)

Chosen Courts

   Section 7.4(a)

Company

   Preamble

Company Note

   Section 4.3

Competitor

   Section 3.1(b)

Control

   Section 1.1

Cost

   Section 4.1(g)

Delaware Courts

   Section 7.4(a)

Drag Covered Transferable Shares

   Section 3.5(c)

Drag-Along Escrow Agent

   Section 3.5(c)

Drag-Along Notice

   Section 3.5(a)

Drag-Along Sale

   Section 3.5(a)

FMV per Share

   Section 4.1(h)

Good Reason

   Section 4.1(i)

Merger

   Section 4.1(d)

Registering Entity

   Section 5.5(b)

Rollover Shares

   Section 4.1(j)

SLP Co-Investor

   Preamble

SLP Investor

   Preamble

SLS Co-Investor

   Preamble

SLS Investor

   Preamble

Storage Holdings

   Section 5.5(b)

Section 1.3. General Interpretive Principles . The name assigned to this Agreement and the section captions used herein are for convenience of reference only and shall not be construed to affect the meaning, construction or effect hereof. Unless otherwise specified, the terms “hereof,” “herein” and similar terms refer to this Agreement as a whole, and references herein to Articles or Sections refer to Articles or Sections of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the words, “include,” “includes” and “including,” when used herein, shall be

 

5


deemed in each case to be followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “dollars” and “$” shall mean United States dollars. Except as otherwise set forth herein, Shares underlying unexercised Options that have been issued by the Company shall not be deemed “outstanding” for any purposes in this Agreement. 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 will be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties and no presumption or burden of proof will arise favoring or disfavoring any party because of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement.

ARTICLE II

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Section 2.1. Representations and Warranties of Each of the Employee Investors . Each of the Employee Investors hereby represents and warrants to each of the other parties, as of the date of such Employee Investor’s Joinder Agreement and on any subsequent date on which such Employee Investor may acquire Securities from the Company, as follows:

(a) Such Employee Investor, to the extent applicable, is duly organized or incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization or incorporation and has all requisite power and authority to conduct its business as it is now being conducted and is proposed to be conducted.

(b) Such Employee Investor has the full power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary action, corporate or otherwise, of such Employee Investor. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by such Employee Investor and constitutes its, his or her legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it, him or her in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

(c) The execution and delivery by such Employee Investor of this Agreement, the performance by such party of its, his or her obligations hereunder by such party does not and will not violate (A) in the case of parties who are not individuals, any provision of its by-laws, charter, articles of association, partnership agreement or other similar document, (B) any provision of any material agreement to which it, he or she is a party or by which it, he or she is bound or (C) any law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree to which it, he or she is subject.

(d) No consent, waiver, approval, authorization, exemption, registration, license or declaration is required to be made or obtained by such Employee Investor in connection with the execution, delivery or enforceability of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein.

(e) Such Employee Investor is not currently in violation of any law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree, which violation could reasonably be expected at any time to have a material adverse effect upon such party’s ability to enter into this Agreement or to perform its, his or her obligations hereunder.

 

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(f) There is no pending or threatened legal action, suit or proceeding that would materially and adversely affect the ability of such Employee Investor to enter into this Agreement or to perform its, his or her obligations hereunder.

ARTICLE III

TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS

Section 3.1. General Restrictions on Transfers .

(a) No Employee Investor may, directly or indirectly, sell, exchange, assign, pledge, hypothecate, gift or otherwise transfer, dispose of or encumber, in each case, whether in its own right or by its representative and whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law (any of the foregoing shall be deemed included in the term “ transfer ” as used in this Agreement) any Securities or any legal, economic or beneficial interest in any Securities unless (i) such transfer of Securities is made in compliance with the provisions of this Article III and any other agreement applicable to the transfer of such Securities (including the applicable option plan or award) and (ii) the transferee of any Transferable Shares (if other than (A) the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or another Employee Investor, (B) a transferee in a sale of Transferable Shares made under Rule 144, or (C) a transferee of any Transferrable Shares pursuant to an offer and sale registered under the Securities Act) agrees to become a party to this Agreement pursuant to Article VI hereof and executes a Joinder Agreement and such further documents as may be necessary, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, to make him, her or it a party hereto.

(b) Notwithstanding anything in this Article III to the contrary, without the prior written consent of the Silver Lake Investors, no Employee Investor may transfer any Securities to any Person (whether or not to a Permitted Transferee) that, in the reasonable judgment of the Silver Lake Investors, (i) is an actual or known potential competitor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) is known, after reasonable inquiry, to be adverse to the interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as a result of a current or former litigation, arbitration, dispute or claim (each of clauses (i) and (ii), a “ Competitor ”) or (iii) is known to hold (directly or indirectly) more than a 5% ownership interest in any Competitor; provided , however , that this sentence shall not apply to (x) transfers of Transferable Shares pursuant to and in compliance with Section 3.5 or (y) a sale of Transferable Shares (including a block transfer) effected via registered public offering or under Rule 144 through a securities exchange or national quotation system or through a broker, dealer or other market maker, in a manner in which the identity of the purchaser, other than the broker, dealer or market maker through which such sale is being effected, has not been designated by the seller and is effected in a manner through which the identity of the purchaser cannot or would not customarily be available to such seller.

(c) Any purported transfer of Securities or any interest in any Securities by any Employee Investor that is not in compliance with this Agreement shall be null and void, and the Company shall refuse to recognize any such transfer for any purpose and shall not reflect in its register of members or otherwise any change in record ownership of Securities pursuant to any such transfer.

 

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(d) Each Employee Investor acknowledges that the Shares have not been registered under the Securities Act and may not be transferred except pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Each Employee Investor agrees that it will not transfer any Shares at any time if such action would (i) constitute a violation of any securities laws of any applicable jurisdiction or a breach of the conditions to any exemption from registration of Shares under any such laws or a breach of any undertaking or agreement of such Employee Investor entered into pursuant to such laws or in connection with obtaining an exemption thereunder, (ii) cause the Company to become subject to the registration requirements of the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended from time to time, or (iii) be a non-exempt “prohibited transaction” under ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code or cause all or any portion of the assets of the Company to constitute “plan assets” for purposes of fiduciary responsibility or prohibited transaction provisions of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code. Each Employee Investor agrees it shall not be entitled to any certificate for any or all of the Shares, unless the Board shall otherwise determine.

(e) No Employee Investor shall grant any proxy or enter into or agree to be bound by any voting trust or other obligation with respect to any Securities or enter into any agreements or arrangements of any kind with any Person with respect to any Securities inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, Section 5.4) (whether or not such agreements and arrangements are with other Employee Investors or holders of Securities who are not parties to this Agreement), including agreements or arrangements with respect to the acquisition, disposition or voting (if applicable) of any Securities, nor shall any Employee Investor act, for any reason, as a member of a group or in concert with any other Persons in connection with the acquisition, disposition or voting (if applicable) of any Securities in any manner which is inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement.

(f) Except as otherwise provided in Section 3.5(a), any Employee Investor that proposes to transfer Transferable Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof shall be responsible for any fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with such transfer.

(g) Each Employee Investor acknowledges and agrees that the restrictions on transfer of Securities or any interest in Securities as set forth in this Article III may adversely affect the proceeds received by such Employee Investor in any sale, transfer or liquidation of any such Securities, and as a result of such restrictions on transfer, it may not be possible for such Employee Investor to liquidate all or any part of such Employee Investor’s interest in Securities at the time of such Employee Investor’s choosing, in exigent circumstances or otherwise. Each Employee Investor further acknowledges and agrees that each of the Company and the Silver Lake Investors shall have no liability to such Employee Investor arising from, relating to or in connection with the restrictions on transfer of Securities or any interest in Securities as set forth in this Article III, except to the extent the Company or such Silver Lake Investor fail to comply with its obligations to such Employee Investor pursuant to this Article III.

 

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Section 3.2. Permitted Transfers . Each Employee Investor may transfer Transferable Shares held by him, her or it to a Permitted Transferee without complying with the provisions of this Article III other than Section 3.1; provided that (i) such Permitted Transferee shall have agreed with all parties hereto, in a written instrument reasonably satisfactory to the Company, that he, she or it will immediately convey record and beneficial ownership of all such Transferable Shares and all rights and obligations hereunder to such Employee Investor or another Permitted Transferee of such Employee Investor if he, she or it ceases to be a Permitted Transferee of such Employee Investor (except in the case of a divorce between the Applicable Employee for such Employee Investor and the spouse of such Applicable Employee) and (ii) as a condition to such transfer, such Permitted Transferee shall become a party to this Agreement as provided in Section 3.1(a).

Section 3.3. Pre-Initial Public Offering Transfers . Without limiting Section 3.1, during the period beginning on the date hereof and ending concurrently with the expiration of such period, if any, following an Initial Public Offering during which the Silver Lake Investors shall have agreed with the underwriters of such Initial Public Offering to be subject to lock up restrictions in respect of the Transferable Shares held by the Silver Lake Investors (it being understood that if the Silver Lake Investors do not agree to become subject to any such lock up restrictions, the end of the Pre-IPO Transfer Restriction Period shall occur upon the completion of such Initial Public Offering) (such period, the “ Pre-IPO Transfer Restriction Period ”), each of the Employee Investors shall not transfer any Securities to any Person, except transfers of Transferable Securities (x) pursuant to and in compliance with Section 3.5 or Article IV, as applicable (y) to Permitted Transferees pursuant to Section 3.2 or (z) upon receipt of the prior written consent of the Silver Lake Investors.

Section 3.4. Black-Out Periods . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, each Employee Investor hereby agrees that during the period beginning seven (7) days before and ending (i) one hundred eighty (180) days (subject to any customary “booster shot” extensions) in the event of an Initial Public Offering or (ii) ninety (90) days (subject to any customary “booster shot” extensions) in the event of any other underwritten offering other than an Initial Public Offering after the date of the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with such underwritten offering, such Employee Investor or its Permitted Transferees shall not, to the extent requested by the Company or the selling Silver Lake Investors (depending on which Person is selling Securities) and/or any underwriter, (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any Securities (including Securities that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and Securities that may be issued upon exercise of any Options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Securities, (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Securities or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Securities or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing; provided that if any Silver Lake Investor agrees to such restrictions for any shorter period than prescribed above, then each Employee Investor shall only be obligated as provided in this Section 3.4 for such shorter period. If requested by the managing underwriter or underwriters of any such underwritten offering, each Employee Investor shall execute a customary agreement on the same terms and conditions as the Silver Lake Investor reflecting its agreement set forth in this Section 3.4.

 

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Section 3.5. Drag-Along Rights .

(a) Either or both of the Silver Lake Investors may give notice (a “ Drag-Along Notice ”) to the Employee Investors that (i) the Silver Lake Investor(s) intend to, or to cause the Company to, enter into (or have agreed to vote the Transferable Shares they beneficially own, or to execute a written consent in lieu thereof, in favor of) a transaction or transactions involving the transfer, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, of not less than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Transferable Shares (which Transferable Shares to be transferred may include Transferable Shares held by the Employee Investors and/or other holders of Transferable Shares required to be transferred pursuant to this Section 3.5 or analogous obligations) to one (1) or more Persons or (ii) the Silver Lake Investor(s) intend to cause the Company to (A) sell all or substantially all of its assets to another Person or Persons or (B) merge, amalgamate or consolidate with another Person or Persons where, immediately after such merger, amalgamation or consolidation, the Persons beneficially owning Shares immediately prior to such merger, amalgamation or consolidation do not beneficially own at least fifty (50%) of the outstanding capital stock of the Person surviving such merger, amalgamation or consolidation (in each case, a “ Drag-Along Sale ”) and that the Silver Lake Investors desire to cause the Employee Investors to participate in such Drag-Along Sale in the manner set forth in this Section 3.5. For the avoidance of doubt, “Drag-Along Sale” shall not include any proposed transaction contemplated by Section 5.5(a) or Section 5.5(b), or any merger, amalgamation or consolidation for the sole purpose of changing the jurisdiction of formation of the Company. The Drag-Along Notice shall also specify (i) the consideration, if any, to be received by the Silver Lake Investors and the Employee Investors and any other material terms and conditions of the proposed Drag-Along Sale (which (x) price shall be the same for the Silver Lake Investors and the Employee Investors and (y) other material terms and conditions shall be the same in all material respects for the Silver Lake Investors and the Employee Investors) and (ii) the identity of the other Person or Persons party to the Drag-Along Sale. Upon delivery of the Drag-Along Notice, each Employee Investor shall be obligated to take the action or actions required of such Employee Investor in order to complete or facilitate such proposed Drag-Along Sale (including the sale of Transferable Shares held by such Employee Investor, the voting of all such Transferable Shares in favor of any merger, amalgamation, consolidation or sale of assets and the waiver of any applicable appraisal, dissenters’ or similar rights); provided , however , that, in the case of a sale of Shares, with respect to any Shares for which a Employee Investor holds exercisable and vested but unexercised Options, the price per Share shall be reduced by the exercise price of such Options or, if required pursuant to the terms of such Options or such Drag-Along Sale, such Employee Investor shall exercise the relevant Option and transfer the relevant Shares (rather than the Option) (in each case, net of any amounts required to be withheld by the Company in connection with such exercise); provided , further , that notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, in any event the Company shall be permitted to cause all outstanding Options to be treated in such Drag-Along Sale in any manner as permitted by their terms, including any applicable equity plans of the Company; and provided , further , that with respect to any Transferable Shares that constitute Restricted Stock Units, to the extent that (x) any such Restricted Stock Units would not, by the express terms of the grant thereof, automatically vest and be settled in Shares

 

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immediately prior to the consummation of such Drag-Along Sale and (y) the counterparty to such Drag-Along Sale does not agree to convert such Restricted Stock Units into comparable restricted stock units on securities of such Person, the Company may segregate the aggregate amount of Drag-Along Sale consideration attributable to such Restricted Stock Units, and the Company (or its successor) shall deposit the applicable amounts of such Drag-Along Sale consideration into escrow (or, if such deposit into escrow would result in a taxable event for a Employee Investor prior to the satisfaction of the vesting criteria applicable to the Restricted Stock Units, receive such consideration as a general asset of the Company (or its successor) and maintain a book entry account in the name of each holder of such Restricted Stock Units on the books of the Company for the amount of such consideration due to each such holder) for release (or payment, as applicable) to the holders of such Restricted Stock Units upon the satisfaction of the vesting criteria applicable thereto following such Drag-Along Sale (or, upon the failure of such vesting criteria to be satisfied, such consideration shall be released (or paid, as applicable) to (i) the Silver Lake Investors and the other Employee Investors transferring Transferable Shares in connection with such Drag-Along Sale and (ii) each other Person who is otherwise transferring, or has exercised a contractual or other right to transfer, Transferable Shares in connection with such Drag-Along Sale, in each case on a pro rata basis to each such Person in accordance with the amount of consideration otherwise received by each such Person in such Drag-Along Sale); and provided , further , that notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, in any event the Company shall be permitted to cause all outstanding Restricted Stock Units to be treated in such Drag-Along Sale in any manner as permitted by their terms, including any applicable equity plans of the Company. For the further avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, each Employee Investor acknowledges and agrees that it shall not be entitled to any non-economic rights or benefits granted to the Silver Lake Investors or the Company in such Drag-Along Sale except for those non-economic rights or benefits that are customary to be received by sellers of the relative portion of equity included in such Drag-Along Sale by such Employee Investor under circumstances similar to such Drag-Along Sale. If the Silver Lake Investors are transferring less than all of the Transferable Shares held by the Silver Lake Investors, then each Employee Investor will transfer a number of Transferable Shares equal to the product of the following: (x) the number of Transferable Shares beneficially owned by such Employee Investor multiplied by (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate number of Transferable Shares being transferred by the Silver Lake Investors and the denominator of which equals the aggregate number of Transferable Shares beneficially owned by the Silver Lake Investors. All costs and expenses incurred by the Silver Lake Investors and the Company in connection with such Drag-Along Sale shall either be (i) borne in full by the Company or (ii) allocated and borne by the Employee Investors, the Silver Lake Investors and each other Person who is otherwise transferring, or has exercised a contractual or other right to transfer, Transferable Shares in connection with such Drag-Along Sale, in each case on a pro rata basis to each such Person in accordance with the amount of consideration received by each such Person in such Drag-Along Sale. All other costs and expenses incurred by any Employee Investor in connection with such transaction shall be borne in full by such Employee Investor.

(a) In connection with any Drag-Along Sale pursuant to this Section 3.5, (i) such Drag-Along Sale shall be on the terms and conditions the Silver Lake Investor(s) determine and (ii) each Employee Investor shall agree to make the same representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities and agreements as made by the Silver Lake Investor(s) in connection with such Drag-Along Sale (except that in the case of representations, warranties,

 

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covenants, indemnities and agreements pertaining specifically to the Silver Lake Investor(s), each Employee Investor shall make the comparable representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities and agreements pertaining specifically to itself); provided , that (A) all representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities and agreements shall be made by the Silver Lake Investor(s) and each Employee Investor severally and not jointly and (B) any indemnification obligation in respect of breaches of representations and warranties that relate to the Company, its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses (1) shall be apportioned among the Employee Investors, the Silver Lake Investors and each other Person who is otherwise transferring, or has exercised a contractual or other right to transfer, Transferable Shares in connection with such Drag-Along Sale, in each case on a pro rata basis to each such Person in accordance with the amount of consideration received by each such Person in such Drag-Along Sale, and (2) shall be in an amount not to exceed the aggregate proceeds received by such Employee Investor in connection with any such Drag-Along Sale consummated pursuant to this Section 3.5.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Employee Investor shall take or cause to be taken all such reasonable actions as the Silver Lake Investor(s) deem to be necessary or desirable in order to consummate expeditiously such Drag-Along Sale pursuant to this Section 3.5, including (i) executing, acknowledging and delivering consents, assignments, waivers and other documents or instruments, (ii) filing applications, reports, returns, filings and other documents or instruments with governmental authorities and (iii) otherwise cooperating with the Silver Lake Investor(s) and the other Person or Persons party to the Drag-Along Sale. Notwithstanding the delivery of any Drag-Along Notice, all determinations as to whether to complete any Drag-Along Sale and as to the timing, manner, price and other terms and conditions of any such Drag-Along Sale shall be at the sole discretion of the applicable Silver Lake Investor(s) and the Silver Lake Investors and their Affiliates shall have no liability to any Employee Investor arising from, relating to or in connection with the pursuit, consummation, postponement, abandonment or terms and conditions of any proposed Drag-Along Sale except to the extent such selling Silver Lake Investor failed to comply with the provisions of this Section 3.5.

(c) If any Employee Investor fails to transfer such Employee Investor’s Transferable Shares required to be transferred or sold in such Drag-Along Sale pursuant to Section 3.5(a) (such Transferable Shares, “ Drag Covered Transferable Shares ”), the Silver Lake Investors may, at their option, in addition to all other remedies they may have, deposit the purchase price (including any promissory note constituting all or any portion thereof) for such Drag Covered Transferable Shares with any national bank or trust company having combined capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $500 million (the “ Drag-Along Escrow Agent ”), and thereupon all of such Employee Investor’s rights in and to such Drag Covered Transferable Shares shall terminate. Thereafter, upon delivery to the Company by such Employee Investor of appropriate documentation evidencing the transfer of such Drag Covered Transferable Shares to the purchaser in such Drag-Along Sale, the Silver Lake Investors shall instruct the Drag-Along Escrow Agent to deliver the purchase price (without any interest from the date of the closing of such Drag-Along Sale to the date of such delivery, as any such interest to accrue to the Company) to such Employee Investor.

 

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(d) In the event the consideration to be paid in exchange for Transferable Shares in a Drag-Along Sale includes any securities, and the receipt thereof by a Employee Investor would require (i) the registration or qualification of such securities or of any Person as a broker or dealer or agent under applicable with respect to such securities, in each case under applicable law, where such registration or qualification is not otherwise required for the Drag-Along Sale by the applicable Silver Lake Investor(s) or (ii) the provision to any Employee Investor of any specified information regarding such securities or the issuer thereof in order to obtain any exemption under securities laws or as otherwise required by applicable laws or the rules of any stock exchange where such information is not required to be provided to the applicable Silver Lake Investor(s), then the applicable Silver Lake Investor may elect to deliver to such Management Seller an amount of cash equal to the fair market value (as determined by the applicable Silver Lake Investor(s)) of the non-cash consideration that would otherwise be paid to such Employee Investor in such Drag-Along Sale.

(e) This Section 3.5 shall terminate upon an Initial Public Offering.

ARTICLE IV

CALL RIGHTS

Section 4.1. Certain Definitions . As used in this Article IV:

(a) “ Call Date ” means the date on which the Company delivers a notice to a Employee Investor of the Company’s exercise of a Call with respect to all or a portion of the Call Shares of the Call Group for such Employee Investor.

(b) “ Call Group ” means, for any Employee Investor, such Employee Investor and his, her or its current or former Permitted Transferees who then hold Call Shares.

(c) “ Call Price ” means for any Call Shares, (A) if the employment or service of the Applicable Employee for such Employee Investor with the Company and all of its Subsidiaries is terminated for Cause, a price equal to the lower of (x) the FMV per Share as of the Call Date and (y) the Cost of such Call Shares and (B) in the event clause (A) does not apply, a price equal to the FMV per Share as of the Call Date.

(d) “ Call Shares ” means any Shares that (i) were or will be acquired upon exercise of any vested Options that were assumed by the Company pursuant to the Merger Agreement and that were unvested as of immediately following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement (the “ Merger ”), or (ii) any other Transferable Shares, including, without limitation, any such shares acquired upon the exercise of vested Options that were granted to an Applicable Employee following the consummation of the Merger.

(e) “ Call Termination Date ” means the close of business on the thirtieth (30th) calendar day, or if such day is not a Business Day, the next Business Day after such thirtieth (30th) calendar day, after the date of termination of the employment or service of the Applicable Employee for such Employee Investor with the Company and all of its Subsidiaries (or, with respect to Call Shares acquired upon the exercise of an Option or similar purchase right,

 

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or in settlement of a Restricted Stock Unit, in either case following such date of termination, the close of business on the thirtieth (30th) calendar day, or if such day is not a Business Day, the next Business Day after such thirtieth (30th) calendar day, after the date of such exercise or settlement, as applicable); provided , however , that if any Call Share (including any Call Share that is issued upon the exercise of an Option or in settlement of a Restricted Stock Unit) has been collectively held by the Call Group for such Employee Investor for six (6) months or less at any time the Company is entitled to Call such Call Share but for this proviso, the “ Call Termination Date ” shall mean the close of business on the thirtieth (30th) calendar day after such Call Share has first been collectively held by the Call Group for greater than six (6) months.

(f) “ Cause ” shall have the meaning given to such term in the employment, severance and change of control, consulting or other similar agreement between the Company or any of its Affiliates and the Applicable Employee for such Employee Investor, or if no such agreement exists or if “Cause” is not defined therein or in an applicable award agreement, then Cause shall mean any of the following: (i) such Applicable Employee’s willful and continued failure substantially to perform his or her duties (other than as a result of total or partial incapacity due to physical or mental illness); (ii) such Applicable Employee’s gross negligence or willful malfeasance in the performance of his or her duties; (iii) such Applicable Employee’s commission of an act constituting fraud, embezzlement, or any other act constituting a felony or other similar offense under applicable law; (iv) such Applicable Employee being repeatedly under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while performing his or her duties; or (v) any other act or omission which is materially injurious to the financial condition or business reputation of the Company or any of its Affiliates as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Company, including such Applicable Employee’s breach of the provisions of any non-solicitation, non-competition, trade secret or confidentiality covenant in favor of the Company or its Affiliates binding upon such Applicable Employee. The existence or non-existence of Cause with respect to any such Applicable Employee will be determined in good faith by the Board. For purposes of this Article IV, “ Cause ” shall also include a resignation by such Applicable Employee without Good Reason at a time at which the Company or any Subsidiary could have terminated the Applicable Employee for Cause.

(g) “ Cost ” means (i) with respect to any Call Share that is not a Rollover Share and is acquired upon exercise of any Option or similar purchase right, the exercise price with respect to such Option or purchase right, (ii) with respect to any other Call Share that is not a Rollover Share, the purchase price paid for such Call Share by the original holder thereof, and (iii) with respect to any Call Share that is a Rollover Share, the Merger Consideration (as defined in the Merger Agreement).

(h) “ FMV per Share ” means, as of any date of determination, the price per Share or other Security determined as follows:

(i) The FMV per Share shall be the fair market value of such Share or other Security determined in good faith by the Board (which, for the avoidance of doubt, will include the Board’s review and due consideration of (x) the most recent independent third party valuations of the Company or the Company’s equity and (y) any other valuations with respect to the Company or the Company’s equity) and otherwise in accordance with applicable law.

 

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(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the value of a Share or other Security shall at all times be determined in a manner intended to be consistent with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder), as may be amended from time to time.

(i) “ Good Reason ” shall have the meaning given to such term in the employment, severance and change of control, consulting or other similar agreement between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and the Applicable Employee for such Employee Investor, or if no such agreement exists or if “Good Reason” is not defined therein, then Good Reason shall be inapplicable with respect to such Applicable Employee.

(j) “ Rollover Shares ” means any Shares described in clause (i) of the definition of Call Shares.

Section 4.2. Call .

(a) Except as otherwise agreed in writing between the Company and any Employee Investor, the Company (and, to the extent provided in Section 4.4, the Silver Lake Investors) shall have the right, but not the obligation, by one (1) or more written notices delivered to a Employee Investor on or prior to the Call Termination Date, to purchase, from time to time, all or any portion of the Call Shares owned by the Call Group for such Employee Investor if the employment or service of the Applicable Employee of such Employee Investor with the Company and all of its Subsidiaries shall terminate or end for any reason whatsoever at any time (including, as provided herein, following the exercise of any Options or similar purchase right subsequent to such termination of employment or service) at the applicable Call Price upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Article IV (a “ Call ”); provided , however , that in no event shall the Company (and/or, to the extent provided in Section 4.4, the Silver Lake Investors) be entitled to deliver any such notice with respect to any Call Share (including any Call Share that is issued upon the exercise of an Option) unless and until such Call Share has been issued, vested (if applicable) and outstanding for at least six (6) months, after which the Company (and/or, to the extent provided in Section 4.4, the Silver Lake Investors) shall be entitled to deliver any such notice on or prior to the Call Termination Date and effectuate a Call of such Call Shares.

(b) Upon the exercise of a Call with respect to any Call Shares pursuant to this Section 4.2, (i) the Company shall, as soon as reasonably practical after the Call Date, purchase such Call Shares from the Call Group of such Employee Investor, as applicable, for the Call Price, in each case (x) payable in cash and (y) minus any applicable tax withholdings, and (ii) each member of the Call Group of such Employee Investor shall, simultaneously therewith, transfer such Call Shares to the Company free and clear of all Encumbrances by delivering to the Company such instruments of transfer as shall reasonably be requested by the Company.

Section 4.3. Settlement with Company Note . If, at the time the Company exercises its Call right with respect to the Call Shares of the Call Group of any Employee Investor, the Company is not permitted to pay the Call Price in cash, or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries are prevented from distributing to the Company sufficient funds to pay the Call Price in cash, pursuant to the then applicable terms and conditions of the agreements governing

 

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indebtedness for money borrowed of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, then Company shall have the option to settle its obligations to purchase the Call Shares of the Call Group of such Employee Investor pursuant to Section 4.2 by delivery to each member of the Call Group of such Employee Investor at the closing of the purchase of such Call Shares a promissory note of the Company in a face amount equal to the Call Price (but only the portion of the Call Price which the Company is not so permitted to pay or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries are prevented from distributing to the Company sufficient funds to pay) of such Call Shares (a “ Company Note ”). Each Company Note shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to (x) the rate of interest per annum from time to time published in the money rates section of the Wall Street Journal or any successor publication thereto as the “prime rate” then in effect plus (y) 150 basis points. Each Company Note shall (i) be subordinated to the prior payment in full of all of the Company’s indebtedness for money borrowed, (ii) mature no later than the five (5) year anniversary of the Call Date and (iii) provide for mandatory prepayment without premium or penalty within ninety (90) days after, but only to the extent that, the terms and conditions of the agreements governing indebtedness for money borrowed of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries subsequently would permit the Company to so prepay and permit the Company’s Subsidiaries to distribute to the Company sufficient funds to so prepay; provided , that if there is more than one (1) Company Note outstanding at any time that the terms and conditions of the agreements governing indebtedness for money borrowed of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries would then permit the Company to prepay, and permit the Company’s Subsidiaries to distribute to the Company sufficient funds to prepay, less than all of the then-outstanding Company Notes to occur, the Company shall, subject to the terms and conditions of the agreements governing indebtedness for money borrowed of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, prepay such Company Notes beginning with the longest outstanding Company Notes and proceed to prepay Company Notes issued in chronological order to the extent the Company is permitted to prepay, and the Company’s Subsidiaries are permitted to distribute to the Company sufficient funds to prepay, such Company Notes pursuant to the terms and conditions of the agreements governing indebtedness for money borrowed of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

Section 4.4. Call Option of the Silver Lake Investors . If, at any time prior to the Call Termination Date, the Company shall determine not to exercise its Call right pursuant to this Article IV with respect to all or any portion of the Call Shares of a Call Group for any Employee Investor, then the Company shall promptly notify the Silver Lake Investors of such determination. In such event, the Silver Lake Investors shall have the right to exercise the Call right pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Article IV (other than Section 4.3) in the same manner as the Company with respect to any Call Shares not so purchased by the Company, which right may be exercised at any time prior to the later of (A) the Call Termination Date and (B) fifteen (15) days after receipt of notice from the Company that it has determined not to exercise the Call, but in no event later than fifteen (15) days after the Call Termination Date.

Section 4.5. Further Assurances . Upon receipt of a notice of exercise of any Call from the Company (or, to the extent provided in Section 4.4, the Silver Lake Investors), each member of the Call Group for any Employee Investor, as applicable, shall be obligated to take all action or actions reasonably requested of such Call Group member that are necessary or appropriate to complete or facilitate such Call pursuant to this Article IV.

 

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Section 4.6. Termination of Article V . The right of the Company (or, to the extent provided in Section 4.4, the Silver Lake Investors) to effect a Call as set forth in this Article IV shall terminate upon an Initial Public Offering, unless a notice of exercise of any such Call has been given prior to the Initial Public Offering.

ARTICLE V

ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

Section 5.1. Further Assurances . From time to time, at the reasonable request of the Company and without further consideration, each party hereto shall execute and deliver such additional documents and take all such further action as may be necessary or appropriate to consummate and make effective, in the most expeditious manner practicable, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Section 5.2. Other Businesses; Waiver of Certain Duties .

(a) The parties expressly acknowledge and agree that to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) each of the Silver Lake Investors (including (A) its respective Affiliates, (B) any portfolio company in which it or any of its investment fund Affiliates have made a debt or equity investment (and vice versa) or (C) any of its limited partners, non-managing members or other similar direct or indirect investors) and the directors of the Company appointed by each of the Silver Lake Investors has the right to, and shall have no duty (fiduciary, contractual or otherwise) not to, directly or indirectly engage in and possess interests in other business ventures of every type and description, including those engaged in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or deemed to be competing with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on its own account, or in partnership with, or as an employee, officer, director or shareholder of any other Person, with no obligation to offer to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any Employee Investor or any other shareholder of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries the right to participate therein; (ii) each of the Silver Lake Investors (including (A) its respective Affiliates, (B) any portfolio company in which it or any of its investment fund Affiliates have made a debt or equity investment (and vice versa) or (C) any of its limited partners, non-managing members or other similar direct or indirect investors) and the directors of the Company appointed by each of the Silver Lake Investors may invest in, or provide services to, any Person that directly or indirectly competes with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and (iii) in the event that any of the Silver Lake Investors (including (A) its respective Affiliates, (B) any portfolio company in which it or any of its investment fund Affiliates have made a debt or equity investment (and vice versa) or (C) any of its limited partners, non-managing members or other similar direct or indirect investors) or any director of the Company appointed by any of the Silver Lake Investors acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a corporate or other business opportunity for the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, such Person shall have no duty (fiduciary, contractual or otherwise) to communicate or present such corporate opportunity to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any Employee Investor or any other shareholder of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, and, notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, shall not be liable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any Employee Investor or any other shareholder of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or their respective Affiliates)

 

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for breach of any duty (fiduciary, contractual or otherwise) by reason of the fact that such Person, directly or indirectly, pursues or acquires such opportunity for itself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not present such opportunity to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any Employee Investor or any other shareholder of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or their respective Affiliates). For the avoidance of doubt, the parties acknowledge that this paragraph is intended to disclaim and renounce, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the matters set forth herein, and this paragraph shall be construed to effect such disclaimer and renunciation to the full extent permitted by law.

(b) Each Employee Investor also acknowledges and agrees that the Silver Lake Investors or their Affiliates will receive certain on-going fees relating to their management of the Company and its Subsidiaries and certain fees upon consummation of the acquisition of Smart Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company, and certain exit transactions and expense reimbursement and other rights under the Management Agreement.

(c) Each Employee Investor (for itself and on behalf of the Company) hereby, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law:

(i) confirms that neither of the Silver Lake Investors nor any of their respective Affiliates have any duty to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or to any Employee Investor or any other shareholder of the Company other than the specific covenants and agreements set forth in this Agreement;

(ii) acknowledges and agrees that (A) in the event of any conflict of interest between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and a Silver Lake Investor or any of its Affiliates, on the other hand, the Silver Lake Investor (or any director of the Company appointed by the Silver Lake Investors acting in his or her capacity as a director) may act in its best interest and (B) none of the Silver Lake Investors or any of their Affiliates or any director of the Company appointed by the Silver Lake Investors acting in his or her capacity as a director shall be obligated (1) to reveal to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries confidential information belonging to or relating to the business of such Person or any of its Affiliates or (2) to recommend or take any action in its capacity as a shareholder or director, as the case may be, that prefers the interest of the Company or its Subsidiaries over the interest of such Person; and

(iii) waives any claim or cause of action against the Silver Lake Investors, any director of the Company appointed by the Silver Lake Investors and any officer, employee, agent or Affiliate of any such Person that may from time to time arise in respect of a breach by any such person of any duty or obligation disclaimed under Section 5.2(c)(i) or Section 5.2(c)(ii).

(d) Each of the parties hereto agrees that the waivers, limitations, acknowledgments and agreements set forth in this Section 5.2 shall not apply to any alleged claim or cause of action against either of the Silver Lake Investors based upon the breach or nonperformance by such Silver Lake Investor of this Agreement or any other agreement to which such Person is a party.

 

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(e) The provisions of this Section 5.2, to the extent that they restrict the duties and liabilities of the Silver Lake Investors or any director of the Company appointed by the Silver Lake Investors otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the parties hereto to replace such other duties and liabilities of the Silver Lake Investors or any such director of the Company appointed by the Silver Lake Investors to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

Section 5.3. Confidentiality . The terms of this Agreement and any information relating to any exercise of rights hereunder shall be confidential and no Employee Investor shall disclose to any Person not a party to this Agreement any of the terms of this Agreement, except (a) to such Employee Investor’s advisors, agents, accountants and attorneys, in each case so long as such Persons agree to keep such information confidential and (b) to a Permitted Transferee or other transferee pursuant to a transfer by such Employee Investor in accordance with Article III. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Employee Investor shall disclose or use in any manner whatsoever, in whole or in part, any information concerning the Company, any of its direct or indirect Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any of its or their respective employees, directors or consultants received on a confidential basis from the Company or any other Person under or pursuant to this Agreement or any other agreement with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates including financial terms and financial and organizational information contained in any documents, statements, certificates, materials or information furnished, or to be furnished, by or on behalf of the Company or any other Person in connection with the purchase or ownership of any Securities; provided , however , that (i) the foregoing shall not be construed, now or in the future, to apply to any information reflected in any recorded document, information which is independently developed by such Employee Investor, information obtained from sources other than the Company, any of its direct or indirect Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any of its or their employees, directors, consultants, agents or representatives (including attorneys, accountants, financial advisors, engineers and insurance brokers) or information that is or becomes in the public domain through no fault of such Employee Investor or any of his, her or its Permitted Transferees, nor shall it be construed to prevent such Employee Investor from making any disclosure of any information (A) if required to do so by any statute, law, treaty, rule, regulation, order, decree, writ, injunction or determination of any court or other governmental authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Employee Investor or (B) pursuant to subpoena; and (ii) an Applicable Employee may, if and for so long as he or she is an employee or consultant of Company and/or its Subsidiaries, use such information solely in such capacity as an employee or consultant on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries in connection with the conduct of their businesses.

Section 5.4. GRANT OF IRREVOCABLE PROXY . EACH EMPLOYEE INVESTOR HEREBY GRANTS TO EACH OF THE SILVER LAKE INVESTORS SUCH EMPLOYEE INVESTOR’S PROXY, AND APPOINTS EACH OF THE SILVER LAKE INVESTORS, OR ANY DESIGNEE OR NOMINEE OF THE SILVER LAKE INVESTORS, AS SUCH EMPLOYEE INVESTOR’S ATTORNEY-IN-FACT (WITH FULL POWER OF SUBSTITUTION AND RESUBSTITITION), FOR AND IN HIS, HER OR ITS NAME, PLACE AND STEAD, TO VOTE OR ACT BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITH RESPECT TO ANY SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY NOW OR HEREAFTER HELD BY SUCH EMPLOYEE INVESTOR (OR ANY PERMITTED TRANSFEREE THEREOF) AND TO EXECUTE AND DELIVER IN HIS, HER OR ITS NAME ANY CONSENT, CERTIFICATE OR OTHER

 

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DOCUMENT RELATING TO THE COMPANY IN CONNECTION WITH ANY AND ALL MATTERS, INCLUDING MATTERS SET FORTH HEREIN AS TO WHICH ANY VOTE OR ACTIONS MAY BE REQUESTED OR REQUIRED (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, IN CONNECTION WITH ANY DRAG-ALONG SALE PURSUANT TO SECTION 3.5), WITH EACH SILVER LAKE INVESTOR HAVING THE ABILITY TO ACT IN SUCH CAPACITY WITHOUT THE OTHER SILVER LAKE INVESTOR. THIS PROXY IS COUPLED WITH AN INTEREST AND SHALL BE IRREVOCABLE, AND EACH EMPLOYEE INVESTOR WILL TAKE SUCH FURTHER ACTION OR EXECUTE SUCH OTHER INSTRUMENTS AS MAY BE REASONABLY NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE INTENT OF THIS PROXY AND, EXCEPT WITH RESPECT TO ANY OTHER PROXY GIVEN BY SUCH EMPLOYEE INVESTOR TO THE COMPANY OR THE SILVER LAKE INVESTORS, HEREBY REVOKES ANY PROXY PREVIOUSLY GRANTED BY SUCH EMPLOYEE INVESTOR WITH RESPECT TO SUCH EMPLOYEE INVESTOR’S SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY. IN THE EVENT THAT ANY OR ALL PROVISION OF THIS SECTION 5.4 ARE DETERMINED TO BE UNENFORCEABLE, EACH EMPLOYEE INVESTOR WILL ENTER INTO A PROXY THAT, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, PRESERVES THE INTENT AND PROVIDES THE SILVER LAKE INVESTORS SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME BENEFITS OF THIS SECTION 5.4. THE PROXY GRANTED IN THIS SECTION 5.4 SHALL TERMINATE AND BE OF NO FURTHER FORCE AND EFFECT UPON THE CONSUMMATION OF AN INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING.

Section 5.5. Distributions in Connection with Merger or Initial Public Offering; Cooperation with Initial Public Offering Reorganization and SEC Filings .

(a) In the event of any merger, amalgamation, statutory share exchange or other business combination or reorganization of the Company, on the one hand, with any of its Subsidiaries, on the other hand, the Silver Lake Investors and each of the Employee Investors shall, to the extent necessary, as determined by the Silver Lake Investors, execute a Employee Investors shareholders agreement with terms that are substantially equivalent (to the extent practicable) to, mutatis mutandis , the terms of this Agreement.

(b) In the event that the Company proposes to undertake an Initial Public Offering (in accordance with the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement or otherwise), the Company may (or the Silver Lake Investors may cause to the Company to) make changes (i) to the organizational documents of the Company or this Agreement to provide for a conversion of the Company to any other capital structure as the Company or the Silver Lake Investors may determine and/or (ii) to the structure of the Company (including the conversion of the Company into a successor corporation or other entity and/or forming a new entity that will issue shares to the public and acquire, directly or indirectly, Securities in the Company in order to give effect to such Initial Public Offering, and in each case for the express purpose of an offering of the securities of such Registering Entity for sale to the public in a registered public offering pursuant to the Securities Act. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “ Registering Entity ” means the Company or if the entity registering Shares in connection with the Initial Public Offering is (i) any other Subsidiary of the Company or (ii) the resulting entity from (A) such conversion of the Company to any other capital structure, (B) such conversion of the Company into a successor corporation or other entity and/or (C) the formation of such a new entity that will issue Shares to

 

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the public and acquire, directly or indirectly, Securities in the Company in order to give effect to such Initial Public Offering, such other Subsidiary or resulting entity. For the avoidance of doubt, in no case shall SMART Storage Systems (Global Holdings), Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company and indirect subsidiary of the Company (“ Storage Holdings ”), be deemed the “Registering Entity” for purposes of this Agreement, and no offering of securities by Storage Holdings in an initial public offering or other registered offering shall be deemed the Initial Public Offering or otherwise subject to the terms of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, immediately prior to the consummation of an Initial Public Offering, if (i) the Registering Entity is not the Company and (ii) a transaction contemplated by Section 5.5(a) has not occurred, then the Company shall take such actions as may reasonably be necessary to exchange all Shares for shares of such Registering Entity; provided , that the Registering Entity, the Silver Lake Investors and each of the Employee Investors shall, to the extent appropriate, as determined by the Silver Lake Investors, execute an employee investors shareholders agreement with terms that are substantially equivalent (to the extent practicable) to, mutatis mutandis , the terms of this Agreement (except with respect to any terms herein that do not apply after the consummation of an Initial Public Offering). Upon such exchange, the shareholders of the Company shall be entitled to receive shares of the Registering Entity pro rata in accordance with the equity interests in the Company held by each shareholder immediately prior to such exchange.

(c) In connection with any proposed transaction contemplated by Section 5.5(a) or Section 5.5(b), each Employee Investor shall take such actions as may be reasonably required and otherwise cooperate in good faith with the Company and the Silver Lake Investors, including taking all actions reasonably requested by the Company or the Silver Lake Investors and executing and delivering all agreements, instruments and documents as may be reasonably required in order to consummate any such proposed transaction contemplated by Section 5.5(a) or Section 5.5(b).

(d) Each of the Employee Investors agrees, to the extent practicable and as requested by the Silver Lake Investors, to use reasonable efforts following the consummation of an Initial Public Offering to take or avoid taking (as applicable) actions that would potentially cause liability to the Company, the Silver Lake Investors or any Employee Investor under Section 13 or Section 16 of the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. To the extent that the Company, any Silver Lake Investor or any Employee Investor determines that it is obligated to make filings under Section 13 or Section 16 of the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, each of the Employee Investors agrees to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Person that determines that it has such a filing obligation, including by promptly providing information reasonably required by such Person for any such filing.

ARTICLE VI

ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE INVESTORS

Section 6.1. Additional Employee Investors . Additional parties may be added as to and be bound by and receive the benefits and be subject to the obligations provided by this Agreement as a Employee Investor upon the signing and delivery of a Joinder Agreement by

 

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such additional party and the acceptance thereof by the Company and, to the extent permitted by Section 7.7, amendments may be effected to this Agreement reflecting such rights and obligations of such Employee Investor as the Company and the Silver Lake Investors and such Employee Investor may agree.

ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 7.1. Entire Agreement . This Agreement (together with the Management Investors Shareholders Agreement and the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement) constitutes the entire understanding and agreement between the parties and supersedes and replaces any prior understanding, agreement or statement of intent, in each case, written or oral, of any and every nature with respect thereto. In the event of any inconsistency between this Agreement and any document executed or delivered to effect the purposes of this Agreement, including the bylaws (or equivalent organizational and governing documents) of any company, this Agreement shall govern as among the parties hereto.

Section 7.2. Specific Performance . The parties hereto agree that the obligations imposed on them in this Agreement are special, unique and of an extraordinary character, and that, in the event of breach by any party, damages would not be an adequate remedy and each of the other parties shall be entitled to specific performance and injunctive and other equitable relief in addition to any other remedy to which it may be entitled, at law or in equity. The parties hereto further agree to waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with the obtaining of any such injunctive or other equitable relief.

Section 7.3. Governing Law . This Agreement and all claims or causes of action (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including any claim or cause of action based upon, arising out of or related to any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws, except that Cayman Islands law shall apply in respect of any fiduciary duty or any mandatory provision of Cayman Islands corporate law.

Section 7.4. Submissions to Jurisdictions; WAIVERS OF JURY TRIALS .

(a) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably acknowledges and consents that any legal action or proceeding brought with respect to (i) this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement may only be brought in the courts of the State of Delaware or in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (collectively, the “ Delaware Courts ”), and (ii) any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty may only be brought in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands (the “ Cayman Court ”, and together with the Delaware Courts, as applicable, the “ Chosen Courts ”), and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submits to and accepts with regard to any such action or proceeding, for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, the exclusive jurisdiction of the Chosen Courts, as applicable. Each party hereby further irrevocably waives

 

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any claim that any Chosen Court lacks jurisdiction over such party, and agrees not to plead or claim, in any legal action or proceeding (i) with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby brought in the Delaware Courts or (ii) with respect to any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty brought in the Cayman Court, that any such court lacks jurisdiction over such party.

(b) Each party irrevocably consents to the service of process in any legal action or proceeding brought with respect to this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to such party, at its address for notices as provided in Section 7.12 of this Agreement, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing. Each party hereby irrevocably waives any objection to such service of process and further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any action or proceeding commenced hereunder or under any other documents contemplated hereby, that service of process was in any way invalid or ineffective. Subject to Section 7.4(c), the foregoing shall not limit the rights of any party to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable law. The foregoing consents to jurisdiction shall not constitute general consents to service of process in the State of Delaware or the Cayman Islands for any purpose except as provided above and shall not be deemed to confer rights on any Person other than the respective parties to this Agreement.

(c) Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right it may have under the laws of any jurisdiction to commence by publication any legal action or proceeding with respect to (i) this Agreement or any of the obligations under or relating to this Agreement or (ii) any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives the objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any suit, action or proceeding with respect to (i) this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement in any of the Delaware Courts and (ii) arising under or relating to any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty in the Cayman Court, and hereby further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim that any such Chosen Court is not a convenient forum for any such suit, action or proceeding, as applicable.

(d) The parties hereto agree that any judgment obtained by any party hereto or its successors or assigns in any action, suit or proceeding referred to above may, in the discretion of such party (or its successors or assigns), be enforced in any jurisdiction, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

(e) EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO (I) ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR (II) WITH RESPECT TO ANY CLAIM OF BREACH BY ANY DIRECTOR OF THE COMPANY OF ANY FIDUCIARY DUTY. EACH OF THE PARTIES (I) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, SEEK TO ENFORCE

 

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THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (II) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 7.4(e).

Section 7.5. Obligations . All obligations hereunder shall be satisfied in full without set-off, defense or counterclaim.

Section 7.6. Consents, Approvals and Actions .

(a) Subject to the terms of the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, if any consent, approval or action of the Silver Lake Investors is required at any time pursuant to this Agreement, such consent, approval or action shall be deemed given if any of the Silver Lake Investors at such time provide such consent, approval or action in writing at such time.

(b) If any consent, approval or action of the Employee Investors is required at any time pursuant to this Agreement (including with respect to any amendments pursuant to Section 7.7), such consent, approval or action shall be deemed given if the holders of a majority of the outstanding the Transferable Shares held by the Employee Investors, taken together, at such time provide such consent, approval or action in writing at such time.

Section 7.7. Amendment and Waiver .

(a) Any amendment to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall require the written consent of (i) the Company, (ii) the Silver Lake Investors and (iii) if the amendment, by its terms, would be materially and disproportionally adverse to the Employee Investors as compared to the Silver Lake Investors, the Employee Investors. The immediately foregoing clause (iii) shall not apply with respect to (1) amendments in connection with the addition of other Employee Investors as parties to this Agreement (provided that such amendment does not expressly negate any specific right of the Employee Investors or a particular Employee Investor set forth in this Agreement), (2) amendments to reflect the addition of a new third-party holding Transferable Shares (other than an additional Management Holder as a party hereto), (3) subject to compliance with Section 3.5, amendments in connection with any Drag-Along Sale, (4) amendments that do not apply to Employee Investors or (6) amendments contemplated by Section 5.5.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any addition of an Employee Investor, a transferee of Transferable Shares or a recipient of any newly issued Transferable Shares, in each case, as a party hereto pursuant to Article VI shall not constitute an amendment hereto and the applicable Joinder Agreement need be signed only by the Company and such transferee or recipient.

(c) Any failure by any party at any time to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be construed a waiver of such provision or any other provisions hereof.

Section 7.8. Assignment . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Silver Lake Investors shall have the right to assign any or all of their rights under this Agreement to any Person or Persons to whom a Silver Lake Investor, as applicable, transfers

 

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Securities. No Employee Investor may, directly or indirectly, assign or transfer (whether in connection with the transfer of Securities or otherwise) all or any part of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the Silver Lake Investors. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, a Employee Investor may assign its rights and corresponding obligations to any Person or Persons to whom such Employee Investor has transferred Securities in compliance with Article III; provided , however , that no transferee of transferred Securities pursuant to a transfer made pursuant to Rule 144 or in a registered public offering shall be subject to, or have any rights under, this Agreement. Any purported assignment of rights or obligations under this Agreement in derogation of this Section 7.8 shall be null and void.

Section 7.9. Binding Effect . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the provisions hereof shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the parties’ successors and permitted assigns.

Section 7.10. Third Party Beneficiaries . Except for Section 5.2 and Section 7.13 (which will be for the benefit of the Persons set forth therein, and any such Person will have the rights provided for therein), this Agreement does not create any rights, claims or benefits inuring to any Person that is not a party hereto, and it does not create or establish any third party beneficiary hereto.

Section 7.11. Termination . This Agreement shall terminate only (i) by written consent of the Silver Lake Investors or (ii) upon the dissolution or liquidation of the Company.

Section 7.12. Notices . Any and all notices, designations, offers, acceptances or other communications provided for herein shall be deemed to be sufficient if contained in a written instrument delivered in person or sent by facsimile, nationally-recognized overnight courier or first class registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, which shall be addressed, (a) in the case of the Company, to its principal office, (b) in the case of any Employee Investor, to such party’s address or telecopy number of such Employee Investor set forth on the signature pages hereto or, if applicable, the Joinder Agreement of such Employee Investor, or (c) in the case of any Silver Lake Investor, to the following addresses or telecopy numbers:

c/o Silver Lake Partners

c/o Silver Lake Sumeru

2775 Sand Hill Road, Suite 100

Menlo Park, CA 94025

Fax No.: (650) 233-8125

Attention: Karen King

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

2550 Hanover Street

Palo Alto, CA 94304

Fax No.: (650) 251-5002

Attention: Peter Malloy

 

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Any and all notices, designations, offers, acceptances or other communications shall be conclusively deemed to have been given, delivered or received (i) in the case of personal delivery, on the day of actual delivery thereof, (ii) in the case of facsimile, on the day of transmittal thereof if given during the normal business hours of the recipient, and on the Business Day during which such normal business hours next occur if not given during such hours on any day, (iii) in the case of dispatch by nationally-recognized overnight courier, on the next Business Day following the disposition with such nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iv) in the case of mailing, on the third (3 rd ) Business Day after the posting thereof. By notice complying with the foregoing provisions of this Section 7.12, each party shall have the right to change its mailing address or telecopy number for the notices and communications to such party.

Section 7.13. No Third Party Liability . This Agreement may only be enforced against the named parties hereto. All claims or causes of action (whether in contract or tort) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement, or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement or as an inducement to enter into this Agreement), may be made only against the entities that are expressly identified as parties hereto; and no past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, partner, stockholder, Affiliate, portfolio company in which any such party or any of its investment fund Affiliates have made a debt or equity investment (and vice versa), agent, attorney or representative of any party hereto (including any Person negotiating or executing this Agreement on behalf of a party hereto), unless party to this Agreement, shall have any liability or obligation with respect to this Agreement or with respect any claim or cause of action (whether in contract or tort) that may arise out of or relate to this Agreement, or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including a representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement or as an inducement to enter into this Agreement).

Section 7.14. No Partnership . Nothing in this Agreement and no actions taken by the parties under this Agreement shall constitute a partnership, association or other co-operative entity between any of the parties or constitute any party the agent of any other party for any purpose.

Section 7.15. Aggregation . All Transferable Shares held or acquired by any Silver Lake Investor and its Affiliates or any Employee Investor and its Affiliates shall be aggregated together for the purpose of determining the availability of any rights under and application of any limitations under this Agreement, and such shareholder and its Affiliates may apportion such rights as among themselves in any manner they deem appropriate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all Transferable Shares held or acquired by the Shah Investors (as defined in the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement) and any of each such Shah Investor’s respective Affiliates, designated transferees or successors that hold Securities shall be aggregated together with the Transferable Shares held by and deemed to be owned by the SLS Investor, the SLS Co-Investor and any of their respective Affiliates, designated transferees or successors that hold Securities.

 

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Section 7.16. Severability . If any portion of this Agreement shall be declared void or unenforceable by any court or administrative body of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed severable from the remainder of this Agreement, which shall continue in all respects valid and enforceable.

Section 7.17. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts (which delivery may be by electronic transmission), each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute a single instrument.

[ The remainder of this page intentionally left blank .]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has executed this Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement or caused this Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement to be signed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as a deed as of the date first written above.

 

COMPANY :         
SALEEN HOLDINGS, INC.          In the presence of:
By:  

/s/ Kenneth Hao

        

/s/ Kathleen Blesius

  Name: Kenneth Hao          Signature of Witness
  Title: President          Name of Witness: Kathleen Blesius

[ Signature Pages Follow ]

[Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement]


SLP INVESTOR :         
SILVER LAKE PARTNERS III CAYMAN         
(AIV III), L.P.         
By:   Silver Lake Technology Associates III         
  Cayman, L.P., its General Partner         
By:   Silver Lake (Offshore) AIV GP III, Ltd.,         
  its General Partner         
           In the presence of:
By:  

/s/ James A. Davidson

        

/s/ Debbie Jones-Ohel

  Name: James A. Davidson          Signature of Witness
  Title: Director          Name of Witness: Debbie Jones-Ohel
SLP CO-INVESTOR :         
SILVER LAKE TECHNOLOGY INVESTORS         
III CAYMAN, L.P.         
By:   Silver Lake Technology Associates III         
  Cayman, L.P., its General Partner         
By:   Silver Lake (Offshore) AIV GP III, Ltd.,         
  its General Partner         
           In the presence of:
By:  

/s/ James A. Davidson

        

/s/ Debbie Jones-Ohel

  Name: James A. Davidson          Signature of Witness
  Title: Director          Name of Witness: Debbie Jones-Ohel

[ Signature Pages Follow ]

[Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement]


SLS INVESTOR :      
SILVER LAKE SUMERU FUND CAYMAN, L.P.      
By:   Silver Lake Technology Associates Sumeru      
  Cayman, L.P., its General Partner      
By:   Silver Lake Technology Associates Sumeru      
  Cayman, L.P., its General Partner      
By:   Silver Lake Technology Associates Sumeru      
  Cayman, L.P., its General Partner      
        In the presence of:
By:  

/s/ Ajay B. Shah

     

/s/ Cynthia Reyes-Orosco

  Name: Ajay B. Shah       Signature of Witness
  Title: Director       Name of Witness: Cynthia Reyes-Orosco
SLS CO-INVESTOR :      
SILVER LAKE TECHNOLOGY INVESTORS      
SUMERU CAYMAN, L.P.      
By:   Silver Lake Technology Associates Sumeru      
  Cayman, L.P., its General Partner      
By:   Silver Lake Technology Associates Sumeru      
  Cayman, L.P., its General Partner      
By:   Silver Lake Technology Associates Sumeru      
  Cayman, L.P, its General Partner      
        In the presence of:
By:  

/s/ Ajay B. Shah

     

/s/ Cynthia Reyes-Orosco

  Name: Ajay B. Shah       Signature of Witness
  Title: Director       Name of Witness: Cynthia Reyes-Orosco

[ Signature Pages Follow ]

[Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement]


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF JOINDER AGREEMENT

The undersigned is executing and delivering this Joinder Agreement pursuant to that certain Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement of Saleen Holdings, Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company, dated as of August 26, 2011 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance with the terms thereof, the “ Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Joinder Agreement shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement.

By executing and delivering this Joinder Agreement to the Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement, the undersigned hereby agrees to become a party to, to be bound by, and to comply with the provisions of the Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement as a Employee Investor. In connection therewith, effective as of the date hereof, the undersigned hereby makes the representations and warranties contained in Section 2.1 of the Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement.

Accordingly, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Joinder Agreement as of the          day of                ,        .

 

 
Signature of Employee Investor
 
Print Name of Employee Investor
Address of Employee Investor:                                     
 
 
Telephone:                                                                      
Facsimile:                                                                      

 

AGREED AND ACCEPTED as of the          day of                     ,                 .
SALEEN HOLDINGS, INC.
By:                                                                              
      Name:
      Title:

 

Exhibit 4.5

Execution Copy

 

 

 

SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED

INVESTORS SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT

Dated as of November 5, 2016

 

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page  
Article I  
DEFINITIONS  

Section 1.1.

  

Definitions

     1  

Section 1.2.

  

Definitions Cross References

     6  

Section 1.3.

  

General Interpretive Principles

     7  

Article II

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

Section 2.1.

  

Representations and Warranties of Each of the Management Investors

     8  

Section 2.2.

  

Representations and Warranties of Each of the Warrant Investors

     9  

Article III

 

TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS

 

Section 3.1.

  

General Restrictions on Transfers

     10  

Section 3.2.

  

Permitted Transfers

     12  

Section 3.3.

  

Pre-Initial Public Offering Transfers

     12  

Section 3.4.

  

Post-Initial Public Offering Transfers

     12  

Section 3.5.

  

Black-Out Periods

     17  

Section 3.6.

  

Tag-Along Rights

     17  

Section 3.7.

  

Drag-Along Rights

     20  

Article IV

 

PARTICIPATION RIGHTS

 

Section 4.1.

  

Certain Definitions

     24  

Section 4.2.

  

Right of Participation

     25  

Section 4.3.

  

Excluded Transactions

     27  

Section 4.4.

  

Termination of Article IV

     28  

Article V

 

CALL & OFFER TO PURCHASE RIGHTS

 

 


Section 5.1.

   Certain Definitions      28  

Section 5.2.

   Call      30  

Section 5.3.

   Settlement with Company Note      31  

Section 5.4.

   Call Option of the Silver Lake Investors      32  

Section 5.5.

   Offer to Purchase Investment Shares      32  

Section 5.6.

   Further Assurances      33  

Section 5.7.

   Termination of Article V      33  

Article VI

 

ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

 

Section 6.1.

  

Further Assurances

     33  

Section 6.2.

  

Other Businesses; Waiver of Certain Duties

     33  

Section 6.3.

  

Confidentiality

     35  

Section 6.4.

  

GRANT OF IRREVOCABLE PROXY

     36  

Section 6.5.

   Distributions in Connection with Merger or Initial Public Offering; Cooperation with Initial Public Offering Reorganization and SEC Filings      37  

Section 6.6.

  

Warrant Investor Consent Right

     38  

Section 6.7.

  

Information Rights

     39  

Article VII

 

ADDITIONAL MANAGEMENT INVESTORS AND WARRANT INVESTORS

 

Section 7.1.

  

Additional Management Investors

     39  

Section 7.2.

  

Warrant Investors

     39  

Article VIII

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 8.1.

  

Entire Agreement

     40  

Section 8.2.

  

Specific Performance

     40  

Section 8.3.

  

Governing Law

     40  

Section 8.4.

  

Submissions to Jurisdictions; WAIVERS OF JURY TRIALS

     40  

Section 8.5.

  

Obligations

     42  

Section 8.6.

  

Consents, Approvals and Actions

     42  

Section 8.7.

  

Amendment and Waiver

     42  

Section 8.8.

  

Assignment

     43  

 

3


Section 8.9.

  

Binding Effect

     43  

Section 8.10.

  

Third Party Beneficiaries

     43  

Section 8.11.

  

Termination

     43  

Section 8.12.

  

Notices

     43  

Section 8.13.

  

No Third Party Liability

     44  

Section 8.14.

  

No Partnership

     45  

Section 8.15.

  

Aggregation

     45  

Section 8.16.

  

Severability

     45  

Section 8.17.

  

Counterparts

     45  

Exhibit A: Form of Joinder Agreement

Exhibit B: Management Investors as of November 5, 2016

Exhibit C: Key Management Investors

 

4


SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED INVESTORS SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT

This AMENDED AND RESTATED INVESTORS SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT (as may be amended, supplemented, restated or modified from time to time, this “ Agreement ”) is made as of November 5, 2016, by and among SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a Saleen Holdings, Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company (together with its successors and assigns, the “ Company ”), Silver Lake Partners III Cayman (AIV III), L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the “ SLP Investor ”), Silver Lake Technology Investors III Cayman, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the “ SLP Co-Investor ”), Silver Lake Sumeru Fund Cayman, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the “ SLS Investor ”), Silver Lake Technology Investors Sumeru Cayman, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the “ SLS Co-Investor ”), the Management Investors (as defined below) and the Warrant Investors (as defined below).

WHEREAS, the Company, the SLP Investor, the SLP Co-Investor, the SLS Investor, the SLS Co-Investor and the initial Management Investors entered into that certain Management Investors Shareholders Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011 (the “ Prior Agreement ”), in order to set forth certain rights and other terms in connection with ownership of Shares (as defined below);

WHEREAS, in connection with the Amended Credit Agreement (as defined below), the Warrant Investors (as defined below) received Warrants to purchase Warrant Shares (as defined below), dated as of the date hereof, between the Company and each such Warrant Investor (each, a “ Warrant ”), pursuant to which (i) such Warrant Investors are entitled to exercise such Warrants upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein and (ii) as a condition of receipt of such Warrants, the Warrant Investors are required to enter into this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the Company, the SLP Investor, the SLP Co-Investor, the SLS Investor and the SLS Co-Investor desire to amend and restate the Prior Agreement in connection with the Amended Credit Agreement in order to set forth certain rights and obligations of the Warrant Investors with respect to the ownership of Securities (as defined below) by the Warrant Investors.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements and obligations set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1. Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

1


Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that Controls, is Controlled by, or is under common Control with such Person. The term “ Control ” means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. “ Controlled ” and “ Controlling ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of this Agreement, (i) the Company, its Subsidiaries and its other Controlled Affiliates shall not be considered Affiliates of any of the Silver Lake Investors, the Management Investors or the Warrant Investors or any of such party’s Affiliates (other than the Company, its Subsidiaries and its other Controlled Affiliates) and (ii) except with respect to Section 6.2(a), Section 6.2(b), Section 6.6 or Section 8.13, none of the Silver Lake Investors shall be considered Affiliates of (A) any portfolio company in which any of the Silver Lake Investors or any of their investment fund Affiliates have made a debt or equity investment (and vice versa) or (B) any limited partners, non-managing members or other similar direct or indirect investors in any of the Silver Lake Investors or their affiliated investment funds.

Amended Credit Agreement ” means that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2016, among SMART, the Parent Borrower and SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., the lenders and administrative agent party thereto, as it may be amended from time to time.

Applicable Employee ” means (i) with respect to any Management Investor that is or was an employee or consultant of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, such employee or consultant, and (ii) with respect to any Management Investor that is not and was not an employee or consultant of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the current or former employee or consultant of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to whom such Management Investor is an Affiliate on the date of this Agreement or a Permitted Transferee from and after the date of this Agreement.

beneficial ownership ” and “ beneficially own ” and similar terms have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act; provided , however that (i) no party hereto shall be deemed to beneficially own any Securities of the Company held by any other party hereto solely by virtue of the provisions of this Agreement (other than this definition) and (ii) with respect to any Securities held by a party hereto that are exercisable for, convertible into or exchangeable for Shares upon delivery of consideration to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, such Shares shall not be deemed to be beneficially owned by such party unless, until and to the extent such Securities have been exercised, converted or exchanged and such consideration has been delivered by such party to the Company or such Subsidiary.

Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

Business Day ” means a day, other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banks located in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to close.

Code ” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

 

2


Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement ” means the Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011, by and among the Company, the Silver Lake Investors party thereto and the other signatories thereto, as it may be amended from time to time.

Encumbrance ” means any charge, claim, community or other marital property interest, right of first option, right of first refusal, mortgage, pledge, lien or other encumbrance (except as resulting from the express terms of this Agreement).

Equity Contribution and Subscription Agreement ” means each of the Equity Contribution and Subscription Agreements, dated as of August 26, 2011, between the Company and the applicable Management Investor, pursuant to which such Management Investor acquired certain Shares.

ERISA ” means the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

Initial Public Offering ” means the consummation of an underwritten initial public offering that is registered under the Securities Act of Shares of the Company or the equity securities of the Registering Entity as contemplated by Section 6.5.

Joinder Agreement ” means a joinder agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.

Management Agreement ” means the Transaction and Management Fee Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011, as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Company and Silver Lake Management Company III, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company, and Silver Lake Management Company Sumeru, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company.

Management Investor ” means the parties identified on Exhibit B hereto and any Person other than the Company, the Silver Lake Investors and the Warrant Investors that becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Article VII hereof, whether or not such Person is an employee or consultant of the Company or its Subsidiaries.

Merger Agreement ” means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 25, 2011, by and among SMART, the Company and Saleen Acquisition, Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company.

Options ” mean any rights or options to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire Shares granted pursuant to any employment or consulting agreement with the Company or its Subsidiaries or pursuant to any equity compensation plan or program of the Company.

Parent Borrower ” means SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company and Subsidiary of the Company.

 

3


Permitted Transferee ” means, (x) with respect to a Management Investor, (i) any Person who takes from such Management Investor upon death by bequest, devise or descent, (ii) the spouse and lineal descendants (including children by adoption and step children) of the Applicable Employee for such Management Investor, (iii) a trust or custodianship formed in connection with the bona fide estate planning activities of the relevant Applicable Employee (A) the current, non-contingent beneficiaries of which may include only the Applicable Employee for such Management Investor, and the spouse and lineal descendants (including children by adoption and step children) of such Applicable Employee, and (B) with respect to which such Applicable Employee is the sole trustee or custodian (or is a co-trustee or co-custodian along with such Applicable Employee’s spouse), or (iv) any limited liability company or partnership (A) with respect to which at least eighty percent (80%) of all of the outstanding equity interests are beneficially owned solely by the Applicable Employee for such Management Investor, and/or the spouse and lineal descendants (including children by adoption and step children) of such Applicable Employee, (B) with respect to which such Applicable Employee, and/or any of the spouse and lineal descendants (including children by adoption and step children) of such Applicable Employee, are the sole managers or managing members (if a limited liability company) or directly or indirectly control the sole general partners (if a limited partnership) and otherwise have the sole power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies, directly or indirectly, of such limited liability company or partnership, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise and (C) which entity is not formed with the purpose or intent of circumventing the requirements of Section 3.3, Section 3.4 or Section 3.5 and (y) with respect to a Warrant Investor, (i) any bona fide investment fund, or alternative investment vehicle of a bona fide investment fund that is advised by the investment manager of such Warrant Investor, or by an Affiliate of the investment manager of such Warrant Investor, its Affiliate or successor entity to such Warrant Investor and which entity is not formed with the purpose or intent of circumventing the requirements of Section 3.3 or Section 3.5 or (ii) any Person to whom a Warrant Investor in its capacity as a Lender (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement) transfers any portion of the Term Loan in compliance with the terms of the Amended Credit Agreement.

Person ” means an individual, any general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity, or a government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Registration Rights Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Company, the Silver Lake Investors party thereto, the Management Investors party thereto, the Warrant Investors party thereto and the other signatories thereto, as it may be amended from time to time.

Restricted Stock Units ” means an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver Shares following the lapse of the vesting restrictions applicable thereto (including, without limitation, that an Applicable Employee remain in continued employment with, or engagement by, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for a specified period of time).

 

4


Rule 144 ” means Rule 144 (or any successor provision) under the Securities Act, as such provision is amended from time to time.

SEC ” means the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor agency.

Second Tranche Exercise Condition ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Warrants.

Securities ” means any equity securities of the Company, including any Shares, Options, Warrants and Warrant Shares.

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

Shares ” means the ordinary shares, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.

Silver Lake Investors ” means, collectively, (i) the SLP Investor, the SLP Co-Investor and any of their respective Affiliates, designated transferees or successors that hold Securities, and (ii) the SLS Investor, the SLS Co-Investor and any of their respective Affiliates, designated transferees or successors that hold Securities.

SMART ” means SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company and Subsidiary of the Company.

Sponsor Shareholders Agreement ” means the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011, by and among the Company, the Silver Lake Investors party thereto and the other signatories thereto, as it may be amended from time to time.

Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person, any entity of which (i) a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock or equivalent ownership interests entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers, trustees or other members of the applicable governing body thereof is at the time owned or Controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one (1) or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof, or (ii) if no such governing body exists at such entity, a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock or equivalent ownership interests of the entity is at the time owned or Controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one (1) or more Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof. For purposes hereof, a Person or Persons shall be deemed to have a majority ownership interest in a limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity if such Person or Persons shall be allocated a majority of limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity gains or losses or shall be or Control the managing member or general partner of such limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity.

Term Loan ” and “ Term Loans ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Amended Credit Agreement.

 

5


Transferable Shares ” means (i) Shares, (ii) Shares issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any convertible debt security or preferred security that is currently exercisable for, convertible into or exchangeable for, as of the relevant date of determination, Shares, (iii) solely with respect to Section 3.6, Section 3.7 and Article V, the number of Shares issuable upon exercise of Options that are vested and exercisable as of the relevant date of determination, (iv) solely with respect to Section 3.6, Section 3.7, Article IV, Section 8.6, Section 8.7, the number of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of Warrants as of the date of determination and (v) solely with respect to Section 3.7 and Article V, Restricted Stock Units.

Warrant Investor ” means any duly registered holder of a Warrant under the terms and conditions thereof or Warrant Shares upon exercise thereof.

Warrant Shares ” shall have the meaning set forth in the applicable Warrant.

Section 1.2. Definitions Cross References . The following terms are defined in the corresponding Sections of this Agreement:

 

Term

  

Section

5% Warrant Investor

  

Section 3.5

Agreement

  

Preamble

Applicable Transfer Cap

  

Section 3.4(a)(i)

Call

  

Section 5.2(a)

Call Date

  

Section 5.1(a)

Call Group

  

Section 5.1(b)

Call Shares

  

Section 5.2(a)

Call Shares Price

  

Section 5.1(c)

Call Termination Date

  

Section 5.1(d)

Cause

  

Section 5.1(e)

Cayman Court

  

Section 8.4(a)

Chosen Courts

  

Section 8.4(a)

Company

  

Preamble

Company Note

  

Section 5.3

Competitor

  

Section 3.1(b)

Compliant Terms

  

Section 4.2(b)(i)

Control

  

Section 1.1

Cost

  

Section 5.1(f)

Delaware Courts

  

Section 8.4(a)

Drag Covered Transferable Shares

  

Section 3.7(d)

Drag-Along Escrow Agent

  

Section 3.7(d)

Drag-Along Notice

  

Section 3.7(a)

Drag-Along Sale

  

Section 3.7(a)

Exercising Investor

  

Section 4.2(b)(i)

First Period

  

Section 3.4(a)(ii)

First Period Cap

  

Section 3.4(a)(iii)

FMV per Share

  

Section 5.1(g)

Good Reason

  

Section 5.1(h)

 

6


Incentive Shares

  

Section 5.1(i)

Information Holder

  

Section 6.7

Investment Shares

  

Section 5.1(j)

Key Management Investors

  

Section 3.4(a)(iv)

Listing Exchange

  

Section 3.4(a)(v)

Merger

  

Section 5.1(i)

Non-Discretionary Sales Program

  

Section 3.4(a)(vi)

Offer Price

  

Section 5.5

Offered Shares

  

Section 5.5

Participation Closing

  

Section 4.2(f)

Participation Notice

  

Section 4.2(a)

Participation Portion

  

Section 4.1(a)

Participation Securities

  

Section 4.1(b)

Post-Closing Issuance

  

Section 4.1(c)

Post-IPO Transfer Notice

  

Section 3.4(c)(i)

Post-IPO Transfer Restriction Periods

  

Section 3.4(a)(vii)

Prior Agreement

  

Recitals

Proposed Transferee

  

Section 3.6(a)

Prospective Purchaser

  

Section 4.2(b)(i)

Registering Entity

  

Section 6.5(b)

Related Party Transaction

  

Section 6.6

Rollover Shares

  

Section 5.1(k)

Second Period

  

Section 3.4(a)(viii)

Second Period Cap

  

Section 3.4(a)(ix)

Second Period Non-Discretionary Sales Program

  

Section 3.4(c)(iii)

Selling Silver Lake Investor

  

Section 3.6(a)

SLP Co-Investor

  

Preamble

SLP Investor

  

Preamble

SLS Co-Investor

  

Preamble

SLS Investor

  

Preamble

Tag-Along Participation Notice

  

Section 3.6(b)

Tag-Along Sale

  

Section 3.6(a)

Tag-Along Sale Percentage

  

Section 3.6(a)

Tag-Along Sellers

  

Section 3.6(b)

Tagging Investors

  

Section 3.6(b)

Third Period

  

Section 3.4(a)(x)

Third Period Cap

  

Section 3.4(a)(xi)

Third Period Non-Discretionary Sales Program

  

Section 3.4(c)(iii)

Trading Day

  

Section 3.4(a)(xii)

Transfer Notice

  

Section 3.6(a)

Warrant

  

Recitals

Section 1.3. General Interpretive Principles . The name assigned to this Agreement and the section captions used herein are for convenience of reference only and shall not be construed to affect the meaning, construction or effect hereof. Unless otherwise specified, the terms “hereof,” “herein” and similar terms refer to this Agreement as a whole, and references herein to Articles or Sections refer to Articles or Sections of this Agreement. For purposes of

 

7


this Agreement, the words, “include,” “includes” and “including,” when used herein, shall be deemed in each case to be followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “dollars” and “$” shall mean United States dollars. Except as otherwise set forth herein, Shares underlying unexercised Options that have been issued by the Company shall not be deemed “outstanding” for any purposes in this Agreement. 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 will be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties and no presumption or burden of proof will arise favoring or disfavoring any party because of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement.

ARTICLE II

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Section 2.1. Representations and Warranties of Each of the Management Investors . Each of the Management Investors hereby represents and warrants to each of the other parties, as of the date of this Agreement and on any subsequent date on which such Management Investor may acquire Securities from the Company, as follows:

(a) Such Management Investor, to the extent applicable, is duly organized or incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization or incorporation and has all requisite power and authority to conduct its business as it is now being conducted and is proposed to be conducted.

(b) Such Management Investor has the full power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary action, corporate or otherwise, of such Management Investor. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by such Management Investor and constitutes its, his or her legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it, him or her in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

(c) The execution and delivery by such Management Investor of this Agreement, the performance by such party of its, his or her obligations hereunder does not and will not violate (A) in the case of parties who are not individuals, any provision of its by-laws, charter, articles of association, partnership agreement or other similar document, (B) any provision of any material agreement to which it, he or she is a party or by which it, he or she is bound or (C) any law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree to which it, he or she is subject.

(d) No consent, waiver, approval, authorization, exemption, registration, license or declaration is required to be made or obtained by such Management Investor in connection with the execution, delivery or enforceability of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein.

(e) Such Management Investor is not currently in violation of any law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree, which violation could reasonably be expected at any time to have a material adverse effect upon such party’s ability to enter into this Agreement or to perform its, his or her obligations hereunder.

 

8


(f) There is no pending or threatened legal action, suit or proceeding that would materially and adversely affect the ability of such Management Investor to enter into this Agreement or to perform its, his or her obligations hereunder.

Section 2.2. Representations and Warranties of Each of the Warrant Investors . Each of the Warrant Investors hereby represents and warrants to each of the other parties, as of the date such Warrant Investor becomes a party to this Agreement and on any subsequent date on which such Warrant Investor may acquire Securities from the Company, as follows:

(a) Such Warrant Investor is duly organized or incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization or incorporation and has all requisite power and authority to conduct its business as it is now being conducted and is proposed to be conducted.

(b) Such Warrant Investor has the full power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary action, corporate or otherwise, of such Warrant Investor. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by such Warrant Investor and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

(c) The execution and delivery by such Warrant Investor of this Agreement, the performance by such party of its obligations hereunder by such party does not and will not violate (A) any provision of its by-laws, charter, articles of association, partnership agreement or other similar document, (B) any provision of any material agreement to which it is a party or by which it is bound or (C) any law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree to which it is subject.

(d) No consent, waiver, approval, authorization, exemption, registration, license or declaration is required to be made or obtained by such Warrant Investor in connection with the execution, delivery or enforceability of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein.

(e) Such Warrant Investor is not currently in violation of any law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree, which violation could reasonably be expected at any time to have a material adverse effect upon such party’s ability to enter into this Agreement or to perform its obligations hereunder.

(f) There is no pending or threatened legal action, suit or proceeding that would materially and adversely affect the ability of such Warrant Investor to enter into this Agreement or to perform its obligations hereunder.

 

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ARTICLE III

TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS

Section 3.1. General Restrictions on Transfers .

(a) No Management Investor or Warrant Investor may, directly or indirectly, sell, exchange, assign, pledge, hypothecate, gift or otherwise transfer, dispose of or encumber, in each case, whether in its own right or by its representative and whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law (any of the foregoing shall be deemed included in the term “ transfer ” as used in this Agreement) any Securities or any legal, economic or beneficial interest in any Securities unless (i) such transfer of Securities is made in compliance with the provisions of this Article III and any other agreement applicable to the transfer of such Securities (including the applicable option plan or award) and (ii) the transferee of any Transferable Shares (if other than (A) the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, another Management Investor or Warrant Investor, (B) a transferee in a sale of Transferable Shares made under Rule 144, or (C) a transferee of any Transferrable Shares pursuant to an offer and sale registered under the Securities Act) agrees to become a party to this Agreement pursuant to Article VII hereof and executes a Joinder Agreement and such further documents as may be necessary, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, to make him, her or it a party hereto.

(b) Notwithstanding anything in this Article III to the contrary, without the prior written consent of the Silver Lake Investors, no Management Investor may transfer any Securities to any Person (whether or not to a Permitted Transferee) that, in the reasonable judgment of the Silver Lake Investors, (i) is an actual or known potential competitor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) is known, after reasonable inquiry, to be adverse to the interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as a result of a current or former litigation, arbitration, dispute or claim (each of clauses (i) and (ii), a “ Competitor ”) or (iii) is known to hold (directly or indirectly) more than a 5% ownership interest in any Competitor; provided , however , that this sentence shall not apply to (x) transfers of Transferable Shares pursuant to and in compliance with Section 3.6 or Section 3.7 or (y) a sale of Transferable Shares (including a block transfer) effected via registered public offering or under Rule 144 through a securities exchange or national quotation system or through a broker, dealer or other market maker, in a manner in which the identity of the purchaser, other than the broker, dealer or market maker through which such sale is being effected, has not been designated by the seller and is effected in a manner through which the identity of the purchaser cannot or would not customarily be available to such seller.

(c) Any purported transfer of Securities or any interest in any Securities by any Management Investor or Warrant Investor that is not in compliance with this Agreement shall be null and void, and the Company shall refuse to recognize any such transfer for any purpose and shall not reflect in its register of members or otherwise any change in record ownership of Securities pursuant to any such transfer.

(d) Each Management Investor and Warrant Investor acknowledges that the Shares have not been registered under the Securities Act and may not be transferred except pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or pursuant to an

 

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exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Each Management Investor and Warrant Investor agrees that it will not transfer any Shares at any time if such action would (i) constitute a violation of any securities laws of any applicable jurisdiction or a breach of the conditions to any exemption from registration of Shares under any such laws or a breach of any undertaking or agreement of such Management Investor or Warrant Investor entered into pursuant to such laws or in connection with obtaining an exemption thereunder, (ii) cause the Company to become subject to the registration requirements of the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended from time to time, or (iii) be a non-exempt “prohibited transaction” under ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code or cause all or any portion of the assets of the Company to constitute “plan assets” for purposes of fiduciary responsibility or prohibited transaction provisions of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code. Each Management Investor and Warrant Investor agrees it shall not be entitled to any certificate for any or all of the Shares, unless the Board shall otherwise determine.

(e) No Management Investor or Warrant Investor shall grant any proxy or enter into or agree to be bound by any voting trust or other obligation with respect to any Securities or enter into any agreements or arrangements of any kind with any Person with respect to any Securities inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement applicable to such Management Investor or Warrant Investor (including, without limitation, Section 6.4) (whether or not such agreements and arrangements are with other Management Investors, other Warrant Investors or holders of Securities who are not parties to this Agreement), including agreements or arrangements with respect to the acquisition, disposition or voting (if applicable) of any Securities, nor shall any Management Investor or Warrant Investor act, for any reason, as a member of a group or in concert with any other Persons in connection with the acquisition, disposition or voting (if applicable) of any Securities in any manner which is inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement applicable to such Management Investor or Warrant Investor.

(f) Except as otherwise provided in Section 3.6(b), Section 3.7(a) and Section 4.2(e), any Management Investor or Warrant Investor that proposes to transfer Transferable Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof shall be responsible for any fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with such transfer.

(g) Each Management Investor and Warrant Investor acknowledges and agrees that the restrictions on transfer of Securities or any interest in Securities as set forth in this Article III may adversely affect the proceeds received by such Management Investor or Warrant Investor in any sale, transfer or liquidation of any such Securities, and as a result of such restrictions on transfer, it may not be possible for such Management Investor or Warrant Investor to liquidate all or any part of such Management Investor’s or Warrant Investor’s interest in Securities at the time of such Management Investor’s or Warrant Investor’s choosing, in exigent circumstances or otherwise. Each Management Investor and Warrant Investor further acknowledges and agrees that each of the Company and the Silver Lake Investors shall have no liability to such Management Investor or Warrant Investor arising from, relating to or in connection with the restrictions on transfer of Securities or any interest in Securities as set forth in this Article III, except to the extent the Company or such Silver Lake Investor fail to comply with its obligations to such Management Investor or Warrant Investor pursuant to this Article III.

 

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Section 3.2. Permitted Transfers . Each Management Investor and Warrant Investor may transfer Transferable Shares held by him, her or it to a Permitted Transferee without complying with the provisions of this Article III other than Section 3.1; provided that (i) such Permitted Transferee shall have agreed with all parties hereto, in a written instrument reasonably satisfactory to the Company, that he, she or it will immediately convey record and beneficial ownership of all such Transferable Shares and all rights and obligations hereunder to such Management Investor or Warrant Investor or another Permitted Transferee of such Management Investor or Warrant Investor if he, she or it ceases to be a Permitted Transferee of such Management Investor or Warrant Investor (except in the case of a divorce between the Applicable Employee for such Management Investor and the spouse of such Applicable Employee) and (ii) as a condition to such transfer, such Permitted Transferee shall become a party to this Agreement as provided in Section 3.1(a).

Section 3.3. Pre-Initial Public Offering Transfers . Without limiting Section 3.1 or Section 3.5, during the period beginning on the date hereof and ending concurrently with the earlier of (i) one hundred eighty (180) days following an Initial Public Offering and (ii) the expiration of such period, if any, following an Initial Public Offering during which the Silver Lake Investors shall have agreed with the underwriters of such Initial Public Offering to be subject to lock up restrictions in respect of the Transferable Shares held by the Silver Lake Investors (it being understood that if the Silver Lake Investors do not agree to become subject to any such lock up restrictions, the end of the Pre-IPO Transfer Restriction Period shall occur upon the completion of such Initial Public Offering) (such period, the “ Pre-IPO Transfer Restriction Period ”), none of the Management Investors or Warrant Investors shall transfer any Securities to any Person, except transfers of Transferable Shares (x) pursuant to and in compliance with Section 3.6, Section 3.7 or Article V, as applicable (y) to Permitted Transferees pursuant to Section 3.2 or (z) upon receipt of the prior written consent of the Silver Lake Investors.

Section 3.4. Post-Initial Public Offering Transfers .

(a) Certain Definitions . As used in this Section 3.4:

(i) “ Applicable Transfer Cap ” means, with respect to a particular Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee and as of the date of delivery of a Post-IPO Transfer Notice by such Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee, a number of Transferrable Shares equal to (A) such Key Management Investor’s First Period Cap as of such date of delivery plus (B) if such date of delivery is after the commencement of the Second Period, such Key Management Investor’s Second Period Cap as of such date of delivery plus (C) if such date of delivery is after the commencement of the Third Period, such Key Management Investor’s Third Period Cap as of such date of delivery minus (D) the aggregate number of Transferrable Shares that such Key Management Investor and his Permitted Transferees have transferred other than to a Permitted Transferee pursuant to Section 3.2 or with the prior written consent of the Silver Lake Investors.

(ii) “ First Period ” means the period beginning at the end of the Pre-IPO Transfer Restriction Period and ending on the twelve (12) month anniversary of the Initial Public Offering.

 

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(iii) “ First Period Cap ” means, with respect to a particular Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee and as of the date of delivery of a Post-IPO Transfer Notice by such Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee, a number of Transferrable Shares equal to (A)(1) the total number of Transferrable Shares owned by such Key Management Investor and his Permitted Transferees as of the beginning of the First Period plus (2) if such delivery occurs during the First Period, the total number of Transferrable Shares issued or issuable to such Key Management Investor upon the exercise of Options and underlying Restricted Stock Units, in each case which were held as of the beginning of the First Period and are vested or have been exercised as of such date of delivery multiplied by (B)(1) the aggregate number of Transferable Shares transferred by the Silver Lake Investors during the First Period (excluding transfers to Permitted Transferees) divided by (2) the total number of Transferable Shares held by the Silver Lake Investors as of the beginning of the First Period.

(iv) “ Key Management Investors ” means (A) those Management Investors set forth on Exhibit C attached hereto on the date of this Agreement and (B) from and after the date of this Agreement, any additional Management Investors subsequently added to Exhibit C by the Board upon the Board determining in good faith that the Applicable Employee for such Management Investor (x) would qualify as an “officer” pursuant Rule 16a-1(f) (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act, as such provision is amended from time to time, if the Company had undergone an Initial Public Offering at such time or (y) is a key officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; provided , that the Board shall so notify any additional Management Investor subsequently added to Exhibit C .

(v) “ Listing Exchange ” means the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Stock Market or other nationally recognized stock exchange or listing system, in each case on which the Shares of the Company or the equity securities of the Registering Entity are listed in connection with an Initial Public Offering.

(vi) “ Non-Discretionary Sale Program ” means a non-discretionary, automatic selling program for the sale of securities established with a nationally recognized registered broker/dealer that complies with customary market practices for non-discretionary, automatic selling programs instituted by senior executives of public companies pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act, as such provision is amended from time to time, which executes trades in the subject securities without direction or control by the applicable Key Management Investor (except with respect to additions and reductions in the number of Transferrable Shares to be sold in a given Non-Discretionary Sale Program to the extent required by Section 3.4(c)(i) or Section 3.4(c)(ii)).

(vii) “ Post-IPO Transfer Restriction Periods ” means, collectively, the First Period, the Second Period and the Third Period.

(viii) “ Second Period ” means the period beginning at the end of the First Period and ending on the twelve (12) month anniversary of the end of the First Period.

 

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(ix) “ Second Period Cap ” means, with respect to a particular Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee and as of the date of delivery of a Post-IPO Transfer Notice by such Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee, a number of Transferrable Shares equal to (A)(1) the total number of Transferrable Shares owned by such Key Management Investor and his Permitted Transferees as of the beginning of the First Period plus (2) if such delivery occurs during the Second Period, the total number of Transferrable Shares issued or issuable to such Key Management Investor upon the exercise of Options and underlying Restricted Stock Units, in each case which were held as of the beginning of the First Period and are vested or have been exercised as of such date of delivery multiplied by (B)(1) the aggregate number of Transferable Shares transferred by the Silver Lake Investors during the Second Period (excluding transfers to Permitted Transferees) divided by (2) the total number of Transferable Shares held by the Silver Lake Investors as of the beginning of the First Period provided that , in no event shall the Second Period Cap be less than 20% of the sum of (X) total number of Transferrable Shares owned by such Key Management Investor and his Permitted Transferees as of the beginning of the Second Period plus (Y) the total number of Transferrable Shares issuable to such Key Management Investor upon the exercise of Options and underlying Restricted Stock Units, in each case which were held and vested as of the beginning of the Second Period.

(x) “ Third Period ” means the period beginning at the end of the Second Period and ending on the twelve (12) month anniversary of the end of the Second Period.

(xi) “ Third Period Cap ” means, with respect to a particular Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee and as of the date of delivery of a Post-IPO Transfer Notice by such Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee, a number of Transferrable Shares equal to (A)(1) the total number of Transferrable Shares owned by such Key Management Investor and his Permitted Transferees as of the beginning of the First Period plus (2) if such delivery occurs during the Third Period, the total number of Transferrable Shares issued or issuable to such Key Management Investor upon the exercise of Options and underlying Restricted Stock Units, in each case which were held as of the beginning of the First Period and are vested or have been exercised as of such date of delivery multiplied by (B)(1) the aggregate number of Transferable Shares transferred by the Silver Lake Investors during the Third Period (excluding transfers to Permitted Transferees) divided by (2) the total number of Transferable Shares held by the Silver Lake Investors as of the beginning of the First Period provided that , in no event shall the Third Period Cap be less than 20% of the sum of (X) total number of Transferrable Shares owned by such Key Management Investor and his Permitted Transferees as of the beginning of the Third Period plus (Y) the total number of Transferrable Shares issuable to such Key Management Investor upon the exercise of Options and underlying Restricted Stock Units, in each case which were held and vested as of the beginning of the Third Period.

(xii) “ Trading Day ” means a day on which the Listing Exchange is open for at least one-half (1/2) of its normal trading hours.

 

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(b) Termination of Section  3.4 . Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3.4 to the contrary:

(i) if (x) the Company and all of its Subsidiaries terminate the employment or service of the Applicable Employee for any Key Management Investor without Cause (as defined in Section 5.1(e)) or (y) the Applicable Employee for any Key Management Investor resigns from the Company and its Subsidiaries with Good Reason (as defined in Section 5.1(h)), in either case during any of the Post-IPO Transfer Restriction Periods, this Section 3.4 shall cease to apply to such Key Management Investor from and after the date of any such termination; provided , that for the avoidance of doubt, if (A) the Company and all of its Subsidiaries terminate the employment or service of the Applicable Employee of such Key Management Investor for Cause or (B) the Applicable Employee of such Key Management Investor resigns from the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case during any of the Post-IPO Transfer Restriction Periods, this Section 3.4 shall continue to apply to such Key Management Investor in accordance with its terms;

(ii) if all of the Silver Lake Investors cease to own any Securities during the Post-IPO Transfer Restriction Periods, this Section 3.4 shall cease to apply to all Key Management Investors from and after the date that none of the Silver Lake Investors own any Securities; and

(iii) for the avoidance of doubt, this Section 3.4 shall terminate in its entirety upon the expiration of the Third Period.

(c) Transfers During the Post-IPO Transfer Restriction Periods . Without limiting Section 3.1 or Section 3.5 and subject in all cases to Section 3.4(b), during the Post-IPO Transfer Restriction Periods, each of the Key Management Investors and their Permitted Transferees shall not transfer any Securities to any Person, except transfers of Transferable Shares (A) to Permitted Transferees pursuant to Section 3.2, (B) upon receipt of the prior written consent of the Silver Lake Investors and (C) as of the date of any proposed transfer, such Key Management Investor’s Applicable Transfer Cap as of such transfer, as calculated by the Company in accordance with Section 3.4(c)(i) below. For the avoidance of doubt, the transfer restrictions set forth in this Section 3.4(c) shall apply to the exercise of such Key Management Investor’s rights in any registered offerings during the Post-IPO Transfer Restriction Periods under the Registration Rights Agreement.

(i) To the extent any Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee desires to transfer any Transferable Shares to any Person (other than (x) a Permitted Transferee pursuant to Section 3.2 or (y) transfers upon receipt of the prior written consent of the Silver Lake Investors) or implement a Non-Discretionary Sale Program (or increase the number of Transferrable Shares permitted to be sold thereunder), such Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee, as applicable, shall provide written notice (a “ Post-IPO Transfer Notice ”) of such action to the Company and the Silver Lake Investors at least three (3) Business Days prior thereto, setting forth, as applicable, (i) the number of Transferable Shares proposed to be transferred or covered by such Non-Discretionary Sale Program and (ii) the identity of

 

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the proposed transferee, if known, and the manner of disposition contemplated for such proposed transfer or the identity of the broker-dealer that will be establishing such Non-Discretionary Sale Program. Within three (3) Business Days following receipt of such Post-IPO Transfer Notice, the Company shall provide written notice to such Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee, as applicable, and the Silver Lake Investors setting forth the Applicable Transfer Cap for such Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee as of the date of delivery of such Post-IPO Transfer Notice, provided that such Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee, as applicable, shall provide the Company with all information reasonably requested by the Company in order to calculate such Applicable Transfer Cap.

(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee wishes to transfer a number of Transferrable Shares during the Second Period or Third Period and the Applicable Cap for such Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee is in excess of such Key Management Investor’s or his Permitted Transferee’s Applicable Transfer Cap if the provisos in the definition of each of Second Period Cap and Third Period Cap (as applicable) were disregarded, then any such excess Transferrable Shares must be transferred pursuant to a Non-Discretionary Sale Program established in accordance with Section 3.4(c)(iii).

(iii) Each Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee may establish a Non-Discretionary Sale Program for the sale of Transferable Shares owned by such Key Management Investor and his Permitted Transferees (A) within thirty (30) days after the beginning of the Second Period to cover sales during the Second Period (any such instituted program, a “ Second Period Non-Discretionary Sale Program ”), and (B) within thirty (30) days after the beginning of the Third Period to cover sales of Transferable Shares within the Third Period (any such instituted program, a “ Third Period Non-Discretionary Sale Program ”); provided , that if the trading window is closed during either such thirty (30) day period, following the opening of the trading window, the applicable thirty (30) day period shall be extended by the number of days the trading window was closed during such period; and provided , further , that any such Second Period Non-Discretionary Sale Program or Third Period Non-Discretionary Sale Program must provide that the minimum price for sales of Transferable Shares pursuant to such program must exceed one-hundred and five percent (105%) of the closing price per Share or equity security of the Registering Entity on the Listing Exchange on the Trading Day immediately prior to the effective date of institution of such any such Second Period Non-Discretionary Sale Program or Third Period Non-Discretionary Sale Program, as applicable. Each Non-Discretionary Sale Program shall not permit the transfer of a number of Transferrable Shares in excess of the Applicable Transfer Cap for such Key Management Investor and his Permitted Transferees from time to time and, to the extent that such Applicable Transfer Cap is reduced at any time, such Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee shall amend such Non-Discretionary Sale Program so as to cause the number of Transferrable Shares that such Non-Discretionary Sale Program contemplates transferring to be reduced so as to not exceed the Applicable Transfer Cap for such Key Management Investor and his Permitted Transferees at any time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Key Management Investor or his Permitted Transferee may amend any Non-Discretionary Sales Program to provide for sales of excess

 

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Transferable Shares as required by Section 3.4(c)(ii), but in all cases subject to the Applicable Transfer Cap for such Key Management Investor and his Permitted Transferee. For the avoidance of doubt, no Key Management Investor shall be entitled to institute any Non-Discretionary Sale Program during the First Period.

Section 3.5. Black-Out Periods . Notwithstanding anything herein or in the Registration Rights Agreement to the contrary and without regard to whether the restrictions set forth in Section 3.4 apply, each (a) Management Investor, (b) Warrant Investor, in the case of an Initial Public Offering and (c) Warrant Investor that owns, together with its Affiliates, more than 5% of the outstanding Transferable Shares (a “ 5% Warrant Investor ”), in the case of any underwritten offering other than an Initial Public Offering, hereby agrees that during the period beginning seven (7) days before and ending (i) one hundred eighty (180) days in the event of an Initial Public Offering or (ii) ninety (90) days in the event of any other underwritten offering, as applicable, after the date of the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with such underwritten offering, such Management Investor, Warrant Investor or 5% Warrant Investor or its respective Permitted Transferees, as applicable, shall not, to the extent requested by the Company or the selling Silver Lake Investors (depending on which Person is selling Securities) and/or any underwriter, (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any Securities (including Securities that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and Securities that may be issued upon exercise of any Options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Securities, (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Securities or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Securities or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing; provided that if any Silver Lake Investor agrees to such restrictions for any shorter period than prescribed above, then each Management Investor, Warrant Investor, Warrant Investor and 5% Warrant Investor, as applicable, shall only be obligated as provided in this Section 3.5 for such shorter period. If requested by the managing underwriter or underwriters of any such underwritten offering, each Management Investor, Warrant Investor, Warrant Investor and 5% Warrant Investor, as applicable, shall execute a customary agreement on the same terms and conditions as the Silver Lake Investor reflecting its agreement set forth in this Section 3.5.

Section 3.6. Tag-Along Rights .

(a) Subject to Section 3.6(f), if any of the Silver Lake Investors propose to transfer, in one (1) or a series of related transactions, Securities that represent more than ten percent (10%) of all the outstanding Transferable Shares on an as-converted, as-exercised basis (a “ Tag-Along Sale ”) to another Person (including any repurchase of Transferable Shares by the Company or its controlled Affiliates), such Silver Lake Investor (the “ Selling Silver Lake Investor ”) shall give, or direct the Company to give and the Company shall so give, written notice (a “ Transfer Notice ”) of such proposed transfer to each of the Management Investors and Warrant Investors with respect to such Tag-Along Sale at least five (5) Business Days (in the

 

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case of the Management Investors) or ten (10) Business Days (in the case of the Warrant Investors) prior to the consummation of such proposed transfer, setting forth (i) the number of Transferable Shares proposed to be transferred, (ii) the consideration to be received for such Transferable Shares by such Selling Silver Lake Investor, (iii) the identity of the purchaser (the “ Proposed Transferee ”), (iv) any other material terms and conditions of the proposed transfer, (v) the fraction, expressed as a percentage, determined by dividing the number of Transferable Shares to be purchased from the Selling Silver Lake Investor by the total number of Transferable Shares held by the Selling Silver Lake Investor (the “ Tag-Along Sale Percentage ”) and (vi) an invitation to each Management Investor and Warrant Investor to irrevocably agree to include in the Tag-Along Sale a number of Transferable Shares held by such Management Investor or Warrant Investor equal to the product of the total number of Transferable Shares held by such Management Investor or Warrant Investor multiplied by the Tag-Along Sale Percentage (such amount with respect to each Management Investor and Warrant Investor, such Management Investor’s or Warrant Investor’s “ Tag-Along Shares ”). Each Warrant Investor shall be entitled to exercise all or a portion of its Warrants to the extent necessary to sell Warrant Shares permitted to be sold in such Tag-Along Sale, in which case (A) any Warrant Shares issuable upon such exercise shall constitute Transferable Shares for purposes of this Section 3.6 and (B) the exercise of such Warrant (or portion thereof) may be conditioned on the consummation of the applicable Tag-Along Sale. In the event that more than one (1) Silver Lake Investor proposes to execute a Tag-Along Sale (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the exercise by any Silver Lake Investor of its own “tag-along” or participation rights), then all such transferring Silver Lake Investors shall be treated as the Selling Silver Lake Investor, and the Transferable Shares held and to be transferred by such Silver Lake Investors shall be aggregated under this Section 3.6, including for purposes of calculating the applicable Tag-Along Sale Percentage.

(b) Upon delivery of a Transfer Notice, each Management Investor and Warrant Investor may irrevocably elect to include such Management Investor’s or Warrant Investor’s Tag-Along Shares in such Tag-Along Sale (Management Investors and Warrant Investors who make such an election being “ Tagging Investors, ” and, together with the Selling Silver Lake Investor and all other Persons (other than any Affiliates of the Selling Silver Lake Investor) who otherwise are transferring, or have exercised a contractual or other right to transfer, Transferable Shares in connection with such Tag-Along Sale, the “ Tag-Along Sellers ”), at the same price per Transferable Share and pursuant to the same terms and conditions as agreed to by the Selling Silver Lake Investor and otherwise in accordance with this Section 3.6, by sending an irrevocable written notice (a “ Tag-Along Participation Notice ”) to the Selling Silver Lake Investor within five (5) Business Days (in the case of the Management Investors) or ten (10) Business Days (in the case of the Warrant Investors) of the date of receipt of the Transfer Notice, indicating such Tagging Investor’s irrevocable election to include his, her or its Tag-Along Shares in the Tag-Along Sale. Following such five (5) or ten (10) Business Day period, as applicable, each Tagging Investor that has delivered a Tag-Along Participation Notice shall be entitled to sell to such Proposed Transferee on the same terms and conditions as and, concurrently with, the Selling Silver Lake Investor and the other Tag-Along Sellers, such Tagging Investor’s Tag-Along Shares. Each Management Investor and Warrant Investor who does not deliver a Tag-Along Participation Notice within such five (5) or ten (10) Business Day period, as applicable, shall have waived and be deemed to have waived all of such Management Investor’s or Warrant Investor’s rights with respect to such Tag-Along Sale. For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood that in order to be entitled to exercise its, his or her right to include

 

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Tag-Along Shares in a Tag-Along Sale pursuant to this Section 3.6, each Tagging Investor must agree to make the same representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities and agreements to the Proposed Transferee as made by the Selling Silver Lake Investor in connection with the Tag-Along Sale (except that in the case of representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities and agreements pertaining specifically to the Silver Lake Investor(s), each Management Investor and Warrant Investor shall make the comparable representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities and agreements pertaining specifically to itself); provided , that (A) all representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities and agreements shall be made by the Silver Lake Investor(s) and each Management Investor and Warrant Investor severally and not jointly and (B) any indemnification obligation in respect of breaches of representations and warranties that relate to the Company, its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses shall be apportioned among the Management Investors, the Warrant Investors, the Silver Lake Investors and each other Person who is otherwise transferring, or has exercised a contractual or other right to transfer, Transferable Shares in connection with such Tag-Along Sale, in each case on a pro rata basis to each such Person in accordance with the amount of consideration received by each such Person in such Tag-Along Sale. For the further avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, each Tagging Investor acknowledges and agrees that in its capacity as a Tagging Investor, it shall not be entitled to any non-economic rights or benefits granted to the Selling Silver Lake Investor in such Tag-Along Sale except for those non-economic rights or benefits that are customary to be received by sellers of the relative portion of equity included in such Tag-Along Sale by the Tagging Investor under circumstances similar to such Tag-Along Sale. With respect to any Shares for which a Tagging Investor holds exercisable and vested but unexercised Options, to the extent that such Shares are to be sold pursuant to this Section 3.6, such Tagging Investor must exercise the relevant Option (which exercise may be conditioned upon the closing of the Tag-Along Sale) and transfer the relevant Shares (rather than the Option) (in each case, net of any amounts required to be withheld by the Company in connection with such exercise). All costs and expenses incurred by the Company and the Tag-Along Sellers in connection with such Tag-Along Sale shall be borne on a pro rata basis in accordance with the number of Transferable Shares being sold by each of the Tag-Along Sellers. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if the Selling Silver Lake Holders have not completed the proposed Tag-Along Sale within ninety (90) days following delivery of the Transfer Notice in accordance with this Section 3.6, the Selling Silver Lake Holders may not then effect such proposed Tag-Along Sale without again complying with the provisions of this Section 3.6; provided , that such ninety (90) day period shall be extended for up to one-hundred and eighty (180) days to the extent necessary to comply with any regulatory requirements applicable to such proposed Tag-Along Sale.

(c) Subject to the limitations set forth in Section 3.6(b), each Tagging Investor shall take or cause to be taken all such reasonable actions as the Selling Silver Lake Investor deems to be necessary or desirable in order to consummate expeditiously such Tag-Along Sale pursuant to this Section 3.6, including (i) executing, acknowledging and delivering consents, assignments, waivers and other documents or instruments, (ii) filing applications, reports, returns, filings and other documents or instruments with governmental authorities and (iii) otherwise cooperating with the Selling Silver Lake Investor and the Proposed Transferee.

 

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(d) Notwithstanding the delivery of any Transfer Notice, all determinations as to whether to complete any Tag-Along Sale and as to the timing, manner, price and other terms and conditions of any such Tag-Along Sale shall be at the sole discretion of the Selling Silver Lake Investor, and the Selling Silver Lake Investor and its Affiliates shall have no liability to any Management Investor or Warrant Investor arising from, relating to or in connection with the pursuit, consummation, postponement, abandonment or terms and conditions of any proposed Tag-Along Sale except to the extent such Selling Silver Lake Investor failed to comply with the provisions of this Section 3.6.

(e) In the event the consideration to be paid in exchange for Transferrable Shares in a Tag-Along Sale includes any securities, and the receipt thereof by a Tagging Investor would require (i) the registration or qualification of such securities or of any Person as a broker or dealer or agent with respect to such securities, in each case under applicable law, where such registration or qualification is not otherwise required for the Tag-Along Sale by the Selling Silver Lake Investor or (ii) the provision to any Tagging Investor of any specified information regarding such securities or the issuer thereof in order to obtain any exemption under securities laws or as otherwise required by applicable laws or the rules of any stock exchange where such information is not required to be provided to the Selling Silver Lake Investor, then such Tagging Seller shall not have the option to transfer such Tagging Seller’s Tag-Along Shares in such Tag-Along Sale.

(f) This Section 3.6 shall not apply to (i) any transfer in a registered public offering, (ii) any transfers or distributions of Transferable Shares by any Silver Lake Investor for no consideration to its Affiliates, partners, members or other direct or indirect investors (provided that any such transferee agrees to become a party to, to be bound by, and to comply with the provisions of this Agreement as a Silver Lake Investor), (iii) any sale of Shares prior to the consummation of an Initial Public Offering by the Silver Lake Investors to either (A) employees, consultants and/or directors of the Company and its Subsidiaries pursuant to any employee equity arrangement disclosed to the Warrant Investors as of the date hereof or (B) the Company in connection with a substantially simultaneous offering by the Company of an equivalent number of Shares to employees, consultants and/or directors of the Company and its Subsidiaries pursuant to any employee equity arrangement pursuant to any employee equity arrangement disclosed to the Warrant Investors as of the date hereof or (iv) any sales upon the exercise of any rights set forth in Section 3.7.

(g) This Section 3.6 shall terminate upon an Initial Public Offering.

Section 3.7. Drag-Along Rights .

(a) Either or both of the Silver Lake Investors may give notice (a “ Drag-Along Notice ”) to the Management Investors and Warrant Investors that (i) the Silver Lake Investor(s) intend to, or to cause the Company to, enter into (or have agreed to vote the Transferable Shares they beneficially own, or to execute a written consent in lieu thereof, in favor of) a transaction or transactions involving the transfer, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, of not less than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Transferable Shares (which Transferable Shares to be transferred may include Transferable Shares held by the Management Investors, Warrant Investors and/or other holders of Transferable Shares required to be transferred pursuant to this Section 3.7 or analogous obligations) to one (1) or more Persons (other than the Silver Lake Investors or their affiliated investment funds or their

 

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respective portfolio companies) or (ii) the Silver Lake Investor(s) intend to cause the Company to (A) sell all or substantially all of its assets to another Person or Persons (other than the Silver Lake Investors or their affiliated investment funds or their respective portfolio companies) or (B) merge, amalgamate or consolidate with another Person or Persons (other than the Silver Lake Investors or their affiliated investment funds or their respective portfolio companies) where, immediately after such merger, amalgamation or consolidation, the Persons beneficially owning Shares immediately prior to such merger, amalgamation or consolidation do not beneficially own at least fifty (50%) of the outstanding capital stock of the Person surviving such merger, amalgamation or consolidation (in each case, a “ Drag-Along Sale ”) and that the Silver Lake Investors desire to cause the Management Investors and Warrant Investors to participate in such Drag-Along Sale in the manner set forth in this Section 3.7. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, “Drag-Along Sale” shall not (x) include any proposed transaction contemplated by Section 6.5(a) or Section 6.5(b), or any merger, amalgamation or consolidation for the sole purpose of changing the jurisdiction of formation of the Company or (y) apply to any Warrant Investor until such time as the Term Loans have been repaid in full in accordance with the Amended Credit Agreement. The Drag-Along Notice shall also specify (i) the consideration, if any, to be received by the Silver Lake Investors, the Management Investors and the Warrant Investors and any other material terms and conditions of the proposed Drag-Along Sale (which (x) price and form of consideration shall be the same for the Silver Lake Investors, the Management Investors and the Warrant Investors and (y) other material terms and, subject to Section 3.7(e), conditions shall be the same in all material respects for the Silver Lake Investors, the Management Investors and the Warrant Investors) and (ii) the identity of the other Person or Persons party to the Drag-Along Sale. Upon delivery of the Drag-Along Notice, each Management Investor and Warrant Investor shall be obligated to take the action or actions required of such Management Investor or Warrant Investor in order to complete or facilitate such proposed Drag-Along Sale (including the sale of Transferable Shares held by such Management Investor or Warrant Investor, the voting of all such Transferable Shares in favor of any merger, amalgamation, consolidation or sale of assets and the waiver of any applicable appraisal, dissenters’ or similar rights); provided , however , that, in the case of a sale of Shares, with respect to any Shares for which a Management Investor holds exercisable and vested but unexercised Options, the price per Share shall be reduced by the exercise price of such Options or, if required pursuant to the terms of such Options or such Drag-Along Sale, such Management Investor shall exercise the relevant Option and transfer the relevant Shares (rather than the Option) (in each case, net of any amounts required to be withheld by the Company in connection with such exercise); provided , further , that notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, in any event the Company shall be permitted to cause all outstanding Options to be treated in such Drag-Along Sale in any manner as permitted by their terms, including any applicable equity plans of the Company; and provided , further , that with respect to any Transferable Shares that constitute Restricted Stock Units, to the extent that (x) any such Restricted Stock Units would not, by the express terms of the grant thereof, automatically vest and be settled in Shares immediately prior to the consummation of such Drag-Along Sale and (y) the counterparty to such Drag-Along Sale does not agree to convert such Restricted Stock Units into comparable restricted stock units on securities of such Person, the Company may segregate the aggregate amount of Drag-Along Sale consideration attributable to such Restricted Stock Units, and the Company (or its successor) shall deposit the applicable amounts of such Drag-Along Sale consideration into escrow (or, if such deposit into escrow would result in a taxable event for a

 

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Management Investor prior to the satisfaction of the vesting criteria applicable to the Restricted Stock Units, receive such consideration as a general asset of the Company (or its successor) and maintain a book entry account in the name of each holder of such Restricted Stock Units on the books of the Company for the amount of such consideration due to each such holder) for release (or payment, as applicable) to the holders of such Restricted Stock Units upon the satisfaction of the vesting criteria applicable thereto following such Drag-Along Sale (or, upon the failure of such vesting criteria to be satisfied, such consideration shall be released (or paid, as applicable) to (i) the Silver Lake Investors, the Warrant Investors and the other Management Investors transferring Transferable Shares in connection with such Drag-Along Sale and (ii) each other Person who is otherwise transferring, or has exercised a contractual or other right to transfer, Transferable Shares in connection with such Drag-Along Sale, in each case on a pro rata basis to each such Person in accordance with the amount of consideration otherwise received by each such Person in such Drag-Along Sale); and provided , further , that notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, in any event the Company shall be permitted to cause all outstanding Restricted Stock Units to be treated in such Drag-Along Sale in any manner as permitted by their terms, including any applicable equity plans of the Company. For the further avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, each Management Investor and Warrant Investor acknowledges and agrees that it shall not be entitled to any non-economic rights or benefits granted to the Silver Lake Investors or the Company in such Drag-Along Sale except for those non-economic rights or benefits that are customary to be received by sellers of the relative portion of equity included in such Drag-Along Sale by such Management Investor and Warrant Investor under circumstances similar to such Drag-Along Sale. If the Silver Lake Investors are transferring less than all of the Transferable Shares held by the Silver Lake Investors, then each Management Investor and Warrant Investor will transfer a number of Transferable Shares equal to the product of the following: (x) the number of Transferable Shares beneficially owned by such Management Investor or Warrant Investor multiplied by (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate number of Transferable Shares being transferred by the Silver Lake Investors and the denominator of which equals the aggregate number of Transferable Shares beneficially owned by the Silver Lake Investors. All costs and expenses incurred by the Silver Lake Investors and the Company in connection with such Drag-Along Sale, together with the cost of one (1) legal counsel for the Management Investors in connection with such Drag-Along Sale in an amount not to exceed $50,000 and one (1) legal counsel for the Warrant Investors in connection with such Drag-Along Sale in an amount not to exceed $50,000, shall either be (i) borne in full by the Company or (ii) allocated and borne by the Management Investors, the Warrant Investors, the Silver Lake Investors and each other Person who is otherwise transferring, or has exercised a contractual or other right to transfer, Transferable Shares in connection with such Drag-Along Sale, in each case on a pro rata basis to each such Person in accordance with the amount of consideration received by each such Person in such Drag-Along Sale. All other costs and expenses incurred by any Management Investor or Warrant Investor in connection with such transaction shall be borne in full by such Management Investor or Warrant Investor.

(b) In connection with any Drag-Along Sale pursuant to this Section 3.7, (i) such Drag-Along Sale shall be on the terms and conditions the Silver Lake Investor(s) determine and (ii) each Management Investor and Warrant Investor shall agree to make the same representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities and agreements as made by the Silver Lake Investor(s) in connection with such Drag-Along Sale (except that in the case of representations,

 

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warranties, covenants, indemnities and agreements pertaining specifically to the Silver Lake Investor(s), each Management Investor and Warrant Investor shall make the comparable representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities and agreements pertaining specifically to itself); provided , that (A) all representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities and agreements shall be made by the Silver Lake Investor(s) and each Management Investor and Warrant Investor severally and not jointly and (B) any indemnification obligation in respect of breaches of representations and warranties that relate to the Company, its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses (1) shall be apportioned among the Management Investors, the Warrant Investors, the Silver Lake Investors and each other Person who is otherwise transferring, or has exercised a contractual or other right to transfer, Transferable Shares in connection with such Drag-Along Sale, in each case on a pro rata basis to each such Person in accordance with the amount of consideration received by each such Person in such Drag-Along Sale, and (2) shall be in an amount not to exceed the aggregate proceeds received by such Management Investor or Warrant Investor in connection with any such Drag-Along Sale consummated pursuant to this Section 3.7 and (D) the Warrant Investors shall not be required to agree to any non-competition, employee non-solicitation or similar restrictive covenants.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Management Investor and Warrant Investor shall take or cause to be taken all such reasonable actions as the Silver Lake Investor(s) deem to be necessary or desirable in order to consummate expeditiously such Drag-Along Sale pursuant to this Section 3.7, including (i) executing, acknowledging and delivering consents, assignments, waivers and other documents or instruments, (ii) filing applications, reports, returns, filings and other documents or instruments with governmental authorities and (iii) otherwise cooperating with the Silver Lake Investor(s) and the other Person or Persons party to the Drag-Along Sale. Notwithstanding the delivery of any Drag-Along Notice, all determinations as to whether to complete any Drag-Along Sale and as to the timing, manner, price and other terms and conditions of any such Drag-Along Sale shall be at the sole discretion of the applicable Silver Lake Investor(s) and the Silver Lake Investors and their Affiliates shall have no liability to any Management Investor or Warrant Investor arising from, relating to or in connection with the pursuit, consummation, postponement, abandonment or terms and conditions of any proposed Drag-Along Sale except to the extent such selling Silver Lake Investor failed to comply with the provisions of this Section 3.7.

(d) If any Management Investor or Warrant Investor fails to transfer such Management Investor’s or Warrant Investor’s Transferable Shares required to be transferred or sold in such Drag-Along Sale pursuant to Section 3.7(a) (such Transferable Shares, “ Drag Covered Transferable Shares ”), the Silver Lake Investors may, at their option, in addition to all other remedies they may have, deposit the purchase price (including any promissory note constituting all or any portion thereof) for such Drag Covered Transferable Shares with any national bank or trust company having combined capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $500 million (the “ Drag-Along Escrow Agent ”), and thereupon all of such Management Investor’s or Warrant Investor’s rights in and to such Drag Covered Transferable Shares shall terminate. Thereafter, upon delivery to the Company by such Management Investor or Warrant Investor of appropriate documentation evidencing the transfer of such Drag Covered Transferable Shares to the purchaser in such Drag-Along Sale, the Silver Lake Investors shall instruct the Drag-Along Escrow Agent to deliver the purchase price (without any interest from the date of the closing of such Drag-Along Sale to the date of such delivery, as any such interest to accrue to the Company) to such Management Investor or Warrant Investor.

 

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(e) In the event the consideration to be paid in exchange for Transferable Shares in a Drag-Along Sale includes any securities, and the receipt thereof by a Management Investor or Warrant Investor would require (i) the registration or qualification of such securities or of any Person as a broker or dealer or agent with respect to such securities, in each case under applicable law, where such registration or qualification is not otherwise required for the Drag-Along Sale by the applicable Silver Lake Investor(s) or (ii) the provision to any Management Investor or Warrant Investor of any specified information regarding such securities or the issuer thereof in order to obtain any exemption under securities laws or as otherwise required by applicable laws or the rules of any stock exchange where such information is not required to be provided to the applicable Silver Lake Investor(s), then the applicable Silver Lake Investor may elect to deliver to such Management Investor or Warrant Investor an amount of cash equal to the fair market value (as determined by the applicable Silver Lake Investor(s)) of the non-cash consideration that would otherwise be paid to such Management Investor or Warrant Investor in such Drag-Along Sale.

(f) This Section 3.7 shall terminate upon an Initial Public Offering.

ARTICLE IV

PARTICIPATION RIGHTS

Section 4.1. Certain Definitions . As used in this Article IV:

(a) “ Participation Portion ” means, for each Management Investor and Warrant Investor, as of the date of the relevant Participation Notice, the product of (i) the total number or aggregate principal amount of Participation Securities proposed to be issued by the Company in the Post-Closing Issuance as set forth in the Participation Notice, and (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate number of Transferable Shares owned by such Management Investor or Warrant Investor as of the date of the relevant Participation Notice and the denominator of which is the total number of outstanding Transferable Shares as of the date of the relevant Participation Notice.

(b) “ Participation Securities ” means the number of Securities or debt securities that are convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Securities proposed to be sold by the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries.

(c) “ Post-Closing Issuance ” means any issuance by the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries after the date of this Agreement of Securities or debt securities that are convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Securities of the Company or its Subsidiaries.

 

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Section 4.2. Right of Participation .

(a) Notice . Subject to Section 4.2(g) and Section 4.3, not less than ten (10) Business Days prior to the consummation of any Post-Closing Issuance, the Company shall deliver a notice regarding such Post-Closing Issuance (the “ Participation Notice ”) to each Management Investor and Warrant Investor, which Participation Notice shall include the principal terms and conditions of the proposed Post-Closing Issuance, including (i) a description and the number of Participation Securities expected to be included in the Post-Closing Issuance, (ii) the maximum and minimum price per unit of the Participation Securities, including a description of any non-cash consideration sufficiently detailed to permit valuation thereof, and (iii) if known, the proposed date of Post-Closing Issuance.

(b) Exercise .

(i) General . Subject to Section 4.2(g) and Section 4.3, each Management Investor and Warrant Investor shall have the right to purchase such portion of the Participation Securities to be included in the Post-Closing Issuance as may be requested by such Management Investor or Warrant Investor (not to exceed (x) such Management Investor’s or Warrant Investor’s Participation Portion of the total amount of Participation Securities to be included in the Post-Closing Issuance, plus (y) if and to the extent any Management Investors or Warrant Investor does not subscribe for its full Participation Portion, a pro rata share of such undersubscription based on the relative Participation Portions of those Management Investors and Warrant Investors that elect to participate in such undersubscription), on the same terms and conditions and at the same price per unit, with respect to each Participation Security issued. In order to exercise such right, each Management Investor and Warrant Investor shall provide written notice of such exercise to the Company within five (5) Business Days (in the case of the Management Investors) or ten (10) Business Days (in the case of the Warrant Investors) after the date of receipt of the Participation Notice specifying the number or aggregate principal amount of Participation Securities (not to exceed such Management Investor’s or Warrant Investor’s Participation Portion of the total number of Participation Securities to be included in the Post-Closing Issuance) that such Management Investor or Warrant Investor desires to purchase (each an “ Exercising Investor ”). Each Management Investor and Warrant Investor who does not exercise such right in compliance with the above requirements, including the applicable time periods, shall be deemed to have waived all of such Management Investor’s or Warrant Investor’s rights to participate in such Post-Closing Issuance and the Company shall thereafter be free to issue Participation Securities in such Post-Closing Issuance to the Prospective purchaser or purchasers of such Securities (such purchaser(s), the “ Prospective Purchaser ”), any Exercising Investors and any other shareholders of the Company, at a price no less than the minimum price set forth in the Participation Notice and on other principal terms and conditions not materially more favorable to the Prospective Purchaser than those set forth in the Participation Notice (“ Compliant Terms ”), without any further obligation to such non-exercising Management Investor or Warrant Investor pursuant to this Article IV. If, prior to consummation, the terms of such proposed Post-Closing Issuance shall change with the result that the price shall be less than the minimum price set forth in the Participation Notice or the other principal terms shall be materially more favorable to the Prospective Purchaser than those set forth in the Participation Notice, it shall be necessary for a separate Participation Notice to be furnished, and the terms and provisions of this Section 4.2 separately complied with, in order to consummate such Post-Closing Issuance pursuant to this Section 4.2.

 

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(ii) Irrevocable Exercise . The exercise by each Exercising Investor of its rights under this Article IV shall be irrevocable except as hereinafter provided, and each such Exercising Investor shall be bound and obligated to acquire the Participation Securities in the Post-Closing Issuance as such Exercising Investor shall have specified in such Exercising Investor’s written commitment on the price, terms and conditions of such Post-Closing Issuance so long as they are Compliant Terms.

(iii) Time Limitation . If at the end of the ninetieth (90 th ) day after the date of the delivery of the Participation Notice the Company has not completed the Post-Closing Issuance, each Exercising Investor shall be released from such holder’s obligations under this Article IV with respect to the offer subject to such Participation Notice, the Participation Notice shall be null and void, and it shall be necessary for a separate Participation Notice to be furnished to all Management Investors and Warrant Investors, and the terms and provisions of this Section 4.2 separately complied with, in order to consummate such Post-Closing Issuance pursuant to this Section 4.2; provided , that such ninety (90) day period shall be extended for up to one-hundred and eighty (180) days to the extent necessary to comply with any regulatory requirements applicable to such proposed Post-Closing Issuance.

(c) Post-Issuance Participation Notice . Notwithstanding the first sentence of Section 4.2(a), the Company may elect to deliver a Participation Notice with respect to any Post-Closing Issuance after completion of such Post-Closing Issuance. If the Company shall so elect to deliver any Participation Notice after completion of the applicable Post-Closing Issuance, then the terms of such Post-Closing Issuance shall be required to permit each of the Management Investors and Warrant Investors receiving such Participation Notice a period of not less than five (5) Business Days (in the case of Management Investors) or ten (10) Business Days (in the case of Warrant Investors) after delivery thereof to deliver to the Company with a written confirmation to purchase the amount of Participation Securities included in such Post-Closing Issuance (whether pursuant to the resale of Participation Securities by the initial purchaser(s) of such Participation Securities or the issuance by the Company of additional Participation Securities) to which such Management Investor or Warrant Investor would have been entitled to purchase upon the terms, and subject to the conditions, set forth in Section 4.2(a) and (b).

(d) Further Assurances . Each Exercising Investor shall take or cause to be taken all such reasonable actions as the Company deems to be necessary or desirable in order to consummate expeditiously each Post-Closing Issuance pursuant to this Section 4.2 and any related transactions, including (i) executing, acknowledging and delivering consents, assignments, waivers and other documents or instruments, (ii) filing applications, reports, returns, filings and other documents or instruments with governmental authorities and (iii) otherwise cooperating with the Company and the Prospective Purchaser. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each such Exercising Investor agrees to execute and deliver such subscription and other agreements as shall be reasonably requested by the Company in connection with such Post-Closing Issuance.

(e) Expenses . All costs and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any proposed Post-Closing Issuance of Participation Securities (whether or not consummated), including all attorney’s fees and charges, all accounting fees and charges and all

 

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finders, brokerage or investment banking fees, charges or commissions, shall be paid by the Company. Any costs and expenses incurred by any Management Investor or Warrant Investor in connection with such proposed Post-Closing Issuance of Participation Securities (whether or not consummated) shall be borne by such Management Investor or Warrant Investor.

(f) Closing . The closing of a Post-Closing Issuance pursuant to this Section 4.2 (the “ Participation Closing ”) shall take place on such date, at such time and at such place as the Company shall specify by notice to each Exercising Investor. At any Participation Closing, each Exercising Investor shall be delivered the certificates or other instruments evidencing the Participation Securities to be issued to such Exercising Investor, registered in the name of such Exercising Investor or such holder’s designated nominee, with any transfer tax stamps affixed, against delivery by such Exercising Investor of the applicable consideration by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account or accounts designated by the Company.

(g) Securities Law Matters . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, a Management Investor or Warrant Investor shall not be entitled to participate in a Post-Closing Issuance pursuant to this Section 4.2 unless at the time of such Post-Closing Issuance the Company shall be reasonably satisfied that (i) (A) such Management Investor or Warrant Investor is an “accredited investor” as defined in Regulation D of the Securities Act or (B) the Post-Closing Issuance, after giving effect to the participation of such Management Investor or Warrant Investor therein, would satisfy the requirements of any other exemption from registration available at such time under the Securities Act with respect to such Post-Closing Issuance, and (ii) an exemption from registration or qualification under any state securities laws or foreign securities laws applicable to such Post-Closing Issuance due to the participation of such Management Investor or Warrant Investor therein would be available with respect to such Post-Closing Issuance.

Section 4.3. Excluded Transactions . The provisions of this Article IV shall not apply to Post-Closing Issuances by the Company as follows:

(a) any Post-Closing Issuance of Securities or debt securities to be issued by any of the Company’s wholly-owned Subsidiaries to the Company and/or to any other wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Company, in each case to the extent such Post-Closing Issuance of Securities is not otherwise intended to circumvent the requirements of this Article IV;

(b) any Post-Closing Issuance of Securities, in each case to the extent approved by the Board, to officers, employees, directors or consultants of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with such Person’s employment or consulting arrangements with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or the service of such person as a director;

(c) any Post-Closing Issuance of Securities, in each case to the extent approved by the Board, (i) as consideration for any business combination or acquisition transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) in connection with any joint venture or strategic partnership or alliance or (iii) in connection with the incurrence or guarantee of indebtedness by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or the amendment of any of the terms thereof);

 

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(d) any Post-Closing Issuance of Shares pursuant to an Initial Public Offering;

(e) any Post-Closing Issuance of Securities in connection with any stock split, stock dividend or recapitalization approved by the Board (so long as all holders of the same class or series of Transferable Shares are treated equally with all other holders of such class or series of Transferable Shares);

(f) any Post-Closing Issuance of Transferable Shares to any Person (or any Affiliate of a Person) that has or is entering into a strategic or commercial relationship with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or provides other strategic or commercial benefits to the Company or its Subsidiaries as determined in good faith by the Board (so long as the primary purpose of such Post-Closing Issuance is not the provision of financing by such Person to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries); and

(g) any Post-Closing Issuance of Securities pursuant to the exercise, exchange or conversion of Participation Securities issued in compliance with this Article IV.

Section 4.4. Termination of Article IV . This Article IV terminates upon an Initial Public Offering.

ARTICLE V

CALL & OFFER TO PURCHASE RIGHTS

Section 5.1. Certain Definitions . As used in this Article V:

(a) “ Call Date ” means the date on which the Company delivers a notice to a Management Investor of the Company’s exercise of a Call with respect to all or a portion of the Call Shares of the Call Group for such Management Investor.

(b) “ Call Group ” means, for any Management Investor, such Management Investor and his, her or its current or former Permitted Transferees who then hold Call Shares.

(c) “ Call Shares Price ” means for any Call Shares, (A) if the employment or service of the Applicable Employee for such Management Investor with the Company and all of its Subsidiaries is terminated for Cause, a price equal to the lower of (x) the FMV per Share as of the Call Date and (y) the Cost of such Call Shares and (B) in the event clause (A) does not apply, a price equal to the FMV per Share as of the Call Date.

(d) “ Call Termination Date ” means the close of business on the thirtieth (30th) calendar day, or if such day is not a Business Day, the next Business Day after such thirtieth (30th) calendar day, after the date of termination of the employment or service of the Applicable Employee for such Management Investor with the Company and all of its Subsidiaries (or, with respect to Call Shares acquired upon the exercise of an Option or similar purchase right, or in settlement of a Restricted Stock Unit, in either case following such date of termination, the close of business on the thirtieth (30th) calendar day, or if such day is not a Business Day, the next Business Day after such thirtieth (30th) calendar day, after the date of such exercise or settlement, as applicable); provided , however , that if any Call Share (including

 

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any Call Share that is issued upon the exercise of an Option or in settlement of a Restricted Stock Unit) has been collectively held by the Call Group for such Management Investor for six (6) months or less at any time the Company is entitled to Call such Call Share but for this proviso, the “ Call Termination Date ” shall mean the close of business on the thirtieth (30th) calendar day after such Call Share has first been collectively held by the Call Group for greater than six (6) months.

(e) “ Cause ” shall have the meaning given to such term in the employment, severance and change of control, consulting or other similar agreement between the Company or any of its Affiliates and the Applicable Employee for such Management Investor, or if no such agreement exists or if “Cause” is not defined therein or in an applicable award agreement, then Cause shall mean any of the following: (i) such Applicable Employee’s willful and continued failure substantially to perform his or her duties (other than as a result of total or partial incapacity due to physical or mental illness); (ii) such Applicable Employee’s gross negligence or willful malfeasance in the performance of his or her duties; (iii) such Applicable Employee’s commission of an act constituting fraud, embezzlement, or any other act constituting a felony or other similar offense under applicable law; (iv) such Applicable Employee being repeatedly under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while performing his or her duties; or (v) any other act or omission which is materially injurious to the financial condition or business reputation of the Company or any of its Affiliates as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Company, including such Applicable Employee’s breach of the provisions of any non-solicitation, non-competition, trade secret or confidentiality covenant in favor of the Company or its Affiliates binding upon such Applicable Employee. The existence or non-existence of Cause with respect to any such Applicable Employee will be determined in good faith by the Board. For purposes of this Article V, “ Cause ” shall also include a resignation by such Applicable Employee without Good Reason at a time at which the Company or any Subsidiary could have terminated the Applicable Employee for Cause.

(f) “ Cost ” means (i) with respect to any Call Share that is not a Rollover Share and is acquired upon exercise of any Option or similar purchase right, the exercise price with respect to such Option or purchase right, (ii) with respect to any other Call Share that is not a Rollover Share, the purchase price paid for such Call Share by the original holder thereof, and (iii) with respect to any Call Share that is a Rollover Share, the Merger Consideration (as defined in the Merger Agreement).

(g) “ FMV per Share ” means, as of any date of determination, the price per Share or other Security determined as follows:

(i) The FMV per Share shall be the fair market value of such Share or other Security determined in good faith by the Board (which, for the avoidance of doubt, will include the Board’s review and due consideration of (x) the most recent independent third party valuations of the Company or the Company’s equity and (y) any other valuations with respect to the Company or the Company’s equity) and otherwise in accordance with applicable law. In determining FMV per Share, solely with respect to Rollover Shares, no discount shall be taken on account of minority ownership or lack of marketability.

 

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(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the value of a Share or other Security shall at all times be determined in a manner intended to be consistent with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder), as may be amended from time to time.

(h) “ Good Reason ” shall have the meaning given to such term in the employment, severance and change of control, consulting or other similar agreement between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and the Applicable Employee for such Management Investor, or if no such agreement exists or if “Good Reason” is not defined therein, then Good Reason shall be inapplicable with respect to such Applicable Employee.

(i) “ Incentive Shares ” means any Shares that (i) were or will be acquired upon exercise of any vested Options that were assumed by the Company pursuant to the Merger Agreement and that were unvested as of immediately following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement (the “ Merger ”), (ii) were or will be issued in settlement of those time-vesting Restricted Stock Units that were received by a Management Investor in substitution for performance stock units of SMART in accordance with the rollover commitment letter between the Company and the applicable Management Investor (the “ Rollover Letter ”), or (iii) any other Transferable Shares, including, without limitation, any such shares acquired upon the exercise of vested Options that were granted to an Applicable Employee following the consummation of the Merger.

(j) “ Investment Shares ” means any Shares that (i) were acquired by a Management Investor in connection with his, her or its investment in the Company pursuant to the Rollover Letter and the Equity Contribution and Subscription Agreement or otherwise, but excluding Incentive Shares, or (ii) were or will be acquired upon exercise of any vested Options that were assumed by the Company pursuant to the Merger Agreement and that were vested as of immediately following the Merger.

(k) “ Rollover Shares ” means any Investment Shares and any Shares described in clauses (i) and (ii) of the definition of Incentive Shares.

Section 5.2. Call .

(a) Except as otherwise agreed in writing between the Company and any Management Investor, the Company (and, to the extent provided in Section 5.4, the Silver Lake Investors) shall have the right, but not the obligation, by one (1) or more written notices delivered to a Management Investor on or prior to the Call Termination Date, to purchase, from time to time, all or any portion of (i) the Incentive Shares owned by the Call Group for such Management Investor if the employment or service of the Applicable Employee of such Management Investor with the Company and all of its Subsidiaries shall terminate or end for any reason whatsoever at any time and/or (ii) the Investment Shares owned by the Call Group for such Management Investor if (A) the Company and all of its Subsidiaries terminate the employment or service of the Applicable Employee of such Management Investor for Cause or (B) the Applicable Employee of such Management Investor resigns from the Company and its Subsidiaries without Good Reason, in each case on or prior to the second anniversary of the Merger (including, as provided herein, following the exercise of any Options or similar purchase

 

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right subsequent to such termination of employment or service) (collectively, as applicable, the “ Call Shares ”) at the applicable Call Shares Price upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Article V (a “ Call ”); provided , however , that in no event shall the Company (and/or, to the extent provided in Section 5.4, the Silver Lake Investors) be entitled to deliver any such notice with respect to any Call Share (including any Call Share that is issued upon the exercise of an Option) unless and until such Call Share has been issued, vested (if applicable) and outstanding for at least six (6) months, after which the Company (and/or, to the extent provided in Section 5.4, the Silver Lake Investors) shall be entitled to deliver any such notice on or prior to the Call Termination Date and effectuate a Call of such Call Shares.

(b) Upon the exercise of a Call with respect to any Call Shares pursuant to this Section 5.2, (i) the Company shall, as soon as reasonably practical after the Call Date, purchase such Call Shares from the Call Group of such Management Investor, as applicable, for the Call Shares Price, in each case (x) payable in cash and (y) minus any applicable tax withholdings, and (ii) each member of the Call Group of such Management Investor shall, simultaneously therewith, transfer such Call Shares to the Company free and clear of all Encumbrances by delivering to the Company such instruments of transfer as shall reasonably be requested by the Company.

Section 5.3. Settlement with Company Note . If, at the time the Company exercises its Call right with respect to the Call Shares of the Call Group of any Management Investor, the Company is not permitted to pay the Call Price in cash, or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries are prevented from distributing to the Company sufficient funds to pay the Call Price in cash, pursuant to the then applicable terms and conditions of the agreements governing indebtedness for money borrowed of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, then Company shall have the option to settle its obligations to purchase the Call Shares of the Call Group of such Management Investor pursuant to Section 5.2 by delivery to each member of the Call Group of such Management Investor at the closing of the purchase of such Call Shares a promissory note of the Company in a face amount equal to the Call Price (but only the portion of the Call Price which the Company is not so permitted to pay or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries are prevented from distributing to the Company sufficient funds to pay) of such Call Shares (a “ Company Note ”). Each Company Note shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to (x) the rate of interest per annum from time to time published in the money rates section of the Wall Street Journal or any successor publication thereto as the “prime rate” then in effect plus (y) 150 basis points. Each Company Note shall (i) be subordinated to the prior payment in full of all of the Company’s indebtedness for money borrowed, (ii) mature no later than the five (5) year anniversary of the Call Date and (iii) provide for mandatory prepayment without premium or penalty within ninety (90) days after, but only to the extent that, the terms and conditions of the agreements governing indebtedness for money borrowed of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries subsequently would permit the Company to so prepay and permit the Company’s Subsidiaries to distribute to the Company sufficient funds to so prepay; provided , that if there is more than one (1) Company Note outstanding at any time that the terms and conditions of the agreements governing indebtedness for money borrowed of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries would then permit the Company to prepay, and permit the Company’s Subsidiaries to distribute to the Company sufficient funds to prepay, less than all of the then-outstanding Company Notes to occur, the Company shall, subject to the terms and conditions of the agreements governing indebtedness for money borrowed of the Company or any of its

 

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Subsidiaries, prepay such Company Notes beginning with the longest outstanding Company Notes and proceed to prepay Company Notes issued in chronological order to the extent the Company is permitted to prepay, and the Company’s Subsidiaries are permitted to distribute to the Company sufficient funds to prepay, such Company Notes pursuant to the terms and conditions of the agreements governing indebtedness for money borrowed of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

Section 5.4. Call Option of the Silver Lake Investors . If, at any time prior to the Call Termination Date, the Company shall determine not to exercise its Call right pursuant to this Article V with respect to all or any portion of the Call Shares of a Call Group for any Management Investor, then the Company shall promptly notify the Silver Lake Investors of such determination. In such event, the Silver Lake Investors shall have the right to exercise the Call right pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Article V (other than Section 5.3) in the same manner as the Company with respect to any Call Shares not so purchased by the Company, which right may be exercised at any time prior to the later of (A) the Call Termination Date and (B) fifteen (15) days after receipt of notice from the Company that it has determined not to exercise the Call, but in no event later than fifteen (15) days after the Call Termination Date.

Section 5.5. Offer to Purchase Investment Shares . Except as otherwise agreed in writing between the Company and a Management Investor, if the employment or service of the Applicable Employee of any Management Investor with the Company and all of its Subsidiaries shall terminate for any reason other than for Cause after the second anniversary of the Merger, the Company shall have the right, but not the obligation, by written notice delivered to such Management Investor on or prior to the thirtieth (30 th ) calendar day following such termination, to offer to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Investment Shares then owned by the Call Group for such Management Investor (including, as provided herein, following the exercise of any Options or similar purchase right subsequent to such termination of employment or service) (the “ Offered Shares ”) for an amount in cash, minus any applicable tax withholdings, equal to the product of the FMV per Share on the date such offer is made (unless the last sentence of this Section 5.5 requires a different price) multiplied by the number of such Offered Shares held by the Call Group for such Management Investor (the “ Offer Price ”). The Call Group for such Management Investor shall be under no obligation to accept such offer, but may accept such offer only for all and not less than all of the Offered Shares owned by such Call Group. In the event that the Call Group for such Management Investor accepts the Company’s offer to purchase the Offered Shares, then, as soon as reasonably practical after the Company’s receipt of a written acceptance of such offer, (i) the Company shall purchase such Offered Shares from such Call Group, as applicable, for the Offer Price, in each case (x) payable in cash and (y) minus any applicable tax withholdings, and (ii) each member of the Call Group of such Management Investor, simultaneously therewith, shall transfer the Offered Shares to the Company free and clear of all Encumbrances by delivering to the Company such instruments of transfer as shall reasonably be requested by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Call Group of such Management Investor accepts such offer with respect to any Offered Share that was acquired upon the vesting of a Restricted Stock Unit or the exercise of an Option, then the Company’s offer to purchase such Offered Share shall (i) if such Offered Share is subject to an unexercised Option, be conditional upon the exercise of such Option and (ii) remain open, and irrevocable by either party, until such Offered Share has been vested (if applicable) and outstanding for at least six (6) months and the Offer Price for such Offered Share shall be the

 

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FMV per Share at the time such purchase is consummated (and in all events such purchase must be consummated within five (5) Business Days following the date on which the last Offered Share for which the offer to purchase has been accepted has been vested and outstanding for six (6) months).

Section 5.6. Further Assurances . Upon receipt of a notice of exercise of any Call from the Company (or, to the extent provided in Section 5.4, the Silver Lake Investors), each member of the Call Group for any Management Investor, as applicable, shall be obligated to take all action or actions reasonably requested of such Call Group member that are necessary or appropriate to complete or facilitate such Call pursuant to this Article V. Upon the acceptance by a Call Group of the Company’s offer to purchase the Offered Shares, each member of the Call Group for any Management Investor, as applicable, shall be obligated to take all action or actions reasonably requested of such Call Group member that are necessary or appropriate to complete or facilitate such purchase of such Offered Shares pursuant to Section 5.5.

Section 5.7. Termination of Article V . The right of the Company (or, to the extent provided in Section 5.4, the Silver Lake Investors) to effect a Call or to make an offer to purchase any Offered Shares, each as set forth in this Article V, shall terminate upon an Initial Public Offering, unless a notice of exercise of any such Call has been given prior to the Initial Public Offering or a written acceptance of any such offer to purchase Offered Shares has been received by the Company prior to the Initial Public Offering.

ARTICLE VI

ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

Section 6.1. Further Assurances . From time to time, at the reasonable request of the Company and without further consideration, each party hereto shall execute and deliver such additional documents and take all such further action as may be necessary or appropriate to consummate and make effective, in the most expeditious manner practicable, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Section 6.2. Other Businesses; Waiver of Certain Duties .

(a) The parties expressly acknowledge and agree that to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) each of the Silver Lake Investors and each of the Warrant Investors (including (A) its respective Affiliates, (B) any portfolio company in which it or any of its investment fund Affiliates have made a debt or equity investment (and vice versa) or (C) any of its limited partners, non-managing members or other similar direct or indirect investors) and the directors of the Company appointed by each of the Silver Lake Investors has the right to, and shall have no duty (fiduciary, contractual or otherwise) not to, directly or indirectly engage in and possess interests in other business ventures of every type and description, including those engaged in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or deemed to be competing with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on its own account, or in partnership with, or as an employee, officer, director or shareholder of any other Person, with no obligation to offer to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any Management Investor, any Warrant Investor or any other shareholder of the Company or any of

 

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its Subsidiaries the right to participate therein; (ii) each of the Silver Lake Investors and each of the Warrant Investors (including (A) its respective Affiliates, (B) any portfolio company in which it or any of its investment fund Affiliates have made a debt or equity investment (and vice versa) or (C) any of its limited partners, non-managing members or other similar direct or indirect investors) and the directors of the Company appointed by each of the Silver Lake Investors may invest in, or provide services to, any Person that directly or indirectly competes with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and (iii) in the event that any of the Silver Lake Investors or any of the Warrant Investors (including (A) its respective Affiliates, (B) any portfolio company in which it or any of its investment fund Affiliates have made a debt or equity investment (and vice versa) or (C) any of its limited partners, non-managing members or other similar direct or indirect investors) or any director of the Company appointed by any of the Silver Lake Investors acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a corporate or other business opportunity for the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, such Person shall have no duty (fiduciary, contractual or otherwise) to communicate or present such corporate opportunity to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any Management Investor, any Warrant Investor or any other shareholder of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, and, notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, shall not be liable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any Management Investor, any Warrant Investor or any other shareholder of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or their respective Affiliates) for breach of any duty (fiduciary, contractual or otherwise) by reason of the fact that such Person, directly or indirectly, pursues or acquires such opportunity for itself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not present such opportunity to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any Management Investor, any Warrant Investor or any other shareholder of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or their respective Affiliates). For the avoidance of doubt, the parties acknowledge that this paragraph is intended to disclaim and renounce, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the matters set forth herein, and this paragraph shall be construed to effect such disclaimer and renunciation to the full extent permitted by law.

(b) Each Management Investor and Warrant Investor also acknowledges and agrees that, subject to Section 6.6, the Silver Lake Investors or their Affiliates will receive certain on-going fees relating to their management of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and certain exit transactions and expense reimbursement and other rights under the Management Agreement.

(c) Each Management Investor and Warrant Investor (for itself and on behalf of the Company) hereby, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law:

(i) confirms that neither of the Silver Lake Investors nor any of their respective Affiliates have any duty to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or to any Management Investor or Warrant Investor or any other shareholder of the Company other than the specific covenants and agreements set forth in this Agreement;

(ii) acknowledges and agrees that (A) in the event of any conflict of interest between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and a Silver Lake Investor or any of its Affiliates, on the other hand, the Silver Lake Investor (or any director of the Company appointed by the Silver Lake Investors acting in his or her

 

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capacity as a director) may act in its best interest and (B) none of the Silver Lake Investors or any of their Affiliates or any director of the Company appointed by the Silver Lake Investors acting in his or her capacity as a director shall be obligated (1) to reveal to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries confidential information belonging to or relating to the business of such Person or any of its Affiliates or (2) to recommend or take any action in its capacity as a shareholder or director, as the case may be, that prefers the interest of the Company or its Subsidiaries over the interest of such Person; and

(iii) waives any claim or cause of action against the Silver Lake Investors, any director of the Company appointed by the Silver Lake Investors and any officer, employee, agent or Affiliate of any such Person that may from time to time arise in respect of a breach by any such person of any duty or obligation disclaimed under Section 6.2(c)(i) or Section 6.2(c)(ii).

(d) Each of the parties hereto agrees that the waivers, limitations, acknowledgments and agreements set forth in this Section 6.2 shall not apply to any alleged claim or cause of action against either of the Silver Lake Investors based upon the breach or nonperformance by such Silver Lake Investor of this Agreement or any other agreement to which such Person is a party.

(e) The provisions of this Section 6.2, to the extent that they restrict the duties and liabilities of the Silver Lake Investors or any director of the Company appointed by the Silver Lake Investors otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the parties hereto to replace such other duties and liabilities of the Silver Lake Investors or any such director of the Company appointed by the Silver Lake Investors to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

Section 6.3. Confidentiality . The terms of this Agreement and any information relating to any exercise of rights hereunder shall be confidential and no Management Investor or Warrant Investor shall disclose to any Person not a party to this Agreement any of the terms of this Agreement, except (a) to such Management Investor’s or Warrant Investor’s advisors, agents, accountants and attorneys, in each case so long as such Persons agree to keep such information confidential, (b) to a Permitted Transferee or other transferee pursuant to a transfer by such Management Investor or Warrant Investor in accordance with Article III and (c) in the case of a Warrant Investor, to (x) prospective Permitted Transferees of such Warrant Investor’s Transferable Shares so long as they agree to be bound by the confidentiality provisions hereof or (y) the limited partners or other investors of such Warrant Investor or its affiliated investment funds so long as they are subject to confidentiality obligations to such Warrant Investor or affiliated investment funds; provided , in each case, that such Warrant Investor or affiliated investment fund enforces such confidentiality obligations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Management Investor or Warrant Investor shall disclose or use in any manner whatsoever, in whole or in part, any information concerning the Company, any of its direct or indirect Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any of its or their respective employees, directors or consultants received on a confidential basis from the Company or any other Person under or pursuant to this Agreement or any other agreement with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates including financial terms and financial and organizational information contained in any documents, statements, certificates, materials or information furnished, or to be furnished, by or

 

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on behalf of the Company or any other Person in connection with the purchase or ownership of any Securities; provided , however , that (i) the foregoing shall not be construed, now or in the future, to apply to any information reflected in any recorded document, information which is independently developed by such Management Investor or Warrant Investor, information obtained from sources other than the Company, any of its direct or indirect Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any of its or their employees, directors, consultants, agents or representatives (including attorneys, accountants, financial advisors, engineers and insurance brokers) or information that is or becomes in the public domain through no fault of such Management Investor or Warrant Investor or any of his, her or its Permitted Transferees, nor shall it be construed to prevent such Management Investor or Warrant Investor from making any disclosure of any information (A) if required to do so by any statute, law, treaty, rule, regulation, order, decree, writ, injunction or determination of any court or other governmental authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Management Investor or Warrant Investor, (B) pursuant to subpoena and (C) in the case of a Warrant Investor, to (x) prospective Permitted Transferees of such Warrant Investor’s Transferable Shares so long as they agree to be bound by the confidentiality provisions hereof or (y) the limited partners or other investors of such Warrant Investor or its affiliated investment funds so long as they are subject to confidentiality obligations to such Warrant Investor or affiliated investment fund; provided , in each case, that such Warrant Investor or affiliated investment fund enforces such confidentiality obligations, and (ii) an Applicable Employee may, if and for so long as he or she is an employee or consultant of Company and/or its Subsidiaries, use such information solely in such capacity as an employee or consultant on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries in connection with the conduct of their businesses.

Section 6.4. GRANT OF IRREVOCABLE PROXY . EACH MANAGEMENT INVESTOR HEREBY GRANTS TO EACH OF THE SILVER LAKE INVESTORS SUCH MANAGEMENT INVESTOR’S PROXY, AND APPOINTS EACH OF THE SILVER LAKE INVESTORS, OR ANY DESIGNEE OR NOMINEE OF THE SILVER LAKE INVESTORS, AS SUCH MANAGEMENT INVESTOR ATTORNEY-IN-FACT (WITH FULL POWER OF SUBSTITUTION AND RESUBSTITUTION), FOR AND IN HIS, HER OR ITS NAME, PLACE AND STEAD, TO VOTE OR ACT BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITH RESPECT TO ANY SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY NOW OR HEREAFTER HELD BY SUCH MANAGEMENT INVESTOR (OR ANY PERMITTED TRANSFEREE THEREOF) AND TO EXECUTE AND DELIVER IN HIS, HER OR ITS NAME ANY CONSENT, CERTIFICATE OR OTHER DOCUMENT RELATING TO THE COMPANY IN CONNECTION WITH ANY AND ALL MATTERS, INCLUDING MATTERS SET FORTH HEREIN AS TO WHICH ANY VOTE OR ACTIONS MAY BE REQUESTED OR REQUIRED (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, IN CONNECTION WITH ANY DRAG-ALONG SALE PURSUANT TO SECTION 3.7), WITH EACH SILVER LAKE INVESTOR HAVING THE ABILITY TO ACT IN SUCH CAPACITY WITHOUT THE OTHER SILVER LAKE INVESTOR. THIS PROXY IS COUPLED WITH AN INTEREST AND SHALL BE IRREVOCABLE, AND EACH MANAGEMENT INVESTOR WILL TAKE SUCH FURTHER ACTION OR EXECUTE SUCH OTHER INSTRUMENTS AS MAY BE REASONABLY NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE INTENT OF THIS PROXY AND, EXCEPT WITH RESPECT TO ANY OTHER PROXY GIVEN BY SUCH MANAGEMENT INVESTOR TO THE COMPANY OR THE SILVER LAKE INVESTORS, HEREBY REVOKES ANY PROXY PREVIOUSLY GRANTED BY SUCH MANAGEMENT

 

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INVESTOR WITH RESPECT TO SUCH MANAGEMENT INVESTOR’S SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY. IN THE EVENT THAT ANY OR ALL PROVISION OF THIS SECTION 6.4 ARE DETERMINED TO BE UNENFORCEABLE, EACH MANAGEMENT INVESTOR WILL ENTER INTO A PROXY THAT, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, PRESERVES THE INTENT AND PROVIDES THE SILVER LAKE INVESTORS SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME BENEFITS OF THIS SECTION 6.4. THE PROXY GRANTED IN THIS SECTION 6.4 SHALL TERMINATE AND BE OF NO FURTHER FORCE AND EFFECT UPON THE CONSUMMATION OF AN INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING.

Section 6.5. Distributions in Connection with Merger or Initial Public Offering; Cooperation with Initial Public Offering Reorganization and SEC Filings .

(a) In the event of any merger, amalgamation, statutory share exchange or other business combination or reorganization of the Company, on the one hand, with any of its Subsidiaries, on the other hand, the Silver Lake Investors and each of the Management Investors and Warrant Investors shall, to the extent necessary, as determined by the Silver Lake Investors, execute an investors shareholders agreement with terms that are substantially equivalent (to the extent practicable) to, mutatis mutandis , the terms of this Agreement.

(b) In the event that the Company proposes to undertake an Initial Public Offering (in accordance with the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement or otherwise), the Company may (or the Silver Lake Investors may cause to the Company to) make changes (i) to the organizational documents of the Company or this Agreement to provide for a conversion of the Company to any other capital structure as the Company or the Silver Lake Investors may determine and/or (ii) to the structure of the Company (including the conversion of the Company into a successor corporation or other entity and/or forming a new entity that will issue shares to the public and acquire, directly or indirectly, Securities in the Company in order to give effect to such Initial Public Offering, and in each case for the express purpose of an offering of the securities of such Registering Entity for sale to the public in a registered public offering pursuant to the Securities Act. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “ Registering Entity ” means the Company or if the entity registering Shares in connection with the Initial Public Offering is (i) any other Subsidiary of the Company or (ii) the resulting entity from (A) such conversion of the Company to any other capital structure, (B) such conversion of the Company into a successor corporation or other entity and/or (C) the formation of such a new entity that will issue Shares to the public and acquire, directly or indirectly, Securities in the Company in order to give effect to such Initial Public Offering, such other Subsidiary or resulting entity. Notwithstanding the foregoing, immediately prior to the consummation of an Initial Public Offering, if (i) the Registering Entity is not the Company and (ii) a transaction contemplated by Section 6.5(a) has not occurred, then the Company shall take such actions as may reasonably be necessary to exchange all Shares for shares of such Registering Entity; provided , that the Registering Entity, the Silver Lake Investors and each of the Management Investors and Warrant Investors shall, to the extent appropriate, as determined by the Silver Lake Investors, execute an investors shareholders agreement with terms that are substantially equivalent (to the extent practicable) to, mutatis mutandis , the terms of this Agreement (except with respect to any terms herein that do not apply after the consummation of an Initial Public Offering). Upon such exchange, the shareholders of the Company shall be entitled to receive shares of the Registering Entity pro rata in accordance with the equity interests in the Company held by each shareholder immediately prior to such exchange.

 

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(c) In connection with any proposed transaction contemplated by Section 6.5(a) or Section 6.5(b), each Management Investor and Warrant Investor shall take such actions as may be reasonably required and otherwise cooperate in good faith with the Company and the Silver Lake Investors, including taking all actions reasonably requested by the Company or the Silver Lake Investors and executing and delivering all agreements, instruments and documents as may be reasonably required in order to consummate any such proposed transaction contemplated by Section 6.5(a) or Section 6.5(b); provided , that no Warrant Investor shall be required to take any action that is adversely affects such Warrant Investor in a manner disproportionate to the Silver Lake Investors.

(d) Each of the Management Investors and Warrant Investors agrees, to the extent practicable and as requested by the Silver Lake Investors, to use reasonable efforts following the consummation of an Initial Public Offering to take or avoid taking (as applicable) actions that would potentially cause liability to the Company, the Silver Lake Investors or any Management Investor or Warrant Investor under Section 13 or Section 16 of the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. To the extent that the Company, any Silver Lake Investor or any Management Investor or Warrant Investor determines that it is obligated to make filings under Section 13 or Section 16 of the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, each of the Management Investors and Warrant Investors agrees to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Person that determines that it has such a filing obligation, including by promptly providing information reasonably required by such Person for any such filing.

Section 6.6. Warrant Investor Consent Right . Without the approval of the Warrant Investors, the Company shall not, and shall not permit its Subsidiaries to (whether direct or indirectly, by merger, consolidation, amendment to this Agreement or otherwise), enter into, amend, modify or supplement any Related Party Transaction with the Silver Lake Investors or any of their respective Affiliates. The term “ Related Party Transaction ” means any agreement, contract or transaction between the Company or any of its controlled Affiliates, on the one hand, and any of the Silver Lake Investors or their respective Affiliates, on the other hand; provided , that for purposes of this definition, the following will not be considered a “Related Party Transaction”: (a) any single transaction or series of related transactions entered into in the ordinary course of business of the Company or its Subsidiaries with a portfolio company of any of the Silver Lake Investors or their respective Affiliates on arm’s-length terms, (b) any issuance of securities subject to the participation rights of the Warrant Investors contained in this Agreement, (c) indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or exculpation of liability made pursuant to the governing, constituent or organizational documents or other indemnification agreements of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (d) transactions where the interests of the Silver Lake Investors or their Affiliates arise solely from their status as a holder of any class or series of securities of the Company and all other holders of such class or series receive the same benefit on a pro rata basis (such as dividends or distributions), (e) payment of any fees or expenses pursuant to the terms of the Management Agreement and (f) any amendments, modifications or waivers to this Agreement, the Sponsors Shareholders Agreement or the Employee Shareholders Agreement in accordance with their respective terms; provided , that no

 

38


such amendment, modification or waiver shall provide for the payment of any monitoring, transaction, management or other fees or payments by the Company (or its Subsidiaries) to any of the Silver Lake Investors (or their Affiliates) (for the avoidance of doubt, it being understood that this proviso will not apply to payments to the Silver Lake Investors or their Affiliates as consideration in respect of their Securities or any reimbursement of expenses of the Silver Lake Investors or their Affiliates).

Section 6.7. Information Rights . The Company shall provide to any Warrant Investor that owns, together with its Affiliates, (x) prior to the satisfaction of the Second Tranche Exercise Condition, more than 2% of the outstanding Transferable Shares and (y) from and after the satisfaction of the Second Tranche Exercise Condition, more than 4% of the outstanding Transferable Shares (each, a “ Information Holder ”), the following information, from and after the time such Information Holder no longer has the right to receive such information pursuant to the Amended Credit Agreement, and subject to the continued compliance of such Information Holder with its confidentiality obligations under Section 6.3:

(a) on or before the date on which such financial statements are required or permitted to be filed with the SEC (or, if such financial statements are not required to be filed with the SEC, on or before the date that is 120 days after the end of each such fiscal year of the Company or Parent Borrower), audited consolidated balance sheet and audited consolidated statements of operations and income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company or Parent Borrower as of the end of and for such year, and related notes thereto; and

(b) on or before the date on which such financial statements are required or permitted to be filed with the SEC with respect to each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Company or Parent Borrower (or, if such financial statements are not required to be filed with the SEC, on or before the date that is 60 days after the end of each such fiscal quarter), unaudited consolidated balance sheet and unaudited consolidated statements of operations and income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year.

ARTICLE VII

ADDITIONAL MANAGEMENT INVESTORS AND WARRANT INVESTORS

Section 7.1. Additional Management Investors . Additional parties may be added as parties to and be bound by and receive the benefits and be subject to the obligations provided by this Agreement as a Management Investor upon the signing and delivery of a Joinder Agreement by such additional party and the acceptance thereof by the Company and, to the extent permitted by Section 8.7, amendments may be effected to this Agreement reflecting such rights and obligations of such Management Investor as the Company and the Silver Lake Investors and such Management Investor may agree.

Section 7.2. Warrant Investors . The Warrant Investors shall not be added as parties to and be bound by and receive the benefits and be subject to the obligations provided by this Agreement as a Warrant Investor unless and until the signing and delivery of a Joinder Agreement by such Warrant Investor in such capacity and the acceptance thereof by the

 

39


Company, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Warrants. To the extent permitted by Section 8.7, amendments may be effected to this Agreement reflecting such rights and obligations of such Warrant Investors as the Company and the Silver Lake Investors and such Warrant Investor may agree.

ARTICLE VIII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.1. Entire Agreement . This Agreement (together with the Exhibits hereto, the Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement, the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Equity Contribution and Subscription Agreements, the Rollover Letters, the Warrants and any severance and change of control agreement or employment agreement between SMART and the Applicable Employee for any Management Investor) constitutes the entire understanding and agreement between the parties and supersedes and replaces any prior understanding, agreement or statement of intent, in each case, written or oral, of any and every nature with respect thereto. In the event of any inconsistency between this Agreement and any document executed or delivered to effect the purposes of this Agreement, including the bylaws (or equivalent organizational and governing documents) of any company, this Agreement shall govern as among the parties hereto.

Section 8.2. Specific Performance . The parties hereto agree that the obligations imposed on them in this Agreement are special, unique and of an extraordinary character, and that, in the event of breach by any party, damages would not be an adequate remedy and each of the other parties shall be entitled to specific performance and injunctive and other equitable relief in addition to any other remedy to which it may be entitled, at law or in equity. The parties hereto further agree to waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with the obtaining of any such injunctive or other equitable relief.

Section 8.3. Governing Law . This Agreement and all claims or causes of action (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including any claim or cause of action based upon, arising out of or related to any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws, except that Cayman Islands law shall apply in respect of any fiduciary duty or any mandatory provision of Cayman Islands corporate law.

Section 8.4. Submissions to Jurisdictions; WAIVERS OF JURY TRIALS .

(a) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably acknowledges and consents that any legal action or proceeding brought with respect to (i) this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement may only be brought in the courts of the State of Delaware or in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (collectively, the “ Delaware Courts ”), and (ii) any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty may only be brought in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands (the “ Cayman Court ”, and together with the Delaware Courts, as applicable, the “ Chosen Courts ”), and each of

 

40


the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submits to and accepts with regard to any such action or proceeding, for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, the exclusive jurisdiction of the Chosen Courts, as applicable. Each party hereby further irrevocably waives any claim that any Chosen Court lacks jurisdiction over such party, and agrees not to plead or claim, in any legal action or proceeding (i) with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby brought in the Delaware Courts or (ii) with respect to any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty brought in the Cayman Court, that any such court lacks jurisdiction over such party.

(b) Each party irrevocably consents to the service of process in any legal action or proceeding brought with respect to this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to such party, at its address for notices as provided in Section 8.12 of this Agreement, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing. Each party hereby irrevocably waives any objection to such service of process and further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any action or proceeding commenced hereunder or under any other documents contemplated hereby, that service of process was in any way invalid or ineffective. Subject to Section 8.4(c), the foregoing shall not limit the rights of any party to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable law. The foregoing consents to jurisdiction shall not constitute general consents to service of process in the State of Delaware or the Cayman Islands for any purpose except as provided above and shall not be deemed to confer rights on any Person other than the respective parties to this Agreement.

(c) Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right it may have under the laws of any jurisdiction to commence by publication any legal action or proceeding with respect to (i) this Agreement or any of the obligations under or relating to this Agreement or (ii) any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives the objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any suit, action or proceeding with respect to (i) this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement in any of the Delaware Courts and (ii) arising under or relating to any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty in the Cayman Court, and hereby further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim that any such Chosen Court is not a convenient forum for any such suit, action or proceeding, as applicable.

(d) The parties hereto agree that any judgment obtained by any party hereto or its successors or assigns in any action, suit or proceeding referred to above may, in the discretion of such party (or its successors or assigns), be enforced in any jurisdiction, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

(e) EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO (I) ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR (II) WITH RESPECT TO ANY CLAIM OF BREACH BY ANY DIRECTOR OF THE COMPANY OF ANY FIDUCIARY DUTY. EACH OF THE PARTIES (I) CERTIFIES THAT NO

 

41


REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (II) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 8.4(e).

Section 8.5. Obligations . All obligations hereunder shall be satisfied in full without set-off, defense or counterclaim.

Section 8.6. Consents, Approvals and Actions .

(a) Subject to the terms of the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, if any consent, approval or action of the Silver Lake Investors is required at any time pursuant to this Agreement, such consent, approval or action shall be deemed given if any of the Silver Lake Investors at such time provide such consent, approval or action in writing at such time.

(b) If any consent, approval or action of the Management Investors is required at any time pursuant to this Agreement (including with respect to any amendments pursuant to Section 8.7), such consent, approval or action shall be deemed given if the holders of a majority of the outstanding Transferable Shares held by the Management Investors, taken together, at such time provide such consent, approval or action in writing at such time.

(c) If any consent, approval or action of the Warrant Investors is required at any time pursuant to this Agreement (including with respect to any amendments pursuant to Section 8.7), such consent, approval or action shall be deemed given if the holders of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the outstanding Transferable Shares held by the Warrant Investors, taken together, at such time provide such consent, approval or action in writing at such time.

Section 8.7. Amendment and Waiver .

(a) Any amendment to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall require the written consent of (i) the Company, (ii) the Silver Lake Investors and (iii) if the amendment, by its terms, would be materially and disproportionally adverse to the Management Investors or the Warrant Investors as compared to the Silver Lake Investors, the Management Investors or the Warrant Investors, respectively. The immediately foregoing clause (iii) shall not apply with respect to (1) amendments in connection with the addition of other Management Investors or Warrant Investors as parties to this Agreement (provided that such amendment does not expressly negate any specific right of the Management Investors or of the Warrant Investors or a particular Management Investor or Warrant Investor set forth in this Agreement), (2) amendments to reflect the addition of a new third-party holding Transferable Shares (other than an additional Management Investor or Warrant Investor as a party hereto), (3) amendments to Exhibit C attached hereto pursuant to Section 3.4(a)(iii), (4) subject to compliance with Section 3.7, amendments in connection with any Drag-Along Sale, (5) amendments that do not apply to Management Investors or Warrant Investors or (6) amendments contemplated by Section 6.5. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any amendment to Section 3.1, Section 3.2, Section 3.3, Section

 

42


3.4, Section 3.5 or Article V (and any definitions used therein) that is adverse to the Management Investors shall require the written consent of the Management Investors and any amendment to Section 3.1, Section 3.2, Section 3.3 or Section 3.5, Section 3.6, Section 3.7, Article IV, Section 6.6, Section 6.7 (and any definitions used therein) and this Section 8.7 that is adverse to the Warrant Investors shall require the written consent of the Warrant Investors.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any addition of a transferee of Transferable Shares or a recipient of any newly issued Transferable Shares, in each case, as a party hereto pursuant to Article VII shall not constitute an amendment hereto and the applicable Joinder Agreement need be signed only by the Company and such transferee or recipient.

(c) Any failure by any party at any time to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be construed a waiver of such provision or any other provisions hereof.

Section 8.8. Assignment . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Silver Lake Investors shall have the right to assign any or all of their rights under this Agreement to any Person or Persons to whom a Silver Lake Investor, as applicable, transfers Securities. No Management Investor or Warrant Investor may, directly or indirectly, assign or transfer (whether in connection with the transfer of Securities or otherwise) all or any part of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the Silver Lake Investors. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, a Management Investor or Warrant Investor may assign its rights and corresponding obligations to any Person or Persons to whom such Management Investor or Warrant Investor has transferred Securities in compliance with Article III; provided , however , that no transferee of transferred Securities pursuant to a transfer made pursuant to Rule 144 or in a registered public offering shall be subject to, or have any rights under, this Agreement. Any purported assignment of rights or obligations under this Agreement in derogation of this Section 8.8 shall be null and void.

Section 8.9. Binding Effect . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the provisions hereof shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the parties’ successors and permitted assigns.

Section 8.10. Third Party Beneficiaries . Except for Section 6.2 and Section 8.13 (which will be for the benefit of the Persons set forth therein, and any such Person will have the rights provided for therein), this Agreement does not create any rights, claims or benefits inuring to any Person that is not a party hereto, and it does not create or establish any third party beneficiary hereto.

Section 8.11. Termination . This Agreement shall terminate only (i) by written consent of the Silver Lake Investors or (ii) upon the dissolution or liquidation of the Company.

Section 8.12. Notices . Any and all notices, designations, offers, acceptances or other communications provided for herein shall be deemed to be sufficient if contained in a written instrument delivered in person or sent by facsimile, e-mail, nationally-recognized overnight courier or first class registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, which shall be addressed, (a) in the case of the Company, to its principal office, (b) in the case of any Management Investor, to such party’s address, e-mail address or telecopy number

 

43


of such Management Investor set forth in the Company’s books and records or, if applicable, the Joinder Agreement of such Management Investor, (c) in the case of any Warrant Investor, to such party’s address, e-mail address or telecopy number of such Warrant Investor set forth in the applicable Joinder Agreement of such Warrant Investor, or (d) in the case of any Silver Lake Investor, to the following addresses, e-mail addresses or telecopy numbers:

c/o Silver Lake Partners

c/o Silver Lake Sumeru

2775 Sand Hill Road, Suite 100

Menlo Park, CA 94025

Fax No.: (650) 233-8125

Attention: Karen King

Email: karen.king@silverlake.com

and

c/o Silver Lake Partners

c/o Silver Lake Sumeru

9 West 57th Street, 32nd Floor

New York, New York 10019

Attention: Andrew Schader

Fax: (212) 981 3535

Email: andy.schader@silverlake.com

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

2475 Hanover Street

Palo Alto, CA 94304

Fax No.: (650) 251-5002

Attention: Chad Skinner

Email: cskinner@stblaw.com

Any and all notices, designations, offers, acceptances or other communications shall be conclusively deemed to have been given, delivered or received (i) in the case of personal delivery, on the day of actual delivery thereof, (ii) in the case of facsimile, on the day of transmittal thereof if given during the normal business hours of the recipient, and on the Business Day during which such normal business hours next occur if not given during such hours on any day, (iii) in the case of dispatch by nationally-recognized overnight courier, on the next Business Day following the disposition with such nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iv) in the case of mailing, on the third (3 rd ) Business Day after the posting thereof. By notice complying with the foregoing provisions of this Section 8.12, each party shall have the right to change its mailing address or telecopy number for the notices and communications to such party.

Section 8.13. No Third Party Liability . This Agreement may only be enforced against the named parties hereto. All claims or causes of action (whether in contract or tort) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement, or the negotiation, execution or

 

44


performance of this Agreement (including any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement or as an inducement to enter into this Agreement), may be made only against the entities that are expressly identified as parties hereto; and no past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, partner, stockholder, Affiliate, portfolio company in which any such party or any of its investment fund Affiliates have made a debt or equity investment (and vice versa), agent, attorney or representative of any party hereto (including any Person negotiating or executing this Agreement on behalf of a party hereto), unless party to this Agreement, shall have any liability or obligation with respect to this Agreement or with respect any claim or cause of action (whether in contract or tort) that may arise out of or relate to this Agreement, or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including a representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement or as an inducement to enter into this Agreement).

Section 8.14. No Partnership . Nothing in this Agreement and no actions taken by the parties under this Agreement shall constitute a partnership, association or other co-operative entity between any of the parties or constitute any party the agent of any other party for any purpose.

Section 8.15. Aggregation . All Transferable Shares held or acquired by any Silver Lake Investor and its Affiliates, any Management Investor and its Affiliates or any Warrant Investor and its Affiliates shall be aggregated together for the purpose of determining the availability of any rights under and application of any limitations under this Agreement, and such shareholder and its Affiliates may apportion such rights as among themselves in any manner they deem appropriate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all Transferable Shares held or acquired by the Shah Investors (as defined in the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement) and any of each such Shah Investor’s respective Affiliates, designated transferees or successors that hold Securities shall be aggregated together with the Transferable Shares held by and deemed to be owned by the SLS Investor, the SLS Co-Investor and any of their respective Affiliates, designated transferees or successors that hold Securities.

Section 8.16. Severability . If any portion of this Agreement shall be declared void or unenforceable by any court or administrative body of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed severable from the remainder of this Agreement, which shall continue in all respects valid and enforceable.

Section 8.17. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts (which delivery may be by electronic transmission), each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute a single instrument.

[ The remainder of this page intentionally left blank .]

 

45


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has executed this Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement or caused this Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement to be signed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as a deed as of the date first written above.

 

COMPANY :     
SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.      In the presence of:
By:  

/s/ Iain MacKenzie

    

/s/ Bruce Goldberg

  Name: Iain MacKenzie      Signature of Witness
  Title: President & CEO      Name of Witness: Bruce Goldberg

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


SLP INVESTOR :      
SILVER LAKE PARTNERS III CAYMAN      
(AIV III), L.P.      
By:    Silver Lake Technology Associates III      
   Cayman, L.P., its General Partner      
By:    Silver Lake (Offshore) AIV GP III, Ltd.,      
   its General Partner      
         In the presence of:
By:   

/s/ James A. Davidson

     

/s/ Janet Roselli Bejinez

   Name: James A. Davidson       Signature of Witness
   Title: Director       Name of Witness: Janet Roselli Bejinez
SLP CO-INVESTOR :      
SILVER LAKE TECHNOLOGY INVESTORS      
III CAYMAN, L.P.      
By:    Silver Lake Technology Associates III      
   Cayman, L.P., its General Partner      
By:    Silver Lake (Offshore) AIV GP III, Ltd.,      
   its General Partner      
         In the presence of:
By:   

/s/ James A. Davidson

     

/s/ Janet Roselli Bejinez

   Name: James A. Davidson       Signature of Witness
   Title: Director       Name of Witness: Janet Roselli Bejinez

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


SLS INVESTOR :      
SILVER LAKE SUMERU FUND CAYMAN, L.P.      
By:    Silver Lake Technology Associates Sumeru      
   Cayman, L.P., its General Partner      
By:    SLTA Sumeru (GP) Cayman, L.P., its      
   General Partner      
By:    Silver Lake Sumeru (Offshore) AIV GP,      
   Ltd., its General Partner      
         In the presence of:
By:   

/s/ Paul Mecadante

     

/s/ Cynthia Reyes-Orosco

Name: Paul Mercadante       Signature of Witness
Title: Director       Name of Witness: /s/ Cynthia Reyes-Orosco
SLS CO-INVESTOR :      
SILVER LAKE TECHNOLOGY INVESTORS      
SUMERU CAYMAN, L.P.      
By:    Silver Lake Technology Associates Sumeru      
   Cayman, L.P., its General Partner      
By:    SLTA Sumeru (GP) Cayman, L.P., its      
   General Partner      
By:    Silver Lake Sumeru (Offshore) AIV GP,      
   Ltd., its General Partner      
         In the presence of:
By:   

/s/ Paul Mecadante

     

/s/ Cynthia Reyes-Orosco

   Name: Paul Mercadante       Signature of Witness
   Title: Director       Name of Witness: Cynthia Reyes-Orosco

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR ( J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.’s affiliate and designee):

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC     
In the presence of:     
By:  

/s/ Christopher Cestaro

    

/s/ Eric Ramnauth

  Name: Christopher Cestaro      Signature of Witness
  Title: Authorized Signatory      Name of Witness: Eric Ramnauth

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :     
Napier Park Select Master Fund L.P.     
In the presence of:     
By:  

/s/ Ram Putcha

    

/s/ Rebecca Song

  Name: Ram Putcha      Signature of Witness
  Title: Managing Director      Name of Witness: Rebecca Song

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :      
AB Bond Fund, Inc. - AB High Yield Portfolio      
In the presence of:      
By:   

/s/ Jacqueline August

     

/s/ Tyena Iglesias

   Name: Jacqueline August       Signature of Witness
   Title: Assistant Vice President       Name of Witness: Tyena Iglesias

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :     
AllianceBernstein Global High Income Fund, Inc.     
In the presence of:     
By:  

/s/ Jacqueline August

    

/s/ Tyena Iglesias

  Name: Jacqueline August      Signature of Witness
  Title: Assistant Vice President      Name of Witness: Tyena Iglesias

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :     
AB High Income Fund, Inc.     
In the presence of:     
By:  

/s/ Jacqueline August

    

/s/ Tyena Iglesias

  Name: Jacqueline August      Signature of Witness
  Title: Assistant Vice President      Name of Witness: Tyena Iglesias

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :

Banco do Brasil, S.A., acting through its New York Branch

By:  

/s/ Joao Fruet

Name: Joao Fruet
Title: General Manager
By:  

/s/ Reinaldo Lima

Name: Reinaldo Lima
Title: General Manager
In the presence of:
By:  

/s/ Jakov Grbic

Signature of Witness
Name of Witness: Jakov Grbic

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :     
AB Collective Investment Trust Series - AB US High Yield Collective Trust
In the presence of:     
By:  

/s/ Jacqueline August

    

/s/ Tyena Iglesias

  Name: Jacqueline August      Signature of Witness
  Title: Assistant Vice President      Name of Witness: Tyena Iglesias

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :     
Barclays Bank PLC     
In the presence of:     
By:  

/s/ Alexander Stromberg

    

/s/ Jason T. Short

  Name: Alexander Stromberg      Signature of Witness
  Title: Managing Director      Name of Witness: Jason T. Short

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :     
BlueMountain CLO 2011-1 Ltd     
BY: BLUEMOUNTAIN CAPITAL     
MANAGEMENT, LLC,     
Its Collateral Manager     
In the presence of:     
By:  

/s/ Meghan Fornshell

    

 

  Name: Meghan Fornshell      Signature of Witness
  Title: Operations Analyst      Name of Witness:
By:       
  Name:     
  Title:     

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :     
BlueMountain CLO II, LTD     
BY: BLUEMOUNTAIN CAPITAL     
MANAGEMENT, LLC,     
Its Collateral Manager     
In the presence of:     
By:  

/s/ Meghan Fornshell

    

 

  Name: Meghan Fornshell      Signature of Witness
  Title: Operations Analyst      Name of Witness:
By:       
  Name:     
  Title:     

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :     
BlueMountain CLO III, LTD     
BY: BLUEMOUNTAIN CAPITAL     
MANAGEMENT, LLC,     
Its Collateral Manager
In the presence of:     
By:  

/s/ Meghan Fornshell

    

 

  Name: Meghan Fornshell      Signature of Witness
  Title: Operations Analyst      Name of Witness:
By:       
  Name:     
  Title:     

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :    
CPPIB Credit Investments III Inc.    
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ John Graham

   

/s/ Vincent Hui

  Name: John Graham     Signature of Witness
  Title: Authorized Signatory     Name of Witness: Vincent Hui

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :
HOLDER :
Oaktree Value Opportunities Fund Holdings, L.P.
By:   Oaktree Value Opportunities Fund GP, L.P.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Value Opportunities Fund GP Ltd.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Director
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name:   Robert O’Leary
Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name: Brook Hinchman
Title:   Senior Vice President
Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIII Delaware, L.P.
By:   Oaktree Fund GP, LLC
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Fund GP I, L.P.
Its:   Managing Member
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name:   Robert O’Leary
Title:   Authorized Signatory
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name: Brook Hinchman
Title:   Authorized Signatory

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


Oaktree Huntington Investment Fund, L.P.
By:   Oaktree Huntington Investment Fund GP, L.P.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Huntington Investment Fund GP Ltd.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Director
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name:   Robert O’Leary
Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name: Brook Hinchman
Title:   Senior Vice President
Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIII (Parallel 2), L.P.
By:   Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIII GP, L.P.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIII GP Ltd.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Director
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name:   Robert O’Leary
Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name: Brook Hinchman
Title:   Senior Vice President

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIIIb Delaware, L.P.
By:   Oaktree Fund GP, LLC
Its:   General partner
By:   Oaktree Fund GP I, L.P.
Its:   Managing Member
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name: Robert O’Leary
Title:   Authorized Signatory
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name: Brook Hinchman
Title:   Authorized Signatory
With respect to each of the signatures of the above entities, in the presence of:

/s/ Tom Reed

Signature of Witness
Name of Witness: Tom Reed

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :

   

D-Star LTD.

   

In the presence of:

   
By:  

/s/ Ram Putcha

   

/s/ Rebecca Song

 

Name: Ram Putcha

   

Signature of Witness

 

Title: Managing Director

   

Name of Witness: Rebecca Song

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :    

SSF Trust,

By: Symphony Asset Management LLC

   
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

   

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein     Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO     Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :    

Nuveen Senior Income Fund,

By: Symphony Asset Management LLC

   
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

   

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein     Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO     Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :    

Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund,

By: Symphony Asset Management LLC

   
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

   

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein     Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO     Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :    

Nuveen Short Duration Credit Opportunities Fund,

By: Symphony Asset Management LLC

   
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

   

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein     Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO     Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :    

Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund,

By: Symphony Asset Management LLC

   
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

   

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein     Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO     Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :    

Symphony CLO VII, Ltd.,

By: Symphony Asset Management LLC

   
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

   

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein     Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO     Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :    

California Street CLO V, Ltd.,

By: Symphony Asset Management LLC

   
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

   

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein     Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO     Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :    

California Street CLO IV, Ltd.,

By: Symphony Asset Management LLC

   
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

   

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein     Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO     Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :    

California Street CLO III, Ltd.,

By: Symphony Asset Management LLC

   
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

   

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein     Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO     Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


WARRANT INVESTOR :    

California Street CLO II, Ltd.,

By: Symphony Asset Management LLC

   
In the presence of:    
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

   

/s/ Aaron Deering

  Name: Gunther Stein     Signature of Witness
  Title: CIO     Name of Witness: Aaron Deering

 

 

[Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement]


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF JOINDER AGREEMENT

The undersigned is executing and delivering this Joinder Agreement pursuant to that certain Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement of SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a Saleen Holdings, Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company, dated as of November 5, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance with the terms thereof, the “ Investors Shareholders Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Joinder Agreement shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Investors Shareholders Agreement.

By executing and delivering this Joinder Agreement to the Investors Shareholders Agreement, the undersigned hereby agrees to become a party to, to be bound by, and to comply with the provisions of the Investors Shareholders Agreement as a [Management][Warrant] Investor. In connection therewith, effective as of the date hereof, the undersigned hereby makes the representations and warranties contained in Section [2.1][2.2] of the Investors Shareholders Agreement.

Accordingly, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Joinder Agreement as of the      day of                     ,             .

 

 

Signature of [Management / Warrant] Investor

 

Print Name of [Management / Warrant] Investor

Address of [Management / Warrant] Investor:          

 

 

Telephone:                                                                   

Facsimile:                                                                     
Email:                                                                           

 

AGREED AND ACCEPTED as of the          day of                     ,             .
SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:


EXHIBIT B

MANAGEMENT INVESTORS

(as of November 5, 2016)

Iain MacKenzie

Alan Marten

Bruce Goldberg

John Scaramuzzo

Jack Pacheco

Michael Rubino

Rogerio Nunes

Kiwan Kim

Anjali Reddy

Frank Perezalanzo

Jefferey Milano

Gary Mossotti

Li Lin Foo

Vejaya K. Narayanan

Randy Cohen

Daniel Hassett

Grady Lambert

Bernie Rub

Michael Robinson


EXHIBIT C

KEY MANAGEMENT INVESTORS

Iain MacKenzie

Alan Marten

Bruce Goldberg

Exhibit 4.6

Final Form

NEITHER THIS WARRANT NOR THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS WARRANT HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ SECURITIES ACT ”), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF APPLICABLE STATES. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION UNDER SUCH LAWS OR EXEMPTION FROM SUCH REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS, AND EXCEPT AS TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SUBSTANTIAL RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY SET FORTH HEREIN AND IN THE INVESTORS SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT (AS DEFINED BELOW). INVESTORS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THEY MAY BE REQUIRED TO BEAR THE FINANCIAL RISKS OF THIS INVESTMENT FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD OF TIME. THE ISSUER OF THESE SECURITIES MAY REQUIRE AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IN FORM AND SUBSTANCE SATISFACTORY TO THE ISSUER TO THE EFFECT THAT ANY PROPOSED TRANSFER OR RESALE IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.

WARRANT TO PURCHASE ORDINARY SHARES

 

Warrant No.: [A -     ]   

Issued on [•], 20[•]

Void after [•], 20[•]

This certifies that in consideration of value received by the Company (as defined below), receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, [•] 1 , a [•] [•], or its Permitted Warrant Transferees (as defined below), is entitled, subject to the terms and conditions of this Warrant, to purchase from the Company at a price per Warrant Share (as defined below) equal to the Exercise Price (as defined below) up to an aggregate of [•] ([•]) Warrant Shares (subject to adjustment as provided herein), upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal offices of the Company, together with a Subscription Form, a Joinder (in each case as defined below) and simultaneous payment of an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying the Exercise Price by the number of Warrant Shares so purchased in lawful money of the United States, or by an election to net exercise as set forth in Section  2.5 . The Exercise Price and the number and character of Warrant Shares purchasable under this Warrant are subject to adjustment as provided herein.

 

1   Each holder to receive individual warrant.


ARTICLE 1. DEFINITIONS . As used in this Warrant, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below. Capitalized terms used in this Warrant and not otherwise defined herein shall have their respective meanings set forth in the Investors Shareholders Agreement.

Amended Credit Agreement ” means certain Amended Credit Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2016, by and among SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (as successor in interest to SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc. (f/k/a SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc.), SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., the lenders party thereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent, as it may be further amended from time to time.

Cayman Court ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.4(a) .

Change of Control Transaction ” means a transaction or transactions involving (i) the Transfer, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, of not less than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Transferable Shares (which Transferable Shares to be Transferred may include Transferable Shares held by the Management Investors, the Warrant Investors and/or other holders of Transferable Shares required to be Transferred pursuant to Section 3.7 (Drag-Along Rights) of the Investors Shareholders Agreement or analogous obligations) to one (1) or more Persons (other than the Silver Lake Investors or their affiliated investment funds or their respective portfolio companies) or (ii) (A) the sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to a Person or Persons (other than the Silver Lake Investors or their affiliated investment funds or their respective portfolio companies) or (B) the merger, amalgamation or consolidation of the Company with another Person or Persons (other than the Silver Lake Investors or their affiliated investment funds or their respective portfolio companies), where, immediately after such merger, amalgamation or consolidation, the Persons beneficially owning Ordinary Shares immediately prior to such merger, amalgamation or consolidation do not beneficially own at least fifty (50%) of the outstanding capital stock of the Person surviving such merger, amalgamation or consolidation.

Chosen Court ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.4(a) .

Code ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.3(a) .

Company ” means SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a Saleen Holdings, Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company. “Company” shall include, in addition to the Company identified in the preceding sentence, any other entity that succeeds to the Company’s obligations under this Warrant, whether by permitted assignment, by merger or consolidation or otherwise.

Delaware Court ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.4(a) .

Exercise Price ” means $0.01 per Warrant Share. The Exercise Price is subject to adjustment as provided herein.

Fair Market Value ” of Ordinary Shares or any other security or property means, at any time of determination, the fair market value thereof as determined by the Board in good faith, except that (i) if the exercise of this Warrant is in connection with and contingent upon the consummation of a Change of Control Transaction, the fair market value of one Warrant Share

 

2


shall be the fair market value as of the date of the definitive agreement relating to such Change of Control Transaction of consideration to be received in respect of one Ordinary Share in such Change of Control Transaction, as determined by the Board in good faith, (ii) if the exercise of this Warrant is in connection with and contingent upon the consummation of an Initial Public Offering, the fair market value of one Warrant Share shall be the initial offering price to the public in such Initial Public Offering, as set forth on the cover of the final prospectus with respect to such Initial Public Offering, of such number of shares of the Registering Entity as one Ordinary Share would be convertible or exchangeable into at the time of such Initial Public Offering and (iii) if the exercise of this Warrant is in connection with and contingent upon the consummation of a Liquidation, the fair market value of one Warrant Share shall be the fair market value of consideration to be received in respect of one Ordinary Share in such Liquidation, as determined by the Board or the liquidator, as the case may be, in good faith.

First Tranche Warrant Shares ” means, [        ] 2 Warrant Shares.

Holder ” means the duly registered holder of this Warrant under the terms and conditions hereof, including any Permitted Warrant Transferee thereof.

Investors Shareholders Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement of the Company, dated as of the date hereof, including all exhibits, annexes and schedules thereto, as amended, supplemented, modified or restated from time to time.

Joinder ” means a duly executed joinder agreement to the Investors Shareholders Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B .

Liquidation ” means a liquidation or winding up of the Company.

Ordinary Shares ” means the ordinary shares, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.

Other Holders ” means the duly registered holders of the Other Warrants under the terms and conditions thereof.

Other Warrants ” means the other warrants to purchase Ordinary Shares issued by the Company from time to time pursuant to the Amended Credit Agreement.

Permitted Warrant Transferee ” means, with respect to a Holder, (i) a bona fide investment fund, or alternative investment vehicle of a bona fide investment fund that is advised by the investment manager of such Holder, or by an Affiliate of the investment manager of such Holder or (ii) any Person to whom a Holder in its capacity as a Lender (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement) transfers any portion of the Term Loan (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement) in compliance with the terms of the Amended Credit Agreement and who has executed and delivered a Warrant Transfer Agreement in substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto.

PFIC ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.3(a) .

 

2   Each holder to receive pro rata portion of this amount.

 

3


Repurchase ” has the meaning set forth in Section  4.4 .

Requisite Warrant Holders ” means, as of any date of determination, the Holders and Other Holders (treated as a single class) holding outstanding Warrants and Other Warrants representing at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Ordinary Shares for which the outstanding Warrants and Other Warrants are exercisable.

Second Tranche Warrant Shares ” means, [        ] 3 Warrant Shares.

Second Tranche Exercise Condition ” means that all or any portion of the Term Loan (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement) is outstanding on the first anniversary of the date hereof.

Subscription Form ” means a duly executed subscription form in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A .

Termination Date ” means the earliest of: (i) (x) with regard to the First Tranche Warrant Shares, 5:00 p.m. New York, New York time on November 5, 2021 or (y) with regard to the Second Tranche Warrant Shares, 5:00 p.m. New York, New York time on November 5, 2022, (ii) the consummation of a Change of Control Transaction, (iii) the consummation of an Initial Public Offering, (iv) a Liquidation, (v) the time and date on which this Warrant has been fully exercised, exchanged or converted into Warrant Shares and (vi) solely in the case of the Second Tranche Warrant Shares, the first anniversary of the date hereof if the Second Tranche Exercise Condition has not been satisfied.

Transaction Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section  2.8 .

Transfer ” includes any sale, assignment, exchange, gift, bequest, pledge, hypothecation or other disposition or encumbrance, whether directly, indirectly, voluntarily, involuntarily, synthetically, in whole or in part, by operation of law or merger, pursuant to judicial process or otherwise. The terms “ Transferor ”, “ Transferee ” and “ Transferable ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Warrant ” means this Warrant and all warrants issued upon Transfer, division or combination of any thereof or in exchange or substitution therefor. All Warrants shall at all times be identical as to terms and conditions and date, except as to the number of Warrant Shares for which they may be exercised.

Warrant Shares ” means the Ordinary Shares into which this Warrant may be exercised. The number and character of Warrant Shares are subject to adjustment as provided herein, and the term “Warrant Shares” shall include Ordinary Shares and other securities and property at any time receivable or issuable upon exercise of this Warrant taking into account all such adjustments.

 

3   Each holder to receive a pro rata portion of this amount.

 

4


ARTICLE 2. EXERCISE TERMS .

2.1 Method of Exercise . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Warrant, the Holder may exercise this Warrant in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, on any Business Day before the applicable Termination Date, for up to that number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder; provided, that this Warrant may not be exercised with respect to any Second Tranche Warrant Shares unless the Second Tranche Exercise Condition is satisfied. This Warrant shall be exercised (a) by surrendering this Warrant (or an indemnification undertaking reasonably satisfactory to the Company from a creditworthy entity with respect to this Warrant in the case of its loss, theft or destruction) at the principal offices of the Company, along with a Subscription Form and Joinder duly executed by the Holder, and (b) (i) by payment in a form specified in Section 2.2 of an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Warrant Shares to be purchased by the Holder by (B) the Exercise Price, each as determined in accordance with the terms hereof, or (ii) if applicable, by an election to net exercise the Warrant as provided in Section 2.5 for the number of Warrant Shares to be acquired in connection with such exercise. In connection with any exercise of this Warrant in connection with a Change of Control Transaction, an Initial Public Offering, a Liquidation, a Tag-Along Sale or a Repurchase, the Holder may, by indication on the Subscription Form, elect for such exercise and payment to be contingent upon consummation of such transaction.

2.2 Form of Payment . Payment for the Warrant Shares upon exercise may be made by (a) a certified or official bank check payable to the Company’s order, (b) wire transfer of funds to an account designated by the Company for such purpose, (c) by net exercise as provided in Section 2.5 or (d) any combination of the foregoing methods.

2.3 Partial Exercis e. Upon a partial exercise of this Warrant, this Warrant shall be cancelled, and the Company shall promptly thereafter deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the remaining unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical to this Warrant.

2.4 Fractional Warrant Shares . The Company shall not be required to issue fractional Warrant Shares upon the exercise of Warrants. If any fraction of a Warrant Share would, except for the provisions of this Section  2.4 , be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant (or any specified portion thereof), the Company shall make a cash payment in lieu of issuing such fractional Warrant Share equal to the Fair Market Value of one Warrant Share on the Business Day immediately preceding the date on which the Warrant is exercised, multiplied by such fraction, rounded to the nearest whole cent.

2.5 Net Exercise Election . In lieu of payment of the Exercise Price in cash, the Holder, at its sole option, may elect to convert all or any portion of this Warrant, without the payment by the Holder of any additional consideration, by the surrender of this Warrant to the Company with the net exercise election selected in the Subscription Form duly executed by the Holder, into up to the number of Warrant Shares that is obtained under the following formula:

 

X   =   

Y (A-B)

    A

 

5


where,    X  = the number of Warrant Shares to be issued to the Holder pursuant to a net exercise of this Warrant effected pursuant to this Section  2.5 ;

 

  Y  = the number of Warrant Shares for which such Warrant would otherwise then be nominally exercised if payment of the Exercise Price as of the date of exercise were being made in cash;

 

  A  = the Fair Market Value of one Warrant Share on the date of exercise; and

 

  B  = the Exercise Price on the date of exercise.

The Holder may use the net exercise option provided in this Section 2.5 whether or not this Warrant is being exercised in full or in part and whether or not the Holder elects to pay any portion of the aggregate Exercise Price in cash.

2.6 Valid Issuance of Substitute Warrants and Warrant Shares; Covenants Relating to the Warrant and Warrant Shares .

(a) The Company hereby represents, covenants and agrees that:

(i) it is duly organized or incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization or incorporation and has all requisite power and authority to conduct its business as it is now being conducted and is proposed to be conducted;

(ii) it has the full power, authority and legal right to execute and deliver this Warrant. The execution and delivery of this Warrant have been duly authorized by all necessary action, corporate or otherwise, of the Company;

(iii) the execution and delivery by the Company of this Warrant does not and will not violate (A) any provision of its by-laws, charter, articles of association, partnership agreement or other similar document, (B) any provision of any material agreement to which it is a party or by which it is bound or (C) any law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree to which it is subject;

(iv) subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Holder set forth in Section 2.6(b), no consent, waiver, approval, authorization, exemption, registration, license or declaration is required to be made or obtained by the Company in connection with the execution or delivery of this Warrant or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein;

(v) it is not currently in violation of any law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree, which violation could reasonably be expected at any time to have a material adverse effect upon the Company’s ability to enter into this Warrant;

(vi) there is no pending or threatened legal action, suit or proceeding that would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to enter into this Warrant;

 

6


(vii) any Warrant issued in substitution for or replacement of this Warrant shall be, upon issuance, duly authorized and validly issued;

(viii) all Warrant Shares issued upon the exercise of this Warrant pursuant to the terms and conditions hereof shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and shall be issued free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances, preemptive rights or any other similar contractual rights other than under the applicable state and federal securities laws and pursuant to this Warrant and the Investors Shareholders Agreement;

(ix) the Company shall use reasonable efforts to ensure that all Warrant Shares issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant pursuant to the terms hereof are issued without violation by the Company of any obligation of the Company under applicable law or governmental regulation or any requirements of any nationally recognized stock exchange or listing system upon which Ordinary Shares or other securities constituting Warrant Shares may be listed at the time of such exercise (subject to official notice of issuance);

(x) the Company shall pay any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax or duty due on the issue, if any, of Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant, subject to Section 2.6(b)(viii) ; and

(xi) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries currently is party to any transactions or agreements, in either case, with a Silver Lake Investor or any of its Affiliates, other than those (A) entered into in the ordinary course of business with a portfolio company of the Silver Lake Investors or its Affiliates on arm’s-length terms, (B) any issuance of Securities or debt securities to the Silver Lake Investors or their Affiliates that were subject to participation rights set forth in the Investors Shareholders Agreement, (C) indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or exculpation of liability made pursuant to the governing, constituent or organizational documents or other indemnification agreements of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (D) transactions where the interests of the Silver Lake Investors or their Affiliates arise solely from its status as a holder of any class or series of securities of the Company and all other holders of such class or series receive the same benefit on a pro rata basis (such as dividends or distributions), (E) the Management Agreement, the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, the Investors Shareholders Agreement and the Employee Investors Agreement (in each case, true and correct copies of which have been provided to the Holders prior to the date hereof) and (F) the other agreements entered into in connection with the financing of the acquisition of the Company by the Silver Lake Investors and their Affiliates (which agreements do not have any material contingent rights or obligations).

(b) The Holder hereby represents, covenants and agrees that:

(i) it is duly organized or incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization or incorporation and has all requisite power and authority to conduct its business as it is now being conducted and is proposed to be conducted;

 

7


(ii) it has the full power, authority and legal right to execute and deliver this Warrant. The execution and delivery of this Warrant have been duly authorized by all necessary action, corporate or otherwise, of the Holder;

(iii) the execution and delivery by the Holder of this Warrant does not and will not violate (A) any provision of its by-laws, charter, articles of association, partnership agreement or other similar document, (B) any provision of any material agreement to which it is a party or by which it is bound or (C) any law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree to which it is subject;

(iv) no consent, waiver, approval, authorization, exemption, registration, license or declaration is required to be made or obtained by the Holder in connection with the execution or delivery of this Warrant or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein;

(v) it is not currently in violation of any law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree, which violation could reasonably be expected at any time to have a material adverse effect upon the Holder’s ability to enter into this Warrant;

(vi) there is no pending or threatened legal action, suit or proceeding that would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Holder to enter into this Warrant;

(vii) it is an “accredited investor” as defined in Regulation D of the Securities Act; and

(viii) notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in Section 2.6(a)(x) , the Holder shall pay any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax or duty that is due on the issue, if any, of Warrant Shares because the Holder requests the Warrant Shares to be issued in a name other than the Holder’s name.

2.7 Reservation of Warrant Shares . Prior to the Termination Date, the Company shall at all times ensure that the Company is authorized to issue the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares or other securities constituting Warrant Shares then issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

2.8 Change of Control Transaction; Initial Public Offering; Liquidation .

(a) If the Company proposes at any time to effect a Change of Control Transaction, an Initial Public Offering or a Liquidation, the Company shall give the Holder at least ten (10) Business Days’ advance written notice (each, a “ Transaction Notice ”) of the anticipated closing date for the Change of Control Transaction, the anticipated closing date for such Initial Public Offering or commencement of such Liquidation, as applicable. The Holder acknowledges and agrees that, in the case of a Drag-Along Sale, the Company may also deliver to the Holder a Drag-Along Notice along with a Transaction Notice. Upon the exercise of this Warrant for Warrant Shares, such Drag-Along Notice shall be deemed to satisfy the delivery and notice requirements set forth in Section 3.7 of the Investors Shareholders Agreement.

 

8


(b) If the Company has issued a Transaction Notice and the Holder has not elected to exercise this Warrant under Article 2 in connection with a Change of Control Transaction, an Initial Public Offering or a Liquidation, or if this Warrant is set to expire pursuant to clause (i) of the definition of Termination Date, then upon the effective date of the consummation of the Change of Control Transaction, the initial closing of the Initial Public Offering, commencement of such Liquidation or immediately prior to such expiration, as applicable, this Warrant shall automatically be deemed net exercised in full pursuant to Section 2.5 and the Holder hereby makes the representations and warranties provided in the Subscription Form as of such date, if substantially concurrently with the issuance of Warrant Shares hereunder, the Holder executes and delivers a Joinder; provided , however , that if, at such time the Fair Market Value of one Warrant Share is less than the Exercise Price, then this Warrant shall instead cease to be exercisable and shall terminate in full for no consideration.

ARTICLE 3. ISSUANCE OF WARRANT SHARES . Except as set forth in Section 2.8 , this Warrant shall be deemed to have been exercised immediately upon the open of business on the Business Day immediately following the date of its surrender for exercise as provided in Section  2.1 , or if this Warrant is surrendered for exercise contingent upon the consummation of a Change of Control Transaction, Repurchase or Tag-Along Sale, as of 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day immediately preceding the consummation of such Change of Control Transaction, Repurchase or Tag-Along Sale, as applicable, or if this Warrant is surrendered for exercise contingent upon the consummation of an Initial Public Offering, as of 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day immediately preceding the consummation of such Initial Public Offering, or if this Warrant is surrendered for exercise contingent upon the consummation of a Liquidation, as of 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day immediately preceding consummation of such Liquidation. On such date, the Company shall procure appropriate entries to be made on its register of members to reflect the issuance of such Warrant Shares, and shall issue and deliver to the Person or Persons entitled to receive the same a certificate or certificates for the number of whole Warrant Shares issuable upon such exercise (but only if the Ordinary Shares are then certificated), together with payment of any fractional Warrant Shares pursuant to Section  2.4 . For purposes of this Article 3 , “Business Day” shall not include a day on which banks located in the Cayman Islands are authorized or required by law to close.

ARTICLE 4. ADJUSTMENT PROVISIONS . The number and character of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant and the Exercise Price therefor, are subject to adjustment, without duplication, upon each event in Sections 4.1 , 4.2 and 4.3 occurring between the date this Warrant is issued and the time that this Warrant has terminated in accordance with Section  8.13 :

4.1 Changes to Ordinary Shares . If the Company (a) pays a dividend or makes a distribution on its Ordinary Shares, in each case in Ordinary Shares, (b) subdivides its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a larger number of Ordinary Shares, (c) combines its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a smaller number of Ordinary Shares or (d) increases or decreases the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding by reclassification of its Ordinary Shares (in each case, other than a transaction to which Section 4.3 is applicable), then the number of Warrant Shares purchasable upon exercise of this Warrant immediately after the happening of

 

9


such event shall be adjusted so that, after giving effect to such adjustment, the Holder shall be entitled to receive the number of Warrant Shares upon exercise that such Holder would have owned or have been entitled to receive had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the happening of such event (or, in the case of a dividend or distribution of Ordinary Shares, immediately prior to the record date therefor), and the Exercise Price shall be adjusted in inverse proportion. An adjustment made pursuant to this Section 4.1 shall become effective immediately after the effective date, retroactive to the record date therefor in the case of a dividend or distribution in Ordinary Shares, and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or reclassification.

4.2 Cash Distributions and Other Distributions . If the Company distributes to the holders of Ordinary Shares, (x) cash or any other property or securities, or (y) any rights, options or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any of the foregoing (other than, in each case set forth in clause (x) and clause (y), any dividend or distribution described in Section  4.1 ), then, in each such case, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amount as such Holder would have been entitled to receive if the Holder had exercised this Warrant in full immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares are to be determined for the participation in such distribution. For the avoidance of doubt, no repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any securities of the Company shall be considered a distribution.

4.3 Reorganization Events . In the event (a) of any recapitalization or reorganization of the Company or reclassification of the Ordinary Shares into another class of equity securities whether by capital reorganization, reclassification or otherwise, (b) the Company shall consolidate with or merge into one or more other Persons in a transaction that results in a change of the Ordinary Shares, (c) of any sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to another Person or (d) of any other similar transaction, in each case, pursuant to which the Ordinary Shares would be converted into or exchanged for, or would constitute solely the right to receive, cash, securities or other property other than solely Ordinary Shares (any such event, a “ Reorganization Event ”), then, and in each such case, the Holder, upon the exercise of this Warrant after such Reorganization Event shall be entitled to receive, in lieu of the Warrant Shares or other securities or property that Holder would have been entitled to receive upon such exercise prior to such Reorganization Event, the kind, type, proportions and amount of cash, securities and/or other property that Holder would have been entitled to receive upon such Reorganization Event if, immediately prior to such Reorganization Event, the Holder had completed such exercise of this Warrant, all subject to further adjustment as provided in this Warrant. If after such Reorganization Event, the Warrant is exercisable for securities of a corporation or entity other than the Company, then such corporation or entity shall duly execute and deliver to Holder a supplement hereto acknowledging such corporation’s or other entity’s obligations under this Warrant; and in each such case, the terms and conditions of this Warrant shall be applicable to the cash, securities and/or other property receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant after the consummation of such Reorganization Event. If this Section 4.3 applies to any event or occurrence, neither Section 4.1 nor Section 4.2 shall apply. The Company shall give advance notice of any Reorganization Event to the extent required by the last sentence of Section  4.4 .

 

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4.4 Notice of Adjustments . Upon the occurrence of each adjustment or readjustment of the Exercise Price or the number or type of Warrant Shares or cash, property and/or other securities issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant, the Company, at its expense, shall promptly compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance with the terms hereof and shall promptly give written notice to the Holder of each adjustment pursuant to this Article 4 to the Exercise Price or the number or type of Warrant Shares or cash, property and/or other securities, as the case may be, that remain issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The notice shall describe the adjustment and show in reasonable detail the facts on which the adjustment or readjustment is based. In the event that the Company proposes to (i) repurchase or redeem Ordinary Shares from all holders of Ordinary Shares (a “ Repurchase ”) or (ii) make any distribution to all holders of Ordinary Shares or take any other action that would give rise to an adjustment of the Exercise Price or the number or type of Warrant Shares or cash, property and/or other securities issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant under Section  4.2 or Section  4.3 , respectively, then, in each case, the Company shall, at its expense and ten (10) Business Days prior to the proposed record date of such Repurchase, distribution or Reorganization Event send written notice to the Holder specifying such date and a description of the action to be taken.

4.5 No Change Necessary . The form of this Warrant need not be changed because of any adjustment in the Exercise Price or in the number of Warrant Shares or cash, property and/or other securities issuable upon its exercise.

ARTICLE 5. NO IMPAIRMENT . The Company will not, and will cause its Affiliates not to, by amendment of the Investors Shareholders Agreement, or through reorganization, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities, sale of assets or any other voluntary action, willfully avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order to protect the rights of the Holder against wrongful impairment.

ARTICLE 6. TRANSFERABILITY OF WARRANT .

6.1 Restrictions on Transfer .

(a) Except as expressly permitted by Section 6.2(c) and Section Article 7 , the Holder may not Transfer or assign all or any portion of this Warrant or any right or economic interest pertaining thereto. Any Transfer that is not in compliance with the provisions of this Article 6 shall be deemed a Transfer by such Holder in violation of this Warrant (and a breach of this Warrant by such Holder) and shall be null and void ab initio .

(b) It shall be a condition precedent to any Transfer otherwise permitted pursuant to this Article 6 that the conditions precedent to a Transfer set forth in Sections 3.1(a)(i) and (ii) of the Investors Shareholders Agreement have been satisfied (or waived in writing by the Company) with respect to such Transfer.

 

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6.2 Certain Permitted Transfers .

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 6.1(a) , but subject to compliance with Section 6.2(c) , the Holder shall be permitted at any time to Transfer all or a portion of this Warrant to a Permitted Warrant Transferee.

(b) If at any time a Permitted Warrant Transferee ceases to qualify as a Permitted Warrant Transferee, then any portion of this Warrant or Warrant Shares issued upon exercise hereof then held by such Permitted Warrant Transferee (and all interest and rights related thereto) will, without any further action required by such Permitted Warrant Transferee, be automatically Transferred back to the original Holder of this Warrant, and such former Permitted Warrant Transferee and the original Holder of this Warrant shall take such action as the Company deems appropriate to document and effect such Transfer.

(c) Upon surrender and delivery of this Warrant by the Holder or a Permitted Warrant Transferee thereof, the Company shall (i) execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the Permitted Warrant Transferee and in the denominations specified in such instrument of Transfer, (ii) issue to the Transferor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant, if any, not so Transferred, (iii) promptly cancel this Warrant and (iv) take such other ministerial actions as reasonably necessary to accomplish and evidence such Transfer.

ARTICLE 7. SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS; CERTAIN TAX MATTERS; RESTRICTIVE LEGENDS .

7.1 No Voting or Other Shareholder Rights . Except as expressly set forth herein or in the Investors Shareholders Agreement, this Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights or other rights as a shareholder of the Company until the Holder has received Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant pursuant to the terms hereof. In the absence of valid exercise of this Warrant, no provisions of this Warrant, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall cause the Holder to be a shareholder the Company for any purpose.

7.2 Tax Treatment; Withholding . The parties agree that the Warrant shall be treated as equity of the Company for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Company shall be entitled to deduct and withhold any taxes required to be deducted and withheld under applicable law with respect to payments made pursuant to the Warrant and any such withheld amounts shall be treated as if paid to the holder of the Warrant.

7.3 Tax Covenants .

(a) The Company represents and warrants that as of the date hereof it is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes and that it has not reported (including to its shareholders) that it is a passive foreign investment company (a “ PFIC ”) within the meaning of Section 1297 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”).

 

12


(b) Without the prior written consent of the holders of Warrants and, if applicable, Warrant Shares, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, the Company shall not make an election to be treated as a partnership or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes or take any other action that could result in the Company or any successor to the Company failing to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

(c) For every year in which there are Warrants and/or Warrant Shares outstanding, the Company shall determine whether or not it is treated as a PFIC. If the Company is treated as a PFIC for any year, the Company will use reasonable efforts to provide each U.S. holder of Warrants and/or Warrant Shares with sufficient notice to make a “qualified electing fund election” and with the necessary information relating to the PFIC by way of an annual information statement, or otherwise, so that the each such U.S. holder may file its tax returns in a timely manner.

(d) The Company shall also use reasonable efforts to furnish or cause to be furnished to the holders of Warrants and/or Warrant Shares, at such holders’ cost and expense. upon reasonable request, as promptly as practicable, such information and assistance relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective assets or businesses as is necessary for the filing of tax returns, the making of any election related to taxes, the preparation for any audit by any taxing authority, the prosecution or defense of any claim, suit, or proceeding relating to any taxes or tax return, and such other information as the holders of Warrants and/or Warrant Shares may reasonably request in their capacity as such for tax compliance or planning purposes.

7.4 Restrictive Legend . Certificates and book entries on the Company’s books or other register of equity securities, as the case may be, representing Warrants and Warrant Shares issued pursuant to this Warrant shall bear a legend substantially in the form of the legend set forth on the first page of this Warrant or, in the case of Warrant Shares, as otherwise provided by the Investors Shareholders Agreement, to the extent that and for so long as such legend is required pursuant to the Investors Shareholders Agreement and applicable securities laws.

ARTICLE 8. GENERAL PROVISION S.

8.1 Replacement of Warrant . On receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, on delivery of an indemnity agreement reasonably satisfactory in form, substance and amount to the Company or, in the case of mutilation, on surrender of this Warrant to the Company for cancellation, the Company shall, within a reasonable time, execute and deliver to Holder, in lieu of this Warrant, a new warrant of like tenor and amount (in each case, only to the extent that this Warrant is then certificated).

8.2 Expenses . All the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Holder incurred by the Holder in connection with the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Warrant shall be paid by the Company. All other costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Warrant and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such cost or expense, except as otherwise provided for by this Warrant.

 

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8.3 Governing Law . This Warrant and all claims or causes of action (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Warrant or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Warrant (including any claim or cause of action based upon, arising out of or related to any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Warrant) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws, except that Cayman Islands law shall apply in respect of any fiduciary duty or any mandatory provision of Cayman Islands corporate law.

8.4 Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trials .

(a) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably acknowledges and consents that any legal action or proceeding brought with respect to (i) this Warrant or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Warrant may only be brought in the courts of the State of Delaware or in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (collectively, the “ Delaware Courts ”), and (ii) any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty may only be brought in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands (the “ Cayman Court ”, and together with the Delaware Courts, as applicable, the “ Chosen Courts ”), and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submits to and accepts with regard to any such action or proceeding, for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, the exclusive jurisdiction of the Chosen Courts, as applicable. Each party hereby further irrevocably waives any claim that any Chosen Court lacks jurisdiction over such party, and agrees not to plead or claim, in any legal action or proceeding (i) with respect to this Warrant or the transactions contemplated hereby brought in the Delaware Courts or (ii) with respect to any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty brought in the Cayman Court, that any such court lacks jurisdiction over such party.

(b) Each party irrevocably consents to the service of process in any legal action or proceeding brought with respect to this Warrant or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Warrant by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to such party, at its address for notices as provided in Section 8.6 of this Warrant, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing. Each party hereby irrevocably waives any objection to such service of process and further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any action or proceeding commenced hereunder or under any other documents contemplated hereby, that service of process was in any way invalid or ineffective. Subject to Section 8.4(c) , the foregoing shall not limit the rights of any party to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable law. The foregoing consents to jurisdiction shall not constitute general consents to service of process in the State of Delaware or the Cayman Islands for any purpose except as provided above and shall not be deemed to confer rights on any Person other than the respective parties to this Warrant.

 

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(c) Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right it may have under the laws of any jurisdiction to commence by publication any legal action or proceeding with respect to (i) this Warrant or any of the obligations under or relating to this Warrant or (ii) any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives the objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any suit, action or proceeding with respect to (i) this Warrant or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Warrant in any of the Delaware Courts and (ii) arising under or relating to any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty in the Cayman Court, and hereby further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim that any such Chosen Court is not a convenient forum for any such suit, action or proceeding, as applicable.

(d) The parties hereto agree that any judgment obtained by any party hereto or its successors or assigns in any action, suit or proceeding referred to above may, in the discretion of such party (or its successors or assigns), be enforced in any jurisdiction, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

(e) EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO (I) ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS WARRANT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR (II) WITH RESPECT TO ANY CLAIM OF BREACH BY ANY DIRECTOR OF THE COMPANY OF ANY FIDUCIARY DUTY. EACH OF THE PARTIES (I) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (II) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS WARRANT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 8.4(e) .

8.5 Attorneys’ Fees . In the event that any Dispute between the Company, on the one hand, and the Disputing Holders, on the other hand, should result in litigation or arbitration, the prevailing party in such Dispute shall be entitled to recover from the other party all reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs and other expenses incurred by the prevailing party in connection with such Dispute. Any judgment or order entered in such action shall contain a specific provision providing for the recovery of attorneys’ fees, costs and other expenses incurred in enforcing such judgment and an award of prejudgment interest from the date of the breach at the maximum rate of interest allowed by law. For the purposes of this Section  8.5 , attorneys’ fees shall include, fees incurred in the following: (a) post judgment motions; (b) contempt proceedings; (c) garnishment, levy, and debtor and third-party examinations; (d) discovery; and (e) bankruptcy litigation; and the prevailing party shall mean the party who is determined in the proceeding to have prevailed or who prevails by dismissal, default or otherwise.

 

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8.6 Notices . Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Warrant, all notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including a facsimile, e-mail or similar writing) and shall be given to such party at the following addresses or facsimile numbers or e-mail addresses:

(a) if to the Holder, at the address indicated for such party on the signature page(s) hereto; and

(b) if to the Company, to:

c/o Silver Lake Partners

c/o Silver Lake Sumeru

2775 Sand Hill Road, Suite 100

Menlo Park, California 94025

Attention: Karen King

Fax: (650) 233-8125

Email: karen.king@silverlake.com

and

c/o Silver Lake Partners

c/o Silver Lake Sumeru

9 West 57th Street, 32nd Floor

New York, New York 10019

Attention: Andrew Schader

Fax: (212) 981-3535

Email: andy.schader@silverlake.com

and

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

39870 Eureka Drive

Newark, California 94560-4809

Attention: Bruce Goldberg

Fax: (510) 624-8231

Email: bruce.goldberg@smartm.com

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

2475 Hanover Street

Palo Alto, California 94304

Attention: Chad Skinner

Fax: (650) 251-5002

Email: cskinner@stblaw.com

 

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Each such notice, request or other communication shall be effective (i) if given by facsimile or e-mail, at the time such facsimile or e-mail is transmitted and the appropriate non-automated written confirmation is received (or, if such time is not during a Business Day, at the beginning of the next such Business Day) or (ii) if given by any other means, when delivered at the address specified pursuant to this Section  8.6 .

8.7 Amendment; Waiver . Any term of this Warrant may be amended, and the observance of any term of this Warrant may be waived, only with the written consent of the Company and the Requisite Warrant Holders; provided , that any amendment or waiver that is materially adverse to the Holder or Other Holders in a manner disproportionate to the Other Holders shall require the consent of such Holder or Other Holders. Any amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this Section 8.7 shall be binding upon each of the Holder and the Company and their respective successors and permitted assigns. No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, agreement, term or condition of this Warrant or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach of such or any other covenant, agreement, term or condition shall operate as a waiver of such or any other covenant, agreement, term or condition of this Warrant. No waiver shall affect or alter the remainder of this Warrant but each and every covenant, agreement, term and condition hereof shall continue in full force and effect with respect to any other then existing or subsequent breach. The rights and remedies provided by this Warrant are cumulative and the exercise of any one right or remedy by any party shall not preclude or waive its right to exercise any or all other rights or remedies.

8.8 Certain Interpretive Principles . All references to Articles and Sections in this Warrant mean the Articles and Sections of this Warrant, except where otherwise stated. The titles of Articles and Sections of this Warrant are for convenience only and shall not be interpreted to limit or amplify the provisions of this Warrant. All references in this Warrant to Exhibits shall, unless otherwise provided, refer to Exhibits attached hereto, all of which Exhibits are incorporated herein by this reference. Unless otherwise specified, the terms “hereof,” “herein” and similar terms refer to this Warrant as a whole. For purposes of this Warrant, the words, “include,” “includes” and “including,” shall be deemed in each case to be followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “dollars” and “$” shall mean United States dollars. The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Warrant. If an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Warrant will be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties and no presumption or burden of proof will arise favoring or disfavoring any party because of the authorship of any provision of this Warrant.

8.9 Severability . Each provision of this Warrant shall be considered severable and if for any reason any provision or provisions hereof are determined to be invalid and contrary to any existing or future law, such invalidity shall not impair the operation of or affect those portions of this Warrant which are valid.

8.10 Counterparts . This Warrant may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Until and unless each party has received a counterpart hereof signed by the other party hereto, this Warrant shall have no effect and no party shall have any right or obligation hereunder (whether by virtue of any other oral or written agreement or other communication).

 

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8.11 No Third Party Beneficiaries . This Warrant is not intended to confer any rights, benefits or remedies, obligations or liabilities upon, and shall not be enforceable by any Person other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided , that the Requisite Warrant Holders shall be third party beneficiaries with respect to Section 8.7 solely to the extent necessary to enforce any amendment to this Warrant entered into by the Company and the Requisite Warrant Holders in accordance with Section  8.7 .

8.12 Successors and Assigns . The provisions of this Warrant shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

8.13 Termination . This Warrant shall terminate upon the Termination Date with respect to all Warrant Shares.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Warrant as of the date first written above.

 

COMPANY :
SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.

By:                                                                                             

      Name:

      Title:

[Signature Page to Warrant]

 


HOLDER :

[•]

 

By:                                                                                             

      Name:

      Title:

Address of Holder :

[ insert address ]

[ insert address ]

Attention: [ insert contact ]

Fax: [ insert fax ]

Email: [ insert email ]

[Signature Page to Warrant]

 


Exhibit A

FORM OF SUBSCRIPTION

(To be completed and signed only upon exercise of the Warrant)

To: SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (the “ Company ”)

We refer to that certain Warrant to Purchase Ordinary Shares of the Company, Warrant No. [A -      ], issued on [•], 20[•] (the “ Warrant ”).

Select one of the following two alternatives:

Cash Exercise . On the terms and conditions set forth in the Warrant, the undersigned Holder hereby elects to purchase             Ordinary Shares of the Company (the “ Warrant Shares ”), pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant, and tenders herewith payment of the purchase price for such Warrant Shares in full. This exercise ☐ IS ☐ IS NOT conditioned upon the completion of the Change of Control Transaction, the Initial Public Offering, the Liquidation, a Tag-Along Sale or a purchase of Transferable Shares that has been described in that certain Transaction Notice, dated                    , delivered by the Company to the Holder pursuant to Section 2.6 of the Warrant.

Net Exercise Election . On the terms and conditions set forth in the Warrant, the undersigned Holder elects to convert the Warrant into Ordinary Shares by net exercise election pursuant to Section 2.5 of the Warrant. This conversion is exercised with respect to                     (before giving effect to the net exercise) Ordinary Shares of the Company (the “ Warrant Shares ”) covered by the Warrant. This exercise ☐ IS ☐ IS NOT conditioned upon the completion of the Change of Control Transaction, the Initial Public Offering, the Liquidation, a Tag-Along Sale or a purchase of Transferable Shares that has been described in that certain Transaction Notice, dated                    , delivered by the Company to the Holder pursuant to Section 2.6 of the Warrant.

In exercising the Warrant, the undersigned Holder hereby confirms and acknowledges that the representations and warranties set forth in Section 2.2 of the Investors Shareholders Agreement as applied to the undersigned Holder continue to be true and complete as of this date. Capitalized terms used in this Subscription Form and not otherwise defined herein shall have their respective meanings set forth in attached Warrant of which this Subscription Form forms a part.

WHEREFORE, the undersigned Holder has executed and delivered the attached Warrant, a Joinder and this Subscription Form as of the date set forth below.

 

Date:                                                        [Holder]
   By:                                                                                                                       
   Name:                                                                                                                 
   Title:                                                                                                                   

[Exhibit A to Warrant]

 


Exhibit B

JOINDER AGREEMENT

The undersigned is executing and delivering this Joinder Agreement pursuant to that certain Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement of SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a Saleen Holdings, Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “ Company ”), dated as of November 5, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance with the terms thereof, the “ Investors Shareholders Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Joinder Agreement shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Investors Shareholders Agreement.

By executing and delivering this Joinder Agreement to the Investors Shareholders Agreement, the undersigned hereby agrees to become a party to, to be bound by, and to comply with the provisions of the Investors Shareholders Agreement as a Warrant Investor. In connection therewith, effective as of the date hereof, the undersigned hereby makes the applicable representations and warranties contained in Section 2.2 of the Investors Shareholders Agreement.

Accordingly, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Joinder Agreement as of the day            of            , 20        .

 

 

Signature of Warrant Investor

 

Print Name Warrant Investor
Address of Warrant Investor:                                                 
                                                                                                         
                                                                                                         
Telephone:                                                                                    
Facsimile:                                                                                      
Email:                                                                                             

AGREED AND ACCEPTED

as of the          day of                 ,         .

SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.

 

By:                                                                                             

      Name:

      Title:

[Exhibit B to Warrant]


Exhibit C

WARRANT TRANSFER AGREEMENT

Dated: [•]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers all of its rights and interest in the portion of the Warrant (as amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Warrant ”) representing the number of Warrant Shares set forth below, standing in its name on the books of Smart Global Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a Saleen Holdings, Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company, (the “ Company ”) and represented by the Warrant, to:

 

Name of Permitted

Warrant Transferee

  

Address

  

No. of First Tranche

Warrant Shares

  

No. of Second Tranche

Warrant Shares

[•]    [•]    [•]   

Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Warrant. The undersigned hereby irrevocably instructs and appoints the Company or any successor of the Company as its agent and attorney-in-fact (the “ Agent ”) to Transfer all of such Warrant Shares on the books of the Company, to register each such Permitted Warrant Transferee as the registered owner thereof and to take all other necessary and appropriate action to effect such transfer and registration, including the issuance of one or more new or replacement Warrants. The Agent may substitute and appoint one or more Persons to act on its behalf. The foregoing power of attorney is coupled with an interest and is irrevocable.

 

[Holder]

By:                                                                                                   

        Name:

        Title:

[Permitted Warrant Transferee]

By:                                                                                                   

        Name:

        Title:

[Exhibit C to Warrant]

 


NEITHER THIS WARRANT NOR THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS WARRANT HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ SECURITIES ACT ”), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF APPLICABLE STATES. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION UNDER SUCH LAWS OR EXEMPTION FROM SUCH REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS, AND EXCEPT AS TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SUBSTANTIAL RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY SET FORTH HEREIN AND IN THE INVESTORS SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT (AS DEFINED BELOW). INVESTORS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THEY MAY BE REQUIRED TO BEAR THE FINANCIAL RISKS OF THIS INVESTMENT FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD OF TIME. THE ISSUER OF THESE SECURITIES MAY REQUIRE AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IN FORM AND SUBSTANCE SATISFACTORY TO THE ISSUER TO THE EFFECT THAT ANY PROPOSED TRANSFER OR RESALE IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED WARRANT TO PURCHASE ORDINARY SHARES

 

Warrant No.: B-[•]   

Issued on November 5, 2016

As Amended and Restated April 27, 2017

Void after November 5, 2022

This certifies that in consideration of value received by the Company (as defined below), receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, [•], or its Permitted Warrant Transferees (as defined below), is entitled, subject to the terms and conditions of this Warrant, to purchase from the Company at a price per Warrant Share (as defined below) equal to the Exercise Price (as defined below) up to an aggregate of ninety two thousand and five hundred (92,500) Warrant Shares (subject to adjustment as provided herein), upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal offices of the Company, together with a Subscription Form, a Joinder (in each case as defined below) and simultaneous payment of an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying the Exercise Price by the number of Warrant Shares so purchased in lawful money of the United States, or by an election to net exercise as set forth in Section  2.5 . The Exercise Price and the number and character of Warrant Shares purchasable under this Warrant are subject to adjustment as provided herein.


ARTICLE  1. DEFINITIONS . As used in this Warrant, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below. Capitalized terms used in this Warrant and not otherwise defined herein shall have their respective meanings set forth in the Investors Shareholders Agreement.

Amended Credit Agreement ” means certain Amended Credit Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2016, by and among SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (as successor in interest to SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc. (f/k/a SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc.), SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., the lenders party thereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent, as it may be further amended from time to time.

Cayman Court ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.4(a) .

Change of Control Transaction ” means a transaction or transactions involving (i) the Transfer, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, of not less than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Transferable Shares (which Transferable Shares to be Transferred may include Transferable Shares held by the Management Investors, the Warrant Investors and/or other holders of Transferable Shares required to be Transferred pursuant to Section 3.7 (Drag-Along Rights) of the Investors Shareholders Agreement or analogous obligations) to one (1) or more Persons (other than the Silver Lake Investors or their affiliated investment funds or their respective portfolio companies) or (ii) (A) the sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to a Person or Persons (other than the Silver Lake Investors or their affiliated investment funds or their respective portfolio companies) or (B) the merger, amalgamation or consolidation of the Company with another Person or Persons (other than the Silver Lake Investors or their affiliated investment funds or their respective portfolio companies), where, immediately after such merger, amalgamation or consolidation, the Persons beneficially owning Ordinary Shares immediately prior to such merger, amalgamation or consolidation do not beneficially own at least fifty (50%) of the outstanding capital stock of the Person surviving such merger, amalgamation or consolidation.

Chosen Court ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.4(a) .

Code ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.3(a) .

Company ” means SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a Saleen Holdings, Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company. “Company” shall include, in addition to the Company identified in the preceding sentence, any other entity that succeeds to the Company’s obligations under this Warrant, whether by permitted assignment, by merger or consolidation or otherwise.

Delaware Court ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.4(a) .

Exercise Price ” means $0.01 per Warrant Share. The Exercise Price is subject to adjustment as provided herein.

Fair Market Value ” of Ordinary Shares or any other security or property means, at any time of determination, the fair market value thereof as determined by the Board in good faith, except that (i) if the exercise of this Warrant is in connection with and contingent upon the consummation of a Change of Control Transaction, the fair market value of one Warrant Share

 

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shall be the fair market value as of the date of the definitive agreement relating to such Change of Control Transaction of consideration to be received in respect of one Ordinary Share in such Change of Control Transaction, as determined by the Board in good faith, (ii) if the exercise of this Warrant is in connection with and contingent upon the consummation of an Initial Public Offering, the fair market value of one Warrant Share shall be the initial offering price to the public in such Initial Public Offering, as set forth on the cover of the final prospectus with respect to such Initial Public Offering, of such number of shares of the Registering Entity as one Ordinary Share would be convertible or exchangeable into at the time of such Initial Public Offering and (iii) if the exercise of this Warrant is in connection with and contingent upon the consummation of a Liquidation, the fair market value of one Warrant Share shall be the fair market value of consideration to be received in respect of one Ordinary Share in such Liquidation, as determined by the Board or the liquidator, as the case may be, in good faith.

First Tranche Warrant Shares ” means, 74,000 Warrant Shares.

Holder ” means the duly registered holder of this Warrant under the terms and conditions hereof, including any Permitted Warrant Transferee thereof.

Investors Shareholders Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement of the Company, dated as of November 5, 2016, including all exhibits, annexes and schedules thereto, as amended, supplemented, modified or restated from time to time.

Joinder ” means a duly executed joinder agreement to the Investors Shareholders Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit  B .

Liquidation ” means a liquidation or winding up of the Company.

Ordinary Shares ” means the ordinary shares, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.

Other Holders ” means the duly registered holders of the Other Warrants under the terms and conditions thereof.

Other Warrants ” means the other warrants to purchase Ordinary Shares issued by the Company from time to time pursuant to the Amended Credit Agreement.

Permitted Warrant Transferee ” means, with respect to a Holder, (i) a bona fide investment fund, or alternative investment vehicle of a bona fide investment fund that is advised by the investment manager of such Holder, or by an Affiliate of the investment manager of such Holder or (ii) any Person to whom a Holder in its capacity as a Lender (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement) transfers any portion of the Term Loan (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement) in compliance with the terms of the Amended Credit Agreement and who has executed and delivered a Warrant Transfer Agreement in substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto.

PFIC ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.3(a) .

Repurchase ” has the meaning set forth in Section  4.4 .

 

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Requisite Warrant Holders ” means, as of any date of determination, the Holders and Other Holders (treated as a single class) holding outstanding Warrants and Other Warrants representing at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Ordinary Shares for which the outstanding Warrants and Other Warrants are exercisable.

Second Tranche Warrant Shares ” means, 92,500 Warrant Shares.

Second Tranche Exercise Condition ” means that all or any portion of the Term Loan (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement) is outstanding on November 5, 2017.

Subscription Form ” means a duly executed subscription form in the form attached hereto as Exhibit  A .

Termination Date ” means the earliest of: (i) (x) with regard to the First Tranche Warrant Shares, 5:00 p.m. New York, New York time on November 5, 2021 or (y) with regard to the Second Tranche Warrant Shares, 5:00 p.m. New York, New York time on November 5, 2022, (ii) the consummation of a Change of Control Transaction (x) in the case of the First Tranche Warrant Shares, at any time, or (y) in the case of the Second Tranche Warrant Shares, at any time after November 5, 2017, (iii) the consummation of an Initial Public Offering (x) in the case of the First Tranche Warrant Shares, at any time, or (y) in the case of the Second Tranche Warrant Shares, at any time after November 5, 2017, (iv) a Liquidation, (v) the time and date on which this Warrant has been fully exercised, exchanged or converted into Warrant Shares and (vi) solely in the case of the Second Tranche Warrant Shares, any date on or before November 5, 2017 when there is no longer any portion of the Term Loan (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement) outstanding.

Transaction Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section  2.8 .

Transfer ” includes any sale, assignment, exchange, gift, bequest, pledge, hypothecation or other disposition or encumbrance, whether directly, indirectly, voluntarily, involuntarily, synthetically, in whole or in part, by operation of law or merger, pursuant to judicial process or otherwise. The terms “ Transferor ”, “ Transferee ” and “ Transferable ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Warrant ” means this Amended and Restated Warrant and all warrants issued upon Transfer, division or combination of any thereof or in exchange or substitution therefor. All Warrants shall at all times be identical as to terms and conditions and date, except as to the number of Warrant Shares for which they may be exercised.

Warrant Shares ” means the Ordinary Shares into which this Warrant may be exercised. The number and character of Warrant Shares are subject to adjustment as provided herein, and the term “Warrant Shares” shall include Ordinary Shares and other securities and property at any time receivable or issuable upon exercise of this Warrant taking into account all such adjustments.

 

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ARTICLE 2. EXERCISE TERMS .

2.1 Method of Exercise . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Warrant, the Holder may exercise this Warrant in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, on any Business Day before the applicable Termination Date, for up to that number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder; provided, that this Warrant may not be exercised with respect to any Second Tranche Warrant Shares unless the Second Tranche Exercise Condition is satisfied. This Warrant shall be exercised (a) by surrendering this Warrant (or an indemnification undertaking reasonably satisfactory to the Company from a creditworthy entity with respect to this Warrant in the case of its loss, theft or destruction) at the principal offices of the Company, along with a Subscription Form and Joinder duly executed by the Holder, and (b) (i) by payment in a form specified in Section  2.2 of an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Warrant Shares to be purchased by the Holder by (B) the Exercise Price, each as determined in accordance with the terms hereof, or (ii) if applicable, by an election to net exercise the Warrant as provided in Section  2.5 for the number of Warrant Shares to be acquired in connection with such exercise. In connection with any exercise of this Warrant in connection with a Change of Control Transaction, an Initial Public Offering, a Liquidation, a Tag-Along Sale or a Repurchase, the Holder may, by indication on the Subscription Form, elect for such exercise and payment to be contingent upon consummation of such transaction.

2.2 Form of Payment . Payment for the Warrant Shares upon exercise may be made by (a) a certified or official bank check payable to the Company’s order, (b) wire transfer of funds to an account designated by the Company for such purpose, (c) by net exercise as provided in Section  2.5 or (d) any combination of the foregoing methods.

2.3 Partial Exercise . Upon a partial exercise of this Warrant, this Warrant shall be cancelled, and the Company shall promptly thereafter deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the remaining unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical to this Warrant.

2.4 Fractional Warrant Shares . The Company shall not be required to issue fractional Warrant Shares upon the exercise of Warrants. If any fraction of a Warrant Share would, except for the provisions of this Section  2.4 , be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant (or any specified portion thereof), the Company shall make a cash payment in lieu of issuing such fractional Warrant Share equal to the Fair Market Value of one Warrant Share on the Business Day immediately preceding the date on which the Warrant is exercised, multiplied by such fraction, rounded to the nearest whole cent.

2.5 Net Exercise Election . In lieu of payment of the Exercise Price in cash, the Holder, at its sole option, may elect to convert all or any portion of this Warrant, without the payment by the Holder of any additional consideration, by the surrender of this Warrant to the Company with the net exercise election selected in the Subscription Form duly executed by the Holder, into up to the number of Warrant Shares that is obtained under the following formula:

X = Y (A -B)

    A

 

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where,    X =    the number of Warrant Shares to be issued to the Holder pursuant to a net exercise of this Warrant effected pursuant to this Section 2.5;
   Y =    the number of Warrant Shares for which such Warrant would otherwise then be nominally exercised if payment of the Exercise Price as of the date of exercise were being made in cash;
   A =    the Fair Market Value of one Warrant Share on the date of exercise; and
   B =    the Exercise Price on the date of exercise.

The Holder may use the net exercise option provided in this Section  2.5 whether or not this Warrant is being exercised in full or in part and whether or not the Holder elects to pay any portion of the aggregate Exercise Price in cash.

2.6 Valid Issuance of Substitute Warrants and Warrant Shares; Covenants Relating to the Warrant and Warrant Shares .

(a) The Company hereby represents, covenants and agrees that:

(i) it is duly organized or incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization or incorporation and has all requisite power and authority to conduct its business as it is now being conducted and is proposed to be conducted;

(ii) it has the full power, authority and legal right to execute and deliver this Warrant. The execution and delivery of this Warrant have been duly authorized by all necessary action, corporate or otherwise, of the Company;

(iii) the execution and delivery by the Company of this Warrant does not and will not violate (A) any provision of its by-laws, charter, articles of association, partnership agreement or other similar document, (B) any provision of any material agreement to which it is a party or by which it is bound or (C) any law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree to which it is subject;

(iv) subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Holder set forth in Section 2.6(b), no consent, waiver, approval, authorization, exemption, registration, license or declaration is required to be made or obtained by the Company in connection with the execution or delivery of this Warrant or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein;

(v) it is not currently in violation of any law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree, which violation could reasonably be expected at any time to have a material adverse effect upon the Company’s ability to enter into this Warrant;

(vi) there is no pending or threatened legal action, suit or proceeding that would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to enter into this Warrant;

 

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(vii) any Warrant issued in substitution for or replacement of this Warrant shall be, upon issuance, duly authorized and validly issued;

(viii) all Warrant Shares issued upon the exercise of this Warrant pursuant to the terms and conditions hereof shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and shall be issued free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances, preemptive rights or any other similar contractual rights other than under the applicable state and federal securities laws and pursuant to this Warrant and the Investors Shareholders Agreement;

(ix) the Company shall use reasonable efforts to ensure that all Warrant Shares issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant pursuant to the terms hereof are issued without violation by the Company of any obligation of the Company under applicable law or governmental regulation or any requirements of any nationally recognized stock exchange or listing system upon which Ordinary Shares or other securities constituting Warrant Shares may be listed at the time of such exercise (subject to official notice of issuance);

(x) the Company shall pay any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax or duty due on the issue, if any, of Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant, subject to Section 2.6(b)(viii) ; and

(xi) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries currently is party to any transactions or agreements, in either case, with a Silver Lake Investor or any of its Affiliates, other than those (A) entered into in the ordinary course of business with a portfolio company of the Silver Lake Investors or its Affiliates on arm’s-length terms, (B) any issuance of Securities or debt securities to the Silver Lake Investors or their Affiliates that were subject to participation rights set forth in the Investors Shareholders Agreement, (C) indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or exculpation of liability made pursuant to the governing, constituent or organizational documents or other indemnification agreements of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (D) transactions where the interests of the Silver Lake Investors or their Affiliates arise solely from its status as a holder of any class or series of securities of the Company and all other holders of such class or series receive the same benefit on a pro rata basis (such as dividends or distributions), (E) the Management Agreement, the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, the Investors Shareholders Agreement and the Employee Investors Agreement (in each case, true and correct copies of which have been provided to the Holders prior to the date hereof) and (F) the other agreements entered into in connection with the financing of the acquisition of the Company by the Silver Lake Investors and their Affiliates (which agreements do not have any material contingent rights or obligations).

(b) The Holder hereby represents, covenants and agrees that:

(i) it is duly organized or incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization or incorporation and has all requisite power and authority to conduct its business as it is now being conducted and is proposed to be conducted;

 

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(ii) it has the full power, authority and legal right to execute and deliver this Warrant. The execution and delivery of this Warrant have been duly authorized by all necessary action, corporate or otherwise, of the Holder;

(iii) the execution and delivery by the Holder of this Warrant does not and will not violate (A) any provision of its by-laws, charter, articles of association, partnership agreement or other similar document, (B) any provision of any material agreement to which it is a party or by which it is bound or (C) any law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree to which it is subject;

(iv) no consent, waiver, approval, authorization, exemption, registration, license or declaration is required to be made or obtained by the Holder in connection with the execution or delivery of this Warrant or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein;

(v) it is not currently in violation of any law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree, which violation could reasonably be expected at any time to have a material adverse effect upon the Holder’s ability to enter into this Warrant;

(vi) there is no pending or threatened legal action, suit or proceeding that would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Holder to enter into this Warrant;

(vii) it is an “accredited investor” as defined in Regulation D of the Securities Act; and

(viii) notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in Section 2.6(a)(x) , the Holder shall pay any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax or duty that is due on the issue, if any, of Warrant Shares because the Holder requests the Warrant Shares to be issued in a name other than the Holder’s name.

2.7 Reservation of Warrant Shares . Prior to the Termination Date, the Company shall at all times ensure that the Company is authorized to issue the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares or other securities constituting Warrant Shares then issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

2.8 Change of Control Transaction; Initial Public Offering; Liquidation .

(a) If the Company proposes to effect (x) a Change of Control Transaction at any time after November 5, 2017, (y) an Initial Public Offering at any time after November 5, 2017 or (z) a Liquidation at any time, the Company shall give the Holder at least ten (10) Business Days’ advance written notice (each, a “ Transaction Notice ”) of the anticipated closing date for such Change of Control Transaction, the anticipated closing date for such Initial Public Offering or commencement of such Liquidation, as applicable. The Holder acknowledges and agrees that, in the case of a Drag-Along Sale, the Company may also deliver to the Holder a Drag-Along Notice along with a Transaction Notice. Upon the exercise of this Warrant for Warrant Shares, such Drag-Along Notice shall be deemed to satisfy the delivery and notice requirements set forth in Section 3.7 of the Investors Shareholders Agreement.

 

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(b) If the Company has issued a Transaction Notice and the Holder has not elected to exercise this Warrant under Article  2 in connection with such Change of Control Transaction, such Initial Public Offering or such Liquidation, or if this Warrant is set to expire pursuant to clause (i) of the definition of Termination Date, then upon the effective date of the consummation of such Change of Control Transaction, the initial closing of such Initial Public Offering, commencement of such Liquidation or immediately prior to such expiration, as applicable, this Warrant shall automatically be deemed net exercised in full pursuant to Section  2.5 and the Holder hereby makes the representations and warranties provided in the Subscription Form as of such date, if substantially concurrently with the issuance of Warrant Shares hereunder, the Holder executes and delivers a Joinder; provided , however , that if, at such time the Fair Market Value of one Warrant Share is less than the Exercise Price, then this Warrant shall instead cease to be exercisable and shall terminate in full for no consideration.

ARTICLE  3. ISSUANCE OF WARRANT SHARES . Except as set forth in Section  2.8 , this Warrant shall be deemed to have been exercised immediately upon the open of business on the Business Day immediately following the date of its surrender for exercise as provided in Section  2.1 , or if this Warrant is surrendered for exercise contingent upon the consummation of a Change of Control Transaction, Repurchase or Tag-Along Sale, as of 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day immediately preceding the consummation of such Change of Control Transaction, Repurchase or Tag-Along Sale, as applicable, or if this Warrant is surrendered for exercise contingent upon the consummation of an Initial Public Offering, as of 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day immediately preceding the consummation of such Initial Public Offering, or if this Warrant is surrendered for exercise contingent upon the consummation of a Liquidation, as of 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day immediately preceding consummation of such Liquidation. On such date, the Company shall procure appropriate entries to be made on its register of members to reflect the issuance of such Warrant Shares, and shall issue and deliver to the Person or Persons entitled to receive the same a certificate or certificates for the number of whole Warrant Shares issuable upon such exercise (but only if the Ordinary Shares are then certificated), together with payment of any fractional Warrant Shares pursuant to Section  2.4 . For purposes of this Article  3 , “Business Day” shall not include a day on which banks located in the Cayman Islands are authorized or required by law to close.

ARTICLE  4. ADJUSTMENT PROVISIONS . The number and character of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant and the Exercise Price therefor, are subject to adjustment, without duplication, upon each event in Sections 4.1 , 4.2 and 4.3 occurring between the date this Warrant is issued and the time that this Warrant has terminated in accordance with Section  8.13 :

4.1 Changes to Ordinary Shares . If the Company (a) pays a dividend or makes a distribution on its Ordinary Shares, in each case in Ordinary Shares, (b) subdivides its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a larger number of Ordinary Shares, (c) combines its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a smaller number of Ordinary Shares or (d) increases or

 

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decreases the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding by reclassification of its Ordinary Shares (in each case, other than a transaction to which Section  4.3 is applicable), then the number of Warrant Shares purchasable upon exercise of this Warrant immediately after the happening of such event shall be adjusted so that, after giving effect to such adjustment, the Holder shall be entitled to receive the number of Warrant Shares upon exercise that such Holder would have owned or have been entitled to receive had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the happening of such event (or, in the case of a dividend or distribution of Ordinary Shares, immediately prior to the record date therefor), and the Exercise Price shall be adjusted in inverse proportion. An adjustment made pursuant to this Section  4.1 shall become effective immediately after the effective date, retroactive to the record date therefor in the case of a dividend or distribution in Ordinary Shares, and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or reclassification.

4.2 Cash Distributions and Other Distributions . If the Company distributes to the holders of Ordinary Shares, (x) cash or any other property or securities, or (y) any rights, options or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any of the foregoing (other than, in each case set forth in clause (x) and clause (y), any dividend or distribution described in Section  4.1 ), then, in each such case, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amount as such Holder would have been entitled to receive if the Holder had exercised this Warrant in full immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares are to be determined for the participation in such distribution. For the avoidance of doubt, no repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any securities of the Company shall be considered a distribution.

4.3 Reorganization Events . In the event (a) of any recapitalization or reorganization of the Company or reclassification of the Ordinary Shares into another class of equity securities whether by capital reorganization, reclassification or otherwise, (b) the Company shall consolidate with or merge into one or more other Persons in a transaction that results in a change of the Ordinary Shares, (c) of any sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to another Person or (d) of any other similar transaction, in each case, pursuant to which the Ordinary Shares would be converted into or exchanged for, or would constitute solely the right to receive, cash, securities or other property other than solely Ordinary Shares (any such event, a “ Reorganization Event ”), then, and in each such case, the Holder, upon the exercise of this Warrant after such Reorganization Event shall be entitled to receive, in lieu of the Warrant Shares or other securities or property that Holder would have been entitled to receive upon such exercise prior to such Reorganization Event, the kind, type, proportions and amount of cash, securities and/or other property that Holder would have been entitled to receive upon such Reorganization Event if, immediately prior to such Reorganization Event, the Holder had completed such exercise of this Warrant, all subject to further adjustment as provided in this Warrant. If after such Reorganization Event, the Warrant is exercisable for securities of a corporation or entity other than the Company, then such corporation or entity shall duly execute and deliver to Holder a supplement hereto acknowledging such corporation’s or other entity’s obligations under this Warrant; and in each such case, the terms and conditions of this Warrant shall be applicable to the cash, securities and/or other property receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant after the consummation of such Reorganization Event. If this Section  4.3 applies to any event or occurrence, neither Section  4.1 nor Section  4.2 shall apply. The Company shall give advance notice of any Reorganization Event to the extent required by the last sentence of Section  4.4 .

 

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4.4 Notice of Adjustments . Upon the occurrence of each adjustment or readjustment of the Exercise Price or the number or type of Warrant Shares or cash, property and/or other securities issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant, the Company, at its expense, shall promptly compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance with the terms hereof and shall promptly give written notice to the Holder of each adjustment pursuant to this Article  4 to the Exercise Price or the number or type of Warrant Shares or cash, property and/or other securities, as the case may be, that remain issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The notice shall describe the adjustment and show in reasonable detail the facts on which the adjustment or readjustment is based. In the event that the Company proposes to (i) repurchase or redeem Ordinary Shares from all holders of Ordinary Shares (a “ Repurchase ”) or (ii) make any distribution to all holders of Ordinary Shares or take any other action that would give rise to an adjustment of the Exercise Price or the number or type of Warrant Shares or cash, property and/or other securities issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant under Section  4.2 or Section  4.3 , respectively, then, in each case, the Company shall, at its expense and ten (10) Business Days prior to the proposed record date of such Repurchase, distribution or Reorganization Event send written notice to the Holder specifying such date and a description of the action to be taken.

4.5 No Change Necessary . The form of this Warrant need not be changed because of any adjustment in the Exercise Price or in the number of Warrant Shares or cash, property and/or other securities issuable upon its exercise.

ARTICLE  5. NO IMPAIRMENT . The Company will not, and will cause its Affiliates not to, by amendment of the Investors Shareholders Agreement, or through reorganization, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities, sale of assets or any other voluntary action, willfully avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order to protect the rights of the Holder against wrongful impairment.

ARTICLE 6. TRANSFERABILITY OF WARRANT .

6.1 Restrictions on Transfer .

(a) Except as expressly permitted by Section 6.2(c) and Section Article  7 , the Holder may not Transfer or assign all or any portion of this Warrant or any right or economic interest pertaining thereto. Any Transfer that is not in compliance with the provisions of this Article  6 shall be deemed a Transfer by such Holder in violation of this Warrant (and a breach of this Warrant by such Holder) and shall be null and void ab initio .

(b) It shall be a condition precedent to any Transfer otherwise permitted pursuant to this Article  6 that the conditions precedent to a Transfer set forth in Sections 3.1(a)(i) and (ii) of the Investors Shareholders Agreement have been satisfied (or waived in writing by the Company) with respect to such Transfer.

 

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6.2 Certain Permitted Transfers .

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 6.1(a) , but subject to compliance with Section 6.2(c) , the Holder shall be permitted at any time to Transfer all or a portion of this Warrant to a Permitted Warrant Transferee.

(b) If at any time a Permitted Warrant Transferee ceases to qualify as a Permitted Warrant Transferee, then any portion of this Warrant or Warrant Shares issued upon exercise hereof then held by such Permitted Warrant Transferee (and all interest and rights related thereto) will, without any further action required by such Permitted Warrant Transferee, be automatically Transferred back to the original Holder of this Warrant, and such former Permitted Warrant Transferee and the original Holder of this Warrant shall take such action as the Company deems appropriate to document and effect such Transfer.

(c) Upon surrender and delivery of this Warrant by the Holder or a Permitted Warrant Transferee thereof, the Company shall (i) execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the Permitted Warrant Transferee and in the denominations specified in such instrument of Transfer, (ii) issue to the Transferor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant, if any, not so Transferred, (iii) promptly cancel this Warrant and (iv) take such other ministerial actions as reasonably necessary to accomplish and evidence such Transfer.

ARTICLE 7. SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS; CERTAIN TAX MATTERS; RESTRICTIVE LEGENDS .

7.1 No Voting or Other Shareholder Rights . Except as expressly set forth herein or in the Investors Shareholders Agreement, this Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights or other rights as a shareholder of the Company until the Holder has received Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant pursuant to the terms hereof. In the absence of valid exercise of this Warrant, no provisions of this Warrant, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall cause the Holder to be a shareholder the Company for any purpose.

7.2 Tax Treatment; Withholding . The parties agree that the Warrant shall be treated as equity of the Company for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Company shall be entitled to deduct and withhold any taxes required to be deducted and withheld under applicable law with respect to payments made pursuant to the Warrant and any such withheld amounts shall be treated as if paid to the holder of the Warrant.

7.3 Tax Covenants .

(a) The Company represents and warrants that as of the date hereof it is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes and that it has not reported (including to its shareholders) that it is a passive foreign investment company (a “ PFIC ”) within the meaning of Section 1297 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”).

 

12


(b) Without the prior written consent of the holders of Warrants and, if applicable, Warrant Shares, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, the Company shall not make an election to be treated as a partnership or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes or take any other action that could result in the Company or any successor to the Company failing to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

(c) For every year in which there are Warrants and/or Warrant Shares outstanding, the Company shall determine whether or not it is treated as a PFIC. If the Company is treated as a PFIC for any year, the Company will use reasonable efforts to provide each U.S. holder of Warrants and/or Warrant Shares with sufficient notice to make a “qualified electing fund election” and with the necessary information relating to the PFIC by way of an annual information statement, or otherwise, so that the each such U.S. holder may file its tax returns in a timely manner.

(d) The Company shall also use reasonable efforts to furnish or cause to be furnished to the holders of Warrants and/or Warrant Shares, at such holders’ cost and expense. upon reasonable request, as promptly as practicable, such information and assistance relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective assets or businesses as is necessary for the filing of tax returns, the making of any election related to taxes, the preparation for any audit by any taxing authority, the prosecution or defense of any claim, suit, or proceeding relating to any taxes or tax return, and such other information as the holders of Warrants and/or Warrant Shares may reasonably request in their capacity as such for tax compliance or planning purposes.

7.4 Restrictive Legend . Certificates and book entries on the Company’s books or other register of equity securities, as the case may be, representing Warrants and Warrant Shares issued pursuant to this Warrant shall bear a legend substantially in the form of the legend set forth on the first page of this Warrant or, in the case of Warrant Shares, as otherwise provided by the Investors Shareholders Agreement, to the extent that and for so long as such legend is required pursuant to the Investors Shareholders Agreement and applicable securities laws.

ARTICLE 8. GENERAL PROVISIONS .

8.1 Replacement of Warrant . On receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, on delivery of an indemnity agreement reasonably satisfactory in form, substance and amount to the Company or, in the case of mutilation, on surrender of this Warrant to the Company for cancellation, the Company shall, within a reasonable time, execute and deliver to Holder, in lieu of this Warrant, a new warrant of like tenor and amount (in each case, only to the extent that this Warrant is then certificated).

8.2 Expenses . All the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Holder incurred by the Holder in connection with the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Warrant shall be paid by the Company. All other costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Warrant and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such cost or expense, except as otherwise provided for by this Warrant.

 

13


8.3 Governing Law . This Warrant and all claims or causes of action (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Warrant or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Warrant (including any claim or cause of action based upon, arising out of or related to any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Warrant) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws, except that Cayman Islands law shall apply in respect of any fiduciary duty or any mandatory provision of Cayman Islands corporate law.

8.4 Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trials .

(a) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably acknowledges and consents that any legal action or proceeding brought with respect to (i) this Warrant or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Warrant may only be brought in the courts of the State of Delaware or in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (collectively, the “ Delaware Courts ”), and (ii) any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty may only be brought in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands (the “ Cayman Cour t”, and together with the Delaware Courts, as applicable, the “ Chosen Courts ”), and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submits to and accepts with regard to any such action or proceeding, for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, the exclusive jurisdiction of the Chosen Courts, as applicable. Each party hereby further irrevocably waives any claim that any Chosen Court lacks jurisdiction over such party, and agrees not to plead or claim, in any legal action or proceeding (i) with respect to this Warrant or the transactions contemplated hereby brought in the Delaware Courts or (ii) with respect to any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty brought in the Cayman Court, that any such court lacks jurisdiction over such party.

(b) Each party irrevocably consents to the service of process in any legal action or proceeding brought with respect to this Warrant or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Warrant by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to such party, at its address for notices as provided in Section  8.6 of this Warrant, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing. Each party hereby irrevocably waives any objection to such service of process and further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any action or proceeding commenced hereunder or under any other documents contemplated hereby, that service of process was in any way invalid or ineffective. Subject to Section 8.4(c) , the foregoing shall not limit the rights of any party to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable law. The foregoing consents to jurisdiction shall not constitute general consents to service of process in the State of Delaware or the Cayman Islands for any purpose except as provided above and shall not be deemed to confer rights on any Person other than the respective parties to this Warrant.

 

14


(c) Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right it may have under the laws of any jurisdiction to commence by publication any legal action or proceeding with respect to (i) this Warrant or any of the obligations under or relating to this Warrant or (ii) any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives the objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any suit, action or proceeding with respect to (i) this Warrant or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Warrant in any of the Delaware Courts and (ii) arising under or relating to any claim of breach by any director of the Company of any fiduciary duty in the Cayman Court, and hereby further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim that any such Chosen Court is not a convenient forum for any such suit, action or proceeding, as applicable.

(d) The parties hereto agree that any judgment obtained by any party hereto or its successors or assigns in any action, suit or proceeding referred to above may, in the discretion of such party (or its successors or assigns), be enforced in any jurisdiction, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

(e) EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO (I) ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS WARRANT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR (II) WITH RESPECT TO ANY CLAIM OF BREACH BY ANY DIRECTOR OF THE COMPANY OF ANY FIDUCIARY DUTY. EACH OF THE PARTIES (I) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (II) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS WARRANT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 8.4(e) .

8.5 Attorneys Fees . In the event that any Dispute between the Company, on the one hand, and the Disputing Holders, on the other hand, should result in litigation or arbitration, the prevailing party in such Dispute shall be entitled to recover from the other party all reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs and other expenses incurred by the prevailing party in connection with such Dispute. Any judgment or order entered in such action shall contain a specific provision providing for the recovery of attorneys’ fees, costs and other expenses incurred in enforcing such judgment and an award of prejudgment interest from the date of the breach at the maximum rate of interest allowed by law. For the purposes of this Section  8.5 , attorneys’ fees shall include, fees incurred in the following: (a) post judgment motions; (b) contempt proceedings; (c) garnishment, levy, and debtor and third-party examinations; (d) discovery; and (e) bankruptcy litigation; and the prevailing party shall mean the party who is determined in the proceeding to have prevailed or who prevails by dismissal, default or otherwise.

 

15


8.6 Notices . Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Warrant, all notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including a facsimile, e-mail or similar writing) and shall be given to such party at the following addresses or facsimile numbers or e-mail addresses:

(a) if to the Holder, at the address indicated for such party on the signature page(s) hereto; and

(b) if to the Company, to:

c/o Silver Lake Partners

c/o Silver Lake Sumeru

2775 Sand Hill Road, Suite 100

Menlo Park, California 94025

Attention: Karen King

Fax: (650) 233-8125

Email: karen.king@silverlake.com

and

c/o Silver Lake Partners

c/o Silver Lake Sumeru

9 West 57th Street, 32nd Floor

New York, New York 10019

Attention: Andrew Schader

Fax: (212) 981-3535

Email: andy.schader@silverlake.com

and

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

39870 Eureka Drive

Newark, California 94560-4809

Attention: Bruce Goldberg

Fax: (510) 624-8231

Email: bruce.goldberg@smartm.com

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

2475 Hanover Street

Palo Alto, California 94304

Attention: Chad Skinner

Fax: (650) 251-5002

Email: cskinner@stblaw.com

 

16


Each such notice, request or other communication shall be effective (i) if given by facsimile or e-mail, at the time such facsimile or e-mail is transmitted and the appropriate non-automated written confirmation is received (or, if such time is not during a Business Day, at the beginning of the next such Business Day) or (ii) if given by any other means, when delivered at the address specified pursuant to this Section  8.6 .

8.7 Amendment; Waiver . Any term of this Warrant may be amended, and the observance of any term of this Warrant may be waived, only with the written consent of the Company and the Requisite Warrant Holders; provided , that any amendment or waiver that is materially adverse to the Holder or Other Holders in a manner disproportionate to the Other Holders shall require the consent of such Holder or Other Holders. Any amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this Section  8.7 shall be binding upon each of the Holder and the Company and their respective successors and permitted assigns. No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, agreement, term or condition of this Warrant or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach of such or any other covenant, agreement, term or condition shall operate as a waiver of such or any other covenant, agreement, term or condition of this Warrant. No waiver shall affect or alter the remainder of this Warrant but each and every covenant, agreement, term and condition hereof shall continue in full force and effect with respect to any other then existing or subsequent breach. The rights and remedies provided by this Warrant are cumulative and the exercise of any one right or remedy by any party shall not preclude or waive its right to exercise any or all other rights or remedies.

8.8 Certain Interpretive Principles . All references to Articles and Sections in this Warrant mean the Articles and Sections of this Warrant, except where otherwise stated. The titles of Articles and Sections of this Warrant are for convenience only and shall not be interpreted to limit or amplify the provisions of this Warrant. All references in this Warrant to Exhibits shall, unless otherwise provided, refer to Exhibits attached hereto, all of which Exhibits are incorporated herein by this reference. Unless otherwise specified, the terms “hereof,” “herein” and similar terms refer to this Warrant as a whole. For purposes of this Warrant, the words, “include,” “includes” and “including,” shall be deemed in each case to be followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “dollars” and “$” shall mean United States dollars. The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Warrant. If an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Warrant will be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties and no presumption or burden of proof will arise favoring or disfavoring any party because of the authorship of any provision of this Warrant.

8.9 Severability . Each provision of this Warrant shall be considered severable and if for any reason any provision or provisions hereof are determined to be invalid and contrary to any existing or future law, such invalidity shall not impair the operation of or affect those portions of this Warrant which are valid.

8.10 Counterparts . This Warrant may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Until and unless each party has received a counterpart hereof signed by the other party hereto, this Warrant shall have no effect and no party shall have any right or obligation hereunder (whether by virtue of any other oral or written agreement or other communication).

 

17


8.11 No Third Party Beneficiaries . This Warrant is not intended to confer any rights, benefits or remedies, obligations or liabilities upon, and shall not be enforceable by any Person other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided , that the Requisite Warrant Holders shall be third party beneficiaries with respect to Section  8.7 solely to the extent necessary to enforce any amendment to this Warrant entered into by the Company and the Requisite Warrant Holders in accordance with Section  8.7 .

8.12 Successors and Assigns . The provisions of this Warrant shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

8.13 Termination . This Warrant shall terminate upon the Termination Date with respect to all Warrant Shares.

8.14 Amendment and Restatement . This Warrant amends and restates in its entirety that certain SMART Global Holdings, Inc. Warrant to Purchase Ordinary Shares, No. B-14, issued on November 5, 2016 (the “ Existing Warrant ”). Upon the execution and delivery of this Warrant, this Warrant shall replace the Existing Warrant in its entirety. This Warrant sets forth all the terms and conditions with respect to the warrant to purchase the Second Tranche Warrant Shares, notwithstanding anything set forth in any of the Other Warrants or in any other agreement, instrument or document.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

18


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Warrant as of the date first written above.

COMPANY :

 

SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

[Signature Page to Warrant]

 


HOLDER :

[•]

By: [•]

Its: [•]

By: [•]

Its: [•]

By: [•]

Its: [•]

 

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

Address of Holder:

[•]

 

[Signature Page to Warrant]


Exhibit A

FORM OF SUBSCRIPTION

(To be completed and signed only upon exercise of the Warrant)

To: SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (the “ Company ”)

We refer to that certain Amended and Restated Warrant to Purchase Ordinary Shares of the Company, Warrant No. B - [•], issued on November 5, 2016 and amended and restated April 27, 2017 (the “ Warrant ”).

Select one of the following two alternatives:

Cash Exercise . On the terms and conditions set forth in the Warrant, the undersigned Holder hereby elects to purchase                  Ordinary Shares of the Company (the “ Warrant Shares ”), pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant, and tenders herewith payment of the purchase price for such Warrant Shares in full. This exercise ☐ IS ☐ IS NOT conditioned upon the completion of the Change of Control Transaction, the Initial Public Offering, the Liquidation, a Tag-Along Sale or a purchase of Transferable Shares that has been described in that certain Transaction Notice, dated                     , delivered by the Company to the Holder pursuant to Section 2.6 of the Warrant.

Net Exercise Election . On the terms and conditions set forth in the Warrant, the undersigned Holder elects to convert the Warrant into Ordinary Shares by net exercise election pursuant to Section 2.5 of the Warrant. This conversion is exercised with respect to                      (before giving effect to the net exercise) Ordinary Shares of the Company (the “ Warrant Shares ”) covered by the Warrant. This exercise ☐ IS ☐ IS NOT conditioned upon the completion of the Change of Control Transaction, the Initial Public Offering, the Liquidation, a Tag-Along Sale or a purchase of Transferable Shares that has been described in that certain Transaction Notice, dated                     , delivered by the Company to the Holder pursuant to Section 2.6 of the Warrant.

In exercising the Warrant, the undersigned Holder hereby confirms and acknowledges that the representations and warranties set forth in Section 2.2 of the Investors Shareholders Agreement as applied to the undersigned Holder continue to be true and complete as of this date. Capitalized terms used in this Subscription Form and not otherwise defined herein shall have their respective meanings set forth in attached Warrant of which this Subscription Form forms a part.

WHEREFORE, the undersigned Holder has executed and delivered the attached Warrant, a Joinder and this Subscription Form as of the date set forth below.

 

Date:

 

 

   

[ Holder ]

 
     

By:

 

 

     

Name:

Title:

 

 

 

[Exhibit A to Warrant]

 


Exhibit B

JOINDER AGREEMENT

The undersigned is executing and delivering this Joinder Agreement pursuant to that certain Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement of SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a Saleen Holdings, Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “ Company ”), dated as of November 5, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance with the terms thereof, the “ Investors Shareholders Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Joinder Agreement shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Investors Shareholders Agreement.

By executing and delivering this Joinder Agreement to the Investors Shareholders Agreement, the undersigned hereby agrees to become a party to, to be bound by, and to comply with the provisions of the Investors Shareholders Agreement as a Warrant Investor. In connection therewith, effective as of the date hereof, the undersigned hereby makes the applicable representations and warranties contained in Section 2.2 of the Investors Shareholders Agreement.

Accordingly, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Joinder Agreement as of the        day of                    , 20        .

 

 

Signature of Warrant Investor

 

Print Name Warrant Investor

Address of Warrant Investor:                                          

 

 

Telephone:                                                                       

Facsimile:                                                                         

Email:                                                                               

AGREED AND ACCEPTED

as of the         day of                    ,             .

 

SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

[Exhibit B to Warrant]


Exhibit C

WARRANT TRANSFER AGREEMENT

Dated: [•]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers all of its rights and interest in the portion of the Warrant (as amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Warrant ”) representing the number of Warrant Shares set forth below, standing in its name on the books of Smart Global Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a Saleen Holdings, Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company, (the “ Company ”) and represented by the Warrant, to:

 

Name of Permitted

Warrant Transferee

  

Address

  

Warrant No. and No. of

Warrant Shares

[•]

  

[•]

  

[•]

Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Warrant. The undersigned hereby irrevocably instructs and appoints the Company or any successor of the Company as its agent and attorney-in-fact (the “ Agent ”) to Transfer all of such Warrant Shares on the books of the Company, to register each such Permitted Warrant Transferee as the registered owner thereof and to take all other necessary and appropriate action to effect such transfer and registration, including the issuance of one or more new or replacement Warrants. The Agent may substitute and appoint one or more Persons to act on its behalf. The foregoing power of attorney is coupled with an interest and is irrevocable.

 

[Holder]
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

[Permitted Warrant Transferee]
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

[Exhibit C to Warrant]

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

LOGO

 

Our ref           SUS/693334-000001/51133035v2

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

PO Box 309, Ugland House

Grand Cayman, KY1-1104

Cayman Islands

[    ] 2017

Dear Sirs

SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (the “ Company ”)

We have acted as Cayman Islands counsel to the Company to provide this legal opinion in connection with the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1, including all amendments or supplements thereto, filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the “ Act ”), as amended, (File No. [        ]) (the “ Registration Statement ”) in respect of the proposed initial offering (the “ IPO ”) of the Company’s 6,095,000 ordinary shares, par value US$0.03 per ordinary share, in the capital of the Company (the “ Ordinary Shares ”), including up to 795,000 ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of an over-allotment option granted to the underwriters (the “ Over Allotment Shares ” and together with the Ordinary Shares, the “ Shares ”). Such public offering is being underwritten pursuant to an underwriting agreement (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) among the Company and the underwriters named therein. This opinion is given in accordance with the terms of the Legal Matters section of the Registration Statement.

 

1 Documents Reviewed

We have reviewed originals, copies, drafts or conformed copies of the following documents and such other documents or instruments as we deem necessary:

 

1.1 The Certificate of Incorporation dated 21 April 2011, the Certificate of Incorporation on Change of Name dated 29 August 2014, the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company as adopted on 25 August 2011 (the “ Current Memorandum and Articles ”), as amended by Special Resolution passed on 5 May 2017 (the “ Special Resolution ”) and the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company adopted by Special Resolution passed on [    ] 2017 and effective immediately prior to the closing of the IPO (the “ Post-IPO Memorandum and Articles ”).

 

Maples and Calder

PO Box 309    Ugland House    Grand Cayman KY-1104    Cayman Islands

Tel +1 345 949 8066    Fax +1 345 949 8080    maplesandcalder.com


1.2 The minutes (the “ Minutes ”) of the meeting of the board of directors of the Company held on [*] May 2017 (the “ Meeting ”) and the corporate records of the Company maintained at its registered office in the Cayman Islands.

 

1.3 The minutes of the extraordinary general meeting of the Company held on [*] May 2017 (the “ Shareholder Minutes ”), including a resolution to re-designate the authorised (and issued) share capital of the Company in the manner therein described (the “ Re-Designation Resolution ”).

 

1.4 A Certificate of Good Standing issued by the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands (the “ Certificate of Good Standing ”).

 

1.5 A certificate from a director of the Company a copy of which is attached hereto (the “ Director’s Certificate ”).

 

1.6 A draft of the Underwriting Agreement in the form filed as Exhibit 1.1 to the Registration Statement.

 

1.7 The Registration Statement.

 

2 Assumptions

The following opinion is given only as to, and based on, circumstances and matters of fact existing and known to us on the date of this opinion. This opinion only relates to the laws of the Cayman Islands which are in force on the date of this opinion. In giving this opinion we have relied (without further verification) upon the completeness and accuracy of the factual confirmations contained in the Director’s Certificate and the Certificate of Good Standing. We have also relied upon the following assumptions, which we have not independently verified:

 

2.1 Copies of documents, conformed copies or drafts of documents provided to us are true and complete copies of, or in the final forms of, the originals, and translations of documents provided to us are complete and accurate.

 

2.2 All signatures, initials and seals are genuine.

 

2.3 There is no contractual or other prohibition (other than as arising under Cayman Islands law) binding on the Company prohibiting it from entering into and performing its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement or and the Registration Statement.

 

3 Opinions

Based upon, and subject to, the foregoing assumptions and the qualifications set out below, and having regard to such legal considerations as we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that:

 

3.1 The Company has been duly incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands.

 

3.2 The issue of the Shares to be issued by the Company as contemplated by the Registration Statement has been authorised, and when issued and paid for in the manner described in the Underwriting Agreement and the Registration Statement and in accordance with the resolutions adopted by the directors of the Company at the Meeting, such Shares will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable. As a matter of Cayman Islands law, a share is only issued when it has been entered in the register of members (shareholders) of the Company.

 

SUS/693334-000001/51133035v2   2


3.3 The authorised share capital of the Company is US$6,000,000.00 divided into 200,000,000 shares of a par or nominal value of US$0.03 each.

 

3.4 Upon the Post-IPO Memorandum and Articles and the Re-Designation Resolution becoming effective, the authorised share capital of the Company will be US$[        ] divided into [    ] Ordinary Shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.03 each and [    ] Preferred Shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.03 each.

Under Cayman Islands law, the register of members (shareholders) is prima facie evidence of title to shares and this register would not record a third party interest in such shares. However, there are certain limited circumstances where an application may be made to a Cayman Islands court for a determination on whether the register of members reflects the correct legal position. Further, the Cayman Islands court has the power to order that the register of members maintained by a company should be rectified where it considers that the register of members does not reflect the correct legal position. As far as we are aware, such applications are rarely made in the Cayman Islands, but if this were to occur in respect of the Company’s Shares, then the validity of such shares may be subject to re-examination by a Cayman Islands court.

Except as specifically stated herein, we make no comment with respect to any representations and warranties which may be made by or with respect to the Company in any of the documents or instruments cited in this opinion or otherwise with respect to the commercial terms of the transactions the subject of this opinion.

In this opinion, the phrase “non-assessable” means, with respect to the Shares in the Company, that a shareholder shall not, solely by virtue of its status as a shareholder, be liable for additional assessments or calls on the Shares by the Company or its creditors (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper purpose or other circumstance in which a court may be prepared to pierce or lift the corporate veil).

To maintain the Company in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands, annual filing fees must be paid and returns made to the Registrar of Companies within the time frame prescribed by law.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Legal Matters” in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement. In providing our consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission thereunder.

This opinion is limited to the matters detailed herein and is not to be read as an opinion with respect to any other matter.

Yours faithfully

Maples and Calder

 

SUS/693334-000001/51133035v2   3


SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

PO Box 309, Ugland House

Grand Cayman

KY1-1104

Cayman Islands

                     2017

 

To:       Maples and Calder
  PO Box 309, Ugland House
  Grand Cayman
  KY1-1104
  Cayman Islands

Dear Sirs

SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (the “ Company ”)

I, being a director of the Company, am aware that you are being asked to provide a legal opinion (the “ Opinion ”) in relation to certain aspects of Cayman Islands law. Capitalised terms used in this certificate have the meaning given to them in the Opinion. I hereby certify, as matters of fact, that:

 

1 The Current Memorandum and Articles have not been amended and remain in full force and effect.

 

2 The Minutes are a true and correct record of the proceedings of the Meeting, which was duly convened and held, and at which a quorum was present throughout, in each case, in the manner prescribed in the Current Memorandum and Articles. The resolutions set out in the Minutes were duly passed in the manner prescribed in the Current Memorandum and Articles (including, without limitation, with respect to the disclosure of interests (if any) by directors of the Company) and have not been amended, varied or revoked in any respect.

 

3 The authorised share capital of the Company as set out in the Special Resolution has not been amended.

 

4 The shareholders of the Company have not restricted or limited the power of the directors in any way.

 

5 The Shareholder Minutes are a true and correct record of the proceedings of such meeting, which was duly convened and held, and at which a quorum was present throughout. The resolutions contained in the Shareholder Minutes were duly adopted, are in full force and effect at the date hereof and have not been amended, varied or revoked in any respect.

 

6 The directors of the Company at the date of the Meeting and at the date hereof were and are as follows: Kenneth Y. Hao, James A. Davidson, Iain MacKenzie, Paul Mercadante, Ajay Bhupendra Shah, Jason White and Mukesh Patel.

 

7 The minute book and corporate records of the Company as maintained at its registered office in the Cayman Islands and made available to us are complete and accurate in all material respects, and all minutes and resolutions filed therein represent a complete and accurate record of all meetings of the shareholders and directors (or any committee thereof) (duly convened in accordance with the then effective Articles of Association) and all resolutions passed at the meetings, or passed by written consent as the case may be.

 

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8 No invitation has been or will be made by or on behalf of the Company to the public in the Cayman Islands to subscribe for any of the Shares.

 

9 The Company will receive money or money’s worth in consideration for the issue of the Shares, and none of the Shares were or will be issued for less than par value.

 

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I confirm that you may continue to rely on this certificate as being true and correct on the day that you issue the Opinion unless I shall have previously notified you in writing personally to the contrary.

 

Signature:  

 

Name:  
Title:   Director

 

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Exhibit 8.1

 

  

New York

Menlo Park

Washington DC

São Paulo

London

  

Paris

Madrid

Tokyo

Beijing

Hong Kong

LOGO      

 

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

1600 El Camino Real

Menlo Park, CA 94025

  

650 752 2000 tel

650 752 2111 fax

  

May 11, 2017

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

39870 Eureka Drive

Newark, CA 94560

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We are acting as United States counsel to SMART Global Holdings, Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “ Company ”) in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “ Registration Statement ”) and the related Prospectus (the “ Prospectus ”) with respect to the Company’s public offering of its ordinary shares. The Company is filing the Registration Statement (File No. 333-217539) with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “ Act ”), as amended.

We, as your counsel, have examined originals or copies of such documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of rendering this opinion.

We hereby confirm our opinion set forth under the caption “Taxation – Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” in the Prospectus.

We are members of the Bar of the State of New York and the foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of New York and the federal laws of the United States.

We hereby consent to the use of our name under the captions “Taxation” and “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement and to the filing, as an exhibit to the Registration, of this letter. In giving this consent we do not admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

Exhibit 10.1

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

This Indemnification Agreement is dated as of [•] (this “ Agreement ”) and is between Smart Global Holdings, Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “ Company ”), and [ director/officer ] (“ Indemnitee ”).

WHEREAS, Indemnitee is a director and/or officer of the Company and/or certain subsidiaries of the Company (the “ Subsidiaries ”) may also serve as a director, executive officer, employee, consultant, fiduciary or agent (collectively, the “ Indemnifiable Positions ”) of other exempted companies, corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, joint ventures, trusts, employee benefit plans or other enterprises controlled by the Company (together with the Subsidiaries, collectively, the “ Controlled Entities ”);

WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to serve as a director and/or executive officer of the Company and/or in other Indemnifiable Positions of the Controlled Entities, the Company wishes to provide for the indemnification of, and the advancement of Expenses (as defined herein) to, Indemnitee to the maximum extent permitted by law;

WHEREAS, the articles of association of the Company and the Subsidiaries (the “ Articles ”) provide for the indemnification of the Company’s and the Subsidiaries directors and officers under certain circumstances and subject to certain limitations; and

WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee desire to enter into this Agreement to set forth their agreement regarding indemnification and the advancement of Expenses.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of Indemnitee’s service or continued service to the Company and/or the Controlled Entities and the covenants and agreements set forth below, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows.

Section 1. Indemnification .

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law:

(a) The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee was or is made or is threatened to be made a party to, or is otherwise involved in, as a witness or otherwise, any threatened, pending or completed Action, Suit or Proceeding (brought in the right of the Company, the Subsidiaries or otherwise), whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative and whether formal or informal, including appeals.

(b) The indemnification provided by this Section  1 shall be from and against all loss and liability suffered and Expenses (including attorneys’ fees), Judgments, Fines and Amounts Paid in Settlement actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with such Action, Suit or Proceeding, including any appeals.


Section  2. Payment of Expenses . To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by Indemnitee in appearing at, participating in or defending any Action, Suit or Proceeding or in connection with an enforcement action as contemplated by Section 3(d) , shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such Action, Suit or Proceeding or such enforcement action within 15 days after receipt by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting such advance or advances from time to time. The Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay any amounts advanced (without interest) to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled under this Agreement to be indemnified by the Company in respect of such Action, Suit or Proceeding or such enforcement action as contemplated by Section 3(d) . No other form of undertaking shall be required of Indemnitee other than the execution of this Agreement. This Section  2 shall be subject to Section 3(b) and shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to Section 6(a) .

Section 3. Procedure for Indemnification; Notification and Defense of Claim .

(a) Promptly after receipt by Indemnitee of actual notice of the commencement of any Action, Suit or Proceeding, Indemnitee shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made or could be made against the Company hereunder, notify the Company in writing of the commencement thereof. The failure to promptly notify the Company of the commencement of the Action, Suit or Proceeding, or of Indemnitee’s request for indemnification, will not relieve the Company from any liability that it may have to Indemnitee hereunder, except to the extent the Company is actually and materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) in its defense of such Action, Suit or Proceeding as a result of such failure. To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request therefor including such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and, to the extent available, such documentation and information as is reasonably necessary to enable the Company to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. In addition, Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the Company and shall give the Company such additional information as the Company may reasonably require.

(b) With respect to any Action, Suit or Proceeding of which the Company is so notified as provided in this Agreement, the Company shall, subject to the last two sentences of this paragraph and subject to the Company’s prior determination pursuant to Section 3(c) to grant Indemnitee’s indemnification request with respect to such Action, Suit or Proceeding, be entitled to assume the defense of such Action, Suit or Proceeding, with counsel reasonably acceptable to Indemnitee (which acceptance shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election to do so. After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any subsequently-incurred fees of separate counsel engaged by or on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to the same Action, Suit or Proceeding unless the Company does not continue to retain such counsel to defend such Action, Suit or Proceeding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Indemnitee, based on the advice of his or her counsel, shall have reasonably concluded that, in the conduct of any such defense, there is or is reasonably likely to be a conflict of interest or position between the Company and Indemnitee with respect to a significant issue, then the Company will not be entitled, without the written consent of Indemnitee, to assume such defense. In addition, the Company will not be entitled, without the written consent of Indemnitee, to assume the defense of any claim brought by or in the right of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

 

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(c) The determination whether to grant Indemnitee’s indemnification request shall be made promptly and in any event within 30 days following the Company’s receipt of a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 3(a) (the “ Indemnity Review Period ”). If the Company’s determination of whether to grant Indemnitee’s indemnification request shall not have been made within the Indemnity Review Period, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, subject to Section  6 , nonetheless be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law. If the Company determines that Indemnitee is entitled to such indemnification within the Indemnity Review Period, the Company will make payments to Indemnitee of any indemnifiable amounts pursuant to Section  1 , in each case within 30 days following any payment request from Indemnitee (for any such payment request, the applicable “ Payment Request Period ”).

(d) In the event that (i) the Company determines in accordance with this Section  3 that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) the Company denies a request for indemnification, in whole or in part, or fails to respond or make a determination of entitlement to indemnification within the Indemnity Review Period, (iii) payment of any indemnifiable amounts pursuant to Section  1 is not made by the Company within the applicable Payment Request Period, (iv) advancement of Expenses is not timely made in accordance with Section  2 , or (v) the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, the Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in any court of competent jurisdiction of his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses. To the extent not already advanced pursuant to Section  2 , Indemnitee’s Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with successfully establishing Indemnitee’s right to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, in whole or in part, in any such proceeding or otherwise shall also be indemnified by the Company; provided that to the extent Indemnitee is successful in part and unsuccessful in part in establishing Indemnitee’s right to indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to partial indemnification of Expenses in accordance with Section  20 .

(e) Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to indemnification and advancement of Expenses under this Agreement upon submission of a request therefor in accordance with Section  2 or Section  3 of this Agreement, as the case may be. The Company shall have the burden of proof in overcoming such presumption, and such presumption shall be used as a basis for a determination of entitlement to indemnification and advancement of Expenses unless the Company overcomes such presumption by clear and convincing evidence. Neither the failure of the Company to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

 

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Section 4. Insurance and Subrogation .

(a) To the extent the Company or any of the Subsidiaries maintain a policy or policies of insurance providing directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies, in accordance with its or their terms, to the maximum extent of the coverage provided to any other director or officer of the Company. If, at the time the Company receives from Indemnitee any notice of the commencement of an Action, Suit or Proceeding, the Company has such insurance in effect which would reasonably be expected to cover such Action, Suit or Proceeding, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such Action, Suit or Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in such policy or policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or reasonably desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Action, Suit or Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policy or policies.

(b) In the event of any payment by the Company under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee with respect to any insurance policy. Indemnitee shall execute all papers reasonably required and take all action reasonably necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to effectively bring suit to enforce such rights in accordance with the terms of such insurance policy. The Company shall pay or reimburse all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such subrogation.

(c) The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder (including, but not limited to, Judgments, Fines and Amounts Paid in Settlement, and ERISA excise taxes or penalties) if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under this Agreement or any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.

Section 5. Certain Definitions . For purposes of this Agreement, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) The term “ Action, Suit or Proceeding ” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, the investigation, preparation, prosecution, defense, settlement, arbitration and appeal of, and the giving of testimony in, any threatened, pending or completed claim, action, suit, arbitration, investigation, inquiry, alternative dispute mechanism or proceeding, whether civil (including intentional and unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative, in each case, by reason of the service of Indemnitee as a director and/or officer of the Company and/or in other Indemnifiable Positions of the Controlled Entities, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in any such capacity, and whether pursuant to any alleged breach of any fiduciary duty owed by, or failure to meet any standard of care applicable to, any such Indemnitee in respect of the Company or any Controlled Entity, or otherwise.

 

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(b) The term “ Expenses ” shall include all out-of-pocket costs of any type or nature whatsoever (including, without limitation, all attorneys’ fees and related disbursements), in each case, actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with either the investigation, defense or appeal of an Action, Suit or Proceeding or establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification under this Agreement or otherwise incurred in connection with a claim that is indemnifiable hereunder.

(c) The term “ Judgments, Fines and Amounts Paid in Settlement ” shall be broadly construed and shall mean any direct or indirect payments of any type or nature whatsoever owing or paid in connection with an Action, Suit or Proceeding, including without limitation, all judgments, awards, fines, penalties and amounts in settlement, as well as any penalties or excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan.

Section  6. Limitation on Indemnification . Notwithstanding any other provision herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to this Agreement:

(a) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee . To indemnify or advance Expenses to Indemnitee with respect to any threatened, pending or completed claim, action, suit, arbitration, investigation, inquiry, alternative dispute mechanism or proceeding, whether civil (including intentional and unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative, however denominated, initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee whether by way of defense, counterclaim or cross claim or otherwise, other than (i) an action brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification or advancement of Expenses under this Agreement (which shall be governed by the provisions of Section 6(b) of this Agreement) or (ii) a claim, action, suit, arbitration, investigation, inquiry, alternative dispute mechanism or proceeding that was authorized or consented to by the Board of Directors of the Company, it being understood and agreed that such authorization or consent shall not be unreasonably withheld in connection with any compulsory counterclaim brought by Indemnitee in response to an Action, Suit or Proceeding otherwise indemnifiable under this Agreement.

(b) Action for Indemnification . To indemnify Indemnitee for any Expenses incurred by Indemnitee with respect to an action instituted by Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement if Indemnitee is not successful in such enforcement action in establishing Indemnitee’s right, in whole or in part, to indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder; provided that to the extent Indemnitee is successful in part and unsuccessful in part in establishing Indemnitee’s right to indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to partial indemnification of Expenses in accordance with Section  20 .

(c) Section 16(b) Matters . To indemnify Indemnitee on account of any Action, Suit or Proceeding in which judgment is rendered against Indemnitee for disgorgement of profits made from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of securities of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries pursuant to the provisions of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (excluding any purchase or sale deemed to be made in connection with any merger, consolidation, reorganization or other transaction undertaken by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries).

 

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(d) Fraud or Willful Misconduct . To indemnify Indemnitee on account of conduct by Indemnitee where such conduct has been determined to have been knowingly fraudulent or constitute willful misconduct by a final (not interlocutory) judgment or other adjudication of a court or arbitration or administrative body of competent jurisdiction as to which there is no further right or option of appeal or the time within which an appeal must be filed has expired without such filing. For the avoidance of doubt, each of the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge and agree that any actions or omissions by Indemnitee with respect to any of the matters described in (i) Section 6.2 of that certain Management Investors Shareholders Agreement, dated August 26, 2011, by and among the Company and the investors signatory thereto, (ii) Section 5.2 of that Certain Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement, dated August 26, 2011, by and among the Company and the investors signatory thereto, and (iii) Section 5.2 of that certain Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, dated August 26, 2011, by and among the Company and the investors signatory thereto, shall, in each case, not be considered willful misconduct for purposes of this Agreement.

(e) Prohibited by Law . To indemnify Indemnitee in any circumstance where such indemnification has been determined to be prohibited by law by a final (not interlocutory) judgment or other adjudication of a court or arbitration or administrative body of competent jurisdiction as to which there is no further right or option of appeal or the time within which an appeal must be filed has expired without such filing.

(f) Unauthorized Settlement . To indemnify Indemnitee for any amounts paid in settlement of any Action, Suit or Proceeding without the Company’s prior written consent; provided that the Company will not unreasonably withhold or delay its consent to any proposed settlement.

Section  7. Certain Settlement Provisions . The Company shall be permitted to settle any Action, Suit or Proceeding, except that it shall not settle any Action, Suit or Proceeding in any manner that would impose any penalty (unless the only penalty imposed is a monetary payment that will be paid in full by the Company (or its insurers)) or limitations or constitute any admission of wrongdoing or which may compromise, or may adversely affect, the defense of the Indemnitee in any other Action, Suit or Proceeding, whether civil or criminal, without Indemnitee’s prior written consent. Indemnitee will not unreasonably withhold or delay his or, her consent to any proposed settlement.

Section  8. Savings Clause . If any provision or provisions (or portion thereof) of this Agreement shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed Action, Suit or Proceeding (brought in the right of the Company or otherwise), whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative and whether formal or informal, including appeals, from and against all loss and liability suffered and Expenses (including attorneys’ fees), Judgments, Fines and Amounts Paid in Settlement actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with such Action, Suit or Proceeding, including any appeals, to the fullest extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Agreement that shall not have been invalidated.

 

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Section  9. Contribution . In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for herein is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part, it is agreed that, in such event, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, contribute to the payment of all of Indemnitee’s loss and liability suffered and Expenses (including attorneys’ fees), Judgments, Fines and Amounts Paid in Settlement actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Action, Suit or Proceeding, including any appeals, in an amount that is just and equitable in the circumstances; provided , that, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such contribution shall not be required where such holding by the court is due to any limitation on indemnification set forth in Section 4(c) or 6 hereof.

Section  10. Form and Delivery of Communications . All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand, upon receipt by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, (c) mailed by reputable overnight courier, one day after deposit with such courier and with written verification of receipt or (d) sent by email or facsimile transmission, with receipt of oral confirmation that such transmission has been received. Addresses for notice to either party are shown on the signature page of this Agreement, or as subsequently modified by written notice.

Section  11. Nonexclusivity . The provisions for indemnification and advancement of Expenses set forth in this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights which Indemnitee may have under any provision of law, in any court in which a proceeding is brought, other agreements or otherwise, and Indemnitee’s rights hereunder shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of Indemnitee. No amendment or alteration of the Articles or the Company’s memorandum of association or any other agreement shall adversely affect the rights provided to Indemnitee under this Agreement.

Section  12. No Construction as Employment Agreement; Duration of Agreement . Nothing contained herein shall be construed as giving Indemnitee any right to be retained as a director and/or officer of the Company or in other Indemnifiable Positions of the Controlled Entities or in the employ of the Company or any of the Controlled Entities. For the avoidance of doubt, the indemnification and advancement of Expenses provided under this Agreement shall continue as to the Indemnitee even though he may have ceased to be a director and/or officer of the Company and/or in other Indemnifiable Positions of the Controlled Entities.

Section  13. Interpretation of Agreement . It is understood that the parties hereto intend this Agreement to be interpreted and enforced so as to provide indemnification to Indemnitee to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by applicable law notwithstanding that such indemnification may not be specifically authorized by the Articles or the Company’s memorandum of association, or by statute as of the date hereof. In the event of any change after the date of this Agreement in any applicable law, statute or rule which expands the right of a Cayman Islands exempted company to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an officer, employee, consultant, fiduciary or agent, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits afforded by such change. In the event of any change in any applicable law, statute or rule which narrows the right of a Cayman

 

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Islands exempted company to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an officer, employee, consultant, fiduciary or agent, such change, to the extent not otherwise required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement, shall have no effect on this Agreement or the parties’ rights and obligations hereunder.

Section  14. Entire Agreement . Without limiting any of the rights of Indemnitee under the Articles and/or the Company’s memorandum of association, this Agreement and the documents expressly referred to herein constitute the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the matters covered hereby, and any other prior or contemporaneous oral or written understandings or agreements with respect to the matters covered hereby are expressly superseded by this Agreement.

Section  15. Modification and Waiver . No supplement, modification, waiver or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver. For the avoidance of doubt, this Agreement may not be terminated by the Company without Indemnitee’s prior written consent.

Section  16. Successor and Assigns . All of the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon, shall inure to the benefit of and shall be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors, assigns, spouses, heirs, executors, administrators and legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any direct or indirect successor (whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

Section  17. Governing Law . This Agreement and all claims or causes of action (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including any claim or cause of action based upon, arising out of or related to any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands, regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws.

Section 18. Submission to Jurisdiction; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL .

(a) Each the parties hereto hereby irrevocably acknowledges and consents that any legal action or proceeding brought with respect to this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement may be brought in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands (the “ Chosen Court ”), and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submits to and accepts with regard to any such action or proceeding, for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the Chosen Court. Each party hereby further irrevocably waives any claim that the Chosen Court lacks jurisdiction over such party, and agrees not to plead or claim, in any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby brought in the Chosen Court, that the Chosen Court lacks jurisdiction over such party.

 

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(b) Each party irrevocably consents to the service of process in any legal action or proceeding brought with respect to this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to such party, at its address for notices as provided in Section  10 of this Agreement, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing. Each party hereby irrevocably waives any objection to such service of process and further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any action or proceeding commenced hereunder or under any other documents contemplated hereby, that service of process was in any way invalid or ineffective. Subject to Section 18(c) , the foregoing shall not limit the rights of any party to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable law. The foregoing consents to jurisdiction shall not constitute general consents to service of process in the Cayman Islands for any purpose except as provided above and shall not be deemed to confer rights on any Person other than the respective parties to this Agreement.

(c) Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right it may have under the laws of any jurisdiction to commence by publication any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement or any of the obligations under or relating to this Agreement. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives the objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any suit, action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement in the Chosen Court, and hereby further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim that any the Chosen Court is not a convenient forum for any such suit, action or proceeding, as applicable.

(d) The parties hereto agree that any judgment obtained by any party hereto or its successors or assigns in any action, suit or proceeding referred to above may, in the discretion of such party (or its successors or assigns), be enforced in any jurisdiction, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

(e) EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. EACH OF THE PARTIES (I) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (II) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 18(e) .

 

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Section  19. Injunctive Relief . The parties hereto agree that each party hereto may enforce this Agreement by seeking specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing irreparable harm or posting a bond, which requirements are hereby waived, and that by seeking specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which he or she may be entitled.

Section  20. Partial Indemnification . If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of loss and liability suffered and Expenses (including attorneys’ fees), Judgments, Fines and Amounts Paid in Settlement actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with an Action, Suit or Proceeding, including any appeals, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of such amounts otherwise payable hereunder.

Section  21. Mutual Acknowledgement . Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that in certain instances, federal law or applicable public policy may prohibit the Company from indemnifying its directors, officers, employees, consultants, fiduciaries or agents under this Agreement or otherwise. Indemnitee understands and acknowledges that the Company may be required to submit the question of indemnification to a court in certain circumstances for a determination of the Company’s right, under public policy, to indemnify Indemnitee.

Section  22. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which together shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument, notwithstanding that both parties are not signatories to the original or same counterpart.

Section  23. Headings . The section and subsection headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

10


This Indemnification Agreement has been duly executed and delivered as a deed to be effective as of the date stated above.

COMPANY :

 

SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.

     

In the presence of:

By:

 

 

     

 

  
 

Name:

     

Signature of Witness

  
 

Title:

     

Name of Witness:

  
 

Address:

        
 

Fax No.:

        

INDEMNITEE :

     
     

In the presence of:

 

 

     

 

  
 

Name:

     

Signature of Witness

  
 

Address:

     

Name of Witness:

  
 

Fax No.:

        

[Form Indemnification Agreement]

Exhibit 10.2

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

Amended and Restated

2011 Share Incentive Plan

(As Amended and Restated as of August 19, 2014)

(formerly known as the Saleen Holdings, Inc. 2011 Share Incentive Plan (As Amended and Restated as of August 26, 2011))

(formerly known as the SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc. Stock Incentive Plan)

Section 1. Purpose . The purposes of the SMART Global Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated 2011 Share Incentive Plan (As Amended and Restated as of August 19, 2014) (which was formerly known as the Saleen Holdings, Inc. 2011 Share Incentive Plan (As Amended and Restated as of August 26, 2011), which was formerly known as the SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc. Stock Incentive Plan) (the “ Plan ”) are to promote the interests of SMART Global Holdings, Inc., an exempted company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (together with its successors and assigns, the “ Company ”) and its shareholders by (i) attracting and retaining exceptional executive personnel, employees, directors, and consultants of the Company and its Affiliates (as defined below); (ii) motivating employees, consultants and directors by means of performance related incentives to achieve longer range performance goals; and (iii) enabling employees, consultants and directors to participate in the long term growth and financial success of the Company.

Section 2. Definitions . As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

(a) “ Affiliate ” means with respect to any Person, (i) any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person and any entity that is, directly or indirectly, controlled by the Company and (ii) any other entity in which such Person has a significant equity interest or which has a significant equity interest in such Person, in either case as determined by the Committee. For purposes of this definition, the terms “control” (including with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling”, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) when used with respect to any Person, means 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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of any Incentive Share Option, “Affiliate” shall mean any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation of the Company as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and (f), respectively, of the Code.

(b) “ Award ” means any Option or other share-based award granted hereunder.

(c) “ Award Agreement ” means any written agreement, contract, or other instrument or document evidencing any Award, which may, but need not, be executed or acknowledged by a Participant.

(d) “ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

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(e) “ Cause ” means, unless otherwise defined in any Employment Agreement or Award Agreement:

 

  (i) a Participant’s willful and continued failure substantially to perform his or her duties (other than as a result of total or partial incapacity due to physical or mental illness);

 

  (ii) a Participant’s gross negligence or willful malfeasance in the performance of his or her duties;

 

  (iii) a Participant’s commission of an act constituting fraud, embezzlement, or any other act constituting a felony or other similar offense under the laws of the United States, the Cayman Islands or any other jurisdiction in which the Company conducts business;

 

  (iv) a Participant being repeatedly under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while performing his or her duties; or

 

  (v) any other act or omission which is materially injurious to the financial condition or business reputation of the Company or any of its Affiliates as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Company, including a Participant’s breach of the provisions of any non-solicitation, non-competition, trade secret or confidentiality covenant in favor of the Company or its Affiliates binding upon such Participant.

The existence or non-existence of Cause with respect to any Participant will be determined in good faith by the Board.

(f) “ Change in Control ” means the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:

 

  (i) the sale or disposition, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used for purposes of Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) other than to the Silver Lake Investors or any of their respective Affiliates; or

 

  (ii) any person or group, other than any of the Silver Lake Investors or any of their respective Affiliates, is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the outstanding voting shares of the Company, including by way of merger, amalgamation or consolidation or otherwise.

(g) “ Code ” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

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(h) “ Committee ” means a committee of one or more members of the Board and/or officers designated by the Board to administer the Plan. Until otherwise determined by the Board, the full Board shall be the Committee under the Plan.

(i) “ Consultant ” means any natural person, including an advisor, engaged by the Company or an Affiliate to render consulting or advisory services and who is compensated for such services.

(j) “ Director ” means a member of the Board.

(k) “ Disability ” shall mean “permanent and total disability” as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.

(l) “ Employee ” means an employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates.

(m) “ Employment Agreement ” means an employment or severance and change of control agreement or other similar agreement entered into between a Participant and the Company or any of its Affiliates.

(n) “ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

(o) “ Exercise Price ” means the purchase price of the Option as set forth in the Award Agreement.

(p) “ Fair Market Value ” means, as of any date, the value of a Share determined as follows: (i) if there should be a public market for the Shares on such date, the closing price of the Shares as reported on such date on the composite tape of the principal national securities exchange on which such Shares are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Shares are not listed or admitted on any national securities exchange, the arithmetic mean of the per Share closing bid price and per Share closing asked price on such date as quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System (or such market in which such prices are regularly quoted) (“ NASDAQ ”), or, if no sale of Shares shall have been reported on the Composite Tape of any national securities exchange or quoted on the NASDAQ on such date, then the immediately preceding date on which sales of the Shares have been so reported or quoted shall be used, and (ii) if there should not be a public market for the Shares on such date, then Fair Market Value shall be the price determined in good faith by the Board (or a committee thereof). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the “Fair Market Value” of the Shares shall at all times be determined in a manner intended to be consistent with Section 409A of the Code (and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder), as may be amended from time to time, and the same method shall be used by the Company for determining all applicable income tax consequences resulting from the exercise of an Option.

(q) “ Incentive Share Option ” means a right to purchase Shares from the Company that is granted under Section 6 of the Plan and that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.

 

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(r) “ Non-Qualified Share Option ” means a right to purchase Shares from the Company that is granted under Section 6 of the Plan and that is not intended to be an Incentive Share Option.

(s) “ Option ” means an Incentive Share Option or a Non-Qualified Share Option.

(t) “ Participant ” means a Person granted an Award under the Plan (and to the extent applicable, any heirs or legal representatives thereof).

(u) “ Person ” means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, government or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

(v) “ Rule  16b-3 ” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect from time to time.

(w) “ SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor thereto.

(x) “ Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(y) “ Shares ” means the ordinary shares, of US$0.01 par value, in the authorized capital of the Company or such other securities as may be designated by the Committee from time to time.

(z) “ Silver Lake Investors ” means, collectively, (i) Silver Lake Partners III Cayman (AIV III), L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership, Silver Lake Technology Investors III Cayman, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted partnership and any of their respective Affiliates, designated transferees or successors that hold Shares, and (ii) Silver Lake Sumeru Fund Cayman, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership, Silver Lake Technology Investors Sumeru Cayman, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted partnership and any of their respective Affiliates, designated transferees or successors that hold Shares.

(aa) “ Substitute Awards ” means Awards granted in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by a company acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines.

Section 3. Administration .

(a) Authority of Committee . The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. Subject to the terms of the Plan, applicable law and contractual restrictions affecting the Company, and in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan, the Committee shall have full power and authority to:

 

  (i) designate Participants;

 

  (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant and the exercise price or purchase price, if applicable;

 

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  (iii) determine the number of Shares to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights, or other matters are to be calculated in connection with, Awards;

 

  (iv) determine the terms and conditions (including the vesting schedule, if any) of any Award and Award Agreement;

 

  (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited, or suspended and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited or suspended;

 

  (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, other property, and other amounts payable with respect to an Award shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the holder thereof or of the Committee;

 

  (vii) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award made under, the Plan;

 

  (viii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; and

 

  (ix) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.

(b) Committee Composition . If the Board in its discretion deems it advisable, the Board may provide that the Committee may consist solely of two or more “Outside Directors” as defined in the regulations under Section 162(m) of the Code and/or solely of two or more “Non-Employee Directors” as defined in Rule 16b-3.

(c) Committee Discretion Binding . Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all Persons, including the Company, any of its Affiliates, any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award, any shareholder and any Employee. The Committee may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan in the manner and to the extent the Committee deems necessary or desirable.

Section 4. Shares Available For Awards .

(a) Shares Available . Subject to adjustment as provided in this Section, the number of Shares with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan shall be 24,297,659 including shares issued or reserved since the initial adoption of the Plan. Such Shares may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued shares. If, after the effective date of the

 

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Plan, any Shares covered by an Award granted under the Plan (including any Substitute Award) or to which such an Award relates are forfeited, or if such an Award is settled for cash or otherwise terminates or is canceled without the delivery of Shares, then the Shares covered by such Award, or to which such Award relates, shall again become Shares with respect to which Awards may be granted. In addition, Shares tendered in satisfaction or partial satisfaction of the exercise price of any Award or any tax withholding obligations will again become Shares with respect to which Awards may be granted.

(b) Adjustments . In the event of any change in the outstanding Shares by reason of any Share dividend, Share split, reverse Share split, reorganization, recapitalization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, spin-off, combination, transaction or exchange of Shares, or other corporate exchange, or any cash dividend or distribution to shareholders other than ordinary cash dividends or any transaction similar to the foregoing, the Committee shall make such proportionate substitution or adjustment, if any, as it deems to be equitable (subject to Section 13), as to (i) the number or kind of Shares or other securities issued or reserved for issuance pursuant to the Plan or pursuant to outstanding Awards, (ii) the Exercise Price of any Option and/or (iii) any other affected terms of such Awards; provided , that, for the avoidance of doubt, in the case of the occurrence of any of the foregoing events that is an “equity restructuring” (within the meaning of the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standard Codification (ASC) Section 718, Compensation — Stock Compensation (FASB ASC 718)), the Committee shall make an equitable adjustment to outstanding Awards to reflect such event; and provided , further, that in the case of any Share dividend, Share split or reverse split, recapitalization, combination, reclassification or other distribution of the Company’s equity securities with respect to the Shares without receipt of consideration by the Company, the Committee shall make a proportionate adjustment.

(c) Substitute Awards . Any Shares underlying Substitute Awards shall not be counted against the Shares authorized for issuance under the Plan and shall, subject to existing corporate authorities, increase the number of Shares available for issuance hereunder, unless determined otherwise by the Committee.

Section 5. Eligibility .

(a) General . Any Employee, Consultant or Director shall be eligible to be selected by the Committee to receive an Award under the Plan.

(b) Incentive Share Options . Only Employees who are U.S. taxpayers shall be eligible for the grant of Incentive Share Options.

(c) Non-Employee Directors . Awards may be granted to Non-Employee Directors in accordance with the policies established from time to time by the Board specifying the number of shares (if any) to be subject to each such Award and the time(s) at which such awards shall be granted. Awards granted to Non-Employee Directors shall be on terms and conditions determined by the Board, subject to the provisions of the Plan.

 

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Section 6. Options .

(a) Grants . The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants with the terms and conditions set forth in this Section and with such additional terms and conditions, in either case not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine.

(b) Type of Option . The Committee shall have the authority to grant Incentive Share Options to U.S. taxpayers or to grant Non-Qualified Share Options to any Participant, or both. In the case of Incentive Share Options, the terms and conditions of such grants shall be subject to and comply with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code, as from time to time amended, or any successor provision thereto, and any regulations implementing such statute.

(c) Exercise Price . The Committee in its sole discretion shall establish the Exercise Price at the time each Option is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Exercise Price of any Option granted shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value at the time the Option is granted.

(d) Exercise . Each Option shall be exercisable at such times and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee may, in its sole discretion, specify in the applicable Award Agreement or thereafter. The Committee may impose such conditions with respect to the exercise of Options, including without limitation, any relating to the application of U.S. federal or state securities laws, or those of any other jurisdiction, as it may deem necessary or advisable.

(e) Payment . No Shares shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option until payment in full of the exercise price is received by the Company, together with any documentation required by the Company and any applicable taxes. Such payment may be made:

 

  (i) in cash;

 

  (ii) if approved by the Committee, in Shares (the value of such Shares shall be their Fair Market Value on the date of exercise) owned by the Participant for the period required to avoid a charge to the Company’s earnings (which is generally six months);

 

  (iii) if approved by the Committee, by a combination of the foregoing;

 

  (iv) if approved by the Committee, in accordance with a cashless exercise program; or

 

  (v) in such other manner as permitted by the Committee at the time of grant or thereafter (including, without limitation, through net settlement in Shares).

Section 7. Other Share-based Awards . The Committee is hereby authorized to grant to Participants awards of restricted shares, restricted share units, rights to purchase shares, warrants, rights to dividends and dividend equivalents and other awards that are denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to, Shares (including, without limitation, securities convertible into Shares) as are deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the

 

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Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards. Shares or other securities delivered pursuant to a purchase right granted under this Section shall be purchased for such consideration, which may be paid by such method or methods and in such form or forms, including, without limitation, cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, or other property, or any combination thereof, as the Committee shall determine.

Section 8. Effect Of Termination Of Employment Or Service .

(a) Termination of Employment or Service . Except as the Committee may otherwise provide at the time the Award is granted or thereafter, or as required to comply with applicable law, if a Participant’s employment or service with the Company and its Affiliates is terminated by Participant or by the Company for any reason (other than death or Disability or by the Company for Cause), then vesting shall immediately cease and, to the extent vested as of the date of termination, an Award may be retained and, if applicable, exercised until the earlier of (i) the date three months (or such longer or shorter period, if any, specified in the applicable Award Agreement or Employment Agreement) after such termination of employment or service or (ii) the date such Award would have expired had it not been for the termination of employment or service, after which time, in either case, the Award shall expire.

(b) Death or Disability . Except as the Committee may otherwise provide at the time the Award is granted or thereafter, or as required to comply with applicable law, if a Participant’s employment or service with the Company and its Affiliates is terminated by reason of death or Disability, then vesting shall immediately cease and, to the extent vested as of the date of termination, the Award may be retained and, if applicable, exercised by the Participant or his successor (if employment or service is terminated by death) until the earlier of (i) the date one year after such termination of employment or service or (ii) the date such Award would have expired had it not been for the termination of such employment or service, after which time, in either case, the Award shall expire.

(c) Cause . Except as the Committee may otherwise provide at the time the Award is granted or thereafter, or as required to comply with applicable law, if a Participant’s employment or service with the Company and its Affiliates is terminated by the Company or an Affiliate for Cause, all Awards held by such Participant shall be forfeited and shall expire immediately on the date of termination.

Section 9. Amendment and Termination .

(a) Amendment or Termination of the Plan . The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided that (i) no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination shall be made without shareholder approval if such approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement with which the Board deems it necessary or desirable to qualify or comply and (ii) any amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, or termination that would adversely affect the rights of a Participant with respect to any outstanding Award shall not to that extent be effective with respect to such Award without the consent of the affected Participant, holder or beneficiary, except as otherwise provided in Section 10 below or elsewhere in the Plan. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Committee may amend the Plan in such manner as may be necessary so as to have the Plan conform with local rules and regulations in any jurisdiction outside the United States.

 

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(b) Amendment or Termination of Awards . Subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, any Award theretofore granted, prospectively or retroactively; provided that any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would adversely affect the rights of a Participant shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant, holder or beneficiary, except as otherwise provided in Section 10 below or elsewhere in the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement.

Section 10. Corporate Transactions .

(a) Change in Control . Any provision of this Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event of a Change in Control, the Committee, in its sole discretion, (i) may cause any outstanding Award to be (A) continued by the Company, (B) assumed, or substituted with a substantially equivalent award, by the successor company (or its parent or any of its subsidiaries), or (C) canceled in consideration of a cash payment or alternative Award, if applicable, made to the holder of such canceled Award equal in value to the excess, if any, of the value of the consideration to be paid in the Change in Control transaction, directly or indirectly, to holders of the same number of Shares subject to such Award (the “ Deal Consideration ”) (or if no consideration is paid in any such transaction, the Fair Market Value of such canceled Award) over the aggregate exercise price; provided, however , that the Committee may determine that only holders of vested Awards shall receive any such cash payment or alternative Award; and further provided , that any Award with an aggregate exercise price that equals or exceeds the Deal Consideration (or if no consideration is paid in any such transaction, the Fair Market Value of such canceled Award) shall be canceled without payment or consideration thereof; or (ii) may take any other action or actions with respect to the outstanding Awards that it deems appropriate. Any Award (or any portion thereof) not continued or assumed by the Company or the successor company (or its parent or any of its subsidiaries), as applicable, pursuant to the foregoing shall terminate on such Change in Control and the holder thereof shall be entitled to no consideration for such Award.

(b) Dissolution or Liquidation . In the event of a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, then all outstanding Awards shall terminate immediately prior to such event.

Section 11. General Provisions .

(a) Dividend Equivalents . In the sole and complete discretion of the Committee, an Award may provide the Participant with dividends or dividend equivalents, payable in cash, Shares, other securities or other property on a current or deferred basis.

(b) Nontransferability of Awards . Except to the extent otherwise provided in an Award Agreement or as determined by the Committee (except with respect to Incentive Share Options), no Award shall be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

 

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(c) No Rights to Awards . No Employee, Participant or other Person shall have any claim to be granted any Award, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Employees, Participants, or holders or beneficiaries of Awards. The terms and conditions of Awards need not be the same with respect to each recipient.

(d) Lock-up Period . Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, Shares shall not be issued under this Plan unless the Participant agrees that he or she will not sell, transfer, make any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or enter into any hedging or similar transaction with the same economic effect as a sale, any Shares (or other securities of the Company) held by the Participant prior to the date 180 days following the effective date of a registration statement with respect to any underwritten public offering by the Company of its securities as requested by the managing underwriters for such offering.

(e) Shares . No certificates will be issued in respect of the Shares unless the Board determines otherwise. Shares will be issued of record in the name of the Participant and registered on the Register of Members of the Company.

(f) Withholding . As a condition to the issuance of any Shares in satisfaction of an Award, a Participant may be required to pay to the Company or any of its Affiliates, and the Company or any Affiliate shall have the right and is hereby authorized (i) to withhold from any Award, from any payment due or transfer made under any Award or under the Plan or from any compensation or other amount owing to a Participant, the amount (in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, in each case if permissible under local law) of any applicable taxes, social contributions or other amounts required by applicable law in respect of the grant, exercise, lapse or vesting of an Award or any payment or transfer under an Award or under the Plan and (ii) to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Company to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such amounts.

(g) Award Agreements . Each Award hereunder shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement which shall be delivered to the Participant and shall specify the terms and conditions of the Award and any rules applicable thereto.

(h) No Limit on Other Compensation Arrangements . Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Company or any Affiliate from adopting or continuing in effect other compensation arrangements.

(i) No Right to Employment . The grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained in the employ or service of the Company or any Affiliate and shall not lessen or affect the right of the Company or its Affiliates to terminate the employment or service of a Participant.

(j) Rights as a Shareholder . Subject to the provisions of the applicable Award, no Participant or holder or beneficiary of any Award shall have any rights as a shareholder with respect to any Shares to be issued under the Plan until he or she has become the holder of such Shares.

(k) Governing Law . The validity, construction and effect of the Plan and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan and any Award Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands, without, to the fullest extent permissible thereby, application of the conflict of law principles thereof.

 

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(l) Severability . If any provision of the Plan or any Award is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any Person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, Person or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

(m) Other Laws . The Committee may refuse to issue or transfer any Shares or other consideration under an Award if, acting in its sole discretion, it determines that the issuance or transfer of such Shares or such other consideration might violate any applicable law or regulation or entitle the Company to recover the same under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, and any payment tendered to the Company by a Participant in connection therewith shall be promptly refunded to the relevant Participant, holder or beneficiary. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, no Award granted hereunder is, nor shall be construed as, an offer to sell securities of the Company, and no such offer shall be outstanding, unless and until the Committee in its sole discretion has determined that any such offer, if made, would be in compliance with all applicable requirements of the laws of the Cayman Islands, the U.S. federal securities laws and any other laws to which such offer, if made, would be subject.

(n) No Trust or Fund Created . Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Affiliate and a Participant or any other Person. To the extent that any Person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company or any Affiliate pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company or any Affiliate.

(o) No Fractional Shares . No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine whether cash or other securities or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated, or otherwise eliminated.

(p) Headings . Headings are given to the Sections and subsections of the Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan or any provision thereof.

(q) Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement . A Participant shall, as a condition precedent to the exercise or settlement of an Award, have executed and be in compliance with the Company’s (or its Affiliate’s) standard form of confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement.

 

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(r) Modification of Award Terms for non-U.S. Participants . The Committee shall have the discretion and authority to grant Awards with such modified terms as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate in order to comply with the laws of the country in which the Participant resides or is employed, and the Committee may establish a subplan under this Plan for such purposes.

(s) Company Governing Instruments . All Shares issued and/or vested pursuant to an Award or Substitute Award, or transferred thereafter, shall be held subject to the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company.

Section 12. Term of The Plan .

The Plan shall remain in effect until terminated by the Board under the terms of the Plan, provided that, in no event may Incentive Share Options be granted under the Plan later than ten years from the date the Plan was adopted by the Board (or as otherwise allowed by applicable law). Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in an applicable Award Agreement, any Award granted hereunder may, and the authority of the Board or the Committee to amend, alter, adjust, suspend, discontinue, or terminate any such Award or to waive any conditions or rights under any such Award shall, continue after the authority for grant of new Awards hereunder has been exhausted.

Section 13. Section 409A .

Notwithstanding other provisions of this Plan or any Award Agreements hereunder, no Award shall be granted, deferred, accelerated, extended, paid out or modified under this Plan in a manner that would result in the imposition of an additional tax under Section 409A of the Code upon a Participant. In the event that it is reasonably determined by the Committee that, as a result of Section 409A of the Code, payments in respect of any Award under the Plan may not be made at the time contemplated by the terms of the Plan or the relevant Award Agreement, as the case may be, without causing the Participant holding such Award to be subject to taxation under Section 409A of the Code, the Company will make such payment on the first day that would not result in the Participant incurring any tax liability under Section 409A of the Code. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to implement the provisions of this Section 13 in good faith; provided that neither the Company, the Committee nor any of the Company’s employees, directors or representatives shall have any liability to any Participant with respect to this Section 13.

 

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OPTION AGREEMENT

THIS OPTION AGREEMENT (the “ Agreement ”), made by and between SMART Global Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a Saleen Holdings, Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “ Company ”), and                     (the “ Optionee ”), is effective as of [date] (the “ Grant Date ”). Any capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning set forth in the SMART Global Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated 2011 Share Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”).

WHEREAS, as an incentive for the Optionee’s efforts during the Optionee’s employment with the Company and its Affiliates, the Company wishes to afford the Optionee the opportunity to purchase a number of Shares, pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan; and

WHEREAS, the Company wishes to carry out the Plan, the terms of which are hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this Agreement, pursuant to which the Committee has instructed the undersigned officers to issue the Option described below.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto do hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meaning set forth in the Plan.

ARTICLE II

GRANT OF OPTIONS

Section 2.1. Grant of Options

For good and valuable consideration, on and as of the Grant Date, the Company irrevocably granted to the Optionee an Option to purchase any part or all of an aggregate number of                     Shares, subject to the adjustment as set forth in Section 2.4 hereof (the “Option”).

Section 2.2. Exercise Price

Subject to Section 2.4 hereof, the per Share exercise price of the Shares covered by the Option shall be $     per Share.

Section 2.3. No Guarantee of Employment

Nothing in this Agreement or in the Plan shall confer upon the Optionee any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates, which are hereby expressly reserved, to terminate the Employment of the Optionee at any time

 

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for any reason whatsoever, with or without Cause, subject to the applicable provisions, if any, of the Optionee’s Employment Agreement (if any such agreement is in effect at the time of such termination). For purposes of this Agreement, “ Employment ” shall mean (i) the Optionee’s employment if the Optionee is an employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates, (ii) the Optionee’s services as a Consultant, if the Optionee is a Consultant, and (iii) the Optionee’s services as a non-employee member of the Board or the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of any Affiliate of the Company.

Section 2.4. Adjustments to Option

The Option shall be subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 9 of the Plan.

ARTICLE III

PERIOD OF EXERCISABILITY

Section 3.1. Vesting and Commencement of Exercisability

(a) Subject to the Optionee’s continued Employment, the Option shall vest and become exercisable with respect to __% of the Shares subject thereto on the first annual anniversary of the Grant Date (the “ Initial Vesting Date ”), and the remaining portion of the Option will vest over          years thereafter with         of the Shares subject to the Option vesting on each monthly anniversary of the Initial Vesting Date.

(b) No portion of the Option shall vest and become exercisable as to any additional Shares following the termination of the Optionee’s Employment for any reason, and the portion of the Option that is unvested and unexercisable as of the date of such termination shall immediately expire without consideration or payment therefor.

Section 3.2. Expiration of Option

If not previously exercised, the Option shall expire without consideration or payment therefor on the first to occur of the following events:

(a) the tenth anniversary of the Grant Date;

(b) the ninetieth day immediately following the date of the Optionee’s termination of Employment, if the Optionee’s Employment is terminated by the Company or its Affiliates, as applicable, without Cause or by the Optionee for any reason;

(c) the first anniversary of the date that the Optionee’s Employment is terminated due to the Optionee’s death or Disability; or

(d) immediately upon the date of the Optionee’s termination of Employment, if the Optionee’s Employment is terminated by the Company or its Affiliates, as applicable, for Cause.

 

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ARTICLE IV

EXERCISE OF OPTION

Section 4.1. Person Eligible to Exercise

Except as otherwise permitted by the Committee in writing, the Optionee is the only Person that may exercise the exercisable portion of the Option, unless and until the Optionee dies or suffers a Disability. After the Disability or death of the Optionee, the exercisable portion of the Option may, prior to the time when the Option expires under Section 3.2 hereof, be exercised by the Optionee’s personal representative, guardian or by any person empowered to do so under the Optionee’s will or under the then applicable laws of descent and distribution.

Section 4.2. Partial Exercise

Any exercisable portion of an Option or the entire Option, if then wholly exercisable, may be exercised in whole or in part at any time prior to the time when the Option or portion thereof expires under Section 3.2; provided , however , that any whole or partial exercise shall be for whole Shares only.

Section 4.3. Manner of Exercise

An Option, or any exercisable portion thereof, may be exercised solely by delivering to the Secretary of the Company at the Company’s principal office, all of the following prior to the time when the Option or such portion expires under Section 3.2:

(a) notice in writing signed by the Optionee or the other Person then entitled to exercise the Option or portion thereof, stating that the Option or portion thereof is thereby exercised, such notice complying with all applicable rules established by the Committee;

(b) full payment of the applicable aggregate exercise price (in cash, by check, by wire transfer or by a combination of the foregoing) for the Shares with respect to which such Option or portion thereof is exercised;

(c) a bona fide written representation and agreement, in a form satisfactory to the Committee, signed by the Optionee or other Person then entitled to exercise such Option or portion thereof, stating that the Shares are being acquired for the Optionee’s own account, for investment and without any present intention of distributing or reselling said Shares or any of them except as may be permitted under the Securities Act, and that the Optionee or other Person then entitled to exercise such Option or portion thereof will indemnify the Company against and hold it free and harmless from any loss, damage, expense or liability resulting to the Company if any sale or distribution of the Shares by such Person is contrary to the representation and agreement referred to above; provided , however , that the Committee may, in its reasonable discretion, take whatever additional actions it deems reasonably necessary to ensure the observance and performance of such representation and agreement and to effect compliance with the Securities Act and any other federal or state securities laws or regulations;

 

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(d) to the extent the Optionee is not already a party, the Optionee shall be required to become a party to the Saleen Holdings, Inc. Employee Investors Shareholders Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011, as may be amended from time to time (the “ Shareholders Agreement ”) pursuant to the terms thereof;

(e) in the event the Option or portion thereof shall be exercised pursuant to Section 4.1 by any Person or Persons other than the Optionee, appropriate proof of the right of such Person or Persons to exercise the Option; and

(f) full payment to the Company or any of its Affiliates, as applicable, of all amounts which, under federal, state, local and/or non-U.S. law, such entity is required to withhold upon exercise of the Option in cash (including by check or wire transfer).

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any subsequent transfer of Shares shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Shareholders Agreement and the Committee may require an opinion of counsel acceptable to it to the effect that any subsequent transfer of Shares acquired on exercise of the Option does not violate the Securities Act, and may issue stop-transfer orders covering such Shares. The written representation and agreement referred to in Section 4.3(c) above shall, however, not be required if the Shares to be issued pursuant to such exercise have been registered under the Securities Act, and such registration is then effective in respect of such Shares.

Section 4.4. Conditions to Issuance of Shares

The Company shall not be required to record the ownership by the Optionee of Shares purchased upon the exercise of an Option or portion thereof prior to fulfillment of all of the following conditions:

(a) the obtaining of approval or other clearance from any federal, state, local or non-U.S. governmental agency which the Committee shall, in its reasonable and good faith discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable;

(b) the lapse of such reasonable period of time following the exercise of the Option as the Committee may from time to time establish for reasons of administrative convenience or as may otherwise be required by applicable law; and

(c) to the extent the Optionee is not already a party, the Optionee shall be required to become a party to the Shareholders Agreement pursuant to the terms thereof.

Section 4.5. Rights as Shareholder

The Optionee shall not be, and shall not have any of the rights or privileges of, a shareholder of the Company in respect of any Shares purchasable in connection with the Option or any portion thereof unless and until a book entry representing such Shares has been made on the books and records of the Company.

 

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ARTICLE V

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 5.1. Administration

The Committee shall have the power to interpret the Plan and this Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules. All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee shall be taken in good faith and shall be final and binding upon the Optionee, the Company and all other interested persons. No member of the Committee shall be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or the Option. In its absolute discretion, the Board may at any time, and from time to time, exercise any and all rights and duties of the Committee under the Plan and this Agreement.

Section 5.2. Option Not Transferable

Except as otherwise permitted by the Committee in writing or provided in the Shareholders Agreement, neither the Option nor any interest or right therein or part thereof shall be subject to disposition by transfer, alienation, anticipation, pledge, encumbrance, assignment or any other means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy), and any attempted disposition thereof shall be null and void and of no effect; provided , however , that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, this Section 5.2 shall not prevent transfers by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution.

Section 5.3. Notices

Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company in care of its Secretary, and any notice to be given to the Optionee shall be addressed to the Optionee at the most recent address of the Optionee set forth in the personnel records of the Company or any of its Affiliates, as applicable. By a notice given pursuant to this Section 5.3, either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice which is required to be given to the Optionee, shall, if the Optionee is then deceased, be given to the Optionee’s personal representative if such representative has previously informed the Company of the representative’s status and address by written notice under this Section 5.3. Any notice shall have been deemed duly given when enclosed in a properly sealed envelope or wrapper addressed as aforesaid, deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

Section 5.4. Titles; Interpretation

Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement. Defined terms used in this Agreement shall apply equally to both the singular and plural forms thereof. 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 term “hereunder” shall mean this entire Agreement as a whole unless reference to a specific section or provision of this Agreement is made. Any reference to a Section, subsection and provision is to this Agreement unless otherwise specified.

 

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Section 5.5. No Right to Employment or Additional Options or Share Awards

The Option granted hereunder shall impose no obligation on the Company or any Affiliate to continue the Optionee’s Employment and shall not lessen or affect the Company’s or any Affiliate’s right to terminate such Employment. Neither the Optionee nor any other Person shall have any claim to be granted any additional Option or any other Share Award and there is no obligation under the Plan for uniformity of treatment of Participants, or holders of beneficiaries of Options or other Share Awards. The terms and conditions of the Option granted hereunder or any other Share Award granted under the Plan or otherwise and the Committee’s determinations and interpretations with respect thereto and/or with respect to the Optionee and any other Participant need not be the same (whether or not the Optionee and any such Participant are similarly situated). In addition, except as otherwise provided in the Optionee’s Employment Agreement, if the Optionee ceases to be an employee or other service provider to the Company or any of its Affiliates, as applicable, under no circumstances will the Optionee be entitled to any compensation for any loss of any right or benefit or prospective right or benefit under the Plan which the Optionee might otherwise have enjoyed whether such compensation is claimed by way of damages for wrongful dismissal or other breach of contract or by way of compensation for loss of office or otherwise. By accepting the Option granted hereunder, the Optionee acknowledges and agrees that the Option granted hereunder and any other Options or other Share Awards the Optionee has been awarded under the Plan and any other Options or other Share Awards the Optionee may be grated in the future, even if such Options or other Share Awards are made repeatedly or regularly, and regardless of their amount, (i) are wholly discretionary, are not a term or condition of Employment and do not form part of a or contract of Employment, or any other working arrangement between the Optionee and the Company or any of its Affiliates, (ii) do not create any contractual entitlement to receive future Options or other Share Awards or to continued Employment, and (iii) do not form part of salary or remuneration for purposes of determining pension payments or any other purposes, including, without limitation, termination indemnities, severance, resignation, redundancy, bonuses, long-term service awards, pension or retirement benefits, or similar payments, except as otherwise required by Applicable Law or as otherwise provided in the Optionee’s Employment Agreement.

Section 5.6. Data Privacy

(a) The Optionee hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of the Optionee’s personal data as described in this document by and among, as applicable, the Company and its Affiliates, (including any of their respective payroll administrators), wherever they may be located, (collectively, the “ Data Recipients ”) for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Optionee’s participation in the Plan. The Optionee understands that the Data Recipients will collect, hold, and process certain personal information about the Optionee (including, without limitation, name, home address, telephone number, date of birth, nationality and job detail and details of the Option granted hereunder and any other Share Award granted to the Optionee).

 

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(b) The Data Recipients will treat the Optionee’s personal data as private and confidential and will not disclose such data for purposes other than the management and administration of the Optionee’s participation in the Plan and will take reasonable measures to keep such personal data private, confidential, accurate and current.

(c) Where the transfer is to a destination outside the jurisdiction in which the Optionee resides, the Company and its Affiliates (including any of their respective payroll administrators) shall take reasonable steps to ensure that such personal data continues to be adequately protected and securely held. Nonetheless, by accepting the Option granted hereunder, the Optionee acknowledges that personal information about the Optionee may be transferred to a jurisdiction that does not offer the same level of protection as the jurisdiction in which the Optionee resides. The Optionee understands that he or she may request a list with the names and addresses of any potential recipients of the Data by contacting his or her local human resources representative. The Optionee authorizes the recipients to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the purposes of implementing, administering and managing the Optionee’s participation in the Plan, including any requisite transfer of such Data as may be required to a broker or other third party with whom he or she may elect to deposit any Shares of stock acquired upon exercise of this Option. The Optionee understands that Data will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage the Optionee’s participation in the Plan.

(d) The Optionee may, at any time, view their personal data, require any necessary corrections to it or withdraw the consent referenced in this Section 5.6 by contacting the Secretary of the Company. The Optionee understands, however, that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may affect his or her ability to participate in the Plan. For more information on the processing of personal data, including the consequences of the Optionee’s refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, the Optionee understands that he or she may contact his or her local human resources representative. If you are a Malaysian Participant, a translation in Malay of this Section 5.6 is attached hereto as Annex A .

Section 5.7. Nature of Grant

In accepting the grant, the Optionee acknowledges that:

(a) the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, unless otherwise provided in the Plan and this Option Agreement;

(b) the grant of this Option is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of options, or benefits in lieu of options, even if options have been granted repeatedly in the past;

(c) all decisions with respect to future option grants, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;

(d) the Optionee’s participation in the Plan shall not create a right to further employment with the Company or any of its Affiliates and shall not interfere with the ability of the Company or any of its Affiliates to terminate the Optionee’s Employment at any time with or without cause;

 

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(e) the Optionee is voluntarily participating in the Plan;

(f) this Option is an extraordinary item that does not constitute compensation of any kind for services of any kind rendered to the Company or its Affiliates, and which is outside the scope of the Optionee’s employment contract, if any;

(g) this Option and Option benefit is not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, end of service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement benefits or similar payments;

(h) in the event that the Optionee ceases to be an employee, director, or consultant, this Option grant will not be interpreted to form an employment contract or relationship with the Company or any of its Affiliates, and furthermore, this Option grant will not be interpreted to form an employment contract with the Company or any of its Affiliates;

(i) the future value of the underlying Shares is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty;

(j) if the underlying Shares do not increase in value, the Option will have no value;

(k) if the Optionee exercises his or her Option and obtains Shares, the value of those Shares acquired upon exercise may increase or decrease in value, even below the exercise price;

(l) no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from termination of the Option or diminution in value of the Option or Shares purchased through exercise of the Option resulting from termination of the Optionee’s Employment by the Company or any of its Affiliates (for any reason whatsoever and whether or not in breach of local labor laws) and the Optionee irrevocably releases the Company and its Affiliates from any such claim that may arise; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have arisen, then, by signing this Option Agreement, the Optionee shall be deemed irrevocably to have waived his or her entitlement to pursue such claim;

(m) in the event of involuntary termination of Employment (whether or not in breach of local labor laws), the Optionee’s right to exercise the Option after termination of Employment, if any, will be measured by the date of termination of the Optionee’s active Employment ( e.g. , active employment would not include a period of “garden leave” or similar period pursuant to local law), and will not be extended by any notice period mandated under local law; the Company shall have the exclusive discretion to determine when the Optionee is no longer actively employed for purposes of the Optionee’s Option grant; and

 

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(n) regardless of any action the Company or its Affiliates takes with respect to any or all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, payment on account or other tax-related withholding (“ Tax-Related Items ”), the Optionee acknowledges that the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items legally due by the Optionee is and remains the Optionee’s responsibility, and the Optionee shall pay to and indemnify and keep indemnified the Company and its respective Affiliates from and against Tax-Related Items that are attributable to the exercise or any benefit derived by the Optionee from any Option and that the Company and/or the Affiliate (i) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of this Option grant, including the grant, vesting or exercise of this Option, the subsequent sale of Shares acquired pursuant to such exercise and the receipt of any dividends; and (ii) do not commit to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Option to reduce or eliminate the Optionee’s liability for Tax-Related Items.

Section 5.8. Applicability of the Plan and the Shareholders Agreement

The Option and the Shares issued to the Optionee upon exercise of the Option shall be subject to all of the terms and provisions of the Plan and the Shareholders Agreement, to the extent applicable to the Option and such Shares. In the event of any conflict between this Agreement and the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall control. In the event of any conflict between this Agreement or the Plan and the Shareholders Agreement, the terms of the Shareholders Agreement shall control.

Section 5.9. Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement

The Optionee shall, as a condition precedent to the exercise or settlement of an Award, have executed and be in compliance with the Company’s (or its Affiliate’s) standard form of confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement.

Section 5.10. Tax Indemnity for U.K. Participants

Solely with respect to U.K. Participants, the Optionee:

(a) shall indemnify the Company and each of its Affiliates in respect of all liability to United Kingdom income tax (including taxation required to be deducted through the PAYE system) and both primary (employees’) and secondary (employers’) national insurance contributions, which arise as a consequence of or in connection with the exercise of any portion of the Option granted hereunder and hereby authorizes the Company or any of its Affiliates, as applicable, to deduct such amounts from any payments which are or, at any time in the future, become due to the Optionee and whether pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise; and

(b) hereby permits the Company or any of its Affiliates, as applicable, to sell at Fair Market Value such number of Shares allocated or allotted to the Optionee following exercise of any portion of the Option as will provide such entity with an amount equal to the United Kingdom tax for which such entity is obliged under the PAYE regulations to account to H.M. Revenue & Customs in consequence of the exercise of the Option (including, without limitation, primary and secondary national insurance contributions referenced in Section 4.6(a) above).

 

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Section 5.11. Malaysian Participants

So with respect to Malaysian Participants:

(a) If the Option is subject to Malaysian law, the Optionee shall be responsible to ensure that all payments made or to be made pursuant to the exercise of the Option shall comply with all applicable foreign exchange rules in Malaysia.

(b) The Shares issued to the Optionee under the Plan in Malaysia constitute or relate to an “excluded offer,” “excluded invitation” or “excluded issue” pursuant to Sections 229 and 230 of the Malaysian Capital Markets and Services Act 2007. To the extent applicable or required, copies of the Plan documents may be lodged with the Securities Commission of Malaysia. The Plan documents do not constitute, and may not be used for the purpose of, an offer, or or invitation to acquire, purchase or subscribe or issue of any securities requiring the registration of a prospectus with the Securities Commission in Malaysia under the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007.

Section 5.12. Language

If the Optionee has received this or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the translated version is different than the English version, the English version will control.

Section 5.13. Amendment

This Agreement may be amended only by a written instrument executed by the parties hereto, which specifically states that it is amending this Agreement.

Section 5.14. Governing Law

This Agreement shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the Cayman Islands.

Section 5.15. Severability

Any provision of this Agreement which is invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to that jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability, without affecting in any way the remaining provisions hereof in such jurisdiction or rendering that or any other provision of this Agreement invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any other jurisdiction.

[ Signature on next page .]

 

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SMART Global Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated 2011 Share Incentive Plan – Non US Participant

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been executed and delivered by the parties hereto.

 

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

 

Name:

Title:

Optionee:

 

Name:

 

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Restricted Share Unit Award Agreement

under the

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

Amended and Restated 2011 Share Incentive Plan

(As Amended and Restated as of August 19, 2014)

Date of Grant:

Name of Participant:                

Number of Units/Shares:    

SMART Global Holdings, Inc., an exempted company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “ Company ”), hereby grants the number of restricted share units (each representing the right to receive an ordinary share of the company (the “ Shares ”)) set forth above (the “ RSUs ”), as of the date of grant set forth above (the “ Grant Date ”), to the above-named participant (“ Participant ”) pursuant to Section 7 of the Company’s Amended and Restated Stock Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”) and subject to the terms and conditions thereof and hereof, in consideration for your services to the Company.

Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meanings as in the Plan. The terms and conditions of this Restricted Share Unit Award Agreement (this “ Agreement ”), to the extent not controlled by the terms and conditions contained in the Plan, are as follows:

1. Vesting . The RSU shall vest and the Shares shall become issuable as set forth on Exhibit A , provided, however, that upon a Change in Control, the RSUs shall become fully vested immediately preceding the effectiveness of such Change of Control.

2. Forfeiture of Unvested RSUs . Immediately upon termination of Participant’s service for any reason (including death or disability), any unvested RSUs shall be forfeited without consideration.

3. Conversion into Ordinary Shares .

(a) Subject to subsection (b) hereof, Shares issuable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement will be issued on, or as soon as practicable following, the applicable vesting date of the RSUs. As a condition to such issuance, Participant shall have satisfied his or her tax withholding obligations as specified in this Agreement and shall have completed, signed and returned any documents and taken any additional action that the Company deems appropriate to enable it to accomplish the delivery of the Shares. In no event will the Company be obligated to issue a fractional share. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the Company shall not be obligated to deliver any Shares during any period when the Company determines that the conversion of a RSU or the delivery of shares hereunder would violate any federal, state or other applicable laws and/or may issue shares subject to any restrictive legends that, as determined by the Company’s counsel, is necessary to comply with securities or other regulatory requirements, and (ii) the date on which shares are issued may include a delay in order to provide the Company such time as it determines appropriate to address tax withholding and other administrative matters.

 

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(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent the Participant is not already a party, the Participant shall be required to become a party to the SMART Global Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated Investors Shareholders Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2016, as may be amended from time to time (the “ Shareholders Agreement ”) pursuant to the terms thereof before any Shares shall be issued hereunder;

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any subsequent transfer of Shares shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Shareholders Agreement and the Committee may require an opinion of counsel acceptable to it to the effect that any subsequent transfer of Shares issued upon the vesting of the RSUs does not violate the Securities Act, and may issue stop-transfer orders covering such Shares.

4. Tax Treatment . Any withholding tax liabilities (whether as a result of federal, state or other law and whether for the payment and satisfaction of any income tax, social security tax, payroll tax, or payment on account of other tax related to withholding obligations that arise by reason of the RSUs) incurred in connection with the RSUs becoming vested and Shares issued, or otherwise incurred in connection with the RSUs, shall be satisfied in one of the following manners, at the election of Participant unless otherwise determined by the Company: (i) by the Company withholding a number of Shares that would otherwise be issued under the RSUs that the Company determines have a fair market value approximately equal to the minimum amount of taxes that the Company concludes it is required to withhold under applicable law or regulation (or such greater amount as may be permitted by the Company to the extent it determines such action would not result in adverse accounting consequences to the Company); or (ii) by payment by Participant to the Company in cash or by check in an amount equal to the minimum amount of taxes that the Company concludes it is required to withhold under applicable law or regulation (which amount shall be due on the first business day following the day the tax event arises unless otherwise determined by the Company). If the Shares are publicly traded at the time of the tax withholding event, the Company may permit or require the automatic sale by Participant of a number of Shares that are issued under the RSUs, which the Company determines is sufficient to generate an amount that meets the tax withholding obligations under applicable law or regulation, plus additional shares to account for rounding and market fluctuations, and payment of such tax withholding to the Company, and such Shares may be sold as part of a block trade with other Plan participants, Without limiting the foregoing, Participant hereby authorizes the Company to withhold such tax withholding amount from any amounts owing to Participant to the Company and to take any action necessary in accordance with this paragraph.

5. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Participant acknowledges and agrees that Participant is responsible for all taxes that arise in connection with the RSUs becoming vested and Shares being issued or otherwise incurred in connection with the RSUs, regardless of any action the Company takes pursuant to this Section. The RSUs are intended to be exempt from Section 409A of the Code under the short-term deferral exemption thereof, and therefore the Shares shall in no event be issued more than two and  1 2 months following the end of the taxable year of Participant or the Company (whichever is later) in which the corresponding RSUs become vested.

 

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6. Lock-up Period . Participant agrees that the Company (or a representative of the underwriter(s)) may, in connection with any underwritten registration of the offering of any securities of the Company under the Securities Act, require that Participant not sell, dispose of, transfer, make any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or enter into any hedging or similar transaction with the same economic effect as a sale, any Shares or other securities of the Company held by Participant, for a period of time specified by the underwriter(s) (not to exceed one hundred eighty (180) days) following the effective date of the registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act; provided that transactions pursuant to Section 4 hereof shall be exempt from any such lock-up request. Participant further agrees to execute and deliver such other agreements as may be reasonably requested by the Company and/or the underwriter(s) that are consistent with the foregoing or that are necessary to give further effect thereto. In order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to Participant’s Shares until the end of such period. The underwriters of the Company’s shares are intended third party beneficiaries of this Section and shall have the right, power and authority to enforce the provisions hereof as though they were a party hereto.

7. Restrictions on Transfer of Shares . Participant understands and agrees that the RSUs may not be sold, given, transferred, assigned, pledged or otherwise hypothecated by the holder. In addition, Participant understands and agrees that any Shares are subject to the applicable restrictions on transfer set forth in the Plan and in the Shareholders Agreement.

8. Certificates . Certificates issued in respect of the Shares shall, unless the Committee otherwise determines, be registered in the name of Participant and may be in electronic form. Such share certificate shall carry such appropriate legends, and such written instructions shall be given to the Company transfer agent, as may be deemed necessary or advisable by counsel to the Company in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, any state securities laws or any other applicable laws or the Shareholders Agreement.

9. Shareholder Rights . Participant will have no voting or other rights as the Company’s other shareholders with respect to the Shares until issuance of the Shares.

10. No Employment/Service Rights . Neither this Agreement nor the grant of the RSUs hereby confers on Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Affiliate or interferes in any way with the right of the Company or any Affiliate to determine the terms of Participant’s employment or service.

11. Terms of Plan, Interpretations . This Agreement and the terms and conditions herein set forth are subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Plan, which shall be controlling. All interpretations or determinations of the Committee and/or the Board shall be binding and conclusive upon Participant and his legal representatives on any question arising hereunder. Participant acknowledges that he has received and reviewed a copy of the Plan.

12. Notices . All notices hereunder to the party shall be delivered or mailed to the following addresses:

 

Page 26 of 27


If to the Company:

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

c/o SMART Modular Technologies, Inc.

Attn: Stock Plan Administrator

39870 Eureka Drive

Newark, California 94560

If to Participant:

At the address specified on the signature page or the last address for Participant in the Company’s records.

Such addresses for the service of notices may be changed at any time provided notice of such change is furnished in advance to the other party.

13. Entire Agreement . This Agreement contains the entire understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein. This Agreement together with the Plan supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

14. Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands, without application of the conflict of laws principles thereof.

15. Counterparts . This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

SMART GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.
By:  
Name:  

 

Title:   Chief Financial Officer
PARTICIPANT:
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Address:

 

 

 

 

 

Page 27 of 27

Exhibit 10.13

EXECUTION VERSION

AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

This AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “ Amendment ”), dated as of September 19, 2014, is made and entered into among SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc. (f.k.a. SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company (“ Holdings ”), SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “ Parent Borrower ”), SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., California corporation (the “ Co - Borrower ” and, together with the Parent Borrower, the “ Borrowers ” and each a “ Borrower ”), the other Lenders party hereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as Administrative Agent (the “ Administrative Agent ”). Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Credit Agreement (as defined below).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, the Borrowers, Holdings, the Administrative Agent and the other parties named therein are party to that certain Credit Agreement dated as of August 26, 2011, as amended prior to the date hereof (as so amended, the “ Credit Agreement ”);

WHEREAS, Section 9.02 of the Credit Agreement permits certain provisions of any Loan Document to be amended to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency with the consent of the Parent Borrower and the Administrative Agent;

WHEREAS, the amendments noted in Section One are ministerial changes to the administrative provisions that are inconsistent with operational requirements of the Administrative Agent, as successor agent;

WHEREAS, the Parent Borrower and the Administrative Agent have agreed to amend the Credit Agreement on the terms set forth herein;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

SECTION ONE. Amendments .

The Credit Agreement is hereby, effective as of the Amendment Effective Date, amended as follows:

 

  a. The definition of “Prime Rate” set forth in Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:


““ Prime Rate ” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by Barclays Bank PLC as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York City; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.”

 

  b. Section 2.03 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by replacing the lead in with the following:

“To request a Revolving Borrowing or Term Loan Borrowing, the applicable Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request in writing (a) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing (or, in the case of any Eurocurrency Borrowing to be made on the Effective Date, such shorter period of time as may be agreed to by the Administrative Agent) or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11.00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.05(f) may be given not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such written Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be by hand delivery or facsimile or other electronic transmission to the Administrative Agent signed by the applicable Borrower. Each such written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information:”

 

  c. Section 2.05(h) is hereby amended by replacing “by telephone (confirmed by hand delivery or facsimile)” with “in writing by hand delivery or facsimile or other electronic transmission”.

 

  d. Section 2.07(b) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

“To make an election pursuant to this Section, the applicable Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election in writing by the time that a Revolving Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if such Borrower were requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such written Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be by hand delivery, facsimile or other electronic transmission to the Administrative Agent signed by the applicable Borrower.”

 

-2-


  e. Section 2.07(c) is hereby amended by removing “telephonic and”.

 

  f. Section 2.10(d) is hereby amended by replacing “by telephone (confirmed by hand delivery or facsimile)” with “in writing by hand delivery or facsimile or other electronic transmission”.

 

  i. Section 2.11(e) is hereby amended by replacing “by telephone (confirmed by facsimile)” with “in writing by hand delivery or facsimile or other electronic transmission”.

 

  j. Section 2.11(f) is hereby amended by replacing “by telephone (confirmed by facsimile)” with “in writing by hand delivery or facsimile or other electronic transmission”.

 

  k. Section 9.01 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by replacing the lead in with the following:

“All notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier services, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by fax or other electronic transmission, as follows:”

SECTION TWO. Conditions to Effectiveness . This Amendment shall become effective as of the date first written above when, and only when, the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of this Amendment executed by the Administrative Agent, the Parent Borrower, the Co-Borrower and Holdings, this (such date, the “ Amendment Effective Date ”).

SECTION THREE. Reference to and Effect on the Loan Documents . On and after the Amendment Effective Date, each reference in the Credit Agreement to “this Agreement,” “hereunder,” “hereof” or words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement, shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement, as amended by this Amendment. The Loan Documents are and shall continue to be in full force and effect. The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not, except as expressly provided herein, operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of any Lender or any Agent under any of the Loan Documents, nor constitute a waiver of any provision of any of the Loan Documents. This Amendment shall constitute a Loan Document.

 

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SECTION FOUR. Execution in Counterparts . This Amendment 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 but one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Amendment by telecopier or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment.

SECTION FIVE. Governing Law . This Amendment shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York (without regard to the conflict of law principles thereof to the extent that the application of the laws of another jurisdiction would be required thereby).

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

EXECUTED AS A DEED BY
SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES (GLOBAL), INC.
By:  

/s/ Iain MacKenzie

  Name:   Iain MacKenzie
  Title:   Director
By:  

/s/ Trevor Dutcher

  Witness  
  Name:   Trevor Dutcher
  Title:   Sr. Corp Counsel
SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
By:  

/s/ Iain MacKenzie

  Name:   Iain MacKenzie
  Title:   CEO

EXECUTED AS A DEED BY

SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES (GLOBAL HOLDINGS), INC.

By:  

/s/ Iain MacKenzie

  Name:   Iain MacKenzie
  Title:   Director
By:  

/s/ Trevor Dutcher

  Witness  
  Name:   Trevor Dutcher
  Title:   Sr. Corp Counsel

[Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement]


BARCLAYS BANK PLC,
  as Administrative Agent
By:  

/s/ Christopher R. Lee

  Name:   Christopher R. Lee
  Title:   Assistant Vice President

[Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement]

Exhibit 10.14

EXECUTION VERSION

AMENDMENT NO. 3 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

This AMENDMENT NO. 3 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “ Amendment ”), dated as of December 4, 2015, is made and entered into among SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (as successor in interest to SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc. (f.k.a. SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc.)), a Cayman Islands exempted company (“ Holdings ’), SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “ Parent Borrower ”) and the Revolving Lenders party hereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as Administrative Agent (the “ Administrative Agent ”). Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Credit Agreement (as defined below).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, the Borrowers, Holdings, the Administrative Agent and the other parties named therein are party to that certain Credit Agreement dated as of August 26, 2011, as amended prior to the date hereof (as so amended, the “ Credit Agreement ”);

WHEREAS, Section 9.02(b) of the Credit Agreement permits amendments to or waivers of Section 6.12 (or any component definition thereof as it relates to Section 6.12) with the written approval of a Majority in Interest of the outstanding Revolving Commitments and permits amendments and waivers to cure ambiguities or defects with the consent of the Administrative Agent;

WHEREAS, the Administrative Agent, Holdings, the Parent Borrower and a Majority in Interest of the outstanding Revolving Commitments have agreed to amend Section 6.12 of the Credit Agreement (and certain component definitions thereof as they relate to Section 6.12) and the corresponding provisions of Section 4.02(c) of the Credit Agreement on the terms set forth herein;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

SECTION ONE. Amendments .

I. Section 4.02(c) of the Credit Agreement is hereby, effective as of the Amendment No. 3 Effective Date, amended by deleting the phrase “4.50 to 1.00” therein and replacing “the ratio in effect for the most recently ended Test Period at such time pursuant to Section 6.12.”


II. Section 6.12 of the Credit Agreement is hereby, effective as of the Amendment No. 3 Effective Date, amended by deleting it in its entirety and replacing it with the following:

6.12. Financial Covenant . If on the last day of any Test Period any Revolving Loans or more than $1,000,000 of Letters of Credit are outstanding (but not including any cash collateralized Letter of Credit exposure), the Parent Borrower will not permit the Secured Net Leverage Ratio to exceed 4.50 to 1.00 as of the last day of such Test Period (such ratio, the “ Base Ratio ”); provided that solely to the extent the Parent Borrower remains compliant with the Restricted Access Condition at all times during the Restricted Access Period, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio for the Test Period ending November 27, 2015 will be 5.50 to 1.00, for the Test Period ending February 26, 2016 will be 6.75 to 1.00 and for the Test Period ending May 27, 2016 will be 5.75 to 1.00 (such ratios, the “ Modified Ratios ”). For the avoidance of doubt, if the Parent Borrower is compliant with the Restricted Access Condition at all times up to the end of a Test Period ending during the Restricted Access Period and complies with the applicable Modified Ratio, but subsequently during the Restricted Access Period ceases to be compliant with the Restricted Access Condition, then the Base Ratio will be deemed to have been applicable for each Test Period completed during the Restricted Access Period. Accordingly, if the Parent Borrower would not have been compliant with the Base Ratio for such completed Test Period, it will be an immediate Event of Default under Section 7.01(d). Solely for purposes of calculating any Modified Ratio, the amount in the proviso to clause (b) of “Consolidated Total Net Debt” will be $50,000,000.

Restricted Access Period ” means the period from December 4, 2015 to and including August 26, 2016.

Restricted Access Condition ” means that since December 4, 2015, Holdings and the Parent Borrower have not, and have not permitted any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent to:

 

  (I) create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness in reliance upon Section 6.01(a)(i) (solely as it relates to Incremental Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.20), Section 6.01(a)(xiv), Section 6.01(a)(xix), Section 6.01(a)(xxiii) or Section 6.01(b) (solely as it relates to any of the foregoing provisions of 6.01(a)) (other than up to $4,000,000 of Indebtedness owing to any Governmental Authority of Brazil);

 

  (II) create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it in reliance upon Section 6.02(ix) or Section 6.02(xx) (other than Liens granted in the favor of any Person securing up to $4,000,000 of obligations owing to any Governmental Authority of Brazil);

 

-2-


  (III) make or hold any Investment in reliance upon Section 6.04(h), Section 6.04(l) (solely as it relates to Section 6.08(v) or (vii)), Section 6.04(m) or Section 6.04(p);

 

  (IV) sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any asset, including any Equity Interest owned by it or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to issue any additional Equity Interest in such Restricted Subsidiary, in each case in reliance upon Section 6.05(k);

 

  (V) to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment in reliance upon Section 6.08(a)(v) or Section 6.08(a)(vii);

 

  (VI) make or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) of or in respect of principal of or interest on any Junior Financing, or any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Junior Financing, or any other payment (including any payment under any Swap Agreement) that has a substantially similar effect to any of the foregoing, in each case in reliance upon Section 6.08(b)(iv); or

 

  (VII) obtain any waiver, amendment or modification to any Loan Document that has the effect of separately permitting an action that is intended to be restricted by the foregoing clauses (I) to (VI).

SECTION TWO. Conditions to Effectiveness . This Amendment shall become effective as of the date first written above when, and only when, the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of this Amendment executed by the Administrative Agent, a Majority in Interest of the Revolving Commitments, Holdings and the Parent Borrower (such date, the “ Amendment No. 3 Effective Date ”).

SECTION THREE. Reference to and Effect on the Loan Documents . On and after the Amendment No. 3 Effective Date, each reference in the Credit Agreement to “this Agreement,” “hereunder,” “hereof” or words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement, shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement, as amended by this Amendment. The Loan Documents are and shall continue to be in full force and effect. The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not, except as expressly provided herein, operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of any Lender or any Agent under any of the Loan Documents, nor constitute a waiver of any provision of any of the Loan Documents. This Amendment shall constitute a Loan Document.

 

-3-


SECTION FOUR. Execution in Counterparts . This Amendment 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 but one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Amendment by telecopier or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment.

SECTION FIVE. Governing Law . This Amendment shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York (without regard to the conflict of law principles thereof to the extent that the application of the laws of another jurisdiction would be required thereby).

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

-4-


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

EXECUTED AS A DEED BY
SMART WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Iain MacKenzie

  Name:   Iain MacKenzie
  Title:   Director, President & CEO
By:  

/s/ Bruce Goldberg

  Witness  
  Name:   Bruce Goldberg
  Title:   Vice President
SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES (GLOBAL), INC.
By:  

/s/ Iain MacKenzie

  Name:   Iain MacKenzie
  Title:   Director
By:  

/s/ Bruce Goldberg

  Witness  
  Name:   Bruce Goldberg
  Title:   Secretary

[Amendment No. 3 to Credit Agreement]


BARCLAYS BANK PLC,
  as Administrative Agent and Revolving Lender
By:  

/s/ Robert Chen

  Name:   Robert Chen
  Title:   Managing Director

[Amendment No. 3 to Credit Agreement]


DEUTSCHE BANK AG, NEW YORK BRANCH
By:  

/s/ Anca Trifan

  Name:   Anca Trifan
  Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Michael Winters

  Name:   Michael Winters
  Title:   Vice President

[Amendment No. 3 to Credit Agreement]


JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
By:  

/s/ J. Paul McDonnell

  Name:   J. Paul McDonnell
  Title:   Managing Director

[Amendment No. 3 to Credit Agreement]


JFIN REVOLVER CLO 2015 LTD.
By: Jefferies Finance LLC, as Portfolio Manager
By:  

/s/ J. Paul McDonnell

  Name:   J. Paul McDonnell
  Title:   Managing Director

[Amendment No. 3 to Credit Agreement]

Exhibit 10.15

AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

This AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “ Amendment ”), dated as of November 5, 2016, is made and entered into among SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (as successor in interest to SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc. (f.k.a. SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc.)), a Cayman Islands exempted company (“ Holdings ’), SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “ Parent Borrower ”) and the Lenders party hereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as Administrative Agent (the “ Administrative Agent ”). Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Credit Agreement (as defined below).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, the Borrowers, Holdings, the Administrative Agent and the other parties named therein are party to that certain Credit Agreement dated as of August 26, 2011, as amended prior to the date hereof (as so amended, the “ Credit Agreement ”);

WHEREAS, Section 9.02 of the Credit Agreement permits certain provisions of any Loan Document to be amended with the consent of the Parent Borrower and the Required Lenders;

WHEREAS, the Administrative Agent, Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Required Lenders have agreed to amend the Credit Agreement on the terms set forth herein;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

SECTION ONE. Amendment . As of the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date (a) the Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as set forth on Annex A hereto and (b) each of Schedules 6.01, 6.02, 6.04(e) and 6.09 thereto are hereby amended and restated in their entirety as set forth on Annex B hereto.

SECTION TWO. Conditions to Effectiveness . This Amendment shall become effective as of the date first written above (such date, the “ Amendment No. 4 Effective Date ”) when, and only when,

(a) the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of this Amendment executed by the Administrative Agent, each Term Lender, the Required Lenders, Holdings and the Parent Borrower;


(b) the Administrative Agent shall have received for the ratable account of the Term Lenders party hereto, an additional payment equal to $5,000,000, which additional payment shall be payable in the form of additional Term Loans of like aggregate principal amount;

(c) SMART Global Holdings, Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company or a Subsidiary thereof shall have made a common equity investment of at least $9,900,000 in cash to the Parent Borrower;

(d) 10,402,765 warrants to purchase ordinary shares of SMART Global Holdings, Inc. in the aggregate shall have been earned as of the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date and issued to the Term Lenders in each case pursuant to a Warrant Agreement substantially in the form of Annex C hereto, with each Term Lender receiving its pro rata portion of such warrants based on its pro rata share of the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan held by such Term Lender as of the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date;

(e) the representations and warranties of each Loan Party set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date; provided that, to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date; provided further that any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality”, “Material Adverse Effect” or similar language shall be true and correct in all respects on the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date or on such earlier date, as the case may be; and

(f) on the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date and immediately after giving effect to this Amendment, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

SECTION THREE. Representations and Warranties . This Amendment been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other action of each of Holdings and the Borrowers and, if required, action by the holders of each of Holdings’ or each Borrower’s Equity Interests. This Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by each of Holdings and the Borrowers and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of Holdings and the Borrowers, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law. SMART Global Holdings, Inc. has not issued any preferred Equity Interests.

SECTION FOUR. Reference to and Effect on the Loan Documents . On and after the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date, each reference in the Credit Agreement to “this Agreement,” “hereunder,” “hereof” or words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement, shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement, as amended by this Amendment. The

 

-2-


Loan Documents are and shall continue to be in full force and effect. The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not, except as expressly provided herein, operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of any Lender or any Agent under any of the Loan Documents, nor constitute a waiver of any provision of any of the Loan Documents. This Amendment shall constitute a Loan Document.

SECTION FIVE. Execution in Counterparts . This Amendment 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 but one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Amendment by telecopier or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment.

SECTION SIX. Governing Law . This Amendment shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York (without regard to the conflict of law principles thereof to the extent that the application of the laws of another jurisdiction would be required thereby).

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

-3-


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

EXECUTED AS A DEED BY
SMART WORLDWIDE HOLDING, INC.
By:  

/s/ Iain Mackenzie

  Name: Iain Mackenzie
  Title: President & CEO
By:  

/s/ Bruce Goldberg

  Witness
  Name: Bruce Goldberg
  Title: VP & CLO
SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES (GLOBAL), INC.
By:  

/s/ Iain Mackenzie

  Name: Iain Mackenzie
  Title: Director
By:  

/s/ Bruce Goldberg

  Witness
  Name: Bruce Goldberg
  Title: Secretary

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


BARCLAYS BANK PLC,
as Administrative Agent

By:  

/s/ Christopher M. Aitkin

  Name: Christopher M. Aitkin
  Title: Assistant Vice President

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Michael Willett

  Name: Michael Willett
  Title: Authorized Signatory

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment

Napier Park Select Master Fund LP.

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Jonathan Dorfman

  Name: Jonathan Dorfman
  Title: Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Ram Putcha

  Name: Ram Putcha
  Title: Managing Director

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
 

Wells Fargo Bank,

  as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Ben Casey

  Name: Ben Casey
  Title: V.P.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.

ALLIANCE BERNSTEIN HIGH INCOME FUND,

AB GLOBAL HIGH INCOME FUND,

ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN US HIGH YIELD

COLLECTIVE TRUST, ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN

HY POOLING PORTFOLIO

                                                          ,
as a Lenders
By:  

/s/ Devin Nomellini

  Name: Devin Nomellini
  Title: Senior Vice President
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
                                              .
as a Lender
 

            Banco do Brasil

            535 Madison Avenue - 34th Fl.

            New York, NY 10022

By:  

/s/ Joao Fruet

  Name: Joao Fruet
  Title: General Manager
By:  

/s/ Reinaldo Lima

  Name: Reinaldo Lima
  Title: Deputy General Manager

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.

Barclays Bank PLC,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Keith Baldrey

  Name: Keith Baldrey
  Title: Authorized Signatory
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
CPPIB Credit Investments III Inc.
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Ryan Selwood

  Name: Ryan Selwood
  Title: Authorized Signatory

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
D-Star Ltd.
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Jonathan Dorfman

  Name: Jonathan Dorfman
  Title: Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Ram Putcha

  Name: Ram Putcha
  Title: Managing Director

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approve the Amendment.
Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Anca Trifan

  Name: Anca Trifan
  Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Marcus M. Tarkington

  Name: Marcus M. Tarkington
  Title:   Director

 

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


JFIN REVOLVER CLO 2015 LTD.
By: Jefferies Finance LLC, as Portfolio Manager
By:  

/s/ J. Paul McDonnell

Name:   J. Paul McDonnell
Title:   Managing Director
JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
By:  

/s/ J. Paul McDonnell

Name:   J. Paul McDonnell
Title:   Managing Director

 

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
Oaktree Value Opportunities Fund Holdings, L.P.
By:   Oaktree Value Opportunities Fund GP, L.P.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Value Opportunities Fund GP Ltd.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Director
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name:   Robert O’Leary
Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name:   Brook Hinchman
Title:   Senior Vice President
Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIII Delaware, L.P.
By:   Oaktree Fund GP, LLC
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Fund GP I, L.P.
Its:   Managing Member
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name:   Robert O’Leary
Title:   Authorized Signatory
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name:   Brook Hinchman
Title:   Authorized Signatory

 

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


Oaktree Huntington Investment Fund, L.P.
By:   Oaktree Huntington Investment Fund GP, L.P.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Huntington Investment Fund GP, Ltd.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Director
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name:   Robert O’Leary
Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name:   Brook Hinchman
Title:   Senior Vice President
Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIII (Parallel 2), L.P.
By:   Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIII GP, L.P.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIII GP Ltd.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Director
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name:   Robert O’Leary
Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name:   Brook Hinchman
Title:   Senior Vice President

 

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


Oaktree Opportunities Fund VIIIb Delaware, L.P.
By:   Oaktree Fund GP, LLC
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Fund GPI, L.P.
Its:   Managing Member
By:  

/s/ Robert O’Leary

Name:   Robert O’Leary
Title:   Authorized Signatory
By:  

/s/ Brook Hinchman

Name:   Brook Hinchman
Title:   Authorized Signatory

 

[Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement]


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
SSF Trust,
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

  Name: Gunther Stein
  Title: CIO
 
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
Nuveen Senior Income Fund,
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

  Name: Gunther Stein
  Title: CIO
 
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
Nuveen Short Duration Credit Opportunities Fund,
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

  Name: Gunther Stein
  Title: CIO
 
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund,
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

  Name: Gunther Stein
  Title: CIO
 
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund,
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

  Name: Gunther Stein
  Title: CIO
 
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
Symphony CLO VII, Ltd.,
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

  Name: Gunther Stein
  Title: CIO
 
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
California Street CLO V, Ltd.,
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

  Name: Gunther Stein
  Title: CIO
 
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
Symphony CLO IV, Ltd.,
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

  Name: Gunther Stein
  Title: CIO
 
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
California Street CLO III, Ltd.,
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

  Name: Gunther Stein
  Title: CIO
 
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
California Street CLO II, Ltd.,
By: Symphony Asset Management LLC
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Gunther Stein

  Name: Gunther Stein
  Title: CIO
 
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
BlueMountain CLO II, Ltd.,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Ellen Brooks

  Name: Ellen Brooks
  Title:   Operations Analyst


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
BlueMountain CLO III, Ltd.,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Ellen Brooks

  Name: Ellen Brooks
  Title: Operations Analyst


The undersigned Lender hereby irrevocably and unconditionally approves the Amendment.
BlueMountain CLO 2011-1, Ltd.,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Ellen Brooks

  Name: Ellen Brooks
  Title:   Operations Analyst


Annex A

[See attached]

Exhibit 10.16

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of

November 5, 2016,

among

SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc. as successor to

SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc. (formerly known as

SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc.),

as Holdings,

SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc.,

as Parent Borrower,

SMART Modular Technologies, Inc.,

as Co-Borrower,

The Lenders Party Hereto

and

BARCLAYS BANK PLC,

as Administrative Agent

BARCLAYS BANK PLC,

Lead Arranger and Bookrunner,

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS

  

SECTION 1.01.

   Defined Terms      1  

SECTION 1.02.

   Classification of Loans and Borrowings      42  

SECTION 1.03.

   Terms Generally      42  

SECTION 1.04.

   Accounting Terms; GAAP      42  

SECTION 1.05.

   Effectuation of Transactions      43  

SECTION 1.06.

   Currency Translation      43  

SECTION 1.07.

   Effect of this Agreement on the Original Credit Agreement and the Other Existing Loan Documents      43  

ARTICLE II

 

THE CREDITS

  

SECTION 2.01.

   Commitments      43  

SECTION 2.02.

   Loans and Borrowings      44  

SECTION 2.03.

   Requests for Borrowings      44  

SECTION 2.04.

   Swingline Loans      45  

SECTION 2.05.

   Letters of Credit and Bank Guarantees      46  

SECTION 2.06.

   Funding of Borrowings      50  

SECTION 2.07.

   Interest Elections      51  

SECTION 2.08.

   Termination and Reduction of Commitments      52  

SECTION 2.09.

   Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt      53  

SECTION 2.10.

   Amortization of Term Loans      53  

SECTION 2.11.

   Prepayment of Loans      54  

SECTION 2.12.

   Fees      61  

SECTION 2.13.

   Interest      62  

SECTION 2.14.

   Alternate Rate of Interest      63  

SECTION 2.15.

   Increased Costs      63  

SECTION 2.16.

   Break Funding Payments      64  

SECTION 2.17.

   Taxes      64  

SECTION 2.18.

   Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Setoffs      67  

SECTION 2.19.

   Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders      68  

SECTION 2.20.

   [Intentionally Omitted]      69  

SECTION 2.21.

   Refinancing Amendments      69  

SECTION 2.22.

   Defaulting Lenders      70  

SECTION 2.23.

   Illegality      71  

SECTION 2.24.

   Tax Treatment      72  
ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES   

SECTION 3.01.

   Organization; Powers      73  

SECTION 3.02.

   Authorization; Enforceability      73  

SECTION 3.03.

   Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts      73  

SECTION 3.04.

   Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Effect      73  

SECTION 3.05.

   Properties      74  

SECTION 3.06.

   Litigation and Environmental Matters      74  

SECTION 3.07.

   Compliance with Laws and Agreements      75  

 

-i-


SECTION 3.08.

   Investment Company Status      75  

SECTION 3.09.

   Taxes      75  

SECTION 3.10.

   ERISA      75  

SECTION 3.11.

   Disclosure      75  

SECTION 3.12.

   Subsidiaries      75  

SECTION 3.13.

   Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.      75  

SECTION 3.14.

   Solvency      76  

SECTION 3.15.

   Senior Indebtedness      76  

SECTION 3.16.

   Federal Reserve Regulations      76  

SECTION 3.17.

   Use of Proceeds      76  

ARTICLE IV

 

CONDITIONS

  

SECTION 4.01.

   Effective Date      76  

SECTION 4.02.

   Each Credit Event      79  

ARTICLE V

 

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

  

SECTION 5.01.

   Financial Statements and Other Information      79  

SECTION 5.02.

   Notices of Material Events      82  

SECTION 5.03.

   Information Regarding Collateral      83  

SECTION 5.04.

   Existence; Conduct of Business      83  

SECTION 5.05.

   Payment of Taxes, etc.      83  

SECTION 5.06.

   Maintenance of Properties      83  

SECTION 5.07.

   Insurance      83  

SECTION 5.08.

   Books and Records; Inspection and Audit Rights      84  

SECTION 5.09.

   Compliance with Laws      84  

SECTION 5.10.

   Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit      84  

SECTION 5.11.

   Additional Subsidiaries      84  

SECTION 5.12.

   Further Assurances      84  

SECTION 5.13.

   Ratings      85  

SECTION 5.14.

   Certain Post-Closing Obligations      85  

SECTION 5.15.

   Storage Monetization      85  

SECTION 5.16.

   Designation of Subsidiaries      85  

SECTION 5.17.

   Post-Restatement Effective Date Actions      86  
ARTICLE VI NEGATIVE COVENANTS   

SECTION 6.01.

   Indebtedness; Certain Equity Securities      87  

SECTION 6.02.

   Liens      89  

SECTION 6.03.

   Fundamental Changes; Holding Companies      90  

SECTION 6.04.

   Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions      93  

SECTION 6.05.

   Asset Sales      94  

SECTION 6.06.

   Sale and Leaseback Transactions      95  

SECTION 6.07.

   Swap Agreements      96  

SECTION 6.08.

   Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness      96  

SECTION 6.09.

   Transactions with Affiliates      97  

SECTION 6.10.

   Restrictive Agreements      98  

SECTION 6.11.

   Amendment of Junior Financing      99  

SECTION 6.12.

   Financial Covenants      99  

SECTION 6.13.

   Changes in Fiscal Periods      99  

 

-ii-


ARTICLE VII

 

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

  

SECTION 7.01.

   Events of Default      99  

SECTION 7.02.

   Right to Cure      101  

SECTION 7.03.

   Application of Proceeds      102  

ARTICLE VIII THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

ARTICLE IX

  
MISCELLANEOUS   

SECTION 9.01.

   Notices      105  

SECTION 9.02.

   Waivers; Amendments      106  

SECTION 9.03.

   Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver      109  

SECTION 9.04.

   Successors and Assigns      110  

SECTION 9.05.

   Survival      114  

SECTION 9.06.

   Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness      115  

SECTION 9.07.

   Severability      115  

SECTION 9.08.

   Right of Setoff      115  

SECTION 9.09.

   Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process      115  

SECTION 9.10.

   WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL      116  

SECTION 9.11.

   Headings      116  

SECTION 9.12.

   Confidentiality      116  

SECTION 9.13.

   USA Patriot Act      117  

SECTION 9.14.

   Judgment Currency      117  

SECTION 9.15.

   Release of Liens and Guarantees      117  

SECTION 9.16.

   No Fiduciary Relationship      118  

SECTION 9.17.

   Obligation Joint and Several      118  

SECTION 9.18.

   Acknowledgment and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions      118  

 

-iii-


SCHEDULES:

 

Schedule 1.01(a)

Schedule 1.01(b)

Schedule 2.01

Schedule 3.12

Schedule 5.14

Schedule 6.01

Schedule 6.02

Schedule 6.04(e)

Schedule 6.09

Schedule 6.10

  

    

Excluded Subsidiaries

Existing Letters of Credit

Commitments

Subsidiaries

Certain Post-Closing Obligations

Existing Indebtedness

Existing Liens

Existing Investments

Existing Affiliate Transactions

Existing Restrictions

EXHIBITS:        

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Exhibit C

  

    

Form of Assignment and Assumption

Form of Guarantee Agreement

[Reserved]

Exhibit D

Exhibit E

  

    

Form of Perfection Certificate

Form of Collateral Agreement

Exhibit F-1         Form of Opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Exhibit F-2         Form of Opinion of Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga Advogados
Exhibit F-3         Form of Opinion of Walkers Global

Exhibit F-4

Exhibit F-5

  

    

Form of Opinion of De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek

Form of Opinion of Elvinger, Hoss & Prussen

Exhibit G         Form of First Lien Intercreditor Agreement

Exhibit H

Exhibit I

       

Form of Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement

Form of Closing Certificate

Exhibit J         Form of Intercompany Note

Exhibit K

Exhibit L

  

    

Form of Specified Discount Prepayment Notice

Form of Specified Discount Prepayment Response

Exhibit M         Form of Discount Range Prepayment Notice
Exhibit N         Form of Discount Range Prepayment Offer

Exhibit O

Exhibit P

  

    

Form of Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice

Form of Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer

Exhibit Q         Form of Acceptance and Prepayment Notice
Exhibit R-1         Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Non-U.S. Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit R-2         Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Non-U.S. Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit R-3         Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Non-U.S. Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit R-4         Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Non-U.S. Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

 

-iv-


AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of November 5, 2016 (this “ Agreement ”), among SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc. as successor to SMART Modular Technologies (Global Holdings), Inc. (formerly known as SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company (“ Holdings ”), SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “ Parent Borrower ”), SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., California corporation (the “ Co- Borrower ” and, together with the Parent Borrower, the “ Borrowers ” and each a “ Borrower ”), the LENDERS party hereto and BARCLAYS BANK PLC, as Administrative Agent.

WHEREAS, Borrowers, the Lenders and the Agent are party to a credit agreement dated as of August 26, 2011 (as amended prior to the date hereof, the “ Original Credit Agreement ”) and have agreed to amend and restate in its entirety the Original Credit Agreement and replace it in its entirety with this Agreement; and

NOW THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

ABR ”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

Acceptable Discount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D).

Acceptable Prepayment Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D).

Acceptance and Prepayment Notice ” means an irrevocable written notice from a Term Lender accepting a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer to make a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment at the Acceptable Discount specified therein pursuant to Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D) substantially in the form of Exhibit Q .

Acceptance Date ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.11 (a)(ii)(D).

Acquired EBITDA ” means, with respect to any Acquired Entity or Business or any Converted Restricted Subsidiary (any of the foregoing, a “ Pro Forma Entity ”) for any period, the amount for such period of Consolidated EBITDA of such Pro Forma Entity (determined as if references to the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the definition of the term “Consolidated EBITDA” were references to such Pro Forma Entity and its subsidiaries which will become Restricted Subsidiaries), all as determined on a consolidated basis for such Pro Forma Entity.

Acquisition ” means the acquisition of the Target and its subsidiaries.

Acquisition Agreement ” means the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of April 26, 2011 among Holdings, Saleen Acquisition, Inc. and the Target.

Acquisition Documents ” means the Acquisition Agreement, all other agreements to be entered into between the Target or its Affiliates and Holdings or its Affiliates in connection with the Acquisition and all schedules, exhibits and annexes to each of the foregoing and all side letters, instruments and agreements affecting the terms of the foregoing or entered into in connection therewith.

Additional Lender ” means, at any time, any bank or other financial institution (including any such bank or financial institution that is a Lender at such time) that agrees to provide any portion of any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment in accordance with Section 2.21;


provided that each Additional Lender (other than any Person that is a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund of a Lender at such time) shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent (such approval in each case not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and the Parent Borrower.

Adjusted LIBO Rate ” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in dollars for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) equal to (i) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (ii) the Statutory Reserve Rate.

Administrative Agent ” means Barclays Bank PLC, in its capacity as administrative agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Article VIII. The Administrative Agent may from time to time designate one or more of its Affiliates or branches to perform the functions of the Administrative Agent in connection with Loans denominated in any currency other than dollars, in which case references herein to the “Administrative Agent” shall, in connection with Loans denominated in any such currency, mean any Affiliate or branch so designated.

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

Affiliate ” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly or indirectly Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

Affiliated Lender ” means, at any time, any Lender that is the Sponsor or an Affiliate of the Sponsor (other than Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any of their respective subsidiaries) at such time.

Agent ” means the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and any successors and assigns in such capacity, and “ Agents ” means two or more of them.

Agreement Currency ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.14(b).

Alternate Base Rate ” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus 1/2 of 1% and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) for a deposit in dollars with a maturity of one month plus 1%. For purposes of clause (c) above, the Adjusted LIBO Rate on any day shall be based on the rate appearing on the Reuters “LIBOR01” screen displaying British Bankers’ Association Interest Settlement Rates (or on any successor or substitute screen provided by Reuters, or any successor to or substitute for such service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on such screen, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to such day for deposits in dollars with a maturity of one month. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) with respect to Term Loans, the Alternate Base Rate will be deemed to be 2.25% per annum if the Alternate Base Rate calculated pursuant to the foregoing provisions would otherwise be less than 2.25% per annum and (ii) otherwise, the Alternate Base Rate will be deemed to be 2.00% per annum if the Alternate Base Rate calculated pursuant to the foregoing provisions would otherwise be less than 2.00%.

Applicable Account ” means, with respect to any payment to be made to the Administrative Agent hereunder, the account specified by the Administrative Agent from time to time for the purpose of receiving payments of such type.

Applicable Creditor ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.14(b).

Applicable Discount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(C).

 

-2-


Applicable Fronting Exposure ” means, with respect to any Person that is an Issuing Bank or a Swingline Lender at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate amount of all Letters of Credit issued by such Person in its capacity as an Issuing Bank (if applicable) that remains available for drawing at such time, (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements made by such Person in its capacity as an Issuing Bank (if applicable) that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of such Borrower at such time and (c) the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans made by such Person in its capacity as a Swingline Lender (if applicable) outstanding at such time.

Applicable Percentage ” means, at any time with respect to any Revolving Lender, the percentage of the aggregate Revolving Commitments represented by such Lender’s Revolving Commitment at such time (or, if the Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, such Lender’s share of the total Revolving Exposure at that time); provided that, at any time any Revolving Lender shall be a Defaulting Lender, “Applicable Percentage” shall mean the percentage of the total Revolving Commitments (disregarding any such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Commitment) represented by such Lender’s Revolving Commitment. If the Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Revolving Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments pursuant to this Agreement and to any Lender’s status as a Defaulting Lender at the time of determination.

Applicable Rate ” means, for any day, (a)(i) with respect to any Term Loan, (A) 7.00% per annum, in the case of an ABR Loan (which shall increase to 7.75% per annum the first anniversary of the Restatement Effective Date if the Term Loans are still outstanding as of such date), or (B) 8.00% per annum, in the case of a Eurocurrency Loan (which shall increase to 8.75% per annum on the first anniversary of the Restatement Effective Date if the Term Loans are still outstanding as of such date), and (b) with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurocurrency Loan (other than a Term Loan), the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “ABR Spread” or “Eurocurrency Spread”, as the case may be, based upon the Secured Leverage Ratio as of the end of the fiscal quarter of the Parent Borrower for which consolidated financial statements have theretofore been most recently delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 (a) or 5.01(b); provided that, for purposes of clause (b), until the date of the delivery of the consolidated financial statements pursuant to Section 5.01 (a) or 5.01(b) as of and for the fiscal quarter ended November 25, 2011, the Applicable Rate shall be based on the rates per annum set forth in Category 1:

 

Secured Leverage Ratio

   ABR
Spread
    Eurocurrency
Spread
 

Category 1

Greater than 2.25 to 1.00

     3.00     4.00

Category 2

Less than or equal to 2.25 to 1.00

     2.75     3.75

For purposes of the foregoing, each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Secured Leverage Ratio shall be effective during the period commencing on and including the Business Day following the date of delivery to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) of the consolidated financial statements and related Compliance Certificate indicating such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Applicable Rate, at the option of the Administrative Agent or the Majority in Interest of the Revolving Lenders, shall be based on the rates per annum set forth in Category 1 (i) at any time that an Event of Default under Section 7.01(a) has occurred and is continuing and shall continue to so apply to but excluding the date on which such Event of Default shall cease to be continuing (and thereafter, the Category otherwise determined in accordance with this definition shall apply) or (ii) if Holdings and the Parent Borrower fail to deliver the consolidated financial statements required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) or any Compliance Certificate required to be delivered pursuant hereto, in each case within the time periods specified herein for such delivery, during the period commencing on and including the day of the occurrence of a Default resulting from such failure and until the delivery thereof.

 

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Approved Bank ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of the term “Permitted Investments”.

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

Assignment and Assumption ” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any Person whose consent is required by Section 9.04), substantially in the form of Exhibit A or any other form reasonably approved by the Administrative Agent.

Auction Agent ” means (a) the Administrative Agent or (b) any other financial institution or advisor employed by a Borrower (whether or not an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent) to act as an arranger in connection with any Discounted Term Loan Prepayment pursuant to Section 2.11(a)(ii); provided that such Borrower shall not designate the Administrative Agent as the Auction Agent without the written consent of the Administrative Agent (it being understood that the Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation to agree to act as the Auction Agent).

Audited Financial Statements ” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Target and its subsidiaries for the fiscal years ended August 29, 2008, August 28, 2009 and August 27, 2010, and the related consolidated statements of income, changes in equity and cash flows of the Target and its subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.

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.

Board of Directors ” means, with respect to any Person, (a) in the case of any corporation, the board of directors of such Person or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such board, (b) in the case of any limited liability company, the board of managers or board of directors of such Person, (c) in the case of any partnership, the board of directors or board of managers of the general partner of such Person and (d) in any other case, the functional equivalent of the foregoing.

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

Borrower ” has the meaning provided in the preamble hereto.

Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment ” means the offer by a Borrower to make a voluntary prepayment of Term Loans at a specified discount to par pursuant to Section 2.11(a)(ii)(B).

Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offers ” means the solicitation by a Borrower of offers for, and the corresponding acceptance by a Term Lender of, a voluntary prepayment of Term Loans at a specified range at a discount to par pursuant to Section 2.11(a)(ii)(C).

Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers ” means the solicitation by a Borrower of offers for, and the subsequent acceptance, if any, by a Term Lender of, a voluntary prepayment of Term Loans at a discount to par pursuant to Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D).

 

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Borrowing ” means (a) Loans of the same Class and Type, made, converted or continued on the same date in the same currency and, in the case of Eurocurrency Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect, or (b) a Swingline Loan.

Borrowing Minimum ” means (a) in the case of a Revolving Borrowing, $1,000,000 and (b) in the case of a Swingline Loan, $100,000.

Borrowing Multiple ” means (a) in the case of a Revolving Borrowing, $1,000,000 and (b) in the case of a Swingline Loan, $100,000.

Borrowing Request ” means a request by a Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.

Brazilian Subsidiary ” means any subsidiary of the Parent Borrower organized or existing under the laws of Brazil.

Business Day ” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that when used in connection with a Eurocurrency Loan the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.

Capital Expenditures ” means, for any period, the additions to property, plant and equipment and other capital expenditures of the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries that are (or should be) set forth in a consolidated statement of cash flows of the Parent Borrower for such period prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Capital Lease Obligation ” means an obligation that is as a Capitalized Lease; and the amount of Indebtedness represented thereby at any time shall be the amount of the liability in respect thereof that would at that time be required to be capitalized on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP as in effect on the Effective Date.

Capitalized Leases ” means all leases that have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP as in effect on the Effective Date, recorded as capitalized leases.

Capitalized Software Expenditures ” means, for any period, the aggregate of all expenditures (whether paid in cash or accrued as liabilities) by the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period in respect of purchased software or internally developed software and software enhancements that, in conformity with GAAP, are or are required to be reflected as capitalized costs on the consolidated balance sheet of the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries.

Cash Management Obligations ” means obligations of Parent Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any overdraft and related liabilities arising from treasury, depository and cash management services or any automated clearing house transfers of funds.

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

Change in Control ” means (a) the failure of Holdings prior to the IPO, or, after the IPO, the IPO Entity, directly or indirectly through wholly-owned subsidiaries, to own all of the Equity Interest of the Parent Borrower, (b) prior to an IPO, the failure by the Permitted Holders to own, directly or indirectly through one or more holding company parents of Holdings, beneficially and of record, Equity Interests in Holdings representing at least a majority of the aggregate ordinary voting power for the election of directors of Holdings represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests in Holdings, unless the Permitted Holders otherwise have the right (pursuant to contract, proxy or otherwise), directly or indirectly, to designate or appoint (and do so designate or appoint) a majority of the Board of Directors of Holdings, (c) after an IPO, the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly,

 

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beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Exchange Act and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the Effective Date), other than the Permitted Holders, of Equity Interests representing 40% or more of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests in the IPO Entity and the percentage of the aggregate ordinary voting power so held is greater than the percentage of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the Equity Interests in the IPO Entity held by the Permitted Holders, (d) (i) if the IPO Entity is organized in the United States, at any time, and (ii) otherwise, prior to the IPO, the occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the Board of Directors of Holdings by Persons who were neither (i) nominated, designated or approved by the Board of Directors of Holdings or the Permitted Holders nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated, designated or approved or (e) the occurrence of a “Change of Control” (or similar event, however denominated), as defined in the documentation governing any Material Indebtedness.

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

Class ” when used in reference to (a) any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans, Other Revolving Loans, Term Loans, Other Term Loans or Swingline Loans, (b) any Commitment, refers to whether such Commitment is a Revolving Commitment, Other Revolving Commitment, Term Commitment or Other Term Commitment and (c) any Lender, refers to whether such Lender has a Loan or Commitment with respect to a particular Class of Loans or Commitments. Other Term Commitments, Other Term Loans and Other Revolving Commitments (and the Other Revolving Loans made pursuant thereto) that have different terms and conditions shall be construed to be in different Classes.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

Collateral ” means any and all assets, whether real or personal, tangible or intangible, on which Liens are purported to be granted pursuant to the Security Documents as security for the Secured Obligations.

Collateral Agent ” shall have the meaning assigned in the Collateral Agreement.

Collateral Agreement ” means the Collateral Agreement among the Co-Borrower, each other Domestic Subsidiary that is a Loan Party and the Administrative Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibit E .

Collateral and Guarantee Requirement ” means, at any time, the requirement that:

(a) the Administrative Agent shall have received from (i) Holdings, the Borrowers and each Subsidiary Loan Party either (x) a counterpart of the Guarantee Agreement duly executed and delivered on behalf of such Person or (y) in the case of any Person that becomes a Loan Party after the Effective Date (including by ceasing to be an Excluded Subsidiary), a supplement to the Guarantee Agreement, in the form specified therein, duly executed and delivered on behalf of such Person (ii) Holdings and each Domestic Subsidiary Loan Party either (x) a counterpart of the Collateral Agreement duly executed and delivered on behalf of such Person or (y) in the case of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary Loan Party after the Effective Date (including by ceasing to be an Excluded Subsidiary), a supplement to the Collateral Agreement, in the form specified therein, duly executed and delivered on behalf of such Person and (iii) each Foreign Subsidiary that is a Loan Party either (x) counterparts to one or more Foreign Collateral Agreements or Foreign Pledge Agreements or (y) in the case of a Foreign Subsidiary Loan Party that becomes such after the Effective Date, either counterparts to a new supplements to existing Foreign Collateral Agreements or Foreign Pledge Agreements, in each case that the Administrative Agent

 

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determines, based on advice of counsel, to be reasonably necessary in order for the Secured Obligations to be secured by all or substantially all tangible and intangible assets of such Foreign Subsidiary (including Mortgaged Properties, accounts receivable, moveable assets (including inventory and equipment), contract rights, intellectual property and other general intangibles and proceeds of the foregoing, but excluding Equity Interests other than Equity Interests required to be pledged pursuant to clause (b) below) in which a security interest may be obtained under the laws of the jurisdiction of organization of such Foreign Subsidiary, duly executed and delivered on behalf of such Person, in each case under this clause (a) together with, in the case of any such Loan Documents executed and delivered after the Effective Date, documents and opinions of the type referred to in Sections 4.01(b) and 4.01(c));

(b) all outstanding Equity Interests of each Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Equity Interests constituting Excluded Assets) owned by or on behalf of any Loan Party, shall have been pledged pursuant to the Collateral Agreement, a Foreign Collateral Agreement or a Foreign Pledge Agreement, and the Administrative Agent shall have received certificates or other instruments representing all such Equity Interests (if any), together with undated stock powers or other instruments of transfer with respect thereto endorsed in blank;

(c) if any Indebtedness for borrowed money (including in respect of cash management arrangements) of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Subsidiary in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or more is owing by such obligor to any Loan Party, such Indebtedness shall be evidenced by a promissory note that shall have been pledged pursuant to the Collateral Agreement, or a Foreign Collateral Agreement, as applicable, and the Administrative Agent shall have received all such promissory notes, together with undated instruments of transfer with respect thereto endorsed in blank;

(d) all certificates, agreements, documents and instruments, including Uniform Commercial Code financing statements, required by the Security Documents, Requirements of Law and reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be filed, delivered, registered or recorded to create the Liens intended to be created by the Security Documents and perfect such Liens to the extent required by, and with the priority required by, the Security Documents and the other provisions of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement”, shall have been filed, registered or recorded or delivered to the Administrative Agent for filing, registration or recording; and

(e) the Administrative Agent shall have received (i) counterparts of a Mortgage with respect to each Mortgaged Property duly executed and delivered by the record owner of such Mortgaged Property, (ii) to the extent applicable in the relevant jurisdiction (w) a policy or policies of title insurance in the amount equal to not less than 100% (or such lesser amount as reasonably agreed to by the Administrative Agent) of the fair market value of such Mortgaged Property and fixtures, as reasonably determined by the Parent Borrower and agreed to by the Administrative Agent, issued by a nationally recognized title insurance company reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent insuring the Lien of each such Mortgage as a first priority Lien on the Mortgaged Property described therein, free of any other Liens except as expressly permitted by Section 6.02, together with such endorsements (other than a creditor’s rights endorsement), coinsurance and reinsurance as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request to the extent available in the applicable jurisdiction at commercially reasonable rates, (x) such affidavits, instruments of indemnification (including a so-called “gap” indemnification) as are customarily requested by the title company to induce the title company to issue the title policy/ies and endorsements contemplated above, (y) evidence reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent of payment by the Parent Borrower of all title policy premiums, search and examination charges, escrow charges and related charges, mortgage recording taxes, fees, charges, costs and expenses required for the recording of the Mortgages and issuance of the title policies referred to above, (z) a completed “Life-of-Loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) Standard Flood Hazard Determination with respect to each Mortgaged Property subject to the applicable FEMA rules and regulations (together with a notice about special flood hazard area status and flood disaster assistance duly executed by the Parent Borrower and each Loan Party relating thereto), (iii) if any Mortgaged Property is located in an area determined by FEMA to have special flood hazards, evidence of such flood insurance as may be required under applicable law, including Regulation H of the Board of Governors and the other Flood Insurance Laws and as required under Section 5.07, and (iv) such legal opinions as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request with respect to any such Mortgage or Mortgaged Property.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this definition or anything in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to the contrary, (a) the foregoing provisions of this definition shall not require the creation or perfection of pledges of or security interests in, or the obtaining of title insurance, legal opinions or other deliverables with respect to, particular assets of the Loan Parties, or the provision of Guarantees by any Subsidiary, if, and for so long as and to the extent that the Administrative Agent and the Parent Borrower reasonably agree in writing that the cost of creating or perfecting such pledges or security interests in such assets, or obtaining such title insurance, legal opinions or other deliverables in respect of such assets, or providing such Guarantees (taking into account any material adverse Tax consequences to Holdings and its Affiliates (including the imposition of withholding or other material Taxes)), shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom, (b) Liens required to be granted from time to time pursuant to the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” shall be subject to exceptions and limitations set forth in the Security Documents as in effect on the Effective Date, (c) in no event shall control agreements or other control or similar arrangements be required with respect to deposit accounts, securities accounts, letter of credit rights or other assets requiring perfection by control (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, possession) and (d) in no event shall the Collateral include any Excluded Assets. The Administrative Agent may grant extensions of time for the creation and perfection of security interests in or the obtaining of title insurance, legal opinions or other deliverables with respect to particular assets or the provision of any Guarantee by any Subsidiary (including extensions beyond the Effective Date or in connection with assets acquired, or Subsidiaries formed or acquired, after the Effective Date) where it determines that such action cannot be accomplished without undue effort or expense by the time or times at which it would otherwise be required to be accomplished by this Agreement or the Security Documents.

Commitment ” means (a) with respect to any Lender, its Revolving Commitment, Other Revolving Commitment of any Class, Term Commitment, Other Term Commitment of any Class or any combination thereof (as the context requires) and (b) with respect to any Swingline Lender, its Swingline Commitment.

Compliance Certificate ” means a Compliance Certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01.

Consolidated EBITDA ” means for any period, the Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus :

(a) without duplication and to the extent already deducted (and not added back) in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, the sum of the following amounts for such period:

(i) total interest expense and, to the extent not reflected in such total interest expense, any losses on hedging obligations or other derivative instruments entered into for the purpose of hedging interest rate risk and any losses on the sale or receivables and related assets pursuant to a Permitted Receivables Factoring, net of interest income and gains on such hedging obligations or such derivative instruments, and bank and letter of credit fees and costs of surety bonds in connection with financing activities,

(ii) provision for taxes based on income, profits or capital, including federal, foreign and state income, franchise, and similar taxes based on income, profits or capital paid or accrued during such period (including in respect of repatriated funds),

(iii) depreciation and amortization (including amortization of Capitalized Software Expenditures and amortization of deferred financing fees or costs),

(iv) Non-Cash Charges,

 

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(v) extraordinary losses in accordance with GAAP,

(vi) non-recurring charges (including any unusual or non-recurring operating expenses directly attributable to the implementation of cost savings initiatives), severance, relocation costs, integration and facilities’ opening costs and other business optimization expenses, signing costs, retention or completion bonuses, transition costs, costs related to closure/consolidation of facilities and curtailments or modifications to pension and post-retirement employee benefit plans (including any settlement of pension liabilities); provided that the amount included in Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to this clause (vi) shall not exceed $10,000,000 in any Test Period and a maximum of $40,000,000 prior to the Latest Maturity Date, in each case, in the aggregate,

(vii) restructuring charges, accruals or reserves (including restructuring costs related to acquisitions after the Effective Date and adjustments to existing reserves); provided that the aggregate amount included in Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to this clause (vii) for any of the first four Test Periods after the Effective Date shall not exceed 10% of Consolidated EBITDA for any such Test Period (calculated prior to giving effect to any adjustment pursuant to this clause (vii)) and any Test Period thereafter shall not exceed 5% of Consolidated EBITDA for such Test Period (calculated prior to giving effect to any adjustment pursuant to this clause (vii)),

(viii) the amount of any non-controlling interest consisting of subsidiary income attributable to non-controlling interests of third parties in any non-wholly-owned subsidiary deducted (and not added back in such period to Consolidated Net Income) excluding cash distributions in respect thereof,

(ix) (A) the amount of management, monitoring, consulting and advisory fees, indemnities and related expenses paid or accrued in such period to (or on behalf of) the Sponsor (including any termination fees payable in connection with the early termination of management and monitoring agreements) and (B) the amount of expenses relating to payments made to option holders of Holdings or any of its direct or indirect parent companies in connection with, or as a result of, any distribution being made to shareholders of such person or its direct or indirect parent companies, which payments are being made to compensate such option holders as though they were shareholders at the time of, and entitled to share in, such distribution, in each case to the extent permitted in the Loan Documents,

(x) losses on asset sales, disposals or abandonments (other than asset sales, disposals or abandonments in the ordinary course of business),

(xi) the amount of any net losses from discontinued operations in accordance with GAAP,

(xii) any non-cash loss attributable to the mark to market movement in the valuation of hedging obligations (to the extent the cash impact resulting from such loss has not been realized) or other derivative instruments pursuant to Financial Accounting Standards Accounting Standards Codification No. 815-Derivatives and Hedging,

(xiii) any loss relating to amounts paid in cash prior to the stated settlement date of any hedging obligation that has been reflected in Consolidated Net Income for such period, and

(xiv) any gain relating to hedging obligations associated with transactions realized in the current period that has been reflected in Consolidated Net Income in prior periods and excluded from Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to clauses (d)(v) and (d)(vi) below;

plus

 

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(b) without duplication, the amount of additional “run rate” cost savings projected by the Parent Borrower in good faith to be realized as a result of specified actions initiated on or prior to the date that is 12 months after the Effective Date (including actions initiated prior to the Effective Date) (which cost savings shall be added to Consolidated EBITDA until fully realized and calculated on a Pro Forma Basis as though such cost savings had been realized on the first day of the relevant period), net of the amount of actual benefits realized from such actions; provided that (A) such cost savings are reasonably identifiable and quantifiable, (B) no cost savings shall be added pursuant to this clause (b) to the extent duplicative of any expenses or charges relating to such cost savings that are included in clauses (a)(vi) and (a)(vii) above or in the definition of the term “Pro Forma Adjustment” (it being understood and agreed that “run rate” shall mean the full recurring benefit that is associated with any action taken) and (C) the aggregate amount of cost savings added pursuant to this clause shall not exceed an amount equal to 15% of Consolidated EBITDA for any Test Period;

(c) without duplication, the amount of discretionary research and development costs incurred by the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries which are identified in good faith by the Parent Borrower to have been incurred specifically for the purposes of qualifying for a reduced tax rate or other tax incentive in Brazil and that were not required to support the Parent Borrower’s ongoing research and development activities; provided that (i) the aggregate amount of such costs added pursuant to this clause shall not exceed $15,000,000 in any Test Period and (ii) if the aggregate amount of such costs added pursuant to this clause with respect to any fiscal year of the Parent Borrower exceeds the tax benefit actually derived therefrom calculated by the Parent Borrower in good faith based on its annual tax returns, the amount of any such excess shall reduce Consolidated EBITDA in the fiscal quarter in which such annual tax returns are filed or, if earlier, in the fiscal quarter in which such excess is determined;

less

(d) without duplication and to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, the sum of the following amounts for such period:

(i) extraordinary gains and unusual or non-recurring gains,

(ii) non-cash gains (excluding any non-cash gain to the extent it represents the reversal of an accrual or reserve for a potential cash item that reduced Consolidated Net Income or Consolidated EBITDA in any prior period),

(iii) gains on asset sales, disposals or abandonments (other than asset sales, disposals or abandonments in the ordinary course of business),

(iv) the amount of any net income from discontinued operations in accordance with GAAP,

(v) any non-cash gain attributable to the mark to market movement in the valuation of hedging obligations (to the extent the cash impact resulting from such gain has not been realized) or other derivative instruments pursuant to Financial Accounting Standards Accounting Standards Codification No. 815-Derivatives and Hedging,

(vi) any gain relating to amounts received in cash prior to the stated settlement date of any hedging obligation that has been reflected in Consolidated Net Income in the such period,

(vii) any loss relating to hedging obligations associated with transactions realized in the current period that has been reflected in Consolidated Net Income in prior periods and excluded from Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to clauses (a)(xiii) and (a)(xiv) above, and

 

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(viii) the amount of any non-controlling interest consisting of subsidiary loss attributable to non-controlling interests of third parties in any non-wholly-owned subsidiary added (and not deducted in such period to Consolidated Net Income);

in each case, as determined on a consolidated basis for the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP; provided that, to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income,

(I) there shall be excluded in determining Consolidated EBITDA currency translation gains and losses related to currency remeasurements of indebtedness (including the net loss or gain resulting from hedging agreements for currency exchange risk and revaluations of intercompany balances),

(II) there shall be excluded in determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period any adjustments resulting from the application of Financial Accounting Standards Accounting Standards Codification No. 815-Derivatives and Hedging,

(III) there shall be included in determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period, without duplication, (A) the Acquired EBITDA of any person, property, business or asset acquired by the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period (other than any Unrestricted Subsidiary) whether such acquisition occurred before or after the Effective Date to the extent not subsequently sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of (but not including the Acquired EBITDA of any related person, property, business or assets to the extent not so acquired) (each such person, property, business or asset acquired, including pursuant to the Transactions or pursuant to a transaction consummated prior to the Effective Date, and not subsequently so disposed of, an “ Acquired Entity or Business ”), and the Acquired EBITDA of any Unrestricted Subsidiary that is converted into a Restricted Subsidiary during such period (each, a “ Converted Restricted Subsidiary ”), in each case based on the Acquired EBITDA of such Pro Forma Entity for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such acquisition or conversion) determined on a historical Pro Forma Basis and (B) an adjustment in respect of each Pro Forma Entity equal to the amount of the Pro Forma Adjustment with respect to such Pro Forma Entity for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such acquisition or conversion) as specified in a Pro Forma Adjustment certificate delivered to the Administrative Agent (for further delivery to the Lenders), and

(IV) there shall be (A) excluded in determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period the Disposed EBITDA of any person, property, business or asset (other than any Unrestricted Subsidiary) sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of, closed or classified as discontinued operations by the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period (including, in any event, the Storage Business) (each such person, property, business or asset so sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of, closed or classified, a “ Sold Entity or Business ”), and the Disposed EBITDA of any Restricted Subsidiary that is converted into an Unrestricted Subsidiary during such period (each, a “ Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary ”), in each case based on the Disposed EBITDA of such Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such sale, transfer, disposition, closure, classification or conversion) determined on a historical Pro Forma Basis and (B) included in determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period in which a Sold Entity or Business is disposed, an adjustment equal to the Pro Forma Disposal Adjustment with respect to such Sold Entity or Business (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such disposal) as specified in the Pro Forma Disposal Adjustment certificate delivered to the Administrative Agent (for further delivery to the Lenders).

Notwithstanding the foregoing, for all purposes of this Agreement, Consolidated EBITDA shall be deemed to equal (a) $33,444,000 for the fiscal quarter ended November 26, 2010, (b) $18,288,000 for the fiscal quarter ended February 25, 2011 and (c) $21,199,000 for the fiscal quarter ended May 27, 2011.

 

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Consolidated Net Income ” means, for any period, the net income (loss) of the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, excluding, without duplication, (a) extraordinary items for such period, (b) the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles during such period to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income, (c) Transaction Costs, (d) any fees and expenses (including any transaction or retention bonus) incurred during such period, or any amortization thereof for such period, in connection with any acquisition, Investment, asset disposition, issuance or repayment of debt, issuance of equity securities, refinancing transaction or amendment or other modification of any debt instrument (in each case, including any such transaction consummated prior to the Effective Date and any such transaction undertaken but not completed and all fees and expenses incurred during such period in connection with the performance of Section 5.17) and any charges or non-recurring merger costs incurred during such period as a result of any such transaction, (e) any income (loss) for such period attributable to the early extinguishment of Indebtedness, hedging agreements or other derivative instruments, (f) accruals and reserves that are established or adjusted as a result of the Transactions in accordance with GAAP (including any adjustment of estimated payouts on existing earn-outs) or changes as a result of the adoption or modification of accounting policies during such period, (g) stock-based award compensation expenses, (h) any income (loss) attributable to deferred compensation plans or trusts and (i) any income (loss) from investments recorded using the equity method. There shall be excluded from Consolidated Net Income for any period the effects from applying acquisition method accounting, including applying acquisition method accounting to inventory, property and equipment, leases, software and other intangible assets and deferred revenue (including deferred costs related thereto and deferred rent) required or permitted by GAAP and related authoritative pronouncements (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries), as a result of the Transactions, any acquisition consummated prior to the Effective Date and any permitted acquisitions or the amortization or write-off of any amounts thereof.

In addition, to the extent not already included in Consolidated Net Income, Consolidated Net Income shall include the amount of proceeds received or due from business interruption insurance or reimbursement of expenses and charges that are covered by indemnification and other reimbursement provisions in connection with any acquisition or other Investment or any disposition of any asset permitted hereunder.

Consolidated Secured Debt ” means Consolidated Total Debt that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral.

Consolidated Secured Net Debt ” means Consolidated Total Net Debt that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral.

Consolidated Total Debt ” means, as of any date of determination, the aggregate amount of Indebtedness of the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (but excluding the effects of any discounting of indebtedness resulting from the application of acquisition method accounting in connection with the Transactions or any permitted acquisition) consisting only of indebtedness for borrowed money, unreimbursed obligations under letters of credit, obligations in respect of Capitalized Leases and debt obligations evidenced by promissory notes or similar instruments.

Consolidated Total Net Debt ” means, as of any date of determination, (a) the aggregate amount of Indebtedness of the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (but excluding the effects of any discounting of indebtedness resulting from the application of acquisition method accounting in connection with the Transactions or any permitted acquisition) consisting only of indebtedness for borrowed money, unreimbursed obligations under letters of credit, obligations in respect of Capitalized Leases and debt obligations evidenced by promissory notes or similar instruments, minus (b) the aggregate amount of cash and cash equivalents (for the avoidance of doubt, as of the last day of the applicable Test Period) to the extent the use thereof for the application to payment of indebtedness is not prohibited by law or any contract to which the Parent Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries is a party or otherwise listed as “restricted” on the Parent Borrower’s consolidated balance sheet; provided that, in no event, shall the amount deducted pursuant to this clause (b) be more than $75,000,000.

 

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Consolidated Working Capital ” means, at any date, the excess of (a) the sum of all amounts (other than cash and Permitted Investments) that would, in conformity with GAAP, be set forth opposite the caption “total current assets” (or any like caption) on a consolidated balance sheet of the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries at such date, excluding the current portion of current and deferred income taxes over (b) the sum of all amounts that would, in conformity with GAAP, be set forth opposite the caption “total current liabilities” (or any like caption) on a consolidated balance sheet of the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on such date, including deferred revenue but excluding, without duplication, (i) the current portion of any Funded Debt, (ii) all Indebtedness consisting of Loans and obligations under Letters of Credit to the extent otherwise included therein, (iii) the current portion of interest and (iv) the current portion of current and deferred income taxes; provided that, for purposes of calculating Excess Cash Flow, increases or decreases in working capital (A) arising from acquisitions or dispositions by the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall be measured from the date on which such acquisition or disposition occurred until the first anniversary of such acquisition or disposition with respect to the Person subject to such acquisition or disposition and (B) shall exclude (I) the impact of non-cash adjustments contemplated in the Excess Cash Flow calculation, (II) the impact of adjusting items in the definition of “Consolidated Net Income”, (III) any changes in current assets or current liabilities as a result of (y) any reclassification in accordance with GAAP of assets or liabilities, as applicable, between current and noncurrent or (z) the effects of acquisition method accounting; and (IV) the impact of any Permitted Receivables Factoring to the extent the cash proceeds of such Permitted Receivables Factoring do not result in an equivalent decrease in Excess Cash Flow.

Control ” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies, or the dismissal or appointment of the management, of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “ Controlling ” and “ Controlled ” have meanings correlative thereto.

Converted Restricted Subsidiary ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Consolidated EBITDA.”

Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Consolidated EBITDA.”

Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness ” means(a) Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt, (b) Permitted Second Priority Refinancing Debt, (c) Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt or (d) Indebtedness incurred or Other Revolving Commitments obtained pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment, in each case, issued, incurred or otherwise obtained (including by means of the extension or renewal of existing Indebtedness) in exchange for, or to extend, renew, replace or refinance, in whole or part, existing Term Loans, outstanding Revolving Loans or (in the case of Other Revolving Commitments obtained pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment) Revolving Commitments hereunder (including any successive Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness) (“ Refinanced Debt ”); provided that (i) such extending, renewing or refinancing Indebtedness (including, if such Indebtedness includes any Other Revolving Commitments, the unused portion of such Other Revolving Commitments) is in an original aggregate principal amount not greater than the aggregate principal amount of the Refinanced Debt (and, in the case of Refinanced Debt consisting, in whole or in part, of unused Revolving Commitments or Other Revolving Commitments, the amount thereof plus the amount of all accrued and unpaid interest, reasonable fees and premiums thereon and fees and expenses in connection therewith), (ii) such Indebtedness does not mature earlier than and, except in the case of Other Revolving Commitments, a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Refinanced Debt, and (iii) such Refinanced Debt shall be repaid, defeased or satisfied and discharged, and all accrued interest, fees and premiums (if any) in connection therewith shall be paid, on the date such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness is issued, incurred or obtained; provided that to the extent that such Refinanced Debt consists, in whole or in part, of Revolving Commitments or Other Revolving Commitments (or Revolving Loans, Other Revolving Loans or Swingline Loans incurred pursuant to any Revolving Commitments or Other Revolving Commitments), such Revolving Commitments or Other Revolving Commitments, as applicable, shall be terminated, and all accrued fees in connection therewith shall be paid, on the date such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness is issued, incurred or obtained.

 

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Cure Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.02(a).

Cure Right ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.02(a).

Default ” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.

Defaulting Lender ” means any Lender that has (a) failed to fund any portion of its Loans or participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans within one Business Day of the date on which such funding is required hereunder, (b) notified the Parent Borrower, the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank, any Swingline Lender or any Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement or has made a public statement or provided any written notification to any Person to the effect that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations under this Agreement or under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) failed, within three Business Days after request by the Administrative Agent (whether acting on its own behalf or at the reasonable request of the Parent Borrower (it being understood that the Administrative Agent shall comply with any such reasonable request)), to confirm that it will comply with the terms of this Agreement relating to its obligations to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans, (d) otherwise failed to pay over to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date when due, unless the subject of a good faith dispute or subsequently cured, or (e) (i) become or is insolvent or has a parent company that has become or is insolvent, (ii) become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding or any action or proceeding of the type described in Sections 7.01(h) or (i), or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or custodian, appointed for it, or has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment or has a parent company that has become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or custodian appointed for it, or has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment or (iii) become the subject of a Bail-In Action.

Defaulting Lender Fronting Exposure ” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to the Issuing Bank, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding Letter of Credit obligations other than Letter of Credit obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or cash collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof, and (b) with respect to the Swingline Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swingline Loans other than Swingline Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or cash collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.

Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(B).

Discount Range ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11 (a)(ii)(C).

Discount Range Prepayment Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(C).

Discount Range Prepayment Notice ” means a written notice of a Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offers made pursuant to Section 2.11(a)(ii)(C) substantially in the form of Exhibit M .

Discount Range Prepayment Offer ” means the irrevocable written offer by a Term Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit N , submitted in response to an invitation to submit offers following the Auction Agent’s receipt of a Discount Range Prepayment Notice.

Discount Range Prepayment Response Date ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(C).

 

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Discount Range Proration ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(C).

Discounted Prepayment Determination Date ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D).

Discounted Prepayment Effective Date ” means, in the case of a Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment or Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offer, five (5) Business Days following the receipt by each relevant Term Lender of notice from the Auction Agent in accordance with Section 2.1l(a)(ii)(B), Section 2.1l(a)(ii)(C) or Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D), as applicable unless a shorter period is agreed to between a Borrower and the Auction Agent.

Discounted Term Loan Prepayment ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(A).

Disposition ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.05.

Disqualified Equity Interest ” means, with respect to any Person, any Equity Interest in such Person that by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable, either mandatorily or at the option of the holder thereof), or upon the happening of any event or condition:

(a) matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than solely for Equity Interests in such Person that do not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests and cash in lieu of fractional shares of such Equity Interests), whether pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise;

(b) is convertible or exchangeable, either mandatorily or at the option of the holder thereof, for Indebtedness or Equity Interests (other than solely for Equity Interests in such Person that do not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests and cash in lieu of fractional shares of such Equity Interests); or

(c) is redeemable (other than solely for Equity Interests in such Person that do not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests and cash in lieu of fractional shares of such Equity Interests) or is required to be repurchased by such Person or any of its Affiliates, in whole or in part, at the option of the holder thereof;

in each case, on or prior to the date 91 days after the Latest Maturity Date; provided , however , that (i) an Equity Interest in any Person that would not constitute a Disqualified Equity Interest but for terms thereof giving holders thereof the right to require such Person to redeem or purchase such Equity Interest upon the occurrence of an “asset sale” or a “change of control” shall not constitute a Disqualified Equity Interest if any such requirement becomes operative only after repayment in full of all the Loans and all other Loan Document Obligations that are accrued and payable, the cancellation or expiration of all Letters of Credit and the termination of the Commitments and (ii) if an Equity Interest in any Person is issued pursuant to any plan for the benefit of employees of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) or any of its subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Equity Interest shall not constitute a Disqualified Equity Interest solely because it may be required to be repurchased by Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent company thereof) or any of its subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations of such Person.

Disposed EBITDA ” means, with respect to any Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary for any period, the amount for such period of Consolidated EBITDA of such Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary (determined as if references to the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the definition of the term “Consolidated EBITDA” (and in the component financial definitions used therein) were references to such Sold Entity or Business and its subsidiaries or to Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary and its subsidiaries), all as determined on a consolidated basis for such Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary.

dollars ” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.

 

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Domestic Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary that is not a Foreign Subsidiary.

ECF Percentage ” means, with respect to the prepayment required by Section 2.11(d) with respect to any fiscal year of the Parent Borrower, if the Secured Leverage Ratio (prior to giving effect to the applicable prepayment pursuant to Section 2.11(d)) as of the end of such fiscal year is (a) greater than 2.00 to 1.00, 75% of Excess Cash Flow for such fiscal year, (b) greater than 1.50 to 1.00 but less than or equal to 2.00 to 1.00, 50% of Excess Cash Flow for such fiscal year (c) greater than 1.00 to 1.00 but less than or equal to 1.50 to 1.00, 25% of Excess Cash Flow for such fiscal year and (d) less than or equal to 1.00 to 1.00, 0% of Excess Cash Flow for such fiscal year.

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.

Effective Dat e” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 were satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02), which date was August 26, 2011.

Eligible Assignee ” means (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender, (c) an Approved Fund and (d) any other Person (including the Parent Borrower or any of its Affiliates), other than, in each case, (i) a natural person, (ii) a Defaulting Lender and (iii) those Persons identified by Holdings to the Joint Bookrunners prior to the Effective Date in writing (including by email) and acknowledged by the Joint Bookrunners as ineligible to be an Eligible Assignee.

EMU Legislation ” means the legislative measures of the European Council for the introduction of, changeover to or operation of a single or unified European currency.

Environmental Laws ” means the common law and all applicable treaties, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, judgments, orders, decrees and other applicable Requirements of Law, and all applicable injunctions or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by or with any Governmental Authority, in each instance relating to the protection of the environment, to preservation or reclamation of natural resources, to Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Material or to the extent relating to exposure to Hazardous Materials, to health or safety matters.

Environmental Liability ” means any liability, obligation, loss, claim, action, order or cost, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of medical monitoring, costs of environmental remediation or restoration, administrative oversight costs, consultants’ fees, fines, penalties and indemnities), of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) any actual or alleged violation of any Environmental Law or permit, license or approval issued thereunder, (b) Environmental Laws and the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

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Equity Financing ” means the contribution by the Sponsor and the Management Investors, directly or indirectly through one or more direct or indirect holding company parents of Holdings, of cash equity contributions to Holdings on the Effective Date in exchange for Qualified Equity Interests that are treated as equity by S&P and Moody’s.

Equity Interests ” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person.

ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.

ERISA Affiliate ” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with Holdings, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or 414(c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

ERISA Event ” means (a) any “reportable event,” as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30 day notice period is waived); (b) prior to the effectiveness of the applicable provisions of the Pension Act, the existence with respect to any Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) or, on and after the effectiveness of the applicable provisions of the Pension Act, any failure by any Plan to satisfy the minimum funding standard (within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) applicable to such Plan, in each case whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to, prior to the effectiveness of the applicable provisions of the Pension Act, Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA or, on and after the effectiveness of the applicable provisions of the Pension Act, 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 Plan; (d) on and after the effectiveness of the applicable provisions of the Pension Act, a determination that any Plan is, or is expected to be, in “at-risk” status (as defined in Section 303(i)(4) of ERISA or Section 430(i)(4) of the Code); (e) the incurrence by the Parent Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (f) the receipt by the Parent Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (g) the incurrence by the Parent Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (h) the receipt by the Parent Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Parent Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA or, on and after the effectiveness of the applicable provisions of the Pension Act, in endangered or critical status, within the meaning of Section 305 of ERISA.

euro ” means the single currency of the European Union as constituted by the Treaty on European Union and as referred to in the EMU Legislation.

“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 ” when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

Event of Defaul t” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.01.

Excess Cash Balance ” means, for any period, the excess (if any) of (a) the aggregate amount of cash and cash equivalents on the Parent Borrower’s consolidated balance sheet on the final day of such period less (b) $25,000,000; provided that for purposes of calculating the Excess Cash Balance payable with respect to the fiscal quarters ending November 25, 2016 and February 24, 2017 the amount described in clause (b) shall be deemed to be the greater of (i) $25,000,000 and (ii) such amount as is required to be in compliance, after giving Pro Forma Effect to any prepayments of Excess Cash Balance pursuant to Section 2.11(h), with Section 6.12(a) for the applicable Test Period (assuming for purposes of such calculation that Revolving Loans are outstanding in an aggregate principal amount equal to the total Revolving Commitments at such time (in addition to, but without duplication of, Revolving Loans actually outstanding at such time)).

 

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Excess Cash Flow ” means, for any period, an amount equal to the excess of:

(a) the sum, without duplication, of:

(i) Consolidated Net Income for such period,

(ii) an amount equal to the amount of all Non-Cash Charges to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income,

(iii) decreases in Consolidated Working Capital and long-term account receivables for such period,

(iv) an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash loss on dispositions by the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than dispositions in the ordinary course of business) to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, and

(v) extraordinary gains; less :

(b) the sum, without duplication, of:

(i) an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash credits included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income (including any amounts included in Consolidated Net Income pursuant to the last sentence of the definition of “Consolidated Net Income” to the extent such amounts are due but not received during such period) and cash charges included in clauses (a) through (i) of the definition of “Consolidated Net Income” (other than cash charges in respect of Transaction Costs paid on or about the Effective Date to the extent financed with the proceeds of Indebtedness incurred on the Effective Date or an equity investment on the Effective Date),

(ii) without duplication of amounts deducted pursuant to clause (xi) below in prior fiscal years, the amount of Capital Expenditures made in cash or accrued during such period, except to the extent that such Capital Expenditures were financed with the proceeds of Indebtedness of the Parent Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries,

(iii) the aggregate amount of all principal payments of Indebtedness, including (A) the principal component of payments in respect of Capitalized Leases and (B) the amount of any mandatory prepayment of Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.11(c) to the extent required due to a disposition that resulted in an increase to Consolidated Net Income and not in excess of the amount of such increase but excluding (X) below par purchases of Term Loans by either Borrower, (Y) all other prepayments of Term Loans and (Z) all prepayments of Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans) made during such period (other than in respect of any revolving credit facility to the extent there is an equivalent permanent reduction in commitments thereunder), except to the extent financed with the proceeds of other Indebtedness of a Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries,

(iv) an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash gain on dispositions by the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than dispositions in the ordinary course of business) to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income,

(v) increases in Consolidated Working Capital and long-term account receivables for such period,

 

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(vi) cash payments by the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period in respect of long-term liabilities of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries other than Indebtedness,

(vii) without duplication of amounts deducted pursuant to clause (xi) below in prior fiscal years, the amount of Investments and acquisitions made during such period pursuant to Section 6.04 (other than Section 6.04(a)) to the extent that such Investments and acquisitions were financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries,

(viii) the amount of Restricted Payments paid during such period pursuant to Section 6.08(a)(vi) to the extent such Restricted Payments were financed with internally generated cash flow of the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and without duplication of amounts deducted when calculating Consolidated Net Income for such period,

(ix) the aggregate amount of expenditures actually made by the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in cash during such period (including expenditures for the payment of financing fees) to the extent that such expenditures are not expensed during such period,

(x) the aggregate amount of any premium, make-whole or penalty payments actually paid in cash by the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period that are required to be made in connection with any prepayment of Indebtedness,

(xi) without duplication of amounts deducted from Excess Cash Flow in prior periods, the aggregate consideration required to be paid in cash by the Parent Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to binding contracts (the “ Contract Consideration ”) entered into prior to or during such period relating to Investments or Capital Expenditures (including Capitalized Software Expenditures or other purchases of intellectual property) to be consummated or made during the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Parent Borrower following the end of such period; provided that to the extent the aggregate amount of internally generated cash actually utilized to finance such Investments or Capital Expenditures during such period of four consecutive fiscal quarters is less than the Contract Consideration, the amount of such shortfall shall be added to the calculation of Excess Cash Flow at the end of such period of four consecutive fiscal quarters,

(xii) the amount of cash taxes paid in such period to the extent they exceed the amount of tax expense deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period, and

(xiii) extraordinary losses.

 

Exchange Act ” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

Excluded Assets ” means (a) any fee-owned real property with a fair market value of less than $5,000,000 and all leasehold interests in real property, (b) motor vehicles and other assets subject to certificates of title or ownership, (c) Equity Interests in any Person (other than any wholly-owned   Restricted Subsidiaries) to the extent not permitted by the terms of such Person’s Organizational Documents, (d) letter of credit rights with a value of less than $5,000,000 (except to the extent a security interest therein can be perfected by a UCC filing), (e) commercial tort claims with a value of less than $5,000,000 (except to the extent a security interest therein can be perfected by a UCC filing), (f) any lease, license or other agreement with any Person if, to the extent and for so long as the grant of a Lien thereon to secure the Secured Obligations constitutes a breach of or a default under, or results in the termination of, such lease, license or other agreement (but only to the extent any of the foregoing is not rendered ineffective by, or is otherwise unenforceable under, any Requirements of Law), (g) any asset subject to a Lien of the type permitted by Section 6.02(iv) under the Original Credit Agreement (whether or not incurred pursuant to such Section) or a Lien permitted by Section 6.02(xi) under the Original Credit Agreement, in each case

 

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if, to the extent and for so long as the grant of a Lien thereon to secure the Secured Obligations constitutes a breach of or a default under any agreement pursuant to which such Lien has been created (but only to the extent any of the foregoing is not rendered ineffective by, or is otherwise unenforceable under, any Requirements of Law), (h) any intent-to-use trademark applications filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, (i) any asset with respect to which the Parent Borrower shall have provided to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer to the effect that, based on the advice of outside counsel or tax advisors of national recognition, the grant of a Lien thereon to secure the Secured Obligations would result in adverse tax consequences to Holdings and the Subsidiaries (other than on account of any Taxes payable in connection with filings, recordings, registrations, stampings and any similar acts in connection with the creation or perfection of Liens) that shall have been determined by the Parent Borrower to be material to the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries and (j) any asset if, to the extent and for so long as the grant of a Lien thereon to secure the Secured Obligations is prohibited by any Requirements of Law (other than to the extent that any such prohibition would be rendered ineffective pursuant to any other applicable Requirements of Law).

Excluded Subsidiary ” means (a) any Subsidiary that is not a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Parent Borrower on the Effective Date or, if later, the date it first becomes a Subsidiary, (b) each Subsidiary listed on Schedule 1.01(a) , (c) any Subsidiary that is prohibited by applicable Law or contractual obligation from guaranteeing the Secured Obligations, (d) any Subsidiary, substantially all of the assets of which constitute Equity Interests of one or more Foreign Subsidiaries that are controlled foreign corporation under Section 957 of the Code and (e) any other Subsidiary excused from becoming a Loan Party pursuant to the last paragraph of the definition of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Foreign Subsidiary of the Co-Borrower that is a “controlled foreign corporation” with the meaning of Section 957 of the Code); provided that in no event shall the Co-Borrower be an Excluded Subsidiary.

Excluded Taxes ” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (a) Taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income, profits or branch profits (however denominated), and franchise Taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income Taxes), by (i) the jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, or (ii) any jurisdiction as a result of a present or former connection between such recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than a connection arising solely from such recipient having executed, delivered, or become a party to, performed its obligations or received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, sold or assigned of an interest in, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to, or enforced, any Loan Documents), (b) any withholding Tax that is attributable to a Lender’s failure to comply with Sections 2.17(e), (c) except in the case of an assignee pursuant to a request by a Borrower under Section 2.19 hereto, any U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed due to a Requirement of Law in effect at the time a Lender becomes a party hereto (or designates a new lending office), except to the extent that such Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts with respect to such withholding Tax under Section 2.17(a) and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed pursuant to FATCA.

Existing LCs ” means the outstanding letters of credit existing as of the Effective Date and listed on Schedule 1.01(b) .

FATCA ” means current Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code as in effect on the Effective Date (and any Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder or official interpretations thereof).

Federal Funds Effective Rate ” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it; provided that if the Federal Funds Effective Rate is less than zero, then the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

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Financial Officer ” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Parent Borrower.

Financial Performance Covenant ” means the covenant set forth in Section 6.12(a).

Financing Transactions ” means (a) the execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is to be a party, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder, and (b) the Equity Financing.

First Lien Intercreditor Agreement ” means the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit G among the Administrative Agent and one or more Senior Representatives for holders of Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt, with such modifications thereto as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree.

First Refinancing Amendment ” means the First Refinancing Amendment to this Agreement dated as of August 20, 2014, among Holdings, the Borrowers, the New Revolving Lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent.

First Refinancing Amendment Effective Date ” has the meaning assigned thereto in the First Refinancing Amendment.

Foreign Collateral Agreement ” means one or more security documents among the applicable Non US Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent granting a Lien on the assets of such Non US Loan Parties to secure the Secured Obligations. Each Foreign Collateral Agreement shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Parent Borrower.

Foreign Pledge Agreement ” means a pledge or charge agreement with respect to the Collateral that constitutes Equity Interests of a Foreign Subsidiary or, if the holder of such Collateral is a Foreign Subsidiary, constitutes Equity Interests of a Domestic Subsidiary. Each Foreign Pledge Agreement shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Parent Borrower.

Foreign Prepayment Event ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(g).

Foreign Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia.

Fourth Amendment ” means that certain Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement, dated as of the Restatement Effective Date, among Holdings, the Parent Borrower, the Lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent.

Funded Debt ” means all Indebtedness of the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for borrowed money that matures more than one year from the date of its creation or matures within one year from such date that is renewable or extendable, at the option of such Person, to a date more than one year from such date or arises under a revolving credit or similar agreement that obligates the lender or lenders to extend credit during a period of more than one year from such date, including Indebtedness in respect of the Loans.

GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America, as in effect on the Effective Date; provided , however , that if the Parent Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Parent Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the Effective Date in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Parent Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or

 

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such provision amended in accordance herewith. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made, without giving effect to any election under Financial Accounting Standards Accounting Standards Codification 825, “Financial Instruments,” or any successor thereto (including pursuant to the Accounting Standards Codification), to value any Indebtedness of the Parent Borrower or any subsidiary at “fair value,” as defined therein.

Governmental Approvals ” means all authorizations, consents, approvals, permits, licenses and exemptions of, registrations and filings with, and reports to, Governmental Authorities.

Governmental Authority ” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or 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).

Granting Lender ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(e).

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 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 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 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 (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness; provided that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business or customary and reasonable indemnity obligations in effect on the Effective Date or entered into in connection with any acquisition or disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement (other than such obligations with respect to Indebtedness). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined in good faith by a Financial Officer. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

Guarantee Agreement ” means the Master Guarantee Agreement among the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibit B .

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

Holdings ” means (a) prior to any IPO, Initial Holdings and (b) on and after an IPO, (i) if the IPO Entity is Initial Holdings or any Person of which Initial Holdings is a Subsidiary, Initial Holdings or (ii) if the IPO Entity is a Subsidiary of Initial Holdings, the IPO Entity.

Identified Participating Lenders ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(C).

Identified Qualifying Lenders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D).

Indebtedness ” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (d) all obligations off such Person in respect

 

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of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business and any earn-out obligation until such obligation becomes a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP), (e) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (f) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (g) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (h) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty and (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances; provided that the term “Indebtedness” shall not include (i) deferred or prepaid revenue and (ii) purchase price holdbacks in respect of a portion of the purchase price of an asset to satisfy warranty or other unperformed obligations of the seller. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor. The amount of Indebtedness of any Person for purposes of clause (e) above shall (unless such Indebtedness has been assumed by such Person) be deemed to be equal to the lesser of (A) the aggregate unpaid amount of such Indebtedness and (B) the fair market value of the property encumbered thereby as determined by such Person in good faith.

Indemnified Taxes ” means all Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

Indemnitee ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.03(b).

Information Memorandum ” means the Confidential Information Memorandum dated June 2011, relating to the Loan Parties and the Transactions.

Initial Holdings ” means SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc.

Intellectual Property ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Collateral Agreement.

Interest Election Request ” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Revolving Borrowing or Term Loan Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.07.

Interest Payment Dat e” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan (including a Swingline Loan), the last day of each February, May, August and November and (b) with respect to any Eurocurrency Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, 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.

Interest Period ” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months thereafter (or, if agreed to by each Lender participating therein, nine or twelve months or such other period less than one month thereafter as such Borrower may elect), provided that (a) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day, and (b) any Interest Period that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

Intermediate Parent ” means any Subsidiary of Holdings of which each of the Parent Borrower and the Co-Borrower are Subsidiaries.

 

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Investment ” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of Equity Interests or debt or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of Indebtedness of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person (excluding, in the case of the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, intercompany loans, advances, or Indebtedness having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll-over or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business) or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially all of the property and assets or business of another Person or assets constituting a business unit, line of business or division of such Person. The amount, as of any date of determination, of (a) any Investment in the form of a loan or an advance shall be the principal amount thereof outstanding on such date, minus any cash payments actually received by such investor representing interest in respect of such Investment (to the extent any such payment to be deducted does not exceed the remaining principal amount of such Investment), but without any adjustment for write-downs or write-offs (including as a result of forgiveness of any portion thereof) with respect to such loan or advance after the date thereof, (b) any Investment in the form of a Guarantee shall be equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof, as determined in good faith by a Financial Officer, (c) any Investment in the form of a transfer of Equity Interests or other non-cash property by the investor to the investee, including any such transfer in the form of a capital contribution, shall be the fair market value (as determined in good faith by a Financial Officer) of such Equity Interests or other property as of the time of the transfer, minus any payments actually received by such investor representing a return of capital of, or dividends or other distributions in respect of, such Investment (to the extent such payments do not exceed, in the aggregate, the original amount of such Investment), but without any other adjustment for increases or decreases in value of, or write-ups, write-downs or write-offs with respect to, such Investment after the date of such Investment, and (c) any Investment (other than any Investment referred to in clause (a), (b) or (c) above) by the specified Person in the form of a purchase or other acquisition for value of any Equity Interests, evidences of Indebtedness or other securities of any other Person shall be the original cost of such Investment (including any Indebtedness assumed in connection therewith), plus (i) the cost of all additions thereto and minus (ii) the amount of any portion of such Investment that has been repaid to the investor in cash as a repayment of principal or a return of capital, and of any cash payments actually received by such investor representing interest, dividends or other distributions in respect of such Investment (to the extent the amounts referred to in clause (ii) do not, in the aggregate, exceed the original cost of such Investment plus the costs of additions thereto), but without any other adjustment for increases or decreases in value of, or write-ups, write-downs or write-offs with respect to, such Investment after the date of such Investment. For purposes of Section 6.04, if an Investment involves the acquisition of more than one Person, the amount of such Investment shall be allocated among the acquired Persons in accordance with GAAP; provided that pending the final determination of the amounts to be so allocated in accordance with GAAP, such allocation shall be as reasonably determined by a Financial Officer.

Investor ” means a holder of Equity Interests in Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof).

Investor Management Agreement ” means the Transaction and Management Fee Agreement among certain Investors and/or management companies associated with certain Investors and Saleen Acquisition, Inc.

Investor Termination Fees ” means the one-time payment under the Investor Management Agreement of a success fee to one or more of the Investors and their respective Affiliates in the event of either a change of control or the completion of an IPO.

IPO ” means the initial underwritten public offering (other than a public offering pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8) of common Equity Interests in the IPO Entity.

IPO Entity ” means, at any time at and after an IPO, Initial Holdings, a parent entity of Initial Holdings, or an Intermediate Parent, as the case may be, the Equity Interests of which were issued or otherwise sold pursuant to the IPO; provided that, immediately following the IPO, the Parent Borrower is a wholly-owned subsidiaries of such IPO Entity and such IPO Entity owns, directly or through its subsidiaries, substantially all the businesses and assets owned or conducted, directly or indirectly, by the Parent Borrower immediately prior to the IPO.

 

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Issuing Bank ” means (a) Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., (b) Barclays Bank PLC, and (c) each Revolving Lender that shall have become an Issuing Bank hereunder as provided in Section 2.05(k) (other than any Person that shall have ceased to be an Issuing Bank as provided in Section 2.05(l)), each in its capacity as an issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder. Each Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of such Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate. Barclays Bank PLC as Issuing Bank shall not be obligated to issue any commercial or trade Letters of Credit.

Joint Bookrunners ” means J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and UBS Securities LLC.

Joint Lead Arrangers ” means J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and UBS Securities LLC.

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.14(b).

Junior Financing ” means any Material Indebtedness (other than any permitted intercompany Indebtedness owing to Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary), including Permitted Holdings Debt, that is subordinated in right of payment to the Loan Document Obligations, and any Permitted Refinancing in respect of any of the foregoing.

Latest Maturity Date ” means, at any date of determination, the latest maturity or expiration date applicable to any Loan or Commitment hereunder at such time, including the latest maturity or expiration date of any Other Term Loan, any Other Term Commitment, any Other Revolving Loan or any Other Revolving Commitment, in each case as extended in accordance with this Agreement from time to time.

LC Disbursement ” means a payment made by an Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

LC Exposure ” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate amount of all Letters of Credit that remains available for drawing at such time and (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of such Borrower at such time. The LC Exposure of any Revolving Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the International Standby Practices (ISP98), such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided , that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

Lenders ” means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption or a Refinancing Amendment, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lenders.

Letter of Credit ” means any letter of credit or bank guarantee issued pursuant to this Agreement other than any such letter of credit or bank guarantee that shall have ceased to be a “Letter of Credit” outstanding hereunder pursuant to Section 9.05.

Letter of Credit Sublimit ” means $15,000,000.

 

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LIBO Rate ” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency Borrowing for any Interest Period, the interest rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on the Quotation Day for such Interest Period by reference to the British Bankers’ Association Interest Settlement Rates for deposits in such currency (as reflected on the applicable Reuters screen), for a period equal to such Interest Period, or, if an interest rate is not ascertainable pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this definition, the interest rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the average of the rates per annum at which deposits in such currency are offered for such Interest Period to major banks in the London interbank market by the Administrative Agent at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on the Quotation Day for such Interest Period. Notwithstanding the foregoing (i) with respect to Term Loans, the LIBO Rate in respect of any applicable Interest Period will be deemed to be 1.25% per annum if the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period calculated pursuant to the foregoing provisions would otherwise be less than 1.25% per annum and (ii) otherwise, the LIBO Rate in respect of any applicable Interest Period will be deemed to be 1.00% per annum if the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period determined pursuant to the foregoing provisions would otherwise be less than 1.00%.

Lien ” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset and (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset.

Liquidity Prepayment Condition ” means that the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries would have at least $40,000,000 in the aggregate of (x) unrestricted cash and cash equivalents on hand and (y) unused and available Revolving Commitments (consistent with the calculation of such under Section 2.12(a)).

Loan Document Obligations ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Collateral Agreement.

Loan Documents ” means this Agreement, any Refinancing Amendment, the Guarantee Agreement, the Collateral Agreement, the other Security Documents, the Trust Agreement and, except for purposes of Section 9.02, any promissory notes delivered pursuant to Section 2.09(e).

Loan Obligations ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.17.

Loan Parties ” means Holdings, the Parent Borrower, the Co-Borrower and the Subsidiary Loan Parties.

Loans ” means the loans made by the Lenders to any Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.

Logistics Business ” means the Borrowers’ global supply chain services business which encompasses resources and information technology to provide customized customer programs including planning, forecasting, procurement, logistics, inventory management, programming, labeling, kitting, packaging and other value-added services.

Majority in Interest ”, when used in reference to Lenders of any Class, means, at any time, (a) in the case of the Revolving Lenders, Lenders having Revolving Exposures and unused Revolving Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the aggregate Revolving Exposures and the unused aggregate Revolving Commitments at such time and (b) in the case of the Term Lenders of any Class, Lenders holding outstanding Term Loans of such Class representing more than 50% of all Term Loans of such Class outstanding at such time; provided that (a) the Revolving Exposures, Term Loans and unused Commitments of the Borrowers or any Affiliate thereof and (b) whenever there are one or more Defaulting Lenders, the total outstanding Term Loans and Revolving Exposures of, and the unused Revolving Commitments of, each Defaulting Lender shall in each case be excluded for purposes of making a determination of the Majority in Interest.

Management Investors ” means the directors, officers and employees of the Target, Holdings, the Parent Borrower and/or any of their Subsidiaries who are (directly or indirectly through one or more investment vehicles) Investors in Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) on the Effective Date.

 

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Material Adverse Effect ” means any event, circumstance or condition that has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, a materially adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, results of operations, properties, or financial condition of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Parent Borrower and the other Loan Parties, taken as a whole, to perform their payment obligations under the Loan Documents or (c) the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under the Loan Documents.

Material Indebtedness ” means Indebtedness (other than the Loan Document Obligations), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $15,000,000; provided that for purposes of the definition of “Change of Control” and Junior Financing such amount shall be $50,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that Holdings, the Parent Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.

Material Subsidiary ” means (a) each wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary that, as of the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Parent Borrower most recently ended, had revenues or total assets for such quarter in excess of 5% of the consolidated revenues or total assets, as applicable, of the Parent Borrower for such quarter and (b) any group comprising wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiaries that each would not have been a Material Subsidiary under clause (i) but that, taken together, as of the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Parent Borrower most recently ended, had revenues or total assets for such quarter in excess of 10% of the consolidated revenues or total assets, as applicable, of the Parent Borrower for such quarter; provided that solely for purposes of Sections 7.01(h) and (i) each such Subsidiary forming part of such group is subject to an Event of Default under one or more of such Sections.

Monetization ” means the receipt of Net Proceeds by the Target or any of its Affiliates (other than any of its Subsidiaries) from (a) the direct or indirect Disposition or other direct or indirect transfer of all or a portion of Storage Parent or its assets, (b) any direct or indirect dividend, distribution, payment of equity or repurchase of equity or other repayment of a return on investment in Storage Parent or its subsidiaries or (c) any other transaction the substantive effect of which is the same as transactions described in clauses (a) or (b). Any series of related transaction of the type referred to above shall be treated together as a single transaction for purposes of Section 5.15.

Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor to its rating agency business.

Mortgage ” means a mortgage, deed of trust, assignment of leases and rents, leasehold mortgage or other security document granting a Lien on any Mortgaged Property to secure the Secured Obligations, provided , however , in the event any Mortgaged Property is located in a jurisdiction which imposes mortgage recording taxes or similar fees, the applicable Mortgage shall not secure an amount in excess of 100% of the fair market value of such Mortgaged Property, as reasonably agreed by the Parent Borrower and agreed to by the Administrative Agent. Each Mortgage shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Parent Borrower with such modifications as may be required by local laws.

Mortgaged Property ” means each parcel of real property and the improvements thereon owned in fee by a Loan Party with respect to which a Mortgage is granted pursuant to Section 5.11 or 5.12.

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

Net Proceeds ” means, with respect to any event, (a) the proceeds received in respect of such event in cash or Permitted Investments, including (i) any cash or Permitted Investments received in respect of any non cash proceeds (including any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or purchase price adjustment or earn-out, but excluding any interest payments), but only as and when received, (ii) in the case of a casualty, insurance proceeds, and (iii) in the case of a condemnation

 

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or similar event, condemnation awards and similar payments, minus (b) the sum of (i) all fees and out-of-pocket expenses paid by Holdings, any Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with such event (including attorney’s fees, investment banking fees, survey costs, title insurance premiums, and related search and recording charges, transfer taxes, deed or mortgage recording taxes, underwriting discounts and commissions, other customary expenses and brokerage, consultant, accountant and other customary fees), (ii) in the case of a sale, transfer or other disposition of an asset (including pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction or a casualty or a condemnation or similar proceeding), (x) the amount of all payments that are permitted hereunder and are made by Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries as a result of such event to repay Indebtedness (other than the Loans) secured by such asset or otherwise subject to mandatory prepayment as a result of such event, (y) the pro rata portion of net cash proceeds thereof (calculated without regard to this clause (y)) attributable to minority interests and not available for distribution to or for the account of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries as a result thereof and (z) the amount of any liabilities directly associated with such asset and retained by the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and (iii) the amount of all Taxes paid (or reasonably estimated to be payable), and the amount of any reserves established by Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries to fund contingent liabilities reasonably estimated to be payable, that are directly attributable to such event, provided that any reduction at any time in the amount of any such reserves (other than as a result of payments made in respect thereof) shall be deemed to constitute the receipt by the Parent Borrower at such time of Net Proceeds in the amount of such reduction.

Non-Cash Charges ” means (a) any impairment charge or asset write-off or write-down related to intangible assets (including goodwill), long-lived assets, and investments in debt and equity securities pursuant to GAAP, (b) all losses from investments recorded using the equity method, (c) all Non-Cash Compensation Expenses, (d) the non-cash impact of acquisition method accounting, (e) non-cash impact of translation of U.S. dollars and (f) other non-cash charges ( provided , in each case, that if any non-cash charges represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from Consolidated EBITDA to such extent, and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period).

Non-Cash Compensation Expense ” means any non-cash expenses and costs that result from the issuance of stock-based awards, partnership interest-based awards and similar incentive based compensation awards or arrangements.

Non-Consenting Lender ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.02(c).

Offered Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D).

Offered Discount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D).

OID ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt”.

Organizational Documents ” means, with respect to any Person, the charter, articles or certificate of organization or incorporation and bylaws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person.

Original Credit Agreement ” has the meaning provided in the preamble hereto.

Other Revolving Commitments ” means one or more Classes of revolving credit commitments hereunder or extended Revolving Commitments that result from a Refinancing Amendment.

Other Revolving Loans ” means the Revolving Loans made pursuant to any Other Revolving Commitment.

Other Taxes ” means any and all present or future recording, stamp, documentary, excise, transfer, sales, property or similar Taxes arising from any payment made under any Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document.

 

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Other Term Commitments ” means one or more Classes of term loan commitments hereunder that result from a Refinancing Amendment.

Other Term Loans ” means one or more Classes of Term Loans that result from a Refinancing Amendment.

Participant ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(c).

Participating Lender ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(C).

PBGC ” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.

Pension Act ” means the Pension Protection Act of 2006, as amended from time to time.

Perfection Certificate ” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D .

Permitted Encumbrances ” means:

(a) Liens for taxes or other governmental charges that are not overdue for a period of more than 30 days or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

(b) Liens imposed by law, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or construction contractors’ Liens and other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business that secure amounts not overdue for a period of more than 30 days or, if more than 30 days overdue, are unified and no other action has been taken to enforce such Lien or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP, in each case so long as such Liens do not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect;

(c) Liens incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business (i) in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation and (ii) securing liability for reimbursement or indemnification obligations of (including obligations in respect of letters of credit or bank guarantees for the benefit of) insurance carriers providing property, casualty or liability insurance to Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(d) Liens incurred or deposits made to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, governmental contracts and leases, statutory obligations, surety, stay, customs and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature (including those to secure health, safety and environmental obligations) incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(e) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions, encroachments, protrusions and other similar encumbrances and minor title defects affecting real property that, in the aggregate, do not in any case materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(f) Liens securing, or otherwise arising from, judgments not constituting an Event of Default under Section 7.01(j);

(g) Liens on goods the purchase price of which is financed by a documentary letter of credit issued for the account of the Parent Borrower or any of its subsidiaries, provided that such Lien secures only the obligations of the Parent Borrower or such subsidiaries in respect of such letter of credit to the extent such obligations are permitted by Section 6.01; and

 

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(h) Liens arising from precautionary Uniform Commercial Code financing statements or any similar filings made in respect of operating leases entered into by the Parent Borrower or any of its subsidiaries;

provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness other than Liens referred to in clause (c) above securing obligations under letters of credit or bank guarantees and in clause (g) above.

Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt ” means any secured Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower in the form of one or more series of senior secured notes; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis (but without regard to the control of remedies but on no more than a “second-out” basis so long as the Revolving Commitments are outstanding) with the Loan Document Obligations and is not secured by any property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary other than the Collateral, (ii) such Indebtedness constitutes Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of Term Loans (including portions of Classes of Term Loans, Other Term Loans) or outstanding Revolving Loans, (iii) the terms and conditions (including, if applicable, as to collateral but excluding as to subordination, interest rate (including whether such interest is payable in cash or in kind), rate floors, fees, funding discounts and redemption premium) of Indebtedness resulting from such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension are, taken as a whole, less favorable to the investors providing such Indebtedness than the terms and conditions of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended (except for covenants or other provisions applicable to periods after the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred), (iv) such Indebtedness does not mature or have scheduled amortization or payments of principal prior to the date that is 91 days after the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred, (v) the security agreements relating to such Indebtedness are substantially the same as the Security Documents (with such differences as are reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), (vi) such Indebtedness is not guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than the Subsidiary Loan Parties and (vii) a Senior Representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement; provided that if such Indebtedness is the initial Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt incurred by the Parent Borrower, then the Parent Borrower, the Subsidiary Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent and the Senior Representatives for such indebtedness shall have executed and delivered the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt will include any Registered Equivalent Notes issued in exchange therefor; provided further that in the case of Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt incurred in exchange for, or to extend, renew, replace or refinance, a portion of existing Term Loans hereunder (including any successive Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness), the interest rate margins, rate floors, fees, premiums, funding, discounts and amortization schedule for any such Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt shall be determined by the Borrowers and the applicable lenders with respect to the holders of such Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt and in the event that the yield on any such Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt is higher than the yield for the Term Loans by more than 50 basis points, then the yield for the Term Loans shall be increased to the extent necessary so that such yield is equal to the yield for such Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt minus 50 basis points; provided , further, that, in determining the yield applicable to such Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt and the Term Loans (x) original issue discount (“ OID ”) or upfront fees (which shall be deemed to constitute like amounts of OID) payable by the Borrowers to the Term Lenders or any Additional Lenders in the initial primary syndication thereof shall be included (with OlD being equated to interest based on assumed four-year life to maturity), (y) customary arrangement or commitment fees payable to any of the Joint Bookrunners (or their respective affiliates) in connection with this Agreement or to one or more arrangers (or their affiliates) of any Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt shall be excluded and (z) if such Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt includes an interest rate floor greater than the interest rate floor applicable to the Term Loans, such increased amount shall be equated to interest margin for purposes of determining whether an increase to the applicable interest margin for the Term Loans shall be required, to the extent an increase in the interest rate floor in the Term Loans would cause an increase in the interest rate then in effect, and in such case the interest rate floor (but not the interest rate margin) applicable to the Term Loans shall be increased by such increased amount.

Permitted Holder ” means (a) the Sponsor and (b) the Management Investors.

 

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Permitted Investments ” means any of the following, to the extent owned by the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary:

(a) dollars, euro or such other currencies held by it from time to time in the ordinary course of business; (b) readily marketable obligations issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the government or any agency or instrumentality of (i) the United States or (ii) any member nation of the European Union rated A (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P and A2 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s, having average maturities of not more than 12 months from the date of acquisition thereof; provided that the full faith and credit of the United States or such member nation of the European Union is pledged in support thereof;

(b) time deposits with, or insured certificates of deposit or bankers’ acceptances of, any commercial bank that (i) is a Lender or (ii) has combined capital and surplus of at least $250,000,000 (any such bank in the foregoing clauses (i) or (ii) being an “ Approved Bank ”), in each case with average maturities of not more than 12 months from the date of acquisition thereof;

(c) commercial paper and variable or fixed rate notes issued by an Approved Bank (or by the parent company thereof) or any variable or fixed rate note issued by, or guaranteed by, a corporation rated A-2 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or P-2 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s, in each case with average maturities of not more than 12 months from the date of acquisition thereof;

(d) repurchase agreements entered into by any Person with an Approved Bank, a bank or trust company (including any of the Lenders) or recognized securities dealer, in each case, having capital and surplus in excess of $250,000,000 for direct obligations issued by or fully guaranteed or insured by the government or any agency or instrumentality of (i) the United States or (ii) any member nation of the European Union rated A (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P and A2 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s, in which such Person shall have a perfected first priority security interest (subject to no other Liens) and having, on the date of purchase thereof, a fair market value of at least 100% of the amount of the repurchase obligations;

(e) marketable short-term money market and similar highly liquid funds either (i) having assets in excess of $250,000,000 or (ii) having a rating of at least A-2 or P-2 from either S&P or Moody’s (or, if at any time neither S&P nor Moody’s shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized rating service);

(f) securities with average maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition issued or fully guaranteed by any state, commonwealth or territory of the United States, by any political subdivision or taxing authority of any such state, commonwealth or territory having an investment grade rating from either S&P or Moody’s (or the equivalent thereof);

(g) investments with average maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition in mutual funds rated AAA- (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or Aaa3 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s;

(h) instruments equivalent to those referred to in clauses (a) through (h) above denominated in euros or any other foreign currency comparable in credit quality and tenor to those referred to above and customarily used by corporations for cash management purposes in any jurisdiction outside the United States to the extent reasonably required in connection with any business conducted by any Subsidiary organized in such jurisdiction; and

(i) investments, classified in accordance with GAAP as current assets of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, in money market investment programs that are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 or that are administered by financial institutions having capital of at least $250,000,000, and, in either case, the portfolios of which are limited such that substantially all of such investments are of the character, quality and maturity described in clauses (a) through (i) of this definition.

 

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Permitted Receivables Factoring ” means any one or more transactions or programs (including any factoring program) for the transfer by the Parent Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries on customary market terms for similar transactions, without recourse (other than customary limited recourse) to the Parent Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, to any buyer, purchaser or lender of interests in accounts receivable and customary related assets, so long as the aggregate outstanding Permitted Receivables Net Investment with respect thereto does not exceed $60,000,000 at any time (which shall decrease to $50,000,000 on the first anniversary of the Restatement Effective Date if the Term Loans are still outstanding as of such date).

Permitted Receivables Net Investment ” the aggregate cash amount paid by the purchasers under any Permitted Receivables Factoring in connection with their purchase of accounts receivable and customary related assets or interests therein, as the same may be reduced from time to time by collections with respect to such accounts receivable and related assets or otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Permitted Receivables Factoring (but excluding any such collections used to make payments of commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges incurred in connection with any Permitted Receivables Factoring which are payable to any person other than the Parent Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary).

Permitted Refinancing ” means, with respect to any Person, any modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension of any Indebtedness of such Person; provided that (a) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) thereof does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium thereon plus other amounts paid, and fees and expenses incurred, in connection with such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder, (b) Indebtedness resulting from such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension has a final maturity date equal to or later than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, (c) immediately after giving effect thereto, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (d) if the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended is subordinated in right of payment to the Loan Document Obligations, Indebtedness resulting from such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension is subordinated in right of payment to the Loan Document Obligations on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, and (d) if the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended is permitted pursuant to Section 6.01(a)(ii), (a)(xx), (a)(xxi) or (a)(xxii), (i) the terms and conditions (including, if applicable, as to collateral but excluding as to subordination, interest rate (including whether such interest is payable in cash or in kind) and redemption premium) of Indebtedness resulting from such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension are not, taken as a whole, materially less favorable to the Loan Parties or the Lenders than the terms and conditions of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended; provided that a certificate of a Responsible Officer delivered to the Administrative Agent at least five Business Days prior to such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such resulting Indebtedness or drafts of the documentation relating thereto, stating that the Parent Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement, shall be conclusive evidence that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Parent Borrower within such five Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a reasonable description of the basis upon which it disagrees), and (ii) the primary obligor in respect of, and the Persons (if any) that Guarantee, Indebtedness resulting from such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension are the primary obligor in respect of, and Persons (if any) that Guaranteed, respectively, the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended. For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood that a Permitted Refinancing may constitute a portion of an issuance of Indebtedness in excess of the amount of such Permitted Refinancing; provided that such excess amount is otherwise permitted to be incurred under Section 6.01.

 

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Permitted Second Priority Refinancing Debt ” means secured Indebtedness incurred by the Parent Borrower in the form of one or more series of second lien secured notes or second lien secured loans; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is secured by the Collateral on a second lien, subordinated basis to the Secured Obligations and the obligations in respect of any Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt and is not secured by any property or assets of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary other than the Collateral; (ii) such Indebtedness constitutes Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of Term Loans (including portions of Classes of Term Loans or Other Term Loans) or outstanding Revolving Loans, (iii) such Indebtedness does not mature or have scheduled amortization or payments of principal prior to the date that is 91 days after the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred, (iv) the security agreements relating to such Indebtedness are substantially the same as the Security Documents (with such differences as are reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), (v) the terms and conditions (including, if applicable, as to collateral but excluding as to subordination, interest rate (including whether such interest is payable in cash or in kind), rate floors, fees, funding discounts and redemption premium) of Indebtedness resulting from such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension are, taken as a whole, less favorable to the investors providing such Indebtedness than the terms and conditions of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended (except for covenants of other provisions applicable to periods after the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred), (vi) such Indebtedness is not guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than the Subsidiary Loan Parties and (vii) a Senior Representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement; provided that if such Indebtedness is the initial Permitted Second Priority Refinancing Debt incurred by the Parent Borrower, then the Parent Borrower, the Subsidiary Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent and the Senior Representatives for such Indebtedness shall have executed and delivered the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Permitted Second Priority Refinancing Debt will include any Registered Equivalent Notes issued in exchange therefor.

Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt ” means unsecured Indebtedness incurred by the Parent Borrower or any Subsidiary Loan Party in the form of one or more series of senior unsecured notes or loans; provided that (i) such Indebtedness constitutes Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of Term Loans (including portions of Classes of Term Loans or Other Term Loans) or outstanding Revolving Loans, (ii) such Indebtedness does not mature or have scheduled amortization or payments of principal prior to the date that is 91 days after the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred, (iv) the terms and conditions (including, if applicable, as to collateral but excluding as to subordination, interest rate (including whether such interest is payable in cash or in kind), rate floors, fees, funding discounts and redemption premium) of Indebtedness resulting from such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension are, taken as a whole, less favorable to investors providing such Indebtedness than the terms and conditions of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended (except for covenants of other provisions applicable to periods after the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred), (v) such Indebtedness is not guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than Loan Parties, and (vi) such Indebtedness is not secured by any Lien on any property or assets of Holdings, Intermediate Parent, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary. Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt will include any Registered Equivalent Notes issued in exchange therefor.

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

Plan ” means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Parent Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

Post-Transaction Period ” means, with respect to any Specified Transaction, the period beginning on the date such Specified Transaction is consummated and ending on the last day of the fourth full consecutive fiscal quarter immediately following the date on which such Specified Transaction is consummated.

 

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Prepayment Event ” means:

(a) any sale, transfer or other disposition (including (x) pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction, (y) by way of merger or consolidation and (z) any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of) of any property or asset of the Parent Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted by Section 6.05(k) other than dispositions resulting in aggregate Net Proceeds not exceeding (A) $5,000,000 in the case of any single transaction or series of related transactions and (B) $10,000,000 for all such transactions during any fiscal year of the Parent Borrower;

(b) the incurrence by the Parent Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of any Indebtedness, other than Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01 (other than Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt, Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt, Permitted Second Priority Refinancing Debt and Other Term Loans) or permitted by the Required Lenders pursuant to Section 9.02; or

(c) the issuance by any IPO Entity of its Equity Interests in an IPO.

Prime Rate ” means the rate of interest last quoted by The Wall Street Journal as the “Prime Rate” in the U.S. or, if The Wall Street Journal ceases to quote such rate, the highest per annum interest rate published by the Federal Reserve Board in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) (Selected Interest Rates) as the “bank prime loan” rate or, if such rate is no longer quoted therein, any similar rate quoted therein (as determined by the Administrative Agent) or any similar release by the Federal Reserve Board (as determined by the Administrative Agent).

Principal Issuing Bank ” means, on any date, (a) the Issuing Bank, if there is only one Issuing Bank and (b) otherwise, (i) the Issuing Bank with the greatest LC Exposure on such date and (ii) each other Issuing Bank that has issued Letters of Credit that on such date have available for drawing thereunder (together with the aggregate unreimbursed LC Disbursement, thereunder on such date) of greater than $1,000,000.

Pro Forma Adjustment ” means, for any Test Period that includes all or any part of a fiscal quarter included in any Post-Transaction Period with respect to the Acquired EBITDA of the applicable Pro Forma Entity or the Consolidated EBITDA of the Parent Borrower, the pro forma increase or decrease in such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, projected by the Parent Borrower in good faith as a result of (a) actions taken, prior to or during such Post-Transaction Period, for the purposes of realizing reasonably identifiable and quantifiable cost savings, or (b) any additional costs incurred prior to or during such Post-Transaction Period in connection with the combination of the operations of such Pro Forma Entity with the operations of the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that (A) so long as such actions are taken prior to or during such Post-Transaction Period or such costs are incurred prior to or during such Post-Transaction Period, it may be assumed, for purposes of projecting such pro forma increase or decrease to such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, that such cost savings will be realizable during the entirety of such Test Period, or such additional costs will be incurred during the entirety of such Test Period, (B) any such pro forma increase or decrease to such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, shall be without duplication for cost savings or additional costs already included in such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, for such test period and (C) the aggregate amount of costs savings increased pursuant to clause (a) shall not exceed 10% of Consolidated EBITDA for any Test Period.

Pro Forma Basis ,” “ Pro Forma Compliance ” and “ Pro Forma Effect ” means, with respect to compliance with any test or covenant hereunder required by the terms of this Agreement to be made on a Pro Forma Basis, that (a) to the extent applicable, the Pro Forma Adjustment shall have been made and (b) all Specified Transactions and the following transactions in connection therewith shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the applicable period of measurement in such test or covenant: (i) income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property or Person subject to such Specified Transaction, (A) in the case of a Disposition of all or substantially all Equity Interests in any subsidiary of Holdings or any division, product line, or facility used for operations of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, shall be excluded, and (B) in the case of an Investment described in the definition of “Specified Transaction,” shall be included, (ii) any retirement of Indebtedness, and (iii) any Indebtedness incurred or assumed by Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection therewith and if such Indebtedness has a floating or formula rate, shall have an implied rate of interest for the applicable period for purposes of this definition determined by utilizing the rate that is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness as at the relevant date of determination;

 

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provided that, without limiting the application of the Pro Forma Adjustment pursuant to clause (a) above, the foregoing pro forma adjustments may be applied to any such test or covenant solely to the extent that such adjustments are consistent with the definition of Consolidated EBITDA and give effect to operating expense reductions that are (i) (x) directly attributable to such transaction, (y) expected to have a continuing impact on Holdings, the Parent Borrower and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and (z) factually supportable or (ii) otherwise consistent with the definition of Pro Forma Adjustment, provided , further , that (1) any determination of Pro Forma Compliance required at any time prior to November 26, 2011, shall be made assuming that compliance with Section 6.12 for the Test Period ending on November 26, 2011, is required with respect to the most recent Test Period prior to such time and (2) all pro forma adjustments made pursuant to this definition (including all Pro Forma Adjustments) with respect to the Transactions shall be consistent in character and amount with the adjustments reflected in the Pro Forma Financial Statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, clause (b) of Consolidated Total Net Debt shall not be decreased by the cash proceeds of any Indebtedness incurred for which Pro Forma Effect is being given.

Pro Forma Disposal Adjustment ” means, for any four-quarter period that includes all or a portion of a fiscal quarter included in any Post-Transaction Period with respect to any Sold Entity or Business, the pro forma increase or decrease in Consolidated EBITDA projected by the Parent Borrower in good faith as a result of contractual arrangements between the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary entered into with such Sold Entity or Business at the time of its disposal or within the Post Transaction Period and which represent an increase or decrease in Consolidated EBITDA which is incremental to the Disposed EBITDA of such Sold Entity or Business for the most recent four-quarter period prior to its disposal.

Pro Forma Financial Statements ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.04(c).

Proposed Change ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.02(c).

Qualified Equity Interests ” means Equity Interests of Holdings other than Disqualified Equity Interests.

Qualifying Lender ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D).

Quotation Day ” means, with respect to dollars or euro for any Interest Period, two Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period unless market practice differs in the London interbank market for any such currency, in which case the Quotation Day for such currency shall be determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with market practice in the London interbank market (and if quotations would normally be given by leading banks in the London interbank market on more than one day, the Quotation Day shall be the last of those days).

Refinanced Debt ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness.”

Refinancing Amendment ” means an amendment to this Agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Parent Borrower executed by each of (a) the Borrowers and Holdings, (b) the Administrative Agent and (c) each Additional Lender and Lender that agrees to provide any portion of the Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness being incurred pursuant thereto, in accordance with Section 2.21.

Refinancing Transaction ” means the satisfaction and discharge of the Target’s floating rate notes due 2012.

Register ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(b).

Registered Equivalent Notes ” means, with respect to any notes originally issued in a Rule 144A or other private placement transaction under the Securities Act of 1933, substantially identical notes (having the same Guarantees) issued in a dollar-for-dollar exchange therefor pursuant to an exchange offer registered with the SEC.

 

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Related Parties ” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, trustees, agents, controlling persons, advisors and other representatives of such Person and of each of such Person’s Affiliates and permitted successors and assigns.

Release ” means any release, spill, emission, leaking, dumping, injection, pouring, deposit, disposal, discharge, dispersal, leaching or migration into or through the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) and including the environment within any building, or any occupied structure, facility or fixture.

Repricing Transaction ” means the prepayment or refinancing of all or a portion of the Term Loans with the incurrence by any Loan Party of any long-term bank debt financing incurred for the primary purpose of repaying, refinancing, substituting or replacing the Term Loans and having an effective interest cost or weighted average yield (as determined by the Administrative Agent consistent with generally accepted financial practice and, in any event, excluding any arrangement or commitment fees in connection therewith) that is less than the interest rate for or weighted average yield (as determined by the Administrative Agent on the same basis) of the Term Loans, including without limitation, as may be effected through any amendment to this Agreement relating to the interest rate for, or weighted average yield of, the Term Loans.

Required Lenders ” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Exposures, Term Loans and unused Commitments (other than Swingline Commitments) representing more than 66.66% of the aggregate Revolving Exposures, outstanding Term Loans and unused Commitments (other than Swingline Commitments) at such time; provided that (a) the Revolving Exposures, Term Loans and unused Commitments of the Borrowers or any Affiliate thereof and (b) whenever there are one or more Defaulting Lenders, the total outstanding Term Loans and Revolving Exposures of, and the unused Revolving Commitments of, each Defaulting Lender shall in each case be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

Requirements of Law ” means, with respect to any Person, any statutes, laws, treaties, rules, regulations, orders, decrees, writs, injunctions or determinations of any arbitrator or court or other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.

Responsible Officer ” means the chief executive officer, president, vice president, chief financial officer, treasurer or assistant treasurer, or other similar officer, manager or a director of a Loan Party and with respect to certain limited liability companies or partnerships that do not have officers, any manager, sole member, managing member or general partner thereof, and as to any document delivered on the Effective Date or thereafter pursuant to paragraph (a)(i) of the definition of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement,” any secretary or assistant secretary of a Loan Party. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

Restatement Effective Date ” means November 5, 2016.

Restricted Payment ” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in Holdings, the Parent Borrower, any other Restricted Subsidiary or any Intermediate Parent, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Equity Interests in Holdings, any Intermediate Parent the Parent Borrower or any other Subsidiary or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

Restricted Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

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Revolving Availability Period ” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Revolving Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Revolving Commitments.

Revolving Commitment ” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment, if any, of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum possible aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.08 and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to (i) assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption or (ii) a Refinancing Amendment. The initial amount of each Lender’s Revolving Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01 , or in the Assignment and Assumption or Refinancing Amendment pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Revolving Commitment, as the case may be. The initial amount of the Lenders’ Revolving Commitments as of the Effective Date is $50,000,000 (the “ Initial Revolving Commitments ”).

Revolving Exposure ” means, with respect to any Revolving Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Loans and its LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure at such time.

Revolving Lender ” means a Lender with a Revolving Commitment or, if the Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, a Lender with Revolving Exposure.

Revolving Loan ” means a Revolving Loan made pursuant to clause (b) of Section 2.01 and Other Revolving Loans (including a New Revolving Loan constituting Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness thereof made pursuant to, and as defined in, the First Refinancing Amendment).

Revolving Maturity Date ” means the earlier of (i) the Term Maturity Date (after taking into account any extensions of such date) and (ii) August 26, 2019.

Rolled Equity ” means the Equity Interests in Holdings (or a holding company parent thereof) issued to the Management Investors pursuant to the Equity Financing; provided that, after giving effect to the Transactions on the Effective Date, the Rolled Equity will represent no more than 10% of the equity capitalization of Holdings (or such holding company parent) excluding any portion of the Equity Financing contributed to Storage Parent.

S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and any successor to its rating agency business.

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

Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement ” means the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit H among the Administrative Agent and one or more Senior Representatives for holders of Permitted Second Priority Refinancing Debt, with such modifications thereto as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree.

Secured Leverage Ratio ” means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Secured Debt as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the Test Period as of such date.

Secured Net Leverage Ratio ” means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Secured Net Debt as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the Test Period as of such date.

Secured Obligations ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Collateral Agreement.

Security Documents ” means the Collateral Agreement, the Foreign Collateral Agreements, the Foreign Pledge Agreements, the Mortgages and each other security agreement or pledge agreement executed and delivered pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, Section 5.11, 5.12 or Section 5.14 to secure any of the Secured Obligations.

 

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Senior Representative ” means, with respect to any series of Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt or Permitted Second Priority Refinancing Debt, the trustee, administrative agent, collateral agent, security agent or similar agent under the indenture or agreement pursuant to which such Indebtedness is issued, incurred or otherwise obtained, as the case may be, and each of their successors in such capacities.

Silver Lake Debt Fund ” means Silver Lake Credit Fund, L.P. and any other successor or similar debt investment fund managed by Silver Lake Financial Management Company, L.L.C.

Solicited Discount Proration ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D).

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D).

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice ” means an irrevocable written notice of a Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers made pursuant to Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D) substantially in the form of Exhibit O .

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer ” means the irrevocable written offer by each Term Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit P , submitted following the Administrative Agent’s receipt of a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice.

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D).

Specified Discount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(B).

Specified Discount Prepayment Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(B).

Specified Discount Prepayment Notice ” means an irrevocable written notice of a Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment made pursuant to Section 2.11(a)(ii)(B) substantially in the form of Exhibit K .

Specified Discount Prepayment Response ” means the irrevocable written response by each Term Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit L , to a Specified Discount Prepayment Notice.

Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(B).

Specified Discount Proration ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(B).

Specified Representations ” means the following: (a) the representations made by the Target in the Acquisition Agreement as are material to the interests of the Lenders, but only to the extent that Holdings has the right to terminate its obligations under the Acquisition Agreement as a result of a breach of such representations in the Acquisition Agreement, and (b) the representations set forth in (i) Section 3.01, Section 3.02 (with respect to authorization, execution, delivery and performance and enforceability of the Loan Documents), Section 3.08, Section 3.15 and Section 3.16 and (ii) Section 3.02 of the Collateral Agreement.

Specified Transaction ” means, with respect to any period, any investment, sale, transfer or other disposition of assets, incurrence or repayment of indebtedness, restricted payment, subsidiary designation or other event that by the terms of the Loan Documents requires “Pro Forma Compliance” with a test or covenant hereunder or requires such test or covenant to be calculated on a “Pro Forma Basis.”

 

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Sponsor ” means Silver Lake Partners and its Affiliates.

SPV ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(e).

Statutory Reserve Rate ” means, with respect to any currency, a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve, liquid asset or similar percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by any Governmental Authority of the United States or of the jurisdiction of such currency or any jurisdiction in which Loans in such currency are made to which banks in such jurisdiction are subject for any category of deposits or liabilities customarily used to fund loans in such currency or by reference to which interest rates applicable to Loans in such currency are determined. Such reserve, liquid asset or similar percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to Regulation D of the Board of Governors, and if any Lender is required to comply with the requirements of The Bank of England and/or the Financial Services Authority (or any authority that replaces any of the functions thereof) or the requirements of the European Central Bank. Eurocurrency Loans shall be deemed to be subject to such reserve, liquid asset or similar requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under Regulation D or any other applicable law, rule or regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

Storage Business ” means the Target’s business unit that designs, manufactures and distributes high performance solid state drives.

Storage Investment ” means Investments in Storage Parent or any of its subsidiaries (including indirectly by means of a Restricted Payment to Target) by Parent Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount not to exceed $30,000,000 at any time.

Storage Parent ” means SMART Modular Technologies (Global Storage Holdings), Inc.

Submitted Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(C).

Submitted Discount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a)(ii)(C).

Subordinated Indebtedness ” means any Junior Financing other than any Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Indebtedness.

subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity 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 well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.

Subsidiary ” means any subsidiary of the Parent Borrower.

Subsidiary Loan Party ” means each other Subsidiary of the Parent Borrower (other than the Co- Borrower) that is a party to the Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Borrower ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.03(a)(iv).

Successor Holdings ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.03(a)(v).

 

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Swap Agreement ” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement or contract involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions, provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or the other Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.

Swingline Commitment ” means the commitment of each Swingline Lender to make Swingline Loans.

Swingline Exposure ” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The Swingline Exposure of any Revolving Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the aggregate Swingline Exposure at such time.

Swingline Lender ” means (a) Barclays Bank PLC, in its capacity as lender of Swingline Loans hereunder and (b) each Revolving Lender that shall have become a Swingline Lender hereunder as provided in Section 2.04(d) (other than any Person that shall have ceased to be a Swingline Lender as provided in Section 2.04(e)), each in its capacity as a lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.

Swingline Loan ” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.04.

Swingline Sublimit ” means $10,000,000.

Target ” means SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as Smart Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company.

Target Material Adverse Effect ” means any change, effect, event or occurrence that (A) has a material adverse effect on the business, assets, liabilities, financial condition or results of operations of the Target and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or (B) prevents or materially delays the Target from performing its obligations under the Acquisition Agreement in any material respect; provided , however , that no change, effect, event or occurrence to the extent arising or resulting from any of the following, either alone or in combination, shall constitute or be taken into account in determining whether there has been a Target Material Adverse Effect: (i) (A) general economic, financial, political, capital market, credit market, or financial market conditions or (B) general conditions affecting any of the industries in which the Target and its subsidiaries operate; (ii) Changes in Law or changes in GAAP or accounting standards, in either case, occurring after April 26, 2011; (iii) any natural disasters, pandemics or acts of war (whether or not declared), sabotage or terrorism, or an escalation or worsening thereof; (iv) the entry into, announcement or performance of the Acquisition Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including compliance with the covenants set forth herein (other than Section 5.1(a) of the Acquisition Agreement), and the impact thereof on relationships, contractual or otherwise, with customers, suppliers, distributors, partners, employees or regulators, or any shareholder litigation arising from allegations of breach of fiduciary duty relating to the Acquisition Agreement or the transactions contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement, except that this clause (iv) shall not apply with respect to the representations and warranties contained in Section 3.4 of the Acquisition Agreement (v) any changes in the price or trading volume of the Common Stock (as defined in the Acquisition Agreement) ( provided that the underlying change, effect, event or occurrence that caused or contributed to such change in market price or trading volume shall not be excluded); (vi) any failure by the Target to meet projections or forecasts provided that the underlying change, effect, event or occurrence that caused or contributed to such failure to meet projections or forecasts shall not be excluded); and (vii) any change or prospective change in the Target’s credit rating ( provided that the underlying change, effect, event or occurrence that caused or contributed to such change or prospective change in the Target’s credit rating shall not be excluded); provided , further , however , that the change, effect, event or occurrence referred to in the preceding clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) shall be excluded pursuant to such clause only to the extent such change, effect, event or occurrence does not adversely affect the Target and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, disproportionately to other companies operating in the industries in which the Target and its subsidiaries compete (in which case the incremental disproportionate impact or impacts may be taken into account in determining whether there has been, or is reasonably likely to be, a Target Material Adverse Effect).

 

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Taxes ” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.

Term Commitment ” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment, if any, of such Lender to make a Term Loan hereunder on the Effective Date, expressed as an amount representing the maximum principal amount of the Term Loan to be made by such Lender hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.08 and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption. The initial amount of each Lender’s Term Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Term Commitment, as the case may be.

Term Lender ” means a Lender with a Term Commitment or an outstanding Term Loan.

Term Loan Standstill Period ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.01(d).

Term Loans ” means Loans made pursuant to clause (a) of Section 2.01.

Term Maturity Date ” means August 26, 2019.

Test Period ” means, at any date of determination, the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Parent Borrower then last ended.

Total Leverage Ratio ” means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Debt as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the Test Period as of such date.

Transaction Costs ” means all fees, costs and expense incurred or payable by Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any other Subsidiary in connection with the Transactions.

Transactions ” means (a) the Financing Transactions, (b) the Acquisition and the other transactions contemplated by the Acquisition Documents, (c) the Refinancing Transactions and (d) the payment of the Transaction Costs.

Trust Agreement ” means any English law trust agreement to be entered into in connection with a Foreign Collateral Agreement, between, inter alia, the Administrative Agent and the relevant Loan Parties.

Type ” when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate.

UCC ” or “ Uniform Commercial Code ” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of New York; provided , however , that, at any time, if by reason of mandatory provisions of law, any or all of the perfection or priority of the Collateral Agent’s security interest in any item or portion of the Pledged Collateral (as defined in the Collateral Agreement) is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in a U.S. jurisdiction other than the State of New York, the term shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect, at such time, in such other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such perfection or priority and for purposes of definitions relating to such provisions.

Unrestricted Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary (other than the Co-Borrower) designated by the Parent Borrower as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 5.16 subsequent to the Effective Date.

 

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USA Patriot Act ” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, as amended from time to time.

Warrants ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.24(a).

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

wholly-owned subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person at any date, a subsidiary of such Person of which securities or other ownership interests representing 100% of the Equity Interests (other than (a) directors’ qualifying shares and (b) nominal shares issued to foreign nationals to the extent required by applicable Requirements of Law) are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held by such Person or one or more wholly-owned subsidiaries of such Person or by such Person and one or more wholly-owned subsidiaries of such Person.

Withdrawal Liability ” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

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. Classification of Loans and Borrowings . For purposes of this Agreement, Loans and Borrowings may be classified and referred to by Class ( e.g ., a “ Revolving Loan ”) or by Type ( e.g ., a “ Eurocurrency Loan ”) or by Class and Type ( e.g. , a “ Eurocurrency Revolving Loan ”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class ( e,g. , a “ Revolving Borrowing ”) or by Type ( e.g., a “ Eurocurrency Borrowing ”) or by Class and Type ( e.g. , a “ Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing ”).

SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally . 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 (including this Agreement and the other Loan Documents), instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, amended and restated, 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 (subject to any restrictions on assignment set forth herein) and, in the case of any Governmental Authority, any other Governmental Authority that shall have succeeded to any or all functions thereof, (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 and (e) 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.

SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time.

 

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SECTION 1.05. Effectuation of Transactions . All references herein to Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be references to such Persons, and all the representations and warranties of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the other Loan Parties contained in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be deemed made, in each case, after giving effect to the Acquisition and the other Transactions to occur on the Effective Date, unless the context otherwise requires.

SECTION 1.06. Currency Translation . Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of any determination under Article V, Article VI (other than Section 6.12) or Article VII or any determination under any other provision of this Agreement expressly requiring the use of a current exchange rate, all amounts incurred, outstanding or proposed to be incurred or outstanding in currencies other than dollars shall be translated into dollars at currency exchange rates in effect on the date of such determination; provided , however , that for purposes of determining compliance with Article VI with respect to the amount of any Indebtedness, Investment, Disposition or Restricted Payment in a currency other than dollars, no Default or Event of Default shall be deemed to have occurred solely as a result of changes in rates of exchange occurring after the time such Indebtedness or Investment is incurred or Disposition or Restricted Payment made; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.06 shall otherwise apply to such Sections, including with respect to determining whether any Indebtedness or Investment may be incurred or Disposition or Restricted Payment made at any time under such Sections. For purposes of Section 6.12 and Section 4.02, amounts in currencies other than dollars shall be translated into dollars at the currency exchange rates used in preparing the most recently delivered financial statements pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b).

SECTION 1.07. Effect of this Agreement on the Original Credit Agreement and the Other Existing Loan Documents . This Agreement shall be binding on the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Lenders and the other parties hereto and the Original Credit Agreement and the provisions thereof shall be replaced in their entirety by this Agreement and the provisions hereof; provided that for the avoidance of doubt (a) the Obligations (as defined in the Original Credit Agreement) of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties under the Original Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents that remain unpaid and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement shall continue to exist under and be evidenced by this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (b) all Letters of Credit under and as defined in the Original Credit Agreement shall continue as Letters of Credit under this Agreement and (c) the Collateral and the Loan Documents shall continue to secure, guarantee, support and otherwise benefit the Obligations on the same terms as prior to the effectiveness hereof. Upon the effectiveness of this Agreement, each Loan Document (other than the Original Credit Agreement) that was in effect immediately prior to the date of this Agreement shall continue to be effective on its terms unless otherwise expressly stated herein. Except as provided herein or as restated in connection herewith, each of the Schedules and Exhibits to the Original Credit Agreement shall remain in effect and shall be Schedules and Exhibits to this Agreement.

ARTICLE II

THE CREDITS

SECTION 2.01. Commitments . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (a) each Term Lender made a Term Loan to the Borrowers on the Effective Date (or increased the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans outstanding on the Restatement Effective Date in connection with the additional payment to the Term Lenders of $5,000,000 on the Restatement Effective Date pursuant to and in accordance with Section 2(b) of the Fourth Amendment) denominated in dollars in a principal amount not exceeding its Term Commitment and (b) each Revolving Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrowers denominated in dollars from time to time during the Revolving Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount which will not result in such Lender’s Revolving Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Revolving Commitment; provided that no Revolving Loans shall be made on the Effective Date unless, after giving effect to the Transactions on the Effective Date, the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries would have at least $75,000,000 of (x) unrestricted cash and cash equivalents on hand and (y) unused Revolving Commitments (consistent with the calculation of such under Section 2.12(a)). Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans. Amounts repaid or prepaid in respect of Term Loans may not be reborrowed.

 

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SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings .

(a) Each Loan (other than a Swingline Loan) shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Class and Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments of the applicable Class. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder, provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and other than as expressly provided herein with respect to a Defaulting Lender, no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required hereby.

(b) Subject to Section 2.14, each Revolving Borrowing and Term Loan Borrowing denominated in dollars shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurocurrency Loans as a Borrower may request in accordance herewith; provided that all Borrowings made on the Effective Date must be made as ABR Borrowings unless such Borrower shall have given the notice required for a Eurocurrency Borrowing under Section 2.03 and provided an indemnity letter extending the benefits of Section 2.16 to Lenders in respect of such Borrowings. Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan. Each Lender at its option may make any Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of such Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(c) At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurocurrency Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of the Borrowing Multiple and not less than the Borrowing Minimum; provided that a Eurocurrency Borrowing that results from a continuation of an outstanding Eurocurrency Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to such outstanding Borrowing. At the time that each ABR Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of the Borrowing Multiple and not less than the Borrowing Minimum. Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of the Borrowing Multiple and not less than the Borrowing Minimum. Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of 12 Eurocurrency Borrowings outstanding.

SECTION 2.03. Requests for Borrowings . To request a Revolving Borrowing or Term Loan Borrowing, the applicable Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request in writing (a) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing (or, in the case of any Eurocurrency Borrowing to be made on the Effective Date, such shorter period of time as may be agreed to by the Administrative Agent) or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11.00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.05(f) may be given not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such written Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be by hand delivery or facsimile or other electronic transmission to the Administrative Agent signed by the applicable Borrower. Each such written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information:

(i) whether the requested Borrowing is to be a Revolving Borrowing, a Term Loan Borrowing or a Borrowing of any other Class (specifying the Class thereof);

(ii) the aggregate amount of such Borrowing;

(iii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;

(iv) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing (solely in the case of a Borrowing denominated in dollars) or a Eurocurrency Borrowing;

(v) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”;

 

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(vi) the location and number of the such Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.06, or, in the case of any ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan requested to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(1), the identity of the Issuing Bank that made such LC Disbursement; and

(vii) that as of the date of such Borrowing, the conditions set forth in Sections 4.02(a) and 4.02(b) are satisfied.

If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified as to any Borrowing, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurocurrency Borrowing, then such Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the applicable Class of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

SECTION 2.04. Swingline Loans .

(a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein (including Section 2.22), in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans to the Borrowers from time to time during the Revolving Availability Period denominated in dollars in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) subject to Section 9.04(b)(ii), the Applicable Fronting Exposure of any Swingline Lender exceeding its Revolving Commitment, (ii) the aggregate Revolving Exposures exceeding the aggregate Revolving Commitments or (iii) the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans outstanding exceeding Swingline Sublimit; provided that the Swingline Lender shall be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrowers may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans.

(b) To request a Swingline Loan, the Parent Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and the Swingline Lender of such request (i) by telephone (confirmed in writing) or by facsimile (confirmed by telephone), not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, or, if agreed by the Swingline Lender, 2:00 p.m. New York City time on the day of such proposed Swingline Loan. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date (which shall be a Business Day), the amount of the requested Swingline Loan and (x) if the funds are not to be credited to a general deposit account of such Borrower maintained with the Swingline Lender because such Borrower is unable to maintain a general deposit account with the Swingline Lender under applicable Requirements of Law, the location and number of such Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with Section 2.06, or (y) in the case of any ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan requested to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(f), the identity of the Issuing Bank that made such LC Disbursement. The Swingline Lender shall make each Swingline Loan available to such Borrower by means of a credit to the general deposit accounts of such Borrower maintained with the Swingline Lender for the Swingline Loan (or, in the case of a Swingline Loan made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(f), by remittance to the applicable Issuing Bank) by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.

(c) The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on any Business Day require the Revolving Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding. Such notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Revolving Lenders will participate. Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will give notice thereof to each Revolving Lender, specifying in such notice the Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Swingline Loans. Each Revolving Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice as provided above, to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Swingline Loans. Each Revolving Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or any reduction or termination of the Revolving Commitments, and

 

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that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Revolving Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.06 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.06 shall apply, mutatis mutandis , to the payment obligations of the Revolving Lenders pursuant to this paragraph), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers of any participations in any Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender. Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the Borrowers (or other Person on behalf of the Borrowers) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be promptly remitted by the Swingline Lender to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Revolving Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, and thereafter to the Borrowers, if and to the extent such payment is required to be refunded to the Borrowers for any reason. The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Borrowers of any default in the payment thereof.

(d) The Parent Borrower may, at any time and from time to time, designate as additional Swingline Lenders one or more Revolving Lenders that agree to serve in such capacity as provided below. The acceptance by a Revolving Lender of an appointment as a Swingline Lender hereunder shall be evidenced by an agreement, which shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Parent Borrower, executed by the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and such designated Swingline Lender, and, from and after the effective date of such agreement, (i) such Revolving Lender shall have all the rights and obligations of a Swingline Lender under this Agreement and (ii) references herein to the term “Swingline Lender” shall be deemed to include such Revolving Lender in its capacity as a lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.

(e) The Parent Borrower may terminate the appointment of any Swingline Lender as a “Swingline Lender” hereunder by providing a written notice thereof to such Swingline Lender, with a copy to the Administrative Agent. Any such termination shall become effective upon the earlier of (i) such Swingline Lender’s acknowledging receipt of such notice and (ii) the fifth Business Day following the date of the delivery thereof; provided that no such termination shall become effective until and unless the Swingline Exposure of such Swingline Lender shall have been reduced to zero. Notwithstanding the effectiveness of any such termination, the terminated Swingline Lender shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights of a Swingline Lender under this Agreement with respect to Swingline Loans made by it prior to such termination, but shall not make any additional Swingline Loans.

SECTION 2.05. Letters of Credit and Bank Guarantees .

(a) General . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein (including Section 2.22), each Issuing Bank agrees, in reliance upon agreement of the Revolving Lenders set forth in this Section 2.05, to issue Letters of Credit denominated in dollars for its own account (or for the account of any other Subsidiary so long as a Borrower and such other Subsidiary are co-applicants in respect of such Letter of Credit), in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the applicable Issuing Bank, which shall reflect the standard operating procedures of such Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Revolving Availability Period and prior to the fifth Business Day prior to the Revolving Maturity Date. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit or bank guarantee application or other agreement submitted by the Parent Borrower to, or entered into by the Parent Borrower with, the applicable Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.

(b) Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions . To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), a Borrower shall deliver in writing by hand delivery or facsimile (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the recipient) to the applicable Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (at least five

 

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Business Days before the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension or such shorter period as the applicable Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent may agree) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (d) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit. If requested by the applicable Issuing Bank, such Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on such Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, (i) subject to Section 9.04(b)(ii), the Applicable Fronting Exposure of each Issuing Bank shall not exceed its Revolving Commitment, (ii) the aggregate Revolving Exposures shall not exceed the aggregate Revolving Commitments and (iii) the aggregate LC Exposure shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit. No Issuing Bank shall be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if (i) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall enjoin or restrain such Issuing Bank from issuing the Letter of Credit, or any law applicable to such Issuing Bank any directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over such Issuing Bank shall prohibit the issuance of letters of credit generally or the Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon such Issuing Bank with respect to the Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which such Issuing Bank is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Effective Date, or shall impose upon such Issuing Bank any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Effective Date and which such Issuing Bank in good faith deems material to it, (ii) except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the such Issuing Bank, the Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $100,000, in the case of a commercial Letter of Credit, or $500,000, in the case of a standby Letter of Credit or (iii) any Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, if after giving effect to Section 2.22(a)(iv), any Defaulting Lender Fronting Exposure remains outstanding, unless such Issuing Bank has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of cash collateral, reasonably satisfactory to such Issuing Bank with such Borrower or such Lender to eliminate such Issuing Bank’s Defaulting Lender Fronting Exposure arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or such Letter of Credit and all other LC Exposure as to which such Issuing Bank has Defaulting Lender Fronting Exposure.

(c) Notice . Each Issuing Bank agrees that it shall not permit any issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit to occur unless it shall have given to the Administrative Agent written notice thereof required under paragraph (m) of this Section.

(d) Expiration Date . Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date that is one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Revolving Maturity Date; provided that if such expiry date is not a Business Day, such Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to close of business on the next succeeding Business Day; provided , however , that any Letter of Credit may, upon the request of a Borrower, include a provision whereby such Letter of Credit shall be renewed automatically for additional consecutive periods of one year or less (but not beyond the date that is five Business Days prior to the Revolving Maturity Date) unless the applicable Issuing Bank notifies the beneficiary thereof within the time period specified in such Letter of Credit or, if no such time period is specified, at least 30 days prior to the then-applicable expiration date, that such Letter of Credit will not be renewed.

(e) Participation . By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the Issuing Bank that is the issuer thereof or the Lenders, such Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Revolving Lender, and each Revolving Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Revolving Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of such Issuing Bank, such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by such Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrowers on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section in the currency of such LC Disbursement, or of any reimbursement payment required

 

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to be refunded to the Borrowers for any reason. Each Revolving Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or any reduction or termination of the Revolving Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

(f) Reimbursement . If an Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrowers shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrowers receive notice of such LC Disbursement; provided that, if such LC Disbursement is not less than $1,000,000, the Borrower may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.04 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or a Swingline Loan, in each case in an equivalent amount, and, to the extent so financed, the Borrowers’ obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan. If the Borrowers fail to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Revolving Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrowers in respect thereof and such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Revolving Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrowers, in dollars and in the same manner as provided in Section 2.06 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.06 shall apply, mutatis mutandis , to the payment obligations of the Revolving Lenders pursuant to this paragraph), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the applicable Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrowers pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the applicable Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Revolving Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse such Issuing Bank, then to such Revolving Lenders and such Issuing Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Revolving Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse any Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrowers of their obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.

(g) Obligations Absolute . The Borrowers’, jointly and severally, obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section is absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by an Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrowers’ obligations hereunder. None of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Issuing Banks or any of their Affiliates shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing Banks; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse any Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrowers to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to consequential or punitive damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrowers that are caused by such Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or wilful misconduct on the part of any Issuing Bank (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final, nonappealable judgment), such Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to

 

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documents presented that appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, an Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit, and any such acceptance or refusal shall be deemed not to constitute gross negligence or wilful misconduct.

(h) Disbursement Procedures . Each Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. Each Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Parent Borrower in writing by hand delivery or facsimile or other electronic transmission of such demand for payment and whether such Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrowers of their obligation to reimburse such Issuing Bank and the Revolving Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement in accordance with paragraph (f) of this Section.

(i) Interim Interest . If an Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Borrowers shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrowers reimburse such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to in the case of an LC Disbursement denominated in dollars, ABR Revolving Loans; provided that, if the Borrowers fail to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (f) of this Section, then Section 2.13(c) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be paid to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the applicable Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Revolving Lender pursuant to paragraph (f) of this Section to reimburse such Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment and shall be payable on demand or, if no demand has been made, on the date on which the Borrowers reimburse the applicable LC Disbursement in full.

(j) Cash Collateralization . If any Event of Default under paragraph (a), (b), (h) or (i) of Section 7.01 shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day on which the Parent Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Revolving Lenders with LC Exposure representing more than 50% of the aggregate LC Exposure of all Revolving Lenders) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Borrowers shall deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount of cash in dollars equal to the portions of the LC Exposure attributable to Letters of Credit, as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrowers described in paragraph (h) or (i) of Section 7.01. The Borrowers also shall deposit cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph as and to the extent required by Section 2.11(b). Each such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the obligations of the Borrowers under this Agreement. At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, if any Defaulting Lender Fronting Exposure remains outstanding (after giving effect to Section 2.22(a)(iv)), then promptly upon the request of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, the Borrowers shall deliver to the Administrative Agent cash collateral in an amount sufficient to cover such Defaulting Lender Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to any cash collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender). The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent in Permitted Investments and at the Borrowers risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Banks for LC Disbursements for which they have not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrowers for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Revolving Lenders with LC Exposure representing more than 50% of the aggregate LC Exposure of all the Revolving Lenders), be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrowers under this Agreement in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents. If the

 

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Borrowers are required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default or the existence of a Defaulting Lender, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrowers within three Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived or after the termination of Defaulting Lender status, as applicable. If the Borrowers are required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder pursuant to Section 2.11(b), such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower as and to the extent that, after giving effect to such return, the Borrowers would remain in compliance with Section 2.11(b) and no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

(k) Designation of Additional Issuing Banks . The Parent Borrower may, at any time and from time to time, designate as additional Issuing Banks one or more Revolving Lenders that agree to serve in such capacity as provided below. The acceptance by a Revolving Lender of an appointment as an Issuing Bank hereunder shall be evidenced by an agreement, which shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Parent Borrower, executed by the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and such designated Revolving Lender and, from and after the effective date of such agreement, (i) such Revolving Lender shall have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to include such Revolving Lender in its capacity as an issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.

(l) Termination of an Issuing Bank . The Parent Borrower may terminate the appointment of any Issuing Bank as an “Issuing Bank” hereunder by providing a written notice thereof to such Issuing Bank, with a copy to the Administrative Agent. Any such termination shall become effective upon the earlier of (i) such Issuing Bank’s acknowledging receipt of such notice and (ii) the fifth Business Day following the date of the delivery thereof; provided that no such termination shall become effective until and unless the LC Exposure attributable to Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank (or its Affiliates) shall have been reduced to zero. At the time any such termination shall become effective, the Parent Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the terminated Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b). Notwithstanding the effectiveness of any such termination, the terminated Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such termination, but shall not issue any additional Letters of Credit.

(m) Issuing Bank Reports to the Administrative Agent . Unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank shall, in addition to its notification obligations set forth elsewhere in this Section, report in writing to the Administrative Agent (i) periodic activity (for such period or recurrent periods as shall be requested by the Administrative Agent) in respect of Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, including all issuances, extensions, amendments and renewals, all expirations and cancellations and all disbursements and reimbursements, (ii) within five Business Days following the time that such Issuing Bank issues, amends, renews or extends any Letter of Credit, the date of such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, and the currency and face amount of the Letters of Credit issued, amended, renewed or extended by it and outstanding after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (and whether the amounts thereof shall have changed), (iii) on each Business Day on which such Issuing Bank makes any LC Disbursement, the date, currency and amount of such LC Disbursement, (iv) on any Business Day on which a Borrower fails to reimburse an LC Disbursement required to be reimbursed to such Issuing Bank on such day, the date of such failure and amount of such LC Disbursement and (v) on any other Business Day, such other information as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request as to the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank.

(n) Existing LCs . The Existing LCs will be deemed to be Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement on the Effective Date.

SECTION 2.06. Funding of Borrowings .

(a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds in the applicable currency by 12:00 noon, New York City time, to the Applicable Account of the Administrative Agent most-recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders; provided that Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.04. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrowers by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like

 

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funds, to an account of the Borrowers maintained with the Administrative Agent in New York City and designated by the Borrowers in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided that ABR Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(f) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the applicable Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Revolving Lenders have made payments pursuant to Section 2.05(f) to reimburse such Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and such Issuing Bank as their interests may appear.

(b) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in reliance on such assumption and in its sole discretion, make available to a Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such share on demand of the Administrative Agent. If such Lender does not pay such corresponding amount forthwith upon demand of the Administrative Agent therefor, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the applicable Borrower, and the applicable Borrower agrees to pay such corresponding amount to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand. The Administrative Agent shall also be entitled to recover from such Lender or applicable Borrower interest on such corresponding amount, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the applicable Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, if such Borrowing is denominated in dollars, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, the rate reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent to be its cost of funding such amount, or (ii) in the case of such Borrower, the interest rate applicable to such Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.13. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.

(c) Obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Term Loans and Revolving Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 9.03(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 9.03(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 9.03(c).

SECTION 2.07. Interest Elections .

(a) Each Revolving Borrowing and Term Loan Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request or designated by Section 2.03 and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request or designated by Section 2.03. Thereafter, each Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. Each Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing. This Section shall not apply to Swingline Loans, which may not be converted or continued.

(b) To make an election pursuant to this Section, the applicable Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election in writing by the time that a Revolving Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if such Borrower were requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such written Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be by hand delivery, facsimile or other electronic transmission to the Administrative Agent signed by the applicable Borrower.

(c) Each written Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.03:

 

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(i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);

(ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;

(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing (solely in the case of a Borrowing denominated in dollars) or a Eurocurrency Borrowing; and

(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is to be a Eurocurrency Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”.

If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurocurrency Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.

(d) Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the applicable Class of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.

(e) If such Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurocurrency Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies such Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurocurrency Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing.

SECTION 2.08. Termination and Reduction of Commitments .

(a) Unless previously terminated, the Revolving Commitments shall terminate on the Revolving Maturity Date. The Term Commitments terminated upon the making of the Term Loans on the Effective Date.

(b) Each Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Commitments of any Class; provided that (i) each reduction of the Commitments of any Class shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000 and not less than $1,000,000 and (ii) each Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Revolving Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Revolving Loans or Swingline Loans in accordance with Section 2.11, the aggregate Revolving Exposures would exceed the aggregate Revolving Commitments.

(c) Each Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section at least one Business Day prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any such notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by such Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Revolving Commitments delivered by such Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities or the receipt of the proceeds from the issuance of other Indebtedness or the occurrence of some other identifiable event or condition, in which case such notice may be revoked by such Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date of termination) if such condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Commitments of any Class shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Commitments of any Class shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments of such Class.

 

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SECTION 2.09. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt .

(a) Each Borrower, jointly and severally, hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan of such Lender on the Revolving Maturity Date, (ii) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Term Loan of such Lender as provided in Section 2.10 and (iii) to the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan made by the Swingline Lender on the earlier to occur of (A) the date that is 10 Business Days after such Loan is made and (B) the Revolving Maturity Date; provided that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing in any currency is made, such Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans in such currency that were outstanding on the date such Borrowing was requested.

(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrowers to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the currency and amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.

(d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein, provided that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrowers to pay any amounts due hereunder in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. In the event of any inconsistency between the entries made pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Section, the accounts maintained by the Administrative Agent pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall control.

(e) Any Lender may request through the Administrative Agent that Loans of any Class made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrowers shall execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to the order of such Lender (or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form provided by the Administrative Agent and approved by the Borrowers.

SECTION 2.10. Amortization of Term Loans .

(a) Subject to adjustment pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section, the Borrowers shall repay Term Loan Borrowings on the last Friday of each February, May, August and November in an amount equal to $3,875,000, together in each case with accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount to be paid to but excluding the date of such payment; provided that if any such date is not a Business Day, such payment shall be due on the next preceding Business Day.

(b) To the extent not previously paid, all Term Loans shall be due and payable on the Term Maturity Date.

(c) Any prepayment of a Term Loan Borrowing of any Class made after the Restatement Effective Date (i) pursuant to Section 2.1l(a)(i) shall be applied to reduce the subsequent scheduled and outstanding repayments of the Term Loan Borrowings of such Class to be made pursuant to this Section as directed by the Borrowers (and absent such direction in direct order of maturity) and (ii) pursuant to Section 2.11(c), 2.11(d) or 2.11 (h) shall be applied to reduce the subsequent scheduled and outstanding repayments of the Term Loan Borrowings of such Class to be made pursuant to this Section, or, except as otherwise provided in any Refinancing Amendment, pursuant to the corresponding section of such Refinancing Amendment, in reverse order of maturity.

 

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(d) Prior to any repayment of any Term Loan Borrowings of any Class hereunder, the Borrower shall select the Borrowing or Borrowings of the applicable Class to be repaid and shall notify the Administrative Agent in writing by hand delivery or facsimile or other electronic transmission of such election not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, two Business Day before the scheduled date of such repayment. In the absence of a designation by the Borrowers as described in the preceding sentence, the Administrative Agent shall make such designation in its reasonable discretion with a view, but no obligation, to minimize breakage costs owing under Section 2.16. Each repayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the repaid Borrowing. Repayments of Term Loan Borrowings shall be accompanied by accrued interest on the amount repaid.

SECTION 2.11. Prepayment of Loans .

(a) (i) The Borrowers shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to the requirements of this Section; provided that in the event that (A) on or prior to the first anniversary of the Effective Date, the Borrowers (x) make any prepayment of Term Loans in connection with a Change in Control or prepay Term Loans with the proceeds of Indebtedness, (y) make any prepayment of Term Loans in connection with any Repricing Transaction, or (z) effect any amendment of this Agreement resulting in a Repricing Transaction, the Borrowers shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable account of each of the applicable Term Lender, (I) in the case of clause (A)(x), a prepayment premium of 3% of the amount of the Term Loans being prepaid, (II) in the case of clause (A)(y), a prepayment premium of 3% of the amount of the Term Loans being prepaid and (III) in the case of clause (A)(z), a payment equal to 3% of the aggregate amount of the applicable Term Loans outstanding immediately prior to such amendment; (B) at anytime after the first anniversary of the Effective Date and on or prior to the second anniversary of the Effective Date, the Borrowers (x) make any prepayment of Term Loans in connection with a Change in Control or prepay Term Loans with the proceeds of Indebtedness, (y) make any prepayment of Term Loans in connection with any Repricing Transaction, or (z) effect any amendment of this Agreement resulting in a Repricing Transaction, the Borrowers shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable account of each of the applicable Term Lender, (I) in the case of clause (B)(x), a prepayment premium of 2% of the amount of the Term Loans being prepaid, (II) in the case of clause (B)(y), a prepayment premium of 2% of the amount of the Term Loans being prepaid and (III) in the case of clause (B)(z), a payment equal to 2% of the aggregate amount of the applicable Term Loans outstanding immediately prior to such amendment; or (C) at anytime after the second anniversary of the Effective Date and on or prior to the third anniversary of the Effective Date, the Borrowers (x) make any prepayment of Term Loans in connection with a Change in Control or prepay Term Loans with the proceeds of Indebtedness, (y) make any prepayment of Term Loans in connection with any Repricing Transaction, or (z) effect any amendment of this Agreement resulting in a Repricing Transaction, the Borrowers shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable account of each of the applicable Term Lender, (I) in the case of clause (C)(x), a prepayment premium of 1% of the amount of the Term Loans being prepaid, (II) in the case of clause (C)(y), a prepayment premium of 1% of the amount of the Term Loans being prepaid and (III) in the case of clause (C)(z), a payment equal to 1% of the aggregate amount of the applicable Term Loans outstanding immediately prior to such amendment;

(ii) Notwithstanding anything in any Loan Document to the contrary, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, a Borrower may prepay the outstanding Term Loans on the following basis:

(A) Each Borrower shall have the right to make a voluntary prepayment of Term Loans at a discount to par (such prepayment, the “ Discounted Term Loan Prepayment ”) pursuant to a Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment, Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offers or Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers, in each case made in accordance with this Section 2.11(a)(ii); provided that (x) the Borrowers shall not make any Borrowing of Revolving Loans to fund any Discounted Term Loan Prepayment and (y) the Borrowers shall not initiate any action under this Section 2.11 (a)(ii) in order to make a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment unless (I) at least ten (10) Business Days shall have passed since the consummation of the most recent Discounted Term Loan Prepayment as a result of a prepayment made by the Borrowers on the applicable Discounted Prepayment Effective Date; or (II) at least three (3) Business Days shall have passed since the date the Parent Borrower was notified that no Term Lender was willing to accept any prepayment of any Term Loan and/or Other Term Loan at the Specified Discount, within the Discount Range or at any discount to par value, as applicable, or in the case of Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers, the date of the Borrower’s election not to accept any Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers.

 

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(B) (1) Subject to the proviso to subsection (A) above, a Borrower may from time to time offer to make a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment by providing the Auction Agent with three (3) Business Days’ notice in the form of a Specified Discount Prepayment Notice; provided that (I) any such offer shall be made available, at the sole discretion of the Borrower, to each Term Lender and/or each Lender with respect to any Class of Term Loans on an individual tranche basis, (II) any such offer shall specify the aggregate principal amount offered to be prepaid (the “ Specified Discount Prepayment Amount ”) with respect to each applicable tranche, the tranche or tranches of Term Loans subject to such offer and the specific percentage discount to par (the “ Specified Discount ”) of such Term Loans to be prepaid (it being understood that different Specified Discounts and/or Specified Discount Prepayment Amounts may be offered with respect to different tranches of Term Loans and, in such an event, each such offer will be treated as a separate offer pursuant to the terms of this Section), (III) the Specified Discount Prepayment Amount shall be in an aggregate amount not less than $1,000,000 and whole increments of $500,000 in excess thereof and (IV) each such offer shall remain outstanding through the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date. The Auction Agent will promptly provide each relevant Term Lender with a copy of such Specified Discount Prepayment Notice and a form of the Specified Discount Prepayment Response to be completed and returned by each such Lender to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by no later than 5:00 p.m., New York time, on the third Business Day after the date of delivery of such notice to the relevant Term Lenders (the “ Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date ”).

(2) Each relevant Term Lender receiving such offer shall notify the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date whether or not it agrees to accept a prepayment of any of its relevant then outstanding Term Loans at the Specified Discount and, if so (such accepting Term Lender, a “ Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender ”), the amount and the tranches of such Lender’s Term Loans to be prepaid at such offered discount. Each acceptance of a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment by a Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender shall be irrevocable. Any Term Lender whose Specified Discount Prepayment Response is not received by the Auction Agent by the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date shall be deemed to have declined to accept the applicable Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment.

(3) If there is at least one Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender, the Borrower will make prepayment of outstanding Term Loans pursuant to this paragraph (B) to each Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender in accordance with the respective outstanding amount and tranches of Term Loans specified in such Lender’s Specified Discount Prepayment Response given pursuant to subsection (2); provided that, if the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans accepted for prepayment by all Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders exceeds the Specified Discount Prepayment Amount, such prepayment shall be made pro-rata among the Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders in accordance with the respective principal amounts accepted to be prepaid by each such Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender and the Auction Agent (in consultation with the Borrower and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its reasonable discretion) will calculate such proration (the “ Specified Discount Proration ”). The Auction Agent shall promptly, and in any case within three (3) Business Days following the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date, notify (I) the Parent Borrower of the respective Term Lenders’ responses to such offer, the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date and the aggregate principal amount of the Discounted Term Loan Prepayment and the tranches to be prepaid, (II) each Term Lender of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, and the aggregate principal amount and the tranches of Term Loans to be prepaid at the Specified Discount on such date and (III) each Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender of the Specified Discount Proration, if any, and confirmation of the principal amount, tranche and Type of Loans of such Lender to be prepaid at the Specified Discount on such date. Each determination by the Auction Agent of the amounts stated in the foregoing notices to the Borrower and Lenders shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error. The payment amount specified in such notice to the Parent Borrower shall be due and payable by the Borrower on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in accordance with subsection (F) below (subject to subsection (J) below).

 

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(C) (1) Subject to the proviso to subsection (A) above, a Borrower may from time to time solicit Discount Range Prepayment Offers by providing the Auction Agent with three (3) Business Days’ notice in the form of a Discount Range Prepayment Notice; provided that (I) any such solicitation shall be extended, at the sole discretion of the Borrower, to each Term Lender and/or each Lender with respect to any Class of Loans on an individual tranche basis, (II) any such notice shall specify the maximum aggregate principal amount of the relevant Term Loans (the “ Discount Range Prepayment Amount ”), the tranche or tranches of Term Loans subject to such offer and the maximum and minimum percentage discounts to par (the “ Discount Range ”) of the principal amount of such Term Loans with respect to each relevant tranche of Term Loans willing to be prepaid by a Borrower (it being understood that different Discount Ranges and/or Discount Range Prepayment Amounts may be offered with respect to different tranches of Term Loans and, in such an event, each such offer will be treated as a separate offer pursuant to the terms of this Section), (III) the Discount Range Prepayment Amount shall be in an aggregate amount not less than $1,000,000 and whole increments of $500,000 in excess thereof and (IV) each such solicitation by the Borrower shall remain outstanding through the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date. The Auction Agent will promptly provide each relevant Term Lender with a copy of such Discount Range Prepayment Notice and a form of the Discount Range Prepayment Offer to be submitted by a responding relevant Term Lender to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by no later than 5:00 p.m., New York time, on the third Business Day after the date of delivery of such notice to the relevant Term Lenders (the “ Discount Range Prepayment Response Date ”). Each relevant Term Lender’s Discount Range Prepayment Offer shall be irrevocable and shall specify a discount to par within the Discount Range (the “ Submitted Discount ”) at which such Term Lender is willing to allow prepayment of any or all of its then outstanding Term Loans of the applicable tranche or tranches and the maximum aggregate principal amount and tranches of such Lender’s Term Loans (the “ Submitted Amount ”) such Lender is willing to have prepaid at the Submitted Discount. Any Term Lender whose Discount Range Prepayment Offer is not received by the Auction Agent by the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date shall be deemed to have declined to accept a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment of any of its Term Loans at any discount to their par value within the Discount Range.

(2) The Auction Agent shall review all Discount Range Prepayment Offers received on or before the applicable Discount Range Prepayment Response Date and shall determine (in consultation with the Borrower and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) the Applicable Discount and Term Loans to be prepaid at such Applicable Discount in accordance with this subsection (C). The Borrowers agree to accept on the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date all Discount Range Prepayment Offers received by Auction Agent by the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date, in the order from the Submitted Discount that is the largest discount to par to the Submitted Discount that is the smallest discount to par, up to and including the Submitted Discount that is the smallest discount to par within the Discount Range (such Submitted Discount that is the smallest discount to par within the Discount Range being referred to as the “ Applicable Discount ”) which yields a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment in an aggregate principal amount equal to the lower of (I) the Discount Range Prepayment Amount and (II) the sum of all Submitted Amounts. Each Lender that has submitted a Discount Range Prepayment Offer to accept prepayment at a discount to par that is larger than or equal to the Applicable Discount shall be deemed to have irrevocably consented to prepayment of Term Loans equal to its Submitted Amount (subject to any required proration pursuant to the following subsection (3)) at the Applicable Discount (each such Lender, a “ Participating Lender ”).

(3) If there is at least one Participating Lender, the Borrower will prepay the respective outstanding Term Loans of each Participating Lender in the aggregate principal amount and of the tranches specified in such Lender’s Discount Range Prepayment Offer at the Applicable Discount; provided that if the Submitted Amount by all Participating Lenders offered at a discount to par greater than the Applicable Discount exceeds the Discounted Range Prepayment Amount, prepayment of the principal amount of the relevant Term Loans for those Participating Lenders whose Submitted Discount is a discount to par greater than or equal to the Applicable Discount (the “ Identified Participating Lenders ”) shall be made pro-rata among the Identified Participating Lenders in accordance with the Submitted Amount of each such Identified Participating Lender and the Auction Agent (in consultation with the Borrower and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) will calculate such

 

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proration (the “ Discount Range Proration ”). The Auction Agent shall promptly, and in any case within five (5) Business Days following the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date, notify (I) the Borrower of the respective Term Lenders’ responses to such solicitation, the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, the Applicable Discount, and the aggregate principal amount of the Discounted Term Loan Prepayment and the tranches to be prepaid, (II) each Term Lender of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, the Applicable Discount, and the aggregate principal amount and tranches of Term Loans to be prepaid at the Applicable Discount on such date, (III) each Participating Lender of the aggregate principal amount and tranches of such Lender to be prepaid at the Applicable Discount on such date, and (z) if applicable, each Identified Participating Lender of the Discount Range Proration. Each determination by the Auction Agent of the amounts stated in the foregoing notices to the Borrower and Lenders shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error. The payment amount specified in such notice to the applicable Borrower shall be due and payable by such Borrower on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in accordance with subsection (F) below (subject to subsection (J) below).

(D) (1) Subject to the proviso to subsection (A) above, the Borrowers may from time to time solicit Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers by providing the Auction Agent with three (3) Business Days’ notice in the form of a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice; provided that (I) any such solicitation shall be extended, at the sole discretion of the Borrower, to each Term Lender and/or each Lender with respect to any Class of Term Loans on an individual tranche basis, (II) any such notice shall specify the maximum aggregate dollar amount of the Term Loans (the “ Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount ”) and the tranche or tranches of Term Loans the applicable Borrower is willing to prepay at a discount (it being understood that different Solicited Discount Prepayment Amounts may be offered with respect to different tranches of Term Loans and, in such an event, each such offer will be treated as a separate offer pursuant to the terms of this Section), (III) the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount shall be in an aggregate amount not less than $1,000,000 and whole increments of $500,000 in excess thereof and (IV) each such solicitation by such Borrower shall remain outstanding through the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date. The Auction Agent will promptly provide each relevant Term Lender with a copy of such Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice and a form of the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer to be submitted by a responding Term Lender to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by no later than 5:00 p.m., New York time on the third Business Day after the date of delivery of such notice to the relevant Term Lenders (the “ Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date ”). Each Term Lender’s Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer shall (x) be irrevocable, (y) remain outstanding until the Acceptance Date, and (z) specify both a discount to par (the “ Offered Discount ”) at which such Term Lender is willing to allow prepayment of its then outstanding Term Loan and the maximum aggregate principal amount and tranches of such Term Loans (the “ Offered Amount ”) such Lender is willing to have prepaid at the Offered Discount. Any Term Lender whose Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer is not received by the Auction Agent by the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date shall be deemed to have declined prepayment of any of its Term Loans at any discount.

(2) The Auction Agent shall promptly provide the Parent Borrower with a copy of all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers received on or before the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date. The Parent Borrower shall review all such Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers and select the largest of the Offered Discounts specified by the relevant responding Term Lenders in the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers that is acceptable to the Borrower (the “ Acceptable Discount ”), if any. If the Parent Borrower elects to accept any Offered Discount as the Acceptable Discount, then as soon as practicable after the determination of the Acceptable Discount, but in no event later than by the third Business Day after the date of receipt by the Parent Borrower from the Auction Agent of a copy of all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers pursuant to the first sentence of this subsection (2) (the “ Acceptance Date ”), the Parent Borrower shall submit an Acceptance and Prepayment Notice to the Auction Agent setting forth the Acceptable Discount. If the Auction Agent shall fail to receive an Acceptance and Prepayment Notice from the Parent Borrower by the Acceptance Date, the Parent Borrower shall be deemed to have rejected all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers.

 

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(3) Based upon the Acceptable Discount and the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers received by Auction Agent by the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date, within three (3) Business Days after receipt of an Acceptance and Prepayment Notice (the “ Discounted Prepayment Determination Date ”), the Auction Agent will determine (in consultation with the Borrower and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) the aggregate principal amount and the tranches of Term Loans (the “ Acceptable Prepayment Amount ”) to be prepaid by the Borrower at the Acceptable Discount in accordance with this Section 2.11(a)(ii)(D). If the Borrower elects to accept any Acceptable Discount, then the Borrower agrees to accept all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers received by Auction Agent by the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date, in the order from largest Offered Discount to smallest Offered Discount, up to and including the Acceptable Discount. Each Lender that has submitted a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer with an Offered Discount that is greater than or equal to the Acceptable Discount shall be deemed to have irrevocably consented to prepayment of Term Loans equal to its Offered Amount (subject to any required pro-rata reduction pursuant to the following sentence) at the Acceptable Discount (each such Lender, a “ Qualifying Lender ”). The Borrower will prepay outstanding Term Loans pursuant to this subsection (D) to each Qualifying Lender in the aggregate principal amount and of the tranches specified in such Lender’s Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer at the Acceptable Discount; provided that if the aggregate Offered Amount by all Qualifying Lenders whose Offered Discount is greater than or equal to the Acceptable Discount exceeds the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount, prepayment of the principal amount of the Term Loans for those Qualifying Lenders whose Offered Discount is greater than or equal to the Acceptable Discount (the “ Identified Qualifying Lenders ”) shall be made pro rata among the Identified Qualifying Lenders in accordance with the Offered Amount of each such Identified Qualifying Lender and the Auction Agent (in consultation with the Parent Borrower and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) will calculate such proration (the “ Solicited Discount Proration ”). On or prior to the Discounted Prepayment Determination Date, the Auction Agent shall promptly notify (I) the Parent Borrower of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date and Acceptable Prepayment Amount comprising the Discounted Term Loan Prepayment and the tranches to be prepaid, (II) each Term Lender of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, the Acceptable Discount, and the Acceptable Prepayment Amount of all Term Loans and the tranches to be prepaid to be prepaid at the Applicable Discount on such date, (III) each Qualifying Lender of the aggregate principal amount and the tranches of such Lender to be prepaid at the Acceptable Discount on such date, and (IV) if applicable, each Identified Qualifying Lender of the Solicited Discount Proration. Each determination by the Auction Agent of the amounts stated in the foregoing notices to such Borrower and Lenders shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error. The payment amount specified in such notice to such Borrower shall be due and payable by such Borrower on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in accordance with subsection (F) below (subject to subsection (J) below).

(E) In connection with any Discounted Term Loan Prepayment, the Borrower and the Lenders acknowledge and agree that the Auction Agent may require as a condition to any Discounted Term Loan Prepayment, the payment of customary fees and expenses from the Borrower in connection therewith.

(F) If any Term Loan is prepaid in accordance with paragraphs (B) through (D) above, such Borrower shall prepay such Term Loans on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date. Such Borrower shall make such prepayment to the Auction Agent, for the account of the Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders, Participating Lenders, or Qualifying Lenders, as applicable, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in immediately available funds not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date and all such prepayments shall be applied to the remaining principal installments of the relevant tranche of Term Loans on a pro rata basis across such installments. The Term Loans so prepaid shall be accompanied by all accrued and unpaid interest on the par principal amount so prepaid up to, but not including, the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date. Each prepayment of the outstanding Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.11(a)(ii) shall be paid to the Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders, Participating Lenders, or Qualifying Lenders, as applicable. The aggregate principal amount of the tranches and installments of the relevant Term Loans outstanding shall be deemed reduced by the full par value of the aggregate principal amount of the tranches of Term Loans prepaid on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in any Discounted Term Loan Prepayment.

 

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(G) To the extent not expressly provided for herein, each Discounted Term Loan Prepayment shall be consummated pursuant to procedures consistent, with the provisions in this Section 2.11 (a)(ii), established by the Auction Agent acting in its reasonable discretion and as reasonably agreed by such Borrower.

(H) Notwithstanding anything in any Loan Document to the contrary, for purposes of this Section 2.11(a)(ii), each notice or other communication required to be delivered or otherwise provided to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) shall be deemed to have been given upon Auction Agent’s (or its delegate’s) actual receipt during normal business hours of such notice or communication; provided that any notice or communication actually received outside of normal business hours shall be deemed to have been given as of the opening of business on the next Business Day.

(I) Each of the Borrowers and the Lenders acknowledges and agrees that the Auction Agent may perform any and all of its duties under this Section 2.11(a)(ii) by itself or through any Affiliate of the Auction Agent and expressly consents to any such delegation of duties by the Auction Agent to such Affiliate and the performance of such delegated duties by such Affiliate. The exculpatory provisions pursuant to this Agreement shall apply to each Affiliate of the Auction Agent and its respective activities in connection with any Discounted Term Loan Prepayment provided for in this Section 2.11(a)(ii) as well as activities of the Auction Agent.

(J) Each Borrower shall have the right, by written notice to the Auction Agent, to revoke in full (but not in part) its offer to make a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment and rescind the applicable Specified Discount Prepayment Notice, Discount Range Prepayment Notice or Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice therefor at its discretion at any time on or prior to the applicable Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date (and if such offer is revoked pursuant to the preceding clauses, any failure by such Borrower to make any prepayment to a Term Lender, as applicable, pursuant to this Section 2.11(a)(ii) shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default under Section 7.01 or otherwise).

(b) In the event and on each occasion that the aggregate Revolving Exposures exceed the aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Borrowers shall prepay Revolving Borrowings or Swingline Loans (or, if no such Borrowings are outstanding, deposit cash collateral in an account with the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.05(j)) in an aggregate amount necessary to eliminate such excess.

(c) In the event and on each occasion that any Net Proceeds are received by or on behalf of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Prepayment Event, the Parent Borrower shall, within three Business Days after such Net Proceeds are received (or, in the case of a Prepayment Event described in clause (b) or (c) of the definition of the term “Prepayment Event”, on the date of such Prepayment Event), prepay Term Loan Borrowings in an aggregate amount equal to 100% of the amount of such Net Proceeds; provided that, in the case of any event described in clause (a) of the definition of the term “Prepayment Event” with respect to the Logistics Business, the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may retain up to an aggregate of $40,000,000 of the Net Proceeds from such event (or a portion thereof) solely to the extent necessary to satisfy the Liquidity Prepayment Condition for a 60 day period following the receipt of such Net Proceeds as demonstrated by a written week by week forecast for such period provided to the Administrative Agent on or before receipt of such Net Proceeds; provided further that within 30 days after the end of such 60 day period, Parent Borrower will be required to prepay Term Loans with the aggregate amount of such Net Proceeds initially retained that is not necessary to allow the Parent Borrower to satisfy the Liquidity Prepayment Condition at the end of such 30 day period.

(d) Following the end of each fiscal year of the Parent Borrower, commencing with the fiscal year ending August 31, 2012, the Borrowers shall prepay Term Loan Borrowings in an aggregate amount equal to the ECF Percentage of Excess Cash Flow for such fiscal year; provided that such amount shall be reduced by the aggregate amount of prepayments of Term Loans (and, to the extent the Revolving Commitments are reduced in a corresponding amount pursuant to Section 2.08, Revolving Loans) made pursuant to Section 2.11 (a) or (h) during such fiscal year (excluding all such prepayments funded with the proceeds of other Indebtedness, the issuance of

 

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Equity Interests or receipt of capital contributions or the proceeds of any sale or other disposition of assets outside the ordinary course of business). Each prepayment pursuant to this paragraph shall be made on or before the date that is five days after the date on which financial statements are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 with respect to the fiscal year for which Excess Cash Flow is being calculated.

(e) Prior to any optional or mandatory prepayment of Borrowings hereunder, the Borrowers shall select the Borrowing or Borrowings to be prepaid and shall specify such selection in the notice of such prepayment pursuant to paragraph (f) of this Section. In the event of any mandatory prepayment of Term Loan Borrowings made at a time when Term Loan Borrowings of more than one Class remain outstanding, the Borrowers shall select Term Loan Borrowings to be prepaid so that the aggregate amount of such prepayment is allocated between Term Loan Borrowings (and, to the extent provided in the Refinancing Amendment for any Class of Other Term Loans, the Borrowings of such Class) pro rata based on the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Borrowings of each such Class; provided that any Term Lender (and, to the extent provided in the Refinancing Amendment for any Class of Other Term Loans, any Lender that holds Other Term Loans of such Class) may elect, by notice to the Administrative Agent in writing by hand delivery or facsimile or other electronic transmission at least one Business Day prior to the prepayment date, to decline all or any portion of any prepayment of its Term Loans or Other Term Loans of any such Class pursuant to this Section (other than an optional prepayment pursuant to paragraph (a)(i) of this Section, which may not be declined), in which case the aggregate amount of the prepayment that would have been applied to prepay Term Loans or Other Term Loans of any such Class but was so declined shall be retained by the Borrowers. Optional prepayments of Term Loan Borrowings shall be allocated among the Classes of Term Loan Borrowings as directed by the Borrowers. In the absence of a designation by the Borrowers as described in the preceding provisions of this paragraph of the Type of Borrowing of any Class, the Administrative Agent shall make such designation in its reasonable discretion with a view, but no obligation, to minimize breakage costs owing under Section 2.16.

(f) The Borrowers shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) in writing by hand delivery or facsimile or other electronic transmission of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment or (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid and, in the case of a mandatory prepayment, a reasonably detailed calculation of the amount of such prepayment; provided that a notice of optional prepayment may state that such notice is conditional upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities or the receipt of the proceeds from the issuance of other Indebtedness or the occurrence of some other identifiable event or condition, in which case such notice of prepayment may be revoked by the Borrowers (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified date of prepayment) if such condition is not satisfied. Promptly following receipt of any such notice (other than a notice relating solely to Swingline Loans), the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02, except as necessary to apply fully the required amount of a mandatory prepayment. Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.13. At the Borrowers’ election in connection with any prepayment pursuant to this Section 2.11, such prepayment shall not be applied to any Term Loan or Revolving Loan of a Defaulting Lender and shall be allocated ratably among the relevant non-Defaulting Lenders.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provisions of Section 2.11(c) or (d), (A) to the extent that any of or all the Net Proceeds of any Prepayment Event by a Foreign Subsidiary giving rise to a prepayment pursuant to Section 2.11(c) or (d) (a “ Foreign Prepayment Event ”) or Excess Cash Flow are prohibited or delayed by applicable local law from being repatriated to either Borrower, the portion of such Net Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow so affected will not be required to be applied to repay Term Loans at the times provided in Section 2.11(c) or (d), as the case may be, and such amounts may be retained by the applicable Foreign Subsidiary so long, but only so long, as the applicable local law will not permit repatriation to either Borrower (Borrowers hereby agreeing to cause the applicable Foreign Subsidiary to promptly take all actions reasonably required by the applicable local law to permit such repatriation), and once such repatriation of any of such affected Net Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow is permitted

 

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under the applicable local law, such repatriation will be promptly effected and such repatriated Net Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow will be promptly (and in any event not later than three Business Days after such repatriation) applied (net of additional taxes payable or reserved against as a result thereof) to the repayment of the Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.11(c) or (d), as applicable, and (B) to the extent that the Borrower has determined in good faith that repatriation of any of or all the Net Proceeds of any Foreign Prepayment Event or Excess Cash Flow would have a material adverse tax consequence (taking into account any foreign tax credit or benefit actually realized in connection with such repatriation) with respect to such Net Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow, the Net Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow so affected may be retained by the applicable Foreign Subsidiary; provided that in the case of this clause (B), on or before the date on which any Net Proceeds from any Foreign Prepayment Event so retained would otherwise have been required to be applied to reinvestments or prepayments pursuant to Section 2.11(c) (or, in the case of Excess Cash Flow, a date on or before the date that is twelve months after the date such Excess Cash Flow would have so required to be applied to prepayments pursuant to Section 2.11(d) unless previously repatriated in which case such repatriated Excess Cash Flow shall have been promptly applied to the repayment of the Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.11(c)), (x) the Borrower applies an amount equal to such Net Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow to such reinvestments or prepayments as if such Net Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow had been received by the Borrower rather than such Foreign Subsidiary, less the amount of additional taxes that would have been payable or reserved against if such Net Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow had been repatriated (or, if less, the Net Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow that would be calculated if received by such Foreign Subsidiary) or (y) such Net Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow shall be applied to the repayment of Indebtedness of a Foreign Subsidiary.

(h) Following the end of each fiscal quarter of the Parent Borrower, commencing with the first full fiscal quarter ending after the Restatement Effective Date, the Borrowers shall prepay Term Loan Borrowings in an aggregate amount equal to the Excess Cash Balance as at the end of such fiscal quarter. Each prepayment pursuant to this paragraph shall be made on or before the date that is five days after the date on which financial statements are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) with respect to the fiscal period for which the Excess Cash Balance is being calculated.

SECTION 2.12. Fees .

(a) Each Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent in dollars for the account of each Revolving Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.50% per annum on the average daily unused amount of the Revolving Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate. Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the third Business Day following the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date. All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). For purposes of computing commitment fees, a Revolving Commitment of a Lender shall be deemed to be used to the extent of the outstanding Revolving Loans and LC Exposure of such Lender (and the Swingline Exposure of such Lender shall be disregarded for such purpose).

(b) Each Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent in dollars for the account of each Revolving Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurocurrency Revolving Loans on the daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Revolving Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to each Issuing Bank in dollars a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.125% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure attributable to Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Revolving Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, as well as such Issuing Bank’s standard fees with respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder. Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and

 

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December of each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date, provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to an Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within 10 days after demand. All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

(c) The Borrowers agree to make an additional payment for the ratable account of the Term Lenders party to this Agreement on the date hereof in an amount equal to $5,000,000 in the event that the Term Loan remains outstanding on the first anniversary of the Restatement Effective Date, which additional payment shall be in all respects fully earned on the Restatement Effective Date but due and payable in cash on the earlier to occur of (i) the first anniversary of such date and (ii) the acceleration of the Secured Obligations for any reason (including commencement of any bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or similar case or proceeding) and such additional payment shall be non-refundable and noncreditable thereafter.

(d) The Parent Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between Parent Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

(e) All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to an Issuing Bank, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in the case of commitment fees and participation fees, to the Revolving Lenders entitled thereto. Fees paid hereunder shall not be refundable under any circumstances.

(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to Section 2.22, no Borrower shall be obligated to pay any amounts to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to this Section 2.12.

SECTION 2.13. Interest .

(a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing (including each Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

(b) The Loans comprising each Eurocurrency Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrowers hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any Loan, 2.00% per annum plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2.00% per annum plus the rate applicable to ABR Revolving Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section; provided that no amount shall be payable pursuant to this Section 2.13(c) to a Defaulting Lender so long as such Lender shall be a Defaulting Lender; provided further that no amounts shall accrue pursuant to this Section 2.13(c) on any overdue amount, reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement or other amount payable to a Defaulting Lender so long as such Lender shall be a Defaulting Lender.

(d) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case of Revolving Loans, upon termination of the Revolving Commitments, provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Revolving Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurocurrency Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

 

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(e) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate or Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

SECTION 2.14. Alternate Rate of Interest . If at least two Business Days prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurocurrency Borrowing:

(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate for such Interest Period; or

(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining their Loans included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period,

the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Parent Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or facsimile as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Parent Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurocurrency Borrowing and shall be ineffective and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurocurrency Borrowing, then such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing; provided , however , that, in each case, the Parent Borrower may revoke any Borrowing Request that is pending when such notice is received.

SECTION 2.15. Increased Costs .

(a) 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 by, any Lender or any Issuing Bank (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate); or

(ii) impose on any Lender or any Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurocurrency Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurocurrency Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender or Issuing Bank of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or issue any Letter of Credit) or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or Issuing Bank hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then, from time to time upon request of such Lender or Issuing Bank, the Borrowers will pay to such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, for such increased costs actually incurred or reduction actually suffered, provided that to the extent any such costs or reductions are incurred by any Lender as a result of any requests, rules, guidelines or directives enacted or promulgated under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act after the Effective Date, then such Lender shall be compensated pursuant to this Section 2.15(a) only to the extent such Lender is imposing such charges on similarly situated borrowers under the other syndicated credit facilities that such Lender is a lender under. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this paragraph will not apply to any such increased costs or reductions resulting from Taxes, as to which Section 2.17 shall govern.

 

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(b) If any Lender or Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital requirements has the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then, from time to time upon request of such Lender or Issuing Bank, the Borrowers will pay to such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction actually suffered.

(c) A certificate of a Lender or an Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or Issuing Bank or its holding company in reasonable detail, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section delivered to the Borrowers shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrowers shall pay such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 15 days after receipt thereof.

(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrowers shall not be required to compensate a Lender or Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrowers of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

SECTION 2.16. Break Funding Payments . In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Revolving Loan or Term Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.11(f) and is revoked in accordance therewith) or (d) the assignment of any Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrowers pursuant to Section 2.19 or Section 9.02(c), then, in any such event, the Borrowers shall, after receipt of a written request by any Lender affected by any such event (which request shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis for requesting such amount), compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrowers to the Lenders under this Section 2.16, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurocurrency Loan made by it at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurocurrency Loan was in fact so funded. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section delivered to the Borrowers shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrowers shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 15 days after receipt of such demand. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 2.16 will not apply to losses, costs or expenses resulting from Taxes, as to which Section 2.17 shall govern.

SECTION 2.17. Taxes .

(a) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Taxes, provided that if the applicable withholding agent shall be required by applicable Requirements of Law to deduct any Taxes from such payments, then (i) the applicable withholding agent shall make such deductions, (ii) the applicable withholding agent shall timely pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Requirements of Law and (iii) if the Tax in question is an Indemnified Tax or Other Tax, the amount payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after all required deductions have been made (including deductions applicable to additional amounts payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent or Lender (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made.

 

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(b) Without limiting the provisions of paragraph (a) above, the Parent Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with Requirements of Law.

(c) Each Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender, within 30 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document and any Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the basis and calculation of the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrowers by a Lender or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(d) As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by a Loan Party to a Governmental Authority, the Parent Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(e) Each Lender shall deliver to the Parent Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and reasonably requested by the Parent Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable Requirements of Law and such other documentation reasonably requested by the Parent Borrower or the Administrative Agent (i) as will permit such payments to be made without, or at a reduced rate of, withholding or (ii) as will enable the Parent Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to withholding or information reporting requirements. Each Lender shall, whenever a lapse or time or change in circumstances renders such documentation obsolete, expired or inaccurate in any material respect, deliver promptly to the Parent Borrower and the Administrative Agent updated or other appropriate documentation (including any new documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) or promptly notify the Parent Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its inability to do so. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, no Lender or Participant shall be required to deliver any form of certificate that it is not legally able to deliver.

Without limiting the foregoing:

(1) Each Lender that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(3) of the Code shall deliver to the Parent Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or before the date on which it becomes a party to this Agreement two properly completed and duly signed original copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding.

(2) Each Lender that is not a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701 (a)(3) of the Code shall deliver to the Parent Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or before the date on which it becomes a party to this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of a Borrower or the Administrative Agent) whichever of the following is applicable:

(A) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN (or any successor forms) claiming eligibility for the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party, and such other documentation as required under the Code,

(B) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI (or any successor forms),

 

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(C) in the case of a Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 871(h) or Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) two properly completed and duly signed certificates substantially in the form of Exhibit R-1 , R-2 , R-3 and R-4 , as applicable, (any such certificate, a “ U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate ”) and (y) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN (or any successor forms),

(D) to the extent a Lender is not the beneficial owner (for example, where the Lender is a partnership or a participating Lender), two properly completed and duly signed original copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY (or any successor forms) of the Lender, accompanied by a Form W-8ECI, W-8BEN, U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate, Form W-9, Form W-8IMY or any other required information (or any successor forms) from each beneficial owner that would be required under this Section 2.17(e) if such beneficial owner were a Lender, as applicable ( provided that, if the Lender is a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and not a participating Lender) and one or more beneficial owners are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, the U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate may be provided by such Lender on behalf of such beneficial owner), or

(E) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of any other form prescribed by applicable U.S. federal income tax laws as a basis for claiming a complete exemption from, or a reduction in, U.S. federal withholding tax on any payments to such Lender under the Loan Documents.

(3) 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, such Lender shall deliver to the Parent Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by a Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law and such additional documentation reasonably requested by a 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 whether such Lender has or has not complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA and, if necessary, to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this clause (e), a Lender shall not be required to deliver any form or other documentation that such Lender is not legally eligible to deliver.

(f) If the Parent Borrower determines in good faith that a reasonable basis exists for contesting any Taxes for which indemnification has been demanded hereunder, the Administrative Agent or the relevant Lender, as applicable, shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Parent Borrower in a reasonable challenge of such Taxes if so requested by the Parent Borrower; provided that (a) the Administrative Agent or such Lender determines in its reasonable discretion that it would not be subject to any unreimbursed third party cost or expense or otherwise be prejudiced by cooperating in such challenge, (b) the Parent Borrower pays all related expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable and (c) the Parent Borrower indemnifies the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable, for any liabilities or other costs incurred by such party in connection with such challenge. The Administrative Agent or a Lender shall claim any refund that it determines is reasonably available to it, unless it concludes in its reasonable discretion that it would be adversely affected by making such a claim. If the Administrative Agent or a Lender receives a refund of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Parent Borrower or with respect to which the Parent Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section, it shall pay over such refund to the Parent Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Parent Borrower under this Section with respect to the Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees promptly to repay the amount paid over to the Parent Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. The Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, shall, at the Parent Borrower’s request, provide the Parent Borrower with a copy of any notice of assessment or other evidence of the

 

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requirement to repay such refund received from the relevant taxing authority ( provided that the Administrative Agent or such Lender may delete any information therein that the Administrative Agent or such Lender deems confidential). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, this Section shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to Taxes which it deems confidential to any Loan Party or any other Person).

(g) The agreements in this Section 2.17 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

(h) For purposes of this Section 2.17, the term “Lender” shall include any Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender.

SECTION 2.18. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Setoffs .

(a) Each Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it under any Loan Document (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to the time expressly required hereunder or under such other Loan Document for such payment (or, if no such time is expressly required, prior to 2:00 p.m., New York City time), on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without setoff or counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to such account as may be specified by the Administrative Agent, except payments to be made directly to any Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender shall be made as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto and payments pursuant to other Loan Documents shall be made to the Persons specified therein. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment (other than payments on the Eurocurrency Loans) under any Loan Document shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day. If any payment on a Eurocurrency Loan becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, the maturity thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless the result of such extension would be to extend such payment into another calendar month, in which event such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day. In the case of any payment of principal pursuant to the preceding two sentences, interest thereon shall be payable at the then applicable rate for the period of such extension. All payments or prepayments of any Loan shall be made in the currency in which such Loan is denominated, all reimbursements of any LC Disbursements shall be made in dollars, all payments of accrued interest payable on a Loan or LC Disbursement shall be made in dollars, and all other payments under each Loan Document shall be made in dollars.

(b) If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.

(c) 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 Revolving Loans, Term Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans, Term Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Revolving Loans, Term Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary 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 interest on their respective Revolving Loans, Term Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment

 

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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 (A) any payment made by such Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from existence of a Defaulting Lender), (B) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans to any assignee or participant or (C) any disproportionate payment obtained by a Lender of any Class as a result of the extension by Lenders of the maturity date or expiration date of some but not all Loans or Revolving Commitments of that Class or any increase in the Applicable Rate in respect of Loans of Lenders that have consented to any such extension. The Borrowers consent to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrowers rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrowers in the amount of such participation.

(d) 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 Banks hereunder that the Borrowers will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrowers have made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption and in its sole discretion, distribute to the Lenders or Issuing Banks, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrowers have not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or Issuing Banks, 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 Bank 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 greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

(e) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.04(c), 2.05(e) or 2.05(f), 2.06(a) or (b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(c), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion and in the order determined by the Administrative Agent (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), (i) apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Section until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid and/or (ii) hold any such amounts in a segregated account as cash collateral for, and to be applied to, any future funding obligations of such Lender under any such Section.

SECTION 2.19. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders .

(a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Borrowers are required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17 or any event that gives rise to the operation of Section 2.23, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or its participation in any Letter of Credit affected by such event, or to assign and delegate its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or Affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment and delegation (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.15 or mitigate the applicability of Section 2.23, as the case may be, and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense reasonably deemed by such Lender to be material and would not be inconsistent with the internal policies of, or otherwise be disadvantageous in any material economic, legal or regulatory respect to, such Lender.

(b) If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15 or gives notice under Section 2.23, (ii) the Borrowers are required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or to any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, or (iii) any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the Borrowers may, at their sole expense and effort, 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 Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment and delegation), provided that (A) the Borrowers shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent to the extent such consent would be required under Section 9.04(b) for an assignment of

 

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Loans or Commitments, as applicable (and if a Revolving Commitment is being assigned and delegated, each Principal Issuing Bank and each Swingline Lender), which consents, in each case, shall not unreasonably be withheld or delayed, (B) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and unreimbursed participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued but unpaid interest thereon, accrued but unpaid fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrowers (in the case of all other amounts), (C) the Borrowers or such assignee shall have paid (unless waived) to the Administrative Agent the processing and recordation fee specified in Section 9.04(b)(ii) and (D) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15, payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17 or a notice given under Section 2.23, such assignment will result in a material reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise (including as a result of any action taken by such Lender under paragraph (a) above), the circumstances entitling the Borrowers to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply. Each party hereto agrees that an assignment required pursuant to this paragraph may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the assignee and that the Lender required to make such assignment need not be a party thereto.

SECTION 2.20. [Intentionally Omitted] .

SECTION 2.21. Refinancing Amendments .

(a) At any time after the Effective Date, the Parent Borrower may obtain, from any Lender or any Additional Lender, Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of (a) all or any portion of the Term Loans then outstanding under this Agreement (which for purposes of this clause (a) will be deemed to include any then outstanding Other Term Loans) or (b) all or any portion of the Revolving Loans (or unused Revolving Commitments) under this Agreement (which for purposes of this clause (b) will be deemed to include any then outstanding Other Revolving Loans and Other Revolving Commitments), in the form of (x) Other Term Loans or Other Term Commitments or (y) Other Revolving Loans or Other Revolving Commitments, as the case may be, in each case pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment; provided that such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness (i) will have such pricing and optional prepayment terms as may be agreed by the Borrower and the Lenders thereof, (ii) (x) with respect to any Other Revolving Loans or Other Revolving Commitments, will have a maturity date that is not prior to the maturity date of Revolving Loans (or unused Revolving Commitments) being refinanced and (y) with respect to any Other Term Loans or Other Term Commitments, will have a maturity date that is not prior to the maturity date of the Term Loans being refinanced, (iii) the proceeds of such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness shall be applied, substantially concurrently with the incurrence thereof, to the prepayment of outstanding Term Loans or reduction of Revolving Commitments being so refinanced, as the case may be and (iv) which is in the form of Other Term Loans or Other Term Commitments obtained in respect of a portion of the Term Loans then outstanding under this Agreement (which for purposes of this clause (iv) will be deemed to include any then outstanding Other Term Loans), shall have interest rate margins, rate floors, fees, premiums, funding, discounts and amortization schedules to be determined by the Borrowers and the applicable lenders with respect to the holders of such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness and in the event that the yield on any such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness is higher than the yield for the Term Loans by more than 50 basis points, then the yield for the Term Loans shall be increased to the extent necessary so that such yield is equal to the yield for such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness minus 50 basis points; provided , that, in determining the yield applicable to such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness and the Term Loans (x) OID or upfront fees (which shall be deemed to constitute like amounts of OID) payable by the Borrowers to the Term Lenders or any Additional Lenders in the initial primary syndication thereof shall be included (with OlD being equated to interest based on assumed four-year life to maturity), (y) customary arrangement or commitment fees payable to any of the Joint Bookrunners (or their respective affiliates) in connection with this Agreement or to one or more arrangers (or their affiliates) of such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness shall be excluded and (z) if such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness includes an interest rate floor greater than the interest rate floor applicable to the Term Loans, such increased amount shall be equated to interest margin for purposes of determining whether an increase to the applicable interest margin for the Term Loans shall be required, to the extent an increase in the interest rate floor in the Term Loans would cause an increase in the interest rate then in effect, and in such case the interest rate floor

 

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(but not the interest rate margin) applicable to the Term Loans shall be increased by such increased amount; provided further that the terms and conditions applicable to such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness may provide for any additional or different financial or other covenants or other provisions that are agreed between the Parent Borrower and the Lenders thereof and applicable only during periods after the Latest Maturity Date that is in effect on the date such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness is issued, incurred or obtained. The effectiveness of any Refinancing Amendment shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof of each of the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 and, to the extent reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, receipt by the Administrative Agent of legal opinions, board resolutions, officers’ certificates and/or reaffirmation agreements consistent with those delivered on the Effective Date under Section 4.01 (other than changes to such legal opinions resulting from a change in law, change in fact or change to counsel’s form of opinion reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent). Each Class of Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness incurred under this Section 2.21 shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is (x) not less than $10,000,000 in the case of Other Term Loans or $10,000,000 in the case of Other Revolving Loans and (y) an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. Any Refinancing Amendment may provide for the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of the Parent Borrower, or the provision to the Parent Borrower of Swingline Loans, pursuant to any Other Revolving Commitments established thereby, in each case on terms substantially equivalent to the terms applicable to Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans under the Revolving Commitments. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender as to the effectiveness of each Refinancing Amendment. Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that, upon the effectiveness of any Refinancing Amendment, this Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent (but only to the extent) necessary to reflect the existence and terms of the Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness incurred pursuant thereto (including any amendments necessary to treat the Loans and Commitments subject thereto as Other Term Loans, Other Revolving Loans, Other Revolving Commitments and/or Other Term Commitments). Any Refinancing Amendment may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Parent Borrower, to effect the provisions of this Section. In addition, if so provided in the relevant Refinancing Amendment and with the consent of each Issuing Bank, participations in Letters of Credit expiring on or after the Revolving Maturity Date shall be reallocated from Lenders holding Revolving Commitments to Lenders holding extended revolving commitments in accordance with the terms of such Refinancing Amendment; provided , however , that such participation interests shall, upon receipt thereof by the relevant Lenders holding Revolving Commitments, be deemed to be participation interests in respect of such Revolving Commitments and the terms of such participation interests (including, without limitation, the commission applicable thereto) shall be adjusted accordingly.

(b) This Section 2.21 shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.18 or Section 9.02 to the contrary.

SECTION 2.22. Defaulting Lenders .

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

(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 Section 9.02.

(ii) Reallocation of Payments . Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of that Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VII or otherwise, and including any amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by that Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 9.08), 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 that Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second , in the case of a Revolving Lender, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to each Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender hereunder; third , as the Parent Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which that Defaulting

 

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Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fourth , in the case of a Revolving Lender, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Parent Borrower, to be held in a non-interest bearing deposit account and released in order to satisfy obligations of that Defaulting Lender to fund Loans under this Agreement; fifth , to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks or the Swingline Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, such Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; sixth , so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to a Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Parent Borrower against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and seventh , to that Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or LC Disbursements and such Lender is a Defaulting Lender under clause (a) of the definition thereof, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the relevant Loans of, and LC Disbursements owed to, the relevant non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied pursuant to Section 2.05(j). 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 Section 2.05(j) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by that Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(iii) Certain Fees . That Defaulting Lender (x) shall not be entitled to receive or accrue any commitment fee pursuant to Section 2.12(a) 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) and (y) shall be limited in its right to receive Letter of Credit Fees as provided in Section 2.12(b).

(iv) Reallocation of Applicable Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure . During any period in which there is a Defaulting Lender, for purposes of computing the amount of the obligation of each non- Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Swingline Loans and Letters of Credit pursuant to Sections 2.04 and 2.05, the “Applicable Percentage” of each non-Defaulting Lender shall be computed without giving effect to the Revolving Commitment of that Defaulting Lender; provided that the aggregate obligation of each non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans shall not exceed the positive difference, if any, of (1) the Revolving Commitment of that non-Defaulting Lender minus (2) the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Loans of that Lender.

(b) Defaulting Lender Cure . If the Parent Borrower, the Administrative Agent, Swingline Lender and each Issuing Bank agree in writing in their sole discretion that a Defaulting Lender should no longer be deemed to be 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), such Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.22(a)(iv)), whereupon that 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 Borrowers 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.

SECTION 2.23. Illegality . If any Lender determines that any law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Adjusted LIBO Rate, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrowers through the Administrative Agent, any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurocurrency Loans or to convert ABR Loans denominated in

 

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dollars to Eurocurrency Loans shall be suspended until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrowers shall, upon three Business Days’ notice from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurocurrency Loans of such Lender to ABR Loans either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Loans, and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Adjusted LIBO Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Alternate Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Adjusted LIBO Rate. Each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers in writing promptly upon becoming aware that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Adjusted LIBO Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrowers shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

SECTION 2.24. Tax Treatment .

(a) Debt Treatment and Warrants . The Borrowers and the Lenders agree, unless otherwise required by a change in law (including a change in existing or issuance of new laws, regulations, judicial rulings or published administrative determinations with respect to Taxes), or as required by the Internal Revenue Service or other taxing authority following a good faith resolution of an audit or examination, (i) to treat the Term Loans, as of before and after the Restatement Effective Date, as indebtedness of the Borrowers for U.S. federal income Tax purposes and (ii) to treat the Term Loans and the warrants to purchase shares of Smart Global Holdings Inc. (the “ Warrants ”) that are issued to the Lenders as a condition to the effectiveness of the Fourth Amendment as having been issued as an “investment unit” within the meaning of Section 1273(c)(2) of the Code, and, correspondingly, the Term Loans as having been issued with OID for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent required and as determined pursuant to Section 2.24(b) and (iii) in each case, to not take any Tax position inconsistent with such Tax characterization. For the avoidance of doubt, the description of change in law in this Section 2.24 shall not affect the interpretation of law or Requirement of Law or change in law or Requirement of Law in any other provision of this Agreement and any such reference elsewhere in this Agreement shall be interpreted without regard to this Section 2.24. The inclusion of this Section 2.24 is not an admission by any Lender that it is subject to taxation in the United States.

(b) Determination of Issue Price and OID . Within 90 (ninety) days after the date hereof, the Borrowers and the Required Lenders shall cooperate in good faith to determine the “issue price”, the amount of OID (if any) of the Term Loans, the fair market value of the Warrants and the treatment of the transactions contemplated by the amendment and restatement as of the date hereof of this Agreement and the agreements entered into in connection herewith, in each case, as determined for applicable U.S. federal income Tax purposes. For each year in which the Term Loans are outstanding, the Borrowers shall provide the Required Lenders with calculations by the Borrowers regarding (a) the amount of OID for any applicable accrual period on the Term Loans and (b) the allocation of the issue price and the fair market value of the Warrants and the Second Tranche Warrant Shares (as such term is defined in the Warrant), as applicable, at least 60 (sixty) days before the filing of any Tax return reporting these items, and the Required Lenders shall have 30 (thirty) days to review and approve such calculations, in each case, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. If the Required Lenders dispute any such calculation, they shall notify the Borrowers of such disputed item (or items) and the basis for their objection. The parties shall act in good faith to resolve any such dispute; provided that if the parties have not resolved any disputed item on or before the date that is 20 (twenty) days prior to the due date of the relevant Tax return, the item in question shall be resolved, prior to such due date by an independent accounting firm mutually acceptable to the Required Lenders and the Borrowers. The fees and expenses of such accounting firm shall be borne by the Borrowers. The Borrowers and the Lenders shall notfile any Tax return inconsistent with the amounts agreed pursuant to the preceding sentences of this Section 2.24(b).

 

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ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Each of Holdings and the Parent Borrower (and the Co-Borrower as to itself and its Restricted Subsidiaries) represents and warrants to the Lenders that:

SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers . Each of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing (to the extent such concept exists in the relevant jurisdictions) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has the corporate or other organizational power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted and to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under each Loan Document to which it is a party and to effect the Transactions and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.

SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability . The Transactions to be entered into by each Loan Party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other action and, if required, action by the holders of such Loan Party’s Equity Interests. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each of Holdings and the Borrowers and constitutes, and each other Loan Document to which any Loan Party is to be a party, when executed and delivered by such Loan Party, will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of Holdings, the Borrowers or such Loan Party, as the case may be, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts . The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect and except filings necessary to perfect Liens created under the Loan Documents, (b) will not violate (i) the Organizational Documents of, or (ii) any Requirements of Law applicable to, Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture or other agreement or instrument binding upon Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary or their respective assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment, repurchase or redemption to be made by Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary, or give rise to a right of, or result in, termination, cancellation or acceleration of any obligation thereunder, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary, except Liens created under the Loan Documents, except (in the case of each of clauses (a), (b)(ii) and (c)) to the extent that the failure to obtain or make such consent, approval, registration, filing or action, or such violation, as the case may be, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Effect .

(a) Holdings has heretofore furnished to the Lenders the Audited Financial Statements. The Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein and (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Target and its subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein.

(b) The unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Target and its subsidiaries dated May 27, 2011 and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the fiscal quarter ended on that date (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Target and its subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments.

 

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(c) Holdings has heretofore furnished to the Lenders the consolidated pro forma balance sheet of the Parent Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of May 27, 2011, and the related consolidated pro forma statement of income of the Parent Borrower as of and for the twelve-month period then ended (such pro forma balance sheet and statement of income, the “ Pro Forma Financial Statements ”), which have been prepared giving effect to the Transactions (excluding the impact of purchase accounting effects required by GAAP) as if such transactions had occurred on such date or at the beginning of such period, as the case may be. The Pro Forma Financial Statements have been prepared in good faith, based on assumptions believed by Holdings to be reasonable as of the date of delivery thereof, and present fairly in all material respects on a pro forma basis the estimated financial position of the Parent Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of May 27, 2011, and their estimated results of operations for the periods covered thereby, assuming that the Transactions had actually occurred at such date or at the beginning of such period (excluding the impact of purchase accounting effects required by GAAP).

(d) Since August 27, 2010, there has been no Material Adverse Effect ( provided that the representation set forth in this Section 3.04(c) shall not be deemed made on the Effective Date in respect of any Borrowings or extensions of credit made hereunder on such date).

SECTION 3.05. Properties .

(a) Each of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to its business, if any (including the Mortgaged Properties), (i) free and clear of all Liens except for Liens permitted by Section 6.02 and (ii) except for minor defects in title that do not interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or as proposed to be conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes, in each case, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Each of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all Intellectual Property material to the conduct of its business, and the use thereof by Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the Intellectual Property rights of any other Person, in each case except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) As of the Effective Date after giving effect to the Transactions, none of Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary owns any real property.

SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters .

(a) There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of Holdings or the Parent Borrower, threatened in writing against or affecting Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, none of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has, to the knowledge of Holdings or the Parent Borrower, become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received written notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) has, to the knowledge of Holdings or the Parent Borrower, any basis to reasonably expect that Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary will become subject to any Environmental Liability.

 

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SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements . Each of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries is in compliance with (a) its Organizational Documents, (b) all Requirements of Law applicable to it or its property and (c) all indentures and other agreements and instruments binding upon it or its property, except, in the case of clauses (b) and (c) of this Section, where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.08. Investment Company Status . None of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary is an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended from time to time.

SECTION 3.09. Taxes . Except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, Holdings, the Parent Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary (a) have timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and (b) have paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid (whether or not shown on a Tax return) including in their capacity as tax withholding agents, except any Taxes (i) that are not overdue by more than 30 days or (ii) that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, provided that Holdings, the Parent Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, has set aside on its books adequate reserves therefore in accordance with GAAP.

SECTION 3.10. ERISA .

(a) Except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Plan is in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other Federal or state Laws.

(b) Except as could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) no ERISA Event has occurred during the five year period prior to the date on which this representation is made or deemed made with respect to any Plan, (ii) no Plan has an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived, (iii) neither Holdings nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Plan (other than premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA), (iv) neither Holdings nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan and (v) neither Holdings nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Section 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.

SECTION 3.11. Disclosure . Neither (a) the Information Memorandum as of the Effective Date nor (b) any of the other reports, financial statements, certificates or other written information furnished by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of any Loan Document or delivered thereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) when taken as a whole contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading, provided that, with respect to projected financial information, Holdings and the Parent Borrower represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed by them to be reasonable at the time delivered and, if such projected financial information was delivered prior to the Effective Date, as of the Effective Date, it being understood that any such projected financial information may vary from actual results and such variations could be material.

SECTION 3.12. Subsidiaries . As of the Effective Date, Schedule 3.12 sets forth the name of, and the ownership interest of Holdings and each Subsidiary in, each Subsidiary.

SECTION 3.13. Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc . Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries own, license or possess the right to use, all of the rights to Intellectual Property that are reasonably necessary for the operation of their businesses as currently conducted, and, without conflict with the rights of any Person, except to the extent such conflicts, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be

 

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expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Holdings, the Borrowers or any Restricted Subsidiary do not, in the operation of their business as currently conducted, infringe upon any Intellectual Property rights held by any Person except for such infringements, individually or in the aggregate, which could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No claim or litigation regarding any of the Intellectual Property owned by Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiaries is pending or, to the knowledge of Holdings and the Parent Borrower, threatened in writing against Holdings, each Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.14. Solvency . Immediately after the consummation of the Transactions to occur on the Effective Date, after taking into account all applicable rights of indemnity and contribution, (a) the fair value of the assets of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, at a fair valuation, will exceed their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, (b) the present fair saleable value of the property of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, will be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of their debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured, (c) Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, will be able to pay their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured, and (d) Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, will not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which they are engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted following the Effective Date. For purposes of this Section 3.14, the amount of any contingent liability at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in the light of all of the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that could reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

SECTION 3.15. Senior Indebtedness . The Loan Document Obligations constitute “Senior Indebtedness” (or any comparable term) under and as defined in the documentation governing any other Subordinated Indebtedness.

SECTION 3.16. Federal Reserve Regulations . None of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any other Subsidiary is engaged or will engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the Board of Governors), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock. No part of the proceeds of the Loans will be used, directly or indirectly, to purchase or carry any margin stock or to refinance any Indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose, or for any other purpose that entails a violation (including on the part of any Lender) of the provisions of Regulations U or X of the Board of Governors.

SECTION 3.17. Use of Proceeds . The Borrowers will use the proceeds of (a) the Term Loans made on the Effective Date to finance the Transaction and pay Transaction Costs and (b) the Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans on the Effective Date to pay a portion of the Transaction costs and after the Effective Date for general corporate purposes.

ARTICLE IV

CONDITIONS

SECTION 4.01. Effective Date . The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of each Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder became effective on the Effective Date, on which each of the following conditions were satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):

(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include facsimile or other electronic transmission of a signed counterpart of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.

 

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(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks and dated the Effective Date) of each of (i) Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York counsel for the Loan Parties, substantially in the form of Exhibit F-1 , (ii) Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga Advogados, Brazilian counsel for the Loan Parties in form of Exhibit F-2 , (iii) Walkers Global, Cayman counsel for the Loan Parties, substantially in the form of Exhibit F-3 , (iv) De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V., Dutch counsel for the Administrative Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibit F-4 , and (v) Elvinger, Hoss & Prussen, Luxembourg counsel for the Loan Parties, substantially in the form of Exhibit F-5 and, in the case of each such opinion required by this paragraph, covering such other matters relating to the Loan Parties, the Loan Documents or the Transactions as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request. Each of Holdings and the Parent Borrower hereby requests such counsel to deliver such opinions.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of each Loan Party, dated the Effective Date, substantially in the form of Exhibit I with appropriate insertions, executed by any Responsible Officer of such Loan Party, and including or attaching the documents referred to in paragraph (d) of this Section.

(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received a copy of (i) each Organizational Document of each Loan Party certified, to the extent applicable, as of a recent date by the applicable Governmental Authority, (ii) signature and incumbency certificates of the Responsible Officers of each Loan Party executing the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (iii) resolutions of the board of directors and/or similar governing bodies of each Loan Party approving and authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of Loan Documents to which it is a party, certified as of the Effective Date by its secretary, an assistant secretary or a Responsible Officer as being in full force and effect without modification or amendment, and (iv) a good standing certificate (to the extent such concept exists) from the applicable Governmental Authority of each Loan Party’s jurisdiction of incorporation, organization or formation.

(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts previously agreed in writing by the Joint Bookrunners and Holdings to be due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced at least three Business Days prior to the Effective Date, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel) required to be reimbursed or paid by any Loan Party under any Loan Document.

(f) The Collateral and Guarantee Requirement shall have been satisfied and the Administrative Agent shall have received a completed Perfection Certificate dated the Effective Date and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Parent Borrower, together with all attachments contemplated thereby, including the results of a search of the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent) filings made with respect to Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the jurisdictions contemplated by the Perfection Certificate and copies of the financing statements (or similar documents) disclosed by such search and evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that the Liens indicated by such financing statements (or similar documents) are permitted by Section 6.02 or have been or will contemporaneously with the initial funding of Loans on the Effective Date be released; provided that if, notwithstanding the use by Holdings and the Parent Borrower of commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to be satisfied on the Effective Date, the requirements thereof (other than (a) the execution and delivery of the Guarantee Agreement and the Collateral Agreement by the Loan Parties, (b) creation of and perfection of security interests in the Equity Interests of (i) Domestic Subsidiaries of Holdings and the Parent Borrower, and (c) delivery of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements with respect to perfection of security interests in other assets of the Loan Parties that may be perfected by the filing of a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code) are not satisfied as of the Effective Date, the satisfaction of such requirements shall not be a condition to the availability of the initial Loans on the Effective Date (but shall be required to be satisfied as promptly as practicable after the Effective Date and in any event within the period specified therefor in Schedule 5.14 or such later date as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree).

 

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(g) Subject to the qualifications set forth in the lead-in to Article III of the Acquisition Agreement, since August 27, 2010 to April 26, 2011, there has not been any change, event development or effect that has had or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Target Material Adverse Effect. Since April 26, 2011 there has not been any change, event, development or effect that has had or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Target Material Adverse Effect.

(h) Certificates of insurance shall be delivered to the Administrative Agent evidencing the existence of insurance to be maintained by Holdings and the Subsidiaries pursuant to Section 5.07 and, if applicable, the Administrative Agent shall be designated as an additional insured and loss payee or mortgage endorsement as its interest may appear hereunder, or solely as the additional insured, as the case may be, hereunder ( provided that if such endorsement as additional insured cannot be delivered by the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent may consent to such endorsement being delivered at such later date as it deems appropriate in the circumstances).

(i) The Joint Bookrunners shall have received the (i) Pro Forma Financial Statements, (ii) Audited Financial Statements and (iii) unaudited consolidated balance sheets and related statements of income, changes in equity and cash flows of the Target for each subsequent fiscal quarter after August 27, 2010 ended at least 45 days before the Effective Date (excluding footnotes).

(j) The Specified Representations shall be true and correct on and as of the Effective Date.

(k) The Acquisition shall have been consummated, or substantially simultaneously with the initial funding of Loans on the Effective Date, shall be consummated, in all material respects in accordance with the Acquisition Agreement (without giving effect to any amendments, supplements, waivers or other modifications to or of the Acquisition Agreement that are material and adverse to the Lenders or the Joint Book runners as reasonably determined by the Joint Book runners (it being understood that (x) any modification, amendment, consent or waiver to the definition of “Material Adverse Effect” shall be deemed to be material and adverse to the interest of the Lenders and the Joint Bookrunners and (y) (i) any reduction in the purchase price of the Acquisition shall be deemed to be material and adverse to the interest of the Lenders and the Joint Bookrunners ( provided that, in no event shall a reduction of the purchase price by less than 10% be deemed material for such purposes and any such reduction shall not require the prior consent of the Joint Bookrunners) and (ii) any reduction in the purchase price of the Acquisition (other than a reduction covered by the foregoing clause (y)(i)) shall not be deemed to be material and adverse to the interest of the Lenders and the Joint Bookrunners if such reduction is allocated to ratably reduce the pro forma equity capitalization of the Target and the Term Loans)).

(l) The Equity Financing shall have occurred and Holdings shall have received cash proceeds from the Equity Financing in an amount that, together with the Rolled Equity, is at least equal to 45% of the total pro forma debt and equity capitalization of Holdings and its subsidiaries (on a consolidated basis) on the Effective Date after giving effect to the Transactions.

(m) After giving effect to the Transactions, (i) none of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any other Subsidiary shall have outstanding any Disqualified Equity Interests or any Indebtedness, other than (A) Indebtedness incurred under the Loan Documents and (B) Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01. Without limiting the foregoing, the Refinancing Transaction shall have occurred.

(n) The Lenders shall have received a certificate from the chief financial officer of the Parent Borrower certifying as to the solvency of the Parent Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis after giving effect to the Transactions.

(o) The Administrative Agent and the Joint Bookrunners shall have received all documentation and other information about the Loan Parties as shall have been reasonably requested in writing at least 10 days prior to the Effective Date by the Administrative Agent or the Joint Bookrunners that they shall have reasonably determined is required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the USA Patriot Act.

 

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The Administrative Agent shall notify Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Banks to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions shall have been satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02) at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on October 6, 2011 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).

SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event . The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of each Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, in each case other than on the Effective Date is subject to receipt of the request therefor in accordance herewith and to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

(a) The representations and warranties of each Loan Party set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as the case may be (in each case, unless such date is the Effective Date); provided that, to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date; provided further that any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality”, “Material Adverse Effect” or similar language shall be true and correct in all respects on the date of such credit extension or on such earlier date, as the case may be.

(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as the case may be (unless such Borrowing is on the Effective Date), no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

(c) At the time of any Revolving Loans or Swingline Loans are drawn upon or Letters of Credit are issued (if after giving effect to such Letter of Credit there would be more than $1,000,000 of Letters of Credit outstanding that are not cash collateralized), after giving Pro Forma Effect thereto, the Secured Net Leverage Ratio shall not exceed the ratio in effect for the most recently ended Test Period at such time pursuant to Section 6.12(a).

Each Borrowing ( provided that a conversion or a continuation of a Borrowing shall not constitute a “Borrowing” for purposes of this Section) and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by Holdings and each Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section.

ARTICLE V

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

Until the Commitments shall have expired or been terminated, the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees, expenses and other amounts (other than contingent amounts not yet due) payable under any Loan Document shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or been terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, each of Holdings and the Parent Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements and Other Information . The Parent Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent, on behalf of each Lender:

(a) on or before the date on which such financial statements are required or permitted to be filed with the SEC (or, if such financial statements are not required to be filed with the SEC, on or before the date that is 120 days after the end of each such fiscal year of Parent Borrower (or, in the case of financial statements for the fiscal year ended August 26, 2011, on or before the date that is 150 days after the end of such fiscal year)), audited consolidated balance sheet and audited consolidated statements of

 

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operations and comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Parent Borrower (or, in the case of financial statements for the fiscal year ended August 26, 2011, the Target) as of the end of and for such year, and related notes thereto, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by Deloitte & Touche LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception (other than with respect to, or resulting from any potential inability to satisfy the covenants in Section 6.12 of this Agreement in a future date or period) and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition as of the end of and for such year and results of operations and cash flows of the Parent Borrower and its Subsidiaries (or, in the case of the fiscal year ended August 26, 2011, the Target and its subsidiaries) on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied;

(b) commencing with the financial statements for the fiscal quarter ending November 25, 2011, on or before the date on which such financial statements are required or permitted to be filed with the SEC with respect to each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Parent Borrower (or, if such financial statements are not required to be filed with the SEC, on or before the date that is 60 days after the end of each such fiscal quarter (or, in the case of financial statements for the fiscal quarter ended November 25, 2011 on or before the date that is 90 days after the end of such fiscal quarter and in the case of financial statements for the fiscal quarters ended February 24, 2012 and May 25, 2012, respectively, on or before the date that is 75 days after the end of such fiscal quarter)), unaudited consolidated balance sheet and unaudited consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth for each fiscal quarter commencing with the fiscal quarter ending November 30, 2012 in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by a Financial Officer as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and such portion of the fiscal year and results of operations and cash flows of the Parent Borrower and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

(c) simultaneously with the delivery of each set of consolidated financial statements referred to in clauses (a) and (b) above, the related consolidating financial statements reflecting adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) from such consolidated financial statements;

(d) not later than five days after any delivery of financial statements under paragraph (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations (A) of the Secured Leverage Ratio, (B) of the Secured Net Leverage Ratio demonstrating compliance with the covenants contained in Section 6.12 and (C) in the case of financial statements delivered under paragraph (a) above, beginning with the financial statements for the fiscal year of the Parent Borrower ending August 31, 2012, of Excess Cash Flow for such fiscal year and (iii) in the case of financial statements delivered under paragraph (a) above, setting forth a reasonably detailed calculation of the Net Proceeds received during the applicable period by or on behalf of the Parent Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any event described in clause (a) of the definition of the term “Prepayment Event” and the portion of such Net Proceeds that has been invested or are intended to be reinvested in accordance with the proviso in Section 2.11(c);

(e) not later than five days after any delivery of financial statements under paragraph (a) above, a certificate of the accounting firm that reported on such financial statements stating whether it obtained knowledge during the course of its examination of such financial statements of any Default relating to Sections 6.12 and, if such knowledge has been obtained, describing such Default (which certificate may be limited to the extent required by accounting rules or guidelines);

 

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(f) not later than 120 days after the commencement of each fiscal year of the Parent Borrower (or in the case of the fiscal year ended August 26, 2011, on or before the date that is 150 days at the end of such fiscal year), a detailed consolidated budget for the Parent Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year (including a projected consolidated balance sheet and consolidated statements of projected operations, comprehensive income and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal year and setting forth the material assumptions used for purposes of preparing such budget);

(g) promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and registration statements (other than amendments to any registration statement (to the extent such registration statement, in the form it became effective, is delivered to the Administrative Agent), exhibits to any registration statement and, if applicable, any registration statement on Form S-8) filed by Holdings, the Parent Borrower or Subsidiaries (or, if the Parent Borrower is a subsidiary of the IPO Entity, the IPO Entity) with the SEC or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Parent Borrower (or, if the Parent Borrower is a subsidiary of the IPO Entity, the IPO Entity) to the holders of its Equity Interests generally, as the case may be;

(h) promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of any Loan Document, as the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of any Lender may reasonably request in writing; and

(i) (i) not later than 90 days after the end of the fiscal year of Parent Borrower ended August 26, 2011, summary unaudited and abbreviated consolidated financial information of the Parent Borrower of such type that are provided to the Board of Directors of Holdings or to senior management and (ii) not later than 60 days after the end of each of the fiscal quarters ended November 25, 2011, February 24, 2012 and May 25, 2012, summary unaudited and abbreviated consolidated financial information of the Parent Borrower of such type that are provided to the Board of Directors of Holdings or to senior management.

The Parent Borrower will hold and participate in a quarterly conference call for Lenders to discuss financial information delivered pursuant to paragraphs (a), (b) and (f) of this Section 5.01. The Parent Borrower will hold such conference call following the last day of each fiscal quarter of the Parent Borrower and not later than five Business Days from the time that the Parent Borrower delivers the financial information as set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 5.01. Prior to each conference call, the Parent Borrower shall issue a press release to the appropriate wire services announcing the time and date of such conference call and, unless the call is to be open to the public, Lenders, securities analysts and prospective lenders to contact the office of the Parent Borrower’s chief financial officer or investor relations department to obtain access. If the Parent Borrower is holding a conference call open to the public to discuss the most recent quarter’s financial performance, the Parent Borrower will not be required to hold a second, separate call just for the Lenders.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 5.01 may be satisfied with respect to financial information of the Parent Borrower and its Subsidiaries by furnishing (A) the Form 10-K or 10-Q (or the equivalent), as applicable, of the Parent Borrower (or a parent company thereof) filed with the SEC or with a similar regulatory authority in a foreign jurisdiction or (B) the applicable financial statement of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings); provided that to the extent such information relates to a parent of the Parent Borrower, such information is accompanied by consolidating information, which may be unaudited, that explains in reasonable detail the differences between the information relating to such parent, on the one hand, and the information relating to the Parent Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a stand-alone basis, on the other hand, and to the extent such information is in lieu of information required to be provided under Section 5.01(a), such materials are accompanied by a report and opinion of Deloitte & Touche LLP or any other independent registered public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception (other than with respect to, or resulting from any potential inability to satisfy the covenants in Section 6.12 of this Agreement in a future date or period) or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit.

 

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Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a), (b) or (f) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Parent Borrower’s website on the Internet; (B) on which such documents are posted on the Parent Borrower’s behalf on IntraLinks/lntraAgency or another website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) the Parent Borrower shall deliver such documents to the Administrative Agent upon its reasonable request until a written notice to cease delivering such documents is given by the Administrative Agent and (ii) the Parent Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (by telecopier or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents and upon its reasonable request, provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions ( i.e. , soft copies) of such documents. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for timely accessing posted documents and maintaining its copies of such documents.

The Parent Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Joint Bookrunners will make available to the Lenders and the Issuing Bank materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Parent Borrower hereunder (collectively, “ Parent Borrower Materials ”) by posting the Parent Borrower Materials on IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the “ Platform ”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “ Public Lender ”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Parent Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Parent Borrower hereby agrees that it will use commercially reasonable efforts to identify that portion of the Parent Borrower Materials that may be distributed to the Public Lenders and that (w) all such Parent Borrower Materials shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Parent Borrower Materials “PUBLIC”, the Parent Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Joint Bookrunners, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders to treat such Parent Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information (although it may be sensitive and proprietary) with respect to the Parent Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws ( provided , however , that to the extent such Parent Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 9.12); (y) all Parent Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information”; and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Arranger shall be entitled to treat any Parent Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Side Information”. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Parent Borrower shall be under no obligation to mark any Parent Borrower Materials “PUBLIC”.

SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events . Promptly after any Responsible Officer of Holdings or any Borrower obtains actual knowledge thereof, Holdings or such Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent (for distribution to each Lender through the Administrative Agent) written notice of the following:

(a) the occurrence of any Default; and

(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or, to the knowledge of a Financial Officer or another executive officer of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, affecting Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or the receipt of a notice of an Environmental Liability that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a written statement of a Responsible Officer of Holdings or the Parent Borrower setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

 

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SECTION 5.03. Information Regarding Collateral .

(a) Holdings or the Parent Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt (and in any event within 30 days or such longer period as reasonably agreed to by the Administrative Agent) written notice of any change (i) in any Loan Party’s legal name (as set forth in its certificate of organization or like document), (ii) in the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of any Loan Party or in the form of its organization or (iii) in any Loan Party’s organizational identification number.

(b) Not later than five days after delivery of financial statements pursuant to Section 5.01 (a) or (b), Holdings or the Parent Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate executed by a Responsible Officer of Holdings or the Parent Borrower (i) setting forth the information required pursuant to Sections 1(a)(i), 1(b), 2, 5, 6, 8 (other than 8(f)) of the Perfection Certificate or confirming that there has been no change in such information since the date of the Perfection Certificate delivered on the Effective Date or the date of the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to this Section, (ii) identifying any wholly-owned Subsidiary that has become, or ceased to be a Material Subsidiary during the most recently ended fiscal quarter and (iii) certifying that all notices required to be given prior to the date of such certificate by Section 5.03 or 5.12 have been given.

SECTION 5.04. Existence; Conduct of Business . Each of Holdings and the Parent Borrower will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to obtain, preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges, franchises, patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names material to the conduct of its business, in each case (other than the preservation of the existence of Holdings and the Parent Borrower) to the extent that the failure to do so could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03 or any Disposition permitted by Section 6.05.

SECTION 5.05. Payment of Taxes, etc . Each of Holdings and the Parent Borrower will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, pay its obligations in respect of Taxes before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where the failure to make payment could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.06. Maintenance of Properties . Each of Holdings and the Parent Borrower will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.07. Insurance .

(a) Each of Holdings and the Parent Borrower will, and will cause each other Subsidiary to, maintain, with insurance companies that Holdings believes (in the good faith judgment of the management of Holdings and the Parent Borrower) are financially sound and responsible at the time the relevant coverage is placed or renewed, insurance in at least such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance which Holdings and the Parent Borrower believes (in the good faith judgment of management of Holdings and the Parent Borrower) is reasonable and prudent in light of the size and nature of its business) and against at least such risks (and with such risk retentions) as Holdings and the Parent Borrower believes (in the good faith judgment or the management of Holdings and the Parent Borrower) are reasonable and prudent in light of the size and nature of its business; and will furnish to the Lenders, upon written request from the Administrative Agent, information presented in reasonable detail as to the insurance so carried. Each such policy of insurance shall (i) name the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders as an additional insured thereunder as its interests may appear and (ii) in the case of each casualty insurance policy, contain a loss payable clause or endorsement that names Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders as the loss payee thereunder.

(b) If any portion of any Mortgaged Property subject to FEMA rules and regulations is at any time located in an area identified by FEMA (or any successor agency) as a Special Flood Hazard Area with respect to which flood insurance has been made available under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (as now or hereafter in effect or successor act thereto, the “Flood Insurance Laws”), then the Parent Borrower shall, or shall cause the relevant Loan Party to (i) maintain or cause to be maintained, flood insurance sufficient to comply with all applicable rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the Flood Insurance Laws and (ii) deliver to the Administrative Agent evidence of such compliance.

 

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SECTION 5.08. Books and Records; Inspection and Audit Rights . Each of Holdings and the Borrower will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, maintain proper books of record and account in which entries that are full, true and correct in all material respects and are in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made of all material financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be. Each of Holdings and the Parent Borrower will, and will cause its Restricted Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested; provided that, excluding any such visits and inspections during the continuation of an Event of Default, only the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders may exercise visitation and inspection rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Section 5.08 and the Administrative Agent shall not exercise such rights more often than two times during any calendar year absent the existence of an Event of Default and only one such time shall be at the Parent Borrower’s expense; provided further that (a) when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Parent Borrower at any time during normal business hours and upon reasonable advance notice and (b) the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall give Holdings and the Parent Borrower the opportunity to participate in any discussions with Holdings’ or the Parent Borrower’s independent public accountants.

SECTION 5.09. Compliance with Laws . Each of Holdings and the Parent Borrower will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, comply with its Organizational Documents and all Requirements of Law with respect to it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.10. Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit . The Borrowers will use the proceeds of the Term Loans and any Revolving Loans drawn on the Effective Date, together with cash on hand of the Parent Borrower, on the Effective Date to pay a portion of the Transaction Costs (including any upfront fees payable in respect of the Term Loans on the Effective Date). The proceeds of the Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans drawn after the Effective Date will be used only for general corporate purposes. Letters of Credit will be used only for general corporate purposes.

SECTION 5.11. Additional Subsidiaries . If any additional Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent is formed or acquired after the Effective Date, Holdings or the Parent Borrower will, within 30 days after such newly formed or acquired Restricted Subsidiary is formed or acquired, notify the Administrative Agent thereof, and all actions (if any) required to be taken with respect to such newly formed or acquired Subsidiary (unless such Subsidiary is an Excluded Subsidiary) in order to satisfy the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement shall have been taken with respect to such Subsidiary and with respect to any Equity Interest in or Indebtedness of such Subsidiary owned by or on behalf of any Loan Party within 30 days after such notice (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably agree).

SECTION 5.12. Further Assurances .

(a) Each of Holdings and the Parent Borrower will, and will cause each Loan Party to, execute any and all further documents, financing statements, agreements and instruments, and take all such further actions (including the filing and recording of financing statements, fixture filings, mortgages, deeds of trust and other documents), that may be required under any applicable law and that the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request, to cause the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to be and remain satisfied, all at the expense of the Loan Parties.

(b) If, after the Effective Date, any material assets (including any owned (but not leased) real property or improvements thereto or any interest therein) with a fair market value in excess of $5,000,000, are acquired by the Parent Borrower or any other Loan Party or are held by any Subsidiary on or after the time it

 

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becomes a Loan Party pursuant to Section 5.11 (other than assets constituting Collateral under a Security Document that become subject to the Lien created by such Security Document upon acquisition thereof or constituting Excluded Assets), the Parent Borrower will notify the Administrative Agent thereof, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, the Parent Borrower will cause such assets to be subjected to a Lien securing the Secured Obligations and will take and cause the other Loan Parties to take, such actions as shall be necessary and reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to grant and perfect such Liens, including actions described in paragraph (a) of this Section, all at the expense of the Loan Parties and subject to last paragraph of the definition of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement”.

SECTION 5.13. Ratings . Each of Holdings and the Parent Borrower will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause (a) the Parent Borrower to continuously have a public corporate credit rating from each of S&P and Moody’s (but not to maintain a specific rating) and (b) the credit facilities made available under this Agreement to be continuously rated by each of S&P and Moody’s (but not to maintain a specific rating).

SECTION 5.14. Certain Post-Closing Obligations . As promptly as practicable, and in any event within the time periods after the Effective Date specified in Schedule 5.14 or such later date as the Administrative Agent reasonably agrees to in writing, including to reasonably accommodate circumstances unforeseen on the Effective Date, Holdings, the Parent Borrower and each other Loan Party shall deliver the documents or take the actions specified on Schedule 5.14 that would have been required to be delivered or taken on the Effective Date but for the proviso to Section 4.01(f), in each case except to the extent otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to its authority as set forth in the definition of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement”.

SECTION 5.15. Storage Monetization . Upon the occurrence of Monetization (A) if the Total Leverage Ratio at the time of Monetization is equal to or less than 2.45 to 1.00 after giving effect to the Transactions, then the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall receive cash (by means of a cash contribution to the common capital of the Parent Borrower and/or a repayment of debt owing to the Parent Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries by Storage Parent or any of its subsidiaries) in an amount equal to the lesser of (y) the net cash proceeds of such disposition received by Target or any of its Affiliates (other than any of its subsidiaries) and (z) the outstanding amount of Storage Investments immediately prior to such time and (B) if the Total Leverage Ratio at the time of such disposition is greater than 2.45 to 1.00, then the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall receive cash (by means of a contribution to its common capital and/or the repayment of debt owing to the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary by Storage Parent or any of its subsidiaries) in an amount equal to the lesser of (y) the net cash proceeds of such disposition received by Target or any of its Affiliates (other than any of its subsidiaries) and (z) the outstanding amount of Storage Investments immediately prior to such time multiplied by two.

SECTION 5.16. Designation of Subsidiaries . The Parent Borrower may at any time after the Effective Date designate any Restricted Subsidiary of the Parent Borrower (other than the Co-Borrower) as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) immediately before and after such designation on a Pro Forma Basis, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (ii) immediately after giving effect to such designation, the Parent Borrower shall have a Total Leverage Ratio less than or equal to 3.5 to 1.0 on a Pro Forma Basis as of the end of the most recent Test Period for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), and (iii) no Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or continue as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if it is a “Restricted Subsidiary” for the purpose of any Indebtedness of Holdings or the Parent Borrower. The designation of any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary after the Effective Date shall constitute an Investment by the Parent Borrower therein at the date of designation in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Parent Borrower’s or its Subsidiary’s (as applicable) investment therein. The designation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary shall constitute (i) the incurrence at the time of designation of any Investment, Indebtedness or Liens of such Subsidiary existing at such time and (ii) a return on any Investment by the Parent Borrower in Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the preceding sentence in an amount equal to the fair market value at the date of such designation of the Parent Borrower’s or its Subsidiary’s (as applicable) Investment in such Subsidiary.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Unrestricted Subsidiary that has been re-designated a Restricted Subsidiary may not be subsequently re-designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

SECTION 5.17. Post-Restatement Effective Date Actions .

(a) The Borrowers shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to obtain, as promptly as possible after the Restatement Effective Date, all necessary consents from BNDES for the granting and perfection of security interests by SMART Modular Technologies Industria de Componenentes Electronicos Ltds. (“ SMART Brazil IC ”) in favor of the Secured Parties (as defined in the Collateral Agreement) in respect of all machinery, equipment and intellectual property owned by SMART Brazil IC.

(b) The Borrowers shall (i) cause, within 45 days after obtaining the consent described in Section 5.17(a) (or by such later date as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably agree), SMART Brazil IC to enter into a pledge agreement (or an amendment to an existing pledge agreement), on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and Parent Borrower, with the Administrative Agent in respect of machinery and equipment owned by SMART Brazil IC (the “ PPE Pledge Agreement ”); provided that the PPE Pledge Agreement shall expressly exclude up to $5 million of machinery and equipment of SMART Brazil IC from the security interest created thereby and (ii) use commercially reasonable best efforts to cause the PPE Pledge Agreement to be filed for registration with the applicable Governmental Authority promptly after execution thereof.

(c) The Borrowers shall cause, within 45 days after obtaining the consent described in Section 5.17(a) (or by such later date as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably agree), (i) SMART Brazil IC to enter into an amendment to the existing pledge agreement in respect of intellectual property of SMART Brazil IC (the “ IP Pledge Agreement ”), on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and Parent Borrower, covering intellectual property acquired or established by SMART Brazil IC since the date of the IP Pledge Agreement and (ii) use commercially reasonable best efforts to cause such amendment to the IP Pledge Agreement to be filed for registration with the applicable Governmental Authority promptly after execution thereof.

(d) The Borrowers shall cause (i) by no later than January 14, 2017 (or such later date as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably agree), each Brazilian Subsidiary of Parent Borrower to enter into a pledge agreement, on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and Parent Borrower, with the Administrative Agent in respect of cash and cash equivalents of such Subsidiary (other than any restricted cash or cash equivalents subject to the Lien described on Schedule 6.02) and (ii) by no later than February 28, 2017 (or such later date as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably agree), all bank accounts of such Brazilian Subsidiaries (other than any bank accounts that hold less than $1 million in the aggregate and any investment or bank account that holds only restricted cash and cash equivalents excluded from the security interest granted pursuant to the foregoing clause (i)) to be subject to control letters or agreements reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and Parent Borrower. It being understood and agreed that in no event shall such pledge agreements or control letters or agreements permit the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party to exercise remedies thereunder (including exercising control over cash and cash equivalents or bank accounts) prior to the earlier to occur of (A) the date that is 30 days after an Event of Default arising under Section 7.01(a) (which Event of Default has not yet been cured as of such date) or (B) the termination of Commitments and acceleration of Loans pursuant to Section 7.01 (whether in connection with an insolvency event or otherwise).

(e) The Borrowers shall cause (i) by no later than January 14, 2017 (or such later date as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably agree), SMART Brazil IC to enter into a pledge agreement, on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and Parent Borrower, with the Administrative Agent in respect of inventory of such Subsidiary (the “ Inventory Pledge Agreement ”) and (ii) use commercially reasonable best efforts to cause the Inventory Pledge Agreement to be filed for registration with the applicable Governmental Authority promptly after execution thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is agreed that (A) the grant of security interests pursuant to the Inventory Pledge Agreement shall be limited to a grant with respect to each material product-family of SMART Brazil IC as identified and described on Schedule 5.17(e) and (B) the Inventory Pledge Agreement shall be filed for registration without any reference to the amount or value of the inventory pledged and in no event shall contain any operational covenants or other limitations with respect to the use, maintenance, storage or sale of such inventory except those applicable after and during the continuance of an Event of Default.

 

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(f) Not more than once per calendar year, commencing on November 30, 2017, the Borrowers shall cause SMART Brazil IC to enter into amendments to the (i) PPE Pledge Agreement and the IP Pledge Agreement in respect of any machinery and equipment and any intellectual property ( provided that such intellectual property is determined, in the reasonable judgement of the Administrative Agent, to be material to the business of SMART Brazil IC), as applicable, that has been acquired or established by SMART Brazil IC after November 30, 2016 and use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such amendments to be filed for registration with the relevant Governmental Authority promptly thereafter and (ii) the Inventory Pledge Agreement in respect of any product family of inventory of SMART Brazil IC not covered by the Inventory Pledge Agreement that has been expanded or established by SMART Brazil IC after November 30, 2016 and is in commercial production (provided that such product family is determined, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent, to be material to the business of SMART Brazil IC) and use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such amendments to be filed for registration with the relevant Governmental Authority promptly thereafter.

ARTICLE VI

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees, expenses and other amounts payable (other than contingent amounts not yet due) under any Loan Document have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or been terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, each of Holdings and each Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

SECTION 6.01. Indebtedness; Certain Equity Securities .

(a) Holdings and the Parent Borrower will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(i) Indebtedness of Holdings, the Borrowers and any of the other Restricted Subsidiaries under the Loan Documents (including any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 2.21);

(ii) Indebtedness (A) outstanding on the Restatement Effective Date and listed on Schedule 6.01 and any Permitted Refinancing thereof and (B) intercompany Indebtedness outstanding on the Restatement Effective Date and listed on Schedule 6.01 ;

(iii) Guarantees by Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of Indebtedness of the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary otherwise permitted hereunder; provided that such Guarantee is otherwise permitted by Section 6.04; provided further that (A) no Guarantee by any Restricted Subsidiary of any Junior Financing shall be permitted unless such Restricted Subsidiary shall have also provided a Guarantee of the Loan Document Obligations pursuant to the Guarantee Agreement and (B) if the Indebtedness being Guaranteed is subordinated to the Loan Document Obligations, such Guarantee shall be subordinated to the Guarantee of the Loan Document Obligations on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the subordination of such Indebtedness;

(iv) Indebtedness of the Parent Borrower owing to any Restricted Subsidiary or of any Restricted Subsidiary owing to any other Restricted Subsidiary or the Parent Borrower, Holdings or any Intermediate Parent to the extent permitted by Section 6.04; provided that all such Indebtedness of any Loan Party owing to any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be subordinated to the Loan Document Obligations (to the extent any such Indebtedness is outstanding at any time after the date that is 30 days after the Effective Date or such later date as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree) (but only to the extent permitted by applicable law and not giving rise to material adverse Tax consequences) on terms (i) at least as favorable to the Lenders as those set forth in the form of intercompany note attached as Exhibit J or (ii) otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

 

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(v) [Intentionally Omitted];

(vi) Indebtedness in respect of Swap Agreements permitted by Section 6.07;

(vii) [Intentionally Omitted];

(viii) [Intentionally Omitted.]

(ix) Indebtedness representing deferred compensation to employees of Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(x) [Intentionally Omitted];

(xi) [Intentionally Omitted];

(xii) [Intentionally Omitted];

(xiii) Cash Management Obligations and other Indebtedness in respect of netting services, overdraft protections and similar arrangements, in each case, in connection with deposit accounts;

(xiv) Indebtedness of the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that at the time of the incurrence thereof and after giving Pro Forma Effect thereto and the use of the proceeds thereof, the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness outstanding in reliance on this clause (xiv) shall not exceed $5,000,000;

(xv) Indebtedness consisting of (A) the financing of insurance premiums or (B) take or-pay obligations contained in supply arrangements, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

(xvi) Indebtedness incurred by the Parent Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees, bankers’ acceptances or similar instruments issued or created in the ordinary course of business, including in respect of workers compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance or other reimbursement-type obligations regarding workers compensation claims;

(xvii) obligations in respect of performance, bid, appeal and surety bonds and performance and completion guarantees and similar obligations provided by the Parent Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or obligations in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments related thereto, in each case in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(xviii) [Intentionally Omitted];

(xix) [Intentionally Omitted];

(xx) Indebtedness supported by a Letter of Credit, in a principal amount not to exceed the face amount of such Letter of Credit;

(xxi) Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt, and any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(xxii) Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt and Permitted Second Priority Refinancing Debt, and any Permitted Refinancing thereof,

 

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(xxiii) Indebtedness arising from a Permitted Receivables Factoring transaction in effect as of the Restatement Effective Date (and, subject to the definition of “Permitted Receivables Factoring”, any modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension thereof);

(xxiv) all premiums (if any), interest (including post-petition interest), fees, expenses, charges and additional or contingent interest on obligations described in clauses (i) through (xxii) above; and

(xxv) the accrual of up to $1,000,000 in any calendar year in respect of management and monitoring fees owed and payable to the Investors (or management companies of the Investors) pursuant to the Investor Management Agreement and any Investor Termination Fees, in each case, prohibited under Section 6.09 to be paid for any period on or after June, 2016.

(b) Holdings and each Intermediate Parent will not create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness except Indebtedness created under Sections 6.01(a)(i), (iii), (iv), (vi), (ix) and (xiii), and all premiums (if any), interest (including post-petition interest), fees, expenses, charges and additional or contingent interest on obligations described in the foregoing clauses.

(c) Neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will, nor will they permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent to, issue any preferred Equity Interests or any Disqualified Equity Interests, except (A) in the case of Holdings, preferred Equity Interests that are Qualified Equity Interests and (B) in the case of the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent, preferred Equity Interests issued to and held by Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

SECTION 6.02. Liens . Neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will, nor will they permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, except:

(i) Liens created under the Loan Documents;

(ii) Permitted Encumbrances;

(iii) Liens existing on the Restatement Effective Date and set forth on Schedule 6.02 and any modifications, replacements, renewals or extensions thereof; provided that (A) such modified, replacement, renewal or extension Lien does not extend to any additional property other than (1) after acquired property that is affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien and (2) proceeds and products thereof, and (B) the obligations secured or benefited by such modified, replacement, renewal or extension Lien are permitted by Section 6.01;

(iv) [Intentionally Omitted];

(v) leases, licenses, subleases or sublicenses granted to others that do not (A) interfere in any material respect with the business of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (B) secure any Indebtedness;

(vi) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;

(vii) Liens (A) of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code on items in the course of collection and (B) in favor of a banking institution arising as a matter of law encumbering deposits (including the right of setoff) and that are within the general parameters customary in the banking industry;

(viii) [Intentionally Omitted];

 

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(ix) [Intentionally Omitted];

(x) Liens granted by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in favor of any Loan Party and Liens granted by a Loan Party in favor of any other Loan Party;

(xi) [Intentionally Omitted];

(xii) any interest or title of a lessor under leases (other than leases constituting Capital Lease Obligations) entered into by any of the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(xiii) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for sale of goods by any of the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(xiv) Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements under clause (e) of the definition of the term “Permitted Investments”;

(xv) Liens encumbering reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to commodity trading accounts or other brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;

(xvi) Liens that are contractual rights of setoff (A) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks not given in connection with the incurrence of Indebtedness, (B) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries or (C) relating to purchase orders and other agreements entered into with customers of the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

(xvii) ground leases in respect of real property on which facilities owned or leased by the Parent Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries are located;

(xviii) Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing the financing of the premiums with respect thereto;

(xix) Liens on the Collateral securing Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt and Permitted Second Priority Refinancing Debt;

(xx) other Liens; provided that at the time of the granting of and after giving Pro Forma Effect to any such Lien and the obligations secured thereby (including the use of proceeds thereof) the aggregate face amount of obligations secured by Liens existing in reliance on this clause (xx) shall not exceed $5,000,000; and

(xxi) Liens arising from UCC financing statements or similar filings evidencing the sales of accounts receivable and related assets pursuant to a Permitted Receivables Factoring transaction in effect as of the Restatement Effective Date (and, subject to the definition of “Permitted Receivables Factoring”, any modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension thereof).

SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes; Holding Companies .

(a) Neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will, nor will they permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent to, merge into or consolidate or amalgamate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or liquidate or dissolve, except that:

 

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(i) any Restricted Subsidiary may merge with (A) the Parent Borrower; provided that the Parent Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person, or (B) in the case of any Restricted Subsidiary, one or more other Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that when any Restricted Subsidiary Loan Party is merging or amalgamating with another Restricted Subsidiary (1) the continuing or surviving Person shall be a Subsidiary Loan Party or (2) if the continuing or surviving Person is not a Subsidiary Loan Party, the acquisition of such Subsidiary Loan Party by such surviving Restricted Subsidiary is otherwise permitted under Section 6.04;

(ii) (A) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may merge, amalgamate or consolidate with or into any other Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party and (B) any Restricted Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve or change its legal form if Holdings determines in good faith that such action is in the best interests of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders;

(iii) any Restricted Subsidiary may make a Disposition of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor in such a transaction is a Loan Party, then (A) the transferee must be a Loan Party, (B) to the extent constituting an Investment, such Investment must be a permitted Investment in a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in accordance with Section 6.04 or (C) to the extent constituting a Disposition to a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, such Disposition is for fair value and any promissory note or other non-cash consideration received in respect thereof is a permitted Investment in a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in accordance with Section 6.04;

(iv) the Parent Borrower may merge, amalgamate or consolidate with any other Person; provided that (A) the Parent Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person or (B) if the Person formed by or surviving any such merger or consolidation is not the Parent Borrower (any such Person, the “ Successor Borrower ”), (1) the Successor Borrower shall be an entity organized or existing under the laws of the Cayman Islands, (2) the Successor Borrower shall expressly assume all the obligations of the Parent Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which the Parent Borrower is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (3) each Loan Party other than the Parent Borrower, unless it is the other party to such merger or consolidation, shall have reaffirmed, pursuant to an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, that its Guarantee of, and grant of any Liens as security for, the Secured Obligations shall apply to the Successor Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement and (4) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Responsible Officer and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such merger, amalgamation or consolidation complies with this Agreement; provided further that (y) if such Person is not a Loan Party, no Default exists after giving effect to such merger or consolidation and (z) if the foregoing requirements are satisfied, the Successor Borrower will succeed to, and be substituted for, the Parent Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; provided further that the Parent Borrower agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to provide any documentation and other information about the Successor Borrower as shall have been reasonably requested in writing by any Lender through the Administrative Agent that such Lender shall have reasonably determined is required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the USA Patriot Act;

(v) Holdings or any Intermediate Parent may merge, amalgamate or consolidate with any other Person, so long as no Event of Default exists after giving effect to such merger, amalgamation or consolidation; provided that (A) Holdings or Intermediate Parent, as applicable, shall be the continuing or surviving Person or (B) if the Person formed by or surviving any such merger, amalgamation or consolidation is not Holdings or Intermediate Parent, as applicable, or is a Person into which Holdings or Intermediate Parent, as applicable, has been liquidated (any such Person, the “ Successor Holdings ”), (1) the Successor Holdings shall expressly assume all the obligations of Holdings or Intermediate Parent, as applicable, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which Holdings or Intermediate Parent,

 

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as applicable, is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (2) each Loan Party other than Holdings or Intermediate Parent, as applicable, unless it is the other party to such merger, amalgamation or consolidation, shall have reaffirmed, pursuant to an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, that its Guarantee of and grant of any Liens as security for the Secured Obligations shall apply to the Successor Holdings’ obligations under this Agreement, (3) the Successor Holdings shall, immediately following such merger, amalgamation or consolidation, directly or indirectly own all Subsidiaries owned by Holdings or Intermediate Parent, as applicable, immediately prior to such transaction, (4) Holdings or Intermediate Parent, as applicable, shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Responsible Officer and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such merger or consolidation complies with this Agreement and (5) Holdings or Intermediate Parent, as applicable, may not merge, amalgamate or consolidate with the Parent Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor or Co-Borrower if any Permitted Holdings Debt is then outstanding unless the Total Leverage Ratio is equal to or less than 3.50 to 1.00 on a Pro Forma Basis; provided further that if the foregoing requirements are satisfied, the Successor Holdings will succeed to, and be substituted for, Holdings or Intermediate Parent, as applicable, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; provided further that the Parent Borrower agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to provide any documentation and other information about the Successor Holdings as shall have been reasonably requested in writing by any the Lender through the Administrative Agent that such Lender shall have reasonably determined is required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the USA Patriot Act.

(vi) any Restricted Subsidiary may merge, consolidate or amalgamate with any other Person in order to effect an Investment permitted pursuant to Section 6.04; provided that the continuing or surviving Person shall be a Restricted Subsidiary, which together with each of its Restricted Subsidiaries, shall have complied with the requirements of Sections 5.11 and 5.12 and if the other party to such transaction is not a Loan Party, no Default exists after giving effect to such transaction;

(vii) Holdings, the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may consummate the Acquisition; and

(viii) any Restricted Subsidiary may effect a merger, dissolution, liquidation consolidation or amalgamation to effect a Disposition permitted pursuant to Section 6.05; provided that if the other party to such transaction is not a Loan Party, no Default exists after giving effect to the transaction.

(b) The Parent Borrower will not, and Holdings and the Parent Borrower will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent to, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on the Effective Date and businesses reasonably related or ancillary thereto.

(c) Holdings and any Intermediate Parent will not conduct, transact or otherwise engage in any business or operations other than (i) the ownership and/or acquisition of the Equity Interests of the Parent Borrower and any Intermediate Parent, (ii) the maintenance of its legal existence, including the ability to incur fees, costs and expenses relating to such maintenance, (iii) participating in tax, accounting and other administrative matters as a member of the consolidated group of Holdings and the Parent Borrower, (iv) the performance of its obligations under and in connection with the Loan Documents, any documentation governing any Indebtedness or Guarantee permitted to be incurred or made by it under Article VI, the Acquisition Agreement, the other agreements contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement and the other agreements contemplated hereby and thereby, (v) any public offering of its common stock or any other issuance or registration of its Equity Interests for sale or resale not prohibited by this Agreement, including the costs, fees and expenses related thereto, (vi) any transaction that Holdings or any Intermediate Parent is permitted to enter into or consummate under Article VI (including, but not limited to, the making of any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.08 or holding of any cash or Permitted Investments received in connection with Restricted Payments made in accordance with Section 6.08 pending application thereof in the manner contemplated by Section 6.04, the incurrence of any Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by it under Section 6.01 and the making of any Investment permitted to be made by it under Section 6.04),

 

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(vii) incurring fees, costs and expenses relating to overhead and general operating including professional fees for legal, tax and accounting issues and paying taxes, (viii) providing indemnification to officers and directors and as otherwise permitted in Section 6.09, (ix) activities incidental to the consummation of the Transactions and (x) activities incidental to the businesses or activities described in clauses (i) to (ix) of this paragraph.

(d) Holdings and any Intermediate Parent will not own or acquire any assets (other than Equity Interests as referred to in paragraph (c)(i) above, cash, Permitted Investments, intercompany Investments consisting of Indebtedness permitted to be made by it under Section 6.04 or incur any liabilities (other than liabilities as referred to in paragraph (c) above, liabilities imposed by law, including tax liabilities, and other liabilities incidental to its existence and business and activities permitted by this Agreement).

SECTION 6.04. Investments , Loans , Advances , Guarantees and Acquisitions . Neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will, nor will they permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent to, make or hold any Investment, except:

(a) Permitted Investments;

(b) loans or advances to officers, directors and employees of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for reasonable and customary business-related travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes;

(c) Investments (i) by Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in any Loan Party (excluding any new Restricted Subsidiary that becomes a Loan Party pursuant to such Investment), (ii) by any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in any other Restricted Subsidiary that is also not a Loan Party, (iii) by the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (A) in any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, constituting an exchange of Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary for Indebtedness of such Subsidiary or (B) constituting Guarantees of Indebtedness or other monetary obligations of Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties owing to any Loan Party, (iv) by Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties so long as such transactions is part of a series of simultaneous transactions that result in the proceeds of the initial Investment being invested in one or more Loan Parties (or, if the initial proceeds were held at a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party) and (v) by Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, consisting of the contribution of Equity Interests of any other Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party so long as the Equity Interests of the transferee Restricted Subsidiary is pledged to secure the Secured Obligations;

(d) Investments consisting of extensions of trade credit in the ordinary course of business;

(e) Investments (i) existing or contemplated on the Restatement Effective Date and set forth on Schedule 6.04 ( e ) and any modification, replacement, renewal, reinvestment or extension thereof and (ii) Investments existing on the Restatement Effective Date by Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and any modification, renewal or extension thereof; provided that the amount of the original Investment is not increased except by the terms of such Investment to the extent as set forth on Schedule 6.04 ( e ) or as otherwise permitted by this Section 6.04;

(f) Investments in Swap Agreements permitted under Section 6.07;

(g) promissory notes and other non-cash consideration received in connection with Dispositions permitted by Section 6.05;

(h) [Intentionally Omitted];

(i) the Transactions;

 

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(j) Investments in the ordinary course of business consisting of Uniform Commercial Code Article 3 endorsements for collection or deposit and Uniform Commercial Code Article 4 customary trade arrangements with customers consistent with past practices;

(k) Investments (including debt obligations and Equity Interests) received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of suppliers and customers or in settlement of delinquent obligations of, or other disputes with, customers and suppliers or upon the foreclosure with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment;

(l) loans and advances to Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) or any Intermediate Parent in lieu of, and not in excess of the amount of (after giving effect to any other loans, advances or Restricted Payments in respect thereof), Restricted Payments to the extent permitted to be made to Holdings (or such parent) in accordance with Section 6.08(a)(iv) or (vi);

(m) [Intentionally Omitted];

(n) advances of payroll payments to employees in the ordinary course of business;

(o) [Intentionally Omitted];

(p) [Intentionally Omitted];

(q) [Intentionally Omitted]; and

(r) non-cash Investments in connection with tax planning and reorganization activities; provided that after giving effect to any such activities, the security interests of the Lenders in the Collateral, taken as a whole, would not be materially impaired.

SECTION 6.05. Asset Sales . Neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will, nor will they permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent, to, (i) sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any asset, including any Equity Interest owned by it or (ii) permit any Restricted Subsidiary to issue any additional Equity Interest in such Restricted Subsidiary (other than issuing directors’ qualifying shares, nominal shares issued to foreign nationals to the extent required by applicable Requirements of Law and other than issuing Equity Interests to Holdings, the Parent Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary in compliance with Section 6.04(c)) (each, a “ Disposition ”), except:

(a) Dispositions of obsolete or worn out property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in the ordinary course of business and Dispositions of property no longer used or useful in the conduct of the business of Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

(b) Dispositions of inventory and other assets in the ordinary course of business;

(c) Dispositions of property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property;

(d) Dispositions of property to the Parent Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor in such a transaction is a Loan Party, then (i) the transferee must be a Loan Party, (ii) to the extent constituting an Investment, such Investment must be a permitted Investment in a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in accordance with Section 6.04 or (iii) to the extent constituting a Disposition to a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, such Disposition is for fair value and any promissory note or other non-cash consideration received in respect thereof is a permitted investment in a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in accordance with Section 6.04;

 

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(e) Dispositions permitted by Section 6.03, Investments permitted by Section 6.04, Restricted Payments permitted by Section 6.08 and Liens permitted by Section 6.02;

(f) Dispositions of property acquired by Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Effective Date pursuant to sale-leaseback transactions permitted by Section 6.06;

(g) Dispositions of Permitted Investments;

(h) Dispositions of accounts receivable (A) in connection with the collection or compromise thereof and (B) together with related assets pursuant to a Permitted Receivables Factoring;

(i) leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses, in each case in the ordinary course of business and that do not materially interfere with the business of Holdings, the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(j) transfers of property subject to Casualty Events upon receipt of the Net Proceeds of such Casualty Event;

(k) Dispositions of property to Persons other than Restricted Subsidiaries (including the sale or issuance of Equity Interests of a Restricted Subsidiary) not otherwise permitted under this Section 6.05; provided that (i) no Default shall exist at the time of, or would result from, such Disposition (other than any such Disposition made pursuant to a legally binding commitment entered into at a time when no Default existed or would have resulted from such Disposition) and (ii) with respect to any Disposition pursuant to this clause (k), the Parent Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary shall receive all of such consideration in the form of cash or Permitted Investments; provided , however , that for the purposes of this clause (ii), (A) any liabilities (as shown on the most recent balance sheet of Holdings provided hereunder or in the footnotes thereto) of the Parent Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated in right of payment to the Loan Document Obligations, that are assumed by the transferee with respect to the applicable Disposition and for which Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower and all of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall have been validly released by all applicable creditors in writing, shall be deemed to be cash and (B) any securities received by Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by the Parent Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash or Permitted Investments (to the extent of the cash or Permitted Investments received) within 180 days following the closing of the applicable Disposition, shall be deemed to be cash;

(l) Dispositions of Investments in joint ventures to the extent required by, or made pursuant to customary buy/sell arrangements between, the joint venture parties set forth in joint venture arrangements and similar binding arrangements; and

(m) Disposition of assets constituting a part of the Storage Business to Storage Parent or any of its subsidiaries in connection with the transition of the Storage Business to stand-alone operations, in each case on or before the date that is two months after the Effective Date;

provided that any Disposition of any property pursuant to this Section 6.05 (except pursuant to Sections 6.05(e), 6.05(m) and except for Dispositions by a Loan Party to another Loan Party), shall be for no less than the fair market value of such property at the time of such Disposition; provided further that notwithstanding anything in this Section 6.05 or Section 6.09 to the contrary, neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will, nor will they permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent, to make any Dispositions of property to an Affiliate thereof.

SECTION 6.06. Sale and Leaseback Transactions . Neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will, nor will they permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent to, enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now

 

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owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or transferred, except for any such sale of any fixed or capital assets by the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the fair value of such fixed or capital asset and is consummated within 270 days after the Parent Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, acquires or completes the construction of such fixed or capital asset; provided that, if such sale and leaseback results in a Capital Lease Obligation, such Capital Lease Obligation is permitted by Section 6.01 and any Lien made the subject of such Capital Lease Obligation is permitted by Section 6.02.

SECTION 6.07. Swap Agreements . Neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will, nor will they permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent to, enter into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap Agreements entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than those in respect of shares of capital stock or other Equity Interests of Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary) and (b) Swap Agreements entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from fixed to floating rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

SECTION 6.08. Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness .

(a) Neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will, nor will they permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except:

(i) each Restricted Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the Parent Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary;

(ii) Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in the Equity Interests of such Person; provided that in the case of any such Restricted Payment by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Parent Borrower, such Restricted Payment is made to the Parent Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary and to each other owner of Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary based on their relative ownership interests of the relevant class of Equity Interests;

(iii) Restricted Payments made on the Effective Date to consummate the Transactions;

(iv) repurchases of Equity Interests in Holdings (or Restricted Payments by Holdings to allow repurchases of Equity Interest in any direct or indirect parent of Holdings), the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants;

(v) [Intentionally Omitted];

(vi) any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries may make Restricted Payments in cash to SMART Global Holdings, Inc., Holdings and any Intermediate Parent and, where applicable, Holdings and such Intermediate Parent may make Restricted Payments in cash in an aggregate amount not to exceed $1,000,000 after the Restatement Effective Date and prior to the first anniversary of the Restatement Effective Date and $200,000 for each year thereafter;

(A) the proceeds of which shall be used by Holdings or any Intermediate Parent to pay its Tax liability to the relevant jurisdiction in respect of consolidated, combined, unitary or affiliated returns attributable to the income of the Parent Borrower and its Subsidiaries; provided that Restricted Payments made pursuant to this clause (a)(vi)(A) shall not exceed the Tax liability that the Parent Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries (as applicable) would have incurred were such Taxes determined as if such entity(ies) were a stand-alone taxpayer or a stand-alone group; and provided, further, that Restricted Payments under this clause (A) in respect of any Taxes attributable to the income of any Unrestricted Subsidiaries of the Parent Borrower may be made only to the extent that such Unrestricted Subsidiaries have made cash payments for such purpose to Parent Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

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(B) the proceeds of which shall be used by Holdings or any Intermediate Parent to pay (or to make Restricted Payments to allow any direct or indirect parent of Holdings to pay) its operating expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business and other corporate overhead costs and expenses (including administrative, legal, accounting and similar expenses payable to third parties) that are reasonable and customary and incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(C) the proceeds of which shall be used by Holdings or any Intermediate Parent to pay (or to make Restricted Payments to allow any direct or indirect parent of Holdings to pay) franchise Taxes and other fees, Taxes, and expenses, required to maintain its corporate existence;

(D) the proceeds of which shall be used by Holdings to make Restricted Payments permitted by Section 6.08(a)(iv);

(E) [Intentionally Omitted]; and

(F) the proceeds of which shall be used by Holdings or any Intermediate Parent to pay (or to make Restricted Payments to allow any direct or indirect parent thereof to pay) fees and expenses related to any equity or debt offering permitted by this Agreement; and

(vii) redemptions in whole or in part of any of its Equity Interests for another class of its Equity Interests or with proceeds from substantially concurrent equity contributions or issuances of new Equity Interests; provided that such new Equity Interests contain terms and provisions at least as advantageous to the Lenders in all respects material to their interests as those contained in the Equity Interests redeemed thereby.

(b) Neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will, nor will they permit any other Restricted Subsidiary to, make or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) of or in respect of principal of or interest on any Junior Financing, or any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Junior Financing, or any other payment (including any payment under any Swap Agreement) that has a substantially similar effect to any of the foregoing, except:

(i) payment of regularly scheduled interest and principal payments as, in the form of payment and when due in respect of any Indebtedness, other than payments in respect of any Junior Financing prohibited by the subordination provisions thereof; and

(ii) the conversion of any Junior Financing to Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of Holdings or any of its direct or indirect parent companies or any Intermediate Parent.

SECTION 6.09. Transactions with Affiliates . Neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will, nor will they permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (i) transactions with Holdings, the Parent Borrower, any Intermediate Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) on terms substantially as favorable to Holdings, the Parent Borrower, such Intermediate Parent or such Restricted Subsidiary as would be obtainable by such Person at the time in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate, (iii) the payment of fees and expenses related to the Transactions, (iv) [intentionally omitted], (v) issuances of Equity Interests of Holdings or the Parent Borrower to the extent otherwise permitted by this Agreement, (vi) employment and severance arrangements between Holdings, the Parent Borrower any Intermediate Parent and the Restricted Subsidiaries and their respective

 

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officers and employees in the ordinary course of business or otherwise in connection with the Transactions (including loans and advances pursuant to Section 6.04(n)), (vii) payments by Holdings (and any direct or indirect parent thereof), the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to tax sharing agreements among Holdings (and any such parent thereof), any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on customary terms to the extent attributable to the ownership or operation of the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, to the extent payments are permitted by Section 6.08, (viii) the payment of customary fees and reasonable out-of-pocket costs to, and indemnities provided on behalf of, directors, officers and employees of Holdings, the Parent Borrower, any Intermediate Parent and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business to the extent attributable to the ownership or operation of Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, (ix) transactions pursuant to permitted agreements in existence or contemplated on the Effective Date and set forth on Schedule 6.09 or any amendment thereto to the extent such an amendment is not adverse to the Lenders in any material respect, (x) Restricted Payments permitted under Section 6.08 and (xi) customary payments by Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiaries to the Sponsors made for any financial advisory, consulting, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities (including in connection with acquisitions or divestitures), which payments are approved by the majority of the members of the board of directors or a majority of the disinterested members of the board of directors of Holdings in good faith. The payment of management and monitoring fees to the Investors (or management companies of the Investors) pursuant to the Investor Management Agreement and any Investor Termination Fees for any period on or after June, 2016 shall be prohibited; provided that such prohibition shall remain in effect only so long as any Term Loans are outstanding.

SECTION 6.10. Restrictive Agreements . Neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will, nor will they permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower or any other Subsidiary Loan Party to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets to secure the Secured Obligations or (b) the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any of its Equity Interests or to make or repay loans or advances to any Restricted Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that the foregoing clauses (a) and (b) shall not apply to any such restrictions that (i) (x) exist on the Effective Date and (to the extent not otherwise permitted by this Section 6.10) are listed on Schedule 6.10 and (y) any renewal or extension of a restriction permitted by clause (i)(x) or any agreement evidencing such restriction so long as such renewal or extension does not expand the scope of such restrictions, (ii) (x) are binding on a Restricted Subsidiary at the time such Restricted Subsidiary first becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, so long as such restrictions were not entered into solely in contemplation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary and (y) any renewal or extension of a restriction permitted by clause (ii)(x) or any agreement evidencing such restriction so long as such renewal or extension does not expand the scope of such restrictions, (iii) represent Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party that is permitted by Section 6.01, (iv) are customary restrictions that arise in connection with any Disposition permitted by Section 6.05 applicable pending such Disposition solely to the assets subject to such Disposition, (v) are customary provisions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements applicable to joint ventures permitted under Section 6.04, (vi) are negative pledges and restrictions on Liens in favor of any holder of Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01 but solely to the extent any negative pledge relates to the property financed by or securing such Indebtedness (and excluding in any event any Indebtedness constituting any Junior Financing), (vii) are imposed by Requirements of Law, (viii) are customary restrictions contained in leases, subleases, licenses or asset sale agreements otherwise permitted hereby so long as such restrictions relate only to the assets subject thereto, (ix) [intentionally omitted], (x) are customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest of Holdings, any Intermediate Parent, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (xi) are customary provisions restricting assignment of any license, lease or other agreement, (xii) are restrictions on cash (or Permitted Investments) or deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business (or otherwise constituting Permitted Encumbrances on such cash or Permitted Investments or deposits) or (xiii) are customary net worth provisions contained in real property leases or licenses of Intellectual Property entered into by the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, so long as the Parent Borrower has determined in good faith that such net worth provisions could not reasonably be expected to impair the ability of the Parent Borrower and its subsidiaries to meet their ongoing obligation.

 

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SECTION 6.11. Amendment of Junior Financing . Neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will, nor will they permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent to, amend, modify, waive, terminate or release the documentation governing any other Junior Financing, in each case if the effect of such amendment, modification, waiver, termination or release is materially adverse to the Lenders.

SECTION 6.12. Financial Covenants .

(a) If on the last day of any Test Period any Revolving Loans or more than $1,000,000 of Letters of Credit are outstanding (but not including any cash collateralized Letter of Credit exposure), the Parent Borrower will not permit the Secured Net Leverage Ratio to exceed 4.50 to 1.00 as of the last day of such Test Period.

(b) Neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will, nor will they permit any Restricted Subsidiary or Intermediate Parent to, incur or make any Capital Expenditures in excess of $20,000,000 in any four consecutive fiscal quarter period.

SECTION 6.13. Changes in Fiscal Periods . Neither Holdings nor the Parent Borrower will make any change in fiscal year; provided , however , that Holdings and the Parent Borrower may, upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, change its fiscal year to any other fiscal year reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in which case, Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Administrative Agent will, and are hereby authorized by the Lenders to, make any adjustments to this Agreement that are necessary to reflect such change in fiscal year.

ARTICLE VII

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

SECTION 7.01. Events of Default . If any of the following events (any such event, an “ Event of Default ”) shall occur:

(a) any Loan Party shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

(b) any Loan Party shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than in amount referred to in paragraph (a) of this Section) payable under any Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of five Business Days;

(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made;

(d) Holding, the Parent Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Sections 5.02, 5.04 (with respect to the existence of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary), 5.10 or in Article VI (other than Section 6.09); provided that (i) any Event of Default under Sections 6.12(a) is subject to cure as provided in Section 7.02 and an Event of Default with respect to such Section shall not occur until the expiration of the 10th day subsequent to the date the financial statements with respect to any fiscal quarter is required to be delivered and (ii) a default by the Borrower under Section 6.12(a) shall not constitute an Event of Default with respect to the Term Loans unless and until the Required Lenders with respect to the Revolving Loans

 

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shall have terminated their Revolving Commitments and declared all amounts under the Revolving Loans to be due and payable (such period commencing with a default under Section 6.12(a) and ending on the date on which the Required Lenders with respect to the Revolving Facility terminate and accelerate the Revolving Loans, the “ Term Loan Standstill Period ”);

(e) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in any Loan Document (other than those specified in paragraph (a), (b) or (d) of this Section), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Parent Borrower;

(f) Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiaries shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable (after giving effect to any applicable grace period);

(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with all applicable grace periods having expired) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity, provided that this paragraph (g) shall not apply to (i) secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the sale, transfer or other disposition (including as a result of a casualty or condemnation event) of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness (to the extent such sale, transfer or other disposition is not prohibited under this Agreement) or (ii) termination events or similar events occurring under any Swap Agreement that constitutes Material Indebtedness (it being understood that paragraph (f) of this Section will apply to any failure to make any payment required as a result of any such termination or similar event);

(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, court protection, reorganization or other relief in respect of Holdings, the Parent Borrower, the Co-Borrower or any Material Subsidiary or its debts, or of a material part of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, examiner, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Material Subsidiary or for a material part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed or unstayed for 60 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

(i) Holdings, the Parent Borrower, the Co-Borrower or any Material Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, court protection, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in paragraph (h) of this Section, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, examiner, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Material Subsidiary or for a material part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding or (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors;

(j) one or more enforceable judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $15,000,000 (to the extent not covered by insurance as to which the insurer has been notified of such judgment or order and has not denied coverage shall be rendered against Holdings, the Parent Borrower, any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 60 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any judgment creditor shall legally attach or levy upon assets of such Loan Party that are material to the businesses and operations of Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to enforce any such judgment;

 

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(k) (i) an ERISA Event occurs that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of any Loan Party under Title N of ERISA in an aggregate amount that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(l) any Lien purported to be created under any Security Document shall cease to be, or shall be asserted by any Loan Party not to be, a valid and perfected Lien on any material portion of the Collateral, with the priority required by the applicable Security Document, except (i) as a result of the sale or other disposition of the applicable Collateral in a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents, (ii) as a result of the Administrative Agent’s failure to (A) maintain possession of any stock certificates, promissory notes or other instruments delivered to it under the Security Documents or (B) file Uniform Commercial Code continuation statements, (iii) as to Collateral consisting of real property to the extent that such losses are covered by a lender’s title insurance policy and such insurer has not denied coverage or (iv) as a result of acts or omissions of the Administrative Agent or any Lender;

(m) any material provision of any Loan Document or any Guarantee of the Loan Document Obligations shall for any reason be asserted by any Loan Party not to be a legal, valid and binding obligation of any Loan Party thereto other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder;

(n) any Guarantees of the Loan Document Obligations by Holdings, the Parent Borrower or Subsidiary Loan Party pursuant to the Guarantee Agreement shall cease to be in full force and effect (in each case, other than in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents);

(o) a Change in Control shall occur;

then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to Holdings or the Parent Borrower described in paragraph (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders (or, if a Financial Performance Covenant Event of Default occurs and is continuing and prior to the expiration of the Term Loan Standstill Period, at the request of the Required Revolving Lenders only, and in such case only with respect to the Revolving Commitments, Swingline Commitments, and any Letters of Credit) shall, by notice to the Parent Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Parent Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Parent Borrower; and in case of any event with respect to Holdings or the Parent Borrower described in paragraph (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Parent Borrower accrued hereunder, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Parent Borrower.

SECTION 7.02. Right to Cure .

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 7.01, in the event that the Parent Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries fail to comply with the requirements of the Financial Performance Covenant as of the last day of any fiscal quarter of the Parent Borrower, at any time after the beginning of such fiscal quarter until the expiration of the 10th day subsequent to the earlier of (i) the date on which a Compliance Certificate with respect to such fiscal quarter (or the fiscal year ended on the last day of such fiscal quarter) is delivered in accordance with Section 5.01(d) and (ii) the date on which the financial statements with respect to such fiscal quarter (or the fiscal year ended on the last day of such fiscal quarter) are required to be delivered pursuant to

 

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Section 5.01(a) or (b), as applicable, Holdings shall have the right to issue Qualified Equity Interests for cash or otherwise receive cash contributions to the capital of Holdings as cash common equity or other Qualified Equity Interests (which Holdings shall contribute through its subsidiaries of which the Parent Borrower is a subsidiary to the Borrower as cash common equity) (collectively, the “ Cure Right ”), and upon the receipt by the Parent Borrower of the Net Proceeds of such issuance (the “ Cure Amount ”) pursuant to the exercise by Holdings of such Cure Right such Financial Performance Covenant shall be recalculated giving effect to the following pro forma adjustment:

(1) Consolidated EBITDA shall be increased with respect to such applicable fiscal quarter and any four fiscal quarter period that contains such fiscal quarter, solely for the purpose of measuring the Financial Performance Covenant and not for any other purpose under this Agreement, by an amount equal to the Cure Amount; and

(2) if, after giving effect to the foregoing pro forma adjustment (without giving effect to any repayment of any Indebtedness with any portion of the Cure Amount or any portion of the Cure Amount on the balance sheet of the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case, with respect to such fiscal quarter only), the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall then be in compliance with the requirements of the Financial Performance Covenants, the Parent Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirements of the Financial Performance Covenant as of the relevant date of determination with the same effect as though there had been no failure to comply therewith at such date, and the applicable breach or default of the Financial Performance Covenant that had occurred shall be deemed cured for the purposes of this Agreement;

(b) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) in each four consecutive fiscal quarter period of the Parent Borrower there shall be at least two fiscal quarters in which the Cure Right is not exercised, (ii) during the term of this Agreement, the Cure Right shall not be exercised more than five times and (iii) for purposes of this Section 7.02, the Cure Amount shall be no greater than the amount required for purposes of complying with the Financial Performance Covenant and any amounts in excess thereof shall not be deemed to be a Cure Amount. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the Cure Amount received pursuant to any exercise of the Cure Right shall be disregarded for purposes of determining any financial ratio-based conditions, pricing or any available basket under Article VI of this Agreement and there shall not have been a breach of any covenant under Article VI of this Agreement by reason of having no longer included such Cure Amount in any basket during the relevant period.

SECTION 7.03. Application of Proceeds . After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 7.01, any amounts received on account of the Secured Obligations shall be applied by the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 4.02 of the Collateral Agreement and/or the similar provisions in the other Security Documents.

ARTICLE VIII

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereby irrevocably appoints the entity named as Administrative Agent in the heading of this Agreement to serve as administrative agent, collateral agent and trustee under the Loan Documents, and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of the Loan Documents, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, and none of Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any other Loan Party shall have any rights as a third party beneficiary of any such provisions.

The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender or an Issuing Bank as any other Lender or Issuing Bank and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with Holdings, the Parent 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.

 

 

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The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth in the Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or to exercise any discretionary power, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated by the Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in the Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law, and (c) except as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to Holdings, the Parent Borrower, any other Subsidiary or any other Affiliate of any of the foregoing that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as 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 with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith to be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Section 2.05(j) or Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or wilful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by Holdings, the Parent Borrower, a Lender or an Issuing Bank, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with any Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered thereunder or in connection therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or satisfaction of any condition that expressly refers to the matters described therein being acceptable or satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not have any liability arising from any confirmation of the Revolving Exposure or the component amounts thereof.

The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall not incur any liability for relying, upon any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (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 (including, if applicable, a Responsible Officer or Financial Officer of such Person). The Administrative Agent also may rely, and shall not incur any liability for relying, upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person (including, if applicable, a Financial Officer or a Responsible Officer of such Person). The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Parent Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and 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.

The Administrative Agent may perform any of and all 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 the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any of and all their duties and exercise their rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article 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.

 

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Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign upon 30 days’ notice to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Parent Borrower. If the Administrative Agent becomes a Defaulting Lender and is not performing its role hereunder as Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent may be removed as the Administrative Agent hereunder at the request of the Parent Borrower and the Required Lenders. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation or upon such removal, the Required Lenders shall have the right, with the Parent Borrower’s consent, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent, which shall be an Approved Bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such Approved Bank. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents. The fees payable by Holdings and the Parent Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed by Holdings, the Parent Borrower and such successor. After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent.

Each Lender and each Issuing Bank acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Joint Bookrunner or any other Lender or any Issuing Bank, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, 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 and each Issuing Bank also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Joint Bookrunner or any other Lender or any Issuing Bank, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, 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.

Each Lender, by delivering its signature page to this Agreement and funding its Loans on the Effective Date, or delivering its signature page to an Assignment and Assumption or Refinancing Amendment pursuant to which it shall become a Lender hereunder, shall be deemed to have acknowledged receipt of, and consented to and approved, each Loan Document and each other document required to be delivered to, or be approved by or satisfactory to, the Administrative Agent or the Lenders on the Effective Date.

No Lender shall have any right individually to realize upon any of the Collateral or to enforce any Guarantee of the Secured Obligations, it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights and remedies under the Loan Documents may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders in accordance with the terms thereof. In the event of a foreclosure by the Administrative Agent on any of the Collateral pursuant to a public or private sale or other disposition, the Administrative Agent or any Lender may be the purchaser or licensor of any or all of such Collateral at any such sale or other disposition, and the Administrative Agent, as agent for and representative of the Lenders (but not any Lender or Lenders in its or their respective individual capacities unless Required Lenders shall otherwise agree in writing) shall be entitled, for the purpose of bidding and making settlement or payment of the purchase price for all or any portion of the Collateral sold at any such public sale, to use and apply any of the Secured Obligations as a credit on account of the purchase price for any collateral payable by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders at such sale or other disposition. Each Lender, whether or not a party hereto, will be deemed, by its acceptance of the benefits of the Collateral and of the Guarantees of the Secured Obligations, to have agreed to the foregoing provisions.

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither any Joint Bookrunner nor any Person named on the cover page of this Agreement as a Joint Lead Arranger or a Syndication Agent shall have any duties or obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except in its capacity, as applicable, as a Lender or an Issuing Bank), but all such Persons shall have the benefit of the indemnities provided for hereunder, including under Section 9.03, fully as if named as an indemnitee or indemnified person therein and irrespective of whether the indemnified losses, claims, damages, liabilities and/or related expenses arise out of, in connection with or as a result of matters arising prior to, on or after the effective date of any Loan Document.

 

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To the extent required by any applicable law, the Administrative Agent may withhold from any payment to any Lender an amount equivalent to any applicable withholding tax. Without limiting or expanding the provisions of Section 2.17, each Lender shall, and does hereby, indemnify the Administrative Agent against, and shall make payable in respect thereof within 30 days after demand therefor, any and all Taxes and any and all related losses, claims, liabilities and expenses (including fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent) incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service or any other Governmental Authority as a result of the failure of the Administrative Agent to properly withhold tax from amounts paid to or for the account of any Lender for any reason (including, without limitation, because the appropriate form was not delivered or not property executed, or because such Lender failed to notify the Administrative Agent of a change in circumstance that rendered the exemption from, or reduction of withholding tax ineffective). A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due the Administrative Agent under this paragraph. The agreements in this paragraph shall survive the resignation and/or replacement of the Administrative Agent, any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other obligations under any Loan Document.

Each party to this Agreement hereby appoints the Administrative Agent to act as its agent under and in connection with the relevant Security Documents, acknowledges that the Administrative Agent is the beneficiary of the parallel debt referred to in the relevant Security Documents and the Administrative Agent will accept the parallel debt arrangements reflected in the relevant Security Documents on its behalf and will enter into the relevant Security Documents as pledgee in its own name.

ARTICLE IX

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 9.01. Notices . All notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier services, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by fax or other electronic transmission, as follows:

(a) If to Holdings, to c/o SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., 39870 Eureka Drive, Newark, California, 94560-4809, Attention: Bruce Goldberg, Fax 510-624-8231, Email: bruce.goldberg@smartm.com or if to the Parent Borrower, to SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc., 39870 Eureka Drive, Newark, California, 94560-4809, Attention: Bruce Goldberg, Fax 510-624- 8231, Email: bruce.goldberg@smartm.com;

(b) If to the Administrative Agent, to Barclays Bank PLC, Bank Debt Management Group, 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019, Attn: Christopher R. Lee, Tel: (212) 526-0732, Fax: (212) 220-9646, Email: christopher.r.lee@barclays.com;

(c) if to any Issuing Bank, to it at its address (or fax number or email address) most recently specified by it in a notice delivered to the Administrative Agent, Holdings and the Parent Borrower (or, in the absence of any such notice, to the address (or fax number or email address) set forth in the Administrative Questionnaire of the Lender that is serving as such Issuing Bank or is an Affiliate thereof);

(d) if to any Swingline Lenders, to it at its address (or fax number or email address) most recently specified by it in a notice delivered to the Administrative Agent, Holdings and the Parent Borrower (or, in the absence of any such notice, to the address (or fax number or email address) set forth in the Administrative Questionnaire of the Lender that is serving as such Swingline Lender or is an Affiliate thereof); and

(e) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or fax number or email address) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

 

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Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by fax or other electronic transmission shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient).

Holdings and the Parent Borrower may change their address, email or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent may change its address, email or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to Holdings and the Parent Borrower and the Lenders may change their address, email or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Administrative Agent. Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereunder may also be delivered or furnished by electronic transmission (including email and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures reasonably approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or Issuing Bank pursuant to Article II if such Lender or Issuing Bank, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic transmission.

SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments .

(a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power under any Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of any Loan Document or consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time. No notice or demand on the Borrower or Holdings in any case shall entitle the Borrower or Holdings to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.

(b) Except as provided in Section 2.21 with respect to any Refinancing Amendment, neither any Loan Document nor any provision thereof may be waived, amended or modified except, in the case of this Agreement, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Required Lenders or, in the case of any other Loan Document, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Administrative Agent and the Loan Party or Loan Parties that are parties thereto, in each case with the consent of the Required Lenders, provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender (it being understood that a waiver of any condition precedent set forth in Section 4.02 or the waiver of any Default, mandatory prepayment or mandatory reduction of the Commitments shall not constitute an extension or increase of any Commitment of any Lender), (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby (it being understood that any change to the definition of Secured Leverage Ratio or in the component definitions thereof shall not constitute a reduction of interest or fees), provided that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to waive any obligation of the Parent Borrower to pay default interest pursuant to Section 2.13(c), (iii) postpone the maturity of any Loan, or the date of any scheduled amortization payment of the principal amount of any Term Loan under Section 2.10 or the applicable Refinancing Amendment, or the reimbursement date with respect to any LC Disbursement, or any date for the payment of any interest or fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written

 

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consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.18(b) or (c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of the Lenders holding a Majority in Interest of the outstanding Loans and unused Commitments of each adversely affected Class, (v) change any of the provisions of this Section without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby, provided that any such change which is in favor of a Class of Lenders holding Loans maturing after the maturity of other Classes of Lenders (and only takes effect after the maturity of such other Classes of Loans or Commitments will require the written consent of the Required Lenders with respect to each Class directly and adversely affected thereby, (vi) change any of the provisions of this Section or the percentage set forth in the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision of any Loan Document specifying the number or percentage of Lenders (or Lenders of any Class) required to waive, amend or modify any rights thereunder or make any determination or grant any consent thereunder, without the written consent of each Lender (or each Lender of such Class, as the case may be), (vii) release all or substantially all the value of the Guarantees under the Guarantee Agreement (except as expressly provided in the Guarantee Agreement) without the written consent of each Lender (other than a Defaulting Lender), (viii) release all or substantially all the Collateral from the Liens of the Security Documents, without the written consent of each Lender (other than a Defaulting Lender) (except as expressly provided in the Security Documents), (ix) change any provisions of any Loan Document in a manner that by its terms adversely affects the rights in respect of payments due to Lenders holding Loans of any Class differently than those holding Loans of any other Class, without the written consent of Lenders (other than a Defaulting Lender) holding a Majority in Interest of the outstanding Loans and unused Commitments of each affected Class, (x) modify the protections afforded to an SPV pursuant to the provisions of Section 9.04(e) without the written consent of such SPV or (xi) change the rights of the Term Lenders to decline mandatory prepayments as provided in Section 2.11 or the rights of any Additional Lenders of any Class to decline mandatory prepayments of Term Loans of such Class as provided in the applicable Refinancing Amendment, without the written consent of a Majority in Interest of the Term Lenders or Additional Lenders of such Class, as applicable; provided further that (A) no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Swingline Lender without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank or such Swingline Lender, as the case may be, and (B) any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document may be amended by an agreement in writing entered into by Holdings, the Parent Borrower and the Administrative Agent to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency so long as, in each case, the Lenders shall have received at least five Business Days’ prior written notice thereof and the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five Business Days of the date of such notice to the Lenders, a written notice from the Required Lenders stating that the Required Lenders object to such amendment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) this Agreement may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent, Holdings and the Parent Borrower (i) to add one or more additional credit facilities to this Agreement and to permit the extensions of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and (ii) to include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any determination of the Required Lenders on substantially the same basis as the Lenders prior to such inclusion, (b) guarantees, collateral security documents and related documents executed by Foreign Subsidiaries in connection with this Agreement may be in a form reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and may be, together with this Agreement, amended and waived with the consent of the Administrative Agent at the request of the Parent Borrower without the need to obtain the consent of any other Lender if such amendment or waiver is delivered in order (i) to comply with local law or advice of local counsel, (ii) to cure ambiguities or defects or (iii) to cause such guarantee, collateral security document or other document to be consistent with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and (c) this Agreement and other Loan Documents may be amended or supplemented by an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Administrative Agent and Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Loan Party as to which such agreement or agreements is to apply, without the need to obtain the consent of any Lender, to include “parallel debt” or similar provisions, and any authorizations or granting of powers by the Lenders and the other Secured Parties in favor of the Administrative Agent, in each case required to create in favor of the Administrative Agent any security interest contemplated to be created under this Agreement, or to perfect any such security interest, where the Administrative Agent shall have been advised by its counsel that such provisions are necessary or advisable under local law for such purpose (with Holdings and the Parent Borrower hereby agreeing to, and to cause their subsidiaries to, enter into any such agreement or agreements upon reasonable request of the Administrative Agent promptly upon such request). Notwithstanding the foregoing (x) amendments to or waivers of Section 6.12(a) (or any component definition

 

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thereof as it relates to Section 6.12(a)) will require only the written approval of a Majority in Interest of the outstanding Revolving Commitments and the Parent Borrower and (y) any change to the provisions of Section 4.02 of the Collateral Agreement and/or any change to similar provisions in the other Security Documents, will require the written approval of each Revolving Lender.

(c) In connection with any proposed amendment, modification, waiver or termination (a “ Proposed Change ”) requiring the consent of all Lenders or all directly and adversely affected Lenders, if the consent of the Required Lenders (and, to the extent any Proposed Change requires the consent of Lenders holding Loans of any Class pursuant to clause (iv), (vii) or (ix) of paragraph (b) of this Section, the consent of a Majority in Interest of the outstanding Loans and unused Commitments of such Class) to such Proposed Change is obtained, but the consent to such Proposed Change of other Lenders whose consent is required is not obtained (any such Lender whose consent is not obtained as described in paragraph (b) of this Section being referred to as a “ Non-Consenting Lender ”), then, so long as the Lender that is acting as Administrative Agent is not a Non-Consenting Lender, the Parent Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Non-Consenting Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Non-Consenting Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which Eligible Assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that (a) the Parent Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent to the extent such consent would be required under Section 9.04(b) for an assignment of Loans or Commitments, as applicable (and, if a Revolving Commitment is being assigned, each Principal Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (b) such Non- Consenting Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder from the Eligible Assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Parent Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (c) unless waived, the Parent Borrower or such Eligible Assignee shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the processing and recordation fee specified in Section 9.04(b).

(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents to the contrary, the Revolving Commitments, Term Loans and Revolving Exposure of any Lender that is at the time (i) an Affiliated Lender (other than a Silver Lake Debt Fund) or (ii) a Defaulting Lender shall not have any voting or approval rights under the Loan Documents and shall be excluded in determining whether all Lenders (or all Lenders of a Class), all affected Lenders (or all affected Lenders of a Class), a Majority in Interest of Lenders of any Class or the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment or waiver pursuant to this Section 9.02); provided that any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that affects any Defaulting Lender more adversely than other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

(e) In the event that S&P, Moody’s and Thompson’s BankWatch (or InsuranceWatch Ratings Service, in the case of Lenders that are insurance companies (or Best’s Insurance Reports, if such insurance company is not rated by Insurance Watch Ratings Service)) shall, after the date that any Lender becomes a Revolving Lender, downgrade the long term certificate deposit ratings of such Lender, and the resulting ratings shall be below BBB-, Baa3 and C (or BB, in the case of a Lender that is an insurance company (or B, in the case of an insurance company not rated by InsuranceWatch Ratings Service)), then each Principal Issuing Bank shall have the right, but not the obligation, at its own expense, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, to replace such Lender with an Eligible Assignee (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in paragraph (b) above), and such Lender hereby agrees to transfer and assign without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in paragraph (b) above) all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to such Eligible Assignee; provided , however , that (i) no such assignment shall conflict with any law, rule and regulation or order of any Governmental Authority, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder from the Eligible Assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Parent Borrower (in the case of all other amounts), (iii) the Principal Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent and such Eligible Assignee shall have received the prior written consent of the Parent Borrower to the extent such consent would be required under Section 9.04(b) for an assignment of Loans or Commitments, as applicable, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld and (iv) the Parent Borrower or such Eligible Assignee shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the processing and recordation fee specified in Section 9.04(b).

 

 

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(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents to the contrary, each Affiliated Lender (other than a Silver Lake Debt Fund) hereby agrees that, if a proceeding under the United States Bankruptcy Code or any other Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law shall be commenced by or against the Parent Borrower or any other Loan Party at a time when such Lender is an Affiliated Lender, such Affiliated Lender irrevocably authorizes and empowers the Administrative Agent to vote on behalf of such Affiliated Lender with respect to the Loans held by such Affiliated Lender in any manner in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion, unless the Administrative Agent instructs such Affiliated Lender to vote, in which case such Affiliated Lender shall vote with respect to the Loans held by it as the Administrative Agent directs; provided that such Affiliated Lender shall be entitled to vote in accordance with its sole discretion (and not in accordance with the direction of the Administrative Agent) in connection with any plan of reorganization to the extent any such plan of reorganization proposes to treat any Secured Obligations held by such Affiliated Lender in a manner that is less favorable in any material respect to such Affiliated Lender than the proposed treatment of similar Secured Obligations held by Lenders that are not Affiliates of the Borrower.

SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver .

(a) The Parent Borrower shall pay, if the Effective Date occurs, (i) all reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (without duplication), including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, and to the extent reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent to be necessary, one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction, in each case for the Administrative Agent, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of the Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable and documented or invoiced out of pocket expenses incurred by each Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all reasonable and documented or invoiced out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with the Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit; provided that such counsel shall be limited to one lead counsel and one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction and, in the case of a conflict of interest, one additional counsel per affected party.

(b) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank, each Lender and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “ Indemnitee ”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and reasonable and documented out of pocket fees and expenses of one counsel and one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction (and, in the case of a conflict of interest, one additional counsel) for all Indemnitees (which may include a single special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions), incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee by any third party or by Holdings or any Subsidiary arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of any Loan Document or any other agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, the performance by the parties to the Loan Documents of their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated thereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the Issuing Bank 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) to the extent in any way arising from or relating to any of the foregoing, any actual or alleged presence or Release of Hazardous Materials on, at, to or from any Mortgaged Property or any other property currently or formerly owned or operated by Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, or any other Environmental Liability related in any way to Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim,

 

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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 or any Subsidiary and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto, provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (i) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final, non-appealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of, or a material breach of the Loan Documents by, such Indemnitee or its Related Parties or (ii) any dispute between and among indemnified persons that does not involve an act or omission by Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiaries except that each Agent and Joint Lead Arrangers shall be indemnified in their capacities as such.

(c) To the extent that the Parent Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent, any Swingline Lender or any Issuing Bank under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, and without limiting the Parent Borrower’s obligation to do so, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, such Swingline Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount, provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent, such Swingline Lender or such Issuing Bank in its capacity as such. For purposes hereof, a Lender’s “pro rata share” shall be determined based upon its share of the aggregate Revolving Exposures, outstanding Term Loans and unused Commitments at the time. The obligations of the Lenders under this paragraph (c) are subject to the last sentence of Section 2.02(a) (which shall apply mutatis mutandis to the Lenders’ obligations under this paragraph (c)).

(d) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, none of Holdings or the Parent Borrower shall assert, and each hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee (i) for any damages arising from the use by others of information or other materials obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including the Internet), provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such damages are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final, non-appealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of, or a breach of the Loan Documents by, such Indemnitee or its Related Parties, or (ii) 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 Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.

(e) All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than 10 Business Days after written demand therefor; provided , however , that any Indemnitee shall promptly refund an indemnification payment received hereunder to the extent that there is a final judicial determination that such Indemnitee was not entitled to indemnification with respect to such payment pursuant to this Section 9.03.

SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns .

(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the Parent Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Parent Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section. 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 (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraphs (b)(ii) and (g) below, any Lender may assign to one or more Eligible Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent

 

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(such consent (except with respect to assignments to competitors of the Parent Borrower) not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of (A) the Parent Borrower, provided that no consent of the Parent Borrower shall be required (i) during the first 30 days after the Effective Date, (ii) for an assignment by a Term Lender to any Lender or an Affiliate of any Lender, by a Term Lender to an Approved Fund, (iii) if an Event of Default under Section 7.01(a), (b), (h) or (i) has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee or (iv) after the first anniversary of the Restatement Effective Date if the Term Loans are still outstanding as of such date in an aggregate principal amount of at least $100,000,000; provided further that the Parent Borrower shall have the right to withhold its consent to any assignment if, in order for such assignment to comply with applicable law, the Parent Borrower would be required to obtain the consent of, or make any filing or registration with, any Governmental Authority, (B) the Administrative Agent, provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of a Term Loan to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or to the Parent Borrower or any Affiliate thereof and (C) each Principal Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender, provided that no consent of any Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender shall be required for an assignment of all or any portion of a Term Loan or Term Commitment. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 9.04 to the contrary, if any Person the consent of which is required by this paragraph with respect to any assignment of Term Loans has not given the Administrative Agent written notice of its objection to such assignment within 10 Business Days after written notice to such Person, such Person shall be deemed to have consented to such assignment.

(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions: (A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans of any Class, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the trade date specified in the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment or, if no trade date is so specified, as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than, in the case of a Revolving Loan or Revolving Commitment, $2,500,000 or, in the case of a Term Loan, $1,000,000, unless the Parent Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), provided that no such consent of the Parent Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default under Section 7.01(a), (b), (h) or (i) has occurred and is continuing, (B) 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, provided that this clause (B) shall not be construed to prohibit assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments or Loans, (C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together (unless waived by the Administrative Agent) with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500, provided that assignments made pursuant to Section 2.19(b) or Section 9.02(c) shall not require the signature of the assigning Lender to become effective, (D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent any tax forms required by Section 2.17(e) and an Administrative Questionnaire in which the assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level   information (which may contain material non-public information about the Parent Borrower, the Loan Parties and their Related Parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws and (E) unless the Parent Borrower otherwise consents, no assignment of all or any portion of the Revolving Commitment of a Lender that is also a Swingline Lender or an Issuing Bank may be made unless (1) the assignee shall be or become a Swingline Lender and/or an Issuing Bank, as applicable, and assume a ratable portion of the rights and obligations of such assignor in its capacity as Swingline Lender and Issuing Bank, or (2) the assignor agrees, in its discretion, to retain all of its rights with respect to and obligations to make or issue Swingline Loans and Letters of Credit, as applicable, hereunder in which case the Applicable Fronting Exposure of such assignor may exceed such assignor’s Revolving Commitment for purposes of Sections 2.04(a) and 2.05(b) by an amount not to exceed the difference between the assignor’s Revolving Commitment prior to such assignment and the assignor’s Revolving Commitment following such assignment; provided that no such consent of the Parent Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default under Section 7.01(g) or (h) has occurred and is continuing.

(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(v) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and

 

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obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of (and subject to the obligations and limitations of) Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and to any fees payable hereunder that have accrued for such Lender’s account but have not yet been paid). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 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 (c)(i) of this Section.

(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Parent Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “ Register ”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and Holdings, the Parent Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks 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, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. In addition, the Administrative Agent shall maintain on the Register information regarding the designation, and revocation of designation, of any Lender as a Defaulting Lender. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Parent Borrower, the Issuing Banks and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire and any tax forms required by Section 2.17(e) (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.

(vi) The words “execution”, “signed”, “signature” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption 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 law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

(c) (i) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Parent Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks or the Swingline Lenders, sell participations to one or more banks or other Persons (a “ Participant ”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it), provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) Holdings, the Parent Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce the Loan Documents and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of the Loan Documents, provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that directly and adversely affects such Participant. Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section, the Parent Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of (and subject to the obligations and limitations of) Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(c) as though it were a Lender.

 

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(ii) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.15 or Section 2.17 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior consent. A Participant shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.17 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agreed, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 2.17(e) as though it were a Lender.

(d) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Parent Borrower or the Administrative Agent, 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, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest, provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “ Granting Lender ”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle (an “ SPV ”), identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Parent Borrower, the option to provide to the Parent Borrower all or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make to the Parent Borrower pursuant to this Agreement, provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPV to make any Loan and (ii) if an SPV elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to provide all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof. The making of a Loan by an SPV hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such Granting Lender. Each party hereto hereby agrees that no SPV shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement (all liability for which shall remain with the Granting Lender). In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior indebtedness of any SPV, such party will not institute against, or join any other person in instituting against, such SPV any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceedings under the laws of the United States or any State thereof. In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 9.04, any SPV may (i) with notice to, but without the prior written consent of, the Parent Borrower and the Administrative Agent and without paying any processing fee therefor, assign all or a portion of its interests in any Loans to the Granting Lender or to any financial institutions (consented to by the Parent Borrower and Administrative Agent) providing liquidity or credit support to or for the account of such SPV to support the funding or maintenance of Loans and (ii) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety, guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPV.

(f) Any Lender may, at any time, assign all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to the Sponsors or any of their respective Affiliates (other than Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries) subject to the following limitations:

(1) Affiliated Lenders will not receive information provided solely to Lenders by the Administrative Agent or any Lender and will not be permitted to attend or participate in meetings attended solely by the Lenders and the Administrative Agent, other than the right to receive notices of Borrowings, notices of prepayments and other administrative notices in respect of its Loans or Commitments required to be delivered to Lenders pursuant to Article II; provided , however , that the foregoing provisions of this clause (1) will apply to the Silver Lake Debt Funds only to the extent that the Administrative Agent has determined in good faith that affording such rights to the Silver Lake Debt Funds during a period or in connection with a matter or matters being considered by Lenders would be inadvisable in light of the Silver Lake Debt Funds’ status as an Affiliated Lender (in which case the Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Silver Lake Debt Funds that are Lenders of such determination);

 

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(2) for purposes of any amendment, waiver or modification of any Loan Document (including such modifications pursuant to Section 9.02), or, subject to Section 9.02(f), any plan of reorganization pursuant to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, that in either case does not require the consent of each Lender or each affected Lender or does not adversely affect such Affiliated Lender in any material respect as compared to other Lenders, Affiliated Lenders will be deemed to have voted in the same proportion as the Lenders that are not Affiliated Lenders voting on such matter; and each Affiliated Lender hereby acknowledges, agrees and consents that if, for any reason, its vote to accept or reject any plan pursuant to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code is not deemed to have been so voted, then such vote will be (x) deemed not to be in good faith and (y) “designated” pursuant to Section 1126(e) of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code such that the vote is not counted in determining whether the applicable class has accepted or rejected such plan in accordance with Section 1126(c) of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code; provided that Affiliated Debt Funds will not be subject to such voting limitations and will be entitled to vote as any other Lender;

(3) Affiliated Lenders may not purchase Revolving Loans by assignment pursuant to this Section 9.04;

(4) the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans purchased by assignment pursuant to this Section 9.04 and held at any one time by Affiliated Lenders (other than Silver Lake Debt Funds) may not exceed 20% of the original principal amount of all Term Loans on the Effective Date; and

(g) Notwithstanding anything in Section 9.02 or the definition of “Required Lenders” to the contrary, for purposes of determining whether the Required Lenders have (i) consented (or not consented) to any amendment, modification, waiver, consent or other action with respect to any of the terms of any Loan Document or any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, (ii) otherwise acted on any matter related to any Loan Document, or (iii) directed or required the Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent or any Lender to undertake any action (or refrain from taking any action) with respect to or under any Loan Document, all Term Loans held by any Affiliated Lenders that are not Silver Lake Debt Funds shall be deemed to be not outstanding for all purposes of calculating whether the Required Lenders have taken any actions.

SECTION 9.05. Survival . All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to any Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, in the event that, in connection with the refinancing or repayment in full of the credit facilities provided for herein, an Issuing Bank shall have provided to the Administrative Agent a written consent to the release of the Revolving Lenders from their obligations hereunder with respect to any Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank (whether as a result of the obligations of the Parent Borrower (and any other account party) in respect of such Letter of Credit having been collateralized in full by a deposit of cash with such Issuing Bank or being supported by a letter of credit that names such Issuing Bank as the beneficiary thereunder, or otherwise), then from and after such time such Letter of Credit shall cease to be a “Letter of Credit” outstanding hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and the Revolving Lenders shall be deemed to have no participations in such Letter of Credit, and no obligations with respect thereto, under Section 2.05(e) or (f).

 

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SECTION 9.06. Counterparts ; Integration ; Effectiveness . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent or the syndication of the Loans and Commitments constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

SECTION 9.07. Severability . Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff . If an Event of Default under Section 7.01(a), (b), (h) or (i) shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, each Issuing Bank and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender, any such Issuing Bank or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any of and all the obligations of the Parent Borrower then due and owing under this Agreement held by such Lender or Issuing Bank, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or Issuing Bank shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although such obligations are owed to a branch or office of such Lender or Issuing Bank different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such Indebtedness. The applicable Lender and applicable Issuing Bank shall notify the Parent Borrower and the Administrative Agent of such setoff and application, provided that any failure to give or any delay in giving such notice shall not affect the validity of any such setoff and application under this Section. The rights of each Lender, each Issuing Bank and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, such Issuing Bank and their respective Affiliates may have.

SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process .

(a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.

(b) Each of Holdings and each Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court 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, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to any Loan Document, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in any Loan Document shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to any Loan Document against Holdings, the Borrowers or their respective properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

(c) Each of Holdings and each Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to any Loan Document in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

 

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(d) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing in any Loan Document will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL . EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

SECTION 9.11. Headings . Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality .

(a) Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees, trustees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other agents and advisors (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 and any failure of such Persons to comply with this Section 9.12 shall constitute a breach of this Section 9.12 by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or the relevant Lender, as applicable), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority required by applicable law or by any subpoena or similar legal process provided that unless specifically prohibited by applicable law or court order, each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall notify the Parent Borrower of any request by any governmental agency or representative thereof (other than any such request in connection with an examination of the financial condition of such Lender by such governmental agency or other routine examinations of such Lender by such governmental agency) for disclosure of any such non-public information prior to disclosure of such information, and provided , further , that in no event shall any Lender or the Administrative Agent be obligated or required to return any materials furnished by the Parent Borrower or any Subsidiary of Holdings, (c) to any other party to this Agreement, (d) subject to an agreement containing confidentiality undertakings substantially similar to those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any Swap Agreement relating to any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries and its obligations under the Loan Documents, (e) with the consent of the Parent Borrower, in the case of Information provided by Holdings, the Parent Borrower, the Co-Borrower or any other Subsidiary, or (f) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than Holdings or the Parent Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, “ Information ” means all information received from Holdings or the Parent Borrower relating to Holdings, the Parent Borrower, any Subsidiary or their business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by Holdings or the Parent Borrower, provided that, in the case of information received from Holdings, the Parent Borrower or any Subsidiary after the Effective Date, 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.

 

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(b) EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN SECTION 9.12(a) FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING HOLDINGS, THE BORROWERS, THE LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

(c) ALL INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS FURNISHED BY THE BORROWERS OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT, WILL BE SYNDICATE-LEVEL INFORMATION, WHICH MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT HOLDINGS, THE BORROWERS, THE LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES. ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER REPRESENTS TO THE BORROWERS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT THAT IT HAS IDENTIFIED IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE A CREDIT CONTACT WHO MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION THAT MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

SECTION 9.13. USA Patriot Act . Each Lender 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 USA Patriot Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of such Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender or Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify each Loan Party in accordance with the USA Patriot Act.

SECTION 9.14. Judgment Currency .

(a) If, for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court, it is necessary to convert a sum owing hereunder in one currency into another currency, each party hereto agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so, that the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures in the relevant jurisdiction the first currency could be purchased with such other currency on the Business Day immediately preceding the day on which final judgment is given.

(b) The obligations of the Borrowers in respect of any sum due to any party hereto or any holder of any obligation owing hereunder (the “ Applicable Creditor ”) shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency (the “ Judgment Currency ”) other than the currency in which such sum is stated to be due hereunder (the “ Agreement Currency ”), be discharged only to the extent that, on the Business Day following receipt by the Applicable Creditor of any sum adjudged to be so due in the Judgment Currency, the Applicable Creditor may in accordance with normal banking procedures in the relevant jurisdiction purchase the Agreement Currency with the Judgment Currency; if the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to the Applicable Creditor in the Agreement Currency, the Borrowers agree, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Applicable Creditor against such loss. The obligations of the Borrowers under this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of all other amounts owing hereunder.

SECTION 9.15. Release of Liens and Guarantees . A Subsidiary Loan Party (other than a Borrower) shall automatically be released from its obligations under the Loan Documents, and all security interests created by the Security Documents in Collateral owned by such Subsidiary Loan Party shall be automatically released, (1) upon the consummation of any transaction permitted by this Agreement as a result of which such Subsidiary Loan Party ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary (including pursuant to a merger with a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party or a designation as an Unrestricted Subsidiary) or (2) upon the request of the Borrower, in

 

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connection with a transaction permitted under this Agreement, as a result of which such Subsidiary Loan party ceases to be a wholly-owned Subsidiary. Upon any sale or other transfer by any Loan Party (other than to Holdings, the Parent Borrower, the Co-Borrower or any other Subsidiary Loan Party) of any Collateral in a transaction permitted under this Agreement, or upon the effectiveness of any written consent to the release of the security interest created under any Security Document in any Collateral or the release of any Loan Party from its Guarantee under the Guarantee Agreement pursuant to Section 9.02, the security interests in such Collateral created by the Security Documents or such guarantee shall be automatically released. Upon termination of the aggregate Commitments and payment in full of all Secured Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations) and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit including as a result of obtaining the consent of the applicable Issuing Bank as described in Section 9.05 of the Credit Agreement), all obligations under the Loan Documents and all security interests created by the Security Documents shall be automatically released. In connection with any termination or release pursuant to this Section, the Administrative Agent shall execute and deliver to any Loan Party, at such Loan Party’s expense, all documents that such Loan Party shall reasonably request to evidence such termination or release. Any execution and delivery of documents pursuant to this Section shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 9.16. No Fiduciary Relationship . Each of Holdings and each Borrower, on behalf of itself and its subsidiaries, agrees that in connection with all aspects of the transactions contemplated hereby and any communications in connection therewith, Holdings, each Borrower, the other Subsidiaries and their Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and their Affiliates, on the other hand, will have a business relationship that does not create, by implication or otherwise, any fiduciary duty on the part of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders or their Affiliates, and no such duty will be deemed to have arisen in connection with any such transactions or communications.

SECTION 9.17. Obligation Joint and Several . The Borrowers shall have joint and several liability in respect of all Obligations in respect of the Loans (the “ Loan Obligations ”) hereunder and under any other Loan Document to which any Borrower is a party, without regard to any defense (other than the defense that payment in full has been made), setoff or counterclaim which may at any time be available to or be asserted by any other Loan Party against the Lenders, or by any other circumstance whatsoever (with or without notice to or knowledge of the Borrowers) which constitutes, or might be construed to constitute, an equitable or legal discharge of the Borrowers’ liability hereunder, in bankruptcy or in any other instance, and the Loan Obligations of the Borrowers hereunder shall not be conditioned or contingent upon the pursuit by the Lenders or any other person at any time of any right or remedy against the Borrowers or against any other person which may be or become liable in respect of all or any part of the Loan Obligations or against any Collateral or Guarantee therefor or right of offset with respect thereto. The Borrowers hereby acknowledge that this Agreement is the independent and several obligation of each Borrower (regardless of which Borrower shall have delivered a request for borrowings under Section 2.03) and may be enforced against each Borrower separately, whether or not enforcement of any right or remedy hereunder has been sought against any other Borrower. Each Borrower hereby expressly waives, with respect to any of the Loans made to any other Borrower hereunder and any of the amounts owing hereunder by such other Loan Parties in respect of such Loans, diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest and all notices whatsoever, and any requirement that the Administrative Agent or any Lender exhaust any right, power or remedy or proceed against such other Loan Parties under this Agreement or any other agreement or instrument referred to herein or against any other person under any other guarantee of, or security for, any of such amounts owing hereunder.

SECTION 9.18. Acknowledgment 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

 

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(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.

[Signature pages intentionally omitted]

 

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Annex B

[See attached]


Schedules to the SMART Credit Agreement


Schedule 1.01(a)

Excluded Subsidiaries

Each Subsidiary listed on this Schedule shall be deemed to be an Excluded Subsidiary under clause (b) of the definition of such term only for so long as such Subsidiary does not cease to be an Excluded Subsidiary.

SMART Modular Technologies (Lux) S.a.r.l.

SMART Modular Technologies (SG) PTE. LTD.


Schedule 1.01(b)

Existing Letters of Credit

 

LC #

   Beneficiary    SMART Entity    Issuing Bank    Issue Date    Expiration Date    LC
Amount
 

NZS666846

   RREEF America
REIT III-ZI LLC
   SMART Modular
Technologies, Inc.
   Wells Fargo Bank,
N.A.
   September 8, 2010    February 1, 2012    $ 168,625  


Schedule 2.01

Commitments

 

Lender

   Initial Term Loan Commitments  

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

   $ 145,000,000.00  

UBS AG, Stamford Branch

   $ 145,000,000.00  

Banco do Brasil - New York Branch

   $ 20,000,000.00  

TOTAL

   $ 310,000,000.00  

Lender

   Revolving Credit Commitments  

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

   $ 17,500,000.00  

UBS AG, Stamford Branch

   $ 17,500,000.00  

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

   $ 15,000,000.00  

TOTAL

   $ 50,000,000.00  

 


Schedule 3.12

Subsidiaries

 

Subsidiary

  

Jurisdiction of
Organization

   Percentage
Ownership
SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc.    Cayman Islands    100%
SMART Modular Technologies (DH), Inc.    Cayman Islands    100%
SMART Modular Technologies (CI), Inc.    Cayman Islands    100%
SMART Modular Technologies (DE), Inc.    Delaware    100%
SMART Modular Technologies (Foreign Holdings), Limited    Cayman Islands    100%
SMART Modular Technologies, Inc.    California    100%
SMART Modular Technologies (Europe) Limited    United Kingdom    100%
SMART Modular Technologies GmbH    Germany    100%
ConXtra Inc.    California    100%
SMART Modular Technologies (Puerto Rico) Inc.    Cayman Islands    100%
SMART Modular Technologies (NL) B.V.    Netherlands    100%
SMART Modular Technologies (SG), PTE. LTD.    Singapore    100%
SMART Modular Technologies (Lux) S.a r.l.    Luxembourg    100%
SMART Modular Technologies Sdn. Bhd.    Malaysia    100%
SMART Modular Technologies do Brasil - Indústria e Comércio de Componentes Ltda.    Brazil    99.9% owned

by SMART
(NL); 0.1%

owned by
SMART

(Puerto Rico)

SMART Modular Technologies Indústria de Componentes Eletrônicos Ltda.    Brazil    99.9% owned
by SMART
(NL); 0.1%

owned by
SMART

(Puerto Rico)


Schedule 5.14

Certain Post-Closing Obligations

Notwithstanding any conditions precedent, representations and covenants in the Loan Documents to the contrary (each such condition, representation and covenant deemed modified to the extent necessary to effect the following, and to permit the taking of the actions described herein within the time periods described herein), the Parent Borrower shall, and shall cause each other Loan Party to, as promptly as possible, but in no event later than the number of days after the Effective Date applicable to each item set forth below, take the actions or deliver the items described below; provided , that in each case the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree in writing to extend the number of days for compliance therewith (including to reasonably accommodate circumstances unforeseen on the Effective Date).

1. Within 60 days after the Effective Date, the applicable Loan Parties shall have (i) filed and registered in accordance with applicable foreign law the Security Documents pursuant to which the applicable Loan Parties grant a security interest in the assets, receivables and quotas of SMART Modular Technologies do Brasil- Industria e Comercio de Componentes Ltda. and SMART Modular Technologies Industria de Componentes Eletronicos Ltda as executed on the Effective Date, (ii) executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent an intellectual property security agreement granting as Collateral a valid, perfected security interest in the intellectual property registered in Brazil held by the applicable Loan Parties and (iii) received a written legal opinion, addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, of Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga Advogados, with respect to such matters related to the security agreements described in clause (ii) above as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request and each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory thereto.

2. Within 60 days after the Effective Date, the applicable Loan Parties shall have filed and registered in accordance with applicable foreign law the fully executed Memorandum of Deposit delivered to the Administrative Agent granting as Collateral a valid, perfected security interest in the Equity Interests held by the applicable Loan Parties in SMART Modular Technologies Sdn. Bhd (the “ Memorandum of Deposit ”).

3. Within 60 days after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall have received a fully executed trust agreement, security document or pledge agreement delivered in accordance with applicable foreign law to grant a valid, perfected security interest as collateral in the Equity Interests and assets held by the applicable Loan Parties in SMART Modular Technologies (Europe) Limited, a company registered under the laws of England and Wales, and each in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

4. Within 14 days after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall have received certificates, if any, representing all of the Equity Interests of each of the Loan Parties (other than Holdings) together with undated stock powers or other appropriate instruments of transfer executed and delivered in blank by a duly authorized officer of the holder(s) of such Equity Interests and other customary ancillary documentation, including any documents required under Section 3.4 of the Memorandum of Deposit (with the exception of certificates, undated stock powers or other appropriate instruments of transfer and other customary ancillary documentation related to the pledge of shares of SMART Modular Technologies (Europe) Limited which shall be executed and delivered within 60 days after the Effective Date).


Schedule 6.01

Existing Indebtedness

 

Agreement

  

Date

  

Loan Party

  

Lender

   Amount
Outstanding
 

Credit Facility

   December 30, 2013    SMART Modular Technologies Indústria de Componentes Eletrônicos Ltda.    Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Economico e Social    $ 11,800,000  

Credit Facility

   December 30, 2014    SMART Modular Technologies Indústria de Componentes Eletrônicos Ltda.    Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Economico e Social    $ 16,300,000  

Installment Payment Agreement

   September 24, 2015    SMART Modular Technologies, Inc.    SG Equipment Finance USA Corp.    $ 129,000  

Note Payable

   January 23, 2015    SMART Modular Technologies (DE), Inc.    SMART Global Holdings, Inc.    $ 5,500,111  


Schedule 6.02

Existing Liens

Pursuant to the Guarantee Agreements (i) by and between Itaú Unibanco S.A. (“Itaú Unibanco”) and SMART Modular Technologies Indústria de Componentes Eletrônicos Ltda. (“SMART Brazil”), dated as of February 26, 2015, and (ii) Banco Itaú BBA S/A (“Banco Itaú” and together with “Itaú Unibanco”, “Itau”) and SMART Brazil, dated as of January 21, 2014, pursuant to which SMART Brazil provided restricted cash as collateral under fiduciary credit assignment agreements for the guaranties provided by Itau to the Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Economico e Social (BNDES). The total balance of the restricted cash as of August 26, 2016 was $6,800,000. SMART Modular Technologies do Brasil – Indústria e Comércio de Componentes Ltda. (“SMART do Brasil”) is an intervening consenting party to both agreements.


Schedule 6.04(e)

Existing Investments

Technology Development Agreement, Manufacturing and Licensing Agreement by and between SMART Modular Technologies, Inc. and Xockets, Inc., pursuant to which SMART Modular Technologies, Inc. purchased a $250,000 convertible note issued by Xockets, Inc. and will make two further $250,000 investments in Xockets, Inc. upon the occurrence of certain events.


Schedule 6.09

Existing Affiliate Transactions

 

  1. Global Shared Services Agreement, dated as of August 25, 2011, by and between SMART Modular Technologies (Global Memory Holdings), Inc. and SMART Storage Systems (Global Holdings)

 

  2. Malaysia Manufacturing Services Agreement, dated as of August 25, 2011, by and between SMART Modular Technologies Sdn. Bhd. and SMART Storage Systems Sdn. Bhd.

 

  3. Malaysia Shared Services Agreement, dated as of August 25, 2011, by and between SMART Modular Technologies Sdn. Bhd. and SMART Storage Systems Sdn. Bhd.

 

  4. Newark Manufacturing Services Agreement, dated as of August 25, 2011, by and between SMART Modular Technologies, Inc. and SMART Storage Systems (Global Holdings), Inc.

 

  5. Agreement for Technology Transfer of Beneficial Ownership in Intangible Property Associated with Enterprise Storage Products, dated as of August 19, 2011, by and among SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., SMART Storage Systems (AZ), Inc., SMART Modular Technologies Sdn. Bhd. and SMART Storage Systems LLC.

 

  6. Intellectual Property Cross-License Agreement, dated August 26, 2011 among SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., SMART Modular Technologies Sdn. Bhd., SMART Storage Systems (AZ), Inc. and SMART Storage Systems, LLC.


Schedule 6.10

Existing Restrictions

None.


Annex C

[See attached]

Exhibit 10.19

Execution Copy

This AMENDED AND RESTATED TRANSACTION AND MANAGEMENT FEE AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is dated as of November 5, 2016 and is among SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc., as successor to Saleen Acquisition, Inc.), a Cayman Islands exempted company (together with its successors, the “ Company ”), Silver Lake Management Company III, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (“ SLMC ”), and Silver Lake Management Company Sumeru, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (“ SLMCS ” and together with SLMC, the “ Managers ” and each a “ Manager ”).

WHEREAS, the Company has entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 26, 2011 (as may be amended, supplemented or modified, the “ Merger Agreement ”) by and among Saleen Holdings, Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company (“ Parent ”) pursuant to which Saleen Acquisition, Inc. merged with and into SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc.) (the “ Merger ”);

WHEREAS, each of the Managers has expertise in the areas of finance, strategy, investment, acquisitions and other matters relating to the Company and its business and has facilitated the Merger and certain other related transactions (collectively, the “ Transactions ”) through its provision of financial and structural analysis, due diligence investigations, other advice and negotiation assistance with all relevant parties to the Transactions. Each of the Managers has also provided advice and negotiation assistance with relevant parties in connection with the financing of the Transactions as contemplated by the Merger Agreement;

WHEREAS, the Company desires to avail itself, for the Term of this Agreement, of each of the Managers’ expertise in providing financial and structural analysis, due diligence investigations, corporate strategy, other advice and negotiation assistance, which the Company believes will be beneficial to it, and each of the Managers desires to provide the services to the Company as set forth in this Agreement in consideration of the payment of the fees described below; and

WHEREAS, the rendering by each of the Managers of the services described in this Agreement has been made and will be made on the basis that the Company will pay, or cause to be paid, the fees described below.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and agreements contained herein and of other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

AGREEMENT

SECTION 1. Transaction and M&A Management Fees . In consideration of each Manager undertaking financial and structural analysis, due diligence investigations, corporate strategy and other advice and negotiation assistance necessary in order to enable the Transactions to be consummated, the Company will pay at the Closing (as defined in the Merger Agreement) of the Merger (the date of such Closing, the “ Closing Date ”) a non-refundable and irrevocable transaction fee (the “ Transaction Fee ”), by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the bank account or accounts designated by each Manager, of (a) $10,000,000 to SLMC (or its designees) and (b) $5,000,000 to SLMCS (or its designees). The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the Transaction Fee has been paid in full on August 26, 2011 (the “ Original Agreement Date ”).


SECTION 2. Appointment . The Company hereby engages each of the Managers to render the Services (as defined in Section 3(a) ) on the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement.

SECTION 3. Services . (a)  Each of the Managers, severally and not jointly, agrees that until the expiration of the Term (as defined below) or the earlier termination of all or part of its obligations under this Section  3 pursuant to Section 4(d) hereof, it will render to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, by and through itself and its affiliates and such of their respective officers, employees, representatives, agents and third parties as such Manager in its sole discretion may designate from time to time, monitoring, advisory and consulting services in relation to the affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries, as and to the extent requested by the Company, in each case as the Company shall reasonably and specifically request by way of written notice to the Managers, which notice shall specify the services required of the Managers, including, without limitation, (i) advice regarding the structure, distribution and timing of private or public debt or equity offerings and advice regarding relationships with the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ lenders and bankers, including in relation to the selection, retention and supervision of independent auditors, outside legal counsel, investment bankers or other financial advisors or consultants, (ii) advice regarding the strategy of the Company and its subsidiaries, (iii) advice regarding the structuring and implementation of equity participation plans, employee benefit plans and other incentive arrangements for certain key executives of the Company, (iv) general advice regarding dispositions and/or acquisitions, (v) advice regarding the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and (vi) such other advice directly related or ancillary to the above services as may be reasonably requested by the Company (collectively, the “ Services ”). Neither Manager will have any obligation to provide any other services to the Company or its subsidiaries absent an agreement between such Manager and the Company or its subsidiaries over the scope of such other services and the payment therefor.

(b) It is expressly agreed that the Services to be rendered hereunder will not include investment banking or other financial advisory services which may be provided by each of the Managers or any of their respective affiliates to the Company, or any of its subsidiaries, in connection with any specific proposed acquisition, divestiture, disposition, merger, consolidation, restructuring, refinancing, recapitalization, issuance of private or public debt or equity securities, financing or similar transaction by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (each, a “ Future Transaction ”). Each of the Managers may be entitled to receive additional compensation for providing services of the type specified in the preceding sentence (collectively, the “ Additional Services ”) by mutual agreement of the Company or such subsidiary, on the one hand, and each of the Managers or their respective relevant affiliates, on the other hand (it being understood that the only such additional compensation that the Managers may be entitled to receive in connection with an Initial Public Offering (as defined in that certain Sponsor Shareholders Agreement, dated as of August 26, 2011, by and among Parent and the investors named therein as it may be amended from time to time, the “ Sponsor Shareholders Agreement ”)) or a Change of Control (as defined below) or other liquidity event in which the Sponsor Investors

 

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(as defined in the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement) sell their interests in Parent, shall be the consideration described in Section 4(d) ; provided , however , that any such additional compensation for Additional Services shall be apportioned (i) two-thirds (2/3) to SLMC and (ii) one-third (1/3) to SLMCS; and provided , further , that any such additional compensation for Additional Services for any Future Transaction shall be equal to customary fees charged by internationally recognized investment banks for serving as an advisor in a similar transaction as such Future Transaction.

(c) The Managers shall perform all services to be provided hereunder as an independent contractor to the Company and not as employees, agents or representatives of the Company.

(d) For purposes of this Agreement, “ Change of Control ” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the sale, lease or transfer, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of Parent and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (which assets may include the capital stock of subsidiaries), to any person or entity other than the Sponsor Investors or their affiliates or (ii) the acquisition, directly or indirectly, by any person, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”) or any successor provision) other than the Sponsor Investors or their affiliates, in a single transaction or in a related series of transactions, by way of merger, consolidation or other business combination or purchase of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) of capital stock representing 50% or more of the total voting power of Parent or any of its direct or indirect parent companies holding directly or indirectly greater than 50% of the total voting power of Parent.

SECTION 4. Management and Other Fees .

(a) In consideration of the Services being rendered by the Managers, the Company will pay, or will cause to be paid, to the Managers an aggregate annual non-refundable and irrevocable management fee (the “ Management Fee ”), by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the bank account or accounts designated by each Manager, of $4,000,000, payable in quarterly installments in arrears at the end of each calendar quarter, subject to adjustment from time to time as set forth below. The initial Management Fee shall be pro rated to reflect the portion of the current calendar year which has elapsed prior to the Closing Date. The Management Fee (including each installment payment thereof) shall be apportioned (i) one-half (1/2) to SLMC and (ii) one-half (1/2) to SLMCS. The Management Fee shall be payable regardless of the level of Services provided during any fiscal quarter and shall not be refundable under any circumstances.

(b) In the event the Company or any of its subsidiaries enters into a business combination transaction with another entity that is large enough to constitute a “significant subsidiary” of the Company under any of the relevant tests contained in Regulation S-X as promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Company and the Managers will mutually agree, following good faith negotiations, on an appropriate increase in the Management Fee as warranted by the increase in the consolidated size of the Company. Such increase in the Management Fee will be pro rated on the basis of the number of days elapsed in the then applicable quarter in which such transaction is consummated.

 

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(c) To the extent the Company cannot pay, or cause to be paid, the Management Fee for any reason, including by reason of any prohibition on such payment pursuant to any applicable law or the terms of any agreement or indenture governing indebtedness of the Company or its subsidiaries, the payment by the Company or any of its subsidiaries to the Managers of the accrued and payable Management Fee will be deferred and will be payable immediately on the earlier of (i) the first date on which the payment of such deferred Management Fee is no longer prohibited under any such agreement or indenture applicable to the Company and the Company or its subsidiaries, as applicable, is otherwise able to make such payment, or cause such payment to be made and (ii) total or partial liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, under any applicable law or under any contract applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries, any forbearance of collection of the Management Fee by either Manager shall not be deemed to be a subordination of such payments to any other person, entity or creditor of the Company or its subsidiaries (including, without limitation, the other Manager). Any such forbearance shall be at such Manager’s sole option and discretion and shall in no way impair such Manager’s right to collect such payments or the other Manager’s right to collect any payment hereunder. Any installment of the Management Fee not paid on the scheduled due date shall not bear interest.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Requisite Managers (as defined below) may elect, in their sole discretion by the delivery of written notice to the Company, at any time in connection with or in anticipation of a Change of Control or an Initial Public Offering to receive, in consideration of the Managers’ role in facilitating the same and in settlement of the termination of the Services, any remaining accrued and unpaid Management Fees (including any accrued and unpaid installment payments thereof) payable by the Company under this Agreement. Promptly after the receipt of such written notice (or at such other time as designated therein), the Company shall pay any accrued and unpaid Management Fees (including any accrued and unpaid installment payments thereof) to the Managers (or their respective designees) by wire transfer in same-day funds to the bank account or accounts designated by each Manager, which payment shall not be refundable under any circumstances. Upon the giving of such notice, the obligation of each Manager to provide the Services hereunder, and the obligations of the Company to pay Management Fees (except as provided in this Section 4(d) ), shall be terminated, but all other provisions of this Agreement shall continue unaffected. For purposes of this Agreement, “ Requisite Managers ” shall mean both Managers, unless any Change of Control or Initial Public Offering was approved (i) by the SLP Directors (as defined in the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement) following a Director Deadlock (as defined in the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement) or (ii) by the Silver Lake Partners Investors following a Sponsor Deadlock (as defined in the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement), in which case SLMC shall be the only Requisite Manager.

SECTION 5. Reimbursements . In addition to the fees payable pursuant to this Agreement, the Company will pay, or cause to be paid, directly, or reimburse each Manager and each of its affiliates for, their respective Out-of-Pocket Expenses (as defined below). For the purposes of this Agreement, the term “ Out-of-Pocket Expenses ” means the out-of-pocket costs

 

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and expenses incurred by each Manager and its affiliates, whether incurred on, prior to or after the date hereof, in connection with the Transactions and the Services or other services provided by them under this Agreement (including prior to the Closing), or in order to make Securities and Exchange Commission and other legally required filings relating to the ownership, directly or indirectly, of equity securities of the Company, its controlling persons or its subsidiaries by such Manager or its affiliates, or otherwise incurred by such Manager or its affiliates from time to time in the future in connection with the ownership or subsequent sale or transfer by such Manager or its affiliates of capital stock of the Company, its controlling persons or its subsidiaries, including, without limitation, (a) fees and disbursements of any independent professionals and organizations, including independent accountants, outside legal counsel or consultants, retained by such Manager or any of its affiliates, (b) costs of any outside services or independent contractors such as financial printers, couriers, business publications, on-line financial services or similar services, retained or used by such Manager or any of its affiliates, and (c) transportation, per diem costs, word processing expenses or any similar expense not associated with such Manager’s or its affiliates’ ordinary operations. All payments or reimbursements for Out-of-Pocket Expenses will be made by wire transfer in same-day funds promptly upon or as soon as practicable following request for payment or reimbursement in accordance with this Agreement, to the bank account indicated to the Company by the relevant payee.

SECTION 6. Indemnification . The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Manager and its former, current and future direct or indirect equityholders, controlling persons, stockholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates, members, managers, general or limited partners or assignees (each a “ Related Party ”) or any Related Party of any Related Party (each such person being an “ Indemnified Party ”) from and against any and all actions, suits, investigations, losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromises and settlements, as fines and penalties and legal or other costs and reasonable expenses of investigating or defending against any claim or alleged claim), including in connection with seeking indemnification, whether joint or several (the “ Liabilities ”), related to, arising out of or in connection with (a) the Transactions, the Services or other services contemplated by this Agreement or the engagement of the Managers pursuant to, and the performance by the Managers of the Services or other services contemplated by, this Agreement, (b) such Manager’s or its respective affiliates’ ownership of Securities (as defined in the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement) or any other securities of Parent or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, or such Manager’s or its affiliates’ control or ability to influence Parent or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates (other than any such Liabilities to the extent such Liabilities arise out of any breach of the Sponsor Shareholders Agreement by such Indemnified Party or its affiliates or the breach of any fiduciary or other duty or obligation of such Indemnified Party to its direct or indirect equity holders, creditors or affiliates) or (c) the business, operations, properties, assets or other rights or liabilities of Parent or any of its subsidiaries, in each case, whether or not pending or threatened, whether or not an Indemnified Party is a party, whether or not resulting in any liability and whether or not such action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding is initiated or brought by Parent, the Company or any of their respective subsidiaries; provided that if and to the extent that the foregoing undertaking may be unavailable or unenforceable for any reason, the Company hereby agrees to make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the indemnified Liabilities which is permissible under

 

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applicable law. The Company will reimburse any Indemnified Party for all reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses and any other litigation-related expenses) as they are incurred in connection with investigating, preparing, pursuing, defending or assisting in the defense of any action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding for which the Indemnified Party would be entitled to indemnification under the terms of the previous sentence, or any action or proceeding arising therefrom, whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto. The Company agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated hereby (if any Indemnified Party is a party thereto or has been threatened to be made a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of the Indemnified Party from all liability, without future obligation or prohibition on the part of the Indemnified Party, arising or that may arise out of such claim, action or proceeding, and does not contain an admission of guilt or liability on the part of the Indemnified Party. The Company will not be liable under the foregoing indemnification provision with respect to any particular loss, claim, damage, liability, cost or expense of an Indemnified Party that is determined by a court, in a final judgment from which no further appeal may be taken, to have resulted solely from the willful misconduct, bad faith or fraud of such Indemnified Party. The attorneys’ fees and other expenses of an Indemnified Party shall be paid by the Company as they are incurred upon receipt, in each case, of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnified Party to repay such amounts if it is finally judicially determined that the Liabilities in question resulted solely from the willful misconduct, bad faith or fraud of such Indemnified Party.

The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Company shall, and to the extent applicable shall cause the Controlled Entities (as defined below) to, be fully and primarily responsible for the payment to the Indemnified Parties in respect of Liabilities in connection with any Jointly Indemnifiable Claims (as defined below), pursuant to and in accordance with (as applicable) the terms of (i) the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended, (ii) this Agreement, (iii) the memorandum of association and the articles of association of the Company, as amended, (iv) any other agreement between the Company or any Controlled Entity and the Indemnified Parties pursuant to which the Indemnified Parties are indemnified, (v) the laws of the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of any Controlled Entity and/or (vi) the memorandum or association, articles of association, certificate of incorporation, certificate of organization, bylaws, partnership agreement, operating agreement, certificate of formation, certificate of limited partnership or other organizational or governing documents of any Controlled Entity ((i) through (vi) collectively, the “ Indemnification Sources ”), irrespective of any right of recovery the Indemnified Parties may have from any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise (other than the Company, any Controlled Entity or the insurer under and pursuant to an insurance policy of the Company, or any Controlled Entity) from whom an Indemnified Party may be entitled to indemnification with respect to which, in whole or in part, the Company or any Controlled Entity may also have an indemnification obligation (collectively, the “ Indemnified Party-Related Entities ”). Under no circumstance shall the Company or any Controlled Entity be entitled to any right of subrogation or contribution by the Indemnified Party-Related Entities and no right of advancement or recovery the Indemnified Party may have from the Indemnified Party-Related Entities shall reduce or otherwise alter the rights of the Indemnified Party or the obligations of

 

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the Company or any Controlled Entity under the Indemnification Sources. In the event that any of the Indemnified Party-Related Entities shall make any payment to the Indemnified Party in respect of indemnification with respect to any Jointly Indemnifiable Claim, (x) the Company shall, and to the extent applicable shall cause the Controlled Entities to, reimburse the Indemnified Party-Related Entity making such payment to the extent of such payment promptly upon written demand from such Indemnified Party-Related Entity, (y) to the extent not previously and fully reimbursed by the Company and/or any Controlled Entity pursuant to clause (x), the Indemnified Party-Related Entity making such payment shall be subrogated to the extent of the outstanding balance of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Indemnified Party against the Company and/or any Controlled Entity, as applicable, and (z) the Indemnified Party shall execute all papers reasonably required and shall do all things that may be reasonably necessary to secure such rights, including the execution of such documents as may be necessary to enable the Indemnified Party-Related Entities effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights. The Company shall cause each of the Controlled Entities to perform the terms and obligations of this paragraph as though each such Controlled Entity was a party to this Agreement.

For purposes of this Agreement, the term (a) “ Jointly Indemnifiable Claims ” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, any Liabilities for which the Indemnified Party shall be entitled to indemnification from both (1) the Company and/or any Controlled Entity pursuant to the Indemnification Sources, on the one hand, and (2) any Indemnified Party-Related Entity pursuant to any other agreement between any Indemnified Party-Related Entity and the Indemnified Party pursuant to which the Indemnified Party is indemnified, the laws of the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of any Indemnified Party-Related Entity and/or the memorandum of association, articles of association, certificate of incorporation, certificate of organization, bylaws, partnership agreement, limited liability company or operating agreement, certificate of formation, certificate of limited partnership or other organizational or governing documents of any Indemnified Party-Related Entity, on the other hand, and (b) the term “ Controlled Entity ” shall mean any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise controlled by the Company.

The rights of an Indemnified Party to indemnification hereunder will be in addition to any other rights and remedies any such person may have under any other agreement or instrument to which each Indemnified Party is or becomes a party or is or otherwise becomes a beneficiary or under any law or regulation.

SECTION 7. Accuracy of Information . The Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to each of the Managers such information as each of the Managers believes reasonably appropriate to render the Services and other services contemplated by this Agreement and to comply with the Securities and Exchange Commission or other legal requirements relating to the beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, by the Managers or their respective affiliates and their respective members, officers and employees of equity securities of the Company or any controlling person or subsidiary thereof (all such information so furnished, the “ Information ”). The Company recognizes and confirms that the Managers (a) will use and rely primarily on the Information and on information available from generally recognized public sources in performing the Services and other services contemplated by this Agreement without having independently verified the same, (b) do not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the Information and such other information and (c) are entitled to rely upon the Information without independent verification.

 

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SECTION 8. Term . This Agreement will become effective as of the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement) and (except as otherwise provided herein) will continue until the tenth anniversary of the Original Agreement Date (the “ Term ”); provided , however , that the Term of this Agreement shall automatically be extended thereafter for successive one-year periods unless either the Company or both Managers deliver a written notice to the other of its desire to terminate this Agreement at least 90 days prior to such ten-year anniversary or the expiration of any such one-year period thereafter. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, (x) the expiration of the Term will not affect the obligations of the Company to pay, or cause to be paid, any amounts accrued but not yet paid as of the date of such expiration and (y) the provisions of Sections 4(c) , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 and 10 hereof will survive the expiration of the Term. The Management Fee will accrue and be payable with respect to the entire calendar year of the Company in which the Term expires.

SECTION 9. Disclaimer, Release and Limitation of Liability .

(a) Disclaimer; Standard of Care . Neither Manager nor any of their respective affiliates makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, in respect of the Services to be provided hereunder. In no event shall a Manager or any Indemnified Party be liable to the Company or any of its affiliates for any act, alleged act, omission or alleged omission that does not constitute willful misconduct, bad faith or fraud of such Manager as determined by a final, non-appealable determination of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(b) Freedom to Pursue Opportunities . In recognition that each Manager and its affiliates currently have, and will in the future have or will consider acquiring, investments in numerous companies with respect to which such Manager or its affiliates may serve as an advisor, a director or in some other capacity, in recognition that such Manager and its affiliates have myriad duties to various investors and partners, in anticipation that the Company, on the one hand, and the Managers (or one or more of their respective affiliates, associated investment funds or portfolio companies), on the other hand, may engage in the same or similar activities or lines of business and have an interest in the same areas of corporate opportunities, in recognition of the benefits to be derived by the Company hereunder, and in recognition of the difficulties which may confront any advisor who desires and endeavors fully to satisfy such advisor’s duties in determining the full scope of such duties in any particular situation, the provisions of this Section 9(b) are set forth to regulate, define and guide the conduct of certain affairs of the Company as they may involve the Managers. Except as a Manager may otherwise agree in writing after the date hereof:

(i) Each Manager and its affiliates (including one or more associated investments funds or portfolio companies) shall have the right: (A) to directly or indirectly engage in any business (including, without limitation, any business activities or lines of business that are the same as or similar to those pursued by, or competitive with, the Company and its subsidiaries); (B) to directly or indirectly do business with any client

 

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or customer of the Company and its subsidiaries; (C) to take any other action that such Manager believes in good faith is necessary or appropriate to fulfill its obligations as described in the first sentence of this Section 9(b) ; and (D) not to present potential transactions, matters or business opportunities to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and to pursue, directly or indirectly, any such opportunity for themselves, and to direct any such opportunity to another person.

(ii) Each Manager and its affiliates shall have no duty (contractual or otherwise) to communicate or present any corporate opportunities to the Company or any of its affiliates or to refrain from any actions specified in Section 9(b)(i) hereof, and the Company, on its own behalf and on behalf of its affiliates, hereby irrevocably waives any right to require any Manager or any of their respective affiliates to act in a manner inconsistent with the provisions of this Section 9(b) .

(iii) Neither the Managers nor any of their respective affiliates shall be liable to the Company or any of its affiliates for breach of any duty (contractual or otherwise) by reason of any activities or omissions of the types referred to in this Section 9(b) or of any such person’s participation therein, and none of such activities or omissions shall be considered “willful misconduct” for purposes hereof.

(c) Release . The Company hereby irrevocably and unconditionally releases and forever discharges each Manager and each other Indemnified Party from any and all liabilities, claims and causes of action related to or arising out of or in connection with the Transactions, the Services or other services contemplated by this Agreement or the engagement of such Manager pursuant to, and the performance by such Manager of the Services or other services contemplated by, this Agreement or any of the activities or omissions contemplated by Section 9(b) , in each case, that the Company may have suffered or incurred, or may claim to have suffered or incurred, on or after the Original Agreement Date, except with respect to any act or omission that constitutes willful misconduct, bad faith or fraud of such Manager or Indemnified Party as determined by a final, non-appealable determination of a court of competent jurisdiction. In no event shall a Manager or such Manager’s Indemnified Parties be liable for any such willful misconduct, bad faith or fraud of the other Manager or such other Manager’s Indemnified Parties.

(d) Limitation of Liability . In no event will any Manager or any Indemnified Party be liable to the Company or any of its affiliates (i) for any indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, including, without limitation, lost profits or savings, whether or not such damages are foreseeable, or for any third-party claims (whether based in contract, tort or otherwise), related to or arising out of or in connection with the Transactions, the Services or other services contemplated by this Agreement or the engagement of such Manager pursuant to, and the performance by such Manager of the Services or other services contemplated by, this Agreement that the Company may have suffered or incurred, or may claim to have suffered or incurred, on or after the Original Agreement Date, except with respect to any act or omission that constitutes willful misconduct, bad faith or fraud as determined by a final, non-appealable determination of a court of competent jurisdiction or (ii) for an amount in the aggregate for any reason whatsoever in excess of the fees actually received by such Manager hereunder.

 

9


(e) Several Not Joint Obligations . The obligations of each Manager under this Agreement are several and not joint with the obligations of the other Manager, and no Manager shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of the other Manager under this Agreement.

SECTION 10. Miscellaneous .

(a) No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, or consent to any departure by any party hereto from any such provision, will be effective unless it is in writing and signed by each of the parties hereto. Any amendment, waiver or consent will be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given. The waiver by any party of any breach of this Agreement will not operate as or be construed to be a waiver by such party of any subsequent breach.

(b) Any notice, request, instruction or other document to be given hereunder by any party to the others (except for notices specifically required to be delivered orally) shall be in writing and delivered personally or sent by facsimile or overnight courier:

if to SLMC or SLMCS:

c/o Silver Lake

2775 Sand Hill Road

Menlo Park, California 94025

Attention: Karen King

Facsimile: (650) 233-8125

E-mail: Karen.King@silverlake.com

with a copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to:

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

2550 Hanover Street

Palo Alto, California 94304

Attention: Peter Malloy

Facsimile: (650) 251-5002

E-mail: pmalloy@stblaw.com

if to the Company:

SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc.

c/o SMART Modular Technologies, Inc.

39870 Eureka Drive

Newark, California 94560

Fax No.: 510-624-8231

Attention: Bruce Goldberg

 

10


or to such other Persons or addresses as may be designated in writing by the party to receive such notice as provided above. Any notice, request, instruction or other document given as provided above shall be deemed given to the receiving party (i) upon actual receipt, if delivered personally; (ii) upon confirmation of successful transmission if sent by facsimile (provided that if given by facsimile such notice, request, instruction or other document shall be followed up within one business day by dispatch pursuant to one of the other methods described herein); or (iii) at the end of the next business day after deposit with an overnight courier, if sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier.

(c) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all previous oral and written (and all contemporaneous oral) negotiations, commitments, agreements and understandings relating hereto.

(d) This Agreement and all claims or causes of action (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including any claim or cause of action based upon, arising out of or related to any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws, except that Cayman Islands law shall apply in respect of any mandatory provision of Cayman Islands corporate law.

(e) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably acknowledges and consents that any legal action or proceeding brought with respect to this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement may only be brought in the courts of the State of Delaware or in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (collectively, the “Chosen Courts”), and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submits to and accepts with regard to any such action or proceeding, for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, the exclusive jurisdiction of the Chosen Courts, as applicable. Each party hereby further irrevocably waives any claim that any Chosen Court lacks jurisdiction over such party, and agrees not to plead or claim, in any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby brought in the Chosen Courts, that any such court lacks jurisdiction over such party.

(f) Each party irrevocably consents to the service of process in any legal action or proceeding brought with respect to this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to such party, at its address for notices as provided in Section 10(b) of this Agreement, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing. Each party hereby irrevocably waives any objection to such service of process and further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any action or proceeding commenced hereunder or under any other documents contemplated hereby, that service of process was in any way invalid or ineffective. Subject to Section 10(g) , the foregoing shall not limit the rights of any party to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable law. The foregoing consents to jurisdiction shall not constitute general consents to service of process in the State of Delaware for any purpose except as provided above and shall not be deemed to confer rights on any Person other than the respective parties to this Agreement.

 

11


(g) Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right it may have under the laws of any jurisdiction to commence by publication any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement or any of the obligations under or relating to this Agreement. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives the objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any suit, action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement or any of the obligations arising under or relating to this Agreement in any of the Chosen Courts, and hereby further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim that any such Chosen Court is not a convenient forum for any such suit, action or proceeding, as applicable.

(h) The parties hereto agree that any judgment obtained by any party hereto or its successors or assigns in any action, suit or proceeding referred to above may, in the discretion of such party (or its successors or assigns), be enforced in any jurisdiction, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

(i) EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. EACH OF THE PARTIES (I) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (II) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 10(I) .

(j) Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by the Company without the prior written consent of both Managers; provided , however , that each Manager may assign or transfer its duties or interests hereunder to any of its affiliates (other than any portfolio companies affiliated with such Manager) at the sole discretion of such Manager. Subject to the foregoing, the provisions of this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Subject to the next sentence, no person or party other than the parties hereto and their respective successors or permitted assigns is intended to be a beneficiary of this Agreement. The parties acknowledge and agree that (i) each of the Indemnified Party-Related Entities shall be third-party beneficiaries with respect to Section  6 hereof and (ii) each of the Indemnified Parties shall be third-party beneficiaries with respect to Sections 6 and 9 hereof, in each case entitled to enforce such provisions as though each such Indemnified Party-Related Entity or Indemnified Party, as applicable, were a party to this Agreement.

 

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(k) This Agreement may be executed by one or more parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts (including by facsimile), and all of said counterparts taken together will be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.

(l) Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction will, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction will not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

(m) Each payment made by the Company pursuant to this Agreement shall be paid by wire transfer of immediately available federal funds to such account or accounts as specified by the Managers to the Company prior to such payment.

[ Signature page follows ]

 

13


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed, or have caused to be executed, this Transaction and Management Fee Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

SILVER LAKE MANAGEMENT
COMPANY III, L.L.C.
By:  

/s/ James A. Davidson

Name: James A. Davidson
Title:   Director
SILVER LAKE MANAGEMENT
COMPANY SUMERU, L.L.C.
By:  

 

Name: Paul Mercadante
Title:   Director
SMART WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS, INC.
By:  

 

Name:
Title:

[Amended and Restated Transaction and Management Fee Agreement]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed, or have caused to be executed, this Transaction and Management Fee Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

SILVER LAKE MANAGEMENT
COMPANY III, L.L.C.
By:  

 

Name: James A. Davidson
Title:   Director
SILVER LAKE MANAGEMENT
COMPANY SUMERU, L.L.C.
 
By:  

/s/ Paul Mercadante

Name: Paul Mercadante
Title: Director
SMART WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS, INC.
By:  

 

Name:
Title:

[Amended and Restated Transaction and Management Fee Agreement]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed, or have caused to be executed, this Transaction and Management Fee Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

SILVER LAKE MANAGEMENT
COMPANY III, L.L.C.
By:  

 

Name:
Title:
SILVER LAKE MANAGEMENT
COMPANY SUMERU, L.L.C.
By:  

 

Name:
Title:
SMART WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Iain MacKenzie

Name: Iain MacKenzie
Title:   President & CEO

[Amended and Restated Transaction and Management Fee Agreement]

Exhibit 21.1

SUBSIDIARIES OF THE REGISTRANT

 

NAME OF SUBSIDIARY*

  

STATE OR OTHER

JURISDICTION OF

INCORPORATION OR

ORGANIZATION

SMART Global Holdings, Inc.

   Cayman Islands

Saleen Intermediate Holdings, Inc.

   Cayman Islands

SMART Worldwide Holdings, Inc.

   Cayman Islands

SMART Modular Technologies (Global), Inc.

  

Cayman Islands

SMART Modular Technologies (CI), Inc.

   Cayman Islands

SMART Modular Technologies (DH), Inc.

   Cayman Islands

SMART Modular Technologies, Inc.

   California

SMART Modular Technologies (DE), Inc.

   Delaware

SMART High Reliability Solutions LLC

   Delaware

SMART Modular Technologies (LX) S.à r.l.

  

Luxembourg

SMART Modular Technologies Sdn. Bhd.

   Malaysia

SMART Modular Technologies Indústria de Componentes Eletrônicos Ltda.

   Brazil

SMART Modular Technologies do Brasil - Indústria e Comercio de Componentes Ltda.

   Brazil

 

  * The subsidiaries of the Registrant do not do business under any name other than as listed above.

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the use in this Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 333-217539 of our report dated November 29, 2016 (May 11, 2017 as to Note 1(y)), relating to the financial statements of SMART Global Holdings, Inc. and subsidiaries appearing in the Prospectus, which is a part of such Registration Statement, and to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Prospectus.

 

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

San Jose, California

May 11, 2017