UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D. C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

May 30, 2017

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

 

 

Cars.com Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-37869   81-3693660

(State or other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

   

175 West Jackson Boulevard

Chicago, Illinois 60604

(Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (312) 601-5000

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act.   ☒

 

 

 


Item 1.01. Entry Into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Separation-Related Agreements

On May 31, 2017, Cars.com Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a Separation and Distribution Agreement (the “Separation and Distribution Agreement”) by and between the Company and TEGNA Inc. (“TEGNA”), pursuant to which TEGNA agreed to transfer its digital automotive marketplace business to the Company (the “Separation”) and distribute all of the outstanding common stock of the Company to TEGNA stockholders of record as of the close of business on May 18, 2017 (the “Distribution”). The Distribution was effective at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on May 31, 2017 (the “Effective Time”). As a result of the Distribution, the Company is now an independent public company and its common stock is listed under the symbol “CARS” on the New York Stock Exchange.

In connection with the Separation and Distribution, on May 31, 2017, the Company entered into several agreements with TEGNA that govern the relationship of the parties following the Distribution, including the following:

 

    a Transition Services Agreement;

 

    a Tax Matters Agreement; and

 

    an Employee Matters Agreement.

A summary of the Separation and Distribution Agreement and these other agreements can be found in the Company’s information statement, dated May 16, 2017 (the “Information Statement”), which is included as Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 8-K, under the sections entitled “Relationship with TEGNA Following the Separation and Distribution.” These summaries are incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01. The description of the agreements set forth under this Item 1.01 is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete terms of those agreements, which are included as Exhibits 2.1, 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

Financing Arrangements

On May 31, 2017, the Company and certain domestic wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company (the “Guarantors”) entered into a Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) with the lenders named therein, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent for the lenders (the “Agent”), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as syndication agent, and Bank of America, N.A., Capital One, N.A., Citizens Bank, N.A., Fifth Third Bank, PNC Bank, National Association, Suntrust Bank and U.S. Bank National Association, as co-documentation agents. The Credit Agreement matures on May 31, 2022 and includes (a) revolving loan commitments in an aggregate principal amount of up to $450,000,000 (of which up to $25,000,000 may be in the form of letters of credit at the request of the Company) and (b) term loans in an aggregate principal amount of $450,000,000. On the closing date of the Credit Agreement, all of the term loans were funded and $225,000,000 of the revolving loans were drawn. Interest on the borrowings under the Credit Agreement is payable at a base rate or eurocurrency rate, in either case plus an applicable margin and


fees which, after the second full fiscal quarter following the closing date, is based upon the Company’s total net leverage ratio. Borrowings under the Credit Agreement were used to fund the payment of a cash payment to TEGNA immediately prior to the Distribution, to pay fees and expenses related to the Separation and Distribution and related transactions and may also be used for general corporate purposes of the Company and its subsidiaries, including, without limitation, to fund acquisitions, investments and capital expenditures not prohibited under the Credit Agreement. The term loan requires quarterly amortization payments commencing on September 30, 2017.

The obligations under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by the Guarantors and, following the Distribution, the Company and the Guarantors secured their respective obligations under the Credit Agreement by granting liens in favor of the Agent on substantially all of their assets. In addition, prior to the Distribution TEGNA guaranteed the obligations under the Credit Agreement. TEGNA’s guarantee was released upon the Distribution.

The terms of the Credit Agreement include representations and warranties, affirmative and negative covenants (including certain financial covenants) and events of default that are customary for credit facilities of this nature. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, including but not limited to nonpayment of principal when due, nonpayment of interest, fees or other amounts due under the Credit Agreement within five business days after it becomes due, failure to perform or observe certain terms, covenants or agreements under the Credit Agreement, and certain defaults of other indebtedness, the Agent may, and at the request of the lenders holding more than 50% of the total outstanding loans and commitments shall, terminate the obligation of the lenders under the Credit Agreement to make advances and issue letters of credit and declare any outstanding obligations under the Credit Agreement immediately due and payable. In addition, in the event a proceeding is commenced with respect to any Loan Party seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law, the obligation of the Lenders to make advances and issue letters of credit shall automatically terminate and any outstanding obligations under the Credit Agreement shall immediately become due and payable.

The foregoing description of the Credit Agreement does not purport to be a complete statement of the parties’ rights and obligations under the Credit Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Credit Agreement. The foregoing summary of the Credit Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Credit Agreement, which is included with this report as Exhibit 10.7 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 2.03 Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant

The information set forth under the heading “Financing Arrangements” in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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

Appointment of Officers

In connection with the Distribution, as of 12:01 a.m. on May 31, 2017, the following individuals became executive officers of the Company as set forth in the table below:

 

James F. Rogers    Chief Legal Officer
John Clavadetscher    Chief Revenue Officer


T. Alex Vetter, previously appointed as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and Becky A. Sheehan, previously appointed as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, are continuing in their respective positions following the Distribution.

Biographical information for each of the Company’s executive officers can be found in the Company’s Information Statement under the section entitled “Management—Executive Officers Following the Distribution.” Compensation information for the Company’s named executive officers can be found in the Company’s Information Statement under the section entitled “Executive Compensation.” These sections are incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.

Resignation and Appointment of Directors

Effective immediately prior to the Effective Time, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) expanded its size from three directors to seven directors. Each of Scott Forbes, Jerri DeVard, Jill A. Greenthal, Thomas Hale and Greg Revelle was elected as a director of the Company as of immediately prior to the Effective Time. Alex Vetter and Donald A. McGovern, Jr., who had previously been serving on the Board, were re-elected as directors effective as of immediately prior to the Effective Time. Effective immediately prior to the Effective Time, Gracia C. Martore and Todd A. Mayman, who had been serving as members of the Board, ceased to be directors of the Company.

Jerri DeVard, 59, has more than 30 years of extensive marketing and leadership experience at large global brands. She is currently serving as a director on the board of ServiceMaster, a service company providing millions of commercial and residential customers in the U.S. and around the world with such services as housecleaning, termite and pest control, and landscape maintenance, and the board of Under Armour Inc., the global athletic performance and innovation brand that changed the way athletes dress. She previously served on the boards of Belk, Gurwitch Products and Tommy Hilfiger and on the advisory board of Pepsico. She is Principal of DeVard Marketing Group, a firm specializing in advertising, branding and communications, as well as traditional, digital, and multicultural marketing. She served as Chief Marketing Officer of The ADT Corporation, a leading provider of home and business security services. Prior to that, Jerri served as Executive Vice President, CMO for Nokia. Additionally, she held senior marketing roles at Verizon Communications, Citibank, Revlon, Harrah’s Entertainment, the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings and the Pillsbury Company. Jerri is an Economics graduate of Spelman College, where she also recently served as a member of the Board of Trustees from 2005 to 2014, and received her MBA from Clark Atlanta University Graduate School of Business.

Biographical information for each of the other directors elected to the Board and compensation information for each of the directors elected to the Board can be found in the Company’s Information Statement under the sections entitled “Directors—Board of Directors Following the Distribution” and “Director Compensation,” which are incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.


As of the effectiveness of his appointment to the Board on May 18, 2017, Mr. McGovern was appointed to serve as a member and chair of the Audit Committee.

As of immediately prior to the Effective Time:

 

    Ms. Greenthal and Mr. Hale were appointed to serve as members of the Audit Committee;

 

    Mr. Forbes, Ms. DeVard, Mr. McGovern and Mr. Revelle were appointed to serve as members of the Compensation Committee, with Mr. Forbes to serve as chair;

 

    Ms. Greenthal, Mr. Forbes, Ms. DeVard and Mr. Hale were appointed to serve as members of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee, with Ms. Greenthal to serve as chair; and

 

    Mr. Forbes was appointed Chairman of the Board.

Adoption of Compensation and Benefit Plans

In connection with the Separation and Distribution, on May 30, 2017, the Company adopted, as of the Effective Time, several compensation and benefit plans. A summary of each of these plans is below, which summaries are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the plans, which are filed as Exhibits 10.4, 10.5 and 10.6 to this Form 8-K.

Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan

Purpose . The purpose of the Cars.com Inc. Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Omnibus Plan”) is to benefit and advance the interests of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates by making annual and long-term incentive compensation awards to certain employees and directors of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates as an additional incentive for them to make contributions to the Company’s financial success.

Administration . The Omnibus Plan will be administered by a committee appointed by the Board (the “Committee), which is expected to be the Compensation Committee of the Board. Subject to the terms of the Omnibus Plan, the Committee may grant awards under the Omnibus Plan; establish the terms and conditions of those awards; construe and interpret the Omnibus Plan and any agreement or instrument entered into under the Omnibus Plan; establish, amend or waive rules and regulations for the Omnibus Plan’s administration; amend the terms and conditions of any outstanding award as provided in the Omnibus Plan; and take all other actions it deems necessary for the proper operation or administration of the Omnibus Plan. The Committee may delegate its authority under the Omnibus Plan, subject to certain limitations.

Eligibility . Awards may be granted to employees of the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates, and directors of the Company. The Committee decides who should receive awards and what kind of awards they should receive. The Omnibus Plan does not limit the number of employees and affiliates who may receive awards.


Authorized Number of Shares . The Omnibus Plan initially reserves 18,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company for issuance.

Share Counting/Reacquired Shares . For purposes of counting the number of shares available for the grant of awards under the Omnibus Plan, shares of the Company’s common stock delivered (whether by actual delivery, attestation, or net exercise) to the Company by a participant to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock upon the exercise of an award shall not be added back to the number of shares available for future awards. In addition, shares of the Company’s common stock repurchased by the Company in the open market using the proceeds from the exercise of an award will not be added back to the number of shares available for future awards. If any award under the Omnibus Plan is terminated, surrendered, canceled or forfeited, or if an award is settled in cash, the unused shares of the Company’s common stock covered by such award will again be available for grant under the Omnibus Plan, subject, however, in the case of incentive stock options, to any limitations under the Internal Revenue Code.

Types of Awards. The Committee may grant the following types of awards under the Omnibus Plan: stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, stock awards, RSUs, performance shares, performance units and other equity-based and cash-based awards. Each type of award is subject to a maximum limit on the grant that may be made to any one participant in a fiscal year.

Stock Options . A stock option is the right to purchase one or more shares of the Company’s common stock at a specified price, as determined by the Committee. The Committee may grant non-qualified stock options and incentive stock options. A stock option is exercisable at such times and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee determines. No more than 1,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock subject to stock options may be granted to any participant in a fiscal year. The exercise price of a stock option will not be less than 100% of the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock on the date that the option is granted. No option will remain exercisable beyond 10 years after its grant date. Incentive stock options may be granted only to employees of the Company or its affiliates or subsidiaries (provided that the affiliate or subsidiary is a type of entity whose employees can receive such options under the tax rules that apply to such awards), and the maximum number of shares that may be issued under incentive stock options cannot exceed 5,000,000.

Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) . A SAR is a right to receive an amount in any combination of cash or the Company’s common stock (as determined by the Committee) equal in value to the excess of the fair market value of the shares covered by such SAR on the date of exercise over the aggregate exercise price of the SAR for such shares. SARs may be granted freestanding or in tandem with related options. The exercise price of a SAR granted in tandem with an option will be equal to the exercise price of the related option, and may be exercised for all or part of the shares covered by such option upon surrender of the right to exercise the equivalent portion of the related option. The exercise price of a freestanding SAR will be not less than the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock on the date the SAR is granted. No SAR will remain exercisable beyond 10 years after its grant date. No more than 1,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock may be granted in the form of SARs to any participant in a fiscal year.

Restricted Stock/Stock Awards. Restricted stock is an award of the Company’s common stock that is subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture for a period of time and such other terms and conditions as the Committee determines. A stock award is an award of the Company’s common stock that is not subject to such a risk of forfeiture, but which may be subject to such other terms and conditions as the Committee determines. No more than 1,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock may be granted to any participant in a fiscal year pursuant to stock awards or awards of restricted stock.


Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) . A RSU is an award whose value is based on the fair market value of the Company’s common stock and whose payment is conditioned on the completion of specified service requirements and such other terms and conditions as the Committee may determine. Payment of earned RSUs may be made in a combination of cash or shares of the Company’s common stock (as determined by the Committee). The maximum aggregate grant of RSUs or performance shares that may be awarded to any participant in any fiscal year shall not exceed 1,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock.

Performance Units/Shares and Cash-Based Awards . Performance Units/Shares and Cash Based Awards are other equity-type or cash-based awards that may be granted to participants. These awards may be valued in whole or in part by reference to, or are otherwise based on, the fair market value of the Company’s common stock or other criteria established by the Committee and the achievement of performance goals. These awards are subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee determines. Performance goals may include a service requirement. Payment of earned performance units/shares and cash-based awards may be made in any combination of cash or shares of the Company’s common stock (as determined by the Committee) that have an aggregate fair market value equal to the value of the earned awards at the close of the applicable performance period. The maximum aggregate grant of performance shares or RSUs that may be awarded to any participant in any fiscal year shall not exceed 1,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. The maximum aggregate amount of performance units or cash-based awards that may be awarded to any participant in any fiscal year shall not exceed $10,000,000.

Director Limit. The cash value of all equity awards granted to a single non-employee director of the Company in one calendar year shall not exceed $700,000 (or, in the case of a non-employee director serving as chair of the Board, $900,000). Such annual limit will be measured based on the value of an award as of the date the award is granted (not the date of payment). Accordingly, the annual limit will not include the value of an award in the calendar year when it is paid or vests if such year is different from the year the award is granted.

Adjustments. In the event of a change in the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock due to a stock split, stock dividend, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, reorganization, repurchase or exchange of the Company’s common stock or other securities, or other corporate transaction or event, the Committee shall take certain actions to prevent the dilution or enlargement of benefits under the Omnibus Plan. These actions include adjusting (1) the number of shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued under the Omnibus Plan (including the authorized share limitations); (2) the number of shares or price of shares subject to outstanding awards; and (3) the consideration to be paid upon the grant or exercise of any award.

Change in Control. Generally, in the event of a change in control of the Company, as defined in the Omnibus Plan, unless otherwise specified in the award agreement, outstanding awards will not be subject to accelerated vesting unless (a) they are not continued or assumed in connection with the change in control or (b) the holder has a qualifying termination of employment, as defined in the applicable award agreement, within two years following the change in control. If either condition described in (a) or (b) is satisfied, (1) all outstanding options and SARs will become immediately exercisable in full during their remaining term; (2) all restriction periods and restrictions imposed on non-performance based restricted stock awards will lapse; (3) all outstanding awards of performance-


based restricted stock, performance units and performance shares will vest and be paid assuming achievement of all relevant target performance goals; (4) all RSUs will vest and be paid; and (5) all outstanding cash-based awards will vest and be paid (and, in the case of performance-based cash-based awards, based on an assumed achievement of all relevant target performance goals).

Performance Measures/Section  162(m). The Omnibus Plan permits the Committee to make awards that are intended to be exempt from the deduction limitations under Section 162(m) because they satisfy the requirements of performance-based compensation. The Omnibus Plan lists the performance measures the Committee may use to make performance-based awards under Section 162(m). These performance measures include: (1) earnings per share (basic or diluted); (2) income before income taxes; (3) income from continuing operations; (4) net income or net income attributable to the Company; (5) operating income; (6) cash flow from operating activities, operating cash flow (defined as operating income plus non-cash charges for depreciation, amortization and impairment of operating assets) or free cash flow; (7) EBITDA, or net income attributable to the Company, before interest, taxes, depreciation/amortization; (8) return measures (including, but not limited to, return on assets, equity, capital or investment); (9) cash flow return on investments, which equals net cash flows divided by owner’s equity; (10) internal rate of return or increase in net present value; (11) dividend payments; (12) gross revenues; (13) gross margins; (14) operating measures such as trends in digital metrics and advertising measures; (15) internal measures such as achieving a diverse workforce; (16) share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total shareholder return) and market value; (17) debt (including, but not limited to, measures such as debt (book value or face value) outstanding and debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization); (18) market share; and (19) expense management. This wide range of potential performance goals ensures that the Company can readily adapt to changing business needs. The performance goals the Committee establishes for the performance measures described above which are based on operating results shall be adjusted to take into account the effects of “Adjustment Items” (as defined in the plan document), unless the Committee determines otherwise at the time the performance goals are established.

Any of the above measures may be compared to peer or other companies. Additionally, performance measures may be set either at the consolidated level, segment level, division level, group level, or the business unit level and performance measures may be measured either annually or cumulatively over a period of years, on an absolute basis or relative to pre-established targets, to a previous year’s results or to a designated comparison group, in each case as specified by the Committee.

Corporate Governance Provisions. The Omnibus Plan contains several other provisions intended to make sure that awards under the Omnibus Plan comply with established principles of corporate governance. These provisions include:

 

    No Discounted Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights. Absent shareholder approval, stock options and stock appreciation rights may not be granted with an exercise price of less than the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date the stock option or stock appreciation right is granted.

 

    No Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Rights Repricings. Stock options and stock appreciation rights may not be repriced absent shareholder approval. This provision applies to both direct repricings—lowering the exercise price of an outstanding stock option or stock appreciation right—and indirect repricings—canceling an outstanding stock option or stock appreciation right and granting a replacement stock option or stock appreciation right with a lower exercise price.


    No Evergreen Provision. The Omnibus Plan does not contain an “evergreen provision”—there is no automatic provision to replenish the shares of the Company’s common stock authorized for issuance under the Omnibus Plan.

 

    No Cash Buyouts of Underwater Stock Options. The Omnibus Plan does not permit cash buyouts of underwater stock options without shareholder approval.

Substitute Awards and Adjusted Awards. Substitute awards or adjusted awards may be granted under the Omnibus Plan under certain circumstances (for example, awards originally granted under the TEGNA Inc. Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan that were converted into awards in respect of the Company’s common stock in connection with the separation and distribution or a subsequent spin-off, merger, or acquisition) in which case certain of the limits and rules discussed above may not apply to such substitute or adjusted awards.

Transferability of Awards. Except as otherwise provided in an award agreement, awards may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered by the person to whom they are granted, either voluntarily or by operation of law, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Except as otherwise provided in an award agreement, during the life of the participant, awards are exercisable only by the participant or such participant’s legal representative.

Provisions for Foreign Participants. The Committee may modify awards granted to participants who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States or establish subplans or procedures under the Omnibus Plan to recognize differences in laws, rules, regulations or customs of such foreign jurisdictions with respect to tax, securities, currency, employee benefits or other matters.

Clawback. The Omnibus Plan provides that awards granted thereunder will be subject to such deductions and clawback as may be required to be made pursuant to law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement.

Amendment and Termination. The Committee or the Board may amend or terminate the Omnibus Plan at any time, but no such amendment or termination may adversely affect in any material way the rights of a participant with respect to an outstanding award without that participant’s consent. No awards may be granted on or after 10 years from the date the Omnibus Plan was adopted. Shareholder approval is required for certain amendments to the Omnibus Plan.

Deferred Compensation Plan

In connection with the Separation and Distribution, the Company adopted the Cars.com Deferred Compensation Plan (“DCP”), and the Company and the DCP assumed liabilities of TEGNA under its deferred compensation plan relating to Jill A. Greenthal, who became a director of the Company. Under the DCP, non-employee directors of the Company may be given the opportunity to defer all or a portion of their compensation (including cash compensation and equity awards). The amounts deferred by each director will be deemed invested in the investment options specified under the plan as designated by the director; provided that deferrals of RSUs payable in common stock of the Company are required to be invested in common stock of the Company and will be paid in common stock of the Company. Amounts that a director elects to defer into the DCP are generally paid at the time and in the form elected by the director, provided that if the director terminates employment before attaining the mandatory retirement age, vested amounts are generally paid in a lump sum upon such termination.


Employee Stock Purchase Plan

In General. The Employee Stock Purchase Plan is intended to facilitate ownership of common stock of the Company by employees to encourage their interest in the success of the company. The Employee Stock Purchase Plan grants eligible employees options to acquire common stock of the Company through payroll deduction and at a price that may be discounted from its fair market value. The Employee Stock Purchase Plan is intended to qualify for favorable federal income tax treatment under Section 423 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”).

Shares Available for Issuance. The maximum number of shares of common stock of the Company which will be made available for purchase under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan is 3,000,000 shares. This number shall not be adjusted in connection with the spin-off of the Company from TEGNA.

Administration. A committee appointed by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “ESPP Committee”) administers the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. The ESPP Committee has full and exclusive discretionary authority to construe, interpret and apply the terms of the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, to determine eligibility and to adjudicate all disputed claims filed under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. The ESPP Committee may adopt rules or procedures relating to the operation and administration of the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, including but not limited to rules to accommodate specific requirements of local laws and procedures for jurisdictions outside the United States for any eligible employees outside the U.S., but without violating the Code.

Eligibility. Each employee of the Company or its designated subsidiaries will be eligible to participate. However, the ESPP Committee may act to exclude from participation one or more of the following categories of employees: (a) employees who have been employed less than two years (or any lesser period established by the ESPP Committee); (b) employees whose customary employment is twenty hours or less per week (or any lesser number of hours established by the ESPP Committee); (c) employees whose customary employment is for not more than five months in any calendar year (or any lesser period in any calendar year established by the ESPP Committee); or (d) highly compensated employees (within the meaning of Section 414(q) of the Code, which as of 2017 includes employees with compensation of $120,000 or more) or any subgroup of such highly compensated employees. In addition, no employee will be granted an option under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan to the extent that, immediately after the grant, such employee would own 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of capital stock of the Company or of one of its subsidiaries.

Offering or Purchase Period. The ESPP Committee shall establish offering periods for the purchase of stock. Such periods shall be no more than 27 months in length.

Participation. To participate in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, an eligible employee must enroll pursuant to the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. At the beginning of each period, each participant automatically is granted an option to purchase shares of common stock of the Company. All payroll deductions elected by a participant are credited to the participant’s account under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan without interest. The option expires and is exercised following the end of each offering period to the extent of the payroll deductions accumulated during such offering period. During an offering period, a participant may discontinue his or her participation in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and may decrease or increase the rate of payroll deductions in an


offering period within limits set by the ESPP Committee. Once an employee becomes a participant in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, the employee automatically will participate in each successive offering period until the employee withdraws from the Employee Stock Purchase Plan or the employee’s employment terminates, unless the ESPP Committee determines otherwise.

Share Purchase Limits . The ESPP Committee may set limits on the amount of shares a participant may purchase, but in no event may a participant purchase more than 10,000 shares each offering period. In addition, no employee will be granted an option under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan to the extent that his or her rights to purchase stock under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (or any other plan of the Company) accrues at a rate which exceeds $25,000 worth of stock (determined at the fair market value of the shares at the time such option is granted) for each calendar year.

Purchase Price. The purchase price of shares of common stock of the Company under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan will be determined by the ESPP Committee prior to an offering or purchase period. The purchase price shall in no event be less than 85% of the lesser of the fair market value of a share (i) on the grant date for such option and (ii) on the last trading day in such period. The fair market value of common stock of the Company on any relevant date will be the closing trading price per share as reported on the exchange or service on which the stock is traded or listed.

Number of Shares Purchased. The number of shares of common stock of the Company that a participant may purchase in each offering period will be determined by dividing the total amount of payroll deductions withheld from the participant’s compensation during that offering period by the purchase price. Given that participation in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan is voluntary on the part of employees, and given that the number of shares that may be purchased under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan is determined, in part, on the fair market value of common stock of the Company at the beginning of an offering period and at the end of such offering period, the actual number of shares that may be purchased by any individual is not determinable.

Option Exercise. Unless a participant withdraws from the Employee Stock Purchase Plan or terminates employment, a participant’s option for the purchase of shares is exercised automatically following the end of the period, and the maximum number of full shares subject to the option will be issued to the participant at the applicable purchase price with his or her accumulated payroll deduction. Shares issued under the plan will be authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares, and amounts paid in exercise are used for general corporate purposes. Any funds left over in a participant’s account after the purchase date will be returned to the participant or retained in the participant’s account for the subsequent offering period, as determined by the ESPP Committee.

The ESPP Committee may retain a brokerage firm, bank, or other financial institution to assist in the purchase of shares, delivery of reports, or other administrative aspects of the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. If the ESPP Committee so elects, each participant shall (unless prohibited by applicable law) be deemed upon enrollment in the plan to have authorized the establishment of an account on his or her behalf at such institution. The ESPP Committee may require that shares be retained with a broker or agent for a designated period of time and/or may establish other procedures to permit tracking of disqualifying dispositions of such shares.

Withdrawal; Termination of Employment. A participant may withdraw all funds accumulated in the participant’s account under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan during any offering or purchase period by delivering a timely notice of withdrawal (in a manner prescribed by the ESPP Committee).


Participation in the plan terminates (i) immediately on the date on which a participant ceases to be employed by the Company or its employing subsidiary or otherwise ceases to be an eligible employee or (ii) immediately following the end of the purchase period during which a participant ceases to be so employed, or (iii) at such other time as determined by the ESPP Committee, in the ESPP Committee’s discretion and in accordance with procedures established by the ESPP Committee. Upon withdrawal or termination, the participant’s payroll withholding will cease and, in accordance with uniform procedures established by the ESPP Committee, either all funds then accumulated in the participant’s account shall be used to purchase shares following the end of the period or all such funds then accumulated in the participant’s account shall instead be distributed to the participant as soon as administratively feasible.

Changes in Capitalization. The right to purchase shares covered by a current offering period and the number of shares which have been authorized for issuance under the plan for any future offering period, the maximum number of shares each participant may purchase each period as well as the price per share and the number of shares covered by each right under the plan which have not yet been purchased shall be proportionately adjusted in the discretion of the ESPP Committee for any increase or decrease in the number of issued shares resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, extraordinary cash dividend, combination or reclassification of the common stock of the Company, or recapitalization, reorganization, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, or any other increase or decrease in the number of shares effected without receipt of consideration by the Company.

Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of any dissolution, liquidation, merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s outstanding voting securities, sale, lease exchange or other transfer of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, or any similar transaction as determined by the ESPP Committee in its discretion, the ESPP Committee may make such adjustment it deems appropriate to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights in the number and class of shares which may be delivered under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, in the number, class or price of shares available for purchase under the plan and in the number of shares which an employee is entitled to purchase and any other adjustments it deems appropriate.

Change in Control. In the event of any transaction, the ESPP Committee may elect to have the options assumed or such options substituted by a successor entity (or its parent), to terminate all outstanding options either prior to their expiration or upon completion of the purchase of shares on the next purchase date, or to take such other action deemed appropriate by the ESPP Committee.

Amendment or Termination. The Board may amend, alter, or terminate the Employee Stock Purchase Plan at any time, subject to the following limitations: (1) the plan may not be amended in a way that will cause rights issued under the plan intended to qualify under Section 423 of the Code to fail to meet the requirements of Section 423 of the Code; and (2) no amendment that would amend or modify the plan in a manner requiring stockholder approval under Section 423 of the Code or the requirements of any securities exchange on which the shares are traded shall be effective unless such stockholder approval is obtained. In addition, subject to the foregoing, provisions relating to the administration of the plan may be amended by the ESPP Committee from time to time as may be desirable to satisfy any requirements of or under the federal securities and/or other applicable laws of the United States or other jurisdiction, to obtain any exemption under such laws, or to reduce or eliminate any unfavorable legal, accounting or other consequences or to achieve any other purpose deemed appropriate by the ESPP Committee. If the Employee Stock Purchase Plan is terminated, the ESPP Committee may elect to terminate all outstanding options either prior to their expiration or upon completion of the purchase of shares on the next purchase date, or may elect to permit options


to expire in accordance with their terms (and participation to continue through such expiration dates). If the options are terminated prior to expiration, all funds accumulated in participants’ accounts as of the date the options are terminated shall be returned to the participants as soon as administratively feasible.

 

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

Effective as of 11:58 p.m. on May 31, 2017, the Company amended and restated its Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”) and its Bylaws (the “Amended and Restated Bylaws”). A description of the material provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Amended and Restated Bylaws can be found in the Company’s Information Statement under the section entitled “Description of Cars.com’s Capital Stock,” which is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.03. The description set forth under this Item 5.03 is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Amended and Restated Bylaws, which are attached hereto as Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2, respectively and incorporated by reference into this Item 5.03.

 

Item 5.05 Amendments to the Registrants Code of Ethics, or Waiver of a Provision of the Code of Ethics

In connection with the Distribution, the Board adopted a Code of Conduct effective as of immediately prior to the Effective Time. A copy of the Company’s Code of Conduct is available on the Company’s website at www.Cars.com . The information on the Company’s website does not constitute part of this Current Report on Form 8-K and is not incorporated by reference herein.

 

Item 8.01 Other Events

On June 1, 2017, the Company issued a press release announcing the completion of the Distribution and the start of the Company’s operations as an independent company. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2.

Item 9.01    Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit

No.

    

Exhibit

  2.1      Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2017, by and between TEGNA Inc. and Cars.com Inc.
  3.1      Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Cars.com Inc.
  3.2      Amended and Restated Bylaws of Cars.com Inc.
  10.1      Transition Services Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2017, by and between TEGNA Inc. and Cars.com Inc.
  10.2      Tax Matters Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2017, by and between TEGNA Inc. and Cars.com Inc.
  10.3      Employee Matters Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2017, by and between TEGNA Inc. and Cars.com Inc.


  10.4      Cars.com Inc. Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan
  10.5      Cars.com Deferred Compensation Plan
  10.6      Cars.com Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan
  10.7      Credit Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2017, by and among Cars.com Inc. as Borrower, each lender from time to time party thereto, the other parties party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent
  99.1      Information Statement of the Company, dated May 16, 2017 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed by the Company with the SEC on May 16, 2017)
  99.2      Press release of the Company dated June 1, 2017


SIGNATURE

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

 

      Cars.com Inc.
Date: June 5, 2017     By:  

/s/ James F. Rogers

        James F. Rogers
        Chief Legal Officer


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit

No.

    

Exhibit

  2.1      Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2017, by and between TEGNA Inc. and Cars.com Inc.
  3.1      Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Cars.com Inc.
  3.2      Amended and Restated Bylaws of Cars.com Inc.
  10.1      Transition Services Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2017, by and between TEGNA Inc. and Cars.com Inc.
  10.2      Tax Matters Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2017, by and between TEGNA Inc. and Cars.com Inc.
  10.3      Employee Matters Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2017, by and between TEGNA Inc. and Cars.com Inc.
  10.4      Cars.com Inc. Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan
  10.5      Cars.com Deferred Compensation Plan
  10.6      Cars.com Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan
  10.7      Credit Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2017, by and among Cars.com Inc. as Borrower, each lender from time to time party thereto, the other parties party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent
  99.1      Information Statement of the Company, dated May 16, 2017 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed by the Company with the SEC on May 16, 2017)
  99.2      Press release of the Company dated June 1, 2017

Exhibit 2.1

SEPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

BY AND BETWEEN

TEGNA INC.

AND

CARS.COM INC.

DATED AS OF MAY 31, 2017


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     2  

ARTICLE II THE SEPARATION

     13  

2.1

  Transfer of Assets and Assumption of Liabilities      13  

2.2

  SpinCo Assets; Parent Assets      15  

2.3

  SpinCo Liabilities; Parent Liabilities      17  

2.4

  Approvals and Notifications      18  

2.5

  Novation of Liabilities      21  

2.6

  Release of Guarantees      22  

2.7

  Termination of Agreements      23  

2.8

  Treatment of Shared Contracts      24  

2.9

  Bank Accounts; Cash Balances      25  

2.10

  Ancillary Agreements      26  

2.11

  Disclaimer of Representations and Warranties      26  

2.12

  SpinCo Financing Arrangements; Cash Transfer      27  

2.13

  Financial Information Certifications      27  

ARTICLE III THE DISTRIBUTION

     28  

3.1

  Sole and Absolute Discretion; Cooperation      28  

3.2

  Actions Prior to the Distribution      28  

3.3

  Conditions to the Distribution      29  

3.4

  The Distribution      31  

ARTICLE IV MUTUAL RELEASES; INDEMNIFICATION

     32  

4.1

  Release of Pre-Distribution Claims      32  

4.2

  Indemnification by SpinCo      34  

4.3

  Indemnification by Parent      35  

4.4

  Indemnification Obligations Net of Insurance Proceeds and Other Amounts      36  

4.5

  Procedures for Indemnification of Third-Party Claims      36  

4.6

  Additional Matters      39  

4.7

  Right of Contribution      40  

4.8

  Covenant Not to Sue      40  

4.9

  Remedies Cumulative      41  

4.10

  Survival of Indemnities      41  

ARTICLE V CERTAIN OTHER MATTERS

     41  

5.1

  Insurance Matters      41  

5.2

  Late Payments      43  

5.3

  Treatment of Payments for Tax Purposes      43  

5.4

  Inducement      44  

5.5

  Post-Effective Time Conduct      44  

 

-i-


ARTICLE VI EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY

     44  

6.1

  Agreement for Exchange of Information      44  

6.2

  Ownership of Information      45  

6.3

  Compensation for Providing Information      45  

6.4

  Record Retention      45  

6.5

  Limitations of Liability      45  

6.6

  Other Agreements Providing for Exchange of Information      46  

6.7

  Production of Witnesses; Records; Cooperation      46  

6.8

  Privileged Matters      47  

6.9

  Confidentiality      49  

6.10

  Protective Arrangements      50  

ARTICLE VII DISPUTE RESOLUTION

     51  

7.1

  Good Faith Officer Negotiation      51  

7.2

  CEO Negotiation      51  

7.3

  Arbitration      51  

7.4

  Litigation and Unilateral Commencement of Arbitration      52  

7.5

  Conduct During Dispute Resolution Process      53  

ARTICLE VIII FURTHER ASSURANCES AND ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

     53  

8.1

  Further Assurances      53  

ARTICLE IX TERMINATION

     54  

9.1

  Termination      54  

9.2

  Effect of Termination      54  

ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS

     54  

10.1

  Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power      54  

10.2

  Governing Law      55  

10.3

  Assignability      55  

10.4

  Third-Party Beneficiaries      56  

10.5

  Notices      56  

10.6

  Severability      58  

10.7

  Force Majeure      58  

10.8

  No Set-Off      58  

10.9

  Expenses      58  

10.10

  Headings      58  

10.11

  Survival of Covenants      58  

10.12

  Waivers of Default      59  

10.13

  Specific Performance      59  

10.14

  Amendments      59  

10.15

  Interpretation      59  

10.16

  Limitations of Liability      60  

10.17

  Performance      60  

10.18

  Mutual Drafting      60  

 

-ii-


SCHEDULES

 

Schedule 1.2

  

Parent Software

Schedule 1.3

  

Parent Technology

Schedule 1.4

  

SpinCo Discontinued or Divested Businesses

Schedule 1.5

  

SpinCo Contracts

Schedule 1.6

  

SpinCo Intellectual Property

Schedule 1.7

  

SpinCo Software

Schedule 1.8

  

SpinCo Technology

Schedule 1.9

  

Transferred Entities

Schedule 2.1(a)

  

Plan of Reorganization

Schedule 2.2(a)(x)

  

SpinCo Assets

Schedule 2.2(b)(iii)

  

Parent Intellectual Property

Schedule 2.2(b)(vi)

  

Parent Assets

Schedule 2.3(a)

  

SpinCo Liabilities

Schedule 2.3(b)

  

Parent Liabilities

Schedule 2.5(a)

  

Novation of SpinCo Liabilities

Schedule 2.7(b)(ii)

  

Intercompany Agreements

Schedule 2.12

  

SpinCo Financing Arrangements

Schedule 4.3(e)

  

Specified Parent Information

Schedule 5.1(b)

  

Insurance Access Limitations

Schedule 10.9

  

Allocation of Certain Costs and Expenses

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A   

Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Cars.com Inc.

Exhibit B    Amended and Restated Bylaws of Cars.com Inc.

 

-iii-


SEPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

This SEPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT, dated as of May 31, 2017 (this “ Agreement ”), is by and between TEGNA Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ Parent ”), and Cars.com Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ SpinCo ”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings assigned to them in Article I .

R E C I T A L S

WHEREAS, the board of directors of Parent (the “ Parent Board ”) has determined that it is in the best interests of Parent and its stockholders to create a new publicly traded company that shall operate the SpinCo Business;

WHEREAS, in furtherance of the foregoing, the Parent Board has determined that it is appropriate and desirable to separate the SpinCo Business from the Parent Business (the “ Separation ”) and, following the Separation, make a distribution, on a pro rata basis, to holders of Parent Shares on the Record Date of all of the outstanding SpinCo Shares owned by Parent (the “ Distribution ”);

WHEREAS, SpinCo has been incorporated solely for these purposes and has not engaged in activities except in connection with the Separation and the Distribution;

WHEREAS, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the contribution by Parent of the SpinCo Assets and the SpinCo Liabilities to SpinCo in exchange for the Cash Transfer and the actual or deemed issuance of additional SpinCo Shares (the “ Contribution ”) and the Distribution, taken together, are intended to qualify as a transaction that is tax-free under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code (the “ Intended Tax Treatment ”);

WHEREAS, Parent has received a private letter ruling from the IRS in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “ IRS Ruling ”);

WHEREAS, Parent expects to receive an opinion of outside legal counsel regarding the qualification of the Contribution and the Distribution, taken together, as a transaction described in Sections 355(a) and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code;

WHEREAS, SpinCo and Parent have prepared, and SpinCo has filed with the SEC, the Form 10, which includes the Information Statement, and which sets forth disclosure concerning SpinCo, the Separation and the Distribution;

WHEREAS, each of Parent and SpinCo has determined that it is appropriate and desirable to set forth the principal corporate transactions required to effect the Separation and the Distribution and certain other agreements that will govern certain matters relating to the Separation and the Distribution and the relationship of Parent, SpinCo and the members of their respective Groups following the Distribution; and

WHEREAS, the Parties acknowledge that this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements represent the integrated agreement of Parent and SpinCo relating to the Separation and Distribution, are being entered into together, and would not have been entered into independently.


NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, provisions and covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

Action ” shall mean any demand, action, claim, dispute, suit, countersuit, arbitration, inquiry, subpoena, proceeding or investigation of any nature (whether criminal, civil, legislative, administrative, regulatory, prosecutorial or otherwise) by or before any federal, state, local, foreign or international Governmental Authority or any arbitration or mediation tribunal.

Affiliate ” shall mean, when used with respect to a specified Person, a Person that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such specified Person. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” (including, with correlative meanings, “ controlled by ” and “ under common control with ”), when used with respect to any specified Person shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or other interests, by contract, agreement, obligation, indenture, instrument, lease, promise, arrangement, release, warranty, commitment, undertaking or otherwise. It is expressly agreed that, prior to, at and after the Effective Time, for purposes of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, (a) no member of the SpinCo Group shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of any member of the Parent Group and (b) no member of the Parent Group shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of any member of the SpinCo Group.

Agent ” shall mean the trust company or bank duly appointed by Parent to act as distribution agent, transfer agent and registrar for the SpinCo Shares in connection with the Distribution.

Agreement ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Ancillary Agreements ” shall mean all agreements (other than this Agreement) entered into by the Parties or the members of their respective Groups (but as to which no Third Party is a party) in connection with the Separation, the Distribution, or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the Transition Services Agreement, the Tax Matters Agreement, the Employee Matters Agreement and the Transfer Documents.

Approvals or Notifications ” shall mean any consents, waivers, approvals, permits or authorizations to be obtained from, notices, registrations or reports to be submitted to, or other filings to be made with, any third Person, including any Governmental Authority.

 

-2-


Arbitration Request ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.3(a) .

Assets ” shall mean, with respect to any Person, the assets, properties, claims and rights (including goodwill) of such Person, wherever located (including in the possession of vendors or other third Persons or elsewhere), of every kind, character and description, whether real, personal or mixed, tangible, intangible or contingent, in each case whether or not recorded or reflected or required to be recorded or reflected on the books and records or financial statements of such Person, including rights and benefits pursuant to any contract, license, permit, indenture, note, bond, mortgage, agreement, concession, franchise, instrument, undertaking, commitment, understanding or other arrangement.

Cash Transfer ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.12(a) .

CEO Negotiation Request ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  7.2 .

Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Contribution ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

CPR ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.3(a) .

Delayed Parent Asset ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(h) .

Delayed Parent Liability ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(h) .

Delayed SpinCo Asset ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(c) .

Delayed SpinCo Liability ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(c) .

Disclosure Document ” shall mean any registration statement (including the Form 10) filed with the SEC by or on behalf of any Party or any member of its Group, and also includes any information statement (including the Information Statement), prospectus, offering memorandum, offering circular, periodic report or similar disclosure document, whether or not filed with the SEC or any other Governmental Authority, in each case that describes the Separation or the Distribution or the SpinCo Group or primarily relates to the transactions contemplated hereby.

Dispute ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  7.1 .

Distribution ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Distribution Date ” shall mean the date of the consummation of the Distribution, which shall be determined by the Parent Board in its sole and absolute discretion.

Distribution Ratio ” shall mean a number equal to one-third (1/3).

Effective Time ” shall mean 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on the Distribution Date.

 

-3-


e-mail ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  10.5 .

Employee Matters Agreement ” shall mean the Employee Matters Agreement to be entered into by and between Parent and SpinCo or the members of their respective Groups in connection with the Separation, the Distribution or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as it may be amended from time to time.

Environmental Law ” shall mean any Law relating to pollution, protection or restoration of or prevention of harm to the environment or natural resources, including the use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal, Release or discharge of Hazardous Materials or the protection of or prevention of harm to human health and safety.

Environmental Liabilities ” shall mean all Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from any Hazardous Materials, Environmental Law or contract or agreement relating to environmental, health or safety matters (including all removal, remediation or cleanup costs, investigatory costs, response costs, natural resources damages, property damages, personal injury damages, costs of compliance with any product take back requirements or with any settlement, judgment or other determination of Liability and indemnity, contribution or similar obligations) and all costs and expenses, interest, fines, penalties or other monetary sanctions in connection therewith.

Exchange Act ” shall mean the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Force Majeure ” shall mean, with respect to a Party, an event beyond the reasonable control of such Party (or any Person acting on its behalf), which event (a) does not arise or result from the fault or negligence of such Party (or any Person acting on its behalf) and (b) by its nature would not reasonably have been foreseen by such Party (or such Person), or, if it would reasonably have been foreseen, was unavoidable, and includes acts of God, acts of civil or military authority, embargoes, epidemics, war, riots, insurrections, fires, explosions, earthquakes, floods, unusually severe weather conditions, labor problems or unavailability of parts, or, in the case of computer systems, any significant and prolonged failure in electrical or air conditioning equipment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the receipt by a Party of an unsolicited takeover offer or other acquisition proposal, even if unforeseen or unavoidable, and such Party’s response thereto shall not be deemed an event of Force Majeure .

Form 10 ” shall mean the registration statement on Form 10 filed by SpinCo with the SEC to effect the registration of SpinCo Shares pursuant to the Exchange Act in connection with the Distribution, as such registration statement may be amended or supplemented from time to time prior to the Distribution.

Governmental Approvals ” shall mean any Approvals or Notifications to be made to, or obtained from, any Governmental Authority.

Governmental Authority ” shall mean any nation or government, any state, municipality or other political subdivision thereof, and any entity, body, agency, commission, department, board, bureau, court, tribunal or other instrumentality, whether federal, state, local, domestic, foreign or multinational, exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory, administrative or other similar functions of, or pertaining to, a government and any executive official thereof.

 

-4-


Group ” shall mean either the SpinCo Group or the Parent Group, as the context requires.

Hazardous Materials ” shall mean any chemical, material, substance, waste, pollutant, emission, discharge, release or contaminant that could result in Liability under, or that is prohibited, limited or regulated by or pursuant to, any Environmental Law, and any natural or artificial substance (whether solid, liquid or gas, noise, ion, vapor or electromagnetic) that could cause harm to human health or the environment, including petroleum, petroleum products and byproducts, asbestos and asbestos-containing materials, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, electronic, medical or infectious wastes, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, radioactive substances, chlorofluorocarbons and all other ozone-depleting substances.

Indemnifying Party ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(a) .

Indemnitee ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(a) .

Indemnity Payment ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(a) .

Information ” shall mean information, whether or not patentable or copyrightable, in written, oral, electronic or other tangible or intangible forms, stored in any medium, including studies, reports, records, books, contracts, instruments, surveys, discoveries, ideas, concepts, know-how, techniques, designs, specifications, drawings, blueprints, diagrams, models, prototypes, samples, flow charts, data, computer data, disks, diskettes, tapes, computer programs or other software, marketing plans, customer names, communications by or to attorneys (including attorney-client privileged communications), memos and other materials prepared by attorneys or under their direction (including attorney work product), and other technical, financial, employee or business information or data; provided that “Information” shall not include Registrable IP.

Information Statement ” shall mean the information statement to be made available to the holders of Parent Shares in connection with the Distribution, as such information statement may be amended or supplemented from time to time prior to the Distribution.

Insurance Proceeds ” shall mean those monies:

(a) received by an insured from an insurance carrier; or

(b) paid by an insurance carrier on behalf of the insured;

in any such case net of any applicable premium adjustments (including reserves and retrospectively rated premium adjustments) and net of any costs or expenses incurred in the collection thereof; provided , however , that with respect to a captive insurance arrangement, Insurance Proceeds shall only include amounts received by the captive insurer in respect of any reinsurance arrangement.

 

-5-


Intellectual Property ” shall mean all of the following whether arising under the Laws of the United States or of any foreign or multinational jurisdiction: (a) patents, patent applications (including patents issued thereon) and statutory invention registrations, including reissues, divisions, continuations, continuations in part, substitutions, renewals, extensions and reexaminations of any of the foregoing, and all rights in any of the foregoing provided by international treaties or conventions, (b) trademarks, service marks, trade names, service names, trade dress, logos and other source or business identifiers, including all goodwill associated with any of the foregoing, and any and all common law rights in and to any of the foregoing, registrations and applications for registration of any of the foregoing, all rights in and to any of the foregoing provided by international treaties or conventions, and all reissues, extensions and renewals of any of the foregoing, (c) Internet domain names, accounts or “handles” with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and similar social media platforms, registrations and related rights, (d) copyrightable works, copyrights, moral rights, mask work rights, database rights and design rights, whether or not registered, and all registrations and applications for registration of any of the foregoing, and all rights in and to any of the foregoing provided by international treaties or conventions, (e) confidential and proprietary information, including trade secrets, invention disclosures, processes and know-how, and (f) any other intellectual property rights, in each case other than Software.

Intended Tax Treatment ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

IRS ” shall mean the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

IRS Ruling ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Law ” shall mean any national, supranational, federal, state, provincial, local or similar law (including common law), statute, code, order, ordinance, rule, regulation, treaty (including any income tax treaty), license, permit, authorization, approval, consent, decree, injunction, binding judicial or administrative interpretation or other requirement, in each case, enacted, promulgated, issued or entered by a Governmental Authority.

Liabilities ” shall mean all debts, guarantees, assurances, commitments, liabilities, responsibilities, Losses, remediation, deficiencies, damages, fines, penalties, settlements, sanctions, costs, expenses, interest and obligations of any nature or kind, whether accrued or fixed, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, accrued or not accrued, asserted or unasserted, liquidated or unliquidated, foreseen or unforeseen, known or unknown, reserved or unreserved, or determined or determinable, including those arising under any Law, claim (including any Third-Party Claim), demand, Action, or order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, stipulation, determination or award entered by or with any Governmental Authority or arbitration tribunal, and those arising under any contract, agreement, obligation, indenture, instrument, lease, promise, arrangement, release, warranty, commitment or undertaking, or any fines, damages or equitable relief that is imposed, in each case, including all costs and expenses relating thereto.

Linked ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.9(a) .

 

-6-


Losses ” shall mean actual losses (including any diminution in value), costs, damages, penalties and expenses (including legal and accounting fees and expenses and costs of investigation and litigation), whether or not involving a Third-Party Claim.

NYSE ” means the New York Stock Exchange .

Officer Negotiation Request ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  7.1 .

Parent ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Parent Accounts ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.9(a) .

Parent Assets ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(b) .

Parent Board ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Parent Business ” shall mean all businesses, operations and activities (whether or not such businesses, operations or activities are or have been terminated, divested or discontinued) conducted at any time prior to the Effective Time by either Party or any member of its Group, other than the SpinCo Business.

Parent Group ” shall mean Parent and each Person that is a Subsidiary of Parent (other than SpinCo and any other member of the SpinCo Group).

Parent Indemnitees ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  4.2 .

Parent Liabilities ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(b) .

Parent Shares ” shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of Parent.

Parent Software ” shall mean all Software, other than SpinCo Software, owned or licensed by either Party or any member of its Group as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, and shall include the Software set forth on Schedule 1.2 .

Parent Technology ” shall mean all Technology, other than SpinCo Technology, owned or licensed by either Party or any member of its Group as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, and shall include the Technology set forth on Schedule 1.3 .

Parties ” shall mean the parties to this Agreement.

Permits ” shall mean permits, approvals, authorizations, consents, licenses or certificates issued by any Governmental Authority.

Person ” shall mean an individual, a general or limited partnership, a corporation, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization, a limited liability entity, any other entity and any Governmental Authority.

Plan of Reorganization ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a) .

 

-7-


Policies ” shall mean insurance policies and insurance contracts of any kind, including but not limited to property, excess and umbrella, commercial general liability, director and officer liability, fiduciary liability, cyber technology, professional liability, libel liability, employment practices liability, automobile, aircraft, marine, workers’ compensation and employers’ liability, employee dishonesty/crime/fidelity, foreign, bonds and self-insurance and captive insurance company arrangements, together with the rights, benefits, privileges and obligations thereunder.

Prime Rate ” shall mean the rate that Bloomberg displays as “Prime Rate by Country United States” or “Prime Rate By Country US-BB Comp” at  http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/PRIME:IND or on a Bloomberg terminal at PRIMBB Index.

Privileged Information ” shall mean any information, in written, oral, electronic or other tangible or intangible forms, including without limitation any communications by or to attorneys (including attorney-client privileged communications), memoranda and other materials protected by the work product doctrine, as to which a Party or any member of its Group would be entitled to assert or have asserted a privilege or other protection, including the attorney-client and work product privileges.

Record Date ” shall mean the close of business on the date to be determined by the Parent Board as the record date for determining holders of Parent Shares entitled to receive SpinCo Shares pursuant to the Distribution.

Record Holders ” shall mean the holders of record of Parent Shares as of the Record Date.

Registrable IP ” shall mean all patents, patent applications, statutory invention registrations, registered trademarks, registered service marks, registered Internet domain names and copyright registrations.

Release ” shall mean any release, spill, emission, discharge, leaking, pumping, pouring, dumping, injection, deposit, disposal, dispersal, leaching or migration of Hazardous Materials into the environment (including, ambient air, surface water, groundwater and surface or subsurface strata).

Representatives ” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any of such Person’s directors, officers, employees, agents, consultants, advisors, accountants, attorneys or other representatives.

SEC ” shall mean the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Security Interest ” shall mean any mortgage, security interest, pledge, lien, charge, claim, option, right to acquire, voting or other restriction, right-of-way, covenant, condition, easement, encroachment, restriction on transfer, or other encumbrance of any nature whatsoever.

Separation ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

 

-8-


Shared Contract ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.8(a) .

Software ” shall mean any and all (a) computer programs, including any and all software implementation of algorithms, models and methodologies, whether in source code, object code, human readable form or other form, (b) databases and compilations, including any and all data and collections of data, whether machine readable or otherwise, (c) descriptions, flow charts and other work products used to design, plan, organize and develop any of the foregoing, (d) screens, user interfaces, report formats, firmware, development tools, templates, menus, buttons and icons and (e) documentation, including user manuals and other training documentation, relating to any of the foregoing.

SpinCo ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

SpinCo Accounts ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.9(a) .

SpinCo Assets ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a) .

SpinCo Balance Sheet ” shall mean the pro forma combined balance sheet of the SpinCo Business, including any notes and subledgers thereto, as of December 31, 2016, as presented in the Information Statement made available to the Record Holders.

SpinCo Business ” shall mean (a) the business, operations and activities of the “Cars.com” business unit (including the “DealerRater” business) of Parent conducted at any time prior to the Effective Time by either Party or any of their current or former Subsidiaries and (b) any terminated, divested or discontinued businesses, operations and activities that, at the time of termination, divestiture or discontinuation, primarily related to the business, operations or activities described in clause (a) as then conducted, including those set forth on Schedule 1.4 , excluding, in the case of each of clause (a) and (b), the business, operations and activities primarily related to the Parent Assets.

SpinCo Bylaws ” shall mean the Amended and Restated Bylaws of SpinCo, substantially in the form of Exhibit B .

SpinCo Certificate of Incorporation ” shall mean the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of SpinCo, substantially in the form of Exhibit A .

SpinCo Contracts ” shall mean the following contracts and agreements to which either Party or any member of its Group is a party or by which it or any member of its Group or any of their respective Assets is bound, whether or not in writing; provided that SpinCo Contracts shall not include (x) any contract or agreement that is contemplated to be retained by Parent or any member of the Parent Group from and after the Effective Time pursuant to any provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement or (y) any contract or agreement that would constitute SpinCo Software or SpinCo Technology:

(a) (i) any customer, distribution, supply or vendor contract or agreement with a Third Party entered into prior to the Effective Time exclusively related to the SpinCo Business and (ii) with respect to any customer, distribution, supply or vendor contract or agreement with a Third Party entered into prior to the Effective Time that relates to the SpinCo Business but is not exclusively related to the SpinCo Business, that portion of any such customer, distribution, supply or vendor contract or agreement that relates to the SpinCo Business;

 

-9-


(b) (i) any license agreement entered into prior to the Effective Time exclusively related to the SpinCo Business and (ii) with respect to any license agreement entered into prior to the Effective Time that relates to the SpinCo Business but is not exclusively related to the SpinCo Business, that portion of any such license agreement that relates to the SpinCo Business;

(c) any guarantee, indemnity, representation, covenant, warranty or other Liability of either Party or any member of its Group in respect of any other SpinCo Contract, any SpinCo Liability or the SpinCo Business;

(d) any contract or agreement that is expressly contemplated pursuant to this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements to be assigned to SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group;

(e) any interest rate, currency, commodity or other swap, collar, cap or other hedging or similar agreements or arrangements exclusively related to the SpinCo Business;

(f) any credit or other financing agreement entered into by SpinCo and/or any member of the SpinCo Group in connection with the Separation, including any SpinCo Financing Arrangements;

(g) any contract or agreement entered into in the name of, or expressly on behalf of, any division, business unit or member of the SpinCo Group;

(h) any other contract or agreement exclusively related to the SpinCo Business or SpinCo Assets; and

(i) any contracts, agreements or settlements set forth on Schedule 1.5 , including the right to recover any amounts under such contracts, agreements or settlements.

SpinCo Designees ” shall mean any and all entities (including corporations, general or limited partnerships, trusts, joint ventures, unincorporated organizations, limited liability entities or other entities) designated by Parent that will be members of the SpinCo Group as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

SpinCo Financing Arrangements ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.12(a) .

SpinCo Group ” shall mean (a) prior to the Effective Time, SpinCo and each Person that will be a Subsidiary of SpinCo as of immediately after the Effective Time, including the Transferred Entities, even if, prior to the Effective Time, such Person is not a Subsidiary of SpinCo; and (b) on and after the Effective Time, SpinCo and each Person that is a Subsidiary of SpinCo.

 

-10-


SpinCo Indemnitees ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  4.3 .

SpinCo Intellectual Property ” shall mean all Intellectual Property owned by, licensed by or to, or sublicensed by or to either Party or any member of its Group as of the Effective Time exclusively used or exclusively held for use in the SpinCo Business, and all Intellectual Property set forth on Schedule 1.6 .

SpinCo IP/IT ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a)(vi) .

SpinCo Liabilities ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a) .

SpinCo Permits ” shall mean all Permits owned or licensed by either Party or any member of its Group exclusively used or exclusively held for use in the SpinCo Business as of the Effective Time.

SpinCo Shares ” shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of SpinCo.

SpinCo Software ” shall mean all Software owned or licensed by either Party or member of its Group exclusively used or exclusively held for use in the SpinCo Business as of the Effective Time, including Software set forth on Schedule 1.7 , but excluding Software set forth on Schedule 1.2 .

SpinCo Technology ” shall mean all Technology owned or licensed by either Party or any member of its Group exclusively used or exclusively held for use in the SpinCo Business as of the Effective Time, including Technology set forth on Schedule 1.8 , but excluding Technology set forth on Schedule 1.3 .

Straddle Period ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  2.13 .

Subsidiary ” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company, joint venture or partnership of which such Person (a) beneficially owns, either directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of (i) the total combined voting power of all classes of voting securities, (ii) the total combined equity interests or (iii) the capital or profit interests, in the case of a partnership, or (b) otherwise has the power to vote, either directly or indirectly, sufficient securities to elect a majority of the board of directors or similar governing body.

Tangible Information ” shall mean information that is contained in written, electronic or other tangible forms.

Tax ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Tax Matters Agreement.

Tax Matters Agreement ” shall mean the Tax Matters Agreement to be entered into by and between Parent and SpinCo or any members of their respective Groups in connection with the Separation, the Distribution or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as it may be amended from time to time.

 

-11-


Tax Return ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Tax Matters Agreement.

Technology ” shall mean all technology, hardware, computers, servers, workstations, routers, hubs, switches, data communication lines, network and telecommunications equipment, Internet-related information technology infrastructure, and other information technology equipment, in each case, other than Software.

TEGNA Name and TEGNA Marks ” shall mean the names, marks, trade dress, logos, monograms, domain names, accounts or “handles” with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other similar social media platforms, and other source or business identifiers of either Party or any member of its Group using or containing “TEGNA”, either alone or in combination with other words or elements, and all names, marks, trade dress, logos, monograms, domain names and other source or business identifiers confusingly similar to or embodying any of the foregoing either alone or in combination with other words or elements, together with the goodwill associated with any of the foregoing.

Third Party ” shall mean any Person other than the Parties or any members of their respective Groups.

Third-Party Claim ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.5(a) .

Transfer Documents ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b) .

Transferred Entities ” shall mean the entities set forth on Schedule 1.9 .

Transition Services Agreement ” shall mean the Transition Services Agreement to be entered into by and between Parent and SpinCo or any members of their respective Groups in connection with the Separation, the Distribution or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as it may be amended from time to time.

Unreleased Parent Liability ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(b)(ii) .

Unreleased SpinCo Liability ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(a)(ii) .

 

-12-


ARTICLE II

THE SEPARATION

2.1 Transfer of Assets and Assumption of Liabilities .

(a) On or prior to the Effective Time, but in any case prior to the Distribution, in accordance with the plan and structure set forth on Schedule 2.1(a) (the “ Plan of Reorganization ”):

(i) Transfer and Assignment of SpinCo Assets . Parent shall, and shall cause the applicable members of its Group to, contribute, assign, transfer, convey and deliver to SpinCo, or the applicable SpinCo Designees, and SpinCo or such SpinCo Designees shall accept from Parent and the applicable members of the Parent Group, all of Parent’s and such Parent Group member’s respective direct or indirect right, title and interest in and to all of the SpinCo Assets (it being understood that if any SpinCo Asset shall be held by a Transferred Entity or a wholly owned Subsidiary of a Transferred Entity, such SpinCo Asset shall be deemed assigned, transferred, conveyed and delivered to SpinCo as a result of the transfer of all of the equity interests in such Transferred Entity from Parent or the applicable members of the Parent Group to SpinCo or the applicable SpinCo Designee);

(ii) Acceptance and Assumption of SpinCo Liabilities . SpinCo and the applicable SpinCo Designees shall accept, assume and agree faithfully to perform, discharge and fulfill all of the SpinCo Liabilities in accordance with their respective terms. SpinCo and such SpinCo Designees shall be responsible for all SpinCo Liabilities, regardless of when or where such SpinCo Liabilities arose or arise, or whether the facts on which they are based occurred prior to or subsequent to the Effective Time, regardless of where or against whom such SpinCo Liabilities are asserted or determined (including any SpinCo Liabilities arising out of claims made by Parent’s or SpinCo’s respective directors, officers, employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates against any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group) or whether asserted or determined prior to the date hereof, and regardless of whether arising from or alleged to arise from negligence, recklessness, violation of Law, fraud or misrepresentation by any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates;

(iii) Transfer and Assignment of Parent Assets . Parent and SpinCo shall cause SpinCo and the SpinCo Designees to contribute, assign, transfer, convey and deliver to Parent or certain members of the Parent Group designated by Parent, and Parent or such other members of the Parent Group shall accept from SpinCo and the SpinCo Designees, all of SpinCo’s and such SpinCo Designees’ respective direct or indirect right, title and interest in and to all Parent Assets held by SpinCo or a SpinCo Designee; and

(iv) Acceptance and Assumption of Parent Liabilities . Parent and certain members of the Parent Group designated by Parent shall accept and assume and agree faithfully to perform, discharge and fulfill all of the Parent Liabilities held by SpinCo or any SpinCo Designee and Parent and the applicable members of the Parent Group shall be responsible for all Parent Liabilities in accordance with their respective terms, regardless of when or where such Parent Liabilities arose or arise, or whether the facts on which they are based occurred prior to or subsequent to the Effective Time, regardless of where or against whom such Parent Liabilities are asserted or determined (including any such Parent Liabilities arising out of claims made by Parent’s or SpinCo’s respective directors, officers, employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates against any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group) or whether asserted or determined prior to the date hereof, and regardless of whether arising from or alleged to arise from negligence, recklessness, violation of Law, fraud or misrepresentation by any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates.

 

-13-


(b) Transfer Documents . In furtherance of the contribution, assignment, transfer, conveyance and delivery of the Assets and the assumption of the Liabilities in accordance with Section 2.1(a) , (i) each Party shall execute and deliver, and shall cause the applicable members of its Group to execute and deliver, to the other Party, such bills of sale, quitclaim deeds, stock powers, certificates of title, assignments of contracts and other instruments of transfer, conveyance and assignment as and to the extent necessary to evidence the transfer, conveyance and assignment of all of such Party’s and the applicable members of its Group’s right, title and interest in and to such Assets to the other Party and the applicable members of its Group in accordance with Section 2.1(a) , and (ii) each Party shall execute and deliver, and shall cause the applicable members of its Group to execute and deliver, to the other Party, such assumptions of contracts and other instruments of assumption as and to the extent necessary to evidence the valid and effective assumption of the Liabilities by such Party and the applicable members of its Group in accordance with Section 2.1(a) . All of the foregoing documents contemplated by this Section 2.1(b) shall be referred to collectively herein as the “ Transfer Documents .”

(c) Misallocations . In the event that at any time or from time to time (whether prior to, at or after the Effective Time), one Party (or any member of such Party’s Group) shall receive or otherwise possess any Asset that is allocated to the other Party (or any member of such Party’s Group) pursuant to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, such Party shall promptly transfer, or cause to be transferred, such Asset to the Party so entitled thereto (or to any member of such Party’s Group), and such Party (or member of such Party’s Group) shall accept such Asset. Prior to any such transfer, the Person receiving or possessing such Asset shall hold such Asset in trust for such other Person. In the event that at any time or from time to time (whether prior to, at or after the Effective Time), one Party hereto (or any member of such Party’s Group) shall receive or otherwise assume any Liability that is allocated to the other Party (or any member of such Party’s Group) pursuant to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, such Party shall promptly transfer, or cause to be transferred, such Liability to the Party responsible therefor (or to any member of such Party’s Group), and such Party (or member of such Party’s Group) shall accept, assume and agree to faithfully perform such Liability.

(d) Waiver of Bulk-Sale and Bulk-Transfer Laws . SpinCo hereby waives compliance by each and every member of the Parent Group with the requirements and provisions of any “bulk-sale” or “bulk-transfer” Laws of any jurisdiction that may otherwise be applicable with respect to the transfer or sale of any or all of the SpinCo Assets to any member of the SpinCo Group. Parent hereby waives compliance by each and every member of the SpinCo Group with the requirements and provisions of any “bulk-sale” or “bulk-transfer” Laws of any jurisdiction that may otherwise be applicable with respect to the transfer or sale of any or all of the Parent Assets to any member of the Parent Group.

 

-14-


2.2 SpinCo Assets; Parent Assets .

(a) SpinCo Assets . For purposes of this Agreement, “ SpinCo Assets ” shall mean:

(i) all issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity interests of the Transferred Entities that are owned by either Party or any members of its Group as of the Effective Time;

(ii) all Assets of either Party or any members of its Group included or reflected as assets of the SpinCo Group on the SpinCo Balance Sheet, subject to any dispositions of such Assets subsequent to the date of the SpinCo Balance Sheet; provided that the amounts set forth on the SpinCo Balance Sheet with respect to any Assets shall not be treated as minimum or maximum amounts of such Assets that are included in the definition of SpinCo Assets pursuant to this clause (ii);

(iii) all Assets of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time that are of a nature or type that would have resulted in such Assets being included as Assets of SpinCo or members of the SpinCo Group on a pro forma combined balance sheet of the SpinCo Group or any notes or subledgers thereto as of the Effective Time (were such balance sheet, notes and subledgers to be prepared on a basis consistent with the determination of the Assets included on the SpinCo Balance Sheet), it being understood that (x) the SpinCo Balance Sheet shall be used to determine the types of, and methodologies used to determine, those Assets that are included in the definition of SpinCo Assets pursuant to this clause (iii); and (y) the amounts set forth on the SpinCo Balance Sheet with respect to any Assets shall not be treated as minimum amounts or limitations on the amount of such Assets that are included in the definition of SpinCo Assets pursuant to this clause (iii);

(iv) all Assets of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time that are expressly provided by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement as Assets to be transferred to SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group;

(v) all SpinCo Contracts as of the Effective Time and all rights, interests or claims of either Party or any of the members of its Group thereunder as of the Effective Time;

(vi) all SpinCo Intellectual Property, SpinCo Software and SpinCo Technology as of the Effective Time and all rights, interests or claims of either Party or any of the members of its Group thereunder as of the Effective Time (collectively, the “ SpinCo IP/IT ”);

(vii) all SpinCo Permits as of the Effective Time and all rights, interests or claims of either Party or any of the members of its Group thereunder as of the Effective Time;

 

-15-


(viii) all Assets of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time that are exclusively related to the SpinCo Business to the extent not already included in subsections (i)-(vii) and (ix)-(x) of this subsection;

(ix) all rights, interests and claims of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time with respect to Information that is exclusively related to the SpinCo Assets, the SpinCo Liabilities, the SpinCo Business or the Transferred Entities and, subject to the provisions of the applicable Ancillary Agreements, a non-exclusive right to all Information that is related to, but not exclusively related to, the SpinCo Assets, the SpinCo Liabilities, the SpinCo Business or the Transferred Entities; and

(x) any and all Assets set forth on Schedule 2.2(a)(x) .

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the SpinCo Assets shall not in any event include any Asset referred to in clauses (i) through (vi) of Section 2.2(b) .

(b) Parent Assets . For the purposes of this Agreement, “ Parent Assets ” shall mean all Assets of either Party or the members of its Group as of the Effective Time, other than the SpinCo Assets, it being understood that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Parent Assets shall include:

(i) all Assets that are contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement (or the Schedules hereto or thereto) as Assets to be retained by Parent or any other member of the Parent Group;

(ii) all contracts and agreements of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time other than the SpinCo Contracts;

(iii) (x) the TEGNA Name and TEGNA Marks and the Intellectual Property set forth on Schedule 2.2(b)(iii) , and (y) all Intellectual Property, Software and Technology of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time other than, in the case of this clause (y), the SpinCo IP/IT;

(iv) all Permits of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time other than the SpinCo Permits;

(v) all cash and cash equivalents of either Party or any of the members of its Group as of the Effective Time other than any cash borrowed by SpinCo prior to the Effective Time that is not transferred, distributed or conveyed to Parent pursuant to the Cash Transfer and

(vi) any and all Assets set forth on Schedule 2.2(b)(vi) .

 

-16-


2.3 SpinCo Liabilities; Parent Liabilities .

(a) SpinCo Liabilities . For the purposes of this Agreement, “ SpinCo Liabilities ” shall mean the following Liabilities of either Party or any of the members of its Group:

(i) all Liabilities included or reflected as liabilities or obligations of SpinCo or the members of the SpinCo Group on the SpinCo Balance Sheet, subject to any discharge of such Liabilities subsequent to the date of the SpinCo Balance Sheet; provided that the amounts set forth on the SpinCo Balance Sheet with respect to any Liabilities shall not be treated as minimum amounts or limitations on the amount of such Liabilities that are included in the definition of SpinCo Liabilities pursuant to this clause (i);

(ii) all Liabilities as of the Effective Time that are of a nature or type that would have resulted in such Liabilities being included or reflected as liabilities or obligations of SpinCo or the members of the SpinCo Group on a pro forma combined balance sheet of the SpinCo Group or any notes or subledgers thereto as of the Effective Time (were such balance sheet, notes and subledgers to be prepared on a basis consistent with the determination of the Liabilities included on the SpinCo Balance Sheet ), it being understood that (x) the SpinCo Balance Sheet shall be used to determine the types of, and methodologies used to determine, those Liabilities that are included in the definition of SpinCo Liabilities pursuant to this clause (ii); and (y) the amounts set forth on the SpinCo Balance Sheet with respect to any Liabilities shall not be treated as minimum or maximum amounts of such Liabilities that are included in the definition of SpinCo Liabilities pursuant to this clause (ii);

(iii) all Liabilities, including any Environmental Liabilities, relating to, arising out of or resulting from the actions, inactions, events, omissions, conditions, facts or circumstances occurring or existing prior to the Effective Time (whether or not such Liabilities cease being contingent, mature, become known, are asserted or foreseen, or accrue, in each case before, at or after the Effective Time), in each case to the extent that such Liabilities relate to, arise out of or result from the SpinCo Business or a SpinCo Asset;

(iv) any and all Liabilities that are expressly provided by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement (or the Schedules hereto or thereto) as Liabilities to be assumed by SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group, and all agreements, obligations and Liabilities of any member of the SpinCo Group under this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements;

(v) all Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from the SpinCo Contracts, the SpinCo Intellectual Property, the SpinCo Software, the SpinCo Technology, the SpinCo Permits or the SpinCo Financing Arrangements;

(vi) any and all Liabilities set forth on Schedule 2.3(a) ; and

 

-17-


(vii) all Liabilities arising out of claims made by any Third Party (including Parent’s or SpinCo’s respective directors, officers, stockholders, employees and agents) against any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from the SpinCo Business or the SpinCo Assets or the other business, operations, activities or Liabilities referred to in clauses (i) through (vi) above;

provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Parties agree that the Liabilities set forth on Schedule 2.3(b) and any Liabilities of any member of the Parent Group pursuant to the Ancillary Agreements shall not be SpinCo Liabilities but instead shall be Parent Liabilities.

(b) Parent Liabilities . For the purposes of this Agreement, “ Parent Liabilities ” shall mean (i) all Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from actions, inactions, events, omissions, conditions, facts or circumstances occurring or existing prior to the Effective Time (whether or not such Liabilities cease being contingent, mature, become known, are asserted or foreseen, or accrue, in each case before, at or after the Effective Time) of any member of the Parent Group and, prior to the Effective Time, any member of the SpinCo Group, in each case that are not SpinCo Liabilities, including any and all Liabilities set forth on Schedule 2.3(b) ; and (ii) all Liabilities arising out of claims made by any Third Party (including Parent’s or SpinCo’s respective directors, officers, stockholders, employees and agents) against any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from the Parent Business or the Parent Assets.

2.4 Approvals and Notifications .

(a) Approvals and Notifications for SpinCo Assets . To the extent that the transfer or assignment of any SpinCo Asset, the assumption of any SpinCo Liability, the Separation, or the Distribution requires any Approvals or Notifications, the Parties shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to obtain or make such Approvals or Notifications as soon as reasonably practicable; provided , however , that, except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements or as otherwise agreed between Parent and SpinCo, neither Parent nor SpinCo shall be obligated to contribute capital or pay any consideration in any form (including providing any letter of credit, guaranty or other financial accommodation) to any Person in order to obtain or make such Approvals or Notifications.

(b) Delayed SpinCo Transfers . If and to the extent that the valid, complete and perfected transfer or assignment to the SpinCo Group of any SpinCo Asset or assumption by the SpinCo Group of any SpinCo Liability in connection with the Separation or the Distribution would be a violation of applicable Law or require any Approvals or Notifications that have not been obtained or made by the Effective Time then, unless the Parties mutually shall otherwise determine, the transfer or assignment to the SpinCo Group of such SpinCo Assets or the assumption by the SpinCo Group of such SpinCo Liabilities, as the case may be, shall be automatically deemed deferred and any such purported transfer, assignment or assumption shall be null and void until such time as all legal impediments are removed or such Approvals or Notifications have been obtained or made. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any such SpinCo Assets or SpinCo Liabilities shall continue to constitute SpinCo Assets and SpinCo Liabilities for all other purposes of this Agreement.

 

-18-


(c) Treatment of Delayed SpinCo Assets and Delayed SpinCo Liabilities . If any transfer or assignment of any SpinCo Asset (or a portion thereof) or any assumption of any SpinCo Liability (or a portion thereof) intended to be transferred, assigned or assumed hereunder, as the case may be, is not consummated on or prior to the Effective Time, whether as a result of the provisions of Section 2.4(b) or for any other reason (any such SpinCo Asset (or a portion thereof), a “ Delayed SpinCo Asset ” and any such SpinCo Liability (or a portion thereof), a “ Delayed SpinCo Liability ”), then, insofar as reasonably possible and subject to applicable Law, the member of the Parent Group retaining such Delayed SpinCo Asset or such Delayed SpinCo Liability, as the case may be, shall thereafter hold such Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability, as the case may be, for the use and benefit of the member of the SpinCo Group entitled thereto (at the expense of the member of the SpinCo Group entitled thereto). In addition, the member of the Parent Group retaining such Delayed SpinCo Asset or such Delayed SpinCo Liability shall, insofar as reasonably possible and to the extent permitted by applicable Law, treat such Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability in the ordinary course of business in accordance with past practice and take such other actions as may be reasonably requested by the member of the SpinCo Group to whom such Delayed SpinCo Asset is to be transferred or assigned, or which will assume such Delayed SpinCo Liability, as the case may be, in order to place such member of the SpinCo Group in a substantially similar position as if such Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability had been transferred, assigned or assumed as contemplated hereby and so that all the benefits and burdens relating to such Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability, as the case may be, including use, risk of loss, potential for gain, and dominion, control and command over such Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability, as the case may be, and all costs and expenses related thereto, shall inure from and after the Effective Time to the SpinCo Group.

(d) Transfer of Delayed SpinCo Assets and Delayed SpinCo Liabilities . If and when the Approvals or Notifications, the absence of which caused the deferral of transfer or assignment of any Delayed SpinCo Asset or the deferral of assumption of any Delayed SpinCo Liability pursuant to Section 2.4(b) , are obtained or made, and, if and when any other legal impediments to the transfer or assignment of any Delayed SpinCo Asset or the assumption of any Delayed SpinCo Liability have been removed, the transfer or assignment of the applicable Delayed SpinCo Asset or the assumption of the applicable Delayed SpinCo Liability, as the case may be, shall be effected in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and/or the applicable Ancillary Agreement.

(e) Costs for Delayed SpinCo Assets and Delayed SpinCo Liabilities . Any member of the Parent Group retaining a Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability due to the deferral of the transfer or assignment of such Delayed SpinCo Asset or the deferral of the assumption of such Delayed SpinCo Liability, as the case may be, shall not be obligated, in connection with the foregoing, to expend any money unless the necessary funds are advanced (or otherwise made available) by SpinCo or the member of the SpinCo Group entitled to the Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability, other than reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, attorneys’ fees and recording or similar fees, all of which shall be promptly reimbursed by SpinCo or the member of the SpinCo Group entitled to such Delayed SpinCo Asset or Delayed SpinCo Liability.

 

-19-


(f) Approvals and Notifications for Parent Assets . To the extent that the transfer or assignment of any Parent Asset, the assumption of any Parent Liability, the Separation or the Distribution requires any Approvals or Notifications, the Parties shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to obtain or make such Approvals or Notifications as soon as reasonably practicable; provided , however , that, except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements or as otherwise agreed between Parent and SpinCo, neither Parent nor SpinCo shall be obligated to contribute capital or pay any consideration in any form (including providing any letter of credit, guaranty or other financial accommodation) to any Person in order to obtain or make such Approvals or Notifications.

(g) Delayed Parent Transfers . If and to the extent that the valid, complete and perfected transfer or assignment to the Parent Group of any Parent Asset or assumption by the Parent Group of any Parent Liability in connection with the Separation or the Distribution would be a violation of applicable Law or require any Approvals or Notifications that have not been obtained or made by the Effective Time then, unless the Parties mutually shall otherwise determine, the transfer or assignment to the Parent Group of such Parent Assets or the assumption by the Parent Group of such Parent Liabilities, as the case may be, shall be automatically deemed deferred and any such purported transfer, assignment or assumption shall be null and void until such time as all legal impediments are removed or such Approvals or Notifications have been obtained or made. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any such Parent Assets or Parent Liabilities shall continue to constitute Parent Assets and Parent Liabilities for all other purposes of this Agreement.

(h) Treatment of Delayed Parent Assets and Delayed Parent Liabilities . If any transfer or assignment of any Parent Asset (or a portion thereof) or any assumption of any Parent Liability (or a portion thereof) intended to be transferred, assigned or assumed hereunder, as the case may be, is not consummated on or prior to the Effective Time whether as a result of the provisions of Section 2.4(g) or for any other reason (any such Parent Asset (or a portion thereof), a “ Delayed Parent Asset ” and any such Parent Liability (or a portion thereof), a “ Delayed Parent Liability ”), then, insofar as reasonably possible and subject to applicable Law, the member of the SpinCo Group retaining such Delayed Parent Asset or such Delayed Parent Liability, as the case may be, shall thereafter hold such Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability, as the case may be, for the use and benefit of the member of the Parent Group entitled thereto (at the expense of the member of the Parent Group entitled thereto). In addition, the member of the SpinCo Group retaining such Delayed Parent Asset or such Delayed Parent Liability shall, insofar as reasonably possible and to the extent permitted by applicable Law, treat such Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability in the ordinary course of business in accordance with past practice and take such other actions as may be reasonably requested by the member of the Parent Group to which such Delayed Parent Asset is to be transferred or assigned, or which will assume such Delayed Parent Liability, as the case may be, in order to place such member of the Parent Group in a substantially similar position as if such Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability had been transferred, assigned or assumed and so that all the benefits and burdens relating to such Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability, as the case may be, including use, risk of loss, potential for gain, and dominion, control and command over such Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability, as the case may be, and all costs and expenses related thereto, shall inure from and after the Effective Time to the Parent Group.

 

-20-


(i) Transfer of Delayed Parent Assets and Delayed Parent Liabilities . If and when the Approvals or Notifications, the absence of which caused the deferral of transfer or assignment of any Delayed Parent Asset or the deferral of assumption of any Delayed Parent Liability pursuant to Section 2.4(g) , are obtained or made, and, if and when any other legal impediments to the transfer or assignment of any Delayed Parent Asset or the assumption of any Delayed Parent Liability have been removed, the transfer or assignment of the applicable Delayed Parent Asset or the assumption of the applicable Delayed Parent Liability, as the case may be, shall be effected in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and/or the applicable Ancillary Agreement.

(j) Costs for Delayed Parent Assets and Delayed Parent Liabilities . Any member of the SpinCo Group retaining a Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability due to the deferral of the transfer or assignment of such Delayed Parent Asset or the deferral of the assumption of such Delayed Parent Liability, as the case may be, shall not be obligated, in connection with the foregoing, to expend any money unless the necessary funds are advanced (or otherwise made available) by Parent or the member of the Parent Group entitled to the Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability, other than reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, attorneys’ fees and recording or similar fees, all of which shall be promptly reimbursed by Parent or the member of the Parent Group entitled to such Delayed Parent Asset or Delayed Parent Liability.

2.5 Novation of Liabilities .

(a) Novation of SpinCo Liabilities.

(i) Except as set forth in Schedule 2.5(a) , each of Parent and SpinCo, at the request of the other, shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain, or to cause to be obtained, as soon as reasonably practicable, any consent, substitution, approval or amendment required to novate or assign all SpinCo Liabilities and obtain in writing the unconditional release of each member of the Parent Group that is a party to any such arrangements, so that, in any such case, the members of the SpinCo Group shall be solely responsible for such SpinCo Liabilities; provided , however , that, except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements, neither Parent nor SpinCo shall be obligated to contribute any capital or pay any consideration in any form (including providing any letter of credit, guaranty or other financial accommodation) to any third Person from whom any such consent, substitution, approval, amendment or release is requested.

(ii) If Parent or SpinCo is unable to obtain, or to cause to be obtained, any such required consent, substitution, approval, amendment or release and the applicable member of the Parent Group continues to be bound by such agreement, lease, license or other obligation or Liability (each, an “ Unreleased SpinCo Liability ”), SpinCo shall, to the extent not prohibited by Law, as indemnitor, guarantor, agent or subcontractor for such member of the Parent Group, as the case may be, (i) pay, perform and discharge fully all the obligations or other Liabilities of such member of the Parent Group that constitute Unreleased SpinCo Liabilities from and after the Effective Time and (ii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect such payment, performance or

 

-21-


discharge prior to any demand for such payment, performance or discharge is permitted to be made by the obligee thereunder on any member of the Parent Group. If and when any such consent, substitution, approval, amendment or release shall be obtained or the Unreleased SpinCo Liabilities shall otherwise become assignable or able to be novated, Parent shall promptly assign, or cause to be assigned, and SpinCo or the applicable SpinCo Group member shall assume, such Unreleased SpinCo Liabilities without exchange of further consideration.

(b) Novation of Parent Liabilities.

(i) Each of Parent and SpinCo, at the request of the other, shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain, or to cause to be obtained, as soon as reasonably practicable, any consent, substitution, approval or amendment required to novate or assign all Parent Liabilities and obtain in writing the unconditional release of each member of the SpinCo Group that is a party to any such arrangements, so that, in any such case, the members of the Parent Group shall be solely responsible for such Parent Liabilities; provided , however , that, except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements, neither Parent nor SpinCo shall be obligated to contribute any capital or pay any consideration in any form (including providing any letter of credit, guaranty or other financial accommodation) to any third Person from whom any such consent, substitution, approval, amendment or release is requested.

(ii) If Parent or SpinCo is unable to obtain, or to cause to be obtained, any such required consent, substitution, approval, amendment or release and the applicable member of the SpinCo Group continues to be bound by such agreement, lease, license or other obligation or Liability (each, an “ Unreleased Parent Liability ”), Parent shall, to the extent not prohibited by Law, as indemnitor, guarantor, agent or subcontractor for such member of the SpinCo Group, as the case may be, (i) pay, perform and discharge fully all the obligations or other Liabilities of such member of the SpinCo Group that constitute Unreleased Parent Liabilities from and after the Effective Time and (ii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect such payment, performance or discharge prior to any demand for such payment, performance or discharge is permitted to be made by the obligee thereunder on any member of the SpinCo Group. If and when any such consent, substitution, approval, amendment or release shall be obtained or the Unreleased Parent Liabilities shall otherwise become assignable or able to be novated, SpinCo shall promptly assign, or cause to be assigned, and Parent or the applicable Parent Group member shall assume, such Unreleased Parent Liabilities without exchange of further consideration.

2.6 Release of Guarantees . In furtherance of, and not in limitation of, the obligations set forth in Section  2.5 :

(a) On or prior to the Effective Time or as soon as practicable thereafter, each of Parent and SpinCo shall, at the request of the other Party and with the reasonable cooperation of such other Party and the applicable member(s) of such other Party’s Group, use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) have any member(s) of the Parent Group removed as guarantor of or

 

-22-


obligor for any SpinCo Liability to the extent that they relate to SpinCo Liabilities, including the removal of any Security Interest on or in any Parent Asset that may serve as collateral or security for any such SpinCo Liability; and (ii) have any member(s) of the SpinCo Group removed as guarantor of or obligor for any Parent Liability to the extent that they relate to Parent Liabilities, including the removal of any Security Interest on or in any SpinCo Asset that may serve as collateral or security for any such Parent Liability.

(b) To the extent required to obtain a release from a guarantee of:

(i) any member of the Parent Group, SpinCo shall execute a guarantee agreement in the form of the existing guarantee or such other form as is agreed to by the relevant parties to such guarantee agreement, which agreement shall include the removal of any Security Interest on or in any Parent Asset that may serve as collateral or security for any SpinCo Liability, except to the extent that such existing guarantee contains representations, covenants or other terms or provisions either (i) with which SpinCo would be reasonably unable to comply or (ii) which SpinCo would not reasonably be able to avoid breaching; and

(ii) any member of the SpinCo Group, Parent shall execute a guarantee agreement in the form of the existing guarantee or such other form as is agreed to by the relevant parties to such guarantee agreement, which agreement shall include the removal of any Security Interest on or in any SpinCo Asset that may serve as collateral or security for any Parent Liability, except to the extent that such existing guarantee contains representations, covenants or other terms or provisions either (i) with which Parent would be reasonably unable to comply or (ii) which Parent would not reasonably be able to avoid breaching.

(c) If Parent or SpinCo is unable to obtain, or to cause to be obtained, any such required removal or release as set forth in clauses (a) and (b) of this Section  2.6 , (i) the Party or the relevant member of its Group that has assumed the Liability with respect to such guarantee shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the guarantor or obligor against or from any Liability arising from or relating thereto in accordance with the provisions of Article IV and shall, as agent or subcontractor for such guarantor or obligor, pay, perform and discharge fully all the obligations or other Liabilities of such guarantor or obligor thereunder; and (ii) each of Parent and SpinCo, on behalf of itself and the other members of their respective Group, agree not to renew or extend the term of, increase any obligations under, or transfer to a Third Party, any loan, guarantee, lease, contract or other obligation for which the other Party or a member of its Group is or may be liable unless all obligations of such other Party and the members of such other Party’s Group with respect thereto are thereupon terminated by documentation satisfactory in form and substance to such other Party.

2.7 Termination of Agreements .

(a) Except as set forth in Section 2.7(b) , in furtherance of the releases and other provisions of Section  4.1 , SpinCo and each member of the SpinCo Group, on the one hand, and Parent and each member of the Parent Group, on the other hand, hereby terminate any and all agreements, arrangements, commitments or understandings, whether or not in writing,

 

-23-


between or among SpinCo and/or any member of the SpinCo Group, on the one hand, and Parent and/or any member of the Parent Group, on the other hand, effective as of the Effective Time. No such terminated agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding (including any provision thereof which purports to survive termination) shall be of any further force or effect after the Effective Time. Each Party shall, at the reasonable request of the other Party, take, or cause to be taken, such other actions as may be necessary to effect the foregoing.

(b) The provisions of Section 2.7(a) shall not apply to any of the following agreements, arrangements, commitments or understandings (or to any of the provisions thereof): (i) this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements (and each other agreement or instrument expressly contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement to be entered into by any of the Parties or any of the members of their respective Groups or to be continued from and after the Effective Time); (ii) any agreements, arrangements, commitments or understandings listed or described on Schedule 2.7(b)(ii) ; (iii) any agreements, arrangements, commitments or understandings to which any Third Party is a party thereto; (iv) any intercompany accounts payable or accounts receivable accrued as of the Effective Time that are reflected in the books and records of the Parties or otherwise documented in writing in accordance with past practices, which shall be settled in the manner contemplated by Section 2.7(c) ; (v) any agreements, arrangements, commitments or understandings to which any non-wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent or SpinCo, as the case may be, is a party (it being understood that directors’ qualifying shares or similar interests will be disregarded for purposes of determining whether a Subsidiary is wholly owned); and (vi) any Shared Contracts.

(c) All of the intercompany accounts receivable and accounts payable between any member of the Parent Group, on the one hand, and any member of the SpinCo Group, on the other hand, outstanding as of the Effective Time shall, as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time, be repaid, settled or otherwise eliminated by means of cash payments, a dividend, capital contribution, a combination of the foregoing, or otherwise as determined by Parent in its sole and absolute discretion.

2.8 Treatment of Shared Contracts .

(a) Subject to applicable Law and without limiting the generality of the obligations set forth in Section  2.1 , unless the Parties otherwise agree or the benefits of any contract, agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding described in this Section  2.8 are expressly conveyed to the applicable Party pursuant to this Agreement or an Ancillary Agreement, any contract or agreement, a portion of which is a SpinCo Contract, but the remainder of which is a Parent Asset (any such contract or agreement, a “ Shared Contract ”), shall be assigned in relevant part to the applicable member(s) of the applicable Group, if so assignable, or appropriately amended prior to, on or after the Effective Time, so that each Party or the member of its Group shall, as of the Effective Time, be entitled to the rights and benefits, and shall assume the related portion of any Liabilities, inuring to its respective businesses; provided , however , that (i) in no event shall any member of any Group be required to assign (or amend) any Shared Contract in its entirety or to assign a portion of any Shared Contract which is not assignable (or cannot be amended) by its terms (including any terms imposing consents or conditions on an assignment where such consents or conditions have not been obtained or fulfilled) and (ii) if any Shared Contract cannot be so partially assigned by its terms or otherwise,

 

-24-


or cannot be amended or if such assignment or amendment would impair the benefit the parties thereto derive from such Shared Contract, then the Parties shall, and shall cause each of the members of their respective Groups to, take such other reasonable and permissible actions (including by providing prompt notice to the other Party with respect to any relevant claim of Liability or other relevant matters arising in connection with a Shared Contract so as to allow such other Party the ability to exercise any applicable rights under such Shared Contract) to cause a member of the SpinCo Group or the Parent Group, as the case may be, to receive the rights and benefits of that portion of each Shared Contract that relates to the SpinCo Business or the Parent Business, as the case may be (in each case, to the extent so related), as if such Shared Contract had been assigned to a member of the applicable Group (or amended to allow a member of the applicable Group to exercise applicable rights under such Shared Contract) pursuant to this Section  2.8 , and to bear the burden of the corresponding Liabilities (including any Liabilities that may arise by reason of such arrangement), as if such Liabilities had been assumed by a member of the applicable Group pursuant to this Section  2.8 .

(b) Each of Parent and SpinCo shall, and shall cause the members of its Group to, (i) treat for all Tax purposes the portion of each Shared Contract inuring to its respective businesses as an Asset owned by, and/or a Liability of, as applicable, such Party, or the members of its Group, as applicable, not later than the Effective Time, and (ii) neither report nor take any Tax position (on a Tax Return or otherwise) inconsistent with such treatment (unless required by applicable Law).

(c) Nothing in this Section  2.8 shall require any member of any Group to make any non- de minimis payment (except to the extent advanced, assumed or agreed in advance to be reimbursed by any member of the other Group), incur any non- de minimis obligation or grant any non- de minimis concession for the benefit of any member of any other Group in order to effect any transaction contemplated by this Section  2.8 .

2.9 Bank Accounts; Cash Balances .

(a) Each Party agrees to take, or cause the members of its Group to take, at the Effective Time (or such earlier time as the Parties may agree), all actions necessary to amend all contracts or agreements governing each bank and brokerage account owned by SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group (collectively, the “ SpinCo Accounts ”) and all contracts or agreements governing each bank or brokerage account owned by Parent or any other member of the Parent Group (collectively, the “ Parent Accounts ”) so that each such SpinCo Account and Parent Account, if currently Linked (whether by automatic withdrawal, automatic deposit or any other authorization to transfer funds from or to, hereinafter “ Linked ”) to any Parent Account or SpinCo Account, respectively, is de-Linked from such Parent Account or SpinCo Account, respectively.

(b) It is intended that, following consummation of the actions contemplated by Section 2.9(a) , there will be in place a cash management process pursuant to which the SpinCo Accounts will be managed and funds collected will be transferred into one (1) or more accounts maintained by SpinCo or a member of the SpinCo Group.

 

-25-


(c) It is intended that, following consummation of the actions contemplated by Section 2.9(a) , there will continue to be in place a cash management process pursuant to which the Parent Accounts will be managed and funds collected will be transferred into one (1) or more accounts maintained by Parent or a member of the Parent Group.

(d) With respect to any outstanding checks issued or payments initiated by Parent, SpinCo, or any of the members of their respective Groups prior to the Effective Time, such outstanding checks and payments shall be honored following the Effective Time by the Person or Group owning the account on which the check is drawn or from which the payment was initiated, respectively.

(e) As between Parent and SpinCo (and the members of their respective Groups), all payments made and reimbursements received after the Effective Time by either Party (or member of its Group) that relate to a business, Asset or Liability of the other Party (or member of its Group), shall be held by such Party in trust for the use and benefit of the Party entitled thereto and, promptly following receipt by such Party of any such payment or reimbursement, such Party shall pay over, or shall cause the applicable member of its Group to pay over to the other Party the amount of such payment or reimbursement without right of set-off.

2.10 Ancillary Agreements . Effective on or prior to the Effective Time, each of Parent and SpinCo will, or will cause the applicable members of their Groups to, execute and deliver all Ancillary Agreements to which it is a party.

2.11 Disclaimer of Representations and Warranties . EACH OF PARENT (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND EACH MEMBER OF THE PARENT GROUP) AND SPINCO (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND EACH MEMBER OF THE SPINCO GROUP) UNDERSTANDS AND AGREES THAT, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HEREIN OR IN ANY ANCILLARY AGREEMENT, NO PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY ANCILLARY AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER AGREEMENT OR DOCUMENT CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, ANY ANCILLARY AGREEMENT OR OTHERWISE, IS REPRESENTING OR WARRANTING IN ANY WAY AS TO THE ASSETS, BUSINESSES OR LIABILITIES TRANSFERRED OR ASSUMED AS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY, AS TO ANY CONSENTS OR APPROVALS REQUIRED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, AS TO THE VALUE OR FREEDOM FROM ANY SECURITY INTERESTS OF, OR ANY OTHER MATTER CONCERNING, ANY ASSETS OF SUCH PARTY, OR AS TO THE ABSENCE OF ANY DEFENSES OR RIGHT OF SETOFF OR FREEDOM FROM COUNTERCLAIM WITH RESPECT TO ANY CLAIM OR OTHER ASSET, INCLUDING ANY ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, OF ANY PARTY, OR AS TO THE LEGAL SUFFICIENCY OF ANY ASSIGNMENT, DOCUMENT OR INSTRUMENT DELIVERED HEREUNDER TO CONVEY TITLE TO ANY ASSET OR THING OF VALUE UPON THE EXECUTION, DELIVERY AND FILING HEREOF OR THEREOF. EXCEPT AS MAY EXPRESSLY BE SET FORTH HEREIN OR IN ANY ANCILLARY AGREEMENT, ALL SUCH ASSETS ARE BEING TRANSFERRED ON AN “AS IS,” “WHERE IS” BASIS (AND, IN THE CASE OF ANY REAL PROPERTY, BY MEANS OF A QUITCLAIM OR SIMILAR FORM OF DEED OR CONVEYANCE) AND THE RESPECTIVE TRANSFEREES SHALL BEAR THE ECONOMIC AND LEGAL RISKS

 

-26-


THAT (I) ANY CONVEYANCE WILL PROVE TO BE INSUFFICIENT TO VEST IN THE TRANSFEREE GOOD AND MARKETABLE TITLE, FREE AND CLEAR OF ANY SECURITY INTEREST, AND (II) ANY NECESSARY APPROVALS OR NOTIFICATIONS ARE NOT OBTAINED OR MADE OR THAT ANY REQUIREMENTS OF LAWS OR JUDGMENTS ARE NOT COMPLIED WITH.

2.12 SpinCo Financing Arrangements; Cash Transfer .

(a) Prior to the Effective Time and pursuant to the Plan of Reorganization, (i) SpinCo and/or other members of the SpinCo Group will enter into one or more financing arrangements and agreements, as set forth on Schedule 2.12 (the “ SpinCo Financing Arrangements ”), pursuant to which it or they shall borrow prior to the Effective Time a principal amount of not less than $655,000,000 and (ii) SpinCo and/or other members of the SpinCo Group shall distribute, convey or otherwise transfer in the manner determined by Parent $650,000,000 to Parent and/or other members of the Parent Group as partial consideration for the transfer of SpinCo Assets to SpinCo in the Contribution pursuant to Section  2.1 (such transfer, distribution or conveyance, the “ Cash Transfer ”). Parent and SpinCo agree to take all necessary actions to assure the full release and discharge of Parent and the other members of the Parent Group from all obligations pursuant to the SpinCo Financing Arrangements as of no later than the Effective Time. The parties agree that SpinCo or another member of the SpinCo Group, as the case may be, and not Parent or any member of the Parent Group, are and shall be responsible for all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the SpinCo Financing Arrangements.

(b) Prior the Effective Time, Parent and SpinCo shall cooperate in the preparation of all materials as may be necessary or advisable to execute the SpinCo Financing Arrangements.

2.13 Financial Information Certifications . Parent’s disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting (as each is contemplated by the Exchange Act) are currently applicable to SpinCo as its Subsidiary. In order to enable the principal executive officer and principal financial officer of SpinCo to make the certifications required of them under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 following the Distribution in respect of any quarterly or annual fiscal period of SpinCo that begins on or prior to the Distribution Date in respect of which financial statements are not included in the Form 10 (a “ Straddle Period ”), Parent, on or before the date that is ten (10) days prior to the latest date on which SpinCo may file the periodic report pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act for any such Straddle Period (not taking into account any possible extensions), shall provide SpinCo with one or more certifications with respect to such disclosure controls and procedures and the effectiveness thereof and whether there were any changes in the internal controls over financial reporting that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect the internal control over financial reporting, which certification(s) shall (x) be with respect to the applicable Straddle Period (it being understood that no certification need be provided with respect to any period or portion of any period after the Distribution Date) and (y) be in substantially the same form as those that had been provided by officers or employees of Parent in similar certifications delivered prior to the Distribution Date, with such changes thereto as Parent may reasonably determine. Such certification(s) shall be provided by Parent (and not by any officer or employee in their individual capacity).

 

-27-


ARTICLE III

THE DISTRIBUTION

3.1 Sole and Absolute Discretion; Cooperation .

(a) Parent shall, in its sole and absolute discretion, determine the terms of the Distribution, including the form, structure and terms of any transaction(s) and/or offering(s) to effect the Distribution and the timing and conditions to the consummation of the Distribution. In addition, Parent may, at any time and from time to time until the consummation of the Distribution, modify or change the terms of the Distribution, including by accelerating or delaying the timing of the consummation of all or part of the Distribution. Nothing shall in any way limit Parent’s right to terminate this Agreement or the Distribution as set forth in Article IX or alter the consequences of any such termination from those specified in Article IX .

(b) SpinCo shall cooperate with Parent to accomplish the Distribution and shall, at Parent’s direction, promptly take any and all actions necessary or desirable to effect the Distribution, including in respect of the registration under the Exchange Act of SpinCo Shares on the Form 10. Parent shall select any investment bank or manager in connection with the Distribution, as well as any financial printer, solicitation and/or exchange agent and financial, legal, accounting and other advisors for Parent. SpinCo and Parent, as the case may be, will provide to the Agent any information required in order to complete the Distribution.

3.2 Actions Prior to the Distribution . Prior to the Effective Time and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Parties shall take, or cause to be taken, the following actions in connection with the Distribution:

(a) Notice to NYSE . Parent shall, to the extent possible, give the NYSE not less than ten (10) days’ advance notice of the Record Date in compliance with Rule 10b-17 under the Exchange Act.

(b) SpinCo Certificate of Incorporation and SpinCo Bylaws . On or prior to the Distribution Date, Parent and SpinCo shall take all necessary actions so that, as of the Effective Time, the SpinCo Certificate of Incorporation and the SpinCo Bylaws shall become the certificate of incorporation and bylaws, respectively, of SpinCo.

(c) SpinCo Directors and Officers . On or prior to the Distribution Date, Parent and SpinCo shall take all necessary actions so that as of the Effective Time: (i) the directors and executive officers of SpinCo shall be those set forth in the Information Statement made available to the Record Holders prior to the Distribution Date, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties; (ii) each individual referred to in clause (i) shall have resigned from his or her position, if any, as a member of the Parent Board and/or as an executive officer of Parent; and (iii) SpinCo shall have such other officers as SpinCo shall appoint.

(d) NYSE Listing . SpinCo shall prepare and file, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to have approved, an application for the listing of the SpinCo Shares to be distributed in the Distribution on the NYSE, subject to official notice of distribution.

 

-28-


(e) Securities Law Matters . SpinCo shall file any amendments or supplements to the Form 10 as may be necessary or advisable in order to cause the Form 10 to become and remain effective as required by the SEC or federal, state or other applicable securities Laws. Parent and SpinCo shall cooperate in preparing, filing with the SEC and causing to become effective registration statements or amendments thereof which are required to reflect the establishment of, or amendments to, any employee benefit and other plans necessary or advisable in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements. Parent and SpinCo will prepare, and SpinCo will, to the extent required under applicable Law, file with the SEC, any such documentation and any requisite no-action letters which Parent determines are necessary or desirable to effectuate the Distribution, and Parent and SpinCo shall each use its reasonable best efforts to obtain all necessary approvals from the SEC with respect thereto as soon as practicable. Parent and SpinCo shall take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate under the securities or blue sky Laws of the United States (and any comparable Laws under any foreign jurisdiction) in connection with the Distribution.

(f) Availability of Information Statement . Parent shall, as soon as is reasonably practicable after the Form 10 is declared effective under the Exchange Act and the Parent Board has approved the Distribution, cause the Information Statement to be made available to the Record Holders.

(g) The Distribution Agent . Parent shall enter into a distribution agent agreement with the Agent or otherwise provide instructions to the Agent regarding the Distribution.

(h) Stock-Based Employee Benefit Plans . Parent and SpinCo shall take all actions as may be necessary to approve the grants of adjusted equity awards by Parent (in respect of Parent shares) and SpinCo (in respect of SpinCo shares) in connection with the Distribution in order to satisfy the requirements of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act.

3.3 Conditions to the Distribution .

(a) The consummation of the Distribution will be subject to the satisfaction, or waiver by Parent in its sole and absolute discretion, of the following conditions:

(i) The SEC shall have declared effective the Form 10; no order suspending the effectiveness of the Form 10 shall be in effect; and no proceedings for such purposes shall have been instituted or threatened by the SEC.

(ii) The Information Statement shall have been made available to the Record Holders.

(iii) Parent shall have received the IRS Ruling, and such IRS Ruling shall not have been revoked or modified in any material respect.

(iv) Parent shall have received an opinion from its outside counsel to the effect that the Contribution and the Distribution, taken together, shall qualify as a transaction that is described in Sections 355(a) and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code.

 

-29-


(v) An independent appraisal firm acceptable to Parent shall have delivered one or more opinions to the Parent Board confirming the solvency and financial viability of Parent prior to the Distribution and of Parent and SpinCo after consummation of the Distribution, and such opinions shall be acceptable to Parent in form and substance in Parent’s sole discretion and such opinions shall not have been withdrawn or rescinded;

(vi) The transfer of the SpinCo Assets (other than any Delayed SpinCo Asset) and SpinCo Liabilities (other than any Delayed SpinCo Liability) contemplated to be transferred from Parent to SpinCo on or prior to the Distribution shall have occurred as contemplated by Section  2.1 , and the transfer of the Parent Assets (other than any Delayed Parent Asset) and Parent Liabilities (other than any Delayed Parent Liability) contemplated to be transferred from SpinCo to Parent on or prior to the Distribution Date shall have occurred as contemplated by Section  2.1 , in each case pursuant to the Plan of Reorganization.

(vii) The actions and filings necessary or appropriate under applicable U.S. federal, U.S. state or other securities Laws or blue sky Laws and the rules and regulations thereunder shall have been taken or made, and, where applicable, have become effective or been accepted by the applicable Governmental Authority.

(viii) Each of the Ancillary Agreements shall have been duly executed and delivered by the applicable parties thereto.

(ix) No order, injunction or decree issued by any Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction or other legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of the Separation, the Distribution or any of the transactions related thereto shall be in effect.

(x) The SpinCo Shares to be distributed to the Parent stockholders in the Distribution shall have been accepted for listing on the NYSE, subject to official notice of distribution.

(xi) SpinCo and/or other members of the SpinCo Group shall have assumed or entered into, as applicable, the SpinCo Financing Arrangements and incurred at least $655,000,000 of new indebtedness pursuant thereto. Parent shall have received the proceeds from the Cash Transfer and Parent shall be satisfied in its sole and absolute discretion that, as of the Effective Time, it shall have no further Liability whatsoever under the SpinCo Financing Arrangements.

(xii) No other events or developments shall exist or shall have occurred that, in the judgment of the Parent Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, makes it inadvisable to effect the Separation, the Distribution or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.

(b) The foregoing conditions are for the sole benefit of Parent and shall not give rise to or create any duty on the part of Parent or the Parent Board to waive or not waive any such condition or in any way limit Parent’s right to terminate this Agreement as set forth in Article IX or alter the consequences of any such termination from those specified in Article IX .

 

-30-


Any determination made by the Parent Board prior to the Distribution concerning the satisfaction or waiver of any or all of the conditions set forth in Section 3.3(a) shall be conclusive and binding on the Parties. If Parent waives any material condition, it shall promptly issue a press release disclosing such fact and file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC describing such waiver.

3.4 The Distribution .

(a) Subject to Section  3.3 , on or prior to the Effective Time, SpinCo will deliver to the Agent, for the benefit of the Record Holders, book-entry transfer authorizations for such number of the outstanding SpinCo Shares as is necessary to effect the Distribution, and shall cause the transfer agent for the Parent Shares to instruct the Agent to distribute at the Effective Time the appropriate number of SpinCo Shares to each such holder or designated transferee or transferees of such holder by way of direct registration in book-entry form. SpinCo will not issue paper stock certificates in respect of the SpinCo Shares. The Distribution shall be effective at the Effective Time.

(b) Subject to Sections 3.3 and 3.4(c) , each Record Holder will be entitled to receive in the Distribution a number of whole SpinCo Shares equal to the number of Parent Shares held by such Record Holder on the Record Date multiplied by the Distribution Ratio, rounded down to the nearest whole number.

(c) No fractional shares will be distributed or credited to book-entry accounts in connection with the Distribution, and any such fractional share interests to which a Record Holder would otherwise be entitled shall not entitle such Record Holder to vote or to any other rights as a stockholder of SpinCo. In lieu of any such fractional shares, each Record Holder who, but for the provisions of this Section 3.4(c) , would be entitled to receive a fractional share interest of a SpinCo Share pursuant to the Distribution, shall be paid cash, without any interest thereon, as hereinafter provided. As soon as practicable after the Effective Time, Parent shall direct the Agent to determine the number of whole and fractional SpinCo Shares allocable to each Record Holder, to aggregate all such fractional shares into whole shares, and to sell the whole shares obtained thereby in the open market at the then-prevailing prices on behalf of each Record Holder who otherwise would be entitled to receive fractional share interests (with the Agent, in its sole and absolute discretion, determining when, how and through which broker-dealer and at what price to make such sales), and to cause to be distributed to each such Record Holder, in lieu of any fractional share, such Record Holder’s or owner’s ratable share of the total proceeds of such sale, after deducting any Taxes required to be withheld and applicable transfer Taxes, and after deducting the costs and expenses of such sale and distribution, including brokers fees and commissions. None of Parent, SpinCo or the Agent will be required to guarantee any minimum sale price for the fractional SpinCo Shares sold in accordance with this Section 3.4(c) . Neither Parent nor SpinCo will be required to pay any interest on the proceeds from the sale of fractional shares. Neither the Agent nor the broker-dealers through which the aggregated fractional shares are sold shall be Affiliates of Parent or SpinCo. Solely for purposes of computing fractional share interests pursuant to this Section 3.4(c) and Section 3.4(d) , the beneficial owner of Parent Shares held of record in the name of a nominee in any nominee account shall be treated as the Record Holder with respect to such shares.

 

-31-


(d) Any SpinCo Shares or cash in lieu of fractional shares with respect to SpinCo Shares that remain unclaimed by any Record Holder one hundred and eighty (180) days after the Distribution Date shall be delivered to SpinCo, and SpinCo or its transfer agent on its behalf shall hold such SpinCo Shares and cash for the account of such Record Holder, and the Parties agree that all obligations to provide such SpinCo Shares and cash, if any, in lieu of fractional share interests shall be obligations of SpinCo, subject in each case to applicable escheat or other abandoned property Laws, and Parent shall have no Liability with respect thereto.

(e) Until the SpinCo Shares are duly transferred in accordance with this Section  3.4 and applicable Law, from and after the Effective Time, SpinCo will regard the Persons entitled to receive such SpinCo Shares as record holders of SpinCo Shares in accordance with the terms of the Distribution without requiring any action on the part of such Persons. SpinCo agrees that, subject to any transfers of such shares, from and after the Effective Time (i) each such holder will be entitled to receive all dividends, if any, payable on, and exercise voting rights and all other rights and privileges with respect to, the SpinCo Shares then held by such holder, and (ii) each such holder will be entitled, without any action on the part of such holder, to receive evidence of ownership of the SpinCo Shares then held by such holder.

ARTICLE IV

MUTUAL RELEASES; INDEMNIFICATION

4.1 Release of Pre-Distribution Claims .

(a) SpinCo Release of Parent. Except as provided in Sections 4.1(c) and 4.1(d) , effective as of the Effective Time, SpinCo does hereby, for itself and each other member of the SpinCo Group, and their respective successors and assigns, and, to the extent permitted by Law, all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of the SpinCo Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such), remise, release and forever discharge (i) Parent and the members of the Parent Group, and their respective successors and assigns, (ii) all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of the Parent Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such), and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and (iii) all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time are or have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of a Transferred Entity and who are not, as of immediately following the Effective Time, directors, officers or employees of SpinCo or a member of the SpinCo Group, in each case from: (A) all SpinCo Liabilities, (B) all Liabilities arising from or in connection with the transactions and all other activities to implement the Separation and the Distribution and (C) all Liabilities arising from or in connection with actions, inactions, events, omissions, conditions, facts or circumstances occurring or existing prior to the Effective Time (whether or not such Liabilities cease being contingent, mature, become known, are asserted or foreseen, or accrue, in each case before, at or after the Effective Time), in each case to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from the SpinCo Business, the SpinCo Assets or the SpinCo Liabilities.

 

-32-


(b) Parent Release of SpinCo. Except as provided in Sections 4.1(c) and 4.1(d) , effective as of the Effective Time, Parent does hereby, for itself and each other member of the Parent Group, and their respective successors and assigns, and, to the extent permitted by Law, all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of the Parent Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such), remise, release and forever discharge (i) SpinCo and the members of the SpinCo Group and their respective successors and assigns, and (ii) all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of the SpinCo Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such), and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, from (A) all Parent Liabilities, (B) all Liabilities arising from or in connection with the transactions and all other activities to implement the Separation and the Distribution and (C) all Liabilities arising from or in connection with actions, inactions, events, omissions, conditions, facts or circumstances occurring or existing prior to the Effective Time (whether or not such Liabilities cease being contingent, mature, become known, are asserted or foreseen, or accrue, in each case before, at or after the Effective Time), in each case to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from the Parent Business, the Parent Assets or the Parent Liabilities.

(c) Obligations Not Affected. Nothing contained in Section 4.1(a) or 4.1(b) shall impair any right of any Person to enforce this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or any agreements, arrangements, commitments or understandings that are specified in Section 2.7(b) or the applicable Schedules thereto as not to terminate as of the Effective Time, in each case in accordance with its terms. Nothing contained in Section 4.1(a) or 4.1(b) shall release any Person from:

(i) any Liability provided in or resulting from any agreement among any members of the Parent Group or any members of the SpinCo Group that is specified in Section 2.7(b) or the applicable Schedules thereto as not to terminate as of the Effective Time, or any other Liability specified in Section 2.7(b) as not to terminate as of the Effective Time;

(ii) any Liability, contingent or otherwise, assumed, transferred, assigned or allocated to the Group of which such Person is a member in accordance with, or any other Liability of any member of any Group under, this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement;

(iii) any Liability for the sale, lease, construction or receipt of goods, property or services purchased, obtained or used in the ordinary course of business by a member of one Group from a member of the other Group prior to the Effective Time;

(iv) any Liability that the Parties may have with respect to indemnification or contribution or other obligation pursuant to this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or otherwise for claims brought against the Parties by third Persons, which Liability shall be governed by the provisions of this Article IV and Article V and, if applicable, the appropriate provisions of the Ancillary Agreements; or

(v) any Liability the release of which would result in the release of any Person other than a Person released pursuant to this Section  4.1 .

 

-33-


In addition, nothing contained in Section 4.1(a) shall release any member of the Parent Group from honoring its existing obligations to indemnify any director, officer or employee of SpinCo who was a director, officer or employee of any member of the Parent Group on or prior to the Effective Time, to the extent such director, officer or employee becomes a named defendant in any Action with respect to which such director, officer or employee was entitled to such indemnification pursuant to such existing obligations; it being understood that, if the underlying obligation giving rise to such Action is a SpinCo Liability, SpinCo shall indemnify Parent for such Liability (including Parent’s costs to indemnify the director, officer or employee) in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Article IV .

(d) No Claims. SpinCo shall not make, and shall not permit any other member of the SpinCo Group to make, any claim or demand, or commence any Action asserting any claim or demand, including any claim of contribution or any indemnification, against Parent or any other member of the Parent Group, or any other Person released pursuant to Section 4.1(a) , with respect to any Liabilities released pursuant to Section 4.1(a) . Parent shall not make, and shall not permit any other member of the Parent Group to make, any claim or demand, or commence any Action asserting any claim or demand, including any claim of contribution or any indemnification, against SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group, or any other Person released pursuant to Section 4.1(b) , with respect to any Liabilities released pursuant to Section 4.1(b) .

(e) Execution of Further Releases. At any time at or after the Effective Time, at the request of either Party, the other Party shall cause each member of its respective Group to execute and deliver releases reflecting the provisions of this Section  4.1 .

4.2 Indemnification by SpinCo . Except as otherwise specifically set forth in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, SpinCo shall, and shall cause the other members of the SpinCo Group to, indemnify, defend and hold harmless Parent, each member of the Parent Group and each of their respective past, present and future directors, officers, employees and agents, in each case in their respective capacities as such, and each of the heirs, executors, successors and assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “ Parent Indemnitees ”), from and against any and all Liabilities of the Parent Indemnitees relating to, arising out of or resulting from, directly or indirectly, any of the following items (without duplication):

(a) any SpinCo Liability;

(b) any failure of SpinCo, any other member of the SpinCo Group or any other Person to pay, perform or otherwise promptly discharge any SpinCo Liabilities in accordance with their terms, whether prior to, on or after the Effective Time;

(c) any breach by SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group of this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements;

(d) except to the extent it relates to a Parent Liability, any guarantee, indemnification or contribution obligation, surety bond or other credit support agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding for the benefit of any member of the SpinCo Group by any member of the Parent Group that survives following the Distribution; and

 

-34-


(e) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, with respect to all information contained in the Form 10, the Information Statement (as amended or supplemented if SpinCo shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) or any other Disclosure Document, other than the matters described in clause (e) of Section  4.3 .

4.3 Indemnification by Parent . Except as otherwise specifically set forth in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, Parent shall, and shall cause the other members of the Parent Group to, indemnify, defend and hold harmless SpinCo, each member of the SpinCo Group and each of their respective past, present and future directors, officers, employees or agents, in each case in their respective capacities as such, and each of the heirs, executors, successors and assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “ SpinCo Indemnitees ”), from and against any and all Liabilities of the SpinCo Indemnitees relating to, arising out of or resulting from, directly or indirectly, any of the following items (without duplication):

(a) any Parent Liability;

(b) any failure of Parent, any other member of the Parent Group or any other Person to pay, perform or otherwise promptly discharge any Parent Liabilities in accordance with their terms, whether prior to, on or after the Effective Time;

(c) any breach by Parent or any other member of the Parent Group of this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements;

(d) except to the extent it relates to a SpinCo Liability, any guarantee, indemnification or contribution obligation, surety bond or other credit support agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding for the benefit of any member of the Parent Group by any member of the SpinCo Group that survives following the Distribution; and

(e) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, with respect to statements made explicitly in Parent’s name in the Form 10, the Information Statement (as amended or supplemented if SpinCo shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) or any other Disclosure Document; it being agreed that the statements set forth on Schedule 4.3(e)  shall be the only statements made explicitly in Parent’s name in the Form 10, the Information Statement or any other Disclosure Document, and all other information contained in the Form 10, the Information Statement or any other Disclosure Document shall be deemed to be information supplied by SpinCo.

 

-35-


4.4 Indemnification Obligations Net of Insurance Proceeds and Other Amounts .

(a) The Parties intend that any Liability subject to indemnification, contribution or reimbursement pursuant to this Article IV or Article V will be net of Insurance Proceeds or other amounts actually recovered (net of any out-of-pocket costs or expenses incurred in the collection thereof) from any Person by or on behalf of the Indemnitee in respect of any indemnifiable Liability. Accordingly, the amount which either Party (an “ Indemnifying Party ”) is required to pay to any Person entitled to indemnification or contribution hereunder (an “ Indemnitee ”) will be reduced by any Insurance Proceeds or other amounts actually recovered (net of any out-of-pocket costs or expenses incurred in the collection thereof) from any Person by or on behalf of the Indemnitee in respect of the related Liability. If an Indemnitee receives a payment (an “ Indemnity Payment ”) required by this Agreement from an Indemnifying Party in respect of any Liability and subsequently receives Insurance Proceeds or any other amounts in respect of such Liability, then within ten (10) calendar days of receipt of such Insurance Proceeds, the Indemnitee will pay to the Indemnifying Party an amount equal to the excess of the Indemnity Payment received over the amount of the Indemnity Payment that would have been due if the Insurance Proceeds or such other amounts (net of any out-of-pocket costs or expenses incurred in the collection thereof) had been received, realized or recovered before the Indemnity Payment was made.

(b) The Parties agree that an insurer that would otherwise be obligated to pay any claim shall not be relieved of the responsibility with respect thereto or, solely by virtue of any provision contained in this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, have any subrogation rights with respect thereto, it being understood that no insurer or any other Third Party shall be entitled to a “windfall” ( i.e. , a benefit they would not be entitled to receive in the absence of the indemnification provisions) by virtue of the indemnification and contribution provisions hereof. Each Party shall, and shall cause the members of its Group to, use commercially reasonable efforts (taking into account the probability of success on the merits and the cost of expending such efforts, including attorneys’ fees and expenses) to collect or recover any Insurance Proceeds that may be collectible or recoverable respecting the Liabilities for which indemnification or contribution may be available under this Article IV . Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Indemnifying Party may not delay making any indemnification payment required under the terms of this Agreement, or otherwise satisfying any indemnification obligation, pending the outcome of any Action to collect or recover Insurance Proceeds, and an Indemnitee need not attempt to collect any Insurance Proceeds prior to making a claim for indemnification or contribution or receiving any Indemnity Payment otherwise owed to it under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.

4.5 Procedures for Indemnification of Third-Party Claims .

(a) Notice of Claims. If, at or following the Effective Time, an Indemnitee shall receive notice or otherwise learn of the assertion by a Person (including any Governmental Authority) who is not a member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group of any claim or of the commencement by any such Person of any Action (collectively, a “ Third-Party Claim ”) with respect to which an Indemnifying Party may be obligated to provide indemnification to such Indemnitee pursuant to Section  4.2 or 4.3 , or any other Section of this Agreement or any

 

-36-


Ancillary Agreement, such Indemnitee shall give such Indemnifying Party written notice thereof as soon as practicable, but in any event within fourteen (14) days (or sooner if the nature of the Third-Party Claim so requires) after becoming aware of such Third-Party Claim. Any such notice shall describe the Third-Party Claim in reasonable detail, including the facts and circumstances giving rise to such claim for indemnification, and include copies of all notices and documents (including court papers) received by the Indemnitee relating to the Third-Party Claim. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the failure of an Indemnitee to provide notice in accordance with this Section 4.5(a) shall not relieve an Indemnifying Party of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent to which the Indemnifying Party is actually prejudiced by the Indemnitee’s failure to provide notice in accordance with this Section 4.5(a) .

(b) Control of Defense. An Indemnifying Party may elect to defend (and seek to settle or compromise), at its own expense and with its own counsel, any Third-Party Claim; provided that, prior to the Indemnifying Party assuming and controlling defense of such Third-Party Claim, it shall first confirm to the Indemnitee in writing that, assuming the facts presented to the Indemnifying Party by the Indemnitee being true, the Indemnifying Party shall indemnify the Indemnitee for any such damages to the extent resulting from, or arising out of, such Third-Party-Claim. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Indemnifying Party assumes such defense and, in the course of defending such Third-Party Claim, (i) the Indemnifying Party discovers that the facts presented at the time the Indemnifying Party acknowledged its indemnification obligation in respect of such Third-Party Claim were not true in all material respects and (ii) such untruth provides a reasonable basis for asserting that the Indemnifying Party does not have an indemnification obligation in respect of such Third-Party Claim, then (A) the Indemnifying Party shall not be bound by such acknowledgment, (B) the Indemnifying Party shall promptly thereafter provide the Indemnitee written notice of its assertion that it does not have an indemnification obligation in respect of such Third-Party Claim and (C) the Indemnitee shall have the right to assume the defense of such Third-Party Claim. Within thirty (30) days after the receipt of a notice from an Indemnitee in accordance with Section 4.5(a) (or sooner, if the nature of the Third-Party Claim so requires), the Indemnifying Party shall provide written notice to the Indemnitee indicating whether the Indemnifying Party shall assume responsibility for defending the Third-Party Claim and specifying any reservations or exceptions to its defense. If an Indemnifying Party elects not to assume responsibility for defending any Third-Party Claim or fails to notify an Indemnitee of its election within thirty (30) days after receipt of the notice from an Indemnitee as provided in Section 4.5(a) , then the Indemnitee that is the subject of such Third-Party Claim shall be entitled to continue to conduct and control the defense of such Third-Party Claim.

(c) Allocation of Defense Costs . If an Indemnifying Party has elected to assume the defense of a Third-Party Claim, whether with or without any reservations or exceptions with respect to such defense, then such Indemnifying Party shall be solely liable for all fees and expenses incurred by it in connection with the defense of such Third-Party Claim and shall not be entitled to seek any indemnification or reimbursement from the Indemnitee for any such fees or expenses incurred by the Indemnifying Party during the course of the defense of such Third-Party Claim by such Indemnifying Party, regardless of any subsequent decision by the Indemnifying Party to reject or otherwise abandon its assumption of such defense. If an Indemnifying Party elects not to assume responsibility for defending any Third-Party Claim or fails to notify an Indemnitee of its election within thirty (30) days after receipt of a notice from

 

-37-


an Indemnitee as provided in Section 4.5(a) , and the Indemnitee conducts and controls the defense of such Third-Party Claim and the Indemnifying Party has an indemnification obligation with respect to such Third-Party Claim, then the Indemnifying Party shall be liable for all reasonable fees and expenses incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with the defense of such Third-Party Claim.

(d) Right to Monitor and Participate. An Indemnitee that does not conduct and control the defense of any Third-Party Claim, or an Indemnifying Party that has failed to elect to defend any Third-Party Claim as contemplated hereby, nevertheless shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel as necessary) of its own choosing to monitor and participate in (but not control) the defense of any Third-Party Claim for which it is a potential Indemnitee or Indemnifying Party, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnitee or Indemnifying Party, as the case may be, and the provisions of Section 4.5(c) shall not apply to such fees and expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to Sections 6.7 and 6.8 , such Party shall cooperate with the Party entitled to conduct and control the defense of such Third-Party Claim in such defense and make available to the controlling Party, at the non-controlling Party’s expense, all witnesses, information and materials in such Party’s possession or under such Party’s control relating thereto as are reasonably required by the controlling Party. In addition to the foregoing, if any Indemnitee shall in good faith determine that such Indemnitee and the Indemnifying Party have actual or potential differing defenses or conflicts of interest between them that make joint representation inappropriate, then the Indemnitee shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel as necessary) and to participate in (but not control) the defense, compromise, or settlement thereof, and in such case the Indemnifying Party shall bear the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel for all Indemnitees.

(e) No Settlement. Neither Party may settle or compromise any Third-Party Claim for which either Party is seeking to be indemnified hereunder without the prior written consent of the other Party, which consent may not be unreasonably withheld, unless such settlement or compromise is solely for monetary damages that are fully payable by the settling or compromising Party, does not involve any admission, finding or determination of wrongdoing or violation of Law by the other Party and provides for a full, unconditional and irrevocable release of the other Party from all Liability in connection with the Third-Party Claim. The Parties hereby agree that if a Party presents the other Party with a written notice containing a proposal to settle or compromise a Third-Party Claim for which either Party is seeking to be indemnified hereunder and the Party receiving such proposal does not respond in any manner to the Party presenting such proposal within thirty (30) days (or within any such shorter time period that may be required by applicable Law or court order) of receipt of such proposal, then the Party receiving such proposal shall be deemed to have consented to the terms of such proposal.

(f) Tax Matters Agreement Governs. The above provisions of this Section  4.5 and the provisions of Section  4.6 do not apply to Taxes (it being understood and agreed that Taxes and Tax matters shall be governed by the Tax Matters Agreement). In the case of any conflict between this Agreement and the Tax Matters Agreement in relation to any matters addressed by the Tax Matters Agreement, the Tax Matters Agreement shall prevail.

 

-38-


4.6 Additional Matters .

(a) Timing of Payments. Indemnification or contribution payments in respect of any Liabilities for which an Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this Article IV shall be paid reasonably promptly (but in any event within forty-five (45) days of the final determination of the amount that the Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this Article IV ) by the Indemnifying Party to the Indemnitee as such Liabilities are incurred upon demand by the Indemnitee, including reasonably satisfactory documentation setting forth the basis for the amount of such indemnification or contribution payment, including documentation with respect to calculations made and consideration of any Insurance Proceeds that actually reduce the amount of such Liabilities. The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Article IV shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Indemnitee, and (ii) the knowledge by the Indemnitee of Liabilities for which it might be entitled to indemnification hereunder.

(b) Notice of Direct Claims. Any claim for indemnification or contribution under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement that does not result from a Third-Party Claim shall be asserted by written notice given by the Indemnitee to the applicable Indemnifying Party. Such Indemnifying Party shall have a period of thirty (30) days after the receipt of such notice within which to respond thereto. If such Indemnifying Party does not respond within such thirty (30)-day period, such specified claim shall be conclusively deemed a Liability of the Indemnifying Party under this Section 4.6(b) or, in the case of any written notice in which the amount of the claim (or any portion thereof) is estimated, on such later date when the amount of the claim (or such portion thereof) becomes finally determined. If such Indemnifying Party does not respond within such thirty (30)-day period or rejects such claim in whole or in part, such Indemnitee shall, subject to the provisions of Article VII , be free to pursue such remedies as may be available to such party as contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, as applicable, without prejudice to its continuing rights to pursue indemnification or contribution hereunder.

(c) Pursuit of Claims Against Third Parties. If (i) a Party incurs any Liability arising out of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement; (ii) an adequate legal or equitable remedy is not available for any reason against the other Party to satisfy the Liability incurred by the incurring Party; and (iii) a legal or equitable remedy may be available to the other Party against a Third Party for such Liability, then the other Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with the incurring Party, at the incurring Party’s expense, to permit the incurring Party to obtain the benefits of such legal or equitable remedy against the Third Party.

(d) Subrogation. In the event of payment by or on behalf of any Indemnifying Party to any Indemnitee in connection with any Third-Party Claim, such Indemnifying Party shall be subrogated to and shall stand in the place of such Indemnitee as to any events or circumstances in respect of which such Indemnitee may have any right, defense or claim relating to such Third-Party Claim against any claimant or plaintiff asserting such Third-Party Claim or against any other Person. Such Indemnitee shall cooperate with such Indemnifying Party in a reasonable manner, and at the cost and expense of such Indemnifying Party, in prosecuting any subrogated right, defense or claim.

 

-39-


(e) Substitution. In the event of an Action in which the Indemnifying Party is not a named defendant, if either the Indemnitee or Indemnifying Party shall so request, the Parties shall endeavor to substitute the Indemnifying Party for the named defendant. If such substitution or addition cannot be achieved for any reason or is not requested, the named defendant shall allow the Indemnifying Party to manage the Action as set forth in Section  4.5 and this Section  4.6 , and the Indemnifying Party shall fully indemnify the named defendant against all costs of defending the Action (including court costs, sanctions imposed by a court, attorneys’ fees, experts fees and all other external expenses), the costs of any judgment or settlement and the cost of any interest or penalties relating to any judgment or settlement.

4.7 Right of Contribution .

(a) Contribution. If any right of indemnification contained in Section  4.2 or Section  4.3 is held unenforceable or is unavailable for any reason, or is insufficient to hold harmless an Indemnitee in respect of any Liability for which such Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder, then the Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amounts paid or payable by the Indemnitees as a result of such Liability (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and the members of its Group, on the one hand, and the Indemnitees entitled to contribution, on the other hand, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

(b) Allocation of Relative Fault. Solely for purposes of determining relative fault pursuant to this Section  4.7 : (i) any fault associated with the business conducted with the Delayed SpinCo Assets or Delayed SpinCo Liabilities (except for the gross negligence or intentional misconduct of a member of the Parent Group) or with the ownership, operation or activities of the SpinCo Business prior to the Effective Time shall be deemed to be the fault of SpinCo and the other members of the SpinCo Group, and no such fault shall be deemed to be the fault of Parent or any other member of the Parent Group; (ii) any fault associated with the business conducted with Delayed Parent Assets or Delayed Parent Liabilities (except for the gross negligence or intentional misconduct of a member of the SpinCo Group) shall be deemed to be the fault of Parent and the other members of the Parent Group, and no such fault shall be deemed to be the fault of SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group; and (iii) any fault associated with the ownership, operation or activities of the Parent Business prior to the Effective Time shall be deemed to be the fault of Parent and the other members of the Parent Group, and no such fault shall be deemed to be the fault of SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group.

4.8 Covenant Not to Sue . Each Party hereby covenants and agrees that none of it, the members of such Party’s Group or any Person claiming through it shall bring suit or otherwise assert any claim against any Indemnitee, or assert a defense against any claim asserted by any Indemnitee, before any court, arbitrator, mediator or administrative agency anywhere in the world, alleging that: (a) the assumption of any SpinCo Liabilities by SpinCo or a member of the SpinCo Group on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements is void or unenforceable for any reason; (b) the retention of any Parent Liabilities by Parent or a member of the Parent Group on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements is void or unenforceable for any reason, or (c) the provisions of this Article IV are void or unenforceable for any reason.

 

-40-


4.9 Remedies Cumulative . The remedies provided in this Article IV shall be cumulative and, subject to the provisions of Article VIII , shall not preclude assertion by any Indemnitee of any other rights or the seeking of any and all other remedies against any Indemnifying Party.

4.10 Survival of Indemnities . The rights and obligations of each of Parent and SpinCo and their respective Indemnitees under this Article IV shall survive (a) the sale or other transfer by either Party or any member of its Group of any assets or businesses or the assignment by it of any liabilities; or (b) any merger, consolidation, business combination, sale of all or substantially all of its Assets, restructuring, recapitalization, reorganization or similar transaction involving either Party or any of the members of its Group.

ARTICLE V

CERTAIN OTHER MATTERS

5.1 Insurance Matters .

(a) Parent and SpinCo agree to cooperate in good faith to provide for an orderly transition of insurance coverage from the date hereof through the Effective Time. In no event shall Parent, any other member of the Parent Group or any Parent Indemnitee have Liability or obligation whatsoever to any member of the SpinCo Group in the event that any insurance policy or insurance policy related contract shall be terminated or otherwise cease to be in effect for any reason, shall be unavailable or inadequate to cover any Liability of any member of the SpinCo Group for any reason whatsoever or shall not be renewed or extended beyond the current expiration date.

(b) Except as provided on Schedule 5.1(b) , from and after the Effective Time, with respect to any losses, damages and Liability incurred by any member of the SpinCo Group prior to the Effective Time, Parent will provide SpinCo with access to, and SpinCo may make claims under, Parent’s insurance policies in place immediately prior to the Effective Time (and any extended reporting for claims made policies) and Parent’s historical policies of insurance, but solely to the extent that such policies provided coverage for members of the SpinCo Group or the SpinCo Business prior to the Effective Time; provided that such access to, and the right to make claims under, such insurance policies, shall be subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of such insurance policies, including but not limited to any limits on coverage or scope, any deductibles, self-insured retentions and other fees and expenses, and shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

(i) SpinCo shall notify Parent, as promptly as practicable, of any claim made by SpinCo pursuant to this Section 5.1(b) ;

 

-41-


(ii) SpinCo and the members of the SpinCo Group shall indemnify, hold harmless and reimburse Parent and the members of the Parent Group for any deductibles, self-insured retention, fees, indemnity payments, settlements, judgments, legal fees, allocated claims expenses and claim handling fees, and other expenses incurred by Parent or any members of the Parent Group to the extent resulting from any access to, or any claims made by SpinCo or any other members of the SpinCo Group under, any insurance provided pursuant to this Section 5.1(b) , whether such claims are made by SpinCo, its employees or third Persons; and

(iii) SpinCo shall exclusively bear (and neither Parent nor any members of the Parent Group shall have any obligation to repay or reimburse SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group for) and shall be liable for all excluded, uninsured, uncovered, unavailable or uncollectible amounts of all such claims made by SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group under the policies as provided for in this Section 5.1(b) . In the event an insurance policy aggregate is exhausted, or believed likely to be exhausted, due to noticed claims, the SpinCo Group, on the one hand, and the Parent Group, on the other hand, shall be responsible for their pro rata portion of the reinstatement premium, if any, based upon the losses of such Group submitted to Parent’s insurance carrier(s) (including any submissions prior to the Effective Time). To the extent that the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group is allocated more than its pro rata portion of such premium due to the timing of losses submitted to Parent’s insurance carrier(s), the other party shall promptly pay the first party an amount so that each Group has been properly allocated its pro rata portion of the reinstatement premium. Subject to the following sentence, a Party may elect not to reinstate the policy aggregate. In the event that a Party elects not to reinstate the policy aggregate, it shall provide prompt written notice to the other Party. A Party which elects to reinstate the policy aggregate shall be responsible for all reinstatement premiums and other costs associated with such reinstatement.

In the event that any member of the Parent Group incurs any losses, damages or Liability prior to or in respect of the period prior to the Effective Time for which such member of the Parent Group is entitled to coverage under SpinCo’s third-party insurance policies, the same process pursuant to this Section 5.1(b) shall apply, substituting “Parent” for “SpinCo” and “SpinCo” for “Parent”, including for purposes of the first sentence of Section 5.1(e) .

(c) Except as provided in Section 5.1(b) , from and after the Effective Time, neither SpinCo nor any member of the SpinCo Group shall have any rights to or under any of the insurance policies of Parent or any other member of the Parent Group. At the Effective Time, SpinCo shall have in effect all insurance programs required to comply with SpinCo’s contractual obligations and such other Policies required by Law or as reasonably necessary or appropriate for companies operating a business similar to SpinCo’s.

(d) Neither SpinCo nor any member of the SpinCo Group, in connection with making a claim under any insurance policy of Parent or any member of the Parent Group pursuant to this Section  5.1 , shall take any action that would be reasonably likely to (i) have a material and adverse impact on the then-current relationship between Parent or any member of the Parent Group, on the one hand, and the applicable insurance company, on the other hand; (ii) result in the applicable insurance company terminating or materially reducing coverage, or materially increasing the amount of any premium owed by Parent or any member of the Parent Group under the applicable insurance policy; or (iii) otherwise compromise, jeopardize or interfere in any material respect with the rights of Parent or any member of the Parent Group under the applicable insurance policy.

 

-42-


(e) All payments and reimbursements by SpinCo pursuant to this Section  5.1 will be made within forty-five (45) days after SpinCo’s receipt of an invoice therefor from Parent. Parent shall retain the exclusive right to control its insurance policies and programs, including the right to exhaust, settle, release, commute, buyback or otherwise resolve disputes with respect to any of its insurance policies and programs and to amend, modify or waive any rights under any such insurance policies and programs, notwithstanding whether any such policies or programs apply to any SpinCo Liabilities and/or claims SpinCo has made or could make in the future, and no member of the SpinCo Group shall erode, exhaust, settle, release, commute, buyback or otherwise resolve disputes with Parent’s insurers with respect to any of Parent’s insurance policies and programs, or amend, modify or waive any rights under any such insurance policies and programs. SpinCo shall cooperate with Parent and share such information as is reasonably necessary in order to permit Parent to manage and conduct its insurance matters as Parent deems appropriate. Parent shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain extended reporting for any claims made Policies or portions of Policies with claims made coverage features for acts or omissions by any member of the SpinCo Group incurred prior to the Effective Time. For the avoidance of doubt, each Party and any member of its applicable Group has the sole right to settle or otherwise resolve third-party claims made against it or any member of its applicable Group covered under an applicable insurance policy.

(f) This Agreement shall not be considered as an attempted assignment of any policy of insurance or as a contract of insurance and shall not be construed to waive any right or remedy of any member of the Parent Group in respect of any insurance policy or any other contract or policy of insurance.

(g) SpinCo does hereby, for itself and each other member of the SpinCo Group, agree that no member of the Parent Group shall have any Liability whatsoever as a result of the insurance policies and practices of Parent and the members of the Parent Group as in effect at any time, including as a result of the level or scope of any such insurance, the creditworthiness of any insurance carrier, the terms and conditions of any policy, or the adequacy or timeliness of any notice to any insurance carrier with respect to any claim or potential claim or otherwise.

5.2 Late Payments . Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement, any amount not paid when due pursuant to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement (and any amounts billed or otherwise invoiced or demanded and properly payable that are not paid within forty-five (45) days of such bill, invoice or other demand) shall accrue interest at a rate per annum equal to the Prime Rate plus two percent (2%).

5.3 Treatment of Payments for Tax Purposes . For all tax purposes, the Parties agree to treat (i) any payment required by this Agreement (other than payments with respect to interest accruing after the Effective Time) as either a contribution by Parent to SpinCo or a distribution by SpinCo to Parent, as the case may be, occurring immediately prior to the Effective Time or as a payment of an assumed or retained Liability; and (ii) any payment of interest as taxable or deductible, as the case may be, to the Party entitled under this Agreement to retain such payment or required under this Agreement to make such payment, in either case except as otherwise required by applicable Law.

 

-43-


5.4 Inducement . SpinCo acknowledges and agrees that Parent’s willingness to cause, effect and consummate the Separation and the Distribution has been conditioned upon and induced by SpinCo’s covenants and agreements in this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, including SpinCo’s assumption of the SpinCo Liabilities pursuant to the Separation and the provisions of this Agreement and SpinCo’s covenants and agreements contained in Article IV .

5.5 Post-Effective Time Conduct . The Parties acknowledge that, after the Effective Time, each Party shall be independent of the other Party, with responsibility for its own actions and inactions and its own Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from the conduct of its business, operations and activities following the Effective Time, except as may otherwise be provided in any Ancillary Agreement, and each Party shall (except as otherwise provided in Article IV ) use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent such Liabilities from being inappropriately borne by the other Party.

ARTICLE VI

EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY

6.1 Agreement for Exchange of Information .

(a) Subject to Section  6.9 and any other applicable confidentiality obligations, each of Parent and SpinCo, on behalf of itself and each member of its Group, agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to provide or make available, or cause to be provided or made available, to the other Party and the members of such other Party’s Group, at any time before, on or after the Effective Time, as soon as reasonably practicable after written request therefor, any information (or a copy thereof) in the possession or under the control of such Party or its Group which the requesting Party or its Group requests to the extent that (i) such information relates to the SpinCo Business, or any SpinCo Asset or SpinCo Liability, if SpinCo is the requesting Party, or to the Parent Business, or any Parent Asset or Parent Liability, if Parent is the requesting Party; (ii) such information is required by the requesting Party to comply with its obligations under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement; or (iii) such information is required by the requesting Party to comply with any obligation imposed by any Governmental Authority; provided , however , that, in the event that the Party to whom the request has been made determines that any such provision of information could be detrimental to the Party providing the information, violate any Law or agreement, or waive any privilege available under applicable Law, including any attorney-client privilege, then the Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to permit compliance with such obligations to the extent and in a manner that avoids any such harm or consequence. The Party providing information pursuant to this Section  6.1 shall only be obligated to provide such information in the form, condition and format in which it then exists, and in no event shall such Party be required to perform any improvement, modification, conversion, updating or reformatting of any such information, and nothing in this Section  6.1 shall expand the obligations of a Party under Section  6.4 .

 

-44-


(b) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, until the end of the SpinCo fiscal year during which the Distribution Date occurs (and for a reasonable period of time afterwards as required for each Party to prepare consolidated financial statements or complete a financial statement audit for the fiscal year during which the Distribution Date occurs), each Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with the other Party’s information requests to enable (i) the other Party to meet its timetable for dissemination of its earnings releases, financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures and its internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Items 307 and 308, respectively, of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Exchange Act; and (ii) the other Party’s accountants to timely complete their review of the quarterly financial statements and audit of the annual financial statements, including, to the extent applicable to such Party, its auditor’s audit of its internal control over financial reporting and management’s assessment thereof in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the SEC’s and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s rules and auditing standards thereunder and any other applicable Laws.

6.2 Ownership of Information . The provision of any information pursuant to Section  6.1 or Section  6.7 shall not affect the ownership of such information (which shall be determined solely in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements), or constitute a grant of rights in or to any such information.

6.3 Compensation for Providing Information . The Party requesting information agrees to reimburse the other Party for the reasonable costs, if any, of creating, gathering, copying, transporting and otherwise complying with the request with respect to such information (including any reasonable costs and expenses incurred in any review of information for purposes of protecting the Privileged Information of the providing Party or in connection with the restoration of backup media for purposes of providing the requested information). Except as may be otherwise specifically provided elsewhere in this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or any other agreement between the Parties, such costs shall be computed in accordance with the providing Party’s standard methodology and procedures.

6.4 Record Retention . To facilitate the possible exchange of information pursuant to this Article VI and other provisions of this Agreement after the Effective Time, the Parties agree to use their commercially reasonable efforts, which shall be no less rigorous than those used for retention of such Party’s own information, to retain all information in their respective possession or control at the Effective Time in accordance with the policies of Parent as in effect at the Effective Time or such other policies as may be adopted by Parent after the Effective Time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Section 7.01 of the Tax Matters Agreement will govern the retention of Tax related records, and Section 8.01 of the Employee Matters Agreement will govern the retention of employment and benefits related records.

6.5 Limitations of Liability . Neither Party shall have any Liability to the other Party in the event that any information exchanged or provided pursuant to this Agreement is found to be inaccurate in the absence of gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct by the Party providing such information. Neither Party shall have any Liability to any other Party if any information is destroyed after commercially reasonable efforts by such Party to comply with the provisions of Section  6.4 .

 

-45-


6.6 Other Agreements Providing for Exchange of Information .

(a) The rights and obligations granted under this Article VI are subject to any specific limitations, qualifications or additional provisions on the sharing, exchange, retention or confidential treatment of information set forth in any Ancillary Agreement.

(b) Any party that receives, pursuant to a request for information in accordance with this Article VI , Tangible Information that is not relevant to its request shall, at the request of the providing Party, (i) return it to the providing Party or, at the providing Party’s request, destroy such Tangible Information; and (ii) deliver to the providing Party written confirmation that such Tangible Information was returned or destroyed, as the case may be, which confirmation shall be signed by an authorized representative of the requesting Party.

6.7 Production of Witnesses; Records; Cooperation .

(a) After the Effective Time, except in the case of a Dispute between Parent and SpinCo, or any members of their respective Groups, each Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to make available to the other Party, upon written request, the former, current and future directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents of the members of its respective Group as witnesses and any books, records or other documents within its control or which it otherwise has the ability to make available without undue burden, to the extent that any such person (giving consideration to business demands of such directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents) or books, records or other documents may reasonably be required in connection with any Action in which the requesting Party (or member of its Group) may from time to time be involved, regardless of whether such Action is a matter with respect to which indemnification may be sought hereunder. The requesting Party shall bear all costs and expenses in connection therewith.

(b) If an Indemnifying Party chooses to defend or to seek to compromise or settle any Third-Party Claim, the other Party shall make available to such Indemnifying Party, upon written request, the former, current and future directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents of the members of its respective Group as witnesses and any books, records or other documents within its control or which it otherwise has the ability to make available without undue burden, to the extent that any such person (giving consideration to business demands of such directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents) or books, records or other documents may reasonably be required in connection with such defense, settlement or compromise, or such prosecution, evaluation or pursuit, as the case may be, and shall otherwise cooperate in such defense, settlement or compromise, or such prosecution, evaluation or pursuit, as the case may be.

(c) Without limiting the foregoing, the Parties shall cooperate and consult to the extent reasonably necessary with respect to any Actions.

(d) Without limiting any provision of this Section  6.7 , each of the Parties agrees to cooperate, and to cause each member of its respective Group to cooperate, with each other in the defense of any infringement or similar claim with respect to any Intellectual Property and shall not claim to acknowledge, or permit any member of its respective Group to claim to acknowledge, the validity or infringing use of any Intellectual Property of a third Person in a manner that would hamper or undermine the defense of such infringement or similar claim.

 

-46-


(e) The obligation of the Parties to provide witnesses pursuant to this Section  6.7 is intended to be interpreted in a manner so as to facilitate cooperation and shall include the obligation to provide as witnesses directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents without regard to whether such person could assert a possible business conflict (subject to the exception set forth in the first sentence of Section 6.7(a) ).

6.8 Privileged Matters .

(a) The Parties recognize that legal and other professional services that have been and will be provided prior to the Effective Time have been and will be rendered for the collective benefit of each of the members of the Parent Group and the SpinCo Group, and that each of the members of the Parent Group and the SpinCo Group should be deemed to be the client with respect to such services for the purposes of asserting all privileges which may be asserted under applicable Law in connection therewith. The Parties recognize that legal and other professional services will be provided following the Effective Time, which services will be rendered solely for the benefit of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, as the case may be. In furtherance of the foregoing, each Party shall authorize the delivery to and/or retention by the other Party of materials existing as of the Effective Time that are necessary for such other Party to perform such services.

(b) The Parties agree as follows:

(i) Parent shall be entitled, in perpetuity, to control the assertion or waiver of all privileges and immunities in connection with any Privileged Information that relates solely to the Parent Business and not to the SpinCo Business, whether or not the Privileged Information is in the possession or under the control of any member of the Parent Group or any member of the SpinCo Group. Parent shall also be entitled, in perpetuity, to control the assertion or waiver of all privileges and immunities in connection with any Privileged Information that relates solely to any Parent Liabilities resulting from any Actions that are now pending or may be asserted in the future, whether or not the Privileged Information is in the possession or under the control of any member of the Parent Group or any member of the SpinCo Group; and

(ii) SpinCo shall be entitled, in perpetuity, to control the assertion or waiver of all privileges and immunities in connection with any Privileged Information that relates solely to the SpinCo Business and not to the Parent Business, whether or not the Privileged Information is in the possession or under the control of any member of the SpinCo Group or any member of the Parent Group. SpinCo shall also be entitled, in perpetuity, to control the assertion or waiver of all privileges and immunities in connection with any Privileged Information that relates solely to any SpinCo Liabilities resulting from any Actions that are now pending or may be asserted in the future, whether or not the privileged Information is in the possession or under the control of any member of the SpinCo Group or any member of the Parent Group.

 

-47-


(iii) If the Parties do not agree as to whether certain information is Privileged Information, then such information shall be treated as Privileged Information, and the Party that believes that such information is Privileged Information shall be entitled to control the assertion or waiver of all privileges and immunities in connection with any such information unless the Parties otherwise agree. The Parties shall use the procedures set forth in Article VII to resolve any disputes as to whether any information relates solely to the Parent Business, solely to the SpinCo Business, or to both the Parent Business and the SpinCo Business.

(c) Subject to the remaining provisions of this Section  6.8 , the Parties agree that they shall have a shared privilege or immunity with respect to all privileges and immunities not allocated pursuant to Section  6.8(b) and all privileges and immunities relating to any Actions or other matters that involve both Parties (or one or more members of their respective Groups) and in respect of which both Parties have Liabilities under this Agreement, and that no such shared privilege or immunity may be waived by either Party without the consent of the other Party.

(d) If any Dispute arises between the Parties or any members of their respective Groups regarding whether a privilege or immunity should be waived to protect or advance the interests of either Party and/or any member of their respective Groups, each Party agrees that it shall (i) negotiate with the other Party in good faith; (ii) endeavor to minimize any prejudice to the rights of the other Party; and (iii) not unreasonably withhold consent to any request for waiver by the other Party. Further, each Party specifically agrees that it shall not withhold its consent to the waiver of a privilege or immunity for any purpose except in good faith to protect its own legitimate interests.

(e) In the event of any Dispute between Parent and SpinCo, or any members of their respective Groups, either Party may waive a privilege in which the other Party or member of such other Party’s Group has a shared privilege, without obtaining consent pursuant to Section  6.8(c) ; provided that the Parties intend such waiver of a shared privilege to be effective only as to the use of information with respect to the Action between the Parties and/or the applicable members of their respective Groups, and is not intended to operate as a waiver of the shared privilege with respect to any Third Party.

(f) Upon receipt by either Party, or by any member of its respective Group, of any subpoena, discovery or other request that may reasonably be expected to result in the production or disclosure of Privileged Information subject to a shared privilege or immunity or as to which another Party has the sole right hereunder to assert a privilege or immunity, or if either Party obtains knowledge that any of its, or any member of its respective Group’s, current or former directors, officers, agents or employees have received any subpoena, discovery or other requests that may reasonably be expected to result in the production or disclosure of such Privileged Information, such Party shall promptly notify the other Party of the existence of the request (which notice shall be delivered to such other Party no later than five (5) business days following the receipt of any such subpoena, discovery or other request) and shall provide the other Party a reasonable opportunity to review the Privileged Information and to assert any rights it or they may have under this Section  6.8 or otherwise, to prevent the production or disclosure of such Privileged Information.

 

-48-


(g) Any furnishing of, or access or transfer of, any information pursuant to this Agreement is made in reliance on the agreement of Parent and SpinCo set forth in this Section  6.8 and in Section  6.9 to maintain the confidentiality of Privileged Information and to assert and maintain all applicable privileges and immunities. The Parties agree that their respective rights to any access to information, witnesses and other Persons, the furnishing of notices and documents and other cooperative efforts between the Parties contemplated by this Agreement, and the transfer of Privileged Information between the Parties and members of their respective Groups as needed pursuant to this Agreement, is not intended to be deemed a waiver of any privilege that has been or may be asserted under this Agreement or otherwise.

(h) In connection with any matter contemplated by Section  6.7 or this Section  6.8 , the Parties agree to, and to cause the applicable members of their Group to, use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain their respective separate and joint privileges and immunities, including by executing joint defense and/or common interest agreements where necessary or useful for this purpose.

6.9 Confidentiality .

(a) Confidentiality. Subject to Section  6.10 , from and after the Effective Time until the three-year anniversary of the Effective Time, each of Parent and SpinCo, on behalf of itself and each member of its respective Group, agrees to hold, and to cause its respective Representatives to hold, in strict confidence, with at least the same degree of care that applies to Parent’s confidential and proprietary information pursuant to policies in effect as of the Effective Time, all confidential and proprietary information concerning the other Party or any member of the other Party’s Group or their respective businesses that is either in its possession (including confidential and proprietary information in its possession prior to the date hereof) or furnished by any such other Party or any member of such Party’s Group or their respective Representatives at any time pursuant to this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or otherwise, and shall not use any such confidential and proprietary information other than for such purposes as shall be expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder, except, in each case, to the extent that such confidential and proprietary information has been (i) in the public domain or generally available to the public, other than as a result of a disclosure by such Party or any member of such Party’s Group or any of their respective Representatives in violation of this Agreement, (ii) later lawfully acquired from other sources by such Party (or any member of such Party’s Group) which sources are not themselves known by such Party (or any member of such Party’s Group) to be bound by a confidentiality obligation or other contractual, legal or fiduciary obligation of confidentiality with respect to such confidential and proprietary information, or (iii) independently developed or generated without reference to or use of any proprietary or confidential information of the other Party or any member of such Party’s Group. If any confidential and proprietary information of one Party or any member of its Group is disclosed to the other Party or any member of such other Party’s Group in connection with providing services to such first Party or any member of such first Party’s Group under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, then such disclosed confidential and proprietary information shall be used only as required to perform such services.

 

-49-


(b) No Release; Return or Destruction. Each Party agrees not to release or disclose, or permit to be released or disclosed, any information addressed in Section 6.9(a) to any other Person, except its Representatives who need to know such information in their capacities as such (who shall be advised of their obligations hereunder with respect to such information), and except in compliance with Section  6.10 . Without limiting the foregoing, when any such information is no longer needed for the purposes contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, and is no longer subject to any legal hold or other document preservation obligation, each Party will promptly after request of the other Party either return to the other Party all such information in a tangible form (including all copies thereof and all notes, extracts or summaries based thereon) or notify the other Party in writing that it has destroyed such information (and such copies thereof and such notes, extracts or summaries based thereon); provided , that the Parties may retain electronic back-up versions of such information maintained on routine computer system backup tapes, disks or other backup storage devices; provided further , that any such information so retained shall remain subject to the confidentiality provisions of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.

(c) Third-Party Information; Privacy or Data Protection Laws. Each Party acknowledges that it and members of its Group may presently have and, following the Effective Time, may gain access to or possession of confidential or proprietary information of, or legally-protected personal information relating to, Third Parties (i) that was received under privacy policies and/or confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements entered into between such Third Parties, on the one hand, and the other Party or members of such other Party’s Group, on the other hand, prior to the Effective Time; or (ii) that, as between the two Parties, was originally collected by the other Party or members of such other Party’s Group and that may be subject to and protected by privacy policies, as well as privacy, data protection or other applicable Laws. Each Party agrees that it shall hold, protect and use, and shall cause the members of its Group and its and their respective Representatives to hold, protect and use, in strict confidence the confidential and proprietary information of, or legally-protected personal information relating to, Third Parties in accordance with privacy policies and privacy, data protection or other applicable Laws and the terms of any agreements that were either entered into before the Effective Time or affirmative commitments or representations that were made before the Effective Time by, between or among the other Party or members of the other Party’s Group, on the one hand, and such Third Parties, on the other hand.

6.10 Protective Arrangements . In the event that a Party or any member of its Group either determines on the advice of its counsel that it is required to disclose any information pursuant to applicable Law or receives any request or demand under lawful process or from any Governmental Authority to disclose or provide information of the other Party (or any member of the other Party’s Group) that is subject to the confidentiality provisions hereof, such Party shall notify the other Party (to the extent legally permitted) as promptly as practicable under the circumstances prior to disclosing or providing such information and shall cooperate, at the expense of the other Party, in seeking any appropriate protective order requested by the other Party. In the event that such other Party fails to receive such appropriate protective order in a timely manner and the Party receiving the request or demand reasonably determines that its failure to disclose or provide such information shall actually prejudice the Party receiving the request or demand, then the Party that received such request or demand may thereafter disclose or provide information to the extent required by such Law (as so advised by its counsel) or by lawful process or such Governmental Authority, and the disclosing Party shall promptly provide the other Party with a copy of the information so disclosed, in the same form and format so disclosed, together with a list of all Persons to whom such information was disclosed, in each case to the extent legally permitted.

 

-50-


ARTICLE VII

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

7.1 Good Faith Officer Negotiation . Subject to Section  7.4 , either Party seeking resolution of any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement (including regarding whether any Assets are SpinCo Assets, any Liabilities are SpinCo Liabilities or the validity, interpretation, breach or termination of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement) (a “ Dispute ”), shall provide written notice thereof to the other Party (the “ Officer Negotiation Request ”). Within fifteen (15) days of the delivery of the Officer Negotiation Request, the Parties shall attempt to resolve the Dispute through good faith negotiation. All such negotiations shall be conducted by executives who hold, at a minimum, the title of Senior Vice President and who have authority to settle the Dispute. All such negotiations shall be confidential and shall be treated as compromise and settlement negotiations for purposes of applicable rules of evidence. If the Parties are unable for any reason to resolve a Dispute within thirty (30) days of receipt of the Officer Negotiation Request, and such thirty (30) day period is not extended by mutual written consent of the Parties, the Chief Executive Officers of the Parties shall enter into good faith negotiations in accordance with Section  7.2 .

7.2 CEO Negotiation . If any Dispute is not resolved pursuant to Section  7.1 , the Party that delivered the Officer Negotiation Request shall provide written notice of such Dispute to the Chief Executive Officer of each Party (a “ CEO Negotiation Request ”). As soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of a CEO Negotiation Request, the Chief Executive Officers of the Parties shall begin conducting good faith negotiations with respect to such Dispute. All such negotiations shall be confidential and shall be treated as compromise and settlement negotiations for purposes of applicable rules of evidence. If the Chief Executive Officers of the Parties are unable for any reason to resolve a Dispute within thirty (30) days of receipt of a CEO Negotiation Request, and such thirty (30) day period is not extended by mutual written consent of the Parties, the Dispute shall be submitted to arbitration in accordance with Section  7.3 .

7.3 Arbitration .

(a) In the event that a Dispute has not been resolved within thirty (30) days of the receipt of a CEO Negotiation Request in accordance with Section  7.2 , or within such longer period as the Parties may agree to in writing, then such Dispute shall, upon the written request of a Party (the “ Arbitration Request ”) be submitted to be finally resolved by binding arbitration in accordance with the then current International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (“ CPR ”) arbitration procedure, except as modified herein. The arbitration shall be held in (i) McLean, Virginia, if the Parties each maintain corporate headquarters in such city at the time an Arbitration Request is submitted, (ii) New York City, New York, or (iii) such other place as the Parties may mutually agree in writing. Unless otherwise agreed by the Parties in writing, any Dispute to be decided pursuant to this Section  7.3 will be decided (i) before a sole arbitrator if the amount in dispute, inclusive of all claims and counterclaims, totals less than $3 million; or (ii) by a panel of three (3) arbitrators if the amount in dispute, inclusive of all claims and counterclaims, totals $3 million or more.

 

-51-


(b) The panel of three (3) arbitrators will be chosen as follows: (i) within fifteen (15) days from the date of the receipt of the Arbitration Request, each Party will name an arbitrator; and (ii) the two (2) Party-appointed arbitrators will thereafter, within thirty (30) days from the date on which the second of the two (2) arbitrators was named, name a third, independent arbitrator who will act as chairperson of the arbitral tribunal. In the event that either Party fails to name an arbitrator within fifteen (15) days from the date of receipt of the Arbitration Request, then upon written application by either Party, that arbitrator shall be appointed pursuant to the CPR arbitration procedure. In the event that the two (2) Party-appointed arbitrators fail to appoint the third, then the third, independent arbitrator will be appointed pursuant to the CPR arbitration procedure. If the arbitration will be before a sole independent arbitrator, then the sole independent arbitrator will be appointed by agreement of the Parties within fifteen (15) days of the date of receipt of the Arbitration Request. If the Parties cannot agree to a sole independent arbitrator during such fifteen (15) day period, then upon written application by either party, the sole independent arbitrator will be appointed pursuant to the CPR arbitration procedure.

(c) The arbitrator(s) will have the right to award, on an interim basis, or include in the final award, any relief which it deems proper in the circumstances, including money damages (with interest on unpaid amounts from the due date), injunctive relief (including specific performance) and attorneys’ fees and costs; provided that the arbitrator(s) will not award any relief not specifically requested by the Parties and, in any event, will not award any indirect, punitive, exemplary, remote, speculative or similar damages in excess of compensatory damages of the other arising in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby (other than any such Liability with respect to a Third-Party Claim). Upon selection of the arbitrator(s) following any grant of interim relief by a special arbitrator or court pursuant to Section  7.4 , the arbitrator(s) may affirm or disaffirm that relief, and the Parties will seek modification or rescission of the order entered by the court as necessary to accord with the decision of the arbitrator(s). The award of the arbitrator(s) shall be final and binding on the Parties, and may be enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction. The initiation of arbitration pursuant to this Article VII will toll the applicable statute of limitations for the duration of any such proceedings.

7.4 Litigation and Unilateral Commencement of Arbitration . Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article VII , (a) a Party may seek preliminary provisional or injunctive judicial relief with respect to a Dispute without first complying with the procedures set forth in Section  7.1 , Section  7.2 and Section  7.3 if such action is reasonably necessary to avoid irreparable damage and (b) either Party may initiate arbitration before the expiration of the periods specified in Section  7.1 , Section  7.2 and/or Section  7.3 if such Party has submitted an Officer Negotiation Request, a CEO Negotiation Request and/or an Arbitration Request and the other Party has failed to comply with Section  7.1 , Section  7.2 and/or Section  7.3 in good faith with respect to such negotiation and/or the commencement and engagement in arbitration. In such event, the other Party may commence and prosecute such arbitration unilaterally in accordance with the CPR arbitration procedure.

 

-52-


7.5 Conduct During Dispute Resolution Process . Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the Parties shall, and shall cause the respective members of their Groups to, continue to honor all commitments under this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement to the extent required by such agreements during the course of dispute resolution pursuant to the provisions of this Article VII , unless such commitments are the specific subject of the Dispute at issue.

ARTICLE VIII

FURTHER ASSURANCES AND ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

8.1 Further Assurances .

(a) In addition to the actions specifically provided for elsewhere in this Agreement, each of the Parties shall use its reasonable best efforts, prior to, on and after the Effective Time, to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done, all things, reasonably necessary, proper or advisable under applicable Laws, regulations and agreements to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements.

(b) Without limiting the foregoing, prior to, on and after the Effective Time, each Party hereto shall cooperate with the other Party, and without any further consideration, but at the expense of the requesting Party, to execute and deliver, or use its reasonable best efforts to cause to be executed and delivered, all instruments, including instruments of conveyance, assignment and transfer, and to make all filings with, and to obtain all Approvals or Notifications of, any Governmental Authority or any other Person under any permit, license, agreement, indenture or other instrument (including any consents or Governmental Approvals), and to take all such other actions as such Party may reasonably be requested to take by the other Party from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, in order to effectuate the provisions and purposes of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and the transfers of the SpinCo Assets and the Parent Assets and the assignment and assumption of the SpinCo Liabilities and the Parent Liabilities and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. Without limiting the foregoing, each Party will, at the reasonable request, cost and expense of the other Party, take such other actions as may be reasonably necessary to vest in such other Party good and marketable title to the Assets allocated to such Party under this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements, free and clear of any Security Interest, if and to the extent it is practicable to do so.

(c) On or prior to the Effective Time, Parent and SpinCo in their respective capacities as direct and indirect stockholders of the members of their Groups, shall each ratify any actions which are reasonably necessary or desirable to be taken by Parent, SpinCo or any of the members of their respective Groups, as the case may be, to effectuate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements.

(d) Parent and SpinCo, and each of the members of their respective Groups, waive (and agree not to assert against any of the others) any claim or demand that any of them may have against any of the others for any Liabilities or other claims relating to or arising out of: (i) the failure of SpinCo or any other member of the SpinCo Group, on the one hand, or of Parent or any other member of the Parent Group, on the other hand, to provide any notification or

 

-53-


disclosure required under any state Environmental Law in connection with the Separation or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the transfer by any member of any Group to any member of the other Group of ownership or operational control of any Assets not previously owned or operated by such transferee; or (ii) any inadequate, incorrect or incomplete notification or disclosure under any such state Environmental Law by the applicable transferor. To the extent any Liability to any Governmental Authority or any third Person arises out of any action or inaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above, the transferee of the applicable Asset hereby assumes and agrees to pay any such Liability.

ARTICLE IX

TERMINATION

9.1 Termination . This Agreement and all Ancillary Agreements may be terminated and the Distribution may be amended, modified or abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time by Parent, in its sole and absolute discretion, without the approval or consent of any other Person, including SpinCo. After the Effective Time, this Agreement may not be terminated except by an agreement in writing signed by a duly authorized officer of each of the Parties.

9.2 Effect of Termination . In the event of any termination of this Agreement prior to the Effective Time, no Party (nor any of its directors, officers or employees) shall have any Liability or further obligation to the other Party by reason of this Agreement.

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

10.1 Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power .

(a) This Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.

(b) This Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements and the Exhibits, Schedules and appendices hereto and thereto contain the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, supersede all previous agreements, negotiations, discussions, writings, understandings, commitments and conversations with respect to such subject matter, and there are no agreements or understandings between the Parties other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein. This Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements together govern the arrangements in connection with the Separation and Distribution and would not have been entered independently.

(c) Parent represents on behalf of itself and each other member of the Parent Group, and SpinCo represents on behalf of itself and each other member of the SpinCo Group, as follows:

(i) each such Person has the requisite corporate or other power and authority and has taken all corporate or other action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement to which it is a party and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby; and

 

-54-


(ii) this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement to which it is a party has been duly executed and delivered by it and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of it enforceable in accordance with the terms thereof.

(d) Each Party acknowledges that it and each other Party is executing certain of the Ancillary Agreements by facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature, and that delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement (whether executed by manual, stamp or mechanical signature) by facsimile or by e-mail in portable document format (PDF) shall be effective as delivery of such executed counterpart of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement. Each Party expressly adopts and confirms each such facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature (regardless of whether delivered in person, by mail, by courier, by facsimile or by e-mail in portable document format (PDF)) made in its respective name as if it were a manual signature delivered in person, agrees that it will not assert that any such signature or delivery is not adequate to bind such Party to the same extent as if it were signed manually and delivered in person and agrees that, at the reasonable request of the other Party at any time, it will as promptly as reasonably practicable cause each such Ancillary Agreement to be manually executed (any such execution to be as of the date of the initial date thereof) and delivered in person, by mail or by courier.

10.2 Governing Law . This Agreement and, unless expressly provided therein, each Ancillary Agreement (and any claims or disputes arising out of or related hereto or thereto or to the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby or to the inducement of any party to enter herein and therein, whether for breach of contract, tortious conduct or otherwise and whether predicated on common law, statute or otherwise) shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware irrespective of the choice of laws principles of the State of Delaware including all matters of validity, construction, effect, enforceability, performance and remedies.

10.3 Assignability . Except as set forth in any Ancillary Agreement, this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and the parties thereto, respectively, and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided , however , that neither Party nor any such party thereto may assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement without the express prior written consent of the other Party hereto or other parties thereto, as applicable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such consent shall be required for the assignment of a party’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements (except as may be otherwise provided in any such Ancillary Agreement) in whole ( i.e. , the assignment of a party’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and all Ancillary Agreements all at the same time) in connection with a change of control of a Party so long as the resulting, surviving or transferee Person assumes all the obligations of the relevant party thereto by operation of Law or pursuant to an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the other Party.

 

-55-


10.4 Third-Party Beneficiaries . Except for the indemnification rights under this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement of any Parent Indemnitee or SpinCo Indemnitee in their respective capacities as such, (a) the provisions of this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement are solely for the benefit of the Parties and are not intended to confer upon any Person except the Parties any rights or remedies hereunder, and (b) there are no third-party beneficiaries of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement and neither this Agreement nor any Ancillary Agreement shall provide any third person with any remedy, claim, Liability, reimbursement, claim of action or other right in excess of those existing without reference to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.

10.5 Notices . All notices, requests, claims, demands or other communications under this Agreement and, to the extent applicable and unless otherwise provided therein, under each of the Ancillary Agreements, shall be in writing and shall be given or made (and except as provided herein, shall be deemed to have been duly given or made upon receipt) by delivery in person, by overnight courier service, by certified mail, return receipt requested, by facsimile, or by electronic mail (“ e-mail ”), so long as confirmation of receipt of such facsimile or e-mail is requested and received, to the respective Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a Party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section  10.5 ):

If to Parent, to:

TEGNA Inc.

7950 Jones Branch Drive

McLean, Virginia 22107

Attention:  Chief Legal and Administrative Officer

Facsimile:  (703) 873-6331

E-mail:      lawdept@tegna.com

with a copy to:

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

Attention:   Igor Kirman

Victor Goldfeld

Facsimile:   (212) 403-2000

E-mail:        IKirman@wlrk.com

VGoldfeld@wlrk.com

If to SpinCo (prior to the Effective Time), to:

Cars.com Inc.

c/o TEGNA Inc.

7950 Jones Branch Drive

McLean, Virginia 22107

Attention:   Chief Legal and Administrative Officer

Facsimile:   (703) 873-6331

E-mail:        lawdept@tegna.com

 

-56-


with a copy to:

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

Attention:   Igor Kirman

Victor Goldfeld

Facsimile:   (212) 403-2000

E-mail:       IKirman@wlrk.com

VGoldfeld@wlrk.com

and a copy to:

Cars.com Inc.

175 West Jackson Boulevard

Chicago, Illinois 60604

Attention:   Chief Legal Officer

Facsimile:   (312) 601-5865

E-mail:        legal@cars.com

If to SpinCo (from and after the Effective Time), to:

Cars.com Inc.

175 West Jackson Boulevard

Chicago, Illinois 60604

Attention: Chief Legal Officer

Facsimile: (312) 601-5865

E-mail:       legal@cars.com

with a copy to:

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

Attention:   Igor Kirman

Victor Goldfeld

Facsimile:   (212) 403-2000

E-mail:        IKirman@wlrk.com

VGoldfeld@wlrk.com

A Party may, by notice to the other Party, change the address to which such notices are to be given.

 

-57-


10.6 Severability . If any provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions hereof or thereof, or the application of such provision to Persons or circumstances or in jurisdictions other than those as to which it has been held invalid or unenforceable, shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated thereby. Upon such determination, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith in an effort to agree upon such a suitable and equitable provision to effect the original intent of the Parties.

10.7 Force Majeure . No Party shall be deemed in default of this Agreement or, unless otherwise expressly provided therein, any Ancillary Agreement for any delay or failure to fulfill any obligation (other than a payment obligation) hereunder or thereunder so long as and to the extent to which any delay or failure in the fulfillment of such obligation is prevented, frustrated, hindered or delayed as a consequence of circumstances of Force Majeure. In the event of any such excused delay, the time for performance of such obligations (other than a payment obligation) shall be extended for a period equal to the time lost by reason of the delay. A Party claiming the benefit of this provision shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the occurrence of any such event, (a) provide written notice to the other Party of the nature and extent of any such Force Majeure condition; and (b) use commercially reasonable efforts to remove any such causes and resume performance under this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, as applicable, as soon as reasonably practicable.

10.8 No Set-Off . Except as expressly set forth in any Ancillary Agreement or as otherwise mutually agreed to in writing by the Parties, neither Party nor any member of such Party’s group shall have any right of set-off or other similar rights with respect to (a) any amounts received pursuant to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement; or (b) any other amounts claimed to be owed to the other Party or any member of its Group arising out of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.

10.9 Expenses . Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, or as otherwise agreed to in writing by the Parties, all fees, costs and expenses incurred on or prior to the Effective Time in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery and implementation of this Agreement, including the Separation and the Distribution, and any Ancillary Agreement, the Separation, the Registration Statement, the Plan of Reorganization and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will be borne by the Party or its applicable Subsidiary incurring such fees, costs or expenses. The Parties agree that certain specified costs and expenses shall be allocated between the Parties as set forth on Schedule 10.9 .

10.10 Headings . The article, section and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement and in the Ancillary Agreements are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.

10.11 Survival of Covenants . Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, the covenants, representations and warranties contained in this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement, and Liability for the breach of any obligations contained herein, shall survive the Separation and the Distribution and shall remain in full force and effect.

 

-58-


10.12 Waivers of Default . Waiver by a Party of any default by the other Party of any provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver by the waiving Party of any subsequent or other default, nor shall it prejudice the rights of the other Party. No failure or delay by a Party in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall a single or partial exercise thereof prejudice any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.

10.13 Specific Performance . Subject to the provisions of Article VII , in the event of any actual or threatened default in, or breach of, any of the terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, the Party or Parties who are, or are to be, thereby aggrieved shall have the right to specific performance and injunctive or other equitable relief in respect of its or their rights under this Agreement or such Ancillary Agreement, in addition to any and all other rights and remedies at law or in equity, and all such rights and remedies shall be cumulative. The Parties agree that the remedies at law for any breach or threatened breach, including monetary damages, are inadequate compensation for any loss and that any defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate is waived. Any requirements for the securing or posting of any bond with such remedy are waived by each of the Parties.

10.14 Amendments . No provisions of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement shall be deemed waived, amended, supplemented or modified by a Party, unless such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is in writing and signed by the authorized representative of the Party against whom it is sought to enforce such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification.

10.15 Interpretation . In this Agreement and any Ancillary Agreement, (a) words in the singular shall be deemed to include the plural and vice versa and words of one gender shall be deemed to include the other genders as the context requires; (b) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” and “herewith” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement (or the applicable Ancillary Agreement) as a whole (including all of the Schedules, Exhibits and Appendices hereto and thereto) and not to any particular provision of this Agreement (or such Ancillary Agreement); (c) Article, Section, Schedule, Exhibit and Appendix references are to the Articles, Sections, Schedules, Exhibits and Appendices to this Agreement (or the applicable Ancillary Agreement) unless otherwise specified; (d) unless otherwise stated, all references to any agreement (including this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement) shall be deemed to include the exhibits, schedules and annexes (including all Schedules, Exhibits and Appendixes) to such agreement; (e) the word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement (or the applicable Ancillary Agreement) shall mean “including, without limitation,” unless otherwise specified; (f) the word “or” shall not be exclusive; (g) unless otherwise specified in a particular case, the word “days” refers to calendar days; (h) references to “business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions are generally authorized or required by law to close in the United States or New York, New York; (i) references herein to this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated herein shall be deemed to refer to this Agreement or such other agreement as of the date on which it is executed and as it may be amended, modified or supplemented thereafter, unless otherwise specified; and (j) unless expressly stated to the contrary in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement, all references to “the date hereof,” “the date of this Agreement,” “hereby” and “hereupon” and words of similar import shall all be references to May 31, 2017.

 

-59-


10.16 Limitations of Liability . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group, on the one hand, nor Parent or any member of the Parent Group, on the other hand, shall be liable under this Agreement to the other for any indirect, punitive, exemplary, remote, speculative or similar damages in excess of compensatory damages of the other arising in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby (other than any such Liability with respect to a Third-Party Claim).

10.17 Performance . Parent will cause to be performed, and hereby guarantees the performance of, all actions, agreements and obligations set forth in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement to be performed by any member of the Parent Group. SpinCo will cause to be performed, and hereby guarantees the performance of, all actions, agreements and obligations set forth in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement to be performed by any member of the SpinCo Group. Each Party (including its permitted successors and assigns) further agrees that it will (a) give timely notice of the terms, conditions and continuing obligations contained in this Agreement and any applicable Ancillary Agreement to all of the other members of its Group and (b) cause all of the other members of its Group not to take any action or fail to take any such action inconsistent with such Party’s obligations under this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

10.18 Mutual Drafting . This Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements shall be deemed to be the joint work product of the Parties and any rule of construction that a document shall be interpreted or construed against a drafter of such document shall not be applicable.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

-60-


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Separation and Distribution Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

TEGNA INC.

By:

 

/s/ Todd A. Mayman

 

Name: Todd A. Mayman

 

Title:   Executive Vice President, Chief

  Legal and Administrative Officer

CARS.COM INC.

By:

 

/s/ Todd A. Mayman

 

Name: Todd A. Mayman

 

Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page to Separation and Distribution Agreement]

Exhibit 3.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

CARS.COM INC.

Cars.com Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), pursuant to Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as it may be amended and supplemented (the “DGCL”), hereby certifies as follows:

 

  A. The name of the Corporation is Cars.com Inc.

 

  B. The original certificate of incorporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on August 26, 2016 and amended on May 9, 2017 (as amended, the “original certificate of incorporation”).

 

  C. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation amends, restates and integrates the original certificate of incorporation and has been duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL by the written consent of the sole stockholder of the Corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.

 

  D. The text of the original certificate of incorporation is hereby amended and restated to read herein as set forth in full.

 

  E. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation shall be effective at 11:58 p.m., Eastern Time, on May 31, 2017.

ARTICLE I

NAME OF CORPORATION

The name of the Corporation is Cars.com Inc.

ARTICLE II

REGISTERED OFFICE; REGISTERED AGENT

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

ARTICLE III

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL.


ARTICLE IV

STOCK

Section 1. Authorized Stock . The total number of shares of capital stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 305,000,000 shares, consisting of (a) 300,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), and (b) 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”).

Section 2. Common Stock . Except as may otherwise be provided in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, in a Preferred Stock Designation (as hereinafter defined), or as required by law, the holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall have the right to vote on all questions to the exclusion of all other stockholders, each holder of record of Common Stock being entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock standing in the name of the stockholder on the books of the Corporation.

Section 3. Preferred Stock . Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) (or any committee to which it may duly delegate the authority granted in this Article IV) is hereby empowered to authorize the issuance from time to time of shares of Preferred Stock in one or more series, for such consideration and for such corporate purposes as the Board of Directors (or such committee thereof) may from time to time determine, and by filing a certificate (hereinafter referred to as a “Preferred Stock Designation”) pursuant to applicable law of the State of Delaware as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended to establish from time to time for each such series the number of shares to be included in each such series and to fix the designations, powers, rights and preferences of the shares of each such series, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the laws of the State of Delaware, including, without limitation, voting rights (if any), dividend rights, dissolution rights, conversion rights, exchange rights and redemption rights thereof, as shall be stated and expressed in a resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors (or such committee thereof) providing for the issuance of such series of Preferred Stock. Each series of Preferred Stock shall be distinctly designated. The authority of the Board of Directors with respect to each series of Preferred Stock shall include, but not be limited to, determination of the following:

 

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

 

  (ii) the number of shares of the series, which number the Board of Directors may thereafter (except where otherwise provided in the Preferred Stock Designation) increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding);

 

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

 

2


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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  (x) the voting rights, if any, of the holders of shares of the series.

ARTICLE V

TERM

The term of existence of the Corporation shall be perpetual.

ARTICLE VI

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. Number of Directors . Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of directors that the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies (the “Whole Board”). No decrease in the number of authorized directors constituting the Whole Board shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

Section 2. Term of Office . Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, the directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of the stockholders for a term expiring at the next succeeding annual meeting of the stockholders, with each director to hold office until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or until his earlier death, resignation or removal.

 

3


Section 3. Stockholder Nomination of Director Candidates . Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of any stockholder proposals to be considered at an annual stockholder meeting shall be given in the manner provided in the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation (the “Bylaws”).

Section 4. Newly-Created Directorships and Vacancies . Subject to applicable law and the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, and unless the Board of Directors otherwise determines, vacancies resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, and in the event that there is only one director remaining in office, by such sole remaining director, and directors so elected shall hold office until the next succeeding annual meeting of stockholders following such director’s election and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified.

Section 5. Removal . Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, any director, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed from office at any time with or without cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Voting Stock”), voting together as a single class.

ARTICLE VII

STOCKHOLDER ACTION

Section 1. Stockholder Action by Written Consent . Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at an annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.

Section 2. Special Meetings of Stockholders . Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by or at the direction of the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board, and any power of stockholders to call a special meeting is specifically denied.

ARTICLE VIII

AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Board of Directors of the Corporation is expressly authorized to make, alter and repeal the Bylaws, subject to the power of the stockholders of the Corporation to alter or repeal the Bylaws under applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended.

 

4


ARTICLE IX

DIRECTOR LIABILITY

To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, a director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable either to the Corporation or to any of its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. Any amendment or modification or repeal of the foregoing sentence shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation hereunder in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such amendment, modification or repeal. If the DGCL hereafter is amended to further eliminate or limit the liability of a director, then a director of the Corporation, in addition to the circumstances in which a director is not personally liable as set forth in the preceding sentence, shall not be liable to the fullest extent permitted by the amended DCGL.

ARTICLE X

INDEMNIFICATION

Section 1. Indemnification . Each person who was or is made a party to or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative is or was, at any time during which this Article X is in effect (whether or not such person continues to serve in such capacity at the time any indemnification or advancement of expenses pursuant hereto is sought or at the time any Proceeding relating thereto exists or is brought), a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans maintained or sponsored by the Corporation (a “Covered Person”), whether the basis of such Proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent, shall be (and shall be deemed to have a contractual right to be) indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation (and any successor of the Corporation by merger or otherwise) to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended or modified from time to time (but, in the case of any such amendment or modification, only to the extent that such amendment or modification permits the Corporation to provide greater indemnification rights than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment or modification), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, excise taxes under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time (“ERISA”), or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such Covered Person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided, however, that except as provided in Section 3 of this Article X, the Corporation shall indemnify any such Covered Person in connection with a Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such Proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors.

 

5


Section 2. Mandatory Advancement of Expenses . To the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended or modified from time to time (but, in the case of any such amendment or modification, only to the extent that such amendment or modification permits the Corporation to provide greater rights to advancement of expenses than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment or modification), each Covered Person shall have (and shall be deemed to have a contractual right to have) the right, without the need for any action by the Board of Directors, to be paid by the Corporation (and any successor of the Corporation by merger or otherwise) the expenses incurred in connection with any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition (an “Advance of Expenses”), such Advance of Expenses to be paid by the Corporation within 20 days after the receipt by the Corporation of a statement or statements from the claimant requesting such Advance of Expenses from time to time; provided, however, that if the DGCL requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not, except to the extent specifically required by applicable law, in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter, the “Undertaking”) by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right of appeal (a “final disposition”) that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Article X or otherwise.

Section 3. Right of Claimant to Bring Suit . (1) If a claim for indemnification under this Article X is not paid in full by the Corporation within 30 days after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, or (2) if a request for an Advance of Expenses under Section 2 of this Article X is not paid in full by the Corporation within 20 days after a statement pursuant to Section 2 of this Article X and the required Undertaking, if any, have been received by the Corporation, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim for indemnification or request Advance of Expenses and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action that, under the DGCL, the claimant has not met the standard of conduct which makes it permissible for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed or that the claimant is not entitled to the requested Advance of Expenses, but (except where the required Undertaking, if any, has not been tendered to the Corporation) the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, Independent Counsel (as defined in the Bylaws of the Corporation) or stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, Independent Counsel or stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

 

6


Section 4. Contract Rights; Amendment and Repeal; Non-Exclusivity of Rights .

(A) All of the rights conferred in this Article X, as to indemnification, any Advance of Expenses and otherwise, shall be contract rights between the Corporation and each Covered Person to whom such rights are extended that vest at (or, in the case of any Covered Person who was a director or officer of the Corporation immediately prior to the effectiveness of this Article X, deemed to have vested as of) the commencement of such Covered Person’s service to or at the request of the Corporation and (1) any amendment or modification of this Article X that in any way diminishes or adversely affects any such rights shall be prospective only and shall not in any way diminish or adversely affect any such rights with respect to such person, and (2) all of such rights shall continue as to any Covered Person who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation or ceased to serve at the Corporation’s request as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, as described herein, and shall inure to the benefit of such Covered Person’s heirs, executors and administrators.

(B) All of the rights conferred in this Article X, as to indemnification, any Advance of Expenses and otherwise, (i) shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, provision of the Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or Disinterested Directors (as such term is defined in the Bylaws of the Corporation) or otherwise and (ii) cannot be terminated by the Corporation, the Board of Directors or the stockholders of the Corporation with respect to such person’s service prior to the date of such termination.

Section 5. Insurance; Other Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses .

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

(B) The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer, grant rights to indemnification and rights to advancement of expenses incurred in connection with any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition, to any current or former employee or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Article X with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of current or former directors and officers of the Corporation.

Section 6. Reliance . Any Covered Person who after the date of the adoption of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation becomes or remains a director or officer of the Corporation shall be conclusively presumed to have relied on the rights to indemnification, Advance of Expenses and any other rights contained in this Article X in entering into or continuing such service. The rights conferred in or pursuant to this Article X to indemnification, Advance of Expenses or otherwise shall apply to claims made against a Covered Person arising out of acts or omissions which occurred or occur both prior and subsequent to the adoption hereof.

 

7


Section 7. Severability . If this Article X or any portion hereof shall be held by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever, then the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each person entitled to indemnification pursuant to Section 1 of this Article X as to all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees and related disbursements, judgments, penalties, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties, and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person and for which indemnification is available to such person pursuant to this Article X to the fullest extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Article X that shall not have been invalidated and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. To the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Article X (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Article X containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

ARTICLE XI

FORUM AND VENUE

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum (an “Alternative Forum Consent”), the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (b) any action asserting a claim for or based on a breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director or officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the Corporation’s stockholders, including a claim alleging the aiding and abetting of such a breach of fiduciary duty, (c) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any current or former director or officer or other employee of the Corporation arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws (as they may be amended from time to time), (d) any action asserting a claim related to or involving the Corporation that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, or (e) any action asserting an “internal corporate claim” as that term is defined in Section 115 of the DGCL shall be a state court located within the State of Delaware (or, if no state court located within the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the federal court for the District of Delaware). The existence of an Alternative Forum Consent as to one action or claim shall not act as a waiver of the Corporation’s ongoing consent right as set forth above in this Article XI with respect to any other action or claim.

ARTICLE XII

AMENDMENTS

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by the laws of the State of Delaware as they presently exist or may hereafter be amended, the Corporation may from time to time alter, amend, repeal or adopt, in whole or in part, any provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

 

8


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate of Incorporation this the 31 st day of May, 2017.

 

By:  

/s/ Todd A. Mayman

Name:   Todd A. Mayman
Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Cars.com Inc].

Exhibit 3.2

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

CARS.COM INC.

Incorporated under the Laws of the State of Delaware

 

These Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “ Bylaws ”) of Cars.com Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Corporation ”), are effective as of 11:58 p.m., Eastern Time, on May 31, 2017 and hereby amend and restate the previous bylaws of the Corporation which are hereby deleted in their entirety and replaced with the following:

ARTICLE I

OFFICES AND RECORDS

Section 1.1 Delaware Office . The registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware shall be located in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, and the name and address of its registered agent is The Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801.

Section 1.2 Other Offices . The Corporation may have such other offices, either inside or outside the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “ Board of Directors ”) may designate or as the business of the Corporation may require from time to time.

Section 1.3 Books and Records . The books and records of the Corporation may be kept inside or outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may be designated by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE II

STOCKHOLDERS

Section 2.1 Annual Meeting . The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be held on such date and at such place and time as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

Section 2.2 Special Meeting .

(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of stock having a preference over the Common Stock of the Corporation as to dividends, voting or upon liquidation (“ Preferred Stock ”) with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by or at the direction of (i)  the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of directors which the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies (the “ Whole Board ”), and any power of stockholders to call a special meeting is specifically denied.

 


(B) The record date for, and the date and time of, any special meeting, shall be fixed by the Board of Directors.

Section 2.3 Place of Meeting . The Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board, as the case may be, may designate the place of meeting for any annual or special meeting of the stockholders or may designate that the meeting shall be held, wholly or in part, by means of remote communication. If no designation is so made, the place of meeting shall be the principal office of the Corporation.

Section 2.4 Notice of Meeting . Written or printed notice, stating the place, if any, date and time of the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be given by the Corporation not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting, either personally, by electronic transmission in the manner provided in Section  232 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as it may be amended and supplemented (the “DGCL”), (except to the extent prohibited by Section 232(e) of the DGCL) or by mail, to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail with postage thereon prepaid, addressed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. If notice is given by electronic transmission, such notice shall be deemed to be given at the times provided in the DGCL. Such further notice shall be given as may be required by applicable law. Meetings may be held without notice if all stockholders entitled to vote are present, or if notice is waived by those not present in accordance with Section  7.4 of these Bylaws. Any previously scheduled meeting of the stockholders may be postponed, and (unless the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation then-in force and effect (the “ Certificate of Incorporation ”) otherwise provides) any special meeting of the stockholders may be cancelled, by resolution of the Board of Directors upon public notice given prior to the time previously scheduled for such meeting of stockholders.

Section 2.5 Quorum and Adjournment . Except as otherwise provided by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “ Voting Stock ”), represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of stockholders, except that when specified business is to be voted on by a class or series of stock voting as a class, the holders of a majority of the shares of such class or series shall constitute a quorum of such class or series for the transaction of such business. The Chairman of the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may adjourn the meeting from time to time, whether or not there is a quorum. No notice of the time and place, if any, of adjourned meetings need be given except as required by applicable law. The stockholders present at a duly called meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.

 

-2-


Section 2.6 Organization . Meetings of stockholders shall be presided over by such person as the Board of Directors may designate as chairman of the meeting, or in the absence of such a person, the Chairman of the Board, or if none or in the Chairman of the Board’s absence or inability to act, the Chief Executive Officer, or if none or in the Chief Executive Officer’s absence or inability to act, the President, or if none or in the President’s absence or inability to act, a Vice President, or, if none of the foregoing is present or able to act, by a chairman to be chosen by the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote who are present in person or by proxy at the meeting. The Secretary, or in the Secretary’s absence, an Assistant Secretary, shall act as secretary of every meeting, but if neither the Secretary nor an Assistant Secretary is present, the presiding officer of the meeting shall appoint any person present to act as secretary of the meeting. The Board of Directors shall be entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of stockholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient. Subject to such rules and regulations of the Board of Directors, if any, the chairman of the meeting shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairman, are necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, establishing an agenda or order of business for the meeting, rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present, limitations on participation in the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized and constituted proxies and such other persons as the chairman shall permit, restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof, limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants and regulation of the opening and closing of the polls for balloting and matters which are to be voted on by ballot.

Section 2.7 Proxies . At all meetings of stockholders, a stockholder may vote by proxy executed in writing (or in such manner prescribed by the DGCL) by the stockholder, or by such stockholder’s duly authorized attorney-in-fact.

Section 2.8 Order of Business .

(A) Annual Meetings of Stockholders . At any annual meeting of the stockholders, only such nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors shall be made, and only such other business shall be conducted or considered, as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. For nominations to be properly made at an annual meeting, and proposals of other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting, nominations and proposals of other business must be: (a) specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (b) otherwise properly made at the annual meeting, by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (c)  otherwise properly requested to be brought before the annual meeting by a stockholder of the Corporation in accordance with these Bylaws. For nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors or proposals of other business to be properly requested by a stockholder to be made at an annual meeting, a stockholder must (i )  be a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice of such annual meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors and at the time of the annual meeting, (ii)  be entitled to vote at such annual meeting and (iii)  comply with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws as to such business or nomination. The immediately preceding sentence shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or propose other business to be considered at an annual meeting of stockholders (other than matters that are (x)  properly brought under Rule 14a-8 under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”) and (y) included in the Corporation’s notice of meeting) before an annual meeting of stockholders.

 

-3-


(B) Special Meetings of Stockholders . Only such business shall be conducted or considered at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been properly brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting. To be properly brought before a special meeting, proposals of business must be (a) specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (b) otherwise properly brought before the special meeting, by or at the direction of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that nothing herein shall prohibit the Board of Directors from submitting additional matters to stockholders at any such special meeting.

Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (a) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (b) provided that the Board of Directors has determined that directors shall be elected at such meeting, by any stockholder of the Corporation who (i) is a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice of such special meeting and at the time of the special meeting, (ii) is entitled to vote at the meeting (without giving effect to any proxy, voting agreement or other arrangement pursuant to which such stockholder may have been granted the right to act for another stockholder or vote in respect of stock at such special meeting), and (iii) complies with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws as to such nomination. This Section 2.8(B) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations at a special meeting of stockholders.

(C) General . Except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the chairman of any annual or special meeting shall have the power to determine whether a nomination or any other business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with these Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or other business is not in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that no action shall be taken on such nomination or other proposal and such nomination or other proposal shall be disregarded.

Section 2.9 Advance Notice of Stockholder Business and Nominations .

(A) Annual Meeting of Stockholders . Without qualification or limitation, subject to Section 2.9(C)(4) of these Bylaws, for any nominations or any other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to Section 2.8(A) of these Bylaws, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof (including, in the case of nominations, the completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement required by Section  2.10 of these Bylaws), and timely updates and supplements thereof, in each case in proper form, in writing to the Secretary, and such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for stockholder action.

 

-4-


To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day and not later than the close of business on the 90 th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) in the case of the first annual meeting held after the effectiveness of these Bylaws or (b) if the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 60 days after the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, then, to be timely, notice by the stockholder must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90 th day prior to the date of such annual meeting or, if the first public announcement of the date of such annual meeting is less than 100 days prior to the date of such annual meeting, the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting, or the public announcement thereof, commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

Notwithstanding anything in the immediately preceding paragraph to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased by the Board of Directors, and there is no public announcement by the Corporation naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors at least 100 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 2.9(A) shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

In addition, to be considered timely, a stockholder’s notice shall further be updated and supplemented, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five business days after the record date for the meeting in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date, and not later than eight business days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these Bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding nominees, matters, business and or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.

(B) Special Meetings of Stockholders . Subject to Section 2.9(C)(4) of these Bylaws, in the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board of Directors, any stockholder may nominate an individual or individuals (as the case may be) for election to such position(s) as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting, provided that the stockholder gives timely notice thereof (including the completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement required by Section 2.10 of these Bylaws), and timely updates and supplements thereof, in each case in proper form, in writing, to the Secretary.

 

-5-


To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the date of such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90 th day prior to the date of such special meeting or, if the first public announcement of the date of such special meeting is less than 100 days prior to the date of such special meeting, the 10th day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of a special meeting of stockholders, or the public announcement thereof, commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

In addition, to be considered timely, a stockholder’s notice shall further be updated and supplemented, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five business days after the record date for the meeting in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date, and not later than eight business days prior to the date for the meeting, any adjournment or postponement thereof in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.

(C) Disclosure Requirements .

(1) To be in proper form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must include the following, as applicable:

(a) As to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made: (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, of such beneficial owner, if any, and of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (ii)  (A) the class or series and number of shares of the Corporation which are, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (B)  any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, any derivative or synthetic arrangement having the characteristics of a long position in any class or series of shares of the Corporation, or any contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions designed to produce economic benefits and risks that correspond substantially to the ownership of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, including due to the fact that the value of such

 

-6-


contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions is determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument, contract or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of shares of the Corporation, through the delivery of cash or other property, or otherwise, and without regard to whether the stockholder of record, the beneficial owner, if any, or any affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, may have entered into transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such instrument, contract or right, or any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation (any of the foregoing, a “ Derivative Instrument ”) directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such stockholder, the beneficial owner, if any, and/or any affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (C) any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or relationship pursuant to which such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith has any right to vote any class or series of shares of the Corporation, (D)  any agreement, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, including any repurchase or similar so-called “stock borrowing” agreement or arrangement (regardless of the purpose or effect of such repurchase or “stock borrowing” agreement or arrangement), involving such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, directly or indirectly, the purpose or effect of which is to mitigate loss to, reduce the economic risk (of ownership or otherwise) of any class or series of the shares of the Corporation by, manage the risk of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith with respect to any class or series of the shares of the Corporation, or which provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the price or value of any class or series of the shares of the Corporation (any of the foregoing, a “ Short Interest ”), (E) any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (F)  any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner of such general or limited partnership, (G)  any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) to which such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith is entitled based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any, including without limitation any such interests held by members of the immediate family sharing the same household of such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their

 

-7-


respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (H) any significant equity interests or any Derivative Instruments or Short Interests in any principal competitor of the Corporation held by such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith and (I) any direct or indirect interest of such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith in any contract with the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation or any principal competitor of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (iii) all information that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 13D filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(a) or an amendment pursuant to Rule 13d-2(a) if such a statement were required to be filed under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, if any, and (iv) any other information relating to such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, if any, that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement and form of proxy or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;

(b) If the notice relates to any business other than a nomination of a director or directors that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a stockholder’s notice must, in addition to the matters set forth in paragraph (a) above, also set forth: (i)  a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest of such stockholder, such beneficial owner and each of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, if any, in such business, (ii) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and, in the event that such proposal or business includes a proposal to amend the Bylaws of the Corporation, the text of the proposed amendment), and (iii) a description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between or among any of such stockholder, such beneficial owner and each of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, if any, and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder;

(c) As to each individual, if any, whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection to the Board of Directors, a stockholder’s notice must, in addition to the matters set forth in paragraph (a) above, also set forth: (i) all information relating to such individual that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (including such individual’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected)

 

-8-


and (ii) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, and their respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert therewith, on the one hand, and each proposed nominee, and his or her respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert therewith, on the other hand, including, without limitation all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 404 promulgated under Regulation S-K if the stockholder making the nomination and any beneficial owner on whose behalf the nomination is made, if any, or any affiliate or associate thereof or person acting in concert therewith, were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the nominee were a director or executive officer of such registrant; and

(d) With respect to each individual, if any, whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection to the Board of Directors, a stockholder’s notice must, in addition to the matters set forth in paragraphs (a)  and (c) above, also include a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement required by Section 2.10 of these Bylaws. The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director of the Corporation or that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws, including without limitation Section 2.8, Section 2.9 and Section 2.10 hereof, shall be eligible for election as directors.

(2) For purposes of these Bylaws, “affiliate” and “associate” shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in Rule 405 under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the term “partner” as used in the definition of “associate” shall not include any limited partner that is not involved in the management of the relevant partnership.

(3) For purposes of these Bylaws, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of these Bylaws, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 2.9; provided , however , that any references in these Bylaws to the Exchange Act or the rules promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit the separate and additional requirements set forth in these Bylaws with respect to nominations or proposals as to any other business to be considered.

 

-9-


(5) Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights (i) of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or (ii) of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock if and to the extent provided for under law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. Subject to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act, nothing in these Bylaws shall be construed to permit any stockholder, or give any stockholder the right, to include or have disseminated or described in the Corporation’s proxy statement any nomination of director or directors or any other business proposal.

Section 2.10 Submission of Questionnaire, Representation and Agreement . To be eligible to be a nominee of any stockholder for election or reelection as a director of the Corporation, a person must deliver (in accordance with the time periods prescribed for delivery of notice under Section  2.9 of these Bylaws) to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation a written questionnaire with respect to the background and qualification of such individual and the background of any other person or entity on whose behalf, directly or indirectly, the nomination is being made (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Secretary upon written request), and a written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the Secretary upon written request) that such individual (A) is not and will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such person, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “ Voting Commitment ”) that has not been disclosed to the Corporation and (2) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such individual’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such individual’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (B) is not and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a director that has not been disclosed therein, (C) in such individual’s personal capacity and on behalf of any person or entity on whose behalf, directly or indirectly, the nomination is being made, would be in compliance, if elected as a director of the Corporation, and will comply, with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality and stock ownership and trading policies and guidelines of the Corporation publicly disclosed from time to time, (D) consents to being named as a nominee in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-4(d) under the Exchange Act and any associated proxy card of the Corporation and agrees to serve if elected as a director; and (E) will abide by the requirements of Section 2.11 of these Bylaws.

Section 2.11 Procedure for Election of Directors; Required Vote .

(A) Except as set forth below, election of directors at all meetings of the stockholders at which directors are to be elected shall (a) be by ballot, and, (b)  except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, a majority of the votes cast at any meeting for the election of directors at which a quorum is present shall elect directors. For purposes of this Article II, a majority of votes cast shall mean that the number of shares voted “for” a director’s election exceeds 50% of the number of votes cast with respect to that director’s election. Votes cast shall include direction to

 

-10-


withhold authority in each case and exclude abstentions with respect to that director’s election. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a “contested election” of directors, directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the votes cast at any meeting for the election of directors at which a quorum is present. For purposes of this Article II, a “contested election” shall mean any election of directors in which the number of candidates for election as directors exceeds the number of directors to be elected, with the determination thereof being made by the Secretary as of the close of the applicable notice of nomination period set forth in Section 2.9 of these Bylaws or under applicable law, based on whether one or more notice(s) of nomination were timely filed in accordance with said Section  2.9; provided , however , that the determination that an election is a “contested election” shall be determinative only as to the timeliness of a notice of nomination and not otherwise as to its validity. If, prior to the time the Corporation mails its initial proxy statement in connection with such election of directors, one or more notices of nomination are withdrawn such that the number of candidates for election as director no longer exceeds the number of directors to be elected, the election shall not be considered a contested election, but in all other cases, once an election is determined to be a contested election, directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the votes cast.

(B) If a nominee for director who is an incumbent director is not elected and no successor has been elected at such meeting, the director shall promptly tender his or her resignation to the Board of Directors. The Nominating and Governance Committee shall make a recommendation to the Board of Directors as to whether to accept or reject the tendered resignation, or whether other action should be taken. The Board of Directors shall act on the tendered resignation, taking into account the Nominating and Governance Committee’s recommendation, and publicly disclose (by a press release, a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission or other broadly disseminated means of communication) its decision regarding the tendered resignation and the rationale behind the decision within 90 days from the date of the certification of the election results. The Nominating and Governance Committee in making its recommendation, and the Board of Directors in making its decision, may each consider any factors or other information that it considers appropriate and relevant. The director who tenders his or her resignation shall not participate in the recommendation of the Nominating and Governance Committee or the decision of the Board of Directors with respect to his or her resignation. If such incumbent director’s resignation is not accepted by the Board of Directors, such director shall continue to serve until the next annual meeting and until his or her successor is duly elected, or his or her earlier resignation or removal. If a director’s resignation is accepted by the Board of Directors pursuant to these Bylaws, or if a nominee for director is not elected and the nominee is not an incumbent director, then the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may fill any resulting vacancy pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.10 of these Bylaws or may decrease the size of the Board of Directors pursuant to the provisions of Section  3.2 of these Bylaws.

(C) Except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the matter shall be the act of the stockholders.

 

-11-


Section 2.12 Inspectors of Elections; Opening and Closing the Polls . The Board of Directors by resolution shall appoint one or more inspectors, which inspector or inspectors may, but does not need to, include individuals who serve the Corporation in other capacities, including, without limitation, as officers, employees, agents or representatives, to act at the meetings of stockholders and make a written report thereof. One or more persons may be designated as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate has been appointed to act or is able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the chairman of the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before discharging his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. The inspectors shall have the duties prescribed by law.

The chairman of the meeting shall be appointed by the inspector or inspectors to fix and announce at the meeting the date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting.

Section 2.13 No Stockholder Action by Written Consent . Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at an annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.

ARTICLE III

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 3.1 General Powers . The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. In addition to the powers and authorities by these Bylaws expressly conferred upon them, the Board of Directors may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.

Section 3.2 Number, Tenure and Qualifications .

(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board. No decrease in the number of authorized directors constituting the Whole Board shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

(B) The directors shall be elected at the annual meetings of stockholders as specified in the Certificate of Incorporation except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation and in these Bylaws, and each director of the Corporation shall hold office until such director’s successor is elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.

 

-12-


Section 3.3 Regular Meetings . The Board of Directors may, by resolution, provide the time and place, if any, for the holding of regular meetings without other notice than such resolution.

Section 3.4 Special Meetings . Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be called at the request of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or a majority of the Board of Directors then in office. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Directors may fix the place, if any, and time of the meetings.

Section 3.5 Notice of Meeting . Notice of any special meeting of directors shall be given to each director at such person’s business or residence in writing by hand delivery, first-class or overnight mail or courier service, email or facsimile transmission, or orally by telephone. If mailed by first-class mail, such notice shall be deemed adequately delivered when deposited in the United States mails so addressed, with postage thereon prepaid, at least five (5)  days before such meeting. If by overnight mail or courier service, such notice shall be deemed adequately delivered when delivered to the overnight mail or courier service company at least twenty-four (24) hours before such meeting. If by email, facsimile transmission, telephone or by hand, such notice shall be deemed adequately delivered when the notice is transmitted at least twelve (12) hours before such meeting. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors need be specified in the notice of such meeting. A meeting may be held at any time without notice if all the directors are present or if those not present waive notice of the meeting in accordance with Section 7.4 of these Bylaws.

Section 3.6 Chairman of the Board . The Chairman of the Board shall be chosen from among the directors and may be the Chief Executive Officer. The Chairman of the Board shall preside over all meetings of the Board of Directors and shall perform all duties incidental to the office which may be required by law and all such other duties as are properly required of the Chairman of the Board by the Board of Directors.                

Section 3.7 Action by Consent of Board of Directors . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

Section 3.8 Conference Telephone Meetings . Members of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or such committee by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

Section 3.9 Quorum . Subject to Section  3.10 of these Bylaws, a whole number of directors equal to at least a majority of the Whole Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but if at any meeting of the Board of Directors there shall be less than a quorum present, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time

 

-13-


without further notice. The act of the majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors. The directors present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough directors to leave less than a quorum.

Section 3.10 Vacancies . Subject to applicable law and the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, and unless the Board of Directors otherwise determines, vacancies resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, or by a sole remaining director, and directors so chosen shall hold office for a term expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders and until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.

Section 3.11 Committees . The Board of Directors may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board, designate one or more committees, which shall consist of one or more directors of the Corporation. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. Any such committee may to the extent permitted by law exercise such powers and shall have such responsibilities as shall be specified in the designating resolution. Each committee shall keep written minutes of its proceedings and shall report such proceedings to the Board of Directors when requested.

A majority of any committee may determine its action and fix the time and place, if any, of its meetings, unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise provide. Notice of such meetings shall be given to each member of the committee in the manner provided for in Section 3.5 of these Bylaws. The Board of Directors shall have power at any time to fill vacancies in, to change the membership of, or to dissolve, any such committee. Nothing herein shall be deemed to prevent the Board of Directors from appointing one or more committees consisting in whole or in part of persons who are not directors of the Corporation; provided , however , that no such committee shall have or may exercise any authority of the Board of Directors.

The term of office of a committee member shall be as provided in the resolution of the Board designating him or her but shall not exceed his or her term as a director. If prior to the end of his or her term, a committee member should cease to be a director, he or she shall cease to be a committee member. Any member of a committee may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board of Directors, the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary. Such resignation shall take effect as provided in Section 3.12 of these Bylaws in the case of resignations by directors. Any member of a committee may be removed from such committee, either with or without cause, at any time, by resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board. Any vacancy in a committee shall be filled by the Board of Directors in the manner prescribed by these By-laws for the original designation of the members of such committee.

 

-14-


Section 3.12 Resignations . Any director, whether elected or appointed, may resign at any time by giving written notice of his or her resignation to the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, or the Secretary. Any such resignation shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the date said notice is received by the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, or the Secretary, or at such later time as is specified therein. Except to the extent specified in such notice, no formal action shall be required of the Board of Directors or the stockholders to make any such resignation effective.

Section 3.13 Removal . Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, any director, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed from office at any time with or without cause by the affirmative vote of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class.

Section 3.14 Records . The Board of Directors shall cause to be kept a record containing the minutes of the proceedings of the meetings of the Board and of the stockholders, appropriate stock books and registers and such books of records and accounts as may be necessary for the proper conduct of the business of the Corporation.

ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS

Section 4.1 Officers Enumerated . The officers of the Corporation shall be a Chairman, a Chief Executive Officer, one or more Vice Presidents (one or more of whom may be designated Executive Vice President or Senior Vice President), a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Controller and such other officers as the Board may from time to time may elect or appoint. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person.

Section 4.2 Term of Office . Each officer shall hold office for the term for which he or she is elected or appointed and until his or her successor has been elected or appointed and qualified or until his or her death or until he or she shall resign or until he or she shall have been removed in the manner hereinafter provided.

Section 4.3 Powers and Duties . The officers of the Corporation shall each have such powers and authority and perform such duties in the management of the property and affairs of the Corporation as from time to time may be prescribed by the Board of Directors and, to the extent not so prescribed, they shall each have such powers and authority and perform such duties in the management of the property and affairs of the Corporation, subject to the control of the Board, as generally pertain to their respective offices.

Without limitation of the foregoing:

(A) Chairman of the Board: The Chairman of the Board shall be a director of the Corporation and shall preside at all meetings of the Board and of the Executive Committee of the Board and at all meetings of stockholders. The Chairman of the Board shall undertake such other duties or responsibilities as the Board may assign.

 

-15-


(B) Chief Executive Officer: The Chief Executive Officer shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation and shall be a director of the Corporation. In the absence of the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer shall preside at all meetings of the Board and of the Executive Committee of the Board and at all meetings of stockholders.

(C) Vice Presidents: The Board of Directors shall determine the powers and duties of the respective Vice Presidents and may, in its discretion, fix such order of seniority among the respective Vice Presidents as it may deem advisable.

(D) Secretary: The Secretary shall issue notices of all meetings of the stockholders and Directors where notices of such meetings are required by law or these Bylaws and shall keep the minutes of such meetings. He or she shall sign such instruments and attest such documents as require his or her signature of attestation and affix the corporate seal thereto where appropriate.

(E) Treasurer: The Treasurer shall have custody of all funds and securities of the Corporation and shall sign all instruments and documents as require his or her signature. He or she shall perform all acts incident to the position of Treasurer, subject to the control of the Board of Directors.

(F) Controller: The Controller shall be in charge of the accounts of the Corporation and he or she shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors.

(G) Chief Legal Officer: The Chief Legal Officer shall have general control of all matters of legal import concerning the Corporation.

Section 4.4 Temporary Absence . In case of the temporary absence or disability of any officer of the Corporation, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, any Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer may perform any of the duties of any such other officer as the Board of Directors or Executive Committee may prescribe.

Section 4.5 Resignations . Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice of his or her resignation to the Corporation. Any such resignation shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the date said notice is received by the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, or the Secretary, or at such later time as is specified therein. Except to the extent specified in such notice, no formal action shall be required of the Board of Directors or the stockholders to make any such resignation effective.

Section 4.6 Removal . Any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, at any time by action of the Board of Directors.

Section 4.7 Vacancy . A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal or other cause may be filled by the Board of Directors.

Section 4.8 Compensation . The salaries of the officers shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors. Nothing contained herein shall preclude any officer from serving the Corporation in any other capacity, including that of director, or from serving any of its stockholders, subsidiaries or affiliated corporations in any capacity and receiving a proper compensation therefor.

 

-16-


ARTICLE V

STOCK CERTIFICATES AND TRANSFERS

Section 5.1 Certificated and Uncertificated Stock; Transfers .

(A) The interest of each stockholder of the Corporation may be evidenced by certificates for shares of stock in such form as the appropriate officers of the Corporation may from time to time prescribe or be uncertificated. The Board of Directors may provide by resolution that some or all of any or all classes or series of the stock of the Corporation shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation.

(B) The shares of the stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation, in the case of certificated shares of stock, by the holder thereof in person or by such person’s attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender for cancellation of certificates for at least the same number of shares, with an assignment and power of transfer endorsed thereon or attached thereto, duly executed, with such proof of the authenticity of the signature as the Corporation or its agents may reasonably require; and, in the case of uncertificated shares of stock, upon receipt of proper transfer instructions from the registered holder of the shares or by such person’s attorney duly authorized in writing, and upon compliance with appropriate procedures for transferring shares in uncertificated form. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing from and to whom transferred.

The certificates of stock shall be signed, countersigned and registered in such manner as the Board of Directors may by resolution prescribe, which resolution may permit all or any of the signatures on such certificates to be in facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

(C) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Bylaws, at all times that the Corporation’s stock is listed on a stock exchange, the shares of the stock of the Corporation shall comply with all direct registration system eligibility requirements established by such exchange, including any requirement that shares of the Corporation’s stock be eligible for issue in book-entry form. All issuances and transfers of shares of the Corporation’s stock shall be entered on the books of the Corporation with all information necessary to comply with such direct registration system eligibility requirements, including the name and address of the person to whom the shares of stock are issued, the number of shares of stock issued and the date of issue. The Board of Directors shall have the power and authority to make such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or proper concerning the issue, transfer and registration of shares of stock of the Corporation in both the certificated and uncertificated form.

 

-17-


Section 5.2 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates . No certificate for shares of stock in the Corporation shall be issued in place of any certificate alleged to have been lost, destroyed or stolen, except on production of such evidence of such loss, destruction or theft and on delivery to the Corporation of a bond of indemnity in such amount, upon such terms and secured by such surety, as the Board of Directors or any financial officer may in its or such person’s discretion require.

Section 5.3 Record Owners . The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and to hold liable for calls and assessments a person registered on its books as the owner of shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise required by applicable law.

Section 5.4 Transfer and Registry Agents . The Corporation may from time to time maintain one or more transfer offices or agencies and registry offices or agencies at such place or places as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors or by the Chief Executive Officer.

ARTICLE VI

INDEMNIFICATION

Section 6.1 Indemnification .

(A) Each person who was or is made a party to or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “ Proceeding ”), by reason of the fact that he or she or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative is or was, at any time during which this Article VI is in effect (whether or not such person continues to serve in such capacity at the time any indemnification or advancement of expenses pursuant hereto is sought or at the time any Proceeding relating thereto exists or is brought), a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans maintained or sponsored by the Corporation (a “ Covered Person ”), whether the basis of such Proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent, shall be (and shall be deemed to have a contractual right to be) indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation (and any successor of the Corporation by merger or otherwise) to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended or modified from time to time (but, in the case of any such amendment or modification, only to the extent that such amendment or modification permits the Corporation to provide greater indemnification rights than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to

 

-18-


such amendment or modification), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, excise taxes under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time (“ERISA”), or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such Covered Person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided , however , that except as provided in Section 6.3(A), the Corporation shall indemnify any such Covered Person in connection with a Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such Proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors.

(B) To obtain indemnification under this Article VI, a claimant shall submit to the Corporation a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to the claimant and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent the claimant is entitled to indemnification. Upon written request by a claimant for indemnification, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to the claimant’s entitlement thereto shall be made as follows: (1) by a majority of Disinterested Directors (as hereinafter defined) even though less than a quorum, or (2) by a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum or (3) if there are no Disinterested Directors, or if a majority of the Disinterested Directors so direct, by Independent Counsel (as hereinafter defined), in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to the claimant, or (4)  if a majority of the Disinterested Directors so directs, by a majority vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by a majority of the Disinterested Directors unless there shall have occurred within two years prior to the date of the commencement of the Proceeding for which indemnification is claimed a “ Change of Control ” as defined in the Corporation’s Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, in which case the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the claimant unless the claimant shall request that such selection be made by a majority of the Disinterested Directors. If it is so determined that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, payment to the claimant shall be made within 10 days after such determination.

Section 6.2 Mandatory Advancement of Expenses . To the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended or modified from time to time (but, in the case of any such amendment or modification, only to the extent that such amendment or modification permits the Corporation to provide greater rights to advancement of expenses than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment or modification), each Covered Person shall have (and shall be deemed to have a contractual right to have) the right, without the need for any action by the Board of Directors, to be paid by the Corporation (and any successor of the Corporation by merger or otherwise) the expenses incurred in connection with any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition (an “Advance of Expenses”), such Advance of Expenses to be paid by the Corporation within 20 days after the receipt by the Corporation of a statement or statements from the claimant requesting such Advance of Expenses from time to time; provided , however , that if the DGCL requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not, except to the extent specifically required by applicable law, in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered

 

-19-


by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter, the “ Undertaking ”) by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right of appeal (a “final disposition ”) that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Article VI or otherwise.

Section 6.3 Right of Claimant to Bring Suit .

(A) (1) If a claim for indemnification under this Article VI is not paid in full by the Corporation within 30 days after receipt of a written claim pursuant to Section 6.1(B) of these Bylaws by the Corporation, or (2) if a request for an Advance of Expenses under this Article VI is not paid in full by the Corporation within 20 days after a statement pursuant to Section  6.2 of these Bylaws and the required Undertaking, if any, have been received by the Corporation, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim for indemnification or request Advance of Expenses and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action that, under the DGCL, the claimant has not met the standard of conduct which makes it permissible for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed or that the claimant is not entitled to the requested Advance of Expenses, but (except where the required Undertaking, if any, has not been tendered to the Corporation) the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, Independent Counsel or stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, Independent Counsel or stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

(B) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6.1(B) of these Bylaws that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, the Corporation shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to Section 6.3(A).

(C) The Corporation shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to Section 6.3(A) that the procedures and presumptions of this Article VI are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in such proceeding that the Corporation is bound by all the provisions of this Article VI.

Section 6.4 Contract Rights; Amendment and Repeal; Non-exclusivity of Rights.

(A) All of the rights conferred in this Article VI, as to indemnification, any Advance of Expenses and otherwise, shall be contract rights between the Corporation and each Covered Person to whom such rights are extended that vest at (or, in the case of any Covered Person who was a director or officer of the Corporation immediately prior to the effectiveness of this Article VI, deemed to have vested as of) the commencement of such Covered Person’s

 

-20-


service to or at the request of the Corporation and (1) any amendment or modification of this Article VI that in any way diminishes or adversely affects any such rights shall be prospective only and shall not in any way diminish or adversely affect any such rights with respect to such person, and (2)  all of such rights shall continue as to any Covered Person who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation or ceased to serve at the Corporation’s request as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, as described herein, and shall inure to the benefit of such Covered Person’s heirs, executors and administrators.

(B) All of the rights conferred in this Article VI, as to indemnification, any Advance of Expenses and otherwise, (i) shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or Disinterested Directors or otherwise and (ii)  cannot be terminated by the Corporation, the Board of Directors or the stockholders of the Corporation with respect to a person’s service prior to the date of such termination.

Section 6.5 Insurance; Other Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses .    

(A) The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any current or former director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL. To the extent that the Corporation maintains any policy or policies providing such insurance, each such current or former director or officer, and each such agent or employee to which rights to indemnification have been granted as provided in Section 6.5(B), shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage thereunder for any such current or former director, officer, employee or agent.

(B) The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer, grant rights to indemnification and rights to advancement of expenses incurred in connection with any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition, to any current or former employee or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Article VI with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of current or former directors and officers of the Corporation.

Section 6.6 Definitions; Notice.

(A) For purposes of this Article VI:

(1) “ Disinterested Director ” means a director of the Corporation who is not and was not a party to the matter in respect of which indemnification is sought by the claimant.

(2) “ Independent Counsel ” means a law firm, a member of a law firm, or an independent practitioner, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and shall include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would not have a conflict of interest in representing either the Corporation or the claimant in an action to determine the claimant’s rights under this Article VI.

 

-21-


(B) Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given to the Corporation under this Article VI shall be in writing and either delivered in person or sent by telecopy, overnight mail or courier service, or certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the Secretary of the Corporation and shall be effective only upon receipt by the Secretary.

Section 6.7 Service for Subsidiaries . Any person serving as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture or other enterprise, at least 50% of whose equity interests are owned by the Corporation shall be conclusively presumed to be serving in such capacity at the request of the Corporation.

Section 6.8 Reliance . Any Covered Person who after the date of the adoption of this Article VI becomes or remains a director or officer of the Corporation, shall be conclusively presumed to have relied on the rights to indemnification, Advance of Expenses and any other rights contained in this Article VI in entering into or continuing such service. The rights conferred in or pursuant to this Article VI to indemnification, Advance of Expenses or otherwise shall apply to claims made against a Covered Person arising out of acts or omissions which occurred or occur both prior and subsequent to the adoption hereof.

Section 6.9 Severability . If this Article VI or any portion hereof shall be held by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever, then the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each person entitled to indemnification pursuant to Section 6.1 of these Bylaws as to all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees and related disbursements, judgments, penalties, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties, and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person and for which indemnification is available to such person pursuant to this Article VI to the fullest extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Article VI that shall not have been invalidated and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. To the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Article VI (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Article VI containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Section 7.1 Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of the Corporation shall begin on the first day of January and end on the thirty-first day of December of each year. The Board of Directors shall have the power, from time to time, to fix the fiscal year of the Corporation by a duly adopted resolution.

 

-22-


Section 7.2 Dividends . The Board of Directors may from time to time declare, and the Corporation may pay, dividends on its outstanding shares in the manner and upon the terms and conditions provided by law and the Certificate of Incorporation.

Section 7.3 Seal . The corporate seal shall bear the name of the Corporation, the year in which the Corporation was incorporated (2016)  and the words “Corporate Seal—Delaware” and such other words or figures as the Board of Directors may approve and adopt.

Section 7.4 Waiver of Notice . Whenever any notice is required to be given to any stockholder or director of the Corporation under the provisions of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any annual or special meeting of the stockholders or the Board of Directors or committee thereof need be specified in any waiver of notice of such meeting.

Section 7.5 Audits . The accounts, books and records of the Corporation shall be audited upon the conclusion of each fiscal year by an independent certified public accountant selected by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VIII

CONTRACTS, PROXIES, ETC.

Section 8.1 Contracts . All contracts and agreements authorized by the Board of Directors, and all checks, drafts, bills of exchange or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness, issued in the name of the Corporation, shall be signed by such person or persons and in such manner as may from time to time be designated by the Board of Directors, which designation may be general or confined to specific instances.

Section 8.2 Proxies . Unless otherwise provided by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, a Vice President, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or any one of them, may exercise or appoint an attorney or attorneys, or an agent or agents, to exercise in the name and on behalf of the Corporation the powers and rights which the Corporation may have as the holder of stock or other securities in any other corporation to vote or to consent in respect of such stock or other securities; and the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, a Vice President, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer may instruct the person or persons so appointed as to the manner of exercising such powers and rights and the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, a Vice President, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer may execute or cause to be executed in the name and on behalf of the Corporation and under its corporate seal, or otherwise, all such ballots, consents, proxies, powers of attorney or other written instruments as they or either of them may deem necessary in order that the Corporation may exercise such powers and rights. Any stock or other securities in any other corporation which may from time to time be owned by or stand in

 

-23-


the name of the Corporation may, without further action, be endorsed for sale or transfer or sold or transferred by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or a Vice President, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the Corporation or any proxy appointed in writing by any of them.

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS

Section 9.1 By the Stockholders . Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed, or new Bylaws enacted, at any special meeting of the stockholders if duly called for that purpose (provided that in the notice of such special meeting, notice of such purpose shall be given), or at any annual meeting, by the affirmative vote of shares representing a majority of the voting power of all of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class.

Section 9.2 By the Board of Directors . Subject to the laws of the State of Delaware, the Certificate of Incorporation and these Bylaws, these Bylaws may also be altered, amended or repealed, or new Bylaws enacted, by the Board of Directors.

 

-24-

Exhibit 10.1

TRANSITION SERVICES AGREEMENT

BY AND BETWEEN

TEGNA INC.

AND

CARS.COM INC.

DATED AS OF MAY 31, 2017


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1  

Section 1.01.

   Definitions      1  

ARTICLE II SERVICES

     5  

Section 2.01.

   Services      5  

Section 2.02.

   Performance of Services      6  

Section 2.03.

   Charges for Services      7  

Section 2.04.

   Reimbursement for Out-of-Pocket Costs and Expenses      8  

Section 2.05.

   Changes in the Performance of Services      8  

Section 2.06.

   Transitional Nature of Services      8  

Section 2.07.

   Subcontracting      8  

ARTICLE III OTHER ARRANGEMENTS

     9  

Section 3.01.

   Access      9  

ARTICLE IV BILLING; TAXES

     10  

Section 4.01.

   Procedure      10  

Section 4.02.

   Late Payments      10  

Section 4.03.

   Taxes      10  

Section 4.04.

   No Set-Off      10  

Section 4.05.

   Audit Rights      10  

ARTICLE V TERM AND TERMINATION

     11  

Section 5.01.

   Term      11  

Section 5.02.

   Early Termination      11  

Section 5.03.

   Interdependencies      12  

Section 5.04.

   Effect of Termination      12  

Section 5.05.

   Information Transmission      12  

ARTICLE VI CONFIDENTIALITY; PROTECTIVE ARRANGEMENTS

     13  

Section 6.01.

   Parent and SpinCo Obligations      13  

Section 6.02.

   No Release; Return or Destruction      13  

Section 6.03.

   Privacy and Data Protection Laws      13  

Section 6.04.

   Protective Arrangements      13  

ARTICLE VII LIMITED LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

     14  

Section 7.01.

   Limitations on Liability      14  

 

-i-


Section 7.02.

   Obligation to Re-Perform; Liabilities      15  

Section 7.03.

   Third-Party Claims      15  

Section 7.04.

   Parent Indemnity      15  

Section 7.05.

   Indemnification Procedures      15  

ARTICLE VIII MISCELLANEOUS

     15  

Section 8.01.

   Mutual Cooperation      15  

Section 8.02.

   Further Assurances      16  

Section 8.03.

   Audit Assistance      16  

Section 8.04.

   Title to Intellectual Property      16  

Section 8.05.

   Independent Contractors      16  

Section 8.06.

   Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power      17  

Section 8.07.

   Governing Law      17  

Section 8.08.

   Assignability      18  

Section 8.09.

   Third-Party Beneficiaries      18  

Section 8.10.

   Notices      18  

Section 8.11.

   Severability      19  

Section 8.12.

   Force Majeure      19  

Section 8.13.

   Headings      19  

Section 8.14.

   Survival of Covenants      19  

Section 8.15.

   Waivers of Default      20  

Section 8.16.

   Dispute Resolution      20  

Section 8.17.

   Specific Performance      20  

Section 8.18.

   Amendments      21  

Section 8.19.

   Precedence of Schedules      21  

Section 8.20.

   Interpretation      21  

Section 8.21.

   Mutual Drafting      21  

 

-ii-


TRANSITION SERVICES AGREEMENT

This TRANSITION SERVICES AGREEMENT, dated as of May 31, 2017 (this “ Agreement ”), is by and between TEGNA Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ Parent ”), and Cars.com Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ SpinCo ”).

R E C I T A L S:

WHEREAS, the board of directors of Parent (the “ Parent Board ”) has determined that it is in the best interests of Parent and its stockholders to create a new publicly traded company that shall operate the SpinCo Business;

WHEREAS, in furtherance of the foregoing, the Parent Board has determined that it is appropriate and desirable to separate the SpinCo Business from the Parent Business (the “ Separation ”) and, following the Separation, make a distribution, on a pro rata basis, to holders of Parent Shares on the Record Date of all of the outstanding SpinCo Shares owned by Parent (the “ Distribution ”);

WHEREAS, in order to effectuate the Separation and the Distribution, Parent and SpinCo have entered into a Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2017 (the “ Separation and Distribution Agreement ”);

WHEREAS, in order to facilitate and provide for an orderly transition in connection with the Separation and the Distribution, the Parties desire to enter into this Agreement to set forth the terms and conditions pursuant to which Parent shall provide Services to SpinCo for a transitional period; and

WHEREAS, the Parties acknowledge that this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement, and the other Ancillary Agreements represent the integrated agreement of Parent and SpinCo relating to the Separation and Distribution, are being entered together, and would not have been entered independently.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, provisions and covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Definitions . For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

Action ” shall mean any demand, action, claim, dispute, suit, countersuit, arbitration, inquiry, subpoena, proceeding or investigation of any nature (whether criminal, civil, legislative, administrative, regulatory, prosecutorial or otherwise) by or before any federal, state, local, foreign or international Governmental Authority or any arbitration or mediation tribunal.


Additional Services ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(b) .

Affiliate ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble .

Ancillary Agreements ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Charge ” and “ Charges ” have the meaning set forth in Section  2.03 .

Confidential Information ” means all Information that is either confidential or proprietary.

Dispute ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.16(a) .

Distribution ” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals .

Distribution Date ” shall mean the date of the consummation of the Distribution, which shall be determined by the Parent Board in its sole and absolute discretion.

Effective Time ” shall mean 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on the Distribution Date.

e-mail ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  8.10 .

Force Majeure ” shall mean, with respect to a Party, an event beyond the reasonable control of such Party (or any Person acting on its behalf), which event (a) does not arise or result from the fault or negligence of such Party (or any Person acting on its behalf) and (b) by its nature would not reasonably have been foreseen by such Party (or such Person), or, if it would reasonably have been foreseen, was unavoidable, and includes acts of God, acts of civil or military authority, embargoes, epidemics, war, riots, insurrections, fires, explosions, earthquakes, floods, unusually severe weather conditions, labor problems or unavailability of parts, or, in the case of computer systems, any significant and prolonged failure in electrical or air conditioning equipment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the receipt by a Party of an unsolicited takeover offer or other acquisition proposal, even if unforeseen or unavoidable, and such Party’s response thereto, shall not be deemed an event of Force Majeure.

Governmental Authority ” shall mean any nation or government, any state, municipality or other political subdivision thereof, and any entity, body, agency, commission, department, board, bureau, court, tribunal or other instrumentality, whether federal, state, local, domestic, foreign or multinational, exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory, administrative or other similar functions of, or pertaining to, government and any executive official thereof.

 

-2-


Information ” shall mean information, whether or not patentable or copyrightable, in written, oral, electronic or other tangible or intangible forms, stored in any medium, including studies, reports, records, books, contracts, instruments, surveys, discoveries, ideas, concepts, know-how, techniques, designs, specifications, drawings, blueprints, diagrams, models, prototypes, samples, flow charts, data, computer data, disks, diskettes, tapes, computer programs or other software, marketing plans, customer names, communications by or to attorneys (including attorney-client privileged communications), memos and other materials prepared by attorneys or under their direction (including attorney work product), and other technical, financial, employee or business information or data.

Interest Payment ” has the meaning set forth in Section  4.02 .

Law ” shall mean any national, supranational, federal, state, provincial, local or similar law (including common law), statute, code, order, ordinance, rule, regulation, treaty (including any income tax treaty), license, permit, authorization, approval, consent, decree, injunction, binding judicial or administrative interpretation or other requirement, in each case, enacted, promulgated, issued or entered by a Governmental Authority.

Level of Service ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(c) .

Liabilities ” shall mean all debts, guarantees, assurances, commitments, liabilities, responsibilities, Losses, remediation, deficiencies, damages, fines, penalties, settlements, sanctions, costs, expenses, interest and obligations of any nature or kind, whether accrued or fixed, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, accrued or not accrued, asserted or unasserted, liquidated or unliquidated, foreseen or unforeseen, known or unknown, reserved or unreserved, or determined or determinable, including those arising under any Law, claim (including any Third-Party Claim), demand, Action, or order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, stipulation, determination or award entered by or with any Governmental Authority or arbitration tribunal, and those arising under any contract, agreement, obligation, indenture, instrument, lease, promise, arrangement, release, warranty, commitment or undertaking, or any fines, damages or equitable relief that is imposed, in each case, including all costs and expenses relating thereto.

Losses ” shall mean actual losses (including any diminution in value), costs, damages, penalties and expenses (including legal and accounting fees and expenses and costs of investigation and litigation), whether or not involving a Third-Party Claim.

Minimum Service Period ” means the period commencing on the Distribution Date and ending sixty (60) days after the Distribution Date, unless otherwise specified with respect to a particular service on the Schedules hereto.

Parent ” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Parent Board ” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Parent Business ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Parent Indemnitees ” has the meaning set forth in Section  7.03 .

 

-3-


Parent Shares ” shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of Parent.

Parties ” means the parties to this Agreement.

Person ” shall mean an individual, a general or limited partnership, a corporation, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization, a limited liability entity, any other entity and any Governmental Authority.

Record Date ” shall mean the close of business on the date to be determined by the Parent Board as the record date for determining holders of Parent Shares entitled to receive SpinCo Shares pursuant to the Distribution.

Representatives ” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any of such Person’s directors, officers, employees, agents, consultants, advisors, accountants, attorneys or other representatives.

Separation ” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals .

Separation and Distribution Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals .

Service Baseline Period ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(c) .

Service Period ” means, with respect to any Service, the period commencing on the Distribution Date and ending on the earliest of (a) the date that a Party terminates the provision of such Service pursuant to Section  5.02 , (b) the date that is the two (2)-year anniversary of the Distribution Date and (c) the date specified for termination of such Service in the Schedules hereto.

Services ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(a) .

SpinCo ” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble .

SpinCo Business ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

SpinCo Indemnitees ” has the meaning set forth in Section  7.04 .

SpinCo Shares ” shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of SpinCo.

Subsidiary ” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company, joint venture or partnership of which such Person (a) beneficially owns, either directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of (i) the total combined voting power of all classes of voting securities, (ii) the total combined equity interests or (iii) the capital or profit interests, in the case of a partnership, or (b) otherwise has the power to vote, either directly or indirectly, sufficient securities to elect a majority of the board of directors or similar governing body.

 

-4-


Tax ” means any and all forms of taxation, whenever created or imposed by a Taxing Authority, and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall include net income, alternative or add-on minimum, estimated, gross income, sales, use, ad valorem, gross receipts, value added, franchise, profits, license, transfer, recording, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profit, custom duty or other tax, governmental fee or other like assessment or charge of any kind whatsoever, together with any related interest, penalties or other additions to tax, or additional amounts imposed by any such Taxing Authority.

Taxing Authority ” means a national, foreign, municipal, state, federal or other Governmental Authority responsible for the administration of any Tax.

Termination Charges ” shall mean, with respect to the termination of any Service pursuant to Section 5.02(a)(i) , any and all costs, fees and expenses (other than any severance or retention costs, unless otherwise specified with respect to a particular Service on the Schedules hereto or in the other Ancillary Agreements) payable by Parent or its Subsidiaries to a Third Party directly as a result of the early termination of such Service; provided , however , that Parent shall use commercially reasonable efforts to minimize any costs, fees or expenses payable to any Third Party in connection with such early termination of such Service and credit any such reductions against the Termination Charges payable by SpinCo.

Third Party ” shall mean any Person other than the Parties or any of their respective Affiliates.

Third-Party Claim ” shall mean any Action commenced by any Third Party against any Party or any of its Affiliates.

ARTICLE II

SERVICES

Section 2.01. Services .

(a) Commencing as of the Effective Time, Parent agrees to provide, or to cause one or more of its Subsidiaries to provide, to SpinCo, or any Subsidiary of SpinCo, the applicable services (the “ Services ”) set forth on the Schedules hereto.

(b) After the date of this Agreement, if SpinCo (i) identifies a service that Parent provided to SpinCo prior to the Distribution Date that SpinCo reasonably needs in order for the SpinCo Business to continue to operate in substantially the same manner in which the SpinCo Business operated prior to the Distribution Date, and such service was not included on the Schedules hereto (other than because the Parties agreed such service shall not be provided), and (ii) provides written notice to Parent within sixty (60) days after the Distribution Date requesting such additional services, then Parent shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to provide such requested additional services (such requested additional services, the “ Additional Services ”); provided , however , that Parent shall not be obligated to provide any Additional

 

-5-


Service if it does not, in its reasonable judgment, have adequate resources to provide such Additional Service or if the provision of such Additional Service would significantly disrupt the operation of Parent’s or its Subsidiaries’ businesses; and provided , further , that Parent shall not be required to provide any Additional Services if the Parties are unable to reach agreement on the terms thereof (including with respect to Service Charges therefor). In connection with any request for Additional Services in accordance with this Section 2.01(b) , the Parties shall in good faith negotiate the terms of a supplement to the applicable Schedule, which terms shall be consistent with the terms of, and the pricing methodology used for, similar Services provided under this Agreement. Upon the mutual written agreement of the Parties, the supplement to the applicable Schedule shall describe in reasonable detail the nature, scope, Service Period(s), termination provisions and other terms applicable to such Additional Services in a manner similar to that in which the Services are described in the existing Schedules. Each supplement to the applicable Schedule, as agreed to in writing by the Parties, shall be deemed part of this Agreement as of the date of such agreement and the Additional Services set forth therein shall be deemed “Services” provided under this Agreement, in each case subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

Section 2.02. Performance of Services .

(a) Subject to Section  2.05 , Parent shall perform, or shall cause one or more of its Subsidiaries to perform, all Services to be provided in a manner that is based on its past practice and that in any event, conforms in all material respects with the terms of the Schedules hereto.

(b) Nothing in this Agreement shall require Parent to perform or cause to be performed any Service to the extent that the manner of such performance would constitute a violation of any applicable Law or any existing contract or agreement with a Third Party. If Parent is or becomes aware of the potential for any such violation, Parent shall promptly advise SpinCo of such potential violation, and Parent and SpinCo will mutually seek an alternative that addresses such potential violation. The Parties agree to cooperate in good faith and use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any necessary Third Party consents required under any existing contract or agreement with a Third Party to allow Parent to perform, or cause to be performed, all Services to be provided hereunder in accordance with the standards set forth in this Section  2.02 . SpinCo shall reimburse Parent for all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses (if any) incurred by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with obtaining any such Third Party consent that is required to allow Parent to perform or cause to be performed such Services. If, with respect to a Service, the Parties, despite the use of such commercially reasonable efforts, are unable to obtain a required Third Party consent, or the performance of such Service by Parent would constitute a violation of any applicable Law, Parent shall have no obligation whatsoever to perform or cause to be performed such Service.

(c) Unless otherwise provided with respect to a specific Service on the Schedules hereto, Parent shall not be obligated to perform or to cause to be performed any Service in a manner that is materially more burdensome (with respect to service quality or quantity) than analogous services provided to Parent or its applicable functional group or Subsidiary (collectively referred to as the “ Level of Service ”) during the one year period ending on the last day of Parent’s last fiscal quarter completed on or prior to the date of the Distribution

 

-6-


(the “ Service Baseline Period ”). If SpinCo requests that Parent perform or cause to be performed any Service that exceeds the Level of Service during the Service Baseline Period, then the Parties shall cooperate and act in good faith to determine whether Parent will be required to provide such requested higher Level of Service. If the Parties determine that Parent shall provide the requested higher Level of Service, then such higher Level of Service shall be documented in a written agreement signed by the Parties. Each amended section of the Schedules hereto, as agreed to in writing by the Parties, shall be deemed part of this Agreement as of the date of such written agreement and the Level of Service increases set forth in such written agreement shall be deemed a part of the “Services” provided under this Agreement, in each case subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

(d) (i) Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to perform or to cause to be performed any of the Services for the benefit of any Third Party or any other Person other than SpinCo and its Subsidiaries, and (ii) EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION 2.02 OR SECTION 7.04 , EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ALL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS-IS” BASIS, THAT SPINCO ASSUMES ALL RISK AND LIABILITY ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO ITS USE OF AND RELIANCE UPON THE SERVICES, AND THAT PARENT MAKES NO OTHER REPRESENTATIONS OR GRANTS ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, EITHER IN FACT OR BY OPERATION OF LAW, BY STATUTE OR OTHERWISE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICES. PARENT SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY OTHER WARRANTIES, WHETHER WRITTEN OR ORAL, OR EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR USE OR PURPOSE OR THE NON-INFRINGEMENT OF ANY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS OF THIRD PARTIES.

(e) Each Party shall be responsible for its own compliance with any and all Laws applicable to its performance under this Agreement. No Party shall knowingly take any action in violation of any such applicable Law that results in Liability being imposed on the other Party.

Section 2.03. Charges for Services . Unless otherwise provided with respect to a specific Service on the Schedules hereto, SpinCo shall pay Parent a fee (either one-time or recurring) for such Services (or category of Services, as applicable) (each fee constituting a “ Charge ” and, collectively, “ Charges ”), which Charges shall be set forth on the applicable Schedules hereto, or if not so set forth, then, unless otherwise provided with respect to a specific Service on the Schedule hereto, based upon the cost of providing such Services as shall be agreed to by the Parties from time to time. During the term of this Agreement, the amount of a Charge for any Service may be modified to the extent of (a) any adjustments mutually agreed to by the Parties, (b) any adjustments due to a change in Level of Service requested by SpinCo and agreed upon by Parent, and (c) any adjustment in the rates or charges imposed by any Third Party provider that is providing Services, provided that Parent will notify SpinCo in writing of any such change in rates at least thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of such rate change. Together with any invoice for Charges, Parent shall provide SpinCo with reasonable documentation, including any additional documentation reasonably requested by SpinCo to the extent that such documentation is in Parent’s or its Subsidiaries’ possession or control, to support the calculation of such Charges.

 

-7-


Section 2.04. Reimbursement for Out-of-Pocket Costs and Expenses . SpinCo shall reimburse Parent for reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with providing the Services (including reasonable travel-related expenses) to the extent that such costs and expenses are not reflected in the Charges for such Services; provided , however , that any such cost or expense in excess of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) that is not consistent with Parent’s historical practice for any individual Service (including business travel and related expenses) shall require advance written approval of SpinCo; provided , further , that if SpinCo does not provide such advance written approval and the incurrence of such cost or expense is reasonably necessary for Parent to provide such Service in accordance with the standards set forth in this Agreement, Parent shall not be required to perform such Service. Any authorized travel-related expenses incurred in performing the Services shall be incurred and charged to SpinCo in accordance with Parent’s then-applicable business travel policies.

Section 2.05. Changes in the Performance of Services . Subject to the performance standards for Services set forth in Sections 2.02(a) , 2.02(b) and 2.02(c) , Parent may make changes from time to time in the manner of performing the Services if Parent is making similar changes in performing analogous services for itself and if Parent furnishes to SpinCo reasonable prior written notice (in content and timing) of such changes. If such change shall materially adversely affect the timeliness or quality of, or the Charges for, the applicable Service, SpinCo shall be permitted to terminate this Agreement or the applicable specific Service pursuant to Section 5.02(a)(i) without being required to pay any Termination Charges pursuant to Section  5.04 or comply with clauses (x), (y) and (z) of Section 5.02(a)(i) .

Section 2.06. Transitional Nature of Services . The Parties acknowledge the transitional nature of the Services and agree to cooperate in good faith and to use commercially reasonable efforts to avoid a disruption in the transition of the Services from Parent to SpinCo (or its designee). SpinCo agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to reduce or eliminate its and its Affiliates’ dependency on each Service to the extent and as soon as is reasonably practicable.

Section 2.07. Subcontracting . Parent may hire or engage one or more Third Parties to perform any or all of its obligations under this Agreement; provided , however , that (a) Parent shall use the same degree of care (but at least reasonable care) in selecting each such Third Party as it would if such Third Party was being retained to provide similar services to Parent and (b) Parent shall in all cases remain responsible (as primary obligor) for all of its obligations under this Agreement with respect to the scope of the Services, the performance standard for Services set forth in Sections 2.02(a) , 2.02(b) and 2.02(c) and the content of the Services provided to SpinCo. Parent shall be liable for any breach of its obligations under this Agreement by any Third Party service provider engaged by Parent. Subject to the confidentiality provisions set forth in Article VI , Parent shall, and shall cause its Affiliates to, provide, upon fifteen (15) business days’ prior written notice, any Information within Parent’s or its Affiliates’ control that SpinCo reasonably requests in connection with any Services being provided to SpinCo by a Third Party, including any applicable invoices, agreements documenting the arrangements between such Third Party and Parent and other supporting documentation; provided , further , however , that SpinCo shall make no more than one such request per Third Party during any calendar quarter.

 

-8-


ARTICLE III

OTHER ARRANGEMENTS

Section 3.01. Access .

(a) Upon reasonable advance notice, SpinCo shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, allow Parent and its Subsidiaries and their respective Representatives reasonable access during normal business hours to the facilities, Information, systems, infrastructure and personnel of SpinCo and its Subsidiaries as reasonably necessary for Parent and its Subsidiaries to fulfill their obligations under this Agreement and, as applicable, to verify the accuracy of internal controls over information technology, reporting of financial data and related processes employed in connection with verifying compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; provided that (i) such access shall not unreasonably interfere with any of the business or operations of SpinCo or any of its Subsidiaries and (ii) in the event that SpinCo determines that providing such access could violate any applicable Law or agreement or waive any attorney-client privilege, then the Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to permit such access in a manner that avoids any such consequence. Parent agrees that all of its and its Subsidiaries’ employees shall, and that it shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause its Representatives’ employees to, when on the property of SpinCo or its Subsidiaries, or when given access to any facilities, Information, systems, infrastructure or personnel of SpinCo or its Subsidiaries, conform to the policies and procedures of SpinCo and its Subsidiaries, as applicable, concerning health, safety, conduct and security which are made known or provided to Parent from time to time.

(b) Upon reasonable advance notice, Parent shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, allow SpinCo and its Subsidiaries and their respective Representatives reasonable access during normal business hours to the facilities, Information, systems, infrastructure and personnel of Parent and its Subsidiaries as reasonably necessary for SpinCo to verify the adequacy of internal controls over information technology, reporting of financial data and related processes employed in connection with the Services being provided, including in connection with verifying compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; provided that (i) such access shall not unreasonably interfere with any of the business or operations of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries and (ii) in the event that Parent determines that providing such access could violate any applicable Law or agreement or waive any attorney-client privilege, then the Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to permit such access in a manner that avoids any such consequence. SpinCo agrees that all of its and its Subsidiaries’ employees shall, and that it shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause its Representatives’ employees to, when on the property of Parent or its Subsidiaries, or when given access to any facilities, Information, systems, infrastructure or personnel of Parent or its Subsidiaries, conform to the policies and procedures of Parent and its Subsidiaries, as applicable, concerning health, safety, conduct and security which are made known or provided to SpinCo from time to time.

 

-9-


ARTICLE IV

BILLING; TAXES

Section 4.01. Procedure . Charges for the Services shall be charged to and payable by SpinCo. Amounts payable pursuant to this Agreement shall be paid by wire transfer or Automated Clearing House payment (or such other method of payment as may be agreed between the Parties from time to time) to Parent (as directed by Parent), which amounts shall be due (a) in the case of recurring fees, on a monthly basis on or prior to the first day of the calendar month for which the applicable Service is to be provided, and (b) in the case of all other amounts, within forty-five (45) days of SpinCo’s receipt of each invoice for Charges, including reasonable documentation pursuant to Section  2.03 . All amounts due and payable hereunder shall be paid in U.S. dollars. In the event of any billing dispute, SpinCo shall promptly pay any undisputed amount.

Section 4.02. Late Payments . Charges not paid when due (including any undisputed amounts) pursuant to this Agreement (and any amounts billed or otherwise invoiced or demanded and properly payable that are not paid within forty-five (45) days of the receipt of such bill, invoice or other demand) shall accrue interest at a rate per annum equal to the Prime Rate plus two percent (2%) or the maximum rate under applicable Law, whichever is lower (the “ Interest Payment ”).

Section 4.03. Taxes . Without limiting any provisions of this Agreement, SpinCo shall bear any and all Taxes and other similar charges (and any related interest and penalties) imposed on, or payable with respect to, any fees or charges, including any Charges, payable by it pursuant to this Agreement, including all sales, use, value-added, and similar Taxes, but excluding any Taxes on Parent’s income. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the previous sentence or elsewhere in this Agreement, SpinCo shall be entitled to withhold from any payments to Parent any such Taxes that SpinCo is required by applicable Law to withhold and shall pay such Taxes to the applicable Taxing Authority.

Section 4.04. No Set-Off . Except as mutually agreed to in writing by Parent and SpinCo, neither SpinCo nor any of its Affiliates shall have any right of set-off or other similar rights with respect to any amounts owed to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to this Agreement on account of any obligation owed by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries to SpinCo or any of its Subsidiaries.

Section 4.05. Audit Rights . Subject to the confidentiality provisions of this Agreement, Parent shall, and shall cause its Affiliates to, provide, upon ten (10) days’ prior written notice from SpinCo, any information within Parent’s or its Affiliates’ possession that SpinCo reasonably requests in connection with any Services being provided to SpinCo by Parent or a Third Party service provider, including any applicable invoices or other supporting documentation, or in the case of a Third Party service provider, agreements documenting the arrangements between such Third Party service provider and Parent; provided , however , that SpinCo shall make no more than one such request during any calendar month. SpinCo shall reimburse Parent for any reasonable, documented, out-of-pocket costs incurred in connection with Parent providing such information.

 

-10-


ARTICLE V

TERM AND TERMINATION

Section 5.01. Term . This Agreement shall commence at the Effective Time and shall terminate upon the earliest to occur of (a) the last date on which Parent is obligated to provide any Service to SpinCo in accordance with the terms of this Agreement; (b) the mutual written agreement of the Parties to terminate this Agreement in its entirety; and (c) the date that is the two (2)-year anniversary of the Distribution Date. Unless otherwise terminated pursuant to Section  5.02 , this Agreement shall terminate with respect to each Service as of the close of business on the last day of the Service Period for such Service.

Section 5.02. Early Termination .

(a) Without prejudice to SpinCo’s rights with respect to Force Majeure, SpinCo may from time to time terminate this Agreement with respect to the entirety or portion of any Service (for the avoidance of doubt, SpinCo may terminate any Service (or portion thereof) set forth on any part of the Schedules hereto without terminating all or any other Services set forth on the same Schedule as such terminated Service (or portion thereof)):

(i) For any reason or no reason, upon the giving of at least forty-five (45) days’ prior written notice (or such other number of days specified in the Schedules hereto) to Parent; provided , however , that any such termination (x) may not be effective prior to the end of the Minimum Service Period, (y) may only be effective as of the last day of a month and (z) shall be subject to the obligation to pay any applicable Termination Charges pursuant to Section  5.04 ; or

(ii) if Parent has failed to perform any of its material obligations under this Agreement with respect to such Service, and such failure shall continue to be uncured by Parent for a period of at least thirty (30) days after receipt by Parent of written notice of such failure from SpinCo; provided , however , that SpinCo shall not be entitled to terminate this Agreement with respect to the applicable Service if, as of the end of such period, there remains a good-faith Dispute between the Parties (undertaken in accordance with the terms of Section  8.16 ) as to whether Parent has cured the applicable breach.

(b) Parent may terminate this Agreement with respect to the entirety or portion of any Service at any time upon prior written notice to SpinCo if SpinCo has failed to perform any of its material obligations under this Agreement with respect to such Service, including making payment of Charges for such Service when due, and such failure shall continue to be uncured by SpinCo for a period of at least thirty (30) days after receipt by SpinCo of a written notice of such failure from Parent; provided , however , that Parent shall not be entitled to terminate this Agreement with respect to the applicable Service if, as of the end of such period, there remains a good-faith Dispute between the Parties (undertaken in accordance with the terms of Section  8.16 ) as to whether SpinCo has cured the applicable breach.

(c) The Schedules hereto shall be updated to reflect any terminated Service.

 

-11-


Section 5.03. Interdependencies . The Parties acknowledge and agree that (a) there may be interdependencies among the Services being provided under this Agreement; (b) upon the request of either Party, the Parties shall cooperate and act in good faith to determine whether (i) any such interdependencies exist with respect to the particular Service that SpinCo is seeking to terminate pursuant to Section  5.02 and (ii) in the case of such termination, Parent’s ability to provide a particular Service in accordance with this Agreement would be materially and adversely affected by such termination of another Service; and (c) in the event that the Parties have determined that such interdependencies exist and such termination would materially and adversely affect Parent’s ability to provide a particular Service in accordance with this Agreement, the Parties shall (i) negotiate in good faith to amend the Schedules hereto with respect to such impacted Service prior to such termination, which amendment shall be consistent with the terms of comparable Services, and (ii) if after such negotiation, the Parties are unable to agree on such amendment, Parent’s obligation to provide such Service shall terminate automatically with such termination.

Section 5.04. Effect of Termination . Upon the termination of any Service pursuant to this Agreement, Parent shall have no further obligation to provide the terminated Service, and SpinCo shall have no obligation to pay any future Charges relating to such Service; provided , however , that SpinCo shall remain obligated to Parent for (a) the Charges owed and payable in respect of Services provided prior to the effective date of termination for such Service, and (b) any applicable Termination Charges (which, in the case of clause (b), shall not be payable in the event that SpinCo terminates any Service pursuant to Section 5.02(a)(ii) ). In connection with the termination of any Service, the provisions of this Agreement not relating solely to such terminated Service shall survive any such termination, and in connection with a termination of this Agreement, Article I , this Article V , Article VII and Article VIII , all confidentiality obligations under this Agreement and Liability for all due and unpaid Charges, and Termination Charges shall continue to survive indefinitely.

Section 5.05. Information Transmission . Parent, on behalf of itself and its Subsidiaries, shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide or make available, or cause to be provided or made available, to SpinCo, in accordance with Section 6.1 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement, any Information received or computed by Parent for the benefit of SpinCo concerning the relevant Service during the Service Period; provided , however , that, except as otherwise agreed to in writing by the Parties (a) Parent shall not have any obligation to provide, or cause to be provided, Information in any non-standard format, (b) Parent and its Subsidiaries shall be reimbursed for their reasonable costs in accordance with Section 6.3 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement for creating, gathering, copying, transporting and otherwise providing such Information, and (c) Parent shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain any such Information in accordance with Section 6.4 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

-12-


ARTICLE VI

CONFIDENTIALITY; PROTECTIVE ARRANGEMENTS

Section 6.01. Parent and SpinCo Obligations . Subject to Section  6.04 , until the three (3)-year anniversary of the date of the termination of this Agreement in its entirety, each of Parent and SpinCo, on behalf of itself and each of its Subsidiaries, agrees to hold, and to cause its respective Representatives to hold, in strict confidence, with at least the same degree of care that applies to Parent’s Confidential Information pursuant to policies in effect as of the Effective Time, all Confidential Information concerning the other Party or its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses that is either in its possession (including Confidential Information in its possession prior to the date hereof) or furnished by such other Party or such other Party’s Subsidiaries or their respective Representatives at any time pursuant to this Agreement, and shall not use any such Confidential Information other than for such purposes as may be expressly permitted hereunder, except , in each case, to the extent that such Confidential Information (a) is in the public domain or is generally available to the public, other than as a result of a disclosure by such Party or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective Representatives in violation of this Agreement; (b) is lawfully acquired from other sources by such Party or any of its Subsidiaries, which sources are not themselves known by such Party or any of its Subsidiaries to be bound by a confidentiality obligation or other contractual, legal or fiduciary obligation of confidentiality with respect to such Confidential Information; or (c) is independently developed or generated without reference to or use of the Confidential Information of the other Party or any of its Subsidiaries. If any Confidential Information of a Party or any of its Subsidiaries is disclosed to the other Party or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with providing the Services, then such disclosed Confidential Information shall be used only as required to perform such Services.

Section 6.02. No Release; Return or Destruction . Each Party agrees (a) not to release or disclose, or permit to be released or disclosed, any Confidential Information of the other Party addressed in Section  6.01 to any other Person, except its Representatives who need to know such Confidential Information in their capacities as such (who shall be advised of their obligations hereunder with respect to such Confidential Information) and except in compliance with Section  6.04 , and (b) to use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain such Confidential Information in accordance with Section 6.4 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, when any such Confidential Information is no longer needed for the purposes contemplated by the Separation and Distribution Agreement, this Agreement or any other Ancillary Agreements, each Party will promptly after request of the other Party either return to the other Party all such Confidential Information in a tangible form (including all copies thereof and all notes, extracts or summaries based thereon) or notify the other Party in writing that it has destroyed such information (and such copies thereof and such notes, extracts or summaries based thereon); provided that the Parties may retain electronic back-up versions of such Confidential Information maintained on routine computer system backup tapes, disks or other backup storage devices; and provided , further , that any such retained back-up information shall remain subject to the confidentiality provisions of this Agreement.

Section 6.03. Privacy and Data Protection Laws . Each Party shall comply with all applicable state, federal and foreign privacy and data protection Laws that are or that may in the future be applicable to the provision of the Services under this Agreement.

Section 6.04. Protective Arrangements . In the event that a Party or any of its Subsidiaries either determines on the advice of its counsel that it is required to disclose any information pursuant to applicable Law or receives any request or demand under lawful process or from any Governmental Authority to disclose or provide information of the other Party (or any of its Subsidiaries) that is subject to the confidentiality provisions hereof, such Party shall

 

-13-


notify the other Party (to the extent legally permitted) as promptly as practicable under the circumstances prior to disclosing or providing such information and shall cooperate, at the expense of the other Party, in seeking any appropriate protective order requested by the other Party. In the event that such other Party fails to receive such appropriate protective order in a timely manner and the Party receiving the request or demand reasonably determines that its failure to disclose or provide such information shall actually prejudice the Party receiving the request or demand, then the Party that received such request or demand may thereafter disclose or provide information to the extent required by such Law (as so advised by its counsel) or by lawful process or such Governmental Authority, and the disclosing Party shall promptly provide the other Party with a copy of the information so disclosed, in the same form and format so disclosed, together with a list of all Persons to whom such information was disclosed, in each case to the extent legally permitted.

ARTICLE VII

LIMITED LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

Section 7.01. Limitations on Liability .

(a) SUBJECT TO SECTION  7.02 , THE LIABILITIES OF PARENT AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE REPRESENTATIVES, COLLECTIVELY, UNDER THIS AGREEMENT FOR ANY ACT OR FAILURE TO ACT IN CONNECTION HEREWITH (INCLUDING THE PERFORMANCE OR BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT), OR FROM THE SALE, DELIVERY, PROVISION OR USE OF ANY SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER OR CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE AND STRICT LIABILITY) OR OTHERWISE, SHALL NOT EXCEED $5,000,000. SUBJECT TO SECTION 7.02 AND EXCEPT FOR THE FAILURE OF SPINCO TO PAY FOR SERVICES, THE LIABILITIES OF SPINCO AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE REPRESENTATIVES, COLLECTIVELY, UNDER THIS AGREEMENT FOR ANY ACT OR FAILURE TO ACT IN CONNECTION HEREWITH (INCLUDING THE PERFORMANCE OR BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT), OR FROM THE RECEIPT OF ANY SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER OR CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE AND STRICT LIABILITY) OR OTHERWISE, SHALL NOT EXCEED $5,000,000.

(b) IN NO EVENT SHALL EITHER PARTY, ITS SUBSIDIARIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE REPRESENTATIVES BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY FOR ANY INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, REMOTE, SPECULATIVE OR SIMILAR DAMAGES IN EXCESS OF COMPENSATORY DAMAGES OF THE OTHER PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT (OTHER THAN ANY SUCH LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO A THIRD-PARTY CLAIM), AND EACH PARTY HEREBY WAIVES ON BEHALF OF ITSELF, ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND ITS REPRESENTATIVES ANY CLAIM FOR SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER ARISING IN CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE.

(c) The limitations in Section 7.01(a) and Section 7.01(b) shall not apply in respect of any Liability arising out of or in connection with (i) either Party’s Liability for breaches of confidentiality under Article VI , (ii) the Parties’ respective obligations under Section  7.03 or 7.04 or (iii) the willful misconduct or fraud of or by the Party to be charged.

 

-14-


Section 7.02. Obligation to Re-Perform; Liabilities . In the event of any breach of this Agreement by Parent with respect to the provision of any Services (with respect to which Parent can reasonably be expected to re-perform in a commercially reasonable manner), Parent shall, at the request of SpinCo, promptly correct in all material respects such error, defect or breach or re-perform in all material respects such Services at the sole cost and expense of Parent. The remedy set forth in this Section  7.02 shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of SpinCo for any such breach of this Agreement; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not prohibit SpinCo from exercising its right to terminate this Agreement in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.02(a)(ii) or seeking specific performance in accordance with Section  8.17 . Any request for re-performance in accordance with this Section  7.02 by SpinCo must be in writing and specify in reasonable detail the particular error, defect or breach, and such request must be made no more than one month from the later of (x) the date on which such breach occurred and (y) the date on which such breach was reasonably discovered by SpinCo.

Section 7.03. Third-Party Claims . In addition to (but not in duplication of) its other indemnification obligations (if any) under the Separation and Distribution Agreement, this Agreement or any other Ancillary Agreement, SpinCo shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless Parent, its Subsidiaries and each of their respective Representatives, and each of the successors and assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “ Parent Indemnitees ”), from and against any and all claims of Third Parties relating to, arising out of or resulting from SpinCo’s use or receipt of the Services provided by Parent hereunder, other than Third-Party Claims arising out of the gross negligence, willful misconduct or fraud of any Parent Indemnitee.

Section 7.04. Parent Indemnity . In addition to (but not in duplication of) its other indemnification obligations (if any) under the Separation and Distribution Agreement, this Agreement or any other Ancillary Agreement, Parent shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless SpinCo, its Subsidiaries and each of their respective Representatives, and each of the successors and assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “ SpinCo Indemnitees ”), from and against any and all Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from the sale, delivery or provision of any Services provided by Parent hereunder, but only to the extent that such Liability relates to, arises out of or results from Parent’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or fraud.

Section 7.05. Indemnification Procedures . The procedures for indemnification set forth in Sections 4.5, 4.6 and 4.7 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement shall govern claims for indemnification under this Agreement.

ARTICLE VIII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01. Mutual Cooperation . Each Party shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, cooperate with the other Party and its Subsidiaries in connection with the performance of the Services hereunder; provided , however , that such cooperation shall not unreasonably disrupt the normal operations of such Party or its Subsidiaries; and, provided , further , that this Section  8.01

shall not require such Party to incur any out-of-pocket costs or expenses unless and except as expressly provided in this Agreement or otherwise agreed to in writing by the Parties.

 

-15-


Section 8.02. Further Assurances . Subject to the terms of this Agreement, each Party shall take, or cause to be taken, any and all reasonable actions, including the execution, acknowledgment, filing and delivery of any and all documents and instruments that any other Party may reasonably request in order to effect the intent and purpose of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

Section 8.03. Audit Assistance . Each of the Parties and their respective Subsidiaries are or may be subject to regulation and audit by a Governmental Authority (including a Taxing Authority), standards organizations, customers or other parties to contracts with such Parties or their respective Subsidiaries under applicable Law, standards or contract provisions. If a Governmental Authority, standards organization, customer or other party to a contract with a Party or its Subsidiary exercises its right to examine or audit such Party’s or its Subsidiary’s books, records, documents or accounting practices and procedures pursuant to such applicable Law, standards or contract provisions, and such examination or audit relates to the Services, then the other Party shall provide, at the sole cost and expense of the requesting Party, all assistance reasonably requested by the Party that is subject to the examination or audit in responding to such examination or audits or requests for Information, to the extent that such assistance or Information is within the reasonable control of the cooperating Party and is related to the Services.

Section 8.04. Title to Intellectual Property . Except as expressly provided for under the terms of this Agreement or the Separation and Distribution Agreement, SpinCo acknowledges that it shall acquire no right, title or interest (including any license rights or rights of use) in any intellectual property which is owned or licensed by Parent, by reason of the provision of the Services hereunder. SpinCo shall not remove or alter any copyright, trademark, confidentiality or other proprietary notices that appear on any intellectual property owned or licensed by Parent, and SpinCo shall reproduce any such notices on any and all copies thereof. SpinCo shall not attempt to decompile, translate, reverse engineer or make excessive copies of any intellectual property owned or licensed by Parent, and SpinCo shall promptly notify Parent of any such attempt, regardless of whether by SpinCo or any Third Party, of which SpinCo becomes aware.

Section 8.05. Independent Contractors . The Parties each acknowledge and agree that they are separate entities, each of which has entered into this Agreement for independent business reasons. The relationships of the Parties hereunder are those of independent contractors and nothing contained herein shall be deemed to create a joint venture, partnership or any other relationship between the Parties. Employees performing Services hereunder do so on behalf of, under the direction of, and as employees of, Parent, and SpinCo shall have no right, power or authority to direct such employees, unless otherwise specified with respect to a particular Service on the Schedules hereto.

 

-16-


Section 8.06. Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power .

(a) This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.

(b) This Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement and the other Ancillary Agreements and the Exhibits, Schedules and appendices hereto and thereto contain the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, supersede all previous agreements, negotiations, discussions, writings, understandings, commitments and conversations with respect to such subject matter, and there are no agreements or understandings between the Parties other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein. This Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement, and the other Ancillary Agreements govern the arrangements in connection with the Separation and Distribution and would not have been entered independently.

(c) Parent represents on behalf of itself and, to the extent applicable, each of its Subsidiaries, and SpinCo represents on behalf of itself and, to the extent applicable, each of its Subsidiaries, as follows:

(i) each such Person has the requisite corporate or other power and authority and has taken all corporate or other action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and

(ii) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by it and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of it and is enforceable in accordance with the terms hereof.

(d) Each Party acknowledges and agrees that delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement (whether executed by manual, stamp or mechanical signature) by facsimile or by e-mail in portable document format (PDF) shall be effective as delivery of such executed counterpart of this Agreement. Each Party expressly adopts and confirms each such facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature (regardless of whether delivered in person, by mail, by courier, by facsimile or by e-mail in portable document format (PDF)) made in its respective name as if it were a manual signature delivered in person, agrees that it will not assert that any such signature or delivery is not adequate to bind such Party to the same extent as if it were signed manually and delivered in person and agrees that, at the reasonable request of the other Party at any time, it will as promptly as reasonably practicable cause this Agreement to be manually executed (any such execution to be as of the date of the initial date thereof) and delivered in person, by mail or by courier.

Section 8.07. Governing Law . This Agreement (and any claims or disputes arising out of or related hereto or to the transactions contemplated hereby or to the inducement of any Party to enter herein, whether for breach of contract, tortious conduct or otherwise and whether predicated on common law, statute or otherwise) shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware, irrespective of the choice of Laws principles of the State of Delaware, including all matters of validity, construction, effect, enforceability, performance and remedies.

 

-17-


Section 8.08. Assignability . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided , however , that neither Party may assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Agreement without the express prior written consent of the other Party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such consent shall be required for the assignment of a Party’s rights and obligations under the Separation and Distribution Agreement, this Agreement and the other Ancillary Agreements in whole ( i.e. , the assignment of a Party’s rights and obligations under the Separation and Distribution Agreement, this Agreement and all the other Ancillary Agreements all at the same time) in connection with a merger, consolidation or other business combination of a Party with or into any other Person or a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of a Party to another Person, in each case so long as the resulting, surviving or acquiring Person assumes all the obligations of the relevant Party by operation of Law or pursuant to an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the other Party.

Section 8.09. Third-Party Beneficiaries . Except as provided in Article VII with respect to the Parent Indemnitees and the SpinCo Indemnitees in their respective capacities as such, (a) the provisions of this Agreement are solely for the benefit of the Parties and are not intended to confer upon any other Person except the Parties any rights or remedies hereunder; and (b) there are no other third-party beneficiaries of this Agreement and this Agreement shall not provide any other Third Party with any remedy, claim, Liability, reimbursement, claim of action or other right in excess of those existing without reference to this Agreement.

Section 8.10. Notices . All notices, requests, claims, demands or other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given or made (and except as provided herein shall be deemed to have been duly given or made upon receipt) by delivery in person, by overnight courier service, by certified mail, return receipt requested, by facsimile, or by electronic mail (“ e-mail ”), so long as confirmation of receipt of such e-mail is requested and received, to the respective Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a Party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section  8.10 ):

If to Parent, to:

TEGNA Inc.

7950 Jones Branch Drive

McLean, Virginia 22107

Attention: Chief Legal and Administrative Officer

Facsimile: (703) 873-6331

E-mail:      lawdept@tegna.com

 

-18-


If to SpinCo, to:

Cars.com Inc.

175 West Jackson Boulevard

Chicago Illinois

Attention: Chief Legal Officer

Facsimile: (312) 601-5865

E-mail:       legal@cars.com

Any Party may, by notice to the other Party, change the address to which such notices are to be given.

Section 8.11. Severability . If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions hereof, or the application of such provision to Persons or circumstances or in jurisdictions other than those as to which it has been held invalid or unenforceable, shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated thereby. Upon such determination, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith in an effort to agree upon such a suitable and equitable provision to effect the original intent of the Parties.

Section 8.12. Force Majeure . No Party shall be deemed in default of this Agreement for any delay or failure to fulfill any obligation hereunder so long as and to the extent to which any delay or failure in the fulfillment of such obligations is prevented, frustrated, hindered or delayed as a consequence of circumstances of Force Majeure. Without limiting the termination rights contained in this Agreement, in the event of any such excused delay, the time for performance shall be extended for a period equal to the time lost by reason of the delay. A Party claiming the benefit of this provision shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the occurrence of any such Force Majeure, (a) provide written notice to the other Party of the nature and extent of such Force Majeure; and (b) use commercially reasonable efforts to remove any such causes and resume performance under this Agreement as soon as reasonably practicable (and in no event later than the date that the affected Party resumes analogous performance under any other agreement for itself, its Affiliates or any Third Party) unless this Agreement has previously been terminated under Article V or this Section  8.12 . SpinCo shall be (i) relieved of the obligation to pay Charges for the affected Service(s) throughout the duration of such Force Majeure and (ii) entitled to permanently terminate such Service(s) if the delay or failure in providing such Services because of a Force Majeure shall continue to exist for more than thirty (30) consecutive days (it being understood that SpinCo shall not be required to provide any advance notice of such termination to Parent).

Section 8.13. Headings . The Article, Section and Paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

Section 8.14. Survival of Covenants . Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, the covenants, representations and warranties and other agreements contained in this Agreement, and Liability for the breach of any obligations contained herein, shall survive the Effective Time and shall remain in full force and effect thereafter.

 

-19-


Section 8.15. Waivers of Default . Waiver by any Party of any default by the other Party of any provision of this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver by the waiving Party of any subsequent or other default, nor shall it prejudice the rights of the waiving Party. No failure or delay by any Party in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall a single or partial exercise thereof prejudice any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.

Section 8.16. Dispute Resolution .

(a) In the event of any controversy, dispute or claim (a “ Dispute ”) arising out of or relating to any Party’s rights or obligations under this Agreement (whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise), calculation or allocation of the costs of any Service or otherwise arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement (including the interpretation or validity of this Agreement), such Dispute shall be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution process referred to in Article VII of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

(b) In any Dispute regarding the amount of a Charge or a Termination Charge, if such Dispute is finally resolved pursuant to the dispute resolution process set forth or referred to in Section 8.16(a) and it is determined that the Charge or the Termination Charge, as applicable, that Parent has invoiced SpinCo, and that SpinCo has paid to Parent, is greater or less than the amount that the Charge or the Termination Charge, as applicable, should have been, then (i) if it is determined that SpinCo has overpaid the Charge or the Termination Charge, as applicable, Parent shall within ten (10) calendar days after such determination reimburse SpinCo an amount of cash equal to such overpayment, plus the Interest Payment, accruing from the date of payment by SpinCo to the time of reimbursement by Parent; and (ii) if it is determined that SpinCo has underpaid the Charge or the Termination Charge, as applicable, SpinCo shall within ten (10) calendar days after such determination reimburse Parent an amount of cash equal to such underpayment, plus the Interest Payment, accruing from the date such payment originally should have been made by SpinCo to the time of payment by SpinCo.

Section 8.17. Specific Performance . Subject to Section  8.16 , in the event of any actual or threatened default in, or breach of, any of the terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement, the Party or Parties who are, or are to be, thereby aggrieved shall have the right to specific performance and injunctive or other equitable relief (on an interim or permanent basis) in respect of its rights or their rights under this Agreement, in addition to any and all other rights and remedies at law or in equity, and all such rights and remedies shall be cumulative. The Parties agree that the remedies at law for any breach or threatened breach are inadequate compensation for any loss and that any defense in any Action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate is waived. Any requirements for the securing or posting of any bond with such remedy are hereby waived by each of the Parties. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, Parent shall continue to provide Services and the Parties shall honor all other commitments under this Agreement during the course of dispute resolution pursuant to the provisions of Section  8.16 and this Section  8.17 with respect to all matters not subject to such Dispute; provided , however , that this obligation shall only exist during the term of this Agreement.

 

-20-


Section 8.18. Amendments . No provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed waived, amended, supplemented or modified by a Party, unless such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is in writing and signed by the authorized representative of the Party against whom enforcement of such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is sought.

Section 8.19. Precedence of Schedules . Each Schedule attached to or referenced in this Agreement is hereby incorporated into and shall form a part of this Agreement; provided , however , that the terms contained in such Schedule shall only apply with respect to the Services provided under that Schedule. In the event of a conflict between the terms contained in an individual Schedule and the terms in the body of this Agreement, the terms in the Schedule shall take precedence with respect to the Services under such Schedule only. No terms contained in individual Schedules shall otherwise modify the terms of this Agreement.

Section 8.20. Interpretation . In this Agreement, (a) words in the singular shall be deemed to include the plural and vice versa and words of one gender shall be deemed to include the other genders as the context requires; (b) the terms “hereof,” “herein” and “herewith” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole (including all of the Schedules, Annexes and Exhibits hereto) and not to any particular provision of this Agreement; (c) Article, Section, Exhibit, Annex and Schedule references are to the Articles, Sections, Exhibits, Annexes and Schedules to this Agreement unless otherwise specified; (d) unless otherwise stated, all references to any agreement shall be deemed to include the exhibits, schedules and annexes to such agreement; (e) the word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall mean “including, without limitation,” unless otherwise specified; (f) the word “or” shall not be exclusive; (g) unless otherwise specified in a particular case, the word “days” refers to calendar days; (h) references to “business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions are generally authorized or required by Law to close in New York, New York; (i) references herein to this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated herein shall be deemed to refer to this Agreement or such other agreement as of the date on which it is executed and as it may be amended, modified or supplemented thereafter, unless otherwise specified; and (j) unless expressly stated to the contrary in this Agreement, all references to “the date hereof,” “the date of this Agreement,” “hereby” and “hereupon” and words of similar import shall all be references to May 31, 2017.

Section 8.21. Mutual Drafting . This Agreement shall be deemed to be the joint work product of the Parties and any rule of construction that a document shall be interpreted or construed against a drafter of such document shall not be applicable to this Agreement.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

-21-


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

TEGNA INC.
By:  

/s/ Todd A. Mayman

  Name: Todd A. Mayman
 

Title:   Executive Vice President, Chief

    Legal and Administrative Officer

CARS.COM INC.
By:  

/s/ Todd A. Mayman

  Name: Todd A. Mayman
  Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page to Transition Services Agreement]

Exhibit 10.2

TAX MATTERS AGREEMENT

This Tax Matters Agreement (the “ Agreement ”), dated as of May 31, 2017, is by and among TEGNA Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ Parent ”), and Cars.com Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ SpinCo ”), and all of its direct and indirect Subsidiaries (SpinCo and its present and future Subsidiaries shall be collectively referred to herein as the “ SpinCo Entities ”).

WHEREAS, one or more of the SpinCo Entities is a member of the affiliated group of corporations of which Parent is the common parent corporation and which files a consolidated federal income tax return and certain combined and consolidated state tax returns;

WHEREAS, following the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Separation and Distribution Agreement between Parent and SpinCo, dated as of May 31, 2017 (the “ Separation Agreement ”)), such SpinCo Entities will no longer be included in the affiliated group of corporations (within the meaning of Section 1504 of the Code) of which Parent is the common parent;

WHEREAS, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the contribution by Parent of the SpinCo Assets and the SpinCo Liabilities to SpinCo (the “ Contribution ”) and the Distribution, taken together, are intended to qualify as a transaction that is tax-free under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code; and

WHEREAS, Parent and the SpinCo Entities desire to set forth their agreement regarding the allocation of taxes, the filing of tax returns, the administration of tax contests and other related tax matters;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual obligations and undertakings contained herein, the parties agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and the plural forms of the terms defined), and capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Separation Agreement:

Active Trade or Business ” means the active conduct (as defined in Section 355(b)(2) of the Code and the regulations thereunder) by SpinCo and its “separate affiliated group” (as defined in Section 355(b)(3)(B) of the Code) of the SpinCo Business as conducted immediately prior to the Distribution.

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any specified person, a person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the specified person.

Board Certificate ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.02(d).

 


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

Consolidated Group ” means the affiliated group of corporations (within the meaning of Section 1504 of the Code) of which Parent is the common parent for any Pre-Closing Tax Period (and any successor group) or, where the context requires, any analogous provision of applicable State law.

Contribution ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation Agreement.

Distribution ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation Agreement.

Distribution Date ” means the date of the Distribution.

e-mail ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.03.

Extraordinary Transaction ” means any action that is not in the Ordinary Course of Business, but shall not include any action described in the Separation Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement or that is undertaken pursuant to the Contribution or the Distribution.

Fifty-Percent or Greater Interest ” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term for purposes of Sections 355(d) and (e) of the Code.

Filing Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.04(d).

Final Determination ” means the final resolution of liability for any Tax with respect to a taxable period (i) by Internal Revenue Service Form 870 or 870-AD (or any successor forms thereto), on the date of acceptance by or on behalf of the IRS, or by a comparable form under the laws of other jurisdictions; except that a Form 870 or 870-AD or comparable form that reserves (whether by its terms or by operation of the law) the right of the taxpayer to file a claim for a refund and/or the right of the Taxing Authority to assert a further deficiency shall not constitute a Final Determination; (ii) by a decision, judgment, decree, or other order by a court of competent jurisdiction, which has become final and may not be appealed; (iii) by a closing agreement or accepted offer in compromise under Section 7121 or 7122 of the Code, or comparable agreements under the laws of other jurisdictions; (iv) by any allowance of a refund or credit in respect of an overpayment of Tax, but only after the expiration of all periods during which such refund may be recovered (including by way of offset) by the Taxing Authority jurisdiction; or (v) by any other final disposition, including by reason of the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations.

Foreign Taxes ” means any Taxes imposed by any foreign country or any possession of the United States, or by any political subdivision of any foreign country or United States possession that are imposed on, allocated or attributable to or incurred or payable by the SpinCo Business or the SpinCo Entities and any interest, penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts in respect of the foregoing.

Income Taxes ” means any Taxes based upon or measured by net income, including state and local franchise or similar Taxes measured by net income, and any interest, penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts in respect of the foregoing.

IRS ” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

 

2


Member ” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Treasury Regulation Section l.1502-1(b).

Mixed Tax Controversy ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.01(c).

Notified Action ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.03(a).

Ordinary Course of Business ” means an action taken by a Person only if such action is taken in the ordinary course of the normal day-to-day operations of such Person.

Parent Entity ” means Parent and its Affiliates, as determined immediately after the Separation.

Person ” means an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization or a governmental entity or any department, agency or political subdivision thereof, without regard to whether any entity is treated as disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Plan of Reorganization ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation Agreement.

Post-Closing Tax Period ” means any taxable period beginning after the Distribution Date and, with respect to a taxable period that begins on or before such date and ends thereafter, the portion of such taxable period beginning after the Distribution Date.

Pre-Closing Tax Period ” means any taxable period ending on or before the Distribution Date and, with respect to a taxable period that begins on or before such date and ends thereafter, the portion of such taxable period ending on the Distribution Date.

Pre-Closing Taxes ” means any Taxes that are imposed on, allocated to or attributable to or incurred or payable by any SpinCo Entity for any Pre-Closing Tax Period, provided that in the case of Sales and Use Taxes, Pre-Closing Taxes shall not include any Sales and Use Taxes reported on a Tax Return required to be filed after the Distribution Date, and provided further that Pre-Closing Taxes shall not include any Property Taxes imposed on, allocated to or attributable to any property acquired by Parent or SpinCo after the Distribution Date. For purposes of calculating “Pre-Closing Taxes,” any liability for Taxes attributable to a taxable period that begins before and ends after the Closing Date shall be apportioned between the portion of such period ending on such date and the portion of such period beginning after such date (a) in the case of any Property Taxes, by apportioning such Taxes on a per diem basis, (b) in the case of Sales and Use Taxes, to the portion of the period during which the Tax Return on which such Taxes are reflected is required to be filed, and (c) in the case of all other Taxes (absent an election pursuant to Section 3.02 hereof to the contrary), on the basis of a closing of the books, provided, that exemptions, allowances or deductions that are calculated on an annual basis shall be apportioned on a per diem basis.

Prime Rate ” means the rate that Bloomberg displays as “Prime Rate by Country United States” or “Prime Rate By Country US-BB Comp” at  http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/PRIME:IND or on a Bloomberg terminal at PRIMBB Index.

 

3


Property Taxes ” means any real, personal, and intangible ad valorem property Taxes that are imposed on, allocated or attributable to or incurred or payable by the SpinCo Business or the SpinCo Entities, together with any interest, additions or penalties with respect thereto and any interest in respect of such additions or penalties.

Proposed Acquisition Transaction ” means a transaction or series of transactions (or any agreement, understanding or arrangement, within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code and Treasury Regulation Section 1.355-7, or any other regulations promulgated thereunder, to enter into a transaction or series of transactions), whether such transaction is supported by SpinCo management or shareholders, is a hostile acquisition, or otherwise, as a result of which SpinCo would merge or consolidate with any other person or as a result of which any person or any group of related persons would (directly or indirectly) acquire, or have the right to acquire, from SpinCo and/or one or more holders of outstanding shares of SpinCo Capital Stock, a number of shares of SpinCo Capital Stock that would, when combined with any other changes in ownership of SpinCo Capital Stock pertinent for purposes of Section 355(e) of the Code, comprise 40% or more of (A) the value of all outstanding shares of stock of SpinCo as of the date of such transaction, or in the case of a series of transactions, the date of the last transaction of such series, or (B) the total combined voting power of all outstanding shares of voting stock of SpinCo as of the date of such transaction, or in the case of a series of transactions, the date of the last transaction of such series. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Proposed Acquisition Transaction shall not include (A) the adoption by SpinCo of a Shareholder Rights Plan or (B) issuances by SpinCo that satisfy Safe Harbor VIII (relating to acquisitions in connection with a person’s performance of services) or Safe Harbor IX (relating to acquisitions by a retirement plan of an employer) of Treasury Regulation Section 1.355-7(d). For purposes of determining whether a transaction constitutes an indirect acquisition, any recapitalization resulting in a shift of voting power or any redemption of shares of stock shall be treated as an indirect acquisition of shares of stock by the non-exchanging shareholders. This definition and the application thereof is intended to monitor compliance with Section 355(e) of the Code and shall be interpreted accordingly. Any clarification of, or change in, the statute or regulations promulgated under Section 355(e) of the Code shall be incorporated in this definition and its interpretation.

Protective Section  336(e)  Election ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.05.

Representation Letters ” means the representation letters and any other materials delivered or deliverable by Parent and others in connection with the rendering by Tax Advisor of the Tax Opinion.

Reverse Timing Difference ” means an adjustment to a Tax Return that results in (a) an increase in income, gain or recapture, or a decrease in deduction, loss or credit, of any member of the SpinCo Group for a Post-Closing Tax Period and (b) an increase in deduction, loss or credit, or a decrease in income, gain or recapture, of any Parent Entity for any Pre-Closing Tax Period.

Sales and Use Taxes ” mean any sales, use, value added or similar Taxes and fees that are imposed on, allocated or attributable to or incurred or payable by the SpinCo Business or the SpinCo Entities, together with any interest, additions or penalties with respect thereto and any interest in respect of such additions or penalties.

 

4


Section 8.02(d) Acquisition Transaction ” means any transaction or series of transactions that is not a Proposed Acquisition Transaction but would be a Proposed Acquisition Transaction if the percentage reflected in the definition of Proposed Acquisition Transaction were 25% instead of 40%.

Separate Return ” means (a) in the case of any Tax Return of any Parent Entity (including any consolidated, combined or unitary return), any such Tax Return that does not include any SpinCo Entity and (b) in the case of any Tax Return of any SpinCo Entity (including any consolidated, combined or unitary return), any such Tax Return that does not include any Parent Entity.

SpinCo Business ” means the business and assets contributed to, or owned by, SpinCo pursuant to the Separation Agreement.

SpinCo Capital Stock ” means all classes or series of capital stock of SpinCo, including (i) the SpinCo Common Stock, (ii) all options, warrants and other rights to acquire such capital stock, and (iii) all instruments properly treated as stock in SpinCo for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

SpinCo Federal Consolidated Income Tax Return ” means any United States federal income Tax Return for the affiliated group of corporations (within the meaning of Section 1504 of the Code) of which SpinCo is the common parent (and any successor group).

SpinCo Group ” means SpinCo and its Affiliates, excluding any entity that is a Parent Entity.

SpinCo Separate Return ” means any Separate Return of SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group.

SpinCo Separate Return Taxes ” means any Taxes required to be reflected on a SpinCo Separate Return, including (i) any Foreign Taxes and (ii) any South Carolina or Virginia State Income Taxes reflected on a post-apportionment nexus combined Tax Return.

Shareholder Rights Plan ” means any plan or arrangement of the sort commonly referred to as a “rights plan” or “stockholder rights plan” or “shareholder rights plan” or “poison pill” that is designed to increase the cost to a potential acquirer of exceeding the applicable ownership thresholds through the issuance of new rights, common stock or preferred shares (or any other security or device that may be issued to stockholders of SpinCo other than ratably to all stockholders of SpinCo) that carry severe redemption provisions, favorable purchase provisions or otherwise, and any related rights agreement that effectuates the Shareholder Rights Plan.

State Affiliated Companies ” means all entities that Parent determines are included in a State Combined or Consolidated Return or that any jurisdiction determines under applicable law are included in a State Combined or Consolidated Return.

State Combined or Consolidated Return ” means a single state or local Tax Return filed for (i) one or more of Parent and its Subsidiaries (other than any SpinCo Entity) and (ii) one or more SpinCo Entities.

 

5


State Income Taxes ” means any Income Tax imposed by any State of the United States or by any political subdivision of any such State.

Subsidiary ” means a corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity, whether or not such entity is treated as such for tax purposes.

Tax ” or “ Taxes ” means any and all forms of taxation, whenever created or imposed by a Taxing Authority, and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall include net income, alternative or add-on minimum, estimated, gross income, sales, use, ad valorem , gross receipts, value added, franchise, profits, license, escheat, transfer, recording, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profit, customs duty or other tax, governmental fee or other like assessment or charge of any kind whatsoever, together with any related interest, penalties or other additions to tax, or additional amounts imposed by any such Taxing Authority.

Tax Advisor ” means a United States tax counsel or accountant of recognized national standing.

Tax Attribute ” means a net operating loss, net capital loss, unused investment credit, unused foreign tax credit, excess charitable contribution, general business credit or any other Tax item that could reduce a Tax.

Tax Benefit Item ” means any unused net operating loss, unused foreign Tax credit, unused charitable deduction, unused capital loss, or similar unused Tax benefit item arising with respect to the SpinCo Entities in a given taxable period, computed as though the SpinCo Entities had independently filed a federal, state or local Tax Return for such taxable period including all of the SpinCo Entities.

Tax Controversy ” means any pending or threatened audit, dispute, suit, action, proposed assessment or other proceeding relating to Taxes.

Tax-Free Status ” means the qualification of the Contribution and Distribution, taken together, (a) as a reorganization described in Sections 355(a) and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, (b) as a transaction in which the stock distributed thereby is “qualified property” for purposes of Sections 355(d), 355(e) and 361(c) of the Code and (c) as a transaction in which Parent, SpinCo and the shareholders of Parent recognize no income or gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes pursuant to Sections 355, 361 and 1032 of the Code, other than, in the case of Parent and SpinCo, intercompany items or excess loss accounts taken into account pursuant to the Treasury Regulations promulgated pursuant to Section 1502 of the Code.

Tax Opinion ” means the opinion of Tax Advisor deliverable to Parent in connection with the Contribution and the Distribution.

Tax-Related Losses ” means (i) all federal, state and local Taxes (including interest and penalties thereon and without giving effect to any Tax Benefit Items of Parent or its Affiliates) imposed pursuant to any settlement, Final Determination, judgment or otherwise; (ii) all accounting, legal and other professional fees, and court costs incurred in connection with such Taxes; and (iii) all costs, expenses and damages associated with stockholder litigation or controversies and any amount paid by Parent (or any Parent Affiliate) or SpinCo (or any SpinCo Affiliate) in respect of the liability of shareholders, whether paid to shareholders or to the IRS or any other Taxing Authority, in each case, resulting from the failure of the Contribution and the Distribution to qualify for the Tax-Free Status.

 

6


Tax Return ” means any return, filing, questionnaire or other document, including requests for extensions of time, filings made with estimated Tax payments, claims for refund and amended returns, that may be filed for any taxable period with any Taxing Authority in connection with any Tax (whether or not a payment is required to be made with respect to such filing) or any information reporting requirement.

Taxing Authority ” means a national, foreign, municipal, state, federal or other governmental authority responsible for the administration of any Tax.

Timing Difference ” means an adjustment to a Tax Return that results in (a) an increase in income, gain or recapture, or a decrease in deduction, loss or credit, of any Parent Entity for any Pre-Closing Tax Period and (b) an increase in deduction, loss or credit, or a decrease in income, gain or recapture, of any member of the SpinCo Group for a Post-Closing Tax Period.

Unqualified Tax Opinion ” means an unqualified “will” opinion of a Tax Advisor, which opinion and which Tax Advisor are acceptable to Parent, on which Parent may rely to the effect that a transaction will not affect the Tax-Free Status. Any such opinion must assume that the Contribution and Distribution would have qualified for Tax-Free Status if the transaction in question did not occur.

ARTICLE II

PREPARATION AND FILING OF TAX RETURNS

Section 2.01 Parent Consolidated Group Tax Returns .

(a) Parent shall timely prepare and file (or cause to be timely prepared and filed) all federal income Tax Returns for the Consolidated Group. The SpinCo Entities shall timely provide to Parent all financial data and any other information and documentation reasonably requested by Parent in connection with the filing of any such federal income Tax Returns.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, for all Tax purposes, the Parties shall report any Extraordinary Transactions that are caused or permitted by SpinCo or any SpinCo Entity on the Distribution Date after the Effective Time as occurring on the day after the Distribution Date pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-76(b)(1)(ii)(B) or any similar or analogous provision of state, local or foreign Law.

Section 2.02 State Combined or Consolidated Returns .

(a) Parent or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall prepare all State Combined or Consolidated Returns. To the extent permitted by law, Parent (or one of its Subsidiaries) shall timely file each such State Combined or Consolidated Return. If Parent (or one of its Subsidiaries) is not permitted to file any such State Combined or Consolidated Return, a SpinCo Entity shall file such State Combined or Consolidated Return. The SpinCo Entities shall timely provide to Parent all financial data and any other information and documentation reasonably requested by Parent in connection with the preparation of any such State Combined or Consolidated Return.

 

7


(b) To the extent reasonably requested by the SpinCo Entities and if the SpinCo Entities are responsible for any portion of the Taxes reported thereon, Parent shall (i)  consult with the SpinCo Entities regarding the preparation of a State Combined or Consolidated Return and (ii) deliver any such State Combined or Consolidated Return to the SpinCo Entities for review and comment no later than five days prior to the date on which such State Combined or Consolidated Return is due. Parent shall consider in good faith any changes to such State Combined or Consolidated Tax Return reasonably requested by the SpinCo Entities, to the extent that such changes relate to items for which the SpinCo Entities have responsibility hereunder.

Section 2.03 Other Tax Returns of the SpinCo Entities.

(a) Except as provided in Section 2.03(b), the SpinCo Entities shall timely prepare and file, or cause to be timely prepared and filed, all Tax Returns required to be filed by or with respect to the SpinCo Entities other than those described in Section  2.01 and Section 2.02 herein. The Tax Returns required to be prepared and filed by SpinCo under this Section 2.03(a) shall include (i) any SpinCo Federal Consolidated Income Tax Return for periods ending after the Distribution Date and (ii)  SpinCo Separate Returns required to be filed for Tax periods ending after the Distribution Date.

(b) To the extent any Tax Return described in Section 2.03(a) involves Pre-Closing Taxes (including any SpinCo Separate Return for periods ending on or prior to the Distribution Date), SpinCo shall (i) consult with Parent regarding the preparation of such Tax Return, (ii) deliver such Tax Return to Parent for review and comment no later than five days prior to the date on which such Tax Return is due and (iii)  not file such return without Parent’s prior written consent. A SpinCo Entity shall timely file such Tax Return and shall timely pay (or cause to be timely paid) any Tax that is due in connection with any such Tax Return.

Section 2.04 Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, SpinCo shall not on any Tax Return (i) claim any Tax deduction or Tax Benefit Item that has been or will be claimed by Parent on any Parent Tax Return, (ii)  take any position in respect of a prior transaction that is inconsistent with the position taken by Parent on any Tax Return prepared by Parent in which any SpinCo Entity is included or (iii)  take any position in respect of the transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement inconsistent with the Tax-Free Status or the position taken by Parent on any Tax Return. SpinCo shall not without Parent’s prior written consent amend any Tax Return that reflects any Tax, Tax Attribute or Tax Benefit Item allocated to Parent under this Agreement.

 

8


ARTICLE III

ALLOCATION AND PAYMENT OF CONSOLIDATED FEDERAL TAXES

Section 3.01 Payment of Consolidated Federal Income Tax . Parent shall be responsible for all payments of federal Income Tax due with respect to the Consolidated Group.

Section 3.02 Certain Elections . Parent, in its sole discretion, shall be permitted to make a ratable election pursuant to Treasury Regulation 1.1502-76(b)(ii)(2) with respect to the distributive share of any SpinCo Entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

ARTICLE IV

ALLOCATION AND PAYMENT OF

COMBINED/CONSOLIDATED STATE AND LOCAL TAXES

Section 4.01 Allocation of Combined/Consolidated State and Local Tax . Except as provided in Section 4.01(a) below, Parent shall be responsible for any and all State Income Taxes due with respect to or required to be reported on any State Combined or Consolidated Return.

(a) With respect to any State Combined or Consolidated Return relating to any Post-Closing Tax Period, SpinCo shall be liable to Parent for any State Income Taxes attributable to such Post-Closing Tax Period.

(b) If, with respect to any State Combined or Consolidated Return relating to any Post-Closing Tax Period, a Tax Attribute of any of the SpinCo Entities arising in such Post-Closing Tax Period actually reduces the combined Tax liability on the State Combined or Consolidated Return below the amount that would have been payable by Parent if the SpinCo Entities had not been included in such Tax return (the “Parent Reduction”), then Parent shall be liable to SpinCo in an amount equal to the Parent Reduction.

(c) With respect to any State Combined or Consolidated Return that is not an income Tax Return, the applicable state or local Tax liability shall be allocated among the SpinCo Entities and all the other State Affiliated Companies pro rata based on the Tax that would have been paid by the SpinCo Entities as one group, on the one hand, and all other State Affiliated Companies as a separate group, on the other hand.

Section 4.02 Payment . The computation of the state or local Tax allocations, as well as any required payment to and from Parent, shall be made within 10 days after Parent or any of its Affiliates (other than the SpinCo Entities), makes a payment to, or receives a payment credit or offset from, any Taxing Authority pursuant to this Article IV. All decisions relating to the allocation and payment of Taxes under this Article IV shall be made at the reasonable discretion of Parent.

 

9


ARTICLE V

ALLOCATION AND PAYMENT OF OTHER TAXES

Section 5.01 Other Taxes . Except as set forth in Section 5.02 and Section  5.03, all Taxes of (or with respect to) a SpinCo Entity or the SpinCo Business shall be paid by the SpinCo Entities, other than (i) Taxes of the Consolidated Group, (ii) Taxes reportable on a Tax Return described in Section 2.02(a) (other than such Taxes for which the SpinCo Entities are responsible pursuant to Article IV), and (iii) any Pre-Closing Taxes.

Section 5.02 Non-Income Taxes . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, SpinCo shall be responsible for and pay all (i)  Property Taxes and (ii) any Sales and Use Taxes reflected on a Tax Return required to be filed after the Distribution Date, in each case other than such Taxes that are Pre-Closing Taxes.

Section 5.03 Escheat Taxes .

(a) SpinCo shall be responsible for (and shall indemnify Parent from and against) any escheat or unclaimed property Taxes imposed on or attributable to any SpinCo Entity for any tax period.

(b) Any refund of any escheat or unclaimed property Taxes attributable to any SpinCo Entity for any tax period (including, for the avoidance of doubt, capital recovery items attributable to any SpinCo Entity originating in any tax period) shall be for the benefit of SpinCo, and any such refund received by any Parent Entity shall be paid over to SpinCo within 10 days of receipt by such Parent Entity.

Section 5.04 Employment Taxes . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, this Agreement shall not apply with respect to any liability or responsibility for Taxes allocated pursuant to the Employee Matters Agreement.

ARTICLE VI

TAX DEFICIENCIES AND REFUNDS; CARRYBACKS; INDEMNIFICATION

Section 6.01. Pre-Closing Taxes . Except as set forth in Section 5.03, Parent shall be responsible for (and shall indemnify the SpinCo Entities from and against) all Pre-Closing Taxes, including any Pre-Closing Taxes resulting from any audit, amendment, other change or adjustment, Taxes of the Consolidated Group, and Taxes reportable on a Tax Return described in Section 2.02(a) (to the extent allocated to Parent under Article IV). Any refund of Pre-Closing Taxes and such other Taxes for which Parent is responsible (whether by payment, credit, offset against other Taxes due or otherwise) shall be for the benefit of (and paid to) Parent.

Section 6.02 Carrybacks. In the event any Tax Benefit Item of the SpinCo Entities for any taxable period after they cease being Members of the Consolidated Group is eligible to be carried back to a taxable period while the SpinCo Entities were Members of the Consolidated Group, the SpinCo Entities shall, where possible, elect to carry such amounts forward to subsequent taxable periods. If the SpinCo Entities are required by law to carry back any such Tax Benefit Item, the SpinCo Entities shall be entitled to a payment at the time and to the extent that

 

10


such Tax Benefit Item reduces the Income Tax liability of the Consolidated Group. For purposes of computing the amount of the payment described in this Section 6.02, one or more Tax Benefit Items shall be considered to have reduced the Consolidated Group’s Income Tax liability in a given taxable period by an amount equal to the difference, if any, between (i) the amount of the Consolidated Group’s Income Tax liability for the taxable period computed without regard to such Tax Benefit Item or Items and (ii) the amount of the Consolidated Group’s Income Tax liability for the taxable period computed with regard to such Tax Benefit Item or Items. For the avoidance of doubt, if the SpinCo Entities are required to carry back a Tax Benefit Item, such Tax Benefit Item shall reduce the Consolidated Group’s Income Tax liability only after all Tax Benefit Items of Parent have been applied to reduce the Consolidated Group’s Income Tax liability in such taxable period. Appropriate reconciliation payments shall be made in the event that it is subsequently determined that a Tax Benefit Item did not reduce the Consolidated Group’s Income Tax liabilities, including by reason of any such Tax Benefit Item being subsequently disallowed in whole or in part or by reason of other Tax benefits becoming available.

Section 6.03 Timing Differences.

(a) If any audit, amendment, other change or adjustment to any Tax Return, pursuant to a Final Determination, results in a Timing Difference, then for each Post-Closing Tax Period in which a member of the SpinCo Group actually realizes a Tax benefit by reason of such Timing Difference, SpinCo shall pay to Parent an amount equal to such Tax benefit within 10 days of such benefit being realized.

(b) If any audit, amendment, other change or adjustment to any Tax Return, pursuant to a Final Determination, results in a Reverse Timing Difference, then for each Pre-Closing Tax Period in which any Parent Entity actually realizes a Tax benefit by reason of such Reverse Timing Difference, Parent shall pay to SpinCo an amount equal to such Tax benefit within 10 days of such benefit being realized.

Section 6.04 Indemnification.

(a) SpinCo Liability . SpinCo shall be liable for, and shall indemnify and hold harmless Parent and any Parent Entities from and against any liability for, (i) Taxes which are allocated to SpinCo under Article IV and Article V, (ii) Taxes resulting from a breach by SpinCo of any covenant in this Agreement, (iii) any Tax-Related Losses for which SpinCo is responsible pursuant to Section 8.04 of this Agreement, and (iv)  any stamp, sales and use, gross receipts, value-added or other transfer Taxes imposed on any SpinCo Entity (if such entity is primarily liable for such Tax) on the transfers occurring pursuant to the transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement.

(b) Parent Liability . Parent shall be liable for, and shall indemnify and hold harmless SpinCo and the SpinCo Entities from and against any liability for, (i)  Taxes which are allocated to Parent under Articles III, IV and V, (ii) Taxes resulting from a breach by Parent of any covenant in this Agreement, (iii)  any Tax-Related Losses for which Parent is responsible pursuant to Section  8.04 of this Agreement, and (iv)  any stamp, sales and use, gross receipts, value-added or other transfer Taxes imposed on any Parent Entity (if such entity is primarily liable for such Tax) on the transfers occurring pursuant to the transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement (other than any transactions described in the Plan of Reorganization).

 

11


(c) Payments . Unless otherwise specified in this Agreement, all indemnification payments required to be made under this Agreement shall be made within 20 days of the date of receipt by the indemnifying party of written notice of the amount owed, together with reasonable documentation showing the basis for the calculation of such amount and evidence of payment of such amount by the indemnified party.

Section 6.05 Characterization of and Adjustments to Payments.

(a) For all Tax purposes, Parent and SpinCo agree to treat any payment required by this Agreement (other than payments with respect to interest accruing after the Distribution Date) as either a contribution by Parent to SpinCo or a distribution by SpinCo to Parent, as the case may be, occurring immediately prior to the Distribution Date or as a payment of an assumed or retained liability.

(b) Any indemnity payment under this Agreement shall be increased to take into account any inclusion in income of the indemnified party arising from the receipt of such indemnity payment and shall be decreased to take into account any reduction in income of the indemnified party arising from such indemnified liability. For purposes hereof, any inclusion or reduction shall be determined (i) using the highest marginal rates in effect at the time of the determination and (ii)  assuming that the indemnified party will be liable for Taxes at such rate and has no Tax Attributes at the time of the determination.

ARTICLE VII

COOPERATION AND TAX CONTROVERSY

Section 7.01 Cooperation .

(a) Parent and the SpinCo Entities shall cooperate fully at such time and to the extent reasonably requested by the other party in connection with the preparation and filing of any Tax Return or the conduct of any Tax Controversy concerning any issues or any other matter contemplated hereunder. Such cooperation shall include, without limitation, (i)  the retention and provision on demand of books, records, documentation or other information relating to any Tax Return until the later of (x)  the expiration of the applicable federal or state statute of limitation (giving effect to any extension, waiver, or mitigation thereof) and (y) in the event any claim has been made under this Agreement for which such information is relevant, a Final Determination with respect to such claim; (ii)  the filing or execution of any document that may be necessary or reasonably helpful in connection with the filing of any Tax Return, or claim for a refund of Taxes previously paid, by either party, or in connection with any Tax Controversy addressed in the preceding sentence (including a requisite power of attorney); and (iii)  the use of the parties’ reasonable best efforts to obtain any documentation from a governmental authority or a third party that may be necessary or helpful in connection with the foregoing. Each party shall make its employees and facilities reasonably available on a mutually convenient basis to facilitate such cooperation.

 

12


(b) Parent and the SpinCo Entities shall use reasonable efforts to keep each other informed as to the status of Tax Controversies involving any issue which could give rise to any liability of the other party under this Agreement. Parent and the SpinCo Entities shall each promptly notify the other of any inquiries by any Taxing Authority or any other administrative, judicial or other governmental authority that relate to any Tax that may be imposed on the other or any Affiliate of the other that might give rise to any liability under this Agreement. Parent shall have sole control of any Tax Controversy relating to the Consolidated Group or to any Pre-Closing Taxes. Parent shall have sole control of any Tax Controversy relating to any State Combined and Consolidated Return, provided, that in the case of any such Tax Controversy that may affect Taxes for which the SpinCo Entities have responsibility hereunder, the SpinCo Entities may participate in such Tax Controversies at their own expense. If the potential liability of the SpinCo Entities under this Agreement relating to any Tax Controversy exceeds $5,000,000, Parent shall not settle or concede such Tax Controversy without the prior written consent of the SpinCo Entities, not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.

(c) If any Tax Controversy includes or could include both a claim for Taxes for which any Parent Entity is liable under this Agreement and a claim for Taxes for which any SpinCo Entity is liable under this Agreement, Parent and SpinCo shall use commercially reasonable efforts to separate such claim(s) for Taxes for which the Parent Entity is liable from such claim(s) for which the SpinCo entity is liable. Parent shall have sole control of any such Tax Controversy that involves a claim for Taxes for which the Parent Entity is liable under this Agreement that is not separable from a claim for Taxes for which the SpinCo Entity is liable under this Agreement (a “ Mixed Tax Controversy ”). SpinCo shall be entitled to participate fully (at SpinCo’s sole cost and expense) in the conduct of any Mixed Tax Controversy, and Parent shall not settle such Mixed Tax Controversy without the consent of SpinCo, not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. The reasonable costs and expenses of conducting the defense of any Mixed Tax Controversy shall be reasonably apportioned based on the relative amounts of the claim for Taxes for which the Parent Entity is liable and the claim for Taxes for which the SpinCo Entity is liable.

Section 7.02 Contest Provisions . Subject to the cooperation provisions in Section 7.01, Parent shall have the right to resolve any difference or disagreement on any matter that arises out of the application and interpretation of this Agreement; provided, however, that Parent shall (i)  in good faith cooperate and consult with the SpinCo Entities in an effort to resolve any differences with respect to Parent’s position with regard to such matter, (ii)  in good faith consider the SpinCo Entities’ position on such matter and (iii)  advise the SpinCo Entities of the reason for rejecting any such recommendation for alternative positions.

ARTICLE VIII

TAX-FREE STATUS

Section 8.01 Tax Opinions and Representation Letters . Each of SpinCo and Parent hereby represents and agrees that (A)  it has read and reviewed the Representation Letters prior to the Distribution Date and (B) subject to any qualifications therein, all information contained in such Representation Letters that concerns or relates to such company or any of its Subsidiaries is true, correct and complete.

 

13


Section 8.02 Restrictions on SpinCo.

(a) SpinCo agrees that it will not take or fail to take, or permit any SpinCo Entity to take or fail to take, any action where such action or failure to act would be inconsistent with or cause to be untrue any material information, covenant or representation in any Representation Letters or Tax Opinion. SpinCo agrees that it will not take or fail to take, or permit any SpinCo Entity to take or fail to take, any action which prevents or could reasonably be expected to prevent (A)  the Tax-Free Status, or (B)  any transaction contemplated by the Separation Agreement which is intended by the parties to be tax-free from so qualifying, including, in the case of SpinCo, issuing any SpinCo Capital Stock that would prevent the Distribution from qualifying as a tax-free distribution within the meaning of Section 355 of the Code.

(b) SpinCo agrees that, from the date hereof until the first day after the two-year anniversary of the Distribution Date, it will (i)  maintain its status as a company engaged in the Active Trade or Business for purposes of Section  355(b)(2) of the Code and (ii)  not engage in any transaction that would result in it ceasing to be a company engaged in the Active Trade or Business for purposes of Section  355(b)(2) of the Code, in each case, taking into account Section  355(b)(3) of the Code.

(c) SpinCo agrees that, from the date hereof until the first day after the two-year anniversary of the Distribution Date, it will not (i) enter into any Proposed Acquisition Transaction or, to the extent SpinCo has the right to prohibit any Proposed Acquisition Transaction, permit any Proposed Acquisition Transaction to occur, (ii)  merge or consolidate with any other Person or liquidate or partially liquidate, (iii)  in a single transaction or series of transactions sell or transfer (other than sales or transfers of inventory in the ordinary course of business) 30% or more of the gross assets of the Active Trade or Business or 30% or more of the consolidated gross assets of SpinCo and its Affiliates (such percentages to be measured based on fair market value as of the Distribution Date), (iv)  redeem or otherwise repurchase (directly or through an SpinCo Affiliate) any SpinCo stock, or rights to acquire stock, except to the extent such repurchases satisfy Section  4.05(1)(b) of Revenue Procedure 96-30 (as in effect prior to the amendment of such Revenue Procedure by Revenue Procedure 2003-48), (v)  amend its certificate of incorporation (or other organizational documents), or take any other action, whether through a stockholder vote or otherwise, affecting the voting rights of SpinCo Capital Stock (including, without limitation, through the conversion of one class of SpinCo Capital Stock into another class of SpinCo Capital Stock) or (vi)  take any other action or actions (including any action or transaction that would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with any representation made in the Representation Letters or the Tax Opinion) which in the aggregate (and taking into account any other transactions described in this subparagraph (c)) would be reasonably likely to have the effect of causing or permitting one or more Persons (whether or not acting in concert) to acquire directly or indirectly stock representing a Fifty-Percent or Greater Interest in SpinCo or otherwise jeopardize the Tax-Free Status, unless prior to taking any such action set forth in the foregoing clauses (i)  through (vi), (A)  SpinCo shall provide Parent with an Unqualified Tax Opinion in form and substance satisfactory to Parent in its sole and absolute discretion, which discretion shall be exercised in good faith solely to preserve the Tax-Free Status (and in determining whether an opinion is satisfactory, Parent may consider, among other factors, the appropriateness of any underlying assumptions and management’s representations if used as a basis for the opinion) (B) SpinCo shall have requested Parent to obtain a supplemental ruling in accordance with Section  8.03 of this Agreement to the effect that such action will not affect the Tax-Free Status and Parent shall have received such a supplemental ruling in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to it or (C)  Parent shall have waived the requirement to obtain such Unqualified Tax Opinion or supplemental ruling.

 

14


(d) Certain Issuances of SpinCo Capital Stock . If SpinCo proposes to enter into any Section 8.02(d) Acquisition Transaction or, to the extent SpinCo has the right to prohibit any Section 8.02(d) Acquisition Transaction, proposes to permit any Section 8.02(d) Acquisition Transaction to occur, in each case, during the period from the date hereof until the first day after the two-year anniversary of the Distribution Date, SpinCo shall provide Parent, no later than ten days following the signing of any written agreement with respect to the Section 8.02(d) Acquisition Transaction, with a written description of such transaction (including the type and amount of SpinCo Capital Stock to be issued in such transaction) and a certificate of the Board of Directors of SpinCo to the effect that the Section 8.02(d) Acquisition Transaction is not a Proposed Acquisition Transaction or any other transaction to which the requirements of Section 8.02(c) apply (a “ Board Certificate ”).

Section 8.03 Procedures Regarding Opinions and Rulings .

(a) If SpinCo notifies Parent that it desires to take one of the actions described in clauses (i)  through (vi)  of Section 8.02(c) (a “ Notified Action ”), Parent and SpinCo shall reasonably cooperate to attempt to obtain the Unqualified Tax Opinion or supplemental ruling from the IRS referred to in Section 8.02(c), unless Parent shall have waived the requirement to obtain such Unqualified Tax Opinion or supplemental ruling. If such a ruling is to be sought, Parent shall apply for such ruling and Parent and SpinCo shall jointly control the process of obtaining such ruling. In no event shall Parent be required to file any ruling request under this Section 8.03(a) unless SpinCo represents that (x)  it has read such ruling request, and (y)  all information and representations, if any, relating to any member of the SpinCo Group, contained in such ruling request documents are (subject to any qualifications therein) true, correct and complete. Parent and SpinCo shall each bear its own costs and expenses in obtaining a supplemental ruling requested by SpinCo.

(b) Unqualified Tax Opinion at SpinCo’s Request . Parent agrees that, at the reasonable request of SpinCo, Parent shall cooperate with SpinCo’s efforts to obtain, as expeditiously as possible, an Unqualified Tax Opinion for the purpose of permitting SpinCo to take the Notified Action. Parent and SpinCo shall each bear its own costs and expenses in obtaining an Unqualified Tax Opinion requested by SpinCo.

(c) Unqualified Tax Opinion at Parent’s Request . Parent shall have the right to obtain a supplemental ruling or an Unqualified Tax Opinion at any time in its sole and absolute discretion. If Parent determines to obtain a supplemental ruling or an Unqualified Tax Opinion, SpinCo shall (and shall cause each Affiliate of SpinCo to) cooperate with Parent and take any and all actions reasonably requested by Parent in connection with obtaining the supplemental ruling or Unqualified Tax Opinion (including, without limitation, by making any representation or covenant or providing any materials or information requested by Tax Advisor or the IRS). Parent and SpinCo shall each bear its own costs and expenses in obtaining an Unqualified Tax Opinion or supplemental ruling requested by Parent.

(d) Except as provided in Section 8.03(a) and (b)  neither SpinCo nor any SpinCo Affiliate shall seek any guidance from the IRS or any other Taxing Authority (whether written, verbal or otherwise) at any time concerning the Distribution (including the impact of any transaction on the Distribution).

 

15


Section 8.04 Liability for Tax-Related Losses .

(a) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or the Separation Agreement to the contrary, subject to Section 8.04(c), SpinCo shall be responsible for, and shall indemnify and hold harmless Parent and its Affiliates and each of their respective officers, directors and employees from and against, one hundred percent (100%)  of any Tax-Related Losses that are attributable to or result from any one or more of the following: (A)  the acquisition (other than pursuant to the Contribution or the Distribution) of all or a portion of SpinCo’s stock and/or its or its subsidiaries’ assets by any means whatsoever by any Person, (B) any negotiations, understandings, agreements or arrangements by SpinCo with respect to transactions or events (including, without limitation, stock issuances, pursuant to the exercise of stock options or otherwise, option grants, capital contributions or acquisitions, or a series of such transactions or events) that cause the Distribution to be treated as part of a plan pursuant to which one or more Persons acquire directly or indirectly stock of SpinCo representing a Fifty-Percent or Greater Interest therein, (C)  any action or failure to act by SpinCo after the Distribution (including, without limitation, any amendment to SpinCo’s certificate of incorporation (or other organizational documents), whether through a stockholder vote or otherwise) affecting the voting rights of SpinCo stock (including, without limitation, through the conversion of one class of SpinCo Capital Stock into another class of SpinCo Capital Stock), (D)  any act or failure to act by SpinCo or any SpinCo Affiliate described in Section  8.02 (regardless whether such act or failure to act is covered by a supplemental ruling, Unqualified Tax Opinion or waiver described in clause (A), (B) or (C) of Section 8.02(c), or a Board Certificate described in Section 8.02(d)) or (E)  any breach by SpinCo of its agreements and representations set forth in Section  8.01.

(b) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or the Separation Agreement to the contrary, subject to Section 8.04(c), Parent shall be responsible for, and shall indemnify and hold harmless SpinCo and its Affiliates and each of their respective officers, directors and employees from and against, one hundred percent (100%)  of any Tax-Related Losses that are attributable to, or result from any one or more of the following: (A)  the acquisition (other than pursuant to the Contribution or the Distribution) of all or a portion of Parent’s stock and/or its assets by any means whatsoever by any Person, (B)  any negotiations, agreements or arrangements by Parent with respect to transactions or events (including, without limitation, stock issuances, pursuant to the exercise of stock options or otherwise, option grants, capital contributions or acquisitions, or a series of such transactions or events) that cause the Distribution to be treated as part of a plan pursuant to which one or more Persons acquire directly or indirectly stock of Parent representing a Fifty-Percent or Greater Interest therein, or (C)  any breach by Parent of its agreements and representations set forth in Section  8.01.

(c) To the extent that any Tax-Related Loss is subject to indemnity under both Section 8.04(a) and Section 8.04(b), responsibility for such Tax-Related Loss shall be shared by Parent and SpinCo according to relative fault.

 

16


(d) SpinCo shall pay Parent the amount of any Tax-Related Losses for which SpinCo is responsible under this Section 8.04: (A)  in the case of Tax-Related Losses described in clause (i) of the definition of Tax-Related Losses no later than five days prior to the date Parent files, or causes to be filed, the applicable Tax Return for the year of the Contribution or Distribution, as applicable (the “ Filing Date ”) (provided that if such Tax-Related Losses arise pursuant to a Final Determination described in clause (i), (ii)  or (iii) of the definition of “Final Determination,” then SpinCo shall pay Parent no later than five days after the date of such Final Determination with interest calculated at a rate per annum equal to the Prime Rate plus two percent, from the date that is five days prior to the Filing Date through the date of such Final Determination) and (B)  in the case of Tax-Related Losses described in clause (ii)  or (iii)  of the definition of Tax-Related Losses, no later than five days after the date Parent pays such Tax-Related Losses. Parent shall pay SpinCo the amount of any Tax-Related Losses (described in clause (ii)  or (iii)  of the definition of Tax-Related Loss) for which Parent is responsible under this Section  8.04 no later than five days after the date SpinCo pays such Tax-Related Losses.

Section 8.05 336(e) Election . The Parties agree that (i) Parent and SpinCo shall enter into a written, binding agreement and (ii)  Parent shall timely make a protective election under Section 336(e) of the Code (and any similar provision of any U.S. state or local jurisdiction) and Treasury Regulation Section 1.336-2(j) (a “ Protective Section 336(e) Election ”) with respect to the Distribution, in each case, in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.336-2(h).  Parent shall timely file such forms as may be contemplated by applicable Tax law or administrative practice to effect such Protective Section 336(e) Election.  To the extent, pursuant to a Final Determination, the Distribution constitutes a “qualified stock disposition,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.336-1(b)(6), the Parties shall not and shall not permit any of their respective Subsidiaries to, take any position for Tax purposes inconsistent with the relevant Protective Section 336(e) Election, except as may be required pursuant to a Final Determination.  For the avoidance of doubt, in the event that Section 336(e) applies to the Distribution, Parent shall be permitted to make an election under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-13(f)(5)(ii) in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-13(f)(5)(ii)(E) and specifying Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-13(f)(5)(ii)(C) as the basis for relief.

Section 8.06 Tax Reporting . Each of Parent and SpinCo covenants and agrees that it will not take, and will cause its respective Affiliates to refrain from taking, any position on any Tax Return that is inconsistent with the Tax-Free Status.

ARTICLE IX

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 9.01 Effective Date . This Agreement applies to all matters related to any Tax Returns filed, Taxes paid, adjustments made in respect of any Tax, and any other matters involving Taxes on or after the Distribution Date between or among (i)  Parent or any of its Subsidiaries (other than the SpinCo Entities) and (ii)  the SpinCo Entities. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, the representations and covenants of Section 8.01 shall be effective as of the date of this Agreement.

Section 9.02 Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power .

(a) This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.

 

17


(b) This Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and the Exhibits, Schedules and appendices hereto and thereto contain the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, supersede all previous agreements, negotiations, discussions, writings, understandings, commitments and conversations with respect to such subject matter, and there are no agreements or understandings between the Parties other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein.

(c) Parent represents on behalf of itself and, to the extent applicable, each of its Subsidiaries, and SpinCo represents on behalf of itself and, to the extent applicable, each of its Subsidiaries, as follows:

(i) each such Person has the requisite corporate or other power and authority and has taken all corporate or other action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and

(ii) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by it and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of it and is enforceable in accordance with the terms hereof.

Each Party acknowledges and agrees that delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement (whether executed by manual, stamp or mechanical signature) by facsimile or by email in portable document format (PDF) shall be effective as delivery of such executed counterpart of this Agreement. Each Party expressly adopts and confirms each such facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature (regardless of whether delivered in person, by mail, by courier, by facsimile or by email in portable document format (PDF)) made in its respective name as if it were a manual signature delivered in person, agrees that it will not assert that any such signature or delivery is not adequate to bind such Party to the same extent as if it were signed manually and delivered in person and agrees that, at the reasonable request of the other Party at any time, it will as promptly as reasonably practicable cause this Agreement to be manually executed (any such execution to be as of the date of the initial date thereof) and delivered in person, by mail or by courier.

Section 9.03 Notices . All notices, requests, claims, demands or other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given or made (and except as provided herein, shall be deemed to have been duly given or made upon receipt) by delivery in person, by overnight courier service, by certified mail, return receipt requested, by facsimile, or by electronic mail (“ e-mail ”), so long as confirmation of receipt of such e-mail is requested and received, to the respective Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a Party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section  9.03 ):

If to Parent, to:

TEGNA Inc.

7950 Jones Branch Drive

McLean, Virginia 22107

Attention: Chief Legal and Administrative Officer

Facsimile: (703) 873-6331

E-mail:      lawdept@tegna.com

 

18


with a copy to:

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

Attention: Igor Kirman

          Victor Goldfeld

Facsimile: (212) 403-2000

E-mail:      IKirman@wlrk.com

          VGoldfeld@wlrk.com

If to SpinCo (prior to the Effective Time), to:

Cars.com Inc.

7950 Jones Branch Drive

McLean, Virginia 22107

Attention: General Counsel

Facsimile: (703) 873-6331

E-mail:      lawdept@tegna.com

with a copy to:

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

Attention: Igor Kirman

        Victor Goldfeld

Facsimile: (212) 403-2000

E-mail:      IKirman@wlrk.com

         VGoldfeld@wlrk.com

and a copy to:

Cars.com Inc.

175 West Jackson Boulevard

Chicago, Illinois 60604

Attention: Chief Legal Officer

Facsimile: (312) 601-5865

E-mail:      legal@cars.com

If to SpinCo (from and after the Effective Time), to:

Cars.com Inc.

175 West Jackson Boulevard

Chicago, Illinois 60604

Attention: Chief Legal Officer

Facsimile: (312) 601-5865

E-mail:      legal@cars.com

 

19


with a copy to:

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

Attention: Igor Kirman

        Victor Goldfeld

Facsimile: (212) 403-2000

E-mail:      IKirman@wlrk.com

         VGoldfeld@wlrk.com

A Party may, by notice to the other Party, change the address to which such notices are to be given.

Section 9.04 Governing Law . This Agreement (and any claims or disputes arising out of or related to it or to the transactions contemplated hereby or to the inducement of any Party to enter into it, whether for breach of contract, tortious conduct or otherwise and whether predicated on common law, statute or otherwise) shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware, irrespective of the choice of Laws principles of the State of Delaware, including all matters of validity, construction, effect, enforceability, performance and remedies.

Section 9.05 Assignability . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided, however, that neither Party may assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Agreement without the express prior written consent of the other Party hereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such consent shall be required for the assignment of a party’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, the Separation Agreement and all other Ancillary Agreements (except as may be otherwise provided in any such Ancillary Agreement) in whole ( i.e., the assignment of a party’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and all Ancillary Agreements all at the same time) in connection with a change of control of a Party so long as the resulting, surviving or transferee Person assumes all the obligations of the relevant party thereto by operation of Law or pursuant to an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the other Party. Nothing in this Section  9.05 is intended to, or shall be construed to, prohibit either Party or any member of its Group from being party to or undertaking a change of control.

Section 9.06 Dispute Resolution . The dispute resolution procedures set forth in Article VII of the Separation Agreement shall apply to any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

Section 9.07 Intended Third Party Beneficiaries . This Agreement is solely for the benefit of the parties to this Agreement and should not be deemed to confer upon third parties any remedy, claim, liability, reimbursement, claim of action or other right in excess of those existing without this Agreement.

 

20


Section 9.08 Severability . If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions hereof or thereof, or the application of such provision to Persons or circumstances or in jurisdictions other than those as to which it has been held invalid or unenforceable, shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated thereby. Upon such determination, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith in an effort to agree upon such a suitable and equitable provision to effect the original intent of the Parties.

Section 9.09 Expenses . Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, each party shall bear any and all expenses that arise from its respective obligations under this Agreement. In the event either party to this Agreement brings an action or proceeding for the breach or enforcement of this Agreement, the prevailing party in such action or proceeding, whether or not such action or proceeding proceeds to final judgment, shall be entitled to recover as an element of its costs, and not as damages, such reasonable attorneys’ fees as may be awarded in the action or proceeding in addition to whatever other relief to which the prevailing party may be entitled.

Section 9.10 Headings . The Article, Section and Paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

Section 9.11 Survival of Covenants . Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, the covenants, representations and warranties and other agreements contained in this Agreement, and Liability for the breach of any obligations contained herein, shall survive the Effective Time and shall remain in full force and effect thereafter.

Section 9.12 Waivers of Default . Waiver by any Party of any default by the other Party of any provision of this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver by the waiving Party of any subsequent or other default, nor shall it prejudice the rights of the waiving Party. No failure or delay by any Party in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall a single or partial exercise thereof prejudice any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.

Section 9.13 Amendments . No provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed waived, amended, supplemented or modified by a Party, unless such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is in writing and signed by the authorized representative of the Party against whom it is sought to enforce such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification.

Section 9.14 Mutual Drafting . This Agreement shall be deemed to be the joint work product of the Parties, and any rule of construction that a document shall be interpreted or construed against a drafter of such document shall not be applicable to this Agreement.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature page to follow]

 

21


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

TEGNA INC.
By:  

/s/ Todd A. Mayman

Name:   Todd A. Mayman
Title:   Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer
CARS.COM INC.
By:  

/s/ Todd A. Mayman

Name:   Todd A. Mayman
Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page to Tax Matters Agreement]

Exhibit 10.3

EMPLOYEE MATTERS AGREEMENT

BY AND BETWEEN

TEGNA INC.

AND

CARS.COM INC.

DATED AS OF MAY 31, 2017


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1  

Section 1.01.

   Definitions      1  

Section 1.02.

   Interpretation      10  

ARTICLE II GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR ALLOCATION OF LIABILITIES

     10  

Section 2.01.

   General Principles      10  

Section 2.02.

   Service Credit      12  

Section 2.03.

   Adoption and Transfer and Assumption of Benefit Plans      12  

ARTICLE III ASSIGNMENT OF EMPLOYEES

     13  

Section 3.01.

   Active Employees      13  

Section 3.02.

   No-Hire and Non-Solicitation      14  

ARTICLE IV EQUITY, INCENTIVE AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

     15  

Section 4.01.

   Generally      15  

Section 4.02.

   Equity Incentive Awards      15  

Section 4.03.

   Employee Stock Purchase Plan      21  

Section 4.04.

   Non-Equity Incentive Plans      21  

Section 4.05.

   Director Compensation      21  

ARTICLE V 401(K) RETIREMENT PLANS

     21  

Section 5.01.

   SpinCo 401(k) Plans      21  

Section 5.02.

   SpinCo Share Fund in Parent 401(k) Plan      21  

Section 5.03.

   Plan Fiduciaries      21  

ARTICLE VI NONQUALIFIED DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

     22  

ARTICLE VII WELFARE BENEFIT PLANS

     22  

Section 7.01.

   Welfare Plans      22  

Section 7.02.

   COBRA and HIPAA      23  

Section 7.03.

   Vacation, Holidays and Leaves of Absence      23  

Section 7.04.

   Severance and Unemployment Compensation      23  

Section 7.05.

   Workers’ Compensation      24  

Section 7.06.

   Insurance Contracts      24  

Section 7.07.

   Third-Party Vendors      24  

ARTICLE VIII MISCELLANEOUS

     24  

Section 8.01.

   Information Sharing and Access      24  

Section 8.02.

   Preservation of Rights to Amend      25  

 

-i-


Section 8.03.

   Fiduciary Matters      25  

Section 8.04.

   Further Assurances      26  

Section 8.05.

   Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power      26  

Section 8.06.

   Governing Law      27  

Section 8.07.

   Assignability      27  

Section 8.08.

   Third-Party Beneficiaries      27  

Section 8.09.

   Notices      27  

Section 8.10.

   Severability      29  

Section 8.11.

   Force Majeure      29  

Section 8.12.

   Headings      30  

Section 8.13.

   Survival of Covenants      30  

Section 8.14.

   Waivers of Default      30  

Section 8.15.

   Dispute Resolution      30  

Section 8.16.

   Specific Performance      30  

Section 8.17.

   Amendments      30  

Section 8.18.

   Interpretation      30  

Section 8.19.

   Limitations of Liability      31  

Section 8.20.

   Mutual Drafting      31  

 

-ii-


EMPLOYEE MATTERS AGREEMENT

This EMPLOYEE MATTERS AGREEMENT, dated as of May 31, 2017 (this “ Agreement ”), is by and between TEGNA Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ Parent ”), and Cars.com Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ SpinCo ”).

R E C I T A L S:

WHEREAS, the board of directors of Parent (the “ Parent Board ”) has determined that it is in the best interests of Parent and its stockholders to create a new publicly traded company that shall operate the SpinCo Business;

WHEREAS, in furtherance of the foregoing, the Parent Board has determined that it is appropriate and desirable to separate the SpinCo Business from the Parent Business (the “ Separation ”) and, following the Separation, make a distribution, on a pro rata basis, to holders of Parent Shares on the Record Date of all of the outstanding SpinCo Shares owned by Parent (the “ Distribution ”);

WHEREAS, in order to effectuate the Separation and Distribution, Parent and SpinCo have entered into a Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2017 (the “ Separation and Distribution Agreement ”);

WHEREAS, in addition to the matters addressed by the Separation and Distribution Agreement, the Parties desire to enter into this Agreement to set forth the terms and conditions of certain employment, compensation and benefit matters; and

WHEREAS, the Parties acknowledge that this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements represent the integrated agreement of Parent and SpinCo relating to the Separation and Distribution, are being entered into together and would not have been entered into independently.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, provisions and covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Definitions . For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below.

Action ” shall mean any demand, action, claim, dispute, suit, countersuit, arbitration, inquiry, subpoena, proceeding or investigation of any nature (whether criminal, civil, legislative, administrative, regulatory, prosecutorial or otherwise) by or before any federal, state, local, foreign or international Governmental Authority or any arbitration or mediation tribunal.

 


Adjusted SpinCo Stock Value ” shall mean the product obtained by multiplying (a) the SpinCo Stock Value by (b) the Distribution Ratio.

Affiliate ” shall mean, when used with respect to a specified Person, a Person that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such specified Person. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” (including with correlative meanings, “ controlled by ” and “ under common control with ”), when used with respect to any specified Person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or other interests, by contract, agreement, obligation, indenture, instrument, lease, promise, arrangement, release, warranty, commitment, undertaking or otherwise. It is expressly agreed that, prior to, at and after the Effective Time, for purposes of this Agreement (a) no member of the SpinCo Group shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of any member of the Parent Group and (b) no member of the Parent Group shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of any member of the SpinCo Group.

Agreement ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble to this Agreement and shall include all amendments, modifications, and changes hereto entered into pursuant to Section  8.17 .

Ancillary Agreements ” shall mean all agreements (other than the Separation and Distribution Agreement) entered into by the Parties or the members of their respective Groups (but as to which no Third Party is a party) in connection with the Separation, the Distribution, or the other transactions contemplated by the Separation and Distribution Agreement, including the Transition Services Agreement, the Tax Matters Agreement, this Agreement and the Transfer Documents .

Applicable Exchange ” shall mean the securities exchange as may at the applicable time be the principal market for Parent Shares or SpinCo Shares, as applicable.

Assets ” shall mean, with respect to any Person, the assets, properties, claims and rights (including goodwill) of such Person, wherever located (including in the possession of vendors or other third Persons or elsewhere), of every kind, character and description, whether real, personal or mixed, tangible, intangible or contingent, in each case whether or not recorded or reflected or required to be recorded or reflected on the books and records or financial statements of such Person, including rights and benefits pursuant to any contract, license, permit, indenture, note, bond, mortgage, agreement, concession, franchise, instrument, undertaking, commitment, understanding or other arrangement.

Benefit Plan ” shall mean any contract, agreement, policy, practice, program, plan, trust, commitment or arrangement providing for benefits, perquisites or compensation of any nature from an employer to any Employee, or to any family member, dependent, or beneficiary of any such Employee, including cash or deferred arrangement plans, profit sharing plans, post-employment programs, pension plans, thrift plans, supplemental pension plans, welfare plans, stock option, stock purchase, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance stock units, other equity-based compensation and contracts, agreements, policies, practices, programs, plans, trusts, commitments and arrangements providing for terms of

 

-2-


employment, fringe benefits, severance benefits, change in control protections or benefits, travel and accident, life, accidental death and dismemberment, disability and accident insurance, tuition reimbursement, adoption assistance, travel reimbursement, vacation, sick, personal or bereavement days, leaves of absences and holidays; provided , however , that the term “Benefit Plan” does not include any government-sponsored benefits, such as workers’ compensation, unemployment or any similar plans, programs, policies or agreements.

COBRA ” shall mean the U.S. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as codified at Section 601 et seq . of ERISA and at Section 4980B of the Code.

Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Distribution ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Distribution Date ” shall mean the date of the consummation of the Distribution, which shall be determined by the Parent Board in its sole and absolute discretion.

Distribution Ratio ” shall mean a number equal to one-third (1/3).

Effective Time ” shall mean 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on the Distribution Date.

Employee ” shall mean any Parent Group Employee or SpinCo Group Employee.

ERISA ” shall mean the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

Exchange Act ” shall mean the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Force Majeure ” shall mean, with respect to a Party, an event beyond the reasonable control of such Party (or any Person acting on its behalf), which event (a) does not arise or result from the fault or negligence of such Party (or any Person acting on its behalf) and (b) by its nature would not reasonably have been foreseen by such Party (or such Person), or, if it would reasonably have been foreseen, was unavoidable, and includes acts of God, acts of civil or military authority, embargoes, epidemics, war, riots, insurrections, fires, explosions, earthquakes, floods, unusually severe weather conditions, labor problems or unavailability of parts, or, in the case of computer systems, any significant and prolonged failure in electrical or air conditioning equipment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the receipt by a Party of an unsolicited takeover offer or other acquisition proposal, even if unforeseen or unavoidable, and such Party’s response thereto shall not be deemed an event of Force Majeure.

Former Employees ” shall mean Former Parent Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees.

Former Parent Group Employee ” shall mean any individual who is a former employee of the Parent Group as of the Effective Time and who is not a Former SpinCo Group Employee.

 

-3-


Former SpinCo Group Employee ” shall mean any individual who is a former employee of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or former Subsidiaries as of the Effective Time, in each case, whose most recent employment with Parent was with a member of the SpinCo Group or the SpinCo Business.

Gannett EMA ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  4.02(i)(ii) .

Governmental Authority ” shall mean any nation or government, any state, municipality or other political subdivision thereof, and any entity, body, agency, commission, department, board, bureau, court, tribunal or other instrumentality, whether federal, state, local, domestic, foreign or multinational, exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory, administrative or other similar functions of, or pertaining to, a government and any executive official thereof.

Group ” shall mean either the SpinCo Group or the Parent Group, as the context requires.

HIPAA ” shall mean the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

IRS ” shall mean the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

Law ” shall mean any national, supranational, federal, state, provincial, local or similar law (including common law), statute, code, order, ordinance, rule, regulation, treaty (including any income Tax treaty), license, permit, authorization, approval, consent, decree, injunction, binding judicial or administrative interpretation or other requirement, in each case, enacted, promulgated, issued or entered by a Governmental Authority.

Liabilities ” shall mean all debts, guarantees, assurances, commitments, liabilities, responsibilities, Losses, remediation, deficiencies, damages, fines, penalties, settlements, sanctions, costs, expenses, interest and obligations of any nature or kind, whether accrued or fixed, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, accrued or not accrued, asserted or unasserted, liquidated or unliquidated, foreseen or unforeseen, known or unknown, reserved or unreserved, or determined or determinable, including those arising under any Law, claim (including any Third-Party Claim), demand, Action, or order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, stipulation, determination or award entered by or with any Governmental Authority or arbitration tribunal, and those arising under any contract, agreement, obligation, indenture, instrument, lease, promise, arrangement, release, warranty, commitment or undertaking, or any fines, damages or equitable relief that is imposed, in each case, including all costs and expenses relating thereto.

Losses ” shall mean actual losses (including any diminution in value), costs, damages, penalties and expenses (including legal and accounting fees and expenses and costs of investigation and litigation), whether or not involving a Third-Party Claim.

Non-Solicit Date ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  3.02 .

Parent ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

 

-4-


Parent 401(k) Plan ” shall mean the TEGNA 401(k) Savings Plan.

Parent Assets ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(b) of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Parent Awards ” shall mean Parent Option Awards, Parent Restricted Stock Awards, Parent RSU Awards (Pre-2016), Parent RSU Awards (2016), Parent RSU Awards (2017), Parent Performance Share Awards (Pre-2017) and Parent Performance Share Awards (2017), collectively.

Parent Benefit Plan ” shall mean any Benefit Plan established, sponsored or maintained by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries immediately prior to the Effective Time, but excluding any SpinCo Benefit Plan, including any plan transferred to and assumed by SpinCo pursuant to Section  2.03(b) .

Parent Board ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Parent Business ” shall mean all businesses, operations and activities (whether or not such businesses, operations or activities are or have been terminated, divested or discontinued) conducted at any time prior to the Effective Time by either Party or any member of its Group, other than the SpinCo Business.

Parent Change in Control ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  4.02(h)(i) .

Parent Compensation Committee ” shall mean the Executive Compensation Committee of the Parent Board.

Parent ESPP ” shall mean the Parent Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as in effect from time to time.

Parent Group ” shall mean Parent and each Person that is a Subsidiary of Parent (other than SpinCo and any other member of the SpinCo Group).

Parent Group Employees ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  3.01(a)(ii) .

Parent Liabilities ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(b) of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Parent Non-Employee Director ” means an individual who serves or served as a non-employee director of the Parent Board.

Parent Omnibus Plan ” shall mean the TEGNA Inc. 2001 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended and restated as of May 4, 2010, as amended.

Parent Option Award ” shall mean an award of options to purchase Parent Shares granted pursuant to a Parent Omnibus Plan that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

 

-5-


Parent Performance Share Award (Pre-2017) ” shall mean a performance share award granted prior to 2017 pursuant to the Parent Omnibus Plan that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Parent Performance Share Award (2017) ” shall mean a performance share award granted in 2017 pursuant to the Parent Omnibus Plan that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Parent Ratio ” shall mean the quotient obtained by dividing (a) the Pre-Separation Parent Stock Value by (b) the Post-Separation Parent Stock Value.

Parent Restricted Stock Award ” shall mean an award of shares of restricted stock of Parent granted pursuant to the Parent Omnibus Plan that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Parent RSU Award (Pre-2016) ” shall mean an award of time-based restricted stock units granted prior to 2016 pursuant to a Parent Omnibus Plan that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Parent RSU Award (2016) ” shall mean an award of time-based restricted stock units granted in 2016 pursuant to a Parent Omnibus Plan that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Parent RSU Award (2017) ” shall mean an award of time-based restricted stock units granted in 2017 pursuant to a Parent Omnibus Plan that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Parent Shares ” shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of Parent.

Parent Welfare Plan ” shall mean any Parent Benefit Plan which is a Welfare Plan.

Parties ” shall mean the parties to this Agreement.

Person ” shall mean an individual, a general or limited partnership, a corporation, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization, a limited liability entity, any other entity or any Governmental Authority.

Post-Separation Parent Awards ” shall mean Post-Separation Parent Option Awards, Post-Separation Parent Restricted Stock Awards, Post-Separation Parent RSU Awards (Pre-2016), Post-Separation Parent RSU Awards (2016), Post-Separation Parent RSU Awards (2017), Post-Separation Parent Performance Share Awards (Pre-2017) and Post-Separation Parent Performance Share Awards (2017), collectively.

Post-Separation Parent Option Award ” shall mean a Parent Option Award adjusted as of the Effective Time in accordance with Section  4.02(a) .

 

-6-


Post-Separation Parent Performance Share Award (Pre-2017) ” shall mean a Parent Performance Share Award (Pre-2017) adjusted as of the Effective Time in accordance with Section  4.02(f) .

Post-Separation Parent Performance Share Award (2017) ” shall mean a Parent Performance Share Award (2017) adjusted as of the Effective Time in accordance with Section  4.02(g) .

Post-Separation Parent Restricted Stock Award ” shall mean a Parent Restricted Stock Award as adjusted as of the Effective Time in accordance with Section  4.02(b) .

Post-Separation Parent RSU Award (Pre-2016) ” shall mean a Parent RSU Award (Pre-2016) adjusted as of the Effective Time in accordance with Section  4.02(c) .

Post-Separation Parent RSU Award (2016) ” shall mean a Parent RSU Award (2016) as adjusted as of the Effective Time in accordance with Section  4.02(d) .

Post-Separation Parent RSU Award (2017) ” shall mean a Parent RSU Award (2017) as adjusted as of the Effective Time in accordance with Section  4.02(e) .

Post-Separation Parent Stock Value ” shall mean the simple average of the volume weighted average per-share price of Parent Shares trading on the Applicable Exchange during each of the first five (5) full Trading Sessions immediately after the Effective Time.

Pre-Separation Parent Stock Value ” shall mean the simple average of the volume weighted average per-share price of Parent Shares trading “regular way with due bills” on the Applicable Exchange during each of the last five (5) full Trading Sessions immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Record Date ” shall mean the close of business on the date to be determined by the Parent Board as the record date for determining holders of Parent Shares entitled to receive SpinCo Shares pursuant to the Distribution.

Securities Act ” shall mean the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Separation ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Separation and Distribution Agreement ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

SpinCo ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

SpinCo 401(k) Plans ” shall mean the Cars.com, LLC 401(k) Retirement Plan and the DealerRater.Com LLC 401(k) P/S Plan & Trust.

 

-7-


SpinCo Awards ” shall mean SpinCo Restricted Stock Awards, SpinCo Performance Share Awards, SpinCo RSU Awards (Pre-2016), SpinCo RSU Awards (2016) and SpinCo RSU Awards (2017), collectively.

SpinCo Benefit Plan ” shall mean any Benefit Plan established, sponsored, maintained or contributed to by a member of the SpinCo Group as of or after the Effective Time, including any Benefit Plans retained or adopted by SpinCo pursuant to Section  2.03(a) and Section  2.03(b) .

SpinCo Board ” shall mean the Board of Directors of SpinCo.

SpinCo Business ” shall mean (a) the business, operations and activities of the Cars.com business unit of Parent conducted at any time prior to the Effective Time by either Party or any of their current or former Subsidiaries and (b) any terminated, divested or discontinued businesses, operations and activities that, at the time of termination, divestiture or discontinuation, primarily related to the business, operations or activities described in clause (a) as then conducted, including those set forth on Schedule 1.4 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement, excluding, in the case of each of clauses (a) and (b), the business, operations and activities primarily related to the Parent Assets.

SpinCo Change in Control ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  4.02(h)(i) .

SpinCo Designees ” shall mean any entities (including corporations, general or limited partnerships, trusts, joint ventures, unincorporated organizations, limited liability entities or other entities) designated by Parent that will be members of the SpinCo Group as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

SpinCo Group ” shall mean (a) prior to the Effective Time, SpinCo and each Person that will be a Subsidiary of SpinCo as of immediately after the Effective Time, including the Transferred Entities, even if, prior to the Effective Time, such Person is not a Subsidiary of SpinCo; and (b) on and after the Effective Time, SpinCo and each Person that is a Subsidiary of SpinCo.

SpinCo Group Employees ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  3.01(a) .

SpinCo Liabilities ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a) of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

SpinCo Omnibus Plan ” shall mean the Cars.com Inc. Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, as established by SpinCo as of the Effective Time pursuant to Section  2.03(a) and Section  4.01 .

SpinCo Performance Share Award ” shall mean an award of performance shares assumed by SpinCo pursuant to the SpinCo Omnibus Plan in accordance with Section  4.02(f) .

SpinCo Ratio ” shall mean the quotient obtained by dividing (a) the Pre-Separation Parent Stock Value by (b) the SpinCo Stock Value.

 

-8-


SpinCo Restricted Stock Award ” shall mean an award of shares of restricted stock of SpinCo assumed by SpinCo pursuant to the SpinCo Omnibus Plan in accordance with Section  4.02(b) .

SpinCo RSU Award (Pre-2016) ” shall mean an award of time-based restricted stock units assumed pursuant to the SpinCo Omnibus Plan in accordance with Section  4.02(c) .

SpinCo RSU Award (2016) ” shall mean an award of time-based restricted stock units assumed pursuant to the SpinCo Omnibus Plan in accordance with Section  4.02(d) .

SpinCo RSU Award (2017) ” shall mean an award of time-based restricted stock units assumed pursuant to the SpinCo Omnibus Plan in accordance with Section  4.02(e) .

SpinCo Share Fund ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section  5.02 .

SpinCo Shares ” shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of SpinCo.

SpinCo Stock Value ” shall mean the simple average of the volume weighted average per-share price of SpinCo Shares trading on the Applicable Exchange during each of the first five (5) full Trading Sessions immediately after the Effective Time.

SpinCo Welfare Plan ” shall mean a Welfare Plan established, sponsored, maintained or contributed to by any member of the SpinCo Group for the benefit of SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees.

Subsidiary ” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company, joint venture or partnership of which such Person (a) beneficially owns, either directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of (i) the total combined voting power of all classes of voting securities, (ii) the total combined equity interests or (iii) the capital or profit interests, in the case of a partnership, or (b) otherwise has the power to vote, either directly or indirectly, sufficient securities to elect a majority of the board of directors or similar governing body.

Tax ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Tax Matters Agreement.

Tax Matters Agreement ” shall mean the Tax Matters Agreement to be entered into by and between Parent and SpinCo or any members of their respective Groups in connection with the Separation, the Distribution or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Third Party ” shall mean any Person other than the Parties or any members of their respective Groups.

Third-Party Claim ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.5(a) of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Trading Session ” shall mean the period of time during any given calendar day, commencing with the determination of the opening price on the Applicable Exchange and ending with the determination of the closing price on the Applicable Exchange, in which trading in Parent Shares or SpinCo Shares (as applicable) is permitted on the Applicable Exchange.

 

-9-


Transfer Documents ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b) of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Transferred Director ” shall mean each SpinCo non-employee director as of the Effective Time who served on the Parent Board immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Transferred Entities ” shall mean the entities set forth on Schedule 1.9 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

U.S. ” shall mean the United States of America.

Welfare Plan ” shall mean any “welfare plan” (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA) or a “cafeteria plan” under Section 125 of the Code, and any benefits offered thereunder, and any other plan offering health benefits (including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, mental health, substance abuse and retiree health), disability benefits, or life, accidental death and dismemberment, and business travel insurance, pre-Tax premium conversion benefits, dependent care assistance programs, employee assistance programs, paid time-off programs, contribution funding toward a health savings account, flexible spending accounts, supplemental unemployment benefits or severance.

Section 1.02. Interpretation . Section 10.15 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement is hereby incorporated by reference.

ARTICLE II

GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR ALLOCATION OF LIABILITIES

Section 2.01. General Principles .

(a) Acceptance and Assumption of SpinCo Liabilities . Except as otherwise provided by this Agreement, on or prior to the Effective Time, but in any case prior to the Distribution, SpinCo and the applicable SpinCo Designees shall accept, assume and agree faithfully to perform, discharge and fulfill all of the following Liabilities in accordance with their respective terms (each of which shall be considered a SpinCo Liability), regardless of when or where such Liabilities arose or arise, or whether the facts on which they are based occurred prior to or subsequent to the Effective Time, regardless of where or against whom such Liabilities are asserted or determined (including any Liabilities arising out of claims made by Parent’s or SpinCo’s respective directors, officers, Employees, Former Employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates against any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group) or whether asserted or determined prior to the date hereof, and regardless of whether arising from or alleged to arise from negligence, recklessness, violation of Law, fraud or misrepresentation by any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, or any of their respective directors, officers, Employees, Former Employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates:

 

-10-


(i) any and all wages, salaries, incentive compensation, equity compensation, commissions, bonuses and any other employee compensation or benefits payable to or on behalf of any SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees after the Effective Time, without regard to when such wages, salaries, incentive compensation, equity compensation, commissions, bonuses or other employee compensation or benefits are or may have been awarded or earned;

(ii) any and all Liabilities whatsoever with respect to claims under a SpinCo Benefit Plan, taking into account the SpinCo Benefit Plan’s assumption of Liabilities with respect to SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees that were originally the Liabilities of the corresponding Parent Benefit Plan with respect to periods prior to the Effective Time; and

(iii) any and all Liabilities expressly assumed or retained by any member of the SpinCo Group pursuant to this Agreement.

(b) Acceptance and Assumption of Parent Liabilities . Except as otherwise provided by this Agreement, on or prior to the Effective Time, but in any case prior to the Distribution, Parent and certain members of the Parent Group designated by Parent shall accept, assume and agree faithfully to perform, discharge and fulfill all of the following Liabilities in accordance with their respective terms (each of which shall be considered a Parent Liability), regardless of when or where such Liabilities arose or arise, or whether the facts on which they are based occurred prior to or subsequent to the Effective Time, regardless of where or against whom such Liabilities are asserted or determined (including any Liabilities arising out of claims made by Parent’s or SpinCo’s respective directors, officers, Employees, Former Employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates against any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group) or whether asserted or determined prior to the date hereof, and regardless of whether arising from or alleged to arise from negligence, recklessness, violation of Law, fraud or misrepresentation by any member of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, or any of their respective directors, officers, Employees, Former Employees, agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates:

(i) any and all wages, salaries, incentive compensation, equity compensation, commissions, bonuses and any other employee compensation or benefits payable to or on behalf of any Parent Group Employees and Former Parent Group Employees after the Effective Time, without regard to when such wages, salaries, incentive compensation, equity compensation, commissions, bonuses or other employee compensation or benefits are or may have been awarded or earned;

(ii) any and all Liabilities whatsoever with respect to claims under a Parent Benefit Plan, taking into account a corresponding SpinCo Benefit Plan’s assumption of Liabilities with respect to SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees that were originally the Liabilities of such Parent Benefit Plan with respect to periods prior to the Effective Time; and

(iii) any and all Liabilities expressly assumed or retained by any member of the Parent Group pursuant to this Agreement.

 

-11-


(c) Unaddressed Liabilities. To the extent that this Agreement does not address particular Liabilities under any Benefit Plan and the Parties later determine that they should be allocated in connection with the Distribution, the Parties shall agree in good faith on the allocation, taking into account the handling of comparable Liabilities under this Agreement.

Section 2.02. Service Credit . As of the Effective Time, the SpinCo Benefit Plans shall, and SpinCo shall cause each member of the SpinCo Group to, recognize for each SpinCo Group Employee who is employed immediately following the Effective Time by a member of the SpinCo Group and each Former SpinCo Group Employee full service with Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or predecessor entities at or before the Effective Time, to the same extent that such service was recognized by Parent for similar purposes prior to the Effective Time as if such full service had been performed for a member of the SpinCo Group, for purposes of eligibility, vesting and determination of level of benefits under any such SpinCo Benefit Plan.

Section 2.03. Adoption and Transfer and Assumption of Benefit Plans .

(a) Adoption by SpinCo of Benefit Plans. As of no later than the Effective Time, SpinCo shall adopt Benefit Plans (and related trusts, if applicable) as contemplated and in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(b) Retention by SpinCo of SpinCo Plans . From and after the Effective Time, SpinCo shall retain all of the SpinCo Benefits Plans, including all related Liabilities and Assets, and any related trusts and other funding vehicles and insurance contracts of any of such plans other than as specifically provided in this Agreement; provided , however , that SpinCo may make such changes, modifications or amendments to such SpinCo Benefit Plans as may be required by applicable Law or to reflect the Separation and Distribution Agreement, including limiting participation in any such SpinCo Benefit Plan to SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees who participated in the corresponding Benefit Plan immediately prior to the Effective Time. Nothing in this Agreement shall preclude SpinCo, at any time after the Effective Time, from amending, merging, modifying, terminating, eliminating, reducing, or otherwise altering in any respect any SpinCo Benefit Plan, any benefit under any SpinCo Benefit Plan or any trust, insurance policy or funding vehicle related to any SpinCo Benefit Plan, or any employment or other service arrangement with SpinCo Group Employees, independent contractors or vendors (to the extent permitted by law).

(c) Plans Not Required to Be Adopted . With respect to any Benefit Plan not addressed in this Agreement, the Parties shall agree in good faith on the treatment of such plan taking into account the handling of any comparable plan under this Agreement and, notwithstanding that SpinCo shall not have an obligation to continue to maintain any such plan with respect to the provision of future benefits from and after the Effective Time, SpinCo shall remain obligated to pay or provide any previously accrued or incurred benefits to the SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees consistent with Section 2.01(a) of this Agreement.

(d) Information and Operation . Each Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to provide the other Party with information describing each Benefit Plan election made by an Employee or Former Employee that may have application to such Party’s Benefit Plans from and after the Effective Time, and each Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to administer its Benefit Plans using those elections. Each Party shall, upon reasonable request, use its commercially reasonable efforts to provide the other Party and the other Party’s respective Affiliates, agents, and vendors all information reasonably necessary to the other Party’s operation or administration of its Benefit Plans.

 

-12-


(e) No Duplication or Acceleration of Benefits. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, no participant in any Benefit Plan shall receive service credit or benefits to the extent that receipt of such service credit or benefits would result in duplication of benefits provided to such participant by the corresponding Benefit Plan or any other plan, program or arrangement sponsored or maintained by a member of the Group that sponsors the corresponding Benefit Plan. Furthermore, unless expressly provided for in this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement or required by applicable Law, no provision in this Agreement shall be construed to create any right to accelerate vesting distributions or entitlements under any Benefit Plan sponsored or maintained by a member of the Parent Group or member of the SpinCo Group on the part of any Employee or Former Employee.

(f) Beneficiaries . References to Parent Group Employees, Former Parent Group Employees, SpinCo Group Employees, Former SpinCo Group Employees, and current and former non-employee directors of either Parent or SpinCo shall be deemed to refer to their beneficiaries, dependents, survivors and alternate payees, as applicable.

ARTICLE III

ASSIGNMENT OF EMPLOYEES

Section 3.01. Active Employees .

(a) Assignment and Transfer of Employees. Effective as of no later than the Effective Time and except as otherwise agreed by the Parties, (i) the applicable member of the Parent Group shall have taken such actions as are necessary to ensure that each individual who is intended to be an employee of the SpinCo Group as of immediately after the Effective Time (including any such individual who is not actively working as of the Effective Time as a result of an illness, injury or leave of absence approved by the Parent Human Resources department or otherwise taken in accordance with applicable Law) (collectively, the “ SpinCo Group Employees ”) is employed by a member of the SpinCo Group as of immediately after the Effective Time and (ii) the applicable member of the Parent Group shall have taken such actions as are necessary to ensure that each individual who is intended to be an employee of the Parent Group as of immediately after the Effective Time (including any such individual who is not actively working as of the Effective Time as a result of an illness, injury or leave of absence approved by the Parent Human Resources department or otherwise taken in accordance with applicable Law) and any other individual employed by the Parent Group as of the Effective Time who is not a SpinCo Group Employee (collectively, the “ Parent Group Employees ”) is employed by a member of the Parent Group as of immediately after the Effective Time. Each of the Parties agrees to execute, and to seek to have the applicable Employees execute, such documentation, if any, as may be necessary to reflect such assignment and/or transfer.

 

-13-


(b) At-Will Status. Nothing in this Agreement shall create any obligation on the part of any member of the Parent Group or any member of the SpinCo Group to (i) continue the employment of any Employee or permit the return from a leave of absence for any period after the date of this Agreement (except as required by applicable Law) or (ii) change the employment status of any Employee from “at-will,” to the extent that such Employee is an “at-will” employee under applicable Law.

(c) Severance. The Parties acknowledge and agree that the Separation, the Distribution and the assignment, transfer or continuation of the employment of Employees as contemplated by this Section  3.01 shall not be deemed an involuntary termination of employment entitling any SpinCo Group Employee or Parent Group Employee to severance payments or benefits.

(d) Not a Change in Control. The Parties acknowledge and agree that neither the consummation of the Separation, the Distribution nor any transaction contemplated by this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement or any other Ancillary Agreement shall be deemed a “change in control,” “change of control” or term of similar import for purposes of any Benefit Plan sponsored or maintained by any member of the Parent Group or member of the SpinCo Group.

(e) Payroll and Related Taxes. SpinCo shall (i) be responsible for all payroll obligations, Tax withholding and reporting obligations for all SpinCo Group Employees and (ii) furnish a Form W-2 or similar earnings statement to all SpinCo Group Employees, in each case, with respect to periods before and following the Distribution Date.

Section 3.02. No-Hire and Non-Solicitation . Each Party agrees that, for a period of one (1) year from the Distribution Date, such Party shall not hire or solicit for employment any individual who is a Parent Group Employee or a Former Parent Group Employee whose employment was terminated during the thirty (30) days prior to the Effective Time (the “ Non-Solicit Date ”), in the case of SpinCo, or a SpinCo Group Employee or a Former SpinCo Group Employee whose employment was terminated during the thirty (30) days prior to the Effective Time, in the case of Parent; provided , however , without limiting the generality of the foregoing prohibition on solicitation and hiring Employees of the other Party, this Section  3.02 shall not prohibit (a) hiring resulting from generalized solicitations that are not directed to specific Persons or Employees of the other Party, or (b) the solicitation and hiring of a Person whose employment was involuntarily terminated by the other Party. Except as provided in clause (b) of the immediately preceding sentence with respect to involuntary terminations, without regard to the use of the term “Employee” or “employs,” the restrictions under this Section  3.02 shall be applicable to the applicable Employee or Former Employee until the date that is six (6) months after such Employee or Former Employee’s last date of employment with Parent or SpinCo, as applicable. For the avoidance of doubt, the restrictions under this Section  3.02 shall not apply to Former Parent Group Employees or Former SpinCo Group Employees whose most recent employment with Parent and its Subsidiaries was terminated prior to the Non-Solicit Date.

 

-14-


ARTICLE IV

EQUITY, INCENTIVE AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Section 4.01. Generally . Each Parent Award granted that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be adjusted as described below; provided , however , effective immediately prior to the Effective Time, the Parent Compensation Committee may provide for different adjustments with respect to some or all Parent Awards to the extent that the Parent Compensation Committee deems such adjustments necessary and appropriate. Any adjustments made by the Parent Compensation Committee pursuant to the foregoing sentence shall be deemed incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth below and shall be binding on the Parties and their respective Affiliates. Before the Effective Time, the SpinCo Omnibus Plan shall be established, with such terms as are necessary to permit the implementation of the provisions of Section  4.02 .

Section 4.02. Equity Incentive Awards .

(a) Option Awards . Each Parent Option Award that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted, as of the Effective Time, into a Post-Separation Parent Option Award and shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section  4.02 , be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting and expiration) after the Effective Time as were applicable to such Parent Option Award immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided , however , that from and after the Effective Time:

(i) the number of Parent Shares subject to such Post-Separation Parent Option Award shall be equal to the product, rounded down to the nearest whole share, obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent Option Award immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the Parent Ratio; and

(ii) the per-share exercise price of such Post-Separation Parent Option Award shall be equal to the quotient, rounded up to the nearest cent, obtained by dividing (A) the per-share exercise price of the corresponding Parent Option Award immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the Parent Ratio.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section  4.02(a) , the exercise price, the number of Parent Shares subject to each Post-Separation Parent Option Award and the terms and conditions of exercise of such options shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

(b) Restricted Stock Awards . Each Parent Restricted Stock Award that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted, as of the Effective Time, into a Post-Separation Parent Restricted Stock Award and a SpinCo Restricted Stock Award and each such award shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section  4.02 , be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as were applicable to such Parent Restricted Stock Award prior to the Effective Time; provided , however , that from and after the Effective Time the number of shares subject to (i) the Post-Separation Parent Restricted Stock Award shall be equal to the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent Restricted Stock Award immediately prior to the Effective Time and (ii) the SpinCo Restricted Stock Award shall be equal to the product, rounded to the nearest whole share, obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Parent Shares subject to the Parent Restricted Stock Award immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the Distribution Ratio.

 

-15-


(c) RSU Awards (Pre-2016) . Each Parent RSU Award (Pre-2016) that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted, as of the Effective Time, into a Post-Separation Parent RSU Award (Pre-2016) and a SpinCo RSU Award (Pre-2016) and each such award shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section  4.02 , be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as were applicable to such Parent RSU Award (Pre-2016) prior to the Effective Time; provided , however , that from and after the Effective Time the number of shares subject to (i) the Post-Separation Parent RSU Award (Pre-2016) shall be equal to the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent RSU Award (Pre-2016) immediately prior to the Effective Time, and (ii) the SpinCo RSU Award (Pre-2016) shall be equal to the product, rounded to the nearest whole share, obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Parent Shares subject to the Parent RSU Award (Pre-2016) immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the Distribution Ratio.

(d) RSU Awards (2016). Each Parent RSU Award (2016) that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be treated as follows:

(i) If the holder is not a SpinCo Group Employee, Former SpinCo Group Employee or a Parent Non-Employee Director, such award shall be converted, as of the Effective Time, into a Post-Separation Parent RSU Award (2016), and shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section  4.02 , be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting and expiration) after the Effective Time as were applicable to such Parent RSU Award (2016) immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided , however , that from and after the Effective Time, the number of Parent Shares subject to such Post-Separation Parent RSU Award (2016) shall be equal to the product, rounded to the nearest whole share, obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent RSU Award (2016) immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the Parent Ratio.

(ii) If the holder is a SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee, such award shall be converted, as of the Effective Time, into a SpinCo RSU Award (2016), and shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section  4.02 , be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting and expiration) after the Effective Time as were applicable to such Parent RSU Award (2016) immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided , however , that from and after the Effective Time, the number of SpinCo Shares subject to such SpinCo RSU Award (2016) shall be equal to the product, rounded to the nearest whole share, obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent RSU Award (2016) immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the SpinCo Ratio.

(iii) If the holder is a Parent Non-Employee Director, such award shall be converted, as of the Effective Time, into a Post-Separation Parent RSU Award (2016) and a SpinCo RSU Award (2016) and each such award shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section  4.02 , be subject to the same terms and conditions after the Effective Time as were applicable to such Parent RSU Award (2016) prior to the Effective Time; provided , however , that the number of shares subject to (A) the Post-Separation Parent RSU Award (2016) shall be equal to the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent RSU Award (2016) immediately prior to the Effective Time, and (B) the SpinCo RSU Award (2016) shall be equal to the product, rounded to the nearest whole share, obtained by multiplying (x) the number of Parent Shares subject to the Parent RSU Award (2016) immediately prior to the Effective Time by (y) the Distribution Ratio.

 

-16-


(e) RSU Awards (2017). Each Parent RSU Award (2017) that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be treated as follows:

(i) If the holder is not a SpinCo Group Employee, Former SpinCo Group Employee or a Transferred Director, such award shall be converted, as of the Effective Time, into a Post-Separation Parent RSU Award (2017), and shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section  4.02 , be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting and expiration) after the Effective Time as were applicable to such Parent RSU Award (2017) immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided , however , that from and after the Effective Time, the number of Parent Shares subject to such Post-Separation Parent RSU Award (2017) shall be equal to the product, rounded to the nearest whole share, obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent RSU Award (2017) immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the Parent Ratio.

(ii) If the holder is a SpinCo Group Employee, Former SpinCo Group Employee or Transferred Director, such award shall be converted, as of the Effective Time, into a SpinCo RSU Award (2017), and shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section  4.02 , be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting and expiration) after the Effective Time as were applicable to such Parent RSU Award (2017) immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided , however , that from and after the Effective Time, the number of SpinCo Shares subject to such SpinCo RSU Award (2017) shall be equal to the product, rounded to the nearest whole share, obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent RSU Award (2017) immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the SpinCo Ratio.

(f) Performance Share Awards (Pre-2017) . Each Parent Performance Share Award (Pre-2017) that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted, as of the Effective Time, into a Post-Separation Parent Performance Share Award and a SpinCo Performance Share Award and each such award shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section  4.02 , be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting and applicable performance criteria) after the Effective Time as were applicable to such Parent Performance Share Award prior to the Effective Time; provided , however , that from and after the Effective Time:

(i) the number of shares subject to (A) the Post-Separation Parent Performance Share Award shall be equal to the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent Performance Share Award immediately prior to the Effective Time, and (B) the SpinCo Performance Share Award shall be equal to the product, rounded to the nearest whole share, obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Parent Shares subject to the Parent Performance Share Award immediately prior to the Effective Time by (2) the Distribution Ratio;

 

-17-


(ii) for purposes of any such award with a performance period that has not been completed as of the Effective Time, the value of dividends taken into account for purposes of the calculation of total shareholder return, shall be (A) the value of any cash dividends paid on Parent Shares during the performance period and (B) the product obtained by multiplying (1) the value of any cash dividends paid on SpinCo Shares during the portion of the performance period occurring after the Effective Time by (2) the Distribution Ratio; and

(iii) for purposes of any such award with a performance period that has not been completed as of the Effective Time, the stock price at the end of the performance period used to determine total shareholder return shall be the sum of (A) the price per share of Parent Shares on the relevant measurement dates, and (B) the product obtained by multiplying (1) the price per share of SpinCo Shares on the relevant measurement dates by (2) the Distribution Ratio.

(g) Performance Share Awards (2017) . Each Parent Performance Share Award (2017) that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted, as of the Effective Time, into a Post-Separation Parent Performance Share Award (2017), and shall, except as otherwise provided in this Section  4.02 and the terms of the award agreement governing the applicable Parent Performance Share Award (2017), be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting and applicable performance goals as determined and established by the Compensation Committee of the Parent Board) after the Effective Time as were applicable to such Parent Performance Share Award (2017) immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided , however , that from and after the Effective Time, the number of Parent Shares subject to such Post-Separation Parent Performance Share Award (2017) shall be equal to the product, rounded to the nearest whole share, obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Parent Shares subject to the corresponding Parent Performance Share Award (2017) immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the Parent Ratio.

(h) Miscellaneous Award Terms .

(i) With respect to Post-Separation Parent Awards and SpinCo Awards, (A) employment with or service to the Parent Group shall be treated as employment with or service to SpinCo with respect to SpinCo Awards held by a Parent Group Employee who is employed by a member of the Parent Group immediately following the Effective Time or a Parent Non-Employee Director who is a non-employee director of the Parent Board immediately following the Effective Time, and (B) employment with or service to the SpinCo Group shall be treated as employment with or service to Parent with respect to Post-Separation Parent Awards held by a SpinCo Group Employee who is employed by a member of the SpinCo Group immediately following the Effective Time or a Transferred Director who is a director of SpinCo immediately following the Effective Time. In addition, none of the Separation, the Distribution or any employment transfer described in Section  3.01(a) shall constitute a termination of employment for any Employee for purposes of any Post-Separation Parent Award or any SpinCo Award. After the Effective Time, for any award adjusted under this Section  4.02 , any reference to a “change in control,” “change of control” or similar definition in an award agreement, employment agreement or Parent Omnibus Plan applicable to such award, (x) with respect to Post-Separation Parent Awards, shall be deemed to refer to a “change in control,” “change of control” or similar definition as set forth in the applicable award agreement, employment agreement or Parent Omnibus Plan (a “ Parent Change in Control ”), and (y) with respect to SpinCo Awards, shall be deemed to refer to a “Change in Control” as defined in the SpinCo Omnibus Plan a (“ SpinCo Change in Control ”). Without limiting the foregoing, with respect to provisions related to vesting of awards, a Parent Change in Control shall be treated as a SpinCo Change in

 

-18-


Control for purposes of SpinCo Awards held by Parent Group Employees, Former Parent Group Employees and Parent Non-Employee Directors (other than Transferred Directors), and a SpinCo Change in Control shall be treated as a Parent Change in Control for purposes of Post-Separation Parent Awards held by SpinCo Group Employees, Former SpinCo Group Employees and Transferred Directors .

(ii) Any determination in respect of a Post-Separation Parent RSU Award (Pre-2016) and SpinCo RSU Award (Pre-2016) or Post-Separation Parent Performance Share Award (Pre-2017) and SpinCo Performance Share Award, in each case, granted to the holder pursuant to the Parent Omnibus Plan or the SpinCo Omnibus Plan, as applicable, and this Section  4.02 , shall be made by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Party to which the holder provides services immediately after the Effective Time (Parent or SpinCo, as applicable); provided that any such determination shall apply uniformly to both the applicable Post-Separation Parent Award and the corresponding SpinCo Award held by such holder.

(i) Settlement; Tax Reporting and Withholding.

(i) Except as otherwise provided in this Section  4.02(i) or Article  VI , after the Effective Time, Post-Separation Parent Awards, regardless of by whom held, shall be settled by Parent, and SpinCo Awards, regardless of by whom held, shall be settled by SpinCo.

(ii) Upon the vesting, payment or settlement, as applicable, of SpinCo Awards, SpinCo shall be solely responsible for ensuring the satisfaction of all applicable Tax withholding requirements on behalf of each SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee and for ensuring the collection and remittance of applicable employee withholding Taxes to the Parent Group with respect to each Parent Group Employee or Former Parent Group Employee (with Parent Group being responsible for remittance of the applicable employee Taxes and payment and remittance of the applicable employer Taxes relating to Parent Group Employees and Former Parent Group Employees to the applicable Governmental Authority). Upon the vesting, payment or settlement, as applicable, of Post-Separation Parent Awards, Parent shall be solely responsible for ensuring the satisfaction of all applicable Tax withholding requirements on behalf of each Parent Group Employee or Former Parent Group Employee and for ensuring the collection and remittance of applicable employee withholding Taxes to the SpinCo Group with respect to each SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee (with SpinCo Group being responsible for remittance of the applicable employee Taxes and payment and remittance of the applicable employer Taxes relating to SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees to the applicable Governmental Authority). Following the Effective Time, Parent shall be responsible for all income Tax reporting in respect of Post-Separation Parent Awards and SpinCo Awards held by Parent Group Employees, Former Parent Group Employees and Parent Non-Employee Directors (other than Transferred Directors), and SpinCo shall be responsible for all income Tax reporting in respect of Post-Separation Parent Awards and SpinCo Awards held by SpinCo Group Employees, Former SpinCo Group Employees and Transferred Directors. Parent shall seek the cooperation of Gannett Co., Inc. under the Employee Matters Agreement by and between Parent (formerly known as Gannett Co., Inc.) and Gannett Co., Inc. (formerly known as Gannett SpinCo, Inc.), dated as of June 26, 2015 (the “ Gannett EMA ”), with respect to the collection and remittance of applicable employee withholding Taxes and income Tax reporting in respect of SpinCo Awards held by current or former employees or directors of Gannett Co., Inc.

 

-19-


(iii) SpinCo shall be responsible for the settlement of cash dividends or dividend equivalents on any Post-Separation Parent Restricted Stock Award or SpinCo Restricted Stock Award held by a Transferred Director. Prior to the date any such settlement is due, Parent shall pay SpinCo in cash amounts required to settle (A) any dividends or dividend equivalents with respect to Post-Separation Parent Restricted Stock Awards and (B) any dividends or dividend equivalents accrued prior to the Effective Time with respect to SpinCo Restricted Stock Awards. Parent shall be responsible for the settlement of cash dividends or dividend equivalents on any Post-Separation Parent Restricted Stock Awards or SpinCo Restricted Stock Awards held by a Parent Non-Employee Director (other than any Transferred Director). Prior to the date any such settlement is due, SpinCo shall pay Parent in cash amounts required to settle any dividends or dividend equivalents accrued following the Effective Time with respect to SpinCo Restricted Stock Awards. For the avoidance of doubt, the term “dividend equivalents” shall not include any dividend equivalents that are deemed reinvested in SpinCo Shares or Parent Shares, consistent with the practice with respect to the applicable award prior to the Separation, and Parent or SpinCo, as applicable, shall adjust the number of shares subject to the applicable Post-Separation Parent Award or SpinCo Award, as applicable, to reflect such deemed reinvestment in the manner set forth in the applicable award agreement.

(iv) Following the Effective Time, if any Post-Separation Parent Award shall fail to become vested, such Post-Separation Parent Award shall be forfeited to Parent, and if any SpinCo Award shall fail to become vested, such SpinCo Award shall be forfeited to SpinCo.

(j) Cooperation. Each of the Parties shall establish an appropriate administration system to administer, in an orderly manner, (i) exercises of vested Post-Separation Parent Options, (ii) the vesting and forfeiture of unvested Post-Separation Parent Awards and SpinCo Awards, and (iii) the withholding and reporting requirements with respect to all awards. Each of the Parties shall work together to unify and consolidate all indicative data and payroll and employment information on regular timetables and make certain that each applicable Person’s data and records in respect of such awards are correct and updated on a timely basis. The foregoing shall include employment status and information required for vesting and forfeiture of awards and Tax withholding/remittance, compliance with trading windows and compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act and other applicable Laws. With respect to the foregoing matters, Parent shall seek the cooperation of Gannett Co., Inc. under the Gannett EMA in respect of SpinCo Awards held by current or former employees or directors of Gannett Co., Inc.

(k) Registration and Other Regulatory Requirements . SpinCo agrees to file Forms S-1 and S-8 registration statements with respect to, and to cause to be registered pursuant to the Securities Act, the SpinCo Shares authorized for issuance under the SpinCo Omnibus Plan, as required pursuant to the Securities Act, not later than the Effective Time and in any event before the date of issuance of any SpinCo Shares pursuant to the SpinCo Omnibus Plan. The Parties shall take such additional actions as are deemed necessary or advisable to effectuate the foregoing provisions of this Section  4.02(k) . Parent agrees to facilitate the adoption and approval of the SpinCo Omnibus Plan consistent with the requirements of Treasury Regulations Section 1.162-27(f)(4)(iii).

 

-20-


Section 4.03. Employee Stock Purchase Plan . The administrator of the Parent ESPP shall take all actions necessary and appropriate to provide that all payroll deductions and other contributions of the participants in the Parent ESPP who are SpinCo Group Employees shall cease on or before the Distribution Date.

Section 4.04. Non-Equity Incentive Plans . From and following the Effective Time, the SpinCo Group shall retain pursuant to Section  2.03(b) any incentive plan for the exclusive benefit of SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees, whether or not sponsored by the SpinCo Group, and, from and after the Effective Time, shall be solely responsible for all Liabilities thereunder.

Section 4.05. Director Compensation . Parent shall be responsible for the payment of any fees for service on the Parent Board that are earned at, before, or after the Effective Time, and SpinCo shall not have any responsibility for any such payments, except as otherwise provided in Section 4.02 or Article VI . With respect to any SpinCo non-employee director, SpinCo shall be responsible for the payment of any fees for service on the SpinCo Board that are earned at any time after the Effective Time and Parent shall not have any responsibility for any such payments. Notwithstanding the foregoing, SpinCo shall commence paying quarterly cash retainers to SpinCo non-employee directors in respect of the quarter in which the Effective Time occurs; provided that (a) if Parent has already paid such quarter’s cash retainers to Parent Non-Employee Directors prior to the Effective Time, then within thirty (30) days after the Distribution Date, SpinCo shall pay Parent an amount equal to the portion of such payment that is attributable to Transferred Directors’ service to SpinCo after the Distribution Date (other than any amount that is subject to a deferral election and is credited or will be credited to any such director’s account under the Cars.com Deferred Compensation Plan), and (b) if Parent has not yet paid such quarter’s cash retainers to Parent Non-Employee Directors prior to the Effective Time, then within thirty (30) days after the Distribution Date, Parent shall pay SpinCo an amount equal to the portion of such payment that is attributable to Transferred Directors’ service to Parent on and prior to the Distribution Date.

ARTICLE V

401(K) RETIREMENT PLANS

Section 5.01. SpinCo 401(k) Plans . From and following the Distribution Date, (a) SpinCo shall retain pursuant to Section  2.03(b) the SpinCo 401(k) Plans and related trust thereunder, including all related Assets and Liabilities and (b) Parent shall retain the Parent 401(k) Plan and related trust thereunder, including all related Assets and Liabilities.

Section 5.02. SpinCo Share Fund in Parent 401(k) Plan . SpinCo Shares distributed in connection with the Distribution in respect of Parent Shares transferred to the Parent 401(k) Plan accounts of Parent Group Employees or Former Parent Group Employees who participate in the Parent 401(k) Plan shall be deposited in a Share Fund for SpinCo Shares (the “ SpinCo Share Fund ”) under the Parent 401(k) Plan, and such participants in the Parent 401(k) Plan shall be prohibited from increasing their holdings in such SpinCo Share Fund under the Parent 401(k) Plan and may elect to liquidate their holdings in such SpinCo Share Fund and invest those monies in any other investment fund offered under the Parent 401(k) Plan.

Section 5.03. Plan Fiduciaries . For all periods on and after the Distribution Date, the Parties agree that the applicable fiduciaries of each of the Parent 401(k) Plan and the SpinCo 401(k) Plans, respectively, shall have the authority with respect to the Parent 401(k) Plan and the SpinCo 401(k) Plans, respectively, to determine the investment alternatives, the terms and conditions with respect to those investment alternatives and such other matters as are within the scope of their duties under ERISA and the terms of the applicable plan documents.

 

-21-


ARTICLE VI

NONQUALIFIED DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

Effective as of no later than the Effective Time, the SpinCo Group shall establish the Cars.com Deferred Compensation Plan, which shall assume, as of no later than the Effective Time, all Liabilities under the TEGNA Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan related to the Transferred Directors, and the TEGNA Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan shall have no further obligations related to the Transferred Directors from and following the Effective Time. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, from and following the Effective Time, (a) the Parent Group shall retain all Assets and Liabilities related to the TEGNA Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan and (b) the SpinCo Group shall retain all Assets and Liabilities related to the Cars.com, LLC Long Term Incentive Plan, The Cars.com Share Appreciation Rights Plan and the Cars.com Deferred Compensation Plan. Subject to the immediately following sentence, as of the Effective Time, all Parent Shares notionally credited to participants’ accounts under the TEGNA Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan and the Cars.com Deferred Compensation Plan shall be notionally credited with SpinCo Shares as determined by applying the Distribution Ratio in the same way as if the notionally credited Parent Shares were outstanding and vested as of the Effective Time. As of the Effective Time, all Parent Awards that have been deferred and credited to participants’ accounts under the TEGNA Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan and the Cars.com Deferred Compensation Plan shall be notionally adjusted in the manner contemplated by Section  4.02 with respect to each such award. As of no later than the Effective Time, the TEGNA Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan shall be amended to provide that (x) any notional SpinCo Shares or SpinCo Awards credited to participants’ accounts under such plan that would ordinarily be settled in SpinCo Shares shall be settled for cash, (y) vested SpinCo Awards may, at the election of the applicable participant, be notionally invested into an investment alternative other than SpinCo Shares and (z) participants in the TEGNA Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan shall be prohibited from increasing their investments in notional SpinCo Shares under the TEGNA Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan and may elect to liquidate their holdings in such notional SpinCo Shares and invest those monies in any other investment fund offered under the TEGNA Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan. As of no later than the Effective Time, the Cars.com Deferred Compensation Plan shall provide that any notional Parent Shares or Post-Separation Parent Awards that would ordinarily be settled in Parent Shares shall be settled for cash, and Parent Shares and vested Post-Separation Parent Awards may, at the election of the applicable participant, be notionally invested into an investment alternative other than Parent Shares.

ARTICLE VII

WELFARE BENEFIT PLANS

Section 7.01. Welfare Plans .

(a) Retention of SpinCo Welfare Plans . Except as otherwise provided in this Article  VII , as of the Effective Time, SpinCo shall retain the SpinCo Welfare Plans pursuant to Section  2.03(b) .

 

-22-


(b) Allocation of Welfare Plan Assets and Liabilities . Effective as of the Effective Time, the Parent Group shall retain or assume, as applicable, and be responsible for all Assets (including any insurance contracts, policies or other funding vehicles) and Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from health and welfare coverage or claims incurred by or on behalf of Parent Group Employees or Former Parent Group Employees before, at, or after the Effective Time, and the SpinCo Group shall retain or assume, as applicable, and be responsible for all Assets (including any insurance contracts, policies or other funding vehicles) and Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from health and welfare coverage or claims incurred by or on behalf of SpinCo Group Employees or Former SpinCo Group Employees before, at, or after the Effective Time. No SpinCo Welfare Plan shall provide coverage to any Parent Group Employee or Former Parent Group Employee after the Effective Time, and no Parent Welfare Plan shall provide coverage to any SpinCo Group Employee or Former SpinCo Group Employee after the Effective Time.

Section 7.02. COBRA and HIPAA . The Parent Group shall continue to be responsible for complying with, and providing coverage pursuant to, the health care continuation requirements of COBRA, and the corresponding provisions of the Parent Welfare Plans with respect to any Parent Group Employees and any Former Parent Group Employees (and their covered dependents) who incur a qualifying event under COBRA before, as of, or after the Effective Time. The SpinCo Group shall continue to be responsible for complying with, and providing coverage pursuant to, the health care continuation requirements of COBRA, and the corresponding provisions of the SpinCo Welfare Plans with respect to any SpinCo Group Employees or Former SpinCo Group Employees (and their covered dependents) who incur a qualifying event or loss of coverage under the SpinCo Welfare Plans and/or the Parent Welfare Plans before, as of, or after the Effective Time. The Parties agree that the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Separation and Distribution Agreement shall not constitute a COBRA qualifying event for any purpose of COBRA.

Section 7.03. Vacation, Holidays and Leaves of Absence . From and following than the Effective Time, (a) the SpinCo Group shall retain all Liabilities with respect to vacation, holiday, annual leave or other leave of absence, and required payments related thereto, for each SpinCo Group Employee, unless otherwise required by applicable Law, and (b) the Parent Group shall retain all Liabilities with respect to vacation, holiday, annual leave or other leave of absence, and required payments related thereto, for each Parent Group Employee.

Section 7.04. Severance and Unemployment Compensation . From and following than the Effective Time, (a) the SpinCo Group shall retain any and all Liabilities to, or relating to, SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees in respect of severance, and unemployment compensation, regardless of whether the event giving rise to the Liability occurred before, at or after the Effective Time, and (b) the Parent Group shall retain any and all Liabilities to, or relating to, Parent Group Employees and Former Parent Group Employees in respect of severance, and unemployment compensation, regardless of whether the event giving rise to the Liability occurred before, at or after the Effective Time.

 

-23-


Section 7.05. Workers Compensation . With respect to claims for workers’ compensation in the U.S., (a) the SpinCo Group shall be responsible for claims in respect of SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees, whether occurring before, at or after the Effective Time, and (b) the Parent Group shall be responsible for all claims in respect of Parent Group Employees and Former Parent Group Employees, whether occurring before, at or after the Effective Time. The treatment of workers’ compensation claims by SpinCo with respect to Parent insurance policies shall be governed by Section 5.1 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

Section 7.06. Insurance Contracts . To the extent that any Welfare Plan is funded through the purchase of an insurance contract or is subject to any stop loss contract, the Parties shall cooperate and use their commercially reasonable efforts to replicate such insurance contracts for SpinCo or Parent as applicable (except to the extent that changes are required under applicable Law or filings by the respective insurers) and to maintain any pricing discounts or other preferential terms for both Parent and SpinCo for a reasonable term. Neither Party shall be liable for failure to obtain such insurance contracts, pricing discounts, or other preferential terms for the other Party. Each Party shall be responsible for any additional premiums, charges, or administrative fees that such Party may incur pursuant to this Section  7.06 .

Section 7.07. Third-Party Vendors . Except as provided below, to the extent that any Welfare Plan is administered by a third-party vendor, the Parties shall cooperate and use their commercially reasonable efforts to replicate any contract with such third-party vendor for Parent or SpinCo, as applicable and to maintain any pricing discounts or other preferential terms for both Parent and SpinCo for a reasonable term. Neither Party shall be liable for failure to obtain such pricing discounts or other preferential terms for the other Party. Each Party shall be responsible for any additional premiums, charges, or administrative fees that such Party may incur pursuant to this Section  7.07 .

ARTICLE VIII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01. Information Sharing and Access .

(a) Sharing of Information. Subject to any limitations imposed by applicable Law, each of Parent and SpinCo (acting directly or through members of the Parent Group or the SpinCo Group, respectively) shall provide to the other Party and its authorized agents and vendors all information necessary (including information for purposes of determining benefit eligibility, participation, vesting, calculation of benefits) on a timely basis under the circumstances for the Party to perform its duties under this Agreement. Such information shall include information relating to equity awards under stock plans. To the extent that such information is maintained by a third-party vendor, each Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to require the third-party vendor to provide the necessary information and assist in resolving discrepancies or obtaining missing data.

(b) Transfer of Personnel Records and Authorization . Subject to any limitation imposed by applicable Law and to the extent that it has not done so before the Effective Time, Parent shall transfer to SpinCo any and all employment records (including any Form I-9, Form W-2 or other IRS forms) with respect to SpinCo Group Employees and Former SpinCo Group Employees and other records reasonably required by SpinCo to enable SpinCo properly to carry out its obligations under this Agreement. Such transfer of records generally shall occur as soon as administratively practicable at or after the Effective Time. Each Party shall permit the other Party reasonable access to its Employee records, to the extent reasonably necessary for such accessing Party to carry out its obligations hereunder.

 

-24-


(c) Access to Records. To the extent not inconsistent with this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement or any applicable privacy protection Laws or regulations, reasonable access to Employee-related and benefit plan related records after the Effective Time shall be provided to members of the Parent Group and members of the SpinCo Group pursuant to the terms and conditions of Article VI of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

(d) Maintenance of Records. With respect to retaining, destroying, transferring, sharing, copying and permitting access to all Employee-related information, Parent and SpinCo shall comply with all applicable Laws, regulations and internal policies, and shall indemnify and hold harmless each other from and against any and all Liability, Actions, and damages that arise from a failure (by the indemnifying Party or its Subsidiaries or their respective agents) to so comply with all applicable Laws, regulations and internal policies applicable to such information.

(e) Cooperation. Each Party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate and work together to unify, consolidate and share (to the extent permissible under applicable privacy/data protection Laws) all relevant documents, resolutions, government filings, data, payroll, employment and benefit plan information on regular timetables and cooperate as needed with respect to (i) any claims under or audit of or litigation with respect to any employee benefit plan, policy or arrangement contemplated by this Agreement, (ii) efforts to seek a determination letter, private letter ruling or advisory opinion from the IRS or U.S. Department of Labor on behalf of any employee benefit plan, policy or arrangement contemplated by this Agreement, (iii) any filings that are required to be made or supplemented to the IRS, U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, U.S. Department of Labor or any other Governmental Authority, and (iv) any audits by a Governmental Authority or corrective actions, relating to any Benefit Plan, labor or payroll practices; provided , however , that requests for cooperation must be reasonable and not interfere with daily business operations.

(f) Confidentiality. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, all confidential records and data relating to Employees to be shared or transferred pursuant to this Agreement shall be subject to Section 6.9 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement and the requirements of applicable Law.

Section 8.02. Preservation of Rights to Amend . Except as set forth in this Agreement, the rights of each member of the Parent Group and each member of the SpinCo Group to amend, waive, or terminate any plan, arrangement, agreement, program, or policy referred to herein shall not be limited in any way by this Agreement.

Section 8.03. Fiduciary Matters . Parent and SpinCo each acknowledges that actions required to be taken pursuant to this Agreement may be subject to fiduciary duties or standards of conduct under ERISA or other applicable Law, and no Party shall be deemed to be in violation of this Agreement if it fails to comply with any provisions hereof based upon its good-faith determination (as supported by advice from counsel experienced in such matters) that to do so would violate such a fiduciary duty or standard. Each Party shall be responsible for taking such actions as are deemed necessary and appropriate to comply with its own fiduciary responsibilities and shall fully release and indemnify the other Party for any Liabilities caused by the failure to satisfy any such responsibility.

 

-25-


Section 8.04. Further Assurances . Each Party hereto shall take, or cause to be taken, any and all reasonable actions, including the execution, acknowledgment, filing and delivery of any and all documents and instruments that any other Party hereto may reasonably request in order to effect the intent and purpose of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

Section 8.05. Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate Power .

(a) This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.

(b) This Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and the Exhibits, Schedules and appendices hereto and thereto contain the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, supersede all previous agreements, negotiations, discussions, writings, understandings, commitments and conversations with respect to such subject matter, and there are no agreements or understandings between the Parties other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein. This Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements govern the arrangements in connection with the Separation and Distribution and would not have been entered independently.

(c) Parent represents on behalf of itself and each other member of the Parent Group, and SpinCo represents on behalf of itself and each other member of the SpinCo Group, as follows:

(i) each such Person has the requisite corporate or other power and authority and has taken all corporate or other action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and

(ii) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by it and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of it enforceable in accordance with the terms hereof.

(d) Each Party acknowledges that it and each other Party is executing this Agreement by facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature, and that delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement (whether executed by manual, stamp or mechanical signature) by facsimile or by email in portable document format (PDF) shall be effective as delivery of such executed counterpart of this Agreement. Each Party expressly adopts and confirms each such facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature (regardless of whether delivered in person, by mail, by courier, by facsimile or by email in portable document format (PDF)) made in its respective name as if it were a manual signature delivered in person, agrees that it will not assert that any such signature or delivery is not adequate to bind such Party to the same extent as if it were signed manually and delivered in person and agrees that, at the reasonable request of the other Party at any time, it will as promptly as reasonably practicable cause this Agreement to be manually executed (any such execution to be as of the date of the initial date thereof) and delivered in person, by mail or by courier.

 

-26-


Section 8.06. Governing Law . This Agreement (and any claims or disputes arising out of or related hereto or to the transactions contemplated hereby or to the inducement of any Party to enter herein, whether for breach of contract, tortious conduct or otherwise and whether predicated on common Law, statute or otherwise) shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware, irrespective of the choice of Laws principles of the State of Delaware, including all matters of validity, construction, effect, enforceability, performance and remedies.

Section 8.07. Assignability . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided , however , that neither Party may assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Agreement without the express prior written consent of the other Party hereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such consent shall be required for the assignment of a party’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement and all other Ancillary Agreements (except as may be otherwise provided in any such Ancillary Agreement) in whole ( i.e. , the assignment of a party’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and all Ancillary Agreements all at the same time) in connection with a change of control of a Party so long as the resulting, surviving or transferee Person assumes all the obligations of the relevant party thereto by operation of Law or pursuant to an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the other Party.

Section 8.08. Third-Party Beneficiaries . The provisions of this Agreement are solely for the benefit of the Parties and are not intended to confer upon any other Person except the Parties any rights or remedies hereunder. There are no third-party beneficiaries of this Agreement and this Agreement shall not provide any third person with any remedy, claim, Liability, reimbursement, claim of action or other right in excess of those existing without reference to this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to amend any employee benefit plan or affect the applicable plan sponsor’s right to amend or terminate any employee benefit plan pursuant to the terms of such plan. The provisions of this Agreement are solely for the benefit of the Parties, and no current or former Employee, officer, director, or independent contractor or any other individual associated therewith shall be regarded for any purpose as a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement.

Section 8.09. Notices . All notices, requests, claims, demands or other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given or made (and except as provided herein, shall be deemed to have been duly given or made upon receipt) by delivery in person, by overnight courier service, by certified mail, return receipt requested, by facsimile, or by electronic mail (“ e-mail ”), so long as confirmation of receipt of such e-mail is requested and received, to the respective Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a Party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section  8.09 ):

 

-27-


If to Parent, to:

TEGNA Inc.

7950 Jones Branch Drive

McLean, Virginia 22107

Attention: Chief Legal and Administrative Officer

Fax:          (703) 873-6331

E-mail:      lawdept@tegna.com

with a copy to:

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

Attention: Igor Kirman

        Victor Goldfeld

Fax:         (212) 403-2000

E-mail:    IKirman@wlrk.com

        VGoldfeld@wlrk.com

If to SpinCo (prior to the Effective Time), to:

Cars.com Inc.

c/o TEGNA Inc.

7950 Jones Branch Drive

McLean, Virginia 22107

Attention: Chief Legal and Administrative Officer

Fax:          (703) 873-6331

E-mail:      lawdept@tegna.com

with a copy to:

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

Attention: Igor Kirman

         Victor Goldfeld

Fax:          (212) 403-2000

E-mail:      IKirman@wlrk.com

        VGoldfeld@wlrk.com

and a copy to:

Cars.com Inc.

175 West Jackson Boulevard

Chicago, Illinois 60604

Attention: Chief Legal Officer

Fax:          (312) 601-5865

E-mail:     legal@cars.com

 

-28-


If to SpinCo (from and after the Effective Time), to:

Cars.com Inc.

175 West Jackson Boulevard

Chicago, Illinois 60604

Attention: Chief Legal Officer

Fax:          (312) 601-5865

E-mail:     legal@cars.com

with a copy to:

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

Attention: Igor Kirman

        Victor Goldfeld

Fax:         (212) 403-2000

E-mail:     IKirman@wlrk.com

         VGoldfeld@wlrk.com

A Party may, by notice to the other Party, change the address to which such notices are to be given.

Section 8.10. Severability . If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions hereof, or the application of such provision to Persons or circumstances or in jurisdictions other than those as to which it has been held invalid or unenforceable, shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated thereby. Upon such determination, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith in an effort to agree upon a suitable and equitable provision to effect the original intent of the Parties.

Section 8.11. Force Majeure . No Party shall be deemed in default of this Agreement or, unless otherwise expressly provided therein, any Ancillary Agreement for any delay or failure to fulfill any obligation (other than a payment obligation) hereunder or thereunder so long as and to the extent to which any delay or failure in the fulfillment of such obligation is prevented, frustrated, hindered or delayed as a consequence of circumstances of Force Majeure. In the event of any such excused delay, the time for performance of such obligations (other than a payment obligation) shall be extended for a period equal to the time lost by reason of the delay. A Party claiming the benefit of this provision shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the occurrence of any such event, (a) provide written notice to the other Party of the nature and extent of any such Force Majeure condition; and (b) use commercially reasonable efforts to remove any such causes and resume performance under this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, as applicable, as soon as reasonably practicable.

 

-29-


Section 8.12. Headings . The article, section and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

Section 8.13. Survival of Covenants . Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, the covenants, representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and Liability for the breach of any obligations contained herein, shall survive the Separation and Distribution and shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 8.14. Waivers of Default . Waiver by a Party of any default by the other Party of any provision of this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver by the waiving Party of any subsequent or other default, nor shall it prejudice the rights of the other Party. No failure or delay by a Party in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall a single or partial exercise thereof prejudice any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.

Section 8.15. Dispute Resolution . The dispute resolution procedures set forth in Article VII of the Separation and Distribution Agreement shall apply to any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

Section 8.16. Specific Performance . Subject to the provisions of Article VII of the Separation and Distribution Agreement, in the event of any actual or threatened default in, or breach of, any of the terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement, the Party or Parties who are, or are to be, thereby aggrieved shall have the right to specific performance and injunctive or other equitable relief in respect of its or their rights under this Agreement, in addition to any and all other rights and remedies at Law or in equity, and all such rights and remedies shall be cumulative. The Parties agree that the remedies at Law for any breach or threatened breach, including monetary damages, are inadequate compensation for any Loss and that any defense in any Action for specific performance that a remedy at Law would be adequate is waived. Any requirements for the securing or posting of any bond with such remedy are hereby waived by each of the Parties.

Section 8.17. Amendments . No provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed waived, amended, supplemented or modified by a Party, unless such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is in writing and signed by the authorized representative of the Party against whom it is sought to enforce such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification.

Section 8.18. Interpretation . In this Agreement, (a) words in the singular shall be deemed to include the plural and vice versa and words of one gender shall be deemed to include the other genders as the context requires; (b) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” and “herewith” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole (including all of the Schedules, Exhibits and Appendices hereto) and not to any particular provision of this Agreement; (c) Article, Section, Schedule, Exhibit and Appendix references are to the Articles, Sections, Schedules, Exhibits and Appendices to this Agreement unless otherwise specified; (d) unless otherwise stated, all references to any agreement shall be deemed to include the exhibits, schedules and annexes to such agreement; (e) the word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall mean “including, without limitation,” unless otherwise specified; (f) the word “or” shall not be exclusive; (g) unless otherwise specified in a

 

-30-


particular case, the word “days” refers to calendar days; (h) references to “business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions are generally authorized or required by Law to close in the U.S. or McLean, Virginia; (i) references herein to this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated herein shall be deemed to refer to this Agreement or such other agreement as of the date on which it is executed and as it may be amended, modified or supplemented thereafter, unless otherwise specified; and (j) unless expressly stated to the contrary in this Agreement, all references to “the date hereof,” “the date of this Agreement,” “hereby” and “hereupon” and words of similar import shall all be references to May 31, 2017.

Section 8.19. Limitations of Liability . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither SpinCo or any member of the SpinCo Group, on the one hand, nor Parent or any member of the Parent Group, on the other hand, shall be liable under this Agreement to the other for any indirect, punitive, exemplary, remote, speculative or similar damages in excess of compensatory damages of the other arising in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby (other than any such Liability with respect to a Third-Party Claim).

Section 8.20. Mutual Drafting . This Agreement shall be deemed to be the joint work product of the Parties and any rule of construction that a document shall be interpreted or construed against a drafter of such document shall not be applicable.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

-31-


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Employee Matters Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

TEGNA INC.
By:  

/s/ Todd A. Mayman

Name:   Todd A. Mayman
Title:  

Executive Vice President, Chief

Legal and Administrative Officer

CARS.COM INC.
By:  

/s/ Todd A. Mayman

Name:   Todd A. Mayman
Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page to Employee Matters Agreement]

Exhibit 10.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cars.com Inc.

Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan


Contents

 

Introduction

     1  

Article 1.

  

Establishment, Objectives, Duration and Service Credit

     1  

Article 2.

  

Definitions

     2  

Article 3.

  

Administration

     7  

Article 4.

  

Shares Subject to the Plan and Maximum Awards; Adjusted and Substituted Awards

     7  

Article 5.

  

Eligibility and Participation

     10  

Article 6.

  

Stock Options

     11  

Article 7.

  

Stock Appreciation Rights

     12  

Article 8.

  

Restricted Stock/Stock Awards

     14  

Article 9.

  

Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Performance Shares, and Cash-Based Awards

     15  

Article 10.

  

Performance Measures

     16  

Article 11.

  

Beneficiary Designation

     18  

Article 12.

  

Deferrals

     19  

Article 13.

  

Rights of Employees/Directors

     19  

Article 14.

  

Termination of Employment/Directorship

     19  

Article 15.

  

Change in Control

     19  

Article 16.

  

Amendment, Modification, Termination and Tax Compliance

     23  

Article 17.

  

Withholding

     24  

Article 18.

  

Successors

     25  

Article 19.

  

General Provisions

     25  

 

i


Cars.com Inc.

Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan

Introduction

In 2017, TEGNA Inc. (the “Predecessor Company”) separated its digital automotive marketplace business from its media and other digital businesses. The separation occurred when TEGNA Inc. contributed its digital automotive marketplace businesses to a newly formed subsidiary, Cars.com Inc. (the “Company”), and distributed the stock of Cars.com Inc. to its shareholders (the “Spin-off”).

Awards under this Plan include awards granted to employees and directors of the Predecessor Company or its Affiliates under the Predecessor Company’s 2001 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (Amended and Restated as of May 4, 2010), as amended, that have been converted in connection with the Spin-off to awards under this Plan (the “Adjusted Awards”). The terms of such conversion are generally specified in that certain Employee Matters Agreement by and between the Company and Predecessor Company dated May 31, 2017 (the “Employee Matters Agreement”). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan or the Predecessor Plan (as defined below), no Participant shall be entitled to duplicate benefits under both such Plans with respect to the same period of service or compensation.

 

Article 1. Establishment, Objectives, Duration and Service Credit

1.1 Establishment of the Plan . The Company, a Delaware corporation, hereby adopts this Cars.com Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”), as set forth in this document. The Plan permits the grant of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Stock Awards, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units, and Cash-Based Awards. The Plan shall become effective as of May 31, 2017 (the “Effective Date”) and shall remain in effect as provided in Section 1.3 hereof.

1.2 Objectives of the Plan . The objectives of the Plan are to optimize the profitability and growth of the Company through annual and long-term incentives that are consistent with the Company’s goals and that link the personal interests of Participants to those of the Company’s stockholders, to provide Participants with an incentive for excellence in individual performance, and to promote teamwork among Participants. The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company and its Affiliates in their ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of Participants who make significant contributions to the Company’s success and to allow Participants to share in that success.

1.3 Duration of the Plan . The Plan shall commence on the Effective Date and shall remain in effect, subject to the right of the Committee to amend or terminate the Plan at any time pursuant to Article 16 hereof, until all Shares subject to it shall have been purchased or acquired according to the Plan’s provisions. However, in no event may an Award be granted under the Plan on or after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date.


1.4 Service Credit . For each Employee who is employed immediately following the date of the Spin-off by the Company or an Affiliate of the Company and each “Former SpinCo Group Employee” (as defined in the Employee Matters Agreement), service shall be recognized with the Predecessor Company, Gannett Co., Inc. or any of their subsidiaries or predecessor entities at or before the Effective Date, to the same extent that such service was recognized by the Predecessor Company under the Predecessor Plan prior to the date of the Spin-off as if such service had been performed for the Company for purposes of eligibility, vesting and determination of level of benefits under this Plan.

 

Article 2. Definitions

Whenever used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below, and when the meaning is intended, the initial letter of the word shall be capitalized:

2.1 “Affiliate” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations of the Exchange Act.

2.2 Adjusted Award ” means Awards granted under the Predecessor Plan that are converted into Awards in respect of Shares pursuant to the Employee Matters Agreement.

2.3 “Award” means, individually or collectively, a grant under this Plan of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Stock Awards, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units, or Cash-Based Awards, and including Adjusted Awards and Substitute Awards.

2.4 “Award Agreement” means a written or electronic agreement entered into by the Company and each Participant or a written or electronic statement issued by the Company to a Participant, which in either case sets forth the terms and provisions applicable to Awards granted under this Plan.

2.5 “Beneficial Owner” or “ Beneficial Ownership ” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.

2.6 “Board” or “ Board of Directors ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

2.7 “Cash-Based Award” means an Award granted to a Participant whose value is denominated in cash as described in Article 9 hereof and including for service as a Director, cash-based amounts (including, without limitation, retainers) granted under the Plan.

2.8 “Change in Control” means the first to occur of the following:

(a) the acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (a “Person”) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of either (i) the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or (ii) the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of the

 

2


Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that, for purposes of this Section, the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (A) any acquisition directly from the Company, (B) any acquisition by the Company, (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or one of its Affiliates, or (D) any acquisition pursuant to a transaction that complies with (c)(i), (c)(ii) and (c)(iii) below;

(b) individuals who, as of the Effective Date, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof whose election or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board;

(c) consummation of a reorganization, merger, statutory share exchange or consolidation or similar corporate transaction involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries, a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (each, a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (i) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities that were the beneficial owners of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation or entity that, as a result of such transaction, owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (ii) no Person (excluding any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or any corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation or entity, except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination, and (iii) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the Board providing for such Business Combination; or

 

3


(d) approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event will the Spin-off be treated as a Change in Control. The Committee may specify that the definition of Change in Control shall also require the event to constitute an event that is a change in ownership or effective control of the Company or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company within the meaning of Section 409A.

2.9 “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

2.10 “Committee” means any committee appointed by the Board to administer Awards to Employees or Directors, as specified in Article 3 hereof.

2.11 “Company” means Cars.com Inc., a Delaware corporation and any successor thereto as provided in Article 18 hereof.

2.12 “Covered Employee” means a Participant who is one of the group of “covered employees,” as defined in the regulations promulgated under Code Section 162(m), or any successor statute, or a Participant who is designated by the Committee to be treated as a “covered employee”.

2.13 “Director” means any individual who is a member of the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, that any Director who is employed by the Company shall be considered an Employee under the Plan.

2.14 “Disability” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Award Agreement. If no such definition is provided in the Award Agreement, “Disability” shall mean a medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than six months if such disabling condition renders the person unable to perform the material and substantial duties of his or her occupation. With respect to Section 409A Awards that become payable upon a disability, such disability must also qualify as a disability within the meaning of Treasury Regulation 1.409A-3(i)(4).

2.15 “Effective Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1.1 hereof.

2.16 “Employee” means any employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates.

2.17 Employee Matters Agreement ” means the Employee Matters Agreement by and between the Company and Predecessor Company dated May 31, 2017.

2.18 “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, or any successor act thereto.

 

4


2.19 “Fair Market Value” as of any date and in respect of any Share means the then most recent closing price of a Share, provided that, if Shares shall not have been traded on the New York Stock Exchange for more than 10 days immediately preceding such date or if deemed appropriate by the Committee for any other reason, the fair market value of Shares shall be as determined by the Committee in such other manner as it may deem appropriate, provided that such valuation is consistent with the requirements of Section 409A. In no event shall the fair market value of any Share be less than its par value.

2.20 “Freestanding SAR” means an SAR that is granted independently of any Options, as described in Article 7 hereof.

2.21 “Incentive Stock Option” or “ ISO ” means an option to purchase Shares granted under Article 6 hereof and that is designated as an Incentive Stock Option and that is intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 422. To the extent that an option is granted that is intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 422, but fails to meet such requirements, the option will be treated as a NQSO.

2.22 “Insider” shall mean an individual who is, on the relevant date, an executive officer, director or ten percent (10%) beneficial owner of any class of the Company’s equity securities that is registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, all as defined under Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

2.23 “Nonqualified Stock Option” or “ NQSO ” means an option to purchase Shares granted under Article 6 hereof and that is not intended to be treated as an Incentive Stock Option, or that otherwise does not meet such requirements.

2.24 “Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option, as described in Article 6 hereof.

2.25 “Option Price” means the price at which a Share may be purchased by a Participant pursuant to an Option.

2.26 “Participant” means an Employee or Director who has been selected to receive an Award or who has outstanding an Award granted under the Plan.

2.27 “Performance-Based Exception” means the performance-based exception from the tax deductibility limitations of Code Section 162(m).

2.28 Performance Share ” means an Award granted to a Participant whose value is denominated in Shares and is earned by satisfaction of specified performance goals and such other terms and conditions that the Committee may specify, as described in Article 9 hereof.

2.29 Performance Unit ” means an Award granted to a Participant whose value is specified by the Committee and is earned by satisfaction of specified performance goals and such other terms and conditions that the Committee may specify, as described in Article 9 hereof.

 

5


2.30 Period of Restriction ” means the period during which the transfer of Shares of Restricted Stock is not permitted (e.g., based on the passage of time, the achievement of performance goals, or upon the occurrence of other events as determined by the Committee, at its discretion), and the Shares are subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, pursuant to the Restricted Stock Award Agreement, as provided in Article 8 hereof.

2.31 Person ” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, including a “group” as defined in Section 13(d) thereof.

2.32 Predecessor Company ” means TEGNA Inc.

2.33 Predecessor Plan ” means the TEGNA Inc. 2001 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (Amended and Restated as of May 4, 2010), as amended, as maintained by the Predecessor Company prior to the Effective Date of this Plan.

2.34 Restricted Stock ” means an Award granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 8 hereof.

2.35 “Restricted Stock Units” means an Award granted to a Participant whose value is denominated in Shares and is earned by satisfaction of specified service requirements and such other terms and conditions that the Committee may specify, as described in Article 9 hereof.

2.36 Retirement ” means a termination of employment after attaining age 55 and completing 5 years of service, attaining age 65 or such other definition set forth in an Award Agreement.

2.37 “Section 409A” means Code Section 409A and the regulations and other guidance issued thereunder.

2.38 “Section 409A Award” means an Award that is subject to the requirements of Section 409A.

2.39 Shares ” means the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share.

2.40 Stock Appreciation Right ” or “ SAR ” means an Award, granted alone or in connection with a related Option, designated as an SAR, pursuant to the terms of Article 7 hereof.

2.41 “Stock Award” means an Award of Shares granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 8.7 hereof.

2.42 Subsidiary ” means any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, or other entity in which the Company directly or indirectly has a majority voting interest.

 

6


2.43 “Substitute Awards ” means Awards granted upon assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by a company or other entity (i) all or a portion of the assets or equity of which is acquired by the Company or (ii) with which the Company merges or otherwise combines.

2.44 Tandem SAR ” means an SAR that is granted in connection with a related Option pursuant to Article 7 hereof, the exercise of which shall require forfeiture of the right to purchase a Share under the related Option (and when a Share is purchased under the Option, the Tandem SAR shall similarly be canceled).

 

Article 3. Administration

3.1 General . Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The members of the Committee shall be appointed from time to time by, and shall serve at the discretion of, the Board of Directors. The Committee shall have the authority to delegate administrative duties to officers of the Company.

3.2 Authority of the Committee . Except as limited by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company, and subject to the provisions herein (including, with respect to Section 409A Awards, the requirements of Section 409A), the Committee shall have full power to select Employees and Directors who shall participate in the Plan; determine the sizes and types of Awards; determine the terms and conditions of Awards in a manner consistent with the Plan; construe and interpret the Plan and any agreement or instrument entered into under the Plan; establish, amend, or waive rules and regulations for the Plan’s administration; and amend the terms and conditions of any outstanding Award as provided in the Plan. Further, the Committee shall make all other determinations that it deems necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. As permitted by law and the terms of the Plan, the Committee may delegate its authority herein. No member of the Committee shall be liable for any action taken or decision made in good faith relating to the Plan or any Award granted hereunder.

3.3 Decisions Binding . All determinations and decisions made by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan and all related orders and resolutions of the Committee shall be final, conclusive, and binding on all persons, including the Company, its stockholders, Directors, Employees, Participants, and their estates and beneficiaries, unless changed by the Board.

 

Article 4. Shares Subject to the Plan and Maximum Awards; Adjusted and Substituted Awards

4.1 Number of Shares Available for Grants; Share Counting and Reacquired Shares . Subject to Sections 4.2 and 4.4, the number of Shares reserved for issuance to Participants under this Plan is 18,000,000. Shares issued under the Plan may be authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares.

For purposes of counting the number of Shares available for Awards under the Plan, the full number of shares of the Company’s common stock covered by Freestanding SARs shall be counted against the number of Shares available for Awards (i.e., not the net Shares

 

7


issued in satisfaction of a Freestanding SAR Award); provided, however, that Freestanding SARs that may be settled in cash only shall not be so counted. Additionally, if an Option may be settled by issuing net Shares (i.e., withholding a number of Shares equal to the exercise price), the full number of shares of the Company’s common stock covered by the Option shall be counted against the number of Shares available for Awards, not the net Shares issued in satisfaction of an Option. If any Award (a) expires or is terminated, surrendered or canceled without having been fully exercised or is forfeited in whole or in part, or (b) results in any Shares not being issued (including as a result of any Award that was settleable either in cash or in stock actually being settled in cash), the unissued Shares covered by such Award shall again be available for the grant of Awards; provided, however, in the case of Incentive Stock Options, the foregoing shall be subject to any limitations under the Code. The following Shares shall not be added back to the number of Shares available for the future grant of Awards: (i) shares of the Company’s common stock tendered to the Company by a Participant to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock upon the exercise of an Award; and (ii) shares of the Company’s common stock repurchased by the Company on the open market using the proceeds from the exercise of an Award. Subject to the foregoing, the Committee shall determine the appropriate methodology for calculating the number of Shares issued pursuant to the Plan.

The maximum number of Shares which may be issued under Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan is 5,000,000.

The following rules shall apply to grants of Awards under the Plan:

 

  (a) Stock Options : The maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be granted in the form of Stock Options, pursuant to any Award granted in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall be 1,000,000.

 

  (b) SARs : The maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be granted in the form of Stock Appreciation Rights, pursuant to any Award granted in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall be 1,000,000.

 

  (c) Restricted Stock/Stock Awards : The maximum aggregate grant of Shares with respect to Awards of Restricted Stock or Stock Awards granted in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall be 1,000,000.

 

  (d) Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units and Cash-Based Awards : The maximum aggregate grant with respect to Awards of Performance Shares or Restricted Stock Units made in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall be equal to 1,000,000 Shares; and the maximum aggregate amount awarded with respect to Cash-Based Awards or Performance Units to any one Participant in any one fiscal year may not exceed $10,000,000.

4.2 Adjustments in Authorized Shares . Upon a change in corporate capitalization, such as a stock split, stock dividend, or a corporate transaction, such as any merger, consolidation, combination, exchange of shares or the like, separation, including a spin-off,

 

8


or other distribution of stock or property of the Company, extraordinary cash dividend, any reorganization (whether or not such reorganization comes within the definition of such term in Code Section 368) or any partial or complete liquidation of the Company, the Committee shall make an appropriate adjustment in the number and class of Shares that may be delivered under Section 4.1, in the number and class of and/or price of Shares subject to outstanding Awards granted under the Plan, and in the Award limits set forth in Section 4.1, as may be determined to be equitable by the Committee, in its sole discretion, to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights.

4.3 Adjustment of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events . The Committee may make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, the events described in Section 4.2 hereof) affecting the Company or the financial statements of the Company or of changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles, whenever the Committee determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan; provided that, with respect to Awards that are intended to comply with the requirements of the Performance-Based Exception, no such adjustment shall be authorized to the extent that such adjustment would be inconsistent with the Award’s satisfaction of the Performance-Based Exception.

4.4 Adjusted and Substitute Awards .

 

  (a) Notwithstanding any terms or conditions of the Plan to the contrary, (i) Substitute Awards may have substantially the same terms and conditions, including without limitation provisions relating to vesting, exercise periods, expiration, payment, forfeiture, and the consequences of termination of service, as the awards that they replace, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, and (ii) Adjusted Awards shall have terms consistent with those set forth in the Employee Matters Agreement, which generally provide the Adjusted Awards will have substantially the same terms and conditions, including without limitation provisions relating to vesting, exercise periods, expiration, payment, forfeiture, and the consequences of termination of Service, as the awards that they replace which were granted under the Predecessor Plan.

 

  (b) The recipient or holder of a Substitute Award or an Adjusted Award shall be an eligible Participant hereunder even if not an Employee or Director with respect to the Company or an Affiliate.

 

  (c) In the case of a Substitute Award, the date of grant may be treated as the effective date of the grant of such Award under the original plan under which the award was authorized, and in the case of an Adjusted Award, the date of grant shall be the effective date of the grant under the Predecessor Plan.

 

  (d)

The per share exercise price of an Option that is a Substitute Award or Adjusted Award may be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant, provided that such substitution or adjustment complies with applicable laws

 

9


  and regulations, including the listing requirements of the New York Stock Exchange and Section 409A or Section 424 of the Code, as applicable. The per share exercise price of a Freestanding SAR that is a Substitute Award or an Adjusted Award may be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant, provided that such substitution or adjustment complies with applicable laws and regulations, including the listing requirements of the New York Stock Exchange and Section 409A, as applicable.

 

  (e) Anything to the contrary in this Plan notwithstanding, any Shares underlying Substitute Awards or Adjusted Awards shall not be counted against the limits set forth in Section 4.1(a)-(d). Anything to the contrary in this Plan notwithstanding, any Shares underlying Substitute Awards shall not be counted against the number of Shares authorized for issuance or the maximum number of Shares which may be issued under Incentive Stock Options, and the lapse, expiration, termination, forfeiture or cancellation of any Substitute Award without the issuance of Shares or payment of cash thereunder shall not result in an increase the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan. For the avoidance of doubt, Adjusted Awards shall be treated as Awards generally (and not as Substitute Awards) for purposes of the preceding sentence.

4.5 Limit on Compensation Paid to Directors. Except as indicated below, the cash value of all Awards (equity or cash-based) granted to a single Director, solely with respect to service as a Director, in one calendar year shall not exceed $700,000. Such annual limit shall be measured based on the value of an Award as of the date the Award is first granted (not the date of payment). Accordingly, the annual limit shall not include the value of an Award in the calendar year when it is paid or vests if such year is different from the year the Award is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Director is the Chairman of the Board, such limit will be $900,000.

 

Article 5. Eligibility and Participation

5.1 Eligibility . Persons eligible to participate in this Plan include all Employees and Directors.

5.2 Actual Participation . Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee may, from time to time, select from all eligible Employees and Directors, those to whom Awards shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award.

5.3 Newly Eligible Employees . The Committee shall be entitled to make such rules, regulations, determinations and awards as it deems appropriate in respect of any Employee who becomes eligible to participate in the Plan after the commencement of an award or incentive period.

5.4 Leaves of Absence . The Committee shall be entitled to make such rules, regulations, and determinations as it deems appropriate under the Plan in respect of any leave of absence taken by the recipient of any award. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee shall be entitled to determine: (a) whether or not any such leave

 

10


of absence shall constitute a termination of employment within the meaning of the Plan; and (b) the impact, if any, of such leave of absence on awards under the Plan theretofore made to any recipient who takes such leave of absence. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Section 409A Award, all leaves of absences and determinations of terminations of employment must be construed and interpreted consistent with the requirements of Section 409A and the definition of “separation from service” thereunder.

 

Article 6. Stock Options

6.1 Grant of Options . Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, Options may be granted to Participants in such number, and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to Employees of the Company or its Affiliates or Subsidiaries; provided that the Affiliate or Subsidiary is a type of entity whose employees can receive such options under Code Sections 422 and 424.

6.2 Award Agreement . Each Option grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Option Price, the duration of the Option, the number of Shares to which the Option pertains, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine which are not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan.

6.3 Option Price . The Option Price for each grant of an Option under this Plan shall be as determined by the Committee; provided, however, the per-share exercise price shall not be less than 100 percent of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date the Option is granted.

6.4 Duration of Options . Each Option granted to a Participant shall expire at such time as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant; provided that the Option must expire on or before the date that is the tenth anniversary of the date of grant.

6.5 Exercise of Options . Options granted under this Article 6 shall be exercisable at such times and be subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee shall in each instance approve, which need not be the same for each grant or for each Participant.

6.6 Payment . Options granted under this Article 6 shall be exercised by the delivery of a written, electronic or telephonic notice of exercise to the Company, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is to be exercised, accompanied by full payment for the Shares.

The Option Price upon exercise of any Option shall be payable to the Company in full either: (a) in cash or its equivalent; or (b) by tendering previously acquired Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the total Option Price; or (c) by a combination of (a) and (b); or (d) any other method approved by the Committee in its sole discretion. The tendering of previously acquired Shares may be done through attestation. No fractional Shares may be tendered or accepted in payment of the Option Price.

 

11


Cashless exercises are permitted pursuant to Federal Reserve Board’s Regulation T, subject to applicable securities law restrictions, or by any other means which the Committee determines to be consistent with the Plan’s purpose and applicable law.

Subject to any governing rules or regulations, as soon as practicable after receipt of notification of exercise and full payment, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, in the Participant’s name, Share certificates in an appropriate amount based upon the number of Shares purchased under the Option(s).

Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, all payments under all of the methods indicated above shall be paid in United States dollars.

6.7 Restrictions on Share Transferability . The Committee may impose such restrictions on any Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Option granted under this Article 6 as it may deem advisable, including, without limitation, restrictions under applicable federal securities laws, under the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are then listed and/or traded, or under any blue sky or state securities laws applicable to such Shares.

6.8 Nontransferability of Options.

 

  (a) Incentive Stock Options . No ISO granted under the Plan may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, all ISOs granted to a Participant under the Plan shall be exercisable during his or her lifetime only by such Participant.

 

  (b) Nonqualified Stock Options . Except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, no NQSO granted under this Article 6 may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, all NQSOs granted to a Participant under this Article 6 shall be exercisable during his or her lifetime only by such Participant or such Participant’s legal representative.

6.9 Restriction on Cash Buyouts of Underwater Options . The Company may not purchase, cancel or buy out an underwater Option in exchange for cash without first obtaining Shareholder approval.

 

Article 7. Stock Appreciation Rights

7.1 Grant of SARs . Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, SARs may be granted to Participants at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee. The Committee may grant Freestanding SARs, Tandem SARs, or any combination of these forms of SARs.

Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee shall have complete discretion in determining the number of SARs granted to each Participant and, consistent with the provisions of the Plan, in determining the terms and conditions pertaining to such SARs.

 

12


The grant price of a Freestanding SAR shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of the SAR. The grant price of Tandem SARs shall equal the Option Price of the related Option.

7.2 SAR Agreement . Each SAR grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the grant price, the term of the SAR, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine.

7.3 Term of SARs . The term of an SAR granted under the Plan shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion; provided that the SAR must expire on or before the date that is the tenth anniversary of the date of grant.

7.4 Exercise of Freestanding SARs . Freestanding SARs may be exercised upon whatever terms and conditions the Committee, in its sole discretion, imposes upon them.

7.5 Exercise of Tandem SARs . Tandem SARs may be exercised for all or part of the Shares subject to the related Option upon the surrender of the right to exercise the equivalent portion of the related Option. A Tandem SAR may be exercised only with respect to the Shares for which its related Option is then exercisable.

7.6 Payment of SAR Amount . Upon exercise of an SAR, a Participant shall be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount determined by multiplying:

 

  (a) The excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the grant price; by

 

  (b) The number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised.

In the sole discretion of the Committee, the payment upon SAR exercise may be in cash, in Shares of equivalent value, in some combination thereof, or in any other manner approved by the Committee. The Committee’s determination regarding the form of SAR payout shall be set forth in the Award Agreement pertaining to the grant of the SAR.

7.7 Nontransferability of SARs . Except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, no SAR granted under the Plan may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, all SARs granted to a Participant under the Plan shall be exercisable during his or her lifetime only by such Participant or such Participant’s legal representative.

7.8 Restriction on Cash Buyouts of Underwater SARs . The Company may not purchase, cancel or buy out an underwater SAR in exchange for cash without first obtaining Shareholder approval.

 

13


Article 8. Restricted Stock/Stock Awards

8.1 Grant of Restricted Stock . Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Shares of Restricted Stock to Participants in such amounts, as the Committee shall determine.

8.2 Restricted Stock Agreement . Each Restricted Stock grant shall be evidenced by a Restricted Stock Award Agreement that shall specify the Period(s) of Restriction, the number of Shares of Restricted Stock granted, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine.

8.3 Transferability . The Shares of Restricted Stock granted herein may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated until the end of the applicable Period of Restriction established by the Committee and specified in the Restricted Stock Award Agreement, or upon earlier satisfaction of any other conditions, as specified by the Committee in its sole discretion and set forth in the Restricted Stock Award Agreement. All rights with respect to the Restricted Stock granted to a Participant under the Plan shall be available during his or her lifetime only to such Participant or such Participant’s legal representative.

8.4 Other Restrictions . The Committee shall impose such other conditions and/or restrictions on any Shares of Restricted Stock granted pursuant to the Plan as it may deem advisable including, without limitation, a requirement that Participants pay a stipulated purchase price for each Share of Restricted Stock, restrictions based upon the achievement of specific performance goals, time-based restrictions on vesting following the attainment of the performance goals, time-based restrictions, and/or restrictions under applicable federal or state securities laws.

To the extent deemed appropriate by the Committee, the Company may retain the certificates representing Shares of Restricted Stock in the Company’s possession until such time as all conditions and/or restrictions applicable to such Shares have been satisfied.

Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, Shares of Restricted Stock covered by each Restricted Stock grant made under the Plan shall become freely transferable by the Participant after the last day of the applicable Period of Restriction.

8.5 Voting Rights . If the Committee so determines, Participants holding Shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder may be granted the right to exercise full voting rights with respect to those Shares during the Period of Restriction.

8.6 Dividends . During the Period of Restriction, Participants holding Shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder may, if the Committee so determines, be credited with dividends paid with respect to the underlying Shares while they are so held; provided that, any dividends with respect to the Restricted Stock shall not be paid to the Participant until the Shares of Restricted Stock to which the dividends relate vest. If any Shares of Restricted Stock are forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to the dividends related to the forfeited Shares.

 

14


8.7 Stock Award . The Committee may grant and award Shares to a Participant that are not subject to Periods of Restrictions and which may be subject to such conditions or provisions as the Committee determines.

 

Article 9. Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Performance Shares, and Cash-Based Awards

9.1 Grant of Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Performance Shares and Cash-Based Awards . Subject to the terms of the Plan, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units, and/or Cash-Based Awards may be granted to Participants in such amounts and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time, as shall be determined by the Committee.

9.2 Award Agreement . At the Committee’s discretion, each grant of Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units and Cash-Based Awards may be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the initial value, the duration of the Award, the performance measures and/or service requirements, if any, applicable to the Award, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine which are not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan.

9.3 Value of Performance Units/Shares and Cash-Based Awards . Each Performance Unit shall have an initial value that is established by the Committee at the time of grant. Each Restricted Stock Unit and Performance Share shall have an initial value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant. Each Cash-Based Award shall have a value as may be determined by the Committee. The Committee shall set performance goals and/or service requirements in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number and/or value of Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Performance Shares and Cash-Based Awards that will be paid out to the Participant. Generally, a Participant’s right to receive amounts under a Restricted Stock Unit award shall be based on the Participant’s satisfaction of a service requirement and such other terms and conditions that the Committee may specify. Generally, a Participant’s right to receive amounts under a Performance Unit, Performance Share or Cash-Based Award shall be based on the satisfaction of a performance requirement and such other terms and conditions that the Committee may specify. The Committee has full discretionary authority to establish performance goals and/or service requirements, and a performance goal may include a service requirement. For purposes of this Article 9, the time period during which the performance goals and/or service requirements must be met shall be called a “Performance Period.”

9.4 Earning of Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Performance Shares and Cash-Based Awards . Subject to the terms of this Plan and the Award Agreement (if any), after the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Performance Shares or Cash-Based Awards shall be entitled to receive payout on the number and value of Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Performance Shares or Cash-Based Awards earned by the Participant over the Performance Period, to be determined as a function of the extent to which the corresponding performance goals and/or service requirements have been achieved. Unless otherwise

 

15


determined by the Committee, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, payment of Cash-Based Awards shall only be made for those Participants who are Directors or in the employ of the Company at the end of the Performance Period or, if none has been specified, the end of the applicable award year.

9.5 Form and Timing of Payment of Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Performance Shares and Cash-Based Awards . Payment of earned Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Performance Shares and Cash-Based Awards shall be as determined by the Committee and, if applicable, as evidenced in the related Award Agreement. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may pay earned Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Performance Shares and Cash-Based Awards in the form of cash or in Shares (or in a combination thereof) that have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the value of the earned Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Performance Shares and Cash-Based Awards at the close of the applicable Performance Period. Such Shares may be granted subject to any restrictions deemed appropriate by the Committee. No fractional shares will be issued. The determination of the Committee with respect to the form of payout of such Awards shall be set forth in the Award Agreement pertaining to the grant of the Award.

Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, Participants holding Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, or Performance Shares may be entitled to receive dividends or dividend units with respect to dividends declared on Shares underlying such Awards; provided that, any dividends or dividend units with respect to the Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, or Performance Shares shall not be paid to the Participant until the Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, or Performance Shares to which the dividends relate vest. If any Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, or Performance Shares are forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to the dividends or dividend units related to the forfeited Awards.

9.6 Nontransferability . Except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Performance Shares and Cash-Based Awards may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, a Participant’s rights under such Awards shall be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by such Participant or such Participant’s legal representative.

 

Article 10. Performance Measures

Unless and until the Committee proposes for shareholder vote and shareholders approve a change in the general performance measures set forth in this Article 10, the attainment of which may determine the degree of payout and/or vesting with respect to Awards to Covered Employees that are designed to qualify for the Performance-Based Exception, the performance measure(s) to be used for purposes of such grants shall be chosen from among:

 

  (a) Earnings per share (basic or diluted);

 

16


  (b) Income before income taxes;

 

  (c) Income from continuing operations;

 

  (d) Net income or net income attributable to the Company;

 

  (e) Operating income;

 

  (f) Cash flow from operating activities, operating cash flow (defined as operating income plus non-cash charges for depreciation, amortization and impairment of operating assets) or free cash flow;

 

  (g) EBITDA, or net income attributable to the Company, before interest, taxes, depreciation/amortization;

 

  (h) Return measures (including, but not limited to, return on assets, equity, capital or investment);

 

  (i) Cash flow return on investments, which equals net cash flows divided by owner’s equity;

 

  (j) Internal rate of return or increase in net present value;

 

  (k) Dividend payments;

 

  (l) Gross revenues;

 

  (m) Gross margins;

 

  (n) Operating measures such as trends in digital metrics and advertising measures;

 

  (o) Internal measures such as achieving a diverse workforce;

 

  (p) Share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total shareholder return) and market value;

 

  (q) Debt (including, but not limited to, measures such as debt (book value or face value) outstanding and debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization);

 

  (r) Market share;

 

  (s) Expense management; and

 

  (t) Any of the above measures compared to peer or other companies.

Performance measures may be set either at the consolidated level, segment level, division level, group level, or the business unit level. Additionally, performance measures may be measured either annually or cumulatively over a period of years or other periods, on an absolute basis or relative to pre-established targets, to a previous year’s results or to a designated comparison group, in each case as specified by the Committee.

 

17


Unless the Committee specifies otherwise at the time the performance goals are established (and the Committee may at such time decide to limit the “ Adjustment Items” for which it will make adjustments, or decide to not make adjustments for any “Adjustment Items”), the Committee shall adjust a performance goal established under a performance measure set forth above to take into account the effects of “Adjustment Items.” “Adjustment Items” means (1) items presented as “unusual or infrequent items” (or other comparable terms) on the Company’s audited financial statements, (2) unusual, special or nonrecurring charges, costs, credits or items of gain or loss (including, without limitation, an unbudgeted material expense incurred by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or a committee of the Board or a material litigation, claim, judgment or settlement), (3) changes in tax or accounting laws or rules or changes in other laws or regulatory rules affecting reported results; (4) expenses related to the Spin-off; (5) reorganization and restructuring costs; (6) costs arising from or related to mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, dispositions, spin-offs or significant actual or potential transactions (including, without limitation, a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, reorganization, restructuring charge, or joint venture), in each case regardless whether such transactions have been consummated, and related transition and integration costs, such as retention bonuses and acquisition-related milestone payments to acquired employees, in addition to consulting, compensation and other incremental costs associated with integration projects; (7) litigation and dispute settlement charges and expenses; (8) asset write-downs, including impairment of goodwill and intangible assets; (9) discontinued operations and other exit costs; (10) expenses or charges related to any equity offering, investment, indebtedness or restricted payment or any modification to any instrument of indebtedness, in each case regardless whether such transaction has been consummated; (11) deferred financing costs written off and premiums paid in connection with any early extinguishment of debt, including hedging obligations or other derivative instruments; (12) non-cash stock based compensation and revenue amortization; (13) cash proceeds of business interruption insurance and/or (14) cash expenses/charges to the extent fully indemnified by a third party or covered by insurance, each of which are identified in the quarterly and/or annual audited financial statements and notes thereto or in the “management’s discussion and analysis” of the financial statements in a period report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Exchange Act. The Committee shall make such adjustments to the performance goals as shall be equitable and appropriate in order to make the goal, as nearly as practicable, equivalent to the goal immediately prior to such transaction or event.

 

Article 11. Beneficiary Designation

The Committee may permit Participants under the Plan to name, from time to time, any beneficiary or beneficiaries (who may be named contingently or successively) to whom any benefit under the Plan is to be paid in case of his or her death before he or she receives any or all of such benefit. Each such designation shall revoke all prior designations by the same Participant, shall be in a form prescribed by the Company, and will be effective only when filed by the Participant in writing with the Company during the Participant’s lifetime. If a beneficiary designation has not been made, or the beneficiary was not properly designated (in the sole discretion of the Committee), has died or cannot be found, all payments after death shall be paid to the Participant’s estate. In case of disputes over the proper beneficiary, the Company reserves the right to make any or all payments to the Participant’s estate.

 

18


Article 12. Deferrals

Subject to the requirements of Section 409A, the Committee may permit or require a Participant to defer such Participant’s receipt of the payment of cash or the delivery of Shares that would otherwise be due to such Participant by virtue of the lapse or waiver of restrictions with respect to Restricted Stock, payment of a Stock Award or the satisfaction of any requirements or goals with respect to Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units/Shares and Cash-Based Awards. If any such deferral election is required or permitted, the Committee shall, in its sole discretion, establish rules and procedures for such payment deferrals provided that such rules must comply with the requirements of Section 409A.

 

Article 13. Rights of Employees/Directors

13.1 Employment . Nothing in the Plan shall confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the Company’s employ, or as a Director, or interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company to terminate any Participant’s employment or directorship at any time.

13.2 Participation . No Employee or Director shall have the right to be selected to receive an Award under this Plan, or, having been so selected, to be selected to receive a future Award.

13.3 Rights as a Stockholder . Except as provided in Sections 8.5, 8.6 and 9.5, a Participant shall have none of the rights of a shareholder with respect to shares of Common Stock covered by any Award until the Participant becomes the record holder of such shares.

 

Article 14. Termination of Employment/Directorship

Each Participant’s Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to such Participant’s outstanding Award(s) following termination of the Participant’s employment or directorship with the Company. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, shall be included in the Award Agreements entered into with each Participant, need not be uniform among all Awards issued pursuant to the Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination.

 

Article 15. Change in Control

15.1 Treatment of Outstanding Awards Other than Cash-Based Awards . In the event of a Change in Control, unless otherwise specifically prohibited under applicable laws, or by the rules and regulations of any governing governmental agencies or national securities exchanges, or unless the Committee specifies otherwise in the Award Agreement:

 

  (a)

Awards to Employees will fully vest if: (i) the Awards are not continued or assumed (e.g., the Awards are not equitably converted or substituted for awards of

 

19


  a successor entity) in connection with the Change in Control; or (ii) the Employee has a qualifying termination of employment (as defined in the Award Agreement) within two years following the date of the Change in Control. Additionally, in the event that the Awards are not so continued or assumed in connection with the Change in Control or in the event of a qualifying termination of employment (as defined in the Award Agreement) within two years following the date of the Change in Control, then upon such Change in Control or such qualifying termination (as the case may be):

 

  (i) Any and all Options and SARs granted hereunder shall become fully exercisable during their remaining term; and

 

  (ii) Any restriction periods and restrictions imposed on Restricted Stock that are not performance-based shall lapse; and

 

  (iii) The target payout opportunities attainable under all outstanding Awards of performance-based Restricted Stock, Performance Units and Performance Shares shall be deemed to have been fully earned for the entire Performance Period (s) as of the effective date of the Change in Control or such qualifying termination. The vesting of all such Awards denominated in Shares shall be accelerated as of the effective date of the Change in Control or such qualifying termination and shall be paid out to Participants within thirty (30) days following the effective date of the Change in Control or such qualifying termination based upon an assumed achievement of all relevant target performance goals (such payment shall be in full satisfaction of the Award). Such Awards denominated in cash shall be paid to Participants in cash within thirty (30) days following the effective date of the Change in Control or such qualifying termination based on an assumed achievement of all relevant target performance goals (such payment shall be in full satisfaction of the Award). Restricted Stock Units shall be fully vested as of the effective date of the Change in Control or such qualifying termination, and the full value of such an Award shall be paid out to Participants within thirty (30) days following the effective date of the Change in Control or such qualifying termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the Award is not so continued or assumed in connection with a Change in Control, the payment of a Section 409A Award will only be accelerated if the Change in Control also constitutes a change in ownership or effective control of the Company or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company within the meaning of Section 409A and will not result in additional taxes under Section 409A.

15.2 Treatment of Cash-Based Awards . In the event of a Change in Control, unless otherwise specifically prohibited under applicable laws, or by the rules and regulations of any governing governmental agencies or national securities exchanges, or unless the Committee shall provide otherwise in the Award Agreement or resolutions adopted by the Committee, Cash-Based Awards to Employees will fully vest if: (i) the Awards are not

 

20


continued or assumed (e.g., the Awards are not equitably converted or substituted for awards of a successor entity) in connection with the Change in Control; or (ii) the Employee has a qualifying termination of employment (as defined in the Award Agreement) within two years following the date of the Change in Control. In the event that the Cash-Based Awards are not so continued or assumed or in the event of a qualifying termination of employment (as defined in the Award Agreement) within two years following the date of the Change in Control, the vesting of all outstanding Cash-Based Awards shall be accelerated as of the date of such event (and, in the case of performance-based Cash-Based Awards, based on an assumed achievement of all relevant target performance goals), and all Cash-Based Awards shall be paid to Participants in cash within thirty (30) days following the effective date of such event (such payment shall be in full satisfaction of the Award). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the Cash-Based Awards is not so continued or assumed in connection with a Change in Control, the payment of a Cash-Based Section 409A Award will only be accelerated if the Change in Control also constitutes a change in ownership or effective control of the Company or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company within the meaning of Section 409A and will not result in additional taxes under Section 409A.

15.3 Limitation.

 

  (a) Intention of Section  15.3 : The acceleration or payment of Awards could, in certain circumstances, subject the Participant to the excise tax provided under Section 4999 of the Code. It is the object of this Section 15.3 to enable each Participant to retain in full the benefits of the Plan and to provide for the maximum after-tax value to each Participant. Accordingly, the Company will determine, before any payments are made on Awards governed by Section 15.1, which of two alternative forms of acceleration will maximize the Participant’s after-tax proceeds, and must notify the Participant in writing of its determination. The first alternative is the payment in full of all Awards governed by Section 15.1 and any other payments or benefits potentially subject to the excise tax under Section 4999. The second alternative is the payment of only a part of the Participant’s Awards (but taking into account any other payments or benefits potentially subject to the excise tax under Section 4999) so that the Participant receives the largest payment and benefits possible without causing an excise tax to be payable by the Participant under Section 4999 of the Code. This second alternative is referred to in this Section as “Limited Vesting”.

 

  (b) Limitation on Participant’s Rights : The Participant’s Awards shall be paid only to the extent permitted under the alternative determined by the Company to maximize the Participant’s after-tax proceeds, and the Participant shall have no rights to any greater payments on his or her Awards. For purposes of this determination, the Company shall take into account any rights or benefits the Participant has under another plan or agreement.

 

  (c)

Determination to be Conclusive : The determination of whether Limited Vesting is required and the application of the Limited Vesting rules shall initially be made by the Company in its sole discretion and any such determination shall be

 

21


  conclusive and binding on the Participant unless the Participant proves that it is clearly erroneous. In the latter event, such determination shall be made by the Company in its sole discretion.

 

  (d) Limited Vesting: Notwithstanding Section 15.1, if Limited Vesting applies then the acceleration or payment of an Award shall not exceed the largest amount that can be paid without causing an excise tax to be payable by the Participant under Section 4999 of the Code. If Limited Vesting applies, awards shall not be accelerated or paid in a manner that maximizes the Participant’s economic position; provided that the reduction shall be made in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A, and where two economically equivalent amounts are subject to reduction but payable at different times, such amounts shall be reduced on a pro rata basis but not below zero. With respect to Awards, generally this means that performance-based Awards are reduced before non-performance, service-based Awards are reduced.

15.4 Expenses . The Company shall pay all legal fees, court costs, fees of experts and other costs and expenses when incurred by a Participant in connection with any actual, threatened or contemplated litigation or legal, administrative or other proceeding involving the provisions of Section 15.3, whether or not initiated by the Participant.

The reimbursements of such expenses and costs shall comply with the requirements of Section 409A, which generally require (i) that the amount of expenses and costs eligible for reimbursement during a calendar year may not affect the expenses and costs eligible for reimbursement in any other taxable year; (ii) the reimbursement of an eligible expense or cost is made on or before the last day of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the expense or cost was incurred; and (iii) the right to reimbursement is not subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

15.5 Cancelation of Award . In the case of any Option or SAR with an exercise price that equals or exceeds the price paid for a share of Common Stock in connection with the Change in Control, the Committee may cancel the Option or SAR without the payment of consideration therefor.

15.6 Termination, Amendment, and Modifications of Change-in-Control Provisions . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan or any Award Agreement provision, the provisions of this Article 15 may not be terminated, amended, or modified on or after the date of a Change in Control to affect adversely any Award theretofore granted under the Plan and any rights or benefits provided to a Participant this Article 15 without the prior written consent of the Participant with respect to said Participant’s outstanding Awards; provided, however, the Committee may terminate, amend, or modify this Article 15 at any time and from time to time prior to the date of a Change in Control.

 

22


Article 16. Amendment, Modification, Termination and Tax Compliance.

16.1 Amendment, Modification, and Termination . Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee or the Board may at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, suspend, or terminate the Plan in whole or in part.

16.2 Awards Previously Granted . Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no termination, amendment, or modification of the Plan shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under the Plan, without the written consent of the Participant holding such Award; provided that no consent is required for any amendment the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable legal or tax requirements.

16.3 Shareholder Approval Required for Certain Amendments . Shareholder approval will be required for any amendment of the Plan that does any of the following: (a) permits the grant of any Option with an Option Price less than the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of grant; (b) reduces the Option Price of an outstanding Option, either by lowering the Option Price or by canceling an outstanding Option and granting a replacement Option with a lower exercise price; (c) permits the grant of any SAR with a grant price that is less than the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of grant; or (d) reduces the grant price of an outstanding SAR, either by lowering the grant price or by canceling an outstanding SAR and granting a replacement SAR with a lower exercise price.

16.4 Compliance with Code Section 162(m) . At all times when Code Section 162(m) is applicable, if and to the extent the Committee so determines, Awards granted under this Plan to Employees who are or could reasonably become Covered Employees as determined by the Committee shall comply with the requirements of the Performance-Based Exception. Generally, this requires that the amount paid under such an Award be determined based on the attainment of written, objective performance goals approved by the Committee for a performance period established by the Committee (i) while the outcome for that performance period is substantially uncertain and (ii) no more than 90 days after the commencement of the performance period to which the performance goal relates or, if less, the number of days which is equal to 25 percent of the relevant performance period. The Committee shall determine whether, with respect to a performance period, the applicable performance goals have been met with respect to a given Participant and, if they have, shall so certify and ascertain the amount of the applicable Award. No amount will be paid for such performance period until such certification is made by the Committee. The amount actually paid to a given Participant may be less than (but not more than) the amount determined under the applicable performance formula, at the discretion of the Committee.

16.5 Compliance with Section 409A . It is intended that Awards under this Plan are either exempt from Section 409A or are structured to comply with the requirements of Section 409A. The Plan shall be administered and interpreted in accordance with that intent. By way of example, the following rules shall apply:

 

23


    Any provision of the Plan that would conflict with the requirements of a Section 409A Award shall not apply to a Section 409A Award.

 

    Any adjustment or modification to an Award shall be made in compliance with Section 409A (e.g., any adjustment to an Option or SAR under Section 4.2 shall be made in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A).

 

    For Section 409A Awards, all rights to amend, terminate or modify the Plan or any Award are subject to the requirements and limitations of Section 409A.

 

    For Section 409A Awards, any payment or distribution that is triggered upon termination or cessation of employment or a comparable event shall be interpreted consistent with the definition of “separation from service” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h).

 

    With respect to amounts payable under a Section 409A Award, in the event that a Participant is a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A, any amount that is payable in connection with the Participant’s separation from service shall not be paid prior to the date which is six months after the date the Participant separates from service (or, if earlier, the date the Participant dies). A Participant who is subject to the restriction described in the previous sentence shall be paid on the first day of the seventh month after the Participant’s separation from service an amount equal to the benefit that the Participant would have received during such six month period absent the restriction.

While the Company intends for Awards to either be exempt from or in compliance with Section 409A, neither the Company nor the Committee shall be liable to any person for the tax consequences of any failure to comply with the requirements of Section 409A or any other tax consequences relating to Awards under this Plan.

 

Article 17. Withholding

The Company shall have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy Federal, state, and local taxes, domestic or foreign, required by law or regulation to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising as a result of this Plan; provided that the amount that is withheld, or may be withheld at the Participant’s discretion with the Company’s consent, cannot exceed the amount of the taxes owed by the Participant using the maximum statutory tax rate in the Participant’s applicable jurisdiction(s). The Participant may satisfy, totally or in part, his obligations pursuant to this Article by electing to have Shares withheld, to redeliver Shares acquired under an Award, or to deliver previously owned Shares, provided that the election is made in writing on or prior to (i) the date of exercise, in the case of Options and SAR’s (ii) the date of payment, in respect of Stock Awards, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Performance Shares, or Cash-Based Awards, and (iii) the expiration of the Period of Restriction, in respect of Restricted Stock. Any election made under this Article shall be irrevocable by the Participant and may be disapproved by the Committee at any time in its sole discretion.

 

24


Article 18. Successors

All obligations of the Company under the Plan with respect to Awards granted hereunder shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business, stock and/or assets of the Company.

 

Article 19. General Provisions

19.1 Gender and Number . Except where otherwise indicated by the context, any masculine term used herein also shall include the feminine; the plural shall include the singular and the singular shall include the plural.

19.2 Severability . If any provision of the Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.

19.3 Requirements of Law . The granting of Awards and the issuance of Shares under the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required.

19.4 Securities Law Compliance . With respect to Insiders, transactions under this Plan are intended to comply with all applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3 or its successors under the Exchange Act, unless determined otherwise by the Board. To the extent any provision of the Plan or action by the Committee fails to so comply, it shall be deemed null and void, to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable by the Board.

19.5 Listing . The Company may use reasonable endeavors to register Shares allotted pursuant to the exercise of an Option with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or to effect compliance with the registration, qualification, and listing requirements of any national securities laws, stock exchange, or automated quotation system.

19.6 Inability to Obtain Authority . The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.

19.7 No Additional Rights . Neither the Award nor any benefits arising under this Plan shall constitute part of an employment contract between the Participant and the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, and accordingly, subject to Section 16.2, this Plan and the benefits hereunder may be terminated at any time in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Committee without giving rise to liability on the part of the Company or any Affiliate for severance payments.

 

25


19.8 Employees Based Outside of the United States . Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, to comply with provisions of laws in other countries in which the Company, its Affiliates, and its Subsidiaries operate or have Employees, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to:

 

  (a) Determine which Affiliates and Subsidiaries will be covered by the Plan or relevant subplans;

 

  (b) Determine which Employees employed outside the United States are eligible to become Participants in the Plan;

 

  (c) Modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to Participants who are employed outside the United States;

 

  (d) Establish subplans, modified exercise procedures, and other terms and procedures to the extent such actions may be necessary, advisable or convenient, or to the extent appropriate to provide maximum flexibility for the Participant’s financial planning. Any subplans and modifications to the Plan terms or procedures established under this Section 19.8 by the Committee shall be filed with the Plan document as Appendices; and

 

  (e) Take any action, before or after an Award is made, which the Committee deems advisable to obtain, comply with, or otherwise reflect any necessary governmental regulatory procedures, exemptions or approvals, as they may affect this Plan, any subplan, or any Participant.

19.9 Uncertificated Shares . To the extent that the Plan provides for issuance of certificates to reflect the transfer of Shares, the transfer of such Shares may be effected on a noncertificated basis, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange.

19.10 Clawback . Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Plan, any Award which is subject to recovery under any law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement, will be subject to such deductions and clawback as may be required to be made pursuant to such law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement (or any policy adopted by the Company pursuant to any such law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement).

19.11 Governing Law . The Plan and each Award Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, excluding any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of the Plan to the substantive law of another jurisdiction. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, recipients of an Award under the Plan are deemed to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the federal or state courts located in Chicago, Illinois, to resolve any and all issues that may arise out of or relate to the Plan or any related Award Agreement.

 

26


Dated:

 
   
   
   

Exhibit 10.5

CARS.COM

DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN


CARS.COM

DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

T ABLE OF C ONTENTS

 

               P AGE  

1.0

   BACKGROUND      1  
   1.1.    Introduction      1  
   1.2.    Certain Definitions      1  

2.0

   EXPLANATION OF PLAN      2  
   2.1.    Effective Date      2  
   2.2.    Eligibility      2  
   2.3.    Interest in the Plan; Deferred Compensation Account      2  
   2.4.    Amount of Deferral      2  
   2.5.    Time of Election of Deferral      2  
   2.6.    Accounts and Investments      4  
   2.7.    Participant’s Option to Reallocate Amounts      5  
   2.8.    Reinvestment of Income      5  
   2.9.    Payment of Deferred Compensation      6  
   2.10.    Manner of Electing Deferral, Choosing Investments and Choosing Payment Options      9  
   2.11.    Deferrals of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units      10  

3.0

   ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN      11  
   3.1.    Statement of Account      11  
   3.2.    Assignability      11  
   3.3.    Business Days      11  
   3.4.    Administration      11  
   3.5.    Amendment      12  
   3.6.    Liability      13  
   3.7.    Change in Control      13  
   3.8.    Claims      18  
   3.9.    Successors      19  
   3.10.    Governing Law      20  

 

TOC


CARS.COM

DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

1.0      BACKGROUND

 

1.1. Introduction

In 2017, TEGNA Inc. (the “Predecessor Company”) spun off Cars.com Inc. (the “Company”) into a separate publicly traded company (the “Spin-off”). Certain participants in the TEGNA Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Predecessor Plan”) had their benefits under the Predecessor Plan assumed by this Plan (the “Transferred Participants”) as specified in that certain Employee Matters Agreement by and between the Company and the Predecessor Company dated May 31, 2017 (the “Employee Matters Agreement”). The Company, and not the Predecessor Company, shall be solely responsible for paying such assumed benefits. The Employee Matters Agreement may be used as an aid in interpreting the terms of the benefits hereunder. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan or the Predecessor Plan, no Participant shall be entitled to duplicate benefits under both such Plans with respect to the same period of service or compensation.

The list of Transferred Participants is maintained by the Company. The benefits with respect to Transferred Participants derived from the Predecessor Plan shall not be amended in a manner so as to subject them to additional tax under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, and any amendment which would have such an effect shall be deemed void and ineffective.

This Plan was adopted to provide the opportunity for directors of the Company who are not also employees (“Directors”) to defer certain compensation. Directors may defer to future years all or part of their fees. The Committee may also allow Directors to defer such other forms of taxable income derived from the performance of services for the Company as may be designated by the Committee and which may be deferred pursuant to such special terms and conditions as the Committee may establish (including, without limitation, awards under long-term incentive and stock-based plans). Amounts that may be deferred under this Plan are collectively referred to as “Compensation”.

 

1.2. Certain Definitions

The term “SIRs” (Stock Incentive Rights) used in this Plan includes restricted stock awards, restricted stock units and other equity-based awards issued under equity-based compensation plans of the Company or the Predecessor Company. The term “Committee” used in this Plan means the Benefit Plans Committee of the Company. The term “Company” means the Company as defined above in Section 1.1 and any successor to its business and/or assets which assumes the Plan by operation of law or otherwise. The term “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.


2.0      EXPLANATION OF PLAN

 

2.1. Effective Date

The Effective Date of this Plan is May 31, 2017. The Predecessor Plan was initially effective July 1, 1987. The Company intends that the Plan satisfies the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) to avoid the imposition of the taxes imposed under Section 409A. Accordingly, the requirements of Code Section 409A and the regulations and guidance issued thereunder (collectively, “Section 409A”) are incorporated by reference to the extent necessary to avoid any tax being imposed on a Participant under Section 409A. The terms of this Plan can apply to amounts that are subject to Section 409A.

For a Participant who is employed immediately following the Effective Date by the Company or an affiliate, such Participant’s service with the Predecessor Company or any of its subsidiaries or predecessor entities at or before the Effective Date shall be recognized to the same extent that such service was recognized by the Predecessor Company under the Predecessor Plan prior to the Effective Date.

 

2.2. Eligibility

In addition to Transferred Participants, the Plan is available to Directors of the Company who are designated as eligible by the Committee.

 

2.3. Interest in the Plan; Deferred Compensation Account

For each eligible person who elects to defer Compensation or on behalf of whom the Company makes an award (“Participant”), one or more Deferred Compensation Accounts shall be established in accordance with Section 2.6(a). A Participant’s interest in the Plan shall be the Participant’s right to receive payments under the terms of the Plan. A Participant’s payments from the Plan shall be based upon the value attributable to the Participant’s Deferred Compensation Accounts.

 

2.4. Amount of Deferral

A Participant may elect to defer receipt of all or a part of his or her Compensation provided that the minimum deferral for any type of Compensation that is expected to be deferred must be $5,000 for the year of deferral or, in the case of deferred SIRs, such minimum number of shares as the Committee may determine.

 

2.5. Time of Election of Deferral

 

  (a)

Deferral elections are subject to the requirements of Section 409A and must be made at such time and pursuant to such terms and conditions as are established by the Committee. This means that, other than for the special circumstances set forth below (each of which is subject to the requirements of Section 409A), all elections to defer Compensation must be made before the last day of the calendar

 

2


  year preceding the calendar year in which the services giving rise to the compensation are performed.

 

  (i) In the year that a Director first becomes eligible to make elective deferrals under the Plan (or any elective deferral plan aggregated with this Plan under Section 409A), the Director may be permitted to make a deferral election within 30 days of first becoming eligible. This initial deferral may relate only to Compensation attributable to services to be performed following the deferral election.

 

  (ii) If a Director has a legally binding right to a payment in a subsequent year that is subject to a condition requiring the Director to continue to provide services for a period of at least 12 months from the date the Director obtains the legally binding right, to avoid forfeiture of the payment, the Director may be permitted to elect to defer such Compensation on or before the 30th day after the Director obtains the legally binding right to the Compensation, provided that the election is made at least 12 months in advance of the earliest date at which the forfeiture condition could lapse.

 

  (iii) If a Director has a legally binding right to a payment of Compensation in a subsequent taxable year that, absent a deferral election, would be treated as a short-term deferral within the meaning of Section 409A, the Director may be permitted to elect to defer such Compensation in accordance with the requirements of Section 1.409A-2(b), applied as if the amount were a deferral of compensation and the scheduled payment date for the amount were the date the substantial risk of forfeiture lapses.

 

  (b) In the case of Director’s fees, whether payable in cash, Restricted Stock, or any other form permitted to be deferred under the Plan, deferral elections under the Plan shall relate to one-year terms (each, a “Term”) beginning with each annual meeting of shareholders of the Company (“Annual Meeting”) and ending immediately prior to the next Annual Meeting. Deferral elections shall be made no later than the date specified by the Committee that is on or prior to the last day of the calendar year preceding the commencement of the applicable Term. The foregoing election requirements shall be subject to the rules set forth in Section 2.5(a) above.

 

  (c) Once made, an election to defer for a particular time period is irrevocable. No acceleration in a Payment Commencement Date or a change in a Method of Payment may be made except as expressly permitted by the Plan and Section 409A.

 

  (d) Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, for purposes of the year 2017 only, elections by a Transferred Participant under the Predecessor Plan shall apply to determine deferrals hereunder.

 

3


2.6. Accounts and Investments

 

  (a) All Participant records, reports and elections shall be maintained and administered on the basis of the Participant’s Deferred Compensation Accounts which are determined based on the Payment Commencement Dates (as defined in Section 2.9(b)) and Method of Payments (as defined in Section 2.9(c)) elected by the Participant, i.e., all amounts that have been elected to be paid on a designated Payment Commencement Date under a designated Method of Payment shall be aggregated into a single Deferred Compensation Account for a Participant for purposes of subsequent recordkeeping and for elections that may be available with respect to the deferred amounts, such as investment elections and payment method elections. The maximum number of Deferred Compensation Accounts a Participant may have at any time is five, subject to the Committee’s right to increase such limit. Deferred Compensation Accounts are hypothetical accounts only; no actual accounts are established for individual Participants. Except as provided in subsection 2.9(e), the payout rules for a Deferred Compensation Account may not be changed after the rules for that Account have been established.

 

  (b) The amount of Compensation deferred will be credited to the Participant’s Deferred Compensation Account or Accounts as soon as practicable after the Compensation would have been paid had there been no election to defer.

The amounts credited in a Deferred Compensation Account will be deemed invested in the fund or funds designated by the Participant from among funds selected by the Committee, which may include the following or any combination of the following:

 

  (i) money market funds;

 

  (ii) bond funds;

 

  (iii) equity funds; and

 

  (iv) the Company stock fund.

Although the Plan is not subject to section 404(c) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), the funds available to Participants under the Plan shall, at all times, constitute a broad range of investment alternatives that would meet the standards pertaining to the range of investments set forth in regulations promulgated by the Department of Labor under section 404(c) of ERISA, or any successor provision, as if that provision were applicable to the Plan. In the discretion of the Committee, funds may be added, deleted or substituted from time to time, subject to the preceding sentence.

Information on the specific funds permitted under the Plan shall be made available by the Committee to the Participants. If the Committee adds, deletes or substitutes a particular fund, the Committee shall notify Participants in advance of

 

4


the change and provide Participants with the opportunity to change their allocations among funds in connection with such addition, deletion or substitution.

A Participant may allocate contributions to his or her Deferred Compensation Accounts among the available funds pursuant to such procedures and requirements as may be specified by the Committee from time to time. Participants shall have the opportunity to give investment directions with respect to their Accounts at least once in any three-month period.

With respect to the Company stock fund, the accounts of Transferred Participants only shall also have deemed investments in shares of Predecessor Company stock as a consequence of the Spin-off and a hypothetical fund will be established for such stock. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, Participants may elect in a manner prescribed by the Committee to allocate out of such Predecessor Company stock fund but shall not be able to allocate any additional amounts to the Predecessor Company stock fund.

 

  (c) Unless otherwise specified in an agreement memorializing a particular award or as otherwise specified under the Plan, all deferrals under this Plan and the earnings credited to them are fully vested at all times.

 

  (d) The right of any Participant to receive future payments under the provisions of the Plan shall be a contractual obligation of the Company but shall be subject to the claims of the creditors of the Company in the event of the Company’s insolvency or bankruptcy as provided in the trust agreement described below.

Plan assets may, in the Company’s discretion, be placed in a trust (the “Rabbi Trust”) (which Rabbi Trust may be a sub-trust maintained as a separate account within a larger trust that is also used to pay benefits under other Company- sponsored unfunded nonqualified plans) but will nevertheless continue to be subject to the claims of the Company’s creditors in the event of the Company’s insolvency or bankruptcy as provided in the trust agreement. In any event, the Plan is intended to be unfunded under Title I of ERISA.

 

2.7. Participant’s Option to Reallocate Amounts

A Participant may elect to reallocate amounts in his or her Deferred Compensation Accounts among the available funds pursuant to such procedures and requirements as may be specified by the Committee from time to time consistent with Section 2.6(b).

 

2.8. Reinvestment of Income

Income from a hypothetical fund investment in a Deferred Compensation Account shall be deemed to be reinvested in that fund as soon as practicable under the terms of that fund. Notwithstanding the foregoing, deemed dividends relating to hypothetical Predecessor Company stock in the hypothetical Predecessor Company stock fund will not be deemed reinvested in Predecessor Company stock. Instead, such deemed dividends

 

5


will be hypothetically invested proportionately in the investment funds selected by the Participant in his most recent investment direction, or, in the absence of an explicit investment direction, in the default investment fund.

 

2.9. Payment of Deferred Compensation

 

  (a) No withdrawal may be made from the Participant’s Deferred Compensation Accounts except as provided in this Section.

 

  (b) At the time a deferral election is made, the Participant shall choose the date on which payment of the amount credited to the Deferred Compensation Account is to commence, which date shall be either April 1 or October 1 of the year of the Participant’s retirement, the year next following the Participant’s retirement, or any other year specified by the Participant that is after the year for which the Participant is making the deferral (“Payment Commencement Date”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Payment Commencement Date shall be no later than October 1 of the year after the Participant retires from the Board.

 

  (c) At the time the election to defer is made, the Participant may choose to receive payments either (i) in a lump sum; or (ii) if the Payment Commencement Date is during a year in which a Participant has attained at least age 55 and has at least 5 years of service, in up to fifteen annual installments. The method of paying a Deferred Compensation Account is the “Method of Payment.” The amount of any payment under the Plan shall be the value attributable to the Deferred Compensation Account on the last day of the month preceding the month of the payment date, divided by the number of payments remaining to be made, including the payment for which the amount is being determined.

Under rules prescribed by the Committee, at the time the election to defer is made, a Participant may elect to allocate a portion of the Participant’s deferral elections to pre-existing Deferred Compensation Accounts and/or a new Deferred Compensation Account established for such deferral. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the maximum number of Deferred Compensation Accounts a Participant may have at any time is five, subject to the Committee’s right to increase such limit. Except as provided in subsection (e), the payout rules for a Deferred Compensation Account may not be changed after the rules for that Account have been established

 

  (d)

In the event of a Participant’s death or Disability before the Participant has received any payments from a Deferred Compensation Account, the value of the Account shall be paid to the Participant’s designated beneficiary in the case of death or to the Participant in the case of Disability, at such time and in such form of payment as is set forth on the applicable deferral form signed by the Participant. In the event of the Participant’s death or Disability after installment payments from a Deferred Compensation Account have commenced, the remaining balance of the Account shall be paid to the Participant or designated beneficiary, as applicable, over the installments remaining to be paid. For

 

6


  purposes of this Plan and consistent with such term’s definition under Section 409A, “Disability” means the Participant is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

Beneficiary designations shall be submitted on the form specified by the Company. A Participant may only have a single beneficiary designation that will apply to all of his/her Deferred Compensation Accounts, and the filing of a new beneficiary designation shall automatically revoke any previous beneficiary designation for all of the Participant’s Deferred Compensation Accounts. In the event a beneficiary designation has not been made, or the beneficiary was not properly designated (in the sole discretion of the Company), has died or cannot be found, all payments after death shall be paid to the Participant’s estate. In case of disputes over the proper beneficiary, the Company reserves the right to make any or all payments to the Participant’s estate.

 

  (e) A Participant may not change an initial Payment Commencement Date or Method of Payment for a Deferred Compensation Account after an election has been made except as provided in the following sentence. If an active Participant specifies a particular year as a Payment Commencement Date (rather than retirement) and such date is a date when the Participant is less than age 60, the Participant may elect to select a new Method of Payment or Payment Commencement Date by delivering a written election to the Committee (a “Subsequent Election”); provided that (i) such Subsequent Election may not take effect until at least 12 months after the date on which the Subsequent Election is made, (ii) the payment with respect to which such Subsequent Election is made must be deferred for a period of not less than 5 years from the date such payment would otherwise have been made; and (iii) the election must be made not less than 12 months before the date the payment is scheduled to be paid (or in the case of installment payments 12 months before the date the first amount was scheduled to be paid).

A technical note — if a Participant has elected the year of retirement as the Payment Commencement Date but retires on a date that is after the designated Payment Commencement Date, the payment (or the first annual installment) will begin on the first day of the month after the month in which the Participant retires.

Restrictions on changing Payment Commencement Dates and Methods of Payment shall not prevent the Participant from choosing a different Payment Commencement Date and/or Method of Payment for amounts to be deferred in subsequent years, subject to the limitation on the number of Deferred Compensation Accounts a Participant may have.

 

  (f) Notwithstanding any Payment Commencement Date or Method of Payment selected by a Participant, the following rule shall apply:

 

7


  (i) If a Participant’s directorship terminates for any reason other than (1) at or after reaching age 70 for outside Directors and age 65 for Directors who were former Company executives, (2) by reason of such Participant’s death, or (3) by reason of such Participant’s Disability, the Committee shall distribute such Director Participant’s benefits in the form of a lump sum, as soon as administratively practicable following the Participant’s termination of service (but not later than 60 days after such termination).

 

  (g) If, in the discretion of the Committee and subject to the requirements of Section 409A, the Participant has a need for funds due to an “unforeseeable emergency”, benefits may be paid prior to the Participant’s Payment Commencement Date. For this purpose, an “unforeseeable emergency” means a severe financial hardship to the Participant resulting from an illness or accident of the Participant, the Participant’s spouse, or a dependent (as defined in section 152(a) of the Code) of the Participant, loss of the Participant’s property due to casualty, or other similar extraordinary and unforeseeable circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the control of the Participant. Distributions under this subsection may only be made if, consistent with Section 409A, the amounts distributed with respect to the emergency do not exceed the amounts necessary to satisfy such emergency plus amounts necessary to pay taxes reasonably anticipated as a result of the distribution, after taking into account the extent to which such hardship is or may be relieved through reimbursement or compensation by insurance or otherwise or by liquidation of the Participant’s assets (to the extent the liquidation of such assets would not itself cause severe financial hardship). The Participant requesting a payment under this subsection must supply the Committee with a statement indicating the nature of the emergency that created the severe financial hardship, the fact that all other reasonably available resources are insufficient to meet the need, and any other information which the Committee decides is necessary to evaluate whether an unforeseeable emergency exists.

 

  (h) In the Company’s discretion, payments from the Plan may be made in cash or in the kind of property represented by the fund or funds selected by the Participant. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Plan, any portion of a Participant’s Deferred Compensation Account deemed invested in shares of Predecessor Company may only be settled in cash.

 

  (i) All contributions to the Plan and all payments from the Plan, whether made by the Company or the Trustee, shall be subject to all taxes required to be withheld under applicable laws and regulations of any governmental authorities.

 

  (j)

Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, a distribution triggered by a specified employee’s separation from service (for any reason other than death) may not commence before the date which is 6 months after the date of the specified employee’s separation from service (or if, earlier, the employee’s death). For purposes of the Plan, a “specified employee” has the meaning set forth in Section 409A. If this provision is triggered, any amount that would otherwise have been paid during such 6 month period shall be paid on the date

 

8


  that is the first day of the seventh month after such employee’s separation from service (or if, earlier, the employee’s death). For purposes of this Plan, the date when a Participant is deemed to be separated from service, retired, or terminated shall be determined consistent with the requirements of Section 409A.

 

  (k) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may accelerate the time or schedule of a payment, or a payment may be made under the Plan, to pay the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (“FICA”) tax imposed under Code sections 3101, 3121(a), and 3121(v)(2) on compensation deferred under the plan (the “FICA Amount”). Additionally, the Committee may provide for the acceleration of the time or schedule of a payment, or a payment may be made under the Plan, to pay the income tax at source on wages imposed under section 3401 or the corresponding withholding provisions of applicable state, local, or foreign tax laws as a result of the payment of the FICA Amount, and to pay the additional income tax at source on wages attributable to the pyramiding section 3401 wages and taxes. However, the total payment under this acceleration provision must not exceed the aggregate of the FICA Amount, and the income tax withholding related to such FICA Amount.

 

2.10. Manner of Electing Deferral, Choosing Investments and Choosing Payment Options

 

  (a) In order to make any elections or choices permitted hereunder, the Participant must give written or electronic notice to the Committee. A notice electing to defer Compensation shall specify:

 

  (i) the percentage, specified dollar amount, and/or amount above a specified dollar amount that is to be deferred (provided that the deferral is expected to be an amount that is a least $5,000 for the year);

 

  (ii) the type of Compensation to be deferred;

 

  (iii) the funds chosen by the Participant; and

 

  (iv) the portion of the Participant’s deferral elections that will be made to pre-existing Deferred Compensation Accounts and/or a new Deferred Compensation Account established for such deferral.

In the event that a new Deferred Compensation Account is established for such deferral, the Participant must designate the payout rules that will apply to such Deferred Compensation Account, e.g., the Method of Payment and the Payment Commencement Date, including rules for payment in the event of the Participant’s Disability or death. Each Deferred Compensation Account shall have Section 409A compliant payout rules specifying the Method of Payment and the Payment Commencement Date, including rules for payment in the event of the Participant’s Disability or death. Once established, such payout rules may not be changed except as provided in Section 2.9(e).

 

9


  (b) Subject to the requirements of Section 409A, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may establish rules for the manner in which deferral elections may be made and will provide election forms to permit Participants to defer Compensation to be earned during a calendar year. An election by a Participant to defer Compensation shall apply only to Compensation deferred in the calendar year for which the election is effective.

 

  (c) The last form received by the Committee directing an allocation of amounts in a Deferred Compensation Account among the funds available shall govern until changed by the receipt by the Committee of a subsequent allocation form.

 

  (d) Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee may permit elections, designations and allocations to be made through electronic means, and Plan statements and communications may be provided through electronic means.

 

2.11. Deferrals of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units

A Director whose fees for a Term may be paid in the form of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units may elect to defer such Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units in accordance with such guidelines and restrictions as may be established by the Committee and in accordance with the general terms of this Plan and Section 409A, subject to the following, which shall supersede any provision in the Plan to the contrary with respect to such deferrals:

 

  (a) An election to defer Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units must be made in accordance with Section 2.5 of the Plan and Section 409A. The deferral election may be made for all or a portion of the Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units that would have otherwise been awarded.

 

  (b) An election to defer Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units shall constitute a direction by the Director to have the Company, in lieu of currently issuing shares of Restricted Stock or an award of Restricted Stock Units, defer under this Plan an amount equal to the value of the Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units, subject to the election as determined at the time of the award. The Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units deferred by a Director under this Plan for a Term shall be credited as units of stock to a separate sub-account within the Director’s Deferred Compensation Account. The vesting rules that would have applied to the Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit award that was deferred under the Plan shall apply to the sub-account attributable to such award.

 

  (c) Subject to the rules applicable to Predecessor Company stock, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units deferred under the Plan shall be deemed invested in the Company stock fund during the entire deferral period and the Director shall not have the right to reallocate such deemed investment to any of the other investment options otherwise available under the Plan.

 

  (d)

At the time an election to defer Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units is

 

10


  made, the Director shall elect the time and form of payment of such deferral and earnings thereon in accordance with Section 2.9 of the Plan. Subject to the rules applicable to Predecessor Company stock, payments shall be made in shares of Company common stock.

 

  (e) Any portion of a Director’s Deferred Compensation Account attributable to deferred Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units, whether or not vested, shall not be available for early withdrawal under Section 2.9(g) of the Plan.

3.0      ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN

 

3.1. Statement of Account

Statements setting forth the values of the funds deemed to be held in a Participant’s Deferred Compensation Accounts will be sent to each Participant quarterly or more often as the Committee may elect. A Participant shall have two years from the date a statement has been sent to question the accuracy of the statement. If no objection is made to the statement, it shall be deemed to be accurate and thereafter binding on the Participant for all purposes.

 

3.2. Assignability

The benefits payable under this Plan shall not revert to the Company or be subject to the Company’s creditors prior to the Company’s insolvency or bankruptcy, nor, except pursuant to will or the laws of descent and distribution, shall they be subject in any way to anticipation, alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, charge, garnishment, execution or levy of any kind by the Participant, the Participant’s beneficiary or the creditors of either, including such liability as may arise from the Participant’s bankruptcy.

 

3.3. Business Days

In the event any date specified herein falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, such date shall be deemed to refer to the next business day thereafter or such other date as may be determined by the Committee in the reasonable exercise of its discretion.

 

3.4. Administration

This Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee has sole discretion to interpret the Plan and to determine all questions arising in the administration, interpretation, and application of the Plan. The Committee’s powers include the power, in its sole discretion and consistent with the terms of the Plan, to determine who is eligible to participate in this Plan, to determine the eligibility for and the amount of benefits payable under the Plan, to determine when and how amounts are allocated to a Participant’s Deferred Compensation Account, to establish rules for determining when and how elections can be made, to adopt any rules relating to administering the Plan and to take any other action it deems appropriate to administer the Plan. The Committee may delegate its authority hereunder to one or more persons. Whenever the value of a

 

11


Deferred Compensation Account is to be determined under this Plan as of a particular date, the Committee may determine such value using any method that is reasonable, in its discretion. Whenever payments are to be made under this Plan, such payments shall begin on or within a reasonable period of time after the designated date, as determined by the Committee and subject to the limitations under Section 409A, and no interest shall be paid on such amounts for any reasonable delay in making the payments.

This Plan is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A, and shall be interpreted and administered in accordance with that intent. If any provision of the Plan would otherwise conflict with or frustrate this intent, that provision will be interpreted and deemed amended so as to avoid the conflict. Any reference in this Plan to “separation from service”, “retirement”, “cessation of employment”, “termination of employment”, “termination of employment with the Company”, “directorship termination”, “retirement from the Board”, “Director leaves the Board”, “cessation of employment with the Company or any Participating Affiliate” or similar term shall mean a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A.

 

3.5. Amendment

 

  (a) Subject to the requirements of Section 409A, this Plan may at any time and from time to time be amended or terminated by the Board or the Compensation Committee of the Board. No amendment shall, without the consent of a Participant, adversely affect such Participant’s interest in the Plan, i.e., the Participant’s benefit accrued to the effective date of the amendment (hereinafter referred to as the “Protected Interest”), as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.

 

  (b) An amendment shall be considered to adversely affect a Participant’s interest in the Plan if it has the effect of:

 

  (i) reducing the Participant’s Protected Interest in his or her Deferred Compensation Accounts;

 

  (ii) eliminating or restricting a Participant’s right to give investment directions with respect to the Participant’s Protected Interest in his or her Deferred Compensation Accounts under Sections 2.6 and 2.7 of the Plan, except that a change in the number or type of funds available shall not be considered an amendment of the Plan as long as the funds available to Participants following such change constitute a broad range of investment alternatives under the standards pertaining to the range of investments set forth in regulations promulgated by the Department of Labor under section 404(c) of ERISA or any successor provision;

 

  (iii) eliminating or restricting any timing or payment option available with respect to the Participant’s Protected Interest in his or her Deferred Compensation Accounts, or the Participant’s right to make and change payment elections with respect to such Protected Interest, under Section 2.9, 2.10 or any other provision of the Plan;

 

12


  (iv) reducing or diminishing any of the change in control protections provided to the Participant under Section 3.7 or any other provision of the Plan; or

 

  (v) reducing or diminishing the rights of the Participant under this Section 3.5 with respect to any amendment or termination of the Plan.

 

  (c) Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, any amendment made for the purpose of protecting the favorable tax treatment of amounts deferred under the Plan following a change in applicable law, including for this purpose a change in statute, regulation or other agency guidance, shall not be considered to adversely affect a Participant’s interest in the Plan.

 

  (d) If the Plan is terminated and if permitted by Section 409A, compensation shall prospectively cease to be deferred as of the date of the termination. To the extent permitted by Section 409A, each Participant will be paid the value of his or her Deferred Compensation Accounts, including earnings credited through the payment date based on the Participant’s investment allocations, at the time and in the manner provided for in Sections 2.9 and 2.10.

 

3.6. Liability

 

  (a) Except in the case of willful misconduct, no Director or employee of the Company, or person acting as the independent fiduciary provided for in Section 3.7, shall be personally liable for any act done or omitted to be done by such person with respect to this Plan.

 

  (b) The Company shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, members of the Committee, persons acting as the independent fiduciary and Directors and employees of the Company, both past and present, to whom are or were delegated duties, responsibilities and authority with respect to the Plan, against any and all claims, losses, liabilities, fines, penalties and expenses (including, but not limited to, all legal fees relating thereto), reasonably incurred by or imposed upon such persons, arising out of any act or omission in connection with the operation and administration of the Plan, other than willful misconduct.

 

3.7. Change in Control

 

  (a) Participation . If a change in control occurs, each eligible person who is participating in the Plan on the date of the change in control shall be entitled to continue participating in the Plan and to make additional deferrals under its terms following the change in control, until he or she ceases to meet the criteria for an “eligible person” specified in Section 2.2 hereof (without regard to designation by the Committee) or the Plan is terminated pursuant to Section 3.5. No new persons may be designated as eligible to participate in the Plan on or after a change in control.

 

13


  (b) Legal Expense . If, with respect to any alleged failure by the Company to comply with any of the terms of this Plan subsequent to a change in control, other than any alleged failure relating to a matter within the control of the independent fiduciary and with respect to which the Company is acting pursuant to a determination or direction of the independent fiduciary, a Participant or beneficiary hires legal counsel or institutes any negotiations or institutes or responds to legal action to assert or defend the validity of, enforce his rights under, obtain benefits promised under or recover damages for breach of the terms of this Plan, then, regardless of the outcome, the Company shall pay, as they are incurred, a Participant’s or beneficiary’s actual expenses for attorneys’ fees and disbursements, together with such additional payments, if any, as may be necessary so that the net after-tax payments to the Participant or beneficiary equal such fees and disbursements. The Company agrees to pay such amounts within 10 days following the Company’s receipt of an invoice from the Participant, provided that the Participant shall have submitted an invoice for such amounts at least 30 days before the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which such fees and disbursements were incurred.

 

  (c) Mandatory Contributions to Rabbi Trust . If a change in control occurs, the Company shall make mandatory contributions to a Rabbi Trust established pursuant to Section 2.6(d), to the extent required by the provisions of such Rabbi Trust.

 

  (d) Powers of Independent Fiduciary . Following a change in control, the Plan shall be administered by the independent fiduciary. The independent fiduciary shall assume the following powers and responsibilities from the Committee and the Company:

 

  (i) The independent fiduciary shall assume all powers and responsibilities assigned to the Committee under Section 3.4 and all other provisions of the Plan, including, without limitation, the sole power and discretion to:

 

  (1) determine all questions arising in the administration and interpretation of the Plan, including factual questions and questions of eligibility to participate and eligibility for benefits;

 

  (2) adjudicate disputes and claims for benefits;

 

  (3) adopt rules relating to the administration of the Plan;

 

  (4) select the investment funds available to Participants under Section 2.6 of the Plan (subject to the requirement that, at all times, such funds constitute a broad range of investment alternatives under the standards pertaining to the range of investments set forth in regulations promulgated by the Department of Labor under section 404(c) of ERISA or any successor provision);

 

  (5) determine the amount, timing and form of benefit payments;

 

14


  (6) direct the Company and the trustee of the Rabbi Trust on matters relating to benefit payments;

 

  (7) engage attorneys, accountants, actuaries and other professional advisors (whose fees shall be paid by the Company), to assist it in performing its responsibilities under the Plan; and

 

  (8) delegate to one or more persons selected by it, including outside vendors, responsibility for fulfilling some or all of its responsibilities under the Plan.

 

  (ii) The independent fiduciary shall have the sole power and discretion to (1) direct the investment of assets held in the Rabbi Trust, including the authority to appoint one or more investment managers to manage any such assets and (2) remove the trustee of the Rabbi Trust and appoint a successor trustee in accordance with the terms of the trust agreement.

 

  (e) Review of Decisions .

 

  (i) Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, following a change in control, any act, determination or decision of the Company (including its Board or any committee of its Board) with regard to the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan must be reasonable, as viewed from the perspective of an unrelated party and with no deference paid to the actual act, determination or decision of the Company. Furthermore, following a change in control, any decision by the Company shall not be final and binding on a Participant. Instead, following a change in control, if a Participant disputes a decision of the Company relating to the Plan and pursues legal action, the court shall review the decision under a “de novo” standard of review.

 

  (ii) Following a change in control, any act, determination or decision of the independent fiduciary with regard to the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan shall be final, binding, and conclusive on all parties.

 

  (f) Company’s Duty to Cooperate . Following a change in control, the Company shall cooperate with the independent fiduciary as may be necessary to enable the independent fiduciary to carry out its powers and responsibilities under the Plan and Rabbi Trust, including, without limitation, by promptly furnishing all information relating to Participants’ benefits as the independent fiduciary may reasonably request.

 

  (g) Appointment of Independent Fiduciary . The independent fiduciary responsible for the administration of the Plan following a change in control shall be a committee composed of the individuals who constituted the Company’s Benefit Plans Committee immediately prior to the change in control and the Company’s chief executive officer immediately prior to the change in control.

 

15


If, following a change in control, any individual serving on such committee resigns, dies or becomes disabled, the remaining members of the committee shall continue to serve as the committee without interruption. A successor member shall be required only if there are less than three remaining members on the committee. If a successor member is required, the successor shall be an individual appointed by the remaining member or members of the committee who (i) is eligible to be paid benefits from the assets of the Rabbi Trust or the larger trust of which it is a part and (ii) agrees to serve on such committee.

If at any time there are no remaining members on the committee (including any successor members appointed to the committee following the change in control), the Trustee shall promptly submit the appointment of the successor members to an arbiter, the costs of which shall be borne fully by the Company, to be decided in accordance with the American Arbitration Association Commercial Arbitration Rules then in effect. The arbiter shall appoint three successor members to the committee who each meet the criteria for membership set forth above. Following such appointments by the arbiter, such successor members shall appoint any future successor members to the committee to the extent required above (i.e., if, at any time, there are less than three remaining members on the committee) and subject to the criteria set forth above.

If one or more successor members are required and there are no individuals remaining who satisfy the criteria for membership on the committee, the remaining committee members or, if none, the Trustee shall promptly submit the appointment of the successor member or members to an arbiter, and the Company shall bear the costs of arbitration as provided for in the preceding paragraph.

 

  (h) Change in Control Definition . As used in this Plan, a “change in control” means the first to occur of the following:

 

  (i) The acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)) (a “Person”) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of either (1) the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or (2) the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that, for purposes of this Section, the following acquisitions shall not constitute a change in control: (A) any acquisition directly from the Company, (B) any acquisition by the Company, (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or one of its affiliates or (D) any acquisition pursuant to a transaction that complies with clauses (1), (2) and (3) of Section 3.7(h)(iii) below;

 

16


  (ii) Individuals who constitute the Board of Directors of the Company as of the Effective Date (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to such date whose election or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board;

 

  (iii) Consummation of a reorganization, merger, statutory share exchange or consolidation or similar corporate transaction involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries, a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (each, a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities that were the beneficial owners of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then- outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation or entity that, as a result of such transaction, owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (2) no Person (excluding any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or any corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation or entity, except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination, and (3) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the corporation or entity resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the Board providing for such Business Combination; or

 

17


  (iv) Approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event will the Spin-off be treated as a Change in Control.

 

  (i) Lump Sum Payment . Upon a change in control, the amounts credited in the Deferred Compensation Accounts of each Participant (including retired, active and inactive Participants), whether or not in pay status as of the date of the Change in Control, shall be paid within 45 days after the Change in Control.

For purposes of this Section 3.7(i), a change in control means a change in control that is also a change in ownership or effective control of the Company or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company within the meaning of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(v) and the Treasury regulations issued thereunder.

 

3.8. Claims

 

  (a) Claim Denials . The Committee shall maintain procedures with respect to the filing of claims for benefits under the Plan. Pursuant to such procedures, any Participant or beneficiary (hereinafter called “claimant”) whose claim for benefits under the Plan is denied shall receive written notice of such denial. The notice shall set forth:

 

  (i) the specific reasons for the denial of the claim;

 

  (ii) a reference to the specific provisions of the Plan on which the denial is based;

 

  (iii) any additional material or information necessary to perfect the claim and an explanation why such material or information is necessary; and

 

  (iv) a description of the procedures for review of the denial of the claim and the time limits applicable to such procedures, including a statement of the claimant’s right to bring a civil action under ERISA following a denial on review.

Such notice shall be furnished to the claimant within a reasonable period of time, but no later than 90 days after receipt of the claim by the Plan unless the Committee determines that special circumstances require an extension of time for processing the claim. In no event shall such an extension exceed a period of 90 days from the end of the initial 90-day period. If such an extension is required, written notice thereof shall be furnished to the claimant before the end of the initial 90-day period, which shall indicate the special circumstances requiring an extension of time and the date by which the Committee expects to render a decision.

 

18


  (b) Right to a Review of the Denial . Every claimant whose claim for benefits under the Plan is denied in whole or in part by the Committee shall have the right to request a review of the denial. Review shall be granted if it is requested in writing by the claimant no later than 60 days after the claimant receives written notice of the denial. The review shall be conducted by the Committee.

 

  (c) Decision of the Committee on Appeal . At any hearing of the Committee to review the denial of a claim, the claimant, in person or by duly authorized representative, shall have reasonable notice, shall have an opportunity to be present and be heard, may submit written comments, documents, records and other information relating to the claim, and may review documents, records and other information relevant to the claim under the applicable standards under ERISA. The Committee shall render its decision as soon as practicable. Ordinarily decisions shall be rendered within 60 days following receipt of the request for review. If the need to hold a hearing or other special circumstances requires additional processing time, the decision shall be rendered as soon as possible, but not later than 120 days following receipt of the request for review. If additional processing time is required, the Committee shall provide the claimant with written notice thereof, which shall indicate the special circumstances requiring the additional time and the date by which the Committee expects to render a decision. If the Committee denies the claim on review, it shall provide the claimant with written notice of its decision, which shall set forth (i) the specific reasons for the decision, (ii) reference to the specific provisions of the Plan on which the decision is based, (iii) a statement of the claimant’s right to reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant to the claim under the applicable standards under ERISA, and (iv) and a statement of the claimant’s right to bring a civil action under ERISA. The Committee’s decision shall be final and binding on the claimant, and the claimant’s heirs, assigns, administrator, executor, and any other person claiming through the claimant.

 

  (d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, following a change in control, the independent fiduciary shall be responsible for deciding claims and appeals pursuant to the procedures described above. Any decision on a claim by the independent fiduciary shall be final and binding on the claimant and the claimant’s heirs, assigns, administrator, executor and any other person claiming through the claimant.

 

3.9. Successors

The Company will require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company to expressly assume and agree to perform the Plan in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform it if no such succession had taken place.

 

19


3.10. Governing Law

To the extent not preempted by federal law, all questions pertaining to the construction, regulation, validity and effect of the provisions of the Plan shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

 

20

Exhibit 10.6

CARS.COM, INC.

EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

ARTICLE 1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Plan is to provide employees of the Company and its Designated Subsidiaries with an opportunity to acquire equity ownership in the Company and encourage employees to remain in the employ of the Company and its Designated Subsidiaries. It is the intention of the Company to have the Plan qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code. The provisions of this Plan, accordingly, shall be construed so as to extend and limit participation in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code.

ARTICLE 2. DEFINITIONS

Certain terms used in this Plan have the meanings set forth in Appendix I.

ARTICLE 3. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

3.1.      Initial Eligibility . Except as provided in Section 3.2, each Employee shall become eligible to participate in the Plan in accordance with Article 4 on the first Enrollment Date on or following the later of (a) the date such individual becomes an Employee; or (b) the Effective Date. Participation in the Plan is entirely voluntary.

3.2.      Limitations on Eligibility . The Committee may (but need not) determine that one or more of the following Employees are not eligible to participate in the Plan:

 

  (a) Employees who have been employed less than two years or any lesser period established by the Committee;

 

  (b) Employees whose customary employment is twenty hours or less per week or any lesser number of hours established by the Committee;

 

  (c) Employees whose customary employment is for not more than five months in any calendar year or any lesser period in any calendar year established by the Committee; and

 

  (d) Highly compensated employees (within the meaning of Section 414(q) of the Code) or any subgroup of such highly compensated employees.

No Eligible Employee shall be granted an option under the Plan to the extent that, immediately after the grant, such Eligible Employee, would own directly or indirectly, an aggregate of five percent or more of the total combined voting power or value of all outstanding shares of all classes of stock of the Company or any Subsidiary (and for purposes of this paragraph, the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code shall apply, and stock which the Employee may purchase under outstanding options shall be treated as stock owned by the Employee).

 


ARTICLE 4. ENROLLMENT

Any Eligible Employee may enroll in the Plan for any Offering Period by completing an enrollment election form or by such other means as the Committee shall prescribe and submitting such enrollment election to the Company, in accordance with procedures established by the Committee, on or before the Cut-Off Date with respect to such Offering Period. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the enrollment election and the designated rate of payroll deduction shall continue for future Offering Periods unless the Participant changes or cancels, in accordance with procedures established by the Committee, the enrollment election or designated rate of payroll deduction prior to the Cut-Off Date with respect to a future Offering Period or elects to withdraw from the Plan in accordance with Section 8.1.

ARTICLE 5. GRANT OF OPTIONS ON ENROLLMENT

5.1.      Option Grant . Enrollment by an Eligible Employee in the Plan as of an Enrollment Date will constitute the grant by the Company to such Participant of an option on such Enrollment Date to purchase Shares from the Company pursuant to the Plan.

5.2.      Option Expiration . An option granted to a Participant pursuant to this Plan shall expire, if not terminated for any reason first, on the earliest to occur of (a) the end of the Offering Period in which such option was granted; (b) the completion of the purchase of Shares under the option under Article 7; or (c) the date on which participation of such Participant in the Plan terminates for any reason.

5.3.      Purchase of Shares . Subject to Section 5.4, an option granted to a Participant under the Plan shall give the Participant a right to purchase on a Purchase Date the largest number of whole Shares, as determined by the Committee, which the funds accumulated in the Participant’s Account as of such Purchase Date will purchase at the applicable Purchase Price, unless the Committee, in its discretion, limits the number of Shares purchased by a Participant in any Purchase Period.

5.4.     Share Purchase Limits.

 

  (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, unless the Committee determines otherwise for a future Offering Period or Purchase Period, no Participant may purchase during a single Offering Period more than 10,000 shares of Common Stock, subject to adjustment as provided in the Plan.

 

  (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, to the extent required by Section 423 of the Code, no Employee shall be granted an option under the Plan (or any other plan of the Company or a Subsidiary intended to qualify under Section 423 of the Code) which would permit the Employee to purchase Shares under the Plan (and such other plan) in any calendar year with a Fair Market Value (determined at the time such option is granted) in excess of the $25,000 annual limit as required by Section 423 of the Code, with no Participant purchasing Common Stock with a Fair Market Value in excess of the following applicable limit:

 

-2-


  i. In the case of Common Stock purchased during an Offering Period that commenced in the current calendar year, the limit shall be equal to (A) $25,000 minus (B) the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock that the Participant previously purchased in the current calendar year (under the Plan and all other employee stock purchase plans of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company);

 

  ii. In the case of Common Stock purchased during an Offering Period that commenced in the immediately preceding calendar year, the limit shall be equal to (A) $50,000 minus (B) the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock that the Participant previously purchased in the preceding year (under the Plan and all other employee stock purchase plans of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company); or

 

  iii. In the case of Common Stock purchased during an Offering Period that commenced two calendar years prior to the date of purchase, the limit shall be equal to (A) $75,000 minus (B) the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock that the Participant previously purchased in such preceding years (under the Plan and all other employee stock purchase plans of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company).

For purposes of this Section 5.4(b), the Fair Market Value of Common Stock shall be determined in each case as of the beginning of the Offering Period in which such Common Stock is purchased.

 

  (c) The Company shall have the authority to take all necessary action, including but not limited to suspending the payroll deductions or contributions of any Participant or returning excess payroll deductions or contributions in order to ensure compliance with this Section 5.4.

ARTICLE 6. PAYMENT

The Committee may designate the time and manner for payment of Shares to be purchased during the Purchase Period, including, but not limited to, through payroll deductions from Compensation, the terms and conditions of which are designated by the Committee. Payment amounts shall be credited on a bookkeeping basis to a Participant’s Account under this Plan. All payment amounts may be used by the Company for any purpose and the Company shall have no obligation to segregate such funds. No interest accrues on payments by Participants.

 

-3-


ARTICLE 7. PURCHASE OF SHARES

7.1.      Option Exercise . Any option held by the Participant which was granted under this Plan and which remains outstanding as of a Purchase Date shall be deemed to have been exercised on such Purchase Date for the number of whole Shares, as determined by the Committee, which the funds accumulated in the Participant’s Account as of the Purchase Date will purchase at the applicable Purchase Price (but not in excess of the number of Shares for which options have been granted to the Participant pursuant to Section 5.3 and subject to the limits set forth in Section 5.4). Options for other Shares for which options have been granted which are not purchased on the last Purchase Date during the Offering Period shall terminate. Shares shall not be issued with respect to an option unless the exercise of such option and the issuance and delivery of such Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all applicable provisions of law, domestic or foreign, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Shares may then be listed. As a condition to the exercise of an option, the Committee may require the person exercising such option to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares.

7.2.      Refund of Excess Amount . If, after a Participant’s exercise of an option under Section 7.1, an amount remains credited to the Participant’s Account as of a Purchase Date, then the remaining amount shall be distributed to the Participant or carried forward in the Account for application to the purchase of Shares on the next following Purchase Date as determined by the Committee in accordance with uniform procedures established by the Committee.

7.3.      Employees of Designated Subsidiaries . In the case of Participants employed by a Designated Subsidiary, the Committee may provide for Shares to be sold through the Subsidiary to such Participants, to the extent consistent with Section 423 of the Code.

7.4.      Pro Rata Allocation . If the total number of Shares for which options are or could be exercised on any Purchase Date in accordance with this Article 7, when aggregated with all Shares for which options have been previously exercised under this Plan, exceeds the maximum number of Shares reserved in Article 12, the Company shall, in accordance with Article 12, allocate the Shares available for delivery and distribution in the ratio that the balance in each Participant’s Account bears to the aggregate balances of all Participants’ Accounts, and the remaining balance of the amount credited to the Account of each Participant under the Plan shall be returned to him or her as promptly as possible.

7.5.      Notice of Disposition . If a Participant or former Participant sells, transfers, or otherwise makes a disposition of Shares purchased pursuant to an option granted under the Plan within two years after the date such option is granted or within one year after the date such Shares were transferred to the Participant, and if such Participant or former Participant is subject to United States federal income tax, then such Participant or former Participant shall notify the Company or a member of the Employer in writing of such sale, transfer or other disposition within ten days of the consummation of such sale, transfer, or other disposition. To the extent any Shares purchased under the Plan are not sold or otherwise transferred by Participants and former Participants, such Participants and former Participants must maintain at the broker designated by the Committee such untransferred Shares for the greater of (i) two years after the date the option with respect to such Shares was granted and (ii) one year after the date such Shares were transferred to the Participant, unless the Committee determines otherwise .

 

-4-


ARTICLE 8. WITHDRAWAL FROM THE PLAN, TERMINATION OF

EMPLOYMENT, AND LEAVE OF ABSENCE

8.1.      Withdrawal from the Plan . A Participant may withdraw all funds accumulated in the Participant’s Account from the Plan during any Purchase Period by delivering a notice of withdrawal to the Company or the Employer (in a manner prescribed by the Committee) at such time in advance of the Purchase Date as the Committee may require. If notice of complete withdrawal from the Plan as described in the preceding sentence is timely received, the Company or the Employer will cease the Participant’s payroll withholding, or other contributions to the Plan, and in accordance with uniform procedures established by the Committee, either all funds then accumulated in the Participant’s Account shall be used to purchase shares on the Purchase Date for such Purchase Period or all funds then accumulated in the Participant’s Account shall not be used to purchase shares but shall instead be distributed to the Participant as soon as administratively feasible. An Employee who has withdrawn during a Purchase Period may not return funds to the Company or Employer during the same Purchase Period and require the Company or Employer to apply those funds to the purchase of Shares. Any Eligible Employee who has withdrawn from the Plan may, however, re-enroll in the Plan on a subsequent Enrollment Date, if any, in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Committee.

8.2.      Termination of Participation . Participation in the Plan terminates (a) immediately on the date on which a Participant ceases to be employed by the Company or the Employer for any reason whatsoever or otherwise ceases to be an Eligible Employee or (b) immediately following the end of the Purchase Period during which a Participant ceases to be employed by the Company or a member of the Employer for any reason whatsoever or otherwise ceases to be an Eligible Employee or (c) at such other time as determined by the Committee, in the Committee’s discretion and in accordance with procedures established by the Committee. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, such Participant may elect to withdraw from the Plan in accordance with Section 8.1 and the procedures prescribed by the Committee.

8.3.      Leave of Absence . If a Participant takes a leave of absence, such Participant shall have the right, in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Committee, to elect to withdraw from the Plan in accordance with Section 8.1. To the extent determined by the Committee or required by Section 423 of the Code, certain leaves of absence may be treated as cessations of employment for purposes of the Plan.

ARTICLE 9. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION,

DISSOLUTION, LIQUIDATION, MERGER OR ASSET SALE

9.1.      Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization . Subject to any required action by the stockholders of the Company, the right to purchase Shares of Common Stock covered by a current Offering Period and the number of Shares which have been authorized for issuance under the Plan for any future Offering Period, the maximum number of Shares each Participant

 

-5-


may purchase each Offering Period or Purchase Period (pursuant to Section 5.3 and 5.4 hereof), as well as the price per Share and the number of Shares covered by each right under the Plan which have not yet been purchased shall be proportionately adjusted in the discretion of the Committee for any increase or decrease in the number of issued Shares resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, extraordinary cash dividend, combination or reclassification of the Common Stock, or recapitalization, reorganization, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, or any other increase or decrease in the number of Shares effected without receipt of consideration by the Company. Except as expressly provided otherwise by the Committee, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of Shares.

9.2.      Adjustments Upon Dissolution, Liquidation, Merger or Asset Sale .      Without limitation on the preceding provisions, in the event of any dissolution, liquidation, merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s outstanding voting securities, sale, lease exchange or other transfer of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, or any similar transaction as determined by the Committee in its discretion, the Committee may make such adjustment it deems appropriate to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights in the number and class of Shares which may be delivered under Article 12, in the number, class or price of Shares available for purchase under the Plan and in the number of Shares which an Employee is entitled to purchase and any other adjustments it deems appropriate. Without limiting the Committee’s authority under this Plan, in the event of any transaction, the Committee may elect to have the options hereunder assumed or such options substituted by a successor entity (or its parent) , to terminate all outstanding options either prior to their expiration or upon completion of the purchase of Shares on the next Purchase Date, or to take such other action deemed appropriate by the Committee.

ARTICLE 10. DEATH

In the event of a Participant’s death prior to the delivery to him or her of any Shares or cash held by the Company for the account of the Participant under the Plan, and to the extent permitted by local law, the Company shall deliver such Shares or cash to the Participant’s estate, or if such delivery is not practicable in the Committee’s determination in its discretion, then to such member(s) of the family of the Participant as the Committee may determine in its discretion.    

ARTICLE 11. ADMINISTRATION

11.1.      Administration by Committee . The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall have the authority to delegate duties to officers, directors or employees of the Company as it deems advisable.

11.2.      Authority of Committee . The Committee shall have the full and exclusive discretionary authority to construe and interpret the Plan and options granted under it; to establish, amend, and revoke rules and regulations for administration and operation of the Plan (including, without limitation, the determination and change of Offering Periods, Purchase Periods and payment procedures, the requirement that Shares be held by a specified broker, the

 

-6-


requirement of a post-purchase holding period and the establishment of the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars); to determine all questions of eligibility, disputed claims and policy that may arise in the administration of the Plan; to make any changes to the Plan or its operations to reduce or eliminate any unfavorable accounting consequences to the extent deemed appropriate by the Committee; and, generally, to exercise such powers and perform such acts as the Committee deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company, including, but not limited to, designating from time to time which Subsidiaries of the Company shall be Designated Subsidiaries. The Committee’s determinations as to the interpretation and operation of this Plan shall be final and conclusive and each action of the Committee shall be binding on all persons.

In exercising the powers described in the foregoing paragraph, the Committee may adopt special or different rules for the operation of the Plan including, but not limited to, rules which allow employees of any foreign Subsidiary to participate in, and enjoy the tax benefits offered by, the Plan; provided that such rules shall not result in any grantees of options having different rights and/or privileges under the Plan in violation of Section 423 of the Code nor otherwise cause the Plan to fail to satisfy the requirements of Section 423 of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

11.3.      Administrative Modification . The Plan provisions relating to the administration of the Plan may be amended by the Committee from time to time as may be desirable to satisfy any requirements of or under the federal securities and/or other applicable laws of the United States or other jurisdiction, to obtain any exemption under such laws, or to reduce or eliminate any unfavorable legal, accounting or other consequences or to achieve any other purpose deemed appropriate by the Committee.

ARTICLE 12. NUMBER OF SHARES

A total of 3,000,000 Shares are reserved for sale and authorized for issuance pursuant to the Plan. The number of reserved Shares (3,000,000) shall not be adjusted under Article 9 in connection with the spin-off of the Company from TEGNA Inc.; however, for events described in Article 9 occurring thereafter it will be subject to adjustment as set forth in Article 9.    If any option granted under the Plan shall for any reason terminate without having been exercised, the Shares not purchased under such option shall again become available for the Plan. If on a given Purchase Date, the number of Shares with respect to which options are to be exercised exceeds the number of Shares then available under the Plan, the Committee shall make a pro rata allocation of the Shares remaining available for purchase in as uniform a manner as shall be practical and as it shall determine to be equitable. Shares issued under the Plan may be authorized but unissued Shares or treasury Shares.

ARTICLE 13. MISCELLANEOUS

13.1.      Restrictions on Transfer . Options granted under the Plan to a Participant may not be exercised during the Participant’s lifetime other than by the Participant. Neither amounts credited to a Participant’s Account nor any rights with respect to the exercise of an option or to receive stock under the Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged, or otherwise disposed of in any way by the Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Any such attempted assignment, transfer, pledge, or other disposition shall be without effect, except that the Company may treat such act as an election to withdraw from the Plan in accordance with Section 8.1.

 

-7-


13.2.      Administrative Assistance . If the Committee in its discretion so elects, it may retain a brokerage firm, bank, or other financial institution to assist in the purchase of Shares, delivery of reports, or other administrative aspects of the Plan. If the Committee so elects, each Participant shall (unless prohibited by applicable law) be deemed upon enrollment in the Plan to have authorized the establishment of an account on his or her behalf at such institution. Shares purchased by a Participant under the Plan shall be held in the Account in the Participant’s name, or if the Participant so indicates in the enrollment form, in the Participant’s name together with the name of his or her spouse in joint tenancy with right of survivorship or spousal community property, or in certain forms of trust approved by the Committee. The Company may require that Shares be retained with a broker or agent for a designated period of time and/or may establish other procedures to permit tracking of disqualifying dispositions of such Shares.

13.3.      Treatment of Non-U.S. Participants . Participants who are employed by non-U.S. Designated Subsidiaries, who are paid in foreign currency, and who contribute foreign currency to the Plan through contributions or payroll deductions will have such contributions converted to U.S. dollars. The exchange rate for such conversion will be determined as prescribed by the Committee. In no event will any procedure implemented for dealing with exchange rate fluctuations that may occur during an Offering Period result in a purchase price below the Purchase Date Price permitted under the Plan. Each Participant shall bear the risk of any currency exchange fluctuations (if applicable) between the date on which any Participant contributions are converted to U.S. dollars and the following Purchase Date.

13.4.      Withholding . The Company or any Employer shall have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company or any member of the Employer, an amount sufficient to satisfy Federal, state and local taxes, domestic or foreign, required by law or regulation to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising as a result of this Plan.

13.5.      Equal Rights and Privileges . Except as provided in Section 13.6, all Eligible Employees shall have equal rights and privileges with respect to the Plan so that the Plan qualifies as an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423 or any successor provision of the Code and the related regulations. Notwithstanding the express terms of the Plan, any provision of the Plan other than Section 13.6 which is inconsistent with Section 423 or any successor provision of the Code shall without further act or amendment by the Company or the Committee be reformed to comply with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code. This Section 13.5 shall take precedence over all other provisions in the Plan except Section 13.6.

13.6.      Eligible Employees in Other Countries . Without amending the Plan, the Committee may establish procedures to grant options or otherwise provide benefits to Eligible Employees of Designated Subsidiaries with non-U.S. employees on such terms and conditions different from those specified in this Plan as may, in the judgment of the Committee, be necessary or desirable to foster and promote achievement of the purposes of the Plan and shall

 

-8-


have the authority to adopt such modifications, procedures, separate offerings, subplans and the like as may be necessary or desirable (a) to comply with provisions of the laws or regulations or conform to the requirements to operate the Plan in a qualified or tax or accounting advantageous manner in other countries or jurisdictions in which the Company or any Designated Subsidiary may operate or have employees, (b) to ensure the viability of the benefits from the Plan to Eligible Employees employed in such countries or jurisdictions and (c) to meet the objectives of the Plan. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, any such actions taken by the Committee with respect to Eligible Employees of any Designated Subsidiary may be treated as a separate offering under Section 423 of the Code or a subplan outside of an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the United States Code and not subject to the requirements of Section 423 set forth in the United States Code and this Plan.

13.7.      Applicable Law . The Plan shall be governed by the substantive laws (excluding the conflict of laws rules) of the State of Delaware.

13.8.      Amendment and Termination . The Board may amend, alter, or terminate the Plan at any time, subject to the following limitations: (1) The Plan may not be amended in a way that will cause rights issued under the Plan intended to qualify under Section 423 of the Code to fail to meet the requirements of Section 423 of the Code. (2) No amendment that would amend or modify the Plan in a manner requiring stockholder approval under Section 423 of the Code or the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Shares are traded shall be effective unless such stockholder approval is obtained. In addition, the Committee may amend the Plan as provided in Section 11.3, subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 13.8.

If the Plan is terminated, the Committee may elect to terminate all outstanding options either prior to their expiration or upon completion of the purchase of Shares on the next Purchase Date, or may elect to permit options to expire in accordance with their terms (and participation to continue through such expiration dates). If the options are terminated prior to expiration, all funds accumulated in Participants’ Accounts as of the date the options are terminated shall be returned to the Participants as soon as administratively feasible.

13.9.      No Right of Employment . Neither the grant nor the exercise of any rights to purchase Shares under this Plan nor anything in this Plan shall impose upon the Company or a member of the Employer any obligation to employ or continue to employ any Employee. The right of the Company or a member of the Employer to terminate any Employee shall not be diminished or affected because any rights to purchase Shares have been granted to such Employee.

13.10.      Rights as Stockholder . No Participant shall have any rights as stockholder unless and until Shares of Common Stock have been issued to him or her.

13.11.      Governmental Regulation . The Company’s obligation to sell and deliver Shares of the Company’s common stock under this Plan is subject to the approval of any governmental authority required in connection with the authorization, issuance, or sale of such Shares.

 

-9-


13.12.      Code Section 409A . The Plan is intended to be exempt from the application of Section 409A of the Code, and any ambiguities herein will be interpreted in order to be exempt from Section 409A of the Code. In furtherance of the foregoing and notwithstanding any other provision in the Plan to the contrary, if the Committee determines that an option granted under the Plan may be subject to Section 409A of the Code or that any provision of the Plan would cause an option under the Plan to be subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Committee may amend the terms of the Plan and/or of an outstanding option granted under the Plan, or take such other action that the Committee determines is necessary or appropriate, in each case, without the Participant’s consent, to exempt any outstanding option or future option that may be granted under the Plan from or to allow any such options to comply with, Section 409A of the Code. The Company shall have no liability to a Participant or any other party if the option to purchase Common Stock under the Plan that is intended to be exempt from or compliant with Section 409A of the Code is not so exempt or compliant or for any action taken by the Committee with respect thereto. The Company makes no representation that any option to purchase Common Stock under the Plan is compliant with Section 409A of the Code.

13.13.      Gender . When used herein, masculine terms shall be deemed to include the feminine.

13.14.      Condition for Participation . As a condition to participation in the Plan, Eligible Employees agree to be bound by the terms of the Plan (including, without limitation, the notification and holding requirements of Section 7.5) and the determinations of the Committee.

 

-10-


APPENDIX I

DEFINITIONS

Account ” means a recordkeeping account maintained for a Participant to which Participant contributions and payroll deductions, if applicable, shall be credited.

Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

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

Committee ” means a committee composed of certain Company employees as may be designated from time to time by the Compensation Committee of the Board.

Common Stock ” means the Common Stock of the Company.

Company ” means Cars.com, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Compensation ” means gross earnings, including such amounts of gross earnings as are deferred by an Eligible Employees (a) under a qualified cash or deferred arrangement described in Section 401(k) of the Code or (b) under a plan qualified under Section 125 of the Code but excluding severance pay, equity compensation or gain from stock option exercises or imputed income arising under any Company group insurance or benefit program.    The Committee, in its discretion, may establish a different definition of Compensation for any subsequent Offering Period.

Cut-Off Date ” means the date established by the Committee from time to time by which enrollment forms must be received prior to an Enrollment Date.

Designated Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary that has been designated by the Committee from time to time in its discretion as eligible to participate in the Plan and which has adopted the Plan with the approval of the Committee in its discretion.

Eligible Employee ” means an Employee eligible to participate in the Plan in accordance with Article 3.

Effective Date ” means the effective date as determined by the Committee.

Employee ” means any individual who is an employee of the Employer for tax purposes.

Employer ” means the Company or any Designated Subsidiary by which an Employee is employed.

Enrollment Date ” means the first Trading Day of an Offering Period.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

A-1


Fair Market Value ” means, as of any date, the closing trading price for the Common Stock on any given date during regular trading, or if not trading on that date, such price on the last preceding date on which the Common Stock was traded, unless determined otherwise by the Committee using such methods or procedures as it may establish.

Grant Date ” means a date on which an Eligible Employee is granted an option under the Plan pursuant to Article 5.

Grant Price ” means the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date for such option.

Offering Period ” means each period, if any, designated by the Committee. Each period shall end no later than 27 months from the Grant Date. The Offering Period may (but need not) be the same as the Purchase Period and may consist of one or more Purchase Periods.

Participant ” means an Eligible Employee who has enrolled in the Plan pursuant to Article 4.

Plan ” means this Cars.com, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Purchase Date ” with respect to a Purchase Period means the last Trading Day in such Purchase Period.

Purchase Date Price ” means the Fair Market Value of a Share on the applicable Purchase Date.

Purchase Period ” means each period, if any, designated by the Committee. Each period shall end no later than 27 months from the Grant Date.

Purchase Price ” means the price designated by the Committee at which each Share may be purchased under any option. The Purchase Price shall in no event be less than 85% of the lesser of:

 

  (1) The Grant Price and

 

  (2) The Purchase Date Price.

Shares ” means shares of the Company’s Common Stock.

Subsidiary ” means a corporation, domestic or foreign, of which not less than 50% of the combined voting power is held by the Company or a Subsidiary, whether or not such corporation now exists or is hereafter organized or acquired by the Company or a Subsidiary as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

Trading Day ” means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq stock market or other alternative exchange or service on which the Common Stock is traded, listed or quoted is open for trading.

 

A-2

Exhibit 10.7

 

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of

May 31, 2017

among

CARS.COM INC.,

The SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS Party Hereto,

The LENDERS Party Hereto

and

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. and WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC,

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

and

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Syndication Agent

and

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., CAPITAL ONE, N.A., CITIZENS BANK, N.A., FIFTH THIRD BANK,

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, SUNTRUST BANK and

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Co-Documentation Agents

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1  

SECTION 1.01

 

Defined Terms

     1  

SECTION 1.02

 

Terms Generally

     33  

SECTION 1.03

 

Accounting Terms; GAAP

     33  

SECTION 1.04

 

Certain Calculations and Tests

     34  

ARTICLE II THE CREDITS

     35  

SECTION 2.01

 

Term Commitments

     35  

SECTION 2.02

 

Procedure for Term Loan Borrowing

     35  

SECTION 2.03

 

Repayment of Term Loans

     35  

SECTION 2.04

 

Revolving Credit Commitments

     36  

SECTION 2.05

 

Loans and Borrowings

     36  

SECTION 2.06

 

Requests for Revolving Credit Borrowings

     37  

SECTION 2.07

 

Letters of Credit

     38  

SECTION 2.08

 

Funding of Borrowings

     41  

SECTION 2.09

 

Interest Elections

     42  

SECTION 2.10

 

Termination and Reduction of the Commitments; Incremental Credit Extensions

     43  

SECTION 2.11

 

Repayment of Revolving Credit Loans; Register; Evidence of Debt; Disqualified Lenders List

     48  

SECTION 2.12

 

Prepayment of Loans

     49  

SECTION 2.13

 

Fees

     50  

SECTION 2.14

 

Interest

     51  

SECTION 2.15

 

Alternate Rate of Interest

     52  

SECTION 2.16

 

Increased Costs

     52  

SECTION 2.17

 

Break Funding Payments

     54  

SECTION 2.18

 

Taxes

     54  

SECTION 2.19

 

Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set offs

     58  

SECTION 2.20

 

Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

     59  

SECTION 2.21

 

Defaulting Lenders

     60  

SECTION 2.22

 

MIRE Event

     61  

SECTION 2.23

 

Refinancing Facilities

     61  

SECTION 2.24

 

Extension Amendments

     63  

ARTICLE III GUARANTEE

     66  

SECTION 3.01

 

The Guarantee

     66  

SECTION 3.02

 

Obligations Unconditional

     66  

SECTION 3.03

 

Reinstatement

     67  

SECTION 3.04

 

Subrogation

     67  

SECTION 3.05

 

Remedies

     68  

SECTION 3.06

 

Instrument for the Payment of Money

     68  

SECTION 3.07

 

Continuing Guarantee

     68  

SECTION 3.08

 

Rights of Contribution

     68  

SECTION 3.09

 

General Limitation on Guarantee Obligations

     69  

SECTION 3.10

 

Information

     69  

SECTION 3.11

 

Keepwell

     69  


SECTION 3.12

 

Release of Guarantors

     69  

ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     70  

SECTION 4.01

 

Organization; Powers

     70  

SECTION 4.02

 

Authorization; Enforceability

     70  

SECTION 4.03

 

Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts

     70  

SECTION 4.04

 

Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change

     71  

SECTION 4.05

 

Properties

     71  

SECTION 4.06

 

Litigation and Environmental Matters

     72  

SECTION 4.07

 

Compliance with Laws and Contractual Obligations

     72  

SECTION 4.08

 

Investment Company Act Status

     72  

SECTION 4.09

 

Taxes

     72  

SECTION 4.10

 

ERISA

     72  

SECTION 4.11

 

Disclosure; Accuracy of Information

     73  

SECTION 4.12

 

Margin Regulations

     73  

SECTION 4.13

 

Labor Matters

     73  

SECTION 4.14

 

Use of Proceeds

     73  

SECTION 4.15

 

No Default

     73  

SECTION 4.16

 

Subsidiaries

     73  

SECTION 4.17

 

Security Documents

     74  

SECTION 4.18

 

Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions; USA PATRIOT Act

     74  

SECTION 4.19

 

Solvency

     74  

SECTION 4.20

 

EEA Financial Institution

     74  

ARTICLE V CONDITIONS

     74  

SECTION 5.01

 

Conditions to Closing Date

     74  

SECTION 5.02

 

Each Credit Event

     76  

ARTICLE VI AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

     77  

SECTION 6.01

 

Financial Statements and Other Information

     77  

SECTION 6.02

 

Notices of Material Events

     79  

SECTION 6.03

 

Existence; Conduct of Business

     79  

SECTION 6.04

 

Payment of Taxes and Other Obligations

     80  

SECTION 6.05

 

Maintenance of Properties

     80  

SECTION 6.06

 

Maintenance of Insurance

     80  

SECTION 6.07

 

Books and Records

     80  

SECTION 6.08

 

Inspection Rights

     80  

SECTION 6.09

 

Compliance with Laws and Contractual Obligations

     81  

SECTION 6.10

 

Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit

     81  

SECTION 6.11

 

Additional Subsidiary Guarantors; Real Property; Further Assurances

     81  

SECTION 6.12

 

Subsidiaries; Designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries

     85  

SECTION 6.13

 

Spin-Off

     85  

SECTION 6.14

 

Security Documents

     86  

SECTION 6.15

 

Insurance

     86  

ARTICLE VII NEGATIVE COVENANTS

     86  

SECTION 7.01

 

Indebtedness

     86  

SECTION 7.02

 

Liens

     89  

SECTION 7.03

 

Mergers, Consolidations, Etc.

     91  

SECTION 7.04

 

Dispositions

     92  


SECTION 7.05

 

Lines of Business

     94  

SECTION 7.06

 

Investments and Acquisitions

     94  

SECTION 7.07

 

Restricted Payments

     96  

SECTION 7.08

 

Transactions with Affiliates

     97  

SECTION 7.09

 

Restrictive Agreements

     98  

SECTION 7.10

 

Optional Payments and Modifications of Material Subordinated Debt

     99  

SECTION 7.11

 

Financial Covenants

     100  

SECTION 7.12

 

Sale-Leasebacks

     100  

SECTION 7.13

 

Changes in Fiscal Periods

     100  

SECTION 7.14

 

Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit

     101  

ARTICLE VIII EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     101  

ARTICLE IX THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

     103  

ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS

     105  

SECTION 10.01

 

Notices

     105  

SECTION 10.02

 

Waivers; Amendments.

     105  

SECTION 10.03

 

Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

     107  

SECTION 10.04

 

Successors and Assigns; Participations

     108  

SECTION 10.05

 

Survival

     113  

SECTION 10.06

 

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

     113  

SECTION 10.07

 

Severability

     113  

SECTION 10.08

 

Right of Setoff

     114  

SECTION 10.09

 

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process

     114  

SECTION 10.10

 

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

     115  

SECTION 10.11

 

Headings

     115  

SECTION 10.12

 

Confidentiality

     115  

SECTION 10.13

 

USA PATRIOT Act

     117  

SECTION 10.14

 

Collateral Matters; Release of Guarantees and Liens

     117  

SECTION 10.15

 

No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility

     118  

SECTION 10.16

 

Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions

     119  


SCHEDULE 1.01(a)    – Commitments
SCHEDULE 1.01(b)    – Closing Date Affiliate Agreements
SCHEDULE 1.01(c)    – Consolidated EBITDA
SCHEDULE 1.01(d)    – Mortgaged Properties
SCHEDULE 4.06(a)    – Litigation
SCHEDULE 4.06(b)    – Environmental Matters
SCHEDULE 4.13    – Labor Matters
SCHEDULE 4.16    – Subsidiaries
SCHEDULE 7.01    – Existing Indebtedness
SCHEDULE 7.02    – Existing Liens
SCHEDULE 7.06    – Existing Investments
SCHEDULE 7.09    – Restrictive Agreements
SCHEDULE 10.01    – Addresses for Notices

 

EXHIBIT A    Form of Assignment and Assumption
EXHIBIT B-1    Form of Term Loan Note
EXHIBIT B-2    Form of Revolving Credit Note
EXHIBIT C    Form of Subsidiary Joinder Agreement
EXHIBIT D    Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate
EXHIBIT E    Form of Solvency Certificate
EXHIBIT F    Form of Parent Guaranty

 


CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of May 31, 2017 (this “ Agreement ”), among CARS.COM INC., the SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS party hereto, the LENDERS party hereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, TEGNA Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ Parent ”), intends to separate its digital automotive marketplace business from its media and other digital businesses by means of a spin-off of the Borrower in accordance with the Form 10 filed by the Borrower with the SEC on September 7, 2016, as amended on November 2, 2016 and as further amended on February 3, 2017, April 12, 2017, April 27, 2017 and May 4, 2017 (the “ Spin-Off ”), after which the Borrower will own the such digital automotive marketplace business;

WHEREAS, in connection with the Spin-Off, the Borrower has requested that the Lenders extend credit in the form of (a) Term Loans in an original aggregate principal amount equal to $450,000,000 and (b) Revolving Credit Loans and Letters of Credit, at any time and from time to time prior to the Revolving Credit Commitment Maturity Date, in an aggregate principal amount and/or undrawn face amount at any time outstanding of up to $450,000,000, in each case, subject to increase as provided herein; and

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

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the above premises, the parties hereto hereby 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.

Acquisition ” means the acquisition by the Borrower or any other Loan Party, in one transaction or a series of transactions, of (a) Capital Stock of any other Person if, after giving effect thereto, (i) more than 50% of the Capital Stock of such other Person is owned by the Borrower or any other Subsidiary and (ii) such other Person is consolidated with the Borrower in accordance with GAAP and (b) all or substantially all of the assets of any other Person or (c) assets constituting one or more business units of any other Person.

Adjusted LIBO Rate ” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.

Administrative Agent ” means JPMCB, in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.


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 through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

Alternate Base Rate ” means, on any date, a fluctuating interest rate per annum equal to the greatest of: (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the New York Fed Bank 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%, provided that, for the purpose of this definition, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the LIBO Screen Rate (or if the LIBO Screen Rate is not available for such one month Interest Period, the Interpolated Rate) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on such day. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the New York Fed Bank Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the New York Fed Bank Rate, respectively.

Anti-Corruption Laws ” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction in which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Unrestricted Subsidiaries operates that are applicable to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Unrestricted Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.

Applicable Percentage ” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the total Commitments or Loans of all Classes hereunder represented by the aggregate amount of such Lender’s Commitments or Loans of all Classes hereunder; provided that for purposes of Section 2.21 when a Defaulting Lender shall exist, “Applicable Percentage” shall mean the percentage of the total Commitment (disregarding any Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) represented by such Lender’s Commitment.

Applicable Rate ” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Loan, or with respect to the commitment fees or acceptance fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “ABR Spread”, “Eurodollar Spread” or “Commitment Fee Rate”, respectively, based upon the Total Net Leverage Ratio as of the most recent determination date; provided , that prior to the delivery of the Borrower’s consolidated financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) of this Agreement (and the related compliance certificate delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(d) of this Agreement) for the second full fiscal quarter ending following the Closing Date, the “Applicable Rate” shall be the applicable rate per annum set forth below in Category  2 :

 

Total Net Leverage Ratio:

   ABR Spread     Eurodollar Spread     Commitment Fee
Rate
 

Category 1

Greater than 4.00:1.00

     1.00     2.00     0.30

Category 2

Greater than 3.00:1.00 but less than or equal to 4.00:1.00

     0.75     1.75     0.25

 

2


Total Net Leverage Ratio:

   ABR Spread     Eurodollar Spread     Commitment Fee
Rate
 

Category 3

Greater than 2.00:1.00 but less than or equal to 3.00:1.00

     0.50     1.50     0.20

Category 4

Less than or equal to 2.00:1.00

     0.25     1.25     0.15

For purposes of the foregoing, (i) the Total Net Leverage Ratio shall be determined as of the end of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower based upon the Borrower’s consolidated financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) of this Agreement (and the related compliance certificate delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(d) of this Agreement) and (ii) each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Total Net Leverage Ratio shall be effective during the period commencing on and including the date three Business Days after delivery to the Administrative Agent of such consolidated financial statements and compliance certificate indicating such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change; provided that the Total Net Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be in Category 1 if the Borrower fails to deliver the consolidated financial statements (and related compliance certificate) required to be delivered by it pursuant to Section 6.01(a), (b) and/or (d), during the period from the expiration of the time for delivery thereof specified in such Sections until such financial statements and compliance certificate are delivered. In the event that any financial statement or certification delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 is shown to be inaccurate, and such inaccuracy, if corrected, would have led to the application of a higher Applicable Rate for any period (an “ Applicable Period ”) than the Applicable Rate applied for such Applicable Period, the Borrower shall immediately (a) deliver to the Administrative Agent a corrected compliance certificate for such Applicable Period, (b) determine the Applicable Rate for such Applicable Period based upon the corrected compliance certificate, and (c) immediately pay to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders the accrued additional interest and other fees owing as a result of such increased Applicable Rate for such Applicable Period, which payment shall be promptly distributed by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders entitled thereto. It is acknowledged and agreed that nothing contained herein shall limit the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under the Loan Documents.

Applicable Withholding Agent ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(a).

Approved Fund ” means any Person (other than a natural person or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business 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.

Asset Sale ” means any Disposition of property or series of related Dispositions of property permitted by clause (m) and (q) of Section 7.04.

Assignment and Assumption ” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

Assuming Revolving Credit Lender ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(c)(i).

 

3


Available Amount ” means the amount, not less than zero in the aggregate, determined on a cumulative basis equal to, on any date,

(a) $100,000,000, plus

(b) 50% of the cumulative Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for all fiscal quarters of the Borrower from the first day of the fiscal quarter of the Borrower during which the Closing Date occurs to the end of the Borrower’s most recently ended fiscal quarter prior to such date, plus

(c) the aggregate amount of capital contributions to the capital of the Borrower made in cash or Cash Equivalents or other property (based on the fair market value (as reasonably determined by the Borrower) of such other property) after the Closing Date, plus

(d) the cumulative amount of net proceeds received by the Borrower or any Subsidiary after the Closing Date and on or prior to such date from (i) the sale of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Borrower after the date on which the Spin-Off has been consummated, (ii) the incurrence of Indebtedness by the Borrower or any Subsidiary after the Closing Date owed to a Person that is not a Loan Party or a Subsidiary or an Affiliate of a Loan Party that is converted into Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Borrower and (iii) the Disposition to any Person (other than the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary) of or other return of capital with respect to any Investment made pursuant to Section 7.06(m) or profit with respect to any Investment made pursuant to Section 7.06(r); plus

(e) to the extent that any Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Borrower is redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date, the fair market value (as reasonably determined by the Borrower) of the Borrower’s Investments in such Subsidiary (in an amount not to exceed the original amount of such Investment) as of the date of such redesignation, minus

(f) the aggregate amount of the Available Amount used after the Closing Date and prior to such date to make any (i) Investments pursuant to Section 7.06(m), (ii) Restricted Payments pursuant to Section 7.07(d) or (iii) Restricted Debt Payments pursuant to Section 7.10(a)(ii).

Available Incremental Amount ” means an aggregate principal amount equal to the sum of (a) (i) $125,000,000 minus (ii) the aggregate principal amount of all Incremental Term Loans, Incremental Equivalent Debt and Revolving Credit Commitment Increases incurred or issued in reliance on clause (a)(i) of this definition, plus (b) (i) the sum of (x) the amount of any optional prepayments of Term Loans in accordance with Section 2.12(a) plus (y) to the extent the Borrower has permanently reduced the Revolving Credit Commitments in accordance with Section 2.10(b), the amount of any such reduction minus (ii) the aggregate principal amount of all Incremental Term Loans, Incremental Equivalent Debt and Revolving Credit Commitment Increases incurred or issued in reliance on clause (b)(i) of this definition, plus (c) an unlimited amount so long as (i) after giving Pro Forma Effect to the relevant Incremental Term Loans, Incremental Equivalent Debt (if such Incremental Equivalent Debt is (or is intended to be) secured by Liens on the Collateral) and/or Revolving Credit Commitment Increase (without netting the cash proceeds therefrom and assuming a full drawing of all Revolving Credit Commitments (including any applicable Revolving Credit Commitment Increase to be incurred)) and to the use of proceeds thereof, the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to 3.00 to 1.00 or (ii) with respect to any unsecured Incremental Equivalent Debt, after giving Pro Forma Effect thereto (without netting the cash proceeds therefrom) and to the use of proceeds thereof, the Total Net Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to the then-applicable Required Ratio, in each case, as of the last day of the applicable Reference Period; provided that the Borrower may elect to use clause (c) above (in whole or in part) prior to using all or a portion of clauses (a) or (b), or combine the use of clause (a), (b) and (c), and, if clause (c) and one or both of clauses (a) and (b) are available at the time of such incurrence and the Borrower does not make an election, the Borrower will be deemed to have elected to use clause (c) first.

 

4


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

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

Banking Services ” means each and any of the following bank services provided to any Loan Party by any Lender or any Affiliate of any Lender: (a) commercial credit cards, other commercial cards, purchase cards and merchant card services, (b) stored value cards, (c) treasury management services or other payment services (including, without limitation, electronic payment service, controlled disbursement, automated clearinghouse transactions, return items, overdrafts and interstate depository network services).

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

Borrower ” means Cars.com Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Borrower Materials ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01.

Borrower Obligations ” means all of the Obligations of the Borrower.

Borrowing ” means (a) all ABR Loans of the same Class made, converted or continued on the same date or (b) all Eurodollar Loans of the same Class that have the same Interest Period.

Borrowing Request ” means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.06.

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 Eurodollar 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, expenditures (including the aggregate amount of Capital Lease Obligations incurred during such period) made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to acquire or construct fixed assets, plant and equipment (including renewals, improvements and replacements, but excluding repairs) during such period computed in accordance with GAAP.

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

 

5


Capital Stock ” means any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of a corporation, any and all equivalent ownership interests in a Person (other than a corporation) and any and all warrants, rights or options to purchase any of the foregoing.

Cash Equivalent ” means:

(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;

(b) investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or from Moody’s;

(c) investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing within 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;

(d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) of this definition and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) of this definition; and

(e) money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in SEC Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, (ii) are rated AAA by S&P and Aaa by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000.

Cash Management Obligations ” means any and all obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary arising out of (a) the execution or processing of electronic transfers of funds by automated clearing house transfer, wire transfer or otherwise to or from the deposit accounts of the Borrower and/or any Subsidiary now or hereafter maintained with any financial institution or affiliate thereof, (b) the acceptance for deposit or the honoring for payment of any check, draft or other item with respect to any such deposit accounts, (c) any other treasury, deposit, disbursement, overdraft and cash management services afforded to the Borrower or any Subsidiary by any such financial institution or affiliate thereof and (d) Banking Services.

CFC ” means a “controlled foreign corporation” within the meaning of Section 957 of the Code.

Change in Control ” means (a) the acquisition of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Exchange Act and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the Closing Date), of shares representing more than 35% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of the Borrower; or (b) the occupation at any time of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i) directors of the Borrower on the Closing Date nor (ii) nominated or appointed by the board of directors of the Borrower.

 

6


Change in Law ” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the Closing Date, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the Closing Date or (c) compliance by any Lender or any Issuing Lender (or, for purposes of Section 2.16(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or such Issuing Lender’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the Closing Date; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, as amended, or any rules, regulations, interpretations, guidelines or directives promulgated thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, regulations, guidelines, interpretations or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities (whether or not having the force of law), in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a Change in Law regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued, promulgated or implemented.

Class ”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Term Loans, Revolving Credit Loans, Incremental Term Loans, Loans made pursuant to a Revolving Credit Commitment Increase, Refinancing Term Loans, Refinancing Revolving Credit Loans, Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Credit Loans and, when used in reference to any Commitment, refers to whether such Commitment is a Term Commitment, a Revolving Credit Commitment, a Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitment, an Extended Revolving Credit Commitment or any commitment to provide Incremental Term Loans, Refinancing Term Loans or Extended Term Loans pursuant to any Incremental Term Loan Supplement, Refinancing Amendment or Extension Amendment, respectively.

Closing Date ” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 5.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 10.02).

Closing Date Cash Transfer ” means a payment in cash to Parent on the Closing Date in an aggregate amount not to exceed $650,000,000.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

Co-Documentation Agents ” means the Co-Documentation Agents identified on the cover page of this Agreement.

Collateral ” has the meaning set forth in the Security Agreement.

Commitment ” means, as to any Lender, (a) the Term Commitment and the Revolving Credit Commitment of such Lender, and (b) the commitment of such Lender to provide Incremental Term Loans, Refinancing Term Loans and/or Extended Term Loans, if any, pursuant to any Incremental Term Loan Supplement, Refinancing Amendment or Extension Amendment, respectively.

Commodity Exchange Act ” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

Competitor ” means any Person (which, for purposes of this definition, shall be deemed to exclude any natural person and any Governmental Authority) which is engaged in similar business operations as the Borrower and its subsidiaries.

 

7


Competitor Holding Company ” means a direct or indirect holding company of a Competitor.

Consolidated EBITDA ” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period plus , without duplication (including in respect of adjustments provided in the second proviso to the definition of “Consolidated Net Income”) and to the extent reflected as a charge in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (a) income tax expense, (b) Consolidated Interest Expense, amortization or writeoff of debt discount and debt issuance costs and commissions, discounts and other fees and charges associated with Indebtedness (including the Loans), (c) depreciation and amortization expense, (d) amortization of intangibles (including, but not limited to, goodwill) and organization costs, (e) unlimited reasonable and documented non-recurring expenses related to the closing of the Spin-Off incurred prior to the consummation thereof or within 6 months thereafter (including, without limitation, Transaction Costs), (f) restructuring costs, reorganization costs, integration costs and other related one-time charges, provided that, for any trailing twelve-month period, the aggregate amount added pursuant to clause (r) and this clause (f) shall not exceed 20% of Consolidated EBITDA for the applicable Reference Period, (g) costs arising from or related to mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, dispositions, spin-offs or significant actual or potential transactions (including a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, or joint venture), in each case regardless whether such transactions have been consummated, and related transition and integration costs, such as retention bonuses and acquisition-related milestone payments to acquired employees, in addition to consulting, compensation, and other incremental costs directly associated with integration projects, (h) all extraordinary, unusual and/or non-recurring charges, costs, credits or items of loss, (i) litigation and dispute settlement charges, expenses and gains, subject to an aggregate cap of $2,000,000 for any trailing twelve-month period, (j) the cumulative effect for the applicable reporting period of a change in accounting principles, (k) non-cash asset write-downs, including impairment of goodwill and intangible assets, (l) any unrealized losses for the applicable reporting period attributable to the application of “mark to market” accounting in respect of Hedging Agreements or in respect of foreign currency translation adjustments, (m) cash expenses actually incurred in connection with discontinued operations, provided that any operation deemed to have been “discontinued” in the applicable reporting period shall be deemed to be a discontinued operation for all subsequent reporting periods, (n) any expenses or charges related to any equity offering, investment, indebtedness or restricted payment, or any modification to any instrument of indebtedness, in each case regardless whether such transaction has been consummated, (o) all expenses or charges (including deferred financing costs written off and premiums paid) in connection with any early extinguishment of debt, including hedging obligations or other derivative instruments, (p) non-cash stock based compensation, (q) revenue amortization in respect of applicable affiliate or other similar agreements in effect on the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 1.01(b), (r) pro forma cost savings and synergies realizable within eighteen months of the closing of the applicable Acquisition to which such add-backs relate, provided that, for any trailing twelve-month period, the aggregate amount added pursuant to clause (f) and this clause (r) shall not exceed 20% of Consolidated EBITDA for the applicable Reference Period, (s) cash proceeds of business interruption insurance, in an amount not to exceed the earnings for the applicable reporting period that such proceeds are intended to replace, (t) cash expenses/charges to the extent fully indemnified by a third party or covered by insurance, but only to the extent (1) the applicable indemnification obligation or insurance policy remains in full force and effect, (2) the counterparty to such indemnification obligation or applicable insurance provider is, at the time such add-back is taken, and remains, solvent, and such counterparty or insurance provider has not refused or challenged a claim in writing for such indemnification or insurance payment and (3) with respect to insurance, such insurance proceeds will be received within twelve months of the time such expenses were incurred, and/or (u) the amount of all other non-cash charges, losses or expenses for such period, and minus , without duplication (including in respect of adjustments provided in the second proviso to the definition of “Consolidated Net Income”) and to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income for such period (i) any extraordinary gains for the applicable reporting period,

 

8


determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, (ii) any non-cash gains for the applicable reporting period, including with respect to write-ups of assets or goodwill, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, (iii) any gains attributable to the early extinguishment of indebtedness or obligations under any Hedging Agreement, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, (iv) the cumulative effect for such period of a change in accounting principles, (v) any unrealized gains for such period attributable to the application of “mark to market” accounting in respect of Hedging Agreements, (vi) any cash income received from discontinued operations, and (vii) to the extent included in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (A) any other extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring income and (B) any other non-cash income other than ordinary course items that are expected to become cash (in each case other than any non-cash income attributable to revenue amortization in respect of applicable affiliate or other similar agreements in effect on the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 1.01(b)).

For the purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA for any Reference Period, (x) if at any time during such Reference Period the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have made any Asset Sale, the Consolidated EBITDA for such Reference Period shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBITDA (if positive) attributable to the property that is the subject of such Asset Sale for such Reference Period or increased by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBITDA (if negative) attributable thereto for such Reference Period and (y) if during such Reference Period the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have made an Acquisition, Consolidated EBITDA for such Reference Period shall be calculated after giving effect thereto on a Pro Forma Basis.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Consolidated EBITDA” for any period set forth on Schedule 1.01(c) shall be deemed equal to the amount for such period set forth on Schedule 1.01(c).

Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio ” means, at any date, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for the Reference Period ended on, or most recently ended prior to, such date, to (b) Consolidated Interest Expense for such Reference Period.

Consolidated Interest Expense ” means, for any period, total interest expense (including that attributable to Capital Lease Obligations) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing and net costs under Hedging Agreements in respect of interest rates to the extent such net costs are allocable to such period in accordance with GAAP), minus interest income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP. Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Consolidated Interest Expense” for (a) the Reference Period ending June 30, 2017, shall equal Consolidated Interest Expense during the period from June 1, 2017 through June 30, 2017 multiplied by 12.0, (b) for the Reference Period ending September 30, 2017, shall equal Consolidated Interest Expense during the period from June 1, 2017 through September 30, 2017 multiplied by 3.0, (c) for the Reference Period ending December 31, 2017, shall equal Consolidated Interest Expense during the period from June 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017 multiplied by 1.714 and (d) for the Reference Period ending March 31, 2018, shall equal Consolidated Interest Expense during the period from June 1, 2017 through March 31, 2018 multiplied by 1.2.

Consolidated Net Income ” means, for any period, the consolidated net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded (a) the income (or loss) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Borrower) in which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income is actually received by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in the form of dividends or similar distributions and (b) the undistributed earnings of any Subsidiary of the Borrower (other than a

 

9


Loan Party) to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by the terms of any Contractual Obligation (other than under any Loan Document) or Requirement of Law applicable to such Subsidiary; provided , further , that neither (x) non-cash asset write-downs, including impairment of goodwill and intangible assets, (y) any equity-based compensation charge or expense, including any such charge or expense arising from grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock, profits interests or other rights or equity or equity-based incentive programs, nor (z) any non-cash amortization expense relating to the acquisitions of intangible assets before or after the Closing Date shall, in each case, be deducted in the calculation of “Consolidated Net Income”. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the amount of any cash dividends, distributions or other amounts paid by any Unrestricted Subsidiary and received by the Borrower or the Subsidiaries during any such period shall be included, without duplication and (for purposes of calculating the Available Amount pursuant to clause (b) of the definition thereof) subject to clause (b) of the proviso in the immediately preceding sentence, in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income for such period.

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

Control ” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

Default ” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.

Defaulting Lender ” means any Lender, as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent, that has (a) failed to fund its portion of any Borrowing, or any portion of its participation in any Letter of Credit, within three Business Days of the date on which it shall have been required to fund the same, unless the subject of a good faith dispute (based on a reasonable determination under the circumstances) between the Borrower and such Lender, (b) notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Lender or any other 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 to the effect that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations under this Agreement or under agreements in which it commits to extend credit generally (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on a good faith dispute (based on a reasonable determination under the circumstances) between the Borrower and such Lender), (c) failed, within three Business Days after reasonable request by the Administrative Agent, to confirm that it will comply with the terms of this Agreement relating to its obligations to fund prospective Loans (unless the subject of a good faith dispute (based on a reasonable determination under the circumstances) between the Borrower and such Lender) and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit; provided that any such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender under this clause (c) upon receipt of such confirmation by the Administrative Agent, (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 three Business Days of the date when due, unless the subject of a good faith dispute, (e) (i) been (or has a parent company that has been) adjudicated as, or determined by any Governmental Authority having regulatory authority over such Person or its assets to be, insolvent or (ii) 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 has a parent company that has become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a

 

10


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, unless in the case of any Lender referred to in this clause (e) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Lender shall be satisfied that such Lender intends, and has all approvals required to enable it, to continue to perform its obligations as a Lender hereunder, or (f) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, become the subject of a Bail-In Action. For the avoidance of doubt, a Lender shall not be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Capital Stock in such Lender or its parent by a Governmental Authority.

Designated Non-Cash Consideration ” means the fair market value (as reasonably determined by the Borrower in good faith) of non-cash consideration received by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with a Disposition that is so designated as “Designated Non-Cash Consideration” pursuant to a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower minus the amount of cash or Cash Equivalents received in connection with a subsequent sale of or collection on such Designated Non-Cash Consideration.

Disclosed Matters ” means the actions, suits and proceedings disclosed in Schedule 4.06(a) and the environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 4.06(b).

Disposition ” means, with respect to any property or right, any sale, lease, sale and leaseback, license, assignment, conveyance, transfer or other disposition thereof (excluding the sale by the Borrower of its own Capital Stock).

Disqualified Lender ” means (a) any Competitor or Competitor Holding Company and any Affiliate of any Competitor or Competitor Holding Company, in each case that was specified to the Joint Lead Arrangers by the Borrower in writing by name prior to May 2, 2017 (the list of such Persons, the “ Disqualified Lenders List ”), (b) any additional Competitor or Competitor Holding Company and any additional Affiliate of any Competitor or Competitor Holding Company, in each case that has been specified by the Borrower in writing to the Joint Lead Arrangers (prior to the Closing Date) or the Administrative Agent (on or after the Closing Date), and (c) any Affiliate of any Person described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b) that is clearly identifiable solely on the basis of the similarity of its name as an Affiliate of such Person(s); provided , that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) any person that is a Lender and subsequently becomes a Disqualified Lender will be deemed to not be a Disqualified Lender hereunder, (ii) “Disqualified Lender” shall exclude any Person identified by the Borrower as no longer being a “Disqualified Lender” by written notice to the Administrative Agent, and (iii) in no event shall the designation of any Person as a Disqualified Lender pursuant to the foregoing clause (b) apply (x) to disqualify any Person until three (3) Business Days after such Person shall have been identified in writing to the Administrative Agent via electronic mail submitted to JPMDQ_Contact@jpmorgan.com (or to such other address as the Administrative Agent may designate to the Borrower from time to time) (the “ Designation Effective Date ”), or (y) retroactively to disqualify any Person that, prior to the Designation Effective Date, has (1) acquired an assignment or participation interest under this Agreement or (2) entered into a trade to acquire an assignment or participation interest under this Agreement.

Disqualified Lenders List ” has the meaning set forth in clause (a) of the definition of “Disqualified Lender”, as the same may be supplemented from time to time pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of “Disqualified Lender”.

Disqualified Person ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.04(f)(i).

 

11


Disqualified Stock ” means with respect to any Person, Capital Stock of such Person which, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event or condition, matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than solely as a result of a change of control or asset sale) pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than solely as a result of a change of control or asset sale), in whole or in part, in each case prior to the date that is 91 days after the Latest Maturity Date (as determined as of the date of issuance of such Capital Stock); provided that if such Capital Stock is issued to any plan for the benefit of employees of any Loan Party or by any such plan to such employees, such Capital Stock shall not constitute Disqualified Stock solely because it may be required to be repurchased by any Loan Party in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations.

Dollars ” or “ $ ” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.

Domestic Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower organized or incorporated under the laws of any jurisdiction within the United States of America.

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

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

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

Environmental Laws ” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating to pollution or protection of the environment and human health and safety (to the extent relating to exposure to Hazardous Material), preservation or reclamation of natural resources, including those relating to the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material.

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

Equity Rights ” means, with respect to any Person, any subscriptions, options, warrants, commitments, preemptive rights or agreements of any kind (including any shareholders’ or voting trust agreements) for the issuance, sale, registration or voting of, or securities convertible into, any additional shares of Capital Stock of any class or type of such Person.

 

12


ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.

ERISA Affiliate ” means (a) any entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA and (b) any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (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(m) or (o) 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 Pension Plan (other than an event for which the 30 day notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect to any Pension Plan of a non-exempt Prohibited Transaction; (c) any failure by any Pension Plan to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Sections 412 or 430 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) applicable to such Pension Plan, whether or not waived; (d) the filing pursuant to Section 412 of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Pension Plan, the failure to make by its due date a required installment under Section 430(j) of the Code with respect to any Pension Plan, or the failure by the Borrower or any of their ERISA Affiliates to make any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan; (e) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of their ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Pension Plan; (f) a determination that any Pension Plan is, or is expected to be, in “at risk” status (within the meaning of Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA); (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any of their ERISA Affiliates from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Pension Plan or to appoint a trustee to administer any Pension Plan under Section 4042 of ERISA; (h) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of their ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (i) the receipt by the Borrower or any of their ERISA Affiliates of any notice from any plan administrator of any Multiemployer Plan concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, Insolvent or in “endangered” or “critical” status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA); or (j) the imposition of liability on the Borrower or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates pursuant to Section 4062(e) of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan.

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.

Eurodollar ”, 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 Default ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VIII.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Excluded Subsidiary ” means (a) each Unrestricted Subsidiary, (b) each Foreign Subsidiary, (c) each Foreign Subsidiary Holding Company, (d) each direct or indirect Subsidiary of any Foreign Subsidiary or any Foreign Subsidiary Holding Company, (e) each Subsidiary to the extent that such Subsidiary is prohibited by any applicable law from guaranteeing the Guaranteed Obligations, (f) each Subsidiary if, and for so long as, the guarantee of the Guaranteed Obligations by such Subsidiary would require the consent, approval, license or authorization of a Governmental Authority or under any binding Contractual Obligation with any Person other than the Borrower or any Subsidiary existing on the

 

13


Closing Date (or, if later, the date such Subsidiary is acquired (so long as such Contractual Obligation is not incurred in contemplation of such acquisition), except to the extent such consent, approval, license or authorization has actually been obtained, (g) each Subsidiary that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor, and (h) each Subsidiary with respect to which, as reasonably determined by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the cost of providing a guarantee of the Guaranteed Obligations is excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Guaranteed Parties in each case of this definition; provided that any such Subsidiary shall cease to be an Excluded Subsidiary at such time as (i) the foregoing clauses (a) through (h) cease to apply or (ii) the Borrower causes such Subsidiary to become a Subsidiary Guarantor.

Excluded Hedging Obligation ” means with respect to any Subsidiary Guarantor, any Hedging Obligation, if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the guarantee of such Subsidiary Guarantor of, or the grant by such Subsidiary Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Hedging Obligation (or any guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation, or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Subsidiary Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act at the time the guarantee of such Subsidiary Guarantor or the grant of such security interest becomes effective with respect to such Hedging Obligation (such determination being made after giving effect to any applicable keepwell, support or other agreement for the benefit of the applicable Loan Party). If a Hedging Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Hedging Obligation that is attributable to swaps for which such guarantee or security interest is or becomes illegal.

Excluded Taxes ” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any Issuing Lender 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 and franchise or similar Taxes imposed by 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 as a result of any other present or former connection with such jurisdiction (other than any such connections 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, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to, or enforced, any Loan Documents), (b) any branch profits Taxes or any similar Tax imposed by a jurisdiction described in clause (a), (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.20(b)), any United States federal withholding Tax (i) that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding Tax pursuant to Section 2.18(a), or (ii) that is attributable to the Foreign Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.18(e), and (d) any Taxes imposed under FATCA.

Extended Revolving Credit Commitment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.24(a)(i).

Extended Revolving Credit Loans ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.24(a)(i).

Extended Term Loans ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.24(a)(i).

Extension ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.24(a)(ii).

 

14


Extension Amendment ” means an amendment to this Agreement that is reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (to the extent required by Section 2.24), each Lender that has accepted the applicable Extension Offer pursuant hereto and in accordance with Section 2.24 and the Borrower executed by each of (a) the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors, (b) the Administrative Agent and (c) each Lender that has accepted the applicable Extension Offer pursuant hereto and in accordance with Section 2.24.

Extension Offer ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.24(a).

FATCA ” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the Closing Date (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code and any law, regulation, rule, promulgation, or official agreement implementing an official government agreement with respect to the foregoing.

Federal Funds Effective Rate ” means, for any day, an interest rate per annum equal to the rate calculated by the New York Fed based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depository institutions (as determined in such manner as the New York Fed shall set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the New York Fed as the federal funds effective rate.

Flood Insurance Laws ” means, collectively, (i) the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (which comprehensively revised the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973) as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto, (ii) the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto and (iii) the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto.

Foreign Lender ” means any Lender or Issuing Lender that is not a “United States person” as defined by Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

Foreign Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

Foreign Subsidiary Holding Company ” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that has no material assets other than the Capital Stock (or Capital Stock and Indebtedness) of one or more CFCs or other Foreign Subsidiary Holding Companies.

GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.

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.

Guarantee ” of or by any Person (the “ guarantor ”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “ primary obligor ”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to

 

15


purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit, bankers’ acceptance or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation; provided that the term Guarantee shall not include (i) endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business and (ii) any liability of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries as a general partner of a partnership (other than a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Borrower) in respect of the Indebtedness of such partnership.

Guaranteed Obligations ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01.

Guaranteed Parties ” means, collectively, the Lenders, the Issuing Lenders, the Administrative Agent, any other holder from time to time of any Guaranteed Obligations and, in each case, their respective successors and permitted assigns.

Guaranty ” means (i) collectively, the Guarantee of the Guaranteed Obligations pursuant to this Agreement and (ii) prior to the Parent Guaranty Release Date, solely for purposes of clause (m) of Article VIII, the Parent Guaranty.

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

Hedging Agreement ” means any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), and any other agreements or arrangements designed to manage interest rates or interest rate risk and other agreements or arrangements designed to protect against fluctuations in currency exchange rates, whether or not any such agreement, arrangement or transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement (regardless of whether such agreement or instrument is classified as a “derivative” pursuant to FASB ASC Topic No. 815 and required to be marked-to-market).

Hedging Obligation ” means, with respect to any Loan Party, any obligation to pay or perform under any Hedging Agreement.

Impacted Interest Period ” has the meaning assigned to it in the definition of “LIBO Rate.”

Increasing Revolving Credit Lender ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(c)(i).

Incremental Equivalent Debt ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(e).

 

16


Incremental Facilities ” means, collectively, all Revolving Credit Commitment Increases provided pursuant to Section 2.10(c) and all Incremental Term Loans provided pursuant to Section 2.10(d).

Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment Tranche ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(c)(i).

Incremental Term Loan ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(d)(i).

Incremental Term Loan Effective Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(d)(i).

Incremental Term Loan Lender ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(d)(i).

Incremental Term Loan Maturity Date ” means, with respect to any Incremental Term Loans to be made pursuant to any Incremental Term Loan Supplement, the maturity date specified in such Incremental Term Loan Supplement.

Incremental Term Loan Supplement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(d)(i).

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 upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding current accounts payable or accounts payable no later than 90 days past due, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business), (f) 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 (such Indebtedness shall be limited to the lesser of (x) the amount of such Indebtedness and (y) the fair market value of the property securing such Indebtedness), (g) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty and (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances. 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.

Indemnified Taxes ” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

Insolvent ” means, with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition that such plan is insolvent within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA.

Interest Election Request ” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.09.

Interest Payment Date ” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan, each Quarterly Date and (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto and, in the case of any 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.

 

17


Interest Period ” means, with respect to any Eurodollar 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 or (if agreed to by all the Lenders for the applicable Class of Loans) twelve months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided that (i) 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 (ii) 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, and the date of a Borrowing comprising Loans of any Class that have been converted or continued shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

Interpolated Rate ” means, at any time, for any Impacted Interest Period, the rate per annum (rounded to the same number of decimal places as the LIBO Screen Rate) determined by the Administrative Agent (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) to be equal to the rate that results from interpolating on a linear basis between: (a) the LIBO Screen Rate for the longest period for which the LIBO Screen Rate is available for Dollars that is shorter than the Impacted Interest Period; and (b) the LIBO Screen Rate for the shortest period for which that LIBO Screen Rate is available for Dollars that is longer than the Impacted Interest Period, in each case, as of approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Impacted Interest Period. When determining the Interpolated Rate for a period which is shorter than the shortest period for which the LIBO Screen Rate is available, the LIBO Screen Rate for purposes of clause (a) above shall be deemed to be the overnight rate for Dollars determined by the Administrative Agent from such service as the Administrative Agent may select.

Investment ” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the acquisition by such Person of any stock, bonds, notes, debentures, partnership or other ownership interests or other securities (including Capital Stock) of any other Person, (b) any advance, loan or extension of credit by such Person, to any other Person, or guaranty or other similar obligation of such Person with respect to any Indebtedness of such other Person (other than Indebtedness constituting trade payables in the ordinary course of business and excluding, in the case of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, intercompany liabilities having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll-over or extensions of terms) incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with the cash management operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries), or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of assets of another Person that constitute a division, business unit or line of business. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be (i) (x) the amount actually invested plus (y) the cost of any addition thereto that otherwise constitutes an Investment, in each case as determined immediately prior to the time of each such Investment, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment minus (ii) the amount of dividends or distributions received in connection with such Investment and any return of capital and any payment of principal received in respect of such Investment that in each case is received in cash or Cash Equivalents.

Issuing Lender ” means each of JPMCB and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, each in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and in each case its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.07(j). Each Issuing Lender may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of such Issuing Lender, in which case the term “Issuing Lender” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.

 

18


Joint Bookrunners ” means the Joint Bookrunners identified on the cover page of this Agreement.

Joint Lead Arrangers ” means the Joint Lead Arrangers identified on the cover page of this Agreement.

JPMCB ” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

Latest Maturity Date ” means, at any date of determination, the latest maturity or termination date applicable to any Loan or Commitment hereunder at such time, in each case as extended in accordance with this Agreement from time to time, including for the avoidance of doubt the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date and the Latest Revolving Credit Termination Date.

Latest Revolving Credit Termination Date ” means, at any date of determination, the latest maturity or termination date applicable to any then-outstanding Revolving Credit Loan or Revolving Credit Commitment, in each case as extended in accordance with this Agreement from time to time, including for the avoidance of doubt the Revolving Credit Commitment Termination Date.

Latest Term Loan Maturity Date ” means, at any date of determination, the latest maturity date applicable to any then-outstanding Term Loan, Incremental Term Loan, Refinancing Term Loan or Extended Term Loan, in each case as extended in accordance with this Agreement from time to time, and including for the avoidance of doubt the Term Loan Maturity Date and the Incremental Term Loan Maturity Date.

LC Commitment ” means, with respect to each Issuing Lender, the commitment of such Issuing Lender to issue Letters of Credit up to the amount set forth opposite the name of such Issuing Lender on Schedule 1.01(a).

LC Disbursement ” means a payment made by an Issuing Lender pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

LC Exposure ” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time. The LC Exposure of any Revolving Credit Lender at any time shall be its Revolving Percentage of the total LC Exposures at such time.

Lenders ” means the Persons listed on Schedule 1.01(a) and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption or an instrument entered into pursuant to Section 2.10(c), other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption. Each Increasing Revolving Credit Lender, each Assuming Revolving Credit Lender, each Incremental Term Loan Lender, each Refinancing Facility Lender and each Lender that executes and delivers an Extension Amendment shall, in each case, (i) be a Lender upon the effectiveness of the Revolving Credit Commitment Increase Supplement, Incremental Term Loan Supplement, Refinancing Amendment or Extension Amendment, as applicable, to which such Person is a party, or (ii) in the case of any such Person that was a Lender prior to the effectiveness of such agreement, shall continue to be a Lender upon the effectiveness of such agreement.

Letter of Credit ” means any standby or commercial letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement.

 

19


Letter of Credit Documents ” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, collectively, any application therefor and any other agreements, instruments, guarantees or other documents (whether general in application or applicable only to such Letter of Credit) executed and delivered by any Loan Party governing or providing for (a) the rights and obligations of the parties concerned or at risk with respect to such Letter of Credit or (b) any collateral security for any of such obligations, each as the same may be modified and supplemented and in effect from time to time.

Letter of Credit Sublimit Amount ” means $25,000,000.

LIBO Rate ” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, a rate per annum equal to the London interbank offered rate as administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (or any other Person that takes over the administration of such rate) for Dollars for a period equal in length to such Interest Period as displayed on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters Screen that displays such rate (or, in the event such rate does not appear on either of such Reuters pages, on any successor or substitute page on such screen that displays such rate, or on the appropriate page of such other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion; in each case the “ LIBO Screen Rate ”) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; provided that if the LIBO Screen Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement; provided further that if the LIBO Screen Rate shall not be available at such time for such Interest Period (an “ Impacted Interest Period ”) with respect to Dollars, then the LIBO Rate shall be the Interpolated Rate at such time ( provided that if any Interpolated Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement).

LIBO Screen Rate ” has the meaning assigned to it in the definition of “LIBO Rate.”

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, (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 and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.

Limited Condition Transaction ” means (i) any Acquisition or other Investment permitted under Section 7.06 by the Borrower or one or more of its Subsidiaries the consummation of which is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining, third party financing and (ii) any redemption or repayment of Indebtedness requiring irrevocable notice in advance of such redemption or repayment.

Loan Documents ” means, collectively, this Agreement, the Letter of Credit Documents, the promissory notes (if any) executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.11(e), the Security Documents, (prior to the Parent Guaranty Release Date and solely for purposes of clauses (c) and (m) of Article VIII) the Parent Guaranty, any Incremental Term Loan Supplement, any Revolving Credit Commitment Increase Supplement, any Refinancing Amendment, any Extension Amendment and any amendment, waiver, supplement or other modification to any of the foregoing and any other document or instrument designated by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent as a “Loan Document”. Any reference in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to a Loan Document shall include all appendices, exhibits or schedules thereto.

Loan Parties ” means (a) the Borrower, (b) the Subsidiary Guarantors and (c) prior to the Parent Guaranty Release Date and solely for purposes of clauses (c) and (m) of Article VIII, Parent.

 

20


Loans ” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.

Margin Stock ” means “margin stock” within the meaning of Regulations T, U and X of the Board.

Material Adverse Effect ” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, property, operation or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Loan Parties to perform their respective obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents or (c) the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the rights or remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder or thereunder.

Material Indebtedness ” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Hedging Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate outstanding principal amount exceeding $50,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “ principal amount ” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Hedging Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or any Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Hedging Agreement were terminated at such time.

Material Permitted Acquisition ” means any Permitted Acquisition and other Acquisition permitted pursuant to Section 7.06 for cash consideration of at least $75,000,000.

Material Real Property ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.11(b).

Material Subordinated Debt ” means any Indebtedness (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Incremental Equivalent Debt and any Refinancing Equivalent Debt, but other than Indebtedness among the Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries) that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations, with an individual outstanding principal amount in excess of $30,000,000.

Minimum Extension Condition ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.24(b).

Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

Mortgage ” means each mortgage, deed of trust, security deed or like instrument granting a Lien on any Mortgaged Property given by any of the Loan Parties, as grantor, to the Administrative Agent, each such Mortgage to be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

Mortgaged Properties ” shall mean the real property listed on Schedule 1.01(d) and any real property which may from time to time be the subject of a Mortgage pursuant to Section 6.11.

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

Net Cash Proceeds ” means (a) in connection with any Asset Sale or any Recovery Event, the excess of (1) the proceeds thereof in the form of cash and Cash Equivalents (including any such proceeds received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or purchase price adjustment receivable or otherwise, but only as and when received), (provided that no such proceeds from any Asset Sale or Recovery Event shall be included in the calculation of Net Cash Proceeds unless the gross proceeds (with respect to Asset Sales, valued at the

 

21


initial principal amount thereof in the case of non-cash proceeds consisting of notes or other debt securities and valued at fair market value in the case of other non-cash proceeds) to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries from all Asset Sales and Recovery Events (x) in the applicable fiscal year shall exceed $10,000,000 in the aggregate or (y) since the Closing Date shall exceed $25,000,000 in the aggregate on a cumulative basis since the Closing Date), net of (2) (i) attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees, investment banking fees, amounts required to be applied to the repayment of Indebtedness (including principal, premium or penalty, if any, and interest, breakage costs or other amounts) secured by a Lien expressly permitted hereunder on any asset that is the subject of such Asset Sale or Recovery Event (other than any Lien pursuant to a Security Document) and other customary fees and expenses actually incurred in connection therewith, (ii) taxes paid or reasonably estimated to be payable as a result thereof (after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements) and (iii) the amount of any reserves established by the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors in accordance with GAAP to fund purchase price adjustment, indemnification and similar contingent liabilities reasonably estimated to be payable, in each case during the year that such event occurred or the next succeeding year and that are directly attributable to the occurrence of such event (as determined reasonably and in good faith by a Responsible Officer) and (b) in connection with any incurrence of Indebtedness, the proceeds received from such incurrence in the form of cash and Cash Equivalents, net of attorneys’ fees, investment banking fees, accountants’ fees, underwriting discounts and commissions and other customary fees and expenses actually incurred in connection therewith.

New York Fed ” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

New York Fed Bank Rate ” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate in effect on such day; provided that if both such rates are not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the term “New York Fed Bank Rate” means the rate quoted for such day for a federal funds transaction at 11:00 a.m. on such day received by the Administrative Agent from a federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it; provided , further , that if any of the aforesaid rates shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Obligations ” means, collectively, (a) all of the Indebtedness, liabilities and obligations of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and/or the Issuing Lenders arising under the Loan Documents (including all reimbursement obligations in respect of Letters of Credit), in each case whether fixed, contingent (including without limitation those Obligations incurred as a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to Article III), now existing or hereafter arising, created, assumed, incurred or acquired, and whether before or after the occurrence of any Event of Default under clause (h) or (i) of Article VIII and including any obligation or liability in respect of any breach of any representation or warranty and all post-petition interest and funding losses, whether or not allowed as a claim in any proceeding arising in connection with such an event, (b) all obligations of any Loan Party owing to any Lender or any Affiliate of any Lender, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extension and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor) in connection with Cash Management Obligations and (c) all obligations of any Loan Party under or in respect of Specified Hedging Agreements (other than, with respect to any Loan Party, any Excluded Hedging Obligations of such Loan Party). The term “Obligations” shall include the Borrower Obligations.

Other Taxes ” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary Taxes or any other excise or property Taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made under this Agreement or any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

22


Overnight Bank Funding Rate ” means, for any day, the rate comprised of both overnight federal funds and overnight eurodollar borrowings by U.S.–managed banking offices of depository institutions (as such composite rate shall be determined by the New York Fed as set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the New York Fed as an overnight bank funding rate (from and after such date as the New York Fed shall commence to publish such composite rate).

Parent ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

Parent Debt ” means all Indebtedness pursuant to the Parent Debt Documents.

Parent Debt Documents ” means (i) that certain Amended and Restated Competitive Advance and Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of December 13, 2004 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified prior to Closing Date), among TEGNA Inc., as borrower, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, the lenders party thereto and the other parties party thereto, (ii) that certain Tenth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 29, 2013, between Parent and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, (iii) that certain Eleventh Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 3, 2013, between Parent and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee and (iv) that certain Twelfth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September 8, 2014, between Parent and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.

Parent Guaranty ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.01(l).

Parent Guaranty Release Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.12(b).

Participant ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.04(c)(i).

Participant Register ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.04(c)(i).

PBGC ” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in Section 4002 of ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.

Pension 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 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.

Permitted Acquisition ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.06(f).

Permitted Liens ” means:

(a) Liens imposed by law for taxes, utilities, assessments or governmental charges or levies that are not yet due and payable or delinquent or are being contested in compliance with Section 6.04;

(b) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 45 days or are being contested in compliance with Section 6.04;

 

23


(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, employee health and disability benefits laws, and other social security laws or regulations or casualty or liability or other insurance or self-insurance including any Liens securing letters of credit, letters of guarantee or bankers’ acceptances issued in the ordinary course of business in connection therewith;

(d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations (other than any such obligation imposed pursuant to Section 430(k) of the Code or 303(k) of ERISA), surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

(e) judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (j) of Article VIII;

(f) easements, zoning restrictions, rights of way and other similar encumbrances and charges on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;

(g) leases, subleases, licenses and sub-licenses of the properties of the Borrower or any Subsidiary granted to third parties entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(h) Liens on the property of the Borrower or any Subsidiaries, as a tenant under a lease or sublease entered into in the ordinary course of business by such Person, in favor of the landlord under such lease or sublease, securing the tenant’s performance under such lease or sublease, as such Liens are provided to the landlord under applicable law and not waived by the landlord; and

(i) with respect to any Mortgaged Property, the matters listed as exceptions to title on Schedule B of the Title Policy covering such Mortgaged Property and the matters disclosed in any survey delivered to the Administrative Agent with respect to such Mortgaged Property.

Permitted Refinancing Increase ” means, with respect to the Refinancing of any Indebtedness, an amount equal to (a) any premium and defeasance costs paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such Refinancing, (b) any unpaid accrued interest on the Indebtedness being Refinanced, and (c) any existing available commitments unutilized under the Indebtedness being Refinanced.

Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness ” mean any Indebtedness issued in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to, extend, refinance, renew, replace, defease or refund (collectively, to “ Refinance ”), the Indebtedness being Refinanced (or previous refinancings thereof constituting Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness); provided that (a) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness so Refinanced ( plus any Permitted Refinancing Increase in respect of such Refinancing), (b) such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness shall have the same obligors and same guarantees as, and be secured on a pari passu basis with, the Indebtedness so Refinanced ( provided that the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness may be subject to lesser guarantees or be unsecured or the Liens securing the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness may rank junior to the Liens securing the Indebtedness so Refinanced), (c) the maturity date is later than or equal to, and the weighted average life to maturity of such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness is greater than or equal to, that of the Indebtedness being Refinanced, and (d) if the Indebtedness so Refinanced is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations, then such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness, by its terms or by the terms of any agreement or instrument pursuant to which it is outstanding, is made subordinate in right of payment to the Obligations at least to the extent that the Indebtedness so Refinanced is subordinated to the Obligations.

 

24


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

Platform ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01.

Prime Rate ” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMCB 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.

Pro Forma Basis ” or “ Pro Forma Effect ” means, with respect to any determination of the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio, Total Net Leverage Ratio, the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio or Consolidated EBITDA (including component definitions thereof), that:

(a) in the case of (A) any Disposition of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock of any Subsidiary or any division and/or product line of the Borrower, any Subsidiary or (B) any designation of a Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property or Person subject to such Subject Transaction, shall be excluded as of the first day of the applicable Reference Period with respect to any test or covenant for which the relevant determination is being made and (ii) in the case of any Permitted Acquisition, Investment and/or designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Subsidiary described in the definition of the term “Subject Transaction”, income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property or Person subject to such Subject Transaction shall be included as of the first day of the applicable Reference Period with respect to any test or covenant for which the relevant determination is being made,

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

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

(d) the acquisition of any asset and/or the amount of Cash or Cash Equivalents, whether pursuant to any Subject Transaction or any Person becoming a subsidiary or merging, amalgamating or consolidating with or into the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries, or the Disposition of any asset described in the definition of “Subject Transaction” shall be deemed to have occurred as of the last day of the applicable Reference Period with respect to any test or covenant for which such calculation is being made.

 

25


Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph, for the avoidance of doubt, when calculating the Total Net Leverage Ratio for purposes of the definition of “Applicable Rate” and for purposes of Section 7.11 (other than for the purpose of determining pro forma compliance with Section 7.11 as a condition to taking any action under this Agreement), the events described in the immediately preceding paragraph that occurred subsequent to the end of the applicable Reference Period shall not be given pro forma effect.

Prohibited Transaction ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975(c) of the Code.

Public Lender ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01.

Qualified Keepwell Provider ” means in respect of any Hedging Obligation, each Loan Party that, at the time the relevant guarantee (or grant of the relevant security interest, as applicable) becomes effective with respect to such Hedging Obligation, has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 or otherwise constitutes an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act or any regulations promulgated thereunder and can cause another person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” with respect to such Hedging Obligation at such time by entering into a keepwell pursuant to section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Quarterly Dates ” means the last day of September, December, March and June in each year, the first of which shall be the last day of the first full fiscal quarter ended after the Closing Date.

Recovery Event ” means any settlement of or payment in respect of any property or casualty insurance claim or any condemnation proceeding relating to any asset of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries.

Reference Period ” means any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower for which financial statements have been or are required to have been delivered.

Refinancing Amendment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.23(c).

Refinancing Equivalent Debt ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.23(a).

Refinancing Facilities ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.23(a).

Refinancing Facility Lender ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.23(b).

Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitment ” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment, if any, of such Lender to provide all or any portion of any Refinancing Revolving Credit Facility.

Refinancing Revolving Credit Facility ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.23(a).

Refinancing Revolving Credit Loan ” means any Loan made pursuant to a Refinancing Revolving Credit Facility.

Refinancing Term Loan ” means any Term Loan made pursuant to a Refinancing Term Facility.

Refinancing Term Facility ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.23(a).

 

26


Register ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.04(b)(iv).

Reinvestment Deferred Amount ” means, with respect to any Reinvestment Event, the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds received by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection therewith that are not applied to prepay the Term Loans as a result of the delivery of a Reinvestment Notice.

Reinvestment Event ” means any Asset Sale or Recovery Event in respect of which the Borrower has delivered a Reinvestment Notice.

Reinvestment Notice ” means a written notice executed by a Responsible Officer stating that no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and that the Borrower (directly or indirectly through a Subsidiary) intends and expects to use (x) all or a specified portion of the Net Cash Proceeds of an Asset Sale or Recovery Event to restore, rebuild, repair, construct, improve, replace or otherwise acquire assets (other than inventory) useful in its business (including through Permitted Acquisitions and the making of Capital Expenditures).

Reinvestment Prepayment Amount ” means, with respect to any Reinvestment Event, the Reinvestment Deferred Amount relating thereto less any amount expended prior to the relevant Reinvestment Prepayment Date to restore, rebuild, repair, construct, improve, replace or otherwise acquire assets (other than inventory) useful in the Borrower’s business (including through Permitted Acquisitions and the making of Capital Expenditures).

Reinvestment Prepayment Date ” means with respect to any Reinvestment Event, the earlier of (a) the date occurring (i) 12 months after the receipt by the Borrower of Net Cash Proceeds relating to such Reinvestment Event or (ii) if the Borrower or any Subsidiary enters into a binding commitment to reinvest the Net Cash Proceeds relating to such Reinvestment Event within 12 months following receipt thereof, 180 days after the date of such binding commitment, and (b) the date on which the Borrower shall have determined not to, or shall have otherwise ceased to, restore, rebuild, repair, construct, improve, replace or otherwise acquire assets (other than inventory) useful in its business (including through Permitted Acquisitions and the making of Capital Expenditures) with all or any portion of the relevant Reinvestment Deferred Amount.

Related Parties ” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

Required Lenders ” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures, outstanding Term Loans, outstanding Incremental Term Loans, outstanding Refinancing Term Loans, outstanding Extended Term Loans and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures, outstanding Term Loans, outstanding Incremental Term Loans, outstanding Refinancing Term Loans, outstanding Extended Term Loans and unused Commitments at such time. The “Required Lenders” of a particular Class of Loans means Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures, outstanding Term Loans, outstanding Incremental Term Loans, outstanding Refinancing Term Loans, outstanding Extended Term Loans and/or unused Commitments of such Class, as applicable, representing more than 50% of the total Revolving Credit Exposures, outstanding Term Loans, outstanding Incremental Term Loans, outstanding Refinancing Term Loans, outstanding Extended Term Loans and/or unused Commitments of such Class, as applicable, at such time.

Required Ratio ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.11(a).

 

27


Requirement of Law ” means, as to any Person, the certificate of incorporation and bylaws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person, and any law, treaty, rule or regulation or determination of an arbitrator or a 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, assistant treasurer, director of treasury or other similar office of the Borrower and, as to any document delivered on the Closing Date, any secretary or assistant secretary of the Borrower. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of any Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party, and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

Restricted Payment ” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Capital Stock of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, 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 such Capital Stock or of any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Capital Stock or on account of any return of capital to the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent of any thereof).

Revolving Credit ”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans constituting such Borrowing, are made pursuant to Section 2.04.

Revolving Credit Availability Period ” means the period from and including the Closing Date to but excluding the earlier of the Revolving Credit Commitment Termination Date and the date of termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments.

Revolving Credit Commitment ” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment, if any, of such Lender to make Revolving Credit Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced or increased or otherwise modified from time to time pursuant to Section 2.10, 2.23 or 2.24 and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 10.04. The initial amount of each Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment is set forth on Schedule 1.01(a) under the caption “Revolving Credit Commitment”, or in the Assignment and Assumption or other instrument pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Revolving Credit Commitment, as applicable. On the Closing Date, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments is $450,000,000.

Revolving Credit Commitment Increase ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(c)(i).

Revolving Credit Commitment Increase Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(c)(i).

Revolving Credit Commitment Increase Supplement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(c)(ii)(B).

Revolving Credit Commitment Termination Date ” means May 31, 2022.

 

28


Revolving Credit Exposure ” means, with respect to any Revolving Credit Lender at any time, the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Loans and (b) the LC Exposure of such Lender at such time; provided that at any time a Defaulting Lender exists, in the determination of Revolving Credit Exposure of any Revolving Credit Lender for purposes of Section 2.04, the LC Exposure of such Revolving Credit Lender shall be adjusted to give effect to any reallocation effected pursuant to Section 2.21(d).

Revolving Credit Lender ” means a Lender with a Revolving Credit Commitment or, if the Revolving Credit Commitments have terminated or expired, a Lender with Revolving Credit Exposure.

Revolving Credit Loans ” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.04 and, for the avoidance of doubt, includes any Loan made pursuant to a Revolving Credit Commitment Increase, any Refinancing Revolving Credit Loan and any Extended Revolving Credit Loan.

Revolving Percentage ” with respect to any Revolving Credit Lender, the percentage of the total Revolving Credit Commitments represented by such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment; provided that for purposes of Section 2.21 when a Defaulting Lender shall exist, “Revolving Percentage” shall mean the percentage of the total Revolving Credit Commitments (disregarding any Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment) represented by such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment. With respect to the Revolving Credit Lenders, if the Revolving Credit Commitments have terminated or expired, the Revolving Percentages shall be determined on the basis of the percentage of the total Revolving Credit Exposures represented by such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure, giving effect to any assignments and any Lender’s status as a Defaulting Lender at the time of determination (including any reallocation of LC Exposure pursuant to Section 2.21(d)).

S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC.

Sanctioned Country ” means, at any time, a country, region or territory that is itself the target of any comprehensive Sanctions (as of the Closing Date, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

Sanctioned Person ” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or any European Union member state, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or any other sanctions authority of any jurisdiction in which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Unrestricted Subsidiaries operates, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country or (c) any Person owned 50% or more by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b).

Sanctions ” means economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State, or (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or any other sanctions authority of any jurisdiction in which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Unrestricted Subsidiaries operates.

SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any regulatory body that succeeds to the functions thereof.

 

29


Secured Obligations ” has the meaning set forth in the Security Agreement.

Secured Parties ” has the meaning set forth in the Security Agreement.

Security Agreement ” means the Security Agreement, to be entered into following the occurrence of the Spin-Off but in any event within one Business Day of the Closing Date, among the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent.

Security Documents ” means, collectively, the Security Agreement, the Mortgages and each of the security agreements and other instruments and documents executed and delivered pursuant thereto, each Subsidiary Joinder Agreement, any security or similar agreement entered into pursuant to Section 6.11 in favor of the Administrative Agent, and all Uniform Commercial Code financing statements required by the terms of any such agreement to be filed with respect to the security interests created pursuant thereto.

Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio ” means, at any date, the ratio of (a) all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on such date that is secured by a Lien on property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, minus Unrestricted Cash of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the Reference Period ended on, or most recently ended prior to, such date.

Solvent ” means, when used with respect to any Person, together with its Subsidiaries, that, as of any date of determination, (a) the amount of the “present fair saleable value” of the assets of the Borrower, on a consolidated basis, will, as of such date, exceed the amount of all known “liabilities of the Borrower, on a consolidated basis, contingent or otherwise”, as of such date, as such quoted terms are determined in accordance with applicable federal and state laws governing determinations of the insolvency of debtors, (b) the present fair saleable value of the assets of the Borrower, on a consolidated and going-concern basis, will, as of such date, be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the liability of the Borrower , on a consolidated basis, on its debts as such debts become absolute and mature in the ordinary course of business, (c) the Borrower, on a consolidated basis, will not have, as of such date, an unreasonably small amount of capital with which to conduct its business, and (d) the Borrower , on a consolidated basis, will be able to pay its debts as they mature in the ordinary course of business. The amount of contingent liabilities at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

Specified Hedging Agreement ” means any Hedging Agreement in respect of interest rates, currency exchange rates or commodity prices entered into by any Loan Party and any Person that is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time such Hedging Agreement is entered into.

Specified Representations ” means those representations and warranties made by the Borrower in Sections 4.02, 4.03(b), 4.08, 4.12, 4.18 and 4.19.

Spin-Off ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

Statutory Reserve Rate ” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D. Eurodollar Loans

 

30


shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

Subject Transaction ” means, with respect to any Reference Period, (a) the Transactions, (b) any Permitted Acquisition or any other acquisition, whether by purchase, merger or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the assets of, or any business line, unit or division of, any Person or of a majority of the outstanding Capital Stock of any Person (and, in any event, including any Investment in (x) any Subsidiary the effect of which is to increase the Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s respective equity ownership in such Subsidiary or (y) any joint venture for the purpose of increasing the Borrower’s or its relevant Subsidiary’s ownership interest in such joint venture), in each case that is permitted by this Agreement, (c) any Disposition of all or substantially all of the assets or Capital Stock of any subsidiary (or any business unit, line of business or division of the Borrower or any Subsidiary) not prohibited by this Agreement, (d) the designation of a Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary as Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 6.12 hereof, (e) any incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness (other than revolving Indebtedness), (f) any capital contribution in respect of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) or any issuance of such Capital Stock and/or (g) any 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.

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 of such date, 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. Unless otherwise specified, (i) with respect to the Borrower or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries, references to “Subsidiary” will not include, or be a reference to, any Unrestricted Subsidiary, and (ii) “Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary of the Borrower.

Subsidiary Guarantors ” means (a) each Subsidiary of the Borrower that is listed under the caption “Subsidiary Guarantors” on the signature pages hereof and (b) each other Subsidiary of the Borrower that shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to Section 6.11.

Subsidiary Joinder Agreement ” means a Subsidiary Joinder Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C executed and delivered by a Subsidiary that, pursuant to Section 6.11(a), is required to become a “Subsidiary Guarantor” hereunder and a “Securing Party” under the Security Agreement in favor of the Administrative Agent.

Survey ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.11(b)(viii).

Syndication Agent ” means the Syndication Agent identified on the cover page of this Agreement.

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

 

31


Term Commitment ” as to any Lender, the obligation of such Lender, if any, to make Term Loans to the Borrower in a principal amount not to exceed the amount set forth under the heading “Term Commitment” opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 1.01(a). On the Closing Date, the aggregate amount of the Term Commitments is $450,000,000.

Term Lender ” means each Lender that has a Term Commitment or that holds a Term Loan.

Term Loan ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01.

Term Loan Maturity Date ” means May 31, 2022.

Term Percentage ” means, as to any Term Lender at any time, the percentage which such Lender’s Term Commitment then constitutes of the aggregate Term Commitments (or, at any time after the Closing Date, the percentage which the aggregate principal amount of such Lender’s Term Loans then outstanding constitutes of the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans then outstanding).

Title Company ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.11(b)(iii).

Title Policy ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.11(b)(iii).

Total Net Leverage Ratio ” means, at any date, the ratio of (a) all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, minus Unrestricted Cash of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the Reference Period ended on, or most recently ended prior to, such date.

Transaction Costs ” means all fees, costs and expenses incurred or paid by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection with the Transactions, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.

Transactions ” means the execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party, the borrowing of Loans hereunder and the use of proceeds thereof, the consummation of the Spin-Off, the payment of the Closing Date Cash Transfer and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.

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.

Unrestricted Cash ” means unrestricted domestic cash and Cash Equivalents of the Borrower and its Domestic Subsidiaries in an amount not to exceed $125,000,000 in the aggregate.

Unrestricted Subsidiary ” means (a) any subsidiary of the Borrower that is identified on Schedule 4.16 as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, (b) any subsidiary of the Borrower that is designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary by the Borrower pursuant to Section 6.12 subsequent to the Closing Date and (c) any subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided that (a) except to the extent provided in Section 6.12, no Subsidiary may be designated (or re-designated) as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, (b) notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, no Subsidiary may be designated as an

 

32


Unrestricted Subsidiary if it was previously designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary and (c) no Person may be designated as an “Unrestricted Subsidiary” if such Person is not an “Unrestricted Subsidiary” or is a “Guarantor” under any agreement, document or instrument evidencing any Incremental Equivalent Debt, any Refinancing Equivalent Debt, any Material Indebtedness, any Material Subordinated Debt or any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness of any of the foregoing, or has otherwise guaranteed or given assurances of payment or performance under or in respect of any such Indebtedness.

USA PATRIOT Act ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.13.

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 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 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, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement 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 1.03 Accounting Terms; GAAP .

(a) 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; provided that if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the Closing Date in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the 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 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 Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 159 (or any other Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary at “fair value”, as defined therein. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents to the contrary, the determination of whether a lease constitutes a capital lease or an operating lease, and whether obligations arising under a lease are required to be capitalized on the balance sheet of the lessee thereunder and/or recognized as interest expense, shall be determined by reference to GAAP as in effect on the Closing Date.

 

33


(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, but subject to Section 1.05, all financial ratios and tests (including the Total Net Leverage Ratio and/or the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio and Consolidated EBITDA) contained in this Agreement that are calculated with respect to any Reference Period during which any Subject Transaction occurs shall be calculated with respect to such Reference Period and such Subject Transaction on a Pro Forma Basis. Further, if since the beginning of any such Reference Period and on or prior to the date of any required calculation of any financial ratio or test (x) any Subject Transaction has occurred or (y) any Person that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged, amalgamated or consolidated with or into the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any joint venture since the beginning of such Reference Period has consummated any Subject Transaction, then, in each case, any applicable financial ratio or test shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis for such Reference Period as if such Subject Transaction had occurred at the beginning of the applicable Reference Period (it being understood, for the avoidance of doubt, that solely for purposes of (x) calculating actual compliance with Section 7.11 and (y) calculating the Total Net Leverage Ratio for purposes of the definition of “Applicable Rate”, the date of the required calculation shall be the last day of the Reference Period, and no Subject Transaction occurring thereafter shall be taken into account).

SECTION 1.04 Certain Calculations and Tests .

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, to the extent that the terms of this Agreement require (i) compliance with any financial ratio or test (including, without limitation, Section 7.11 hereof, any Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio test, any Total Net Leverage Ratio test and/or any Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio test) and/or any cap expressed as a percentage and/or based on the amount of Consolidated EBITDA or any other basket, (ii) the absence of a Default or Event of Default (or any type of Default or Event of Default) or the accuracy of representations and warranties as a condition to (A) the consummation of any Limited Condition Transaction or any transaction in connection therewith (including the assumption or incurrence of Indebtedness) and/or (B) the making of any Restricted Payment or any Restricted Debt Payment, the determination of whether the relevant condition is satisfied may be made, at the election of the Borrower, (1) in the case of any Acquisition or similar Investment or other transaction described in the immediately preceding clause (A), at the time of (or on the basis of the financial statements for the most recently ended Reference Period at the time of) either (x) the execution of the definitive agreement with respect to such Acquisition or other Investment or (y) the consummation of such Acquisition or other Investment, (2) in the case of any Restricted Payment, at the time of (or on the basis of the financial statements for the most recently ended Reference Period at the time of) (x) the declaration of such Restricted Payment or (y) the making of such Restricted Payment and (3) in the case of any Restricted Debt Payment, at the time of (or on the basis of the financial statements for the most recently ended Reference Period at the time of) (x) delivery of irrevocable (which may be conditional) notice with respect to such Restricted Debt Payment or (y) the making of such Restricted Debt Payment, in each case, after giving effect to the relevant Acquisition, Investment, Restricted Payment and/or Restricted Debt Payment on a Pro Forma Basis; provided that if the Borrower has made such an election, then, in connection with the determination of (i) compliance with any financial ratio or test (including, without limitation, Section 7.11 hereof, any Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio test, any Total Net Leverage Ratio and/or any Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio test) and/or any cap expressed as a percentage or based on the amount of Consolidated EBITDA and/or any other basket or (ii) the absence of a Default or Event of Default (or any type of Default or Event of Default) or the accuracy of representations and warranties, in each case as a condition to the consummation of any transaction in connection with (A) any Limited Condition Transaction (including the assumption or incurrence of Indebtedness) and/or (B) the making of any Restricted Payment or Restricted Debt Payment in each of the

 

34


foregoing cases on or following the date of such election and prior to (x) in the case of clause (A) of this proviso, the earlier of the date on which such Limited Condition Transaction is consummated or the definitive agreement for such Limited Condition Transaction is terminated and (y) in the case of clause (B) of this proviso, the making of the applicable Restricted Payment or Restricted Debt Payment, each such determination shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis assuming such Limited Condition Transaction, Restricted Payment or Restricted Debt Payment and other pro forma events in connection therewith (including any incurrence of Indebtedness) have been consummated. For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 1.04, the requirements of Section 5.02 are required to be satisfied in connection with any extension of credit except as expressly provided herein.

(b) For purposes of determining the permissibility of any action, change, transaction or event that requires a calculation of any financial ratio or test (including, without limitation, Section 7.11 hereof, any Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio, Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio test and/or any Total Net Leverage Ratio test and/or the amount of Consolidated EBITDA), such financial ratio or test shall be calculated at the time such action is taken (subject to clause (a) above), such change is made, such transaction is consummated or such event occurs, as the case may be, and no Default or Event of Default shall be deemed to have occurred solely as a result of a change in such financial ratio or test occurring after such calculation.

ARTICLE II

THE CREDITS

SECTION 2.01 Term Commitments . Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, each Term Lender severally agrees to make a term loan (a “ Term Loan ”) to the Borrower in Dollars on the Closing Date in an amount equal to the Term Commitment of such Term Lender. The Term Loans may from time to time be Eurodollar Loans or ABR Loans, as determined by the Borrower and notified to the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 2.02 and Section 2.09.

SECTION 2.02 Procedure for Term Loan Borrowing . The Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent notice (which notice must be received by the Administrative Agent prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time (or such later time acceptable to the Administrative Agent)), one Business Day prior to the anticipated Closing Date requesting that the Term Lenders make the Term Loans on the Closing Date and specifying the amount to be borrowed, which notice may be revoked by the Borrower at any time prior to 2:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date identified in such notice as the date of the proposed Borrowing. The Term Loans made on the Closing Date shall initially be Eurodollar Loans with an Interest Period of three months. Upon receipt of such notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Term Lender thereof. Not later than 2:00 P.M., New York City time, on the Closing Date each Term Lender shall make available to the Administrative Agent at the Funding Office an amount in immediately available funds equal to the Term Loan to be made by such Term Lender. The Administrative Agent shall credit the account of the Borrower on the books of such office of the Administrative Agent with the aggregate of the amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by the Term Lenders in immediately available funds.

SECTION 2.03 Repayment of Term Loans . The Borrower shall repay the Term Loans in quarterly principal installments, commencing September 30, 2017, each of which shall be in an amount equal to such Lender’s Term Percentage multiplied by the amounts to be paid set forth below:

 

35


Installment Dates

   Principal Amount  

September 30, 2017

   $ 5,625,000  

December 31, 2017

   $ 5,625,000  

March 30, 2018

   $ 5,625,000  

June 30, 2018

   $ 5,625,000  

September 30, 2018

   $ 5,625,000  

December 31, 2018

   $ 5,625,000  

March 31, 2019

   $ 5,625,000  

June 30, 2019

   $ 5,625,000  

September 30, 2019

   $ 8,437,500  

December 31, 2019

   $ 8,437,500  

March 31, 2020

   $ 8,437,500  

June 30, 2020

   $ 8,437,500  

September 30, 2020

   $ 8,437,500  

December 31, 2020

   $ 8,437,500  

March 31, 2021

   $ 8,437,500  

June 30, 2021

   $ 8,437,500  

September 30, 2021

   $ 11,250,000  

December 31, 2021

   $ 11,250,000  

March 31, 2022

   $ 11,250,000  

Term Loan Maturity Date

   $ 303,750,000  

SECTION 2.04 Revolving Credit Commitments . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Revolving Credit Lender agrees to make Revolving Credit Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the Revolving Credit Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (i) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment or (ii) the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Revolving Credit Commitments. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Credit Loans.

SECTION 2.05 Loans and Borrowings .

(a) Obligations of Lenders . Each Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing by the Borrower consisting of Loans of the same Class and Type made to the Borrower 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 no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.

(b) Type of Loans . Subject to Section 2.15, each Borrowing by the Borrower shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or of Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar 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 the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(c) Minimum Amounts; Limitation on Number of Borrowings . Each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount of $3,000,000 or a larger multiple of $500,000. Each ABR Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount equal to $1,000,000 or a larger multiple of $100,000; provided that an ABR Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused amount of the total Revolving Credit Commitment or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.07(f). Borrowings of more than one Type may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of ten Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding.

 

36


(d) Limitations on Interest Periods . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, no Borrower shall be entitled to request (or to elect to convert to or continue as a Eurodollar Borrowing) (i) any Revolving Credit Eurodollar Borrowing if the Interest Period requested therefor would end after the applicable termination date for such Commitment or (ii) any Eurodollar Borrowing of a Term Loan, an Incremental Term Loan, a Refinancing Term Loan or an Extended Term Loan if the Interest Period requested therefor would end after the applicable maturity date for such Loan. After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten Interest Periods in effect at any time.

SECTION 2.06 Requests for Revolving Credit Borrowings .

(a) Notice by the Borrower . To request a Revolving Credit Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (i) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (ii) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, solely with respect to any Revolving Credit Borrowing to be made on the Closing Date, any Borrowing Request for such Borrowing (x) shall be made not later than 10:00 A.M., New York City time, one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing, and (y) may be revoked by the Borrower at any time prior to 2:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date identified in such Borrowing Request as the date of the proposed Borrowing.

(b) Content of Borrowing Requests . Each telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.05:

(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Revolving Credit Borrowing;

(ii) the date of such Revolving Credit Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;

(iii) whether such Revolving Credit Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; provided that the Revolving Credit Borrowing on the Closing Date shall be a Eurodollar Loan with an Interest Period of one month;

(iv) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period therefor, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period” and permitted under Section 2.05(d); and

(v) the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.08.

(c) Notice by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders . Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof, including whether the Borrower designated the proceeds to be used for working capital purposes, and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Revolving Credit Borrowing.

 

37


(d) Failure to Elect . If no election as to the Type of a Revolving Credit Borrowing is specified, then the requested Revolving Credit Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, the requested Borrowing shall be made instead as an ABR Borrowing.

SECTION 2.07 Letters of Credit .

(a) General . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, in addition to the Loans provided for in Section 2.04, the Borrower may request an Issuing Lender to issue, at any time and from time to time during the Revolving Credit Availability Period, Letters of Credit denominated in Dollars for the Borrower’s account in such form as is acceptable to such Issuing Lender in its reasonable determination. Letters of Credit issued hereunder shall constitute utilization of the Commitments.

(b) Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal or Extension . To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the applicable Issuing Lender and the Administrative Agent) to such Issuing Lender and the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal, extension or creation) 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 an Issuing Lender, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on such Issuing Lender’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit. 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 acceptance application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with, the applicable Issuing Lender relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.

(c) Limitations on Amounts . A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended shall be created only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal, extension or creation (i) the total LC Exposures shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit Amount, (ii) the total Revolving Credit Exposures shall not exceed the total Revolving Credit Commitments, (iii) the Revolving Credit Exposure of each Revolving Credit Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment and (iv) the face amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit issued by each Issuing Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s LC Commitment.

(d) Expiration Date . Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date 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 Credit Commitment Termination Date (unless, in the case of this clause (ii), on or prior to such date, such Letter of Credit is cash collateralized or backstopped in an amount and on terms reasonably acceptable to the applicable Issuing Lender). Subject to the foregoing, each Issuing Lender may agree that a Letter of Credit will automatically be extended for one or more successive periods not to exceed one year each (and in any event not to exceed the period prescribed in the foregoing clause (ii)), unless such Issuing Lender elects not to extend for any such additional period.

 

38


(e) Participations . By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) by an Issuing Lender, and without any further action on the part of such Issuing Lender or the Revolving Credit Lenders, such Issuing Lender hereby grants to each Revolving Credit Lender, and each Revolving Credit Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Lender, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. Each Revolving Credit 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 reduction or termination of the Commitments.

In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Revolving Credit Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for account of each Issuing Lender, such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by such Issuing Lender promptly upon the request of such Issuing Lender at any time from the time of such LC Disbursement until such LC Disbursement is reimbursed by the Borrower or at any time after any reimbursement payment is required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. Such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each such payment shall be made in the same manner as provided in Section 2.08 with respect to Revolving Credit Loans made by such Revolving Credit Lender (and Section 2.08 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Revolving Credit Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the applicable Issuing Lender the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Credit Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to paragraph (f) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the applicable Issuing Lender or, to the extent that the Revolving Credit Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse such Issuing Lender, then to such Revolving Credit Lenders and such Issuing Lender as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Revolving Credit Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse any Issuing Lender for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Revolving Credit Loans as contemplated below) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.

(f) Reimbursement . If any Issuing Lender shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such Issuing Lender in respect of such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on (i) the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice of such LC Disbursement, if such notice is received prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, or (ii) the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time; provided that if such LC Disbursement is not less than $100,000, the Borrower may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.06 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Credit Borrowing in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Credit Borrowing.

If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Revolving Credit Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Percentage thereof.

(g) Obligations Absolute . The Borrower’s obligations under this Section 2.07 shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable under any and all circumstances and irrespective of any setoff, counterclaim or defense to payment that the Borrower may have or have had against each Issuing Lender, any beneficiary of a Letter of Credit or any other Person. The Borrower also agrees with each Issuing

 

39


Lender that such Issuing Lender shall not be responsible for, and the Borrower’s reimbursement obligations under Section 2.07(f) shall not be affected by, among other things, (a) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (b) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be invalid, fraudulent or forged in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (c) any dispute between or among the Borrower and any beneficiary of any Letter of Credit or any other party to which such Letter of Credit may be transferred or any claims whatsoever of the Borrower against any beneficiary of such Letter of Credit or any such transferee, (d) payment by any Issuing Lender 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 (e) 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 Borrower’s obligations hereunder. Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, nor any Issuing Lender 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 message or advice, however transmitted, in connection with 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 such Issuing Lender; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse such Issuing Lender from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by such Issuing Lender’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 willful misconduct on the part of any Issuing Lender (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), any Issuing Lender 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 documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, any Issuing Lender 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.

(h) Disbursement Procedures . Each Issuing Lender shall, within a reasonable time following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. Each Issuing Lender shall promptly after such examination notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of such demand for payment and whether such Issuing Lender 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 Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such Issuing Lender and the Revolving Credit Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.

(i) Interim Interest . If any Issuing Lender shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Borrower 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 Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then-applicable to ABR Revolving Credit Loans; provided that if the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (f) of this Section, then Section 2.14(c) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for account of the applicable Issuing Lender, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Revolving Credit Lender pursuant to paragraph (f) of this Section to reimburse such Issuing Lender shall be for account of such Revolving Credit Lender to the extent of such payment.

 

40


(j) Replacement of Issuing Lender . Any Issuing Lender may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Lender and the successor Issuing Lender thereto. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Revolving Credit Lenders of any such replacement of an Issuing Lender. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for account of the replaced Issuing Lender pursuant to Section 2.13(b). From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Lender shall have all the rights and obligations of the replaced Issuing Lender under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Lender” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Lender, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Lenders, as the context shall require. After the replacement of an Issuing Lender hereunder, the replaced Issuing Lender shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Lender under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.

(k) Cash Collateralization . If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Revolving Credit Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Revolving Credit Loans has been accelerated, Revolving Credit Lenders representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposures) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Borrower 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 in cash equal to 103% of the total LC Exposures 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 any Loan Party described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VIII. Such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the obligations of the Loan Parties under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. 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 and at the Borrower’s 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 each Issuing Lender for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the total LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Revolving Credit Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Revolving Credit Lenders representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposures), be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Loan Parties under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived.

SECTION 2.08 Funding of Borrowings .

(a) Funding by Lenders . Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided that ABR Revolving Credit Borrowings made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.07(f) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the applicable Issuing Lender.

 

41


(b) Presumption by the Administrative Agent . 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 upon such assumption, make available to the 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 and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the New York Fed Bank Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.

SECTION 2.09 Interest Elections .

(a) Elections by the Borrower . The Loans constituting each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a Borrowing of a different Type or to continue such Borrowing as a Borrowing of the same Type and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods, all as provided in this Section. The 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 of the respective Class constituting such Borrowing, and the Loans of such Class constituting each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.

(b) Notice of Elections . To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.06 if the Borrower were requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower.

(c) Content of Interest Election Requests . Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.05:

(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 or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and

 

42


(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar 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” and permitted under Section 2.05(d).

If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar 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) Notice by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders . Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.

(e) Failure to Elect; Events of Default . If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar 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 the Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.

SECTION 2.10 Termination and Reduction of the Commitments; Incremental Credit Extensions .

(a) Scheduled Termination . Unless previously terminated, the Revolving Credit Commitments shall terminate on the Revolving Credit Commitment Termination Date.

(b) Voluntary Termination or Reduction . The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Revolving Credit Commitments, in each case, without premium or penalty; provided that (i) each reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitment pursuant to this Section shall be in an amount that is $5,000,000 or a larger multiple of $1,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Revolving Credit Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 2.12, the total Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the total Revolving Credit Commitments. The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Revolving Credit Commitments under this paragraph (b) 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 notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of such termination may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities or the consummation of other transactions, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied or such transaction is not consummated. Any termination or reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitments shall be permanent.

(c) Increase of Revolving Credit Commitments .

(i) Requests for Increase . The Borrower may propose at any time (A) that the Revolving Credit Commitments hereunder be increased by having an existing Revolving Credit Lender (each an “ Increasing Revolving Credit Lender ”) agree to increase its then existing Revolving Credit Commitment and/or by adding as a new Revolving Credit Lender hereunder any Person approved by the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Lender (in each case, such approval not to be unreasonably

 

43


withheld or delayed) but in any event shall otherwise be an eligible assignee under Section 10.04 (each an “ Assuming Revolving Credit Lender ”) that shall agree to provide a Revolving Credit Commitment hereunder or (B) the establishment of one or more new revolving credit commitments (each such new commitment, an “ Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment Tranche ”) to be provided by one or more Increasing Revolving Credit Lenders and/or Assuming Revolving Credit Lenders (each such proposed increase pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) and (B) being a “ Revolving Credit Commitment Increase ”), in each case, by notice to the Administrative Agent specifying the amount of the relevant Revolving Credit Commitment Increase, the Increasing Revolving Credit Lender(s) and/or Assuming Revolving Credit Lenders providing for such Revolving Credit Commitment Increase and the date on which such increase is to be effective (the “ Revolving Credit Commitment Increase Date ”), which shall be a Business Day at least three Business Days after delivery of such notice and ten Business Days prior to the Revolving Credit Commitment Termination Date; provided that, and subject to the provisions set forth in Section 1.04(a) with respect to any Limited Condition Transaction:

(A) the minimum amount of each Revolving Credit Commitment Increase shall be $5,000,000 or a larger multiple of $1,000,000;

(B) the aggregate amount of all Revolving Credit Commitment Increases hereunder, together with the aggregate amount of all Incremental Term Loans incurred under Section 2.10(d) and all Incremental Equivalent Debt incurred under Section 2.10(e), shall not exceed the Available Incremental Amount;

(C) both at the time of any such request and upon the effectiveness of any Revolving Credit Commitment Increases, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such proposed Revolving Credit Commitment Increase (or, in the case of any Revolving Credit Commitment Increase consisting of an Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment Tranche incurred to finance an Acquisition or other Investment permitted under Section 7.06, no Event of Default pursuant to clauses (a), (b), (h) or (i) of Article VIII has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom);

(D) the representations and warranties set forth in Article IV and in the other Loan Documents (or, in the case of any Revolving Credit Commitment Increase consisting of an Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment Tranche incurred to finance an Acquisition or other Investment permitted under Section 7.06, the Specified Representations, provided that any reference to “Material Adverse Effect” in the Specified Representations shall be understood for this purpose to refer to “Material Adverse Effect” or similar definition as defined in the main transaction agreement governing such Investment) shall be true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifier contained therein) immediately prior to, and after giving effect to, such Revolving Credit Commitment Increase as if made on and as of such date (or, if any such representation or warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific date, as of such specific date);

(E) any Revolving Credit Commitment Increase shall rank pari passu in right of payment and security with the existing Revolving Credit Commitments;

(F) no Revolving Credit Commitment Increase consisting of an Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment Tranche will have (i) a final maturity earlier than the Latest Revolving Credit Termination Date (as determined as of the applicable Revolving Credit Commitment Increase Date) or (ii) a weighted average life to maturity that is shorter than the weighted average life to maturity of the Revolving Credit Commitments; and

 

44


(G) (i) any Revolving Credit Commitment Increase (other than an Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment Tranche) shall be on terms that are identical to the existing Revolving Credit Commitments, with respect to any Revolving Credit Commitment Increase that is the same tranche as the existing Revolving Credit Commitments, or (ii) subject to clauses (E) and (F) above, any Revolving Credit Commitment Increase consisting of an Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment Tranche shall be on terms that are identical to the existing Revolving Credit Commitments, other than those terms relating to pricing (including interest rates or rate floors), fees and maturity date and other than as set forth in this clause (c), or such terms as are reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower, the Increasing Revolving Credit Lenders and/or the Assuming Revolving Credit Lenders, as applicable, with respect to any Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment Tranche.

Each notice by the Borrower under this paragraph shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower as to the matters specified in clauses (C) and (D) above. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Revolving Credit Lender shall have any obligation hereunder to become an Increasing Revolving Credit Lender and any election to do so shall be in the sole discretion of each Revolving Credit Lender.

(ii) Effectiveness of Increase . Each Revolving Credit Commitment Increase (and the increase of the Revolving Credit Commitment of each Increasing Revolving Credit Lender and/or the new Revolving Credit Commitment of each Assuming Revolving Credit Lender, as applicable, resulting therefrom) shall become effective as of the relevant Revolving Credit Commitment Increase Date upon receipt by the Administrative Agent, on or prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on such Revolving Credit Commitment Increase Date, of (A) a certificate of a duly authorized officer of the Borrower stating that the conditions with respect to such Revolving Credit Commitment Increase under this paragraph (c) have been satisfied, (B) an agreement (a “ Revolving Credit Commitment Increase Supplement ”), in form and substance satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, pursuant to which, effective as of such Revolving Credit Commitment Increase Date, as applicable, the Revolving Credit Commitment of each such Increasing Revolving Credit Lender shall be increased or each such Assuming Revolving Credit Lender shall undertake a Revolving Credit Commitment reflecting such Assuming Revolving Credit Lender’s increased Revolving Credit Commitment, in each case duly executed by such Increasing Revolving Credit Lender or Assuming Revolving Credit Lender, as the case may be, and the Borrower and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent and (C) such certificates, legal opinions or other documents from the Borrower reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent in connection with such Revolving Credit Commitment Increase. Upon the Administrative Agent’s receipt of a fully executed Revolving Credit Commitment Increase Supplement from each Increasing Revolving Credit Lender and/or Assuming Revolving Credit Lender referred to in clause (B) above, together with the certificates, legal opinions and other documents referred to in clauses (A) and (C) above, the Administrative Agent shall record the information contained in each such agreement in the Register and give prompt notice of the relevant Revolving Credit Commitment Increase to the Borrower and the Lenders (including, if applicable, each Assuming Revolving Credit Lender). On each Revolving Credit Commitment Increase Date, to the extent such Revolving Credit Commitment Increase is an Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment Tranche, the Borrower shall simultaneously (i) prepay in full the outstanding Revolving Credit Loans (if any) held by the Revolving Credit Lenders immediately prior to giving effect to the relevant Revolving Credit Commitment Increase, (ii) if the Borrower shall have so requested in accordance with this Agreement, borrow new Revolving Credit Loans from all Revolving Credit Lenders (including, if applicable, any Assuming Revolving Credit Lender) such that, after giving effect thereto,

 

45


the Revolving Credit Loans are held ratably by the Revolving Credit Lenders in accordance with their respective Revolving Credit Commitments (after giving effect to such Revolving Credit Commitment Increase) and (iii) pay to the Revolving Credit Lenders the amounts, if any, payable under Section 2.17; provided that notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Revolving Credit Commitment Increase that is the same tranche as the existing Revolving Credit Commitments, at the election of the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, any Revolving Credit Loans outstanding on such Revolving Credit Commitment Increase Date shall be reallocated among the Revolving Credit Lenders (with Revolving Credit Lenders making any required payments to each other) to the extent necessary to keep the outstanding Revolving Credit Loans ratable with any revised pro rata shares of such Lenders arising from any nonratable increase in the Revolving Credit Commitments under this Section 2.10(c). Upon each such Revolving Credit Commitment Increase, the participation interests of the Revolving Credit Lenders in the then outstanding Letters of Credit shall automatically be adjusted to reflect, and each Revolving Credit Lender (including, if applicable, each Assuming Revolving Credit Lender) shall have a participation in each such Letter of Credit equal to, the Revolving Credit Lenders’ respective Revolving Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit after giving effect to such increase.

(d) Incremental Term Loans .

(i) Requests for Incremental Term Loans . The Borrower and any one or more Lenders or other lenders arranged by the Borrower and approved by the Administrative Agent (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) but in any event shall otherwise be an eligible assignee under Section 10.04 (an “ Incremental Term Loan Lender ”) may from time to time agree that such Incremental Term Loan Lenders shall make one or more tranches of term loans available to the Borrower (each an “ Incremental Term Loan ”), which may be the same facility as the existing Term Loans or a separate class of term loans. Any such Incremental Term Loan shall be made available (the date such Incremental Term Loan is made available, an “ Incremental Term Loan Effective Date ”) to the Borrower on terms and pursuant to a supplement to this Agreement in form and substance substantially consistent with the terms related to the Term Loans in this Agreement, or otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, the Incremental Term Loan Lenders and the Borrower (an “ Incremental Term Loan Supplement ”) executed and delivered by the Borrower, the applicable Incremental Term Loan Lenders and the Administrative Agent (which Incremental Term Loan Supplement may include such amendments to this Agreement as shall be required in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent to effect the intent of this Section); provided that, and subject to the provisions set forth in Section 1.04(a) with respect to any Limited Condition Transaction:

(A) the minimum amount of each Incremental Term Loan shall be $5,000,000 or a larger multiple of $1,000,000;

(B) the aggregate amount of all Incremental Term Loans hereunder, together with the aggregate amount of Revolving Credit Commitment Increases incurred under Section 2.10(c) and the aggregate amount of all Incremental Equivalent Debt incurred under Section 2.10(e), shall not exceed the Available Incremental Amount;

(C) both at the time of any such request and upon the effectiveness of any Incremental Term Loans, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such proposed Incremental Term Loan (or, in the case of Incremental Term Loans incurred to finance an Acquisition or other Investment permitted under Section 7.06, no Event of Default pursuant to clauses (a), (b), (h) or (i) of Article VIII has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom);

 

46


(D) the representations and warranties set forth in Article IV and in the other Loan Documents (or, in the case of Incremental Term Loans incurred to finance an Investment permitted under Section 7.06, the Specified Representations, provided that any reference to “Material Adverse Effect” in the Specified Representations shall be understood for this purpose to refer to “Material Adverse Effect” or similar definition as defined in the main transaction agreement governing such Investment) shall be true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifier contained therein) immediately prior to, and after giving effect to, such Incremental Term Loan on and as of the Incremental Term Loan Effective Date as if made on and as of such date (or, if any such representation or warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific date, as of such specific date);

(E) any Incremental Term Loans shall rank pari passu in right of payment and security with the Term Loans;

(F) Incremental Term Loans may, among other things, be subject to the mandatory prepayment obligations set forth in Section 2.12(c), and may share ratably in any other mandatory prepayments (which, in the case of any Incremental Term Loans provided under a “B” term loan facility, may include an excess cash flow sweep, in addition to asset sale and casualty event mandatory prepayments);

(G) subject to clause (H) below, the interest rates, maturity and amortization schedules applicable to any Incremental Term Loan shall be determined by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent the Incremental Term Loan Lenders thereunder;

(H) no Incremental Term Loans will have (i) a final maturity earlier than the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date (as determined as of the applicable Incremental Term Loan Effective Date) or (ii) a weighted average life to maturity that is shorter than the weighted average life to maturity of any comparable (i.e., “A” term loan facility or “B” term loan facility) term loan facility under this Agreement; and

(I) any Incremental Term Loans shall be on terms (i) that are identical to the existing Term Loans, with respect to any Incremental Term Loans that are the same tranche as the existing Term Loans, or (ii) subject to clauses (E) and (H) above, that are identical to the existing Term Loans, other than those terms relating to amortization, pricing (including interest rates, rate floors or OID), fees and maturity date and other than as set forth in this clause (d), or such terms as are reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, the Incremental Term Loan Lenders and the Borrower, with respect to any Incremental Term Loans that are a separate tranche from the existing Term Loans.

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Lender shall have any obligation hereunder to become an Incremental Term Loan Lender and any election to do so shall be in the sole discretion of each Lender.

(ii) Effectiveness of Increase . On each Incremental Term Loan Effective Date, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent (A) a certificate of a duly authorized officer of the Borrower stating that the conditions with respect to such Incremental Term Loan under this paragraph (d) have been satisfied, (B) an executed Incremental Term Loan Supplement and (C) such certificates, legal opinions or other documents from the Borrower reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent in connection with such Incremental Term Loan. Upon the Administrative Agent’s receipt of a fully executed Incremental Term Loan Supplement, together with the certificates, legal opinions and other documents referred to in clauses (A) and (C) above, the Administrative Agent shall record the information contained in each such agreement in the Register and give prompt notice of the relevant Incremental Term Loan to the Borrower and the Lenders.

 

47


(e) Incremental Equivalent Debt . The Borrower may utilize availability under the Incremental Facilities in respect of one or more series of senior unsecured notes or term loans or senior secured first lien notes or term loans or senior secured junior lien (as compared to the Liens securing the Secured Obligations) term loans, in each case, if secured, that will be secured by Liens on the Collateral on an pari passu or junior priority basis (as applicable) with the Liens on Collateral securing the Secured Obligations, and issued in a public offering, Rule 144A or other private placement or loan origination pursuant to an indenture, credit agreement or otherwise, in an aggregate amount not to exceed, together with the aggregate amount of all Revolving Credit Commitment Increases and all Incremental Term Loans, the Available Incremental Amount (“ Incremental Equivalent Debt ”); provided that such Incremental Equivalent Debt (i) does not mature earlier than the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date (as determined as of the date of incurrence of such Incremental Equivalent Debt), or have a shorter weighted average life to maturity than the weighted average life to maturity of the Revolving Credit Commitments, the Term Loans or any Incremental Facility outstanding at such time, (ii) has terms and conditions (other than pricing (including interest rates, rate floors or OID) and fees and, solely with respect to any term loans, amortization, prepayment premiums, and as otherwise explicitly set forth in this Agreement) no more restrictive than those under the credit facilities provided for herein (except for covenants or other provisions applicable only to periods after the Latest Maturity Date (as determined as of the date of incurrence of such Incremental Equivalent Debt)), (iii) does not require mandatory prepayments to be made except to the extent required to be applied no worse than pro rata to the credit facilities provided for herein and any pari passu secured Incremental Equivalent Debt ( provided that any term loans constituting Incremental Equivalent Debt may be subject to an excess cash flow sweep which may be shared on a pari passu basis with any term loan facility hereunder), (iv) to the extent secured, shall not be secured by any Lien on any asset that does not also secure the existing credit facilities hereunder, or to the extent guaranteed, shall not be guaranteed by any Person other than the Subsidiary Guarantors and (v) to the extent secured, shall be subject to customary intercreditor arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 2.11 Repayment of Revolving Credit Loans; Register; Evidence of Debt; Disqualified Lenders List .

(a) Repayment . The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for account of each Revolving Credit Lender the full outstanding principal amount of such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Loans made to the Borrower, and each such Revolving Credit Loan shall mature, on the Revolving Credit Commitment Termination Date.

(b) Maintenance of Records by Lenders . Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower 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) Maintenance of Records by the Administrative Agent . The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the 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 account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.

 

48


(d) Effect of Entries . The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (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 Borrower to repay the Loans made to it in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(e) Promissory Notes . Any Lender may request that Loans made by it to the Borrower be evidenced by a promissory note of the Borrower. In such event, the Borrower, at its own expense, shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note(s) payable to such Lender or its registered assigns and substantially in the form of Exhibit B-1 or B-2, as appropriate, and such note(s) shall be evidence of such Loans (and all amounts payable in respect thereof). Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 10.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the order of such Lender or its registered assigns

(f) Disqualified Lenders List . The Disqualified Lenders List will be (i) posted to the Lenders on both the “Public Side Information” and the “Private Side Information” portions of the Platform, subject to the confidentiality provisions thereof in accordance with Section 10.12 hereof, and (ii) made available to the Lenders and the Issuing Lenders upon written request to the Administrative Agent. The Borrower hereby acknowledges and consents to the posting and/or distribution of the Disqualified Lenders List pursuant to the terms set forth in this Agreement. The parties to this Agreement hereby acknowledge and agree that the Administrative Agent will not be deemed to be in default under this Agreement or to have any duty or responsibility or to incur any liabilities as a result of a breach of this Section 2.11(f), nor will the Administrative Agent have any duty, responsibility or liability to monitor or enforce assignments, participations or other actions in respect of Disqualified Lenders, or otherwise take (or omit to take) any action with respect thereto.

SECTION 2.12 Prepayment of Loans .

(a) Optional Prepayments . The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, without premium or penalty (but, if applicable, subject to Section 2.17), subject to the requirements of paragraph (d) of this Section.

(b) Mandatory Prepayments of Revolving Credit Loans . If, at any time, the total Revolving Credit Exposures of all Lenders exceed the total Revolving Credit Commitments, then the Borrower shall prepay Revolving Credit Loans (or, to the extent after giving effect to any such prepayment, any such excess remains, cash collateralize Letters of Credit in a manner consistent with the requirements in Section 2.07(k)), to eliminate such excess within one (1) Business Day of receiving written notice of such excess from the Administrative Agent.

(c) Mandatory Prepayments of Term Loans .

(i) If any Indebtedness shall be incurred by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (excluding any Indebtedness incurred in accordance with Section 7.01), an amount equal to 100% of the Net Cash Proceeds thereof shall be applied within five Business Days of the receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds toward the prepayment of the Term Loans as set forth in Section 2.12(c)(iii).

(ii) If the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall receive Net Cash Proceeds from any Asset Sale or Recovery Event then, unless a Reinvestment Notice shall be delivered in respect thereof within five Business Days of the receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds, an amount equal to 100% of such Net Cash Proceeds shall be applied within ten Business Days following receipt

 

49


thereof toward the prepayment of the Term Loans as set forth in Section 2.12(c)(iii); provided , that, notwithstanding the foregoing, on each Reinvestment Prepayment Date, an amount equal to the Reinvestment Prepayment Amount with respect to the relevant Reinvestment Event shall be applied toward the prepayment of the Term Loans as set forth in Section 2.12(c)(iii).

(iii) Amounts to be applied in connection with prepayments shall be applied to the prepayment of the Term Loans in accordance with Section 2.19. The application of any prepayment pursuant to this Section 2.12(c) shall be made, first , to ABR Loans and, second , to Eurodollar Loans. Each prepayment of the Loans under this Section 2.12(c) shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the amount prepaid. Each prepayment of the Term Loans in accordance with this Section 2.12(c) shall be applied first to prepay the next four installments of each such Class of Term Loans in direct order of maturity and then to prepay all remaining installments thereof pro rata against all such scheduled installments based upon the respective amounts thereof.

(d) Notices, Etc . The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, 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 12:00 noon, New York City time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date, 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 if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.10, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.10. Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Borrowing of any Class, the Administrative Agent shall advise the applicable Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.05, except as necessary to apply fully the required amount of a mandatory prepayment. Each prepayment of a Borrowing of any Class shall be applied ratably to the Loans of such Class included in such Borrowing and (unless the Borrower shall otherwise direct) shall be made, first, to ABR Loans and, second, to Eurodollar Loans. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.14.

SECTION 2.13 Fees .

(a) Commitment Fee . The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for account of each Revolving Credit Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the average daily unused amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment during the period from and including the Closing Date to but excluding the earlier of the date the Revolving Credit Commitments terminate and the Revolving Credit Commitment Termination Date. Accrued commitment fees shall be payable on each Quarterly Date and on the earlier of the date the Revolving Credit Commitments terminate and the Revolving Credit Commitment Termination Date, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Closing 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, the Revolving Credit Commitment of a Revolving Credit Lender shall be deemed to be used to the extent of the outstanding Revolving Credit Loans and LC Exposure of such Revolving Credit Lender.

 

50


(b) Letter of Credit Fees . The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for account of each Revolving Credit Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate on Eurodollar Revolving Credit Loans on the average daily amount of such Revolving Credit Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Closing Date to but excluding the later of the date the Revolving Credit Commitments terminate and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, and (ii) to the applicable Issuing Lender a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.125% per annum on the average daily amount of the total LC Exposures in respect of Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Lender (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Closing Date to but excluding the later of the date the Revolving Credit Commitments terminate and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure in respect of Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Lender, as well as such Issuing Lender’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 each of March, June, September and December shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Closing Date; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Revolving Credit Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Revolving Credit Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to the Issuing Lenders 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) Administrative Agent Fees . The 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 the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

(d) Payment of Fees . All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the applicable Issuing Lender, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in the case of commitment fees and participation fees, to the Lenders entitled thereto. Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.

SECTION 2.14 Interest .

(a) ABR Loans . The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

(b) Eurodollar Loans . The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.

(c) Default Interest . Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower 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% 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% plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section; provided , that in the case of any such failure to pay that also results in a Default under clause (a) or (b) of Article VIII, such additional amounts provided in this clause (c) shall not accrue except at the election of the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders.

 

51


(d) Payment of Interest . Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case of the Revolving Credit Loans, upon termination of the Revolving Credit 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 Credit Loan prior to the end of the Revolving Credit 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 Eurodollar 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.

(e) Computation . 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 2.15 Alternate Rate of Interest . If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for any Eurodollar 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 LIBO Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or

(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that the LIBO Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining their respective Loans included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the 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 the continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and such Borrowing (unless prepaid) shall be continued as, or converted (on the last day of the then-current Interest Period) to, an ABR Borrowing and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing.

SECTION 2.16 Increased Costs .

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

(i) subject any Lender or the Issuing Lender to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes indemnifiable under Section 2.18 and (B) Excluded Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto;

(ii) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or any Issuing Lender; or

 

52


(iii) impose on any Lender or any Issuing Lender or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar 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 or Issuing Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender or such Issuing Lender of participating in, issuing, maintaining or creating any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or such Issuing Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender or such Issuing Lender, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Issuing Lender, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b) Capital Adequacy, Liquidity Requirements . If any Lender or any Issuing Lender determines that any Change in Law regarding capital adequacy or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or such Issuing Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or such Issuing Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Lender, to a level below that which such Lender or such Issuing Lender or such Lender’s or such Issuing Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or such Issuing Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or such Issuing Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy or liquidity), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or such Issuing Lender, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Issuing Lender or such Lender’s or such Issuing Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c) Requests, Rules, Guidelines, etc . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements and directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or by United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, and (ii) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements and directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith or in implementation thereof, shall in each case be deemed to be a change in law, regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented.

(d) Certificates from Lenders . A certificate of a Lender or an Issuing Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or such Issuing Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or such Issuing Lender, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 30 days after receipt thereof.

(e) Delay in Requests . Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or any Issuing Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or such Issuing Lender’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or an Issuing Lender pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or such Issuing Lender, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or such Issuing Lender’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.

 

53


SECTION 2.17 Break Funding Payments . In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar 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 Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.10(b) and is revoked in accordance therewith) or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.22, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss (other than any loss of anticipated profits), cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss (other than any loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount reasonably determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 30 days after receipt thereof.

SECTION 2.18 Taxes .

(a) Payments Free of Taxes . Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Loan Parties hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law; provided that if any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes are required to be deducted or withheld from any amounts payable to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or Issuing Lender, as determined in good faith by any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, as applicable (the “ Applicable Withholding Agent ”), then (i) the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party to the Administrative Agent, Lender or Issuing Lender (as the case may be) shall be increased as necessary so that after all required deductions or withholding (including deductions or withholding applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) have been made by the Applicable Withholding Agent, the Administrative Agent, Lender or Issuing Lender (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions or withholding been made, (ii) the Applicable Withholding Agent shall make such deduction or withholding and (iii) such amounts shall be paid by the Applicable Withholding Agent to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower . In addition, the Loan Parties shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(c) Indemnification by the Borrower . Each Loan Party shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Issuing Lender, within 10 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuing Lender, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Loan Parties hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) and any penalties, interest and 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 as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) or an Issuing Lender, or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or an Issuing Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

54


(d) Evidence of Payments . As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes, imposed with respect to a payment under any Loan Document, by a Loan Party to a Governmental Authority, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(e) Tax Forms .

(i) Any Lender or Issuing Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of any applicable withholding Tax with respect to payments hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law or as reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender or Issuing Lender, if requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender or Issuing Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such forms (other than such forms set forth in Section 2.18(e)(ii)(A)–(D), Section 2.18(e)(iii) or Section 2.18(e)(iv) below) shall not be required if in the Lender or Issuing Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender or Issuing Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender or Issuing Lender.

(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a United States person under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code, any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement, and after the occurrence of a change in the Lender’s circumstances which require a change in the most recent form or certification previously delivered by it (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

(A) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States of America is a party,

(B) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI,

(C) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the Form of Exhibit D to the effect that (A) such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (B) such Foreign Lender is not a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the

 

55


Code, (C) such Foreign Lender is not a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (D) no payments in connection with any Loan Document are effectively connected with the United States trade or business conducted by such Lender (a “ U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate ”) and (y) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E,

(D) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner (for example, where the Foreign Lender is a partnership or participating Lender granting a typical participation), an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY, accompanied by a Form W-8ECI, W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate, Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership (and not a participating Lender) and one or more beneficial owners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate on behalf of each such beneficial owner, or

(E) any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States federal withholding tax duly completed together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made, if any.

(iii) Any Lender or Issuing Lender that is a United States person under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code, to the extent it may lawfully do so, shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender or Issuing Lender becomes a Lender or Issuing Lender, as applicable, under this Agreement, on or prior to the date on which any such form or certification expires or becomes obsolete, and after the occurrence of a change in the Lender or Issuing Lender’s circumstances which require a change in the most recent form or certification previously delivered by it (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 (or any successor form) certifying that such Lender or Issuing Lender is entitled to an exemption from U.S. backup withholding tax.

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

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

 

56


Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to deliver to the Loan Parties and to any successor Administrative Agent any documentation provided by such Lender to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.18(e).

(f) Each Lender shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, within 10 days after demand therefor, for (i) the full amount of any Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so) and (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 10.04(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register, in either case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (f).

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

(h) Survival . The agreements in this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

(i) Defined Terms . For purposes of this Section 2.18, the term “ applicable law ” includes FATCA.

 

57


SECTION 2.19 Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set offs .

(a) Payments by the Borrower . The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.16, 2.17 or 2.18, or otherwise) or under any other Loan Document (except as otherwise expressly provided therein) prior to 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set off 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 the Administrative Agent at an account maintained with the Administrative Agent as notified to the Borrower and the Lenders, except as otherwise expressly provided in the relevant Loan Document and except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Lenders as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.16, 2.17, 2.18 and 10.03, which shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. 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 hereunder 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 and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder and under any other Loan Document shall be made in Dollars.

(b) Application of Insufficient Payments . 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) Pro Rata Treatment . Except to the extent otherwise provided herein: (i) each Borrowing of a particular Class shall be made from the applicable Lenders, pro rata according to the amounts of the respective Commitments of such Class and shall be allocated pro rata among the applicable Lenders according to the amounts of their respective Commitments of such Class (in the case of the making of Loans) or their respective Loans of such Class that are to be included in such Borrowing (in the case of conversions and continuations of Loans), (ii) each payment of commitment fees under Section 2.13 shall be made for account of the Revolving Credit Lenders, and each termination or reduction of the amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments under Section 2.10 shall be applied to the Revolving Credit Commitments, pro rata according to the respective Revolving Credit Commitments of the Revolving Credit Lenders; (iii) each payment or prepayment of principal of Loans of any Class by the Borrower shall be made for account of the applicable Lenders pro rata according to the respective unpaid principal amounts of the Loans of such Class held by such Lenders; and (iv) each payment of interest on Loans of any Class by the Borrower shall be made for account of the applicable Lenders pro rata according to the amounts of interest on such Loans of such Class then due and payable to such Lenders. Amounts prepaid on account of the Term Loans may not be reborrowed.

(d) Sharing of Payments by Lenders . If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements, as applicable, 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 Loans and participations in LC Disbursements, as applicable, of other applicable Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the applicable Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and participations in LC Disbursements, as applicable; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any

 

58


portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or 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 to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply). The Borrower consents 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 Borrower rights of set off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

(e) Presumptions of Payment . 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 account of the Lenders or the Issuing Lenders hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Lenders, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the applicable Lenders or the applicable Issuing Lender, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or such Issuing Lender with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the New York Fed Bank Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

(f) Certain Deductions by the Administrative Agent . If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.07(e), 2.08(b) or 2.19(e), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.

SECTION 2.20 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders .

(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office . If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.16, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount pursuant to Section 2.18, then such Lender shall, if requested by the Borrower, use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.16 or 2.18, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment. Nothing in this Section shall affect or postpone any of the obligations of the Borrower or the rights of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16 or 2.18.

(b) Replacement of Lenders . If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.16, if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount pursuant to Section 2.18, if any Lender defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder or if any Lender does not consent to any proposed amendment, supplement, modification, consent or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document that requires the consent of each of the Lenders or each of the Lenders affected thereby (so long as the consent of the Required Lenders has been obtained), then the Borrower may, at its sole

 

59


expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender or any Lender that becomes a Defaulting Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 10.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) to the extent required by Section 10.04, the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and (if a Revolving Credit Commitment is being assigned) each Issuing Lender, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements, accrued interest thereon, accrued 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 Borrower (in the case of all other amounts), (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.16 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.18, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments and (iv) until such time as such assignment shall be consummated, the Borrower shall pay all additional amounts (if any) required pursuant to Section 2.16 or 2.18. 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, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

SECTION 2.21 Defaulting Lenders . Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

(a) fees set forth in Section 2.13(a) shall cease to accrue on the unfunded portion of the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender;

(b) to the extent permitted by applicable law, (i) any voluntary prepayment of Revolving Credit Loans shall, if the Borrower so directs at the time of making such voluntary prepayment, be applied to the Revolving Credit Loans of other Lenders as if such Defaulting Lender had no Revolving Credit Loans outstanding and the Revolving Credit Exposure of such Defaulting Lender were zero, and (ii) any mandatory prepayment of the Revolving Credit Loans shall, if the Borrower so directs at the time of making such mandatory prepayment, be applied to the Revolving Credit Loans of other Lenders, but not to the Revolving Credit Loans of such Defaulting Lender, it being understood and agreed that the Borrower shall be entitled to retain any portion of any mandatory prepayment of the Revolving Credit Loans that is not paid to such Defaulting Lender solely as a result of the operation of the provisions of this clause (b);

(c) the Commitment and Revolving Credit Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether all Lenders or the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment or waiver pursuant to Section 10.02), provided that any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender which affects such Defaulting Lender differently than other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender;

(d) if any LC Exposure exists at the time a Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:

(i) all or any part of such LC Exposure shall be reallocated among the Lenders that are not Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Revolving Percentages but, in any case, only to the extent (x) the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures of all Lenders that are not Defaulting Lenders plus such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure does not exceed the total of the Commitments of all Lenders that are not Defaulting Lenders, (y) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender does not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment and (z) the conditions set forth in Section 5.02 are satisfied at such time; and

 

60


(ii) if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall within one Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent cash collateralize such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.07(k) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;

(iii) if the Borrower cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to this paragraph (d), the Borrower shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.13(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure during the period such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is cash collateralized;

(iv) if the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to this paragraph (d), then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.13(a) and Section 2.13(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Percentages; or

(v) if any Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither cash collateralized nor reallocated pursuant to this paragraph (d), then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the Issuing Lenders or any Lender hereunder, all commitment fees that otherwise would have been payable to such Defaulting Lender (solely with respect to the portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment that was utilized by such LC Exposure) and fees payable in connection with any Letters of Credit under Sections 2.13(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure shall be payable to the applicable Issuing Lenders until such LC Exposure is cash collateralized and/or reallocated; and

(e) so long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, no Issuing Lender shall be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure will be 100% covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance with paragraph (d) of this Section, and participating interests in any such newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with paragraph (d)(i) of this Section (and Defaulting Lenders shall not participate therein).

(f) In the event that each of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the Issuing Lenders agree that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Commitment and on such date such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Revolving Percentage.

SECTION 2.22 MIRE Event . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the making, increasing, extension or renewal of any Loans pursuant to this Agreement shall be subject to the Loan Parties’ compliance with the first sentence of Section 6.11(b)(ix) hereto.

SECTION 2.23 Refinancing Facilities .

(a) Upon written notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders), the Borrower may from time to time elect to refinance any Class of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments, in whole or in part, with one or more new term loan facilities (each, a “ Refinancing

 

61


Term Facility ”) or new revolving credit facilities (each, a “ Refinancing Revolving Credit Facility ”; the Refinancing Term Facilities and the Refinancing Revolving Credit Facilities are collectively referred to as “ Refinancing Facilities ”), respectively, under this Agreement with the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and the institutions providing such Refinancing Term Facility or Refinancing Revolving Credit Facility or, in the case of any series of Term Loans, with one or more series of senior unsecured notes or term loans or senior secured first lien notes or term loans or senior secured junior lien (as compared to the Liens securing the Secured Obligations) term loans, in each case, if secured, that will be secured by Liens on the Collateral on a pari passu basis or junior priority basis (as applicable) with the Liens on Collateral securing the Secured Obligations and will be subject to customary intercreditor arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (any such notes or loans, “ Refinancing Equivalent Debt ”); provided that (i) except with respect to customary bridge loans, any Refinancing Term Facility or Refinancing Equivalent Debt does not mature, or have a weighted average life to maturity, earlier than the final maturity, or the weighted average life, of the Class of Term Loans or Incremental Term Loans being refinanced, (ii) any Refinancing Revolving Credit Facility does not mature prior to the maturity date of the Revolving Credit Commitments being refinanced, (iii) the other terms and conditions of such Refinancing Term Facility, Refinancing Revolving Credit Facility or Refinancing Equivalent Debt (excluding pricing and optional prepayment or redemption terms) are (taken as a whole) no more favorable to the lenders or investors, as applicable, providing such Refinancing Term Facility, Refinancing Revolving Credit Facility or Refinancing Equivalent Debt, as applicable, than those applicable to the Term Loans, Incremental Term Loans or the Revolving Credit Commitments being refinanced, (iv) there shall be no borrower, issuer and/or guarantor under any Refinancing Equivalent Debt other than the Borrower and/or the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, (v) the proceeds of any Refinancing Facility or Refinancing Equivalent Debt shall be applied, substantially simultaneously with the incurrence thereof, to the prepayment of outstanding Loans (and, in the case of any Refinancing Facility or Refinancing Equivalent Debt the proceeds of which are used to refinance the Revolving Credit Commitments, to the pro rata commitment reduction) under the facility being refinanced, and (vi) to the extent secured, any such Refinancing Facility or Refinancing Equivalent Debt shall not be secured by any lien on any asset that does not also secure the Facilities. Each such notice shall specify the date on which the Borrower proposes that the Refinancing Facility shall be made or the Refinancing Equivalent Debt shall be issued, which shall be a date not less than three (3) Business Days after the date on which such notice is delivered to the Administrative Agent.

(b) The Borrower may approach any Lender or any other Person (other than a natural person) to provide all or a portion of the (x) Refinancing Facilities (a “ Refinancing Facility Lender ”), so long as such Person would be an eligible assignee of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans pursuant to the terms of Section 10.04, as applicable, or (y) Refinancing Equivalent Debt; provided that any Lender offered or approached to provide all or a portion of any Refinancing Facility and/or Refinancing Equivalent Debt may elect or decline, in its sole discretion, to provide a Refinancing Facility or purchase Refinancing Equivalent Debt.

(c) The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby consent to the transactions contemplated by this Section (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the payment of interest, fees, amortization or premium in respect of the Refinancing Facilities and Refinancing Equivalent Debt on the terms specified by the Borrower) and hereby waive the requirements of this Agreement or any other Loan Document that may otherwise prohibit any transaction contemplated by this Section. The Refinancing Facilities shall be established pursuant to an amendment to this Agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Refinancing Facility Lenders providing such Refinancing Facilities (a “ Refinancing Amendment ”) which shall be consistent with the provisions set forth in this Section. The Refinancing Equivalent Debt shall be established pursuant to an indenture, credit agreement or other definitive documentation which shall be consistent with the provisions set forth in this Section.

 

62


Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 10.02, each Refinancing Amendment shall be binding on the Lenders, the Administrative Agent, the Loan Parties party thereto and the other parties hereto without the consent of any other Lender and the Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent to enter into 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 Borrower, to effect the provisions of this Section, including in order to establish new tranches or sub-tranches in respect of the Refinancing Facilities and such technical amendments as may be necessary or appropriate in connection therewith and to adjust the amortization schedule in Section 2.03 (insofar as such schedule relates to payments due to Lenders of the Term Loans which are being refinanced with the proceeds of a Refinancing Term Facility; provided that no such amendment shall reduce the pro rata share of any such payment that would have otherwise been payable to the Lenders, the Term Loans of which are not refinanced with the proceeds of a Refinancing Term Facility). The Administrative Agent shall be permitted, and is hereby authorized, to enter into such amendments with the Borrower to effect the foregoing.

SECTION 2.24 Extension Amendments .

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, pursuant to one or more offers (each, an “ Extension Offer ”) made from time to time by the Borrower to all Lenders holding Loans of any Class or Commitments of any Class, in each case on a pro rata basis (based on the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the respective Loans or Commitments of such Class) and on the same terms to each such Lender, the Borrower is hereby permitted to consummate transactions with any individual Lender who accepts the terms contained in the relevant Extension Offer to extend the maturity date of all or a portion of such Lender’s Loans and/or Commitments of such Class and otherwise modify the terms of all or a portion of such Loans and/or Commitments pursuant to the terms of the relevant Extension Offer (including by increasing the interest rate or fees payable in respect of such Loans and/or Commitments (and related outstandings) and/or modifying the amortization schedule, if any, in respect of such Loans) (each, an “ Extension ”); it being understood that any Extended Term Loans shall constitute a separate Class of Loans from the Class of Loans from which they were converted and any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments shall constitute a separate Class of Revolving Credit Commitments from the Class of Revolving Credit Commitments from which they were converted, so long as the following terms are satisfied:

(i) except as to (A) interest rates, fees and final maturity (which shall, subject to immediately succeeding clause (iii) and to the extent applicable, be determined by the Borrower and any Lender who agrees to an Extension of its Revolving Credit Commitments and set forth in the relevant Extension Offer), (B) terms applicable to such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or Extended Revolving Credit Loans (each as defined below) that are more favorable to the lenders or the agent of such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or Extended Revolving Credit Loans than those contained in the Loan Documents and are then conformed (or added) to the Loan Documents for the benefit of the Revolving Lenders or, as applicable, the Administrative Agent pursuant to the applicable Extension Amendment, and (C) any covenant or other provision applicable only to periods after the Latest Revolving Credit Termination Date (as determined as of the date of such Extension), the Revolving Credit Commitment of any Lender who agrees to an extension with respect to such Commitment (an “ Extended Revolving Credit Commitment ”; and the Loans thereunder, “ Extended Revolving Credit Loans ”), and the related outstandings, shall constitute a revolving commitment (or related outstandings, as the case may be) with substantially consistent terms (or terms not less favorable to existing Lenders) as the Class of Revolving Credit Commitments subject to the relevant Extension Offer (and related outstandings) provided hereunder; provided that to the extent more than one Class of Revolving Credit Commitments exists after giving effect to any such Extension,

 

63


(x) the borrowing and repayment (except for (1) payments of interest and fees at different rates applicable to the Revolving Credit Commitments (and related outstandings), (2) repayments required upon the maturity date of any Revolving Credit Commitments and (3) repayments made in connection with a permanent repayment and termination of Revolving Credit Commitments after the effective date of such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments) shall be made on a pro rata basis with all other Revolving Credit Commitments and (y) any permanent repayment of Revolving Loans with respect to, and reduction or termination of Revolving Credit Commitments after the effective date of such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments shall be made with respect to such Extended Revolving Credit Loans on a pro rata basis or less than pro rata basis with all other Revolving Credit Loans;

(ii) except as to (A) interest rates, fees, amortization, final maturity date, premiums, required prepayment dates and participation in prepayments (which shall, subject to immediately succeeding clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), be determined by the Borrower and any Lender who agrees to an Extension of its Term Loans and set forth in the relevant Extension Offer), (B) terms applicable to such Extended Term Loans that are more favorable to the lenders or the agent of such Extended Term Loans than those contained in the Loan Documents and are then conformed (or added) to the Loan Documents for the benefit of the Term Lenders or, as applicable, the Administrative Agent pursuant to the applicable Extension Amendment and (C) any covenant or other provision applicable only to periods after the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date (in each case, as of the date of such Extension), the Term Loans of any Lender extended pursuant to any Extension (any such extended Term Loans, the “ Extended Term Loans ”) shall have substantially consistent terms (or terms not less favorable to existing Lenders) as the tranche of Term Loans subject to the relevant Extension Offer;

(iii) (x) the final maturity date of any Extended Term Loans may be no earlier than the Latest Term Loan Maturity Date (as determined as of the date of such Extension) and (y) no Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or Extended Revolving Credit Loans may have a final maturity date earlier than (or require commitment reductions prior to) the Latest Revolving Credit Termination Date (as determined as of the date of such Extension);

(iv) the weighted average life to maturity of any Extended Term Loans shall be no shorter than the remaining weighted average life to maturity of any then-existing Term Loans;

(v) subject to clauses (iii) and (iv) above, any Extended Term Loans may otherwise have an amortization schedule as determined by the Borrower and the Lenders providing such Extended Term Loans;

(vi) any Extended Term Loans may participate (A) in any voluntary prepayment of Term Loans as set forth in Section 2.12(a) and (B) in any mandatory prepayment of Term Loans as set forth in Section 2.12(c), in each case, to the extent provided in such Sections;

(vii) if the aggregate principal amount of Loans or Commitments, as the case may be, in respect of which Lenders have accepted the relevant Extension Offer exceed the maximum aggregate principal amount of Loans or Commitments, as the case may be, offered to be extended by the Borrower pursuant to such Extension Offer, then the Loans or Commitments, as the case may be, of such Lenders shall be extended ratably up to such maximum amount based on the respective principal amounts (but not to exceed the applicable Lender’s actual holdings of record) with respect to which such Lenders have accepted such Extension Offer;

 

64


(viii) unless the Administrative Agent otherwise agrees, any Extension must be in a minimum amount of $5,000,000 or a larger multiple of $1,000,000;

(ix) any applicable Minimum Extension Condition must be satisfied or waived by the Borrower;

(x) any documentation in respect of any Extension shall be consistent with the foregoing; and

(xi) no Extension of any Revolving Credit Commitments shall be effective as to the obligations of any Issuing Lender with respect to Letters of Credit without the consent of such Issuing Lender (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) (and, in the absence of such consent, all references herein to the Latest Revolving Credit Termination Date shall be determined, when used in reference to such Issuing Lender, without giving effect to such Extension).

(b) (i) No Extension consummated in reliance on this Section shall constitute a voluntary or mandatory prepayment for purposes of Section 2.12, (ii) the scheduled amortization payments (insofar as such schedule affects payments due to Lenders participating in the relevant Class) set forth in Section 2.03 shall be adjusted to give effect to any Extension of any Class of Loans and/or Commitments and (iii) except as set forth in clause (a)(viii) above, no Extension Offer is required to be in any minimum amount or any minimum increment; provided that the Borrower may at its election specify as a condition (a “ Minimum Extension Condition ”) to the consummation of any Extension that a minimum amount (to be specified in the relevant Extension Offer in the Borrower’s sole discretion) of Loans or Commitments (as applicable) of any or all applicable tranches be tendered; it being understood that the Borrower may, in its sole discretion, waive any such Minimum Extension Condition. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby consent to the transactions contemplated by this Section (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the payment of any interest, fees or premium in respect of any Extended Term Loans and/or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments on such terms as may be set forth in the relevant Extension Offer) and hereby waive the requirements of any provision of this Agreement (including Sections 2.03, 2.12 and/or 2.19) or any other Loan Document that may otherwise prohibit any such Extension or any other transaction contemplated by this Section.

(c) Subject to any consent required under clause (a)(xi) above, no consent of any Lender or the Administrative Agent shall be required to effectuate any Extension, other than the consent of each Lender agreeing to such Extension with respect to one or more of its Loans and/or Commitments of any Class (or a portion thereof). All Extended Term Loans and Extended Revolving Credit Commitments and all obligations in respect thereof shall constitute Secured Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents that are secured by Liens on the Collateral and guaranteed on a pari passu basis with all other applicable Secured Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. The Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent to enter into any Extension Amendment and any amendments to any of the other Loan Documents with the Loan Parties and the Lenders agreeing to such Extension as may be necessary in order to establish new Classes or sub-Classes in respect of Loans or Commitments so extended and such technical amendments as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders agreeing to such Extension and the Borrower in connection with the establishment of such new Classes or sub-Classes, in each case on terms consistent with this Section.

(d) In connection with any Extension, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent at least ten Business Days’ (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent) prior written notice thereof, and shall agree to such procedures (including regarding timing, rounding and other adjustments and to ensure reasonable administrative management of the credit facilities hereunder after such Extension), if any, as may be established by, or acceptable to, the Administrative Agent, in each case acting reasonably to accomplish the purposes of this Section.

 

65


ARTICLE III

GUARANTEE

SECTION 3.01 The Guarantee . Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby jointly and severally guarantees, as a primary obligor and not merely as a surety, to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of each Guaranteed Party, the prompt payment in full when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of the Borrower Obligations, in each case strictly in accordance with the terms thereof (such obligations being herein collectively called the “ Guaranteed Obligations ”); provided , that for purposes of determining any Guaranteed Obligations of a Subsidiary Guarantor, “Guaranteed Obligations” shall not create any guarantee by a Subsidiary Guarantor of any Excluded Hedging Obligation of such Subsidiary Guarantor. The Subsidiary Guarantors hereby further jointly and severally agree that, if the Borrower or other Subsidiary Guarantors shall fail to pay in full when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) any of such Guaranteed Obligations, the Subsidiary Guarantors will promptly pay the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of such Guaranteed Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.

SECTION 3.02 Obligations Unconditional . The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor under Section 3.01 constitute a guarantee of payment and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law are absolute, irrevocable and unconditional and are joint and several, irrespective of the value, genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of the obligations of the other Loan Parties under this Agreement or any other agreement or instrument referred to herein, or any substitution, release or exchange of any other guarantee of or security for any of their respective Guaranteed Obligations, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, irrespective of any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense, set-off or counterclaim of a surety or guarantor, it being the intent of this Section that the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereunder shall be absolute, irrevocable and unconditional under any and all circumstances. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is agreed that the occurrence of any one or more of the following shall not alter or impair the liability of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereunder, which shall remain absolute, irrevocable and unconditional as described above:

(i) at any time or from time to time, without notice to the Subsidiary Guarantors, the time for any performance of or compliance with any of their respective Guaranteed Obligations shall be extended, or such performance or compliance shall be waived or released;

(ii) any of the acts mentioned in any of the provisions of this Agreement or any other agreement or instrument referred to herein shall be done or omitted;

(iii) the maturity of any of their respective Guaranteed Obligations shall be accelerated, or any of the Guaranteed Obligations shall be modified, supplemented, amended or partially terminated in any respect, or any right under this Agreement or any other agreement or instrument referred to herein shall be amended or waived in any respect or any other guarantee of any of their respective Guaranteed Obligations or any security therefor shall be released or exchanged in whole or in part or otherwise dealt with;

 

66


(iv) the Guaranteed Obligations at any time or from time to time shall exceed the amount of liability of such Subsidiary Guarantor;

(v) any security interest, guarantee or right of offset shall be sold off, exchanged, waived, surrendered or released; or

(vi) any lien or security interest granted to, or in favor of, the Administrative Agent, any Lender or Lenders or any other Guaranteed Party as security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations shall fail to be perfected.

The Subsidiary Guarantors hereby expressly waive diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest and all notices whatsoever, and any requirement that the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other Guaranteed Party exhaust any right, power or remedy or proceed against the Borrower 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 their respective Guaranteed Obligations. The Subsidiary Guarantors waive, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any and all notice of the creation, renewal, extension, waiver, termination or accrual of any of the Guaranteed Obligations and notice of or proof of reliance by any Guaranteed Party upon this Guaranty or acceptance of this Guaranty, and the Guaranteed Obligations, and any of them, shall conclusively be deemed to have been created, contracted or incurred in reliance upon this Guaranty, and all dealings between the Borrower and the Guaranteed Parties shall likewise be conclusively presumed to have been had or consummated in reliance upon this Guaranty. This Guaranty shall be construed as a continuing, absolute, irrevocable and unconditional guarantee of payment without regard to any right of offset with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations at any time or from time to time held by Guaranteed Parties, and the obligations and liabilities of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereunder shall not be conditioned or contingent upon the pursuit by the Secured Parties or any other person at any time of any right or remedy against the Borrower or against any other person which may be or become liable in respect of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations or against any collateral security or guarantee therefor or right of offset with respect thereto. This Guaranty shall remain in full force and effect and be binding in accordance with and to the extent of its terms upon the Subsidiary Guarantors and the successors and assigns thereof, and shall inure to the benefit of the Guaranteed Parties, until the payment and satisfaction in full of all Guaranteed Obligations and the expiration and termination of the Commitments of the Lenders under this Agreement notwithstanding that from time to time during the term of this Agreement there may be no Guaranteed Obligations outstanding.

SECTION 3.03 Reinstatement . The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor under this Article shall be automatically reinstated if and to the extent that for any reason any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower in respect of the Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded or must be otherwise restored by any holder of any of such Guaranteed Obligations, whether as a result of any proceedings in insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization or otherwise, and each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees that it will indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each other Guaranteed Party on demand for all reasonable costs and expenses (including fees of counsel) incurred by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such other Guaranteed Party in connection with such rescission or restoration, including any such costs and expenses incurred in defending against any claim alleging that such payment constituted a preference, fraudulent transfer or similar payment under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law.

SECTION 3.04 Subrogation . Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby agrees that, until the payment and satisfaction in full of all Guaranteed Obligations and the expiration and termination of the Commitments of the Lenders under this Agreement, it shall not exercise any right or remedy arising by reason of any performance by it of its guarantee in Section 3.01, whether by subrogation or otherwise, against the Borrower or any guarantor of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or any security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations.

 

67


SECTION 3.05 Remedies . Each Subsidiary Guarantor jointly and severally agrees that, as between such Subsidiary Guarantor and the Lenders, the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement may be declared to be forthwith due and payable as provided in Article VIII (and shall be deemed to have become automatically due and payable in the circumstances provided in Article VIII) for purposes of Section 3.01 notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such declaration (or such obligations from becoming automatically due and payable) as against the Borrower and that, in the event of such declaration (or such obligations being deemed to have become automatically due and payable), such obligations (whether or not due and payable by the Borrower) shall forthwith become due and payable by such Subsidiary Guarantor for purposes of Section 3.01.

SECTION 3.06 Instrument for the Payment of Money . Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby acknowledges that the guarantee in this Article constitutes an instrument for the payment of money, and consents and agrees that any Guaranteed Party, at its sole option, in the event of a dispute by such Subsidiary Guarantor in the payment of any moneys due hereunder, shall have the right to proceed by motion for summary judgment in lieu of complaint pursuant to N.Y. Civ. Prac. L&R § 3213.

SECTION 3.07 Continuing Guarantee . The guarantee in this Article is a continuing guarantee, and shall apply to all Guaranteed Obligations whenever arising.

SECTION 3.08 Rights of Contribution . The Subsidiary Guarantors hereby agree, as between themselves, that if any Subsidiary Guarantor shall become an Excess Funding Guarantor (as defined below) by reason of the payment by such Subsidiary Guarantor of any Guaranteed Obligations, then each other Subsidiary Guarantor shall, on demand of such Excess Funding Guarantor (but subject to the next sentence), pay to such Excess Funding Guarantor an amount equal to such Subsidiary Guarantor’s Pro Rata Share (as defined below and determined, for this purpose, without reference to the properties, debts and liabilities of such Excess Funding Guarantor) of the Excess Payment (as defined below) in respect of such Guaranteed Obligations. The payment obligation of a Subsidiary Guarantor to any Excess Funding Guarantor under this Section 3.08 shall be subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under the other provisions of this Article III and such Excess Funding Guarantor shall not exercise any right or remedy with respect to such excess until payment and satisfaction in full of all of such obligations.

For purposes of this Section 3.08, (i) “ Excess Funding Guarantor ” means, in respect of any Guaranteed Obligations, a Subsidiary Guarantor that has paid an amount in excess of its Pro Rata Share of such Guaranteed Obligations, (ii) “ Excess Payment ” means, in respect of any Guaranteed Obligations, the amount paid by an Excess Funding Guarantor in excess of its Pro Rata Share of such Guaranteed Obligations and (iii) “ Pro Rata Share ” means, for any Subsidiary Guarantor, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of (x) the amount by which the aggregate fair saleable value of all properties of such Subsidiary Guarantor (excluding any shares of stock or other equity interest of any other Subsidiary Guarantor) exceeds the amount of all the debts and liabilities of such Subsidiary Guarantor (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder and any obligations of any other Subsidiary Guarantor that have been Guaranteed by such Subsidiary Guarantor) to (y) the amount by which the aggregate fair saleable value of all properties of the Borrower and all of the Subsidiary Guarantors exceeds the amount of all the debts and liabilities (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of the Loan Parties hereunder and under the other Loan Documents) of all of the Subsidiary Guarantors, determined (A) with respect to any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a party hereto on the Closing Date, as of the Closing Date, and (B) with respect to any other Subsidiary Guarantor, as of the date such Subsidiary Guarantor becomes a Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder.

 

68


SECTION 3.09 General Limitation on Guarantee Obligations . In any action or proceeding involving any state corporate, limited partnership or limited liability company law, or any state or Federal bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other law affecting the rights of creditors generally, if the obligations of any Subsidiary Guarantor under Section 3.01 would otherwise be held or determined to be void, voidable, invalid or unenforceable, or subordinated to the claims of any other creditors, on account of the amount of its liability under Section 3.01, then, notwithstanding any other provision hereof to the contrary, the amount of such liability shall, without any further action by such Subsidiary Guarantor, any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any other Person, be automatically limited and reduced to the highest amount that is valid and enforceable and not subordinated to the claims of other creditors as determined in such action or proceeding.

SECTION 3.10 Information . Each Subsidiary Guarantor assumes all responsibility for being and keeping itself informed of the Borrower’s financial condition and assets, and of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Guaranteed Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that each Subsidiary Guarantor assumes and incurs under this Guaranty, and agrees that none of the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Lender or any Lender shall have any duty to advise any Subsidiary Guarantor of information known to it regarding those circumstances or risks.

SECTION 3.11 Keepwell . Each Qualified Keepwell Provider hereby jointly and severally absolutely, unconditionally, and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each other Loan Party to honor all of its obligations under this guarantee in respect of any Hedging Obligation (provided, however, that each Qualified Keepwell Provider shall only be liable under this Section 3.11 for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this Section 3.11, or otherwise under this guarantee, voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations of each Qualified Keepwell Provider under this Section 3.11 shall remain in full force and effect until the payment and satisfaction in full of all Guaranteed Obligations and the expiration and termination of the Commitments of the Lenders under this Agreement. Each Qualified Keepwell Provider intends that this Section 3.11 constitute, and this Section 3.11 shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each other Loan Party for all purposes of section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

SECTION 3.12 Release of Guarantors .

(a) If, in compliance with the terms and provisions of the Loan Documents, (i) all or substantially all of the Capital Stock or property of any Subsidiary Guarantor are sold or otherwise transferred as permitted under this Agreement, to a Person or Persons, none of which is a Loan Party or (ii) any Subsidiary Guarantor becomes an Excluded Subsidiary, such Subsidiary Guarantor shall, upon the consummation of such sale or transfer or upon becoming an Excluded Subsidiary, be automatically released from its obligations under this Agreement and its obligations to pledge and grant any Collateral owned by it pursuant to any Security Document and the pledge of such Capital Stock to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Security Documents shall be automatically released, and, so long as the Borrower shall have provided the Administrative Agent such certifications or documents as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request, the Administrative Agent shall, at such Subsidiary Guarantor’s expense, take such actions as are necessary to effect each release described in this Section in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Security Documents; provided that no such release under clause (ii) above shall occur if such Subsidiary Guarantor continues to be a guarantor in respect of any agreement, document or instrument evidencing any Incremental Equivalent Debt, any Refinancing Debt, any Material Subordinated Debt or any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness of any of the foregoing, or has otherwise guaranteed or given assurances of payment or performance under or in respect of any such Indebtedness of the Borrower.

 

69


(b) The Guaranteed Parties hereby agree that upon the occurrence of (i) the Spin-Off pursuant to the Form 10 filed by the Borrower with the SEC on September 7, 2016, as amended on November 2, 2016 and as further amended on February 3, 2017, April 12, 2017, April 27, 2017 and May 4, 2017 and (ii) to the extent the Borrower and any of its subsidiaries have guaranteed the Parent Debt, the release of all guarantees made by the Borrower and any of its subsidiaries in respect of the Parent Debt (the date on which the events set forth in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) shall have occurred, the “ Parent Guaranty Release Date ”), Parent shall be automatically released from its obligations under the Parent Guaranty and cease to be a guarantor of the Obligations without any further action or notice.

ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

The Borrower represents and warrants (as to itself, each of its Subsidiaries and, solely with respect Section 4.18, each of its Unrestricted Subsidiaries) to the Lenders that as of the Closing Date and on each other date on which a Loan is made or Letter of Credit is issued and on any other date on which the representations and warranties in this Article IV are made or deemed made under any Loan Document and on any other date on which the representations and warranties in this Article IV are required under or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document to be true and correct in all material respects as a condition to any action or transaction:

SECTION 4.01 Organization; Powers . Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (a) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (b) has all requisite organizational power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and (c) 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 4.02 Authorization; Enforceability . The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Loan Party is a party and the consummation of the Transactions are within the Borrower’s and each other Loan Party’s corporate or other organizational powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, by all necessary shareholder or other organizational action. This Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents have been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party party thereto and constitutes, or when executed and delivered by such Loan Party will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against each such Loan Party in accordance with its terms, enforceable in accordance with its respective 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 4.03 Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts . The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Loan Party is a party and the consummation of the Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except for (i) such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (ii) filings and recordings in respect of the Liens created pursuant to the Security Documents and (iii) such consents, approvals, registrations, filings, or other actions the failure to obtain or make which could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (b) will not violate any Requirement of Law, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any Contractual Obligation upon the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or its or their respective assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, in the case of this clause (c), except to the extent such violation or default count not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and (d) except for the Liens created pursuant to the Security Documents, will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien (other than any Lien permitted under Section 7.02) on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

70


SECTION 4.04 Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change .

(a) Financial Condition . The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders (i) the consolidated or combined, as applicable, balance sheet and consolidated statements of income, equity and cash flows of Cars.com, LLC (f/k/a Classified Ventures, LLC) as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2016 and for the period from October 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014, in each case as reported on by Ernst & Young LLP and (ii) the consolidated or combined, as applicable, statements of income, changes in members’ equity and cash flows of Cars.com, LLC (f/k/a Classified Ventures, LLC) as of and for the period from January 1, 2014 to October 1, 2014, as reported on by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP. There are no liabilities of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, fixed or contingent, which are material in relation to the consolidated financial condition of the Borrower that are not reflected in the most recent consolidated financial statements of the Borrower delivered pursuant to this Section or Section 6.01(a) or (b) or in the notes thereto, other than (x) the Parent Debt, (y) liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business since the date of such financial statements and (z) any matters listed on Schedule 7.01.

(b) No Material Adverse Change . Except for the events as described in the Form 10 filed by the Borrower with the SEC on September 7, 2016, as amended on November 2, 2016 and as further amended on February 3, 2017, April 12, 2017, April 27, 2017 and May 4, 2017 (other than (i) any risk factor disclosures (other than any factual information contained therein) and any disclosure of risks included in any “forward-looking statements” disclaimer or similar cautionary or predictive statements, and (ii) material adverse developments in any matters disclosed therein that represent undisclosed or unanticipated developments in such matters), since December 31, 2016, no change, development or event has occurred that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 4.05 Properties .

(a) Property Generally . Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to its business, subject only to Liens permitted by Section 7.02 and except (i) for easements, restrictions, exceptions, reservations or defects in title that do not interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes or (ii) where the failure to have such title or interest could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Schedule 1.01(d) contains a true and complete list of each Mortgaged Property as of the Closing Date.

(b) Intellectual Property . Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, or otherwise has the right to use, all trademarks, tradenames, domain names, social and mobile media identifiers and other source identifiers, copyrights, patents, methods, processes and other intellectual property material to its business. The operation of the businesses of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries does not infringe upon, misappropriate or otherwise violate the rights of any other Person, in each case except for any such infringements, misappropriations or violations that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable measures to protect and maintain (i) the security,

 

71


integrity and continuous operation of their systems, networks, software and other information technology assets (and the data stored thereon) and (ii) the confidentiality of their trade secret, and there have been no breaches or outages of or unauthorized access to the foregoing, in each case, that could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 4.06 Litigation and Environmental Matters .

(a) Actions, Suits and Proceedings . There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Matters listed on Schedule 4.06(a)) or that question the validity or enforceability of this Agreement.

(b) Environmental Matters . Except for the Disclosed Matters listed on Schedule 4.06(b) and 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, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries (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 become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any facts that could reasonably be expected to result in any Environmental Liability.

SECTION 4.07 Compliance with Laws and Contractual Obligations . Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all Requirements of Law applicable to it or its property or all Contractual Obligations (including its policies relating to privacy and security) binding upon 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 4.08 Investment Company Act Status . Neither the Borrower nor its Subsidiaries is an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

SECTION 4.09 Taxes . Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 4.10 ERISA . Except with respect to any matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (a) no ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur and (b) the Borrower and each of its ERISA Affiliates has complied with the applicable provisions of ERISA and the Code with respect to each Pension Plan. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Pension Plan does not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets under such Pension Plan (determined in both cases using the applicable assumptions under Section 430 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder) by an amount that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

72


SECTION 4.11 Disclosure; Accuracy of Information . None of the written reports, financial statements, certificates or other written information (other than projections, other forward looking information and information of a general economic and/or industry nature) furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to the Administrative Agent, the Joint Bookrunners, the Joint

Lead Arrangers or any Lender in connection with the Transactions or in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or delivered hereunder or thereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) taken as a whole contains any untrue statement of material 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, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time made and at the time provided to the Administrative Agent, the Joint Bookrunners, the Joint Lead Arrangers or any Lender (it being understood that such projected financial information and all information concerning future proposed and intended activities of the Borrower and any Subsidiaries are forward-looking statements which by their nature are subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Borrower’s and any Subsidiaries’ control, and that actual results may differ, perhaps materially, from those expressed or implied in such forward looking statements, and the Borrower gives no assurance that the projections will be realized).

SECTION 4.12 Margin Regulations . Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or ultimate, of buying or carrying Margin Stock, and no part of the proceeds of any extension of credit hereunder will be used to buy or carry any Margin Stock.

SECTION 4.13 Labor Matters . Except with respect to any Disclosed Matters listed on Schedule 4.13 and except with respect to any matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (a) no collective bargaining agreement or other labor contract will expire during the term of this Agreement, (b) to the Borrower’s knowledge, no union or other labor organization is seeking to organize, or to be recognized as bargaining representative for, a bargaining unit of employees of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (c) there is no pending or, to the Borrower’s knowledge, threatened strike, work stoppage, material unfair labor practice claim or charge, arbitration or other labor dispute against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or their representative employees and (d) there are no actions, suits, charges, demands, claims, counterclaims or proceedings pending or, to the best of the Borrower’s knowledge, threatened against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, by or on behalf of, or with, its employees.

SECTION 4.14 Use of Proceeds . The Borrower will use the proceeds of any extension of credit hereunder in accordance with Section 6.10.

SECTION 4.15 No Default . No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

SECTION 4.16 Subsidiaries . Schedule 4.16 is a complete and correct list of all of the Subsidiaries (which, for purposes of this section, will be deemed to include both Subsidiaries and Unrestricted Subsidiaries) of the Borrower as of the Closing Date, together with, for each such Subsidiary as of the Closing Date, (i) the jurisdiction of organization of such Subsidiary, (ii) each Person holding ownership interests in such Subsidiary, (iii) the nature of the ownership interests held by each such Person and the percentage of ownership of such Subsidiary represented by such ownership interests, (iv) whether such Subsidiary is a Subsidiary Guarantor or an Excluded Subsidiary and (v) whether such Subsidiary is an Unrestricted Subsidiary. As of the Closing Date except as disclosed in Schedule 4.16, (x) each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, free and clear of Liens (other than Liens created pursuant to the Security Documents and statutory Liens permitted under Section 7.02), and has the unencumbered right to vote, all outstanding ownership interests in each Person shown to be held by it in Schedule 4.16, (y) all of the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of each such Person organized as a corporation is validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and (z) there are no outstanding Equity Rights with respect to such Person.

 

73


SECTION 4.17 Security Documents . The Liens granted by the Security Documents constitute valid perfected first priority Liens on the properties and assets covered by the Security Documents, to the extent required by the Security Documents and subject to no prior or equal Lien except those Liens permitted by Section 7.02.

SECTION 4.18 Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions; USA PATRIOT Act .

(a) The Borrower has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance in all material respects by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries, its Unrestricted Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, and the Borrower, its Subsidiaries, Unrestricted Subsidiaries and their respective officers, and to the knowledge of the Borrower, its employees and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects and are not knowingly engaged in any activity that would reasonably be expected to result in the Borrower being designated as a Sanctioned Person. None of (a) the Borrower, any Subsidiary, any Unrestricted Subsidiary or to the knowledge of the Borrower, such Subsidiary or such Unrestricted Subsidiary, any of their respective directors, officers or employees, or (b) to the knowledge of the Borrower, any agent of the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person. No Loan or Letter of Credit, use of proceeds or other transaction contemplated by this Agreement will violate Anti-Corruption Laws or applicable Sanctions.

(b) The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries and Unrestricted Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with the USA PATRIOT Act.

SECTION 4.19 Solvency . On the Closing Date, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, after giving effect to the Transactions and the incurrence of all Indebtedness and obligations being incurred in connection herewith and therewith will be Solvent.

SECTION 4.20 EEA Financial Institution . No Loan Party is an EEA Financial Institution.

ARTICLE V

CONDITIONS

SECTION 5.01 Conditions to Closing Date . The effectiveness of this Agreement and the obligations of the Lenders to make the Loans and of the Issuing Lenders to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which the following conditions have been satisfied (or such conditions shall have been waived in accordance with Section 10.02):

(a) Executed Counterparts . The Administrative Agent shall have received from the Borrower, each Subsidiary Guarantor and each Lender either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such Person or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy or email transmission of a signed signature page to this Agreement) that such Person has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.

 

74


(b) Opinion of Counsel to the Loan Parties . The Administrative Agent shall have received a written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lenders and the Lenders and dated the Closing Date) of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Loan Parties, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, covering such other matters relating to the Loan Parties, this Agreement or the Transactions as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request (and the Borrower hereby instructs such counsel to deliver such opinion to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent).

(c) Corporate Documents . The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of each Loan Party, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters relating to the Loan Parties, this Agreement or the Transactions, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

(d) Officer’s Certificate . The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by a senior executive officer of the Borrower, to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in Article IV, and of each Loan Party in each of the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, shall be true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifier contained therein) on and as of the Closing Date (or, if any such representation or warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific date, as of such specific date), (ii) at the time of and immediately after giving effect to the extensions of credit hereunder on the Closing Date, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (iii) the conditions specified in clause (h) of this Section has been satisfied.

(e) Solvency Certificate . The Administrative Agent shall have received a Solvency Certificate executed by the chief financial officer of the Borrower in the form of Exhibit E.

(f) Indebtedness . No Loan Party shall have any Indebtedness for borrowed money other than Indebtedness created by or permitted pursuant to this Agreement and the Parent Debt.

(g) Financial Information . The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) the financial statements of the Borrower referred to in Section 4.04(a) and (ii) draft consolidated balance sheets and related consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of and for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2017, together with a certificate, dated as of the Closing Date and signed by a senior executive officer of the Borrower, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent certifying as to the foregoing in this clause (ii).

(h) Material Adverse Effect . Except for the events as described in the Form 10 filed by the Borrower with the SEC on September 7, 2016, as amended on November 2, 2016 and as further amended on February 3, 2017, April 12, 2017, April 27, 2017 and May 4, 2017 (other than (i) any risk factor disclosures (other than any factual information contained therein) and any disclosure of risks included in any “forward-looking statements” disclaimer or similar cautionary or predictive statements, and (ii) material adverse developments in any matters disclosed therein that represent undisclosed or unanticipated developments in such matters), since December 31, 2016, no change, development or event shall have occurred that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

75


(i) USA PATRIOT Act . The Administrative Agent and the Joint Lead Arrangers shall have received, at least 5 days prior to the Closing Date, all documentation and other information with respect to the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors that shall have been reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Joint Lead Arranger in writing at least 10 Business Days prior to the Closing Date that the Administrative Agent or any Joint Lead Arranger reasonably determines is required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act.

(j) Costs and Expenses . All reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel, as to which invoices have been provided to the Borrower at least two Business Days prior to the Closing Date, shall have been paid or reimbursed.

(k) Fees . All fees payable pursuant to the Commitment Letter or the Fee Letter, in each case dated as of May 2, 2017 by and among the Borrower, JPMCB, Wells Fargo Bank Securities, LLC and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, including the Upfront Fees (as defined in the Fee Letter), shall have been paid by the Borrower to each Lender.

(l) Parent Guaranty . The Administrative Agent shall have received (for the benefit of the Guaranteed Parties) from Parent (i) a written a guaranty of the Obligations in the form of Exhibit F (the “ Parent Guaranty ”) and (ii) a certificate of the secretary, assistant secretary or other authorized officer of Parent dated as of the Closing Date and certifying (A) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of resolutions duly adopted by the Board of Directors of Parent authorizing the execution, delivery and performance by Parent of the Parent Guaranty and that such resolutions have not been modified, rescinded or amended and are in full force and effect on such date, (B) as to the incumbency and specimen signature of each officer or authorized signatory executing the Parent Guaranty on behalf of Parent, (C) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of the Certificate of Incorporation of Parent as in effect on such date and (D) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of the By-Laws of Parent as in effect on such date.

(m) Borrowing Request . The Administrative Agent shall have received a Borrowing Request and/or notice of issuance of Letter of Credit relating to the initial credit extensions hereunder.

(n) Spin-Off . The Administrative Agent shall have received one or more certificates from Parent, dated as of the Closing Date and signed by a senior executive officer of Parent, to the effect that (i) all guarantees made by the Borrower and any of its subsidiaries pursuant to the Parent Debt will be released upon the occurrence of the Spin-Off and (ii) the Spin-Off is permitted under the Parent Debt Documents.

SECTION 5.02 Each Credit Event . The obligation of each Lender to make any Loan, and of the Issuing Lenders to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction (or waiver pursuant to Section 10.02) of the following conditions:

(a) the representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in Article IV, and of each Loan Party in each of the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, shall be true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifier contained therein) on and as of the date of such Loan or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit (or, if any such representation or warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific date, as of such specific date); and

 

76


(b) at the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Loan or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

Each Borrowing, each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in clauses (a) and (b) of the immediately preceding sentence.

ARTICLE VI

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired, been terminated, backstopped or cash collateralized in a manner consistent with the requirements in Section 2.07(k) and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower (on behalf of itself and each of its Subsidiaries) covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

SECTION 6.01 Financial Statements and Other Information . The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

(a) within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, the audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of income, equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by Ernst & Young LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception (other than a disclosure, an exception or a qualification solely resulting from the impending maturity of any Indebtedness created hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (or any other Indebtedness permitted hereunder)) 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 and results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied and accompanied by a narrative report containing management’s discussion and analysis of the financial position and financial performance for such fiscal year in reasonable form and detail;

(b) within 60 days after the end of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, the consolidated balance sheets and related consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the corresponding period or periods of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and certified by a Responsible Officer as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

(c) if any Person has been designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clauses (a) or (b) above, financial statements (in substantially the same form as the financial statements delivered pursuant to clauses (a) and (b) above) prepared on the basis of consolidating the accounts of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, together with an explanation of reconciliation adjustments in reasonable detail;

 

77


(d) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) of this Section, (X) a certificate of a Responsible 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 demonstrating compliance with Section 7.11, (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the most recent audited financial statements of the Borrower referred to in Section 4.04(a) and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate, (Y) a certificate of a Responsible Officer setting forth the information required pursuant to Annexes 1 through 4 of the Security Agreement and certifying that such Annexes are true and correct in all material respects and contain all applicable collateral as of such date or confirming that there has been no change in such information since the date of the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to this Section 6.01(d)(Y) and (Z) a list of each direct and indirect subsidiary of the Borrower that identifies each such Person as a Subsidiary, an Unrestricted Subsidiary and/or an Excluded Subsidiary as of the date of delivery of such list or a confirmation that there has been no change to such information since the later of the Closing Date and the date of the last such list;

(e) annually, as soon as available, but in any event within 120 days after the first day of each fiscal year of the Borrower, an annual budget of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year in the same form prepared for the Borrower’s board of directors or in such other form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(f) promptly following receipt thereof, copies of any documents described in Sections 101(k) or 101(l) of ERISA that the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate may request with respect to any Multiemployer Plan; provided that if the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates have not requested such documents or notices from the administrator or sponsor of the applicable Multiemployer Plan, then, upon reasonable request of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and/or its ERISA Affiliates shall promptly make a request for such documents or notices from such administrator or sponsor and the Borrower shall provide copies of such documents and notices to the Administrative Agent promptly after receipt thereof;

(g) promptly upon receipt thereof, copies of all other final reports submitted to the Borrower by its independent certified public accountants in connection with any annual or interim audit or review of the books of the Borrower made by such accountants; and

(h) promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Sections 6.01(a) or (b) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) 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 Borrower’s website or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on Intralinks/IntraAgency or another relevant 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 the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (by telecopier or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents and provide the Administrative Agent with electronic mail versions of such documents.

 

78


The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent, the Joint Bookrunners and/or the Joint Lead Arrangers will make available to the Lenders and the Issuing Lenders materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “ Borrower Materials ”) by posting the Borrower Materials on Intralinks or another similar electronic information transmission 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 (within the meaning of the Federal securities laws) with respect to the 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 Borrower hereby agrees that it will identify that portion of the Borrower Materials that may be distributed to the Public Lenders and that (w) all such Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders 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 Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Joint Bookrunners, Joint Lead Arrangers, the Issuing Lenders and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as either information that is publicly available (or could be derived from publicly available information) or not material information (although it may be confidential, sensitive and proprietary) with respect to such Person or its securities for purposes of Federal securities laws ( provided , however , that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information (as such term is defined and used in Section 10.12), they shall be treated as set forth in Section 10.12); (y) all Borrower Materials specifically marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Lender”; and (z) the Administrative Agent, the Joint Bookrunners and the Joint Lead Arrangers shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Lender”. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower shall be under no obligation to mark any Borrower Materials “PUBLIC”.

SECTION 6.02 Notices of Material Events . The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following:

(a) the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default;

(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, other than disputes in the ordinary course of business or, whether or not in the ordinary of business, if adversely determined could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect

(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, individually or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

(d) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

SECTION 6.03 Existence; Conduct of Business . The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business, except (other than with respect to the Borrower’s legal existence) where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 7.03.

 

79


SECTION 6.04 Payment of Taxes and Other Obligations . The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities, that, if not paid, could result in a Material Adverse Effect before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Borrower or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 6.05 Maintenance of Properties . The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries 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, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 6.06 Maintenance of Insurance . (a) The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations; provided that the Borrower may maintain self-insurance reasonable and customary for similarly situated Persons.

(b) With respect to each Mortgaged Property that is located in an area identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency) as a “special flood hazard area” with respect to which flood insurance has been made available under Flood Insurance Laws, the Borrower shall, or shall cause the applicable Loan Party to, (i) maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies (except to the extent that any insurance company insuring the Mortgaged Property of the Borrower and each other Loan Party ceases to be financially sound and reputable after the Closing Date, in which case, the Borrower shall promptly replace such insurance company with a financially sound and reputable insurance company), such flood insurance in such amounts sufficient to comply with all applicable rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the Flood Insurance Laws and (ii) promptly upon request of the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, deliver to the Administrative Agent (for distribution to all Lenders), evidence of such compliance in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, including, without limitation, evidence of annual renewals of such insurance.

SECTION 6.07 Books and Records . The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which true and correct entries, in all material respects, are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities.

SECTION 6.08 Inspection Rights . The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent, 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, which shall be at the reasonable expense of the Borrower, not to exceed one time per year, and during the continuation of an Event of Default, at any time during normal business hours and without advance notice. Any Lender may accompany the Administrative Agent in connection with any inspection at such Lender’s expense.

 

80


SECTION 6.09 Compliance with Laws and Contractual Obligations . The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all Requirements of Law (including any Environmental Laws and any Requirements of Law relating to ERISA), in each case, applicable to it or its property, and all Contractual Obligations (including its policies relating to privacy and security), in each case, binding upon 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. The Borrower will maintain in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance in all material respects by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.

SECTION 6.10 Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit . (i) The proceeds of the Term Loans made on the Closing Date shall be used to fund the Closing Date Cash Transfer, to pay fees and expenses related to Transactions and the Spin-Off and for general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including for the consummation of any Acquisitions, Investments and Capital Expenditures not prohibited by this Agreement), and (ii) the proceeds of the Revolving Credit Loans made and the Letters of Credit issued hereunder on or after the Closing Date may be used, together with the proceeds of any Incremental Term Loans made after the Closing Date, for general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including for the consummation of any Acquisitions, Investments and Capital Expenditures not prohibited by this Agreement), provided that up to $225,000,000 of the proceeds of the Revolving Credit Loans may be used on the Closing Date to fund the Closing Date Cash Transfer and to pay fees and expenses related to the Transactions and the Spin-Off. No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of Regulations T, U or X.

SECTION 6.11 Additional Subsidiary Guarantors; Real Property; Further Assurances .

(a) Subsidiary Guarantors . The Borrower will take such action, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries (other than any Excluded Subsidiary), to take such action, from time to time as shall be reasonably necessary to ensure that all such Subsidiaries of the Borrower (other than Excluded Subsidiaries) are “Subsidiary Guarantors” hereunder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that (x) the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall form or acquire any new Domestic Subsidiary that shall constitute a Subsidiary hereunder (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) or (y) any Subsidiary (which, for purposes of this reference to “Subsidiary,” will be deemed to include an Unrestricted Subsidiary) of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall cease to constitute an Excluded Subsidiary, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries will cause such Subsidiary to, within 30 days (or such longer time as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion):

(i) become a “Subsidiary Guarantor” hereunder, and a “Securing Party” under the Security Agreement pursuant to a Subsidiary Joinder Agreement;

(ii) cause such Subsidiary to take such action (including delivering such shares of stock and executing and delivering such Uniform Commercial Code financing statements) as shall be necessary to create and perfect valid and enforceable first priority Liens on substantially all of the personal property of such new Subsidiary as collateral security for the obligations of such new Subsidiary hereunder to the extent required pursuant to the Security Agreement; and

(iii) deliver such proof of corporate action, incumbency of officers, opinions of counsel and other documents as is substantially consistent with those delivered by the Loan Parties pursuant to Section 5.01 on the Closing Date as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request.

 

81


(b) Real Property . If, subsequent to the Closing Date, a Loan Party (including a Person that becomes a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to Section 6.11(a)) shall acquire any fee-owned real property (for the avoidance of doubt which shall not include leasehold interests in any real property) having a fair market value of $10,000,000 or more (a “ Material Real Property ”) in the reasonable estimation of the Borrower, the Borrower shall promptly (and in any event within 10 Business Days), after any Responsible Officer of a Loan Party acquires knowledge of same, notify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Issuing Lender of same. The relevant Loan Party shall not be required to execute and deliver any Mortgage on such Material Real Property until (x) at least 60 days from the date the Borrower provided the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Issuing Lender with prior written notice of such acquisition of such Material Real Property and (y) the Borrower has received confirmation from the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Issuing Lender that flood insurance due diligence and flood insurance compliance as required by Section 6.11(b)(ix) hereto has been completed. As soon as practicable thereafter, but in any event within 90 days thereafter (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree), each Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, take such action at its own expense as reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to grant to the Administrative Agent the following with respect to such Material Real Property:

(i) Mortgages; Fixture Filings . The Borrower will deliver to the Administrative Agent a Mortgage encumbering such Mortgaged Property in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, duly executed and acknowledged by each Loan Party that is the owner of or holder of any interest in such Mortgaged Property, and otherwise in form for recording in the recording office of the appropriate recording office of the County where each such Mortgaged Property is situated, together with such certificates, affidavits, questionnaires or returns as may be reasonably necessary or advisable in connection with the recording or filing thereof to create a lien under applicable laws, and such financing statements and other instruments as may be reasonably necessary or advisable to grant a mortgage or deed of trust lien under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction on the Mortgaged Property and fixtures located thereon;

(ii) Consents and Approvals . The Borrower will deliver to the Administrative Agent such consents, approvals, assignments, amendments, supplements, estoppels, tenant subordination agreements, non-disturbance agreements or other instruments as may be reasonably necessary or advisable in order for the applicable Loan Party to grant the Lien of the Mortgage with respect thereto;

(iii) Title Insurance Policies . The Borrower will deliver to the Administrative Agent a policy of title insurance (or marked-up title insurance commitment or title proforma having the effect of a policy of title insurance) (a “ Title Policy ”) insuring the Lien of such Mortgage as a valid first mortgage or deed of trust Lien on the Mortgaged Property described therein in an amount not less than the estimated fair market value of such Mortgaged Property as reasonably determined by the Borrower, which Title Policy shall (A) be issued by a nationally-recognized title insurance company reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (the “ Title Company ”), (B) include such reinsurance arrangements (with provisions for direct access, if necessary) as shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, (C) be supplemented by a “tie-in” or “aggregation” endorsement, if available under applicable law, and such other endorsements as may reasonably be requested by the Administrative Agent (including (to the extent available in the applicable jurisdiction and/or with respect to the Mortgaged Property, in each case, on commercially reasonable terms) endorsements on matters relating to usury, first loss, zoning, contiguity, revolving credit, doing business, public road access, survey, variable rate, environmental lien, subdivision, mortgage recording tax, separate tax lot, and so-called comprehensive coverage over covenants and restrictions) if available under applicable law at commercially reasonable rates and (D) contain no other exceptions to title other than Permitted Liens and other exceptions acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion;

 

82


(iv) Affidavits and Other Information . The Borrower will deliver to the Administrative Agent such affidavits, certificates, information (including financial data) and instruments of indemnification (including a so-called “gap” indemnification) as may be required to induce the Title Company to issue the Title Policies and endorsements contemplated above;

(v) Payment of Title Fees and Premiums . The Borrower will deliver to the Administrative Agent evidence reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent of payment by 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 and endorsements contemplated above;

(vi) Leases . The Borrower will deliver to the Administrative Agent copies of all leases (or other agreements relating to possessory interests, if any) affecting such Mortgaged Property pursuant to which any Loan Party holds the lessor’s (or other grantor’s or licensor’s) interest, which agreement shall, if reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, be subordinate to the Lien of the applicable Mortgage, either expressly by its terms or pursuant to a subordination, non-disturbance and attornment agreement in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent;

(vii) Opinions . The Borrower will deliver to the Administrative Agent favorable written opinions, addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties, of local counsel to the Loan Parties in each jurisdiction (i) where a Mortgaged Property is located regarding the enforceability of each such Mortgage and customary related matters and (ii) where the applicable Loan Party granting the Mortgage on said Mortgaged Property is organized, regarding the due execution, delivery and enforceability of each such Mortgage, and such other matters as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, each in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent; and

(viii) Surveys . The Borrower will deliver to the Administrative Agent a survey of such Mortgaged Property that is (A) (w) prepared by a surveyor or engineer licensed to perform surveys in the jurisdiction where such Mortgaged Property is located, (x) certified to the Administrative Agent and the Title Company, (y) compliant with the minimum requirements of the American Land Title Association as such requirements are in effect on the date of preparation thereof and (z) sufficient for the Title Company to remove the standard survey exception from the applicable Title Policy and to provide reasonable and customary survey-related endorsements thereto or (B) otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (a “ Survey ”); provided, however, that a Survey shall not be required to the extent that (x) an existing survey together with an “affidavit of no change” satisfactory to the Title Company is delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Title Company and (y) the Title Company removes the standard survey exception from the applicable Title Policy and provides reasonable and customary survey-related endorsements thereto.

(ix) Flood Hazards . The Administrative Agent shall have received for each Mortgaged Property (i) a completed “life-of-loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency standard flood hazard determination, (ii) if such Mortgaged Property is located in an area identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency) as a special flood hazard area, a notice about Special Flood Hazard Area status and flood disaster assistance duly executed

 

83


by the Borrower and the applicable Loan Party relating thereto) and (iii) if such Mortgaged Property is located in an area identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency) as a special flood hazard area, a copy of an insurance policy, or a declaration page relating to an insurance policy, in either case showing coverage for flood insurance in an amount reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Issuing Lender and otherwise sufficient to comply with all applicable rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the Flood Insurance Laws, each of which shall (A) be endorsed or otherwise amended to include a “standard” or “New York” lender’s loss payable or mortgagee endorsement (as applicable), (B) name the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, as additional insured and loss payee/mortgagee, (C) identify the address of each property located in a Special Flood Hazard Area, the applicable flood zone designation and the flood insurance coverage and deductible relating thereto and (D) be otherwise in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Issuing Lender. The Administrative Agent has adopted internal policies and procedures that address requirements placed on federally regulated Lenders under the Flood Insurance Laws. The Administrative Agent will post on the applicable electronic platform (or otherwise distribute to each lender in the syndicate) documents that it receives in connection with the Flood Insurance Laws. However, the Administrative Agent reminds each Lender and Participant that, pursuant to the Flood Insurance Laws, each federally regulated Lender (whether acting as a Lender or Participant in the facility) is responsible for assuring its own compliance with the flood insurance requirements.

(x) No Material Real Property . As of the Closing Date, there is no Material Real Property owned by the Loan Parties.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) the Administrative Agent may waive any of the requirements specified in this Section 6.11(b) if the Administrative Agent determines, in its sole discretion, that the burden, cost, time or consequences of obtaining such deliverable is excessive in relation to the benefits to be obtained therefrom by the Secured Parties, and (ii) if the Borrower, after using commercially reasonable efforts, is unable to comply with the requirements of Section 6.11(b)(ix) or with any commercially reasonable request made pursuant thereto by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or Issuing Lender, in each case with respect to any Material Real Property, then the Borrower shall not be required to deliver any of the items set forth in Section 6.11(b) with respect to such Material Real Property (it being understood and agreed by the parties hereto that compliance by the Borrower with, and any request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or Issuing Lender for the Borrower to comply with, the requirements of Section 6.11(b)(ix), in each case to the extent required by the Flood Insurance Laws, is commercially reasonable); provided that nothing in this paragraph shall result in the non-compliance by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or Issuing Lender with the Flood Insurance Laws.

(c) Further Assurances . The Borrower will, and will cause each of the Loan Parties to, take such action from time to time as shall reasonably be requested by the Administrative Agent to effectuate the purposes and objectives of this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, in the event that any additional Capital Stock shall be issued by any Subsidiary of a Loan Party, the applicable Loan Party agrees forthwith to deliver to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Security Agreement the certificates evidencing such shares of stock (to the extent certificated), accompanied by undated stock powers executed in blank and to take such other action as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request to perfect the security interest created therein pursuant to the Security Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, no Loan Party shall be required to grant or perfect a security interest in any property with respect to which the Administrative Agent and the Borrower determine, in their reasonable discretion, that the costs or other consequences of granting or perfecting a security interest therein (including any material adverse tax consequences) are excessive in relation to the benefits to Secured Parties afforded thereby. If requested by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to cooperate with and provide any information necessary for the Administrative Agent to conduct its flood due diligence and flood insurance compliance.

 

84


SECTION 6.12 Subsidiaries; Designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries .

(a) In the event that any Person becomes a Subsidiary (which, for purposes of this reference to “Subsidiary,” will be deemed to include an Unrestricted Subsidiary) of the Borrower, such Person is or will be deemed to be a Subsidiary hereunder until such time as the Borrower has designated such Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the terms of Section 6.12(b).

(b) The Borrower may at any time designate any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Subsidiary by delivering to the Administrative Agent a certificate of an Responsible Officer of the Borrower specifying such designation and certifying that the following conditions to such designation set forth in this Section are satisfied; provided that:

(i) both immediately before and immediately after any such designation, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

(ii) after giving effect to such designation on a Pro Forma Basis, the Borrower is in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11; and

(iii) in the case of a designation of a Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, each subsidiary of such Subsidiary has been, or concurrently therewith will be, designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with this Section.

The designation of any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall constitute an Investment by the Borrower in such Subsidiary on the date of designation in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Borrower’s Investment therein (as determined reasonably and in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower), and the aggregate amount of all Investments permitted to be made in all “Unrestricted Subsidiaries” will be limited as provided in Section 7.06. The designation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a 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 Borrower in such Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to the preceding sentence in an amount equal to the fair market value at the date of such designation of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiary’s (as applicable) Investment in such Subsidiary.

SECTION 6.13 Spin-Off . Within one Business Day of the Closing Date, (a) Parent shall have caused the Spin-Off to have been consummated substantially in accordance with the Form 10 filed by the Borrower with the SEC on September 7, 2016, as amended on November 2, 2016 and as further amended on February 3, 2017, April 12, 2017, April 27, 2017 and May 4, 2017, and (b) the Administrative Agent shall have received one or more certificates from Parent, dated as of the date the Spin-Off is consummated and signed by a senior executive officer of Parent, to the effect that (i) the requirements specified in clause (a) of this Section have been satisfied, (ii) all guarantees made by the Borrower and any of its subsidiaries pursuant to the Parent Debt have been released and (iii) the Spin-Off is permitted under the Parent Debt Documents. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, upon the delivery of the certificate or certificates from Parent described in the immediately preceding sentence, the Spin-Off will be deemed to have occurred for all purposes under this Agreement and each other Loan Document (including, without limitation, the Security Agreement and Section 3 thereof).

 

85


SECTION 6.14 Security Documents . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, within one Business Day of the Closing Date (or, solely with respect to clause (b), such later date as shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) the Borrower shall have caused to be delivered to the Administrative Agent (a) the Security Agreement, duly executed and delivered by the Borrower, each other Loan Party and the Administrative Agent, (b) certificates, if any, representing the Pledged Equity (as defined in the Security Agreement) accompanied by undated stock powers executed in blank and instruments evidencing the Pledged Debt (as defined in the Security Agreement) indorsed in blank, (c) each document (including, without limitation, any Uniform Commercial Code financing statement) required by the Security Documents or under law or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be filed, registered or recorded in order to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a perfected Lien on the collateral described therein, prior and superior in right to any other Person (other than with respect to Liens expressly permitted by Section 7.02), which shall have been delivered to the Administrative Agent in proper form for filing, registration or recordation (it being understood that no account control agreements or landlord waivers shall be required to be obtained or otherwise delivered by any of the Loan Parties), and (d) a written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lenders and the Lenders and dated the Closing Date) of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Loan Parties, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, covering such other matters relating to the Loan Parties, this Agreement or the Transactions as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request (and the Borrower hereby instructs such counsel to deliver such opinion to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent). In addition, the Administrative Agent shall have received the results of recent lien searches in each relevant jurisdiction with respect to the Loan Parties, and such searches shall reveal no Liens on any of the assets of the Loan Parties except for Liens permitted by Section 7.02 or Liens to be discharged pursuant to documentation or arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 6.15 Insurance . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, within 60 days of the Closing Date (or such later date as shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent), the Loan Parties shall deliver to the Administrative Agent evidence that all insurance required to be maintained as of the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6.06 has been obtained and is in effect and that the Administrative Agent has, to the extent available, been named as loss payee under each insurance policy with respect to such insurance as to which the Administrative Agent shall have reasonably requested to be so named.

ARTICLE VII

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired, been terminated, backstopped or cash collateralized in a manner consistent with the requirements in Section 2.07(k) and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower (on behalf of itself and each of its Subsidiaries) covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

SECTION 7.01 Indebtedness . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a) Indebtedness created hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any Incremental Facilities and Refinancing Facilities);

 

86


(b) Indebtedness existing on the Closing Date and (other than any obligation with respect to such Indebtedness that is less than $500,000 individually or $2,500,000 in the aggregate) set forth on Schedule 7.01 and any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to refund, refinance or replace any such Indebtedness incurred under this Section 7.01(b);

(c) (i) Indebtedness of the Borrower to any Loan Party, (ii) Indebtedness of any Loan Party (other than the Borrower) to the Borrower or any other Loan Party and (iii) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party; provided that with respect to Indebtedness incurred after the Closing Date by the Loan Parties to any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, (x) such Indebtedness shall be unsecured and subordinated in right of payment to the Guaranteed Obligations pursuant to an intercompany note in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and (y) the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness, together with the aggregate amount of Investments by the Loan Parties in such Subsidiaries made under Section 7.06(c)(ii) after the Closing Date and the aggregate amount of Investments made by the Loan Parties in subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties pursuant to Section 7.06(f), shall not exceed the greater of $18,750,000 and 7.5% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Reference Period (measured at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness);

(d) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets, including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions thereof and Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to refund, refinance or replace any such Indebtedness incurred under this Section 7.01(d); provided that (i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior to, at the time of or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement and (ii) the sum of the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (d) shall not exceed the greater of $18,750,000 and 7.5% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Reference Period at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness;

(e) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the Closing Date and any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to refund, refinance or replace any such Indebtedness incurred under this Section 7.01(e); provided that (i) such Indebtedness exists at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary and (ii) the sum of the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (e) shall not exceed the greater of $50,000,000 and 20.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Reference Period at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness;

(f) Incremental Equivalent Debt and Refinancing Equivalent Debt;

(g) Indebtedness incurred after the Closing Date by the Borrower or any Subsidiary not exceeding an aggregate principal amount equal to the greater of $12,500,000 and 5.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Reference Period at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness at any time outstanding pursuant to Sale/Leaseback Transactions permitted under Section 7.12;

(h) Indebtedness of Foreign Subsidiaries; provided that the sum of the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted to be outstanding at any time by this clause (h) shall not exceed $75,000,000 (or the foreign currency equivalent thereof, if not denominated in Dollars);

 

87


(i) Indebtedness arising out of (i) Cash Management Obligations and (ii) Hedging Agreements not entered into for speculative purposes, in each case of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;

(j) Guarantees by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of borrowings by current or former officers, managers, directors, employees or consultants in connection with the purchase of equity of the Borrower by any such person in an aggregate principal amount outstanding at the time not to exceed $5,000,000;

(k) (i) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred to finance an acquisition or merger, consolidation or amalgamation, provided that, after giving effect to the incurrence thereof on a Pro Forma Basis, (A) if such Indebtedness is (or is intended to be) secured by Liens on Collateral, (x) the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio is equal to or less than 3.00 to 1.00 and (y) any such Liens shall be subject to customary intercreditor arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (B) if such Indebtedness is unsecured, the Total Net Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to the then-applicable Required Ratio, in each case, on the last day of the applicable Reference Period, and (ii) any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of Indebtedness incurred under this Section 7.01(k);

(l) additional Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount outstanding at the time of incurrence not to exceed the greater of $62,500,000 and 25.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Reference Period (measured at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness);

(m) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection with one or more standby or trade-related letters of credit, performance bonds, bid bonds, stay bonds, appeal bonds, bankers acceptances, statutory obligations or bonds, health or social security benefits, unemployment or other insurance obligations, workers’ compensation claims, insurance obligations, bank guarantees, surety bonds, utility bonds, performance guarantees, completion guarantees or other similar bonds and obligations issued by or on behalf of the Borrower or a Subsidiary, in each case, in the ordinary course of business or pursuant to self-insurance obligations and not in connection with the borrowing of money or the obtaining of advances;

(n) Indebtedness arising from agreements of the Borrower or any Subsidiaries providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price, earnouts or similar obligations, in each case, incurred or assumed in connection with any Acquisition or Disposition permitted hereunder;

(o) Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business;

(p) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary consisting of the financing of insurance premiums owed to the provider of such insurance or an affiliate thereof in the ordinary course of business;

(q) Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any Subsidiaries from guaranties of letters of credit, surety bonds or performance bonds securing the performance by the Borrower or any such Subsidiaries pursuant to such agreements, in connection with the effectuation of an Investments permitted under Section 7.06;

 

88


(r) (i) additional unsecured Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary (A) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $125,000,000 and (B) in an unlimited amount so long as such unsecured Indebtedness (I) has no scheduled principal payments or prepayments prior to, or (II) automatically converts, within 91 days of the incurrence thereof, to Indebtedness having no scheduled principal payments or prepayments prior to, in each case, the date that is 91 days after the Latest Maturity Date (as determined as of the date of incurrence of such Indebtedness); provided that, for all purposes of this clause (i), (x) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or will immediately result from the incurrence of such Indebtedness and (y) after giving Pro Forma Effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof, the Borrower shall be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 on the last day of such period, and (ii) any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this Section 7.01(r); and

(s) for one Business Day following the Closing Date, Guaranties of the Parent Debt incurred by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 7.01 or Section 7.06, the amount of any Indebtedness denominated in any currency other than Dollars shall be calculated based on customary currency exchange rates in effect, in the case of such Indebtedness incurred (in respect of term Indebtedness) or committed (in respect of revolving Indebtedness) on or prior to the Closing Date, on the Closing Date and, in the case of such Indebtedness incurred (in respect of term Indebtedness) or committed (in respect of revolving Indebtedness) after the Closing Date, on the date on which such Indebtedness was incurred (in respect of term Indebtedness) or committed (in respect of revolving Indebtedness); provided , that if such Indebtedness is incurred to refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a currency other than Dollars (or in a different currency from the Indebtedness being refinanced), and such refinancing would cause the applicable Dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such Dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed (i) the outstanding or committed principal amount, as applicable, of such Indebtedness being refinanced plus (ii) the aggregate amount of fees, underwriting discounts, premiums (including tender premiums), accrued interest, defeasance costs and other costs and expenses incurred in connection with such refinancing.

Further, for purposes of determining compliance with this Section 7.01, (A) in the event that an item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories set forth above, the Borrower will be permitted to divide and classify such item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) on the date of its incurrence.

In addition, with respect to any Indebtedness that was permitted to be incurred hereunder on the date of such incurrence, any Increased Amount of such Indebtedness shall also be permitted hereunder after the date of such incurrence. “ Increased Amount ” of any Indebtedness shall mean any increase in the amount of such Indebtedness in connection with any accrual of interest, the accretion of accreted value, the amortization of original issue discount, the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness, the accretion of original issue discount, or liquidation preference and increases in the amount of Indebtedness outstanding solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies.

SECTION 7.02 Liens . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it:

(a) Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents;

 

89


(b) Permitted Liens;

(c) any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries existing on the Closing Date and (other than Liens that secure obligations of less than $100,000 individually or $2,500,000 in the aggregate) set forth on Schedule 7.02; provided that (i) no such Lien shall extend to any other property or asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries other than proceeds and products thereof and (ii) any such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the Closing Date and extensions, renewals, modifications, restatements, replacements and combinations thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof or commitment therefor, in each case, as in effect on the Closing Date and any Permitted Refinancing Increase;

(d) Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or improved by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such security interests secure Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.01(d) (including any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof), (ii) such security interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to, at the time of or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 100% of the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets and any Permitted Refinancing Increase and (iv) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary other than proceeds and products of such fixed or capital assets;

(e) any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the Closing Date prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided that (i) such security interests secure Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.01 (d), (e) or (k), (ii) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary (other than with respect to Liens to secure Indebtedness under Section 7.01(k)), as the case may be, (iii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary other than proceeds and products of such acquired assets and (iv) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may be and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the original outstanding principal amount thereof beyond any Permitted Refinancing Increase;

(f) Liens as a result of the filing of UCC financing statements as precautionary measure in connection with leases, operating leases or consignment arrangements;

(g) Liens to secure any Indebtedness issued or incurred to Refinance (or successive Indebtedness issued or incurred for subsequent Refinancings) as a whole, or in part, any Indebtedness secured by any Lien permitted by this Section 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(n); provided that (i) such Lien does not extend to any other property (plus improvements on and accessions to such property, proceeds and products thereof, customary security deposits and any other assets pursuant to after-acquired property clauses to the extent such assets secured (or would have secured) the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded, extended, renewed or replaced) and (ii) except as contemplated by the definition of “Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness,” the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness secured by such Lien is not increased;

(h) Liens securing Indebtedness or other obligations not prohibited hereunder, in each case of the Borrower or a Subsidiary owed to the Borrower or a Subsidiary; provided that no Loan Party shall grant a Lien in favor of a non-Loan Party;

 

90


(i) Liens in favor of collecting or payor banks having a right of setoff, revocation, refund or chargeback with respect to money or instruments of the Borrower or any Subsidiary on deposit with or in possession of such bank and that are within the general parameters customary in the banking industry or arising pursuant to such banking institution’s general terms and conditions;

(j) Liens on the Collateral to secure Incremental Equivalent Debt and Refinancing Equivalent Debt, provided that such Liens shall be subject customary intercreditor arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent;

(k) options, put and call arrangements, rights of first refusal and similar rights relating to Investments in joint ventures, partnerships and the like;

(l) Liens solely on any cash money deposits made by the Borrower or any Subsidiary pursuant to merger agreements, stock or asset purchase agreements and Liens on assets to be disposed of pending a Disposition permitted hereunder of such assets pursuant to any asset purchase agreement or similar agreement;

(m) Liens securing Indebtedness incurred under Section 7.01(i); and

(n) Liens not otherwise permitted by this Section 7.02 so long as neither (i) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the obligations secured thereby nor (ii) the aggregate fair market value (determined as of the date such Lien is incurred) of the assets subject thereto exceeds (as to the Borrower and all Subsidiaries) the greater of (x) $18,750,000 and (y) 7.5% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Reference Period at the time of incurrence of such Lien.

For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 7.02, (A) a Lien securing an item of Indebtedness need not be permitted solely by reference to one category of permitted Liens (or any portion thereof) described above but may be permitted in part under any combination thereof and (B) in the event that a Lien securing an item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of one or more of the categories of permitted Liens (or any portion thereof) described above, the Borrower may, in its sole discretion, classify such Lien securing such item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) in any manner that complies with this Section 7.02 and at the time of classification will be entitled to only include the amount and type of such Lien or such item of Indebtedness secured by such Lien (or any portion thereof) in one of the above clauses (or any portion thereof).

SECTION 7.03 Mergers, Consolidations, Etc . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any transaction of merger or consolidation or amalgamation, or liquidate, wind up or dissolve itself (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution), except that:

(a) any Subsidiary may be merged or consolidated with or into the Borrower, so long as the Borrower is the surviving entity;

(b) any Subsidiary may be merged or consolidated with or into any other Subsidiary, so long as if any Subsidiary party to such transaction is a Loan Party, the surviving entity thereof is a Loan Party;

(c) the Borrower and any Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with any other Person in a transaction in which (x) the Borrower or such Subsidiary is the surviving or continuing Person; or (y) only with respect to a Subsidiary, the Subsidiary is not the surviving Person but such merger or consolidation is permitted under Section 7.04; and

 

91


(d) any Subsidiary may be wound up, dissolved or liquidated if the Borrower determines in good faith such winding up, liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower and not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders and all assets (if any) of such Subsidiary are transferred to a Loan Party prior to such wind up, dissolution or liquidation.

SECTION 7.04 Dispositions . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to Dispose of, in one transaction or a series of transactions, any part of its business or property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, except:

(a) Damaged, obsolete, unusable, surplus, used or worn out property, tools or equipment no longer used or useful in its business;

(b) any inventory or other property sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business and for fair consideration;

(c) Dispositions to the Borrower or a Subsidiary, including the sale or issuance by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of any equity interests of any Subsidiary;

(d) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any or all of its property to the Borrower or any wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a Loan Party;

(e) the Capital Stock of any Subsidiary may be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of to the Borrower or any wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a Loan Party; and

(f) Dispositions of property by the Borrower or any Subsidiary having an aggregate fair market value not exceeding the greater of $12,500,000 and 5.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Reference Period (measured at the time of such Disposition) per annum;

(g) Dispositions of property by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to effect Sale/Leaseback Transactions permitted under Section 7.12;

(h) Dispositions to effect transactions permitted pursuant to Sections 7.02, 7.03 (other than Section 7.03(c)(y)) and 7.07;

(i) the abandonment, allowance to lapse or expiration of intellectual property in the ordinary course of business;

(j) Dispositions of cash and Cash Equivalents in the ordinary course of business;

(k) Dispositions of defaulted receivables in the ordinary course of business or in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof in the ordinary course of business or in bankruptcy or similar proceeding;

(l) Dispositions of assets resulting from condemnation or casualty events;

 

92


(m) Dispositions of property by the Borrower or any Subsidiary if immediately after giving effect to such Disposition, (i) the aggregate consideration received by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such Disposition shall be in an amount at least equal to the fair market value (as reasonably determined by the Borrower in good faith) thereof (measured either, at the option of the Borrower, at the time of the Disposition or as of the date of the definitive agreement with respect to such Disposition) and (ii) at least 75% of the aggregate consideration for such Disposition shall be paid in cash or Cash Equivalents, provided that, for purposes of this provision, each of the following shall be deemed to be cash:

(A) (i) instruments, notes, securities or other obligations received by the Borrower or such Subsidiary from the purchaser that within 180 days of the closing is converted by the Borrower or such Subsidiary to cash or Cash Equivalents, to the extent of the cash or Cash Equivalents actually so received and (ii) any cash payments received with respect to instruments, notes, securities or other obligations referred to in clause (i) immediately above within 180 days of such Disposition;

(B) the assumption by the purchaser of Indebtedness or other obligations or liabilities (as shown on the Borrower’s most recent balance sheet or in the footnotes thereto) of the Borrower or a Subsidiary pursuant to operation of law or a customary novation or assumption agreement; and

(C) any Designated Non-Cash Consideration received by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in the Disposition, taken together with all other Designated Non-Cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (c) that is at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (x) $12,500,000 and (y) 5.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Reference Period at the time of receipt of such outstanding Designated Non-Cash Consideration (with the fair market value (as reasonably determined by the Borrower in good faith) of each item of Designated Non-Cash Consideration being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value);

(n) any surrender or waiver of contractual rights or the settlement, release, or surrender of contractual, tort or other claims of any kind or any settlement, discount, write off, forgiveness, or cancellation of any Indebtedness owing by any present or former directors, officers, or employees of the Borrower or` any Subsidiary or any of their successors or assigns;

(o) the unwinding or termination of any Hedging Agreement;

(p) Dispositions of equity interests of an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

(q) Dispositions for fair market value (as reasonably determined by the Borrower in good faith) of non-core assets acquired in connection with an acquisition permitted hereunder by the Borrower or any Subsidiary , provided the marketing of such Disposition commences within 90 days of such acquisition, and provided , further , that such non-core assets are designated by the Borrower in writing to the Administrative Agent as being held for sale and not for the continued operation of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses; and

(r) Leases of real or personal property and non-exclusive licenses and sub-licenses of intellectual property, in each case, in the ordinary course of business which do not materially interfere with the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

93


SECTION 7.05 Lines of Business . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the Closing Date and businesses reasonably related, complementary, adjacent, incidental or ancillary thereto and vertical or horizontal reasonably related expansions thereof.

SECTION 7.06 Investments and Acquisitions . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, make or suffer to exist any Investment in any Person or purchase, except:

(a) Cash and Cash Equivalents;

(b) Investments (other than Investments permitted under clauses (a) and (c) of this Section) existing on the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 7.06 and any Investment that replaces, refinances or refunds any Investment made pursuant to this Section 7.06(b); provided that the amount of any such Investment may be increased (x) as required by the terms of such Investment as in existence on the date hereof or (y) as otherwise permitted hereunder ;

(c) (i) Investments by any Loan Party in any other Loan Party; and (ii) Investments by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party; provided that (x) any Investment made by any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in any Loan Party shall be unsecured and subordinated in right of payment to the Guaranteed Obligations pursuant to an intercompany note in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent and (y) the aggregate amount of Investments by the Loan Parties in any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party after the Closing Date, together with the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness owing by any Loan Party to such subsidiaries incurred under Section 7.01(c)(ii) after the Closing Date and the aggregate amount of Investments made by the Loan Parties in subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties pursuant to Section 7.06(f), shall not exceed the greater of (x) $18,750,000 and (y) 7.5% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Reference Period (measured when such Investment is made);

(d) Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.01;

(e) purchases of inventory and other property to be sold or used in the ordinary course of business;

(f) Acquisitions after the Closing Date by the Borrower or any other Loan Party; provided that (i) if such Acquisition is an acquisition of Capital Stock of a Person, such Acquisition shall not be opposed by the board of directors (or similar governing body) of such Person, (ii) no Default or Event of Default shall have then occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, (iii) after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Acquisition, the Borrower shall be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 on the last day of such period, (iv) the aggregate amount of Investments made by the Loan Parties in subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties (and will not become Loan Parties promptly following such Acquisition) pursuant to this clause (f) after the Closing Date, together with the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness owing by a Loan Party to such subsidiaries incurred under Section 7.01(c)(ii) after the Closing Date and the aggregate amount of Investments by the Loan Parties in such subsidiaries made under Section 7.06(c)(ii) after the Closing Date, shall not exceed the greater of (x) $18,750,000 and (y) 7.5% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Reference Period (measured at the time of the Acquisition), and (v) for Acquisitions in excess of $25,000,000, prior to the consummation of any such Acquisition, the Administrative Agent shall

 

94


have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer setting forth the calculations required to determine compliance with clause (iii) above and certifying that the conditions set forth in this clause (f) with respect to such Acquisition have been satisfied (any Acquisition that satisfies the requirements of this clause (f), a “ Permitted Acquisition ”);

(g) Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business and Investments (including debt obligations) received by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of suppliers and/or customers and in good faith settlement of delinquent obligations of, and other disputes with, customers and/or suppliers arising in the ordinary course of business;

(h) Investments under Hedging Agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is exposed in the conduct of its business or the management of its liabilities;

(i) bona fide loans and advances to employees and officers of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the purpose of paying payroll, travel and related expenses and other loans and advances incurred for proper business purposes of the Borrower or such Subsidiary;

(j) Investments received by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in connection with any Disposition permitted by Section 7.04;

(k) Investments held by any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the Closing Date; provided that (i) such Investments exist at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary and are not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary and (ii) such Investments shall not be increased after such time unless such increase is permitted by another clause of this Section;

(l) other Investments (including Acquisitions) after the Closing Date; provided that after giving effect to such Investment on a Pro Forma Basis, the Total Net Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to the then-applicable Required Ratio, in each case, as of the last day of the most recently ended Reference Period;

(m) Investments in an aggregate amount not to exceed the Available Amount; provided that at the time of any such Investment and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

(n) Investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate outstanding amount not to exceed the greater of (x) $18,750,000 and (y) 7.5% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Reference Period, in each case measured at the time such Investment is made;

(o) Investments received in compromise or resolution of litigation, arbitration or other disputes;

(p) endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business;

(q) (i) Investments made pursuant to surety bonds, performance bonds, bid bonds, appeal bonds and related letters of credit or similar obligations, in each case, to the extent such surety bonds, performance bonds, bid bonds, substituting appeal bonds, related letters of credit and similar obligations are permitted under this Agreement and (ii) Investments consisting of

 

95


indemnification obligations in respect of performance bonds, bid bonds, appeal bonds, surety bonds and similar obligations or to secure liabilities to insurance carriers under insurance arrangements, or good faith deposits, prepayments or cash payments in connection with bids, tenders, contracts or leases or for payment of rent, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business; and

(r) in addition to Investments otherwise expressly permitted by this Section 7.06, Investments by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount (valued at cost on the date such Investment was made) not to exceed the greater of $62,500,000 and 25.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Reference Period (measured at the time of such Investment), at any time outstanding during the term of this Agreement.

SECTION 7.07 Restricted Payments . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except that:

(a) the Borrower and each Subsidiary may declare and pay dividends with respect to its Capital Stock payable solely in additional shares of its Capital Stock;

(b) the Borrower may make the Closing Date Cash Transfer on the Closing Date;

(c) the purchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of equity interests of the Borrower held by current officers, directors or employees or former officers, directors or employees (or their estates or beneficiaries under their estates or their immediate family members) of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries upon death, disability, retirement, severance or termination of employment or pursuant to any agreement under which the equity interests were issued; provided that the aggregate cash consideration paid therefor after the date hereof in any fiscal year does not exceed an aggregate amount of $3,000,000;

(d) cash payments in lieu of fractional shares or equity interests upon the repurchases of equity interests in connection with the withholding of a portion of the equity interests granted or awarded to a director or an employee of the Borrower to pay for the taxes payable by such director or employee upon such grant or award;

(e) so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, other Restricted Payments made pursuant to this Section 7.07(e) in an amount not to exceed $15,000,000 in the aggregate;

(f) the payment of any dividend or distribution or the consummation of any redemption within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof or giving of the redemption notice therefor if, at the date of declaration or giving of the redemption notice therefor, such payment or redemption would be permitted under this Section 7.07;

(g) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments after the Closing Date; provided that, (i) at the time of any such Restricted Payment and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (ii) after giving effect to any such Restricted Payment on a Pro Forma Basis, the Total Net Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to 1.50 to 1.00 on the last day of such period; and

 

96


(h) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed the Available Amount, provided that (x) at the time of any such Restricted Payment and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (y) after giving effect to any such Restricted Payment on a Pro Forma Basis, the Borrower is in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 recomputed as of the last day of such period;

provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to prohibit (x) the payment of dividends by any Subsidiary of the Borrower to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower or, if applicable, any minority shareholder of such Subsidiary (in accordance with the percentage of the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary owned by such minority shareholder) and (y) repurchases of Capital Stock deemed to occur as a result of the surrender of such Capital Stock for cancellation in connection with the exercise of stock options or warrants.

SECTION 7.08 Transactions with Affiliates . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries 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:

(a) transactions in the ordinary course of business at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s length basis from a Person that is not an Affiliate;

(b) transactions between or among the Borrower and its wholly owned Subsidiaries not involving any other Affiliate;

(c) any Investment permitted by Section 7.06;

(d) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 7.07;

(e) transactions occurring in connection with the Spin-Off and the transactions contemplated in connection therewith occurring on the Closing Date, in each case as described in the Form 10 filed by the Borrower with the SEC on September 7, 2016, as amended on November 2, 2016 and as further amended on February 3, 2017, April 12, 2017, April 27, 2017 and May 4, 2017;

(f) the payment of reasonable and customary (as determined in good faith by the Borrower) regular fees, compensation, indemnification and other benefits to current, former and future directors of the Borrower or a Subsidiary who are not employees of the Borrower or such Subsidiary, including reimbursement or advancement of reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses and provisions of liability insurance;

(g) loans or advances to officers, directors or employees of the Borrower in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or otherwise made on their behalf;

(h) any issuance of equity interests of the Borrower or any capital contribution to the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries;

(i) any transaction entered into by an Unrestricted Subsidiary with an Affiliate (other than the Borrower or any Subsidiaries) prior to the redesignation of any such Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Subsidiary in accordance with the terms hereof; provided that such transaction was not entered into in connection with or in contemplation of such redesignation;

 

97


(j) payments to or from, and transactions with, any joint ventures or similar arrangements (including, without limitation, any cash management activities relating thereto); provided that such arrangements are on terms no less favorable to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in any material respect, on the one hand, than to the relevant joint venture partner and its Affiliates, on the other hand, taking into account all related agreements and transactions entered into by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the relevant joint venture partner and its Affiliates, on the other hand; and

(k) any Affiliate who is a natural person may serve as an employee or director of the Borrower and receive reasonable compensation for his services in such capacity.

SECTION 7.09 Restrictive Agreements . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries 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 the Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets, or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any shares of its Capital Stock or to make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; except:

(i) restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by this Agreement;

(ii) restrictions and conditions existing on the Closing Date set forth on Schedule 7.09 (but shall apply to any extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition);

(iii) customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale; provided that such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder;

(iv) (with respect to clause (a) above) (x) restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to Incremental Equivalent Debt, Refinancing Equivalent Debt, Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 7.01(k), secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness and other Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement to the extent such restrictions are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than the restrictions contained in this Agreement and (y) customary provisions in leases, licenses and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof;

(v) restrictions and conditions which are binding on a Subsidiary at the time such Subsidiary first becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower so long as such restrictions or conditions were not entered into solely in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary of the Borrower;

(vi) customary restrictions and conditions contained in the document relating to any consensual Lien, so long as (i) such Lien is permitted by Section 7.02 and such restrictions or conditions relate only to the specific asset(s) subject to such Lien and (ii) such restrictions and conditions are not created for the purpose of avoiding the restrictions imposed by this Section 7.09;

(vii) restrictions imposed by applicable law;

 

98


(viii) customary provisions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements applicable to joint ventures or the equity interests therein;

(ix) customary restrictions contained in leases, subleases, licenses, sublicenses or asset sale agreements otherwise permitted hereby so long as such restrictions relate to the assets subject thereto;

(x) restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(xi) customary provisions restricting assignment of any agreements;

(xii) (with respect to clause (a) above) provisions in any lease or lease agreement, or any restrictions or conditions imposed by any landlord, prohibiting or restricting the granting, creation or incurrence of any liens on any premises leased by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; and

(xiii) provisions in any agreement evidencing an amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing of the obligations referred to in this Section 7.09; provided, that such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing is, in the good faith judgment of the Borrower, not materially less favorable to the Loan Party with respect to such limitations than those applicable pursuant to such obligations prior to such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing.

SECTION 7.10 Optional Payments and Modifications of Material Subordinated Debt .

(a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, make or offer to make any optional or voluntary payment, prepayment, repurchase or redemption of or otherwise optionally or voluntarily defease or segregate funds with respect to any Material Subordinated Debt (collectively, “ Restricted Debt Payments ”), except:

(i) payments of regularly scheduled interest (including any penalty interest, if applicable) and payments of fees, expenses and indemnification obligations as and when due (other than payments with respect to Material Subordinated Debt that are prohibited by the subordination provisions thereof) and, to the extent the Revolving Credit Commitment Termination Date or the Term Loan Maturity Date (in each case, as determined as of the date of incurrence of such Material Subordinated Debt) is extended pursuant to the terms hereof, payments of principal at scheduled maturity of such Material Subordinated Debt;

(ii) the repayment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Material Subordinated Debt (i) with the net cash proceeds of, or in exchange for, any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness, (ii) in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of, a substantially concurrent cash or non-cash contribution (within 60 days deemed as substantially concurrent) to the capital of the Borrower or a substantially concurrent offering (with any offering within 60 days deemed as substantially concurrent) of equity interests of the Borrower or (iii) in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of such repayment, prepayment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance, acquisition or retirement; and

 

99


(iii) Restricted Debt Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed the Available Amount, provided that (x) at the time of any such Restricted Debt Payment and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (y) after giving effect to any such Restricted Debt Payment on a Pro Forma Basis, the Borrower is in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 recomputed as of the last day of such period.

(b) The Borrower will not amend, modify, waive or otherwise change, or consent or agree to any amendment, modification, waiver or other change to, any of the terms (taken as a whole) of any Material Subordinated Debt in any manner materially adverse to the interests of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders.

SECTION 7.11 Financial Covenants .

(a) Total Net Leverage Ratio . The Borrower will not permit the Total Net Leverage Ratio to exceed (i) 4.25 to 1.00, as of the end of each Reference Period ending on or after Closing Date but prior to May 31, 2019 and (ii) 3.75 to 1.00, as of the end of each Reference Period ending on or after May 31, 2019 (such required level of Total Net Leverage Ratio from time to time, the “ Required Ratio ”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the then-applicable Required Ratio may be increased to accommodate a Material Permitted Acquisition at the election of the Borrower as designated in the Compliance Certificate or an earlier notice or certificate delivered by the Borrower in connection with such Material Permitted Acquisition; provided , however , that (i) such increase shall not otherwise go into effect until the closing of such Material Permitted Acquisition; (ii) such increase shall only apply for a period of twelve months from and after the closing of such Material Permitted Acquisition and immediately upon the expiration of such twelve month period, the required maximum Total Net Leverage Ratio shall revert to the applicable Required Ratio set forth above for the Reference Period in which such reversion occurs; (iii) in no event shall the maximum Total Net Leverage Ratio after giving effect to any such step-up exceed 4.75 to 1.00; and (iv) the maximum amount that any Total Net Leverage Ratio covenant level may step-up during any Reference Period is 0.50 to 1.00.

(b) Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio . The Borrower will not permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio as at the last day of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be less than 3.00 to 1.00.

SECTION 7.12 Sale-Leasebacks . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of real or personal property which has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Borrower or such Subsidiary to such Person or to any other Person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such Person on the security of such property or rental obligations of the Borrower or such Subsidiary (a “ Sale/Leaseback Transaction ”), except for Sale/Leaseback Transactions by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries with an aggregate sales price not exceeding the greater of (x) $12,500,000 and (y) 5.0% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Reference Period (measured at the time such Sale/Leaseback Transaction has occurred).

SECTION 7.13 Changes in Fiscal Periods . The Borrower will not permit the fiscal year of the Borrower to end on a day other than December 31 or change the Borrower’s method of determining fiscal quarters.

 

100


SECTION 7.14 Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit . The Borrower will not use, and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, the respective directors, officers, employees and agents of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and Unrestricted Subsidiaries shall not use, the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit (a) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (b) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, except to the extent permitted for a Person required to comply with Sanctions or (c) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.

ARTICLE VIII

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

If any of the following events (“ Events of Default ”) shall occur:

(a) the Borrower 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) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of five or more Business Days;

(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by the Borrower or any other Loan Party in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any such amendment, modification or waiver, shall prove to have been incorrect when made or deemed made in any material respect;

(d) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Sections 6.02(a), 6.03 (with respect to the existence of the Borrower), 6.09, 6.13, 6.14 or in Article VII;

(e) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) of this Article) or any other Loan Document and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower;

(f) the Borrower or any of its 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;

(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) 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 clause (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness;

 

101


(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than any Excluded Subsidiary) or its debts, or of a substantial 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, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than any Excluded Subsidiary) or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for 90 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

(i) the Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than any Excluded Subsidiary) shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, 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 clause (h) of this Article, or (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than any Excluded Subsidiary) or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors;

(j) one or more final, non-appealable judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $30,000,000 (not covered by insurance where the carrier has not denied responsibility) shall be rendered against the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 45 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed or bonded;

(k) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(l) a Change in Control shall occur; or

(m) (i) the Liens created by the Security Documents shall at any time not constitute a valid and perfected Lien on any Collateral having a fair market value, individually or in the aggregate, in excess of $10,000,000 intended to be covered thereby (to the extent perfection by filing, registration, recordation or possession is required herein or therein) in favor of the Administrative Agent, free and clear of all other Liens (other than Liens permitted under Section 7.02 or under the respective Security Documents), or, except for expiration or termination in accordance with its terms, any of the Security Documents shall for whatever reason be terminated or cease to be in full force and effect, or the enforceability thereof shall be contested by any Loan Party, (ii) at any time after the execution and delivery thereof, the Guaranty, for any reason other than the satisfaction in full of all Guaranteed Obligations or the expiration or termination in accordance with its terms, shall cease to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with its terms) or shall be declared to be null and void, or any Loan Party shall contest the validity, enforceability, perfection or priority of the Guaranty, any Loan Document, or any Lien granted thereunder in writing or deny in writing that it has any further liability, including with respect to future advances by the Lenders, under any Loan Document to which it is a party, or (iii) this Agreement or any Loan Document purporting to grant a Lien on a material portion of the Collateral shall fail to be in full force and effect or to give the Administrative Agent and/or the Lenders the security interests, liens, rights, powers, priority and privileges purported to be created thereby (except as such documents may be terminated or no longer in force and effect in accordance with the terms thereof, other than those indemnities and provisions which by their terms shall survive) or any Lien shall fail to be a first priority, perfected Lien on a material portion of the Collateral;

 

102


then, and in every such event (other than any event with respect to any Loan Party described in clause (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 shall, by notice to the 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 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 Borrower; and in case of any event with respect to any Loan Party described in clause (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 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 Borrower.

ARTICLE IX

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.

The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.

The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other 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 exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances provided in Section 10.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth herein and in the other 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 the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries 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 under the circumstances provided in Section 10.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Administrative

 

103


Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, 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 this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article V or elsewhere herein or therein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the 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 and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers 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 and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding paragraphs 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.

Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Lenders and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, with the consent of the Borrower (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), 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 Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a Lender with an office in New York, New York or an Affiliate of a Lender (in each case, other than a Disqualified Lender). 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. The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 10.03 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 acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, the Joint Bookrunners, the Joint Lead Arrangers, the Syndication Agent or any other Lender and their respective Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender

 

104


also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, the Joint Bookrunners, the Joint Lead Arrangers, the Syndication Agent or any other Lender and their respective Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Joint Bookrunners, the Joint Lead Arrangers, the Syndication Agent and the Co-Documentation Agents named on the cover page of this Agreement shall not have any duties or liabilities under this Agreement, except in their capacity, if any, as Lenders.

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 10.01 Notices .

(a) Notices Generally . Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) of this Section), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, (i) if to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, or any Issuing Lender, as set forth in Schedule 10.01; and (ii) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

(b) Electronic Communications . Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

(c) Change of Address, Etc . Any party hereto may change its address, electronic mail address, telephone number or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.

SECTION 10.02 Waivers; Amendments.

(a) No Deemed Waivers; Remedies Cumulative . No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Lender or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder 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 Lenders and the Lenders hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by the Borrower 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 issuance 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 Lender may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

 

105


(b) Amendments . Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Loan Parties and the Required Lenders (or, in the case of any such waiver, amendment or modification relating to Letters of Credit, the Required Revolving Credit Lenders) or by the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders (or the Required Revolving Credit Lenders, as applicable) (except that in the case of an amendment, consent or waiver to cure any manifest ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency or granting a new Lien for the benefit of the Secured Parties or extending an existing Lien over additional property, such amendment, consent or waiver shall be effective if it is in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower and is not objected to in writing by the Required Lenders within five Business Days following receipt of notice thereof); provided that no such agreement shall:

(i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of each Lender directly adversely affected thereby;

(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 adversely affected thereby;

(iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any 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 consent of each Lender directly adversely affected thereby;

(iv) change Section 2.19(b), (c) or (d) or Section 5.09 of the Security Agreement in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender or other Secured Party affected thereby;

(v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of the term “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby; or

(vi) release all or substantially all of the Subsidiary Guarantors from their guarantee obligations under Article III or all or substantially all of the Collateral, except to the extent otherwise permitted hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, in each case without the written consent of each Lender;

and provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Lender hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent or such Issuing Lender, as the case may be.

Except as otherwise provided in this Section with respect to this Agreement, the Administrative Agent may, with the prior consent of the Required Lenders (but not otherwise), consent to any modification, supplement or waiver under any of the Security Documents.

 

106


SECTION 10.03 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver .

(a) Costs and Expenses . The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Joint Bookrunners and the Joint Lead Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Joint Bookrunners and the Joint Lead Arrangers (limited to a single outside counsel and, to the extent necessary, one law firm acting as special outside counsel in each relevant jurisdiction), in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses incurred by any Issuing Lender in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit, (iii) all reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Lender or any Lender, including the fees, disbursements and other charges of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Lender or any Lender (limited to one external counsel and, to the extent necessary, one law firm acting as special outside counsel in each relevant jurisdiction and, solely in the event of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, one additional counsel (and, if necessary, one local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction (which may include a single special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions)), in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made, Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect thereof.

(b) Indemnification by the Borrower . The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Lender and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “ Indemnitee ”) from and against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, obligations, penalties, actions, judgments, suits and related costs, expenses and disbursements, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel (limited to a single outside counsel to such Indemnitees, taken as a whole, one local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction (which may include a single special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions) and, solely in the event of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, one additional counsel (and, if necessary, one local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction (which may include a single special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions)), to each group of similarly situated affected Indemnitees taken as a whole) for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee or to which any Indemnitee may become subject, arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by any Issuing Lender to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory 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 resulted from (x) the gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of such Indemnitee or any of its Related Parties as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment, (y) a material breach by such Indemnitee or any of its Related Parties of its obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment, or (z) a dispute arising solely among Indemnitees (other than any dispute with an Indemnitee in its capacity or in fulfilling its role as the Administrative Agent, a Joint Bookrunner, a Joint Lead Arranger, an Issuing Lender or any other similar role under any Loan Document) not arising out of any act or omission on the part of the Borrower or its Affiliates.

 

107


(c) Reimbursement by Lenders . To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Lender under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent or such Issuing Lender, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (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 or such Issuing Lender in its capacity as such.

(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc . To the extent permitted by applicable law, neither the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, any Loan Party, any Issuing Lender or any Lender shall assert, and the Borrower hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Transactions, any Loan, Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof; provided that nothing in this clause (d) shall limit the obligations of the Borrower to indemnify an Indemnitee against special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages to the extent required under Section 10.03(b).

(e) Payments . All amounts due under this Section shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor.

(f) For the avoidance of doubt, any indemnification relating to Taxes, other than Taxes resulting from any non-Tax claim, shall be covered by Section 2.18 and shall not be covered by this Section 10.03.

SECTION 10.04 Successors and Assigns; Participations .

(a) Assignments Generally . The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of any Issuing Lender that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the 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 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 any Issuing Lender 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 Lenders and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) Assignments by Lenders .

(i) Assignments Generally . Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more assignees, other than a natural person or a Disqualified Lender, 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 (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:

 

108


(A) the Borrower; provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other Person (other than a natural person or a Disqualified Lender); provided further , that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless the Borrower shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within ten Business Days after having received notice thereof;

(B) the Administrative Agent; provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; and

(C) (in the case of assignments of the Revolving Credit Commitment and Revolving Credit Loans) each Issuing Lender, unless such assignment is to another Revolving Credit Lender, in which case such consent is not required.

(ii) Certain Conditions to Assignments . 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 Commitments or Loans, (1) the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000, or, in the case of an assignment of Term Loans, Incremental Term Loans, Refinancing Term Loans and Extended Term Loans, $1,000,000, unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent; provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (2) such amounts shall be aggregated in respect of each Lender and its Affiliates or Approved Funds, if any;

(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 shall not be construed to prohibit the assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments or Loans;

(C) (1) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 for any assignment to an assignee that is not a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender ( provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to reduce or waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment) and (2) the assigning Lender shall have paid in full any amounts owing by it to the Administrative Agent; and

(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent 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 Borrower and its 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.

 

109


(iii) Effectiveness of Assignments . Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) 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 obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.16, 2.17, 2.18 and 10.03). 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) of this Section.

(iv) Maintenance of Register . The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose solely as a non-fiduciary agent of the 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 (and stated interest) 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, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lenders 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. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and by any Issuing Lender and any Lender with respect to Loans and other Obligations which are held by such Issuing Lender or Lender only, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(v) Acceptance of Assignments by Administrative Agent . Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (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.

(c) Participations .

(i) Participations Generally . Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Lender, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (other than to a natural person or a Disqualified Lender) (a “ Participant ”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lenders 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 and the other Loan Documents. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender

 

110


sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document; 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 10.02(b) that affects such Participant. Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.16, 2.17 and 2.18 (subject to the requirements and limitations of such Sections, including the requirement to provide the forms and certificates pursuant to Section 2.18(e) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.18(e) shall be delivered to the participating Lender) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.19(c) as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans, LC Disbursements or other obligations under this Agreement (the “ Participant Register ”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register to any Person (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Loans, LC Disbursements or other obligations under this Agreement), except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Loan, LC Disbursement or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender, each Loan Party and the Administrative Agent shall treat each person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register. The Borrower and the Lenders expressly acknowledge that the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as such or as a Joint Bookrunner, Joint Lead Arranger or other agent hereunder) shall not have any obligation to monitor whether participations are made to Disqualified Lenders or natural persons and none of the Borrower or the Lenders will bring any claim to such effect.

(ii) Limitations on Rights of Participants . A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.16 or 2.18 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 written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, it being understood that the Borrower may withhold its consent if such participation could be reasonably expected to result in any increase in the Borrower’s payment obligations under Section 2.16 or 2.18). No Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.18 unless such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 2.18(e) as though it were a Lender.

(d) Certain Pledges . Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (other than to any Disqualified Lender or any natural person) to secure obligations of such Lender, including without limitation 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) No Assignments to Certain Persons . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no assignment made and no participations sold pursuant to this Section 10.04 shall be made or sold, as applicable, to (i) any Loan Party or any Loan Party’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries, (ii) a natural person or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person or (iii) a Disqualified Lender.

 

111


(f) Disqualified Lenders .

(i) If any assignment or participation under this Section 10.04 is made to any Disqualified Lender without the Borrower’s prior written consent (any such person, a “ Disqualified Person ”), then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to the applicable Disqualified Person and the Administrative Agent, (A) terminate any Commitment of such Disqualified Person and repay all obligations of the Borrower owing to such Disqualified Person, (B) in the case of any outstanding Loan and/or participation in any Letter of Credit held by such Disqualified Person, purchase such Loan or participation and/or (C) require such Disqualified Person to assign, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in this Section 10.04), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement; provided that (I) in the case of clause (B), the applicable Disqualified Person has received payment of an amount equal to the lesser of (1) par and (2) the amount that such Disqualified Person paid for the applicable Loans and participations in Letters of Credit, plus accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the Borrower, (II) in the case of clauses (A) and (B), the Borrower shall not be liable to the relevant Disqualified Person under Section 2.17 if any Eurodollar Loan owing to such Disqualified Person is repaid or purchased other than on the last day of the Interest Period relating thereto, (III) in the case of clause (C), the relevant assignment shall otherwise comply with this Section 10.04 (except that no registration and processing fee required under this Section 10.04 shall be required with any assignment pursuant to this paragraph and (IV) in no event shall such Disqualified Person be entitled to receive amounts to which it would otherwise be entitled under Section 2.14(c). Further, whether or not the Borrower has taken any action described in the preceding sentence, no Disqualified Person identified by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent (A) shall be permitted to (x) receive information (including financial statements) provided by any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent or any Lender and/or (y) attend and/or participate in conference calls or meetings attended solely by the Lenders, the Issuing Lenders and the Administrative Agent, (B) (x) for purposes of determining whether the Required Lenders or the majority Lenders under any Class 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 or any Lender to undertake any action (or refrain from taking any action) with respect to or under any Loan Document, shall have a right to consent (or not consent), otherwise act or direct or require the Administrative Agent or any Lender or Issuing Lender to take (or refrain from taking) any such action; it being understood that all Loans held by any Disqualified Person shall be deemed to be not outstanding for all purposes of calculating whether the Required Lenders, majority Lenders under any Class or all Lenders have taken any action, and (y) shall be deemed to vote in the same proportion as Lenders that are not Disqualified Persons in any proceeding under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Loan Party and (C) shall not be entitled to receive the benefits of Section 10.03. For the sake of clarity, the provisions in this Section 10.04(f) shall not apply to any Person that is an assignee of any Disqualified Person, if such assignee is not a Disqualified Person.

 

112


(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, each of the Borrower, each Lender and each Issuing Lender acknowledges and agrees that the Administrative Agent shall not have any responsibility or obligation to determine whether any Lender or potential Lender is a Disqualified Lender or Disqualified Person and the Administrative Agent shall have no liability with respect to any assignment or participation made to any Disqualified Lender or Disqualified Person (regardless of whether the consent of the Administrative Agent is required thereto), and none of the Borrower, any Lender, any Issuing Lender or their respective Affiliates will bring any claim to such effect.

(iii) Each Lender, upon execution and delivery hereof or upon succeeding to an interest in the Commitments and Loans, as the case may be, represents and warrants as of the Closing Date or as of the effective date of the applicable Assignment and Assumption that (A) it is not a Disqualified Lender, it being acknowledged by the Loan Parties, the Lenders and the other Guaranteed Parties that the Administrative Agent will be entitled to rely on such representations and warranties set forth in this clause (A) without any diligence in respect to the accuracy of such representations and warranties and any breach of such representations and warranties by such Lender will not give rise to any liability on the part of the Administrative Agent; and (B) it has experience and expertise in the making of or investing in commitments or loans such as the applicable Commitments or Loans, as the case may be.

SECTION 10.05 Survival . All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans and the 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 Lender 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 2.16, 2.17, 2.18, 3.03 and 10.03 and Article IX 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.

SECTION 10.06 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 and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent 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 5.01, 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 which, 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 email or telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

SECTION 10.07 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.

 

113


SECTION 10.08 Right of Setoff . If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, with the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each of its 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) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured; provided that if any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (i) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lenders and the Lenders and (ii) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of set off. The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amounts received from any Loan Party shall be applied to any Excluded Hedging Obligations of such Loan Party.

SECTION 10.09 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process .

(a) Governing Law . This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.

(b) Submission to Jurisdiction . Each Person party hereto 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 this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, 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 this Agreement or in any other Loan Document will prevent the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Lender or any Lender from bringing any action to enforce any award or judgment or exercise any right under the Security Documents or against any Collateral or any other property of any Loan Party in any other forum in which jurisdiction can be established.

(c) Waiver of Venue . Each Person party hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other 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.

(d) Service of Process . Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 10.01. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

 

114


SECTION 10.10 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 THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (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 10.11 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 10.12 Confidentiality . Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lenders and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) solely in connection with the Loan Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby, to its Affiliates and its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, independent auditors, legal counsel and other experts 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), (b) pursuant to the order of any court or administrative agency or in any legal, administrative or judicial proceeding where, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent or the applicable Issuing Lender or Lender, as applicable, disclosure is required by law or regulations (in which case, to the extent practicable and not prohibited by applicable law and other than with respect to any audit or examination conducted by bank accountants or any governmental bank authority exercising examinations or regulatory authority, such Person shall notify you promptly thereof prior to such disclosure), (c) upon the request or demand of any governmental or other regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Lender or Lender or any of their respective Affiliates (in which case, to the extent practicable and not prohibited by applicable law and other than with respect to any audit or examination conducted by bank accountants or any governmental bank authority exercising examinations or regulatory authority, such Person shall notify you promptly thereof prior to such disclosure), (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (x) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (y) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and their respective obligations, in each case of this clause (f), other than a Disqualified Lender, provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the disclosure of the Disqualified Lenders List to any assignee, Participant, prospective assignee, prospective Participant, or actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors), regardless of whether such Person is a Disqualified Lender, shall be permitted, (g) with the consent of the Borrower (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any similar organization or any nationally recognized rating agency that requires access to information about a Lender’s investment portfolio in connection with ratings issued with respect to such Lender, (h) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section, (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Lender or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source

 

115


other than a Loan Party or (z) was already in the possession of the Administration, any Issuing Lender or any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates or is independently developed by any such Person, (i) for purposes of establishing a “due diligence” defense, and (j) to the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers with respect to the credit facilities provided for herein. For the purposes of this Section, “ Information ” means all information received from any Loan Party relating to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and their business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Lender or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by a Loan Party and other than information pertaining to this Agreement routinely provided by arrangers to data service providers, including league table providers, that serve the lending industry; provided that in the case of information received from any Loan Party after the Closing 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 10.12 shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, the provisions of this paragraph shall survive with respect to the Administrative Agent and each Lender and Issuing Lender until the earlier to occur of (i) the second anniversary of such Person ceasing to be a party to this Agreement or (ii) the Latest Maturity Date.

EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION (AS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION) FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BORROWER AND ITS 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.

ALL INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS, FURNISHED BY THE BORROWER 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 THE BORROWER AND ITS RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES. ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER REPRESENTS TO THE BORROWER 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.

ALL PARTIES HERETO HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent, any Joint Bookrunner or Joint Lead Arranger (collectively, the “ Agent Parties ”) or any of their respective Related Parties or the

 

116


Loan Parties or their Subsidiaries have any liability to (as applicable) the Borrower, any Lender, any Issuing Lender or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials or notices through the Platform, any other electronic messaging service or through the Internet, Intralinks or other similar electronic information transmission system, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and non-appealable judgment of a court to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party or the Borrower, as applicable; provided , however , that in no event shall any Agent Party or any of their respective Related Parties or the Borrower have any liability to (as applicable) the Loan Parties or their Subsidiaries, any Lender, any Issuing Lender or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) in connection with the foregoing.

SECTION 10.13 USA PATRIOT Act . Each Lender hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107 56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “ USA PATRIOT Act ”), such Lender may be required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with said Act.

SECTION 10.14 Collateral Matters; Release of Guarantees and Liens .

(a) Collateral Matters . Each Lender authorizes and directs the Administrative Agent to enter into the Security Documents and any intercreditor agreement contemplated by this Agreement on behalf of and for the benefit of the Lenders and the other Secured Parties named therein and agrees to be bound by the terms of each Security Document and any intercreditor agreement. Each Lender hereby agrees, and each holder of any note executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.11(e) and each other Secured Party by the acceptance thereof will be deemed to agree that, except as otherwise set forth herein, any action taken by the Required Lenders in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement or the Security Documents, and the exercise by the Required Lenders of the powers set forth herein or therein, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto, shall be authorized and binding upon all of the Lenders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any of the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent and each Secured Party hereby agree that no Secured Party shall have any right individually to realize upon any of the Collateral or to enforce the Guaranty or take any other action under any Loan Document, it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights and remedies hereunder and under any of the Loan Documents may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof. No Specified Hedging Agreement will create (or be deemed to create) in favor of any counterparty that is a party to such Specified Hedging Agreement any rights in connection with the management or release of any Collateral or of the obligations of any Loan Party except as expressly provided in this Agreement or any Security Document. By accepting the benefits of the Collateral, each counterparty pursuant to a Specified Hedging Agreement, as applicable, shall be deemed to have appointed the Administrative Agent as its agent and agreed to be bound by the Loan Documents as a Secured Party.

(b) Release of Guarantees and Liens . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the Administrative Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized by each Lender (without requirement of notice to or consent of any Lender except as expressly required by Section 10.02) to take any action requested by the Borrower having the effect of releasing any Collateral or Guaranteed Obligations or subordinating any Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent in order to comply with any permitted restriction in connection with a Lien permitted under Section 7.02 (i) to the extent necessary to permit consummation of any transaction not prohibited by any Loan

 

117


Document or that has been consented to in accordance with Section 10.02 or (ii) under the circumstances in clause (c) below. The Lenders hereby confirm the Administrative Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its Lien on particular types or items of property, or to release any Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section and the terms of the Guaranty. In each case as specified in this Section, the Administrative Agent will, at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Loan Party such documents as such Loan Party may reasonably request to evidence the subordination of such Lien, release of such item of Collateral from the assignment and security interest granted under the Security Documents, or to release such Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section and subject to receipt by the Administrative Agent of a certification of the Borrower as to such release or subordination being permitted pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (and the Administrative Agent may rely conclusively on such certification without further inquiry); provided that (x) the Administrative Agent shall not be required to execute any such document on terms which, in the Administrative Agent’s opinion, would expose it to liability or create any obligation or entail any consequence other than the release of such Liens without recourse or warranty, and (y) such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect or impair the Guaranteed Obligations or any Liens upon (or obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor in respect of) all interests retained by the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, including (without limitation) the proceeds of the sale, all of which shall continue to constitute part of the Collateral. Any execution and delivery by the Administrative Agent of documents in connection with any such release shall be without recourse to or warranty by either the Administrative Agent. Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section.

(c) Release of Guaranty and Collateral . At such time as the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated or been cash collateralized in a manner consistent with the requirements in Section 2.07(k) and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed and the other obligations under the Loan Documents (other than obligations under or in respect of Specified Hedging Agreements, Cash Management Obligations or contingent indemnification obligations as to which no claim has been asserted) shall have been paid in full, the Collateral shall be released from the Liens created by the Security Documents, and the Security Documents, the Guaranty and all obligations (other than those expressly stated to survive such termination) of the Administrative Agent and each Loan Party under the Security Documents and the Guaranty shall terminate, all without delivery of any instrument or performance of any act by any Person.

SECTION 10.15 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility . In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby, each of the Loan Parties acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (a) the credit facility provided for hereunder and any related arranging or other services in connection therewith (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) are an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Loan Parties and their Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Lenders, on the other hand, and the Loan Parties are capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or thereof); (b) in connection with the process leading to such transaction, each of the Lenders each is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary, for any Loan Party or any of their Affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other Person; (c) no Lender has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of any Loan Party with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto, including with respect to any

 

118


amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document (irrespective of whether the any Lender has advised or is currently advising any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates on other matters) and no Lender has any obligation to any Loan Party or any of their Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; (d) the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Loan Parties and their Affiliates, and no Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and (e) the Lenders have not provided and will not provide any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) and the Loan Parties have consulted their own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate. Each Loan Party agrees that it will not assert any claim against any Lender based on an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by such Lender in connection with this Agreement and the Transactions contemplated hereby.

SECTION 10.16 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

(b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

[Signature pages follow]

 

119


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered by their proper and duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

CARS.COM INC.

By:

 

/s/ Becky Sheehan

 

Name: Becky Sheehan

  Title: Chief Financial Officer

[Signature Page to Cars.com Credit Agreement]


SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS:
CARS.COM HOLDINGS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Becky Sheehan

  Name: Becky Sheehan
  Title: Chief Financial Officer
CARS.COM HOLDINGS, LLC
By:  

/s/ Becky Sheehan

  Name: Becky Sheehan
  Title: Chief Financial Officer
CARS.COM, LLC
By:  

/s/ Becky Sheehan

  Name: Becky Sheehan
  Title: Chief Financial Officer
DEALERRATER CANADA, LLC
By:  

/s/ Becky Sheehan

  Name: Becky Sheehan
  Title: Chief Financial Officer
DEALERRATER.COM LLC
By:  

/s/ Becky Sheehan

  Name: Becky Sheehan
  Title: Chief Financial Officer
DMR HOLDINGS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Becky Sheehan

  Name: Becky Sheehan
  Title: Chief Financial Officer

[Signature Page to Cars.com Credit Agreement]


DMR MEDIA HOLDINGS, LLC
By:  

/s/ Becky Sheehan

  Name: Becky Sheehan
  Title: Chief Financial Officer

[Signature Page to Cars.com Credit Agreement]


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

    as Administrative Agent, and as a Lender, and as an Issuing Lender

By:  

/s/ Davide Migliardi

Name: Davide Migliardi

Title: Vice President

[Signature Page to Cars.com Credit Agreement]


WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as a Lender and as an Issuing Lender

By:  

/s/ Kieran Mahon

Name: Kieran Mahon
Title: Director

[Signature Page to Cars.com Credit Agreement]


Bank of America, N.A.,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Erin M. Frey

Name: Erin M. Frey
Title: Senior Vice President

[Signature Page to Cars.com Credit Agreement]


CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ Shae B. Patel

Name: Shae B. Patel

Title: Duly Authorized Signatory

[Signature Page to Cars.com Credit Agreement]


Citizens Bank, N.A.,

as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ Barrett D. Bencivenga

Name: Barrett D. Bencivenga

Title: Managing Director

[Signature Page to Cars.com Credit Agreement]


FIFTH THIRD BANK,

as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ Suzanne Rode

Name: Suzanne Rode

Title: Managing Director

[Signature Page to Cars.com Credit Agreement]


SUNTRUST BANK,

as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ Cynthia W. Burton

Name: Cynthia W. Burton

Title: Director

[Signature Page to Cars.com Credit Agreement]


U.S. Bank National Association,

as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ Paul Weissenberger

Name: Paul Weissenberger

Title: Senior Vice President

[Signature Page to Cars.com Credit Agreement]


Barclays Bank PLC,

as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ May Huang

Name: May Huang

Title: Assistant Vice President

[Signature Page to Cars.com Credit Agreement]


BMO HARRIS BANK, N.A.,

as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ L. M. Junior Del Brocco

Name: L. M. Junior Del Brocco

Title: Senior Vice President

[Signature Page to Cars.com Credit Agreement]

Exhibit 99.2

 

LOGO

Investor Contact:

Jandy Tomy

ir@cars.com

312.601.5155

Media Contact:

Giavanna (Gia) Palazzolo

gpalazzolo@cars.com

312.601.6307

Cars.com Completes Spin-off from Parent Company TEGNA

Cars.com Announces its First Board of Directors as a Publicly Traded Company

CHICAGO, June 1, 2017 - Cars.com Inc. (NYSE: CARS) has completed its previously announced spin-off from TEGNA Inc. (“TEGNA”) and announces the appointment of seven members to the company’s first board of directors as a public company. Cars.com will begin regular way trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) today.

TEGNA’s spin-off of Cars.com was consummated through a tax-free distribution of all issued and outstanding shares of Cars.com common stock to TEGNA shareholders. TEGNA shareholders received one share of Cars.com common stock for every three shares of TEGNA common stock held as of the record date, May 18, 2017.

“This is an exciting moment in Cars.com’s history,” said Alex Vetter, Cars.com’s chief executive officer. “This caliber of leadership and expertise of our Board of Directors, and their singular focus on Cars.com, will help us drive transformational growth throughout our company and help ensure our sustainability as a leading brand in the marketplace for online car buyers and sellers.”

The company has appointed a board of directors composed of a diverse and broad range of talent, expertise, and experience, led by Scott Forbes. Forbes is currently chairman of Rightmove, the leading UK online home advertiser, and Ascential, a global business-to-business media company that completed its IPO in February 2016. Forbes is joined by independent directors Jerri DeVard, Jill Greenthal, Tom Hale, Don McGovern Jr., and Greg Revelle, and Vetter, to complete a team of seasoned professionals in finance and asset management, online consumer and enterprise marketing, engineering and product design, and consumer user experience.

Becky Sheehan, chief financial officer at Cars.com, who led FTD Companies, Inc. through a spin-off from their parent company in 2013, said, “Cars.com is on an incredible journey, primed for expansion and growth. This is a talented board of experts assembled from across the online consumer marketplace that will help guide Cars.com with greater financial, operational and strategic focus.”

“I would like to thank Gracia Martore, president and chief executive officer of TEGNA, and the TEGNA board of directors, for their expert leadership and guidance to Cars.com,” said Vetter. “Working with


LOGO

 

Gracia and the board for the past three years has provided us with a benchmark for success that has helped us get here. Today, we enter the market as an independent business that will continue to be a leading branded player in the digital automotive marketplace.”

Prior to the separation, Cars.com made a one-time cash distribution of $650 million to TEGNA. Cars.com entered into new credit facilities with borrowing capacity of $900 million. It intends to invest in organic growth initiatives and selective acquisitions to create shareholder value

Alex Vetter, accompanied by the Cars.com leadership team and several of their longest standing dealer customers, will ring the Opening Day Bell at NYSE on Monday, June 5, 2017, to celebrate Cars.com becoming an independent, publicly traded company.

About Cars.com

Cars.com is a leading online destination that helps car shoppers and owners navigate every turn of car ownership. A pioneer in automotive classified, the company has evolved into one of the largest digital automotive platforms, connecting consumers with local dealers across the country anytime, anywhere. Through trusted expert content, on-the-lot mobile app features, millions of new and used vehicle listings, a comprehensive set of research tools and the largest database of consumer reviews in the industry, Cars.com helps shoppers buy, sell and service their vehicles. Cars.com companies include DealerRater ® , Auto.com, PickupTrucks.com™ and NewCars.com ® . The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Chicago. For more information, visit www.Cars.com

# # #