UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) January 18, 2018

 

 

AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Maryland   001-34723   93-0295215

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

10 Glenlake Parkway, South Tower, Suite 600
Atlanta, Georgia
  30328
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

(678) 441-1400

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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.

In connection with the initial public offering (the “Offering”) by Americold Realty Trust (the “Company”) of its common shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Shares”), described in the Company’s prospectus dated January 18, 2018 (the “Prospectus”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 22, 2018 pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which is deemed to be part of the Company’s the Registration Statement on Form S-11 (File No. 333-221560), as amended (the “Registration Statement”), and the related Registration Statement on Form S-11 (File No. 333-222617) filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the following agreements were entered into:

 

  (1) Credit Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018, by and among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., the Company, the Several Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from Time to Time Parties Thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent (the “Credit Agreement”);

 

  (2) Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018, by and among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., the Subsidiaries of Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P. identified therein and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent (the “Guarantee and Collateral Agreement”);

 

  (3) Employment Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018, by and between AmeriCold Logistics, LLC and Fred Boehler (the “Boehler Employment Agreement”);

 

  (4) Employment Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018, by and between AmeriCold Logistics, LLC and Marc Smernoff (the “Smernoff Employment Agreement”);

 

  (5) Employment Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018, by and between AmeriCold Logistics, LLC and Thomas Novosel (the “Novosel Employment Agreement”);

 

  (6) Employment Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018, by and between AmeriCold Logistics, LLC and Thomas Musgrave (the “Musgrave Employment Agreement”);

 

  (7) Employment Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018, by and between AmeriCold Logistics, LLC and Andrea Darweesh (the “Darweesh Employment Agreement”);

 

  (8) Americold Realty Trust 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, effective as of January 23, 2018 (the “2017 Plan”);

 

  (9) Amended and Restated Shareholders Agreement, dated January 18, 2018, by and among the Company and the shareholders of the Company signatories thereto (the “Shareholders Agreement”); and

 

  (10) Registration Rights Agreement, dated January 18, 2018, by and among the Company and the shareholders of the Company signatories thereto (the “Registration Rights Agreement”).

The Credit Agreement, the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, the Boehler Employment Agreement, the Smernoff Employment Agreement, the Novosel Employment Agreement, the Musgrave Employment Agreement, the Darweesh Employment Agreement, the 2017 Plan, the Shareholders Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement are filed herewith as exhibits 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5, 10.6, 10.7, 10.8, 10.9 and 10.10, respectively, and are incorporated herein by reference. The terms of these agreements are substantially the same as the terms set forth in the forms of such agreements filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement and as described therein.

Item 3.03 — Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

The information set forth under Item 5.03 below is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.03.


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

Effective January 23, 2018, upon the closing of the initial public offering of the Company, Ronald Burkle, Christopher Crampton, Richard d’Abo, Gregory Mays and Terrence J. Wallock resigned from the Board of Trustees of the Company. In addition, effective January 23, 2018, James R. Heistand, Michelle M. MacKay, Mark R. Patterson and Andrew P. Power were appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Company, thereby joining Fred Boehler, George J. Alburger, Jeffrey M. Gault, Bradley J. Gross and Joel A. Holsinger. Finally, the size of the Company’s Board of Trustees was reduced from ten to nine members effective January 23, 2018.

Messrs. Alburger, Heistand and Power serve as members of the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees. Ms. MacKay and Messrs. Heistand and Power serve as members of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Trustees. Messrs. Heistand and Patterson and Ms. MacKay serve as members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees. Biographical information regarding these trustees and a description of the terms of their compensation have previously been reported by the Company in the Registration Statement.

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

On January 22, 2018, the Company amended and restated its declaration of trust (the “Declaration of Trust”) and bylaws (the “Bylaws”), effective on such date. The Declaration of Trust and Bylaws are filed herewith as Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2, respectively, and are incorporated herein by reference. The terms of the Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws are substantially the same as the terms set forth in the forms previously filed as Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2, respectively, to the Registration Statement.

Item 8.01 — Other Events.

On January 18, 2018, the Company and Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P. entered into an underwriting agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 1.1 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and RBC Capital Markets, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named in Schedule A thereto (the “Underwriters”), and the selling shareholders named in Schedule B thereto (the “Selling Shareholers”), pursuant to which the Company issued 33,350,000 Common Shares (including 4,350,000 Common Shares issued in connection with the underwriters’ exercise in full of their option to purchase additional Common Shares), and the Selling Shareholders sold 18,745,000 Common Shares (including 2,445,000 Common Shares sold in connection with the underwriters’ exercise in full of their option to purchase additional Common Shares). The Common Shares issued by the Company and sold by the Selling Shareholders were sold at a public offering price of $16.00 per Common Share, which generated approximately $493.0 million in net proceeds to the Company after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company and approximately $279.4 million in net proceeds to the Selling Shareholders after deducting the underwriting discount.

On January 23, 2018, the Company closed on its new senior secured credit facilities (the “New Senior Secured Credit Facilities”), consisting of a five-year, $525.0 million senior secured term loan A facility (the “New Senior Secured Term Loan A Facility”), with net proceeds of $517.0 million, and a three-year, $400.0 million senior secured revolving credit facility (the “New Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility”). The New Senior Secured Credit Facilities also have an additional $400.0 million accordion option. Upon the completion of the Offering, $525.0 million is outstanding under the Company’s New Senior Secured Term Loan A Facility and no borrowings are outstanding under the Company’s New Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility. Borrowings under the Company’s New Senior Secured Credit Facilities will bear interest, at the Company’s election, at the then-applicable margin plus an applicable LIBOR or base rate interest rate. The base rate is the greatest of the bank prime rate, the one-month LIBOR rate plus one percent or the federal funds rate plus one-half of one percent. The applicable margin varies between (i) in the case of LIBOR-based loans, 2.35% and 3.00% and (ii) in the case of base rate loans, 1.35% and 2.00%, in each case, based on changes in the Company’s total leverage. As of the January 23, 2018, borrowings under our New Senior Secured Credit Facilities bear interest at a floating rate of one-month LIBOR plus 2.50%.

As contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Company intends to use the net proceeds from its initial public offering, together with $517.0 million of net proceeds from the Company’s New Senior Secured Term Loan A Facility, to repay the entire $809.0 million aggregate principal amount of indebtedness outstanding under its existing senior secured term loan B facility and revolving credit facilities that mature in December 2022 and for general business purposes, which may include the repayment of $13.1 million outstanding under the Company’s Clearfield, Utah construction loan.


Item 9.01 — Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description

1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated as of January 18, 2018, among the Company, Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner  & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and RBC Capital Markets, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named in Schedule A thereto, and the selling shareholders named in Schedule B thereto
3.1    Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of Americold Realty Trust, dated as of January 22, 2018
3.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws of Americold Realty Trust
10.1    Credit Agreement, dated as of January  23, 2018, by and among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., the Company, the Several Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from Time to Time Parties Thereto and Bank of America, National Association, as Administrative Agent
10.2    Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, dated as of January  23, 2018, by and among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., the Subsidiaries of Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P. identified therein and Bank of America, National Association, as Administrative Agent
10.3    Employment Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018, by and between AmeriCold Logistics, LLC and Fred Boehler
10.4    Employment Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018, by and between AmeriCold Logistics, LLC and Marc Smernoff
10.5    Employment Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018, by and between AmeriCold Logistics, LLC and Thomas Novosel
10.6    Employment Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018, by and between AmeriCold Logistics, LLC and Thomas Musgrave
10.7    Employment Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018, by and between AmeriCold Logistics, LLC and Andrea Darweesh
10.8    Americold Realty Trust 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, effective as of January 23, 2018
10.9    Amended and Restated Shareholders Agreement, dated January 18, 2018, by and among the Company and the shareholders of the Company signatories thereto
10.10    Registration Rights Agreement, dated January 18, 2018, by and among the Company and the shareholders of the Company signatories thereto


SIGNATURES

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.

Date: January 23, 2018

 

AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST
By:  

/s/ Marc Smernoff

  Name: Marc Smernoff
  Title: Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President

Exhibit 1.1

EXECUTION COPY

 

 

 

AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST

(a Maryland real estate investment trust)

45,300,000 Common Shares of Beneficial Interest, $0.01 par value per share

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Dated: January 18, 2018

 

 

 


AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST

(a Maryland real estate investment trust)

45,300,000 Common Shares of Beneficial Interest

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

January 18, 2018

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

             Incorporated

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

as Representatives of the several Underwriters

c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

                   Incorporated

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10179

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

200 Vesey Street

New York, New York 10281

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”), and Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership,” and together with the Company, the “Transaction Entities”), and the persons listed in Schedule B hereto (the “Selling Shareholders”) confirm their respective agreements with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”), J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (“J.P. Morgan”), RBC Capital Markets, LLC (“RBC”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch, J.P. Morgan and RBC are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the Selling Shareholders, acting severally and not jointly, and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of common shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company (“Common Shares”) set forth in Schedules  A and B hereto and (ii) the grant by the Company and the Selling Shareholders to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 6,795,000 additional Common Shares. The aforesaid 45,300,000 Common Shares (the “Initial Securities”) to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the 6,795,000 Common Shares subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “Option Securities”) are hereinafter called, collectively, the “Securities.”


The Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders understand that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.

In connection with the public offering of the Securities, the following agreements relating to certain shareholders of the Company have been entered into, or will be entered into as of the Closing Time (as defined below), as the case may be: (i) the Shareholders Agreement, to be effective as of the Closing Time, by and among the Company and the shareholders of the Company signatories thereto; (ii) the Registration Rights Agreement, to be effective as of the Closing Time, by and among the Company, and the shareholders of the Company signatories thereto; (iii) the Equity Investor Agreement, dated January 11, 2018, by and among YF ART Holdings, L.P., the GSCP Shareholders (as defined therein), Charm Progress Investment Limited and the Company; and (iv) the First Amendment to Contribution Agreement, dated January 11, 2018, by and among Yucaipa American Alliance Fund II, L.P., CF Cold LP and the Company (collectively, the “Shareholder Transaction Documents”).

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-11 (No. 333-221560), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, covering the registration of the offer and sale of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A (“Rule 430A”) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”) and Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). The information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430A(b) is hereinafter called the “Rule 430A Information.” Such registration statement, including the amendments, exhibits and any schedules thereto, as of the time it became effective, as well as the Rule 430A Information, is hereinafter called the “Registration Statement.” Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is hereinafter called the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” and, after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, if any, is hereinafter called a “preliminary prospectus.” The final prospectus, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or any successor system (“EDGAR”).

As used in this Agreement:

“Applicable Time” means 6:25 P.M., New York City time, on January 18, 2018 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.

“General Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses (as defined below) issued prior to the Applicable Time, the most recent preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement that the Company has distributed to the Underwriters for conveyance to investors prior to the Applicable Time and the information included on Schedule C-1 hereto, all considered together.

 

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“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including, without limitation, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering of the Securities that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “ bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433 (the “Bona Fide Electronic Road Show”)), as specified in Schedule C-2 hereto.

“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties .

(a) Representations and Warranties by the Transaction Entities . Each of the Transaction Entities, jointly and severally, represents and warrants to each Underwriter at the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time and each Date of Delivery (as defined below), if any, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

(i) Registration Statement and Prospectuses . Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request, if any, from the Commission for additional information.

Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. The preliminary prospectus that is included in the General Disclosure Package, at the time it was filed with the Commission, complied, and the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of their respective issue dates, complied, in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities were or will be substantially identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(ii) Accurate Disclosure . Neither the Registration Statement nor any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, the date hereof, the Closing Time or any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. At the Applicable Time, the Closing Time and each Date of Delivery, if any, neither (A) the General Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package,

 

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included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), at its issue date, the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), the Closing Time or any Date of Delivery, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

The representations and warranties in this Section 1(a)(ii) shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information in the first paragraph under the heading “Underwriting—Commissions and Discounts,” the information in the second and third paragraphs under the heading “Underwriting—Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids,” the information under the heading “Underwriting—Electronic Distribution” and the information in the fourth paragraph under “Underwriting—Other Relationships,” in each case contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

(iii) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses . No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations on the date of first use, and the Company has complied with any filing requirements applicable to such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to the 1933 Act Regulations. The Company has not made any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives; provided , that such consent is deemed to have been given with respect to each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (as defined herein). The Company has retained in accordance with the 1933 Act Regulations all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that were not required to be filed pursuant to the 1933 Act Regulations. The Company has made available a Bona Fide Electronic Road Show in compliance with Rule 433(d)(8)(ii) such that no filing of any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433(h)) is required in connection with the offering of the Securities.

(iv) Company Not Ineligible Issuer . At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the earliest time thereafter that a Transaction Entity or other offering participant made a bona fide offer of the Securities (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) and the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

(v) Independent Accountants . The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent public accountants with respect to the Company as required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

 

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(vi) Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures . The financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods presented. The supporting schedules, if any, relating to the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The summary selected and the selected financial and operating data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited or unaudited, as applicable, financial statements of the Company included therein. The pro forma financial statements and the related notes thereto included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. Except as included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the 1933 Act, in each case to the extent applicable.

(vii) No Material Adverse Change . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in or affecting the owned, leased or managed properties of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries (collectively, the “Properties”), taken as a whole, or in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, that are material with respect to the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, (C) there has been no liability or obligation, direct or contingent (including off-balance sheet obligations), which is material to the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, incurred by either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries and (D) there has been no distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by either of the Transaction Entities on any class of its shares of beneficial interest, in the case of the Company, any units of limited partnership interest, in the case of the Operating Partnership (“OP Units”), or other form of ownership interests, as applicable.

(viii) Good Standing of the Company . The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a real estate investment trust in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, has all power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties, conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and is duly qualified as a foreign entity

 

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to transact business. The Company is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(ix) Good Standing of Subsidiaries . Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly organized or formed, as applicable, and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, organization or formation, has trust, partnership, limited liability company or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business as a foreign entity. Each subsidiary of the Company is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding ownership interests in each subsidiary of the Company (including, without limitation, all of the issued and outstanding OP Units of the Operating Partnership) have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity, and none of the outstanding ownership interests in any subsidiary of the Company were issued in violation of any preemptive rights or other similar rights. The only subsidiaries of the Company are (A) the subsidiaries of the Company listed on Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement and (B) certain other subsidiaries which, considered in the aggregate as a single subsidiary, do not constitute a “significant subsidiary,” as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.

(x) Capitalization . The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Company are as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible or exchangeable securities or options referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) no shares of beneficial interest of the Company are reserved for any purpose, (ii) there are no outstanding instruments convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of beneficial interest of the Company, and (iii) there are no outstanding options, rights (preemptive or otherwise) or warrants to purchase or subscribe for shares of beneficial interest or any other ownership interests of the Company. Each of (A) the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Company (including Securities to be sold by a Selling Shareholder), (B) all outstanding instruments convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of beneficial interest (including the 5.00% Series B Cumulative Convertible Voting Preferred Shares of the Company (“Series B Preferred Shares”) owned by certain Selling Shareholders as of the date of this Agreement, which will be converted into Common Shares prior to the Closing Time and a portion thereof sold as Securities by such Selling Shareholders) or any other ownership interests of the Company and (C) all outstanding options, rights or warrants to purchase or subscribe for shares of beneficial interest or any other ownership interests of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and conforms in all material respects to all statements relating thereto in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and none of such outstanding shares (including Securities to be sold by a Selling Shareholder), instruments (including Series B Preferred Shares owned by certain Selling Shareholders as of the date of this Agreement, which will be converted into Common Shares prior to the Closing Time and a portion thereof sold as Securities by such Selling Shareholders), options, rights or warrants were issued in violation of any preemptive rights or other similar rights.

 

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(xi) Authorization of Agreement . This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Transaction Entities.

(xii) Authorization and Description of Securities . The Securities to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when such Securities have been issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, such Securities will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will not be subject to any preemptive rights or other similar rights. The Securities conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and such description conforms in all material respects to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. No holder of Securities will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder. The certificates, if any, to be used to evidence the Securities will, at the Closing Time, be in due and proper form and will comply in all material respects with all applicable legal requirements, the requirements of the declaration of trust and bylaws of the Company and the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange.

(xiii) Ownership of OP Units . The Limited Partnership Agreement of the Operating Partnership is in full force and effect. All of the OP Units issued in exchange for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and, at the Closing Time and each Date of Delivery, if any, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will be owned by the Company free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity, and none of such OP Units will be issued in violation of any preemptive rights or other similar rights. The Company is the direct or indirect owner of all OP Units.

(xiv) Authorization and Description of Shareholder Transaction Documents . Each Shareholder Transaction Document to which a Transaction Entity is a party has been, or as of the Closing Time will have been, duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Transaction Entity and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by the other parties thereto, constitutes or will constitute, as the case may be, a valid and binding agreement of such Transaction Entity, enforceable against such Transaction Entity in accordance with its terms, except, in each case, to the extent that enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights or remedies generally or by general equitable principles, and, with respect to equitable relief, the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity), and with respect to any indemnification provisions contained therein, except as rights under those provisions may be limited by applicable law or policies underlying such law. Each Shareholder Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms in all material respects to the rights set forth in such Shareholder Transaction Document.

(xv) Registration Rights . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and properly waived, there are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise registered for sale or sold under the 1933 Act by either of the Transaction Entities.

 

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(xvi) Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts . Neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its declaration of trust, bylaws, certificate of limited partnership, limited partnership agreement, limited liability company agreement or other organizational document, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them may be bound or to which any of their respective Properties, assets or operations is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental agency or body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries or their respective Properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and, to the extent applicable, the Shareholder Transaction Documents by the Transaction Entities and the consummation by the Transaction Entities of the transactions contemplated herein and, to the extent applicable, therein (including the issuance and sale of the Securities to be sold by the Company and the use of the proceeds from the sale of such Securities as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Transaction Entities with their respective obligations hereunder and, to the extent applicable, thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary trust or limited partnership action, as applicable, and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the Properties, assets or operations of either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults, Repayment Events, liens, charges or encumbrances that would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of (i) the provisions of the declaration of trust, bylaws, certificate of limited partnership, limited partnership agreement, limited liability company agreement or other organizational document, as applicable, of either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries or (ii) any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity, except in the case of clause (ii) only, for any such violation that would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any financing instrument (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such financing by either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries.

(xvii) Absence of Labor Dispute . No labor dispute with the employees of either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Entities, is imminent, which, in either case, would reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(xviii) Absence of Proceedings . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity now pending, or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Entities, threatened, against or affecting the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries, which (A) is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus that is included in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (other than as disclosed therein), (B) would, reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) would materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Transaction Entities of their respective obligations hereunder. The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their respective Properties, assets or operations is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xix) Description of Contracts; Accuracy of Exhibits . All descriptions in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus of contracts, franchises, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or other agreements or instruments to which any of the Transaction Entities or their respective subsidiaries are a party are accurate in all material respects. There are no contracts, franchises, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or other agreements or instruments that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus that is included in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that have not been so described or filed as required.

(xx) Absence of Further Requirements . No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by either of the Transaction Entities of its respective obligations hereunder or, to the extent applicable, the Shareholder Transaction Documents, or in connection with the offering, issuance, sale or delivery of the Securities hereunder, except (A) such as may be required under the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, which have been obtained, or as may be required under the securities laws of any U.S. state or non-U.S. jurisdiction or the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and (B) the filing of the amended and restated declaration of trust of the Company with the State of Maryland prior to the Closing Time.

(xxi) Possession of Licenses and Permits . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, the “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all of the Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of the Governmental Licenses or the failure of the Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any of the Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(xxii) Title to Property . (A) The Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or any joint venture in which either of the Transaction Entities (other than China Merchants Americold Holdings Company Limited and China Merchants Americold Logistics Company Limited) or any of their respective subsidiaries owns an interest (each such joint venture being referred to as a “Related Entity”), as the case may be, will have good and marketable fee or leasehold title to their respective Properties and assets owned or leased by them, in each case, free and clear of all security interests, mortgages, pledges, liens, encumbrances, claims or equities of any kind, other than those that (1) are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (2) do not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; (B) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or any Related Entity owns any real property other than the Properties described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being so owned; (C) each of the ground leases, subleases and sub-subleases relating to a Property, if any, are the legal, valid and binding agreement of the applicable Transaction Entity, a subsidiary thereof or a Related Entity, enforceable against such Transaction Entity, such subsidiary or such Related Entity in accordance with its terms, except, in each case, to the extent that enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights or remedies generally or by general equitable principles, and, with respect to equitable relief, the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity), and with respect to any indemnification provisions contained therein, except as rights under those provisions may be limited by applicable law or policies underlying such law, and no default or event of default on the part of the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or any Related Entity or, to the knowledge of the Transaction Entities, the counterparties thereto has occurred under any ground lease, sublease or sub-sublease with respect to such Property and none of the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or any Related Entity has received any notice of any event which, whether with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default under such ground lease, sublease or sub-sublease and none of the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or any Related Entity has received any notice of any claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or any Related Entity under any of the ground leases, subleases or sub-subleases mentioned above, except, in each case, other than such failures to be in full force and effect, for such defaults and such claims as would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; (D) all security interests, mortgages, pledges, liens, encumbrances, claims or equities on any of the Properties or assets of either of the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or any Related Entity that are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus are disclosed therein; (E) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no person or entity has a right of first refusal or an option to purchase any Property; (F) each Property complies with all applicable codes, laws and regulations (including, without limitation, building and zoning codes, laws and regulations and laws relating to access to such Property), except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and except for such failures to comply that would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; (G) no mortgage or deed of trust encumbering any Property is convertible into ownership interests in the entity owning such Property and, other than as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. no mortgage or deed of trust on any Property is cross-defaulted or cross-collateralized with any other Property; and (H)

 

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none of the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or any Related Entity or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Entities, any lessee of any of the Properties is in default under any of the contracts governing any Properties and none of the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or any Related Entity knows of any event which, whether with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default under any of such contracts, except, in each case, for such defaults that would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxiii) Joint Venture Agreements . Each of the partnership agreements, limited liability company agreements or other joint venture agreements (each, a “Joint Venture Agreement”) to which either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each Transaction Entity or their respective subsidiaries, as applicable, and constitutes the legal, valid and binding agreement of such Transaction Entity or such subsidiary, enforceable against such Transaction Entity or such subsidiary in accordance with its terms, except, in each case, to the extent that enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights or remedies generally or by general equitable principles, and, with respect to equitable relief, the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity), and with respect to any indemnification provisions contained therein, except as rights under those provisions may be limited by applicable law or policies underlying such law.

(xxiv) Possession of Intellectual Property . The Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where such failure to own, possess or acquire such Intellectual Property would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxv) Environmental Laws . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and except as would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) none of the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries, any Related Entity or any of their respective properties is in violation of any Environmental Laws (as defined below), (B) the Transaction Entities, their respective subsidiaries, the Related Entities and the Properties have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law or Hazardous Material (as defined below) against the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or any Related Entity or any of the Properties, (D) there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Entity, against or affecting the

 

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Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries, any Related Entity or any of the Properties relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws, and (E) no Property is included or proposed for inclusion on the National Priorities List issued pursuant to CERCLA (as defined below) by the United States Environmental Protection Agency or on any similar list or inventory issued by any other federal, state, local or foreign Governmental Entity having or claiming jurisdiction over such Property pursuant to any other Environmental Laws. As used herein, “Hazardous Material” shall mean any flammable explosives, radioactive materials, chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, hazardous wastes, toxic substances, mold and any hazardous material as defined by or regulated under any Environmental Law, including, without limitation, petroleum or petroleum products, and asbestos-containing materials. As used herein, “Environmental Law” shall mean any applicable foreign, federal, state or local law (including statute or common law), ordinance, rule, regulation or judicial or administrative order, consent decree or judgment relating to the protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Secs. 9601-9675 (“CERCLA”), the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, as amended, 49 U.S.C. Secs. 5101-5127, the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Secs. 6901-6992k, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. Secs. 11001-11050, the Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. Secs. 2601-2692, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, 7 U.S.C. Secs. 136-136y, the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. Secs. 7401-7671q, the Clean Water Act (Federal Water Pollution Control Act), 33 U.S.C. Secs. 1251-1388, and the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. Secs. 300f-300j-26, as any of the above statutes may be amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated pursuant to any of the foregoing.

(xxvi) Utilities and Access . To the knowledge of the Transaction Entities, water, stormwater, sanitary sewer, electricity and telephone service are all available at the property lines of each Property over duly dedicated streets or perpetual easements of record benefiting the applicable Property. To the knowledge of the Transaction Entities, each of the Properties has legal access to public roads and all other roads necessary for the use of the applicable Property.

(xxvii) No Condemnation . Neither Transaction Entity has knowledge of any pending or threatened condemnation proceedings, zoning change or other proceeding or action that will materially affect the use or value of any Property.

(xxviii) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls . The Company and its subsidiaries (i) have taken all necessary actions to ensure that, within the time period required under applicable law, the Company and its subsidiaries will maintain effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the “1934 Act Regulations”)) and (ii) currently maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to adversely affect, the

 

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Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The auditors of the Company and the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Company or, if no such Audit Committee exists, the full Board of Trustees of the Company, have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting that have adversely affected, or are reasonably likely to adversely affect, the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal control over financial reporting of the Company and its subsidiaries. The Company and its subsidiaries have established a system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 of the 1934 Act Regulations) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

(xxix) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act . The Company has taken all necessary actions to ensure that, upon the initial filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as applicable, it will be in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or implementing the provisions thereof (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) that are then in effect and with which the Company is required to comply as of the initial filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as applicable, and is actively taking steps to ensure that it will be in compliance with other provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act not currently in effect, upon the effectiveness of such provisions, or which will become applicable to the Company at all times after the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.

(xxx) Payment of Taxes . All U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. income tax returns of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed, and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which appeals have been taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries in respect of any tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxi) ERISA . Each Transaction Entity is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”). No “reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as defined in ERISA) for which either Transaction Entity would have any liability. Neither Transaction Entity has incurred or could reasonably be expected to incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan” or (ii) Section 412, 403, 431, 432 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Each “pension plan” for which either Transaction Entity would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred thereunder, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. No portion of the assets of either Transaction Entity constitutes “plan assets” for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code.

 

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(xxxii) Business Insurance . The Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. Neither of the Transaction Entities has any reason to believe that it or any of their respective subsidiaries will not be able to (A) renew, if desired, its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxiii) Title Insurance . Each of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries and each Related Entity carries or is entitled to the benefits of title insurance on the fee interests and/or leasehold interests (in the case of a ground lease interest) with respect to each Property owned or leased by the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries or any Related Entity with financially sound and reputable insurers, in an amount not less than such entity’s cost for each such Property, insuring that such entity is vested with good and insurable fee or leasehold title, as the case may be, to each such Property, except, in each case, where the failure to carry or be entitled to the benefits of such title insurance would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxiv) Investment Company Act . Neither of the Transaction Entities is required, or upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as contemplated herein and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

(xxxv) Absence of Manipulation . Neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries or other controlled affiliates has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or a violation of Regulation M under the 1934 Act.

(xxxvi) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act . None of the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Entities, any trustee, director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, during the past five years, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), or any other applicable anti-bribery laws, including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA. Each of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of each of the Transaction Entities, their respective affiliates have, during the past five years, conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and any other applicable anti-bribery laws and have instituted and maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

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(xxxvii) Money Laundering Laws . The operations of each of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act, including the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions in which the Transaction Entities have operations, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) in the jurisdictions in which the Transaction Entities have operations. No action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Entities, threatened.

(xxxviii) OFAC . None of the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Entities, any trustee, director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries is an individual or entity (“Person”) currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor are the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions. The Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.

(xxxix) Lending Relationship . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither of the Transaction Entities (i) has any material lending or other relationship with any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter or (ii) intends to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter.

(xl) Statistical and Market-Related Data . Any statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably believes to be reliable and accurate and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

(xli) Real Estate Investment Trust . The Company has made a timely election to be subject to tax as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) pursuant to Sections 856 through 860 of the Code for its taxable year ended December 31, 1999. Commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 1999, the Company has been organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code. The Company’s current organization and proposed method of operation, as described in, and subject to the limitations, qualifications and assumptions set forth in, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, do and will enable the Company to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code. All statements regarding the Company’s qualification and taxation as a REIT and descriptions of the Company’s current organization and proposed method

 

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of operation (inasmuch as they affect the Company’s qualification and taxation as a REIT) set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of matters of U.S. federal income tax law and regulations or legal conclusions with respect thereto, constitute accurate summaries of the matters described therein in all material respects.

(xlii) Approval of Listing . The Securities have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance.

(xliii) Distributions . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) the Company is not currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from making any distributions to its shareholders and (B) neither the Operating Partnership nor any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company is prohibited, directly or indirectly, from making any distributions, directly or indirectly, to the Company, from making any other distribution on any of its ownership interests, from repaying any of its loans or advances, including those made, directly or indirectly, by the Company, or from loaning or otherwise making funds available, directly or indirectly, to the Company.

(xliv) Finder’s Fees . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not incurred any liability for any finder’s fees or similar payments in connection with the transactions contemplated in this Agreement, except as may otherwise exist with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.

(xlv) Certain Relationships . No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among either of the Transaction Entities, on the one hand, and the trustees, officers, shareholders or partners of the Transaction Entities, on the other hand, which is required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus which is not so described.

(b) Representations and Warranties by the Selling Shareholders . Each Selling Shareholder severally represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time and each Date of Delivery, if any, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

(i) Accurate Disclosure . None of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided , that such representations and warranties set forth in this subsection (b)(i) apply only to statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to such Selling Shareholder furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (the “Selling Shareholder Information”); provided , that each of the Company and the Underwriters acknowledges and agrees that for all purposes of this Agreement, the only Selling Shareholder Information is the statements pertaining to the name and address of such Selling Shareholder and the number of shares owned and the number of shares proposed to be sold by such Selling Shareholder under the caption “Principal and Selling Shareholders” in the Prospectus.

(ii) Authorization of this Agreement . This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Selling Shareholder.

 

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(iii) Noncontravention . The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the sale and delivery of the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and compliance by such Selling Shareholder with its obligations hereunder do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, (i) conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance upon the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder or any property or assets of such Selling Shareholder pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Shareholder is a party or by which such Selling Shareholder may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of such Selling Shareholder is subject, or (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of (a) the charter, bylaws, certificate of limited partnership, limited partnership agreement, limited liability company agreement or other organizational document, as applicable, of such Selling Shareholder, or (b) any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over such Selling Shareholder or any of its properties except in the case of clauses (i) and (ii)(b) for such breach, default or violation as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Selling Shareholder to consummate the transactions contemplated herein.

(iv) Valid Title . Such Selling Shareholder (i) has valid title to either (A) the Securities (or security entitlements in respect thereto) to be sold by such Selling Shareholder or (B) Series B Preferred Shares, which will be converted into Common Shares prior to the Closing Time and a portion thereof sold as Securities by such Selling Shareholders), and (ii) will have, at the Closing Time and any Date of Delivery, valid title to the Securities (or security entitlements in respect thereto) to be sold by such Selling Shareholder, in the case of each of (i) and (ii), free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder or a valid security entitlement in respect of such Securities.

(v) Delivery of Securities . Upon payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Securities, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) (unless delivery of such Securities is unnecessary because such Securities are already in possession of Cede or such nominee), registration of such Securities in the name of Cede or such other nominee (unless registration of such Securities is unnecessary because such Securities are already registered in the name of Cede or such nominee), and the crediting of such Securities on the books of DTC to securities accounts (within the meaning of Section 8-501(a) of the Uniform Commercial Code then in effect in the State of New York (“UCC”)) of the Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor any such Underwriter has notice of any “adverse claim,” within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the UCC, to such Securities), (A) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid “security entitlement” in respect of such Securities and (B) no action (whether framed in conversion, replevin, constructive trust, equitable lien, or other theory) based on any “adverse claim,” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Securities may be asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, such Selling Shareholder may assume that when such payment, delivery (if necessary) and crediting occur, (I) such Securities will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its declaration of trust, bylaws and applicable law, (II) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation,” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the

 

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UCC and its “securities intermediary jurisdiction” within the meaning of Section 8-110 of the UCC is the State of New York, (III) appropriate entries to the accounts of the several Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC and the relevant account agreement between each of the several Underwriters and DTC is governed by the laws of the State of New York, (IV) to the extent DTC, or any other securities intermediary which acts as “clearing corporation” with respect to the Securities, maintains any “financial asset” (as defined in Section 8-102(a)(9) of the UCC) in a clearing corporation pursuant to Section 8-111 of the UCC, the rules of such clearing corporation may affect the rights of DTC or such securities intermediaries and the ownership interest of the Underwriters, (V) claims of creditors of DTC or any other securities intermediary or clearing corporation may be given priority to the extent set forth in Section 8-511(b) and 8-511(c) of the UCC and (VI) if at any time DTC or other securities intermediary does not have sufficient Securities to satisfy claims of all of its entitlement holders with respect thereto then all holders will share pro rata in the Securities then held by DTC or such securities intermediary.

(vi) Absence of Manipulation . Such Selling Shareholder has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or a violation of Regulation M under the 1934 Act.

(vii) Absence of Further Requirements . Except (A) such as may be required under the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, which have already been obtained, or as may be required under the securities laws of any U.S. state or non-U.S. jurisdiction or the rules of FINRA, (B) the filing of the amended and restated declaration of trust of the Company with the State of Maryland prior to the Closing Time and (C) as would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Selling Shareholder to consummate the transaction, no filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, order, registration, qualification or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency, domestic or foreign, is necessary or required for the performance by such Selling Shareholder of its obligations hereunder, or in connection with the sale and delivery of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(viii) No Free Writing Prospectuses . Such Selling Shareholder has not prepared or had prepared on its behalf or used or referred to, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) relating to the Securities.

(ix) ERISA Compliance. Such Selling Shareholder is not (A) an employee benefit plan subject to Title I of the ERISA, (B) a plan or account subject to Section 4975 of the Code or (C) an entity deemed to hold “plan assets” of any such plan or account under Section 3(42) of ERISA, 29 C.F.R. 2510.3-101, or otherwise.

(c) Officer’s Certificates . Any certificate signed by any officer of either of the Transaction Entities delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by such Transaction Entity to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby; and any certificate signed by the Selling Shareholders as such and delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by each such Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.

 

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SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing .

(a) Initial Securities . On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, agree to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company and each Selling Shareholder , at the price per share set forth in Schedule A , that proportion of the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule B opposite the name of the Company or such Selling Shareholder, as the case may be, which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

(b) Option Securities . In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and the Selling Shareholders, acting severally and not jointly, hereby grant an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 6,795,000 Option Securities, as set forth in Schedule B , at the price per share set forth in Schedule A , less an amount per share equal to any distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted will expire 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time from time to time only for the purpose of covering overallotments made in connection with the offering and the distribution of the Initial Securities, upon notice by the Representatives to the Company and the Selling Shareholders setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities (which time and date of payment and delivery shall be at least two business days after the date of delivery of such notice, other than any notice requesting delivery of the Option Securities at the Closing Time). Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representatives, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

(c) Payment . Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates or security entitlements for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Sidley Austin LLP , 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Shareholders , at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the second (third, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Shareholders (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the “Closing Time”).

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates or security entitlements for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representatives to the Company and the Selling Shareholders.

 

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Payment shall be made to the Company and the Selling Shareholders by wire transfer of immediately available funds to bank accounts designated by the Company and the Selling Shareholders, as the case may be, against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates or security entitlements for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Each of the Representatives, individually and not as a representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

(d) Denominations; Registration . Certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request in writing at least two full business days before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the Representatives in The City of New York not later than 4:00 P.M. (New York City time) on the business day prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.

SECTION 3. Covenants of the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders . Each of the Transaction Entities and each Selling Shareholder, as applicable, covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests . The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430A, and will notify the Representatives immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop, prevention or suspension order and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

(b) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws . The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the

 

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Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representatives notice of such event, (B) prepare, as applicable, any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representatives with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided , however , that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representatives written notice of each filing, if any, made pursuant to the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time and will give the Representatives notice of its intention to make any filings pursuant to the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act Regulations from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and, a reasonable amount of time prior to its proposed filing or use, will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents and will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

(c) Delivery of Registration Statements . The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and conformed copies of all consents and certificates of experts. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(d) Delivery of Prospectuses . The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(e) Blue Sky Qualifications . The Company will use its reasonable best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Securities; provided , however , that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

 

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(f) Rule 158 . The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.

(g) Use of Proceeds . The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities to be sold by the Company in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”

(h) Listing . The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Common Shares (including the Securities) on the New York Stock Exchange.

(i) Restriction on Sale of Securities . During a period of 180 days from the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), neither Transaction Entity will, without the prior written consent of the Representatives (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares (including, without limitation, OP Units) or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or publicly announce the intention to do any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Shares, whether any such swap, other agreement or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold by the Company hereunder, (B) any Common Shares issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security, in each case outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any Common Shares issued or options to purchase Common Shares granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (D) any Common Shares issued pursuant to any non-employee trustee share plan or distribution reinvestment plan referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (E) the filing of any registration statement on Form S-8 to register Common Shares pursuant to any equity incentive plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (F) any Common Shares or OP Units, in the aggregate not to exceed 5% of the Common Shares and OP Units outstanding, issued in connection with other acquisitions of real property or real property companies; provided , however , that the recipients of Common Shares or OP Units issued in connection with such an acquisition shall be required to agree in writing not to sell, offer, dispose of or otherwise transfer any such Common Shares or OP Units during the remainder of the Lock-Up Period without the prior written consent of the Representatives. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may establish or amend a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the 1934 Act for the transfer of Common Shares, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Shares during the Lock-Up Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the 1934 Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the Company regarding the establishment or amendment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Shares may be made under such plan during the Lock-Up Period.

(j) Reporting Requirements . The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Securities to be sold by the Company as may be required under Rule 463 under the 1933 Act.

 

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(k) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses . Each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided , that the Representatives will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule C-2 hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed and approved by the Representatives. Any such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, as the case may be, by the Representatives is referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following the issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any preliminary prospectus or other prospectus deemed to be part thereof that has not been superseded or modified, or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

(l) Absence of Manipulation . Neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries or other controlled affiliates will take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or a violation of Regulation M under the 1934 Act.

(m) REIT Qualification . The Company will use its best efforts to continue to meet the requirements to qualify as a REIT under the Code until the Board of Trustees of the Company determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to qualify as a REIT.

(n) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act . Each of the Transaction Entities will comply in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that are in effect.

SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses .

(a) Expenses . Each of the Transaction Entities, jointly and severally, agrees to pay all expenses incident to the performance of their obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto) as originally filed and of each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, including any share or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iii) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s and the Selling Shareholders’ counsel, accountants and other advisors, (iv) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto (not to exceed $10,000 in the aggregate), (v) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to

 

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investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and one-half of the cost of aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities (such fees and disbursements of counsel not to exceed $65,000 in the aggregate), (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Common Shares (including the Securities) on the New York Stock Exchange, and (x) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained in the second sentence of Section 1(a)(ii). Except as explicitly provided in this Section 4(a) or Section 4(c), Section 6 or Section 7 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel and other advisors, all travel and lodging expenses of their employees and other advisors in connection with the road show, and one-half of the cost of aircraft chartered in connection with the road show.

(b) Expenses of the Selling Shareholders . Each Selling Shareholder agrees to pay or cause to be paid all transfer taxes incident to the sale and delivery of the portion of Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters hereunder.

(c) Termination of Agreement . If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i) or (iii) or Section 10 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters (or, in the case of a termination pursuant to Section 10, the non-defaulting Underwriters) for all of their reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations . The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders contained in Sections 1(a) and 1(b), respectively, hereof as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time and the Closing Time or in certificates of any officer of either of the Transaction Entities or any Selling Shareholder delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, as the case may be, to the performance by the Transaction Entities and each Selling Shareholder of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become effective under the 1933 Act and, at the Closing Time, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request, if any, from the Commission for additional information. A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information has been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or a post-effective amendment providing such information has been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, has been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 433(d).

 

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(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company . At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of King & Spalding LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto. In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely upon the opinion of Venable LLP as to all matters governed by the laws of the State of Maryland. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

(c) Opinion of Internal Counsel for Company . At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Daniel Deckbar, the Acting General Counsel of the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto. In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely upon the opinion of Venable LLP as to all matters governed by the laws of the State of Maryland. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, such counsel has relied, to the extent such counsel deems proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

(d) Opinion of Maryland Counsel for Company . At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Venable LLP, Maryland counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereto. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

(e) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Shareholders . At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of the respective counsel for the Selling Shareholders listed in Schedule B hereto, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters. Each such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Selling Shareholders, certificates of officers and other representatives of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

(f) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters . At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Sidley Austin LLP , counsel for the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives shall reasonably request. In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely upon the opinion of Venable LLP as to all matters governed by the laws of the State of Maryland. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

(g) Officers Certificate . At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof, since the Applicable Time or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in or affecting the Properties taken as a whole or in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries considered as one

 

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enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or President of the Transaction Entities and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Transaction Entities, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Transaction Entities contained in Section 1(a) of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Transaction Entities have complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.

(h) Certificate of Selling Shareholders . At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of each Selling Shareholder, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties of each Selling Shareholder contained in Section 1(b) of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time and (ii) each Selling Shareholder has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied in all material respects under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Time.

(i) Accountant’s Comfort Letter . At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, addressed to the Underwriters and to the Company’s board of trustees, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(j) Bring-down Comfort Letter . At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated the Closing Time, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, addressed to the Underwriters and to the Company’s board of trustees, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 5(i) hereof, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

(k) Approval of Listing . At the Closing Time, the Securities shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.

(l) No Objection . FINRA has confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Securities.

(m) Lock-up Agreements . At the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Annex I hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule D hereto.

(n) Shareholder Transaction Documents . All of the Shareholder Transaction Documents shall have been executed and delivered contemporaneously with or prior to the sale of the Securities.

(o) Maintenance of Rating . Since the execution of this Agreement, there shall not have been any decrease in or withdrawal of the rating of any securities of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the 1934 Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in or withdrawal of any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

 

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(p) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities . In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Transaction Entities contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:

(i) Officers’ Certificate . A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the Chief Executive Officer or President of the Transaction Entities and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Transaction Entities, confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(g) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

(ii) Certificate of Selling Shareholders . A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of each Selling Shareholder confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(h) remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

(iii) Opinion of Counsel for Company . The favorable opinion of King & Spalding LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.

(iv) Opinion of Internal Counsel for Company . The favorable opinion of Daniel Deckbar, the Acting General Counsel of the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.

(v) Opinion of Maryland Counsel for Company . The favorable opinion of Venable LLP, Maryland counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(d) hereof.

(vi) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Shareholders . The favorable opinion of the respective counsel for the Selling Shareholders, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the respective opinions required by Section 5(e) hereof.

(vii) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters . The favorable opinion of Sidley Austin LLP , counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(f) hereof.

(viii) Bring-down Comfort Letter . A letter from Ernst & Young LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(i) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.

 

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(q) Additional Documents . At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery, if any, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to deliver the opinions reasonably requested by the Underwriters as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives.

(r) Termination of Agreement . If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company and the Selling Shareholders at any time at or prior to the Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 6. Indemnification .

(a) Indemnification of Underwriters and the Selling Shareholders . Each of the Transaction Entities, jointly and severally, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter or such Selling Shareholders, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in (A) any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or (B) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities (“Marketing Materials”), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or in any Marketing Materials, as the case may be, of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever, in each case based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided , that (subject to Section 6(e) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders; and

 

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(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives and any Selling Shareholder), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, in each case based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided , however , that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in each case in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(b) Indemnification of Underwriters by Selling Shareholders . Each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its Affiliates, its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act to the extent and in the manner set forth in clauses (a)(i), (ii) and (iii) above; provided , that each Selling Shareholder shall be liable only to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with the Selling Shareholder Information; provided , however , that the liability of such Selling Shareholder pursuant to this subsection 6(b) and the contribution by such Selling Shareholder under Section 7 shall not exceed the net proceeds (after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions) received by such Selling Shareholder for the sale of Securities sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder (the “Selling Shareholder Net Proceeds”).

(c) Indemnification of Transaction Entities, Trustees and Officers and Selling Shareholders . Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Transaction Entity, the Company’s trustees, each of the Company’s officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls either of the Transaction Entities within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and each Selling Shareholder and each person, if any, who controls any Selling Shareholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in each case in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(d) Actions Against Parties; Notification . Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) and 6(b) hereof, counsel for the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representatives, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(c) hereof, counsel for the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Transaction Entities, as applicable. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided , however , that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local

 

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counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(e) Settlement Without Consent if Failure to Reimburse . If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

(f) Other Agreements with Respect to Indemnification . The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders with respect to indemnification.

SECTION 7. Con tribution . If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

The relative benefits received by the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

The relative fault of the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Transaction Entities or the Selling Shareholders or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

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The Transaction Entities, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discount received by such Underwriter in connection with the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public and (ii) no Selling Shareholder shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the Selling Shareholder Net Proceeds exceed the amount of any damages that such Selling Shareholder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. Each Selling Shareholder’s obligations to contribute under this Section 7 are several and not joint and limited in the manner and to the extent set forth in Section 6(b) above.

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each trustee of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls either of the Transaction Entities or any Selling Shareholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Transaction Entities or such Selling Shareholder, as the case may be. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Shareholders with respect to contribution.

SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive . All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries or the Selling Shareholders submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or trustees, any person controlling either of the Transaction Entities or any person controlling any Selling Shareholder and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement .

(a) Termination . The Representatives may terminate this Agreement by notice to the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representatives, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in or affecting the Properties taken as a whole or

 

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in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or (iv) if trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the NYSE MKT or in the Nasdaq Global Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) if a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either U.S. federal or New York authorities.

(b) Liabilities . If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters . If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth. If, within 24 hours after such default by one or more Underwriters, the Representatives do not arrange for the purchase of all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities, then the Transaction Entities shall be entitled to (but shall not be obligated to) take a further period of 24 hours within which to procure one or more underwriters reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, neither the Representatives nor the Company shall have completed such arrangements within such respective periods, then:

(i) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

(ii) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to each Date of Delivery, if any, which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and of the Company and the Selling Shareholders to sell, the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Transaction Entities or the Selling Shareholders, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriters as provided in Section 4 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Sections 6 and 7 hereof.

 

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No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company and the Selling Shareholders to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the (i) Representatives or (ii) the Company and any Selling Shareholder shall have the right to postpone the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.

SECTION 11. Notices . All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives at: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated at One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, attention of Syndicate Department (Fax: (646) 855-3073), with a copy to ECM Legal (Fax: (212) 230-8730); J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179, attention of Equity Syndicate Desk (Fax: (212) 622-8358); and RBC Capital Markets, LLC, 200 Vesey Street, New York, New York 10281, attention of Equity Capital Markets (Fax: (212) 428-6260); notices to the Transaction Entities shall be directed to them at 10 Glenlake Parkway, South Tower, Suite 600, Atlanta, Georgia 30328, attention of Marc Smernoff (email: marc.smernoff@americold.com), with a copy to King & Spalding LLP, 1180 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, Attention: C. Spencer Johnson, III; and notices to the Selling Shareholders shall be directed to: (i) YF ART Holdings, L.P., c/o The Yucaipa Companies LLC, 9130 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, attention of Robert P. Bermingham, with a copy to Munger, Tolles & Olson, LLP, 350 S. Grand Ave., 50th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071, attention of Judith T. Kitano; and (ii) each of GS Capital Partners VI Fund, L.P., GS Capital Partners VI Parallel, L.P., GSCP VI Offshore IceCap Investment, L.P., GSCP VI GmbH IceCap Investment, L.P. and IceCap2 Holdings, L.P., c/o GS Capital Partners VI Fund, L.P., 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198, attention of Bradley Gross, with a copy to Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, One New York Plaza, New York, NY 10004, attention of Robert Schwenkel.

SECTION 12. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship . Each of the Transaction Entities and each Selling Shareholder acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the initial public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction among the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries or any Selling Shareholder, or their respective shareholders, unitholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Transaction Entities or any Selling Shareholder with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries or any Selling Shareholder on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Transaction Entities or any Selling Shareholder with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of any of the Transaction Entities or any Selling Shareholder, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any business, legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and each of the Transaction Entities and each Selling Shareholder has consulted its own business, legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

 

33


SECTION 13. Parties . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors and the Affiliates, selling agents, controlling persons and officers and trustees referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors, and said Affiliates, selling agents, controlling persons and officers and trustees and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

SECTION 14. Trial by Jury . Each of the Transaction Entities (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its shareholders or unitholders, as applicable, and affiliates), each of the Selling Shareholders and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

SECTION 15. GOVERNING LAW . THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

SECTION 16. Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity . Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each party not located in the United States irrevocably appoints CT Corporation System as its agent to receive service of process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or proceeding that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the City and County of New York. With respect to any Related Proceeding, each party irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all immunity (whether on the basis of sovereignty or otherwise) from jurisdiction, service of process, attachment (both before and after judgment) and execution to which it might otherwise be entitled in the Specified Courts, and with respect to any Related Judgment, each party waives any such immunity in the Specified Courts or any other court of competent jurisdiction, and will not raise or claim or cause to be pleaded any such immunity at or in respect of any such Related Proceeding or Related Judgment, including, without limitation, any immunity pursuant to the United States Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976, as amended.

 

34


SECTION 17. TIME . TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

SECTION 18. Partial Unenforceability . The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

SECTION 19. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

SECTION 20. Effect of Headings . The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

[ signature pages follow ]

 

35


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a valid and legally binding agreement among the Underwriters, the Transaction Entities and the Selling Shareholders in accordance with its terms.

 

Very truly yours,
AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST
By:  

/s/ Marc J. Smernoff

  Name:   Marc J. Smernoff
  Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice
    President
AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.
By: Americold Realty Trust, its General Partner
By:  

/s/ Marc J. Smernoff

  Name:   Marc J. Smernoff
  Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice
    President

[ Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement ]


YF ART HOLDINGS, L.P.

By: YF ART Holdings GP, LLC,

its general partner

By:  

/s/ Henry E. Orren

  Name: Henry E. Orren
  Title: Assistant Vice President & Secretary

[ Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement ]


GS CAPITAL PARTNERS VI FUND, L.P.

By: GSCP VI Advisors, L.L.C.,

its general partner

By:  

/s/ Bradley Gross

  Name: Bradley Gross
  Title: Vice President
GS CAPITAL PARTNERS VI PARALLEL, L.P.

By: GS Advisors VI, L.L.C.,

its general partner

By:  

/s/ Bradley Gross

  Name: Bradley Gross
  Title: Vice President
GSCP VI OFFSHORE ICECAP INVESTMENT, L.P.
By: GSCP VI Offshore IceCap Holdings Entity GP, Ltd., its general partner
By:  

/s/ Bradley Gross

  Name: Bradley Gross
  Title: Vice President
GSCP VI GMBH ICECAP INVESTMENT, L.P.
By: GSCP VI GmbH IceCap Holdings Entity GP, Ltd., its general partner
By:  

/s/ Bradley Gross

  Name: Bradley Gross
  Title: Vice President
ICECAP2 HOLDINGS, L.P.
By: IceCap2 Holdings Entity GP, Ltd., its general partner
By:  

/s/ Bradley Gross

  Name: Bradley Gross
  Title: Vice President

[ Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement ]


CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,

            as of the date first above written:

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH

                               INCORPORATED

 

By:  

/s/ Greg Wright

  Authorized Signatory

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

 

By:  

/s/ Eddy Allegaert

  Authorized Signatory

RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC

 

By:  

/s/ John Perkins

  Authorized Signatory

For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

[ Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement ]


SCHEDULE A

The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $16.00.

The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $14.904, being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set forth above less $1.096 per share, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 2(b) for distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.

 

Name of Underwriter

   Number of
Initial Securities
 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

     18,222,695  

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

     10,740,495  

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

     6,704,581  

Rabo Securities USA, Inc.

     2,408,057  

Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated

     1,565,251  

Citizens Capital Markets, Inc.

     1,565,251  

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

     1,565,251  

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.

     1,565,251  

BB&T Capital Markets, a division of BB&T Securities, LLC

     481,584  

BTIG, LLC

     481,584  
  

 

 

 

Total

     45,300,000  
  

 

 

 

 

Sch A-1


SCHEDULE B

 

     Number of Initial
Securities to be Sold
     Maximum Number
of Option
Securities to Be Sold
 

Americold Realty Trust

     29,000,000        4,350,000  

YF ART Holdings, L.P.

     11,809,812        1,771,472  

GS Capital Partners VI Fund, L.P.

     1,612,282        241,842  

GS Capital Partners VI Parallel, L.P.

     443,354        66,503  

GSCP VI Offshore IceCap Investment, L.P.

     1,341,047        201,157  

GSCP VI GmbH IceCap Investment, L.P.

     57,309        8,596  

IceCap2 Holdings, L.P.

     1,036,196        155,430  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     45,300,000        6,795,000  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Sch B-1-1


SCHEDULE C-1

Pricing Terms

1. The Company and the Selling Shareholders are selling 45,300,000 Common Shares.

2. The Company and the Selling Shareholders have granted an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 6,795,000 Common Shares.

3. The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $16.00.

 

Sch C-1-1


SCHEDULE C-2

Free Writing Prospectuses

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed on January 18, 2018

 

Sch C-2-1


SCHEDULE D

List of Persons and Entities Subject to Lock-up

Name

Fred Boehler

Marc Smernoff

Andrea Darweesh

Thomas Musgrave

Thomas Novosel

George J. Alburger, Jr.

Ronald Burkle

Christopher Crampton

Richard d’Abo

Jeffrey M. Gault

Bradley J. Gross

Joel A. Holsinger

James R. Heistand

Michelle M. MacKay

Mark R. Patterson

Andrew P. Power

YF ART Holdings, L.P.

GS Capital Partners VI Fund, L.P.

GS Capital Partners VI Parallel, L.P.

GSCP VI Offshore IceCap Investment, L.P.

GSCP VI GmbH IceCap Investment, L.P.

IceCap2 Holdings, L.P.

CF Cold LP

Charm Progress Investment Limited

 

Sch D-1


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY

TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)

 

Ex A-1


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF OPINION OF INTERNAL COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY

TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)

 

Ex B-1


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF OPINION OF MARYLAND COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY

TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(d)

 

Ex C-1


ANNEX I

[2017 / 2018]

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

             Incorporated,

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

as Representatives of the several

Underwriters to be named in the

within-mentioned Underwriting Agreement

c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

                   Incorporated

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

 

  Re: Proposed Public Offering by Americold Realty Trust

Dear Sirs:

The undersigned, a shareholder, officer and/or trustee of Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”), understands that Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”), J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (“J.P. Morgan”) and RBC Capital Markets, LLC (“RBC,” and together with Merrill Lynch and J.P. Morgan, the “Representatives”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with the Company and Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P. (the “Operating Partnership”) and the persons listed in Schedule B to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Selling Shareholders”) providing for the public offering of the Company’s common shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Shares”). In recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as a shareholder, officer and/or trustee of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Underwriting Agreement that, during the period beginning on the date of the preliminary prospectus (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) that is to be included in the General Disclosure Package (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) (the “Preliminary Prospectus”) and ending on the date (the “Expiration Date”) that is 180 days from the date of the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of (together, “Transfer”) any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares (including, without limitation, units of limited partnership interest in the Operating Partnership), whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”), or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any of the Lock-Up Securities or cause to be filed any registration statement in connection therewith, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or publicly announce the intention to do any of the foregoing, or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap, other agreement or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or other securities, in cash or otherwise (as described in this clause (ii), an “Other Transaction”).

 

Annex I-1


Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may Transfer the Lock-Up Securities (or, where provided below, enter into Other Transactions) without the prior written consent of the Representatives, provided that (a) with respect to Transfers pursuant to clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) below, (1) the Representatives receive a signed lock-up agreement for the balance of the period prior to the Expiration Date from each donee, trustee, distributee, or transferee, as the case may be (unless such donee, trustee, distributee or transferee has already signed such a lock-up agreement), (2) any such Transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (3) such Transfers are not required to be reported with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on Form 4 in accordance with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and (4) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such Transfers, (b) with respect to Transfers pursuant to clauses (vi) and (vii) below, any Lock-Up Securities received upon such conversion, exchange or exercise shall remain subject to this lock-up agreement, [(c) with respect to Transfers pursuant to clauses (ix) and (x) below, the Representatives receive a signed lock-up agreement for the balance of the period prior to the Expiration Date from each limited partner, assignee or transferee, as the case may be (unless such limited partner, assignee or transferee has already signed such a lock-up agreement), and (d) with respect to Transfers pursuant to clauses (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) and (xi) below] 1 , any required filing reporting any such Transfer with the Commission pursuant to Section 16 of the 1934 Act shall briefly note the applicable circumstances that cause such exception to apply and explain that such filing relates solely to Transfers within such exception, unless, in the case of clause (viii), such disclosure would be prohibited by any applicable law, regulation or order of a court or regulatory agency ( provided that in no event shall the undersigned voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such Transfers):

 

  (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts; or

 

  (ii) to any immediate family member of the undersigned, or to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); or

 

  (iii) by will or intestacy upon the death of the undersigned; or

 

  (iv) as a distribution to limited partners, members or shareholders of the undersigned (including, to avoid doubt, any internal allocation among such partners, members or shareholders of the undersigned of equity interests in the Company or the Operating Partnership pursuant to the terms and conditions of the governing documents of the undersigned); or

 

  (v) to the undersigned’s subsidiaries or affiliates or to any investment fund or other entity which controls or manages or is controlled or managed by, or under common control or management with, the undersigned; or

 

  (vi) through the conversion, exchange or exercise of any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Lock-Up Securities; or

 

  (vii) to exercise or settle, via a disposition to the Company, equity awards disclosed in the registration statement relating to the public offering of Common Shares, including through any “cashless” exercise thereof, including a disposition to the Company for the purpose of satisfying any withholding taxes (including estimated taxes) due as a result of such exercise or settlement; or

 

1   The section references will be updated in line with any deletions to clauses (ix) and (x) below.

 

Annex I-2


  (viii) pursuant to an order of a court or regulatory agency or to comply with any regulations related to the undersigned’s ownership of Common Shares; or

 

  (ix) [any Transfer by the undersigned to its limited partners or their assigns or any Other Transaction among the limited partners of the undersigned that may be deemed to transfer, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, or any of them;] 2 or

 

  (x) [any Transfer or Other Transaction among or between the undersigned [and YF ART Holdings, L.P.] and/or any of its affiliates[, the GS Entities (as defined below) and/or Charm Progress Investment Limited] [as described in the Preliminary Prospectus relating to the public offering of Common Shares under the heading entitled “Principal and Selling Shareholders;”]] 3 or

 

  (xi) pursuant to a bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation, equity purchase or other similar transaction or series of related transactions involving a change of control of the Company (including, without limitation, entering into any lock-up, voting or similar agreement pursuant to which the undersigned may agree to transfer, sell, tender or otherwise dispose of Lock-Up Securities in connection with such transaction or series of related transactions, or vote any Lock-Up Securities in favor of such transaction or series of related transactions), provided that in the event such transaction or series of related transactions is not completed, the Lock-Up Securities owned by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this lock-up agreement; or

 

  (xii) [the Securities (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) to be sold by the Selling Shareholders pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.] 4

For purposes of this lock-up agreement, “change of control” means any bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation, equity purchase or other similar transaction or series of related transactions, the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the 1934 Act), or group of persons, other than The Yucaipa Companies, LLC, its affiliates and any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by it or any of them becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the 1934 Act) of 50% or more of the total voting power of all classes and series of shares of beneficial ownership generally entitled to vote in the election of trustees of the Company.

Furthermore, the undersigned may sell Common Shares purchased by the undersigned on the open market following the public offering of Common Shares if and only if (a) such sales are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Commission, or otherwise, and (b) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such sales.

 

2   This paragraph to be included in the lock-up agreement for YF ART Holdings, L.P.
3   This paragraph to be included in the lock-up agreements for YF ART Holdings, L.P., the GS Entities and Charm Progress Investment Limited.
4   This paragraph to be included in the lock-up agreement for YF ART Holdings, L.P. and the GS Entities.

 

Annex I-3


Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may enter into or modify a sales plan in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 promulgated under the 1934 Act if permitted by the Company, provided that (1) no sales may be made pursuant to such plan until after the Expiration Date and (2) no filing by any person under the 1934 Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection therewith.

If any record or beneficial owner of any securities of the Company is granted an early release from the restrictions described herein prior to the Expiration Date, then each Major Holder (as defined below) shall also be granted an early release from its obligations hereunder on a pro rata basis with all other record or beneficial holders of similarly restricted securities of the Company based on the maximum percentage of shares of beneficial interest held by any such record or beneficial holder being released from such holder’s lock-up agreement; provided , however , that in the case of an early release from the restrictions described herein prior to the Expiration Date in connection with an underwritten public offering, whether or not such offering or sale is wholly or partially a secondary offering of the Company’s Common Shares (an “Underwritten Sale”), such early release shall only apply with respect to such Major Holder’s participation in such Underwritten Sale. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this lock-up agreement, if the Representatives in their sole judgment determine that a record or beneficial owner of any securities should be granted an early release from a lock-up agreement due to circumstances of an emergency or hardship, then the Major Holders shall not have any right to be granted an early release pursuant to the terms of this paragraph. For purposes of this lock-up agreement, each of the following persons is a “Major Holder”: YF ART Holdings, L.P., the GS Entities [(as defined below)], CF Cold LP and Charm Progress Investment Limited. For purposes of this lock-up agreement, the “GS Entities” means the following persons collectively: GS Capital Partners VI Fund, L.P., GS Capital Partners VI Parallel, L.P., GS Capital Partners VI Offshore Fund, L.P. (holding securities of the Company indirectly through GSCP VI Offshore IceCap Investment, L.P.), GS Capital Partners VI GmbH & Co. KG (holding securities of the Company indirectly through GSCP VI GmbH IceCap Investment, L.P.), Opportunity Partners Offshore-B Co-Invest AIV, L.P. (holding securities of the Company indirectly through IceCap2 Holdings, L.P.).

[Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and its affiliates, other than the undersigned, may engage in brokerage, investment advisory, financial advisory, anti-raid advisory, merger advisory, financing, asset management, trading, market making, arbitrage, principal investing and other similar activities conducted in the ordinary course of their affiliates’ business.] 5

The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

This lock-up agreement shall be terminated and the undersigned released from its obligations hereunder if, for any reason, (1) the Company delivers written notice to the Representatives that the Company does not intend to proceed with the public offering of Common Shares or files an application to withdraw the registration statement related to such public offering, (2) each of the Representatives informs the Company that it does not intend to proceed as an underwriter for the public offering of Common Shares, (3) the Underwriting Agreement has not become effective on or before June 30, 2018 or (4) the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof that survive termination) terminates or is terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Shares to be sold thereunder.

THIS LOCK-UP AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS LOCK-UP AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

 

 

5   This paragraph to be included in the lock-up agreements for the GS Entities.

 

Annex I-4


Very truly yours,
Signature:  

 

Print Name:  

 

 

Annex I-5

Exhibit 3.1

AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST

ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT

FIRST : Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “ Trust ”), formed under Title 8 (“ Title 8 ”) of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, desires to amend and restate its declaration of trust (the “ Declaration of Trust ”) as currently in effect and as hereinafter amended.

SECOND : The amendment to and restatement of the Declaration of Trust as hereinafter set forth have been duly advised by the Board of Trustees and approved by the shareholders of the Trust as required by law.

THIRD : The following provisions are all the provisions of the Declaration of Trust currently in effect and as hereinafter amended:

ARTICLE I

FORMATION

The Trust is a real estate investment trust within the meaning of Title 8. The Trust shall not be deemed to be a general partnership, limited partnership, joint venture, joint stock company or a corporation, but nothing herein shall preclude the Trust from being treated for tax purposes as an association under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”).

ARTICLE II

NAME

The name of the Trust is:

Americold Realty Trust

Under circumstances in which the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “ Board of Trustees ” or “ Board ”) determines that the use of the name of the Trust is not practicable, the Trust may use any other designation or name for the Trust.

ARTICLE III

PURPOSES AND POWERS

Section 3.1 Purposes . The purposes for which the Trust is formed are to invest in and to acquire, hold, manage, administer, control and dispose of property, including, without limitation or obligation, engaging in business as a real estate investment trust under the Code.

Section 3.2 Powers . The Trust shall have all of the powers granted to real estate investment trusts by Title 8 and all other powers set forth in the Declaration of Trust which are not inconsistent with law and are appropriate to promote and attain the purposes set forth in the Declaration of Trust.


ARTICLE IV

PRINCIPAL OFFICE

The name of the resident agent of the Trust in the State of Maryland is The Corporation Trust Incorporated, whose address is 2405 York Road, Suite 201, Timonium, Maryland 21093. The resident agent is a Maryland corporation. The Trust may have such offices or places of business within or outside the State of Maryland as the Board of Trustees may from time to time determine.

ARTICLE V

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Section 5.1 Number . The business and affairs of the Trust shall be managed under the direction of the Board of Trustees. The number of Trustees of the Board of Trustees (the “ Trustees ”) currently is ten, which number may be increased or decreased only by the Board of Trustees pursuant to the amended and restated bylaws of the Trust (the “ Bylaws ”). The Trustees shall be elected at each annual meeting of shareholders in the manner provided in the Bylaws or, in order to fill any vacancy on the Board of Trustees, in the manner provided in the Bylaws. The names of the Trustees who are currently in office are:

Fred W. Boehler

George J. Alburger, Jr.

Ronald Burkle

Christopher Crampton

Richard d’Abo

Jeffrey M. Gault

Bradley J. Gross

Joel A. Holsinger

Gregory Mays

Terrence Wallock

It shall not be necessary to list in the Declaration of Trust the names of any Trustees hereinafter elected. Except as may be provided by the Board of Trustees in setting the terms of any class or series of Preferred Shares (as defined below), any and all vacancies on the Board of Trustees may

 

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be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining Trustees in office, even if the remaining Trustees do not constitute a quorum (or, if only one Trustee remains, by the sole Trustee), and any Trustee elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the trusteeship in which such vacancy occurred and until a successor is duly elected and qualifies.

Section 5.2 Resignation or Removal . Any Trustee may resign in the manner provided in the Bylaws. Subject to the rights of holders of one or more classes or series of Preferred Shares to elect or remove one or more Trustees, a Trustee may be removed at any time, but only for cause, and then only by the affirmative vote of holders of Shares (as defined below) entitled to cast at least two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of Trustees and, with respect to the Yucaipa Trustees and the GSCP Trustee (each as defined in the Shareholders Agreement (as defined below)), may be removed at any time as contemplated by, and in the manner provided for in, the Shareholders Agreement by and among the Trust and certain shareholders of the Trust (the “ Shareholders Agreement ”), dated as of January 18, 2018 and effective as of the Effective Time (as defined in the Shareholders Agreement), as the same may be amended from time to time. For purposes of this paragraph, “cause” shall mean, with respect to any particular Trustee, conviction of a felony or a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction holding that such Trustee caused demonstrable, material harm to the Trust through bad faith or active and deliberate dishonesty.

Section 5.3 Determinations by Board . The determination as to any of the following matters made by or pursuant to the direction of the Board of Trustees shall be final and conclusive and shall be binding upon the Trust and every holder of Shares: the amount of the net income of the Trust for any period and the amount of assets at any time legally available for the payment of dividends, redemption of Shares or the payment of other distributions on Shares; the amount of paid-in surplus, net assets, other surplus, annual or other cash flow, funds from operations, adjusted funds from operations, net profit, net assets in excess of capital, undivided profits or excess of profits over losses on sales of assets; the amount, purpose, time of creation, increase or decrease, alteration or cancellation of any reserves or charges and the propriety thereof (whether or not any obligation or liability for which such reserves or charges shall have been created shall have been paid or discharged); any interpretation or resolution of any ambiguity with respect to any provision of the Declaration of Trust (including any of the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers or rights, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of any class or series of Shares) or the Bylaws; the fair value, or any sale, bid or ask price to be applied in determining the fair value, of any asset owned or held by the Trust or of any Shares; the number of Shares of any class or series of the Trust; any matter relating to the acquisition, holding and disposition of any assets by the Trust; any interpretation of the terms and conditions of one or more agreements with any person, corporation, association, company, trust, partnership (limited or general) or other entity; the compensation of Trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust; or any other matter relating to the business and affairs of the Trust or required or permitted by applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws or otherwise to be determined by the Board of Trustees.

Section 5.4 Subtitle 8 . In accordance with Section 3-802(c) of the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “ MGCL ”), the Trust is prohibited from electing to be subject to the provisions of Sections 3-803, 3-804 or 3-805 of the MGCL, unless such election is approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter by shareholders entitled to vote generally in the election of Trustees.

 

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ARTICLE VI

SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST

Section 6.1 Authorized Shares . The beneficial interest of the Trust shall be divided into shares of beneficial interest (the “ Shares ”). The Trust has authority to issue 250,000,000 common shares of beneficial interest, $.01 par value per share (“ Common Shares ”), and 25,000,000 preferred shares of beneficial interest, $.01 par value per share (“ Preferred Shares ”). If Shares of one class or series are classified or reclassified into Shares of another class or series pursuant to this Article VI, the number of authorized Shares of the former class or series shall be automatically decreased and the number of Shares of the latter class or series shall be automatically increased, in each case by the number of Shares so classified or reclassified, so that the aggregate number of Shares of all classes or series that the Trust has authority to issue shall not be more than the total number of Shares set forth in the second sentence of this paragraph. Subject to the terms of any class or series of Preferred Shares, the Board of Trustees, with the approval of a majority of the entire Board and without any action by the shareholders of the Trust, may amend the Declaration of Trust from time to time to increase or decrease the aggregate number of Shares or the number of Shares of any class or series that the Trust has authority to issue.

Section 6.2 Common and Preferred Shares .

(a) Common Shares . Subject to the provisions of Article VII, each Common Share shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on each matter upon which holders of Common Shares are entitled to vote. The Board of Trustees may reclassify any unissued Common Shares from time to time into one or more classes or series of Shares.

(b) Preferred Shares . The Board of Trustees may classify any unissued Preferred Shares and reclassify any previously classified but unissued Preferred Shares of any series from time to time, into one or more series of Shares.

Section 6.3 Series A Preferred Shares .

(a) Designation and Number . 125 Preferred Shares shall initially be designated as “12.5% Series A Cumulative Non-Voting Preferred Shares” (the “ Series A Preferred Shares ”). The express terms and provisions of all of the Series A Preferred Shares shall be identical in all respects and shall have equal rights and privileges, except as otherwise provided in this Section 6.3.

(b) Rank . The Series A Preferred Shares shall, with respect to dividend and redemption rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, rank senior to the Common Shares and to all other Shares issued by the Trust from time to time (together with the Common Shares, the “ Junior Securities ”).

 

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(c) Dividends .

(i) Each holder of the then outstanding Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled to receive, when and as authorized by the Board of Trustees and declared by the Trust, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, cumulative preferential cash dividends per Series A Preferred Share at the rate of 12.5% per annum of the total of $1,000.00 plus all accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon. Such dividends shall accrue on a daily basis and be cumulative from the first date on which any Series A Preferred Share is issued, such issue date to be contemporaneous with the receipt by the Trust of subscription funds for the Series A Preferred Shares (the “ Series A Original Issue Date ”), and shall be payable semi-annually in arrears on or before June 30 and December 31 of each year or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day (each, a “ Series A Dividend Payment Date ”). A “ Business Day ” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Georgia are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close. Any dividend payable on the Series A Preferred Shares for any partial dividend period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. A “ dividend period ” shall mean, with respect to the first “dividend period,” the period from and including the Original Issue Date to and including the first Series A Dividend Payment Date, and with respect to each subsequent “dividend period,” the period from but excluding a Series A Dividend Payment Date to and including the next succeeding Series A Dividend Payment Date or other date as of which accrued dividends are to be calculated. Dividends will be payable to holders of record as they appear in the share transfer records of the Trust at the close of business on the applicable record date, which shall be the fifteenth day of the calendar month in which the applicable Series A Dividend Payment Date falls or on such other date designated by the Board for the payment of dividends that is not more than 30 or less than 10 days prior to such Series A Dividend Payment Date (each, a “ Series A Dividend Record Date ”).

(ii) No dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares shall be declared by the Trust or paid or set apart for payment by the Trust at such time as the terms and provisions of any written agreement between the Trust and any party that is not an affiliate of the Trust, including any agreement relating to its indebtedness, prohibit such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment or provide that such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment would constitute a breach thereof or a default thereunder, or if such declaration or payment shall be restricted or prohibited by law. For purposes of this Article VI, “affiliate” shall mean any party that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Trust.

(iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares shall accrue whether or not the terms and provisions set forth in Section 6.3(c)(ii) above at any time prohibit the current payment of dividends, whether or not the Trust has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of such dividends and whether or not such dividends are authorized or declared. Accrued but unpaid dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares will accumulate as of the Series A Dividend Payment Date on which they first become payable. Furthermore, dividends will be declared and paid when due in all events to the fullest extent permitted by law and except as provided in Section 6.3(c)(ii) above.

 

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(iv) Unless full cumulative dividends on all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, no dividends (other than in shares of Junior Securities) shall be declared or paid or set apart for payment, no other distribution shall be declared or made upon any shares of Junior Securities, and no shares of Junior Securities shall be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such Junior Securities) by the Trust (except by conversion into or exchange for other shares of Junior Securities and except for transfers, redemptions or purchases made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 7.2(a)(ii) and 7.3).

(v) When dividends are not paid in full (or a sum sufficient for such full payment is not set apart) on the Series A Preferred Shares, all dividends declared upon the Series A Preferred Shares shall be declared and paid pro rata based on the number of Series A Preferred Shares then outstanding.

(vi) Any dividend payment made on the Series A Preferred Shares shall first be credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid dividend due with respect to such shares that remains payable. Holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or shares, in excess of full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares as described above.

(d) Liquidation Preference .

(i) Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Trust, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares then outstanding will be entitled to be paid, or have the Trust declare and set apart for payment, out of the assets of the Trust legally available for distribution to its shareholders and after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Trust, a liquidation preference per Series A Preferred Share equal to the sum of the following (collectively, the “ Series A Liquidation Preference ”): (A) $1,000.00 and (B) all accrued and unpaid dividends thereon through and including the date of payment, before any distribution of assets is made to holders of any Junior Securities. In the event that the Trust elects to set apart the Series A Liquidation Preference for payment, the Series A Preferred Shares shall remain outstanding until the holders thereof are paid the full Series A Liquidation Preference, which payment shall be made no later than immediately prior to the Trust making its final liquidating distribution on the Common Shares.

(ii) In the event that, upon any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the available assets of the Trust are insufficient to pay the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference on all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares, then the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall share ratably in any such distribution of assets in proportion to the full Series A Liquidation Preference to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled.

 

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(iii) After payment of the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference to which they are entitled, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares will have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Trust.

(iv) Upon the Trust’s provision of written notice as to the effective date of any such liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, accompanied by a check in the amount of the full Series A Liquidation Preference to which each record holder of Series A Preferred Shares is entitled, the Series A Preferred Shares shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights of the holders of such shares will terminate. Such notice shall be given by first class mail, postage pre-paid, to each record holder of the Series A Preferred Shares at the respective mailing addresses of such holders as the same shall appear on the share transfer records of the Trust.

(e) Consolidation and Merger . The consolidation or merger of the Trust with or into any other business enterprise or of any other business enterprise with or into the Trust, or the sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets or business of the Trust, or a statutory share exchange, shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust.

(f) Redemption .

(i) Right of Optional Redemption . The Trust, at its option, may redeem the Series A Preferred Shares, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price per Series A Preferred Share (the “ Series A Redemption Price ”) equal to $1,000.00 plus all accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to and including the date fixed for redemption (except as provided in Section 6.3(f)(iii) below). If less than all of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares are to be redeemed, the Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed may be selected by any equitable method determined by the Trust provided that such method does not result in the creation of fractional shares.

(ii) Limitations on Redemption . Unless full cumulative dividends on all Series A Preferred Shares shall have been, or contemporaneously are, declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, no Series A Preferred Shares shall be redeemed or otherwise acquired, directly or indirectly, by the Trust unless all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares are simultaneously redeemed or acquired, and the Trust shall not purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any Junior Securities (except by exchange for shares of Junior Securities); provided , however , that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase by the Trust of shares transferred to a Charitable Beneficiary (as defined below) pursuant to Sections 7.2(a)(ii) and 7.3, in order to ensure that the Trust remains qualified as a real estate investment trust for federal income tax purposes or the purchase or acquisition of Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares.

 

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(iii) Rights to Dividends on Shares Called for Redemption . Immediately prior to or upon any redemption of Series A Preferred Shares, the Trust shall pay, in cash, any accumulated and unpaid dividends to and including the redemption date, unless a redemption date falls after a Series A Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Series A Dividend Payment Date, in which case each holder of Series A Preferred Shares at the close of business on such Series A Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Series A Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares before such Series A Dividend Payment Date.

(iv) Procedures for Redemption .

(A) Upon the Trust’s provision of written notice as to the effective date of the redemption, accompanied by a check in the amount of the full Series A Redemption Price through such effective date to which each record holder of Series A Preferred Shares is entitled, the Series A Preferred Shares shall be redeemed and shall no longer be deemed outstanding Shares, and all rights of the holders of such Series A Preferred Shares will terminate. Such notice shall be given by first class mail, postage pre-paid, to each record holder of Series A Preferred Shares at the respective mailing addresses of such holders as the same shall appear on the share transfer records of the Trust. No failure to give such notice or any defect therein or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any Series A Preferred Shares except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given.

(B) In addition to any information required by law or by the applicable rules of any exchange upon which Series A Preferred Shares may be listed or admitted to trading, such notice shall state: (1) the redemption date; (2) the Series A Redemption Price; (3) the number of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed; (4) the place or places where the Series A Preferred Shares are to be surrendered (if so required in the notice) for payment of the Series A Redemption Price (if not otherwise included with the notice); and (5) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on such redemption date. If less than all of the Series A Preferred Shares held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of Series A Preferred Shares held by such holder to be redeemed.

(C) If notice of redemption of any Series A Preferred Shares has been given in accordance with this Section 6.3(f)(iv), then, from and after the redemption date, dividends will cease to accrue on such Series A Preferred Shares, such Series A Preferred Shares shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights of the holders of such Series A Preferred Shares will terminate.

(g) Application of Article VII . The Series A Preferred Shares are subject to the provisions of Article VII, including, without limitation, the provisions of Sections 7.2(a)(i) and (ii) and Section 7.3.

(h) Status of Redeemed Shares . Any Series A Preferred Shares that shall at any time have been redeemed or otherwise acquired by the Trust shall, after such redemption or acquisition, have the status of authorized but unissued Series A Preferred Shares which may be issued by the Board of Trustees from time to time at its discretion.

 

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(i) Voting Rights . Except as provided in this Section 6.3, the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to vote on any matter submitted to the shareholders of the Trust for a vote. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares, voting as a separate class, shall be required for (i) authorization or issuance of any equity security of the Trust senior to or on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares, (ii) any reclassification of the Series A Preferred Shares or (iii) any amendment to the Declaration of Trust, including the terms of the Series A Preferred Shares, whether by merger, consolidation, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of the Trust or otherwise (an “ Event ”), which amendment materially and adversely affects any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series A Preferred Shares or which increases the number of authorized Series A Preferred Shares to a number greater than 1,000; provided , however , that with respect to the occurrence of any Event, so long as the Series A Preferred Shares remain outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged or the holders of Series A Preferred Shares receive equity securities of the successor or survivor of such Event with substantially identical rights as the Series A Preferred Shares, taking into account that, after the occurrence of an Event, the Trust may not be the surviving entity or the surviving entity may not be a real estate investment trust, the occurrence of such Event shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Series A Preferred Shares, and in such case the holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall not have any voting rights with respect to the occurrence of any Event unless the number of authorized Series A Preferred Shares is increased to a number greater than 1,000. Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, each Series A Preferred Share held by Yucaipa American Alliance Fund I, LP, Yucaipa American Alliance (Parallel) Fund I, L.P., Yucaipa American Alliance Fund II, L.P. and Yucaipa American Alliance (Parallel) Fund H, L.P., each a Delaware limited partnership (collectively, “ Yucaipa ”), shall be entitled to one vote for every 10 Series A Preferred Shares held by Yucaipa on each matter upon which holders of the Series A Preferred Shares are entitled to vote. Each other Series A Preferred Share (i.e., each Series A Preferred Share not held by Yucaipa) shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on each matter upon which holders of Series A Preferred Shares are entitled to vote.

(j) Conversion . The Series A Preferred Shares are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Trust.

(k) Notice of Transfer . Holders of Series A Preferred Shares will be required to give the Trust prior written notice of any proposed transfer of Series A Preferred Shares, which notice must specify the name of the proposed transferee.

 

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Section 6.4 Series B Preferred Shares .

(a) Definitions . For the purpose of this Section 6.4, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(i) “ Group ” means a “group” as defined in Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the regulations promulgated thereunder or Schedule 13D promulgated thereunder.

(ii) “ IPO ” means a firm commitment underwritten initial public offering of the Trust’s Common Shares registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to an effective registration statement on Form S-11 or an equivalent registration statement.

(iii) “ Liquidation Event ” means any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust. The consolidation or merger of the Trust with or into any other business enterprise or of any other business enterprise with or into the Trust, or the sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets or business of the Trust, or a statutory share exchange, shall not, in and of itself, be deemed to constitute a Liquidation Event.

(iv) “ Person ” means an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, unincorporated organization or association, estate, trust (including, without limitation, the trustees thereof, in their capacity as such) or other entity.

(v) “ Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement ” means that certain Shareholders Agreement, dated as of December 9, 2010, by and among the Trust and the other parties signatory thereto, as it may be amended from time to time until its termination at the Effective Time (as defined in the Shareholders Agreement).

(vi) “ Qualified IPO ” means an IPO in which (a) the aggregate gross proceeds to the Trust are at least $250,000,000 (before deduction of underwriting discounts, commissions and expenses), and (b) the offering price per Common Share is greater than or equal to 135% of the Series B Conversion Price in effect upon the consummation of such Qualified IPO.

(vii) “ Series B Effective Date ” means December 15, 2010.

(viii) “ Series B Dividend Payment Date ” means January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 of each year, commencing on April 1, 2011, or if any such day is not a Business Day, then the next succeeding Business Day.

(ix) “ Series B Dividend Period ” means, with respect to the first dividend period of any Series B Preferred Share, the period from and including the Original Issue Date thereof to and including the first Series B Dividend Payment Date, and with respect to each subsequent Series B Dividend Period, the period from but excluding a Series B Dividend Payment Date to and including the next succeeding Series B Dividend Payment Date or any other date as of which accrued dividends are to be calculated hereunder.

(x) “ Series B Dividend Record Date ” means, with respect to dividends payable on a Series B Dividend Payment Date, the fifteenth (15th) day of the calendar month preceding the month in which the Series B Dividend Payment Date falls or, with respect to dividends payable on any other date, such other date designated by the Board that is not more than thirty (30) nor less than ten (10) days prior to such payment date.

 

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(xi) “ Series B Original Issue Date ” means, as to any Series B Preferred Share, the first date on which such Share is issued, such issue date to be contemporaneous with the receipt by the Trust of subscription funds for such Share.

(xii) “ Series C Preferred Shares ” means the preferred shares of beneficial interest of the Trust, $0.01 par value per share, designated by the Trust as the “Series C Convertible Voting Preferred Shares”.

(b) Designation and Number . (i) 375,000 Preferred Shares are hereby designated as “5.00% Series B Cumulative Convertible Voting Preferred Shares” (the “ Series B Preferred Shares ”). (ii) The terms and provisions of all Series B Preferred Shares shall be identical in all respects. So long as the CM Shareholder (as such term is defined in the Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement) holds Preferred Shares, the foregoing clause (ii) shall not be amended without the written consent of the CM Shareholder.

(c) Rank . The Series B Preferred Shares shall, with respect to dividend and redemption rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, rank (i) senior to all Junior Securities, and (ii) junior to the Series A Preferred Shares.

(d) Dividends .

(i) Dividends Generally . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 6.4(d), each holder of outstanding Series B Preferred Shares shall be entitled to receive dividends pursuant to Section 6.4(d)(i)(A) (“ Series B Fixed Dividends ”) and Section 6.4(d)(i)(B) (“ Series B Participation Dividends ”), in accordance with the following provisions and at the following specified times:

(A) Series B Fixed Dividends . When, as and if the Board of Trustees authorizes and the Trust declares, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends in cash, the Trust shall pay cumulative preferential dividends per Series B Preferred Share at the rate of 5.00% per annum on the total of $1,000 plus all accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon (including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 6.4(d)(iv)). Series B Fixed Dividends shall accrue on a daily basis from the Series B Original Issue Date, and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on or before each applicable Series B Dividend Payment Date. Any Series B Fixed Dividend payable on the Series B Preferred Shares for any whole or partial Series B Dividend Period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Series B Fixed Dividends (or any portion thereof) paid in cash shall be payable to holders of record of the Series B Preferred Shares as they appear in the share transfer records of the Trust at the close of business on the applicable Series B Dividend Record Date. Any Series B Fixed Dividend (or any portion thereof) that is not paid in cash on the applicable Series B Dividend Payment Date (whether due to the Trust’s election not to pay such dividend in cash,

 

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its inability to pay such dividend in cash, the failure of the Board to declare such dividend or otherwise) shall automatically, and without any action on the part of the Trust, accrue and be included in the Series B Accrued Amount (as defined below) on such Series B Dividend Payment Date.

(B) Series B Participation Dividends . When, as and if the Board of Trustees authorizes and the Trust declares a dividend in respect of the Common Shares, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, the Trust shall declare and pay dividends per Series B Preferred Share in an amount and in a kind (whether in cash, securities or other property) equal to and equivalent to that which the holder of such Series B Preferred Share would have received had such holder held the number of Common Shares into which such Series B Preferred Share could be converted on the record date for such dividend with respect to the Common Shares or, if no record date for such dividend has been established, on the date of payment of such dividend. Series B Participation Dividends shall be payable to the holders of record of the Series B Preferred Shares as they appear in the share transfer records of the Trust at the close of business on the record date for such dividend with respect to the Common Shares or, if no record date for such dividend has been established, on the date of payment of such dividend; provided, however, that if the Trust declares and pays a dividend or makes a distribution on the Common Shares consisting in whole or in part of Common Shares or other securities or rights convertible into, or entitling the holder thereof to receive directly or indirectly, additional Common Shares (“ Common Shares Equivalents ”), then no such Series B Participation Dividend shall be payable in respect of the Series B Preferred Shares on account of the portion of such dividend or distribution on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or Common Shares Equivalents, and in lieu thereof, the applicable adjustment in Section 6.4(i)(v) shall apply.

(ii) Special Dividend in Connection with Dividend Shortfalls . With respect to each fiscal year of the Trust beginning in the Trust’s 2011 fiscal year and each full fiscal year thereafter, if the Trust has declared Series B Participation Dividends for any such year for a Series B Preferred Share outstanding as of the first day of such year of less than the Minimum Series B Participation Dividend (as defined below) (any such shortfall, a “ Series B Dividend Shortfall ”), then promptly following such determination by the Trust (but in no event later than February 1 of the immediately following fiscal year), the Trust shall declare and pay or accrue an additional dividend with respect to such Series B Preferred Share in an amount equal to the Series B Dividend Shortfall. Dividends declared and paid in cash as a result of a Series B Dividend Shortfall shall be payable to holders of record of the Series B Preferred Shares as they appear in the share transfer records of the Trust at the close of business on the last day of the applicable fiscal year. Any dividend pursuant to this Section 6.4(d)(ii) (or any portion thereof) that is not paid in cash (whether due to the Trust’s election not to pay such dividend in cash, its inability to pay such dividend in cash, the failure of the Board to declare such dividend or otherwise) shall automatically, and without any action on the part of the Trust, accrue and be included in the Series B Accrued Amount. The holders of the Series B Preferred Shares, acting by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast, with all such holders voting as a single class, may waive the rights of the holders of Series B Preferred Shares

 

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under this Section 6.4(d)(ii) as to any fiscal year of the Trust. The provisions of this Section 6.4(d)(ii) shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon the consummation of an IPO, so long as in connection therewith the Series B Preferred Shares convert to Common Shares pursuant to Section 6.4(i)(viii)(A)(i) or to Series C Preferred Shares pursuant to 6.4(i)(viii)(A)(ii). As used in this Section. 6.4(d)(ii), “ Minimum Series B Participation Dividend ” means, with respect to a Series B Preferred Share for any fiscal year, an amount equal to 2.5% of the Series B Liquidation Preference thereof as of the first day of such year.

(iii) No dividends on the Series B Preferred Shares shall be declared by the Trust or paid or set apart for payment by the Trust at any time that the terms and provisions of any written agreement between the Trust and any party that is not an affiliate of the Trust, including, without limitation, any agreement relating to its indebtedness, prohibit such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment or provide that such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment would constitute a breach thereof or a default thereunder, or if such declaration, payment or setting apart shall be restricted or prohibited by law.

(iv) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 6.4(d)(iii) above, dividends on the Series B Preferred Shares shall accrue whether or not the terms and provisions set forth in Section 6.4(d)(iii) above at any time prohibit the current declaration, payment or setting apart of dividends, whether or not the Trust has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of such dividends, and whether or not such dividends are authorized or declared. Accrued but unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) on each Series B Preferred Share shall (x) accrue daily and (y) accumulate and be included in the Series B Accrued Amount thereof as of (a) each Series B Dividend Payment Date or the date on which they otherwise first become payable, or (b) the effective date of any (i) liquidating distribution with respect thereto under Section 6.4(e), (ii) redemption thereof under Section 6.4(f) or (iii) conversion thereof under Section 6.4(i).

(v) Unless any and all accrued but unpaid dividends for past Series B Dividend Periods and any outstanding Series B Dividend Shortfall on all outstanding Series B Preferred Shares have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for payment, no dividends (other than in shares of Junior Securities) shall be declared or paid or set apart for payment nor shall any other distribution be declared or made upon any shares of Junior Securities (other than dividends on Common Shares for which equivalent Series B Participation Dividends are paid), and no shares of Junior Securities shall be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such Junior Securities) by the Trust (except by conversion into or exchange for other shares of Junior Securities and except for transfers, redemptions or purchases made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 7.2(a)(ii) and 7.3).

(vi) Whether or not dividends are paid in full or a sum sufficient for such full payment is set apart on the Series B Preferred Shares, all dividends declared upon the Series B Preferred Shares shall be declared and paid pro rata based on the number of Series B Preferred Shares then outstanding.

 

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(vii) Any dividend made on the Series B Preferred Shares shall first be credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid dividend due with respect to such shares which remains payable. Holders of the Series B Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or shares, in excess of full accrued but unpaid dividends on the Series B Preferred Shares as specified in this Section 6.4(d).

(e) Series B Liquidation Preference .

(i) Upon any Liquidation Event, before any payment or distribution of the Trust’s property or assets (whether capital or surplus) shall be made to or set apart for the holders of Junior Securities, the holders of Series B Preferred Shares then outstanding shall be entitled to be paid, or have the Trust declare and set apart for payment, out of the assets of the Trust legally available for distribution to its shareholders and after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Trust (including, without limitation, liquidation payments to any series of senior equity securities), a liquidation preference (the “ Series B Liquidation Preference ”) per Series B Preferred Share in an amount equal to the greater of: (a) the sum of (i) $1,000 plus (ii) all accrued and unpaid dividends thereon through and including the date of payment, including, without limitation, all dividends accrued thereon pursuant to Section 6.4(d)(iv) as of such date (such sum, the “ Series B Accrued Amount ”), and (b) the payment that would be paid in connection with such Liquidation Event in respect of the number of Common Shares into which such Series B Preferred Share could be converted as of the effective date of such Liquidation Event, before any distribution is made to holders of any Junior Securities. In the event that the Trust elects to set apart the Series B Liquidation Preference for payment, the Series B Preferred Shares shall remain outstanding until the holders thereof are paid the full Series B Liquidation Preference, which payment shall be made no later than immediately prior to the Trust making its final liquidating distribution on the Common Shares.

(ii) In the event that, upon any such Liquidation Event, the available assets of the Trust are insufficient to pay the full amount of the Liquidation Preference on all outstanding Series B Preferred Shares, then the holders of the Series B Preferred Shares shall share ratably in any such distribution of assets in proportion to the full Liquidation Preference to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled.

(iii) After payment of the full amount of the Series B Liquidation Preference to which holders of the Series B Preferred Shares are entitled (whether pursuant to Section 6.4(e)(i) or Section 6.4(e)(ii)), the holders of Series B Preferred Shares shall have no right or claim under this Declaration of Trust to any of the remaining assets of the Trust.

 

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(iv) Upon the Trust’s provision of written notice as to the effective date of any Liquidation Event, accompanied by a check in the amount of the full Series B Liquidation Preference to which each record holder of Series B Preferred Shares is entitled (whether pursuant to Section 6.4(e)(i) or Section 6.4(e)(ii)), the Series B Preferred Shares shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights of the holders of such shares under this Declaration of Trust shall terminate. Such notice shall be given by first class mail, postage pre-paid, to each record holder of the Series B Preferred Shares at the respective mailing addresses of such holders as the same shall appear on the share transfer records of the Trust.

(f) Redemption at the Option of the Holders .

(i) Each holder of Series B Preferred Shares, at its option, upon the occurrence of any Series B Redemption Event (as defined below), may require the Trust to redeem, in whole or in part, the Series B Preferred Shares at the time held by such holder, upon written notice duly given as provided and at the times required in Section 6.4(f)(v), at a redemption price (the “ Series B Redemption Price ”) equal to (a) in the case of any Series B Redemption Event (other than arising in a Change of Control (as defined below)) the then current Series B Accrued Amount, payable, at the Trust’s option, in cash (which may be paid, subject to the Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement, with the proceeds from the issuance of Common Shares or other Junior Securities) or in Common Shares valued at their Market Price (as defined in Article VII), or (b) in the case of a Series B Redemption Event arising in a Change of Control, 101% of the then current Series B Liquidation Preference, payable in cash; provided, that, (x) solely for purposes of determining the Series B Liquidation Preference in connection with this clause (b), such Change of Control shall be deemed a Liquidation Event, and (y) the minimum number of Series B Preferred Shares that a holder may require the Trust to redeem at any time shall be the lesser of (1) 75,000 Series B Preferred Shares in the aggregate with affiliates of such holder (subject to adjustment in connection with the actions of the type described in Section 6.4(i)(v)) and (2) the total number of Series B Preferred Shares held by such holder at such time. The Series B Redemption Price for any Series B Preferred Shares shall be payable on the redemption date to the holder of such Series B Preferred Shares against surrender of the certificate(s) evidencing such Shares to the Trust or its transfer agent or, if the holder notifies the Trust or its transfer agent that such certificates have been lost, stolen or destroyed, execution and delivery of an agreement reasonably satisfactory to the Trust to indemnify the Trust from any loss incurred by it in connection with such lost, stolen or destroyed certificates.

(ii) Within 30 days of the occurrence of a Change of Control, the Trust shall send written notice (a “ Series B Change of Control Notice ”) to the holders of record of the Series B Preferred Shares as of the effective date of such Change of Control, stating that a Change of Control has occurred and informing such holders that they may, at their election, tender their Series B Preferred Shares for redemption in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Section 6.4(f).

(iii) Any declared but not yet payable dividends payable on a redemption date that occurs subsequent to the Series B Dividend Record Date for a Series B Dividend Period or a record date for a dividend pursuant to Section 6.4(d)(i)(B) or Section 6.4(d)(ii) shall be paid to the holder of record of the redeemed Series B Preferred Shares on such Series Dividend Record Date relating to the Series B Dividend Payment Date or such record date, as applicable, regardless of whether such holder of record is the holder entitled to receive the Series B Redemption Price on the redemption date (and any such amount shall be deducted from the Series B Redemption Price).

 

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(iv) The Series B Preferred Shares shall not be subject to any sinking fund or to any mandatory redemption or similar provisions except as set forth in this Section 6.4(f).

(v) Notice of every redemption of Series B Preferred Shares shall be given by the applicable holder(s) in writing delivered to the Trust at its principal office, together with written instructions regarding the number of Series B Preferred Shares for which redemption rights are being exercised pursuant to this Section 6.4(f) and surrender of the certificates evidencing the Series B Preferred Shares being redeemed, properly endorsed for transfer, and the redemption date therefor shall be the date that the Trust duly receives such notice and certificate(s). Promptly following such due receipt of such notice and certificate(s), the Trust shall promptly pay the Series B Redemption Price and any other amounts payable under this Section 6.4(f). Such notice shall be given not later than (a) in the case of any Series B Redemption Event (other than a Change of Control), thirty (30) days after the occurrence of the applicable Series B Redemption Event, or (b) in the case of a Series B Redemption Event arising due to a Change of Control, thirty (30) days after receipt of the Series B Change of Control Notice. If such notice is not duly given within such thirty (30)-day period by any holder, then such holder’s right to require the Trust to redeem the Series B Preferred Shares held by such holder shall be deemed to be irrevocably waived until the next succeeding Series B Redemption Event with respect to the Series B Preferred Shares.

(vi) If fewer than all the Series B Preferred Shares evidenced by any certificate are redeemed, a new certificate shall be issued evidencing the unredeemed Shares without charge to the holder thereof.

(vii) As used in this Section 6.4(f), (a) “ Series B Redemption Event ” means the occurrence of (1) the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Series B Effective Date and each subsequent anniversary thereafter, or (2) a Change of Control, and (b) “ Change of Control ” means the acquisition (whether by reclassification, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise) by any Person or Persons constituting a Group of Control or ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, of more than 50% of the Common Shares on a fully diluted basis, including all outstanding securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Shares on an as-converted or as-exercised basis (including, without limitation, the Series B Preferred Shares and outstanding options and warrants exercisable for Common Shares) (the “ Fully Diluted Common Shares ”), unless immediately following such acquisition The Yucaipa Companies, LLC or its affiliates Control or own, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, more than 50% of the Fully Diluted Common Shares.

(g) Status of Redeemed Shares . Any Series B Preferred Shares that shall at any time have been redeemed or otherwise acquired by the Trust (pursuant to Section 6.4(f) or otherwise) shall, after such redemption or acquisition, have the status of authorized but unissued Preferred Shares which may be issued by the Board from time to time at its discretion.

 

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(h) Voting Rights .

(i) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein and subject to the terms of the Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement, the Series B Preferred Shares shall have equivalent voting rights as the Common Shares, and shall not vote as a separate class, at any annual or special meeting of the shareholders of the Trust, and may act by written consent, in either case upon the following basis: each holder of Series B Preferred Shares shall be entitled to such number of votes as shall be equal to the whole number of Common Shares into which such holder’s aggregate Series B Preferred Shares are convertible as of the record date fixed for such meeting or the effective date of such written consent.

(ii) Subject to the Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement and the last sentence of Section 6.4(b) hereof, any amendment to this Section 6.4 may be made only with the affirmative vote of (A) at least a majority of the Trustees of the Board and (B) holders of a majority of the outstanding Series B Preferred Shares, and holders of shares of any other class or series, including Common Shares, shall not be entitled to vote thereon.

(iii) Subject to the Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement, the Trust shall not, without the prior consent or approval of holders of a majority of the outstanding Series B Preferred Shares: (A) amend, alter, repeal or amend and restate the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws (whether by reclassification, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise) in a manner which would adversely affect the rights, privileges or preferences of the Series B Preferred Shares, or (B) authorize, issue or otherwise create any capital stock or Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for capital stock or Shares) other than Junior Securities (or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Junior Securities).

(i) Conversion . The Series B Preferred Shares shall be convertible into Common Shares in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.4(i).

(i) Optional Conversion . Subject to and in compliance with the provisions of this Section 6.4(i), any Series B Preferred Share may, at the option of the holder, be converted at any time into fully paid and nonassessable Common Shares. The number of Common Shares to which a holder of Series B Preferred Shares shall be entitled upon conversion shall be the product obtained by multiplying the Series B Conversion Rate then in effect (determined as provided in Section 6.4(i)(ii)) by the number of Series B Preferred Shares being converted.

(ii) Series B Conversion Rate . The “ Series B Conversion Rate ” in effect at any time for conversion of the Series B Preferred Shares shall be the quotient obtained by dividing the then current Series B Accrued Amount by the then current Series B Conversion Price (determined as provided in Section 6.4(i)(iii)).

(iii) Series B Conversion Price . The “ Series B Conversion Price ” for the Series B Preferred Shares initially shall be $11.2815. The Series B Conversion Price shall be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Section 6.4(i). All references herein to the Series B Conversion Price shall mean the Series B Conversion Price as so adjusted.

 

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(iv) Mechanics of Conversion . Each holder of any Series B Preferred Shares who desires to convert the same into Common Shares pursuant to this Section 6.4(i) shall surrender the certificate or certificates therefor, duly endorsed, at the principal office of the Trust or any transfer agent for the Series B Preferred Shares and shall give written notice to the Trust at such office that such holder elects to convert the same. Such notice shall state the number of Series B Preferred Shares being converted. Thereupon, the Trust shall promptly issue and deliver at such office to such holder a certificate or certificates for the number of Common Shares to which such holder is entitled and shall promptly pay (in cash or, to the extent sufficient funds are not then legally available therefor, in Common Shares, based on the Market Price thereof as of the date of such conversion) any declared but not yet payable Series B Participation Dividends or other cash dividends on the Series B Preferred Shares being converted. Such conversion shall be deemed to have been made at the close of business on the date of such surrender by the holder thereof of the certificates evidencing the Series B Preferred Shares to be converted, and the person entitled to receive the Common Shares issuable upon such conversion shall be treated for all purposes as the record holder of such Common Shares as of such date.

(v) Adjustments .

(A) Share Splits; Subdivisions; Dividends; Distributions . In the event the Trust should at any time or from time to time on or after the Series B Effective Date fix a record date for the effectuation of a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Shares or the making of a dividend or other distribution to all holders of Common Shares payable in additional Common Shares or Common Shares Equivalents without payment of any consideration by such holder for the additional Common Shares or the Common Shares Equivalents (including, without limitation, the additional Common Shares issuable upon conversion or exercise thereof), then, as of such record date (or the date of such dividend, distribution, split or subdivision if no record date is fixed), the then current Series B Conversion Price shall be appropriately decreased so that the number of Common Shares issuable on conversion of each Series B Preferred Share shall be increased in proportion to such increase of the aggregate number of Common Shares outstanding.

(B) Reverse Share Splits . If the number of Common Shares outstanding at any time on or after the Series B Effective Date is decreased by a combination of the outstanding Common Shares, then, following the record date of such combination, the then current Series B Conversion Price shall be appropriately increased so that the number of Common Shares issuable on conversion of each Series B Preferred Share shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease of the aggregate number of Common Shares outstanding.

 

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(C) Recapitalization Event . If at any time or from time to time on or after the Series B Effective Date there shall be a recapitalization, reclassification, or reorganization of the Common Shares or a merger or consolidation of the Trust with and into another entity in which the Trust does not survive (other than a subdivision or combination provided for elsewhere in this Section 6.4(i)) or the Trust shall be party to a share exchange in which Common Shares are exchanged for other securities (any such event, a “ Recapitalization Event ”), provision shall be made so that the holders of the Series B Preferred Shares shall thereafter be entitled to receive upon conversion of such Series B Preferred Shares the number of Shares or other securities or cash or other property of the Trust or otherwise, to which a holder of the number of Common Shares deliverable upon conversion of the Series B Preferred Shares held by such holder would have been entitled after such Recapitalization Event if immediately prior thereto such holder had converted its Series B Preferred Shares into Common Shares. In any such case, appropriate adjustments shall be made in the application of the provisions of this Section 6.4(i)(v)(C) with respect to the rights of the holders of the Series B Preferred Shares after the Recapitalization Event to the end that the provisions of this Section 6.4(i)(v)(C) (including adjustment of the Series B Conversion Price then in effect and the number of Common Shares into which the Series B Preferred Shares are convertible) shall be applicable after that event as nearly equivalent as may be practicable. The Trust shall not effect any such Recapitalization Event unless, prior to the consummation thereof, the successor Person resulting from such Recapitalization Event, shall assume, by written instrument, the obligation to deliver to the holders of the Series B Preferred Shares upon conversion such number of Shares or other securities or cash or other property, which, in accordance with the foregoing provisions, such holders of the Series B Preferred Shares shall be entitled to receive upon such conversion.

(D) Other Anti-Dilution Provisions . If the Trust issues any securities on or after the Series B Effective Date containing provisions protecting the holders thereto against dilution in any manner more favorable to such holders thereof than those set forth in this Section 6.4, such more favorable portions thereof shall be deemed to be incorporated herein as if fully set forth in this Section 6.4, and to the extent inconsistent with any provisions of this Section 6.4, shall be deemed to be substituted therefor.

(E) Successive Adjustments . Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 6.4(i)(v) shall be made successively whenever an event referred to herein shall occur.

(vi) Fractional Shares and Certificates as to Adjustments .

(A) All Common Shares (including fractions thereof) issuable upon conversion of more than one Series B Preferred Share by a holder thereof shall be aggregated for purposes of determining whether the conversion would result in the issuance of any fractional share. If, after the aforementioned aggregation, the conversion would result in the issuance of any fractional share, the Trust (at its option) may, in lieu of issuing any fractional share, pay cash equal to the product of such fraction multiplied by the Market Price on the date of conversion.

 

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(B) Upon the occurrence of each adjustment or readjustment of any Series B Conversion Price pursuant to Section 6.4(i)(v), the Trust, at its expense, shall promptly compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance with the terms hereof and prepare and furnish to each holder of Series B Preferred Shares whose Series B Conversion Price was adjusted or readjusted a certificate (or other notice) setting forth such adjustment or readjustment and showing in detail the facts upon which such adjustments or readjustment is based. The Trust shall, upon the written request at any time of any holder of Series B Preferred Shares, furnish or cause to be furnished to such holder a like certificate (or other notice) setting forth (i) such adjustment and readjustment, (ii) the Series B Conversion Price at the time in effect, and (iii) the number of Common Shares and the amount, if any, of other property that at any time would be received upon the conversion of a Series B Preferred Share.

(vii) Notices of Record Dates . Upon any acquisition of the Trust, any action of the type described in Section 6.4(i)(v), any sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Trust, or any voluntary Liquidation Event, the Trust shall mail to each holder of Series B Preferred Shares at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date specified therein a notice specifying (i) the date on which any such acquisition, action of the type described in Section 6.4(i)(v), asset sale, or voluntary Liquidation Event is expected to become effective, and (ii) the date, if any, that is to be fixed as to when the holders of record of Common Shares (or other securities) shall be entitled to exchange their Common Shares (or other securities) for securities or other property deliverable upon such acquisition, action of the type described in Section 6.4(i)(v), asset sale, or voluntary Liquidation Event.

(viii) Automatic Conversion .

(A) Each Series B Preferred Share shall automatically be converted (i) into Common Shares based on the then effective Series B Conversion Rate immediately upon the consummation of a Qualified IPO, or (ii) into one (1) Series C Preferred Share upon the consummation of any IPO that is not a Qualified IPO (any event referred to in (i) or (ii), a “ Series B Automatic Conversion Event ”). The Trust shall promptly notify the holders of Series B Preferred Shares in writing of the occurrence of a Series B Automatic Conversion Event; provided , that, the Trust’s failure to provide such notice, or its failure to be received, shall not alter or affect the automatic conversion of the Series B Preferred Shares occurring in connection therewith, except to the extent that the holders of Series B Preferred Shares are prejudiced thereby. Upon a Series B Automatic Conversion Event described in this Section 6.4(i)(viii)(A), any declared but not yet payable Series B Participation Dividend or other cash dividends with respect to the Series B Preferred Shares shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.4(i)(iv).

 

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(B) Upon a Series B Automatic Conversion Event, the outstanding Series B Preferred Shares shall be converted automatically without any further action by the holders thereof or by the Trust and whether or not the certificates evidencing such Shares are surrendered to the Trust or its transfer agent; provided , that, the Trust shall not be obligated to issue certificates evidencing the Common Shares or Series C Preferred Shares, as applicable, issuable upon such conversion unless the certificates evidencing such Series B Preferred Shares are delivered to the Trust or its transfer agent as provided below, or the holder notifies the Trust or its transfer agent that such certificates have been lost, stolen or destroyed and executes an agreement reasonably satisfactory to the Trust to indemnify the Trust from any loss incurred by it in connection with such certificates. Upon receipt of notice of the occurrence of a Series B Automatic Conversion Event, the holders of Series B Preferred Shares shall promptly surrender the certificates evidencing such shares at the office of the Trust or any transfer agent for the Series B Preferred Shares. Thereupon, there shall be issued and delivered to such holder promptly at such office and in its name as shown on such surrendered certificate or certificates, a certificate or certificates for the number of Common Shares or Series C Preferred Shares, as applicable, to which such holder is entitled in connection with such Series B Automatic Conversion Event.

(ix) Reservation of Shares Issuable Upon Conversion or Adjustment . The Trust shall at all times reserve and keep available (i) out of its authorized but unissued Common Shares solely for the purpose of effecting the conversion or adjustment of the Series B Preferred Shares, such number of its Common Shares as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion or adjustment of all then outstanding Series B Preferred Shares in compliance with this Section 6.4 and (ii) out of its authorized but unissued Series C Preferred Shares solely for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the Series B Preferred Shares in compliance with Section 6.4(i)(viii), such number of Series C Preferred Shares as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion of all then outstanding Series B Preferred Shares in compliance with Section 6.4(i)(viii). If at any time the number of authorized but unissued Common Shares or Series C Preferred Shares, as applicable, shall not be sufficient to effect the conversion or adjustment of all then outstanding Series B Preferred Shares, the Trust shall take such corporate action as may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary to increase its authorized but unissued Common Shares or Series C Preferred Shares, as applicable, to such number as shall be sufficient for such purpose.

(x) No Dilution or Impairment . The Trust shall not, by amendment to the Declaration of Trust or other governing documents or by participating in any transfer of assets, voluntary Liquidation Event, action contemplated by Section 6.4(f)(v) or taking any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms to be observed or performed hereunder by the Trust, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such action as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate in order to protect the rights of holders of the Series B Preferred Shares against impairment.

 

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(j) Preemptive Rights .

(i) Each holder of Series B Preferred Shares shall have the right to purchase its Pro Rata Amount (as defined below) of any New Securities (as defined below) that the Trust may, from time to time, propose to sell and issue. In the event the Trust proposes to issue any New Securities, it shall give all holders of Series B Preferred Shares written notice, at their last addresses as they shall appear in the share register, at least thirty (30) days before such issuance, describing the New Securities, the price and number of shares (or principal amount) and the general terms upon which the Trust proposes to issue the same. Each such holder shall have thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of any such notice to agree to purchase up to the amount of New Securities equal to such holder’s Pro Rata Amount of such New Securities for the price and upon the general terms specified in the notice by giving written notice to the Trust at its principal office or such other address as may be specified by the Trust in its written notice to the holders, of such holder’s intention to purchase such New Securities at the initial closing of the sale of New Securities and the number of such New Securities that such holder intends to purchase.

(ii) If a holder of Series B Preferred Shares fails to exercise in full its right of participation within said thirty (30) day period as set forth in Section 6.4(j)(i) above, the Trust shall have one hundred eighty (180) days thereafter to sell additional amounts of New Securities as to which such holder’s option was not exercised, at the same price as specified in the Trust’s notice and upon terms (other than price) no more favorable in any material respect to the buyer thereof than the terms specified in the Trust’s notice. The Trust shall not issue or sell any additional amounts of New Securities after the expiration of such one hundred eighty (180)-day period without first offering such securities to the holders of Series B Preferred Shares in the manner provided in Section 6.4(j)(i) above.

(iii) For purposes of this Section 6.4(j), the term “ Pro Rata Amount ” means, at any time, with respect to any holder of Series B Preferred Shares, the ratio of (a) the number of Common Shares into which the Series B Preferred Shares held by such holder are then convertible, to (b) the total number of Common Shares of the Trust outstanding (on a fully diluted basis), including all outstanding securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Shares on an as-converted or exercised basis (including, without limitation, the Series B Preferred Shares and outstanding options and warrants exercisable for Common Shares); and “ New Securities ” means any Shares of the Trust, whether or not now authorized, and securities of any type whatsoever that are, or may become, convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Shares, other than (1) the Series B Preferred Shares issued on the Series B Effective Date and Common Shares issued upon conversion thereof, (2) Common Shares and/or options, warrants or other Common Share purchase rights, and the Common Shares issued pursuant to such options, warrants or other rights issued or to be issued to employees, officers or directors of, or consultants to the Trust or any subsidiary of the Trust pursuant to share purchase or share option plans or other arrangements approved by the Board and in compliance with the Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement; (3) securities issued as consideration for the Trust’s bona fide arms-length acquisition of another business enterprise by merger, purchase of all or

 

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substantially all assets, purchase of shares, or other reorganization in compliance with the Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement; (4) Common Shares issued upon the exchange or conversion of equity interests in Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P. or its successor; (5) securities issued in any share split, share dividend or recapitalization of the Trust for which an adjustment is made to the terms of conversion of the Series B Preferred Shares under Section 6.4(i); (6) securities issued and sold by means of an IPO in compliance with the Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement; and (7) Series A Preferred Shares not to exceed $200,000 in aggregate liquidation preference at any time outstanding.

(iv) The preemptive rights provided for in this Section 6.4(j) shall terminate and be of no further force and effect from and after the consummation of any IPO.

Section 6.5 Series C Preferred Shares .

(a) Definitions . For the purpose of this Section 6.5, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(i) “ First Full Calendar Year ” means the first full calendar year of the Trust following the Series C Conversion Date.

(ii) “ Group ” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 6.4(a)(i).

(iii) “ IPO ” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 6.4(a)(ii).

(iv) “ Liquidation Event ” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 6.4(a)(iii).

(v) “ Original Issue Date ” means, as to any Series C Preferred Share, the first date on which such Share is issued.

(vi) “ Person ” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 6.4(a)(iv).

(vii) “ Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement ” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 6.4(a)(v).

(viii) “ Qualified IPO ” means an IPO in which (a) the aggregate gross proceeds to the Trust are at least $250,000,000 (before deduction of underwriting discounts, commissions and expenses), and (b) the offering price per Common Share is greater than or equal to 135% of the Series B Conversion Price in effect upon the consummation of such Qualified IPO.

(ix) “ Series B Accrued Amount ” means the Series B Accrued Amount (as defined in Section 6.4(e)(i)) of each Series B Preferred Share immediately prior to the conversion thereof to a Series C Preferred Share.

 

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(x) “ Series B Effective Date ” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 6.4(a)(vi).

(xi) “ Series C Accrued Amount ” means the Series B Accrued Amount plus all accrued and unpaid dividends on each Series C Preferred Share through and including the date of payment, including, without limitation, all dividends accrued thereon pursuant to Section 6.5(d) as of such date, it being agreed and understood that, without duplication, all accrued and unpaid dividends included in the Series B Accrued Amount of each Series B Preferred Share as of the Series C Conversion Date therefor shall, for all purposes hereunder, be deemed to be accrued and unpaid dividends on the Series C Preferred Share into which such Series B Preferred Share is converted.

(xii) “ Series C Conversion Date ” means the consummation date of an IPO that is not a Qualified IPO.

(xiii) “ Series C Dividend Payment Date ” means January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 of each year, commencing on the first such date following the Series C Conversion Date, or if any such day is not a Business Day, then the next succeeding Business Day.

(xiv) “ Series C Dividend Period ” means, with respect to the first dividend period of any Series C Preferred Share, the period from and including the Original Issue Date thereof to and including the first Series C Dividend Payment Date, and with respect to each subsequent Series C Dividend Period, the period from but excluding a Series C Dividend Payment Date to and including the next succeeding Series C Dividend Payment Date or any other date as of which accrued dividends are to be calculated hereunder.

(xv) “ Series C Dividend Record Date ” means, with respect to dividends payable on a Series C Dividend Payment Date, the fifteenth (15th) day of the calendar month preceding the month in which the Series C Dividend Payment Date falls or, with respect to dividends payable on any other date, such other date designated by the Board that is not more than thirty (30) nor less than ten (10) days prior to such payment date.

(b) Designation and Number . (i) 375,000 Preferred Shares are hereby designated as “Series C Cumulative Convertible Voting Preferred Shares” (the “ Series C Preferred Shares ”). (ii) The terms and provisions of all Series C Preferred Shares shall be identical in all respects. So long as the CM Shareholder (as such term is defined in the Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement) holds Series C Preferred Shares or Common Shares issued upon conversion thereof, the foregoing clause (ii) shall not be amended without the written consent of the CM Shareholder.

(c) Rank . The Series C Preferred Shares shall, with respect to dividend and redemption rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, rank (i) senior to all Junior Securities, and (ii) junior to the Series A Preferred Shares.

 

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(d) Dividends .

(i) Dividends Generally . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 6.5(d)(i), each holder of outstanding Series C Preferred Shares shall be entitled to receive either (but not both) (x) dividends pursuant to Section 6.5(d)(i)(A) (“ Series C Participation Dividends ”); or (y) if determined prior to the Series C Conversion Date pursuant to Section 4.9 of the Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement, dividends pursuant to Section 6.5(d)(i)(B) (“ Series C Fixed Dividends ” and, either (x) or (y), as applicable, the “ Applicable Dividend ”).

(A) Series C Participation Dividends. When, as and if the Board authorizes and the Trust declares a dividend in respect of the Common Shares, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, the Trust shall declare and pay dividends per Series C Preferred Share in an amount and in a kind (whether in cash, securities or other property) equal to and equivalent to that which the holder of such Series C Preferred Share would have received had such holder held the number of Common Shares into which such Series C Preferred Share could be converted on the record date for such dividend with respect to the Common Shares or, if no record date for such dividend has been established, on the date of payment of such dividend. Series C Participation Dividends shall be payable to the holders of record of the Series C Preferred Shares as they appear in the share transfer records of the Trust at the close of business on the record date for such dividend with respect to the Common Shares or, if no record date for such dividend has been established, on the date of payment of such dividend; provided, however, that if the Trust declares and pays a dividend or makes a distribution on the Common Shares consisting in whole or in part of Common Shares or Common Shares Equivalents (as defined below), then no such Series C Participation Dividend shall be payable in respect of the Series C Preferred Shares on account of the portion of such dividend or distribution on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or Common Shares Equivalents, and in lieu thereof, the applicable adjustment in Section 6.5(i)(v) shall apply.

(B) Series C Fixed Dividends. When, as and if the Board authorizes and the Trust declares, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends in cash, the Trust shall pay cumulative preferential dividends per Series C Preferred Share at the rate of 5.00% per annum on the total of $1,000 plus all accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon (including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 6.5(d)(iv)). Series C Fixed Dividends shall accrue on a daily basis from the Series C Original Issue Date of each Series C Preferred Share, and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on or before each applicable Series C Dividend Payment Date. Any Series C Fixed Dividend payable on the Series C Preferred Shares for any whole or partial Series C Dividend Period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Series C Fixed Dividends (or any portion thereof) paid in cash shall be payable to holders of record of the Series C Preferred Shares as they appear in the share transfer records of the Trust at the close of business on the applicable Series C Dividend Record Date. Any Series C Fixed Dividend (or any portion thereof) that is not paid in cash on the applicable Series C Dividend Payment Date (whether due to the Trust’s election not to pay such dividend in cash, its inability to pay such dividend in cash, the failure of the Board to declare such dividend or otherwise) shall automatically, and without any action on the part of the Trust, accrue and be included in the Series C Accrued Amount on such Series C Dividend Payment Date.

 

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(ii) No dividends on the Series C Preferred Shares shall be declared by the Trust or paid or set apart for payment by the Trust at any time that the terms and provisions of any written agreement between the Trust and any party that is not an affiliate of the Trust, including, without limitation, any agreement relating to its indebtedness, prohibit such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment or provide that such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment would constitute a breach thereof or a default thereunder, or if such declaration, payment or setting apart shall be restricted or prohibited by law.

(iii) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 6.5(d)(ii), dividends on the Series C Preferred Shares shall accrue whether or not the terms and provisions set forth in Section 6.5(d)(ii) above at any time prohibit the current declaration, payment or setting apart of dividends, whether or not the Trust has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of such dividends, and whether or not such dividends are authorized or declared. Accrued but unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) on each Series C Preferred Share shall (x) accrue daily and (y) accumulate and be included in the Series C Accrued Amount thereof as of (a) each Series C Dividend Payment Date or the date on which they otherwise first become payable, or (b) the effective date of any (i) liquidating distribution with respect thereto under Section 6.5(e), (ii) redemption thereof under Section 6.5(f) or (iii) conversion thereof under Section 6.5(i).

(iv) Unless any and all accrued but unpaid dividends for past Series C Dividend Periods have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for payment, no dividends (other than in shares of Junior Securities) shall be declared or paid or set apart for payment nor shall any other distribution be declared or made upon any shares of Junior Securities (other than dividends on Common Shares for which equivalent Series C Participation Dividends are paid), nor shall any shares of Junior Securities be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such Junior Securities) by the Trust (except by conversion into or exchange for other shares of Junior Securities and except for transfers, redemptions or purchases made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 7.2(a)(ii) and 7.3).

(v) Whether or not dividends are paid in full or a sum sufficient for such full payment is set apart on the Series C Preferred Shares, all dividends declared upon the Series C Preferred Shares shall be declared and paid pro rata based on the number of Series C Preferred Shares then outstanding.

(vi) Any dividend made on the Series C Preferred Shares shall first be credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid dividend due with respect to such shares which remains payable. Holders of the Series C Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or shares, in excess of full accrued but unpaid dividends on the Series C Preferred Shares as specified in this Section 6.5(d).

 

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(vii) Dividend Election Reversal . If requested in writing by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Series C Preferred Shares (a “ Meeting Request ”), delivered to the Trust at any time not later than September 30 of the First Full Calendar Year, the Trust shall promptly (but in no event later than December 15 of such year) call a meeting of the holders of the Series C Preferred Shares and, at such meeting, the holders of the Series C Preferred Shares, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast, with all such holders voting as a single class, shall have the right to change the Applicable Dividend from Series C Fixed Dividends to Series C Participation Dividends or from Series C Participation Dividends to Series C Fixed Dividends, as applicable. Any such change of the Applicable Dividend shall apply to all Series C Preferred Shares and shall be irrevocable. Any such change of the Applicable Dividend shall be effective as of the January 1 immediately following the date on which the holders of Series C Preferred Shares delivered the Meeting Request. The right of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Series C Preferred Shares to making a Meeting Request (and the right to change the Applicable Dividend as set forth in this Section) may be exercised only once and shall thereafter expire.

(e) Liquidation Preference .

(i) Upon any Liquidation Event, before any payment or distribution of the Trust’s property or assets (whether capital or surplus) shall be made to or set apart for the holders of Junior Securities, the holders of Series C Preferred Shares then outstanding shall be entitled to be paid, or have the Trust declare and set apart for payment, out of the assets of the Trust legally available for distribution to its shareholders and after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Trust (including, without limitation, liquidation payments to any series of senior equity securities), a liquidation preference (the “ Series C Liquidation Preference ”) per Series C Preferred Share in an amount equal to the greater of: (a) the Series C Accrued Amount and (b) the payment that would be paid in connection with such Liquidation Event in respect of the number of Common Shares into which such Series C Preferred Share could be converted as of the effective date of such Liquidation Event, before any distribution is made to holders of any Junior Securities. In the event that the Trust elects to set apart the Series C Liquidation Preference for payment, the Series C Preferred Shares shall remain outstanding until the holders thereof are paid the full Series C Liquidation Preference, which payment shall be made no later than immediately prior to the Trust making its final liquidating distribution on the Common Shares.

(ii) In the event that, upon any such Liquidation Event, the available assets of the Trust are insufficient to pay the full amount of the Liquidation Preference on all outstanding Series C Preferred Shares, then the holders of the Series C Preferred Shares shall share ratably in any such distribution of assets in proportion to the full Liquidation Preference to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled.

(iii) After payment of the full amount of the Liquidation Preference to which holders of the Series C Preferred Shares are entitled (whether pursuant to Section 6.5(e)(i) or Section 6.5(e)(ii)), the holders of Series C Preferred Shares shall have no right or claim under this Declaration of Trust to any of the remaining assets of the Trust.

 

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(iv) Upon the Trust’s provision of written notice as to the effective date of any Liquidation Event, accompanied by a check in the amount of the full Series C Liquidation Preference to which each record holder of Series C Preferred Shares is entitled (whether pursuant to Section 6.5(e)(i) or Section 6.5(e)(ii)), the Series C Preferred Shares shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights of the holders of such shares shall terminate. Such notice shall be given by first class mail, postage pre-paid, to each record holder of the Series C Preferred Shares at the respective mailing addresses of such holders as the same shall appear on the share transfer records of the Trust.

(f) Redemption at the Option of the Holders .

(i) Each holder of Series C Preferred Shares, at its option, upon the occurrence of any Series C Redemption Event (as defined below), may require the Trust to redeem, in whole or in part, the Series C Preferred Shares at the time held by such holder, upon written notice duly given as provided and at the times required in Section 6.5(f)(v), at a redemption price (the “ Series C Redemption Price ”) equal to (a) in the case of any Series C Redemption Event (other than arising in a Change of Control (as defined below)) the then current Series C Accrued Amount, payable, at the Trust’s option, in cash (which may be paid, subject to the Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement, with the proceeds from the issuance of Common Shares or other Junior Securities) or in Common Shares valued at their Market Price, or (b) in the case of a Series C Redemption Event arising in a Change of Control, 101% of the then current Series C Liquidation Preference, payable in cash; provided, that, (x) solely for purposes of determining the Series C Liquidation Preference in connection with this clause (b), such Change of Control shall be deemed a Liquidation Event, and (y) the minimum number of Series C Preferred Shares that a holder may require the Trust to redeem at any time shall be the lesser of (1) 75,000 Series C Preferred Shares in the aggregate with affiliates of such holder (subject to adjustment in connection with the actions of the type described in Sections 6.5(i)(v) and 6.4(i)(v)) and (2) the total number of Series C Preferred Shares held by such holder at such time. The Series C Redemption Price for any Series C Preferred Shares shall be payable on the redemption date to the holder of such Series C Preferred Shares against surrender of the certificate(s) evidencing such Shares to the Trust or its transfer agent or, if the holder notifies the Trust or its transfer agent that such certificates have been lost, stolen or destroyed, execution and delivery of an agreement reasonably satisfactory to the Trust to indemnify the Trust from any loss incurred by it in connection with such lost, stolen or destroyed certificates.

(ii) Within 30 days of the occurrence of a Change of Control, the Trust shall send written notice (a “ Series C Change of Control Notice ”) to the holders of record of the Series C Preferred Shares as of the effective date of such Change of Control, stating that a Change of Control has occurred and informing such holders that they may, at their election, tender their Series C Preferred Shares for redemption in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Section 6.5(f).

 

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(iii) Any declared but not yet payable dividends payable on a redemption date that occurs subsequent to the Series C Dividend Record Date for a Series C Dividend Period or a record date for a dividend pursuant to Section 6.5(d)(i)(A) shall be paid to the holder of record of the redeemed Series C Preferred Shares on such Series C Dividend Record Date relating to the Series C Dividend Payment Date or such record date, as applicable, regardless of whether such holder of record is the holder entitled to receive the Series C Redemption Price on the redemption date (and any such amount shall be deducted from the Series C Redemption Price).

(iv) The Series C Preferred Shares shall not be subject to any sinking fund or to any mandatory redemption or similar provisions except as set forth in this Section 6.5(f).

(v) Notice of every redemption of Series C Preferred Shares shall be given by the applicable holder(s) in writing delivered to the Trust at its principal office, together with written instructions regarding the number of Series C Preferred Shares for which redemption rights are being exercised pursuant to this Section 6.5(f) and surrender of the certificates evidencing the Series C Preferred Shares being redeemed, properly endorsed for transfer, and the redemption date therefor shall be the date that the Trust duly receives such notice and certificate(s). Promptly following such due receipt of such notice and certificate(s), the Trust shall promptly pay the Series C Redemption Price and any other amounts payable under this Section 6.5(f). Such notice shall be given not later than (a) in the case of any Series C Redemption Event (other than a Change of Control), thirty (30) days after the occurrence of the applicable Series C Redemption Event, or (b) in the case of a Series C Redemption Event arising due to a Change of Control, thirty (30) days after receipt of the Series C Change of Control Notice. If such notice is not duly given within such thirty (30)-day period by any holder, then such holder’s right to require the Trust to redeem the Series C Preferred Shares held by such holder shall be deemed to be irrevocably waived until the next succeeding Series C Redemption Event with respect to the Series C Preferred Shares.

(vi) If fewer than all the Series C Preferred Shares evidenced by any certificate are redeemed, a new certificate shall be issued evidencing the unredeemed Shares without charge to the holder thereof.

(vii) As used in this Section 6.5(f), (a) “ Series C Redemption Event ” means the occurrence of (1) the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Series B Effective Date and each subsequent anniversary thereafter, or (2) a Change of Control, and (b) “ Change of Control ” means the acquisition (whether by reclassification, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise) by any Person or Persons constituting a Group of Control or ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, of more than 50% of the Fully Diluted Common Shares, unless immediately following such acquisition The Yucaipa Companies, LLC or its affiliates Control or own, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, more than 50% of the Fully Diluted Common Shares.

(g) Status of Redeemed Shares . Any Series C Preferred Shares that shall at any time have been redeemed or otherwise acquired by the Trust (pursuant to Section 6.5(f) or otherwise) shall, after such redemption or acquisition, have the status of authorized but unissued Preferred Shares which may be issued by the Board from time to time at its discretion.

 

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(h) Voting Rights .

(i) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein and subject to the terms of the Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement, the Series C Preferred Shares shall have equivalent voting rights as the Common Shares, and shall not vote as a separate class, at any annual or special meeting of the shareholders of the Trust, and may act by written consent, in either case upon the following basis: each holder of Series C Preferred Shares shall be entitled to such number of votes as shall be equal to the whole number of Common Shares into which such holder’s aggregate Series C Preferred Shares are convertible as of the record date fixed for such meeting or the effective date of such written consent.

(ii) Subject to the Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement and the last sentence of Section 6.5(b), any amendment to Section 6.5 may be made (i) prior to the Series C Conversion Date, in accordance with Section 6.5(h)(iii) and (ii) from and after the Series C Conversion Date, by holders of a majority of the outstanding Series C Preferred Shares, and holders of shares of any other class or series, including Common Shares, shall not be entitled to vote thereon.

(iii) From and after the Series C Conversion Date, the Trust shall not, without the prior consent or approval of holders of a majority of the outstanding Series C Preferred Shares: (i) amend, alter, repeal or amend and restate the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws (whether by reclassification, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise) in a manner which would adversely affect the rights, privileges or preferences of the Series C Preferred Shares; or (ii) authorize, issue or otherwise create any capital stock or Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for capital stock or Shares) other than Junior Securities (or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Junior Securities).

(i) Conversion . The Series C Preferred Shares shall be convertible into Common Shares in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.5(i).

(i) Optional Conversion . Subject to and in compliance with the provisions of this Section 6.5(i), any Series C Preferred Share may, at the option of the holder, be converted at any time into fully-paid and nonassessable Common Shares. The number of Common Shares to which a holder of Series C Preferred Shares shall be entitled upon conversion shall be the product obtained by multiplying the Series C Conversion Rate then in effect (determined as provided in Section 6.5(i)(ii)) by the number of Series C Preferred Shares being converted.

(ii) Series C Conversion Rate . The “ Series C Conversion Rate ” in effect at any time for conversion of the Series C Preferred Shares shall be the quotient obtained by dividing the Series C Accrued Amount by the Series C Conversion Price (determined as provided in Section 6.5(i)(iii)).

 

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(iii) Series C Conversion Price . The “ Series C Conversion Price ” means the Series B Conversion Price (as defined in Section 6.4(i)(iii)) of the Series B Preferred Shares immediately prior to the conversion thereof to Series C Preferred Shares. The Series C Conversion Price shall be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Section 6.5(i). All references herein to the Series C Conversion Price shall mean the Series C Conversion Price as so adjusted.

(iv) Mechanics of Conversion . Each holder of any Series C Preferred Shares who desires to convert the same into Common Shares pursuant to this Section 6.5(i) shall surrender the certificate or certificates therefor, duly endorsed, at the principal office of the Trust or any transfer agent for the Series C Preferred Shares and shall give written notice to the Trust at such office that such holder elects to convert the same. Such notice shall state the number of Series C Preferred Shares being converted. Thereupon, the Trust shall promptly issue and deliver at such office to such holder a certificate or certificates for the number of Common Shares to which such holder is entitled and shall promptly pay (in cash or, to the extent sufficient funds are not then legally available therefor, in Common Shares (based on the Market Price thereof as of the date of such conversion), any declared but not yet payable Series C Participation Dividend or other cash dividends on the Series C Preferred Shares being converted. Such conversion shall be deemed to have been made at the close of business on the date of such surrender by the holder thereof of the certificates evidencing the Series C Preferred Shares to be converted, and the person entitled to receive the Common Shares issuable upon such conversion shall be treated for all purposes as the record holder of such Common Shares as of such date.

(v) Adjustments .

(A) Share Splits; Subdivisions; Dividends; Distributions . In the event the Trust should at any time or from time to time on or after the Series C Conversion Date fix a record date for the effectuation of a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Shares or the making of a dividend or other distribution to all holders of Common Shares payable in additional Common Shares or Common Shares Equivalents without payment of any consideration by such holder for the additional Common Shares or the Common Shares Equivalents (including, without limitation, the additional Common Shares issuable upon conversion or exercise thereof), then, as of such record date (or the date of such dividend, distribution, split or subdivision if no record date is fixed), the then current Series C Conversion Price applicable to the Series C Preferred Shares shall be appropriately decreased so that the number of Common Shares issuable on conversion of each Series C Preferred Share shall be increased in proportion to such increase of the aggregate number of Common Shares outstanding.

(B) Reverse Share Splits . If the number of Common Shares outstanding at any time on or after the Series C Conversion Date is decreased by a combination of the outstanding Common Shares, then, following the record date of such combination, the then current Series C Conversion Price applicable to the Series C Preferred Shares shall be appropriately increased so that the number of Common Shares issuable on conversion of each Series C Preferred Share shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease of the aggregate number of Common Shares outstanding.

 

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(C) Recapitalization Event . If at any time or from time to time on or after the Series C Conversion Date there shall be a Recapitalization Event, provision shall be made so that the holders of the Series C Preferred Shares shall thereafter be entitled to receive upon conversion of such Series C Preferred Shares the number of Shares or other securities or cash or other property of the Trust or otherwise, to which a holder of the number of Common Shares deliverable upon conversion of the Series C Preferred Shares held by such holder would have been entitled after such Recapitalization Event if immediately prior thereto such holder had converted its Series C Preferred Shares into Common Shares. In any such case, appropriate adjustments shall be made in the application of the provisions of this Section 6.5(i) with respect to the rights of the holders of the Series C Preferred Shares after the Recapitalization Event to the end that the provisions of this Section 6.5(i) (including adjustment of the Series C Conversion Price then in effect and the number of Common Shares into which the Series C Preferred Shares are convertible) shall be applicable after that event as nearly equivalent as may be practicable. The Trust shall not effect any such Recapitalization Event unless, prior to the consummation thereof, the successor Person resulting from such Recapitalization Event, shall assume, by written instrument, the obligation to deliver to the holders of the Series C Preferred Shares upon conversion such number of Shares or other securities or cash or other property, which, in accordance with the foregoing provisions, such holders of the Series C Preferred Shares shall be entitled to receive upon such conversion.

(D) Other Anti-Dilution Provisions . If the Trust issues any securities on or after the Series C Conversion Date containing provisions protecting the holders thereto against dilution in any manner more favorable to such holders thereof than those set forth in this Section 6.5, such more favorable portions thereof shall be deemed to be incorporated herein as if fully set forth in this Section 6.5, and to the extent inconsistent with any provisions of this Section 6.5, shall be deemed to be substituted therefor.

(E) Successive Adjustments . Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 6.5(i)(v) shall be made successively whenever an event referred to herein shall occur.

(vi) Fractional Shares and Certificates as to Adjustments .

(A) All Common Shares (including fractions thereof) issuable upon conversion of more than one Series C Preferred Share by a holder thereof shall be aggregated for purposes of determining whether the conversion would result in the issuance of any fractional share. If, after the aforementioned aggregation, the conversion would result in the issuance of any fractional share, the Trust (at its option) may, in lieu of issuing any fractional share, pay cash equal to the product of such fraction multiplied by the Market Price on the date of conversion.

 

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(B) Upon the occurrence of each adjustment or readjustment of any Series C Conversion Price pursuant to Section 6.5(i), the Trust, at its expense, shall promptly compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance with the terms hereof and prepare and furnish to each holder of Series C Preferred Shares whose Series C Conversion Price was adjusted or readjusted a certificate (or other notice) setting forth such adjustment or readjustment and showing in detail the facts upon which such adjustments or readjustment is based. The Trust shall, upon the written request at any time of any holder of Series C Preferred Shares, furnish or cause to be furnished to such holder a like certificate (or other notice) setting forth (i) such adjustment and readjustment, (ii) the Series C Conversion Price at the time in effect, and (iii) the number of Common Shares and the amount, if any, of other property that at any time would be received upon the conversion of a Series C Preferred Share.

(vii) Notices of Record Dates . Upon any acquisition of the Trust, any action of the type described in Section 6.5(i)(v), any sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Trust, or any voluntary Liquidation Event, the Trust shall mail to each holder of Series C Preferred Shares at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date specified therein a notice specifying (i) the date on which any such acquisition, action of the type described in Section 6.5(i)(v), asset sale, or voluntary Liquidation Event is expected to become effective, and (ii) the date, if any, that is to be fixed as to when the holders of record of Common Shares (or other securities) shall be entitled to exchange their Common Shares (or other securities) for securities or other property deliverable upon such acquisition, action of the type described in Section 6.5(i)(v), asset sale, or voluntary Liquidation Event.

(viii) Automatic Conversion .

(A) At any time after December 9, 2012, each Series C Preferred Share then outstanding shall automatically be converted into Common Shares based on the then effective Series C Conversion Rate on the twentieth (20) consecutive trading day on which the Market Price of the Common Shares is greater than or equal to 135% of the then current Series C Conversion Price (such event, a “ Series C Automatic Conversion Event ”). The Trust shall promptly notify the holders of Series C Preferred Shares in writing of the occurrence of a Series C Automatic Conversion Event; provided, that, the Trust’s failure to provide such notice, or its failure to be received, shall not alter or affect the automatic conversion of the Series C Preferred Shares occurring in connection therewith, except to the extent that the holders of Series C Preferred Shares are prejudiced thereby. Upon a Series C Automatic Conversion Event, any declared but not yet payable Series C Participation Dividends or other cash dividends with respect to the Series C Preferred Shares shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.5(i)(iv).

 

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(B) Upon a Series C Automatic Conversion Event, the outstanding Series C Preferred Shares shall be converted automatically without any further action by the holders thereof or by the Trust and whether or not the certificates evidencing such Shares are surrendered to the Trust or its transfer agent; provided , that, the Trust shall not be obligated to issue certificates evidencing the Common Shares issuable upon such conversion unless the certificates evidencing such Series C Preferred Shares are delivered to the Trust or its transfer agent as provided below, or the holder notifies the Trust or its transfer agent that such certificates have been lost, stolen or destroyed and executes an agreement reasonably satisfactory to the Trust to indemnify the Trust from any loss incurred by it in connection with such certificates. Upon receipt of notice of the occurrence of a Series C Automatic Conversion Event, the holders of Series C Preferred Shares shall promptly surrender the certificates evidencing such shares at the office of the Trust or any transfer agent for the Series C Preferred Shares. Thereupon, there shall be issued and delivered to such holder promptly at such office and in its name as shown on such surrendered certificate or certificates, a certificate or certificates for the number of Common Shares to which such holder is entitled in connection with such Series C Automatic Conversion Event.

(ix) Reservation of Shares Issuable Upon Conversion or Adjustment . The Trust shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued Common Shares solely for the purpose of effecting the conversion or adjustment of the Series C Preferred Shares, such number of its Common Shares as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion or adjustment of all then outstanding Series C Preferred Shares in compliance with this Section 6.5. If at any time the number of authorized but unissued Common Shares shall not be sufficient to effect the conversion or adjustment of all then outstanding Series C Preferred Shares, the Trust shall take such corporate action as may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary to increase its authorized but unissued Common Shares to such number as shall be sufficient for such purpose.

(x) No Dilution or Impairment . The Trust shall not, by amendment to the Declaration of Trust or other governing documents or by participating in any transfer of assets, voluntary Liquidation Event, action contemplated by Section 6.5(f)(v) or taking any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms to be observed or performed hereunder by the Trust, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such action as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate in order to protect the rights of holders of the Series C Preferred Shares against impairment.

Section 6.6 Classified or Reclassified Shares . Prior to issuance of classified or reclassified Shares of any class or series, the Board of Trustees by resolution shall (a) designate that class or series to distinguish it from all other classes and series of Shares; (b) specify the number of Shares to be included in the class or series; (c) set, subject to the provisions of Article VII and subject to the express terms of any class or series of Shares outstanding at the time, the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption for each class or series; and (d) cause the Trust to file articles supplementary with the State Department of Assessments

 

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and Taxation of Maryland (the “ SDAT ”). Any of the terms of any class or series of Shares set pursuant to clause (c) of this Section 6.6 may be made dependent upon facts ascertainable outside the Declaration of Trust (including the occurrence of any event, including a determination or action by the Trust or any other person or body) and may vary among holders thereof, provided that the manner in which such facts or variations shall operate upon the terms of such class or series of Shares is clearly and expressly set forth in the articles supplementary filed with the SDAT.

Section 6.7 Authorization by Board of Share Issuance . The Board of Trustees may authorize the issuance from time to time of Shares of any class or series, whether now or hereafter authorized, or securities or rights convertible into Shares of any class or series, whether now or hereafter authorized, for such consideration (whether in cash, property, past or future services, obligation for future payment or otherwise) as the Board of Trustees may deem advisable (or without consideration in the case of a Share split or Share dividend), subject to such restrictions or limitations, if any, as may be set forth in the Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws.

Section 6.8 Dividends and Distributions . The Board of Trustees may from time to time authorize, and cause the Trust to declare to shareholders, such dividends or other distributions, in cash or other assets of the Trust or in securities of the Trust or from any other source as the Board of Trustees in its discretion shall determine. The Board of Trustees shall endeavor to cause the Trust to declare and pay such dividends and distributions as shall be necessary for the Trust to qualify as a real estate investment trust under the Code; however, shareholders shall have no right to any dividend or other distribution unless and until authorized by the Board of Trustees and declared by the Trust. The exercise of the powers and rights of the Board of Trustees pursuant to this Section 6.8 shall be subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares at the time outstanding. Notwithstanding any other provision in the Declaration of Trust, no determination shall be made by the Board of Trustees nor shall any transaction be entered into by the Trust which would cause any Shares or other beneficial interest in the Trust not to constitute “transferable shares” or “transferable certificates of beneficial interest” under Section 856(a)(2) of the Code or which would cause any distribution to constitute a preferential dividend as described in Section 562(c) of the Code.

Section 6.9 General Nature of Shares . All Shares shall be personal property entitling the shareholders only to those rights provided in the Declaration of Trust. The shareholders shall have no interest in the property of the Trust and shall have no right to compel any partition, division, dividend or distribution of the Trust or of the property of the Trust. The death of a shareholder shall not terminate the Trust. The Trust is entitled to treat as shareholders only those persons in whose names Shares are registered as holders of Shares on the share ledger of the Trust.

Section 6.10 Fractional Shares . The Trust may, without the consent or approval of any shareholder, issue fractional Shares, eliminate a fraction of a Share by rounding off to a full Share, arrange for the disposition of a fraction of a Share by the person entitled to it, or pay cash for the fair value of a fraction of a Share.

Section 6.11 Declaration, Bylaws and Shareholders Agreement . The rights of all shareholders and the terms of all Shares are subject to the provisions of the Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws. Certain shareholders of the Trust and the Trust have entered into the Pre-IPO Shareholders Agreement and the Shareholders Agreement, each of which, to the extent then effect, provides certain rights to such shareholders party thereto and governs the relationships between and among the parties thereto.

 

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Section 6.12 Divisions and Combinations of Shares . Subject to an express provision to the contrary in the terms of any class or series of beneficial interest hereafter authorized, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to divide or combine the outstanding Shares of any class or series, without a vote of shareholders.

ARTICLE VII

CERTAIN RESTRICTION ON TRANSFER AND OWNERSHIP OF SHARES

Section 7.1 Definitions . For the purpose of this Article VII, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a) “ Beneficial Ownership ” shall mean ownership of Equity Shares by a Person, whether the interest in Equity Shares is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that would be treated as owned through the application of Section 544 of the Code, as modified by Section 856(h)(1)(B) and 856(h)(3)(A) of the Code. The terms “Beneficial Owner,” “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

(b) “ Charitable Beneficiary ” shall mean one or more beneficiaries of the Charitable Trust as determined pursuant to Section 7.3(f), provided that each such organization must be described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and contributions to each such organization must be eligible for deduction under each of Sections 170(b)(1)(A), 2055 and 2522 of the Code.

(c) “ Charitable Trust ” shall mean any trust provided for in Section 7.3(a).

(d) “ Charitable Trustee ” shall mean the Person unaffiliated with both the Trust and any Prohibited Owner that is appointed by the Trust to serve as trustee of the Charitable Trust.

(e) “ Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

(f) “ Constructive Ownership ” shall mean ownership of Equity Shares by a Person, whether the interest in Equity Shares is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that would be treated as owned through the application of Section 318(a) of the Code, as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Code. The terms “Constructive Owner,” “Constructively Owns” and “Constructively Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

(g) “ Equity Shares ” shall mean Shares of all classes or series, including, without limitation, Common Shares and Preferred Shares. The term “Equity Shares” shall not include convertible debt securities unless and until such securities are converted into Equity Shares.

 

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(h) “ Excepted Holder ” shall mean a shareholder of the Trust for whom an Excepted Holder Limit is created by this Article VII or by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 7.2(g).

(i) “ Excepted Holder Limit ” shall mean the percentage limit established by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 7.2(g), provided that the affected Excepted Holder agrees to comply with the requirements established by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 7.2(g), and subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 7.2(h).

(j) “ Individual ” shall mean (a) an “individual” within the meaning of Section 542(a)(2) of the Code, as modified by Section 544 of the Code, and/or (b) any beneficiary of a “qualified trust” (as defined in Section 856(h)(3)(E) of the Code) which qualified trust is eligible for look-through treatment under Section 856(h)(3)(A) of the Code for purposes of determining whether a REIT is closely held under Section 856(a)(6) of the Code, in which case the qualified trust shall not be treated as an Individual.

(k) “ Market Price ” on any date shall mean, with respect to any class or series of outstanding Equity Shares, the Closing Price for such Equity Shares on such date. The “ Closing Price ” on any date shall mean the last sale price for such Equity Shares, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and ask prices, regular way, for such Equity Shares, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE or, if such Equity Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE, as reported on the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which such Equity Shares are listed or admitted to trading or, if such Equity Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price, or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low ask prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the principal automated quotation system then in use or, if such Equity Shares are not quoted by any such system, the average of the closing bid and ask prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such Equity Shares selected by the Board of Trustees or, in the event that no trading price is available for such Equity Shares, the fair market value of Equity Shares, as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees.

(l) “ NYSE ” shall mean the New York Stock Exchange.

(m) “ One Hundred Shareholder Date ” shall mean the first date upon which the Equity Shares are beneficially owned by 100 or more Persons within the meaning of Code Section 856(a)(5) without regard to Code Section 856(h)(2).

(n) “ Ownership Limit ” shall mean not more than 9.8 percent in value of the aggregate outstanding Equity Shares. The value of the outstanding Equity Shares shall be determined by the Board of Trustees in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive for all purposes hereof.

(o) “ Person ” shall mean an individual, corporation, partnership, estate, trust (including a trust qualified under Sections 401(a) or 501(c)(17) of the Code), a portion of a trust permanently set aside for or to be used exclusively for the purposes described in Section

 

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642(c) of the Code, association, private foundation within the meaning of Section 509(a) of the Code, joint stock company or other entity and also includes a group as that term is used for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and a group to which an Excepted Holder Limit applies.

(p) “ Prohibited Owner ” shall mean, with respect to any purported Transfer, any Person who, but for the provisions of Section 7.2(a), would Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Equity Shares, and if appropriate in the context, shall also mean any Person who would have been the record owner of Equity Shares that the Prohibited Owner would have so owned.

(q) “ REIT ” shall mean a real estate investment trust within the meaning of Section 856 of the Code.

(r) “ Restriction Termination Date ” shall mean the first day after the date hereof on which the Board of Trustees determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the Trust to attempt to, or continue to, qualify as a REIT or that compliance with the restrictions and limitations on Beneficial Ownership, Constructive Ownership and Transfers of Equity Shares set forth herein is no longer required in order for the Trust to qualify as a REIT.

(s) “ Transfer ” shall mean any issuance, sale, transfer, gift, assignment, devise or other disposition, as well as any other event that causes any Person to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership, of Equity Shares or the right to vote or receive dividends on Equity Shares or any agreement to take any such actions or cause any such events, including (a) the granting or exercise of any option (or any disposition of any option), (b) any disposition of any securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Shares or any interest in Equity Shares or any exercise of any such conversion or exchange right and (c) Transfers of interests in other entities that result in changes in Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of Equity Shares; in each case, whether voluntary or involuntary, whether owned of record, Constructively Owned or Beneficially Owned and whether by operation of law or otherwise. The terms “Transferring” and “Transferred” shall have the correlative meanings.

Section 7.2 Equity Shares .

(a) Ownership Limitations . During the period commencing on the date hereof (or the One Hundred Shareholder Date with respect to only subsection (i)(C) below) and prior to the Restriction Termination Date, but subject to Section 7.4:

(i) Basic Restrictions .

(A) (1) No Individual, other than an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own Equity Shares in excess of the Ownership Limit, and (2) no Excepted Holder shall Beneficially Own Equity Shares in excess of the Excepted Holder Limit for such Excepted Holder.

 

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(B) No Person shall Beneficially or Constructively Own Equity Shares to the extent that such Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of Equity Shares would result in the Trust being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year), or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT (including, but not limited to, Beneficial or Constructive Ownership that would result in the Trust owning (actually or Constructively) an interest in a tenant that is described in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code if the income derived by the Trust from such tenant would cause the Trust to fail to satisfy any of the gross income requirements of Section 856(c) of the Code).

(C) Any Transfer of Equity Shares that, if effective, would result in Equity Shares being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 Persons (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code) shall be void ab initio, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such Equity Shares.

(D) No Person shall Beneficially Own Equity Shares to the extent that such Beneficial Ownership of Equity Shares would result in the Trust failing to qualify as a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity” within the meaning of Section 897(h) of the Code (after taking into account for such purpose the statutory presumptions set forth in Section 897(h)(4)(E) of the Code).

(ii) Transfer in Trust . If any Transfer of Equity Shares occurs which, if effective, would result in any Person Beneficially Owning or Constructively Owning Equity Shares in violation of Section 7.2(a)(i)(A), (B) or (D),

(A) then that number of Equity Shares the Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of which otherwise would cause such Person to violate Section 7.2(a)(i)(A), (B) or (D) (rounded up to the nearest whole share) shall be automatically transferred to a Charitable Trust for the benefit of a Charitable Beneficiary, as described in Section 7.3, effective as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of such Transfer, and such Person shall acquire no rights in such Equity Shares; or

(B) if the transfer to the Charitable Trust described in clause (A) of this sentence would not be effective for any reason to prevent the violation of Section 7.2(a)(i)(A), (B) or (D), then the Transfer of that number of Equity Shares that otherwise would cause any Person to violate Section 7.2(a)(i)(A), (B) or (D) shall be void ab initio, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such Equity Shares.

To the extent that, upon a transfer of Equity Shares pursuant to this Section 7.2(a)(ii), a violation of any provision of this Article VII would nonetheless be continuing (for example, where the ownership of Equity Shares by a single Charitable Trust would violate the 100 shareholder requirement applicable to REITs), then Equity Shares shall be transferred to that number of Charitable Trusts, each having a distinct Charitable Trustee and a Charitable Beneficiary or Beneficiaries that are distinct from those of each other Charitable Trust, such that there is no violation of any provision of this Article VII.

 

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(b) Remedies for Breach . If the Board of Trustees or any duly authorized committee thereof shall at any time determine in good faith that a Transfer or other event has taken place that results in a violation of Section 7.2(a) or that a Person intends to acquire or has attempted to acquire Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of any Equity Shares in violation of Section 7.2(a) (whether or not such violation is intended), the Board of Trustees or a committee thereof shall take such action as it deems advisable to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such Transfer or other event, including, without limitation, causing the Trust to redeem Equity Shares, refusing to give effect to such Transfer on the books of the Trust or instituting proceedings to enjoin such Transfer or other event; provided, however, that any Transfers or attempted Transfers or other events in violation of Section 7.2(a) shall automatically result in the transfer to the Charitable Trust described above, and, where applicable, such Transfer (or other event) shall be void ab initio as provided above irrespective of any action (or non-action) by the Board of Trustees or a committee thereof.

(c) Notice of Restricted Transfer . Any Person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Equity Shares that will or may violate Section 7.2(a)(i), or any Person who would have owned Equity Shares that resulted in a transfer to the Charitable Trust pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.2(a)(ii), shall immediately give written notice to the Trust of such event, or in the case of such a proposed or attempted transaction, give at least 15 days prior written notice, and shall provide to the Trust such other information as the Trust may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Transfer on the Trust’s status as a REIT.

(d) Owners Required To Provide Information . From the date hereof and prior to the Restriction Termination Date:

(i) every owner of an amount equal to or greater than five percent (or such lower percentage as required by the Code or the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder) of the outstanding Equity Shares, within 30 days after the end of each taxable year, shall give written notice to the Trust stating the name and address of such owner, the number of Equity Shares and other Equity Shares Beneficially Owned, a description of the manner in which such shares are held, and whether or not the Beneficial Owner of such shares is a “foreign person” as such term is used in Section 897(h) of the Code. Each such owner shall provide to the Trust such additional information as the Trust may reasonably request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Beneficial Ownership on the Trust’s status as a REIT or as a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity” (as such term is defined in Section 897(h) of the Code) and to ensure compliance with the Ownership Limit.

(ii) each Person who is a Beneficial or Constructive Owner of Equity Shares and each Person (including the shareholder of record) who is holding Equity Shares for a Beneficial or Constructive Owner shall promptly provide to the Trust such relevant information as the Trust may reasonably request in order to determine the Trust’s status as a REIT or as a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity” (as such term is defined in Section 897(h) of the Code) and to comply with requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance.

 

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(e) Remedies Not Limited . Nothing contained in this Section 7.2 shall limit the authority of the Board of Trustees to take such other action as it deems necessary or advisable to protect the Trust and the interests of its shareholders in preserving the Trust’s status as a REIT.

(f) Ambiguity . In the case of an ambiguity in the application of any of the provisions of this Section 7.2, Section 7.3 or any definition contained in Section 7.1, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to determine the application of the provisions of this Section 7.2 or Section 7.3 with respect to any situation based on the facts known to it. In the event Section 7.2 or 7.3 requires an action by the Board of Trustees and the Declaration of Trust fails to provide specific guidance with respect to such action, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to determine the action to be taken so long as such action is not contrary to the provisions of Section 7.1, 7.2 or 7.3. Absent a decision to the contrary by the Board of Trustees, if a Person would have (but for the remedies set forth in Section 7.2(b)) acquired Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Equity Shares in violation of Section 7.2(a), such remedies (as applicable) shall apply first to the Equity Shares which, but for such remedies, would have been Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned (but not actually owned) by such Person, pro rata among the Persons who actually own such Equity Shares based upon the relative number of Equity Shares held by each such Person.

(g) Exceptions .

(i) Subject to Section 7.2(a)(i)(B) and (D), the Board of Trustees shall exempt an Individual from the Ownership Limit and may establish or increase an Excepted Holder Limit for such Individual if:

(A) the Board of Trustees obtains such representations and undertakings from such Individual as are satisfactory to the Board of Trustees, in its sole and absolute discretion, to ascertain that no Individual’s Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of such Equity Shares will violate Section 7.2(a)(i)(B) or (D);

(B) such Individual does not and represents that it will not own, actually or Constructively, an interest in a tenant of the Trust (or a tenant of any entity owned or controlled by the Trust) that would cause the Trust to own, actually or Constructively, more than a 9.8 percent interest (as set forth in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code) in such tenant and the Board of Trustees obtains such representations and undertakings from such Individual as are satisfactory to the Board of Trustees, in its sole and absolute discretion, to ascertain this fact (for this purpose, a tenant from whom the Trust (or an entity owned or controlled by the Trust) derives (and is expected to continue to derive) a sufficiently small amount of revenue such that, in the opinion of the Board of Trustees, rent from such tenant would not adversely affect the Trust’s ability to qualify as a REIT, shall not be treated as a tenant of the Trust);

 

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(C) such Person provides to the Board of Trustees such representations and undertakings, if any, as the Board of Trustees may, in its sole and absolute discretion, require to ensure that the conditions in clauses (i) and (ii) hereof are satisfied and will continue to be satisfied throughout the period during which such Individual Beneficially or Constructively Owns Equity Shares in excess of the Ownership Limit pursuant to any exemption thereto granted under this subparagraph (a); and

(D) such Individual agrees that any violation or attempted violation of such representations or undertakings (or other action which is contrary to the restrictions contained in Sections 7.2(a) through 7.2(f)) will result in such Equity Shares being automatically transferred to a Charitable Trust in accordance with Sections 7.2(a)(ii) and 7.3.

(ii) Prior to granting any exception pursuant to Section 7.2(g)(i), the Board of Trustees may, in its sole and absolute discretion, require a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or an opinion of counsel, in either case in form and substance satisfactory to the Board of Trustees in its sole discretion, as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to determine or ensure the Trust’s status as a REIT. Notwithstanding the receipt of any ruling or opinion, the Board of Trustees may impose such conditions or restrictions as it deems appropriate in connection with granting such exception; provided, however, that the Board of Trustees shall not be obligated to require a favorable ruling or opinion in order to grant an exception hereunder.

(iii) Subject to Section 7.2(a)(i)(B) or (D), an underwriter which participates in a public offering or a private placement of Equity Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Shares) may Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Equity Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Shares) in excess of the Ownership Limit, but only to the extent necessary to facilitate such public offering or private placement.

(iv) The Board of Trustees may only reduce the Excepted Holder Limit for an Excepted Holder: (1) with the written consent of such Excepted Holder at any time, or (2) pursuant to the terms and conditions of the agreements and undertakings entered into with such Excepted Holder in connection with the establishment of the Excepted Holder Limit for that Excepted Holder. No Excepted Holder Limit shall be reduced to a percentage that is less than the Ownership Limit.

(h) Changes in Ownership Limit . Subject to Section 7.2(a)(i)(B) and (D), the Board of Trustees may from time to time establish or increase an Excepted Holder Limit for one or more Individuals (whereby such Individual will be an Excepted Holder) and decrease the Ownership Limit for all other Individuals; provided, however, that the decreased Ownership Limit will not be effective for any Individual whose percentage ownership of Shares is in excess of such decreased Ownership Limit until such time as such Individual’s percentage of Shares equals or falls below the decreased Ownership Limit, but any further acquisition of Shares in excess of such percentage ownership of Shares will be in violation of the Ownership Limit and, provided further, that the new Excepted Holder Limit and Ownership Limit would not allow five or fewer Individuals to Beneficially Own more than 49.9% in value of the outstanding Shares.

 

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(i) Legend . Each certificate for Equity Shares (if such Equity Shares are certificated, which determination shall be at the sole discretion of the Board of Trustees) shall bear substantially the following legend (to the extent such legend is still required):

The shares evidenced by this certificate are subject to restrictions on Beneficial and Constructive Ownership and Transfer for the purpose of the Trust’s maintenance of its status as a real estate investment trust (a “ REIT ”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”). Subject to certain further restrictions and except as expressly provided in the Trust’s declaration of trust (the “ Declaration of Trust ”), (i) no Individual may Beneficially Own Equity Shares of the Trust in excess of 9.8 percent of the value of the total outstanding Equity Shares of the Trust unless such Individual is an Excepted Holder (in which case the Excepted Holder Limit shall be applicable); (ii) no Person shall Beneficially or Constructively Own Equity Shares to the extent that such Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of Equity Shares would result in the Trust being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year), or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT; (iii) any Transfer of Equity Shares that, if effective, would result in Equity Shares being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 Persons (as determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code) shall be void ab initio, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such Equity Shares; and (iv) no Person shall Beneficially Own Equity Shares to the extent that such Beneficial Ownership of Equity Shares would result in the Trust failing to qualify as a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity” within the meaning of Section 897(h) of the Code (after taking into account for such purpose the statutory presumptions set forth in Section 897(h)(4)(E) of the Code). Any Person who Beneficially or Constructively Owns or attempts to Beneficially or Constructively Own Equity Shares which cause or will cause a Person to Beneficially or Constructively Own Equity Shares in excess or in violation of the above limitations must immediately notify the Trust in writing (or, in the case of an attempted transaction, give at least 15 days prior written notice). If any of the restrictions on transfer or ownership as set forth in (i), (ii) or (iv) above are violated, the Equity Shares evidenced hereby will be automatically transferred to a Trustee of a Charitable Trust for the benefit of one or more Charitable Beneficiaries. In addition, upon the occurrence of certain events, attempted Transfers in violation of the restrictions described in (i), (ii) and (iv) above may be void ab initio. All capitalized terms in this legend have the meanings defined in the Declaration of Trust, as the same may be amended from time to time, a copy of which, including the restrictions on transfer and ownership, will be furnished to each holder of Equity Shares on request and without charge. Instead of the foregoing legend, the certificate may state that the Trust will furnish a full statement about certain restrictions on transferability to a shareholder on request and without charge.

 

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Section 7.3 Transfer of Equity Shares in Trust .

(a) Ownership in Trust . Upon any purported Transfer or other event described in Section 7.2(a)(ii) that would result in a transfer of Equity Shares to a Charitable Trust, such Equity Shares shall be deemed to have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee as trustee of a Charitable Trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more Charitable Beneficiaries. Such transfer to the Charitable Trustee shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the purported Transfer or other event that results in the transfer to the Charitable Trust pursuant to Section 7.2(a)(ii). The Charitable Trustee shall be appointed by the Trust and shall be a Person unaffiliated with the Trust and any Prohibited Owner. Each Charitable Beneficiary shall be designated by the Trust as provided in Section 7.3(f).

(b) Status of Shares Held by the Charitable Trustee . Equity Shares held by the Charitable Trustee shall be issued and outstanding Equity Shares. The Prohibited Owner shall have no rights in the shares held by the Charitable Trustee. The Prohibited Owner shall not benefit economically from ownership of any shares held in trust by the Charitable Trustee, shall have no rights to dividends or other distributions and shall not possess any rights to vote or other rights attributable to the shares held in the Charitable Trust.

(c) Dividend and Voting Rights . The Charitable Trustee shall have all voting rights and rights to dividends or other distributions with respect to Equity Shares held in the Charitable Trust, which rights shall be exercised for the exclusive benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary. Any dividend or other distribution paid prior to the discovery by the Trust that Equity Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee shall be paid with respect to such Equity Shares to the Charitable Trustee upon demand and any dividend or other distribution authorized but unpaid shall be paid when due to the Charitable Trustee. Any dividends or distributions so paid over to the Charitable Trustee shall be held in trust for the Charitable Beneficiary. The Prohibited Owner shall have no voting rights with respect to shares held in the Charitable Trust and, subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that Equity Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee, the Charitable Trustee shall have the authority (at the Charitable Trustee’s sole discretion) (i) to rescind as void any vote cast by a Prohibited Owner prior to the discovery by the Trust that Equity Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee and (ii) to recast such vote in accordance with the desires of the Charitable Trustee acting for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary; provided, however, that if the Trust has already taken irreversible trust action, then the Charitable Trustee shall not have the authority to rescind and recast such vote. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article VII, until the Trust has received notification that Equity Shares have been transferred into a Charitable Trust, the Trust shall be entitled to rely on its share transfer and other shareholder records for purposes of preparing lists of shareholders entitled to vote at meetings, determining the validity and authority of proxies and otherwise conducting votes of shareholders.

(d) Sale of Shares by Charitable Trustee . Within 20 days of receiving notice from the Trust that Equity Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trust, the Charitable Trustee of the Charitable Trust shall sell the shares held in the Charitable Trust to a person, designated by the Charitable Trustee, whose ownership of the shares will not violate the ownership limitations set forth in Section 7.2(a)(i). Upon such sale, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Charitable Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner and to the Charitable Beneficiary as provided in this Section 7.3(d). The Prohibited Owner shall receive the lesser of (1) the price paid by the Prohibited Owner for the shares or, if the Prohibited Owner did not give value for the shares in connection with the event causing the shares to be held in the Charitable Trust (e.g., in the case of a gift, devise

 

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or other such transaction), the Market Price of the shares on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in the Charitable Trust and (2) the price per share received by the Charitable Trustee from the sale or other disposition of the shares held in the Charitable Trust. The Charitable Trustee may reduce the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner by the amount of dividends and other distributions which have been paid to the Prohibited Owner and are owed by the Prohibited Owner to the Charitable Trustee pursuant to Section 7.3(c) of this Article VII. Any net sales proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner shall be immediately paid to the Charitable Beneficiary. If, prior to the discovery by the Trust that Equity Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee, such shares are sold by a Prohibited Owner, then (1) such shares shall be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the Charitable Trust and (2) to the extent that the Prohibited Owner received an amount for such shares that exceeds the amount that such Prohibited Owner was entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 7.3(d), such excess shall be paid to the Charitable Trustee upon demand.

(e) Purchase Right in Shares Transferred to the Charitable Trustee . Equity Shares transferred to the Charitable Trustee shall be deemed to have been offered for sale to the Trust, or its designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price per share in the transaction that resulted in such transfer to the Charitable Trust (or, in the case of a devise or gift, the Market Price at the time of such devise or gift) and (ii) the Market Price on the date the Trust, or its designee, accepts such offer. The Trust may reduce the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner by the amount of dividends and other distributions which have been paid to the Prohibited Owner and are owed by the Prohibited Owner to the Charitable Trustee pursuant to Section 7.3(c) of this Article VII. The Trust may pay the amount of such reduction to the Charitable Trustee for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary. The Trust shall have the right to accept such offer until the Charitable Trustee has sold the shares held in the Charitable Trust pursuant to Section 7.3(d). Upon such a sale to the Trust, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Charitable Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner.

(f) Designation of Charitable Beneficiaries . By written notice to the Charitable Trustee, the Trust shall designate one or more nonprofit organizations to be the Charitable Beneficiary of the interest in the Charitable Trust such that (i) Equity Shares held in the Charitable Trust would not violate the restrictions set forth in Section 7.2(a)(i) in the hands of such Charitable Beneficiary and (ii) each such organization must be described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and contributions to each such organization must be eligible for deduction under each of Sections 170(b)(1)(A), 2055 and 2522 of the Code.

Section 7.4 NYSE Transactions . Nothing in this Article VII shall preclude the settlement of any transaction entered into through the facilities of the NYSE or any other national securities exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system. The fact that the settlement of any transaction occurs shall not negate the effect of any other provision of this Article VII and any transferee in such a transaction shall be subject to all of the provisions and limitations set forth in this Article VII.

Section 7.5 Enforcement . The Trust is authorized specifically to seek equitable relief, including injunctive relief, to enforce the provisions of this Article VII.

 

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Section 7.6 Non-Waiver . No delay or failure on the part of the Trust or the Board of Trustees in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver of any right of the Trust or the Board of Trustees, as the case may be, except to the extent specifically waived in writing.

ARTICLE VIII

RESERVED

ARTICLE IX

SHAREHOLDERS

Section 9.1 Meetings . There shall be an annual meeting of the shareholders, to be held on proper notice at such time (after the delivery of the annual report) and convenient location as shall be determined by or in the manner prescribed in the Bylaws, for the election of the Trustees, if required, and for the transaction of any other business within the powers of the Trust. Except as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust, special meetings of shareholders may be called in the manner provided in the Bylaws. If there are no Trustees, the officers of the Trust shall promptly call a special meeting of the shareholders entitled to vote for the election of successor Trustees. Any meeting may be adjourned and reconvened as the Trustees determine or as provided in the Bylaws.

Section 9.2 Voting Rights . Subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares then outstanding, the shareholders shall be entitled to vote only on the following matters: (a) election of Trustees as provided in Section 5.1 and the removal of Trustees as provided in Section 5.2; (b) amendment of the Declaration of Trust as provided in Article XII; (c) termination of the Trust as provided in Section 14.2; (d) merger, conversion or consolidation of the Trust, or the sale or disposition of substantially all of the assets of the Trust, in each case only if Title 8 requires shareholder approval or if the MGCL would require the approval of stockholders if the Trust were a corporation; (e) amendment of the Bylaws as permitted by the Bylaws; and (f) such other matters with respect to which the Board of Trustees has adopted a resolution declaring that a proposed action is advisable and directing that the matter be submitted to the shareholders for approval or ratification. Except with respect to the foregoing matters, no action taken by the shareholders at any meeting shall in any way bind the Board of Trustees.

Section 9.3 Preemptive and Appraisal Rights . Except as may be provided by the Board of Trustees in setting the terms of classified or reclassified Shares pursuant to Section 6.6, or as may otherwise be provided by contract approved by the Board of Trustees, no holder of Shares shall, as such holder, have any preemptive right to purchase or subscribe for any additional Shares of the Trust or any other security of the Trust which it may issue or sell. Holders of Shares shall not be entitled to exercise any rights of an objecting shareholder provided for under Title 8 and Title 3, Subtitle 2 of the MGCL or any successor statute unless the Board of Trustees, upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees, shall determine that such rights apply, with respect to all or any classes or series of Shares, to one or more transactions occurring after the date of such determination in connection with which holders of such Shares would otherwise be entitled to exercise such rights.

 

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Section 9.4 Extraordinary Actions . Except as specifically provided in Section 5.2 (relating to removal of Trustees) and Section 12.3, notwithstanding any provision of law permitting or requiring any action to be taken or authorized by the affirmative vote of shareholders entitled to cast a greater number of votes, any such action shall be effective and valid if advised by the Board of Trustees and taken or approved by the affirmative vote of holders of Shares entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

Section 9.5 Board Approval . Except with respect to the removal of Trustees and except for amendments to the Bylaws as permitted by the Bylaws, the submission of any action to the shareholders for their consideration shall first be approved by the Board of Trustees.

Section 9.6 Action By Shareholders without a Meeting . If the Bylaws so provide, any action required or permitted to be taken by the shareholders may be taken without a meeting by consent, given in writing or by electronic transmission, of the shareholders entitled to cast a sufficient number of votes to approve the matter as required by statute, the Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws, as the case may be.

ARTICLE X

LIABILITY LIMITATION, INDEMNIFICATION

AND TRANSACTIONS WITH THE TRUST

Section 10.1 Limitation of Shareholder Liability . No shareholder shall be liable for any debt, claim, demand, judgment or obligation of any kind of, against or with respect to the Trust by reason of his being a shareholder, nor shall any shareholder be subject to any personal liability whatsoever, in tort, contract or otherwise, to any person in connection with the property or the affairs of the Trust by reason of his being a shareholder.

Section 10.2 Limitation of Trustee and Officer Liability . To the maximum extent that Maryland law in effect from time to time permits limitation of the liability of trustees and officers of a real estate investment trust, no Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be liable to the Trust or to any shareholder for money damages. Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Section 10.2, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Declaration of Trust inconsistent with this Section 10.2, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding sentence with respect to any act or failure to act which occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.

Section 10.3 Indemnification . To the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, the Trust shall indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, shall pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to (a) any individual who is a present or former Trustee, observer on the Board of Trustees pursuant to the Shareholders Agreement (“Observer”) or officer of the Trust and who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in, the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity or (b) any individual who, while a Trustee, Observer or officer of the Trust and at the request of the Trust, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, trustee, member, manager, employee or agent of another real estate investment trust, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or

 

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employee benefit plan or any other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in, the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The rights to indemnification and advance of expenses provided by the Declaration of Trust shall vest immediately upon election of a Trustee or officer or appointment of an observer to the Board of Trustees. The Trust shall have the power, with the approval of the Board of Trustees, to provide such indemnification and advancement of expenses to a person who served a predecessor of the Trust in any of the capacities described in (a) or (b) above and to any employee or agent of the Trust or a predecessor of the Trust. The indemnification and payment or reimbursement of expenses provided in the Declaration of Trust shall not be deemed exclusive of or limit in any way other rights to which any person seeking indemnification or payment or reimbursement of expenses may be or may become entitled under any bylaw, resolution, insurance, agreement or otherwise.

Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Section 10.3, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws inconsistent with this Section 10.3, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding paragraph with respect to any act or failure to act which occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.

Section 10.4 Transactions Between the Trust and its Trustees, Officers, Employees and Agents . Subject to any express restrictions in the Declaration of Trust or adopted by the Board of Trustees in the Bylaws or by resolution, the Trust may enter into any contract or transaction of any kind with any person, including any Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust or any person affiliated with a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, whether or not any of them has a financial interest in such transaction.

ARTICLE XI

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Section 11.1 Definitions . For the purpose of this Article XI, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a) “ Affiliate ” shall mean, with respect to any specified person or entity, any other person or entity who or which, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such person or entity, including, without limitation, any general partner, managing member or partner, officer, director, employee, trustee or other agent of such person or entity or any private equity fund now or hereafter existing that is controlled by one or more general partners or managing members of, or shares the same management company with, such person or entity. For purposes of this definition, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by,” or “under common control with” shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of (i) the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person or entity, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise, or (ii) the power to elect or appoint at least 50% of the directors, managers, general partners, or persons exercising similar authority with respect to such person or entity.

 

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(b) “ Business Opportunity ” shall mean a business opportunity (i) that the Trust is financially able to undertake, (ii) that the Trust is not prohibited by contract or applicable law from pursuing or undertaking, (iii) that, from its nature, is in the Trust’s line of business, (iv) that is of practical advantage to the Trust, and (v) in which the Trust has an interest or a reasonable expectancy.

(c) “ Fortress Entity ” and “ Fortress Entities ” shall mean CF Cold, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, its Affiliates and any portfolio company in which any of the foregoing has any equity investment (other than the Trust and its subsidiaries).

(d) “ GSCP Entity ” and “ GSCP Entities ” shall mean the GSCP Funds, their respective Affiliates and any portfolio company in which any of the foregoing has any equity investment (other than the Trust and its subsidiaries).

(e) “ GSCP Funds ” shall mean GS Capital Partners VI Fund, L.P., GS Capital Partners VI Parallel, L.P., GSCP VI Offshore IceCap Investment, L.P., GSCP VI GmbH IceCap Investment, L.P. and IceCap2 Holdings, L.P.

(f) “ Identified Persons ” shall mean any reference to the Yucaipa Entities, the GSCP Entities, the Fortress Entities, and their respective Affiliates.

(g) “ Non-Employee Trustee ” shall mean a Trustee of the Trust who is not an employee of the Trust or its Affiliates.

(h) “ Yucaipa Entity ” and “ Yucaipa Entities ” shall mean the Yucaipa Funds, their respective Affiliates and any portfolio company in which any of the foregoing has any equity investment (other than the Trust and its subsidiaries).

(i) “ Yucaipa Funds ” shall mean Yucaipa American Alliance Fund I, LP, Yucaipa American Alliance (Parallel) Fund I, L.P., Yucaipa American Alliance Fund II, L.P., Yucaipa American Alliance (Parallel) Fund II, L.P. and Yucaipa Corporate Initiatives Fund I, LP and any other entity managed, controlled or owned, directly or indirectly, by any such fund (or by any Affiliate of any such fund) that may acquire any direct or indirect interest in the Trust.

Section 11.2 In recognition and anticipation that (a) certain Identified Persons may serve as Trustees, officers or agents of the Trust and (b) the Identified Persons may now engage and may continue to engage in the same or similar activities or related lines of business as those in which the Trust, directly or indirectly, may engage, or in other business activities that overlap or compete with those in which the Trust, directly or indirectly, may engage, the provisions of this Article XI are set forth to regulate and define the conduct of certain affairs of the Trust with respect to certain classes or categories of business opportunities as they may involve any of the Identified Persons and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the Trust and its Trustees, officers and shareholders in connection therewith.

Section 11.3 To the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Maryland law, each Identified Person, on such Identified Person’s own behalf or on behalf of any other Person (as defined in Section 6.4(a)(iv)), shall have the right to, and shall have no obligation to abstain from exercising such right to: (a) engage or invest, directly or indirectly, in the same or similar business activities or lines of business in which the Trust or any of its Affiliates now engages or proposes to engage, (b) do business with any customer, supplier or lessor of the Trust or its subsidiaries or (c) employ or otherwise engage any officer, trustee or employee of the Trust or its subsidiaries.

 

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Section 11.4 If any Identified Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a Business Opportunity, none of the Trust or its Affiliates or shareholders shall have any interest in such Business Opportunity or any expectation that such Business Opportunity be offered to it or that it be offered an opportunity to participate therein, and any such interest, expectation, offer or opportunity to participate, and any other interest or expectation otherwise due to the Trust or its Affiliates or shareholders with respect to such Business Opportunity, is hereby renounced by the Trust on its behalf and on behalf of its subsidiaries and shareholders. Accordingly, (i) no Identified Person will be under any obligation or duty to present, communicate or offer any such Business Opportunity to the Trust or any of its Affiliates or shareholders, and (ii) each Identified Person shall have the right to hold and exploit any such Business Opportunity for its own account, or to direct, recommend, sell, assign or otherwise transfer such Business Opportunity to any Person other than the Trust and its Affiliates or shareholders and shall be under no obligation or duty to act otherwise.

Section 11.5 To the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Maryland law, the Trust renounces any interest or expectancy in, or any right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any Business Opportunity that from time to time may be presented to or developed by any Non-Employee Trustee or any Affiliate of any Non-Employee Trustee, unless the Business Opportunity was expressly offered or made known to the Non-Employee Trustee in his or her capacity as a Trustee. To the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Maryland law, in the event that any Identified Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other Business Opportunity, no Identified Person will have any obligation to communicate or offer such transaction or Business Opportunity to the Trust or any of the Trust’s Affiliates and such Identified Person may take any such opportunity for himself, herself or itself, or offer it to another Person or entity unless the Business Opportunity is expressly offered to such Identified Person in his or her capacity as a Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust.

Section 11.6 Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 11.4 above, the Trust does not renounce any interest or expectancy it may have under applicable law in any Business Opportunity that is expressly offered to an Identified Person solely in, and as a direct result of, his or her capacity as a Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust. If the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer or the Chief Financial Officer of the Trust (or, during the vacancy of any of those titles, the executive officer performing the functions of such vacant role) shall be an Identified Person by virtue of his or her respective relationship with a Yucaipa Entity, the GSCP Entities or a Fortress Entity, then any Business Opportunity offered to such officer shall be deemed to have been offered solely in, and as a direct result of, such officer’s capacity as an officer of the Trust unless such offer clearly and expressly is presented to such officer solely in, and as a direct result of, his or her capacity as an officer, trustee, director, partner, member, manager, employee or other agent of a Yucaipa Entity, the GSCP Entities or a Fortress Entity, as applicable.

Section 11.7 An Identified Person may in his, her or its personal capacity, or in his, her or its capacity as a director, officer, trustee, stockholder, partner, member, equity owner, manager, advisor or employee of any other Person, have business interests and engage, directly or indirectly, in business activities that are similar to those of the Trust or compete with the Trust, that the Trust could seize and develop or that include the acquisition, syndication, holding, management, development, operation or disposition of interests in temperature-controlled warehouses or persons engaged in related industries.

 

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Section 11.8 No alteration, amendment, termination, expiration or repeal of this Article XI, nor the adoption of any provision of the Declaration of Trust inconsistent with this Article XI, shall eliminate, reduce, apply to or have any effect on (i) the protections afforded hereby to any Identified Person for or with respect to any investments, activities, or opportunities of which such Identified Person, as applicable, becomes aware prior to such alteration, amendment, termination, expiration, repeal or adoption or (ii) any matter occurring, or any cause of action, suit or claim that, but for this Article XI, would accrue or arise, prior to such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption.

ARTICLE XII

AMENDMENTS

Section 12.1 General . The Trust reserves the right from time to time to make any amendment to the Declaration of Trust, now or hereafter authorized by law, including any amendment altering the terms or contract rights, as expressly set forth in the Declaration of Trust, of any Shares. All rights and powers conferred by the Declaration of Trust on shareholders, Trustees and officers are granted subject to this reservation.

Section 12.2 By Trustees . The Trustees may amend the Declaration of Trust from time to time, in the manner provided by Title 8, without any action by the shareholders, (i) to qualify as a real estate investment trust under the Code or under Title 8, (ii) in any respect in which the charter of a corporation may be amended in accordance with Section 2-605 of the MGCL and (iii) as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust.

Section 12.3 By Shareholders . Except as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust, any amendment to the Declaration of Trust shall be valid only if approved by the affirmative vote of shareholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter; provided further , in addition to the foregoing requirement, Section 6.11 of the Declaration of Trust, and this proviso, shall not be amended without obtaining the requisite written consent provided for in Section 4.8 of the Shareholders Agreement. Any amendment to Section 5.2, Article VII, Article X, Article XI, Section 14.2 or this sentence of the Declaration of Trust shall be valid only if approved by the affirmative vote of shareholders entitled to cast two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

ARTICLE XIII

MERGER, CONVERSION, CONSOLIDATION OR SALE OF TRUST PROPERTY

Subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares at the time outstanding, the Trust may (a) merge the Trust with or into another entity, (b) convert the Trust into another entity, (c) consolidate the Trust with one or more other entities into a new entity or (d) sell, lease, exchange

 

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or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of the assets of the Trust. Any such action must be approved by the Board of Trustees and, if shareholder approval is required by Section 9.2, approved by the affirmative vote of shareholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

ARTICLE XIV

DURATION AND TERMINATION OF TRUST

Section 14.1 Duration . The Trust shall continue perpetually unless terminated pursuant to Section 14.2 or pursuant to any applicable provision of Title 8.

Section 14.2 Termination .

(a) Subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares at the time outstanding, after approval by a majority of the entire Board of Trustees, the Trust may be terminated at any meeting of shareholders, by the affirmative vote of shareholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Upon the termination of the Trust:

(i) The Trust shall carry on no business except for the purpose of winding up its affairs.

(ii) The Trustees shall proceed to wind up the affairs of the Trust and all of the powers of the Trustees under the Declaration of Trust shall continue, including the powers to fulfill or discharge the Trust’s contracts, collect its assets, sell, convey, assign, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the remaining property of the Trust to one or more persons at public or private sale for consideration which may consist in whole or in part of cash, securities or other property of any kind, discharge or pay its liabilities and do all other acts appropriate to liquidate its business. The Trustees may appoint any officer of the Trust or any other person to supervise the winding up of the affairs of the Trust and delegate to such officer or such person any or all powers of the Trustees in this regard.

(iii) After paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities, and upon receipt of such releases, indemnities and agreements as they deem necessary for their protection, the Trust may distribute the remaining property of the Trust among the shareholders so that after payment in full or the setting apart for payment of such preferential amounts, if any, to which the holders of any Shares at the time outstanding shall be entitled, the remaining property of the Trust shall, subject to any participating or similar rights of Shares at the time outstanding, be distributed ratably among the holders of Common Shares at the time outstanding.

(b) After termination of the Trust, the liquidation of its business and the distribution to the shareholders as herein provided, a majority of the Trustees shall execute and file with the Trust’s records a document certifying that the Trust has been duly terminated, and the Trustees shall be discharged from all liabilities and duties hereunder, and the rights and interests of all shareholders shall cease.

 

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ARTICLE XV

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 15.1 Governing Law .

(a) The Declaration of Trust is executed and delivered in the State of Maryland with reference to the laws thereof, and the rights of all parties and the validity, construction and effect of every provision hereof shall be subject to and construed according to the laws of the State of Maryland without regard to conflicts of law provisions thereof.

(b) Unless the Trust consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland, or, if that Court does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division, shall be the sole and exclusive forum for any Internal Corporate Claim (as defined by the MGCL, as applicable to the Trust pursuant to the Maryland REIT Law), and: (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Trust, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of any duty owed by any Trustee or officer or other employee of the Trust to the Trust or to the shareholders of the Trust, (c) any action asserting a claim against the Trust or any Trustee or officer or other employee of the Trust arising pursuant to any provision of the MGCL or the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws or (d) any action asserting a claim against the Trust or any Trustee or officer or other employee of the Trust that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine.

Section 15.2 Reliance by Third Parties . Any certificate shall be final and conclusive as to any person dealing with the Trust if executed by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Trust or a Trustee, and if certifying to: (a) the number or identity of Trustees, officers of the Trust or shareholders; (b) the due authorization of the execution of any document; (c) the action or vote taken, and the existence of a quorum, at a meeting of the Board of Trustees or shareholders; (d) a copy of the Declaration of Trust or of the Bylaws as a true and complete copy as then in force; (e) an amendment to the Declaration of Trust; (f) the termination of the Trust; or (g) the existence of any fact relating to the affairs of the Trust. No purchaser, lender, transfer agent or other person shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction purporting to be made by the Trust on its behalf or by any officer, employee or agent of the Trust.

Section 15.3 Severability .

(a) The provisions of the Declaration of Trust are severable, and if the Board of Trustees shall determine, with the advice of counsel, that any one or more of such provisions (the “ Conflicting Provisions ”) are in conflict with the Code, Title 8 or other applicable federal or state laws, the Conflicting Provisions, to the extent of the conflict, shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of the Declaration of Trust, even without any amendment of the Declaration of Trust pursuant to Article XII and without affecting or impairing any of the remaining provisions of the Declaration of Trust or rendering invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination. No Trustee shall be liable for making or failing to make such a determination. In the event of any such determination by the Board of Trustees, the Board of Trustees shall amend the Declaration of Trust in the manner provided in Section 12.2.

 

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(b) If any provision of the Declaration of Trust shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such holding shall apply only to the extent of any such invalidity or unenforceability and shall not in any manner affect, impair or render invalid or unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction or any other provision of the Declaration of Trust in any jurisdiction.

Section 15.4 Construction . In the Declaration of Trust, unless the context otherwise requires, words used in the singular or in the plural include both the plural and singular and words denoting any gender include all genders. The title and headings of different parts are inserted for convenience and shall not affect the meaning, construction or effect of the Declaration of Trust. In defining or interpreting the powers and duties of the Trust and its Trustees and officers, reference may be made by the Trustees or officers, to the extent appropriate and not inconsistent with the Code or Title 8, to Titles 1 through 3 of the MGCL.

Section 15.5 Recordation . The Declaration of Trust and any amendment or supplement hereto shall be filed for record with the SDAT and may also be filed or recorded in such other places as the Trustees deem appropriate, but failure to file for record the Declaration of Trust or any amendment or supplement hereto in any office other than in the State of Maryland shall not affect or impair the validity or effectiveness of the Declaration of Trust or any amendment or supplement hereto. A restated Declaration of Trust shall, upon filing, be conclusive evidence of all amendments and supplements contained therein and may thereafter be referred to in lieu of the original Declaration of Trust and the various amendments and supplements thereto.

FOURTH : The total number of Shares which the Trust is authorized to issue has not changed by these Articles of Amendment and Restatement.

The undersigned acknowledges these Articles of Amendment and Restatement to be the trust act of the Trust and as to all matters or facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned acknowledges that to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, these matters and facts are true in all material respects and that this statement is made under the penalties for perjury.

[Signature page follows.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust has caused these Articles of Amendment and Restatement to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and attested to by its Secretary on this                      day of                     , 201    .

 

ATTEST:

 

                                                                 

    

AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST

 

By:                                                                              (SEAL)

 

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Exhibit 3.2

AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

Section 1. PRINCIPAL OFFICE . The principal office of the Trust in the State of Maryland shall be located at such place as the Board of Trustees may designate.

Section 2. ADDITIONAL OFFICES . The Trust may have additional offices, including a principal executive office, at such places as the Board of Trustees may from time to time determine or the business of the Trust may require.

ARTICLE II

MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS

Section 1. PLACE . All meetings of shareholders shall be held at the principal executive office of the Trust or at such other place as shall be set in accordance with these Bylaws and stated in the notice of the meeting.

Section 2. ANNUAL MEETING . An annual meeting of shareholders for the election of trustees and the transaction of any business within the powers of the Trust shall be held on the date and at the time and place set by the Board of Trustees.

Section 3. SPECIAL MEETINGS .

(a) General . The chairman of the board, chief executive officer, president or Board of Trustees may call special meetings of the shareholders. Except as provided in subsection (b)(4) of this Section 3, a special meeting of shareholders shall be held on the date and at the time and place set by the chairman of the board, chief executive officer, president or Board of Trustees, whoever has called the meeting. Subject to subsection (b) of this Section 3, special meetings of shareholders shall also be called by the secretary of the Trust to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of shareholders upon the written request of shareholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting.

(b) Shareholder-Requested Special Meetings.

(1) Any shareholder of record seeking to have shareholders request a special meeting shall, by sending written notice to the secretary (the “Record Date Request Notice”) by registered mail, return receipt requested, request the Board of Trustees to fix a record date to determine the shareholders entitled to request a special meeting (the “Request Record Date”). The Record Date Request Notice shall set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it, shall be signed by one or more shareholders of record as of the date of signature (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the Record Date Request


Notice), shall bear the date of signature of each such shareholder (or such agent) and shall set forth all information relating to each such shareholder and each matter proposed to be acted on at the meeting that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of trustees in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such a solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”). Upon receiving the Record Date Request Notice, the Board of Trustees may fix a Request Record Date. The Request Record Date shall not precede and shall not be more than ten days after the close of business on the date on which the resolution fixing the Request Record Date is adopted by the Board of Trustees. If the Board of Trustees, within ten days after the date on which a valid Record Date Request Notice is received, fails to adopt a resolution fixing the Request Record Date, the Request Record Date shall be the close of business on the tenth day after the first date on which a Record Date Request Notice is received by the secretary.

(2) In order for any shareholder to request a special meeting to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of shareholders, one or more written requests for a special meeting (collectively, the “Special Meeting Request”) signed by shareholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the request) as of the Request Record Date entitled to cast not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting (the “Special Meeting Percentage”) shall be delivered to the secretary. In addition, the Special Meeting Request shall (a) set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it (which shall be limited to those lawful matters set forth in the Record Date Request Notice received by the secretary), (b) bear the date of signature of each such shareholder (or such agent) signing the Special Meeting Request, (c) set forth (i) the name and address, as they appear in the Trust’s books, of each shareholder signing such request (or on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is signed), (ii) the class, series and number of all shares of beneficial interest of the Trust which are owned (beneficially or of record) by each such shareholder and (iii) the nominee holder for, and number of, shares of beneficial interest of the Trust owned beneficially but not of record by such shareholder, (d) be sent to the secretary by registered mail, return receipt requested, and (e) be received by the secretary within 60 days after the Request Record Date. Any requesting shareholder (or agent duly authorized in a writing accompanying the revocation of the Special Meeting Request) may revoke his, her or its request for a special meeting at any time by written revocation delivered to the secretary.

(3) The secretary shall inform the requesting shareholders of the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and mailing or delivering the notice of the meeting (including the Trust’s proxy materials). The secretary shall not be required to call a special meeting upon shareholder request and such meeting shall not be held unless, in addition to the documents required by paragraph (2) of this Section 3(b), the secretary receives payment of such reasonably estimated cost prior to the preparation and mailing or delivery of such notice of the meeting.

(4) In the case of any special meeting called by the secretary upon the request of shareholders (a “Shareholder-Requested Meeting”), such meeting shall be held at such place, date and time as may be designated by the Board of Trustees; provided, however, that the date of any Shareholder-Requested Meeting shall be not more than 90 days after the record date for such meeting (the “Meeting Record Date”); and provided, further, that if the Board of Trustees

 

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fails to designate, within ten days after the date that a valid Special Meeting Request is actually received by the secretary (the “Delivery Date”), a date and time for a Shareholder-Requested Meeting, then such meeting shall be held at 2:00 p.m., local time, on the 90 th day after the Meeting Record Date or, if such 90 th day is not a Business Day (as defined below), on the first preceding Business Day; and provided, further, that in the event that the Board of Trustees fails to designate a place for a Shareholder-Requested Meeting within ten days after the Delivery Date, then such meeting shall be held at the principal executive office of the Trust. In fixing a date for a Shareholder-Requested Meeting, the Board of Trustees may consider such factors as it deems relevant, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for the meeting and any plan of the Board of Trustees to call an annual meeting or a special meeting. In the case of any Shareholder-Requested Meeting, if the Board of Trustees fails to fix a Meeting Record Date that is a date within 30 days after the Delivery Date, then the close of business on the 30 th day after the Delivery Date shall be the Meeting Record Date. The Board of Trustees may revoke the notice for any Shareholder-Requested Meeting in the event that the requesting shareholders fail to comply with the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Section 3(b).

(5) If written revocations of the Special Meeting Request have been delivered to the secretary and the result is that shareholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in writing), as of the Request Record Date, entitled to cast less than the Special Meeting Percentage have delivered, and not revoked, requests for a special meeting on the matter to the secretary: (i) if the notice of meeting has not already been delivered, the secretary shall refrain from delivering the notice of the meeting and send to all requesting shareholders who have not revoked such requests written notice of any revocation of a request for a special meeting on the matter, or (ii) if the notice of meeting has been delivered and if the secretary first sends to all requesting shareholders who have not revoked requests for a special meeting on the matter written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting and written notice of the Trust’s intention to revoke the notice of the meeting or for the chairman of the meeting to adjourn the meeting without action on the matter, (A) the secretary may revoke the notice of the meeting at any time before ten days before the commencement of the meeting or (B) the chairman of the meeting may call the meeting to order and adjourn the meeting without acting on the matter. Any request for a special meeting received after a revocation by the secretary of a notice of a meeting shall be considered a request for a new special meeting.

(6) The chairman of the board, chief executive officer, president or Board of Trustees may appoint regionally or nationally recognized independent inspectors of elections to act as the agent of the Trust for the purpose of promptly performing a ministerial review of the validity of any purported Special Meeting Request received by the secretary. For the purpose of permitting the inspectors to perform such review, no such purported Special Meeting Request shall be deemed to have been received by the secretary until the earlier of (i) five Business Days after actual receipt by the secretary of such purported request and (ii) such date as the independent inspectors certify to the Trust that the valid requests received by the secretary represent, as of the Request Record Date, shareholders of record entitled to cast not less than the Special Meeting Percentage. Nothing contained in this paragraph (6) shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Trust or any shareholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any request, whether during or after such five Business Day period, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution or defense of any litigation with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).

 

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(7) For purposes of these Bylaws, “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Georgia are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

Section 4. NOTICE . Not less than ten nor more than 90 days before each meeting of shareholders, the secretary shall give to each shareholder entitled to vote at such meeting and to each shareholder not entitled to vote who is entitled to notice of the meeting notice in writing or by electronic transmission stating the time and place of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting or as otherwise may be required by any statute, the purpose for which the meeting is called, by mail, by presenting it to such shareholder personally, by leaving it at the shareholder’s residence or usual place of business or by any other means permitted by Maryland law. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the shareholder at the shareholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Trust, with postage thereon prepaid. If transmitted electronically, such notice shall be deemed to be given when transmitted to the shareholder by an electronic transmission to any address or number of the shareholder at which the shareholder receives electronic transmissions. The Trust may give a single notice to all shareholders who share an address, which single notice shall be effective as to any shareholder at such address, unless a shareholder objects to receiving such single notice or revokes a prior consent to receiving such single notice. Failure to give notice of any meeting to one or more shareholders, or any irregularity in such notice, shall not affect the validity of any meeting fixed in accordance with this Article II or the validity of any proceedings at any such meeting.

Subject to Section 12(a) of this Article II, any business of the Trust may be transacted at an annual meeting of shareholders without being specifically designated in the notice, except such business as is required by any statute to be stated in such notice. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting of shareholders except as specifically designated in the notice. The Trust may postpone or cancel a meeting of shareholders by making a public announcement (as defined in Section 12(c)(3) of this Article II) of such postponement or cancellation prior to the meeting. Notice of the date, time and place to which the meeting is postponed shall be given not less than ten days prior to such date and otherwise in the manner set forth in this section.

Section 5. ORGANIZATION AND CONDUCT . Every meeting of shareholders shall be conducted by an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees to be chairman of the meeting or, in the absence of such appointment or appointed individual, by the chairman of the board or, in the case of a vacancy in the office or absence of the chairman of the board, by one of the following officers present at the meeting in the following order: the vice chairman of the board, if there is one, the chief executive officer, the president, the vice presidents in their order of rank and seniority, the secretary or, in the absence of such officers, a chairman chosen by the shareholders by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by shareholders present in person or by proxy. The secretary or, in the secretary’s absence, an assistant secretary or, in the absence of both the secretary and all assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees or, in the absence of such appointment, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting shall act as secretary. In the event that the secretary presides at a meeting of shareholders,

 

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an assistant secretary or, in the absence of all assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees or the chairman of the meeting shall record the minutes of the meeting. The order of business and all other matters of procedure at any meeting of shareholders shall be determined by the chairman of the meeting. The chairman of the meeting may prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and take such action as, in the discretion of the chairman and without any action by the shareholders, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, (a) restricting admission to the time set for the commencement of the meeting; (b) limiting attendance at the meeting to shareholders of record of the Trust, their duly authorized proxies and such other individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (c) limiting participation at the meeting on any matter to shareholders of record of the Trust entitled to vote on such matter, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (d) limiting the time allotted to questions or comments; (e) determining when and for how long the polls should be opened and when the polls should be closed; (f) maintaining order and security at the meeting; (g) removing any shareholder or any other individual who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as set forth by the chairman of the meeting; (h) concluding a meeting or recessing or adjourning the meeting to a later date and time and at a place announced at the meeting; and (i) complying with any state and local laws and regulations concerning safety and security. Unless otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, meetings of shareholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

Section 6. QUORUM . At any meeting of shareholders, the presence in person or by proxy of shareholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting on any matter shall constitute a quorum; but this section shall not affect any requirement under any statute or the Declaration of Trust of the Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”) for the vote necessary for the approval of any matter. If such quorum is not established at any meeting of the shareholders, the chairman of the meeting may adjourn the meeting sine die or from time to time to a date not more than 120 days after the original record date without notice other than announcement at the meeting. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally convened.

The shareholders present either in person or by proxy, at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum has been established, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal from the meeting of enough shareholders to leave fewer than would be required to establish a quorum.

Section 7. VOTING . A nominee for trustee shall be elected as a trustee only if such nominee receives the affirmative vote of a majority of all of the votes cast as to such nominee at a meeting of shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present. However, trustees shall be elected by a plurality of votes cast at a meeting of shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present for which (i) the secretary of the Trust receives notice that a shareholder has nominated an individual for election as a trustee in compliance with the requirements of advance notice of shareholder nominees for trustee set forth in Article II, Section 12 of these Bylaws, and (ii) such nomination has not been withdrawn by such shareholder on or before the close of business on the tenth day before the date of filing of the definitive proxy statement of the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and, as a result of which, the number of nominees is greater

 

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than the number of trustees to be elected at the meeting. Each share entitles the holder thereof to vote for as many individuals as there are trustees to be elected and for whose election the holder is entitled to vote. A majority of the votes cast at a meeting of shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to approve any other matter which may properly come before the meeting, unless more than a majority of the votes cast is required by statute or by the Declaration of Trust. Unless otherwise provided by statute or by the Declaration of Trust, each outstanding share of beneficial interest, regardless of class, shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of shareholders. Voting on any question or in any election may be viva voce unless the chairman of the meeting shall order that voting be by ballot or otherwise.

Section 8. PROXIES . A holder of record of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust may cast votes in person or by proxy executed by the shareholder or by the shareholder’s duly authorized agent in any manner permitted by law. Such proxy or evidence of authorization of such proxy shall be filed with the secretary of the Trust before or at the meeting. No proxy shall be valid more than eleven months after its date, unless otherwise provided in the proxy.

Section 9. VOTING OF SHARES BY CERTAIN HOLDERS . Shares of beneficial interest of the Trust registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability company or other entity, if entitled to be voted, may be voted by the president or a vice president, general partner, trustee or managing member thereof, as the case may be, or a proxy appointed by any of the foregoing individuals, unless some other person who has been appointed to vote such shares pursuant to a bylaw or a resolution of the governing body of such corporation or other entity or agreement of the partners of a partnership presents a certified copy of such bylaw, resolution or agreement, in which case such person may vote such shares. Any trustee or fiduciary, in such capacity, may vote shares of beneficial interest registered in such trustee’s or fiduciary’s name, either in person or by proxy.

Shares of beneficial interest of the Trust directly or indirectly owned by it shall not be voted at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares entitled to be voted at any given time, unless they are held by it in a fiduciary capacity, in which case they may be voted and shall be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any given time.

The Board of Trustees may adopt by resolution a procedure by which a shareholder may certify in writing to the Trust that any shares of beneficial interest registered in the name of the shareholder are held for the account of a specified person other than the shareholder. The resolution shall set forth the class of shareholders who may make the certification, the purpose for which the certification may be made, the form of certification and the information to be contained in it; if the certification is with respect to a record date, the time after the record date within which the certification must be received by the Trust; and any other provisions with respect to the procedure which the Board of Trustees considers necessary or desirable. On receipt by the secretary of the Trust of such certification, the person specified in the certification shall be regarded as, for the purposes set forth in the certification, the shareholder of record of the specified shares of beneficial interest in place of the shareholder who makes the certification.

 

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Section 10. INSPECTORS . The Board of Trustees or the chairman of the meeting may appoint, before or at the meeting, one or more inspectors for the meeting and any successor to the inspector. The inspectors, if any, shall (i) determine the number of shares of beneficial interest represented at the meeting in person or by proxy and the validity and effect of proxies, (ii) receive and tabulate all votes, ballots or consents, (iii) report such tabulation to the chairman of the meeting, (iv) hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in connection with the right to vote, and (v) do such acts as are proper to fairly conduct the election or vote. Each such report shall be in writing and signed by the inspector or by a majority of them if there is more than one inspector acting at such meeting. If there is more than one inspector, the report of a majority shall be the report of the inspectors. The report of the inspector or inspectors on the number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall be prima facie evidence thereof.

Section 11. REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS . The president or some other executive officer designated by the Board of Trustees shall prepare annually a full and correct statement of the affairs of the Trust, which shall include a balance sheet and a financial statement of operations for the preceding fiscal year. The statement of affairs shall be submitted at the annual meeting of the shareholders and, within 20 days after the annual meeting of shareholders, placed on file at the principal office of the Trust.

Section 12. ADVANCE NOTICE OF SHAREHOLDER NOMINEES FOR TRUSTEE AND OTHER SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS .

(a) Annual Meetings of Shareholders.

(1) Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Trustees and the proposal of other business to be considered by the shareholders at an annual meeting of shareholders may be made (i) pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or (iii) by any shareholder of the Trust who was a shareholder of record at the record date set by the Board of Trustees for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting, at the time of giving of notice by the shareholder as provided for in this Section 12(a) and at the time of the annual meeting (and any postponement or adjournment thereof), who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated or on any such other business and who has complied with this Section 12(a).

(2) For any nomination or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a shareholder pursuant to clause (iii) of paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 12, the shareholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the secretary of the Trust and any such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for action by the shareholders. To be timely, a shareholder’s notice shall set forth all information required under this Section 12 and shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Trust not earlier than 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on the 150th day nor later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 12(c)(3) of this Article II) for the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the shareholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on the 150th

 

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day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the later of the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting, as originally convened, or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of an annual meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a shareholder’s notice as described above.

(3) Such shareholder’s notice shall set forth:

(i) as to each individual whom the shareholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a trustee (each, a “Proposed Nominee”),

(A) the principal occupation or employment of the Proposed Nominee and the name, principal business and address of any corporation or other organization in which such employment is carried on,

(B) whether or not, during the last ten years, the Proposed Nominee has been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors) and, if so, the dates, nature of conviction, name and location of the court and penalty imposed or other disposition of the case and

(C) all other information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a trustee in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act;

(ii) as to any other business that the shareholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a description of such business, the shareholder’s reasons for proposing such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such shareholder or any Shareholder Associated Person (as defined below), individually or in the aggregate, including any anticipated benefit to the shareholder or the Shareholder Associated Person therefrom;

(iii) as to the shareholder giving the notice, any Proposed Nominee and any Shareholder Associated Person,

(A) the class, series and number of all shares of beneficial interest or other securities of the Trust or any affiliate thereof (collectively, the “Company Securities”), if any, which are owned (beneficially or of record) by such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, the date on which each such Company Security was acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition, and any short interest (including any opportunity to profit or share in any benefit from any decrease in the price of such stock or other security) in any Company Securities of any such person,

(B) the nominee holder for, and number of, any Company Securities owned beneficially but not of record by such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person,

 

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(C) whether and the extent to which such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, directly or indirectly (through brokers, nominees or otherwise), is subject to or during the last six months has engaged in any hedging, derivative or other transaction or series of transactions or entered into any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short interest, any borrowing or lending of securities or any proxy or voting agreement), the effect or intent of which is to (I) manage risk or benefit of changes in the price of (x) Company Securities or (y) any security of any entity that was listed in the peer group in the share performance graph in the most recent annual report to security holders of the Trust (a “Peer Group Company”) for such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person or (II) increase or decrease the voting power of such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person in the Trust or any affiliate thereof (or, as applicable, in any Peer Group Company) disproportionately to such person’s economic interest in the Company Securities (or, as applicable, in any Peer Group Company); and

(D) any substantial interest, direct or indirect (including, without limitation, any existing or prospective commercial, business or contractual relationship with the Trust), by security holdings or otherwise, of such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, in the Trust or any affiliate thereof, other than an interest arising from the ownership of Company Securities where such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person receives no extra or special benefit not shared on a pro rata basis by all other holders of the same class or series;

(iv) as to the shareholder giving the notice, any Shareholder Associated Person with an interest or ownership referred to in clause (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph (3) of this Section 12(a) and any Proposed Nominee,

(A) the name and address of such shareholder, as they appear on the Trust’s share ledger, and the current name and business address, if different, of each such Shareholder Associated Person and any Proposed Nominee; and

(B) the investment strategy or objective, if any, of such shareholder and each such Shareholder Associated Person who is not an individual and a copy of the prospectus, offering memorandum or similar document, if any, provided to investors or potential investors in such shareholder and each such Shareholder Associated Person;

(v) the name and address of any person who contacted or was contacted by the shareholder giving the notice or any Shareholder Associated Person about the Proposed Nominee or other business proposal; and

(vi) to the extent known by the shareholder giving the notice, the name and address of any other shareholder supporting the nominee for election or reelection as a trustee or the proposal of other business.

(4) Such shareholder’s notice shall, with respect to any Proposed Nominee, be accompanied by a written undertaking executed by the Proposed Nominee (i) that such Proposed Nominee (a) is not, and will not become, a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Trust in connection with service or action

 

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as a trustee that has not been disclosed to the Trust and (b) will serve as a trustee of the Trust if elected; and (ii) attaching a completed Proposed Nominee questionnaire (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Trust, upon request by the shareholder providing the notice, and shall include all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a trustee in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act, or would be required pursuant to the rules of any national securities exchange on which any securities of the Trust are listed or over-the-counter market on which any securities of the Trust are traded).

(5) Notwithstanding anything in this subsection (a) of this Section 12 to the contrary, in the event that the number of trustees to be elected to the Board of Trustees is increased, and there is no public announcement of such action at least 130 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for the preceding year’s annual meeting, a shareholder’s notice required by this Section 12(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 office of the Trust not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the tenth day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Trust.

(6) For purposes of this Section 12, “Shareholder Associated Person” of any shareholder shall mean (i) any person acting in concert with such shareholder, (ii) any beneficial owner of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust owned of record or beneficially by such shareholder (other than a shareholder that is a depositary) and (iii) any person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such shareholder or Shareholder Associated Person.

(b) Special Meetings of the Shareholders . Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of shareholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Trustees may be made at a special meeting of shareholders at which trustees are to be elected only (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or (ii) provided that the special meeting has been called in accordance with Section 3 of this Article II for the purpose of electing trustees, by any shareholder of the Trust who is a shareholder of record both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 12 and at the time of the special meeting (and any postponement or adjournment thereof), who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 12. In the event the Trust calls a special meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing one or more individuals to the Board of Trustees, any shareholder may nominate an individual or individuals (as the case may be) for election as a trustee as specified in the Trust’s notice of meeting, if the shareholder’s notice, containing the information required by paragraphs (a)(3) and (4) of this Section 12 is delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Trust not earlier than 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the tenth 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 Trustees to be elected at such meeting. The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of a special meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a shareholder’s notice as described above.

 

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(c) General.

(1) If information submitted pursuant to this Section 12 by any shareholder proposing a nominee for election as a trustee or any proposal for other business at a meeting of shareholders shall be inaccurate in any material respect, such information may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 12. Any such shareholder shall notify the Trust of any inaccuracy or change (within two Business Days of becoming aware of such inaccuracy or change) in any such information. Upon written request by the secretary or the Board of Trustees, any such shareholder shall provide, within five Business Days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), (A) written verification, satisfactory, in the discretion of the Board of Trustees or any authorized officer of the Trust, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the shareholder pursuant to this Section 12 and (B) a written update of any information (including, if requested by the Trust, written confirmation by such shareholder that it continues to intend to bring such nomination or other business proposal before the meeting) submitted by the shareholder pursuant to this Section 12 as of an earlier date. If a shareholder fails to provide such written verification or written update within such period, the information as to which written verification or a written update was requested may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 12.

(2) Only such individuals who are nominated in accordance with this Section 12 shall be eligible for election by shareholders as trustees, and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of shareholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 12. The chairman of the 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 this Section 12.

(3) For purposes of this Section 12, “the date of the proxy statement” shall have the same meaning as “the date of the company’s proxy statement released to shareholders” as used in Rule 14a-8(e) promulgated under the Exchange Act, as interpreted by the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. “Public announcement” shall mean disclosure (A) in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, Business Wire, PR Newswire or other widely circulated news or wire service or (B) in a document publicly filed by the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act.

(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 12, a shareholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of state law with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 12. Nothing in this Section 12 shall be deemed to affect any right of a shareholder to request inclusion of a proposal in, or the right of the Trust to omit a proposal from, any proxy statement filed by the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act. Nothing in this Section 12 shall require disclosure of revocable proxies received by the shareholder or Shareholder Associated Person pursuant to a solicitation of proxies after the filing of an effective Schedule 14A by such shareholder or Shareholder Associated Person under Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act.

 

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Section 13. CONTROL SHARE ACQUISITION ACT . Notwithstanding any other provision of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, Title 3, Subtitle 7 of the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”) (or any successor statute) shall not apply to any acquisition by any person of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust. The approval by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter by shareholders entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees shall be required in order for the Board of Trustees to revoke, alter or amend this Section 13 of Article II or otherwise adopt any provision of these Bylaws that is inconsistent with this Section 13 of Article II.

Section 14. SHAREHOLDERS’ CONSENT IN LIEU OF MEETING . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of shareholders may be taken without a meeting (a) if a unanimous consent setting forth the action is given in writing or by electronic transmission by each shareholder entitled to vote on the matter and filed with the minutes of proceedings of the shareholders or (b) if the action is advised, and submitted to the shareholders for approval, by the Board of Trustees and a consent in writing or by electronic transmission of shareholders entitled to cast not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take the action at a meeting of shareholders is delivered to the Trust. The Trust shall give notice of any action taken by less than unanimous consent to each shareholder not later than ten days after the effective time of such action.

Section 15. BUSINESS COMBINATIONS . By virtue of a resolution adopted by the Board of Trustees prior to or at the time of adoption of these Bylaws (and the adoption of these Bylaws shall be deemed to be, and shall be conclusive evidence of, the adoption of such resolution), any business combination (as defined in Section 3-601(e) of the MGCL) between the Trust and any other person or entity or group of persons or entities is exempt from the provisions of Subtitle 6 of Title 3 of the MGCL. The approval by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter by shareholders entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees shall be required in order for the Board of Trustees to revoke, alter or amend such resolution or otherwise adopt any resolution that is inconsistent with this Section 15 of Article II or with a prior resolution of the Board of Trustees that exempts any business combination between the Trust and any other person, whether identified specifically, generally or by type, from the provisions of Subtitle 6 of Title 3 of the MGCL.

ARTICLE III

TRUSTEES

Section 1. GENERAL POWERS . The business and affairs of the Trust shall be managed under the direction of its Board of Trustees.

Section 2. NUMBER. TENURE. QUALIFICATIONS AND RESIGNATION . At any regular meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose, but subject to the restrictions set forth in the Shareholders Agreement by and among the Trust and certain shareholders of the Trust (the “Shareholders Agreement”), dated as of January 18, 2018 and effective as of the Effective Time (as defined in the Shareholders Agreement), as the same may be amended from time to time, a majority of the entire Board of Trustees may establish, increase or decrease the number of trustees, provided that the number thereof shall never be less than the

 

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minimum number required by the Maryland REIT Law (the “MRL”), nor more than 15, and further provided that the tenure of office of a trustee shall not be affected by any decrease in the number of trustees. In case of failure to elect trustees at the designated time, the trustees holding over shall continue to serve as trustees until their successors are elected and qualify. So long as (a) the Yucaipa Shareholder (as defined in the Shareholders Agreement) Beneficially Owns (as defined in the Shareholders Agreement) 10% or more of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares (as defined in the Shareholders Agreement) at a Designation Date (as defined in the Shareholders Agreement) and the related Record Date (as defined in the Shareholders Agreement), it shall be a qualification of individuals nominated for election as trustees by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or a duly authorized committee thereof that two individuals have been designated by the Yucaipa Shareholder in accordance with Section 2.1 of the Shareholders Agreement, and only an individual designated for nomination and election by the Yucaipa Shareholder in accordance with Section 2.1 of the Shareholders Agreement shall be eligible to be nominated for election as Trustee by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or a duly authorized committee thereof as a successor to a Yucaipa Trustee (as defined in the Shareholders Agreement); provided, however, that if the Yucaipa Shareholder Beneficially Owns less than 10% but 5% or more of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares at a Designation Date and the related Record Date, it shall be a qualification of individuals nominated for election as trustees by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or a duly authorized committee thereof that one individual has been designated by the Yucaipa Shareholder in accordance with Section 2.1 of the Shareholders Agreement; and (b) the GSCP Shareholders (as defined in the Shareholders Agreement) collectively Beneficially Own 5% or more of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares at a Designation Date and the related Record Date, it shall be a qualification of individuals nominated for election as trustees by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or a duly authorized committee thereof that one individual has been designated by the GSCP Shareholders in accordance with Section 2.1 of the Shareholders Agreement, and only an individual designated for nomination and election by the GSCP Shareholders in accordance with Section 2.1 of the Shareholders Agreement shall be eligible to be nominated for election as trustee by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or a duly authorized committee thereof as a successor to the GSCP Trustee (as defined in the Shareholders Agreement) (provided, in each such case, that such designation right is still effective under the terms of the Shareholders Agreement). Any trustee of the Trust may resign at any time by delivering his or her written resignation to the Board of Trustees, the chairman of the board or the secretary. Any resignation shall take effect immediately upon its receipt or at such later time specified in the resignation. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation.

Section 3. ANNUAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS . An annual meeting of the Board of Trustees shall be held immediately after and at the same place as the annual meeting of shareholders, no notice other than this Bylaw being necessary. In the event such meeting is not so held, the meeting may be held at such time and place as shall be specified in a notice given as hereinafter provided for special meetings of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees may provide, by resolution, the time and place for the holding of regular meetings of the Board of Trustees without notice other than such resolution.

 

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Section 4. SPECIAL MEETINGS . Special meetings of the Board of Trustees may be called by or at the request of the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president or by any single trustee. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Trustees may fix any place as the place for holding any special meeting of the Board of Trustees called by them. The Board of Trustees may provide, by resolution, the time and place for the holding of special meetings of the Board of Trustees without notice other than such resolution.

Section 5. NOTICE . Notice of any special meeting of the Board of Trustees shall be delivered personally or by electronic mail, facsimile transmission, courier or United States mail to each trustee at his or her business or residence address at least three business days prior to the meeting. Electronic mail notice shall be deemed to be given upon transmission of the message to the electronic mail address given to the Trust by the trustee. Facsimile transmission notice shall be deemed to be given upon completion of the transmission of the message to the number given to the Trust by the trustee and receipt of a completed answer-back indicating receipt. Notice by United States mail shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail properly addressed, with postage thereon prepaid. Notice by courier shall be deemed to be given when deposited with or delivered to a courier properly addressed. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any annual, regular or special meeting of the Board of Trustees need be stated in the notice, unless specifically required by statute or these Bylaws.

Section 6. QUORUM . A majority of the trustees shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Trustees, provided that, if less than a majority of such trustees is present at such meeting, a majority of the trustees present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice, and provided further that if, pursuant to applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, the vote of a majority or other percentage of a particular group of trustees is required for action, a quorum must also include a majority or such other percentage of such group.

The trustees present at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum has been established may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal from the meeting of enough trustees to leave fewer than required to establish a quorum.

Section 7. VOTING . The action of a majority of the trustees present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the action of the Board of Trustees, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Declaration of Trust, or these Bylaws, but subject to the Shareholders Agreement. If enough trustees have withdrawn from a meeting to leave fewer than required to establish a quorum, but the meeting is not adjourned, the action of the majority of that number of trustees necessary to constitute a quorum at such meeting shall be the action of the Board of Trustees, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws.

Section 8. ORGANIZATION . At each meeting of the Board of Trustees, the chairman of the board or, in the absence of the chairman, the vice chairman of the board, if any, shall act as chairman of the meeting. In the absence of both the chairman and vice chairman of the board, the chief executive officer or, in the absence of the chief executive officer, the president or, in the absence of the president, a trustee chosen by a majority of the trustees present, shall act as chairman of the meeting. The secretary or, in his or her absence, an assistant secretary of the Trust or, in the absence of the secretary and all assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting, shall act as secretary of the meeting.

 

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Section 9. TELEPHONE MEETINGS . Trustees may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

Section 10. CONSENT BY TRUSTEES WITHOUT A MEETING . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Trustees may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each trustee and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Trustees.

Section 11. REMOVAL AND VACANCIES . If for any reason any or all of the trustees cease to be trustees, such event shall not terminate the Trust or affect these Bylaws or the powers of the remaining trustees hereunder. The removal of a Yucaipa Trustee or the GSCP Trustee (as each term is defined in the Shareholders Agreement) and the filling of a vacancy of a Yucaipa Trustee or the GSCP Trustee on the Board of Trustees shall be in accordance with Section 2.2 of the Shareholders Agreement (if applicable) and shall be subject to the qualifications specified in Section 2 of this Article III. Without limiting the foregoing sentence, except as may be provided by the Board of Trustees in setting the terms of any class or series of preferred shares of beneficial interest, any vacancy on the Board of Trustees may be filled only by a majority of the remaining trustees, even if the remaining trustees do not constitute a quorum, and any trustee elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the trusteeship in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is duly elected and qualifies.

Section 12. COMPENSATION . Trustees shall not receive any stated salary for their services as trustees but, by resolution of the trustees and, with respect to the Yucaipa Trustees and GSCP Trustee, subject to the Shareholders Agreement, may receive compensation per year and/or per meeting and/or per visit to real property or other facilities owned or leased by the Trust and for any service or activity they performed or engaged in as trustees. Trustees may be reimbursed for expenses of attendance, if any, at each annual, regular or special meeting of the trustees or of any committee thereof and for their expenses, if any, in connection with each property visit and any other service or activity they perform or engage in as trustees; but nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any trustees from serving the Trust in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.

Section 13. RELIANCE . Each trustee and officer of the Trust shall, in the performance of his or her duties with respect to the Trust, be entitled to rely on any information, opinion, report or statement, including any financial statement or other financial data, prepared or presented by an officer or employee of the Trust whom the trustee or officer reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented, by a lawyer, certified public accountant or other person, as to a matter which the trustee or officer reasonably believes to be within the person’s professional or expert competence, or, with respect to a trustee, by a committee of the Board of Trustees on which the trustee does not serve, as to a matter within its designated authority, if the trustee reasonably believes the committee to merit confidence.

 

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Section 14. RATIFICATION . The Board of Trustees or the shareholders may ratify any action or inaction by the Trust or its officers to the extent that the Board of Trustees or the shareholders could have originally authorized the matter and, if so ratified, such action or inaction shall have the same force and effect as if originally duly authorized, and such ratification shall be binding upon the Trust and its shareholders. Any action or inaction questioned in any proceeding on the ground of lack of authority, defective or irregular execution, adverse interest of a trustee, officer or shareholder, non-disclosure, miscomputation, the application of improper principles or practices of accounting or otherwise, may be ratified, before or after judgment, by the Board of Trustees or by the shareholders, and such ratification shall be binding upon the Trust and its shareholders and shall constitute a bar to any claim or execution of any judgment in respect of such questioned action or inaction.

Section 15. INTERESTED TRUSTEE TRANSACTIONS . Section 2-419 of the MGCL shall be available for and apply to any contract or other transaction between the Trust and any of its trustees or between the Trust and any other trust, corporation, firm or other entity in which any of its trustees is a trustee or director or has a material financial interest.

Section 16. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF TRUSTEES . A trustee who is not also an officer of the Trust shall have no responsibility to devote his or her full time to the affairs of the Trust. Any trustee or officer, in his or her personal capacity or in a capacity as an affiliate, employee or agent of any other person, or otherwise, may have business interests and engage in business activities similar to, in addition to or in competition with those of or relating to the Trust.

Section 17. EMERGENCY PROVISIONS . Notwithstanding any other provision in the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, this Section 17 shall apply during the existence of any catastrophe, or other similar emergency condition, as a result of which a quorum of the Board of Trustees under Article III of these Bylaws cannot readily be obtained (an “Emergency”). During any Emergency, unless otherwise provided by the Board of Trustees, (i) a meeting of the Board of Trustees or a committee thereof may be called by any trustee or officer by any means feasible under the circumstances; (ii) notice of any meeting of the Board of Trustees during such an Emergency may be given less than 24 hours prior to the meeting to as many trustees and by such means as may be feasible at the time, including publication, television or radio; and (iii) the number of trustees necessary to constitute a quorum shall be one-third of the entire Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE IV

COMMITTEES

Section 1. NUMBER, TENURE AND QUALIFICATIONS . The Board of Trustees may appoint from among its members an Executive Committee, an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and one or more other committees, composed of one or more trustees, to serve at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees.

Section 2. POWERS . The Board of Trustees may delegate to committees appointed under Section 1 of this Article any of the powers of the Board of Trustees.

 

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Section 3. MEETINGS . Notice of committee meetings shall be given in the same manner as notice for special meetings of the Board of Trustees. A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the committee. The act of a majority of the committee members present at a meeting shall be the act of such committee. The Board of Trustees may designate a chairman of any committee, and such chairman or, in the absence of a chairman, any two members of any committee (if there are at least two members of the committee) may fix the time and place of its meeting unless the Board shall otherwise provide. In the absence of any member of any such committee, the members thereof present at any meeting, whether or not they constitute a quorum, may appoint another trustee to act in the place of such absent member.

Section 4. TELEPHONE MEETINGS . Members of a committee of the Board of Trustees may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

Section 5. CONSENT BY COMMITTEES WITHOUT A MEETING . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of a committee of the Board of Trustees may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each member of the committee and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of such committee.

Section 6. VACANCIES . The Board of Trustees shall have the power at any time to change the membership of any committee, to fill any vacancy, to designate an alternate member to replace any absent or disqualified member or to dissolve any such committee.

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS

Section 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS . The officers of the Trust shall include a president, a secretary and a treasurer and may include a chairman of the board, a vice chairman of the board, a chief executive officer, one or more vice presidents, a chief operating officer, a chief financial officer, one or more assistant secretaries and one or more assistant treasurers. In addition, the Board of Trustees may from time to time elect such other officers with such powers and duties as it shall deem necessary or desirable. The officers of the Trust shall be elected annually by the Board of Trustees, except that the executive chairman of the board, chief executive officer or president may from time to time appoint one or more vice presidents, assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers or other officers. Each officer shall serve until his or her successor is elected and qualifies or until his or her death, or his or her resignation or removal in the manner hereinafter provided. Any two or more offices except president and vice president may be held by the same person. Election of an officer or agent shall not of itself create contract rights between the Trust and such officer or agent.

Section 2. REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION . Any officer or agent of the Trust may be removed, with or without cause, by the Board of Trustees if in its judgment the best interests of the Trust would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. Any officer of the Trust may resign at any time

 

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by delivering his or her resignation to the Board of Trustees, the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president or the secretary. Any resignation shall take effect immediately upon its receipt or at such later time specified in the resignation. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation. Such resignation shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the Trust.

Section 3. VACANCIES . A vacancy in any office may be filled by the Board of Trustees for the balance of the term.

Section 4. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD . The Board of Trustees may designate from among its members a chairman of the board, which may be an executive or non-executive chairman. Such executive chairman of the board may be granted such powers to exercise direct supervision and control over the business and affairs of the Trust, as determined by, and subject to the power and authority of, the Board of Trustees. The chairman of the board shall preside over the meetings of the Board of Trustees. The chairman of the board shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by these Bylaws or the Board of Trustees.

Section 5. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER . The Board of Trustees may designate a chief executive officer. In the absence of such designation, the chairman of the board shall be the chief executive officer of the Trust. The chief executive officer shall have general responsibility for implementation of the policies of the Trust and for the management of the business and affairs of the Trust, in each case as determined by the Board of Trustees. He or she may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Trustees or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Trust or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of chief executive officer and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Trustees from time to time.

Section 6. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER . The Board of Trustees may designate a chief operating officer. The chief operating officer shall have the responsibilities and duties as determined by the Board of Trustees, the executive chairman of the board or the chief executive officer.

Section 7. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER . The Board of Trustees may designate a chief financial officer. The chief financial officer shall have the responsibilities and duties as determined by the Board of Trustees, the executive chairman of the board or the chief executive officer.

Section 8. PRESIDENT . In the absence of an executive chairman of the board or chief executive officer, the president shall in general supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Trust. In the absence of a designation of a chief operating officer by the Board of Trustees, the president shall be the chief operating officer. He or she may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Trustees or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Trust or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of president and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Trustees from time to time.

 

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Section 9. VICE PRESIDENTS . In the absence of the president or in the event of a vacancy in such office, the vice president (or in the event there be more than one vice president, the vice presidents in the order designated at the time of their election or, in the absence of any designation, then in the order of their election) shall perform the duties of the president and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the president; and shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to such vice president by the executive chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees may designate one or more vice presidents as executive vice president, senior vice president or vice president for particular areas of responsibility.

Section 10. SECRETARY . The secretary shall (a) keep the minutes of the proceedings of the shareholders, the Board of Trustees and committees of the Board of Trustees in one or more books provided for that purpose; (b) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or as required by law; (c) be custodian of the trust records and of the seal of the Trust; (d) keep a register of the post office address of each shareholder which shall be furnished to the secretary by such shareholder; (e) have general charge of the share transfer books of the Trust; and (f) in general perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the executive chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Trustees.

Section 11. TREASURER . The treasurer shall have the custody of the funds and securities of the Trust, shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Trust, shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Trust in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Trustees and in general shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the executive chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Trustees. In the absence of a designation of a chief financial officer by the Board of Trustees, the treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the Trust.

The treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Trust as may be ordered by the Board of Trustees, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the executive chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president and the Board of Trustees, at the regular meetings of the Board of Trustees or whenever it may so require, an account of all his or her transactions as treasurer and of the financial condition of the Trust.

Section 12. ASSISTANT SECRETARIES AND ASSISTANT TREASURERS . The assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers, in general, shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to them by the secretary or treasurer, respectively, or by the executive chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Trustees.

Section 13. COMPENSATION . The compensation of the officers shall be fixed from time to time by or under the authority of the Board of Trustees and no officer shall be prevented from receiving such compensation by reason of the fact that he or she is also a trustee.

 

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ARTICLE VI

CONTRACTS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS

Section 1. CONTRACTS . The Board of Trustees may authorize any officer or agent to enter into any contract or to execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Trust and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Any agreement, deed, mortgage, lease, bond, note, guaranty or other document shall be valid and binding upon the Trust when duly authorized or ratified by action of the Board of Trustees and executed by an authorized person. The signature of the executing officer may be either manual, facsimile or electronic.

Section 2. CHECKS AND DRAFTS . All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Trust shall be signed by such officer or agent of the Trust in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Trustees.

Section 3. DEPOSITS . All funds of the Trust not otherwise employed shall be deposited or invested from time to time to the credit of the Trust as the Board of Trustees, the chief executive officer, the president, the chief financial officer, or any other officer designated by the Board of Trustees may determine.

ARTICLE VII

SHARES

Section 1. CERTIFICATES . Except as may be otherwise provided by the Board of Trustees, shareholders of the Trust are not entitled to certificates evidencing the shares of beneficial interest held by them. In the event that the Trust issues shares of beneficial interest evidenced by certificates, such certificates shall be in such form as prescribed by the Board of Trustees or a duly authorized officer, shall contain the statements and information required by the MRL and shall be signed in any manner contemplated for execution of stock certificates for Maryland corporations in the MGCL. In the event that the Trust issues shares of beneficial interest without certificates, to the extent then required by the MRL, the Trust shall provide to the record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by the MRL to be included on share certificates. There shall be no differences in the rights and obligations of shareholders based on whether or not their shares are evidenced by certificates.

Section 2. TRANSFERS . All transfers of shares shall be made on the books of the Trust, by the holder of the shares, in person or by his or her attorney, in such manner as the Board of Trustees or any officer of the Trust may prescribe and, if such shares are certificated, upon surrender of certificates duly endorsed. The issuance of a new certificate upon the transfer of certificated shares is subject to the determination of the Board of Trustees that such shares shall no longer be evidenced by certificates. Upon the transfer of any uncertificated shares, to the extent then required by the MRL, the Trust shall provide to the record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by the MRL to be included on share certificates.

 

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The Trust shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share of beneficial interest as the holder in fact thereof and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise expressly provided by the laws of the State of Maryland.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, transfers of shares of any class or series of beneficial interest will be subject in all respects to the Declaration of Trust, and all of the terms and conditions contained therein.

Section 3. REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE . Any officer of the Trust may direct a new certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Trust alleged to have been lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate to be lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated; provided, however, if such shares have ceased to be certificated, no new certificate shall be issued unless requested in writing by such shareholder and the Board of Trustees has determined that such certificates may be issued. Unless otherwise determined by an officer of the Trust, the owner of such lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated certificate or certificates, or his or her legal representative, shall be required, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, to give the Trust a bond in such sums as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Trust.

Section 4. FIXING OF RECORD DATE . The Board of Trustees may set, in advance, a record date for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders or determining shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any other rights, or in order to make a determination of shareholders for any other proper purpose. Such date, in any case, shall not be prior to the close of business on the day the record date is fixed and shall be not more than 90 days and, in the case of a meeting of shareholders, not less than ten days, before the date on which the meeting or particular action requiring such determination of shareholders of record is to be held or taken.

When a record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting of shareholders has been set as provided in this section, such record date shall continue to apply to the meeting if adjourned or postponed, except if the meeting is adjourned or postponed to a date more than 120 days after the record date originally fixed for the meeting, in which case a new record date for such meeting may be determined as set forth herein.

Section 5. SHARE LEDGER . The Trust shall maintain at its principal office or at the office of its counsel, accountants or transfer agent, an original or duplicate share ledger containing the name and address of each shareholder and the number of shares of each class held by such shareholder.

Section 6. FRACTIONAL SHARES; ISSUANCE OF UNITS . The Board of Trustees may authorize the Trust to issue fractional shares or authorize the issuance of scrip, all on such terms and under such conditions as it may determine. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, the Board of Trustees may authorize the Trust to issue units consisting of different securities of the Trust. Any security issued in a unit shall have the same characteristics as any identical securities issued by the Trust, except that the Board of Trustees may provide that for a specified period securities of the Trust issued in such unit may be transferred on the books of the Trust only in such unit.

 

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ARTICLE VIII

ACCOUNTING YEAR

The Board of Trustees shall have the power, from time to time, to fix the fiscal year of the Trust by a duly adopted resolution.

ARTICLE IX

DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 1. AUTHORIZATION . Dividends and other distributions upon the shares of beneficial interest of the Trust may be authorized by the Board of Trustees, subject to the provisions of law and the Declaration of Trust. Dividends and other distributions may be paid in cash, property or shares of beneficial interest of the Trust, subject to the provisions of law and the Declaration of Trust.

Section 2. CONTINGENCIES . Before payment of any dividends or other distributions, there may be set aside out of any assets of the Trust available for dividends or other distributions such sum or sums as the Board of Trustees may from time to time, in its absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve fund for contingencies, for equalizing dividends, for repairing or maintaining any property of the Trust or for such other purpose as the Board of Trustees shall determine, and the Board of Trustees may modify or abolish any such reserve.

ARTICLE X

SEAL

Section 1. SEAL . The Board of Trustees may authorize the adoption of a seal by the Trust. The seal shall contain the name of the Trust and the year of its formation and the words “Formed Maryland.” The Board of Trustees may authorize one or more duplicate seals and provide for the custody thereof.

Section 2. AFFIXING SEAL . Whenever the Trust is permitted or required to affix its seal to a document, it shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of any law, rule or regulation relating to a seal to place the word “(SEAL)” adjacent to the signature of the person authorized to execute the document on behalf of the Trust.

 

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ARTICLE XI

INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCE OF EXPENSES

To the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, the Trust shall indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, shall pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to (a) any individual who is a present or former trustee, observer on the Board of Trustees pursuant to the Shareholders Agreement (“Observer”) or officer of the Trust and who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in, the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity or (b) any individual who, while a trustee, Observer or officer of the Trust and at the request of the Trust, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, trustee, member, manager, employee or agent of another real estate investment trust, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or employee benefit plan or any other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in, the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The rights to indemnification and advance of expenses provided by the Declaration of Trust and these Bylaws shall vest immediately upon election of a trustee or officer. The Trust shall have the power, with the approval of the Board of Trustees, to provide such indemnification and advancement of expenses to a person who served a predecessor of the Trust in any of the capacities described in (a) or (b) above and to any employee or agent of the Trust or a predecessor of the Trust. The indemnification and payment or reimbursement of expenses provided in these Bylaws shall not be deemed exclusive of or limit in any way other rights to which any person seeking indemnification or payment or reimbursement of expenses may be or may become entitled under any bylaw, resolution, insurance, agreement or otherwise.

Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws inconsistent with this Article, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding paragraph with respect to any act or failure to act which occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.

ARTICLE XII

WAIVER OF NOTICE

Whenever any notice of a meeting is required to be given pursuant to the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws or pursuant to applicable law, a waiver thereof in writing or by electronic transmission, given by the person or persons entitled to such 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 meeting need be set forth in the waiver of notice of such meeting, unless specifically required by statute. The attendance of any person at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where such person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting has not been lawfully called or convened.

ARTICLE XIII

AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

Both (a) the Board of Trustees and (b) the shareholders by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter by shareholders entitled to vote generally in the election of Trustees shall have the power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of these Bylaws and to make new Bylaws; except that (x) any amendment, alteration or repeal of Section 13 or Section 15 of Article II by the Board of Trustees must be approved by the affirmative vote of a

 

23


majority of the votes cast on the matter by shareholders entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees and (y) any amendment to this Article XIII shall require the approval of (i) the Board of Trustees and (ii) the affirmative vote of the majority of votes cast on the matter by shareholders entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendment, alteration or repeal of Sections 2, 4, 7, 11 or 12 of Article III, in each case in a manner that would affect the rights of any shareholder (or any trustee designated by a shareholder) arising under or otherwise set forth in the Shareholders Agreement, or this sentence of Article XIII, and no adoption of any provision of these Bylaws that would conflict with the terms of the Shareholders Agreement, shall in any such case be valid without obtaining the requisite written consent provided for in Section 4.8 of the Shareholders Agreement.

ARTICLE XIV

EXCLUSIVE FORUM FOR CERTAIN LITIGATION

Unless the Trust consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland, or, if that Court does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division, shall be the sole and exclusive forum for any Internal Corporate Claim (as defined by the MGCL, as applicable to the Trust pursuant to the Maryland REIT Law), and: (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Trust, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of any duty owed by any trustee or officer or other employee of the Trust to the Trust or to the shareholders of the Trust, (c) any action asserting a claim against the Trust or any trustee or officer or other employee of the Trust arising pursuant to any provision of the MGCL or the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws of the Trust or (d) any action asserting a claim against the Trust or any trustee or officer or other employee of the Trust that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine.

ARTICLE XV

MISCELLANEOUS

All references to the Declaration of Trust shall include all amendments and supplements thereto and any other documents filed with and accepted for record by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation related thereto.

 

24

Exhibit 10.1

Execution Version

 

 

Published CUSIP Number: 03063RAG3

CREDIT AGREEMENT

among

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.,

AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST,

The Several Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from Time to Time Parties Hereto,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA

and

COÖOPERATIEVE RABOBANK U.A., NEW YORK BRANCH,

as Syndication Agents

and

COMPASS BANK,

CITIZENS BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

REGIONS BANK

and

SUNTRUST BANK,

as Documentation Agents

Dated as of January 23, 2018

 

 

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

RBC CAPITAL MARKETS

and

COÖOPERATIEVE RABOBANK U.A., NEW YORK BRANCH,

as Joint Lead Arrangers

and

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED,

as Sole Bookrunner

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS      1  

Section 1.1.

  Defined Terms      1  

Section 1.2.

  Other Definitional Provisions      46  

Section 1.3.

  Classifications of Loans      47  

Section 1.4.

  Accounting Terms; GAAP      47  

Section 1.5.

  Pro Forma Calculations      48  

Section 1.6.

  Rounding      48  

Section 1.7.

  Timing of Payment or Performance      48  

Section 1.8.

  Times of Day; Rates      48  
ARTICLE II AMOUNT AND TERMS OF CREDIT      48  

Section 2.1.

  Commitments      48  

Section 2.2.

  Borrowings, Continuations and Conversions of Loans      49  

Section 2.3.

  Swing Line Loans      51  

Section 2.4.

  Administrative Agent’s Clawback      54  

Section 2.5.

  Repayment of Loans      56  

Section 2.6.

  Evidence of Debt      56  

Section 2.7.

  [Reserved]      57  

Section 2.8.

  Interest      57  

Section 2.9.

  LIBOR Successor Rate      58  

Section 2.10.

  Increased Costs, Illegality, Etc.      59  

Section 2.11.

  Compensation      62  

Section 2.12.

  Change of Lending Office      63  

Section 2.13.

  Notice of Certain Costs      63  

 

i


Section 2.14.

  Increase in Facilities      63  

Section 2.15.

  Replacement of Lenders or Termination of Commitments Under Certain Circumstances      66  

Section 2.16.

  Defaulting Lenders      68  

Section 2.17.

  Extension of Revolving Loan Maturity Date      70  
ARTICLE III LETTERS OF CREDIT      72  

Section 3.1.

  Letters of Credit      72  

Section 3.2.

  Letter of Credit Requests      74  

Section 3.3.

  Letter of Credit Participations      76  

Section 3.4.

  Agreement to Repay Letter of Credit Drawings      77  

Section 3.5.

  Increased Costs      80  

Section 3.6.

  New or Successor Letter of Credit Issuer      81  

Section 3.7.

  Role of Letter of Credit Issuer      82  

Section 3.8.

  Cash Collateral      83  

Section 3.9.

  Governing Law; Applicability of ISP and UCP      84  

Section 3.10.

  Conflict with Issuer Documents      85  

Section 3.11.

  Letters of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries      85  

Section 3.12.

  Letter of Credit Issuer Reports to Administrative Agent      85  
ARTICLE IV FEES; COMMITMENT REDUCTIONS AND TERMINATIONS      86  

Section 4.1.

  Fees      86  

Section 4.2.

  Voluntary Reduction of Revolving Credit Commitments      87  

Section 4.3.

  Mandatory Termination of Commitments      88  
ARTICLE V PAYMENTS      88  

Section 5.1.

  Voluntary Prepayments      88  

Section 5.2.

  Mandatory Prepayments      89  

Section 5.3.

  Method and Place of Payment      89  

 

ii


Section 5.4.

  Net Payments      91  

Section 5.5.

  Computations of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate      95  

Section 5.6.

  Limit on Rate of Interest      96  
ARTICLE VI REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES      97  

Section 6.1.

  Financial Condition      97  

Section 6.2.

  No Change      97  

Section 6.3.

  Existence; Compliance with Law      98  

Section 6.4.

  Power; Authorization; Enforceable Obligations      98  

Section 6.5.

  No Legal Bar      98  

Section 6.6.

  Litigation      98  

Section 6.7.

  Ownership of Property; Liens; Qualified Assets; Casualty      99  

Section 6.8.

  Intellectual Property      99  

Section 6.9.

  REIT Status; Stock Exchange Listing; Taxes      99  

Section 6.10.

  Federal Regulations      100  

Section 6.11.

  ERISA      100  

Section 6.12.

  Investment Company Act      100  

Section 6.13.

  Subsidiaries      100  

Section 6.14.

  Use of Proceeds      100  

Section 6.15.

  Environmental Matters      100  

Section 6.16.

  Accuracy of Information, Etc.      101  

Section 6.17.

  Collateral Documents      102  

Section 6.18.

  Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions      102  

Section 6.19.

  Labor Matters      102  

Section 6.20.

  Solvency      103  

Section 6.21.

  Insurance      103  

 

iii


Section 6.22.

  No Default      103  

Section 6.23.

  EEA Financial Institution      103  
ARTICLE VII CONDITIONS PRECEDENT      103  

Section 7.1.

  Conditions to Effectiveness      103  

Section 7.2.

  Conditions to Each Extension of Credit      107  
ARTICLE VIII AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS      107  

Section 8.1.

  Financial Statements      107  

Section 8.2.

  Certificates; Other Information      109  

Section 8.3.

  Lines of Business      111  

Section 8.4.

  Taxes      112  

Section 8.5.

  Maintenance of Existence; Compliance with Law      112  

Section 8.6.

  Maintenance of Property; Insurance      112  

Section 8.7.

  Inspection of Property; Books and Records; Discussions; Appraisals      112  

Section 8.8.

  Notices      113  

Section 8.9.

  Environmental Laws      114  

Section 8.10.

  Additional Collateral/Subsidiaries      115  

Section 8.11.

  Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit      115  

Section 8.12.

  Know Your Customer      115  

Section 8.13.

  Maintenance of REIT Status; Stock Exchange Listing; Further Assurances      115  

Section 8.14.

  [Reserved]      116  

Section 8.15.

  Removal of Qualified Assets – Borrower      116  

Section 8.16.

  Removal of Qualified Assets – Administrative Agent      117  

Section 8.17.

  Additional Qualified Assets      117  

Section 8.18.

  Minimum Property Condition      118  

Section 8.19.

  Payment of Obligations      118  

 

iv


ARTICLE IX NEGATIVE COVENANTS      118  

Section 9.1.

  Financial Covenants      118  

Section 9.2.

  Indebtedness      119  

Section 9.3.

  Liens      119  

Section 9.4.

  Fundamental Changes      120  

Section 9.5.

  Restricted Payments      120  

Section 9.6.

  Transactions with Affiliates      121  

Section 9.7.

  Amendments to Organizational Documents      121  

Section 9.8.

  No Further Negative Pledges      121  

Section 9.9.

  Use of Proceeds      122  

Section 9.10.

  Investments      122  

Section 9.11.

  Changes in Fiscal Periods      122  

Section 9.12.

  Asset Sales      122  

Section 9.13.

  Environmental Matters      123  

Section 9.14.

  Sanctions; Anti-Corruption; Anti-Money Laundering      123  
ARTICLE X EVENTS OF DEFAULT      123  

Section 10.1.

  Events of Default      123  

Section 10.2.

  Application of Funds      126  
ARTICLE XI THE AGENTS      128  

Section 11.1.

  Appointment      128  

Section 11.2.

  Delegation of Duties      128  

Section 11.3.

  Exculpatory Provisions      128  

Section 11.4.

  Reliance by Agent      129  

Section 11.5.

  Notice of Default      130  

Section 11.6.

  Non-Reliance on Agents and Other Lenders      130  

 

v


Section 11.7.

  Indemnification      131  

Section 11.8.

  Agent in Its Individual Capacity      132  

Section 11.9.

  Successor Agent      132  

Section 11.10.

  Bookrunner; Lead Arrangers; Syndication Agents; Documentation Agents      133  

Section 11.11.

  Agents May File Proofs of Claim      133  

Section 11.12.

  Agents Under Collateral Documents      135  

Section 11.13.

  ERISA      136  
ARTICLE XII MISCELLANEOUS      138  

Section 12.1.

  Amendments and Waivers      138  

Section 12.2.

  Notices      141  

Section 12.3.

  No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement      143  

Section 12.4.

  Survival of Representations and Warranties      144  

Section 12.5.

  Payment of Expenses; Damages Waiver      144  

Section 12.6.

  Successors and Assigns; Participations and Assignments      147  

Section 12.7.

  Adjustments; Set-off; Payments Set Aside      152  

Section 12.8.

  Counterparts      153  

Section 12.9.

  Severability      153  

Section 12.10.

  Integration      154  

Section 12.11.

  GOVERNING LAW      154  

Section 12.12.

  Submission to Jurisdiction; Waivers      154  

Section 12.13.

  No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility      155  

Section 12.14.

  Interest Rate Limitation      155  

Section 12.15.

  Releases of Liens      156  

Section 12.16.

  Confidentiality      156  

Section 12.17.

  WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL      157  

 

vi


Section 12.18.

  Patriot Act      158  

Section 12.19.

  Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents      158  

Section 12.20.

  ENTIRE AGREEMENT      158  

Section 12.21.

  Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions      158  
ARTICLE XIII CONTINUING GUARANTY      159  

Section 13.1.

  Guaranty      159  

Section 13.2.

  Rights of Secured Parties      159  

Section 13.3.

  Certain Waivers      160  

Section 13.4.

  Obligations Independent      160  

Section 13.5.

  Subrogation      160  

Section 13.6.

  Termination; Reinstatement      160  

Section 13.7.

  Subordination      161  

Section 13.8.

  Stay of Acceleration      161  

Section 13.9.

  Condition of Borrower      161  

Section 13.10.

  Keepwell      161  

Section 13.11.

  Termination      161  

 

vii


SCHEDULES:   
1.1A    Commitments, Applicable Percentages and Sublimits
1.1B    Qualified Assets
3.1A    Existing Letters of Credit
6.13    Subsidiaries
9.6    Transactions with Affiliates
12.2    Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices
EXHIBITS:   
A    Form of Guarantee and Collateral Agreement
B    Form of Borrowing Base Certificate
C    Form of Perfection Certificate
D-1    Form of Assignment and Assumption
D-2    Form of Administrative Questionnaire
E    Form of Promissory Note (Term Loan)
F    Form of Promissory Note (Revolving Credit Loan)
G-1    Form of Committed Loan Notice
G-2    Form of Swing Line Loan Notice
H    Form of Designation Notice
I    Form of Compliance Certificate
J    Form of Non-Bank Tax Certificates (J-1 through J-4)

 

viii


CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), dated as of January 23, 2018, among AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Borrower ”), AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “ Company ”), the several banks and other financial institutions from time to time parties to this Agreement as Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers (each, as defined in Section  1.1 ) and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as administrative agent.

The parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1. Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the terms listed in this Section  1.1 shall have the respective meanings set forth in this Section  1.1 .

Acceptable Appraisal ”: a written appraisal (a) prepared by a qualified professional independent MAI appraiser selected by the Administrative Agent and who is not an employee of any Group Member or any of their Affiliates, the Administrative Agent or any Lender, (b) reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent as to form, assumptions, substance and appraisal date and (c) prepared in compliance with FIRREA and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations applicable to the Lenders, appraisals and/or valuations of Real Property.

Acceptable Portfolio Appraisal ”: an appraisal that meets the requirements of an Acceptable Appraisal that appraises all Eligible Owned Assets and Eligible Ground Leased Assets on a portfolio basis and that includes a premium for the value of such assets on a portfolio basis as compared to the sum of the individual values of such assets.

Addition Conditions ”: as defined in Section  8.17 .

Additional TL Tranche ”: as defined in Section  2.14(a) .

Administrative Agent ”: Bank of America, as the administrative agent for the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with any of its successors.

Administrative Agent’s Office ”: the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 12.2 , or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrower and the Lenders.

Administrative Questionnaire ” means an Administrative Questionnaire in substantially the form of Exhibit D-2 or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

Advance Percentage ”: with respect to: (a) Eligible Owned Assets, 65%; (b) Eligible Ground Leased Assets, 65%; (c) Eligible Capital Leased Assets, 35%; (d) Eligible Operating Leased Assets, 35%; and (e) the Eligible Managed Segment, 35%.


Affiliate ”: as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, is in control of, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. For purposes of this definition, “control” of a Person means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. The terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

Agent Indemnitee ”: as defined in Section  11.7 .

Agents ”: the collective reference to the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agents and the Documentation Agents.

Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount ”: as of any date of determination, the sum of the Borrowing Base Amount for each Qualified Asset; provided that (i) the aggregate amount contributed to the Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount by Eligible Capital Leased Assets, Eligible Operating Leased Assets and the Eligible Managed Segment, collectively, shall not exceed 10% of the Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount at any time, (ii) the aggregate amount contributed to the Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount by Eligible Capital Leased Assets, Eligible Ground Leased Assets, Eligible Operating Leased Assets and the Eligible Managed Segment, collectively, shall not exceed 25% of the Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount at any time (and accordingly, Eligible Owned Assets must at all times equal or exceed 75% of the Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount), (iii) the aggregate amount contributed to the Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount by Eligible Ground Leased Assets shall not exceed 20% of the Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount at any time and (iv) any single Qualified Asset shall not constitute greater than 10% of the Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount at any time; provided that, to the extent such limitation is exceeded, only such portion of the value of such Qualified Asset or Qualified Assets shall be excluded from the calculation of the Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount to the extent necessary to comply with the foregoing limitations.

Agreement ”: as defined in the preamble hereto.

Anti-Corruption Laws ”: the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and all laws, rules and regulations of any other jurisdiction applicable to the Company, the Borrower or their respective Subsidiaries concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.

Anti-Terrorism Laws ”: any Requirement of Law related to terrorism financing, economic sanctions or money laundering, including: 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956 and 1957; The Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act (also known as the “Bank Secrecy Act”, 31 U.S.C. §§ 5311-5332 and 12 U.S.C. §§ 1818(s), 1820b and 1951-1959), as amended by the Patriot Act, and their implementing regulations; the Trading With the Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. § 1 et seq., as amended), the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. § 1701 et seq., as amended) and Executive Order 13224 (effective September 24, 2001), and their implementing regulations.

Applicable Margin ”: for any day, with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, Base Rate Loan and Letter of Credit Fee, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below, based upon the range into which the Total Leverage Ratio then falls in accordance with the following table:

 

2


Total Leverage

Ratio

   Applicable Margin for
Eurodollar Loans
(and Letters of Credit)
  Applicable
Margin for
Base Rate

£ 35%

   2.35%   1.35%

> 35% and £ 40%

   2.50%   1.50%

> 40% and £ 50%

   2.75%   1.75%

> 50%

   3.00%   2.00%

The Total Leverage Ratio shall be determined as of the end of each fiscal quarter based on the Compliance Certificate delivered pursuant to Section  8.2(a) in respect of such fiscal quarter, and each change in rates resulting from a change in the Total Leverage Ratio shall be effective as of the first Business Day immediately following the date on which the Administrative Agent receives a Compliance Certificate indicating such change. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Compliance Certificate is not delivered when due in accordance with Section  8.2(a) , then the highest pricing shall apply as of the first Business Day after the date on which such Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered and shall continue to apply until the first Business Day immediately following the date such Compliance Certificate is delivered whereupon the Applicable Margin shall be adjusted based upon the calculation of the Total Leverage Ratio contained in such Compliance Certificate. The Applicable Margin in effect from the Closing Date through the first Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is required to be delivered pursuant to Section  8.2(a) for the first full fiscal quarter ending after the Closing Date shall be determined based on the Total Leverage Ratio as set forth in the Pro Forma Closing Date Compliance Certificate. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this definition, the determination of the Applicable Margin for any period shall be subject to the provisions of Section  5.5(b) .

Applicable Percentage ” (a) in respect of the Total Revolving Credit Commitment, with respect to any Revolving Credit Lender at any time, such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage and (b) in respect of the Term Loan Facility, with respect to any Term Loan Lender at any time, a fraction (expressed as a percentage, carried out to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is such Lender’s Term Loans at such time and the denominator of which is the amount of the Term Loan Facility at such time, subject to adjustment as provided in Section  2.17 . The initial Applicable Percentages of each Lender are set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 1.1A or in the Assignment and Assumption or Joinder Agreement pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.

Applicable Qualified Asset ”: each type of Qualified Asset other than Eligible Owned Assets and Eligible Ground Leases Assets.

Applicable Qualified EBITDA ”: with respect to any Applicable Qualified Asset, as of any date of determination, an amount equal to the portion of EBITDA attributable to such Applicable Qualified Asset for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period of the Borrower for which financial statements have been received pursuant to Section  8.1(a) or Section  8.1(b) , as applicable.

 

3


Appraised Value ”: with respect to each Eligible Owned Asset and Eligible Ground Leased Asset, at any time, the “as is” market value of going concern for such Qualified Asset set forth in the most recent Acceptable Appraisal of such Qualified Asset delivered to the Administrative Agent; provided that, (a) with respect to each Qualified Asset for which the Administrative Agent has consented, in its sole discretion, to accept an Acceptable Appraisal as described in clause (ii) of Section  7.1(p) , during the 45 day period commencing on the Closing Date, the Appraised Value of such Qualified Asset shall be the “as is” market value of going concern for such Qualified Asset set forth in such Acceptable Appraisal and thereafter the Appraised Value of such Qualified Asset shall be zero unless and until a new Acceptable Appraisal for such Qualified Asset has been received by the Administrative Agent, and (b) if such Qualified Asset was included in the most recent Acceptable Portfolio Appraisal, the Appraised Value of such Qualified Asset shall be the product of (x) the “as is” market value of going concern for such Qualified Asset set forth in the most recent Acceptable Portfolio Appraisal and (y) the Portfolio Premium.

Approved Electronic Communications ”: any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed to Lenders by means of electronic communications pursuant to Section  12.2(b) .

Approved Fund ”: as defined in Section  12.6(b) .

Assignee ”: as defined in Section  12.6(b) .

Assignment and Assumption ”: an Assignment and Assumption, substantially in the form of Exhibit  D or any other form (including electronic documentation generated by use of an electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.

Available Commitment ”: an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of the Total Revolving Credit Commitment over (ii) the sum of the aggregate principal amount of (a) all Revolving Credit Loans then outstanding and (b) the aggregate L/C Obligations at such time, subject to adjustment as provided in Section  2.16 . For the avoidance of doubt, the aggregate principal amount of Swing Line Loans shall not be counted towards or considered usage of the Total Revolving Credit Commitment for purposes of determining the Available Commitment and the Unused Fee.

Availability ”: at any time, an amount equal to (a) the Borrowing Base as of such time minus (b) the Total Extensions of Credit.

Availability Period ”: the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Revolving Loan Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Total Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to Section  4.2 , and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Revolving Credit Lender to make Revolving Credit Loans and of the obligation of the Letter of Credit Issuers to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section  10.l .

Bail-In Action ”: 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.

 

4


Bail-In Legislation ”: 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.

Bank of America ”: Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.

Bankruptcy Code ”: the provisions of Title 11 of the United States Code, 11 USC §§ 101 et seq., as amended, or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.

Base Rate ”: for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate,” and (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus 1.00%. The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such prime rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

Base Rate Loan ”: a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

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

Benefitted Lender ”: as defined in Section  12.7(a) .

Board ”: the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States (or any successor).

Bookrunner ”: MLPFS in its capacity as sole bookrunner for the credit facilities under this Agreement.

Borrower ”: as defined in the preamble hereto.

Borrower Materials ” as defined in Section  8.2 .

Borrowing ”: Loans of the same Class and Type made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.

Borrowing Base ”: as of any date of determination, the Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount in effect as of such date.

Borrowing Base Amount ”: as of any date of determination, with respect to any Qualified Asset, (i) the Eligible Value of such Qualified Asset multiplied by (ii) the Advance Percentage applicable to such Qualified Asset.

 

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Borrowing Base Certificate ”: a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B .

Borrowing Base Coverage Ratio ”: as of the last day of any Reference Period, the ratio of (a) the Borrowing Base in effect as of such date to (b) the sum of Total Extensions of Credit as of such date.

Borrowing Base Debt Service Coverage Ratio ”: as of the last day of any Reference Period, the ratio of (a) the EBITDA of all Qualified Assets as of such date to (b) the Interest Expense as of such date attributable to Indebtedness under the Loan Documents.

Business ”: as defined in Section  6.15(b) .

Business Day ”: a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized or required to close under the laws of, or are in fact closed in, New York City or in the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located; provided that, with respect to notices and determinations in connection with, and payments of principal and interest on, Eurodollar Loans, such day is also a day for trading by and between banks in Dollar deposits in the interbank Eurodollar market.

Capital Assets ”: with respect to any Person, all equipment, fixed assets and Real Property or improvements of such Person, or replacements or substitutions therefor or additions thereto, that in accordance with GAAP have been or should be reflected as additions to property, plant or equipment on the balance sheet of such Person.

Capital Lease ”: as defined in the definition of “ Capital Lease Obligations ”.

Capital Lease Obligations ”: as to any Person, 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 (such lease, a “ Capital Lease ”) and, for the purposes of this Agreement, the amount of such obligations at any time shall be the capitalized amount thereof at such time determined in accordance with GAAP.

Capital Stock ”: 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.

Capitalization Rate ”: 8.25%.

Cash ”: money, currency or a credit balance in any demand or deposit account.

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

 

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Cash Equivalents ”: (a) marketable direct obligations issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States Government or issued by any agency thereof and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition; (b) certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances having maturities of 180 days or less from the date of acquisition issued by any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof having combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000; (c) commercial paper of an issuer maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition and having, at such date of acquisition, the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or Moody’s; and (d) fully collateralized repurchase obligations of any Lender or of any commercial bank satisfying the requirements of clause  (b) of this definition, having a term of not more than 30 days, with respect to securities described in clause  (a) above; or (e) money market funds that (x) comply with the criteria set forth in SEC Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (y) are rated AAA by S&P and Aaa by Moody’s and (z) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000.

Cash Management Agreement ”: any agreement or arrangement to provide Cash Management Services.

Cash Management Bank ”: with respect to any Cash Management Agreement with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, any provider of Cash Management Services thereunder that (a) is the Administrative Agent, the Bookrunner, a Lead Arranger or an Affiliate of the foregoing, (b) at the time it entered into such Cash Management Agreement, was the Administrative Agent, the Bookrunner, a Lead Arranger, a Lender or an Affiliate of the foregoing, (c) with respect to any such Cash Management Agreement entered into on or prior to the Closing Date, is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender on the Closing Date and (d) with respect to any such Cash Management Agreement entered into after the Closing Date, is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time such Cash Management Agreement is entered into, in each case, in its capacity as a party to such Cash Management Agreement.

Cash Management Services ”: the treasury management services (including controlled disbursements, zero balance arrangements, cash sweeps, automated clearinghouse transactions, return items, overdrafts, temporary advances, interest and fees and interstate depository network services), commercial credit cards, merchant card services, purchase or debit cards, including non-card e-payable services, or electronic funds transfer services and any other demand deposit or operating account relationship service provided to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

Change in Law ”: the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated

 

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by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted, implemented or issued.

Change of Control ”: the occurrence of any of the following events: (a) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) other than the Permitted Holders becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), directly or indirectly, of 35% or more of the outstanding equity securities of the Company entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Company; (b) the Company shall cease to be the sole general partner of the Borrower, or any Persons other than the Company shall own, directly or indirectly, free of any Liens, encumbrances or adverse claims, Capital Stock of the Borrower that, if exchanged for Capital Stock of the Company, would result in a Change of Control under clause (a)  above; (c) the Borrower shall fail to own, directly or indirectly, free of any Liens, encumbrances or adverse claims, 100% of the Capital Stock of each Guarantor (except as otherwise expressly permitted by this Agreement); or (d) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of trustees of the Company by Persons who were neither (x) nominated by the board of trustees of the Company nor (y) appointed by directors so nominated.

Charges ”: as defined in Section  12.14 .

Class ”: (i) when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, shall refer to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Credit Loans, Term Loans or term loans under an Additional TL Tranche, and (ii) when used in reference to any Lender, refers to whether such Lender has a Loan or Commitment of such Class.

Closing Date ”: the date on which the conditions precedent set forth in Section  7.1 shall have been satisfied or waived in accordance with Section  12.1 , which date is January 23, 2018.

CMBS Financing ”: any loans or notes incurred by or issued to certain Excluded Subsidiaries of the Borrower as borrowers under commercial mortgage-backed securities financing transactions from time to time.

Code ”: the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Collateral ”: as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement.

Collateral Documents ”: collectively, the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and each other security agreement or other document, instrument or certificate delivered to the Administrative Agent granting or perfecting a Lien on any property of any Person to secure the Obligations.

Commitments ”: with respect to each Lender (to the extent applicable), such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment or Term Loan Commitment.

 

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Committed Loan Notice ”: a notice of a (a) Borrowing of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans, (b) conversion of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) continuation of Eurocurrency Loans, pursuant to Section  2.2(a) , which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit G-1 or such other form as may be reasonably approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

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

Company ”: as defined in the preamble hereto.

Compliance Certificate ”: a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit I .

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

Consolidated Secured Recourse Indebtedness ”: at any time, Secured Recourse Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

Consolidated Tangible Net Worth ”: as of any date of determination, the following determined in accordance with GAAP: (a) Shareholders’ Equity on such date determined on a consolidated basis, less (b) the Intangible Assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries on such date determined on a consolidated basis, plus (c) all accumulated depreciation and amortization of the Company and its Subsidiaries on such date determined on a consolidated basis.

Contractual Obligation ”: as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any legally binding contract, agreement, indenture, note, bond, loan, instrument, lease, conditional sales contract, mortgage, license, franchise agreement, binding commitment or other arrangement, whether written or oral, to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound other than the Obligations.

Customary Non-Recourse Carve-Outs ”: with respect to any Non-Recourse Indebtedness, exclusions from the exculpation provisions with respect to such Non-Recourse Indebtedness for fraud, misrepresentation, misapplication of funds, waste, environmental claims and liabilities, voluntary bankruptcy, collusive involuntary bankruptcy, prohibited transfers, violations of single purpose entity covenants and other circumstances customarily excluded by institutional lenders from exculpation provisions and/or included in separate indemnification agreements or guaranties in non-recourse or tax-exempt financings of commercial real estate.

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

Default ”: any of the events specified in Section  10.1 , whether or not any requirement for the giving of notice, the lapse of time, or both, in each case, as set forth in such section, has been satisfied.

 

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Defaulting Lender ”: subject to Section  2.16(b) , any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans) within two Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer, the Swing Line Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder ( provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c)  upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity, or (iii) become the subject of a Bail-In Action; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Capital Stock in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a)  through (d) above, and of the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section  2.17(b) ) as of the date established therefor by the Administrative Agent in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, each Letter of Credit Issuer, the Swing Line Lender and each other Lender promptly following such determination.

Default Rate ”: as defined in Section  2.8(c) .

Designation Notice ”: a notice substantially in the form of Exhibit H from a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender to the Administrative Agent asserting that such Lender or Affiliate is a Qualified Counterparty or a Cash Management Bank.

Development Property ”: as of any date of determination, Real Property under development on which the improvements related to the development have not been completed on such date; provided that such Real Property shall cease to be a Development Property upon the first to occur of (a) the date that is six full fiscal quarters following substantial completion (including issuance of a temporary or permanent certificate of occupancy for the improvements under construction permitting the use and occupancy for their regular intended uses) of such Real Property, and (b) the first day of the first fiscal quarter following the date on which such Development Property has achieved a Leased Rate of at least 85%, and shall thereafter be considered a “Stabilized Property” for the purposes of the calculation of Total Asset Value.

 

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Disposition ”: with respect to any business, assets or property of any kind of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any sale, lease, sub-lease, sale and leaseback, assignment, conveyance, transfer, exclusive license or other disposition or exchange thereof, with or without recourse. The terms “ Dispose ” and “ Disposed of ” shall have correlative meanings.

Disregarded Domestic Person ”: any direct or indirect Domestic Subsidiary that has no material assets other than (i) the equity or indebtedness of one or more Foreign Subsidiaries and/or other Disregarded Domestic Persons and (ii) an immaterial amount of Cash and Cash Equivalents.

Documentation Agents ”: Compass Bank, Citizens Bank, National Association, Regions Bank and SunTrust Bank, each in its capacity as a documentation agent under this Agreement.

Dollars ” and “ $ ”: dollars in lawful currency of the United States.

Domestic Subsidiary ”: any Subsidiary that is not a Foreign Subsidiary.

EBITDA ”: with respect to the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries, for any Reference Period, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, depletion and amortization calculated in accordance with GAAP, as may be adjusted in accordance with the definition of Pro Forma Basis and at all times excluding, without duplication, (i) impairment and other non-cash charges or gains including, for the avoidance of doubt, equity in earnings (but excluding any non-cash charge in respect of an item that was included in EBITDA in a prior period and any charges that result in a write-down or write-off of inventory and excluding amortization expense attributable to a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period), (ii) stock-based compensation expense, (iii) gains or losses from sales of previously depreciated assets, (iv) extraordinary gains or losses from foreign exchange, (v) extraordinary gains or losses from derivative instruments and (vi) other extraordinary or non-recurring gains, losses or charges; provided , however , that notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, for the purposes of determining the contribution to EBITDA of, or portion of EBITDA attributable to, any Real Property or Qualified Asset, EBITDA shall equal revenues in respect of such Real Property or such Qualified Asset, less , without duplication, (A) operating expenses in respect of such Real Property or Qualified Asset (exclusive of corporate-level general and administrative expenses, impairment on intangibles and long-lived assets and depreciation, depletion and amortization expenses), (B) rent expenses in respect of such Real Property or Qualified Asset, and (C) the interest component of any capital lease expenses or similar fixed charges and debt service charges in respect of such Real Property or Qualified Asset, and shall at all times exclude extraordinary or non-recurring gains, losses or charges.

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

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

 

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EEA Resolution Authority ”: 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.

Eligibility Criteria ”: Capital Leased Asset Eligibility Criteria, Ground Leased Asset Eligibility Criteria, Managed Segment Eligibility Criteria, Operating Leased Asset Eligibility Criteria or Owned Asset Eligibility Criteria, as applicable.

Eligible Capital Leased Assets ”: any asset that satisfies the following criteria (collectively, the “ Capital Leased Asset Eligibility Criteria ”):

(a) Such asset is leased pursuant to a Capital Lease by a Qualified Asset Guarantor as lessee, such Qualified Asset Guarantor has guaranteed the Obligations pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and the Capital Stock of such Qualified Asset Guarantor is pledged as Collateral pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement.

(b) Such asset is located in the United States.

(c) Such Qualified Asset Guarantor’s interest in such asset (and in any income therefrom or proceeds thereof) is not directly or indirectly subject to any Lien or any Negative Pledge (other than (x) Liens and Negative Pledges created under the Loan Documents and (y) Permitted Encumbrances) and the Capital Stock of such Qualified Asset Guarantor (and any income therefrom or proceeds thereof) is not directly or indirectly subject to any Lien or any Negative Pledge (other than Permitted Equity Encumbrances).

(d) Such asset is free of any material defects and any material Environmental Liabilities that continue to exist after a period of thirty (30) days after the Borrower’s or such Qualified Asset Guarantor’s obtaining knowledge thereof and is in material compliance with all Environmental Laws to the extent the applicable Qualified Asset Guarantor could be liable for such material defects, material Environmental Liabilities or violations of Environmental Laws in connection with the management or operation of such asset.

(e) No default or event of default has occurred or with the passage of time or the giving of notice would occur under the Capital Lease regarding such asset.

(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received and completed a satisfactory review of such due diligence as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require with respect to such asset (which diligence the Administrative Agent shall (to the extent same is in writing) promptly make available to the Lenders), including, without limitation, a copy of the Capital Lease with respect to such property.

(g) Such asset is used in a business permitted under Section  8.3 .

(h) The Borrower has delivered a certificate of a Responsible Officer certifying that the asset satisfies the foregoing requirements.

 

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Eligible Ground Leased Assets ”: any Real Property that satisfies the following criteria (collectively, the “ Ground Leased Asset Eligibility Criteria ”):

(a) Such Real Property is leased pursuant to a ground lease by a Qualified Asset Guarantor as lessee, such Qualified Asset Guarantor has guaranteed the Obligations pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and the Capital Stock of such Qualified Asset Guarantor is pledged as Collateral pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement.

(b) Such Real Property is located in the United States.

(c) Such Real Property is improved with one or more completed warehouse/distribution buildings that are used as dry and/or cold storage facilities and such improvements are owned by such Qualified Asset Guarantor.

(d) None of such leasehold interest or such improvements is directly or indirectly subject to any Lien or any Negative Pledge (other than (x) Liens and Negative Pledges created under the Loan Documents and (y) Permitted Encumbrances) and the Capital Stock of such Qualified Asset Guarantor is not directly or indirectly subject to any Lien or any Negative Pledge (other than Permitted Equity Encumbrances).

(e) No default or event of default has occurred or with the passage of time or the giving of notice would occur under the ground lease regarding such Real Property.

(f) The lessor under the ground lease regarding such Real Property shall not have the unilateral right to terminate such ground lease prior to the expiration of the stated term of such ground lease absent the occurrence of any casualty, condemnation or default by the Qualified Asset Guarantor thereunder.

(g) The lessee under the ground lease has the right to sublease, mortgage and encumber (subject to customary terms and limitations) its interest in such Real Property without the consent of the lessor.

(h) The ground lease regarding such Real Property has a remaining term (inclusive of any unexercised extension options as to which there is no condition precedent to the exercise thereof other than compliance of lessee with the terms of the applicable ground lease and the giving of a notice of exercise by the lessee) of 25 years or more at any time.

(i) Such Real Property is free of any material defects and any material Environmental Liabilities and is in material compliance with all Environmental Laws.

(j) The Administrative Agent shall have received and completed a satisfactory review of such due diligence as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require with respect to such Real Property (which diligence the Administrative Agent shall (to the extent same is in writing) promptly make available to the Lenders), including, without limitation: (w) an Acceptable Appraisal with respect to such Real Property, (x) a copy of a title search run at most 90 days prior to eligibility (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in writing in its sole discretion) or other evidence of the status of title to such Real Property reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (y) a copy of the ground lease with respect to such Real Property and (z) such other information and documents as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to the extent necessary to comply with FIRREA.

 

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(k) Such Real Property is used in a business permitted under Section  8.3 .

(l) The Borrower has delivered a certificate of a Responsible Officer certifying that such Real Property satisfies the foregoing requirements.

Eligible Managed Segment ”: any business that satisfies the following criteria (collectively, the “ Managed Segment Eligibility Criteria ”):

(a) Such business is managed by a Qualified Asset Guarantor, such Qualified Asset Guarantor has guaranteed the Obligations pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and the Capital Stock of such Qualified Asset Guarantor is pledged as Collateral pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement.

(b) Such business is located in the United States.

(c) Neither such Qualified Asset Guarantor’s interest in such business nor the assets that compose such business (nor its interest in any income therefrom or proceeds thereof) is directly or indirectly subject to any Lien or any Negative Pledge (other than (x) Liens and Negative Pledges created under the Loan Documents and (y) Permitted Encumbrances) and the Capital Stock of such Qualified Asset Guarantor (and any income therefrom or proceeds thereof) is not directly or indirectly subject to any Lien or any Negative Pledge (other than Permitted Equity Encumbrances).

(d) Such business is free of any material defects and any material Environmental Liabilities that continue to exist after a period of thirty (30) days after the Borrower’s or such Qualified Asset Guarantor’s obtaining knowledge thereof and is in material compliance with all Environmental Laws to the extent the applicable Qualified Asset Guarantor could be liable for such material defects, material Environmental Liabilities or violations of Environmental Laws in connection with the management or operation of such business.

(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received and completed a satisfactory review of such due diligence as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require with respect to such asset (which diligence the Administrative Agent shall (to the extent same is in writing) promptly make available to the Lenders), including, without limitation, a copy of the management agreement with respect to such business.

(f) Such business is used in a business permitted under Section  8.3 .

(g) The Borrower has delivered a certificate of a Responsible Officer certifying that the business satisfies the foregoing requirements.

Eligible Operating Leased Assets ”: any asset that satisfies the following criteria (collectively, the “ Operating Leased Asset Eligibility Criteria ”):

(a) Such asset is leased pursuant to an operating lease by a Qualified Asset Guarantor as lessee, such Qualified Asset Guarantor has guaranteed the Obligations pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and the Capital Stock of such Qualified Asset Guarantor is pledged as Collateral pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement.

 

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(b) Such asset is located in the United States.

(c) Such Qualified Asset Guarantor’s interest in such asset (and in any income therefrom or proceeds thereof) is not directly or indirectly subject to any Lien or any Negative Pledge (other than (x) Liens and Negative Pledges created under the Loan Documents and (y) Permitted Encumbrances) and the Capital Stock of such Qualified Asset Guarantor (and any income therefrom or proceeds thereof) is not directly or indirectly subject to any Lien or any Negative Pledge (other than Permitted Equity Encumbrances).

(d) No default or event of default has occurred or with the passage of time or the giving of notice would occur under the operating lease regarding such property.

(e) Such asset is free of any material defects and any material Environmental Liabilities that continue to exist after a period of thirty (30) days after the Borrower’s or such Qualified Asset Guarantor’s obtaining knowledge thereof and is in material compliance with all Environmental Laws to the extent the applicable Qualified Asset Guarantor could be liable for such material defects, material Environmental Liabilities or violations of Environmental Laws in connection with the management or operation of such asset.

(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received and completed a satisfactory review of such due diligence as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require with respect to such asset (which diligence the Administrative Agent shall (to the extent same is in writing) promptly make available to the Lenders), including, without limitation, a copy of the operating lease with respect to such property.

(g) Such asset is used in a business permitted under Section  8.3 .

(h) The Borrower has delivered a certificate of a Responsible Officer certifying that the asset satisfies the foregoing requirements.

Eligible Owned Asset ”: any Real Property that satisfies the following criteria (collectively, the “ Owned Asset Eligibility Criteria ”):

(a) Such Real Property is owned in fee simple by a Qualified Asset Guarantor, such Qualified Asset Guarantor has guaranteed the Obligations pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and the Capital Stock of such Qualified Asset Guarantor is pledged as Collateral pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement.

(b) Such Real Property is located in the United States.

(c) Such Real Property is free of any material defects and any material Environmental Liabilities and is in material compliance with all Environmental Laws.

(d) Such Real Property is improved with one or more completed warehouse/distribution buildings that are used as dry and/or cold storage facilities.

 

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(e) Such Real Property (and any income therefrom or proceeds thereof) is not directly or indirectly subject to any Lien or any Negative Pledge (other than (x) Liens and Negative Pledges created under the Loan Documents and (y) Permitted Encumbrances) and the Capital Stock of such Qualified Asset Guarantor (and any income therefrom or proceeds thereof) is not directly or indirectly subject to any Lien or any Negative Pledge (other than Permitted Equity Encumbrances).

(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received and completed a satisfactory review of such due diligence as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require with respect to such Real Property (which diligence the Administrative Agent shall (to the extent same is in writing) promptly make available to the Lenders), including, without limitation: (x) an Acceptable Appraisal with respect to such Real Property, (y) a copy of the owner’s title insurance policy or other evidence of the status of title to the Real Property reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (z) such other information and documents as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to the extent necessary to comply with FIRREA .

(g) Such Real Property is used in a business permitted under Section  8.3 .

(h) The Borrower has delivered a certificate of a Responsible Officer certifying that such Real Property satisfies the foregoing requirements.

Eligible Value ”: as of any date of determination, with respect to:

(a) each Eligible Owned Asset, the Appraised Value of such Eligible Owned Asset;

(b) each Eligible Ground Leased Asset, the Appraised Value of such Eligible Ground Leased Asset; and

(c) each Applicable Qualified Asset, the product of the Applicable Qualified EBITDA with respect to such Applicable Qualified Asset multiplied by (ii) 8.0.

Environmental Laws ”: any and all foreign, Federal, state, local or municipal laws, rules, orders, regulations, statutes, ordinances, codes, decrees, judgments, notices or binding agreements issued by or entered into with any Governmental Authority, requirements of any Governmental Authority or other Requirements of Law (including common law) regulating, relating to or imposing liability or standards of conduct concerning pollution, air emissions, the management, use or Release of Materials of Environmental Concern or protection of human health (to the extent such relates to Materials of Environmental Concern) or the environment, as now or may at any time hereafter be in effect.

Environmental Liability ”: all liabilities, obligations, damages, losses, claims, actions, suits, judgments, orders, fines, penalties, fees, expenses and costs (including administrative oversight costs, natural resource damages, monitoring and remediation costs and reasonable fees and expenses of attorneys and consultants), whether contingent or otherwise, including those arising out of or relating to: (a) compliance or non-compliance with any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment, recycling, disposal (or arrangement for such activities) of any Materials of Environmental Concern, (c) exposure to any Materials of Environmental Concern, (d) the presence or release of any Materials of Environmental Concern or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

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ERISA ”: the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

ERISA Affiliate ”: any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with any Group Member, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes relating to Section 412 of the Code).

Escrow Agent ”: Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, in the capacity of escrow agent under the Escrow Agreement.

Escrow Agreement ”: that certain Escrow Agreement, dated as of December 26, 2017, among the Borrower, the Company, the Guarantors, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent, each of the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Escrow Agent.

ERISA Event ”: (a) any Reportable Event; (b) the existence with respect to any Plan of a Prohibited Transaction that could be reasonably expected to result in liability to any Group Member; (c) any failure by any Pension Plan to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 412 or 430 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, applicable to such Pension Plan), whether or not waived; (d) the filing by any Group Member or any ERISA Affiliate of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Pension Plan, the failure by any Group Member or any ERISA Affiliate to make by its due date a required installment under Section 430(j) of the Code with respect to any Pension Plan (unless such failure is cured within 30 days following the due date thereof) or the failure by any Group Member or any ERISA Affiliate to make any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan (unless such failure is cured within 30 days following the due date thereof); (e) the incurrence by any Group Member or any ERISA Affiliate of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Pension Plan, including but not limited to the imposition of any Lien on any Group Member or any ERISA Affiliate in favor of the PBGC or any Pension Plan; (f) a determination that any Pension Plan is in “at risk” status (within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA); (g) the receipt by any Group Member or any ERISA Affiliate 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 any Group Member or any ERISA Affiliate of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal of any Group Member or any ERISA Affiliate from any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (i) the receipt by any Group Member of any notice (A)  concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability on it or (B)  a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is in endangered or critical status, within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA.

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

Eurodollar Loan ”: Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a)  of the definition of “Eurodollar Rate.”

Eurodollar Rate ”:

(a) for any interest period with respect to a Eurodollar Loan, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“ LIBOR ”) (or a comparable or successor rate, which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent after consultation with the Borrower), as published on

 

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the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two business days prior to the commencement of such interest period, for U.S. dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such interest period) with a term equivalent to such interest period; and

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

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

Event of Default ”: any of the events specified in Section  10.1 ; provided that any requirement for the giving of notice, the lapse of time, or both, has been satisfied without cure or waiver.

Event of Loss ”: with respect to any Qualified Asset, any of the following: (a) any loss or destruction of, or damage to, all or any material portion of such Qualified Asset; (b) any actual condemnation, seizure or taking, by exercise of the power of eminent domain or otherwise, of such Qualified Asset, or confiscation of such Qualified Asset or the requisition of such Qualified Asset by a Governmental Authority or any Person having the power of eminent domain, or any voluntary transfer of such Qualified Asset or any material portion thereof in lieu of any such condemnation, seizure or taking; or (c) any Disposition of such Qualified Asset.

Excluded Subsidiaries ”: (a) any Domestic Subsidiary that is prohibited by law, regulation or by any Contractual Obligation existing on the Closing Date or on the date such Subsidiary is acquired (so long as such prohibition is not created in contemplation of such acquisition) from providing a Guarantee Obligation in respect of the Obligations (and for so long as such restrictions or any replacement or renewal thereof is in effect) or that would require a governmental (including regulatory) consent, approval, license or authorization in order to provide such Guarantee Obligation (unless such consent, approval, license or authorization has already been obtained) or where the provision of such guaranty could result in material adverse tax consequences to the Borrower or such Subsidiary as reasonably determined by the Borrower in consultation with the Administrative Agent, (b) any Subsidiary that is a Disregarded Domestic Person, (c) any Subsidiary that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of an Excluded Subsidiary, (d) any captive insurance Subsidiary that provides workers compensation and/or health insurance to members of the Consolidated Group, (e) any not-for-profit Subsidiary, (f) any Subsidiary that is a special purpose entity, (g) any Foreign Subsidiary, (h) solely in respect of Excluded Swap Obligations, any Excluded Swap Guarantor, (i) each Subsidiary designated as an Excluded Subsidiary on Schedule 6.13 as of the Closing Date and (j) subject to Section  8.15 , any other Subsidiary designated by the Borrower from time to time after the date hereof in connection with (i) any CMBS Financing, (ii) any Joint Venture, (iii) any Permitted Acquisition or (iv) the entrance into

 

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any new operating lease, capital lease, management contract or other Contractual Obligation that, in each case of the foregoing clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv), was entered into for bona fide business purposes and that the Borrower reasonably believes in good faith would prohibit such Subsidiary from becoming a Guarantor hereunder; and provided that, in each case, (x) immediately before and after such designation, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (y) immediately after giving effect to such designation, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be in compliance on a Pro Forma Basis with the Financial Covenants.

Excluded Swap Guarantor ”: any Loan Party all or a portion of whose Guarantee Obligation of, or grant of a security interest to secure, any Secured Swap Obligation (or any Guarantee Obligation thereof) is or becomes an Excluded Swap Obligation; provided that such Guarantor shall be deemed to be an Excluded Swap Guarantor only with respect to that portion of its Guarantee Obligation or grant of a security interest that constitutes an Excluded Swap Obligation.

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

Excluded Taxes ”: any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient: (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or a Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section  2.15 ) or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section  5.4 , amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section  5.4(e) and (d) any U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

Existing Credit Agreement ”: that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of December 1, 2015, among the Borrower, the several bank and other financial institutions or entities from time to time parties thereto as lenders and letter of credit issuers and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent.

 

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Existing Letters of Credit ”: as defined in Section  3.1(a) .

Extension Effective Date ”: as defined in Section  2.17(b) .

Facility ”: the Term Loan Facility or the Total Revolving Credit Commitment, as the context may require (and “ Facilities ” means a collective reference to the foregoing).

FASB ASC ”: means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

FATCA ”: Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with) and any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code or any intergovernmental agreements with respect thereto.

Federal Funds Rate ”: for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent, and (c) if the Federal Funds Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Fee Letters ”: means, collectively, all agreements entered into by the Borrower (on the one hand) and one or more of the Lead Arrangers (on the other hand) with respect to fees payable to such Lead Arranger and/or the Lenders in connection with the Facilities.

Fees ”: all amounts payable pursuant to, or referred to in, Section  4.1 .

Financial Covenants ”: the financial covenants set forth in Section  9.1(a) through (f) .

Financial Officer ”: as to any Person, the chief financing officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of such Person.

FIRREA ”: the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989.

Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio ”: as of the last day of any Reference Period, the ratio of (a) the difference between (x) EBITDA minus (y) the aggregate amount of Maintenance Capital Expenditures to (b) Fixed Charges.

 

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Fixed Charges ”: for any Reference Period, an amount equal to the sum of (i) Interest Expense, plus (ii) regularly scheduled installments (whether or not paid) of principal payable with respect to Total Indebtedness (including any scheduled payments that were no longer required to be repaid in such period as a result of a payment made within one year of the date on which such payment was due), plus (iii) the amount of dividends or distributions actually paid or required to be paid by any Group Member (other than to another Group Member) in cash during such period in respect of its preferred Capital Stock (excluding dividends and distributions payable solely at such Person’s election and not actually paid and any balloon payments payable on maturity or redemption in whole of such Capital Stock and any dividends or distributions paid or required to be paid on or prior to the Closing Date) and (iv) all income tax payments with respect to the taxable REIT Subsidiaries of the Company and the Borrower (including Foreign Subsidiaries); provided that for the Reference Period ending on (a) March 31, 2018, Fixed Charges shall be the sum of clauses (i) through (iv) for the one fiscal quarter ending on such date multiplied by 4, (b) June 30, 2018, Fixed Charges shall be the sum of clauses (i) through (iv) for the two fiscal quarter period ending on such date multiplied by 2 and (c) September 30, 2018, Fixed Charges shall be the sum of clauses (i) through (iv) for the three fiscal quarter period ending on such date multiplied by 4/3.

Foreign Subsidiary ”: any Subsidiary that is incorporated or organized under the laws of any jurisdiction other than any state of the United States or the District of Columbia.

Fronting Exposure ”: at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to any Letter of Credit Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the outstanding L/C Obligations, other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof and (b) with respect to the Swing Line Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of Swing Line Loans other than Swing Line Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders in accordance with the terms hereof.

Fronting Fee ”: as defined in Section  4.1(d) .

GAAP ”: generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect from time to time.

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

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

 

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Group Members ”: the collective reference to the Company, the Borrower and their respective Subsidiaries.

Guarantee and Collateral Agreement ”: the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement to be executed and delivered by the Loan Parties on the Closing Date, substantially in the form of Exhibit A .

Guarantee Obligation ”: as to any Person (the “ guaranteeing person ”), (x) any obligation, including a reimbursement, counterindemnity or similar obligation, of the guaranteeing Person that guarantees or in effect guarantees, or which is given to induce the creation of a separate obligation by another Person (including any bank under any letter of credit) that guarantees or in effect guarantees, any Indebtedness, leases, dividends or other obligations (the “ primary obligations ”) of any other third Person (the “ primary obligor ”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including any obligation of the guaranteeing person, whether or not contingent, (a) to purchase any such primary obligation or any property constituting direct or indirect security therefor, (b) to advance or supply funds (i) for the purchase or payment of any such primary obligation or (ii) to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor, (c) to purchase property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such primary obligation or (d) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the owner of any such primary obligation against loss in respect thereof or (y) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien); provided , however , that the term Guarantee Obligation shall not include endorsements of instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business or customary and reasonable indemnity obligations or product warranties. The amount of any Guarantee Obligation of any guaranteeing person shall be deemed to be the lower of (i) an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the primary obligation in respect of which such Guarantee Obligation is made and (ii) the maximum amount for which such guaranteeing person may be liable pursuant to the terms of the instrument embodying such Guarantee Obligation, unless such primary obligation and the maximum amount for which such guaranteeing person may be liable are not stated or determinable, in which case the amount of such Guarantee Obligation shall be such guaranteeing person’s maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the Borrower in good faith.

Guarantors ”: collectively, the Qualified Asset Guarantors and the Other Guarantors.

Guaranty ”: means, collectively, the Guaranty made by the Company under Article XIII in favor of the Secured Parties and the Guaranty made by the Guarantors in favor of the Secured Parties under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, together with each other guaranty and guaranty supplement delivered pursuant to Section  8.10 .

 

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Honor Date ”: as defined in Section  3.4(a) .

Impacted Loans ”: as defined in Section  2.10(a) .

Increase Effective Date ”: as defined in Section  2.14(c) .

Incremental Facilities ”: as defined in Section  2.14(a) .

Incremental Revolving Increase ”: as defined in Section  2.14(a) .

Incremental Term Loan Increase ”: as defined in Section  2.14(a) .

Indebtedness ”: of any Person at any date, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, excluding those incurred in the ordinary course of its business that would constitute ordinarily a trade payable to trade creditors, (d) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding those incurred in the ordinary course of its business that would constitute ordinarily a trade payable to trade creditors), (e) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, provided that, as to such Person, recourse is limited to such property, (f) all Guarantee Obligations by such Person of Indebtedness of others, but only to the extent of the amount of Indebtedness guaranteed, (g) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (h) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty (other than such obligations with respect to letters of credit and letters of guaranty to support workers’ compensation insurance programs, which shall only constitute Indebtedness when such letter of credit or letter of guaranty is drawn), (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, (j) all Off-Balance Sheet Obligations of such Person, (k) all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any Capital Stock issued by such Person or any other Person, valued at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends (other than any obligation of such Person if such Person, in its sole discretion, may satisfy such obligation by delivering (or causing to be delivered) common Capital Stock in the Company or any Excluded Subsidiary, as applicable), (l) all obligations of such Person in respect of any purchase obligation, repurchase obligation, takeout commitment or forward equity commitment, in each case evidenced by a binding agreement (other than any obligation of such Person if such Person, in its sole discretion, may satisfy such obligation by delivering (or causing to be delivered) common Capital Stock in the Company or any Excluded Subsidiary, as applicable), and (m) net obligations under any Swap Agreements in an amount equal to the Swap Termination Value thereof. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness (other than (i) Qualified JV Debt and (ii) any Indebtedness of China Merchants Americold Logistics Company, Limited and China Merchants Americold Holdings Company, Limited outstanding as of the Closing Date) of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person, by operation of the documentation evidencing such Indebtedness or by law, is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other

 

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relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor. For the avoidance of doubt, Indebtedness shall not include (i) prepaid or deferred revenue arising in the ordinary course of business and (ii) purchase price holdbacks arising in the ordinary course of business in respect of a portion of the purchase price of an asset to satisfy warrants or other unperformed obligations of the seller of such asset.

Indemnified Liabilities ”: as defined in Section  12.5 .

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

Indemnitee ”: as defined in Section  12.5 .

Insolvency ”: with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition that such Plan is insolvent within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA.

Insolvent ”: pertaining to a condition of Insolvency.

Intangible Assets ”: assets that are considered to be intangible assets under GAAP, excluding lease intangibles but including customer lists, goodwill, computer software, copyrights, trade names, trademarks, patents, franchises, licenses, unamortized deferred charges, unamortized debt discount and capitalized research and development costs.

Intellectual Property ”: the collective reference to all rights, priorities and privileges relating to intellectual property, whether arising under United States, multinational or foreign laws or otherwise, including copyrights, copyright licenses, patents, patent licenses, trademarks, trademark licenses, and intellectual property in technology, know-how and processes, and all rights to sue at law or in equity for any infringement or other impairment thereof, including the right to receive all proceeds and damages therefrom.

Interest Expense ”: for any Reference Period, an amount equal to the sum of the following with respect to Total Indebtedness: (i) total interest expense, accrued in accordance with GAAP plus (ii) all capitalized interest determined in accordance with GAAP (including in the case of (i) and (ii), the Borrower’s pro rata share thereof for Unconsolidated Affiliates, other than with respect to Qualified JV Debt), and excluding non-cash amortization or write-off of deferred financing costs or debt discount (including the Borrower’s pro rata share thereof for Unconsolidated Affiliates).

Interest Period ”: as to any Eurodollar Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Loan and ending on the date one (1), two (2), three (3) or six (6) months thereafter (in each case, subject to availability), as selected by the Borrower in its Committed Loan Notice given with respect thereto, or, if agreed to by all Lenders of the Class participating therein and the Administrative Agent, such other period that is twelve (12) month or less; provided that:

 

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(i) if any Interest Period would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless the result of such extension would be to carry such Interest Period into another calendar month in which event such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day;

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

(iii) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date of the Facility under which such Loan was made.

Investment ”: (a) any purchase or other acquisition for value by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of, or of a beneficial interest in, any of the Capital Stock of any other Person; (b) any purchase or other acquisition for value by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from any Person of all or a substantial portion of the business, property or fixed assets of such Person or any division or line of business or other business unit of such Person; (c) any loan, advance or capital contributions by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to, or Guarantee Obligations with respect to any obligations of, any other Person, including all indebtedness and accounts receivable from that other Person that are not current assets or did not arise from sales to that other Person in the ordinary course of business; and (d) all investments consisting of any exchange traded or over-the-counter derivative transaction, including any Swap Agreement, whether entered into for hedging or speculative purposes or otherwise. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.

ISP ”: with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

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

Joinder Agreement ”: as defined in Section  2.14(b) .

Joint Venture ”: a joint venture, partnership or other similar arrangement, whether in corporate, partnership or other legal form; provided that in no event shall any corporate Subsidiary of any Person be considered to be a Joint Venture to which such Person is a party.

L/C Availability Period ”: the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the L/C Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Total Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to Section  4.2 , and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Revolving Credit Lender to make Revolving Credit Loans and of the obligation of the Letter of Credit Issuers to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section  10.l .

 

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L/C Borrowing ”: an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the applicable Reimbursement Date or refinanced as a Borrowing.

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

L/C Draw Notice ”: as defined in Section  3.4(a) .

L/C Maturity Date ”: the date that is five Business Days prior to the Revolving Loan Maturity Date; provided that the L/C Maturity Date may be extended beyond such date as provided in Section  3.1(b) .

L/C Obligations ”: on any date of determination, the sum of (i) the aggregate Stated Amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit and (ii) the aggregate amount of all Unpaid Drawings, including all L/C Borrowings. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the International Standby Practices (ISP98), such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

L/C Participant ”: as defined in Section  3.3(a) .

L/C Participation ”: as defined in Section  3.3(a) .

Lead Arrangers ”: the collective reference to MLPFS, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., RBC Capital Markets and Coöoperatieve Rabobank U.A., New York Branch, each in their capacity as a joint lead arranger for the credit facilities under this Agreement.

Leased Rate ”: at any time, with respect to any Real Property, the ratio, expressed as a percentage, of (a) the rentable operating square footage of such Real Property actually leased by tenants that are not any Group Member or Affiliates of any Group Member and paying rent at rates not materially less than rates generally prevailing at the time the applicable lease was entered into, pursuant to binding leases as to which no default or event of default has occurred and is continuing to (b) the aggregate rentable operating square footage of such Real Property.

Lender ”: each Person that, at any time, holds a Loan or a Commitment hereunder and, unless the context requires otherwise, includes the Swing Line Lender.

Lending Office ”: as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, which office may include any Affiliate of such Lender or any domestic or foreign branch of such Lender or such Affiliate. Unless the context otherwise requires each reference to a Lender shall include its applicable Lending Office.

Letter of Credit ”: each standby letter of credit issued pursuant to Article III and shall include the Existing Letters of Credit.

 

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Letter of Credit Application ”: an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer.

Letter of Credit Subfacility ”: means, at any time, an amount equal to the lesser of (a) the aggregate amount of the Letter of Credit Issuers’ Letter of Credit Sublimits at such time, as the same may be reduced from time to time pursuant to Article III , and (b) the Total Revolving Credit Commitment at such time. The Letter of Credit Subfacility is part of, and not in addition to, the Total Revolving Credit Commitments. On the Closing Date, the Letter of Credit Subfacility is $80,000,000.

Letter of Credit Sublimit ”: means, as to each Letter of Credit Issuer, its agreement as set forth in Article III to issue, amend and extend Letters of Credit in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 1.1A under the caption “Letter of Credit Sublimit” or in the Assignment and Assumption or Joinder Agreement or other documentation, which other documentation shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, pursuant to which such Lender becomes a Letter of Credit Issuer hereunder, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.

Letter of Credit Exposure ”: with respect to any Lender, at any time, the sum of (a) the amount of any Unpaid Drawings in respect of which such Lender has made (or is required to have made) payments to the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer pursuant to Section  3.3 at such time and (b) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the L/C Obligations at such time (excluding the portion thereof consisting of Unpaid Drawings in respect of which the Lenders have made (or are required to have made) payments to the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer pursuant to Section  3.3 ).

Letter of Credit Fee ”: as defined in Section  4.1(b) .

Letter of Credit Issuer ”: each of (a) JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Bank of America, (b) any other Lender designated as a Letter of Credit Issuer by the Borrower with the written consent of the Administrative Agent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and such Lender, and (c) any replacement, additional issuer or successor appointed pursuant to Section  3.6 ; provided that for so long as any Existing Letter of Credit remains outstanding hereunder, the issuer of such Existing Letter of Credit shall continue to be the Letter of Credit Issuer with respect to such Existing Letter of Credit. References herein and in the other Loan Documents to the “Letter of Credit Issuer” shall be deemed to refer to the Letter of Credit Issuer in respect of the applicable Letter of Credit or to all Letter of Credit Issuers, as the context requires.

LIBOR ”: as defined in the definition of Eurodollar Rate.

LIBOR Successor Rate ”: as defined in Section  2.9 .

Lien ”: any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge or other security interest or any preference, priority or other security agreement or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement and any capital lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing); provided that in no event shall an operating lease be deemed to be a Lien.

 

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Loan ”: any loan made by any Lender pursuant to this Agreement.

Loan Document Obligations ”: the unpaid principal of and interest on (including interest accruing after the maturity of the Loans and interest accruing after the filing of any petition under any Debtor Relief Laws, or the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, relating to any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof, whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding) the Loans, each payment required to be made by the Borrower under this Agreement in respect of any Letter of Credit and all other obligations and liabilities of any Loan Party, whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, or now existing or hereafter incurred, which may arise under, out of, or in connection with, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other document made, delivered or given in connection herewith or therewith, whether on account of principal, interest, reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities, costs, expenses (including all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Bookrunner, the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender that are required to be paid by any Loan Party pursuant hereto) or otherwise (including monetary obligations incurred during the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding).

Loan Documents ”: the collective reference to this Agreement, the Collateral Documents, the Notes, each Issuer Document, any agreement creating or perfecting rights in Cash Collateral pursuant to the provisions of Section  2.16 , the Fee Letter, the Guaranty, any Joinder Agreement and any agreement designating a Lender as a Letter of Credit Issuer, and any amendment, waiver, supplement or other modification to any of the foregoing.

Loan Parties ”: the collective reference to the Borrower, the Company and the Guarantors.

Maintenance Capital Expenditures ”: for any Reference Period, all capital expenditures actually made by the Company, the Borrower and their consolidated Subsidiaries (and the pro rata share of capital expenditures made by Unconsolidated Affiliates) during such period for the maintenance of Capital Assets of such Person, excluding capital expenditures for modernization.

Majority in Interest ”: when used in reference to Lenders holding Loans or Commitments of any Class, at any time, (a) in the case of the Revolving Credit Lenders, Lenders (other than Defaulting Lenders) having Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Revolving Credit Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure and the unused aggregate Revolving Credit Commitment at such time and (b) in the case of the Term Lenders of any Class, Lenders (other than Defaulting Lenders) holding outstanding Term Loans of such Class representing more than 50% of the aggregate principal amount of all Term Loans of such Class outstanding at such time.

Master Agreement ”: any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement, together with any related schedules.

 

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Material Adverse Effect ”: a material adverse effect on (a) the business, financial condition or results of operations of the Company, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Loan Parties (taken as a whole) to perform their obligations under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or (c) the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers or the Lenders hereunder or under the other Loan Documents.

Material Contract ”: (a) any Contractual Obligation or instrument evidencing Indebtedness in excess of $3,000,000; (b) any material employment agreement between any Group Member and an executive officer of the Borrower, collective bargaining agreements or other material agreements with any labor organization or union; (c) any Contractual Obligation for the sale or other transfer of any Group Member’s owned Real Property where temperature controlled warehouse facilities are located or other tangible assets having a fair market value in excess of $3,000,000 that has not yet been consummated; (d) any Contractual Obligation relating to the material Intellectual Property owned or used by the Group Members in connection with their business other than licenses of software used by any Group Member in the ordinary course of business; (e) any Contractual Obligation with a customer of any Group Member for temperature-controlled warehouse storage and/or related services and handling involving or reasonably expected to involve payments in excess of $3,000,000 during any fiscal year; (f) any transportation services Contractual Obligation with a customer of any Group Member involving payments or reasonably expected to involve payments in excess of $3,000,000 during any fiscal year; (g) any Contractual Obligation that creates a Joint Venture other than the governing or organizational documents of any Group Member; (h) any material Contractual Obligation relating to a CMBS Financing; and (i) any other Contractual Obligation not otherwise covered by clauses (a) through (h) above involving or reasonably expected to involve payments by or to any Group Member in excess of $3,000,000 in the aggregate during any fiscal year, in each case that is not cancelable by either party thereto on 30 days or less notice without costs or penalty.

Material Disposition ”: any Disposition or series of related Dispositions with respect to any Qualified Asset that yields gross proceeds to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in excess of $3,000,000 or that causes such Qualified Asset to cease to meet any of the Eligibility Criteria with respect to such Qualified Asset.

Materials of Environmental Concern ”: any substances, materials or wastes defined in or regulated under any Environmental Law, including any gasoline or petroleum (including crude oil or any fraction thereof) or petroleum products, asbestos, anhydrous ammonia, ozone-depleting substances, polychlorinated biphenyls and urea-formaldehyde insulation.

Maturity Date ”: the applicable Term Loan Maturity Date or Revolving Loan Maturity Date.

Maximum Rate ”: as defined in Section  12.14 .

Minimum Borrowing Amount ”: with respect to a Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans, $1,000,000 (or, if less, the entire remaining applicable Commitments at the time of such Borrowing) and (ii) with respect to a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans $1,000,000 (or, if less, the entire remaining applicable Commitments at the time of such Borrowing).

 

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Minimum Collateral Amount ”: at any time, (a) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of Cash or Cash Equivalents or deposit account balances provided to reduce or eliminate Fronting Exposure during the existence of a Defaulting Lender, an amount equal to 100% of the Fronting Exposure of each Letter of Credit Issuer with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it and outstanding at such time and (b) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of Cash or Cash Equivalents or deposit account balances provided in accordance with the provisions of Section  3.8(a)(i) or (a)(ii) , an amount equal to 102% of the outstanding amount of all L/C Obligations.

Minimum Property Condition ”: as defined in Section  8.18 .

MLPFS ”: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (or any other registered broker-dealer wholly-owned by Bank of America Corporation to which all or substantially all of Bank of America Corporation’s or any of its subsidiaries’ investment banking, commercial lending services or related businesses may be transferred following the date of this Agreement).

Moody s ”: Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., and any successor to its rating agency business.

Multiemployer Plan ”: a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA which is or was contributed to by (or to which there is or was an obligation to contribute to or any other obligation or liability with respect to) any Group Member or any ERISA Affiliate.

Negative Pledge ”: a provision of any document, instrument or agreement (including any governing or organizational document), other than this Agreement or any other Loan Document, that prohibits, restricts or limits, or purports to prohibit, restrict or limit, the creation or assumption of any Lien on any assets of a Person as security for the Indebtedness of such Person or any other Person; provided , however , that (x) an agreement that conditions a Person’s ability to encumber its assets upon the maintenance of one or more specified ratios that limit such Person’s ability to encumber its assets but that do not generally prohibit the encumbrance of its assets, or the encumbrance of specific assets, shall not constitute a Negative Pledge and (y) customary contractual restrictions in a lease relating to the granting of a Lien on the applicable leasehold interest or leased property shall not constitute a Negative Pledge.

Non-Bank Tax Certificate ”: as defined in Section  5.4(e)(ii)(B)(3) .

Non-Consenting Lender ”: as defined in Section  2.15(b) .

Non-Defaulting Lender ”: each Lender other than a Defaulting Lender.

Non-Extension Notice Date ”: as defined in Section  3.2(d) .

Non-Qualified Asset Subsidiaries ”: Subsidiaries of the Borrower that are not Qualified Asset Guarantors.

Non-Recourse Indebtedness ”: with respect to any Person, (a) Indebtedness, or a Guarantee Obligation of Indebtedness, in respect of which recourse for payment (except to the extent of any Customary Non-Recourse Carve-Outs) is contractually limited to specific assets of such Person encumbered by a Lien securing such Indebtedness or Guarantee Obligation, (b) if

 

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such Person is a Single Asset Entity, any Indebtedness of such Person (other than Indebtedness described in the immediately following clause (c)), or (c) if such Person is a Single Asset Holding Company, any Indebtedness (“ Holdco Indebtedness ”) of such Single Asset Holding Company resulting from a Guarantee Obligation of, or Lien securing, Indebtedness of a Single Asset Entity that is a subsidiary of such Single Asset Holding Company, so long as, in each case, either (i) recourse for payment of such Holdco Indebtedness (except for Customary Non-Recourse Carve-Outs) is contractually limited to the Capital Stock held by such Single Asset Holding Company in such Single Asset Entity or (ii) such Single Asset Holding Company has no assets other than Capital Stock in such Single Asset Entity and cash and other assets of nominal value incidental to the ownership of the such Single Asset Entity.

Notes ”: the collective reference to any promissory note evidencing Loans.

Normalized Adjusted FFO ”: “funds from operations” as defined in accordance with the standards established by the Board of Governors of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts as in effect from time to time; provided that Normalized Adjusted FFO shall (i) be based on net income after payment of distributions to holders of preferred partnership units in the Borrower and distributions necessary to pay holders of preferred stock of the Company, and (ii) at all times exclude, without duplication, (a) impairment charges, restructuring charges, acquisition related costs and stock based compensation expense and (b) gains or losses from sales of previously depreciated non-real estate assets, non-real estate depreciation, depletion and amortization, amortization of deferred financing costs, amortization of debt discount, amortization of above or below market leases, adjustments for straight line rents, non-cash or extraordinary gains or losses from foreign exchange, non-cash or extraordinary gains or losses from derivative instruments, and other extraordinary or non-recurring charges.

Obligations ”: the collective reference to (a) the Loan Document Obligations, (b) the Secured Swap Obligations and (c) the Secured Cash Management Obligations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) unless otherwise agreed to by the Borrower and any Cash Management Bank or Qualified Counterparty, as applicable, the obligations of any Loan Party under any Specified Cash Management Agreement or Specified Swap Agreement shall be secured and guaranteed pursuant to the Collateral Documents only to the extent that, and for so long as, the other Obligations are so secured and guaranteed, and (ii) any release of Collateral or Guarantors effected in the manner permitted by this Agreement and any other Loan Document shall not require the consent (solely in their capacity as such) of the holders of Secured Cash Management Obligations or Secured Swap Obligations under Specified Swap Agreements.

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

Off-Balance Sheet Obligations ”: liabilities and obligations of the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company or any other Person in respect of “off-balance sheet arrangements” (as defined in the SEC Off-Balance Sheet Rules) which the Company would be required to disclose in the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section of a report on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K (or their equivalents) (but, for the avoidance of doubt, excluding operating leases and ordinary course contracts for the purchase of power). As used in this definition, the term “SEC Off-Balance Sheet Rules” means the Disclosure in Management’s Discussion and Analysis About Off Balance Sheet Arrangements, Securities Act Release No. 33-8182, 68 Fed. Reg. 5982 (Feb. 5, 2003) (codified at 17 CFR Parts 228, 229 and 249).

 

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

Other Guarantors ”: each Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower, whether existing on the Closing Date or formed or acquired thereafter, that guarantees the Obligations pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, other than the Qualified Asset Guarantors.

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

Overnight Rate ”: for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Rate and (b) an overnight rate determined by the Administrative Agent, the Swing Line Lender or a Letter of Credit Issuer, as the case may be, in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

Participant ”: as defined in Section  12.6(c) .

Participant Register ”: as defined in Section  12.6(c) .

Patriot Act ”: the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56, Oct. 26, 2001).

Payment in Full ”: all Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees, expenses and other amounts payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document have been paid in full (other than (a) Secured Cash Management Obligations as to which arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Cash Management Bank have been made, (b) Secured Swap Obligations as to which arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Qualified Counterparty have been made and (c) any contingent obligations or contingent indemnification obligations not then due or asserted) and all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit as to which other arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer have been made) have expired or been terminated or Cash Collateralized in an amount reasonably acceptable to each applicable Letter of Credit Issuer and all Unpaid Drawings have been reimbursed.

PBGC ”: the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation established pursuant to Subtitle A of Title IV of ERISA (or any successor).

 

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Pension Plan ”: any 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 any Group Member 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.

Perfection Certificate ”: a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C .

Permitted Acquisition ”: any acquisition, whether by purchase, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or otherwise, of (x) all or substantially all of the assets of any Person, or a business line or unit or a division of any Person, or any parcel of Real Property and improvements thereto, (y) the Capital Stock of any Person such that such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided that:

(a) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom;

(b) before and after giving effect thereto, the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance on a Pro Forma Basis with the Financial Covenants;

(c) after giving effect thereto, the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance on a Pro Forma Basis with Section  8.3 ;

(d) to the extent any such acquired property or asset (including any asset or property owned by an acquired Person) is to be designated a Qualified Asset and reflected in the Borrowing Base, any such asset or property shall be subject to the satisfaction of all Eligibility Criteria applicable to the relevant category of Qualified Assets, including, for the avoidance of doubt, that such property or asset shall be owned, operated or leased by a Qualified Asset Guarantor (or the Person that owns, operates or leases such property or asset shall become a Qualified Asset Guarantor and all of such Person’s Capital Stock shall be pledged as Collateral under the Loan Documents) and the other conditions set forth in Section  8.17 ; and

(e) except to the extent such acquired Person would be an Excluded Subsidiary, any such acquired Person, the assets or property of which are not designated as Qualified Assets or reflected in the Borrowing Base, shall become an Other Guarantor and all such Person’s Capital Stock shall be pledged as Collateral under the Loan Documents.

Permitted Encumbrances ”:

(a) Liens imposed by law for Taxes or other related governmental charges or claims that are not yet due or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; provided that adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Group Member in conformity with GAAP;

(b) Liens imposed by law, such as landlord’s, carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s, construction contractors’ and other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue for a period of more than 30 days or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings;

 

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(c) Liens arising from judgments or decrees for the payment of money in circumstances that do not constitute an Event of Default under Section  10.1(j) ;

(d) easements, restrictions, rights-of-way, use restrictions, rights of first refusal and similar encumbrances 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 applicable Group Member;

(e) Liens arising from precautionary UCC financing statement or similar filings made in respect of operating leases entered into by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries;

(f) any zoning or similar law or right reserved to, or vested in, any Governmental Authority to control or regulate the use of any real property that do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary course of conduct of the business of the applicable Group Member;

(g) Liens affecting title on Real Property that have been fully paid off and satisfied and which remain of record through no fault of the Person that owns such Real Property and that, in any event do not have a material and adverse effect with respect to the use, operations or marketability of the affected Real Property or with respect to the ownership of the affected Real Property, and do not interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the applicable Group Member;

(h) Liens securing Indebtedness consisting of Capital Lease Obligations of the Borrower or any Qualified Asset Guarantor in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $20,000,000 at any time outstanding;

(i) Liens securing Indebtedness consisting of Capital Lease Obligations of any Qualified Asset Guarantor in respect of any Eligible Capital Leased Assets;

(j) rights of lessors under Eligible Ground Leased Assets; and

(k) Liens on assets included in the Eligible Managed Segment that are contractual rights of set-off relating to purchase orders and other agreements entered into with customers of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business.

Permitted Equity Encumbrances ”:

(a) Liens and Negative Pledges pursuant to any Loan Document;

(b) Liens imposed by law for Taxes or other related governmental charges or claims that are not yet due or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; provided that adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Group Member in conformity with GAAP; and

(c) Liens arising from judgments or decrees for the payment of money in circumstances that do not constitute an Event of Default under Section  10.1(j) .

 

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Permitted Holders ”: collectively, Ronald W. Burkle, any entities controlled (directly or indirectly) by Ronald W. Burkle, The Yucaipa Companies LLC, Fortress Investment Group LLC, any investment funds managed by any of the foregoing Persons or any Affiliates of the foregoing Persons in which greater than 50% of the total voting power normally entitled to vote in the election of directors, managers, trustees, or similar positions, as applicable, is beneficially owned by, directly or indirectly, on a collective basis, the foregoing Persons.

Person ”: an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, business trust, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture, Governmental Authority or other entity of whatever nature.

Plan ”: 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 Group Member 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.

Platform ”: as defined in Section  8.2 .

Portfolio Premium ”: in respect of any Acceptable Portfolio Appraisal, the ratio of (a) the “as is” market value for all Eligible Owned Assets and Eligible Ground Leased Assets at the time of such Acceptable Portfolio Appraisal taken as a whole, including the portfolio premium for such assets as compared to the sum of the individual “as is” values of such assets, to (b) the sum of the “as is” market values for each Eligible Owned Asset and Eligible Ground Leased Asset at the time of such Acceptable Portfolio Appraisal as reflected in such Acceptable Portfolio Appraisal.

Private Lenders ”: Lenders that wish to receive Private-Side Information.

Private-Side Information ”: any information with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries that is not Public-Side Information.

Pro Forma Balance Sheet ”: as defined in Section  6.1 .

Pro Forma Balance Sheet Date ”: as defined in Section  6.1 .

Pro Forma Basis ”: with respect to the calculation of the Financial Covenants or otherwise for purposes of determining the Total Leverage Ratio, EBITDA or Interest Expense as of any date, that such calculation shall give pro forma effect to all Permitted Acquisitions, all issuances, incurrences or assumptions of Indebtedness (with any such Indebtedness being deemed to be amortized over the applicable testing period in accordance with its terms) and all sales, transfers or other Dispositions of any material assets outside the ordinary course of business (and any related prepayments or repayments of Indebtedness) that have occurred during (or, if such calculation is being made for the purpose of determining whether any proposed acquisition will constitute a Permitted Acquisition, since the beginning of) the then-applicable Reference Period as if they occurred on the first day of such Reference Period (including any reasonably identifiable and factually supportable cost savings (including synergies, operating expense reductions and other operating improvements) certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as having been determined in good faith to be reasonably anticipated to be realizable within 12 months following

 

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any Permitted Acquisition, any Disposition of any material assets outside the ordinary course of business, any operational change or any operational initiative (including, to the extent applicable, arising from the Transactions), net of the amount of any actual benefits realized during such Reference Period; provided that (x) the aggregate amount of any increase in EBITDA in respect of such cost savings made in reliance on this definition for any Reference Period shall not exceed 10% of EBITDA for such Reference Period (calculated prior giving effect to such increase) and (y) if any cost savings included in any pro forma calculations based on the expectation that such cost savings will be realized within 12 months following such transaction shall at any time cease to be reasonably expected to be so realized within such period, then on and after such time pro forma calculations required to be made hereunder shall not reflect such cost savings. If any Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest and is being given pro forma effect, the interest on such Indebtedness shall be calculated as if the rate in effect on the date of determination had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any Swap Agreement applicable to such Indebtedness if such Swap Agreement has a remaining term in excess of 12 months).

Pro Forma Closing Date Compliance Certificate ”: has the meaning specified in Section  7.1(o) .

Prohibited Transaction ”: a non-exempt prohibited transaction as defined in Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975(c) of the Code.

Properties ”: as defined in Section  6.15(a) .

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

Public Lenders ”: Lenders that do not wish to receive Private-Side Information.

Public-Side Information ”: information that is either (a) available to all holders of Traded Securities of the Company, the Borrower and their respective Subsidiaries or (b) not material non-public information (for purposes of United States federal, state or other applicable securities laws).

Qualified Asset ”: any Eligible Owned Asset, Eligible Ground Leased Asset, Eligible Capital Leased Asset, Eligible Operating Leased Asset or Eligible Managed Segment, in each case which shall be initially listed as of the Closing Date on Schedule  1.1B , plus any property or asset which subsequently becomes a Qualified Asset in accordance with Section  8.17 , but excluding (i) any Qualified Asset which is removed by the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section  8.16 or (ii) any Qualified Asset which is released in accordance with Section  8.15 .

Qualified Asset Guarantors ”: each Wholly-Owned Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower, whether existing on the Closing Date or formed or acquired thereafter, that guarantees the Obligations pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and that owns, leases or operates a Qualified Asset. To the extent that all of the Qualified Assets owned, leased or operated by any such Wholly-Owned Domestic Subsidiary are removed or released from the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section  8.15 or Section  8.16 of this Agreement, such Subsidiary shall no longer be deemed to be a Qualified Asset Guarantor for the purposes of this Agreement.

 

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Qualified Counterparty ”: with respect to any Swap Agreement entered into by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, any counterparty thereto that (a) is the Administrative Agent, the Bookrunner, a Lead Arranger or any Affiliate of the foregoing, (b) at the time it entered into such Swap Agreement with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, was the Administrative Agent, the Bookrunner, a Lead Arranger or an Affiliate of the foregoing, (c) with respect to any such Swap Agreement entered into on or prior to the Closing Date, is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender on the Closing Date and (d) with respect to any such Swap Agreement entered into after the Closing Date, is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time such Swap Agreement is entered into; provided that in the case of a Specified Swap Agreement with a Person that is no longer a Lender (or an Affiliate of a Lender), such Person shall be considered a Qualified Counterparty only through the stated termination date (without extension or renewal) of such Specified Swap Agreement.

Qualified ECP Guarantor ”: in respect of any Secured Swap Obligation, each Loan Party that has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 at the time the relevant Guarantee Obligation or grant of the relevant security interest becomes or would become effective with respect to such Secured Swap Obligation and each other Loan Party that constitutes an “ eligible contract participant ” under the Commodity Exchange Act and can cause another person to qualify as an “ eligible contract participant ” at such time by guaranteeing or entering into a keepwell in respect of obligations of such other person under Section la(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Qualified JV Debt ”: Indebtedness of an Unconsolidated Affiliate that is secured by cash collateral provided by the holders of Capital Stock in such Unconsolidated Affiliate.

Real Property ”: collectively, all right, title and interest (including any leasehold estate) in and to any and all parcels of or interests in real property owned in fee or leased by any Group Member, together with, in each case, all easements, hereditaments and appurtenances relating thereto, all improvements and appurtenant fixtures incidental to the ownership or lease thereof.

Recipient ”: (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Letter of Credit Issuer, (c) any Lender and (d) any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder, as applicable.

Recourse Indebtedness ”: with respect to any Person, Indebtedness of such Person other than Non-Recourse Indebtedness of such Person and Indebtedness under the Loan Documents.

Reference Period ”: in effect at any time, the most recent period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower ended on or prior to such time (taken as one accounting period) in respect of which financial statements for each quarter or fiscal year in such period have been or are required to be delivered pursuant to Section  8.1(a) or (b) , as applicable.

Register ”: as defined in Section  12.6(b) .

Regulation U ”: Regulation U of the Board as in effect from time to time.

Reimbursement Date ”: as defined in Section  3.4(a) .

 

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Reimbursement Obligations ”: the Borrower’s obligations to reimburse Unpaid Drawings pursuant to Section  3.4(a) .

REIT ”: as defined in Section  6.9 .

REIT IPO ”: as defined in Section  7.1(n) .

Related Parties ”: with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, managers, advisors, representatives and controlling persons of such Person.

Release ”: any release, spill, emission, leaking, dumping, injection, pouring, deposit, disposal, discharge, dispersal, leaching or migration into or through the indoor or outdoor environment.

Release Conditions ”: as defined in Section  8.15 .

Release Request ”: as defined in Section  8.15 .

Reportable Event ”: any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than those events as to which the thirty (30) day notice period is waived under applicable regulations, with respect to a Pension Plan.

Required Lenders ”: at any time, the Lenders that are not Defaulting Lenders having or holding more than 50% of the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure, unused Commitments and outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans of Lenders that are not Defaulting Lenders at such time; provided , that the amount of any participation in any Swing Line Loan and unreimbursed amounts owed to any Letter of Credit Issuer that any Defaulting Lender has failed to fund that have not been reallocated and funded by another Lender shall be deemed to be held by the Swing Line Lender (in the case of a Swing Line Loan) or the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer (in the case of unreimbursed amounts owed to such Letter of Credit Issuer) in making such determination.

Required Revolving Credit Lenders ”: at any time, Lenders that are not Defaulting Lenders having or holding more than 50% of the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure and unused Revolving Credit Commitments of Lenders that are not Defaulting Lenders at such time; provided , that the amount of any participation in any Swing Line Loan and unreimbursed amounts owed to any Letter of Credit Issuer that any Defaulting Lender has failed to fund that have not been reallocated and funded by another Lender shall be deemed to be held by the Swing Line Lender (in the case of a Swing Line Loan) or the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer (in the case of unreimbursed amounts owed to such Letter of Credit Issuer) in making such determination.

Required Term Loan Lenders ”: at any time, Lenders that are not Defaulting Lenders having or holding more than 50% of the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans of Lenders that are not Defaulting Lenders outstanding at such time.

Requirement of Law ”: as to any Person, the certificate of incorporation and by-laws 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.

 

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Resignation Effective Date ”: as defined in Section  11.19 .

Responsible Officer ”: (i) the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the General Counsel, any Senior Vice President, with respect to certain limited liability companies or partnerships that do not have officers, any manager, managing member or general partner thereof, any other senior officer of the Company, the Borrower or any other Loan Party designated as such in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Company, the Borrower or any other Loan Party, as applicable, but in any event, with respect to financial matters, a Financial Officer of the applicable Loan Party, (ii) solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates pursuant to Section  7.1 , the secretary or any assistant secretary of a Loan Party and (iii) solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II and Article III , any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent or any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the applicable Loan Party and the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

Restricted Payments ”: as defined in Section  9.5 .

Revolving Credit Commitment ”: as to each Revolving Credit Lender, its obligation to (a) make Revolving Credit Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section  2.1(b) , (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (c) purchase participations in Swing Line Loans, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 1.1A under the caption “Revolving Credit Commitment” or in the Assignment and Assumption or Joinder Agreement pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.

Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage ”: with respect to any Lender at any time, a fraction (expressed as a percentage, carried out to the ninth decimal place) the numerator of which is such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment at such time and the denominator of which is the amount of the Total Revolving Credit Commitment at such time, subject to adjustment as provided in Section  2.16 ; provided that if the commitment of each Revolving Credit Lender to make Revolving Credit Loans and the obligation of each Letter of Credit Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section  10.1 or if the Total Revolving Credit Commitments have expired, then the Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments. The initial Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 1.1A or in the Assignment and Assumption or Joinder Agreement pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.

 

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Revolving Credit Exposure ”: with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Credit Loans of such Lender then outstanding and (b) such Lender’s Letter of Credit Exposure at such time and (c) such Lender’s participation in Swing Line Loans at such time.

Revolving Credit Extension Request ”: as defined in Section  2.14(h)(ii) .

Revolving Credit Lender ”: at any time, any Lender that has a Revolving Credit Commitment at such time.

Revolving Credit Loan ”: as defined in Section  2.1(b) .

Revolving Credit Termination Date ”: the date on which the Revolving Credit Commitments shall have terminated, no Revolving Credit Loans shall be outstanding and the L/C Obligations shall have been reduced to zero or Cash Collateralized.

Revolving Loan Extension Notice ”: as defined in Section  2.17(a) .

Revolving Loan Maturity Date ”: initially, January 23, 2021 (such date, the “ Initial Revolving Loan Maturity Date ”), or, upon extension of the Initial Revolving Loan Maturity Date in accordance with Section  2.17 , January 23, 2022.

S&P ”: S&P Global Ratings, a division of S&P Global Inc., and any successor to its rating agency business.

Sanctioned Country ”: at any time, a country, region or territory which is, or the government of which is, the subject or target of any Sanctions.

Sanctioned Person ”: at any time, (a) any Person that is the subject of Sanctions or listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by OFAC or the U.S. Department of State, the European Union, the United Nations or Her Majesty’s Treasury, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country, (c) is publicly identified as prohibited from doing business with the United States under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Trading With the Enemy Act, or any other Requirement of Law or (d) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons.

Sanctions ”: economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by the U.S. government, including those administered by OFAC or the U.S. Department of State, the European Union, the United Nations, Her Majesty’s Treasury and sanctions under other similar Requirements of Law of other jurisdictions in which a Person conducts its business.

SEC ”: the Securities and Exchange Commission, any successor thereto and any analogous Governmental Authority.

Secured Cash Management Obligations ”: all obligations of any Loan Party (whether absolute or contingent and whenever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor)), as applicable, under any Specified Cash Management Agreement.

 

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Secured Parties ”: collectively, the Bookrunner, the Lead Arrangers, the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers, the Lenders, the Qualified Counterparties that are party to Specified Swap Agreements, the Cash Management Banks that are party to Specified Cash Management Agreements, and the successors and permitted assigns of each of the foregoing.

Secured Indebtedness ”: with respect to any Person, all Indebtedness of such Person that is secured by a Lien.

Secured Recourse Indebtedness ”: with respect to any Person, all Recourse Indebtedness of such Person that constitutes Secured Indebtedness.

Secured Swap Obligations ”: all obligations of any Loan Party (whether absolute or contingent and whenever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor)), as applicable, under any Specified Swap Agreement; provided that, in the case of any Excluded Swap Guarantor, “Secured Swap Obligations” shall not include any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Excluded Swap Guarantor.

Securities ”: any stock, shares, partnership interests, voting trust certificates, certificates of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement or arrangement, options, warrants, bonds, debentures, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness, secured or unsecured, convertible, subordinated or otherwise, or in general any instruments commonly known as “securities” or any certificates of interest, shares or participations in temporary or interim certificates for the purchase or acquisition of, or any right to subscribe to, purchase or acquire, any of the foregoing.

Shareholders’ Equity ”: as of any date of determination, consolidated shareholders’ equity of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of that date determined in accordance with GAAP.

Single Asset Entity ”: a Person (other than an individual) that (a) only owns a single real property and/or cash and other assets of nominal value incidental to such Person’s ownership of such real property; (b) is engaged only in the business of owning, developing and/or leasing such real property and activities incidental thereto; and (c) receives substantially all of its gross revenues from such real property. In addition, if the assets of a Person consist solely of (i) Capital Stock in one or more other Single Asset Entities and (ii) cash and other assets of nominal value incidental to such Person’s ownership of the other Single Asset Entities, such Person shall also be deemed to be a Single Asset Entity for purposes of this Agreement (such an entity, a “ Single Asset Holding Company ”).

Single Asset Holding Company ”: as defined in the definition of Single Asset Entity.

Solvent ”: with respect to any Person, as of any date of determination, (a) the amount of the “present fair saleable value” (determined on a going concern basis) of the assets of such Person will, as of such date, exceed the amount of all “liabilities of such Person, 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

 

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(determined on a going concern basis) of the assets of such Person will, as of such date, be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the liability of such Person on its debts as such debts become absolute and matured in the ordinary course, (c) such Person will not have, as of such date, an unreasonably small amount of capital with which to conduct its business as contemplated on the date hereof, and (d) such Person will be able to pay its debts as they mature in the ordinary course.

Specified Cash Management Agreement ”: any Cash Management Agreement that is entered into by and between the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and any Cash Management Bank, which is specified in a Designation Notice delivered to the Administrative Agent by such Cash Management Bank and acknowledged in writing by the Borrower, as constituting a Specified Cash Management Agreement hereunder.

Specified Swap Agreement ”: any Swap Agreement that is entered into by and between the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and any Qualified Counterparty, which is specified in a Designation Notice delivered to the Administrative Agent by such Qualified Counterparty and acknowledged in writing by the Borrower, as constituting a Specified Swap Agreement hereunder. For purposes of the preceding sentence, one Designation Notice designating all Swap Agreements entered into pursuant to a specified Master Agreement as “Specified Swap Agreements” may be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

Stabilized Property ”: has the meaning specified in the definition of “Development Property”.

Stated Amount ”: with respect to any Letter of Credit, the maximum amount from time to time available to be drawn thereunder, determined without regard to whether any conditions to drawing could then be met; provided , however , that with respect to any Letter of Credit that by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the Stated Amount shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

Subsidiary ”: as to any Person, a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which shares of stock or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other managers of such corporation, partnership or other entity are at the time owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise qualified, all references to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” in this Agreement shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

Summary Information Memorandum ”: the Summary Information Memorandum dated October 19, 2017, relating to the Transactions.

Swap Agreement ”: any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of any Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries shall be a “Swap Agreement”.

 

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Swap Termination Value ”: in respect of any one or more Swap Agreements, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Agreements, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Agreements have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a)  above, the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Agreements, as determined in accordance with the terms thereof and in accordance with customary methods for calculating mark-to-market values under similar agreements between the parties to such Swap Agreements (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

Swing Line Borrowing ”: a borrowing of a Swing Line Loan pursuant to Section  2.3 .

Swing Line Lender ”: Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans, or any successor swing line lender hereunder.

Swing Line Loan ”: as defined in Section  2.3(a) .

Swing Line Loan Notice ”: a notice of a Swing Line Borrowing pursuant to Section  2.2(b) , which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit G-2 or such other form as reasonably approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

Swing Line Participation ”: as defined in Section  2.3(a) .

Swing Line Sublimit ”: an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $25,000,000 and (b) the Total Revolving Credit Commitments. The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Total Revolving Credit Commitments.

Syndication Agents ”: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Royal Bank of Canada and Coöoperatieve Rabobank U.A., New York Branch, each in its capacity as a syndication agent under this Agreement.

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

Term Commitment ”: as to each Term Lender, its obligation to make Term Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section  2.1(a) in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Term Lender’s name on Schedule  1.1A under the caption “Term Commitment”.

Term Lender ”: a Lender with a Term Commitment or an outstanding Term Loan.

 

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Term Loan ”: an advance made by any Term Lender under the Term Loan Facility, including an advance made in connection with any Incremental Term Loan Increase, in each case made pursuant to and in accordance with this Agreement.

Term Loan Facility ”: at any time, the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans of all Term Lenders outstanding at such time. The Term Loan Facility on the Closing Date is $525,000,000.

Term Loan Maturity Date ”: January 23, 2023.

Total Asset Value ”: at any time, without duplication, the sum of (a) with respect to Qualified Assets, the sum of the Eligible Values at such time of each such Qualified Asset, (b) with respect to Real Property (other than any Qualified Asset) that is owned or ground leased by the Borrower or any Subsidiary and used in a business permitted under Section  8.3 , the sum of the portion of EBITDA attributable to each such asset for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period of the Borrower for which financial statements have been received divided by the Capitalization Rate, (c) with respect to each operating asset (other than any Qualified Asset) owned by the Borrower or any Subsidiary and used in a business permitted under Section  8.3 , the sum of the portion of EBITDA attributable to each such asset for the most recently ended fiscal quarter period of the Borrower for which financial statements have been received multiplied by (x) with respect to any limestone quarry operating asset, 6.0, or (y) with respect to any other operating asset, 8.0; provided , however , that for the purposes of calculating Total Asset Value, with respect to (i) any operating asset or Real Property acquired after the Closing Date, such asset or Real Property shall be valued at the purchase price paid for such asset or Real Property for the first 12 months following the date of acquisition thereof (and thereafter, valued in accordance with clause (b)  or (c) above, as applicable) and (ii) any Development Property, until such Development Property becomes a Stabilized Property, such Development Property shall be valued at the lesser of (x) cost or (y) market value in accordance with GAAP (and once such Development Property becomes a Stabilized Property, valued in accordance with clause (b)  above) and (d) with respect to any business managed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary that does not constitute an Eligible Managed Segment and any business operated by the Borrower or any Subsidiary as part of such Person’s transportation business segment, in each case, to the extent such business is permitted under Section  8.3 , the sum of the portion of EBITDA attributable to each such business for the most recently ended fiscal quarter period of the Borrower for which financial statements have been received multiplied by 8.0.

Total Extensions of Credit ”: at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount of Loans outstanding at such time and (b) the aggregate amount of L/C Obligations at such time.

Total Indebtedness ”: without duplication, all Indebtedness of the Company, the Borrower and their consolidated Subsidiaries.

Total Leverage Ratio ”: as of the last day of any Reference Period, the ratio of (a) Total Indebtedness on such day to (b) Total Asset Value for such Reference Period.

Total Revolving Credit Commitment ”: the sum of the Revolving Credit Commitments of all the Lenders. On the Closing Date, the Total Revolving Credit Commitment is $400,000,000.

 

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Traded Securities ”: any debt or equity Securities issued pursuant to a public offering or Rule 144A offering or other similar private placement.

Transaction Costs ”: all fees, costs and expenses incurred by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in connection with the Transactions.

Transactions ”: the collective reference to (a) the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower and each Loan Party of the Loan Documents (including this Agreement), the borrowing of the Loans, the use of proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder, (b) the repayment in full of all obligations under the Existing Credit Agreement, the termination of all commitments to lend thereunder and the termination and release of all Guarantee Obligations and Liens in respect thereof and (c) the payment of the Transaction Costs.

Transferee ”: any Assignee or Participant.

Type ”: as to any Loan, its nature as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Loan.

UCP ”: with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, International Chamber of Commerce (“ ICC ”) Publication No. 600 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

Unconsolidated Affiliate ”: in respect of any Person, any other Person in whom such Person holds an investment in Capital Stock, which investment is accounted for in the financial statements of such Person on an equity basis of accounting and whose financial results would not be consolidated under GAAP with the financial results of such first Person on the consolidated financial statements of such first Person.

United States ”: the United States of America.

Unpaid Drawing ”: as defined in Section  3.4(a) .

Unused Fee ”: as defined in Section  4.1(a) .

Unused Fee Rate ”: with respect to any day, the per annum fee rate set forth opposite the Revolver Usage for such day in the following pricing grid:

 

    

Revolver Usage

  

Unused Fee Rate

    
   ³ 50%    0.30%   
   < 50%    0.40%   

For purposes hereof, “Revolver Usage” means, with respect to any day, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of (a) the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Lenders’ Revolving Credit Exposures on such day to (b) the Total Revolving Credit Commitments in effect on such day. For the avoidance of doubt, the aggregate outstanding amount of Swing Line Loans shall not be counted towards or considered usage of the Total Revolving Credit Commitment for purposes of determining “Revolver Usage.”

 

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U.S. Person ”: any Person that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

Wholly-Owned ”: with respect to a Subsidiary of a Person, a Subsidiary of such Person all of the outstanding Capital Stock of which (other than director’s qualifying shares and nominal holdings) are owned by such Person and/or by one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

Withdrawal Liability ”: any 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.

Withholding Agent ”: any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent and, in the case of any U.S. Federal withholding Tax, any other applicable withholding agent.

Write-Down and Conversion Powers ”: 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 1.2. Other Definitional Provisions . (a) Unless otherwise specified therein, all terms defined in this Agreement shall have the defined meanings when used in the other Loan Documents or any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto or thereto.

(b) As used herein and in the other Loan Documents, and any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto or thereto, (i) the words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”, (ii) the word “incur” shall be construed to mean incur, create, issue, assume, become liable in respect of or suffer to exist (and the words “incurred” and “incurrence” shall have correlative meanings), (iii) the word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”, and (iv) 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, Capital Stock, securities, revenues, accounts, leasehold interests and contract rights.

(c) The words “hereof”, “herein”, “hereto” and “hereunder” and words of similar import, when used in any Loan Document, shall refer to such Loan Document as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof, and Section, Schedule and Exhibit references are to the Loan Document in which such references appear unless otherwise specified.

(d) The meanings given to terms defined herein shall be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of such terms. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.

(e) Unless the context requires otherwise and except as otherwise expressly provided herein, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Governing Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented, extended, refinanced, replaced, renewed, increased or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, restatements, amendment and restatements, supplements, extensions, refinancings,

 

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replacements, renewals, increases or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and permitted assigns and (iii) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

(f) All references to “knowledge” or “awareness” of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof are to the actual knowledge of a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party or such Subsidiary.

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

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

Section 1.3. Classifications of Loans . For purposes of this Agreement, Loans and Commitments may be classified and referred to by Class ( e.g. , a “Revolving Credit Loan” or “Term Loan”) or by Type ( e.g. , a “Base Rate Loan” or “Eurodollar Loan”).

Section 1.4. Accounting Terms; GAAP .

(a) Generally . All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the audited financial statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to Section  7.1(b) , except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be carried at 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof, and the effects of FASB ASC 825 and FASB ASC 470-20 on financial liabilities shall be disregarded.

(b) Changes in GAAP . If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (A) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (B) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP. Without limiting the foregoing, leases shall continue to be classified and accounted for on

 

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a basis consistent with that reflected in the audited financial statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to Section  7.1(b) for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding any change in GAAP relating thereto, unless the parties hereto shall enter into a mutually acceptable amendment addressing such changes, as provided for above.

(c) Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities . All references herein to consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or to the determination of any amount for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis or any similar reference shall, in each case, be deemed to include each variable interest entity that the Company is required to consolidate pursuant to FASB ASC 810 as if such variable interest entity were a Subsidiary as defined herein.

Section 1.5. Pro Forma Calculations . With respect to any period during which any Permitted Acquisition or any sale, transfer or other Disposition of any material assets outside the ordinary course of business occurs, or any operational change or operational initiative is commenced, for purposes of determining compliance with the Financial Covenants or otherwise for purposes of determining the Total Leverage Ratio, EBITDA and Interest Expense, calculations with respect to such period shall be made on a Pro Forma Basis.

Section 1.6. Rounding . Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement (or required to be satisfied in order for a specific action to be permitted under this Agreement) shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding up if there is no nearest number).

Section 1.7. Timing of Payment or Performance . Except as otherwise provided herein, when the payment of any obligation or the performance of any covenant, duty or obligation is stated to be due or performance required on (or before) a day which is not a Business Day, the date of such payment (other than as described in the definition of Interest Period) or performance shall extend to the immediately succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

Section 1.8. Times of Day; Rates . (a) Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

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

ARTICLE II

AMOUNT AND TERMS OF CREDIT

Section 2.1. Commitments .

(a) The Term Facility . Subject to and upon the terms and conditions herein set forth, each Lender having a Term Loan Commitment severally agrees to make a loan or loans denominated in Dollars (each, a “ Term Loan ”) to the Borrower on the Closing Date, which Term

 

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Loans shall not exceed for any such Lender the Term Loan Commitment of such Lender and in the aggregate shall not exceed $525,000,000. Such Term Loans (i) may at the option of the Borrower be incurred and maintained as, and/or converted into, Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Loans; provided that all Term Loans made by each of the Lenders pursuant to the same Borrowing shall, unless otherwise specifically provided herein, consist entirely of Term Loans of the same Type, and (ii) may be repaid or prepaid (without premium or penalty) in accordance with the provisions hereof, but once repaid or prepaid, may not be reborrowed.

(b) The Total Revolving Credit Commitment . Subject to and upon the terms and conditions herein set forth, each Revolving Credit Lender severally agrees to make Revolving Credit Loans denominated in Dollars to the Borrower (each such loan, a “ Revolving Credit Loan ”) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment; provided that (x) any of the foregoing such Revolving Credit Loans (i) shall be made at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period, (ii) may, at the option of the Borrower be incurred and maintained as, and/or converted into, Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Loans that are Revolving Credit Loans; provided that all Revolving Credit Loans made by each of the Lenders pursuant to the same Borrowing shall, unless otherwise specifically provided herein, consist entirely of Revolving Credit Loans of the same Type, (iii) may be repaid (without premium or penalty) and reborrowed in accordance with the provisions hereof, (iv) shall not, for any Lender at any time, after giving effect thereto and to the application of the proceeds thereof, result in such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure at such time exceeding such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment at such time and (v) shall not, after giving effect thereto and to the application of the proceeds thereof, result at any time in the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Lenders’ Revolving Credit Exposures at such time exceeding the Total Revolving Credit Commitment then in effect or the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Lenders’ Revolving Credit Exposures at such time exceeding the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitment and (y) after giving effect to any such Revolving Credit Loans, Availability shall be greater than or equal to $0.

Section 2.2. Borrowings , Continuations and Conversions of Loans .

(a) Each Borrowing of Term Loans and Revolving Credit Loans, each conversion of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by (A) telephone, or (B) a Committed Loan Notice; provided that any telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Committed Loan Notice. Each such Committed Loan Notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Loans to Base Rate Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans; provided , however , that if the Borrower wishes to request Eurodollar Rate Loans having an Interest Period other than one, two, three or six months in duration as provided in the definition of “Interest Period,” the applicable notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. four Business Days prior to the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, whereupon the Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to the Lenders of such request and determine whether the requested Interest Period is acceptable to all of them. Not later than 11:00 a.m., three Business Days before the requested date of such Borrowing,

 

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conversion or continuation, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower (which notice may be by telephone) whether or not the requested Interest Period has been consented to by all the Lenders. The aggregate principal amount of each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Loans, and of each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans, shall be in a minimum amount of at least the Minimum Borrowing Amount for such Type of Loan and in a multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof (except as provided in Sections 2.3(c), 3.3 and 3.4 ). Each Committed Loan Notice shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Borrowing of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans, a conversion of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Committed Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Loans in any such Committed Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.

(b) Following receipt of a Committed Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the preceding subsection. In the case of a Borrowing of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans, each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Committed Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section  7.2 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Borrowing, Section  7.1 ), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower; provided , however , that if, on the date the Committed Loan Notice with respect to such Borrowing is given by the Borrower, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing, first , shall be applied to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and second , shall be made available to the Borrower as provided above.

(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Loan. During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders.

 

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(d) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Loans upon determination of such interest rate.

(e) More than one Borrowing may be incurred on any date; provided that after giving effect to all Borrowings of Term Loans and Revolving Credit Loans, all conversions of Term Loans and Revolving Credit Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Term Loans and Revolving Credit Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than 10 Interest Periods in effect with respect to the Loans.

(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Lender may exchange, continue or rollover all of the portion of its Loans in connection with any refinancing, extension, loan modification or similar transaction permitted by the terms of this Agreement, pursuant to a cashless settlement mechanism approved by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and such Lender.

(g) Without in any way limiting the obligation of the Borrower to confirm in writing any notice it shall give hereunder by telephone (which such obligation is absolute), the Administrative Agent may act prior to receipt of written confirmation without liability upon the basis of such telephonic notice believed by the Administrative Agent in good faith to be from a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

(h) Borrowings to reimburse Unpaid Drawings shall be made upon the notice specified in Section  3.4(a) .

Section 2.3. Swing Line Loans .

(a) The Swing Line . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swing Line Lender, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section  2.3 , may in its sole discretion make loans (each such loan, a “ Swing Line Loan ”) to the Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time the amount of the Swing Line Sublimit; provided that, (x) after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (i) the Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Revolving Credit Loans and L/C Obligations of such Lender acting as a Swing Line Lender plus the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all Swing Line Loans made by such Swing Line Lender shall not exceed the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment, (ii) the Revolving Credit Exposure of all Lenders shall not exceed the Total Revolving Credit Commitments, (iii) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment and (iv) Availability shall be greater than or equal to $0, (y) the Borrower shall not use the proceeds of any Swing Line Loan to refinance any outstanding Swing Line Loan, and (z) the Swing Line Lender shall not be under any obligation to make any Swing Line Loan if it shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that it has, or by such Swing Line Loan may have, Fronting Exposure. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section  2.3 , prepay under Section  5.1 , and reborrow under this Section  2.3 . Each Swing Line Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan. Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each Revolving Credit Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line Loan (each a “ Swing Line Participation ”) in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage times the amount of such Swing Line Loan.

 

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(b) Borrowing Procedures . Each Swing Line Borrowing shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent, which may be given by (A) telephone or (B) by a Swing Line Loan Notice; provided that any telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent of a Swing Line Loan Notice. Each such Swing Line Loan Notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $100,000, and (ii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day. Promptly after receipt by the Swing Line Lender of any Swing Line Loan Notice, the Swing Line Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Swing Line Loan Notice and, if not, the Swing Line Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof. Unless the Swing Line Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Administrative Agent (including at the request of any Revolving Credit Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Swing Line Borrowing (A) directing the Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing Line Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the first proviso to the first sentence of Section  2.3(a) , or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article VII is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swing Line Lender will, not later than 3:00 p.m. on the borrowing date specified in such Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to the Borrower at its office by crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of the Swing Line Lender in immediately available funds or, if requested in the Swing Line Loan Notice delivered to the Swing Line Lender, by transfer of immediately available funds to a bank specified by the Borrower for credit to an account at such bank specified by the Borrower in such Swing Line Loan Notice.

(c) Refinancing of Swing Line Loans .

(i) The Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole discretion may request, on behalf of the Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Revolving Credit Lender make a Base Rate Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the amount of Swing Line Loans then outstanding. Such request shall be made in writing (which written request shall be deemed to be a Committed Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with the requirements of Section  2.2 , without regard to the Minimum Borrowing Amount, but subject to the unutilized portion of the Total Revolving Credit Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section  7.2 . The Swing Line Lender shall furnish the Borrower with a copy of the applicable Committed Loan Notice promptly after delivering such notice to the Administrative Agent. Each Revolving Credit Lender shall make an amount equal to its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the amount specified in such Committed Loan Notice available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral available with respect to the applicable Swing Line Loan) for the account of the Swing Line Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day

 

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specified in such Committed Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section  2.3(c)(ii) , each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swing Line Lender.

(ii) If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Borrowing of Revolving Credit Loans in accordance with Section  2.3(c)(i) , the request for Base Rate Loans submitted by the Swing Line Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by the Swing Line Lender that each of the Revolving Credit Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan and each Revolving Credit Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section  2.3(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.

(iii) If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by such Revolving Credit Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section  2.3(c) by the time specified in Section  2.3(c)(i) , the Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Revolving Credit Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the Overnight Rate, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Swing Line Lender in connection with the foregoing. If such Revolving Credit Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Revolving Credit Loan included in the relevant Borrowing or funded participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan, as the case may be. A certificate of the Swing Line Lender submitted to any Revolving Credit Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii)  shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(iv) Each Revolving Credit Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Credit Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section  2.3(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the Swing Line Lender, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default or Event of Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided , however , that each Revolving Credit Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Credit Loans pursuant to this Section  2.3(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section  7.2 . No such funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to repay Swing Line Loans, together with interest as provided herein.

(d) Repayment of Participations .

(i) At any time after any Revolving Credit Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan, if the Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line Loan, the Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Revolving Credit Lender its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Swing Line Lender.

 

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(ii) If any payment received by the Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by the Swing Line Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section  12.7(c) (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Revolving Credit Lender shall pay to the Swing Line Lender its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate. The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swing Line Lender. The obligations of the Revolving Credit Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

(e) Interest for Account of Swing Line Lender . The Swing Line Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the Borrower for interest on the Swing Line Loans. Until each Revolving Credit Lender funds its Base Rate Loan or risk participation pursuant to this Section  2.3 to refinance such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage shall be solely for the account of the Swing Line Lender.

(f) Payments Directly to Swing Line Lender . The Borrower shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans directly to the Swing Line Lender.

Section 2.4. Administrative Agent s Clawback .

(a) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent . Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by any Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans (or, in the case of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Borrowing) that such Lender does not intend to make available to the Administrative Agent its portion of the Borrowing or Borrowings to be made on such date, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such amount available to the Administrative Agent on such date of Borrowing in accordance with, and at the time required by, Section  2.2 , and the Administrative Agent, in reliance upon such assumption, may (in its sole discretion and without any obligation to do so) make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. If such corresponding amount is not in fact made available to the Administrative Agent by such Lender and the Administrative Agent has made available such amount to the Borrower, then the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to recover from the applicable Lender and such Lender agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount was made available by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower to the date of such corresponding amount is recovered by the Administrative Agent, at a rate per annum equal to the Overnight Rate, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender does not pay such corresponding amount forthwith upon the Administrative Agent’s demand therefor, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower, and the Borrower shall immediately pay such corresponding amount to the Administrative Agent in Dollars and in immediately available funds with interest thereon,

 

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for each day from the date such amount was made available by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower to the date of such corresponding amount is recovered by the Administrative Agent, at the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

(b) Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent . Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or an Letter of Credit Issuer 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 applicable Lenders or Letter of Credit Issuer, 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 such Letter of Credit Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such applicable Lender or such Letter of Credit Issuer, in immediately available funds 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 a rate per annum equal to the Overnight Rate.

(c) Notice . A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under clause (a)  or (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

(g) Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent . If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II , and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Loan set forth in Article VII are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

(d) Obligations of Lenders Several .

(i) The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Revolving Credit Loans and Term Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans, and to make payments pursuant to Sections 5.4(g) and 11.7 are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Revolving Credit Loan or Term Loan, to fund any such participation, to make any such purchase or to make any payment under Sections 5.4(g) and 11.7 on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Revolving Credit Loan or Term Loan, to purchase its participation, or to make its payment under Sections 5.4(g) and 11.7 .

 

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(ii) Nothing in this Section  2.4 , including any payment by the Borrower, shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from its obligation to, fulfill its commitments hereunder or to prejudice any rights that the Borrower may have against any Lender as a result of any default by such Lender hereunder (it being understood, however, that no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to fulfill its commitments hereunder).

(e) Funding Source . Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

Section 2.5. Repayment of Loans .

(a) Term Loans . The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the applicable Lenders, on the Term Loan Maturity Date, the then-outstanding Term Loans.

(b) Revolving Credit Loans . The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Revolving Credit Lenders, on the Revolving Loan Maturity Date, the then-outstanding Revolving Credit Loans.

(c) Swing Line Loans . The Borrower shall repay each Swing Line Loan on the earlier to occur of (i) the date five Business Days after such Loan is made and (ii) the Revolving Loan Maturity Date.

Section 2.6. Evidence of Debt .

(a) The Loans and other extensions of credit made by each Lender to the Borrower shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The entries made in the Register and the accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations of the Borrower therein recorded; provided , however , that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such account, such Register or subaccount, as applicable, or any error therein, shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay (with applicable interest) the Loans made to the Borrower by such Lender in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

(b) The Borrower hereby agrees that, upon request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent), at the Borrower’s own expense, a promissory note, substantially in the form of Exhibit E or Exhibit F , as applicable, which shall evidence the Term Loans and/or Revolving Credit Loans, respectively, owing to such Lender in addition to the accounts or records described in clause (a) . Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

 

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(c) In addition to the accounts and records referred to in clause (a)  above, each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

Section 2.7. [Reserved] .

Section 2.8. Interest .

(a) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (c)  below, the unpaid principal amount of each Base Rate Loan (including any Swing Line Loan) shall bear interest from the date of the Borrowing thereof until maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise) at a rate per annum that shall at all times be the Applicable Margin for Base Rate Loans plus the Base Rate, in each case, in effect from time to time.

(b) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (c)  below, the unpaid principal amount of each Eurodollar Loan shall bear interest from the date of the Borrowing thereof until maturity thereof (whether by acceleration or otherwise) at a rate per annum that shall at all times be the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Loans plus the relevant Eurodollar Rate.

(c) (i) While any Event of Default arising under Section  10.1(a)(i) or (h)  exists the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder shall bear interest at a fluctuating rate per annum (the “ Default Rate ”) that is (x) in the case of any Loan, the rate that would otherwise be applicable thereto plus 2.00%, (y) in the case of Letter of Credit Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Margin then applicable to Letter of Credit Fees plus 2.00% and (z) in the case of any other Obligations, including interest, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the rate described in Section  2.8(a) plus 2.00%.

(ii) Upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists (other than as set forth in clause (c)(i) above), the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

(iii) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

(d) Interest on each Loan shall accrue from and including the date of any Borrowing to but excluding the date of any repayment thereof and shall be payable in the same currency in which the Loan is denominated; provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same date on which it is made shall bear interest for one day. Except as provided below, interest shall be payable (i) in respect of each Base Rate Loan, quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, (ii) in respect of each Eurodollar Loan, on the last day of each Interest Period applicable thereto and, in the case of an Interest Period in excess of three months, on each date occurring at three-month intervals after the first day of such Interest Period, and (iii) in respect of each Loan, (A) on any prepayment (on the amount prepaid) in respect thereof, (B) at maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise), and (C) after such maturity, on demand. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

 

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(e) All computations of interest hereunder shall be made in accordance with Section  5.5 .

(f) The Administrative Agent, upon determining the interest rate for any Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans, shall promptly notify the Borrower and the relevant Lenders thereof. Each such determination shall, absent clearly demonstrable error, be final and conclusive and binding on all parties hereto.

Section 2.9. LIBOR Successor Rate . (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Documents, if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error), or the Borrower or Required Lenders notify the Administrative Agent (with, in the case of the Required Lenders, a copy to the Borrower) that the Borrower or Required Lenders (as applicable) have determined, that:

(i) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining LIBOR for any requested Interest Period, including because the LIBOR Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary; or

(ii) the administrator of the LIBOR Screen Rate or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which LIBOR or the LIBOR Screen Rate shall no longer be made available, or used for determining the interest rate of loans (such specific date, the “ Scheduled Unavailability Date ”), or

(iii) syndicated loans currently being executed, or that include language similar to that contained in this Section  2.9 , are being executed or amended (as applicable) to incorporate or adopt a new benchmark interest rate to replace LIBOR,

then, reasonably promptly after such determination by the Administrative Agent or receipt by the Administrative Agent of such notice, as applicable, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement to replace LIBOR with an alternate benchmark rate (including any mathematical or other adjustments to the benchmark (if any) incorporated therein), giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar U.S. dollar denominated syndicated credit facilities for such alternative benchmarks (any such proposed rate, a “ LIBOR Successor Rate ”), together with any proposed LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes (as defined below) and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section  12.1(a)(iv) , any such amendment shall become effective at 5:00 p.m. on the fifth Business Day after the Administrative Agent shall have posted such proposed amendment to all Lenders and the Borrower unless, prior to such time, Lenders comprising the Required Lenders have delivered to the Administrative Agent written notice that such Required Lenders do not accept such amendment.

(b) If no LIBOR Successor Rate has been determined and the circumstances under clause (i) above exist or the Scheduled Unavailability Date has occurred (as applicable), the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods), and (y) the Eurodollar Rate component shall no longer be utilized in determining the Base Rate. Upon receipt of such notice,

 

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the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans (subject to the foregoing clause (y)) in the amount specified therein.

Notwithstanding anything else herein, any definition of LIBOR Successor Rate shall provide that in no event shall such LIBOR Successor Rate be less than zero for purposes of this Agreement.

As used above:

LIBOR Screen Rate ” means the LIBOR quote on the applicable screen page the Administrative Agent designates to determine LIBOR (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time).

LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes ” means, with respect to any proposed LIBOR Successor Rate, any conforming changes to the definition of Base Rate, Interest Period, timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest and other administrative matters as may be appropriate, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, to reflect the adoption of such LIBOR Successor Rate and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent determines that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or that no market practice for the administration of such LIBOR Successor Rate exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent determines in consultation with the Borrower).

Section 2.10. Increased Costs, Illegality, Etc .

(a) In the event that (w) in the case of clause  (i)(A) and (B)  below, the Administrative Agent, (x) in the case of clause  (i)(C) below, the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, (y) in the case of clauses  (ii) below, the Required Term Loan Lenders (with respect to Term Loans) or the Required Revolving Credit Lenders (with respect to Revolving Credit Commitments) and (z) in the case of clause (iii)  below, any Lender, shall have reasonably determined (in each case, which determination shall, absent clearly demonstrable error, be final and conclusive and binding upon all parties hereto):

(i) on any date for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any Interest Period that (A) deposits in the principal amounts and currencies of the Loans comprising such Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans are not generally available in the relevant market, (B) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the applicable interest rate on the basis provided for in the definition of Eurodollar Rate or (C) for any reason the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to such proposed Eurodollar Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Eurodollar Loan; or

(ii) at any time, that such Lenders shall incur increased costs or reductions in the amounts received or receivable hereunder with respect to any Eurodollar Loans (including any increased costs or reductions attributable to Taxes, other than any increase or reduction attributable to (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes or (C) Connection Income Taxes) because of any Change in Law; or

 

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(iii) in good faith that any law, governmental rule, regulation, guideline or order (in each case whether or not having the force of law) has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Lending Office to perform any of its obligations hereunder or make, maintain or fund or charge interest with respect to any Loan or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the interbank Eurodollar market;

(such Loans, “ Impacted Loans ”), then, and in any such event, such Lender, Required Lenders, Required Term Loan Lenders or Required Revolving Credit Lenders, as applicable (or the Administrative Agent, in the case of clause  (i)(A) or (B)  above) shall within a reasonable time thereafter give notice (if by telephone, confirmed in writing) to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of such determination (which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit to each of the other Lenders). Thereafter (x) in the case of clause  (i) above, (1) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Loans shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Loans or Interest Periods) and (2) in the event of such a determination with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until such time as the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice by the Administrative Agent no longer exist (which notice the Administrative Agent agrees to give at such time when such circumstances no longer exist), and any Committed Loan Notice given by the Borrower with respect to Eurodollar Loans that have not yet been incurred shall be deemed rescinded by the Borrower, (y) in the case of clause  (ii) above, the Borrower shall pay to such Required Term Loan Lenders or Required Revolving Credit Lenders, as applicable, promptly after receipt of written demand therefor such additional amounts (in the form of an increased rate of, or a different method of calculating, interest or otherwise as such Lenders in their reasonable discretion shall determine) as shall be required to compensate such Lenders for such actual increased costs or reductions in amounts receivable hereunder (it being agreed that a written notice as to the additional amounts necessary to compensate such Lenders, showing in reasonable detail the basis for the calculation thereof, submitted to the Borrower by such Lenders shall, absent clearly demonstrable error, be final and conclusive and binding upon all parties hereto), and (z) in the case of clause  (iii) above, (1) the obligation of such Lender to make, maintain, fund or charge interest with respect to any Eurodollar Loans or continue Eurodollar Loans or convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Loans shall be suspended and (2) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist and the Borrower shall take the actions specified in clause  (x) or (y) , as applicable, of Section  2.10(b) promptly and, in any event, within the time period required by law.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Administrative Agent has made the determination described in Section  2.10(a)(i) (A) , the Administrative Agent, in consultation with the Borrower and the affected Lenders, may establish an alternative interest rate for the Impacted Loans, in which case, such alternative rate of interest shall apply with respect to the Impacted Loans until (1) the Administrative Agent revokes the notice delivered with respect to the Impacted Loans under clause  (A) of Section  2.10(a)(i) , (2) the Administrative Agent or the affected Lenders notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that such alternative interest rate does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding the Impacted Loans, or (3) any Lender determines that any law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for such Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to such alternative rate of interest or to determine or charge interest rates based upon such rate or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to do any of the foregoing and provides the Administrative Agent and the Borrower written notice thereof.

(b) At any time that any Eurodollar Loan is affected by the circumstances described in Section  2.10(a)(ii) or (iii), the Borrower may (and in the case of a Eurodollar Loan affected pursuant to Section  2.10(a)(iii) shall) (x) if a Committed Loan Notice with respect to an affected Eurodollar Loan has been submitted pursuant to Section  2. 2 but the affected Eurodollar Loan has not been funded or continued, cancel such requested Borrowing by giving the Administrative Agent written notice thereof on the same date that the Borrower was notified by Lenders pursuant to Section  2.10(a)(ii) or (iii)  or (y) if an affected Eurodollar Loan is then outstanding, upon at least three Business Days’ notice (or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Loan) to the Administrative Agent, require the affected Lender to convert each such Eurodollar Loan into a Base Rate Loan (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate); provided that if more than one Lender is affected at any time, then all affected Lenders must be treated in the same manner pursuant to this Section  2.10(b) .

(c) If any Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer determines that any Change in Law relating to capital adequacy or liquidity of such Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lending Office of such Lender or compliance by any Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer or such Lender’s or Letter of Credit Issuer’s parent with any Change in Law relating to capital adequacy or liquidity has or would have the effect of reducing the actual rate of return on such Lender’s, such Letter of Credit Issuer’s or such Lender’s or Letter of Credit Issuer’s parent’s or Affiliate’s capital or assets as a consequence of this Agreement, such Lender’s commitments, Loans, participations in Letters of Credit, Swing Line Loans or other obligations hereunder or the Letters of Credit issued by such Letter of Credit Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender, such Letter of Credit Issuer or such Lender’s or Letter of Credit Issuer’s parent or Affiliate could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or such Letter of Credit Issuer’s policies or the policies of such Lender’s or Letter of Credit Issuer’s parent or Affiliate with respect to capital adequacy or liquidity), then from time to time, promptly after written demand by such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer or its parent or Affiliate, as the case may be, such actual additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer or such Lender’s or Letter of Credit Issuer’s parent for such actual reduction, it being understood and agreed, however, no

 

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Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer shall seek compensation under this Section  2.10(c) based on the occurrence of a Change in Law unless such Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer (in such Lender’s or Letter of Credit Issuer’s reasonable determination) is generally seeking compensation from other borrowers in the unsecured REIT loan market with respect to its similarly affected commitments, loans and/or participations under agreements with such borrowers (but not necessarily all such borrowers) having provisions similar to this Section  2.10(c) ; provided that in no event shall any Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer be required to disclose information of other borrowers. Each Lender, upon determining in good faith that any additional amounts will be payable pursuant to this Section  2.10(c) , will give prompt written notice thereof to the Borrower, which notice shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis of the calculation of such additional amounts, although the failure to give any such notice shall not, subject to Section  2.13 , release or diminish the Borrower’s obligations to pay additional amounts pursuant to this Section  2.10(c) promptly following receipt of such notice.

(d) Reserves on Eurodollar Loans . The Borrower shall pay to each Lender, as long as such Lender shall be required to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency funds or deposits (currently known as “Eurocurrency liabilities”), additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Eurodollar Rate Loan equal to the actual costs of such reserves allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive), which shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan, provided the Borrower shall have received at least 10 days’ prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of such additional interest from such Lender. If a Lender fails to give notice 10 days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional interest shall be due and payable 10 days from receipt of such notice.

(e) Each party’s obligations under this Section  2.10 shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer, termination of this Agreement and the Commitments and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

Section 2.11. Compensation . Upon written demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate each Lender for and hold each Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of: (a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Eurodollar Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Eurodollar Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise), (b) any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower, (c) any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section  2.15 , including any losses, costs or expenses that such Lender may reasonably incur as a result of such payment, failure to convert, failure to continue or failure to prepay, including any loss, cost or expense (excluding loss of anticipated profits) actually incurred, including by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by any Lender to fund or maintain such Eurodollar Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained. The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing. A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate

 

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such Lender as specified in this Section  2.11 and setting forth in reasonable detail the manner in which such amount or amounts were determined shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive, absent manifest error. For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under this Section  2.11 , each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank eurodollar market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Loan was in fact so funded. The agreements in this Section  2.11 shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer, termination of this Agreement and the Commitments and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

Section 2.12. Change of Lending Office . Each Lender may make any Loans, L/C Credit Extensions and other extensions of credit to the Borrower through any Lending Office, provided that the exercise of this option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Obligations in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Each Lender agrees that, upon the occurrence of any event giving rise to the operation of Section  2.10(a)(ii) , 2.10(a)(iii) , 2.10(c) , 3.5 or 5.4 with respect to such Lender (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the requirement to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Recipient pursuant to such sections), it will, if requested by the Borrower use reasonable efforts (subject to overall policy considerations of such Lender) to designate another Lending Office for any Loans affected by such event; provided that such designation is made on such terms that such Lender and its Lending Office suffer no unreimbursed cost or other material economic, legal or regulatory disadvantage, with the object of avoiding the consequence of the event giving rise to the operation of any such Section. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer in connection with any such designation or assignment. Nothing in this Section  2.12 shall affect or postpone any of the obligations of the Borrower or the right of any Lender provided in Section  2.10 , 3 .5 or 5 .4 .

Section 2.13. Notice of Certain Costs . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent any notice required by Section  2.10 , 2.11 , 3 .5 or 5 .4 is given by any Lender more than 120 days after such Lender has knowledge (or should have had knowledge) of the occurrence of the event giving rise to the additional cost, reduction in amounts, loss, or other additional amounts described in such Sections, such Lender shall not be entitled to compensation under Section  2.10 , 2.11 , 3 .5 or 5 .4 , as the case may be, for any such amounts incurred or accruing prior to the 121 st day prior to the giving of such notice to the Borrower (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 120 day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

Section 2.14. Increase in Facilities .

(a) Request for Increase . Upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower may from time to time, request an increase in the aggregate amount of the Facilities to an amount not exceeding $1,325,000,000 in the aggregate after giving effect to such increase by requesting an increase in the Total Revolving Credit Commitment (each such increase, an “ Incremental Revolving Increase ”), requesting an increase in the Term Loan Facility (each such increase, an “ Incremental Term Loan Increase ”) or establishing a new (or increasing an existing) tranche of pari passu term loans (each an “ Additional TL Tranche ”; each Additional TL Tranche,

 

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Incremental Revolving Increase, and Incremental Term Loan Increase are collectively referred to as “ Incremental Facilities ”); provided that (i) any such request for an increase shall be in a minimum amount of $25,000,000 or any lesser amount if such amount represents all remaining availability under the aggregate limit in respect of the increases set forth above (or such lesser amount as the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may agree), (ii) all Incremental Revolving Increases and Incremental Term Loan Increases shall be on the same terms as the Class of the Facilities being increased, and (iii) all incremental commitments and loans provided as part of an Additional TL Tranche shall be on terms agreed to by the Borrower and the Lenders providing such Additional TL Tranche; provided , that (x) the final maturity date therefor may not be earlier than the latest maturity date (including any extension option) of any then existing Term Facility and (y) if the terms of such Additional TL Tranche (other than final maturity) are not the same as the terms of the Term Loan or a then existing Additional TL Tranche, such new Additional TL Tranche shall be on terms reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders providing such Additional TL Tranche. The Borrower may approach any Lender or any Person that meets the requirements to be an Assignee under Section  12.6(b)(i) and (ii)(B) to provide all or a portion of the requested increase; provided that (x) any Lender offered or approached to provide all or a portion of the requested increase may elect or decline, in its sole discretion, to provide all or a portion of such increase, (y) no Person approached shall become a Lender without the written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Swing Line Lender, in each case, if required pursuant to Section  12.6(b) and (z) the Borrower shall not be obligated to offer any existing Lender the opportunity to provide any portion of a requested increase. At the time of sending its notice, the Borrower (in consultation with the Administrative Agent) shall specify the time period within which each Lender and other Person approached by the Borrower is requested to respond (which shall in no event be less than ten Business Days from the date of delivery of such notice to such Lenders).

(b) Elections to Increase . Each Lender and other Person approached by the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent within the specified time period whether or not it agrees to provide all or a portion of such increase and, if so, the amount of such requested increase that it proposes to provide. Any Lender not responding within such time period shall be deemed to have declined to provide any portion of the requested increase. Any Person providing any portion of the requested increase that is not an existing Lender shall become a Lender pursuant to a joinder agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel (each, a “ Joinder Agreement ”). The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and each Lender of the responses to each request made hereunder.

(c) Effective Date and Allocations . If the Facilities are increased pursuant to an Incremental Facility in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall determine the effective date (the “ Increase Effective Date ”) and the final allocation of such Incremental Facility and promptly notify the Lenders thereof and, (x) in the case of an Incremental Revolving Increase, the amount of the Revolving Credit Commitment and Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of each Revolving Credit Lender as a result thereof and (y) in the case of an Incremental Term Loan Increase or an Additional TL Tranche, the amount of the Term Loan and Applicable Percentage of each Term Lender as a result thereof.

 

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(d) Conditions to Effectiveness of Incremental Facility . In each case, the Incremental Facility shall become effective as of the applicable Increase Effective Date; provided that (i) no Default or Event of Default shall exist on such Increase Effective Date both before and after giving effect to such increase, (ii) before and after giving effect to such increase, each of the representations and warranties made by or on behalf of any Group Member in or pursuant to the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on such Increase Effective Date (except where such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) as of such earlier date and except that for purposes of this Section  2.14 , the representations and warranties contained in Section  6.1(a) and (b)  shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Sections 8.1(a) and (b) , respectively), (iii) after giving effect to such increase and any Loans to be made on such Increase Effective Date, Availability shall be equal to or greater than $0, (iv) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of each Loan Party dated as of the applicable Increase Effective Date, signed by a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party (x) (1) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such increase or (2) certifying that, as of such Increase Effective Date, the resolutions delivered to the Administrative Agent on the Closing Date include approval to increase the maximum aggregate principal amount of all commitments and outstanding loans under this Agreement to an amount at least equal to $1,250,000,000, and (y) in the case of the Borrower, certifying to the Administrative Agent that the conditions in clauses (i) through (iii) above have been satisfied, (v) the Administrative Agent shall have received (x) a Joinder Agreement for each Person (other than a Lender), if any, participating in such increase, which Joinder Agreement shall be duly executed by the Borrower and each such Person and acknowledged and consented to in writing by the Administrative Agent, and in the case of an Incremental Revolving Increase, the Swing Line Lender and the Letter of Credit Issuers and (y) written confirmation from each existing Lender, if any, participating in such increase of the amount by which its Revolving Credit Commitment will be increased, and/or the amount of Term Loans and/or Term Loan Commitments to be provided by it, (vi) if requested by the Administrative Agent or any new Lender or Lender participating in the Incremental Facility, the Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable opinion of counsel (which counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent), addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, as to such customary matters concerning the Incremental Facility as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request, (vii) if requested by any new Lender joining on the Increase Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall have received a Note executed by the Borrower in favor of such new Lender, (viii) the Borrower shall have paid such fees to the Administrative Agent, for its own account and for the benefit of the Lenders participating in the increase, as are agreed mutually at the time and invoiced at least two (2) Business Days prior to the applicable Increase Effective Date and shall have paid any fees required to be paid pursuant to the Fee Letter in connection therewith, and (ix) the conditions to the making of an extension of credit set forth in Section  7.2 (other than the delivery of a Committed Loan Notice in the case of an Incremental Revolving Increase) shall be satisfied or waived.

(e) Settlement and Funding Procedures . On each Increase Effective Date, promptly following fulfillment of the conditions set forth in clause (d)  of this Section  2.14 , the Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of the occurrence of the increase effected on such Increase Effective Date, the amount of the increase, the nature of the increase (i.e., an Incremental Revolving Increase, an Incremental Term Loan Increase or an Additional TL Tranche). In the event that an increase in the Total Revolving Credit Commitment results in any change to the

 

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Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of any Lender, then on the applicable Increase Effective Date (i) the participation interests of the Revolving Credit Lenders in any outstanding Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans shall be automatically reallocated among the Revolving Credit Lenders in accordance with their respective Revolving Credit Commitment Percentages after giving effect to such increase, (ii) any new Lender, and any existing Revolving Credit Lender whose Revolving Credit Commitment has increased, shall pay to the Administrative Agent such amounts as are necessary to fund its new or increased Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of all existing Revolving Credit Loans, (iii) the Administrative Agent will use the proceeds thereof to pay to all existing Revolving Credit Lenders whose Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage is decreasing such amounts as are necessary so that each Lender’s participation in existing Revolving Credit Loans will be equal to its adjusted Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage and (iv) if the applicable Increase Effective Date occurs on a date other than the last day of an Interest Period applicable to any outstanding Revolving Credit Loan that is a Eurodollar Loan, then the Borrower shall pay any amounts required pursuant to Section  2.11 on account of the payments made pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence. In the event of an Incremental Term Loan Increase or an Additional TL Tranche, each Lender participating in such Incremental Facility shall make a Term Loan to the Borrower in an amount equal to its pro rata share of such Incremental Facility.

(f) Amendments . Notwithstanding the provisions of Section  12.1 , the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Lender participating in any Incremental Facility may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent, to implement the terms of any such Incremental Facility, including any amendments necessary to establish the Loans under any Incremental Facility as a new Class or tranche of Revolving Credit Loans or Term Loans, as applicable, and such other technical amendments as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent in connection with the establishment of such new Class or tranche (including to preserve the pro rata treatment of the new and existing Classes or tranches), in each case on terms consistent with this Section  2.14 . In addition, upon the effectiveness of any Incremental Facility, unless otherwise specifically provided herein, all references in the Loan Documents to Revolving Credit Loans or Term Loans shall be deemed, unless the context otherwise requires, to include references to Revolving Credit Loans made pursuant to Incremental Revolving Increases and Term Loans that are made pursuant to Incremental Term Loan Increases and Additional TL Tranches, respectively.

(g) Conflicting Provisions . This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section  12.7(a) or 12.1 to the contrary

Section 2.15. Replacement of Lenders or Termination of Commitments Under Certain Circumstances .

(a) The Borrower shall be permitted (x) to replace any Lender with a replacement bank or other financial institution or (y) to terminate the Commitment of a Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer, as the case may be, and (1) in the case of a Lender (other than a Letter of Credit Issuer), repay all Obligations of the Borrower due and owing to such Lender relating to the Loans and participations held by such Lender as of such termination date and (2) in the case of a Letter of Credit Issuer, repay all Obligations of the Borrower owing to such Letter of Credit Issuer relating

 

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to the Loans and participations held by such Letter of Credit Issuer as of such termination date and cancel or backstop on terms satisfactory to such Letter of Credit Issuer any Letters of Credit issued by it that (a) requests reimbursement for amounts owing pursuant to Sections 2.10 , 3.5 or 5.4 , (b) is affected in the manner described in Section 2.10(a)(iii) and as a result thereof any of the actions described in such Section is required to be taken, or (c) becomes a Defaulting Lender; provided that (i) such replacement or termination does not conflict with any Requirement of Law, (ii) no Event of Default under Section  10.1(a) or (h)  shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such replacement or termination, (iii) the Borrower shall repay (or in the case of a replacement, the replacement bank or institution shall purchase, at par) all Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts, including pursuant to Sections 2.10 , 2.11 or 5.4 , as the case may be, owing to such replaced or terminated Lender prior to the date of replacement or termination, as the case may be, (iv) any replacement bank or institution, if not already a Lender, an Affiliate of the Lender or Approved Fund, and the terms and conditions of such replacement, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (v) any replacement bank or institution, if not already a Lender shall be subject to the provisions of Section 12.6(b) , (vi) any replaced Lender shall be obligated to make such replacement in accordance with the provisions of Section 12.6(b) ( provided that the failure of any such replaced Lender to execute an assignment shall not render such assignment invalid and such assignment shall be recorded in the Register), (vii) any such replacement shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any rights that the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any other Lender shall have against the replaced Lender and (viii) such replacement bank or institution would not have been entitled to reimbursement or have been affected as provided in (a) or (b) above.

(b) If any Lender (such Lender, a “ Non-Consenting Lender ”) has failed to consent to a proposed amendment, waiver, discharge or termination that pursuant to the terms of Section  12.1 requires the consent of either (i) all of the Lenders directly and adversely affected or (ii) all of the Lenders, and, in each case, with respect to which the Required Lenders (or more than 50% of the directly and adversely affected Lenders) shall have granted their consent, then the Borrower shall have the right (unless such Non-Consenting Lender grants such consent) to (x) replace such Non-Consenting Lender by requiring such Non-Consenting Lender to assign its Loans and its Commitments hereunder to one or more assignees reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (to the extent such consent would be required under Section  12.6(b) ) or (y) terminate the Commitment of such Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer, as the case may be, and (1) in the case of a Lender (other than a Letter of Credit Issuer), repay all Obligations of the Borrower due and owing to such Lender relating to the Loans and participations held by such Lender as of such termination date and (2) in the case of a Letter of Credit Issuer, repay all Obligations of the Borrower owing to such Letter of Credit Issuer relating to the Loans and participations held by such Letter of Credit Issuer as of such termination date and cancel or backstop on terms satisfactory to such Letter of Credit Issuer any Letters of Credit issued by it; provided that (a) all Obligations hereunder of the Borrower owing to such Non-Consenting Lender being replaced shall be paid in full to such Non-Consenting Lender concurrently with such assignment including any amounts that such Lender may be owed pursuant to Section  2.11 and (b) the replacement Lender shall purchase the foregoing by paying to such Non-Consenting Lender a price equal to the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon. In connection with any such assignment, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, such Non-Consenting Lender and the replacement Lender shall otherwise comply with Section  12.6 .

 

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(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, each party hereto agrees that any assignment pursuant to the terms of this Section  2.15 may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the assignee and that the Lender making such assignment need not be a party thereto.

Section 2.16. Defaulting Lenders .

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

(i) Waivers and Amendments . Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of “Required Lenders” and Section  12.1 .

(ii) Defaulting Lender Waterfall . Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article X or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section  12.7(b) shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first , to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second , to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to any Letter of Credit Issuer or the Swing Line Lender hereunder; third , to Cash Collateralize the Fronting Exposure of the Letter of Credit Issuers with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section  3.8 ; fourth , as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth , if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (y) Cash Collateralize the future Fronting Exposure of the Letter of Credit Issuers with respect to such Defaulting Lender, in accordance with Section  3.8 ; sixth , to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the Letter of Credit Issuers or the Swing Line Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, any Letter of Credit Issuer or the Swing Line Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh , so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth , to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C Borrowings in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section  7.2 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and L/C Obligations owed to, all Non-Defaulting

 

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Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or L/C Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments hereunder without giving effect to Section  2.16(a)(iv) . Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section  2.16(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(iii) Certain Fees .

(A) No Revolving Lender that is a Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any fee payable under Section  4.1 for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).

(B) Each Revolving Lender that is a Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive Letter of Credit Fees for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section  3.8 .

(C) With respect to any Letter of Credit Fee not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (B)  above, the Borrower shall (x) pay to each Non-Defaulting Lender that portion of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations or Swing Line Loans that has been reallocated to such Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (iv)  below, (y) pay to the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Swing Line Lender, as applicable, the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to such Letter of Credit Issuer’s or the Swing Line Lender’s Fronting Exposure to such Defaulting Lender, and (z) not be required to pay the remaining amount of any such fee.

(iv) Reallocation of Revolving Credit Commitment Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure . All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans shall be reallocated among the Lenders that are Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Revolving Credit Commitment Percentages (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment) but only to the extent that such reallocation does not cause the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment. Subject to Section  12.21 , no reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

 

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(v) Cash Collateral, Repayment of Swing Line Loans . If the reallocation described in clause (a)(iv) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under applicable Law, (x) first, prepay Swing Line Loans in an amount equal to the Swing Line Lender’s Fronting Exposure and (y) second, Cash Collateralize the Letter of Credit Issuers’ Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section  3.8 .

(b) Defaulting Lender Cure . If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Swing Line Lender and each Letter of Credit Issuer agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages of each Class of Loans (without giving effect to Section  2.16(a)(iv) ), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided , further , that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

Section 2.17. Extension of Revolving Loan Maturity Date .

(a) Requests for Extension . The Borrower may, by written notice to the Administrative Agent (such notice, a “ Revolving Loan Extension Notice ”) at least 30 days prior to the Initial Revolving Loan Maturity Date, but no more than 90 days prior to the Initial Revolving Loan Maturity Date, request that the Revolving Lenders extend the Revolving Loan Maturity Date for a period of 12 months from the Initial Revolving Loan Maturity Date.

(b) Conditions to Effectiveness of Extension . As conditions precedent to the effectiveness of any such extension of the Revolving Loan Maturity Date each of the following requirements shall be satisfied or waived on or prior to the Initial Revolving Loan Maturity Date, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent (in each case, the first date on which such conditions precedent are satisfied or waived, the “ Extension Effective Date ”):

(i) On the date of such Revolving Loan Extension Notice and both immediately before and immediately after giving effect to such extension of the Revolving Loan Maturity Date, (x) each of the representations and warranties made by or on behalf of any Group Member in or pursuant to the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on such Extension Effective Date (except where such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) as of such earlier date and except that for purposes of this Section  2.17 , the representations and warranties contained in Section  6.1(a) and (b)  shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Sections 8.1(a) and (b) , respectively) and (y) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

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(ii) The Borrower shall have paid or caused to be paid to the Administrative Agent, for the pro rata benefit of the Revolving Credit Lenders based on their respective Revolving Credit Commitment Percentages as of such date, an extension fee in an amount equal to 0.15% multiplied by the amount of the Total Revolving Credit Commitment as in effect on the Extension Effective Date, it being agreed that such extension fee shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason;

(iii) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of the Borrower dated as of the Extension Effective Date signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower (1) (A) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by each Loan Party approving or consenting to such extension or (B) certifying that, as of the Extension Effective Date, the resolutions delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders on the Closing Date (which resolutions include approval for an extension of the Revolving Loan Maturity Date for a period that is not less than an additional twelve (12) months from the Initial Revolving Loan Maturity Date) are and remain in full force and effect and have not been modified, rescinded or superseded since the date of adoption and (2) certifying that, before and after giving effect to such extension, (A) each of the representations and warranties made by or on behalf of any Group Member in or pursuant to the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on such Extension Effective Date (except where such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) as of such earlier date and except that for purposes of this Section  2.17 , the representations and warranties contained in Section  6.1(a) and (b)  shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Sections 8.1(a) and (b) , respectively), and (B) no Default or Event of Default exists; and

(iv) The Administrative Agent shall have received such other certificates, opinions and other documents as the Administrative Agent or any of the Revolving Credit Lenders may reasonably require, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(c) Extension Effectiveness . The Revolving Loan Maturity Date shall be extended, effective as of the Extension Effective Date.

(d) Conflicting Provisions . This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section  12.7(a) or 12.1 to the contrary.

 

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ARTICLE III

LETTERS OF CREDIT

Section 3.1. Letters of Credit .

(a) Subject to and upon the terms and conditions herein set forth, (i) at any time and from time to time during the L/C Availability Period, each Letter of Credit Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the Revolving Credit Lenders set forth in this Article III , to issue from time to time during the L/C Availability Period for the account of the Borrower (or, so long as the Borrower is the primary obligor, for the account of any Subsidiary of the Borrower) letters of credit (the “ Letters of Credit ” and each, a “ Letter of Credit ”) in such form as may be approved by the Letter of Credit Issuer in its reasonable discretion and (ii) the Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries and any drawings thereunder. Each letter of credit listed on Schedule 3.1A (each an “ Existing Letter of Credit ”) shall be deemed to constitute a Letter of Credit issued hereunder by the Letter of Credit Issuer identified on such schedule and from and after the Closing Date shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended or renewed the Stated Amount of which would cause Availability to be less than $0, (ii) no Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended or renewed the Stated Amount of which, when added to the L/C Obligations at such time, would exceed the Letter of Credit Subfacility then in effect; (iii) no Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended or renewed the Stated Amount of which would cause (A) the aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Revolving Credit Exposures at the time of the issuance, amendment or renewal thereof to exceed the Total Revolving Credit Commitment then in effect or (B) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Revolving Credit Lender at the time of the issuance, amendment or renewal thereof to exceed such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment; (iv) each Letter of Credit shall have an expiration date occurring no later than the earlier of (x) one year after the date of issuance thereof (except as set forth in Section  3.2(d) ) and (y) the L/C Maturity Date; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, a Letter of Credit may have an expiration date (A) occurring later than the L/C Maturity Date to the extent agreed upon by the Administrative Agent, the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer and, unless such Letter of Credit has been Cash Collateralized, the Revolving Credit Lenders and (B) up to one year after the L/C Maturity Date if, not later than ninety (90) days prior to the L/C Maturity Date, the Borrower provides cash collateral acceptable to all Letter of Credit Issuers in an amount equal to 102% of the Stated Amount of all Letters of Credit with expiration dates after the L/C Maturity Date; (v) each Letter of Credit shall be denominated in Dollars; (vi) no Letter of Credit shall be issued if it would be illegal under any applicable law for the beneficiary of the Letter of Credit to have a Letter of Credit issued in its favor; (vii) no Letter of Credit shall be issued by any Letter of Credit Issuer after it has received a written notice from any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent or the Required Revolving Credit Lenders stating that a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing until such time as such Letter of Credit Issuer shall have received a written notice of (x) rescission of such notice from the party or parties originally delivering such notice or (y) the waiver of such Default or Event of Default in accordance with the provisions of Section  13.1 ; and (viii) no Letter of Credit Issuer shall be under any obligation to issue, amend or renew any Letter of Credit if after giving effect thereto the L/C Obligations in respect of all Letters of Credit issued by such Letter of Credit Issuer would exceed such Letter of Credit Issuer’s Letter of Credit Sublimit; provided that, subject to the limitations set forth in the proviso to clauses (i)  through (iii) above, any Letter of Credit Issuer in its sole discretion may issue Letters of Credit in excess of its Letter of Credit Sublimit.

 

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(c) Upon at least two Business Days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent and the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer (which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit to each of the Lenders), the Borrower shall have the right, on any day, permanently to terminate or reduce the Letter of Credit Subfacility in whole or in part; provided that, (i) after giving effect to such termination or reduction, the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Subfacility and (ii) the Letter of Credit Sublimit of each L/C Issuer shall be reduced on a pro rata basis. Following any such termination or reduction, the Administrative Agent may in its discretion replace the existing Schedule 1.1A with an amended and restated schedule that reflects such termination or reduction.

(d) No Letter of Credit Issuer shall be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

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

(ii) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of such Letter of Credit Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally;

(iii) except as otherwise agreed by such Letter of Credit Issuer, such Letter of Credit is in an initial Stated Amount less than $100,000 (or such lower amount as may be agreed to by the Letter of Credit Issuer);

(iv) such Letter of Credit is denominated in a currency other than Dollars;

(v) such Letter of Credit contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the Stated Amount after any drawing thereunder; or

(vi) any Revolving Credit Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless such Letter of Credit Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, satisfactory to such Letter of Credit Issuer (in its sole discretion) with the Borrower or such Revolving Credit Lender to eliminate such Letter of Credit Issuer’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section  2.16(a)(iv )) with respect to the Defaulting Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or that Letter of Credit and all other L/C Obligations as to which such Letter of Credit Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion; or

 

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(e) No Letter of Credit Issuer shall increase the Stated Amount of any Letter of Credit if such Letter of Credit Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.

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

(g) Each Letter of Credit Issuer shall act on behalf of the Revolving Credit Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith and each Letter of Credit Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article XI with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by such Letter of Credit Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article XI included such Letter of Credit Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to such Letter of Credit Issuer.

Section 3.2. Letter of Credit Requests .

(a) Whenever the Borrower desires that a Letter of Credit be issued for its account or amended, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer a request in the form of a Letter of Credit Application by no later than 1:00 p.m. at least three Business Days (or such other period as may be agreed upon by the Borrower and such Letter of Credit Issuer) prior to the proposed date of issuance or amendment. Each Letter of Credit Application shall be appropriately completed and executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Such Letter of Credit Application may be sent by facsimile, by United States mail, by overnight courier, by electronic transmission using the system provided by such Letter of Credit Issuer, by personal delivery or by any other means acceptable to such Letter of Credit Issuer.

(b) In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer: (i) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (ii) the Stated Amount thereof; (iii) the expiry date thereof; (iv) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (v) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (vi) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (vii) the identity of the applicant; (viii) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (ix) such other matters as such Letter of Credit Issuer may reasonably require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to such Letter of Credit Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as such Letter of Credit Issuer may reasonably require. Additionally, the Borrower

 

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shall furnish to such Letter of Credit Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as such Letter of Credit Issuer or the Administrative Agent may reasonably require.

(c) Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrower and, if not, such Letter of Credit Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Unless a Letter of Credit Issuer has received written notice from any Revolving Credit Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Sections  7.1 (solely with respect to any Letter of Credit issued on the Closing Date) and 7.2 shall not then be satisfied to the extent required thereby, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, such Letter of Credit Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower (or, so long as the Borrower is the primary obligor, for the account of a Subsidiary of the Borrower) or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with such Letter of Credit Issuer’s usual and customary business practices.

(d) If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, a Letter of Credit Issuer may, in its sole discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “ Auto-Extension Letter of Credit ”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit such Letter of Credit Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof and the Borrower not later than a day (the “ Non-Extension Notice Date ”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to such Letter of Credit Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) such Letter of Credit Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the L/C Maturity Date, unless otherwise agreed upon by the Administrative Agent and such Letter of Credit Issuer; provided , however , that such Letter of Credit Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) such Letter of Credit Issuer has reasonably determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of Section  3.1 (b) or otherwise), or (B) it has received written notice on or before the day that is seven Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section  7.2 are not then satisfied, and in each such case directing such Letter of Credit Issuer not to permit such extension.

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

 

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(f) Each request for a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Borrower that the Letter of Credit may be issued in accordance with, and will not violate the requirements of, Section  3.1(b) .

Section 3.3. Letter of Credit Participations .

(a) Immediately upon the issuance by a Letter of Credit Issuer of any Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Issuer shall be deemed to have sold and transferred to each Revolving Credit Lender (each such Revolving Credit Lender, in its capacity under this Section  3.3 , an “ L/C Participant ”), and each such L/C Participant shall be deemed irrevocably and unconditionally to have purchased and received from such Letter of Credit Issuer, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation (each an “ L/C Participation ”), to the extent of such L/C Participant’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage in each Letter of Credit, each substitute therefor, each drawing made thereunder and the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement with respect thereto, and any security therefor or guaranty pertaining thereto; provided that the Letter of Credit Fees will be paid directly to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the L/C Participants as provided in Section  4.1(b) and the L/C Participants shall have no right to receive any portion of any fees paid to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Letter of Credit Issuer in respect of each Letter of Credit issued hereunder.

(b) In determining whether to pay under any Letter of Credit, the relevant Letter of Credit Issuer shall have no obligation relative to the L/C Participants other than to confirm that any documents required to be delivered under such Letter of Credit have been delivered and that they appear to comply on their face with the requirements of such Letter of Credit. Any action taken or omitted to be taken by the relevant Letter of Credit Issuer under or in connection with any Letter of Credit issued by it, if taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined in the final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, shall not create for the Letter of Credit Issuer any resulting liability.

(c) In the event that any Letter of Credit Issuer makes any payment under any Letter of Credit issued by it and the Borrower shall not have repaid such amount in full to such Letter of Credit Issuer through the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section  3.4(a) , the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each L/C Participant of such failure, and each L/C Participant shall promptly and unconditionally pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Letter of Credit Issuer, the amount of such L/C Participant’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of such unreimbursed payment in Dollars at the Administrative Agent’s Office and in immediately available funds. If and to the extent such L/C Participant shall not have so made its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the amount of such payment available to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Letter of Credit Issuer, such L/C Participant agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Letter of Credit Issuer, forthwith on demand, such amount, together with interest thereon for each day from such date until the date such amount is paid to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Letter of Credit Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the Overnight Rate from time to time then in effect, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees that are reasonably and customarily charged by such Letter of Credit Issuer in connection with the foregoing. The failure of any L/C Participant to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of a Letter of Credit Issuer its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of any payment under any Letter of Credit shall not relieve any other L/C Participant

 

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of its obligation hereunder to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Letter of Credit Issuer its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of any payment under such Letter of Credit on the date required, as specified above, but no L/C Participant shall be responsible for the failure of any other L/C Participant to make available to the Administrative Agent such other L/C Participant’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of any such payment.

(d) Whenever the Administrative Agent receives a payment in respect of an unpaid reimbursement obligation as to which the Administrative Agent has received for the account of a Letter of Credit Issuer any payments from the L/C Participants pursuant to clause  (c) above, the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to each L/C Participant that has paid its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of such reimbursement obligation, in Dollars and in immediately available funds, an amount equal to such L/C Participant’s share (based upon the proportionate aggregate amount originally funded by such L/C Participant to the aggregate amount funded by all L/C Participants) of the amount so paid in respect of such reimbursement obligation and interest thereon accruing after the purchase of the respective L/C Participations at the Overnight Rate.

(e) The obligations of the L/C Participants to make payments to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Letter of Credit Issuer with respect to Letters of Credit shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (i) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against such Letter of Credit Issuer, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (ii) the occurrence or continuance of a Default or Event of Default, or (iii) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing.

(f) If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of a Letter of Credit Issuer pursuant to Section  3.3(c) is required to be returned under any circumstance (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by such Letter of Credit Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Letter of Credit Issuer its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

Section 3.4. Agreement to Repay Letter of Credit Drawings .

(a) Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof (such notification provided by such Letter of Credit Issuer to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent being referred to herein as an “ L/C Draw Notice ”). The Borrower hereby agrees to reimburse each Letter of Credit Issuer, by making payment with respect to any drawing under any Letter of Credit in the same currency in which such drawing was made unless such Letter of Credit Issuer (at its option) shall have specified in the notice of drawing that it will require reimbursement in Dollars. Any such reimbursement shall be made by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds for any payment or disbursement made by a Letter of Credit Issuer under any Letter of Credit (each such amount so paid until reimbursed, an “ Unpaid Drawing ”) if (i) an L/C Draw Notice with respect to a Letter of Credit is received by

 

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the Borrower (x) on or prior to 11:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer (each such date a payment is made by a Letter of Credit Issuer under a Letter of Credit being referred to herein as an “ Honor Date ”), then, not later than 3:00 p.m. on the Honor Date or (y) after 11:00 a.m. on the Honor Date, then, not later than 3:00 p.m. on the first Business Day following the Honor Date, (such date on which the Borrower, pursuant to clauses (x) and (y) of this sentence, are required to reimburse a Letter of Credit Issuer for a drawing under a Letter of Credit is referred to herein as the “ Reimbursement Date ”); provided , however , that if the Reimbursement Date for a drawing under a Letter of Credit is the Business Day following the Honor Date pursuant to clause (y) of this sentence then the Unpaid Drawing shall accrue interest from and including the Honor Date to the date the Letter of Credit Issuer is reimbursed in full therefor (whether through payment by the Borrower and/or the L/C Participants in accordance with Section  3.3(c) ) at a rate per annum equal to (A) for the period from and including the Honor Date to but excluding the first Business Day to occur thereafter, the Applicable Margin for Base Rate Loans that are Revolving Credit Loans plus the Base Rate as in effect from time to time and (B) thereafter, at the Default Rate in accordance with Section  2.8(c) ). Interest accruing on the Unpaid Drawing pursuant to the proviso to the immediately preceding sentence shall be payable by the Borrower promptly to the Administrative Agent, solely for the account of the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, (i) unless the Borrower shall have notified the Administrative Agent and the relevant Letter of Credit Issuer prior to 11:00 a.m. on the Reimbursement Date that the Borrower intends to reimburse the relevant Letter of Credit Issuer for the amount of such drawing with funds other than the proceeds of Loans, the Borrower shall be deemed to have given a Committed Loan Notice requesting that, with respect to Letters of Credit, the Revolving Credit Lenders make Revolving Credit Loans (which shall be denominated in Dollars and which shall be Base Rate Loans) on the Reimbursement Date in the amount of such drawing and (ii) the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each L/C Participant of such drawing and the amount of its Revolving Credit Loan to be made in respect thereof, and each L/C Participant shall be irrevocably obligated to make a Revolving Credit Loan to the Borrower in Dollars in the manner deemed to have been requested in the amount of its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the applicable Unpaid Drawing by 2:00 p.m. on such Reimbursement Date by making the amount of such Revolving Credit Loan available to the Administrative Agent. Such Revolving Credit Loans shall be made without regard to the Minimum Borrowing Amount. The Administrative Agent shall use the proceeds of such Revolving Credit Loans solely for purposes of reimbursing the relevant Letter of Credit Issuer for the related Unpaid Drawing. In the event that the Borrower fails to Cash Collateralize any Letter of Credit that is outstanding on the L/C Maturity Date, the full amount of the L/C Obligations in respect of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be an Unpaid Drawing subject to the provisions of this Section  3.4 except that the relevant Letter of Credit Issuer shall hold the proceeds received from the L/C Participants as contemplated above as cash collateral for such Letter of Credit to reimburse any drawing under such Letter of Credit and shall use such proceeds first , to reimburse itself for any drawings made in respect of such Letter of Credit following the L/C Maturity Date, second , to the extent such Letter of Credit expires or is returned undrawn while any such cash collateral remains, to the repayment of obligations in respect of any Revolving Credit Loans that have not been paid at such time and third , to the Borrower or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction. Nothing in this Section  3 .4(a) shall affect the Borrower’s obligation to repay all outstanding Revolving Credit Loans when due in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

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(b) The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse each Letter of Credit Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit issued by such Letter of Credit Issuer and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:

(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents;

(ii) the existence of any claim, counterclaim, set-off, defense or other right that the Borrower or any Subsidiary may have at any time against a beneficiary named in a Letter of Credit, any transferee of any Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such transferee may be acting), the Administrative Agent, relevant Letter of Credit Issuer, any Lender or other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, any Letter of Credit, the transactions contemplated herein or any unrelated transactions (including any underlying transaction between the Borrower and the beneficiary named in any such Letter of Credit);

(iii) any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;

(c) waiver by the relevant Letter of Credit Issuer of any requirement that exists for such Letter of Credit Issuer’s protection and not the protection of the Borrower (or any Subsidiary of the Borrower) or any waiver by the relevant Letter of Credit Issuer which does not in fact materially prejudice the Borrower (or any Subsidiary of the Borrower);

(d) any payment made by the relevant Letter of Credit Issuer in respect of an otherwise complying item presented after the date specified as the expiration date of, or the date by which documents must be received under, such Letter of Credit if presentation after such date is authorized by the UCC, the ISP or the UCP, as applicable;

(e) any payment by the relevant Letter of Credit Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by such Letter of Credit Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law;

(f) honor of a demand for payment presented electronically even if such Letter of Credit requires that demand be in the form of a draft;

(g) any adverse change in any relevant exchange rates or in the relevant currency markets generally;

(h) honor of demand for payment presented electronically even if such Letter of Credit requires that demand be in the form of a draft; or

 

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(i) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or an equitable discharge of, or provide a right of set off against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder (or any Subsidiary of the Borrower) (other than the defense of payment or performance).

(j) The foregoing shall not be construed to excuse any Letter of Credit Issuer 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 Letter of Credit Issuer’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 Letter of Credit Issuer (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), such Letter of Credit Issuer 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, a Letter of Credit Issuer 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.

The Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, the Borrower will immediately notify the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer. The Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.

Section 3.5. Increased Costs . If any Change in Law shall either (x) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, deposit, capital adequacy, liquidity or similar requirement against any assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by any Letter of Credit Issuer or any L/C Participant, including any letters of credit issued by any Letter of Credit Issuer, or any L/C Participant’s L/C Participation therein, or (y) impose on any Letter of Credit Issuer or any L/C Participant any other conditions, costs or expense affecting this Agreement or its obligations hereunder in respect of Letters of Credit or L/C Participations therein or any Letter of Credit or such L/C Participant’s L/C Participation therein, and the result of any of the foregoing is to increase the actual cost to any Letter of Credit Issuer or L/C Participant of issuing, maintaining or participating in any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to issue or participate in any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the actual amount of any sum received or receivable by such Letter of Credit Issuer or such L/C Participant hereunder (including any increased costs or reductions attributable to Taxes, other than any such increase or reduction attributable to (i) Indemnified Taxes, (ii) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes or (iii) Connection Income Taxes) in respect of Letters of Credit or L/C Participations therein, then, promptly after receipt of written demand to the Borrower by such Letter of Credit Issuer or such L/C Participant, as the case may be (a copy of which notice shall be sent by such Letter of Credit Issuer or such L/C Participant to the Administrative Agent (with respect to a Letter of Credit issued on account of the Borrower (or any Subsidiary of the Borrower))), the Borrower

 

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shall pay to such Letter of Credit Issuer or such L/C Participant such actual additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Letter of Credit Issuer or such L/C Participant for such increased cost or reduction. A certificate submitted to the Borrower by the relevant Letter of Credit Issuer or an L/C Participant, as the case may be (a copy of which certificate shall be sent by such Letter of Credit Issuer or such L/C Participant to the Administrative Agent), setting forth in reasonable detail the basis for the determination of such actual additional amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Letter of Credit Issuer or such L/C Participant as aforesaid shall be conclusive and binding on the Borrower absent clearly demonstrable error. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer shall be entitled to seek compensation under this Section  3.5 based on the occurrence of a Change in Law arising solely from (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or any requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith or (y) Basel III or any requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith, unless such Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer (in such Lender’s or Letter of Credit Issuer’s reasonable determination) is generally seeking compensation from other borrowers in the unsecured REIT loan market with respect to its similarly affected commitments, loans and/or participations under agreements with such borrowers (but not necessarily all such borrowers) having provisions similar to this Section  3.5 ; provided that in no event shall any Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer be required to disclose information of other borrowers.

Section 3.6. New or Successor Letter of Credit Issuer .

(a) Any Letter of Credit Issuer may resign as a Letter of Credit Issuer upon 60 days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the other Letter of Credit Issuers and the Borrower; provided that, if at any time any Letter of Credit Issuer assigns all of its Commitments and Loans pursuant to Section  12.6 , such Letter of Credit Issuer may, upon 30 days’ notice to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the other Letter of Credit Issuers and the Borrower, resign as a Letter of Credit Issuer. The Borrower may, with the written consent of the Administrative Agent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), replace any Letter of Credit Issuer for any reason upon written notice to such Letter of Credit Issuer. The Borrower may, with the written consent of the Administrative Agent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), add Letter of Credit Issuers at any time. If any Letter of Credit Issuer shall resign or be replaced, or if the Borrower shall decide to add a new Letter of Credit Issuer under this Agreement, then the Borrower may appoint from among the Lenders a successor issuer of Letters of Credit or a new Letter of Credit Issuer (with the agreement to become a successor issuer of Letters of Credit or a new Letter of Credit Issuer to be in the sole discretion of such Lender), as the case may be, or another successor or new issuer of Letters of Credit, whereupon such successor issuer accepting such appointment shall succeed to the rights, powers and duties of the replaced or resigning Letter of Credit Issuer under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, or such new issuer of Letters of Credit accepting such appointment shall be granted the rights, powers and duties of a Letter of Credit Issuer hereunder, and the term “Letter of Credit Issuer” shall mean such successor or such new issuer of Letters of Credit effective upon such appointment; provided , however , that no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of such Letter of Credit Issuer as a Letter of Credit Issuer. At the time such resignation or replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay to the resigning or replaced Letter of Credit Issuer all accrued and unpaid fees applicable to the Letters of Credit pursuant to Sections 4.1(b) and (d) . The acceptance of any appointment as a Letter of Credit Issuer hereunder, whether

 

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as a successor issuer or new issuer of Letters of Credit in accordance with this Agreement, shall be evidenced by an agreement entered into by such new or successor issuer of Letters of Credit, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and, from and after the effective date of such agreement, such new or successor issuer of Letters of Credit shall become the Letter of Credit Issuer hereunder. After the resignation or replacement of any Letter of Credit Issuer hereunder, the resigning or replaced Letter of Credit Issuer shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of a Letter of Credit Issuer under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such resignation or replacement (including the right to require the Revolving Credit Lenders to make Revolving Credit Loans pursuant to Section  3.4(a) or the L/C Participants to fund L/C Participations pursuant to Section  3.3(c) ), but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit. In connection with any resignation or replacement pursuant to this clause  (a) (but, in case of any such resignation, only to the extent that a successor issuer of Letters of Credit shall have been appointed), either (i) the Borrower, the resigning or replaced Letter of Credit Issuer and the successor issuer of Letters of Credit shall arrange to have any outstanding Letters of Credit issued by the resigning or replaced Letter of Credit Issuer replaced with Letters of Credit issued by the successor issuer of Letters of Credit or (ii) the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the outstanding Letters of Credit issued by such resigning or replaced Letter of Credit Issuer (at 102% of the face amount thereof) or cause the successor issuer of Letters of Credit, if such successor issuer is reasonably satisfactory to the replaced or resigning Letter of Credit Issuer, to issue “back-stop” Letters of Credit naming the resigning or replaced Letter of Credit Issuer as beneficiary for each outstanding Letter of Credit issued by the resigning or replaced Letter of Credit Issuer, which new Letters of Credit shall be denominated in the same currency as, and shall have a face amount equal to, the Letters of Credit being back-stopped and the sole requirement for drawing on such new Letters of Credit shall be a drawing on the corresponding back-stopped Letters of Credit. After any resigning or replaced Letter of Credit Issuer’s resignation or replacement as Letter of Credit Issuer, the provisions of this Agreement relating to such Letter of Credit Issuer shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it (A) while it was a Letter of Credit Issuer under this Agreement or (B) at any time with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Letter of Credit Issuer.

(b) To the extent there are, at the time of any resignation or replacement as set forth in Section  3.6(a) , any outstanding Letters of Credit, nothing herein shall be deemed to impact or impair any rights and obligations of any of the parties hereto with respect to such outstanding Letters of Credit (including, without limitation, any obligations related to the payment of Fees or the reimbursement or funding of amounts drawn), except that the Borrower, the resigning or replaced Letter of Credit Issuer and the successor issuer of Letters of Credit shall have the obligations regarding outstanding Letters of Credit described in Section  3.6(a) .

Section 3.7. Role of Letter of Credit Issuer . Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, no Letter of Credit Issuer shall have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of any Letter of Credit Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Affiliates nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of any Letter of Credit Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval

 

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of the Required Revolving Credit Lenders; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined in the final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower’s pursuit of such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement. None of any Letter of Credit Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Affiliates nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of any Letter of Credit Issuer shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in Section  3 .3(b) ; provided that anything in such Section to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against a Letter of Credit Issuer, and such Letter of Credit Issuer may be liable to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrower which the Borrower proves were caused by such Letter of Credit Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or such Letter of Credit Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit in each case as determined in the final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, each Letter of Credit Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and such Letter of Credit Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason.

Each Letter of Credit Issuer may send a Letter of Credit or conduct any communication to or from the beneficiary via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication message or overnight courier, or any other commercially reasonable means of communicating with a beneficiary.

Section 3.8. Cash Collateral .

(a) Certain Credit Support Events . If (i) as of the L/C Maturity Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, (ii) the Borrower shall be required to provide Cash Collateral pursuant to Section  10.1 , (iii) there shall exist a Defaulting Lender or (iv) any Letter of Credit Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit issued by it and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing that has not been repaid in full, in each case to the extent the applicable L/C Obligation has not already been Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof, the Borrower shall immediately (in the case of clause (ii)  above) or within one Business Day (in all other cases) following any written request by the Administrative Agent or such Letter of Credit Issuer, provide Cash Collateral in an amount not less than the applicable Minimum Collateral Amount (determined in the case of Cash Collateral provided pursuant to clause  (iii) above, after giving effect to Section  2.16(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).

 

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(b) Grant of Security Interest . The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender, hereby grant to (and subject to the control of) the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders, and agree to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein as described in Section  3.8(a) , and all other property so provided as collateral pursuant to this Section  3.8(b) and in the possession of the Administrative Agent, and in all proceeds of the foregoing, all as security for the obligations to which such Cash Collateral may be applied pursuant to Section  3.8(c) . If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent or the relevant Letter of Credit Issuer as herein provided or Liens of the type described in clauses (a)  and (c) of the definition of Permitted Encumbrances, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the Minimum Collateral Amount (including, without limitation, as a result of exchange rate fluctuations), the Borrower will, promptly upon written demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency. Cash Collateral (other than credit support not constituting funds subject to deposit) shall be maintained in blocked, interest bearing deposit accounts with the Administrative Agent (with such interest, to the extent not applied pursuant to Section  3.8(c) , accruing for the benefit of the Borrower). The Borrower shall pay promptly following written demand therefor from time to time all customary account opening, activity and other administrative fees and charges in connection with the maintenance and disbursement of Cash Collateral.

(c) Application . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under any of this Section  3 .8 or Sections  2.16 , 5 .2 or 10.1 in respect of Letters of Credit shall be held and applied to the satisfaction of the specific L/C Obligations, obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) and other obligations for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may otherwise be provided for herein.

(d) Release . Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting Exposure or to secure other obligations shall be released promptly following ( i ) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure or other obligations giving rise thereto (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender (or, as appropriate, its assignee following compliance with Section  12.6(b)(ii) ) or there is no longer existing an Event of Default) or ( ii ) the determination by the Administrative Agent and the relevant Letter of Credit Issuer that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided , however , (x) Cash Collateral furnished by or on behalf of a Loan Party shall not be released during the continuance of a Default (and following application as provided in this Section  3.8 may be otherwise applied in accordance with Section  10.1 ), and (y) the Person providing Cash Collateral and the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer(s) may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be released but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.

Section 3.9. Governing Law; Applicability of ISP and UCP . Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), each Letter of Credit shall be governed by, and shall be construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, and to the extent not prohibited by such laws, the rules of the ISP shall apply to each Letter of Credit (or UCP if required, subject to the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer’s approval).

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Letter of Credit Issuer shall be responsible to the Borrower for, and no Letter of Credit Issuer’s rights and remedies against the Borrower shall be impaired by, any action or inaction of such Letter of Credit Issuer required or permitted under any law, order, or practice that is required or permitted to be applied to any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, including the applicable law or any order of a jurisdiction where such Letter of Credit Issuer or the beneficiary is located, the practice stated in the ISP or UCP, as applicable, or in the decisions, opinions, practice statements, or official commentary of the ICC Banking Commission, the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade—International Financial Services Association (BAFT-IFSA), or the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, whether or not any Letter of Credit chooses such law or practice.

Section 3.10. Conflict with Issuer Documents . In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall control and any grant of security interest in any Issuer Documents shall be void.

Section 3.11. Letters of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries . Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary of the Borrower, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of any Subsidiary of the Borrower inures to the benefit of the Borrower and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries.

Section 3.12. Letter of Credit Issuer Reports to Administrative Agent . Unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent, each Letter of Credit Issuer shall, in addition to its notification obligations set forth elsewhere in this Section, provide the Administrative Agent with written reports from time to time, as follows:

(a) reasonably prior to the time that such Letter of Credit Issuer issues, amends, renews, increases or extends a Letter of Credit, a written report that includes the date of such issuance, amendment, renewal, increase or extension and the stated amount and currency of the applicable Letters of Credit after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (and whether the amounts thereof shall have changed);

(b) on each Business Day on which such Letter of Credit Issuer makes a payment pursuant to a Letter of Credit, a written report that includes the date and amount of such payment;

(c) on any Business Day on which the Borrower fails to reimburse a payment made pursuant to a Letter of Credit required to be reimbursed to such Letter of Credit Issuer on such day, a written report that includes the date of such failure and the amount of such payment;

(d) on any other Business Day, a written report that includes such other information as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request as to the Letters of Credit issued by such Letter of Credit Issuer; and

(e) (i) on the last Business Day of each calendar month and (ii) on each date that (1) an L/C Credit Extension occurs or (2) there is any expiration, cancellation and/or disbursement, in each case, with respect to any Letter of Credit issued by such Letter of Credit Issuer, a written report that includes the information for every outstanding Letter of Credit issued by such Letter of Credit Issuer.

 

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ARTICLE IV

FEES; COMMITMENT REDUCTIONS AND TERMINATIONS

Section 4.1. Fees .

(a) Without duplication, the Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent in Dollars, for the account of each Revolving Credit Lender in accordance with its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage, an unused fee (the “ Unused Fee ”) for each day during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article VII is not met. Each Unused Fee shall be payable (x) quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September, and December (for the three-month period (or portion thereof) ended on such day for which no payment has been received) and (y) on the last day of the Availability Period (for the period ended on such date for which no payment has been received pursuant to clause  (x) above), commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and shall be computed for each day during such period at a rate per annum equal to the Unused Fee Rate in effect on such day times the Available Commitment in effect on such day.

(b) Without duplication, the Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent in Dollars for the account of the Revolving Credit Lenders pro rata on the basis of their respective Letter of Credit Exposure, a fee in respect of each Letter of Credit issued on the Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ behalf (the “ Letter of Credit Fee ”), for the period from and including the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit to but excluding the termination or expiration date of such Letter of Credit computed at the per annum rate for each day equal to the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Revolving Credit Loans times the daily Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit. Except as provided below, such Letter of Credit Fees shall be due and payable (x) quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September, and December and (y) on the last day of the Availability Period. If there is any change in the Applicable Margin during any quarter, the daily maximum amount of each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Margin separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Margin was in effect. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (i) while any Event of Default arising under Section  10.1(a)(i) or Section  10.1(h) exists, all Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate, and (ii) upon the request of the Required Revolving Credit Lenders while any Event of Default exists (other than as set forth in clause (i) ), all Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate.

(c) Without duplication, the Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, the Bookrunner and the Lead Arrangers in Dollars, for their own respective accounts, and for the Lenders, as applicable, such fees as have been previously agreed in writing or as may be agreed in writing from time to time in the amounts and at the times so specified.

(d) Without duplication, the Borrower agrees to pay to each Letter of Credit Issuer for its own account a fee in Dollars in respect of each Letter of Credit issued by it to the Borrower (the “ Fronting Fee ”) of the greater of (a) $500 per annum and (b) for the period from the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit to the termination date of such Letter of Credit, an amount

 

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computed for each day at the rate equal to 0.125% per annum on the daily Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit. Such Fronting Fees shall be due and payable (x) quarterly in arrears on the first Business Day after the end of each of March, June, September and December and (y) on the date upon which the Total Revolving Credit Commitment terminates and the L/C Obligations shall have been reduced to zero or Cash Collateralized (at 102% of the face amount thereof).

(e) Without duplication, the Borrower agrees to pay directly to each Letter of Credit Issuer for its own account in Dollars upon each issuance or renewal of, drawing under, and/or amendment of, a Letter of Credit issued by it such amount as shall at the time of such issuance or renewal of, drawing under, and/or amendment be the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges that such Letter of Credit Issuer is customarily charging for issuances or renewals of, drawings under or amendments of, letters of credit issued by it, in each case, not to exceed $1,500 with respect to any Letter of Credit. Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable

(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the payment of any amounts to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to this Section  4.1 shall be subject to Section  2.16 .

Section 4.2. Voluntary Reduction of Revolving Credit Commitments .

(a) Upon prior written notice to the Administrative Agent (which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit to each of the Lenders), the Borrower shall have the right, without premium or penalty, on any day, permanently to terminate or reduce the Total Revolving Credit Commitment in whole or in part; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. four Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such reduction shall apply proportionately and permanently to reduce the Revolving Credit Commitment of each of the Lenders (and in the case of any resulting reduction of the Letter of Credit Subfacility, the Letter of Credit Sublimit of each Letter of Credit Issuer shall be reduced on a pro rata basis), except that the Borrower may at its election permanently reduce the Revolving Credit Commitment of a Defaulting Lender to $0 without affecting the Revolving Credit Commitments of any other Lender, (iii) any partial reduction pursuant to this Section  4.2 shall be in the amount of at least $5,000,000, and (iv) after giving effect to such termination or reduction and to any prepayments of the Loans made on the date thereof in accordance with this Agreement (x) the aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Revolving Credit Exposures shall not exceed the Total Revolving Credit Commitment, (y) the aggregate amount of L/C Obligations not fully Cash Collateralized hereunder shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Subfacility and (z) the aggregate amount of Swing Line Loans shall not exceed the Swing Line Sublimit. Following any such termination or reduction, the Administrative Agent may in its discretion replace the existing Schedule 1.1A with an amended and restated schedule that reflects all such terminations and reductions.

(b) The Borrower may terminate the unused amount of the Commitment of a Defaulting Lender upon not less than two (2) Business Days’ prior notice to the Administrative Agent (which will promptly notify the Lenders thereof), and in such event the provisions of Section  2.16(a)(ii) will apply to all amounts thereafter paid by the Borrower for the account of such Defaulting Lender under this Agreement (whether on account of principal, interest, fees, indemnity or other amounts), provided that such termination will not be deemed to be a waiver or release of any claim the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender may have against such Defaulting Lender.

 

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Section 4.3. Mandatory Termination of Commitments .

(a) The Term Loan Commitments shall terminate on the Closing Date, contemporaneously with the Borrowing of the Term Loans.

(b) The Revolving Credit Commitments shall terminate at 12:00 noon on the Revolving Loan Maturity Date.

ARTICLE V

PAYMENTS

Section 5.1. Voluntary Prepayments .

(a) The Borrower shall have the right to prepay Term Loans and Revolving Credit Loans, in each case without premium or penalty, in whole or in part from time to time on the following terms and conditions: (1) the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent written notice of its intent to make such prepayment, the date and amount of such prepayment, the Class(es) and Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid and (in the case of Eurodollar Loans) the Interest Periods of such Loans, which notice shall be in a form acceptable to the Administrative Agent and be received by the Administrative Agent no later than 11:00 a.m. (i) in the case of Eurodollar Loans, three Business Days prior to, and (ii) in the case of Base Rate Loans, one Business Day prior to, the date of such prepayment and shall promptly be transmitted by the Administrative Agent to each of the Lenders; (2) each partial prepayment of (i) any Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans shall be in a minimum amount of $1,000,000 and in multiples of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (ii) any Base Rate Loans shall be in a minimum amount of $1,000,000 and in multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof; provided that no partial prepayment of Eurodollar Loans made pursuant to a single Borrowing shall reduce the outstanding Eurodollar Loans made pursuant to such Borrowing to an amount less than the applicable Minimum Borrowing Amount for such Eurodollar Loans, and (3) in the case of any prepayment of Eurodollar Loans pursuant to this Section  5.1 on any day other than the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto, the Borrower shall, promptly after receipt of a written request by any applicable Lender (which request shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis for requesting such amount), pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender any amounts required pursuant to Section  2.11 . Subject to Section  2.16 , each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages in respect of the relevant Facility.

(b) The Borrower may, upon notice by the Borrower to the Swing Line Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swing Line Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the prepayment, and (ii) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $100,000, or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Swing Line Lender of the amount of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.

 

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Section 5.2. Mandatory Prepayments .

(a) Availability Prepayments . If for any reason on any date Availability is less than $0, the Borrower shall forthwith repay on such date the Revolving Credit Loans (including L/C Borrowings) and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount necessary to cause Availability to be greater than or equal to $0; provided , however , that, if, after repaying in full all outstanding Revolving Credit Loans and cash collateralizing all Letters of Credit, Availability is still less than $0, then the Borrower will repay outstanding Term Loans in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which Availability is less than $0. Amounts paid by the Borrower pursuant to this Section  5.2(a) , first , shall be applied ratably to the L/C Borrowings and the Swing Line Loans, second , shall be applied ratably to the outstanding Revolving Credit Loans, third , shall be used to Cash Collateralize the remaining L/C Obligations and, fourth, shall be applied ratably to the outstanding Term Loans. Upon the drawing of any Letter of Credit that has been Cash Collateralized, the funds held as Cash Collateral shall be applied (without any further action by or notice to or from the Borrower or any other Loan Party) to reimburse the Letter of Credit Issuers or the Revolving Credit Lenders, as applicable.

(b) Repayment of Revolving Credit Loans . If on any date the aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Revolving Credit Exposures for any reason exceeds the Total Revolving Credit Commitment then in effect, the Borrower shall forthwith repay on such date Revolving Credit Loans and/or Swing Line Loans in an amount equal to such excess. If after giving effect to the prepayment of all outstanding Revolving Credit Loans and Swing Line Loans, the Revolving Credit Exposures exceed the Total Revolving Credit Commitment then in effect, the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations to the extent of such excess.

(c) Application to Loans . With respect to each prepayment of Loans required by Section  5.2(a) or Section  5.2(b) , the Borrower may, if applicable, designate the Types of Loans that are to be prepaid and the specific Borrowing(s) pursuant to which made; provided that subject to Section  2.16 , each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages in respect of the relevant Facility. In the absence of a designation by the Borrower as described in the preceding sentence, the Administrative Agent shall, subject to the above, make such designation in its reasonable discretion with a view, but no obligation, to minimize breakage costs owing under Section  2.11 .

Section 5.3. Method and Place of Payment .

(a) All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Lenders entitled thereto or the Letter of Credit Issuer entitled thereto, as the case may be, not later than 2:00 p.m., in each case, on the date when due and in immediately available funds to the Administrative Agent’s Office. All repayments or prepayments of any Loans (whether of principal, interest or otherwise) hereunder

 

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shall be made in the currency in which such Loans are denominated and all other payments under each Loan Document shall, unless otherwise specified in such Loan Document, be made in Dollars. The Administrative Agent will thereafter cause to be distributed on the same day (if payment was actually received by the Administrative Agent prior to 2:00 p.m. or, otherwise, on the next Business Day in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion) like funds relating to the payment of principal or interest or Fees ratably to the Lenders entitled thereto.

(b) Any payments under this Agreement that are made later than 2:00 p.m. may be deemed to have been made on the next succeeding Business Day in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion for purposes of calculating interest and fees thereon. Except as otherwise provided herein, whenever any payment to be made hereunder shall be stated to be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the due date thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day and, with respect to payments of principal, interest and applicable fees shall be payable during such extension at the applicable rate in effect immediately prior to such extension.

(c) If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans, L/C Participations or Swing Line Participations resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans, L/C Participations or Swing Line Participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (i) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (ii) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the applicable Class of Loans, L/C Participations of Swing Line Participations, as applicable, of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans of such Class, L/C Participations or Swing Line Participations, as applicable, and other amounts owing them; provided that (x) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (y) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to (1) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), (2) the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Section  3.8 , or (3) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans, L/C Participations or Swing Line Participations to any assignee or participant other than an assignment to the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply).

(d) To the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of setoff 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 in accordance with and subject to the terms of Section  12.7(b) .

 

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Section 5.4. Net Payments .

(a) Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes .

(i) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder or under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable laws. If any applicable laws (as determined in the good faith discretion of the Administrative Agent) require the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by the Administrative Agent or a Loan Party, then the Administrative Agent or such Loan Party shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding, upon the basis of the information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to paragraph (e)  below.

(ii) If any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent or any other applicable Withholding Agent shall be required by applicable law to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) such Withholding Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are reasonably determined by such Withholding Agent to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to paragraph (e)  below, (B) such Withholding Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable laws, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or deductions have been made (including withholding or deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section  5.4 ) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deductions been made.

(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower . Without limiting the provisions of paragraph  (a) above, the Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law or, at the option of the Administrative Agent, timely reimburse the Administrative Agent or any Lender for the payment of any Other Taxes.

(c) Tax Indemnifications . Without limiting the provisions of paragraph  (a) or (b)  above, the Loan Parties shall jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section  5.4 ) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the nature and amount of any such payment or liability (along with a written statement setting forth in reasonable detail the basis and calculation of such amounts) delivered to the Borrower by a Lender, or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall, and does hereby, indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required pursuant to Section  5.4(g) .

(d) Evidence of Payments . As soon as is practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section  5.4 , such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to such Loan Party, as the case may be, the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be.

 

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(e) Status of Lenders and Tax Documentation .

(i) Each Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and to the Administrative Agent, at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable laws or by the taxing authorities of any jurisdiction and such other reasonably requested information as will permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, to determine (A) whether or not any payments made hereunder or under any other Loan Document are subject to Taxes, (B) if applicable, the required rate of withholding or deduction, and (C) such Lender’s entitlement to any available exemption from, or reduction of, applicable Taxes in respect of any payments to be made to such Lender by any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or otherwise to establish such Lender’s status for withholding tax purposes in the applicable jurisdiction. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Any documentation and information required to be delivered by a Lender pursuant to this Section  5.4(e) (including any specific documentation set forth in subsection  (ii) below) shall be delivered by such Lender (i) on or prior to the Closing Date (or on or prior to the date it becomes a party to this Agreement), (ii) on or before any date on which such documentation expires or becomes obsolete or invalid, (iii) after the occurrence of any change in the Lender’s circumstances requiring a change in the most recent documentation previously delivered by it to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (iv) from time to time thereafter if reasonably requested by Borrower or the Administrative Agent, and each such Lender shall promptly notify in writing the Borrower and the Administrative Agent if such Lender is no longer legally eligible to provide any documentation previously provided. If any form or certification previously delivered pursuant to this Section expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect with respect to a Lender, such Lender shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of its legal inability to do so. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section  5.4(e)(ii)(A) , 5.4(e)(ii)(B) or 5.4(e)(ii)(D) ) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:

(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent two (2) executed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 or such other documentation or information prescribed by applicable laws or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements;

 

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(B) each Lender that is not a U.S. Person (a “ Non-U.S. Lender ) that is entitled under the Code or any applicable treaty to an exemption from or reduction of U.S. federal withholding tax with respect to any payments hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) whichever of the following is applicable:

(1) two (2) executed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable (or any successor form thereto), claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party;

(2) executed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI (or any successor form thereto);

(3) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate, substantially in the form of Exhibit J-1 , J-2 , J-3 or J-4 , as applicable, (a “ Non-Bank Tax Certificate ”), to the effect that such Non-U.S. Lender is not (A) a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (B) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or (C) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and that no payments under any Loan Document are effectively connected with such Non-U.S. Lender’s conduct of a United States trade or business and (y) two (2) executed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable (or any successors thereto);

(4) where such Lender is a partnership (for U.S. federal income tax purposes) or otherwise not a beneficial owner (e.g., where such Lender has sold a participation), Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY (or any successor thereto) and all required supporting documentation (including, where one or more of the underlying beneficial owner(s) is claiming the benefits of the portfolio interest exemption, a Non-Bank Tax Certificate of such beneficial owner(s)) ( provided that, if the Non-U.S. Lender is a partnership and not a participating Lender, the Non-Bank Tax Certificate(s) may be provided by the Non-U.S. Lender on behalf of the direct or indirect partner(s)); or

(5) executed copies of any other form prescribed by applicable laws as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States federal withholding tax together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable laws to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made;

(C) any Non-U.S. 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 Non-U.S. Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from, or a reduction in, U.S. Federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine withholding or deduction required to be made; and

 

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

(iii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section  5.4 , no Lender or the Administrative Agent shall be required to deliver any documentation that it is not legally eligible to deliver.

(f) Treatment of Certain Refunds . Unless required by applicable laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender or a Letter of Credit Issuer, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender or such Letter of Credit Issuer, as the case may be. If any Recipient determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by any Loan Party or with respect to which any Loan Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section  5.4 , the Administrative Agent or such Lender (as applicable) shall promptly pay to the Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Loan Parties under this Section  5.4 with respect to the Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including any Taxes) incurred by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agree to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph  (f) , in no event will the Administrative Agent or any Lender be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph  (f) the payment of which would place the Administrative Agent or any Lender in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the Administrative Agent or any 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

 

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indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This paragraph shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.

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

(h) FATCA . For the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of this Section  5.4 , the term Lender includes each Letter of Credit Issuer and the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.

(i) Survival . Each party’s obligations under this Section  5.4 shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under the Loan Documents.

Section 5.5. Computations of Interest and Fees ; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate .

(a) All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate) shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of interest and all computations of fees shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(b) If, as a result of any restatement of or other adjustment to the financial statements of the Company or for any other reason, the Borrower or the Lenders determine that (i) the Total Leverage Ratio as calculated by the Borrower as of any applicable date was inaccurate and (ii) a proper calculation of the Total Leverage Ratio would have resulted in higher pricing for such

 

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period, the Borrower shall immediately and retroactively be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Lenders or the Letter of Credit Issuers, as the case may be, within ten (10) Business Days of demand thereof by the Administrative Agent (or, after the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code, automatically and without further action by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Letter of Credit Issuer), an amount equal to the excess of the amount of interest and fees that should have been paid for such period over the amount of interest and fees actually paid for such period. This paragraph shall not limit the rights of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Letter of Credit Issuer, as the case may be, under Section  2.8(c) , 3.4(a) or 4.1(b) or under Article X . The Borrower’s obligations under this paragraph shall survive the termination of all Commitments and the repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.

Section 5.6. Limit on Rate of Interest .

(a) No Payment Shall Exceed Lawful Rate . Notwithstanding any other term of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be obliged to pay any interest or other amounts under or in connection with this Agreement or otherwise in respect of the Obligations in excess of the amount or rate permitted under or consistent with any applicable law, rule or regulation.

(b) Payment at Highest Lawful Rate . If the Borrower is not obliged to make a payment that it would otherwise be required to make, as a result of Section  5.6(a) , the Borrower shall make such payment to the maximum extent permitted by or consistent with applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

(c) Adjustment if Any Payment Exceeds Lawful Rate . If any provision of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents would obligate the Borrower to make any payment of interest or other amount payable to any Lender in an amount or calculated at a rate that would be prohibited by any applicable law, rule or regulation, then notwithstanding such provision, such amount or rate shall be deemed to have been adjusted with retroactive effect to the maximum amount or rate of interest, as the case may be, as would not be so prohibited by law, such adjustment to be effected, to the extent necessary, by reducing the amount or rate of interest required to be paid by the Borrower to the affected Lender under Section  2.8 ; provided that to the extent lawful, the interest or other amounts that would have been payable but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, and after giving effect to all adjustments contemplated thereby, if any Lender shall have received from the Borrower an amount in excess of the maximum permitted by any applicable law, rule or regulation, then the Borrower shall be entitled, by notice in writing to the Administrative Agent to obtain reimbursement from that Lender in an amount equal to such excess, and pending such reimbursement, such amount shall be deemed to be an amount payable by that Lender to the Borrower.

 

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In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the any Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (i) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (ii) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (iii) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

ARTICLE VI

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

To induce the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders to enter into this Agreement and to make the Loans and to issue, amend or renew the Letters of Credit, the Borrower and the Company each hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent, each Letter of Credit Issuer and each Lender that:

Section 6.1. Financial Condition . (a) The audited financial statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to Section  7.1(b)  (i) present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial condition of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the date of such financial statement and (ii) have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied consistently throughout the period covered thereby except as otherwise expressly noted therein.

(b) The unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at September 30, 2017 delivered pursuant to Section  7.1(b) and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholder’s equity and cash flows for the fiscal quarter ended on that date (i) present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial condition of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the date of such financial statement and (ii) have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied consistently throughout the period covered thereby except to the extent provided in the notes to such financial statements, subject to year-end audit adjustments.

(c) The unaudited pro forma consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at September 30, 2017 (including any notes thereto) (the “ Pro Forma Balance Sheet ” and such date, the “ Pro Forma Balance Sheet Date ”), copies of which have heretofore been furnished to the Administrative Agent, has been prepared giving effect (as if such events had occurred on such date) to the consummation of the Transactions. The Pro Forma Balance Sheet has been prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed by the Company to be reasonable as of the date of delivery thereof to the Administrative Agent and as of the date hereof, and, subject to the qualifications and limitations contained in the notes attached thereto, presents fairly in all material respects on a pro forma basis, the estimated financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the Pro Forma Balance Sheet Date, assuming that the events specified in the preceding sentence had actually occurred at such date.

Section 6.2. No Change . Since December 31, 2016, there has been no development or event that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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Section 6.3. Existence; Compliance with Law . Each Group Member (a) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing (to the extent such concept is applicable in the relevant jurisdiction) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (b) has the corporate, limited liability or limited partnership, as applicable, power and authority, and the legal right, to own and operate its property, to lease the property it operates as lessee and to conduct the business in which it is currently engaged except for where failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (c) is duly qualified to do business in, and in good standing under the laws of, each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification except for where failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (d) is in compliance with all Requirements of Law except to the extent that the failure to comply therewith could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 6.4. Power; Authorization; Enforceable Obligations . Each Loan Party has the corporate, limited liability or limited partnership, as applicable, power and authority, and the legal right, to enter into and perform the Loan Documents to which it is a party and, in the case of the Borrower, to obtain extensions of credit hereunder. Each Loan Party has taken all necessary organizational action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents to which it is a party and, in the case of the Borrower, to authorize the extensions of credit on the terms and conditions of this Agreement. No consent or authorization of, filing with, notice to or other act by or in respect of, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is required in connection with the extensions of credit hereunder or with the execution, delivery, performance, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any of the Loan Documents, except (a) consents, authorizations, filings and notices have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (b) filings to perfect the Liens created under the Collateral Documents and to release existing Liens or (c) consents, authorizations, filings and notices, the failure of which to do so obtain or make could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered on behalf of each Loan Party party thereto. This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document upon execution will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of each Loan Party party thereto, enforceable against each such Loan Party in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought by proceedings in equity or at law).

Section 6.5. No Legal Bar . The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the borrowings hereunder and the use of the proceeds thereof will not violate any Requirement of Law or any Material Contract or any Governing Document of any Loan Party and will not result in, or require, the creation or imposition of any Lien on any of their respective properties or revenues pursuant to any such Material Contract (other than the Liens created by the Collateral Documents).

Section 6.6. Litigation . No action, suit, investigation or proceeding of or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority is pending or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened in writing against any Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries or against any of their respective property as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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Section 6.7. Ownership of Property; Liens ; Qualified Assets; Casualty . (a) Each Group Member has title in fee simple to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all its Real Property that is material to its business, and good title to, or a valid leasehold interest in or the right to use, all its other property that is material to its business, in each case other than (x) minor defects in title that do not interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or as proposed to be conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes, or (y) in the case of assets other than Qualified Assets, where the failure to have such title, interest or other right to use would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, and none of the Qualified Assets or assets constituting Collateral is subject to any Lien except Permitted Encumbrances and Permitted Equity Encumbrances.

(b) Each Qualified Asset included in any calculation of the Borrowing Base or the Financial Covenants satisfied, at the time of such calculation, all of the Eligibility Criteria with respect to the applicable category of Qualified Assets.

(c) Neither the businesses nor the properties of any Group Member are affected by any fire, explosion, accident, strike, lockout or other labor dispute, drought, storm, hail, earthquake, embargo, act of God or of the public enemy or other casualty that, either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 6.8. Intellectual Property . Each Group Member owns, or is licensed to use, all Intellectual Property necessary for the conduct of its business as currently conducted, except to the extent that the failure to so own or license such Intellectual Property, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No material claim has been asserted against any Group Member and is pending by any Person challenging or questioning the use of any Intellectual Property or the validity or effectiveness of any Intellectual Property in each case that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, nor does the Borrower know of any valid basis for any such claim in each case that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The use of Intellectual Property by each Group Member does not infringe on the rights of any Person except to the extent that such infringements, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 6.9. REIT Status; Stock Exchange Listing; Taxes . The Company (i) qualifies as a “real estate investment trust” as defined in Section 856 of the Code for U.S. Federal income tax purposes (a “ REIT ”), (ii) has elected to be treated as a REIT and has not revoked its election to be a REIT and (iii) is in compliance with all other requirements and conditions imposed under the Code to allow it to maintain its status as a REIT. The Company will cause its common Capital Stock to be listed and to remain listed on the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ Stock Market. Each Group Member has filed or caused to be filed all federal, state and other material tax returns and reports that are required to have been filed and has paid all Taxes on any assessments made against it or any of its property, and all other material Taxes, fees or other charges imposed on it or any of its property by any Governmental Authority (other than any Taxes the amount or validity of which are currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided on the books of the relevant Group Member), except where the failure to file or pay could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no Tax Lien has been filed with respect

 

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to assets of any Group Member that is not a Permitted Encumbrance, and as of the Closing Date, to the knowledge of the Company or the Borrower, no claim is being asserted with respect to any such Taxes, fees or other charges of any Group Member that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 6.10. Federal Regulations . (a) No part of the proceeds of any Loans or Letters of Credit, and no other extensions of credit hereunder, will be used by any Loan Party (i) for the purpose, whether immediate or ultimate, of “buying” or “carrying” any “margin stock” within the respective meanings of each of the quoted terms under Regulation U as now and from time to time hereafter in effect or (ii) for any purpose that violates the provisions of the Regulations of the Board.

(b) No Loan Party nor any Subsidiary is engaged or will engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of “buying” or “carrying” any “margin stock” within the respective meanings of each of the quoted terms under Regulation U as now and from time to time hereafter in effect or extending credit for the purpose of “buying” or “carrying” “margin stock”.

Section 6.11. ERISA . (a) Except as could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) each Group Member and each of their respective ERISA Affiliates is in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA and the provisions of the Code relating to Plans and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder; and (ii) no ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur.

(b) The Borrower is not and will not be using “plan assets” (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments;

Section 6.12. Investment Company Act . No Group Member is an “investment company” required to be registered as such under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Section 6.13. Subsidiaries . As of the Closing Date, (a)  Schedule  6.13 sets forth the name and jurisdiction of incorporation of each Subsidiary of a Group Member and, as to each such Subsidiary, the percentage of each class of Capital Stock owned by any Group Member and (b) there are no outstanding subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, rights or other agreements or commitments (other than (i) stock options granted to employees or directors and (ii) directors’ qualifying shares) of any nature relating to any Capital Stock of the Borrower or any Subsidiary. Each Subsidiary of the Borrower, other than Excluded Subsidiaries, is a Guarantor.

Section 6.14. Use of Proceeds . The Borrower has not used the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit in any manner in violation of Section  8.11 .

Section 6.15. Environmental Matters . Except as, in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect:

(a) the facilities and real properties owned, leased or operated by any Group Member (the “ Properties ”) do not contain any Materials of Environmental Concern in amounts or concentrations or under circumstances that constitute a violation of Environmental Law or would reasonably be expected to result in any Environmental Liability;

 

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(b) no Group Member has received any written notice from any Person alleging, or knows of any basis for, any Environmental Liability with regard to any Group Member, the Properties or the business operated by any Group Member (the “ Business ”);

(c) Materials of Environmental Concern have not been transported or disposed of to, at or from the Properties by or on behalf of any Group Member in violation of Environmental Law or in a manner that would reasonably be expected to give rise to any Environmental Liability, nor have any Materials of Environmental Concern been generated, used, treated or stored at, on or under any of the Properties in violation of Environmental Law or in a manner that would reasonably be expected to give rise to any Environmental Liability;

(d) no claim, proceeding, suit, action or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, investigation is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened, under any Environmental Law to which any Group Member is or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, will be named as a party, nor are there any judicial decrees, consent decrees, consent orders, administrative orders or other governmental orders outstanding under any Environmental Law with respect to any Group Member, the Properties or the Business;

(e) there has been no Release of or exposure to nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threat of Release of Materials of Environmental Concern at, in, on, under or from the Properties or any other location that would reasonably be expected to give rise to any Environmental Liability;

(f) neither the Group Members nor their respective operations at the Properties have 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; and

(g) no Group Member has retained or assumed (by contract or operation of law) any Environmental Liability of any other Person or with respect to any former or predecessor operations or properties.

Section 6.16. Accuracy of Information, Etc . The Summary Information Memorandum and all other written factual information contained in this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other document or certificate heretofore furnished by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers or the Lenders, or any of them, for use in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, other than projections, estimates, budgets, forward looking statements and information of a general economic or industry nature concerning the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, does not and will not, when furnished, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements contained therein (taken as a whole) not materially misleading in light of the circumstances under which such statements were or are made, supplemented or updated from time to time. The projections contained in the materials referenced above will have been prepared in good faith based upon reasonable assumptions believed by management of the Loan Parties to be reasonable at the time made and at the time such projections are made, it being recognized by the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders that such projections are not to be viewed as facts or a guarantee of performance and are subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies many of which are beyond the control of the Loan Parties, that no assurance can be given that any particular projections will be realized and that actual results during the period or periods covered by any such projections may differ from the projected results, and such differences may be material.

 

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Section 6.17. Collateral Documents . The Guarantee and Collateral Agreement is effective to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a legal, valid and enforceable security interest in the Collateral described therein and proceeds thereof (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, 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). The security interest granted pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement constitutes a fully perfected Lien on, and security interest in, all right, title and interest of the Loan Parties in such Collateral and the proceeds thereof, as security for the Obligations, in each case prior and superior in right to any other Person (subject to Permitted Equity Encumbrances). Except as contemplated by the Collateral Documents, no filing or other action will be necessary to perfect or protect such Liens.

Section 6.18. Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions . The Company and the Borrower have implemented and maintain in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Company, the Borrower, the other Group Members and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, and the Borrower, the other Group Members and their respective officers and employees and, to the knowledge of the Company and the Borrower after reasonable due diligence, their respective directors and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Terrorism Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions. None of the Company, the Borrower, any of their respective Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge or the Borrower, the Company or any such Subsidiary after reasonable due diligence, any of their respective directors, officers or employees, (i) is a Sanctioned Person, (ii) conducts any business or engages in making or receiving any contribution of funds, goods or services to or for the benefit of any Sanctioned Person, (iii) deals in, or otherwise engages in any transaction related to, any property or interests in property blocked pursuant to any Anti-Terrorism Law or (iii) engages in or conspires to engage in any transaction that evades or avoids, or has the purposes of evading or avoiding, or attempts to violate any Anti-Terrorism Laws. All borrowings, use of proceeds and other transactions contemplated by this Agreement will comply with applicable Sanctions in all respects, and no borrowing, use of proceeds or other transaction contemplated by this Agreement will violate Anti-Corruption Laws (including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977).

Section 6.19. Labor Matters . As of the Closing Date, except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) there are no strikes, lockouts or slowdowns or any other material labor disputes against any Group Member pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened; (ii) the hours worked by and payments made to employees of each of the Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable Federal, state, local or foreign law dealing with such matters; (iii) all payments due from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or for which any claim may be made against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, on account of wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of the Borrower or such Subsidiary; and (iv) the consummation of the Transactions will not give rise to any right of termination or right of renegotiation on the part of any union under any collective bargaining agreement to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is bound.

 

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Section 6.20. Solvency . As of the Closing Date, the Company and its Subsidiaries and the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, in each case taken as a whole and on a consolidated basis, immediately after the consummation of the Transactions, are Solvent.

Section 6.21. Insurance . The properties of the Group Members are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Company, in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where the applicable Group Member operates.

Section 6.22. No Default . No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

Section 6.23. EEA Financial Institution . No Loan Party is an EEA Financial Institution.

ARTICLE VII

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

Section 7.1. Conditions to Effectiveness . The effectiveness of this Agreement is subject to satisfaction or waiver of each of the following conditions precedent:

(a) Credit Agreement; Collateral Documents . The Administrative Agent shall have received:

(i) this Agreement, executed and delivered by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower, the Company and each Person listed on Schedule  1.1A ;

(ii) the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, executed and delivered by the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties party thereto;

(iii) a Revolving Credit Note and/or Term Note, as applicable, executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender requesting such Note (which, to the extent delivered via e-mail (in a .pdf format) or telecopies, shall be followed promptly by originals);

(iv) a Borrowing Base Certificate as of the end of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower ended at least 45 calendar days prior to the date hereof, duly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower; and

(v) the Escrow Agreement, executed by the Escrow Agent, each of the Loan Parties, each of the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and each of the Letter of Credit Issuers.

(b) Financial Statements . The Lenders shall have received (i) audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, (ii) unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2017, June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017, and (iii) the Pro Forma Balance Sheet.

 

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(c) No Material Adverse Effect . There shall not have occurred since December 31, 2016, any event, change or condition that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(d) Lien Searches and Perfection . The Administrative Agent shall have received:

(i) the results of a recent Lien search with respect to the Borrower and each other Loan Party, and such search shall reveal no Liens on any Collateral except for Permitted Equity Encumbrances or Liens discharged on or prior to the Closing Date pursuant to documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent,

(ii) evidence that (x) all proper financing statements have been or contemporaneously herewith will be duly filed under the Uniform Commercial Code of all applicable jurisdictions and (y) all applicable perfection requirements that the Administrative Agent reasonably may deem necessary or desirable in order to perfect the Liens created under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, covering the Collateral described in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement have been or contemporaneously herewith will be satisfied,

(iii) certificates or instruments, if any, representing the Collateral pledged pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, each together with all endorsements and/or powers required by the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, executed in blank by a duly authorized officer of the pledgor thereof;

(iv) evidence that all other actions, recordings and filings that the Administrative Agent may deem reasonably necessary or desirable in order to perfect the Liens created under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement have been or contemporaneously herewith will be taken; and

(v) a completed Perfection Certificate dated the Closing Date and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, together with all attachments contemplated thereby.

(e) Fees . The Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall have received all invoiced fees required to be paid, and all expenses for which invoices have been presented (including the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel), on or before the Closing Date, in each case, to the extent invoiced at least three Business Days prior to the Closing Date. All such amounts will be reflected in the funding instructions given by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent on or before the Closing Date.

(f) Secretary s Certificates . The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of the Borrower and each other Loan Party, dated the Closing Date and satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent, with appropriate insertions and attachments, reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent, executed by a Responsible Officer and the secretary or any assistant secretary of the Borrower or such Loan Party.

 

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(g) Proceedings of the Loan Parties . The Administrative Agent shall have received a copy of the resolutions, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, of the Board of Directors (or similar governing body) of the Borrower and each other Loan Party authorizing (i) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the borrowings contemplated hereunder and (iii) the granting by it of the Liens created pursuant to the Collateral Documents, certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Borrower or such Loan Party as of the Closing Date, which certification shall be included in the certificate delivered in respect of the Borrower or such Loan Party pursuant to Section  7.1(f) and shall state that the resolutions thereby certified have not been amended, modified, revoked or rescinded.

(h) Incumbency Certificates . The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of the Borrower and each Loan Party, dated the Closing Date, as to the incumbency and signature of the officers of such Loan Party, as applicable, executing any Loan Document, which certificate shall be included in the certificate delivered in respect of the Borrower or such Loan Party pursuant to Section  7.1(f) , shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and shall be executed by a Responsible Officer and the secretary or any assistant secretary of the Borrower or such Loan Party.

(i) Governing Documents . The Administrative Agent shall have received true and complete copies of the Governing Documents of the Borrower and each other Loan Party certified as of a recent date as complete and correct copies thereof by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Borrower or such Loan Party, which certification shall be included in the certificate delivered in respect of the Borrower or such Loan Party pursuant to Section  7.1(f) .

(j) Good Standing Certificates . The Administrative Agent shall have received certificates dated as of a recent date from the Secretary of State or other appropriate authority evidencing the good standing and/or existence (to the extent such concept is applicable) of the Borrower and each other Loan Party in the jurisdiction of its organization or formation.

(k) Legal Opinions . The Administrative Agent shall have received (a) a signed legal opinion of King & Spalding LLP, counsel to the Loan Parties, (b) a signed legal opinion of Greenberg Traurig LLP, Massachusetts counsel to the Loan Parties, (c) a signed legal opinion of Smith, Gardner, Slusky, Lazer, Pohren & Rogers, LLP, Nebraska counsel to the Loan Parties and (d) a signed legal opinion of Stoel Rives LLP, Minnesota counsel to the Loan Parties, in each case in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(l) Closing Certificate . The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, confirming as of the Closing Date that:

(i) each of the representations and warranties made by the Company and each Loan Party in or pursuant to the Loan Documents to which it is a party shall be true and correct in all material respects (or if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on and as of the Closing Date (except where such representations and warranties relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and correct as of such earlier date);

 

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(ii) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on such date or would result from any extensions of credit under this Agreement requested to be made on the Closing Date;

(iii) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case taken as a whole and on a consolidated basis, are, and immediately before and after giving effect to the transactions expected to occur on the Closing Date, including the making of each Loan to be made on the Closing Date and the application of the proceeds thereof, will be, Solvent; and

(iv) there shall not have occurred since December 31, 2016, any event, change or condition that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(m) Know Your Customer . The Administrative Agent shall have received, at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, all documentation and other information required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Patriot Act, in each case as requested at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the Closing Date.

(n) Transactions . The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence of a successful initial public offering by the Company with minimum gross proceeds of $250,000,000 therefrom (the “ REIT IPO ”), and the Transactions shall have been, or substantially concurrently with the Closing Date will be, consummated.

(o) Pro Forma Closing Date Compliance Certificate . The Administrative Agent shall have received a duly completed Compliance Certificate, executed by a Financial Officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, giving pro forma effect to the transactions to occur on the Closing Date (including, without limitation, the consummation of the REIT IPO and the Transactions and all Borrowings and issuances of Letters of Credit, if any, to occur on the Closing Date and the application of proceeds thereof), but calculated as of the last day of the fiscal quarter ending immediately prior to the Closing Date (such Compliance Certificate, the “ Pro Forma Closing Date Compliance Certificate ”).

(p) Closing Date Appraisals . With respect to each Eligible Owned Asset and Eligible Ground Leased Asset to be included in the calculation of the Borrowing Base as of the Closing Date (as set forth in the Borrowing Base Certificate delivered pursuant to clause  (a)(iv) above), the Administrative Agent shall have (i) received an Acceptable Appraisal dated within 120 days of the Closing Date, or (ii) consented to the use of an earlier Acceptable Appraisal dated in or after May 2017; provided that the Borrower shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause a new Acceptable Appraisal with respect to any such Qualified Asset to be delivered to the Administrative Agent within 45 days after the Closing Date.

For the purpose of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section  7.1 , each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have accepted, and to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required under this Section  7.1 unless the Administrative Agent shall have received written notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

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Section 7.2. Conditions to Each Extension of Credit . The agreement of each Lender and each Letter of Credit Issuer to make any extension of credit requested to be made by it on any date (including any making of Loans and any issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of Letters of Credit on the Closing Date) is subject to receipt of the request therefor in accordance with the terms of Article II or III , as applicable, and the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(a) Representations and Warranties . Each of the representations and warranties made by the Borrower or any Loan Party in or pursuant to the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on and as of such date, before and after giving effect to the extensions of credit requested to be made on such date and the application of the proceeds therefrom, as if made on and as of such date (except where such representations and warranties relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) as of such earlier date and except that for purposes of this Section  7.2 , the representations and warranties contained in Section  6.1(a) and (b)  shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Sections 8.1(a) and (b) , respectively).

(b) No Default or Event of Default . No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on such date or after giving effect to the extensions of credit requested to be made on such date.

(c) Availability . After giving effect to the extensions of credit requested to be made on such date, Availability shall be greater than or equal to $0.

(d) Minimum Properties . The Minimum Property Condition shall be satisfied.

Each borrowing hereunder shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower as of the date of such extension of credit and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit that the conditions contained in this Section  7.2 have been satisfied as of such date.

ARTICLE VIII

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

Until Payment in Full, the Borrower and the Company shall and (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 8.1 , 8.2 , 8.8 and 8.13(a) and (b) ) shall cause each of their respective Subsidiaries to:

Section 8.1. Financial Statements . Furnish to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly make such information available to the Lenders in accordance with customary practices):

(a) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company (or, if earlier, 15 days after the date required to be filed with the SEC) (commencing with the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017), the Company’s audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of

 

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operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows 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 statement, qualification or exception 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 Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied and accompanied by a certificate of the accounting firm that reported on such financial statements stating that in the course of its regular audit of the business of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries, which audit was conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, such accounting firm has obtained no knowledge of any Event of Default relating to the Financial Covenants that has occurred and is continuing or, if in the opinion of such accounting firm such an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, a statement as to the nature thereof (which certificate may be limited to the extent required by accounting rules or guidelines); and

(b) within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of the fiscal year of the Company (or, if earlier, 5 days after the date required to be filed with the SEC), its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by Financial Officer of the Company as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company 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.

Any financial statement or other document, reports, proxy statements or other materials required to be delivered pursuant to this Section  8.1 or Section  8.2 (to the extent any such financial statement or document, reports, proxy statements or other materials included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC, including in the Company’s Form 8-K, 10-K or 10-Q) may be delivered electronically and, if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) such financial statements and/or other documents are posted on the SEC’s website on the Internet at www.sec.gov, (ii) on which the Borrower or the Company posts such documents, or provides a link thereto, on the Borrower’s or the Company’s website address listed on Schedule  12.2 or (iii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s or the Company’s behalf on an Internet or Intranet website, if any, to which the Administrative Agent and each Lender has access (whether a commercial third-party website or a website sponsored by the Administrative Agent), provided that (A) the Borrower or the Company shall, at the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, continue to deliver copies (which delivery may be by electronic transmission (including Adobe pdf copy)) of such documents to the Administrative Agent or such Lender until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (B) the Borrower or the Company shall notify (which notification may be by facsimile or electronic transmission (including Adobe pdf copy)) the Administrative Agent of the posting of any such documents on any website. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower or the Company with any request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for timely accessing posted documents or requesting delivery of paper copies of such documents from the Administrative Agent and maintaining its copies of such documents.

 

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Section 8.2. Certificates; Other Information . Furnish to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly make such information available to the Lenders in accordance with customary practices):

(a) (1) concurrently with the delivery of any financial statements pursuant to Section  8.1(a) or (b) (commencing with the delivery of the financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017) (which delivery may, unless the Administrative Agent, or a Lender requests executed originals, be by electronic communication including fax or email and shall be deemed to be an original authentic counterpart thereof for all purposes) (x) a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Financial Officer of the Company, which Compliance Certificate shall (i) include a certification as to whether a Default or Event of Default has occurred and if a Default or Event of Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) set forth a narrative discussion and analysis of the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries (on a consolidated basis) for the reporting period then ended and for the period from the beginning of the then current fiscal year to the end of such period and (iii) set forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with the Financial Covenants (solely in the case of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, giving pro forma effect to the Transactions and the consummation of the REIT IPO, but calculated as of the last day of the fiscal year) and the Minimum Property Condition, and (y) together with such Compliance Certificate, each in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (i) a description of all Real Properties acquired during the most recently ended calendar quarter, including the contribution to EBITDA of each such Real Property based on the reasonable estimate thereof prepared by the Borrower, acquisition costs with respect to such Real Properties and any related mortgage debt, (ii) a description of all Real Properties sold during such calendar quarter, including the contribution to EBITDA of such Real Properties for the twelve month period ending at the end of the most recent fiscal quarter and the sales price, (iii) a statement of the EBITDA contribution by each Real Properties for the twelve month period ending at the end of the most recent fiscal quarter and summary occupancy reports for each such Real Property, (iv) a listing of all Qualified Assets and summary information therefor, including square footage, property type and date acquired or built, (v) a certification that all Qualified Assets so listed fully qualify as such under the applicable Eligibility Criteria for inclusion as Qualified Assets, (vi) the financial information for each category of Qualified Assets, and (vii) a summary of all acquisitions, dispositions or other removals of Qualified Assets completed during the most recently ended calendar quarter not otherwise disclosed pursuant to clause (y)(i) or (y)(ii) above and (2) concurrently with the delivery of any financial statements pursuant to Section  8.1(a) (commencing with the delivery of the financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017) a list as of such year-end setting forth the name and jurisdiction of incorporation of each Subsidiary of a Group Member and, as to each such Subsidiary, the percentage of each class of Capital Stock owned by any Group Member.

 

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(b) as soon as available, and in any event no later than 90 days after the end of the fiscal year of the Company, a detailed consolidated budget of the Company for the following fiscal year (including a projected consolidated balance sheet of the Company, as of the end of the following fiscal year, the related consolidated statements of projected cash flow, projected changes in financial position and projected income, and a description of the underlying assumptions applicable thereto), and, as soon as available, significant revisions, if any, of such budget and projections with respect to such fiscal year, which projections shall in each case be accompanied by a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Company stating that such projections are based on reasonable estimates, information and assumptions;

(c) not later than forty-five (45) days following the end of each fiscal quarter, a Borrowing Base Certificate duly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth a calculation of the Borrowing Base as of the end of such fiscal period; provided that such Borrowing Base Certificate shall be supplemented by an interim Borrowing Base Certificate together with delivery of the financial statements required by Section  8.1(a) or Section  8.1(b) , as applicable, if there are any adjustments contained in such financial statements that would affect the calculation of the Borrowing Base contained in such prior Borrowing Base Certificate; provided further that the Borrower shall deliver an interim Borrowing Base Certificate to the Administrative Agent (i) as required by Section  8.7(b) , Section  8.15 , Section  8.16 and Section  8.17 ; and (ii) no later than 5:00 p.m. on the fifth Business Day following any Material Disposition (it being understood and agreed that such Borrowing Base Certificate shall be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis to such Material Disposition);

(d) promptly following receipt thereof, copies of (i) any documents described in Section 101(k) of ERISA that any Group Member or any ERISA Affiliate requests with respect to any Multiemployer Plan to which a Group Member or ERISA Affiliate is obligated to contribute and (ii) any notices described in Section 101(l) of ERISA that any Group Member or any ERISA Affiliate requests with respect to any Multiemployer Plan to which a Group Member or ERISA Affiliate is obligated to contribute; provided that if the relevant Group Member or ERISA Affiliate has not requested such documents or notices from the administrator or sponsor of the applicable Multiemployer Plan, then, upon reasonable request of the Administrative Agent, such Group Member or ERISA Affiliate 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 promptly after receipt thereof;

(e) promptly after the same are available, and only to the extent not publicly available on EDGAR, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to the stockholders of the Company, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which the Company may file or be required to file with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto;

(f) promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any material statement or report furnished any holder of debt securities of any Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof pursuant to the terms of any material indenture, loan or credit or similar agreement and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to Section  8.1 or any other clause of this Section  8.2 ;

(g) promptly, and in any event within five (5) Business Days after receipt thereof by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, copies of each notice or other correspondence received from the SEC (or comparable agency in any applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction) concerning any investigation or possible investigation or other inquiry by such agency regarding financial or other operational results of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof; and

 

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(h) promptly, such additional financial and other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Company, the Borrower and their Subsidiaries as any Lender may from time to time reasonably request; provided that none of the Company, the Borrower nor any Subsidiary will be required to disclose or permit the inspection or discussion of, any document, information or other matter (i) that constitutes trade secrets or similar commercially sensitive information, (ii) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or their representatives or contractors) is prohibited by law, would violate the fiduciary duties owed by the disclosing party or would violate any binding agreement or (iii) that is subject to attorney client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product.

The Borrower and the Company and each Lender acknowledge that (a) the Administrative Agent, the Bookrunner and/or any Lead Arranger may, but shall not be obligated to, make available to the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “ Borrower Materials ”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks, Syndtrak, ClearPar, or a substantially similar electronic transmission system (the “ Platform ”) and (b) certain of the Lenders may be Public Lenders and, if documents or notices required to be delivered pursuant to this Section  8.2 or otherwise are being distributed through the Platform, any document or notice that the Borrower has indicated contains Private-Side Information shall not be posted on that portion of the Platform designated for such Public Lenders. The Borrower agrees to clearly and conspicuously mark “PUBLIC” (which, at a minimum means that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof) on all Borrower Materials provided to the Administrative Agent by or on behalf of the Borrower which contains only Public-Side Information, and by doing so the Administrative Agent, the Bookrunner, the Lead Arrangers, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders shall be deemed to have been authorized to treat such Borrower Materials as containing only Public-Side Information. If neither the Borrower nor the Company has indicated whether a document or notice delivered pursuant to this Section  8.2 contains Private-Side Information, the Administrative Agent reserves the right to post such document or notice solely on that portion of the Platform designated for Private Lenders.

The Company will hold quarterly conference calls for the Lenders to discuss financial information of the Borrower and the Loan Parties for the previous quarter. The conference call shall be at a time mutually agreed by the Company and the Administrative Agent. The Company or the Administrative Agent will notify the Lenders as to the time and date of such conference call and provide instructions for Lenders to obtain access to such call.

Section 8.3. Lines of Business . Maintain, and not fundamentally and substantively alter, the character of their business, taken as a whole, from the business conducted by the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, on the Closing Date and other business activities which are extensions thereof or otherwise incidental, reasonably related, or ancillary to any of the foregoing (and non-core incidental businesses acquired in connection with any Permitted Acquisition or permitted Investment, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not be included as a line of business for the purposes of determining Total Asset Value or Eligible Value).

 

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Section 8.4. Taxes . File or cause to be filed, all federal, state and other tax returns and reports that are required to be filed and pay all Taxes on any assessments made against it or any of its property, and all other Taxes, fees or other charges imposed on it or any of its property by any Governmental Authority (other than (a) any the amount or validity of which are contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which reserves in conformity with GAAP are provided on the books of the relevant Group Member or (b) where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect).

Section 8.5. Maintenance of Existence; Compliance with Law . (a)(i) Preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its organizational existence and good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and (ii) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except, in each case, as otherwise permitted by Section  9.4 or 9.12 and except, in the case of clause  (i) (solely with respect to good standing of Group Members other than the Company and the Borrower) and clause (ii)  above, to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (b) comply with all Requirements of Law except to the extent that failure to comply therewith could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure compliance by the Company, the Borrower, the other Group Members and their respective directors, officers and employees with Anti-Terrorism Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.

Section 8.6. Maintenance of Property; Insurance . (a) Keep all property material to the conduct of and necessary in its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear, casualty and condemnation excepted and (b) maintain with insurance companies that the Company believes (in the good faith judgment of the management of the Company) are financially sound and reputable insurance on all its property in at least such amounts and against at least such risks (but including in any event public liability, product liability and business interruption) as are usually (as determined in the good faith judgment of the management of the Company) insured against in the same general area by similarly situated companies engaged in the same or a similar business; provided that workers compensation and/or health insurance may be maintained with captive insurance Subsidiaries. Each such policy of liability or casualty insurance maintained by or on behalf of the Company and the Loan Parties will (i) in the case of each liability insurance policy (other than workers’ compensation, director and officer liability or other policies in which such endorsements are not customary), name the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, as an additional insured thereunder and (ii) provide for at least 30 days’ (or such shorter number of days as may be agreed to by the Administrative Agent) prior written notice to the Administrative Agent of any cancellation of such policy.

Section 8.7. Inspection of Property; Books and Records; Discussions ; Appraisals .

(a) (x) Keep proper books of records and account in which full, true and correct entries in all material respects in conformity with GAAP and all Requirements of Law shall be made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities and (y) permit representatives of the Lenders once each calendar year upon reasonable prior notice and at a time mutually agreed with the Company (or, after the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default, at any time or frequency) to visit and inspect its properties (to the extent it is within such Person’s

 

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control to permit such inspection), to examine and make extracts from its books and records (other than materials (i) that constitute trade secrets or similar commercially sensitive information, (ii) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or their representatives or contractors) is prohibited by law, would violate the fiduciary duties owed by the disclosing party or would violate any binding agreement or (iii) that is subject to attorney client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product), examine and evaluate the Borrower’s practices in computation of the Borrowing Base, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers, in each case, at the expense of the Borrower once each calendar year (or, after the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default, at any time).

(b) At the sole expense of the Borrower, permit and cooperate with the Administrative Agent or professionals (including investment bankers, consultants, accountants, lawyers and appraisers) retained by the Administrative Agent to (i) from time to time following the second anniversary of the Closing Date, but no more than and no less than one (1) time in any period of twelve (12) months, obtain an updated Acceptable Portfolio Appraisal and (ii) obtain an updated Acceptable Appraisal for any Qualified Asset at any time and from time to time (x) following the second anniversary of the Closing Date and for which the date of the most recent Acceptable Appraisal of such Qualified Asset is more than twelve (12) months prior to such time or (y) upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default; provided that, without limiting the foregoing, upon prior written request and at the Borrower’s sole expense, the Borrower shall have the right (i) at any time and from time to time, to have the Administrative Agent or professionals (including investment bankers, consultants, accountants, lawyers and appraisers) retained by the Administrative Agent obtain an updated Acceptable Portfolio Appraisal and (ii) from time to time, but no more than one (1) time in any period of twelve (12) months for any Qualified Asset, to have the Administrative Agent or professionals (including investment bankers, consultants, accountants, lawyers and appraisers) retained by the Administrative Agent obtain an updated Acceptable Appraisal for any Qualified Asset; provided further that upon obtaining any Acceptable Appraisal or Acceptable Portfolio Appraisal in connection with this clause (b) , the Borrower shall within five (5) Business Days of any request by the Administrative Agent following receipt by the Administrative Agent of a copy of such Acceptable Appraisal or Acceptable Portfolio Appraisal deliver to the Administrative Agent an interim Borrowing Base Certificate duly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth the calculation of the Borrowing Base after giving effect to any change in the Appraised Value of any Qualified Asset contained in such Acceptable Appraisal or Acceptable Portfolio Appraisal.

Section 8.8. Notices . Promptly give notice to the Administrative Agent (for further distribution to each Lender) of:

(a) the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default;

(b) any litigation, investigation or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting any Group Member that, if adversely determined, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

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(c) any action, suit, investigation or proceeding against any Group Member (i) that, if adversely determined, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) which relates to any Loan Document;

(d) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability to a Group Member in an aggregate amount exceeding $10,000,000;

(e) any transaction or occurrence that results in the material damage, destruction or rendering unfit for normal use of (i) any of the facilities and properties owned, leased or operated by any Group Member, that could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) any of the Qualified Assets;

(f) any pending or threatened notice or claim, administrative, regulatory or judicial action, suit, judgment, demand or other written communication by any other Person alleging or asserting the liability of any Group Member for investigatory costs, clean-up costs, governmental response costs, damages to natural resources or other property, personal injuries, fines or penalties or seeking injunctive relief, in each case relating to the presence, use or Release of any Material of Environmental Concern or the violation, or alleged violation, of any Environmental Law, that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(g) any development or event that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and

(h) of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, including any determination by the Borrower referred to in Section  5.5(b) .

Each notice pursuant to this Section  8.8 shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower or the Company setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Loan Parties have taken and propose to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section  8.8(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.

Section 8.9. Environmental Laws . (a) Comply with, and use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure compliance by all tenants and subtenants, if any, with, all applicable Environmental Laws, and obtain and comply with and maintain, and take commercially reasonable steps to ensure that all tenants and subtenants obtain and comply in all material respects with and maintain, any and all licenses, approvals, notifications, registrations or permits required by applicable Environmental Laws; in each case, except for such non-compliance and failure to obtain and maintain that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(b) Except where failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) conduct and complete all investigations, studies, sampling and testing, and all remedial, removal and other actions required under Environmental Laws and (ii) promptly comply with all lawful orders and directives of all Governmental Authorities regarding Environmental Laws, other than such orders and directives which are being timely contested in good faith by proper proceedings.

 

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Section 8.10. Additional Collateral/Subsidiaries . With respect to (x) any new Subsidiary that owns, operates or leases property or an asset intended for inclusion in the Borrowing Base as a Qualified Asset, or (y) (other than any Excluded Subsidiary) any other new Subsidiary, in each case formed, created or acquired after the Closing Date by any Loan Party (which, for the purposes of this paragraph, shall include any existing Subsidiary that ceases to be an Excluded Subsidiary), promptly (and, in any event, within sixty (60) days or as otherwise agreed in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent) (i) cause each such new Subsidiary to become a party to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement as a Guarantor and a pledgor, (ii) execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent such supplements to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement or any additional Collateral Documents, as the Administrative Agent deems necessary or advisable to grant to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a perfected first priority security interest in the Capital Stock of each such new Subsidiary that is owned by any Loan Party, and (iii) deliver to the Administrative Agent the certificates representing such Capital Stock, together with undated stock powers, in blank, executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of the relevant Loan Party; it being understood and agreed that inclusion of any such property or asset in the Borrowing Base as a Qualified Asset shall be subject to satisfaction of the foregoing requirements and all other applicable requirements hereunder.

Section 8.11. Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit .

(a) Use the proceeds of the Loans and Letters of Credit solely for general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries including to prepay indebtedness under the Existing Credit Agreement and for working capital and other lawful corporate purposes, in each case not in contravention of the Loan Documents or applicable law.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower will not request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and the Borrower shall not use, and shall procure that its Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of any Borrowing or any Letter of Credit (i) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws or Anti-Terrorism Laws, (ii) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any manner that would result in a violation by any individual or entity (including any individual or entity participating in the transaction, whether as Lender, Bookrunner, Lead Arranger, Administrative Agent, Letter of Credit Issuer, Swing Line Lender, or otherwise) of Sanctions.

Section 8.12. Know Your Customer . Promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender, provide all documentation and other reasonably available information that the Administrative Agent, such Letter of Credit Issuer or such Lender reasonably requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Patriot Act.

Section 8.13. Maintenance of REIT Status; Stock Exchange Listing; Further Assurances .

(a) The Company will continue to be treated as a REIT.

 

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(b) The Company will cause its common Capital Stock to be listed and to remain listed on the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ Stock Market.

(c) The Borrower will (and will cause each Guarantor to) execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent such supplements to the Collateral Documents or such other Collateral Documents as the Administrative Agent deems necessary or advisable to (i) grant to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a legal, valid and enforceable security interest in the Collateral and proceeds thereof or (ii) to ensure continued validity, perfection and priority of the Liens on the Collateral, subject in all cases to the limitations set forth in Section  8.10 and the other Loan Documents.

Section 8.14. [Reserved] .

Section 8.15. Removal of Qualified Assets – Borrower . From time to time during the term of this Agreement following (i) the Borrower’s written request (each, a “ Release Request ”) and (ii) satisfaction of the Release Conditions (as defined below), the Administrative Agent shall release the subject Qualified Asset from the Borrowing Base, and thereafter, such property or asset shall no longer be a Qualified Asset for the purposes of this Agreement. The “ Release Conditions ” are the following:

(a) The Borrower shall have delivered an interim Borrowing Base Certificate duly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth a calculation of the Borrowing Base after giving effect to the removal of the subject Qualified Asset; provided that such Borrowing Base Certificate shall only be given effect in subsequent determinations of the Borrowing Base upon satisfaction of all other Release Conditions.

(b) After giving effect to the removal of the subject Qualified Asset, (x) Availability shall be greater than or equal to $0 and (y) the Minimum Property Condition shall be satisfied.

(c) Upon release of the subject Qualified Asset, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be in compliance with the Financial Covenants on a Pro Forma Basis.

(d) No Default or Event of Default shall exist and be continuing under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents at the time of the Release Request or at the time of any such release, or would result from any such release.

(e) Each of the representations and warranties made by the Borrower or any Loan Party in or pursuant to the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (or if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on and as of the date of such release, before and after giving effect to such release, as if made on and as of such release (except where such representations and warranties relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) as of such earlier date and except that for purposes of this Section  8.15 , the representations and warranties contained in Section  6.1(a) and (b)  shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Sections 8.1(a) and (b) , respectively).

 

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Any failure of any removal and release requested by the Borrower to meet all of the Release Conditions shall be deemed a rejection of the proposed Release Request and, subject to the other terms and conditions hereof as to whether any property or asset is a Qualified Asset, such property or asset shall remain a Qualified Asset hereunder.

Section 8.16. Removal of Qualified Assets – Administrative Agent . Any Qualified Asset shall be immediately removed from the Borrowing Base and shall no longer be deemed to be a Qualified Asset for purposes of determining the Borrowing Base or for any other purposes of this Agreement (including any extension of credit hereunder) upon the determination by the Administrative Agent of the occurrence of any of the following:

(a) Such Qualified Asset ceases to meet the Eligibility Criteria applicable to such Qualified Asset;

(b) An Event of Loss occurs as to such Qualified Asset;

Upon notice by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower of any such removal, the Borrower shall promptly (and in any event within five (5) Business Days) deliver an interim Borrowing Base Certificate duly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth a calculation of the Borrowing Base after giving effect to the removal of the subject Qualified Asset. For the avoidance of doubt, if after giving effect to the removal of such Qualified Asset from the Borrowing Base, Availability shall be less than $0, the Borrower shall be immediately required to make a mandatory prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section  5.2 .

Section 8.17. Additional Qualified Assets . From time to time during the term of this Agreement (including in connection with any Permitted Acquisition) following the Borrower’s written request, the Borrower may request that the Administrative Agent accept additional properties or assets to be designated as Qualified Assets upon the satisfaction of the following conditions, in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (such conditions, the “ Addition Conditions ”):

(a) The proposed Qualified Asset shall satisfy all Eligibility Criteria for the applicable category of Qualified Assets.

(b) With respect to any proposed Eligible Owned Assets or Eligible Ground Leased Assets, an Acceptable Appraisal shall have been obtained with respect to such proposed Qualified Asset.

(c) The Borrower and the applicable Loan Parties shall have executed and delivered any applicable Loan Documents or supplements thereto.

(d) The Borrower shall pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent for all reasonable legal fees and expenses and other costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with such addition.

(e) No Default or Event of Default shall exist and be continuing under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents at the time of such addition or would result from any such addition.

 

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(f) Each of the representations and warranties made by the Borrower or any Loan Party in or pursuant to the Loan Documents (except in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or other permitted Investment, in which case customary “specified representations” and those representations and warranties set forth in the related acquisition agreement that are material to the interests of the Lenders) shall be true and correct in all material respects (or if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on and as of the date of such addition, before and after giving effect to such addition, as if made on and as of such addition (except where such representations and warranties relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and correct as of such earlier date and except that for purposes of this Section  8.17 , the representations and warranties contained in Section  6.1(a) and (b)  shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Sections 8.1(a) and (b) , respectively).

(g) The Borrower shall have delivered an interim Borrowing Base Certificate duly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth a calculation of the Borrowing Base after giving effect to the addition of the proposed Qualified Asset, including any supporting information reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent; provided that such Borrowing Base Certificate shall only be given effect in subsequent determinations of the Borrowing Base upon satisfaction of all other Addition Conditions.

The Administrative Agent shall give the Borrower prompt written notice of its determination with respect to the admission or rejection of any asset or property as a Qualified Asset.

Section 8.18. Minimum Property Condition . Maintain a minimum of twenty (20) Eligible Owned Assets that are included in the calculation of the Borrowing Base at all times (the “ Minimum Property Condition ”).

Section 8.19. Payment of Obligations . Pay and discharge its material obligations (other than with respect to Non-Recourse Indebtedness of Excluded Subsidiaries), including material Tax liabilities and all Indebtedness as and when due and payable, but subject to any subordination provisions contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing such Indebtedness, 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.

ARTICLE IX

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

Until Payment in Full, the Borrower and the Company shall not, and shall not permit any of their respective Subsidiaries to:

Section 9.1. Financial Covenants .

(a) Borrowing Base Coverage Ratio . Permit the Borrowing Base Coverage Ratio for any Reference Period to be less than 1.00 to 1.00.

 

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(b) Total Leverage Ratio . Permit the Total Leverage Ratio for any Reference Period to be greater than 0.60 to 1.00.

(c) Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio . Permit the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for any Reference Period ending on (i) December 31, 2017 to be less than 1.40:1.00 and (ii) any date thereafter to be less than 1.50:1.00.

(d) Borrowing Base Debt Service Coverage Ratio . Permit the Borrowing Base Debt Service Coverage Ratio for any Reference Period to be less than 2.00 to 1.00.

(e) Consolidated Tangible Net Worth . Permit Consolidated Tangible Net Worth as of the last day of each fiscal quarter be less than the sum of (i) $900,000,000 plus (ii) an amount equal to seventy percent (70%) of net equity proceeds received by the Company after the Closing Date.

(f) Secured Recourse Leverage Ratio . Permit Consolidated Secured Recourse Indebtedness as of the last day of each fiscal quarter to exceed 20% of Total Asset Value as of such date.

Section 9.2. Indebtedness . Create, issue, incur, assume, become liable in respect of or suffer to exist any Indebtedness (including any Capital Lease Obligations, securitizations and similar Indebtedness), unless (a) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom and (b) after giving effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness on a Pro Forma Basis (i) Availability is not less than zero ($0) and (ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the Financial Covenants;

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower shall not permit any Qualified Asset Guarantor to create, issue, incur, assume, become liable in respect of or suffer to exist any Indebtedness (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Guarantee Obligations), and to the extent that any Indebtedness of any such Qualified Asset Guarantor exists in breach of the foregoing, all Qualified Assets of such Qualified Asset Guarantor shall no longer be a Qualified Asset for any purposes of this Agreement until compliance is achieved.

Section 9.3. Liens . Directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien on:

(a) any Qualified Asset, other than Permitted Encumbrances;

(b) any Collateral, other than Permitted Equity Encumbrances; and

(c) any income or revenues from, or proceeds of, any of the foregoing;

or sign, file or authorize under the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction a financing statement that includes in its collateral description any portion of any Collateral or any Qualified Asset, or any income or revenue from, or proceeds of, any of the foregoing, except in each case, to perfect a Lien arising under the Collateral Documents.

 

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Section 9.4. Fundamental Changes . Enter into any merger, consolidation or amalgamation, or liquidate, wind up or dissolve itself (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution), or reorganize itself in any non-U.S. jurisdiction, or Dispose of all or substantially all of the property or business of the Group Members, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom (i) any Person other than a Qualified Asset Guarantor may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Person other than the Borrower or the Company may merge into any Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Subsidiary; provided that if one of the parties to such merger is (x) an Other Guarantor, the Other Guarantor shall be the surviving entity and (y) a Qualified Asset Guarantor, the Qualified Asset Guarantor shall be the surviving entity, (iii) any Non-Qualified Asset Subsidiary may Dispose of its assets to the Borrower or to another Subsidiary; provided that if one of the parties to such transaction is a Guarantor, either (1) the Guarantor shall be the transferee or (2) the transaction is permitted by Section  9.12 , (iv) any Subsidiary which is not a Guarantor may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower, and (v) any Subsidiary other than a Qualified Asset Guarantor may liquidate or dissolve; provided that (A) if such Subsidiary is an Other Guarantor, all of the assets of such Subsidiary are transferred to a Loan Party and (B) if such Subsidiary is not an Other Guarantor, all of the assets of such Subsidiary are transferred to the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries.

Section 9.5. Restricted Payments . Declare or pay any dividend on, or make any payment on account of, or set apart assets for a sinking or other analogous fund for, the purchase, redemption, defeasance, retirement, cancellation, termination or other acquisition of, any Capital Stock of any Group Member, whether now or hereafter outstanding, or make any other distribution in respect thereof, whether in Cash or property or in obligations of any Group Member (collectively, “ Restricted Payments ”), directly or indirectly, except that (i) the Borrower may declare and pay dividends with respect to its Capital Stock payable solely in additional limited or general partnership interests, (ii) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Capital Stock, (iii) the Borrower or any Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including, without limitation, any Plans), (iv) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments the proceeds of which will be used to pay tax liabilities of Americold Realty Operation, Inc., a Delaware corporation, to the extent (A) such payments are permitted under the Borrower’s Governing Documents and (B) such tax liability is attributable to Americold Realty Operation, Inc.’s ownership of Capital Stock of the Borrower and (v) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may (directly or indirectly, as the case may be) make Restricted Payments to the Company; provided that (x) the Borrower shall not make aggregate Restricted Payments to the Company that are attributable to any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters in excess of the greater of (A) 90% of Normalized Adjusted FFO for such period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ( less any amounts used for Investments in Non-Qualified Asset Subsidiaries) and (B) the minimum amount required for the Company to maintain its REIT status, comply with the minimum distribution requirement under Section 857(a) of the Code and avoid imposition on the Company of income and excise taxes under Sections 857 and 4981 of the Code and (y) if a Default or an Event of Default (other than under Section  10.1(a) or (h) ) has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower may only make Restricted Payments to the Company in the minimum amounts required to be made by the Company in order to maintain its status as a REIT; provided further , however , that the Borrower may not make any Restricted Payments to the Company if a Default or Event of Default under Section  10.1(a) or (h)  has occurred and is continuing or all or any portion of the Obligations have been accelerated.

 

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Section 9.6. Transactions with Affiliates . Enter into any transaction, including any purchase, sale, lease or exchange of property, the rendering of any service or the payment of any management, advisory or similar fees, with any Affiliate, except: (a) arrangements in respect of shared services, joint procurement, corporate expense allocation, information technology licensing or 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 unrelated third parties; (b) transactions between or among (i) the Borrower and any Non-Qualified Asset Subsidiaries so long as such transaction, as of the date such transaction is consummated, would not have or would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Borrower and the Qualified Asset Guarantors (taken as a whole), (ii) the Borrower and any Qualified Asset Guarantors or (iii) Non-Qualified Asset Subsidiaries, in each case not involving any other Affiliate; (c) the consummation of the Transactions and the payment of the Transaction Costs, and as otherwise permitted by this Agreement (including with respect to any Restricted Payment permitted by Section  9.5 ); (d) as set forth on Schedule 9.6 or any amendment thereto to the extent such amendment is not adverse, taken as a whole, to the Lenders in any material respect; (e) if approved by the governing body of such Person in accordance with applicable law, any indemnity provided for the benefit of directors of such Person; (f) the payment of fees, expenses, compensation or employee benefit arrangements to managers, consultants, employees, officers and outside directors of such Person; (g) transactions between or among Group Members contemplated by any CMBS Financing; and (h) transactions that are made on terms substantially as favorable to the Company or such Subsidiary as would be obtainable by the Company or such Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person that is not an Affiliate.

Section 9.7. Amendments to Organizational Documents . Directly or indirectly, consent to, approve, authorize or otherwise suffer or permit any waiver, amendment, supplement, cancellation, termination or other modification of the partnership agreement, operating agreement, charter, certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents of the Company, the Borrower, any Qualified Asset Guarantor or any Loan Party that is a direct owner of any Qualified Asset Guarantor, in each case if such waiver, amendment, supplement, cancellation, termination or modification would reasonably be expected to (a) adversely affect any Loan Party’s ability to repay the Obligations or (b) impair the rights or interests of the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party hereunder or under any Loan Document or in any Collateral.

Section 9.8. No Further Negative Pledges . Directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any Contractual Obligation (other than any Loan Document) that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon the ability of (a) the Borrower or any other Loan Party to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets (including the Capital Stock owned by the Borrower or such Loan Party), or (b) any Loan Party to make Restricted Payments to the Borrower or any other Loan Party or to make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Loan Party or to guarantee Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Loan Party or (c) the Borrower or any Subsidiary to otherwise transfer (including by way of a pledge) property to the Borrower or a Loan Party; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by Requirements of Law or by this Agreement, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a

 

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Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder (including, if applicable, in accordance with Section  8.15 ), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to Secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness (and, for the avoidance of doubt, such restrictions do not apply to any Qualified Asset or to the Capital Stock of any Guarantor), (iv) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions that are binding on an Other Guarantor at the time such Subsidiary first becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower, so long as such Contractual Obligations were not entered into in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary of the Borrower, (v) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements applicable to Joint Ventures that are applicable solely to such Joint Venture and entered into in the ordinary course of business, (vi) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions that are customary restrictions on leases, subleases, licenses or asset sale agreements otherwise permitted hereby so long as such restrictions solely relate to the assets subject thereto, (vii)  clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions or conditions restricting assignment of any agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business, (viii) the foregoing shall not apply to provisions restricting the granting of a security interest in Intellectual Property contained in licenses or sublicenses by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries of such Intellectual Property, which licenses and sublicenses were entered into in the ordinary course of business (in which case such restriction shall relate only to such Intellectual Property), and (ix) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business.

Section 9.9. Use of Proceeds . Use the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.

Section 9.10. Investments . Make or allow any Investment, unless immediately before and after giving effect to such Investment on a Pro Forma Basis, (i) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, (ii) Availability is not less than zero ($0), and (iii) the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the Financial Covenants.

Section 9.11. Changes in Fiscal Periods . (a) Permit the fiscal year of the Company or the Borrower to end on a day other than December 31 or change the Company’s or the Borrower’s method of determining fiscal quarters or (b) make any change in accounting policies or reporting practices, except as required or permitted by GAAP.

Section 9.12. Asset Sales . Dispose of any property or asset, including Capital Stock owned by it, unless immediately before and after giving effect to such Disposition on a Pro Forma Basis (a) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such Disposition, (b) Availability is not less than zero ($0), (c) in the case of property constituting a Qualified Asset, only if (x) such Qualified Asset is released in accordance with Section  8.15 concurrently with such Disposition and (y) after giving effect to such Disposition the Minimum Property Condition shall be satisfied and (d) the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the Financial Covenants.

 

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Section 9.13. Environmental Matters . (a) Use, or permit any other Person to use, any of the Properties or any portion thereof as a facility for the handling, processing, storage or disposal of Materials of Environmental Concern in amounts or concentrations or under circumstances that constitute a violation of Environmental Law or would reasonably be expected to result in any Environmental Liability where any such use, conduct or other activity has not had and could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (b) conduct, or permit any other Person to conduct, any activity at any of its Properties or use any of its Properties in any manner that could reasonably be contemplated to cause a Release of Materials of Environmental Concern on, upon or into such Property, or any other location, that would reasonably be expected to result in any Environmental Liability, in each case except, with respect to any Property that is not a Qualified Asset, where any such use, conduct or other activity has not had and could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 9.14. Sanctions; Anti-Corruption; Anti-Money Laundering .

(a) Directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other individual or entity, to fund, finance or facilitate any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, or in any other manner that would result in a violation by any individual or entity (including any individual or entity participating in the transaction, whether as Lender, Bookrunner, Lead Arranger, Administrative Agent, Letter of Credit Issuer, Swing Line Lender, or otherwise) of Sanctions.

(b) Directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of any Borrowing or any Letter of Credit 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 or Anti-Terrorism Laws.

(c) Directly or indirectly engage in any transaction, investment, undertaking or activity that conceals the identity, source or destination of the proceeds from any category of offenses designated in any applicable Law, regulation or other binding measure implementing the “Forty Recommendations” and “Nine Special Recommendations” published by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering or violate these laws or any other applicable anti-money laundering law or engage in these actions.

ARTICLE X

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

Section 10.1. Events of Default . If any of the following events shall occur and be continuing:

(a) (i) the Borrower or any other Loan Party shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any Unpaid Drawing, including any L/C Borrowing, when due in accordance with the terms hereof; or (ii) the Borrower or any other Loan Party shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan, any fee or any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document within five (5) Business Days after any such interest on any Loan, fee or other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document becomes due in accordance with the terms hereof; or

 

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(b) any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Loan Party herein or in any other Loan Document or that is contained in any certificate or other document furnished by it at any time under or in connection with this Agreement or any such other Loan Document shall prove to have been inaccurate or misleading in any material respect on or as of the date made or deemed made (or, to the extent qualified by materiality, shall be inaccurate or misleading in any respect after giving effect to such qualification when made or deemed made); or

(c) the Company or any Loan Party shall default in the observance or performance of any agreement contained in (i)  Section  8.1(a) or (b) , Section  8.2(a)(1)(x) , Section  8.2(c) , Section  8.5(a)(i) (solely with respect to the existence of the Company, the Borrower, any Qualified Asset Guarantor or any Loan Party that is a direct owner of any Qualified Asset Guarantor), Section  8.8 , Section  8.10 , or Section  8.13 or Section  8.18 or Article IX or Article XIII of this Agreement or any Guarantor fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, (ii)  Section  8.6(b) and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of 10 days or (iii)  Section  8.2(a) (not specified in clause (i)  above) and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of 15 days; or

(d) the Borrower shall fail to deliver any Borrowing Base Certificate required by Section  8.7(b) , Section  8.15 , Section  8.16 or Section  8.17 ; or

(e) any Group Member shall default in the observance or performance of any agreement contained in Section  8.11(a) ;

(f) any Loan Party shall default in the observance or performance of any other agreement contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document (other than as provided in paragraphs (a) through (e) above), and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after the earlier of (i) the date upon which an officer of the Company or the Borrower obtains knowledge of such default or (ii) the date upon which the Borrower has received written notice of such default from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders; or

(g) any Group Member shall (i) default in making any payment when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace or cure periods (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness (excluding any Indebtedness hereunder and any Non-Recourse Indebtedness) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of (or, with respect to any Swap Agreements, a Swap Termination Value of) more than $25,000,000; or (ii) default in the observance or performance of any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event shall occur or condition exist, the effect of which default or other event or condition is to cause, or to permit the holder or beneficiary of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or beneficiary) or, in the case of a Swap Agreement, the applicable counterparty, to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due

 

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(or to be terminated) or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity or, in the case of any such Indebtedness constituting a Guarantee Obligation, to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded, or, in the case of a Swap Agreement, to cause the termination thereof or an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Agreement) results therefrom; provided that clauses (i) (other than in the case of clause  (x) below) and (ii)  shall not apply to (x) Secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the Disposition or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness, if such Disposition or transfer is permitted hereunder and under the documents providing for such Indebtedness and (y) Indebtedness that is convertible into Capital Stock and has been converted to Capital Stock in accordance with its terms and such conversion is not prohibited hereunder; or

(h) (i) any Group Member shall commence or consent to the institution of any case, proceeding or other action (A) under any Debtor Relief Law, seeking to have an order for relief entered with respect to it, or seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, winding-up, liquidation, dissolution, composition or other relief with respect to it or its debts, or (B) seeking appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or other similar official for it or for all or any material part of its property; or (ii) there shall be commenced against any Group Member any case, proceeding or other action of a nature referred to in clause  (i) above (except for the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator or other similar official for the assets of an Excluded Subsidiary in connection with a default by such Excluded Subsidiary on Non-Recourse Indebtedness) that (A) results in the entry of an order for relief or any such adjudication or appointment or (B) remains undismissed, unstayed or undischarged for a period of 60 days; or (iii) there shall be commenced against any Group Member any case, proceeding or other action seeking issuance of a writ or warrant of attachment, execution, distraint or similar process against all or any material party of its property that results in the entry of an order for any such relief that shall not have been released, vacated, discharged, or stayed or fully bonded pending appeal within 60 days from the entry thereof; or (iv) any Group Member shall become unable or admit in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due; or (v) any Group Member shall make a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or

(i) 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 (i) a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) liability to any Group Member in an aggregate amount exceeding $25,000,000 in any year or $50,000,000 for all periods; or

(j) (i) one or more judgments or decrees shall be entered against any Group Member involving in the aggregate a liability (to the extent not covered by insurance or third-party indemnities as to which the relevant insurance company or third party has not denied coverage) of $25,000,000 or more or (ii) one or more non-monetary final judgments or decrees shall be entered against any Group Member that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (x) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or decree, or (y) there is a period of 30 consecutive days during which such judgment or decree is not vacated, discharged, stayed or bonded pending appeal; or

 

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(k) any provision of any Loan Document, including the Guarantee Obligations contained in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; any Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any provision of any Loan Document; or

(l) any Lien created by any of the Collateral Documents shall cease to be a valid and enforceable first priority perfected Lien on the Collateral purported to be covered thereby (subject only to Permitted Equity Encumbrances); or

(m) a Change of Control;

then, and in any such event, (A) if such event is an Event of Default specified in clause  (i) or (ii)  of paragraph (h)  above with respect to the Company or the Borrower, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the Loans (with accrued interest thereon) and all other amounts owing under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall immediately and automatically become due and payable and the deposit of cash collateral in respect of Letter of Credit Exposure in accordance with Section  3.8 shall immediately and automatically become due, or (B) if such event is any other Event of Default, the Administrative Agent shall at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions: (i) declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the Letter of Credit Issuers to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated forthwith, whereupon such commitments and obligations shall immediately terminate; (ii) declare the Loans (with accrued interest thereon) and all other amounts owing under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to be due and payable forthwith, whereupon the same shall immediately become due and payable; (iii) require the deposit of cash collateral in respect of Letter of Credit Exposure in accordance with Section  3.8 and (iv) exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers under the Loan Documents Except as expressly provided above in this Section, presentment, demand, protest and all other notices of any kind are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower, the Company and each other Loan Party.

Section 10.2. Application of Funds . After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section  10.1 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in Section  10.1 ), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall, subject to the provisions of Sections 2.16 and 3.8 , be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order.

First , to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Sections 2.10 , 2.11 , 3.5 or 5.4 ) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

 

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Second , to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest and Letter of Credit Fees) payable to the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuer arising under the Loan Documents and amounts payable under Sections 2.10 , 2.11 , 3.5 or 5.4 , ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

Third , to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit Fees and interest on the Loans, L/C Borrowings and other Obligations arising under the Loan Documents, ratably among the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

Fourth , to (a) payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, L/C Borrowings and Obligations then owing under Secured Hedge Agreements and Secured Cash Management Agreements, ratably among the Lenders, the Letter of Credit Issuers, the Qualified Counterparties and the Cash Management Banks in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause (a) and (b) to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Letter of Credit Issuers, to Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit issued by such Letter of Credit Issuer to the extent not otherwise Cash Collateralized by the Borrower pursuant to Section  3.8 , ratably in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and

Last , the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.

Subject to Section  3.8 , amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fifth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements shall be excluded from the application described above if the Administrative Agent has not received written notice thereof, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Qualified Counterparty, as the case may be. Each Cash Management Bank or Qualified Counterparty not a party to the Credit Agreement that has given the notice contemplated by the preceding sentence shall, by such notice, be deemed to have acknowledged and accepted the appointment of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of Article XI hereof for itself and its Affiliates as if a “Lender” party hereto.

 

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ARTICLE XI

THE AGENTS

Section 11.1. Appointment .

Each Lender and each Letter of Credit Issuer hereby irrevocably designates and appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and each such Lender and each such Letter of Credit Issuer irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent, in such capacity, to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein, or any fiduciary relationship with any Lender or any Letter of Credit Issuer, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Agreement or any other Loan Document or otherwise exist against the Administrative Agent. The provisions of this Article XI (except for Section  11.9 ) are solely for the benefit of the Agents, the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers, and neither the Company nor any other Loan Party shall have any rights as a third party beneficiary of any of the provisions thereof. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.

Section 11.2. Delegation of Duties . The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.

Section 11.3. Exculpatory Provisions . The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:

(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;

(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may

 

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expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and

(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

Neither any Agent nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, advisors, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates shall be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections  12.1 and 10.1 ) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment.

Neither any Agent nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, advisors, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates shall be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any recital, statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to, provided for herein or therein, delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the value, validity, enforceability, effectiveness, genuineness or sufficiency of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, any failure of any Loan Party a party thereto to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Collateral Documents, (v) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral, or (v) as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article VII or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of any Loan Party.

Section 11.4. Reliance by Agent . The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in, and shall not incur any liability for, relying, upon any instrument, writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, telecopy or email message, statement, order or other document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) or conversation believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including counsel to any Loan Party), independent accountants and other experts selected by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or a

 

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Letter of Credit Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or such Letter of Credit Issuer unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or such Letter of Credit Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit. The Administrative Agent may deem and treat the payee of any Note as the owner thereof for all purposes unless a written notice of assignment, negotiation or transfer thereof shall have been filed with the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this Agreement or any other Loan Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith to be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents) as it deems appropriate or it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense that may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents in accordance with a request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith to be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents), and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders, all the Letter of Credit Issuers and all future holders of the Loans and the L/C Participations.

Section 11.5. Notice of Default . The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default unless the Administrative Agent has received notice from a Lender, a Letter of Credit Issuer or a Loan Party referring to this Agreement, describing such Default or Event of Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of default”. In the event that the Administrative Agent receives such a notice, the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers. The Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith to be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents); provided that unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default or Event of Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers.

Section 11.6. Non-Reliance on Agents and Other Lenders . Each Lender and each Letter of Credit Issuer expressly acknowledges that neither the Agents nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, advisors, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates have made any representations or warranties to it and that no act by any Agent hereafter taken, including any review of the affairs of a Loan Party or any Affiliate of a Loan Party, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by any Agent to any Lender or any Letter of Credit Issuer. Each Lender and each Letter of Credit Issuer represents to the Agents that it has, independently and without reliance upon any Agent or any other Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer, or upon any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties and their Affiliates

 

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and made its own decision to make its extensions of credit hereunder and enter into this Agreement. Each Lender and each Letter of Credit Issuer also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon any Agent or any other Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer, or upon any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to make such investigation as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties and their Affiliates. Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers by the Administrative Agent hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer with any credit or other information concerning the business, operations, property, condition (financial or otherwise), prospects or creditworthiness of any Loan Party or any affiliate of a Loan Party that may come into the possession of the Administrative Agent or any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, advisors, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates.

Section 11.7. Indemnification . The Lenders agree to indemnify the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), each other Agent, each Letter of Credit Issuer and each Related Party of any of the foregoing (each, an “ Agent Indemnitee ”) (to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), ratably according to their respective pro rata share (as defined below) in effect on the date on which indemnification is sought under this Section, from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time (whether before or after the payment of the Loans) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such Agent Indemnitee in any way relating to or arising out of, the Commitments, the Loans, the Letters of Credit, this Agreement, any of the other Loan Documents or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by such Agent Indemnitee under or in connection with any of the foregoing; provided that no Lender shall be liable for the payment of any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements that are found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Agent Indemnitee’s gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith or fraud; provided further , with respect to such unpaid amounts owed to any Letter of Credit Issuer in its capacity as such, or to any Related Party of any of Letter of Credit Issuer acting for such Letter of Credit Issuer in connection with such capacity, only the Revolving Credit Lenders shall be required to pay such unpaid amounts. For purposes of this Section, a Lender’s “pro rata share” shall be determined based upon its share of the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures, unused Revolving Credit Commitments and, except for purposes of the second proviso of the immediately preceding sentence, the outstanding Term Loans and unused Term Commitments, in each case at that time. If any indemnity furnished to any Agent Indemnitee for any purpose shall, in the opinion of such Agent Indemnitee, be insufficient or become impaired, such Agent Indemnitee may call for additional indemnity and cease, or not commence, to do the acts indemnified against until such additional indemnity is furnished; provided that in no event shall this sentence require any Lender to indemnify any Agent Indemnitee against any liability, obligation, loss, damage, penalty, action, judgment, suit, cost, expense or disbursement in excess of such Lender’s pro rata share (as defined below) thereof in effect on the date on which indemnification is sought under this Section; and provided further , this sentence shall not be deemed to require any Lender to indemnify any Agent

 

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Indemnitee against any liability, obligation, loss, damage, penalty, action, judgment, suit, cost, expense or disbursement described in the proviso in the immediately preceding sentence. The agreements in this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the Commitments and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

Section 11.8. Agent in Its Individual Capacity . Each Agent and its affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as though such Agent were not an Agent and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders. Each Agent shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as any Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer, as applicable, and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent, and the terms “Lender” and “Lenders”, and the terms “Letter of Credit Issuer” and “Letter of Credit Issuers”, shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include each Agent in its individual capacity as such.

Section 11.9. Successor Agent . The Administrative Agent may resign as the Administrative Agent upon notice to the Lenders, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Borrower. If the Administrative Agent shall resign as the Administrative Agent under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, then upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right to appoint a successor, which successor agent shall (unless an Event of Default under Section  10.1(a) or (h)  with respect to the Borrower shall have occurred and be continuing) be subject to approval by the Borrower (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed). If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders, the “ Resignation Effective Date ”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to), on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank, which successor agent shall (unless (i) an Event of Default under Section  10.1(a) or (h)  with respect to the Borrower shall have occurred and be continuing or (ii) such successor agent is a Lender) be subject to approval by the Borrower (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed by the Borrower). If no successor agent has accepted appointment as the Administrative Agent by the Resignation Effective Date, the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation shall nevertheless thereupon become effective, and the Required Lenders shall assume and perform all of the duties of the Administrative Agent hereunder until such time, if any, as a successor agent is appointed as provided for above. With effect from the Resignation Effective Date (1) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the Letter of Credit Issuers under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (2) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and each Letter of Credit Issuer directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as the Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall

 

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succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent (other than as provided in Section  5.4(i) and other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date), the term “Administrative Agent” shall mean such successor agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section), without any other or further act or deed on the part of such former Administrative Agent or any of the parties to this Agreement or any holders of the Loans. 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  11.5 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 in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them (i) while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as the Administrative Agent and (ii) after such resignation for as long as any of them continues to act in any capacity hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, including (a) acting as collateral agent or otherwise holding any collateral security on behalf of any of the Lenders and (b) in respect of any actions taken in connection with transferring the agency to any successor Administrative Agent.

Section 11.10. Bookrunner; Lead Arrangers; Syndication Agent s; Documentation Agents . Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Bookrunner, Lead Arrangers, Syndication Agents or Documentation Agents shall have any duties, responsibilities, obligations, liabilities, powers or rights hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents in its capacity as such.

Section 11.11. Agents May File Proofs of Claim . In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

 

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and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender, each Letter of Credit Issuer and each other Secured Party to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, the Letter of Credit Issuers or the other Secured Parties, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or any Letter of Credit Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or any Letter of Credit Issuer to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or any Letter of Credit Issuer in any such proceeding.

The Secured Parties hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations (including accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Obligations pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, or any similar laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Loan Party is subject, (b) at any other sale or foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable law. In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Obligations owed to the Secured Parties shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid on a ratable basis (with Obligations with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that would vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) in the asset or assets so purchased (or in the Capital Stock or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are used to consummate such purchase). In connection with any such bid (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles to make a bid, (ii) to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or Capital Stock thereof shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by the vote of the Required Lenders, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in Section  12.1(a) of this Agreement and (iii) to the extent that Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of debt credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Lenders pro rata and the Capital Stock and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of the Obligations that had been assigned to the acquisition vehicle shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Secured Party or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action.

 

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Section 11.12. Agents Under Collateral Documents . Each Secured Party hereby further authorizes the Administrative Agent on behalf of and for the benefit of Secured Parties, to be the agent for and representative of Secured Parties with respect to the Collateral and the Collateral Documents; provided that the Administrative Agent shall not owe any fiduciary duty, duty of loyalty, duty of care, duty of disclosure or (except with respect to the application of proceeds of Collateral pursuant to Section  10.2 ) any other obligation whatsoever to any holder of Secured Cash Management Obligations or Secured Swap Obligations.

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, the existence, priority or perfection of the Administrative Agent’s Lien thereon, as applicable, or any certificate prepared by any Loan Party in connection therewith, nor shall the Administrative Agent be responsible or liable to any Secured Party for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.

Subject to Section  12.1 , without further written consent or authorization from any Secured Party, the Administrative Agent may execute any documents or instruments necessary to (a) release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), under any Loan Document upon Payment in Full or (ii) that is Disposed of as part of or in connection with any Disposition permitted hereunder to a Person that is not the Borrower or a Guarantor, (iii) as to the extent otherwise provided in the Collateral Documents or (iv) if approved, authorized or ratified in writing in accordance with Section  12.1 ; (b) release any Guarantor from its Guarantee Obligations in respect of the Obligations under the Loan Documents if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary (or becomes an Excluded Subsidiary) as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder. The execution and delivery of any such documents shall be without recourse to, or representation or warranty by, 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 its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its Guarantee Obligations in respect of the Obligations under the Loan Documents pursuant to this Section  11.12 .

Anything contained in any of the Loan Documents to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and each Secured Party hereby agree that (i) except with respect to the set off rights of any Lender set forth in Section  12.7 or with respect to a Secured Party’s right to file a proof of claim in an insolvency proceeding, no Secured Party shall have any right individually to realize upon any of the Collateral or to enforce any Guarantee Obligations, it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights, and remedies under the Loan Documents may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties, in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof and all powers, rights, and remedies under the Collateral Documents may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent, and (ii) in the event of a foreclosure by the Administrative Agent on any of the Collateral pursuant to a public or private sale or other disposition, the Administrative Agent or any Lender may be the purchaser or licensor of any or all of such Collateral at any such sale or other disposition and the Administrative Agent as agent for and representative of the Secured Parties (but not any Lender or Lenders in its or their respective individual capacities unless Required Lenders shall otherwise agree in writing), shall be entitled, for the purpose of bidding and making settlement or payment of the purchase price for all or any portion of the Collateral sold at any such public sale, to use and apply any of the Obligations as a credit on account of the purchase price for any Collateral payable by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties at such sale or other disposition.

 

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In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation thereof, no Specified Cash Management Agreement or Specified Swap Agreement will create (or be deemed to create) in favor of any Secured Party that is a party thereto any rights in connection with the management or release of any Collateral or of the obligations of any Loan Party under this Agreement or any other Loan Document. By accepting the benefits of the Collateral, each Secured Party that is a party to any such Specified Cash Management Agreement or Specified Swap Agreement shall be deemed to have appointed the Administrative Agent to serve as administrative agent and collateral agent under the Loan Documents and agreed to be bound by the Loan Documents as a Secured Party thereunder, subject to the limitations set forth in this paragraph. No Secured Party that is a party to any such Specified Cash Management Agreement or Specified Swap Agreement that obtains the benefits of any Guarantee Obligation or any Collateral by virtue of the provisions hereof or of any other Loan Document shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document or otherwise in respect of the Collateral (including the release or impairment of any Collateral) other than in its capacity as a Lender or Agent and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents.

Section 11.13. ERISA . (a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, the Bookrunner and the Lead Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

(i) Such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments,

(ii) the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement,

(iii) (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of

 

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PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or

(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.

(b) In addition, unless sub-clause (i)  in the immediately preceding clause (a)  is true with respect to a Lender or such Lender has not provided another representation, warranty and covenant as provided in sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a) , such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, the Bookrunner and the Lead Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that:

(i) none of the Administrative Agent, the Bookrunner or any Lead Arranger or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related to hereto or thereto),

(ii) the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement is independent (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-21) and is a bank, an insurance carrier, an investment adviser, a broker-dealer or other person that holds, or has under management or control, total assets of at least $50 million, in each case as described in 29 CFR § 2510.3-21(c)(1)(i)(A)-(E),

(iii) the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement is capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with regard to particular transactions and investment strategies (including in respect of the Obligations),

(iv) the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement is a fiduciary under ERISA or the Code, or both, with respect to the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement and is responsible for exercising independent judgment in evaluating the transactions hereunder, and

(v) no fee or other compensation is being paid directly to the Administrative Agent, the Bookrunner or any Lead Arranger or any their respective Affiliates for investment advice (as opposed to other services) in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments or this Agreement.

 

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(c) The Administrative Agent, the Bookrunner and the Lead Arrangers hereby inform the Lenders that each such Person is not undertaking to provide impartial investment advice, or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, and that such Person has a financial interest in the transactions contemplated hereby in that such Person or an Affiliate thereof (i) may receive interest or other payments with respect to the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (ii) may recognize a gain if it extended the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments for an amount less than the amount being paid for an interest in the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments by such Lender or (iii) may receive fees or other payments in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the Loan Documents or otherwise, including structuring fees, commitment fees, arrangement fees, facility fees, upfront fees, underwriting fees, ticking fees, agency fees, administrative agent or collateral agent fees, utilization fees, minimum usage fees, letter of credit fees, fronting fees, deal-away or alternate transaction fees, amendment fees, processing fees, term out premiums, banker’s acceptance fees, breakage or other early termination fees or fees similar to the foregoing.

ARTICLE XII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 12.1. Amendments and Waivers .

(a) Subject to Section  2.9 and Section  12.1(b) , and except as otherwise expressly provided herein, no amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided , however , that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

(i) waive any condition set forth in Section  7.1 without the written consent of each Lender;

(ii) without limiting the generality of clause (i) above, waive any condition set forth in Section  7.2 as to any Revolving Credit Loan or any Letter of Credit without the written consent of the Required Revolving Lenders or any Term Loan without the written consent of the Required Term Lenders;

(iii) extend (except as provided in Section  2.17 ) or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section  10.1 ) without the written consent of such Lender;

(iv) forgive or otherwise reduce the principal amount or extend the final scheduled date of maturity of any Loan or Unpaid Drawings, reduce the stated rate of any interest or (subject to clause (4)  of the second proviso to this Section  12.1 ) fee payable hereunder (except in connection with the waiver of applicability of any post-default increase in interest rates (which waiver shall be effective with the consent of the Required Lenders)) or extend the scheduled date

 

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of any payment thereof, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, in each case without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby (it being understood that any waiver of any condition precedent in Section  7.1 or 7.2 , any obligation of the Borrower to pay default interest or amendment to Section  2.8(c), or any waiver of any Default or Event of Default, and any waiver or amendment of any mandatory prepayment or reduction, any waiver or amendment to the financial covenant definitions, financial ratios or any component thereof, shall be deemed not to have resulted in any increase in the Commitment of any Lender, or forgiveness, reduction, extension or postponement referred to in clause (iii)  or (iv) of this proviso);

(v) (w) change any provision of this Section  12.1 , reduce any percentage specified in the definition of Required Lenders, Required Revolving Lenders, Required Term Lenders or Majority in Interest or change any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent, (x) consent to the assignment or transfer by the Borrower of any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (y) release all or substantially all of the Collateral (other than in connection with any sale of Collateral permitted by the Loan Documents) or (z) release (1) the guarantee of the Obligations provided by the Company pursuant to Article XIII or (2) all or substantially all of the value of the Guarantee Obligations under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement (other than in connection with any sale of a Guarantor permitted by the Loan Documents), in each case without the written consent of all Lenders;

(vi) amend, modify or waive any provision of any Loan Document in a manner that by its terms adversely affects the rights of Lenders holding Loans or Commitments of any Class in respect of the right to or priority of payments or the security interest (including perfection and priority) of the Lenders holding Loans or Commitments of such Class in Collateral differently than such amendment, modification or waiver affects the rights of the Lenders holding Loans or Commitments of any other Class in respect of the right to or priority of payments or the security interest (including perfection and priority) in Collateral, without the written consent of the Majority in Interest of the adversely affected Class of Lenders; or

(vii) (x) amend or modify the definition of Applicable Percentage, (y) amend, modify or waive the provisions of Section  10.2 or Section 4.02 of the Guaranty, (z) amend, modify or waive the provisions of Sections 5.1 or 5.3(c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, in each case without the written consent of each Lender; provided , that (i) with the consent of the Required Lenders, such terms and provisions may be amended on customary terms in connection with an “amend and extend” transaction, but only if all Lenders that consent to such “amend and extend” transaction are treated on a pro rata basis, (ii) such terms and provisions may be amended in connection with the establishment of any Additional TL Tranche, with the consent of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders providing commitments for such Additional TL Tranche, so long as such payments continue to be (1) based on each Lender’s Applicable Percentage with respect to the Classes of Loans and the Facilities in which it participates and (2) distributed ratably as between the Classes of Loans and the Facilities;

and, provided further , that (1) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by Letter of Credit Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of such Letter of Credit Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter

 

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of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (2) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Swing Line Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Swing Line Lender under this Agreement; (3) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document or affect Section  2.9 or any LIBOR Successor Rate; and (4) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto;

provided that any amendment, waiver or other modification of this Agreement that by its terms affects the rights or duties under this Agreement of the Lenders of a particular Class (but not the Lenders of any other Class), may be effected solely by an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Majority in Interest of the affected Class of Lenders that would be required to consent thereto under this Section if such Class of Lenders were the only Class of Lenders hereunder at the time. Any such waiver and any such amendment, supplement or modification shall apply equally to each of the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers and shall be binding upon the Loan Parties, the Lenders, Letter of Credit Issuers, the Administrative Agent and all future holders of the Loans and the L/C Participations. In the case of any waiver, the Loan Parties, the Lenders, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Administrative Agent shall be restored to their former position and rights hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, and any Default or Event of Default waived shall be deemed to be cured and not continuing; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default, or impair any right consequent thereon. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the consent of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as the case may be, shall not be required to effect the provisions of Section  2.14(f) in accordance with the terms thereof.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary,

(i) no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) any Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender, (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender disproportionately adversely relative to other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender and (z) the outstanding principal balance of any Loan held by any Defaulting Lender may not be reduced without the consent of such Lender;

(ii) any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document may be amended by an agreement in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (but without the consent of any Lender or other Loan Party):

(A) to cure any obvious error or any error or omission of an administrative or technical nature jointly identified by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent so long as, in each case, the Lenders shall have received at least five Business Days prior written notice thereof and the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within

 

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five Business Days of the date of such notice to the Lenders, a written notice from (x) the Required Lenders stating that the Required Lenders object to such amendment or (y) if directly and adversely affected by such amendment, any Letter of Credit Issuer stating that it objects to such amendment.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in addition to any credit extensions and related Joinder Agreement(s) effectuated without the consent of Lenders in accordance with Section  2.14 , this Agreement may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (a) to add one or more additional credit facilities to this Agreement and to permit the extensions of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Term Loans and the Revolving Credit Loans and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof and (b) to include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any determination of the Required Lenders and other definitions related to such new Term Loans and Revolving Credit Loans.

Section 12.2. Notices .

(a) Notices Generally . Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b)  below), 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 facsimile as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

(i) if to the Borrower or any other Loan Party, the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule  12.2 ; and

(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to the Borrower).

Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b)  below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b) .

 

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(b) Electronic Communications .

(i) Notices and other communications to the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders hereunder or under any other Loan Document may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail, FpML messaging and Internet or intranet websites, including the Platform) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II , III , IV or V if such Person has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent, the Swing Line Lender, any Letter of Credit Issuer 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.

(ii) Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (x) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgment from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgment), and (y) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause  (x) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (x)  and (y) , if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice e-mail or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient.

(iii) THE PLATFORM AND ANY APPROVED ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”. NONE OF THE AGENTS OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE RELATED PARTIES WARRANT THE ACCURACY, ADEQUACY, OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS, THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS OR THE PLATFORM AND EACH EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS, THE PLATFORM AND THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS. 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 THE AGENTS OR THEIR RESPECTIVE RELATED PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE PLATFORM OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties have any liability to any Loan Party, any Lender, any Letter of Credit Issuer 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, any Loan Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials or Approved Electronic Notices through the Platform, any other electronic platform or electronic messaging service, or through the Internet.

(iv) Each Loan Party, each Lender, each Letter of Credit Issuer and each Agent agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, store any Approved Electronic Communications on the Platform in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s customary document retention procedures and policies.

 

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(c) Change of Address . Each Loan Party, the Administrative Agent, each Letter of Credit Issuer and the Swing Line Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Swing Line Lender. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, facsimile number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender.

(d) Private-Side Information Contacts . In addition to the foregoing, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable law, including United States Federal and state securities laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public-Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain Private-Side Information. In the event that any Public Lender has determined for itself to not access any information disclosed through the Platform or otherwise, such Public Lender acknowledges that (i) other Lenders may have availed themselves of such information and (ii) neither the Borrower nor the Administrative Agent has any responsibility for such Public Lender’s decision to limit the scope of the information it has obtained in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

(e) Reliance by Administrative Agent, Letter of Credit Issuers and Lenders . The Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic notices, Committed Loan Notices, Letter of Credit Applications and Swing Line Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Letter of Credit Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

Section 12.3. No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies ; Enforcement . No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising, on the part of the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.

 

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Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section  10.1 for the benefit of all the Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) any Letter of Credit Issuer or the Swing Line Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as a Letter of Credit Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, as the case may be) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section  12.7(b) (subject to the terms of Section  12.7(a) ), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided , further , that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section  10.1 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b) , (c) and (d)  of the preceding proviso and subject to Section  12.7(a) , any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.

Section 12.4. Survival of Representations and Warranties . All representations and warranties made hereunder, in any other Loan Document and in any document, certificate or statement delivered pursuant hereto or thereto, or in connection herewith or therewith, shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof and the making of the Loans and other extensions of credit hereunder. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent, each Letter of Credit Issuer and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or Event of Default at the time of any Loan or L/C Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding other than (a) Secured Cash Management Obligations, (b) Secured Swap Obligations and (c) any contingent obligations or contingent indemnification obligations not then due or asserted.

Section 12.5. Payment of Expenses; Damages Waiver . The Borrower agrees (a) to pay or reimburse the Bookrunner, the Lead Arrangers, the Administrative Agent and their respective Affiliates for all their reasonable and documented and invoiced out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including (i) any expenses incurred in connection with the preparation of, or otherwise relating to, any Acceptable Appraisal or FIRREA appraisals and (ii) the reasonable and documented and invoiced fees, disbursements and other charges of legal counsel which shall be limited to one primary counsel for the Bookrunner, Lead Arrangers and the Administrative Agent, taken as a whole, a single counsel in each relevant jurisdiction for all such Persons, taken as a whole (which may include a single firm of special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions) and, in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest where the Person affected by such conflict informs the Borrower of such conflict and thereafter retains its own counsel, of another firm of counsel (and, if reasonably necessary, one firm of local counsel) for such affected Person (or similarly affected Persons taken as a whole)) incurred in connection with the syndication, development, preparation

 

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and execution of, and any amendment, supplement or modification to, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any other documents prepared in connection herewith or therewith, and the consummation and administration of the Transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including any filing and recording fees and expenses, with statements with respect to the foregoing to be submitted to the Borrower prior to the Closing Date (in the case of amounts to be paid on the Closing Date) and from time to time thereafter on a quarterly basis or such other periodic basis as the Administrative Agent shall deem appropriate, (b) to pay all reasonable and documented and invoiced out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Letter of Credit Issuer in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of Letters of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder, (c) to pay or reimburse the Bookrunner, the Lead Arrangers, the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders for all their respective reasonable and documented and invoiced out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the enforcement or preservation of any rights under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any other documents prepared in connection herewith or therewith, including (i) the reasonable and documented and invoiced fees, disbursements and other charges of legal counsel which shall be limited to one primary counsel for the Bookrunner, the Lead Arrangers, the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders, taken as a whole, one local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction for all such Persons, taken as a whole (if reasonably necessary), and, in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest where the Person affected by such conflict informs the Borrower of such conflict and thereafter retains its own counsel, of another firm of counsel (and, if reasonably necessary, one firm of local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction) for such affected Person (or similarly affected Persons taken as a whole), in each case excluding allocated costs of in-house counsel, and (ii) the reasonable and documented and invoiced fees and expenses of other consultants and advisers approved by the Borrower, (d) to pay, indemnify, and hold, the Administrative Agent, each Letter of Credit Issuer and each Lender harmless from, any and all recording and filing fees and any and all liabilities with respect to, or resulting from any delay in paying, stamp, excise and other taxes, if any, that may be payable or determined to be payable in connection with the execution and delivery of, or consummation or administration of any of the transactions contemplated by, or any amendment, supplement or modification of, or any waiver or consent under or in respect of, this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any such other documents, and (e) to pay, indemnify, and hold each Lender, the Bookrunner, each Lead Arranger, the Administrative Agent, each Letter of Credit Issuer and the Affiliates of each of the foregoing and each of their respective Related Parties (each, an “ Indemnitee ”) harmless from and against any and all other liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the syndication, execution, delivery, enforcement, performance and administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any other documents prepared in connection herewith or therewith, including any of the foregoing relating to the use of proceeds of the Loans or the issuance of any Letter of Credit (including any refusal by any Letter of Credit Issuer to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit) or any Environmental Liability relating to any Group Member or its current or former operations or to any of the Properties and the reasonable and documented and invoiced fees and expenses of one primary counsel for all Indemnitees, taken as a whole, one local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction (which may include a single firm of special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions) for all Indemnitees, taken as a whole (if reasonably necessary), and, in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest where the Indemnitee affected by such conflict informs the

 

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Borrower of such conflict and thereafter retains its own counsel, of another firm of counsel (and, if reasonably necessary, one firm of local counsel) for such affected Indemnitee (in each case excluding allocated costs of in-house counsel), whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and whether initiated against or by any party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, any Affiliate of any of the foregoing or any third party (and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto) (all the foregoing in this clause  (e) , collectively, the “ Indemnified Liabilities ”) , IN ALL CASES, WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY OR ARISING, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OUT OF THE COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY OR SOLE NEGLIGENCE OF THE INDEMNITEE ; provided that the Borrower shall not have any obligation hereunder to any Indemnitee with respect to Indemnified Liabilities to the extent such Indemnified Liabilities are found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from (i) the gross negligence, bad faith, fraud or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or its Affiliates or by any of their Related Parties, (ii) any dispute brought solely by an Indemnitee against another Indemnitee, do not involve or relate to any request, act or omission by the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates and do not involve the Administrative Agent, in its capacity as administrative agent, the Bookrunner, in its capacity as the bookrunner, or any Lead Arranger, in its capacity as a lead arranger or (iii) settlements effected without the Borrower’s prior written consent (which shall not be withheld, conditioned or delayed unreasonably) so long as (A) the Borrower has demonstrated, and such Indemnitee has acknowledged (which acknowledgment shall not be withheld, conditioned or delayed unreasonably) that the Borrower has the financial wherewithal to reimburse such Indemnitee for any amount that such Indemnitee may be required to pay with respect to such proceeding or (B) the proceeding presents reputation risk to such Indemnitee (in which case, for the avoidance of doubt, the Borrower’s consent shall not be required for the Indemnitee to settle). Without limiting the foregoing, and to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower agrees not to assert and to cause its Subsidiaries not to assert, and hereby waives and agrees to cause its Subsidiaries to waive, all rights for contribution or recovery with respect to all claims, demands, penalties, fines, liabilities, settlements, damages, costs and expenses of whatever kind or nature, under or related to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act or other Environmental Laws, that any of them might have by statute or otherwise against any Indemnitee. All amounts due under this Section  12.5 shall be payable not later than 30 days after written demand therefor, including documentation reasonably supporting such demand. No Loan Party nor any Indemnitee shall have any 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, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof; provided , however , that nothing contained in this sentence will limit the indemnity and reimbursement obligations of the Borrower set forth in this Section  12.5 . The agreements in this Section  12.5 shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer, termination of this Agreement and the Commitments and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder. No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby. This Section  12.5 shall not apply to (i) Taxes indemnifiable under Section  5.4 or (ii) Excluded Taxes. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten Business Days after demand therefor.

 

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Section 12.6. Successors and Assigns; Participations and Assignments . (a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of any Letter of Credit Issuer that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the Borrower may not assign, delegate or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and 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, delegate 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 permitted assigns (including any Affiliate of any Letter of Credit Issuer that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in Section  12.6(c) ) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Indemnitees) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more banks or financial institutions (each, an “ Assignee ”) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent of:

(A) The Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that (i) the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within ten (10) Business Days after having received notice thereof, (ii) with respect to an assignment of a Term Loan or a Term Commitment, no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Term Lender, an Affiliate of a Term Lender or an Approved Fund (as defined below), (iii) with respect to an assignment of a Revolving Credit Loan or a Revolving Credit Commitment, no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Revolving Credit Lender, an Affiliate of a Revolving Credit Lender or an Approved Fund and (iv) no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to any Person if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;

(B) the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of a Term Loan or a Term Commitment to a Term Lender, an Affiliate of a Term Lender or an Approved Fund (if made in accordance with the applicable terms of this Section  12.6 ); and

(C) solely with respect to an assignment of a Revolving Credit Loan or a Revolving Credit Commitment, each Letter of Credit Issuer and the Swing Line Lender (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

 

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(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitments or the entire remaining principal outstanding balance of the assigning Lender’s Loans, in each case of any Class, the amount of the Commitments or the principal outstanding balance of the 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 $10,000,000 in the case of any assignment in respect of the Term Loan Facility, or $5,000,000, in the case of any assignment in respect of the Total Revolving Credit Commitment, unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent; provided that (1) 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) no assignment shall be made to (1) any Group Member or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of any of the foregoing, (2) any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, (3) 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 (4) any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the Persons described in clause (1)  through (3) above;

(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; provided , however , that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to 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;

(D) the Assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent any tax forms required by Section  5.4(e) and an Administrative Questionnaire in which the Assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower and its Affiliates and their related parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws; and

(E) each partial assignment and delegation shall be made as an assignment and delegation of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement; provided that this clause (E)  shall not be construed to prohibit the assignment and delegation of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments or Loans.

For the purposes of this Section  12.6 , “ 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 (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities 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.

 

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In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall agree in writing (in form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) to make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph  (b)(iv) below, 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  2.10 , 2.11 , 5.4 and 12.5 ); provided that, except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any other party hereto against such Defaulting Lender arising from such Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Any assignment, delegation or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section  12.6 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) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “ Register ”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes

 

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of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and, as to entries pertaining to it, any Letter of Credit Issuer and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. This Section  12.6(b) shall be interpreted and administered such that the Loans are at all times maintained in “registered form” within the meaning of Sections 163(f), 165(g), 871(h)(2), 881(c)(2) and 4701 of the Code.

(v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an Assignee, the Assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (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 and delegation 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; provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to accept such Assignment and Assumption or so record the information contained therein if the Administrative Agent reasonably believes that such Assignment and Assumption lacks any written consent required by this Section or is otherwise not in proper form, it being acknowledged that the Administrative Agent shall have no duty or obligation (and shall incur no liability) with respect to obtaining (or confirming the receipt) of any such written consent or with respect to the form of (or any defect in) such Assignment and Assumption, any such duty and obligation being solely with the assigning Lender and the assignee. No assignment or delegation shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph and, following such recording, unless otherwise determined by the Administrative Agent (such determination to be made in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent, which determination may be conditioned on the consent of the assigning Lender and the assignee), shall be effective notwithstanding any defect in the Assignment and Assumption relating thereto. Each assigning Lender and the assignee, by its execution and delivery of an Assignment and Assumption, shall be deemed to have represented to the Administrative Agent that all written consents required by this Section with respect thereto (other than the consent of the Administrative Agent) have been obtained and that such Assignment and Assumption is otherwise duly completed and in proper form, and each assignee, by its execution and delivery of an Assignment and Assumption, shall be deemed to have represented to the assigning Lender and the Administrative Agent that such assignee is an eligible assignee in accordance with the terms of this Section  12.6 .

(c) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Letter of Credit Issuer, sell participations to one or more banks or other financial institutions in accordance with applicable law (other than (x) a natural person, or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural Person, (y) a Defaulting Lender or (z) the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any of its Affiliates) (each, a “ Participant ”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in L/C Obligations and/or Swing Line Loans) owing to it, in each case of any Class); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender

 

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shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section  11.7 without regard to the existence of any participation. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement 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 that (1) requires the consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby pursuant to clause  (iii) , (iv) , or (v)  of Section  12.1(a) and (2) directly and adversely affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits (and requirements) of Sections  2.10 , 2.11 and 5.4 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section  5.4(e) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section  5.4(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; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections  2.12 and 2.15 as if it were an assignee under paragraph  (b) of this Section, and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section  2.10 or 5.4 , with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section  2.12 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section  12.7(b) as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant shall be subject to Section  12.7(a) 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 or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “ Participant Register ”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitments, Loans, Letters of Credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as the Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register. The Borrower, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders expressly acknowledge that the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as such or as an arranger, bookrunner or other agent hereunder) shall not be responsible or have any liability for, or have any duty to ascertain, inquire into, monitor or enforce, compliance with the provisions hereof relating to assignments to Defaulting Lenders or natural persons and none of the Borrower, the Letter of Credit Issuers or the Lenders will bring any claim to such effect. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall not (x) be obligated to ascertain, monitor or inquire as to whether any Lender or Participant or prospective Lender or Participant is a Defaulting Lender or a natural person or (y) have any liability with respect to or arising out of any assignment or participation of

 

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Loans, or disclosure of confidential information, to any Defaulting Lender or a natural person. This Section  12.6(c) shall be interpreted and administered such that the Loans and any participations are at all times maintained in “registered form” within the meaning of Sections 163(f), 165(g), 871(h)(2), 881(c)(2) and 4701 of the Code.

(d) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Letter of Credit Issuer, at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or another central 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) the Borrower, upon receipt of written notice from the relevant Lender, agrees to issue Notes to any Lender requiring Notes to facilitate transactions of the type described in paragraph (d)  above.

Section 12.7. Adjustments; Set-off ; Payments Set Aside . (a) Except to the extent that this Agreement or a court order expressly provides for payments to be allocated to a particular Lender, if any Lender (a “ Benefitted Lender ”) shall receive any payment of all or part of the Loan Document Obligations owing to it (other than in connection with an assignment made pursuant to and in accordance with Section  12.6 ), or receive any collateral in respect thereof (whether voluntarily or involuntarily, by set-off, pursuant to events or proceedings of the nature referred to in Section  10.1(f) , or otherwise), in a greater proportion than any such payment to or collateral received by any other Lender, if any, in respect of the Loan Document Obligations owing to such other Lender, such Benefitted Lender shall purchase for cash from the other Lenders a participating interest in such portion of the Loan Document Obligations owing to each such other Lender, or shall provide such other Lenders with the benefits of any such collateral, as shall be necessary to cause such Benefitted Lender to share the excess payment or benefits of such collateral ratably with each of the Lenders; provided , however , that if all or any portion of such excess payment or benefits is thereafter recovered from such Benefitted Lender, such purchase shall be rescinded, and the purchase price and benefits returned, to the extent of such recovery, but without interest.

(b) In addition to any rights and remedies of the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers provided by law, each Lender and each Letter of Credit Issuer shall have the right, without notice to the Borrower, any such notice being expressly waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law, upon any Loan Document Obligations becoming due and payable by the Borrower (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise), to apply to the payment of such Loan Document Obligations, by setoff or otherwise, any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, but excluding any tax accounts, trust accounts, withholding, fiduciary or payroll accounts), in any currency, and any other credits, indebtedness or claims, in any currency, in each case whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, at any time held or owing by such Lender or such Letter of Credit Issuer, as applicable, any Affiliate thereof or any of their respective branches or agencies to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Loan Party; provided , that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to

 

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the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section  2.16 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Loan Document Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The rights of each Lender, each Letter of Credit Issuer and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, such L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and each L/C Issuer agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application. Each Lender and Letter of Credit Issuer agrees promptly to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent after any such application made by such Lender or such Letter of Credit Issuer, as applicable; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such application.

(c) To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of any Loan Party is made to the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or any proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent, such Letter of Credit Issuer or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (i) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (ii) each Lender and each Letter of Credit Issuer severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence shall survive Payment In Full and the termination of this Agreement.

Section 12.8. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed by one or more of the parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by email or facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof. A set of the copies of this Agreement signed by all the parties shall be lodged with the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

Section 12.9. Severability . If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is prohibited, illegal, invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, (a) such provision shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which

 

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comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section  12.9 , if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers or the Swing Line Lender, as applicable, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.

Section 12.10. Integration . This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent or any Letter of Credit Issuer represent the entire agreement of the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof, and there are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender relative to the subject matter hereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Loan Documents.

Section 12.11. GOVERNING LAW . THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS, THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT AND UNDER THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS, AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. (EXCLUDING THE LAWS APPLICABLE TO CONFLICTS OR CHOICE OF LAW OTHER THAN SECTIONS 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK).

Section 12.12. Submission to Jurisdiction; Waivers . Each of the Borrower and the Company, on behalf of itself and the Guarantors, the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders hereby irrevocably and unconditionally:

(a) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the exclusive general jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York in New York County, the courts of the United States for the Southern District of New York, and appellate courts from any thereof;

(b) consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same;

(c) agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to its address set forth in Section  12.2 or at such other address of which the Administrative Agent shall have been notified pursuant thereto;

 

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(d) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the right of the Administrative Agent or any Letter of Credit Issuer or Lender to sue or bring an enforcement action relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, including any such action or proceeding in connection with the exercise of remedies with respect to the Collateral, in any other jurisdiction; and

(e) 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.

Section 12.13. No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility . In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower and each other Loan Party acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent , the Bookrunner, the Lead Arrangers and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower, each other Loan Party and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent , the Bookrunner, the Lead Arrangers and the Lenders, on the other hand, (B) each of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) the Borrower and each other Loan Party is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent , the Bookrunner, the Lead Arranger s and each Lender is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent , the Bookrunner, any Lead Arranger nor any Lender has any obligation to the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent , the Bookrunner, the Lead Arrangers and the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower, the other Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent, the Bookrunner, any Lead Arranger nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates. Each of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties hereby agrees that it will not claim that any of the Administrative Agent , the Bookrunner, the Lead Arrangers, any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect or owes any fiduciary duty to it (including your stockholders, employees or creditors) in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

Section 12.14. Interest Rate Limitation . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan or L/C Participation, together with all fees, charges and other amounts that are treated as interest on such Loan or L/C Participation under applicable law (collectively the “ Charges ”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “ Maximum

 

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Rate ”) that may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan or L/C Participation in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan or L/C Participation hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan or L/C Participation but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or L/C Participations or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

Section 12.15. Releases of Liens . Upon Payment in Full, the Collateral shall be released from the Liens created by the Collateral Documents, and the Collateral Documents and all obligations (other than those expressly stated to survive such termination) of the Administrative Agent and each Loan Party under the Collateral Documents shall terminate, all without delivery of any instrument or performance of any act by any Person, and the Administrative Agent shall execute and deliver to any Loan Party, at such Loan Party’s expense, all documents that such Loan Party shall reasonably request to evidence such termination or release.

Section 12.16. Confidentiality . Each of the Administrative Agent, each Letter of Credit Issuer and each Lender agrees to keep confidential all non-public information provided to it by any Loan Party; provided that nothing herein shall prevent the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender from disclosing any such information (a) to the Administrative Agent, any other Letter of Credit Issuer, any other Lender or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing who are informed of the confidential nature of such information and agree to keep such information confidential, (b) subject to an agreement to comply with the provisions of this Section, to any actual or prospective Transferee (other than any Person that the Borrower has affirmatively declined to provide its consent to the assignment thereof) or any Person invited to be a Lender pursuant to Section  2.14 or any direct or indirect counterparty to any Swap Agreement (or any professional advisor to such counterparty), (c) to its employees, directors, agents, attorneys, accountants and other professional advisors or those of any of its Affiliates who are informed of the confidential nature of such information and agree to keep such information confidential, (d) upon the request or demand of any Governmental Authority, (e) in response to any order of any court or other Governmental Authority or as may otherwise be required pursuant to any Requirement of Law, (f) if requested or required to do so in connection with any litigation or similar proceeding, (g) that has been publicly disclosed other than as a result of a breach of this Section or other confidentiality obligation owed by the Administrative Agent, the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer or the applicable Lender, as the case may be, to any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates, (h) in connection with the exercise of any remedy hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (i) on a confidential basis to any rating agency in connection with rating the Company, the Borrower or their Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder, (j) to the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency to the extent required in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers with respect to the Loans, (k) upon the request or demand of any regulatory or quasi-regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or any of its Affiliates, (l) if agreed by the Borrower in its sole discretion, to any other Person or (m) to market data collectors, similar services providers to the lending industry, and service providers to the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders to the extent necessary for the administration and management of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; provided

 

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that such disclosure under clause (m) is limited to the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement; provided that, except with respect to any audit or examination by bank accountants or by any governmental bank regulatory authority or other Governmental Authority exercising examination or regulatory authority, each of the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders shall, to the extent practicable and not prohibited by applicable law, use reasonable efforts to promptly notify the Borrower of disclosure pursuant to clauses (d), (e), (f) or (h), above.

Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

Each Letter of Credit Issuer and each Lender acknowledges that information furnished to it pursuant to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents may include material non-public information concerning the Borrower and its Affiliates and their related parties or their respective securities, and confirms that it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and that it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with those procedures and applicable law, including Federal and state securities laws.

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 or the other Loan Documents will be syndicate-level information, which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower and its Affiliates and their related parties or their respective securities. Accordingly, each Letter of Credit Issuer and 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.

Section 12.17. WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL . THE BORROWER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, THE LETTER OF CREDIT ISSUERS AND THE LENDERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN (IN EACH CASE, 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 AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

157


Section 12.18. Patriot Act . Each Lender, each Letter of Credit Issuer and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the Patriot Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower and the other Loan Parties, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties and other information that will allow such Lender, such Letter of Credit Issuer and the Administrative Agent to identify the Borrower and the other Loan Parties in accordance with the Patriot Act, and the Borrower agrees to provide (and agrees to cause each other Loan Party to provide) such information from time to time to such Lender, such Letter of Credit Issuer or the Administrative Agent, as applicable.

Section 12.19. Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents . The words “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in or related to any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including without limitation Assignment and Assumptions, amendments or other modifications, Committed Loan Notices, Swing Line Loan Notices, waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Administrative Agent pursuant to procedures approved by it.

Section 12.20. ENTIRE AGREEMENT . THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES .

Section 12.21. Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions . Solely to the extent any Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer that is an EEA Financial Institution is a party to this Agreement and 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 Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer that is an EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any Lender or Letter of Credit Issuer that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

 

158


(b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

ARTICLE XIII

CONTINUING GUARANTY

Section 13.1. Guaranty . The Company hereby absolutely and unconditionally guarantees, as a guaranty of payment and performance and not merely as a guaranty of collection, prompt payment when due, whether at stated maturity, by required prepayment, upon acceleration, demand or otherwise, and at all times thereafter, of any and all of the Obligations, whether for principal, interest, premiums, fees, indemnities, damages, costs, expenses or otherwise, of the Borrower to the Secured Parties, and whether arising hereunder or under any other Loan Document, any Secured Cash Management Agreement or any Secured Hedge Agreement (including all renewals, extensions, amendments, refinancings and other modifications thereof and all reasonable, documented and invoiced out-of-pocket costs, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Secured Parties in connection with the collection or enforcement thereof). The Administrative Agent’s books and records showing the amount of the Obligations shall be admissible in evidence in any action or proceeding, and shall be binding upon the Company, and conclusive for the purpose of establishing the amount of the Obligations. This Guaranty shall not be affected by the genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of the Obligations or any instrument or agreement evidencing any Obligations, or by the existence, validity, enforceability, perfection, non-perfection or extent of any collateral therefor, or by any fact or circumstance relating to the Obligations which might otherwise constitute a defense to the obligations of the Company under this Guaranty, and the Company hereby irrevocably waives any defenses it may now have or hereafter acquire in any way relating to any or all of the foregoing.

Section 13.2. Rights of Secured Parties . The Company consents and agrees that the Secured Parties may, at any time and from time to time, without notice or demand, and without affecting the enforceability or continuing effectiveness hereof: (a) amend, extend, renew, compromise, discharge, accelerate or otherwise change the time for payment or the terms of the Obligations or any part thereof; (b) take, hold, exchange, enforce, waive, release, fail to perfect, sell, or otherwise dispose of any security for the payment of this Guaranty or any Obligations; (c) apply such security and direct the order or manner of sale thereof as the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuer and the Lenders in their sole discretion may determine; and (d) release or substitute one or more of any endorsers or other guarantors of any of the Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company consents to the taking of, or failure to take, any action which might in any manner or to any extent vary the risks of the Company under this Guaranty or which, but for this provision, might operate as a discharge of the Company.

 

159


Section 13.3. Certain Waivers . The Company waives (a) any defense arising by reason of any disability or other defense of the Borrower or any other guarantor (other than defense of payment or performance), or the cessation from any cause whatsoever (including any act or omission of any Secured Party) of the liability of the Borrower; (b) any defense based on any claim that the Company’s obligations exceed or are more burdensome than those of the Borrower; (c) the benefit of any statute of limitations affecting the Company’s liability hereunder; (d) any right to proceed against the Borrower, proceed against or exhaust any security for the Obligations, or pursue any other remedy in the power of any Secured Party whatsoever; (e) any benefit of and any right to participate in any security now or hereafter held by any Secured Party; and (f) to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all other defenses or benefits that may be derived from or afforded by applicable law limiting the liability of or exonerating guarantors or sureties (other than defense of payment or performance). The Company expressly waives all setoffs and counterclaims and all presentments, demands for payment or performance, notices of nonpayment or nonperformance, protests, notices of protest, notices of dishonor and all other notices or demands of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the Obligations, and all notices of acceptance of this Guaranty or of the existence, creation or incurrence of new or additional Obligations.

Section 13.4. Obligations Independent . The obligations of the Company hereunder are those of primary obligor, and not merely as surety, and are independent of the Obligations and the obligations of any other guarantor, and a separate action may be brought against the Company to enforce this Guaranty whether or not the Borrower or any other person or entity is joined as a party.

Section 13.5. Subrogation . The Company shall not exercise any right of subrogation, contribution, indemnity, reimbursement or similar rights with respect to any payments it makes under this Guaranty until this Guaranty is terminated as provided in Section  13.11 . If any amounts are paid to the Company in violation of the foregoing limitation, then such amounts shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Secured Parties and shall forthwith be paid to the Secured Parties to reduce the amount of the Obligations, whether matured or unmatured.

Section 13.6. Termination; Reinstatement . This Guaranty is a continuing and irrevocable guaranty of all Obligations now or hereafter existing and shall remain in full force and effect as expressly provided in Section  13.11 . Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guaranty shall continue in full force and effect or be revived, as the case may be, if any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower or the Company is made, or any of the Secured Parties exercises its right of setoff, in respect of the Obligations and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by any of the Secured Parties in their discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws or otherwise, all as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred and whether or not the Secured Parties are in possession of or have released this Guaranty and regardless of any prior revocation, rescission, termination or reduction. The obligations of the Company under this paragraph shall survive termination of this Guaranty.

 

160


Section 13.7. Subordination . The Company hereby subordinates the payment of all obligations and indebtedness of the Borrower owing to the Company, whether now existing or hereafter arising, including but not limited to any obligation of the Borrower to the Company as subrogee of the Secured Parties or resulting from the Company’s performance under this Guaranty, to the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all Obligations. If the Secured Parties so request, any such obligation or indebtedness of the Borrower to the Company shall be enforced and performance received by the Company as trustee for the Secured Parties and the proceeds thereof shall be paid over to the Secured Parties on account of the Obligations, but without reducing or affecting in any manner the liability of the Company under this Guaranty.

Section 13.8. Stay of Acceleration . If acceleration of the time for payment of any of the Obligations is stayed, in connection with any case commenced by or against the Company or the Borrower under any Debtor Relief Laws, or otherwise, all such amounts shall nonetheless be payable by the Company immediately upon demand by the Secured Parties.

Section 13.9. Condition of Borrower . The Company acknowledges and agrees that it has the sole responsibility for, and has adequate means of, obtaining from the Borrower and any other guarantor such information concerning the financial condition, business and operations of the Borrower and any such other guarantor as the Company requires, and that none of the Secured Parties has any duty, and the Company is not relying on the Secured Parties at any time, to disclose to the Company any information relating to the business, operations or financial condition of the Borrower or any other guarantor (the Company waiving any duty on the part of the Secured Parties to disclose such information and any defense relating to the failure to provide the same).

Section 13.10. Keepwell . The Company hereby jointly and severally absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably with each other Qualified ECP Guarantor hereby undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each Guarantor that would otherwise not be an “ eligible contract participant ” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act to honor all of its obligations under this Agreement in respect of Secured Swap Obligations. The obligations of the Company under this Section  13.10 shall remain in full force and effect until the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all the Obligations (other than Secured Cash Management Obligations, Secured Swap Obligations or contingent indemnification obligations and other contingent obligations, in each case, not then due or asserted). The Company intends that this Section  13.10 constitute, and this Section  13.10 shall be deemed to constitute, a “ keepwell, support, or other agreement ” for the benefit of each other Loan Party for all purposes of Section la(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Section 13.11. Termination .

(a) This Guarantee shall terminate upon Payment in Full.

(b) In connection with any termination or release, the Administrative Agent shall execute and deliver to the Guarantor, at Guarantor’s expense, all documents that Guarantor shall reasonably request to evidence such termination or release. Any execution and delivery of documents pursuant to this Section  13.11 shall be without recourse to, or representation or warranty by. the Administrative Agent.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

161


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.

 

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.
By:  

/s/ Marc J. Smernoff

  Name: Marc J. Smernoff
  Title:   Chief Financial Officer
AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST
By:  

/s/ Marc J. Smernoff

  Name: Marc J. Smernoff
  Title:   Chief Financial Officer

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as the Administrative Agent

By:  

/s/ Aamir Saleem

 

Name: Aamir Saleem

Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as a Lender, a Letter of Credit Issuer and the Swing Line Lender

By:  

/s/ Asad A. Rafiq

  Name: Asad A. Rafiq
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as a Lender and a Letter of Credit Issuer

By:  

/s/ Donald Shokrian

  Name: Donald Shokrian
  Title: Managing Director

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


COOPERATIEVE RABOBANK U.A., NEW YORK BRANCH,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Olivia Leong

  Name: Olivia Leong
  Title: Executive Director
By:  

/s/ Bram Stevens

  Name: Bram Stevens
  Title: Managing Director

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


ROYAL BANK OF CANADA,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Brian Gross

  Name: Brian Gross
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


COMPASS BANK, AN ALABAMA BANKING CORPORATION,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Don Byerly

  Name: Don Byerly
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


CITIZENS BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Michelle M. Dawson

  Name: Michelle M. Dawson
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


REGIONS BANK,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Kyle D. Upton

  Name: Kyle D. Upton
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


SUNTRUST BANK,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Ryan Almond

  Name: Ryan Almond
  Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Lori Y. Jensen

  Name: Lori Y. Jensen
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


BRANCH BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Brad Bowen

  Name: Brad Bowen
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


GOLDMAN SACHS LENDING PARTNERS LLC,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Annie Carr

  Name: Annie Carr
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


ZB, N.A. dba NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONA,

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Eric Damko

  Name: Eric Damko
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


Schedule 1.1A

Commitments, Applicable Percentages and Sublimits

Revolving Credit Commitments

 

Lender

   Commitment      Applicable
Percentage/Revolving
Credit Commitment
Percentage
    Letter of Credit
Sublimit
 

Bank of America, N.A.

   $ 45,500,000.00        11.375000000   $ 40,000,000.00  

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

   $ 43,500,000.00        10.875000000   $ 40,000,000.00  

Cooperatieve Rabobank U.A., New York Branch

   $ 43,500,000.00        10.875000000   $ 0.00  

Royal Bank of Canada

   $ 43,500,000.00        10.875000000   $ 0.00  

Compass Bank, an Alabama Banking Corporation

   $ 34,500,000.00        8.625000000   $ 0.00  

Citizens Bank, National Association

   $ 34,500,000.00        8.625000000   $ 0.00  

Regions Bank

   $ 34,500,000.00        8.625000000   $ 0.00  

SunTrust Bank

   $ 34,500,000.00        8.625000000   $ 0.00  

U.S. Bank National Association

   $ 26,000,000.00        6.500000000   $ 0.00  

Branch Bank and Trust Company

   $ 20,000,000.00        5.000000000     $ 0.00  

Goldman Sachs Lending Partners LLC

   $ 20,000,000.00        5.000000000     $ 0.00  

National Bank of Arizona

   $ 20,000,000.00        5.000000000     $ 0.00  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

   $ 400,000,000.00        100.000000000   $ 80,000,000.00  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

Schedule 1.1A

Commitments, Applicable Percentages and Sublimits


Term Commitments

 

Lender

   Commitment      Applicable
Percentage
 

Bank of America, N.A.

   $ 64,500,000.00        12.285714286

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

   $ 56,500,000.00        10.761904762

Cooperatieve Rabobank U.A., New York Branch

   $ 56,500,000.00        10.761904762

Royal Bank of Canada

   $ 56,500,000.00        10.761904762

Compass Bank, an Alabama Banking Corporation

   $ 45,500,000.00        8.666666667

Citizens Bank, National Association

   $ 45,500,000.00        8.666666667

Regions Bank

   $ 45,500,000.00        8.666666667

SunTrust Bank

   $ 45,500,000.00        8.666666667

U.S. Bank National Association

   $ 34,000,000.00        6.476190476

Branch Bank and Trust Company

   $ 25,000,000.00        4.761904761

Goldman Sachs Lending Partners LLC

   $ 25,000,000.00        4.761904761

National Bank of Arizona

   $ 25,000,000.00        4.761904761
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 525,000,000.00        100.000000000
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Schedule 1.1A

Commitments, Applicable Percentages and Sublimits


Schedule 1.1B

Qualified Assets

 

Eligible Owned Asset

  

Owner

  

Address

Ontario (OR)

  

Americold Realty, Inc.

  

589 N.E. First Street

Ontario, OR 97914

Amarillo

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

10300 SE 3rd Avenue

Amarillo, TX 79120

Atlanta (Gateway)

  

AmeriCold Real Estate, L.P.

  

6150 Xavier Drive SW

Atlanta, GA 30336

Atlanta (Westgate)

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

1740 Westgate Pkwy

GA 30336

Babcock

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

1524 Necedah Road

Babcock WI 54413

Boston

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

100 Widett Circle

Boston MA 02118

Clearfield

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

755 East 1700 South Street

Clearfield, UT 84106

Connell

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

720 West Juniper Street

Connell, WA 99326

Fort Smith

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

1634 Midland Boulevard

Fort Smith, AR 72902

Leesport

  

AmeriCold Real Estate, L.P.

  

41 Orchard Lane

Leesport, PA 19533

Murfreesboro

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

2641 Stephenson Drive

Murfreesboro, TN 37127

Nampa

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

231 Second Road North

Nampa, ID 83687

Portland

  

AmeriCold Real Estate, L.P.

  

165 Read Street

Portland, ME 04103

Russellville (Valley)

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

203 Industrial Boulevard

Russellville, AR 72801

Sebree

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

1541 U.S. Highway 41 North

Sebree, KY 42455

Strasburg

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

545 Radio Station Road

Strasburg, VA 22657

Syracuse (bldg 1, 2, 3)

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2-L.P.

  

264 Farrell Road

Syracuse, NY 13209

Thomasville

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.    

  

121 Roseway Drive

Thomasville, GA 31792

 

Schedule 1.1B

Qualified Assets


Eligible Owned Asset

  

Owner

  

Address

Turlock (1, 5th Street)   

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

660 Fifth Street

Turlock, CA 95380

Walla Walla   

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

1115 West Rose Street

Walla Walla, WA 99362

West Memphis   

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

1651 South Airport Road

West Memphis, AR 72301

Wichita   

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

2707 North Mead

Wichita, KS 67219

Woodburn   

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-2 L.P.

  

1440 Silverton Road

Woodburn, OR 97071

Phoenix 2    Americold Propco Phoenix Van Buren LLC   

7600 W Van Buren Street

Phoenix, AZ 85043

Atlanta (Tradewater)    Americold Acquisition, LLC   

6500 Tradewater Pkwy

Atlanta, GA 30336

Atlanta East Point    AmeriCold Real Estate, L.P.   

1239 Oakleigh Drive

East Point , Georgia 30344

Atlanta Skygate    ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1B L.P.   

500 John F Varly Ct

Atlanta, Georgia 30336

Atlanta Southgate    ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1B L.P.   

1845 Westgate Pkwy

Atlanta, Georgia 30336

Augusta    ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1B L.P.   

533 Laney-Walker Blvd Extension

Augusta, Georgia 30901

Carthage    ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1A L.P.   

1331 Civil War Road

Carthage, Missouri 64836

East Dubuque    ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1C L.P.   

18531 U.S Route 20 West

East Dubugue, Illinois 61025

Fort Dodge    ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1B L.P.   

3543 Maple Drive

Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501

Fort Worth Railhead    ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1A L.P.   

200 Railhead Dr

Fort Worth, Texas 76106

Garden City    ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1A L.P.   

2007 West Mary Street

Garden City, Kansas 67846

Hatfield    AmeriCold Real Estate, L.P.   

2525 Bergery Road

Hatfield, Pennsylvania 19440

Indianapolis    ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1B L.P.   

3320 S. Arlington Avenue

Indianapolis, Indiana 46203

Milwaukie    ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1C L.P.   

9501 S.E McLoughlin Boulevard

Milwaukie, Oregon 97269

 

Schedule 1.1B

Qualified Assets


Eligible Owned Asset

  

Owner

  

Address

Pasco   

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco

2006-1C L.P.

  

5805 Industrial Way

Pasco, Washington 99301

Rochelle Americold Drive    AmeriCold Real Estate, L.P.   

1010 Americold Drive

Rochelle, Illinois 61068

San Antonio FM 78    Americold San Antonio Propco, LLC   

5711 FM 78

San Antonio, Texas 78218

Wallula    ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1C L.P.   

14060 Dodd Road

Wallula, Washington 99363

 

Eligible Ground Leased Asset

  

Lessor

  

Address

Burley    AmeriCold Real Estate, L.P.   

280 West Highway 30

Burley, ID 83318

Tacoma    VCD Pledge Holdings, LLC   

1301 26th Avenue East

Tacoma, WA 98424

Tampa (Bartow)    ART Mortgage Borrower, L.P.   

Highway 17

Bartow, FL 33831

Grand Island    AmeriCold Real Estate, L.P.   

204 East Roberts Street

Grand Island, NE 68802

 

Eligible Capital Leased Asset

  

Lessor

  

Address

Dallas (Catron)    Versacold Texas, L.P.   

5210 Catron Drive,

Dallas TX 75227

Salt Lake City    AmeriCold Real Estate, L.P.   

1646 South 4490 West

Salt Lake City, UT 84104

Belvidere (Imron)    Versacold USA, Inc.   

6765 Imron Drive

Belvidere, IL 61008

Brooklyn Park    Versacold USA, Inc.   

7130 Winnetka Avenue North

Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

Cartersville    Versacold USA, Inc.   

215 Industrial Park Road

Cartersville, GA 30121

Douglas    Versacold USA, Inc.   

2006 Industrial Boulevard

Douglas, GA 31533

Gaffney    Versacold USA, Inc.   

2130 Old Georgia Highway

Gaffney, SC 29340

Gainesville    Versacold USA, Inc.   

1680 Candler Road

Gainesville, GA 30507

New Ulm    Versacold USA, Inc.   

17113 County Road 29

New Ulm, MN 56073

 

Schedule 1.1B

Qualified Assets


Eligible Capital Leased Asset

  

Lessor

  

Address

Pendergrass    Versacold USA, Inc.   

86 Jackson Concourse

Pendergrass, GA 30567

Piedmont    Versacold USA, Inc.   

1619 Antioch Church Road

Piedmont, SC 29673

St. Paul    Versacold USA, Inc.   

240 Chester Street

Saint Paul, MN 55107

Zumbrota    Versacold USA, Inc.   

1000 Artic Avenue

Zumbrota, MN 55992

Ontario, CA (Malaga Place)    AmeriCold Real Estate, L.P.   

700 Malaga Place

Ontario, CA 91761

 

Eligible Operating Leased Asset

  

Lessor

  

Address

Denver    AmeriCold Real Estate, L.P.   

4475 East 50th Avenue

Denver, CO 80216

City of Industry    VCD Pledge Holdings, LLC   

14890 East Proctor

City of Industry, CA 91746

Vernon 3    VCD Pledge Holdings, LLC   

4224 District Boulevard

Vernon, CA 90058

Heyburn    AmeriCold Real Estate, L.P.   

1110 “O” Street

Heyburn, ID 83336

Massilon (Erie Ave.)    Americold Realty Operating Partnership L.P.   

4676 Erie Avenue SW

Navarre, OH 44662

Green Bay    Versacold Logistics, LLC   

1731 Morrow Street

Green Bay, WI 54302

Belvidere (Landmark)    Versacold USA, Inc.   

977 Landmark Drive

Belvidere, IL 61008

Eligible Managed Segment

The business of the Qualified Asset Guarantors listed below used for the operations of the Company’s managed segment in Crete, NE; Atlanta, GA; Denver, CO; Phoenix, AZ; and Roanoke, VA:

Atlas Logistics Group Retail Services (Atlanta), LLC

Atlas Logistics Group Retail Services (Denver), LLC

Atlas Logistics Group Retail Services (Phoenix), LLC

Atlas Logistics Group Retail Services (Roanoke), LLC

Americold Nebraska Leasing LLC

 

Schedule 1.1B

Qualified Assets


Schedule 3.1A

Existing Letters of Credit

 

Americold Realty Trust and Subsidiaries

Outstanding Letters of Credit on the Closing Date

L/C Issuer: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

 

Beneficiary

 

Reason

 

L/C Number

 

Applicant

 

Maturity Date

  Outstanding
Amount and
Currency
 
The Travelers Indemnity Company   Workers comp   CPCS-901616   ART Icecap Holdings, LLC for the benefit of Versacold Logistics Services U.S. LLC   11/30/18   $ 3,700,000  
Exelon Energy Company   Security for power   CPCS-901612   Versacold USA, Inc.   03/31/18   $ 30,000  
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company   Workers comp   CPCS-896733   Americold Logistics, LLC   12/06/18   $ 1,685,000  
The Travelers Indemnity Company   Workers comp   CPCS-896721   Americold Logistics, LLC on behalf of Americold Realty Trust   07/07/18   $ 255,000  
Insurance Company of North America   Workers comp   CPCS-896718   Americold Logistics, LLC   11/17/18   $ 25,000  
Hartford Fire Insurance Company   Workers comp   CPCS-896719   Americold Realty Trust   10/01/18   $ 27,996,000  
Alabama Power   Security for power at Mobile site   CPCS-353615   Americold Logistics, LLC   02/17/18   $ 60,000  
Texas Health and Human Services Commission   Security for cold storage contract   TFTS-967694   Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P.   09/30/18   $ 50,000  

 

 

Schedule 3.1A

Existing Letters of Credit


Schedule 6.13

Subsidiaries

 

Subsidiary

   Jurisdiction of
Incorporation
  

Owner

   Percentage of
Ownership
  Excluded
Subsidiary
(Yes or No)

Americold 2010 LLC

   Delaware    Americold MFL 2010 LLC    100%   Yes

Americold Acquisition Partnership GP LLC

   Delaware   

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

   100%   Yes

Americold Acquisition, LLC

   Delaware   

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

   100%   No

Americold Australia PTY Ltd.

   Australia    Icicle Australia Property PTY Limited    100%   Yes

Americold Australian Holdings PTY Ltd.

   Australia    Icecap Property AU LLC    100%   Yes

Americold Australian Logistics PTY Ltd.

   Australia    Americold Logistics Limited    100%   Yes

Americold Clearfield Opco, LLC

   Delaware    Americold Logistics, LLC    100%   Yes

Americold Clearfield Propco, LLC

   Delaware   

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

   100%   Yes

Americold Food Logistics PTY Ltd.

   Australia    Americold Logistics Limited    100%   Yes

Americold Investments PTY Ltd.

   Australia    Americold Australia PTY LTD    100%   Yes

Americold Logistics Hong Kong Limited

   China    ART AL Holding LLC    100%   Yes

Americold Logistics Limited

   Australia    Americold Australia PTY LTD    100%   Yes

Americold Logistics Services NZ Ltd.

   New Zealand    Americold NZ Limited    100%   Yes

AmeriCold Logistics, LLC

   Delaware    ART AL Holding LLC    100%   No

Americold Middleboro Opco, LLC

   Delaware    Americold Logistics, LLC    100%   Yes

Americold Middleboro Propco, LLC

   Delaware   

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

   100%   Yes

Americold MFL 2010 LLC

   Delaware   

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

   100%   Yes

Americold Nebraska Leasing LLC

   Nebraska    AmeriCold Logistics, LLC    100%   No

Americold NZ Limited

   New Zealand    Icicle NZ Property Limited    100%   Yes

Americold Propco Phoenix Van Buren LLC

   Delaware   

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

   100%   No

Americold Property PTY Ltd.

   Australia    Americold Australian Holdings PTY Ltd.    100%   Yes

AmeriCold Real Estate, L.P.

   Delaware   

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

   99% LP   No

AmeriCold Real Estate, L.P.

   Delaware    Americold Realty, Inc.    1% GP   No

Americold Realty Hong Kong Limited

   China   

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

   100%   Yes

Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P.

   Delaware    Americold Realty Trust    99% GP   No

Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P.

   Delaware    Americold Realty Operations, Inc.    1% LP   No

Americold Realty, Inc.

   Delaware   

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

   100%   No

Americold Realty Operations, Inc.

   Delaware    Americold Realty Trust    100%   N/A

Schedule 6.13

Subsidiaries


Subsidiary

  

Jurisdiction of

Incorporation

  

Owner

  

Percentage of
Ownership

  

Excluded
Subsidiary
(Yes or No)

Americold San Antonio Propco LLC

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

100%

  

No

Americold Storage NB PTY Ltd.

  

Australia

  

Americold Logistics Limited

  

100%

  

Yes

Americold Transportation, LLC

  

Delaware

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2010 – 5 LLC

  

100%

  

Yes

Americold Transportation Services, LLC

  

Delaware

  

ART AL Holding LLC

  

100%

  

No

AMLOG Canada Inc.

  

Canada

  

AmeriCold Logistics, LLC

  

100%

  

Yes

ART AL Holding LLC

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

100%

  

No

ART First Mezzanine Borrower GP LLC

  

Delaware

  

ART Second Mezzanine Borrower, L.P.

  

100%

  

No

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Opco 2006-2 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

AmeriCold Logistics, LLC

  

99.9% LP

  

No

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Opco 2006-2 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER OPCO GP 2006-2 LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

No

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Opco 2006-3 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

AmeriCold Logistics, LLC

  

99.9% LP

  

Yes

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Opco 2006-3 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Opco GP 2006-3 LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

Yes

ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER OPCO GP 2006-2 LLC

  

Delaware

  

AmeriCold Logistics, LLC

  

100%

  

No

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Opco GP 2006-3 LLC

  

Delaware

  

AmeriCold Logistics, LLC

  

100%

  

Yes

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Propco 2006-2 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

99.9% LP

  

No

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Propco 2006-2 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER PROPCO GP 2006-2 LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

No

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Propco 2006-3 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

99.9% LP

  

Yes

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Propco 2006-3 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Propco GP 2006-3 LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

Yes

ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER PROPCO GP 2006-2 LLC

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

100%

  

No

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Propco GP 2006-3 LLC

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P

  

100%

  

Yes

ART First Mezzanine Borrower, L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART Second Mezzanine Borrower, L.P.

  

99.9% LP

  

No

ART First Mezzanine Borrower, L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART First Mezzanine Borrower GP LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

No

ART Icecap Holdings LLC

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

100%

  

No

ART Leasing LLC

  

Delaware

  

AmeriCold Logistics, LLC

  

100%

  

Yes

Schedule 6.13

Subsidiaries


Subsidiary

  

Jurisdiction of

Incorporation

  

Owner

  

Percentage of
Ownership

  

Excluded
Subsidiary
(Yes or No)

ART Manager L.L.C.

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

100%

  

No

ART Mezzanine Borrower Opco 2013 LLC

  

Delaware

  

ART Second Mezzanine Borrower Opco 2013 LLC

  

100%

  

Yes

ART Mezzanine Borrower Propco 2013 LLC

  

Delaware

  

ART Second Mezzanine Borrower Propco 2013 LLC

  

100%

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower GP LLC

  

Delaware

  

ART First Mezzanine Borrower, L.P.

  

100%

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2006-1A L.P.

  

Delaware

  

AmeriCold Logistics, LLC

  

99.9% LP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2006-1A L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco GP 2006-1A LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2006-1B L.P.

  

Delaware

  

AmeriCold Logistics, LLC

  

99.9% LP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2006-1B L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco GP 2006-1B LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2006-1C L.P.

  

Delaware

  

AmeriCold Logistics, LLC

  

99.9% LP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2006-1C L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco GP 2006-1C LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2006-2 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Opco 2006-2 L.P.

  

99.9% LP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2006-2 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO GP 2006-2 LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2006-3 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Opco 2006-3 L.P.

  

99.9% LP

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2006-3 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco GP 2006-3 LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2010 -4 LLC

  

Delaware

  

AmeriCold Logistics, LLC

  

100%

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2010 -5 LLC

  

Delaware

  

Versacold Atlas Logistics Services USA LLC

  

100%

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2010 -6 LLC

  

Delaware

  

Versacold Texas, L.P.

  

100%

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco 2013 LLC

  

Delaware

  

ART Mezzanine Borrower Opco 2013 LLC

  

100%

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco GP 2006-1A LLC

  

Delaware

  

AmeriCold Logistics, LLC

  

100%

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco GP 2006-1B LLC

  

Delaware

  

AmeriCold Logistics, LLC

  

100%

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco GP 2006-1C LLC

  

Delaware

  

AmeriCold Logistics, LLC

  

100%

  

No

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO GP 2006-2 LLC

  

Delaware

  

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Opco 2006-2 L.P.

  

100%

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Opco GP 2006-3 LLC

  

Delaware

  

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Opco 2006-3 L.P.

  

100%

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1A L.P.

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

99.9% LP

  

No

Schedule 6.13

Subsidiaries


Subsidiary

  

Jurisdiction of

Incorporation

  

Owner

  

Percentage of
Ownership

  

Excluded
Subsidiary
(Yes or No)

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1A L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco GP 2006-1A LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1B L.P.

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

99.9% LP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1B L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco GP 2006-1B LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1C L.P.

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

99.9% LP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-1C L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco GP 2006-1C LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-2 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Propco 2006-2 L.P.

  

99.9% LP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-2 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO GP 2006-2 LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-3 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Propco 2006-3 L.P.

  

99.9% LP

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2006-3 L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco GP 2006-3 LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2010 -4 LLC

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

100%

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2010 -5 LLC

  

Delaware

  

Versacold Logistics, LLC

  

100%

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2010 -6 LLC

  

Delaware

  

Versacold Texas, L.P.

  

100%

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco 2013 LLC

  

Delaware

  

ART Mezzanine Borrower Propco 2013 LLC

  

100%

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco GP 2006-1A LLC

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

100%

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco GP 2006-1B LLC

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

100%

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco GP 2006-1C LLC

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P

  

100%

  

No

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO GP 2006-2 LLC

  

Delaware

  

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Propco 2006-2 L.P.

  

100%

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower Propco GP 2006-3 LLC

  

Delaware

  

ART First Mezzanine Borrower Propco 2006-3 L.P.

  

100%

  

Yes

ART Mortgage Borrower, L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART First Mezzanine Borrower, L.P.

  

99.9% LP

  

No

ART Mortgage Borrower, L.P.

  

Delaware

  

ART Mortgage Borrower GP LLC

  

0.1% GP

  

No

ART QUARRY TRS LLC

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

100%

  

No

ART Second Mezzanine Borrower GP LLC

  

Delaware

  

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

  

100%

  

No

ART Second Mezzanine Borrower Opco 2013 LLC

  

Delaware

  

ART Third Mezzanine Borrower Opco 2013 LLC

  

100%

  

Yes

Schedule 6.13

Subsidiaries


Subsidiary

   Jurisdiction of
Incorporation
  

Owner

   Percentage of
Ownership
  Excluded
Subsidiary
(Yes or No)

ART Second Mezzanine Borrower Propco 2013 LLC

   Delaware    ART Third Mezzanine Borrower Propco 2013 LLC    100%   Yes

ART Second Mezzanine Borrower, L.P.

   Delaware   

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

   99.9%
LP
  No

ART Second Mezzanine Borrower, L.P.

   Delaware    ART Second Mezzanine Borrower GP LLC    0.1%
GP
  No

ART Third Mezzanine Borrower Opco 2013 LLC

   Delaware    AmeriCold Logistics, LLC    100%   Yes

ART Third Mezzanine Borrower Propco 2013 LLC

   Delaware   

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

   100%   Yes

Atlas Cold Storage Logistics LLC

   Minnesota    Versacold Atlas Logistics Services USA LLC    100%   No

Atlas Logistics Group Retail Services (Atlanta) LLC

   Delaware    Atlas Cold Storage Logistics LLC    100%   No

Atlas Logistics Group Retail Services (Denver) LLC

   Minnesota    Atlas Cold Storage Logistics LLC    100%   No

Atlas Logistics Group Retail Services (Phoenix) LLC

   Delaware    Atlas Cold Storage Logistics LLC    100%   No

Atlas Logistics Group Retail Services (Roanoke) LLC

   Delaware    Atlas Cold Storage Logistics LLC    100%   No

Atlas Logistics Group Retail Services (Shelbyville) LLC

   Delaware    Atlas Cold Storage Logistics LLC    100%   Yes

Cold Logic ULC

   British
Columbia,
Canada
   AMLOG Canada Inc.    100%   Yes

Distribution Development, L.L.C.

   South
Dakota
   AmeriCold Logistics, LLC    50%   Yes

Icecap Properties AU LLC

   Delaware    ART Icecap Holdings LLC    100%   Yes

Icecap Properties NZ Holdings LLC

   Delaware    ART Icecap Holdings LLC    100%   Yes

Icecap Properties NZ Limited LLC

   New
Zealand
  

Icecap Properties NZ

Holdings LLC

   100%   Yes

Inland Quarries, L.L.C.

   Delaware    ART QUARRY TRS LLC    100%   Yes

KC Underground, L.L.C.

   Delaware    AmeriCold Logistics, LLC    100%   No

URS Real Estate, L.P.

   Delaware   

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P.

   99%
LP
  Yes

URS Real Estate, L.P.

   Delaware    URS Realty, Inc.    1%
GP
  Yes

URS Realty, Inc.

   Delaware   

Americold Realty

Operating Partnership, L.P

   100%   Yes

VCD Pledge Holdings, LLC

   Delaware    Versacold USA, Inc.    100%   No

Versacold Atlas Logistics Services USA LLC

   Delaware    ART AL Holding LLC    100%   No

Versacold Logistics Argentina SA

   Argentina    Americold Logistics Limited    90%   Yes

Versacold Logistics Argentina SA

   Argentina    Americold Storage NB PTY Ltd.    10%   Yes

Versacold Logistics, LLC

   Delaware    Versacold USA, Inc.    100%   No

Schedule 6.13

Subsidiaries


Subsidiary

   Jurisdiction of
Incorporation
  

Owner

   Percentage of
Ownership
  Excluded
Subsidiary
(Yes or No)

Versacold Midwest LLC

   Delaware    Versacold Atlas Logistics Services USA LLC    100%   No

Versacold Northeast Logistics, LLC

   Massachusetts    ART AL Holding LLC    100%   No

Versacold Northeast, Inc.

   Massachusetts    ART AL Holding LLC    100%   No

Versacold Texas, L.P.

   Texas    Versacold USA, Inc.    99%
LP
  No

Versacold Texas, L.P.

   Texas    ART AL Holding LLC    1% GP   No

Versacold USA, Inc.

   Minnesota    ART Icecap Holdings LLC    100%   No

Schedule 6.13

Subsidiaries


Schedule 9.6

Transactions with Affiliates

 

    Contribution Agreement dated as of February 27, 2015 by and among YF ART Holdings, L.P., YF ART Holdings GP, LLC, Americold Realty Trust, CF Cold LP and Yucaipa American Alliance Fund II, L.P.

 

    Common Shares Purchase Warrant Issued as of December 10, 2009 by Americold Realty Trust to YF ART Holdings, L.P.

 

    Shareholders Agreement, to be dated on or about the date of the REIT IPO, by and among Americold Realty Trust, YF ART Holdings, L.P., certain affiliates of Goldman Sachs & Co. identified therein, CF Cold L.P., Charm Progress Investment Limited and the other parties thereto.

 

    Equity Investor Agreement, to be dated on or about the date of the REIT IPO, by and among YF ART Holdings ,L.P., GS Capital Partners VI Fund, L.P., GS Capital Partners VI Parallel, L.P., GSCP VI Offshore Icecap Investment, L.P., GSCP VI Gmbh Icecap Investment, L.P., Icecap2 Holdings, L.P., Charm Progress Investment Limited and Americold Realty Trust.

 

    Those certain Registration Rights Agreements, to be dated on or about the date of the REIT IPO, by and among the Company and certain of its significant shareholders, including, without limitation, affiliates of The Yucaipa Companies LLC, Fortress Investment Group LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co.

Schedule 9.6

Transactions with Affiliates


Schedule 12.2

Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices

BORROWER:

Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P.

10 Glenlake Parkway, South Tower, Suite 600

Atlanta, GA 30328

Attention: Legal Department

Telephone: (678) 441-1479

Facsimile: (678) 387-4744

Electronic Mail: legal@americold.com

Website Address: www.americold.com

Taxpayer Identification Number: 01-0958815

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:

Administrative Agent’s Office

(for payments and Requests for Credit Extensions):

Bank of America, N.A.

2380 Performance Drive—Bldg. C

Mail Code: TX2-984-03-23

Richardson, TX 75082

Attention: Katlyn Tran

Telephone: 469-201-4056

Facsimile: 888-837-1839

Electronic Mail: Katlyn.tran@baml.com

Account No.: 1366072250600

Ref: Americold Realty Operating Partnership

ABA# 026009593

Other Notices as Administrative Agent :

Bank of America, N.A.

Agency Management

555 California Street, 4 th Floor

Mail Code: CA5-705-04-09

San Francisco, CA 94104

Attention: Aamir Saleem

Telephone: (415) 436-2769

Facsimile: (415) 503-5089

Electronic Mail: aamir.saleem@baml.com

Schedule 12.2

Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices


L/C ISSUER:

Bank of America, N.A.

Trade Operations

1 Fleet Way

Mail Code: PA6-580-02-30

Scranton, PA 18507

Attention: Michael Grizzanti

Telephone: 570-496-9621

Facsimile: 800-755-8743

Electronic Mail: michael.a.grizzanti@baml.com

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

10420 Highland Manor Drive, 4th Floor

Tampa, Florida 33610-9120

Attention: Letter of Credit—Global Trade Services

Facsimile: (312) 288-8950

Electronic Mail: GTS.Client.Services@jpmchase.com

Copy to:

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

JPM-Bangalore Loan Operations

500 Stanton Christiana Road, NCC 5, Floor 01

Newark, DE 19713-2107

Attention: Bharath Devaraju

Electronic Mail: Barath.k.devaraju@jpmorgan.com

Telephone: 918067905008

Telecopier: 201 244-3885 and 12012443885@docs.ldsprod.com

Email: na.cpg@jpmorgan.com

Copy to:

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

383 Madison Avenue – 24th Floor

New York, NY 10179

Attention: Yannan Qiu

Email: Yannan.Qiu@jpmorgan.com

Telephone: (212) 622-5490

Schedule 12.2

Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices


SWING LINE LENDER:

Bank of America, N.A.

2380 Performance Drive—Bldg. C

Mail Code: TX2-984-03-23

Richardson, TX 75082

Attention: Katlyn Tran

Telephone: 469-201-4056

Facsimile: 888-837-1839

Electronic Mail: Katlyn.tran@baml.com

Account No.: 1366072250600

Ref: Americold Realty Operating Partnership

ABA# 026009593

Schedule 12.2

Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF

GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT

[See attached.]

 

A-32


 

 

GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT

dated as of

January 23, 2018,

among

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.,

THE SUBSIDIARIES OF

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.

IDENTIFIED HEREIN

and

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I

  

DEFINITIONS

  

SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms

     1  

SECTION 1.02. Other Defined Terms

     1  

ARTICLE II

  

GUARANTEE

  

SECTION 2.01. Guarantee

     4  

SECTION 2.02. Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee

     4  

SECTION 2.03. No Limitations

     4  

SECTION 2.04. Reinstatement

     5  

SECTION 2.05. Agreement to Pay; Subrogation

     5  

SECTION 2.06. Information

     6  

SECTION 2.07. Keepwell

     6  

ARTICLE III

  

PLEDGE OF SECURITIES

  

SECTION 3.01. Pledge

     6  

SECTION 3.02. Delivery of the Pledged Equity Interests

     7  

SECTION 3.03. Representations and Warranties

     7  

SECTION 3.04. Covenants

     9  

SECTION 3.05. Registration in Nominee Name; Denominations

     12  

SECTION 3.06. Voting Rights; Dividends and Interest

     12  


ARTICLE IV

  

REMEDIES

  

SECTION 4.01. Remedies Upon Default

     14  

SECTION 4.02. Application of Proceeds

     15  

SECTION 4.03. Securities Act

     16  

SECTION 4.04. Information

     17  

ARTICLE V

  

INDEMNITY, SUBROGATION, CONTRIBUTION AND SUBORDINATION

  

SECTION 5.01. Indemnity and Subrogation

     17  

SECTION 5.02. Contribution and Subrogation

     17  

SECTION 5.03. Subordination

     18  

ARTICLE VI

  

MISCELLANEOUS

  

SECTION 6.01. Notices

     18  

SECTION 6.02. Waivers; Amendment

     18  

SECTION 6.03. Administrative Agent’s Fees and Expenses; Indemnification

     19  

SECTION 6.04. Survival

     20  

SECTION 6.05. Counterparts; Effectiveness; Successors and Assigns

     20  

SECTION 6.06. Severability

     20  

SECTION 6.07. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process

     21  

SECTION 6.08. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

     21  

SECTION 6.09. Headings

     22  

SECTION 6.10. Security Interest Absolute

     22  

SECTION 6.11. Termination or Release

     22  

SECTION 6.12. Additional Subsidiaries

     22  

SECTION 6.13. Administrative Agent Appointed Attorney-in-Fact

     23  


Schedules

 

Schedule I    Subsidiary Loan Party Information
Schedule II    Pledged Equity Interests

Exhibits

 

Exhibit I    Form of Supplement


GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT dated as of January 23, 2018 (this “ Agreement ”), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., the Subsidiary Loan Parties from time to time party hereto and Bank of America, N.A. as administrative agent and collateral agent (in such capacity, the “ Administrative Agent ”).

Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of January 23, 2018 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Borrower ”), Americold Realty Trust, the several Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto and the Administrative Agent. The Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers have agreed to extend credit to the Borrower on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Credit Agreement. The obligations of the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers to extend such credit are conditioned upon, among other things, the execution and delivery of this Agreement. The Subsidiary Loan Parties are Affiliates of the Borrower, will derive substantial benefits from the extension of credit to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement and are willing to execute and deliver this Agreement in order to induce the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers to extend such credit. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms . (a) Each capitalized term used but not defined herein and defined in the Credit Agreement shall have the meaning specified in the Credit Agreement. Each other term used but not defined herein that is defined in the New York UCC (as defined herein) shall have the meaning specified in the New York UCC. The term “ Instrument ” shall have the meaning specified in Article 9 of the New York UCC.

(b) The rules of construction specified in Section 1.2 of the Credit Agreement also apply to this Agreement, mutatis mutandis .

SECTION 1.02. Other Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

Administrative Agent ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Preamble hereto.

Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Preamble hereto.

Borrower ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Recitals hereto.

Claiming Party ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section  5.02 .

Collateral ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section  3.01 .

Contributing Party ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section  5.02 .

Credit Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Recitals hereto.


Federal Securities Laws ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section  4.03 .

Grantors ” means, collectively, (a) the Qualified Asset Guarantors and the Other Guarantors and (b) with respect to (i) the Secured Swap Obligations and Secured Cash Management Obligations owing by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of a Loan Party (other than the Borrower) and (ii) the payment and performance by each Specified Loan Party of its Guarantee Obligations with respect to all Secured Swap Obligations, the Borrower.

Guarantors ” means, collectively, the Borrower and each Subsidiary Loan Party.

Indemnified Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section  5.02 .

New York UCC ” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

Perfection Certificate ” means the Perfection Certificate dated as of the Closing Date delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 7.1(d)(v) of the Credit Agreement.

Permitted Assignment ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section  3.04(e) .

Pledged Capital Stock ” means (i) all shares of Capital Stock of any corporation that is a Guarantor, including all shares of Capital Stock set forth on Schedule II under the heading “Pledged Capital Stock” (as such schedule may be supplemented from time to time pursuant hereto), and any certificates, instruments and other documents representing such shares and any interest of any Grantor in the entries on the books of the issuer of such shares or on the books of any securities intermediary pertaining to such shares, (ii) all rights to participate in the economics of the issuer of such shares, including all profits and losses and all rights to receive substitutions, additions, interest, dividends and other distributions from the issuer of such shares and all capital accounts of the issuer of such shares and (iii) all rights to participate in the management of the business and affairs of the issuer of such shares, including all voting rights and rights to information.

Pledged Equity Interests ” means all Pledged Capital Stock, all Pledged LLC Interests and all Pledged Partnership Interests.

Pledged LLC Interests ” means (i) all interests in any limited liability company that is a Guarantor and each series thereof, including all limited liability company interests set forth on Schedule II under the heading “Pledged LLC Interests” (as such schedule may be supplemented from time to time pursuant hereto), and any certificates, instruments and other documents representing such limited liability company interests and any interest of any Grantor on the books and records of such limited liability company or on the books and records of any securities intermediary pertaining to such interest, (ii) all rights to participate in the economics of the issuer of such interests, including all profits and losses and all rights to receive substitutions, additions, interest, dividends and other distributions from the issuer of such interests and all capital accounts of the issuer of such interests, (iii) all rights to participate in the management of the business and affairs of the issuer of such interests, including all voting rights and rights to information and (iv) the status of being a “member” (or analogous term) of the issuer of such interests, including all rights under the formation document or the operating or limited liability agreement (or similar document), including the applicable Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement, of the issuer of such interests.

 

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Pledged Partnership Interests ” means (i) all interests in any general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership or other partnership that is a Guarantor, including all partnership interests set forth on Schedule II under the heading “Pledged Partnership Interests” (as such schedule may be supplemented from time to time pursuant hereto), and any certificates, instruments and other documents representing such partnership interests and any interest of any Grantor on the books and records of such partnership or on the books and records of any securities intermediary pertaining to such interest, (ii) all rights to participate in the economics of the issuer of such interests, including all profits and losses and all rights to receive substitutions, additions, interest, dividends and other distributions from the issuer of such interests and all capital accounts of the issuer of such interests, (iii) all rights to participate in the management of the business and affairs of the issuer of such interests, including all voting rights and rights to information and (iv) the status of being a “partner” (or analogous term) of the issuer of such interests, including all rights under the formation document or the partnership, operating, or limited liability agreement (or similar document), including the applicable Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement, of the issuer of such interests.

Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section  3.04(e) .

Pledged Securities ” means any and all certificates, instruments or other documents representing or evidencing any Collateral, including, without limitation, all stock certificates, unit certificates and limited liability membership interest certificates now or hereafter included in the Collateral.

Qualified ECP Guarantor ” means, in respect of any Secured Swap Obligation, each Loan Party that has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 at the time the relevant Guarantee Obligation or grant of the relevant security interest becomes or would become effective with respect to such Secured Swap Obligation and each other Loan Party that constitutes an “ eligible contract participant ” under the Commodity Exchange Act and can cause another person to qualify as an “ eligible contract participant ” at such time by guaranteeing or entering into a keepwell in respect of obligations of such other person under Section la(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Specified Loan Party ” means any Loan Party that is not an “eligible contract participant under the Commodity Exchange Act (determined prior to giving effect to Section  2.07 ).

“Subsidiary Loan Parties ” means, collectively, (a) the Subsidiaries identified on Schedule  I and (b) each other Subsidiary that becomes a party to this Agreement after the Closing Date.

“Supplement” means an instrument substantially in the form of Exhibit I hereto, or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent, and in each case reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

3


Uniform Commercial Code ” shall mean the New York UCC; provided , however , that if by reason of mandatory provisions of law, the perfection, the effect of perfection or non-perfection or priority of a security interest is governed by the personal property security laws of any jurisdiction other than New York, “Uniform Commercial Code” shall mean those personal property security laws as in effect in such other jurisdiction for the purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such perfection or priority and for the definitions related to such provisions.

ARTICLE II

GUARANTEE

SECTION 2.01. Guarantee . Each Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees, jointly with the other Guarantors and severally, as a primary obligor and not merely as a surety, the due and punctual payment and performance of the Obligations. Each Guarantor further agrees that the Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, or amended or modified, without notice to or further assent from it, and that, except as otherwise expressly provided in Section  6.11 , it will remain bound upon its guarantee hereunder notwithstanding any extension, renewal, amendment or modification of any Obligation. Each Guarantor waives presentment to, demand of payment from and protest to the Borrower or any other Loan Party of any of the Obligations, and also waives notice of acceptance of its guarantee hereunder and notice of protest for nonpayment.

SECTION 2.02. Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee . Each Guarantor further agrees that its guarantee hereunder constitutes a guarantee of payment when due (whether or not any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding shall have stayed the accrual or collection of any of the Obligations or operated as a discharge thereof) and not merely of collection, and waives any right to require that any resort be had by the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party to any security held for the payment of the Obligations or to any balance of any deposit account or credit on the books of the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party in favor of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any other Person. Each Guarantor agrees that its guarantee hereunder is continuing in nature and applies to all Obligations, whether currently existing or hereafter incurred.

SECTION 2.03. No Limitations . (a) Except for the termination or release of a Guarantor’s obligations hereunder as expressly provided in Section  6.11 , the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason, including any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise, and shall not be subject to any defense or set-off, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of the Obligations, any impossibility in the performance of the Obligations or otherwise (other than a defense of the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all the Obligations or the performance in full of all the Obligations). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as otherwise expressly provided in Section  6.11 , the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by (i) the failure of the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy under the provisions of any Loan Document or otherwise; (ii) any rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of, or any release from any of the terms or provisions of, any Loan Document or any other agreement, including with respect to

 

4


any other Guarantor under this Agreement; (iii) the release of, or any impairment of or failure to perfect any Lien on or security interest in, any security held by the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party for any of the Obligations; (iv) any default, failure or delay, wilful or otherwise, in the performance of any of the Obligations; or (v) any other act or omission that may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of any Guarantor or otherwise operate as a discharge of any Guarantor as a matter of law or equity (other than the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all the Obligations or the performance in full of all the Obligations). Each Guarantor expressly authorizes the Secured Parties to take and hold security for the payment and performance of the Obligations, to exchange, waive or release any or all such security (with or without consideration), to enforce or apply such security and direct the order and manner of any sale thereof in their sole discretion or to release or substitute any one or more other guarantors or obligors upon or in respect of the Obligations, all without affecting the obligations of any Guarantor hereunder.

(b) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor waives any defense based on or arising out of any defense of the Borrower or any other Loan Party or the unenforceability of the Obligations or any part thereof from any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, other than the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all the Obligations or the performance in full of all the Obligations. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties may, at their election, foreclose on any security held by one or more of them by one or more judicial or nonjudicial sales, accept an assignment of any such security in lieu of foreclosure, compromise or adjust any part of the Obligations, make any other accommodation with the Borrower or any other Loan Party or exercise any other right or remedy available to them against the Borrower or any other Loan Party, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of any Guarantor hereunder except to the extent the Obligations have been fully and indefeasibly paid in full in cash (other than any Secured Cash Management Obligations, Secured Swap Obligations or contingent indemnification obligations and other contingent obligations not then due or asserted). To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor waives any defense arising out of any such election even though such election operates, pursuant to applicable law, to impair or to extinguish any right of reimbursement or subrogation or other right or remedy of such Guarantor against the Borrower or any other Loan Party, as the case may be, or any security.

SECTION 2.04. Reinstatement . Each Guarantor agrees that this Agreement and its guarantee hereunder shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of any Obligation is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party upon the bankruptcy, insolvency, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or otherwise.

SECTION 2.05. Agreement to Pay; Subrogation . In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation of any other right that the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party has at law or in equity against any Guarantor by virtue hereof, upon the failure of the Borrower or any other Loan Party to pay any Obligation when and as the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, after notice of prepayment or otherwise, each Guarantor hereby promises to and will forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, to the Administrative Agent for distribution to the applicable Secured Parties in cash the amount of such unpaid Obligation. Upon payment by any Guarantor of any sums to the Administrative Agent as provided above, all rights of such Guarantor against the Borrower or any other Loan Party arising as a result thereof by way of right of subrogation, contribution, reimbursement, indemnity or otherwise shall in all respects be subject to Article  V .

 

5


SECTION 2.06. Information . Each Guarantor (a) assumes all responsibility for being and keeping itself informed of the Borrower’s and each other Loan Party’s financial condition and assets, and of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that such Guarantor assumes and incurs hereunder, and (b) agrees that none of the Administrative Agent or the other Secured Parties will have any duty to advise such Guarantor of information known to it or any of them regarding such circumstances or risks.

SECTION 2.07. Keepwell . Each Qualified ECP Guarantor hereby jointly and severally absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each Specified Loan Party to honor all of its obligations under this Agreement in respect of Secured Swap Obligations ( provided , however , that each Qualified ECP Guarantor shall only be liable under this Section  2.07 for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this Section  2.07 or otherwise under this Agreement voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section  2.07 shall remain in full force and effect until the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all the Obligations (other than Secured Cash Management Obligations, Secured Swap Obligations or contingent indemnification obligations and other contingent obligations, in each case not then due or asserted). Each Qualified ECP Guarantor intends that this Section  2.07 constitute, and this Section  2.07 shall be deemed to constitute, a “ keepwell, support, or other agreement ” for the benefit of each other Loan Party for all purposes of Section la(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

ARTICLE III

PLEDGE OF SECURITIES

SECTION 3.01. Pledge . (a) As security for the payment and performance in full of the Obligations, each Grantor hereby assigns and pledges to the Administrative Agent, its successors and assigns, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, its successors and assigns, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a security interest in, all such Grantor’s right, title and interest in, to and under: (i) all Pledged Equity Interests; (ii) all other property of such Grantor that may be delivered to and held by the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of Section  3.01 , Section  3.02 or Section  3.04 ; (iii) subject to Section  3.06 , all other rights and privileges of such Grantor with respect to the securities, instruments and other property referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above; and (iv) all Proceeds of any of the foregoing (the items referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) above being collectively referred to as the “ Collateral ”).

(b) Each Grantor hereby irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent (or its designee) at any time and from time to time to file in any relevant jurisdiction any financing statements with respect to the Collateral or any part thereof and amendments thereto that (i)

 

6


describe the Collateral in the same manner as described herein or may contain an indication or description of collateral that describes such property in any other manner as the Administrative Agent may determine, in its sole discretion, is necessary, advisable or prudent to ensure the perfection of the security interest in the Collateral granted to the Administrative Agent herein and (ii) contain the information required by Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code of each applicable jurisdiction for the filing of any financing statement or amendment. Each Grantor agrees to provide the information required for any such filing to the Administrative Agent promptly upon request.

Each Grantor also ratifies its authorization for the Administrative Agent (or its designee) to file in any relevant jurisdiction any initial financing statements or amendments thereto if filed prior to the date hereof.

SECTION 3.02. Delivery of the Pledged Equity Interests . (a) Each Grantor agrees to deliver or cause to be delivered to the Administrative Agent any and all Pledged Equity Interests that constitute Pledged Securities (i) on the date hereof, in the case of any such Pledged Securities owned by such Grantor on the date hereof, and (ii) promptly (and, in any event, within thirty (30) days or as otherwise agreed in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent) after the acquisition (by purchase, dividend or otherwise) thereof (and in any event as required under the Credit Agreement), in the case of any such Pledged Equity Interests that constitute Pledged Securities acquired (by purchase, dividend or otherwise) by such Grantor after the date hereof.

(b) Upon delivery to the Administrative Agent, (i) any Pledged Securities shall be accompanied by undated stock powers duly executed by the applicable Grantor in blank or other undated instruments of transfer satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and such other instruments and documents as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request and (ii) all other property comprising part of the Collateral shall be accompanied by undated proper instruments of assignment duly executed by the applicable Grantor in blank and such other instruments and documents as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

(c) If any Grantor shall acquire (by purchase, dividend or otherwise) any additional Collateral at any time or from time to time after the date hereof, such Grantor, in addition to the actions required to be taken pursuant to Sections 3.02(a) and (b), shall deliver a schedule providing the information required by Schedule II with respect to any Pledged Equity Interests included in such additional Collateral; provided that failure to attach any such schedule hereto shall not affect the validity of such pledge of such Pledged Equity Interests. Each schedule so delivered after the date hereof shall be deemed attached hereto and made a part hereof as a supplement to Schedule II and any prior schedules so delivered.

SECTION 3.03. Representations and Warranties . The Grantors jointly and severally represent and warrant to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, that:

(a) Schedule I sets forth the true and correct legal name of each Grantor, its jurisdiction of organization and the location of its chief executive office;

 

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(b) Schedule II sets forth a true and complete list, with respect to each Grantor, of all the Pledged Equity Interests owned by such Grantor and the percentage of the issued and outstanding units of each class of the Capital Stock of the issuer thereof represented by the Pledged Equity Interests owned by such Grantor (other than any Pledged Equity Interests that are not yet required to have been delivered to the Administrative Agent under the terms of this Agreement or the Credit Agreement);

(c) the Pledged Equity Interests have been duly and validly authorized and issued by the issuers thereof and are fully paid and nonassessable;

(d) except for the security interests granted hereunder and Permitted Equity Encumbrances, each of the Grantors (i) is and, subject to any transfers made in compliance with the Credit Agreement, will continue to be the direct owner, beneficially and of record, of the Pledged Equity Interests indicated on Schedule II as owned by such Grantor and (ii) holds the same free and clear of all Liens;

(e) except as disclosed on Schedule II and except for restrictions and limitations imposed by the Loan Documents, Permitted Equity Encumbrances or securities laws generally, and, in the case of clause (ii) below, (i) the Collateral is and will continue to be freely transferable and assignable and (ii) none of the Collateral is or will be subject to any option, right of first refusal, shareholders agreement, charter or by-law provisions or contractual restriction of any nature that might prohibit, impair, delay or otherwise affect the pledge of such Collateral hereunder, the sale or disposition thereof pursuant hereto or the exercise by the Administrative Agent of rights and remedies hereunder;

(f) each of the Grantors has the power and authority to pledge the Collateral pledged by it hereunder in the manner hereby done or contemplated;

(g) no consent or approval of any Governmental Authority, any securities exchange or any other Person was, is or will be required for the validity of the pledge effected hereby (other than such as have been obtained and are in full force and effect);

(h) by virtue of the execution and delivery by the Grantors of this Agreement, when any Pledged Equity Interests are delivered to the Administrative Agent in accordance with this Agreement, the Administrative Agent will obtain a legal, valid and perfected first priority lien upon and security interest in such Pledged Equity Interests as security for the payment and performance of the Obligations and such lien is and shall be prior to any other Lien on such Pledged Equity Interests;

(i) the pledge effected hereby is effective to vest in the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, the rights of the Administrative Agent in the Collateral as set forth herein and all action by any Grantor necessary or desirable to protect and perfect the lien on the Collateral has been duly taken;

(j) the Perfection Certificate has been duly prepared, completed and executed and the information set forth therein, including the exact legal name of each Grantor, is correct and complete as of the Closing Date;

 

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(k) the Uniform Commercial Code financing statements are all the filings, recordings and registrations that are necessary to publish notice of and protect the validity of and to establish a legal, valid and perfected security interest in favor of the Administrative Agent (for the benefit of the Secured Parties) in respect of all Collateral in which a security interest may be perfected by filing, recording or registration in the United States of America (or any political subdivision thereof) and its territories and possessions, and no further or subsequent filing, refiling, recording, rerecording, registration or reregistration is necessary with respect to any such Collateral in any such jurisdiction, except as provided under applicable law with respect to the filing of continuation statements; and

(l) the security interest granted in Section  3.01 constitutes (i) a legal and valid security interest in all the Collateral securing the payment and performance of the Obligations and (ii) subject to the filings described in Section  3.03(k) , a perfected security interest in all Collateral in which a security interest may be perfected by filing, recording or registering a financing statement or analogous document in the United States of America (or any political subdivision thereof) and its territories and possessions pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law in such jurisdictions.

SECTION 3.04. Covenants . (a)    Each Grantor agrees (i) to be bound by the provisions of Section 8.10 of the Credit Agreement with the same force and effect, and to the same extent, as if each reference therein to the Borrower were a reference to such Grantor, (ii) to not effect any change to such Grantor’s (A) legal name, (B) location of its chief executive office, (C) identity or organizational structure, (D) Federal Taxpayer Identification Number or organizational identification number, if any, or (E) jurisdiction of organization (in each case, including by merging with or into any other entity, reorganizing, dissolving, liquidating, reorganizing or organizing in any other jurisdiction), unless (1) such Grantor shall have given the Administrative Agent prior written notice (in the form of a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer), or such other notice period agreed to by the Administrative Agent, of its intention to do so, clearly describing such change and providing such other information in connection therewith as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request and (2) such Grantor shall have taken all action reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent to maintain the perfection and priority of the security interest of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties in the Collateral, if applicable, (iii) to provide the Administrative Agent with certified organizational documents reflecting any of the changes described in the foregoing clause (ii), and (iii) to be bound by the provisions of Sections 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9, 8.11, 8.12, 8.13(c) and 8.19 of the Credit Agreement, in each case to the extent such provisions relate to such Grantor or its assets, with the same force and effect, and to the same extent, as if such Grantor were a party to the Credit Agreement.

(b) Each year, at the time of delivery of annual financial statements with respect to the preceding fiscal year pursuant to Section 8.1(a) of the Credit Agreement, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate executed by a Financial Officer of the Borrower setting forth the information required pursuant to the Perfection Certificate or confirming that there has been no change in such information since the Closing Date or, if more recent, the date of the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to this Section  3.04(b) .

 

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(c) Each Grantor (i) shall, at its own expense, take any and all actions necessary to defend title to the Collateral against all Persons and to defend the security interest of the Administrative Agent in the Collateral and the priority thereof against any Lien other than Permitted Equity Encumbrances and (ii) will make no assignment, pledge, hypothecation or transfer of, or create or permit to exist any security interest in or other Lien on, the Collateral, other than Permitted Equity Encumbrances and transfers made in compliance with the Credit Agreement.

(d) Each Pledged Equity Interest that constitutes a Pledged Security now or hereafter acquired (by purchase, dividend or otherwise) by any Grantor shall be a “security” within the meaning of Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code and shall be governed by Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code; and such certificate shall be delivered to the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 3.02(a).

(e) Each Grantor that is a member, manager and/or partner of an issuer of a Pledged LLC Interest or a Pledged Partnership Interest and each Grantor that is an issuer of a Pledged LLC Interest or Pledged Partnership Interest hereby (1) grants its irrevocable consent under each limited liability agreement, operating agreement, membership agreement, partnership agreement or similar agreement to which such Grantor is a party and relating to any Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, each a “ Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement ”) to permit each member, manager and/or partner of such issuer (A) to pledge all of the Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests in which such member, manager and/or partner has rights in connection herewith, and (B) to grant and collaterally assign to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a lien on and security interest in such Pledged LLC Interests or such Pledged Partnership Interests in accordance herewith and subject to the terms and limitations hereof and (2) irrevocably agrees that (A) the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and/or the Lenders shall be entitled to exercise any and all of their rights and remedies against such Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests pursuant to the Loan Documents, including, without limitation any rights to foreclose upon or otherwise effectuate an assignment of such Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests in accordance therewith, and (B) in connection with the exercise of any remedies in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and/or the Lenders (and/or any Affiliate of the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and/or the Lenders and/or any entity formed by the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and/or the Lenders) shall be entitled to be admitted as a partner (including as the general partner) or as a member (including as the managing member) of any issuer of Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests, as the case may be, and/or make an assignment of all or any portion of such interest to any Person(s) who shall have the right to be admitted as partner(s) of or as member(s) of any such issuer, as the case may be (each of clauses (1)(A), (1)(B), (2)(A) and (2)(B) collectively, a “ Permitted Assignment ”). For the avoidance of doubt, any assignee of the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and/or the Lenders that shall become a partner or a member of an issuer of Pledged Partnership Interests or Pledged LLC Interests, as the case may be, pursuant to a Permitted Assignment (excluding any assignee that is an entity formed by the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and/or the Lenders and continues to hold an interest as a partner of or member of such an issuer, as the case may be) shall thereafter be subject to the terms of this Section  3.04(e) or any subsequent assignment to be made by such partner or member, as the case may be.

 

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(f) (3) to, upon any foreclosure by the Administrative Agent on such Pledged LLC Interests or such Pledged Partnership Interests (or any other sale or transfer of such Pledged LLC Interests or such Pledged Partnership Interests in lieu of such foreclosure), to the extent permitted by applicable law, transfer to the Administrative Agent (or to the purchaser or other transferee of such Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests in lieu of such foreclosure) such member, manager and/or partner’s rights and powers to manage and control the affairs of the applicable issuer of Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests, as the case may be, in each case, without any further consent, approval or action by any other party, including, without limitation, any other party to any Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement or otherwise and (B) to provide that (1) the bankruptcy or insolvency of such member, manager and/or partner shall not cause such member, manager and/or partner to cease to be a holder of such Pledged LLC Interests or such Pledged Partnership Interests, (2) upon the occurrence of such an event, the applicable issuer shall continue without dissolution and (3) until such time as all the Obligations have been paid in full in cash (other than Secured Cash Management Obligations, Secured Swap Obligations or contingent indemnification obligations and other contingent obligations not then due or asserted), such member, manager and/or partner waives any right it might have to agree in writing to dissolve the applicable issuer upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of such member, manager and/or partner, or the occurrence of an event that causes such member, manager and/or partner to cease to be a holder of such Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests.

(g) Subject to compliance with applicable law, no further consent, approval or action by any other party, including, without limitation, any other party to the applicable Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement or otherwise shall be necessary to permit the Administrative Agent or its designee to be substituted as a member, manager or partner pursuant to Section  3.04 or 3.05 . The rights, powers and benefits granted pursuant to this paragraph shall inure to the benefit of the Administrative Agent, on its own behalf and on behalf of the Secured Parties, and each of their respective successors, assigns and designees, as intended third party beneficiaries.

(h) Each Grantor and each issuer of a Pledged LLC Interest or a Pledged Partnership Interest agrees that (1) no Pledged Partnership /LLC Agreement shall be amended to be inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement and (2) it shall not directly or indirectly, consent to, approve, authorize or otherwise suffer or permit any waiver, amendment, supplement, cancellation, termination or other modification of the partnership agreement, operating agreement, charter, certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents of (A) the Company, the Borrower any Qualified Asset Guarantor or any Loan Party that is a direct owner of any Qualified Asset Guarantor, in each case if such waiver, amendment, supplement, cancellation, termination or modification would reasonably be expected to (x) adversely affect any Loan Party’s ability to repay the Obligations or (y) impair the rights or interests of the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party hereunder or under any Loan Document or in any Collateral and (B) any other Subsidiary, in each case if such waiver, amendment, supplement, cancellation, termination or modification would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(i) Each Grantor agrees, at its own expense, to execute, acknowledge, deliver and cause to be duly filed all such further instruments, financing statements, agreements and documents and take all such other actions as the Administrative Agent may from time to time reasonably request to better assure, preserve, protect and perfect the Secured Parties’ security interest in the Collateral and the rights and remedies created hereby, including the payment of any fees and Taxes required in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the granting of the Secured Parties’ security interest in the Collateral and the filing and recording of any financing statements or other documents in connection herewith or therewith. Each Grantor will provide to the Administrative Agent, from time to time upon request, evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent as to the perfection and priority of the Liens created or intended to be created pursuant to this Agreement.

SECTION 3.05. Registration in Nominee Name; Denominations . The Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, shall have the right (in its sole and absolute discretion) (a) to hold the Pledged Equity Interests in its own name as pledgee, in the name of its nominee (as pledgee or as sub-agent) or in the name of the applicable Grantor, endorsed or assigned in blank or in favor of the Administrative Agent and (b) to be substituted for the applicable Grantor as a member, manager or partner under the applicable Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement (and the Administrative Agent or its designee shall have all rights, powers and benefits of such Grantor as a member, manager or partner, as applicable, under such Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement in accordance with the terms of this Agreement). For the avoidance of doubt, such rights, powers and benefits of a substituted member, manager or partner shall include all voting and other rights and not merely the rights of an economic interest holder. Each Grantor will promptly give to the Administrative Agent copies of any notices or other communications received by it with respect to Pledged Equity Interests registered in the name of such Grantor. The Administrative Agent shall at all times have the right to exchange the certificates representing Pledged Equity Interests for certificates of smaller or larger denominations for any purpose consistent with this Agreement.

SECTION 3.06. Voting Rights; Dividends and Interest . (a) Unless and until an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and, other than in the case of an Event of Default under Section 10.1(h) of the Credit Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall have notified the Grantors that the Grantors rights, in whole or in part, under this Section  3.06 are being suspended:

(i) each Grantor shall be entitled to exercise any and all voting and/or other consensual rights and powers inuring to an owner of Collateral or any part thereof for any purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; provided that such rights and powers shall not be exercised in any manner that could reasonably be expected materially and adversely to affect the rights inuring to a holder of any Collateral or the rights and remedies of any of the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party under this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the ability of the Secured Parties to exercise the same;

(ii) the Administrative Agent shall execute and deliver to each Grantor, or cause to be executed and delivered to such Grantor, all such proxies, powers of attorney and other instruments as such Grantor may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling such Grantor to exercise the voting and/or consensual rights and powers it is entitled to exercise pursuant to Section  3.06(a)(i) ; and

 

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(iii) each Grantor shall be entitled to receive and retain any and all dividends, interest, principal and other distributions paid on or distributed in respect of the Collateral, but only to the extent that such dividends, interest, principal and other distributions are permitted by, and are otherwise paid or distributed in accordance with, the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement, the other Loan Documents and applicable law; provided that any noncash dividends, interest, principal or other distributions that would constitute Pledged Equity Interests, whether resulting from a subdivision, combination or reclassification of the outstanding Capital Stock of the issuer of any Pledged Equity Interests or received in exchange for Pledged Equity Interests or any part thereof, or in redemption thereof, or as a result of any merger, consolidation, acquisition or other exchange of assets to which such issuer may be a party or otherwise, shall be and become part of the Collateral and, if received by any Grantor, and required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent hereunder, shall not be commingled by such Grantor with any of its other funds or property (but shall be held separate and apart therefrom), shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties and shall be forthwith delivered to the Administrative Agent in the form in which they shall have been received (with any endorsements, stock or note powers and other instruments of transfer requested by the Administrative Agent).

(b) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, and, other than in the case of an Event of Default under Section  10.1(h) of the Credit Agreement, after the Administrative Agent shall have notified the Grantors of the suspension of the Grantor’s rights under Section  3.06(a)(iii) , all rights of any Grantor to dividends, interest, principal or other distributions that such Grantor is authorized to receive pursuant to Section  3.06(a)(iii) , shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon become vested in the Administrative Agent, which shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority to receive and retain such dividends, interest, principal or other distributions. All dividends, interest, principal and other distributions received by any Grantor contrary to the provisions of this Section  3.06 shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, shall be segregated from other property or funds of such Grantor and shall be forthwith delivered to the Administrative Agent upon demand in the form in which they shall have been received (with any necessary endorsements, stock powers or other instruments of transfer). Any and all money and other property paid over to or received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to the provisions of this Section  3.06(b) shall be retained by the Administrative Agent in an account to be established by the Administrative Agent upon receipt of such money or other property, shall be held as security for the payment and performance of the Obligations and shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of Section  4.02 . After all Events of Default have been cured or waived and the Administrative Agent has received from the Borrower satisfactory evidence relating to any such cure, the Administrative Agent shall promptly repay to each Grantor (without interest) all dividends, interest, principal or other distributions that such Grantor would otherwise have been permitted to retain pursuant to the terms of Section  3.06(a)(iii) and that remain in such account.

 

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(c) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, and, other than in the case of an Event of Default under Section  10.1(h) of the Credit Agreement, after the Administrative Agent shall have notified the Grantors of the suspension of the Grantors’ rights under Section  3.06(a)(i) , all rights of any Grantor to exercise the voting and consensual rights and powers it is entitled to exercise pursuant to Section  3.06(a)(i) , and the obligations of the Administrative Agent under Section  3.06(a)(ii) , shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon become vested in the Administrative Agent, which shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority to exercise such voting and consensual rights and powers; provided that, unless otherwise directed by the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent shall have the right from time to time following and during the continuance of an Event of Default to permit the Grantors to exercise such rights. Solely to the extent that any and all Events of Default have been cured or waived or otherwise cease to be continuing and the Administrative Agent has received a certificate from the Borrower certifying as such, each Grantor will have the right to exercise the voting and consensual rights that such Grantor would otherwise be entitled to exercise pursuant to the terms of Section  3.06(a)(i) (and the obligations of the Administrative Agent under Section  3.06(a)(ii) shall be reinstated).

(d) Any notice given by the Administrative Agent to the Grantors suspending the Grantors’ rights under Section  3.06(a) : (i) may be given by telephone if promptly confirmed in writing, (ii) may be given to one or more of the Grantors at the same or different times and (iii) may suspend the rights and powers of the Grantors under Section  3.06(a)(i) or Section  3.06(a)(iii) in part without suspending all such rights or powers (as specified by the Administrative Agent in its sole and absolute discretion) and without waiving or otherwise affecting the Administrative Agent’s right to give additional notices from time to time suspending other rights and powers so long as an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

ARTICLE IV

REMEDIES

SECTION 4.01. Remedies Upon Default . Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, it is agreed that the Administrative Agent shall have the right to exercise any and all rights afforded to a secured party under the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Grantor agrees that the Administrative Agent shall have the right, subject to the mandatory requirements of applicable law, to (a) subject to Section  3.06 , vote all or any part of the Pledged Equity Interests (whether or not transferred into the name of the Administrative Agent) and give all consents, waivers and ratifications in respect of the Collateral and (b) sell or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the Collateral at a public or private sale or at any broker’s board or on any securities exchange, for cash, upon credit or for future delivery as the Administrative Agent shall deem appropriate. The Administrative Agent shall be authorized to take the actions set forth in Section  4.03 . Each such purchaser at any sale of Collateral shall hold the property sold absolutely free from any claim or right on the part of any Grantor, and each Grantor hereby waives (to the extent permitted by law) all rights of redemption, stay and appraisal that such Grantor now has or may at any time in the future have under any rule of law or statute now existing or hereafter enacted.

The Administrative Agent shall give the applicable Grantors 10 days’ prior written notice (which each Grantor agrees is reasonable notice within the meaning of Section 9-612 of the New York UCC or its equivalent in other jurisdictions) of the Administrative Agent’s intention to

 

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make any sale of Collateral. Such notice, in the case of a public sale, shall state the time and place for such sale and, in the case of a sale at a broker’s board or on a securities exchange, shall state the board or exchange at which such sale is to be made and the day on which the Collateral, or portion thereof, will first be offered for sale at such board or exchange. Any such public sale shall be held at such time or times within ordinary business hours and at such place or places as the Administrative Agent may fix and state in the notice (if any) of such sale. At any such sale, the Collateral, or portion thereof, to be sold may be sold in one lot as an entirety or in separate parcels, as the Administrative Agent may (in its sole and absolute discretion) determine. The Administrative Agent shall not be obligated to make any sale of any Collateral if it shall determine not to do so, regardless of the fact that notice of sale of such Collateral shall have been given. The Administrative Agent may, without notice or publication, adjourn any public or private sale or cause the same to be adjourned from time to time by announcement at the time and place fixed for sale, and such sale may, without further notice, be made at the time and place to which the same was so adjourned. In case any sale of all or any part of the Collateral is made on credit or for future delivery, the Collateral so sold may be retained by the Administrative Agent until the sale price is paid by the purchaser or purchasers thereof, but the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties shall not incur any liability in case any such purchaser or purchasers shall fail to take up and pay for the Collateral so sold and, in case of any such failure, such Collateral may be sold again upon like notice. In the event of a foreclosure by the Administrative Agent on any of the Collateral pursuant to a public or private sale or other disposition, the Administrative Agent or any Lender may be the purchaser or licensor of any or all of such Collateral at any such sale or other disposition, and the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, as agent for and representative of the Secured Parties (but not any Lender or Lenders in its or their respective individual capacities unless the Required Lenders shall otherwise agree in writing) shall be entitled, for the purpose of bidding and making settlement or payment of the purchase price for all or any portion of the Collateral sold at any such public sale, to use and apply any of the Loan Document Obligations as a credit on account of the purchase price for any Collateral payable by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties at such sale or other disposition. For purposes hereof, a written agreement to purchase the Collateral or any portion thereof shall be treated as a sale thereof; the Administrative Agent shall be free to carry out such sale pursuant to such agreement and no Grantor shall be entitled to the return of the Collateral or any portion thereof subject thereto, notwithstanding the fact that after the Administrative Agent shall have entered into such an agreement all Events of Default shall have been remedied and the Obligations paid in full. As an alternative to exercising the power of sale herein conferred upon it, the Administrative Agent may proceed by a suit or suits at law or in equity to foreclose this Agreement and to sell the Collateral or any portion thereof pursuant to a judgment or decree of a court or courts having competent jurisdiction or pursuant to a proceeding by a court-appointed receiver. Any sale pursuant to the provisions of this Section  4.01 shall be deemed to conform to commercially reasonable standards as provided in Section 9-610(b) of the New York UCC or its equivalent in other jurisdictions.

SECTION 4.02. Application of Proceeds . The Administrative Agent shall apply the proceeds of any collection, sale, foreclosure or other realization upon any Collateral as follows:

FIRST, to the payment of all costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with such collection, sale, foreclosure or realization or otherwise in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any of the Obligations,

 

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including all court costs and the fees and expenses of its agents and legal counsel, the repayment of all advances made by the Administrative Agent hereunder or under any other Loan Document on behalf of any Grantor and any other costs or expenses incurred in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy hereunder or under any other Loan Document;

SECOND, to the payment in full of the Obligations in accordance with Section 10.2 of the Credit Agreement (the amounts so applied to be distributed among the Secured Parties pro rata in accordance with the amounts of the Obligations owed to them on the date of any such distribution); and

THIRD, to the Grantors, their successors or assigns, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct in accordance with Section 10.2 of the Credit Agreement.

The Administrative Agent shall have absolute discretion as to the time of application of any such proceeds, moneys or balances in accordance with this Agreement. Upon any sale of Collateral by the Administrative Agent (including pursuant to a power of sale granted by statute or under a judicial proceeding), the receipt of the Administrative Agent or of the officer making the sale shall be a sufficient discharge to the purchaser or purchasers of the Collateral so sold and such purchaser or purchasers shall not be obligated to see to the application of any part of the purchase money paid over to the Administrative Agent or such officer or be answerable in any way for the misapplication thereof. The Grantors shall remain liable for any deficiency if the proceeds of any sale or disposition of the Collateral are insufficient to pay all Obligations, including any attorneys’ fees and other expenses incurred by Administrative Agent or any Lender to collect such deficiency. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the proceeds of any collection, sale, foreclosure or realization upon any Collateral of any Grantor shall not be applied to any Excluded Swap Obligation of such Grantor and shall instead be applied to other Obligations.

SECTION 4.03. Securities Act . In view of the position of the Grantors in relation to the Collateral, or because of other current or future circumstances, a question may arise under the Securities Act of 1933 as now or hereafter in effect or any similar statute hereafter enacted analogous in purpose or effect (such Act and any such similar statute as from time to time in effect being called the “ Federal Securities Laws ”) with respect to any disposition of the Collateral permitted hereunder. Each Grantor understands that compliance with the Federal Securities Laws might very strictly limit the course of conduct of the Administrative Agent if the Administrative Agent were to attempt to dispose of all or any part of the Collateral, and might also limit the extent to which or the manner in which any subsequent transferee of any Collateral could dispose of the same. Similarly, there may be other legal restrictions or limitations affecting the Administrative Agent in any attempt to dispose of all or part of the Collateral under applicable Blue Sky or other state securities laws or similar laws analogous in purpose or effect. Each Grantor recognizes that in light of such restrictions and limitations the Administrative Agent may, with respect to any sale of the Collateral, and shall be authorized to, limit the purchasers to those who will agree, among other things, to acquire such Collateral for their own account for investment, and not with a view to the distribution or resale thereof, and upon consummation of any such sale may assign, transfer and deliver to the purchaser or purchasers thereof the Collateral so sold. Each Grantor acknowledges and agrees that in light of such restrictions and limitations, the Administrative Agent, in its sole and absolute discretion, (a) may proceed to make such a sale whether or not a

 

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registration statement for the purpose of registering such Collateral or part thereof shall have been filed under the Federal Securities Laws or, to the extent applicable, Blue Sky or other state securities laws and (b) may approach and negotiate with a limited number of potential purchasers (including a single potential purchaser) to effect such sale. Each Grantor acknowledges and agrees that any such sale might result in prices and other terms less favorable to the seller than if such sale were a public sale without such restrictions. In the event of any such sale, the Administrative Agent shall incur no responsibility or liability for selling all or any part of the Collateral at a price that the Administrative Agent, in its sole and absolute discretion, may in good faith deem reasonable under the circumstances, notwithstanding the possibility that a substantially higher price might have been realized if the sale were deferred until after registration as aforesaid or if more than a limited number of potential purchasers (or a single purchaser) were approached. The provisions of this Section  4.03 will apply notwithstanding the existence of a public or private market upon which the quotations or sales prices may exceed substantially the price at which the Administrative Agent sells.

SECTION 4.04. Information . If the Administrative Agent determines to exercise its right to sell any or all of the Collateral, upon written request, each Grantor shall, from time to time, furnish to the Administrative Agent all such information as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in order to determine the number of shares and other instruments included in the Collateral which may be sold by the Administrative Agent as exempt transactions under the Federal Securities Laws and rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, as the same are from time to time in effect.

ARTICLE V

INDEMNITY, SUBROGATION, CONTRIBUTION AND SUBORDINATION

SECTION 5.01. Indemnity and Subrogation . In addition to all such rights of indemnity and subrogation as the Guarantors may have under applicable law (but subject to Section  5.03 ), the Borrower agrees that (a) in the event a payment in respect of any Obligation shall be made by any Guarantor under this Agreement, the Borrower shall indemnify such Guarantor for the full amount of such payment and such Guarantor shall be subrogated to the rights of the Person to whom such payment shall have been made to the extent of such payment and (b) in the event any assets of any Grantor (other than the Borrower) shall be sold pursuant to this Agreement or any other Collateral Document to satisfy in whole or in part any Obligation, the Borrower shall indemnify such Grantor in an amount equal to the greater of the book value or the fair market value of the assets so sold.

SECTION 5.02. Contribution and Subrogation . Each Guarantor and Grantor (other than the Borrower) (each such Guarantor or Grantor being called a “ Contributing Party ”) agrees (subject to Section  5.03 ) that, in the event a payment shall be made by any other Guarantor hereunder in respect of any Obligation or assets of any other Grantor other than the Borrower shall be sold pursuant to any Collateral Document to satisfy any Obligation and such other Guarantor or Grantor (the “ Claiming Party ”) shall not have been fully indemnified by the Borrower as provided in Section  5.01 , such Contributing Party shall indemnify the Claiming Party in an amount equal to the amount of such payment or the greater of the book value or the fair market value of such assets (the “ Indemnified Amount ”), as the case may be, in each case multiplied by a fraction

 

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of which the numerator shall be the net worth of such Contributing Party on the date hereof and the denominator shall be the aggregate net worth of all the Contributing Parties on the date hereof (or, in the case of any Contributing Party becoming a party hereto pursuant to Section  6.12 , the date of the supplement hereto executed and delivered by such Contributing Party). Any Contributing Party making any payment to a Claiming Party pursuant to this Section  5.02 shall (subject to Section  5.03 ) be subrogated to the rights of such Claiming Party under Section  5.01 to the extent of such payment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that any Claiming Party’s right to indemnification hereunder arises from a payment or sale of Collateral made to satisfy Obligations constituting Secured Swap Obligations, only those Contributing Parties for whom such Secured Swap Obligations do not constitute Excluded Swap Obligations shall indemnify such Claiming Party, with the fraction set forth in the second preceding sentence being modified as appropriate to provide for indemnification of the entire Indemnified Amount.

SECTION 5.03. Subordination . (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, all rights of the Guarantors and Grantors under Sections  5.01 and 5.02 and all other rights of the Guarantors and Grantors of indemnity, contribution or subrogation under applicable law or otherwise shall be fully subordinated to the indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Obligations. No failure on the part of the Borrower or any other Guarantor or Grantor to make the payments required by Sections  5.01 and 5.02 (or any other payments required under applicable law or otherwise) shall in any respect limit the obligations and liabilities of any Guarantor or Grantor with respect to its obligations hereunder, and each Guarantor and Grantor shall remain liable for the full amount of the obligations of such Guarantor or Grantor hereunder.

(b) Each Guarantor and Grantor hereby agrees that all Indebtedness and other monetary obligations owed by it to, or to it by, any other Guarantor, Grantor or any other Subsidiary shall be fully subordinated to the indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Obligations.

ARTICLE VI

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 6.01. Notices . All communications and notices hereunder shall (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein) be in writing and given in the manner provided in Section 12.2 of the Credit Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to any Subsidiary Loan Party shall be given to it in care of the Borrower in the manner provided in Section 12.2 of the Credit Agreement.

SECTION 6.02. Waivers; Amendment . (a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be

 

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effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section  6.02 , 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 execution and delivery of this Agreement, the making of a Loan or issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Letter of Credit Issuer may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time. No notice or demand on any Loan Party in any case shall entitle any Loan Party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.

(b) 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 Administrative Agent and the Loan Party or Loan Parties with respect to which such waiver, amendment or modification is to apply, subject to any consent required in accordance with Section 12.1 of the Credit Agreement; provided that the Administrative Agent may, without the consent of any Secured Party, consent to a departure by any Loan Party from any covenant of such Loan Party set forth herein or in any other Collateral Document to the extent such departure is not inconsistent with any limitation on the authority of the Administrative Agent set forth in the Credit Agreement.

(c) This Agreement shall be construed as a separate agreement with respect to each Loan Party and may be amended, modified, supplemented, waived or released with respect to any Loan Party without the approval of any other Loan Party and without affecting the obligations of any other Loan Party hereunder.

SECTION 6.03. Administrative Agent s Fees and Expenses; Indemnification . (a) The Guarantors and the Grantors jointly and severally agree to reimburse the Administrative Agent for its fees and expenses incurred hereunder as provided in Section 12.5 of the Credit Agreement as if each reference therein to the Borrower were a reference to the Guarantors and Grantors.

(b) The Guarantors and Grantors jointly and severally agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnitee as provided in Section 12.5 of the Credit Agreement as if each reference to the Borrower therein were a reference to the Guarantors and Grantors.

(c) Any amounts payable hereunder, including as provided in Section  6.03(a) or  6.03(b ), shall be additional Obligations secured hereby and by the other Collateral Documents. All amounts due under Section  6.03(a) or  6.03(b) shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor.

(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, no Guarantor or Grantor shall assert, or permit any of its subsidiaries to assert, and each Guarantor and Grantor hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee (i) for any damages arising from the use by others of information or other materials obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including the Internet), unless determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee, or (ii) on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.

 

19


(e) BY ACCEPTING THE BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE GUARANTEES AND SECURITY INTERESTS CREATED HEREBY, EACH SECURED PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE XI OF THE CREDIT AGREEMENT AND AGREES TO BE BOUND BY SUCH PROVISIONS AS FULLY AS IF THEY WERE SET FORTH HEREIN.

SECTION 6.04. Survival . All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made hereunder, in any other Loan Document and in any document, certificate or statement delivered pursuant hereto or thereto, or in connection herewith or therewith, shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof and the making of the Loans and other extensions of credit hereunder. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent, each Letter of Credit Issuer and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or Event of Default at the time of any Loan or L/C Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect until Payment in Full. The provisions of Section  6.03 shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit (other than any Letter of Credit that has been Cash Collateralized) and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

SECTION 6.05. Counterparts; Effectiveness; Successors and Assigns . 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 shall become effective as to any Loan Party when a counterpart hereof executed on behalf of such Loan Party shall have been delivered to the Administrative Agent and a counterpart hereof shall have been executed on behalf of the Administrative Agent, and thereafter shall be binding upon such Loan Party and the Administrative Agent and their respective successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of such Loan Party, the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties and their respective successors and assigns, except that no Loan Party may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder or any interest herein or in the Collateral (and any attempted assignment or transfer by any Loan Party shall be null and void), except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or the Credit Agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic imaging shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

SECTION 6.06. Severability . If any provision of this Agreement is prohibited, illegal, invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, (a) such provision shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions..

 

20


SECTION 6.07. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process . (a) THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(b) Each party hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (i) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the exclusive general jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York in New York County, the courts of the United States for the Southern District of New York, and appellate courts from any thereof; (ii) consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same; (iii) agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to its address set forth in Section 12.2 of the Credit Agreement or at such other address of which the Administrative Agent shall have been notified pursuant thereto; and (iv) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the right of the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party to sue or bring an enforcement action relating to this Agreement, including any such action or proceeding in connection with the exercise of remedies with respect to the Collateral, in any other jurisdiction.

SECTION 6.08. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL . EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN (IN EACH CASE, 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 AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 6.08.

 

21


SECTION 6.09. 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 6.10. Security Interest Absolute . All rights of the Administrative Agent hereunder, the grant of the security interest in the Collateral and all obligations of each Loan Party hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional irrespective of (a) any lack of validity or enforceability of the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document, any agreement with respect to any of the Obligations or any other agreement or instrument relating to any of the foregoing, (b) any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any of the Obligations, or any other amendment to or waiver of, or any consent to any departure from, the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document, any agreement with respect to any of the Obligations or any other agreement or instrument relating to any of the foregoing, (c) any exchange, release or non-perfection of any Lien on other collateral securing, or any release or amendment to or waiver of, or any consent to any departure from, any guarantee of, all or any of the Obligations or (d) any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Loan Party in respect of the Obligations or this Agreement.

SECTION 6.11. Termination or Release . (a) This Agreement, the Guarantee Obligations made herein and all security interests granted hereby shall, subject to Section  2.04 , terminate and be released (all without delivery of any instrument or performance of any act by any Person) upon Payment in Full.

(b) A Subsidiary Loan Party shall automatically be released from its Guarantee Obligations under the Loan Documents, and all security interests created by the Collateral Documents in Collateral with respect to such Subsidiary Loan Party shall be automatically released free and clear of the Liens created hereby (x) as required by the Administrative Agent to effect any sale, transfer or other disposition of Collateral in connection with any exercise of remedies of the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Agreement or (y) upon such Collateral becoming an ownership interest in any Excluded Subsidiary solely to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with the terms of, the Credit Agreement; provided that, if so required by the Credit Agreement, the Required Lenders shall have consented to such transaction and the terms of such consent shall not have provided otherwise. In the event of any such termination or release, Schedule II to this Agreement shall be deemed to be modified to remove the Collateral with respect to which the security interests granted hereby have been so released.

(c) In connection with any termination or release pursuant to this Section  6.11 , the Administrative Agent shall execute and deliver to any Loan Party, at such Loan Party’s expense, all documents that such Loan Party shall reasonably request to evidence such termination or release. Any execution and delivery of documents by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section  6.11 shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 6.12. Additional Subsidiaries . Pursuant to the Credit Agreement, certain Subsidiaries not party hereto on the Closing Date are required to enter in this Agreement. Upon the execution and delivery by the Administrative Agent and any such Subsidiary of a Supplement, such Subsidiary shall become a Subsidiary Loan Party, a Guarantor and a Grantor

 

22


hereunder, with the same force and effect as if originally named as such herein. The execution and delivery of any Supplement shall not require the consent of any other Loan Party. The rights and obligations of each Loan Party hereunder shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new Subsidiary Loan Party as a party to this Agreement.

SECTION 6.13. Administrative Agent Appointed Attorney-in-Fact . Each Grantor hereby appoints the Administrative Agent the attorney-in-fact of such Grantor for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Agreement and taking any action and executing any instrument that the Administrative Agent may deem necessary to accomplish the purposes hereof, which appointment is irrevocable and coupled with an interest. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall have the right, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, with full power of substitution either in the Administrative Agent’s name or in the name of such Grantor (a) to receive, endorse, assign and/or deliver any and all notes, acceptances, checks, drafts, money orders or other evidences of payment relating to the Collateral or any part thereof; (b) to demand, collect, receive payment of, give receipt for and give discharges and releases of all or any of the Collateral; (c) to commence and prosecute any and all suits, actions or proceedings at law or in equity in any court of competent jurisdiction to collect or otherwise realize on all or any of the Collateral or to enforce any rights in respect of any Collateral; (d) to settle, compromise, compound, adjust or defend any actions, suits or proceedings relating to all or any of the Collateral; and (e) to use, sell, assign, transfer, pledge, make any agreement with respect to or otherwise deal with all or any of the Collateral, and to do all other acts and things necessary to carry out the purposes of this Agreement, as fully and completely as though the Administrative Agent were the absolute owner of the Collateral for all purposes; provided that nothing herein contained shall be construed as requiring or obligating the Administrative Agent to make any commitment or to make any inquiry as to the nature or sufficiency of any payment received by the Administrative Agent, or to present or file any claim or notice, or to take any action with respect to the Collateral or any part thereof or the moneys due or to become due in respect thereof or any property covered thereby. The Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties shall be accountable only for amounts actually received as a result of the exercise of the powers granted to them herein, and neither they nor their related parties shall be responsible to any Grantor for any act or failure to act hereunder, except for their own gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable judgment).

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

23


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.
    by  

/s/ Marc J. Smernoff

  Name: Marc J. Smernoff
  Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

24


AMERICOLD ACQUISITION, LLC
AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC
AMERICOLD NEBRASKA LEASING LLC
AMERICOLD PROPCO PHOENIX VAN BUREN LLC
AMERICOLD REAL ESTATE, L.P.
AMERICOLD REALTY, INC.
AMERICOLD SAN ANTONIO PROPCO, LLC
AMERICOLD TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, LLC
ART AL HOLDING LLC
ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER GP LLC
ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER OPCO 2006-2 L.P.
ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER OPCO GP 2006-2 LLC
ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER PROPCO 2006-2 L.P.
ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER PROPCO GP 2006-2 LLC
ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER, L.P.
ART ICECAP HOLDINGS LLC
ART MANAGER L.L.C.
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER GP LLC
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER, L.P.
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO 2006-1A L.P.
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO 2006-1B L.P.
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO 2006-1C L.P.
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO 2006-2 L.P.
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO GP 2006-1A LLC
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO GP 2006-1B LLC
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO GP 2006-1C LLC
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO GP 2006-2 LLC
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO 2006-1A L.P.
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO 2006-1B L.P.
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO 2006-1C L.P.
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO 2006-2 L.P.
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO GP 2006-1A LLC
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO GP 2006-1B LLC
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO GP 2006-1C LLC
ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO GP 2006-2 LLC
ART QUARRY TRS LLC
ART SECOND MEZZANINE BORROWER GP LLC
ART SECOND MEZZANINE BORROWER, L.P.
ATLAS COLD STORAGE LOGISTICS LLC
ATLAS LOGISTICS GROUP RETAIL SERVICES (ATLANTA) LLC
ATLAS LOGISTICS GROUP RETAIL SERVICES (DENVER) LLC
ATLAS LOGISTICS GROUP RETAIL SERVICES (PHOENIX) LLC
ATLAS LOGISTICS GROUP RETAIL SERVICES (ROANOKE) LLC
KC UNDERGROUND, L.L.C.
VCD PLEDGE HOLDINGS, LLC
VERSACOLD ATLAS LOGISTICS SERVICES USA LLC
VERSACOLD LOGISTICS, LLC
VERSACOLD MIDWEST LLC
VERSACOLD NORTHEAST LOGISTICS, LLC
VERSACOLD NORTHEAST, INC.
VERSACOLD TEXAS, L.P.

VERSACOLD USA, INC.

by  

 

  Name: Marc J. Smernoff
  Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

25


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as

Administrative Agent

    by  

/s/ Aamir Saleem

  Name: Aamir Saleem
  Title: Vice President

 

26


Schedule I to

the Guarantee and

Collateral Agreement

Subsidiary Loan Party Information

 

Name

  

Jurisdiction of Organization

  

Chief Executive Office

 


Schedule II to

the Guarantee and

Collateral Agreement

Pledged Equity Interests

Pledged Capital Stock

 

Grantor

  

Stock Issuer

  

Certificate

Number

  

Number and Class

of Capital Stock

  

Percentage

of Capital Stock

Pledged LLC Interests

 

Grantor

  

Limited Liability

Company

  

Certificate Number

  

Number of

LLC Interests

  

Percentage

of LLC Interests

Pledged Partnership Interests

 

Grantor

  

Partnership

  

Certificate

Number

  

Type of

Partnership Interests

  

Percentage of Partnership
Interests

 


Exhibit I to the

Guarantee and

Collateral Agreement

SUPPLEMENT NO. __ dated as of [•], 20[•] (this “ Supplement ”), to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement dated as of January 23, 2018, 2017 (the “ Collateral Agreement ”), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Borrower ”), each subsidiary of the Borrower listed on Schedule I thereto (each such subsidiary individually a “ Subsidiary Guarantor ” and, collectively, the “ Subsidiary Guarantors ”; the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Borrower are referred to collectively herein as the “ Grantors ”) and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., a national banking association, as administrative and collateral agent (in such capacity, the “ Administrative Agent ”).

A. Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of January 23, 2018, (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among the Borrower, the lenders from time to time party thereto and the Administrative Agent.

B. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Collateral Agreement and the Credit Agreement referred to therein, as applicable.

C. The Guarantors and Grantors have entered into the Collateral Agreement in order to induce the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers to make extensions of credit to the Borrower under the Credit Agreement. Section 6.12 of the Collateral Agreement provides that additional Subsidiaries may become Subsidiary Parties under the Collateral Agreement by execution and delivery of an instrument in the form of this Supplement. The undersigned Subsidiary (the “ New Subsidiary ”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Credit Agreement to become a Subsidiary Loan Party, a Loan Party, a Guarantor and a Grantor under the Collateral Agreement in order to induce the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers to make additional extensions of credit under the Credit Agreement and as consideration for such extensions of credit previously made.

Accordingly, the Administrative Agent and the New Subsidiary agree as follows:

SECTION 1. In accordance with Section 6.12 of the Collateral Agreement, the New Subsidiary by its signature below becomes a Loan Party, a Subsidiary Loan Party, a Guarantor and a Grantor under the Collateral Agreement with the same force and effect as if originally named therein as such, and the New Subsidiary hereby (a) agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Collateral Agreement applicable to it in such capacities and (b) represents and warrants that the representations and warranties made by it in such capacities thereunder are true and correct on and as of the date hereof. In furtherance of the foregoing, the New Subsidiary, as security for the payment and performance in full of the Obligations (as defined in the Collateral Agreement), does hereby create and grant to the Administrative Agent, its successors and assigns, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, their successors and assigns, a security interest in and lien on all of the New Subsidiary’s right, title and interest in, to and under the Collateral (as defined in the Collateral Agreement) of the New Subsidiary. Each reference to a “ Loan Party ,” “ Subsidiary Loan Party ,” “ Guarantor ” or “ Grantor ” in the Collateral Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Subsidiary. The Collateral Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

 


SECTION 2. The New Subsidiary represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties that this Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law and hereby makes each of the representations and warranties applicable to a Grantor contained in the Collateral Agreement.

SECTION 3. This Supplement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Supplement shall become effective when a counterpart hereof executed on behalf of the New Subsidiary shall have been delivered to the Administrative Agent and a counterpart hereof shall have been executed on behalf of the Administrative Agent. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Supplement by facsimile or other electronic imaging shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Supplement.

SECTION 4. The New Subsidiary hereby represents and warrants that (a) Schedule I sets forth, as of the date hereof, the true and correct legal name of the New Subsidiary, its jurisdiction of organization and the location of its chief executive office and (b) Schedule II sets forth, as of the date hereof, a true and complete list of all the Pledged Equity Interests owned by the New Subsidiary and the percentage of the issued and outstanding units of each class of the Capital Stock of the issuer thereof represented by the Pledged Equity Interests owned by the New Subsidiary.

SECTION 5. Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Collateral Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 6. THIS SUPPLEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS SUPPLEMENT, AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF RELATING TO THIS SUPPLEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 7. Any provision of this Supplement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction

SECTION 8. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 6.01 of the Collateral Agreement.

 

2


SECTION 9. The New Subsidiary agrees to reimburse the Administrative Agent for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel, incurred by it in connection with this Supplement, including the preparation, execution and delivery thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Subsidiary and the Administrative Agent have duly executed this Supplement to the Collateral Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW SUBSIDIARY]
    by  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

    by  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

3


Schedule I

to Supplement No. __ to the

Guarantee and

Collateral Agreement

New Subsidiary Loan Party Information

 

Name

  

Jurisdiction of Organization

  

Chief Executive Office

 


Schedule II

to Supplement No. __ to the

Guarantee and

Collateral Agreement

Pledged Equity Interests

Pledged Capital Stock

 

Grantor

  

Stock Issuer

  

Certificate

Number

  

Number and Class

of Capital Stock

  

Percentage

of Capital Stock

Pledged LLC Interests

 

Grantor

  

Limited Liability Company

  

Certificate Number

  

Number of

LLC Interests

  

Percentage

of LLC Interests

Pledged Partnership Interests

 

Grantor

  

Partnership

  

Certificate

Number

  

Type of

Partnership Interests

  

Percentage of

Partnership Interests

 


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF

BORROWING BASE CERTIFICATE

[See attached.]

 

B-1


Submission Date: ____________

BORROWING BASE CERTIFICATE

of

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.

Period ending _______________

Bank of America, N.A.

Agency Management

555 California Street, 4th Floor

Mail Code: CA5-705-04-09

San Francisco, CA 94104

Attention: Aamir Saleem

Facsimile No.: (415) 503-5089

Email: aamir.saleem@baml.com

Reference is made to that Credit Agreement dated as of January 23, 2018 (as amended, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P. (the “ Borrower ”), Americold Realty Trust, the several Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent. Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned Responsible Officer of the Borrower hereby certifies and represents and warrants on behalf of the Borrower as follows:

1. The information contained in Schedule I of this certificate and the attached information supporting the calculation of the Borrowing Base Amount and the Eligible Value of each Qualified Asset is true, complete and correct as of the close of business on [                                    ] (the “ Calculation Date ”) and has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Credit Agreement.

2. As of the Calculation Date, the Total Extensions of Credit is equal to $[                    ] and does not exceed the Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount of $[                    ].

3. Each of the Qualified Assets complies with the Eligibility Criteria applicable thereto.

4. No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing as of the date hereof or will result from any addition of any Qualified Asset reflected herein.

 


5. Each of the representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in or pursuant to the Loan Documents is true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on and as of the date hereof before and after giving effect to any addition of any Qualified Asset reflected herein, as if made on and as of the date hereof (except where such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) as of such earlier date and except that for purposes of this Borrowing Base Certificate, the representations and warranties contained in Section  6.1(a) and (b)  shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Sections 8.1(a) and (b) , respectively).

[signature page follows]

 

2


In each case, with supporting information showing the computations used in determining the calculations set forth on Schedule I attached hereto.

 

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.,

By

 

 

Name:

Title:

[Signature Page to Borrowing Base Certificate]


Schedule I to Borrowing Base Certificate

 

T OTAL E XTENSIONS O F C REDIT T O A GGREGATE B ORROWING B ASE A MOUNT  

1. Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount (see table below)

     $                   

2. Total Extensions of Credit as of the Calculation Date:

the sum of:

    

(a) the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Credit Loans outstanding:

  $                    

(b) the aggregate amount of L/C Obligations

  $                    

(c) the aggregate principal of Term Loans outstanding

  $                    

(d) the aggregate principal of any term loans made under any Additional TL Tranches outstanding (to the extent not included above)

  $                     $                   

3. Mandatory prepayment required pursuant to Section 5.2(a) (the excess of (2) over (1))

     $                   

 

A GGREGATE B ORROWING B ASE A MOUNT

(calculated after giving effect to the Borrowing Base Amount Limitations in the tables that follow)

 

(A) Eligible Value of Eligible Capital Leased Assets times 35%

   $                   

plus (B) Eligible Value of Eligible Ground Leased Assets times 65%

   $                   

plus (C) Eligible Value of Eligible Managed Segment times 35%

   $                   

plus (D) Eligible Value of Eligible Operating Leased Assets times 35%

   $                   

plus (E) Eligible Value of Eligible Owned Assets times 65%

   $                   

AGGREGATE BORROWING BASE AMOUNT

Sum of items (A) through (E) above

   $                   

Schedule I - 1


E LIGIBLE O WNED A SSET S UMMARY  

1. [Asset Name]

  

(i) Appraised Value ( Eligible Value )

   $                   

(ii) Appraised Value multiplied by 65%

   $                   

(iii) Borrowing Base Amount (immediately above line, as adjusted to comply with the Borrowing Base Amount Limitations in the following tables)

   $                   

2. [Asset Name]

[Replicate 1. above and all subparts for each Eligible Owned Asset]

 

 

 

E LIGIBLE G ROUND L EASED A SSET S UMMARY  

1. [Asset Name]

  

(i) Appraised Value ( Eligible Value )

   $                   

(ii) Appraised Value multiplied by 65%

   $                   

(iii) Borrowing Base Amount (immediately above line, as adjusted to comply with the Borrowing Base Amount Limitations in the following tables)

   $                   

2. [Asset Name]

[Replicate 1. above and all subparts for each Eligible Ground Leased Asset]

 

 

 

E LIGIBLE C APITAL L EASED A SSET S UMMARY  

1. [Asset Name]

  

(i) Applicable Qualified EBITDA multiplied by 8.0 ( Eligible Value )

   $                   

(ii) Eligible Value multiplied by 35%

   $                   

(iii) Borrowing Base Amount (immediately above line, as adjusted to comply with the Borrowing Base Amount Limitations in the following tables)

   $                   

2. [Asset Name]

[Replicate 1. above and all subparts for each Eligible Capital Leased Asset]

 

 

Schedule I - 2


E LIGIBLE O PERATING L EASED A SSET S UMMARY  

1. [Asset Name]

  

(i) Applicable Qualified EBITDA multiplied by 8.0 ( Eligible Value )

   $                   

(ii) Eligible Value multiplied by 35%

   $                   

(iii) Borrowing Base Amount (immediately above line, as adjusted to comply with the Borrowing Base Amount Limitations in the following tables)

   $                   

2. [Asset Name]

[Replicate 1. above and all subparts for each Eligible Operating Leased Asset]

 

 

 

E LIGIBLE M ANAGED S EGMENT S UMMARY  

1. [Asset Name]

  

(i) Applicable Qualified EBITDA multiplied by 8.0 ( Eligible Value )

   $                   

(ii) Eligible Value multiplied by 35%

   $                   

(iii) Borrowing Base Amount (immediately above line, as adjusted to comply with the Borrowing Base Amount Limitations in the following tables)

   $                   

2. [Asset Name]

[Replicate 1. above and all subparts for each Eligible Managed Segment]

 

 

 

Schedule I - 3


BORROWING BASE AMOUNT LIMITATIONS

 

A GGREGATE B ORROWING B ASE A MOUNT (W ITH S INGLE Q UALIFIED A SSET C ONCENTRATION R ESTRICTION )  

1. [Asset Name] Concentration Limit Borrowing Base Amount

   $                   

M UST N OT E XCEED 10% O F T OTAL ** (above divided by Total below)

                     

2. [Asset Name] Concentration Limit Borrowing Base Amount

   $                   

M UST N OT E XCEED 10% O F T OTAL ** (above divided by Total below)

                     

3. [Asset Name] Concentration Limit Borrowing Base Amount

   $                   

M UST N OT E XCEED 10% O F T OTAL ** (above divided by Total below)

                     

4. [Asset Name] Concentration Limit Borrowing Base Amount

   $                   

M UST N OT E XCEED 10% O F T OTAL ** (above divided by Total below)

                     

5. [Asset Name] Concentration Limit Borrowing Base Amount

   $                   

M UST N OT E XCEED 10% O F T OTAL ** (above divided by Total below)

                     

6. [Asset Name] Concentration Limit Borrowing Base Amount

   $                   

M UST N OT E XCEED 10% O F T OTAL ** (above divided by Total below)

                     

7. [Asset Name] Concentration Limit Borrowing Base Amount

   $                   

M UST N OT E XCEED 10% O F T OTAL ** (above divided by Total below)

                     

8. [Asset Name] Concentration Limit Borrowing Base Amount

   $                   

M UST N OT E XCEED 10% O F T OTAL ** (above divided by Total below)

                     

9. Eligible Managed Segment Concentration Limit Borrowing Base Amount

   $                   

M UST N OT E XCEED 10% O F T OTAL ** (above divided by Total below)

                     

TOTAL: [Sum of (1) through ([ ])]

   $                   

 

Eligible Owned Assets

   $                   

Eligible Ground Leased Assets

   $                   

Eligible Capital Leased Assets

   $                   

Eligible Operating Leased Assets

   $                   

Eligible Managed Segment

   $                   

TOTAL:

   $                   

 

** Provided that, to the extent such limitation is exceeded, only such portion of the value of such Qualified Asset shall be excluded from the calculation of the Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount to the extent necessary to comply with the foregoing limitations.

 

Schedule I - 4


A GGREGATE C ONCENTRATION L IMITS 1  

1. Amount of Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount contributed by Eligible Capital Leased Assets

   $                   

2. Amount of Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount contributed by Eligible Operating Leased Assets

   $                   

3. Amount of Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount contributed by Eligible Managed Segment

   $                   

subtotal ((1) through (3))

   $                   

S UM O F (1)  T HROUGH (3) M UST N OT E XCEED 10% O F T OTAL ** (above divided by Total below)

                     

4. Amount of Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount contributed by Eligible Ground Leased Assets

   $                   

(4) M UST N OT E XCEED 20% O F T OTAL ** (above divided by Total below)

                     

subtotal ((1) through (4))

   $                   

S UM O F (1)  T HROUGH (4) M UST N OT E XCEED 25% O F T OTAL ** (above divided by Total below)

                     

5. Amount of Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount contributed by Eligible Owned Assets

   $                   

(5) MUST EQUAL OR EXCEED 75% OF TOTAL ** (above divided by Total below)

                     

TOTAL: [ Sum of (1) through (5)]

   $                   

 

 

 

1 Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount to be derived after giving effect to concentration limits set forth in preceding table.
** Provided that, to the extent such limitation is exceeded, only such portion of the value of such Qualified Assets shall be excluded from the calculation of the Aggregate Borrowing Base Amount to the extent necessary to comply with the foregoing limitations.

 

Schedule I - 5


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF

PERFECTION CERTIFICATE

[See attached.]

 

C-1


PERFECTION CERTIFICATE

[DATE]

Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of January 23, 2018 (as amended, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P. (the “ Borrower ”), Americold Realty Trust, the several Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent (in such capacity, the “ Administrative Agent ”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings assigned in the Credit Agreement or the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement referred to therein, as applicable.

The undersigned, a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, hereby certifies to the Administrative Agent and each other Secured Party as follows:

1. Names . (a) Set forth on Schedule 1(a) is (i) the exact legal name of each Grantor, as such name appears in its respective certificate of formation or organization, (ii) the Organizational Identification Number, if any, issued by the jurisdiction of formation of each Grantor that is a registered organization and (iii) the Federal Taxpayer Identification Number of each Grantor.

(b) Set forth on Schedule 1(b) is (i) each other legal name each Grantor has had in the past five years, together with the date of the relevant change and (ii) each other name (including trade names or similar appellations) used by each Grantor or any of its divisions or other business units in connection with the conduct of its business or the ownership of its properties at any time during the past five years.

(c) Except as set forth on Schedule 1(c), no Grantor has changed its identity or corporate structure in any way within the past five years. Changes in identity or corporate structure would include mergers, consolidations and acquisitions (including acquisitions of all or substantially all of the assets of another person), as well as any change in the form, nature or jurisdiction of organization. If any such change has occurred, include in Schedule 1(c) the information required by Sections 1 and 2 of this certificate as to each acquiree or constituent party to a merger or consolidation.

2. Current Locations . Set forth on Schedule 2 is (a) the jurisdiction of formation or organization of each Grantor that is a registered organization, (b) the address of the chief executive office of each Grantor and (c) all locations where each Grantor maintains any books or records relating to any material accounts receivables (in excess of $1,000,000).

3. File Search Reports . File search reports have been obtained from each Uniform Commercial Code filing office identified with respect to such Grantor in Section 2 hereof, and such search reports reflect no liens against any of the Collateral other than those permitted under the Credit Agreement.

4. UCC Filings . Financing statements in substantially the form of Schedule 4 hereto have been prepared for filing in the proper Uniform Commercial Code filing office in the jurisdiction in which each Grantor is located set forth with respect to such Grantor in Section 2 hereof.


5. Capital Stock . Attached hereto as Schedule 5 is a true and correct list of (a) all the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of the Borrower and each Subsidiary and the record and beneficial owners of such Capital Stock and (b) each equity investment of the Borrower or any Subsidiary that represents 50% or less of the Capital Stock of the Person in which such investment was made, in each case specifying the issuer and certificate number of, and the number and percentage of ownership represented by, such Capital Stock and, if such Capital Stock is not required to be pledged under any of the Loan Documents, the reason therefor.

[signature page immediately follows]

 

2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have duly executed this certificate on the date first written above.

 

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.,
By  

 

  Name:
  Title:

[Signature Page to Perfection Certificate]


Schedule 1(a): Legal Name and Identification Numbers

 

Exact Legal Name of Grantor

  

Organizational Identification

Number

  

Federal Taxpayer Identification

Number

Schedule 1(a)

Legal Name and Identification Numbers


Schedule 1(b): Past Names and Trade Names

 

Grantor

  

Past Names

  

Trade Names

Schedule 1(b)

Past Names and Trade Names


Schedule 1(c): Changes in Identity/Corporate Structure

 

Grantor

  

Change in Identity/Corporate Structure

Schedule 1(c)

Changes in Identity/Corporate Structure


Schedule 2: Current Locations

 

Grantor

  

Jurisdiction of Formation/

Organization

  

Chief Executive Office

Address

  

Accounts Receivable
Books and Records
Locations

Schedule 2

Current Locations


Schedule 4: UCC Filings

 

Grantor

  

Filing Jurisdiction

Schedule 4

UCC Filings


Schedule 5: Capital Stock

 

Issuer

  

Owner

  

Certificate Number

  

Percentage of
Ownership

  

Reason Not Pledged
(if applicable)

Schedule 5

Capital Stock


EXHIBIT D-1

FORM OF

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

[See attached.]

 

D-1


ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

This Assignment and Assumption (this “ Assignment and Assumption ”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between the Assignor identified in item 1 below and the Assignee identified in item 2 below. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”) receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex I attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions referred to below and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below, (a) all the Assignor’s rights and obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below (including any Guarantees with respect to, and the Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans included in, such facilities) and (b) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (a) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (a) and (b) above being referred to herein collectively as the “ Assigned Interest ”). Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.

 

  1. Assignor:                                                                                                                                        
              [Assignor [is] [is not] a Defaulting Lender

 

  2. Assignee:                                                                                                                                        
              [Assignee is [a Lender] [an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify Lender]]] 1

 

  3. Borrower: Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership

 

  4. Administrative Agent: Bank of America, N.A., as the Administrative Agent under the Credit Agreement

 

 

1   Select as applicable.


  5. Credit Agreement: The Credit Agreement dated as of January 23, 2018, among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust, the several Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

 

  6. Assigned Interest: 2

 

Facility Assigned

   Aggregate Amount of
Commitments/Loans
of the applicable
Class for all Lenders
     Amount of the
Commitments/
Loans of the
applicable
Class Assigned
     Percentage Assigned
of
Commitments/
Loans 3
 

Revolving Credit Commitments/Loans

   $      $        %  

Term Loan Facility

   $      $        %  

Effective Date :                     , 20         [TO BE INSERTED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR]

The Assignee, if not already a Lender, agrees to deliver to the Borrower and Administrative Agent a completed administrative questionnaire supplied by the Administrative Agent 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 Affiliates and their related parties or their respective subsidiaries) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the Assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable law, including Federal, State and foreign securities laws.

 

2   Must comply with the minimum assignment amounts set forth in Section 12.6(b)(ii)(A) of the Credit Agreement, to the extent such minimum assignment amounts are applicable.
3   Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitments/Loans of all Lenders of any Class, as applicable.

 

2


The terms set forth above are hereby agreed to:

 

                                          , as Assignor,

 

By:                                                                               

      Name:

      Title:

  

[Consented to and] 4 Accepted:

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as

Administrative Agent,

 

By:                                                                                       

      Name:

      Title:

                                                 , as Assignee, 5

 

By:                                                              

      Name:

      Title:

  

[Consented to:

 

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.,

 

By:                                                                           

      Name:

      Title: ] 6

  

[Consented to: 7

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Letter of Credit Issuer

 

By:                                                                               

      Name:

      Title: ]

  

[JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as a Letter of Credit Issuer]

 

By:                                                                               

      Name:

      Title:

  

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Swing Line Lender

 

By:                                                                               

      Name:

      Title: ]

 

4   No consent of the Administrative Agent is required for an assignment of any Term Commitment or Term Loan to a Term Lender, an Affiliate of a Term Lender or an Approved Fund.
5   The Assignee must deliver to the Borrower and Administrative Agent all applicable tax forms required to be delivered by it under Section 5.4(e) of the Credit Agreement.
6   No consent of the Borrower is required (x) with respect to Term Commitments or Term Loans, for an assignment to a Term Lender, an Affiliate of a Term Lender or an Approved Fund, (y) with respect to Revolving Credit Commitments or Revolving Credit Loans, for an assignment to a Revolving Credit Lender, an Affiliate of a Revolving Credit Lender or an Approved Fund or (z) if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, for any assignment ( provided that the Borrower will be deemed to have consented to any assignment unless it shall object within 10 Business Days after having received notice thereof).
7   To be added only if the assignment is of Revolving Credit Commitments or Revolving Credit Loans, which requires the consent of each Letter of Credit Issuer and the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 12.6(b)(i)(C) of the Credit Agreement.

 

3


ANNEX 1 TO

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

1. Representations and Warranties .

1.1. Assignor . The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim, (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and (iv) it is [ not ] a Defaulting Lender; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, other than statements made by it herein, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Affiliate of the Borrower or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Affiliate of the Borrower or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.

1.2. Assignee . The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption, to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it satisfies the requirements, if any, specified in the Credit Agreement that are required to be satisfied by it in order to acquire the Assigned Interest and become a Lender (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section  12.6(b)(i) of the Credit Agreement), (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to acquire assets of the type represented by the Assigned Interest and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire the Assigned Interest, is experienced in acquiring assets of such type, (v) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, and has received or has been accorded the opportunity to receive copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 8.1 thereof (or, prior to the first such delivery, the financial statements referred to in Section 7.1 thereof), and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, (vi) if it is a Lender that is a U.S. Person, attached hereto is an executed original of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. Federal backup withholding tax, (vii) if it is a Non-U.S. Lender, attached hereto is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement (including Section 5.4(e) thereof), duly completed and executed by the Assignee, and (viii) it is an eligible assignee in accordance with the terms of Section 12.6 of the Credit Agreement, and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and

 

4


information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

2. Payments . From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments of interest, fees or other amounts paid or payable in kind from and after the Effective Date to the Assignee.

3. General Provisions . This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by facsimile transmission or other electronic imaging shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption and any claim, controversy, dispute or cause of action (whether in contract or tort or otherwise) based upon, arising out of or relating to this Assignment and Assumption and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 

5


EXHIBIT D-2

FORM OF

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT QUESTIONNAIRE

[See attached.]

 

D-2


LOGO


LOGO


LOGO


LOGO


EXHIBIT E

FORM OF

PROMISSORY NOTE (TERM LOAN)

[INSERT DATE]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned (the “ Borrower ”), hereby promises to pay to                                  or its registered assigns (the “ Lender ”), in accordance with the provisions of the Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined), the principal amount of each Term Loan from time to time made by the Lender to the Borrower under that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018 (as amended, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among the Borrower, Americold Realty Trust, the Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

The Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Term Loan from the date of such Term Loan until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates and at such times as provided in the Credit Agreement. All payments of principal and interest shall be made to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lender in Dollars at the Administrative Agent’s Office. If any amount is not paid in full when due hereunder, such unpaid amount shall bear interest, to be paid upon demand, from the due date thereof until the date of actual payment (and before as well as after judgment) computed at the per annum rate set forth in the Credit Agreement.

This Note is one of the Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement, and the holder is entitled to the benefits thereof and may be prepaid in whole or in part subject to the terms and conditions provided therein. This Note is also entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and the Guaranty. Upon the occurrence and continuation of one or more of the Events of Default specified in the Credit Agreement, all amounts then remaining unpaid on this Note shall become, or may be declared to be, immediately due and payable all as provided in the Credit Agreement. Term Loans made by the Lender shall be evidenced by one or more loan accounts or records maintained by the Lender in the ordinary course of business. The Lender may also attach schedules to this Note and endorse thereon the date, amount and maturity of its Term Loans and payments with respect thereto.

The Borrower, for itself, its successors and assigns, hereby waives, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, diligence, presentment, protest and demand and notice of protest, demand, dishonor and non-payment of this Note.

THIS NOTE, AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS NOTE AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

E-1


AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

E-2


LOANS AND PAYMENTS WITH RESPECT THERETO

 

Date

 

Type of

Loan Made

 

Amount of

Loan Made

  

End of

Interest

Period

  

Amount of
Principal or
Interest
Paid This

Date

  

Outstanding
Principal
Balance

This Date

  

Notation

Made By

               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               

 

E-3


EXHIBIT F

FORM OF

PROMISSORY NOTE (REVOLVING CREDIT LOAN)

[INSERT DATE]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned (the “ Borrower ”), hereby promises to pay to                              or its registered assigns (the “ Lender ”), in accordance with the provisions of the Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined), the principal amount of each Revolving Credit Loan from time to time made by the Lender to the Borrower under that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018 (as amended, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among the Borrower, Americold Realty Trust, the Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

The Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Credit Loan from the date of such Revolving Credit Loan until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates and at such times as provided in the Credit Agreement. All payments of principal and interest shall be made to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lender in Dollars at the Administrative Agent’s Office. If any amount is not paid in full when due hereunder, such unpaid amount shall bear interest, to be paid upon demand, from the due date thereof until the date of actual payment (and before as well as after judgment) computed at the per annum rate set forth in the Credit Agreement.

This Note is one of the Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement, and the holder is entitled to the benefits thereof and may be prepaid in whole or in part subject to the terms and conditions provided therein. This Note is also entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and the Guaranty. Upon the occurrence and continuation of one or more of the Events of Default specified in the Credit Agreement, all amounts then remaining unpaid on this Note shall become, or may be declared to be, immediately due and payable all as provided in the Credit Agreement. Revolving Credit Loans made by the Lender shall be evidenced by one or more loan accounts or records maintained by the Lender in the ordinary course of business. The Lender may also attach schedules to this Note and endorse thereon the date, amount and maturity of its Revolving Credit Loans and payments with respect thereto.

The Borrower, for itself, its successors and assigns, hereby waives, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, diligence, presentment, protest and demand and notice of protest, demand, dishonor and non-payment of this Note.

 

F-1


THIS NOTE, AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS NOTE AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

F-2


LOANS AND PAYMENTS WITH RESPECT THERETO

 

Date

 

Type of

Loan Made

 

Amount of

Loan Made

  

End of

Interest

Period

  

Amount of
Principal or
Interest
Paid This

Date

  

Outstanding
Principal
Balance

This Date

  

Notation

Made By

               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               

 

F-3


EXHIBIT G-1

FORM OF

COMMITTED LOAN NOTICE

[See attached.]

 

G-1


COMMITTED LOAN NOTICE

Date:                      ,         

To: Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018 (as amended, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Borrower ”), Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust, the several Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

The undersigned hereby requests (select one):

☐ A Borrowing of Revolving Credit Loans         ☐ A conversion or continuation of Revolving Credit Loans

☐ A Borrowing of Term Loans                            ☐ A conversion or continuation of Term Loans

ARTICLE I.ON                                                                       (A BUSINESS DAY).

ARTICLE II.IN THE AMOUNT OF $                                               . 1

ARTICLE III.COMPRISED OF                                               .

                                                     [TYPE OF LOAN REQUESTED]

ARTICLE IV.FOR EURODOLLAR LOANS: WITH AN INTEREST PERIOD OF                          MONTHS. 2

The Revolving Credit Loan Borrowing, if any, requested herein complies with clauses (x)(iv) and (v) and clause (y) of the provisos to Section 2.1(b) of the Credit Agreement.

 

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

1   Minimum principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof
2 Select one, two, three or six months (in each case, subject to availability), or such other period that is twelve months or less consented to by all of the Lenders the Class participating therein.

 

[Committed Loan Notice]


EXHIBIT G-2

FORM OF

SWING LINE LOAN NOTICE

[See attached.]

 

G-2


SWING LINE LOAN NOTICE

Date:                      ,         

 

To: Bank of America, N.A., as Swing Line Lender

Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018 (as amended, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Borrower ”), Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust, the several Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

The undersigned hereby requests a Swing Line Loan:

 

  1. On                                                                       (a Business Day).

 

  2. In the amount of $                                                                                   .

The Swing Line Borrowing requested herein complies with the requirements of the provisos to the first sentence of Section  2.3(a) of the Agreement.

 

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

[Swing Line Loan Notice]


EXHIBIT H

FORM OF

DESIGNATION NOTICE

 

TO: Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

 

RE: Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018 (as amended, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Borrower ”), Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust, the Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

DATE: [Date]

 

 

[Name of Hedge Bank/Cash Management Bank] hereby notifies you, pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, that it meets the requirements of a [Hedge Bank/Cash Management Bank] under the terms of the Credit Agreement and is a [Hedge Bank/Cash Management Bank] under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this notice by fax transmission or other electronic mail transmission (e.g. “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this notice.

A duly authorized officer of the undersigned has executed this notice as of the day and year set forth above.

 

[NAME OF HEDGE BANK/CASH MANAGEMENT BANK], as a [Hedge Bank/Cash Management Bank]
By:                                                                              
      Name:                                                                   
      Title:                                                                     

 

H-1


AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.,
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

H-2


EXHIBIT I

FORM OF

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

[See attached.]

 

I-1


COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

of

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.

Check for distribution to PUBLIC and Private side Lenders 1

Financial Statement Date:                     ,

 

To: Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of January 23, 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “ Agreement ;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Borrower ”), Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “ Company ”), the several Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

The undersigned Financial Officer hereby certifies as of the date hereof that he/she is the [chief financial officer][principal accounting officer][treasurer][controller] of the Company, and that, as such, he/she is authorized to execute and deliver this Certificate to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Company and the Borrower, and that:

[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal year-end financial statements]

1. The Borrower has delivered the year-end audited financial statements required by Section 8.1(a) of the Agreement for the fiscal year of the Company ended as of the above date, together with the report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant required by such section.

[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal quarter-end financial statements]

1. The Borrower has delivered the unaudited financial statements required by Section 8.1(b) of the Agreement for the fiscal quarter of the Company ended as of the above date. Such financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied, as at such date and for such period subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

 

 

1   If the box is not checked, this certificate will only be posted to Private Side Lenders.

 

1


2. The undersigned has reviewed and is familiar with the terms of the Agreement and has made, or has caused to be made under his/her supervision, a detailed review of the transactions and condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and its Subsidiaries (on a consolidated basis) during the accounting period covered by such financial statements.

3. A review of the activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries during such fiscal period has been made under the supervision of the undersigned with a view to determining whether during such fiscal period the Company and its Subsidiaries performed and observed all their respective Obligations under the Loan Documents, and

[ select one :]

[to the knowledge of the undersigned, during such fiscal period each of the Company and its Subsidiaries performed and observed each covenant and condition of the Loan Documents applicable to it, and no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.]

--or--

[to the knowledge of the undersigned, during such fiscal period the following covenants or conditions have not been performed or observed and the following is a list of each such Default and Event of Default and its nature and status:]

4. Schedule 1 attached hereto sets forth a narrative discussion and analysis of the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries (on a consolidated basis) for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the Company’s fiscal year ended on the Financial Statement Date.

5. Schedule 2 attached hereto sets forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with the Financial Covenants and the Minimum Property Condition. The financial covenant analyses and information set forth on Schedule 2 are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate.

6. All of the information and analyses set forth in the schedules attached hereto are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the undersigned has executed this Certificate as of                     ,                    .

 

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING

PARTNERSHIP, L.P

By:  

     

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

2


SCHEDULE 1

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF

FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

[See attached] / [Please see discussion and analysis contained in                     .] 1

 

1   If discussion and analysis will be delivered by inclusion in materials filed with the SEC, insert description of relevant filing


SCHEDULE 2

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

FINANCIAL COVENANT AND

MINIMUM PROPERTY CONDITION CALCULATIONS

[See attached.]


LOGO


LOGO


LOGO


EXHIBIT J-1

FORM OF

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Non-U.S. Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of January 23, 2018 (as amended, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Borrower ”), Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust, the several Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.4 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any promissory note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a “10-percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (iv) it is not a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:  

     

  Name:
  Title:
Date:                       , 20[    ]

 

J-1


EXHIBIT J-2

FORM OF

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Non-U.S. Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of January 23, 2018 (as amended, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Borrower ”), Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust, the several Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.4 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a “10-percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, and (iv) it is not a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
By:  

     

  Name:
  Title:
Date:                       , 20[    ]

 

J-2


EXHIBIT J-3

FORM OF

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Non-U.S. Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of January 23, 2018 (as amended, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Borrower ”), Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust, the several Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.4 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such participation, (iii) with respect to such participation, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “bank” extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “10-percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
By:  

     

  Name:
  Title:
Date:                       , 20[     ]

 

J-3


EXHIBIT J-4

FORM OF

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Non-U.S. Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of January 23, 2018 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Borrower ”), Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust, the several Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.4 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any promissory note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such Loan(s) (as well as any promissory note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)), (iii) with respect to the extension of credit pursuant to this Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “bank” extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “10-percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:  

     

  Name:
  Title:
Date:                       , 20[    ]

 

J-4

Exhibit 10.2

 

 

 

GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT

dated as of

January 23, 2018,

among

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.,

THE SUBSIDIARIES OF

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.

IDENTIFIED HEREIN

and

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I

 

Definitions

  

SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms

     1  

SECTION 1.02. Other Defined Terms

     1  
ARTICLE II   
Guarantee   

SECTION 2.01. Guarantee

     4  

SECTION 2.02. Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee

     4  

SECTION 2.03. No Limitations

     4  

SECTION 2.04. Reinstatement

     5  

SECTION 2.05. Agreement to Pay; Subrogation

     6  

SECTION 2.06. Information

     6  

SECTION 2.07. Keepwell

     6  
ARTICLE III   
Pledge of Securities   

SECTION 3.01. Pledge

     6  

SECTION 3.02. Delivery of the Pledged Equity Interests

     7  

SECTION 3.03. Representations and Warranties

     8  

SECTION 3.04. Covenants

     9  

SECTION 3.05. Registration in Nominee Name; Denominations

     12  

SECTION 3.06. Voting Rights; Dividends and Interest

     12  
ARTICLE IV   
Remedies   

SECTION 4.01. Remedies Upon Default

     14  

SECTION 4.02. Application of Proceeds

     16  

SECTION 4.03. Securities Act

     17  

SECTION 4.04. Information

     17  
ARTICLE V   
Indemnity, Subrogation, Contribution and Subordination   

SECTION 5.01. Indemnity and Subrogation

     18  

SECTION 5.02. Contribution and Subrogation

     18  

SECTION 5.03. Subordination

     18  


ARTICLE VI   
Miscellaneous   

SECTION 6.01. Notices

     19  

SECTION 6.02. Waivers; Amendment

     19  

SECTION 6.03. Administrative Agent’s Fees and Expenses; Indemnification

     19  

SECTION 6.04. Survival

     20  

SECTION 6.05. Counterparts; Effectiveness; Successors and Assigns

     21  

SECTION 6.06. Severability

     21  

SECTION 6.07. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process

     21  

SECTION 6.08. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

     22  

SECTION 6.09. Headings

     22  

SECTION 6.10. Security Interest Absolute

     22  

SECTION 6.11. Termination or Release

     22  

SECTION 6.12. Additional Subsidiaries

     23  

SECTION 6.13. Administrative Agent Appointed Attorney-in-Fact

     23  

Schedules

 

Schedule I    Subsidiary Loan Party Information
Schedule II    Pledged Equity Interests

Exhibits

 

Exhibit I        Form of Supplement

 


GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT dated as of January 23, 2018 (this “ Agreement ”), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., the Subsidiary Loan Parties from time to time party hereto and Bank of America, N.A. as administrative agent and collateral agent (in such capacity, the “ Administrative Agent ”).

Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of January 23, 2018 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Borrower ”), Americold Realty Trust, the several Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers from time to time party thereto and the Administrative Agent. The Lenders and Letter of Credit Issuers have agreed to extend credit to the Borrower on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Credit Agreement. The obligations of the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers to extend such credit are conditioned upon, among other things, the execution and delivery of this Agreement. The Subsidiary Loan Parties are Affiliates of the Borrower, will derive substantial benefits from the extension of credit to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement and are willing to execute and deliver this Agreement in order to induce the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers to extend such credit. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms . (a) Each capitalized term used but not defined herein and defined in the Credit Agreement shall have the meaning specified in the Credit Agreement. Each other term used but not defined herein that is defined in the New York UCC (as defined herein) shall have the meaning specified in the New York UCC. The term “ Instrument ” shall have the meaning specified in Article 9 of the New York UCC.

(b) The rules of construction specified in Section 1.2 of the Credit Agreement also apply to this Agreement, mutatis mutandis .

SECTION 1.02. Other Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

Administrative Agent ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Preamble hereto.

Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Preamble hereto.

Borrower ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Recitals hereto.

Claiming Party ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section  5.02 .

Collateral ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section  3.01 .


Contributing Party ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section  5.02 .

Credit Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Recitals hereto.

Federal Securities Laws ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section  4.03 .

Grantors ” means, collectively, (a) the Qualified Asset Guarantors and the Other Guarantors and (b) with respect to (i) the Secured Swap Obligations and Secured Cash Management Obligations owing by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of a Loan Party (other than the Borrower) and (ii) the payment and performance by each Specified Loan Party of its Guarantee Obligations with respect to all Secured Swap Obligations, the Borrower.

Guarantors ” means, collectively, the Borrower and each Subsidiary Loan Party.

Indemnified Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section  5.02 .

New York UCC ” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

Perfection Certificate ” means the Perfection Certificate dated as of the Closing Date delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 7.1(d)(v) of the Credit Agreement.

Permitted Assignment ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section  3.04(e) .

Pledged Capital Stock ” means (i) all shares of Capital Stock of any corporation that is a Guarantor, including all shares of Capital Stock set forth on Schedule II under the heading “Pledged Capital Stock” (as such schedule may be supplemented from time to time pursuant hereto), and any certificates, instruments and other documents representing such shares and any interest of any Grantor in the entries on the books of the issuer of such shares or on the books of any securities intermediary pertaining to such shares, (ii) all rights to participate in the economics of the issuer of such shares, including all profits and losses and all rights to receive substitutions, additions, interest, dividends and other distributions from the issuer of such shares and all capital accounts of the issuer of such shares and (iii) all rights to participate in the management of the business and affairs of the issuer of such shares, including all voting rights and rights to information.

Pledged Equity Interests ” means all Pledged Capital Stock, all Pledged LLC Interests and all Pledged Partnership Interests.

Pledged LLC Interests ” means (i) all interests in any limited liability company that is a Guarantor and each series thereof, including all limited liability company interests set forth on Schedule II under the heading “Pledged LLC Interests” (as such schedule may be supplemented from time to time pursuant hereto), and any certificates, instruments and other documents representing such limited liability company interests and any interest of any Grantor on the books and records of such limited liability company or on the books and records of any securities intermediary pertaining to such interest, (ii) all rights to participate in the economics of the issuer of such interests, including all profits and losses and all rights to receive substitutions,

 

2


additions, interest, dividends and other distributions from the issuer of such interests and all capital accounts of the issuer of such interests, (iii) all rights to participate in the management of the business and affairs of the issuer of such interests, including all voting rights and rights to information and (iv) the status of being a “member” (or analogous term) of the issuer of such interests, including all rights under the formation document or the operating or limited liability agreement (or similar document), including the applicable Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement, of the issuer of such interests.

Pledged Partnership Interests ” means (i) all interests in any general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership or other partnership that is a Guarantor, including all partnership interests set forth on Schedule II under the heading “Pledged Partnership Interests” (as such schedule may be supplemented from time to time pursuant hereto), and any certificates, instruments and other documents representing such partnership interests and any interest of any Grantor on the books and records of such partnership or on the books and records of any securities intermediary pertaining to such interest, (ii) all rights to participate in the economics of the issuer of such interests, including all profits and losses and all rights to receive substitutions, additions, interest, dividends and other distributions from the issuer of such interests and all capital accounts of the issuer of such interests, (iii) all rights to participate in the management of the business and affairs of the issuer of such interests, including all voting rights and rights to information and (iv) the status of being a “partner” (or analogous term) of the issuer of such interests, including all rights under the formation document or the partnership, operating, or limited liability agreement (or similar document), including the applicable Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement, of the issuer of such interests.

Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section  3.04(e) .

Pledged Securities ” means any and all certificates, instruments or other documents representing or evidencing any Collateral, including, without limitation, all stock certificates, unit certificates and limited liability membership interest certificates now or hereafter included in the Collateral.

Qualified ECP Guarantor ” means, in respect of any Secured Swap Obligation, each Loan Party that has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 at the time the relevant Guarantee Obligation or grant of the relevant security interest becomes or would become effective with respect to such Secured Swap Obligation and each other Loan Party that constitutes an “ eligible contract participant ” under the Commodity Exchange Act and can cause another person to qualify as an “ eligible contract participant ” at such time by guaranteeing or entering into a keepwell in respect of obligations of such other person under Section la(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Specified Loan Party ” means any Loan Party that is not an “eligible contract participant under the Commodity Exchange Act (determined prior to giving effect to Section  2.07 ).

 

3


“Subsidiary Loan Parties ” means, collectively, (a) the Subsidiaries identified on Schedule  I and (b) each other Subsidiary that becomes a party to this Agreement after the Closing Date.

“Supplement” means an instrument substantially in the form of Exhibit I hereto, or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent, and in each case reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

Uniform Commercial Code ” shall mean the New York UCC; provided , however , that if by reason of mandatory provisions of law, the perfection, the effect of perfection or non-perfection or priority of a security interest is governed by the personal property security laws of any jurisdiction other than New York, “Uniform Commercial Code” shall mean those personal property security laws as in effect in such other jurisdiction for the purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such perfection or priority and for the definitions related to such provisions.

ARTICLE II

Guarantee

SECTION 2.01. Guarantee . Each Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees, jointly with the other Guarantors and severally, as a primary obligor and not merely as a surety, the due and punctual payment and performance of the Obligations. Each Guarantor further agrees that the Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, or amended or modified, without notice to or further assent from it, and that, except as otherwise expressly provided in Section  6.11 , it will remain bound upon its guarantee hereunder notwithstanding any extension, renewal, amendment or modification of any Obligation. Each Guarantor waives presentment to, demand of payment from and protest to the Borrower or any other Loan Party of any of the Obligations, and also waives notice of acceptance of its guarantee hereunder and notice of protest for nonpayment.

SECTION 2.02. Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee . Each Guarantor further agrees that its guarantee hereunder constitutes a guarantee of payment when due (whether or not any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding shall have stayed the accrual or collection of any of the Obligations or operated as a discharge thereof) and not merely of collection, and waives any right to require that any resort be had by the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party to any security held for the payment of the Obligations or to any balance of any deposit account or credit on the books of the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party in favor of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any other Person. Each Guarantor agrees that its guarantee hereunder is continuing in nature and applies to all Obligations, whether currently existing or hereafter incurred.

SECTION 2.03. No Limitations . (a) Except for the termination or release of a Guarantor’s obligations hereunder as expressly provided in Section  6.11 , the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason, including any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise, and shall not be subject to any defense or set-off, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of the Obligations, any

 

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impossibility in the performance of the Obligations or otherwise (other than a defense of the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all the Obligations or the performance in full of all the Obligations). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as otherwise expressly provided in Section  6.11 , the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by (i) the failure of the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy under the provisions of any Loan Document or otherwise; (ii) any rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of, or any release from any of the terms or provisions of, any Loan Document or any other agreement, including with respect to any other Guarantor under this Agreement; (iii) the release of, or any impairment of or failure to perfect any Lien on or security interest in, any security held by the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party for any of the Obligations; (iv) any default, failure or delay, wilful or otherwise, in the performance of any of the Obligations; or (v) any other act or omission that may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of any Guarantor or otherwise operate as a discharge of any Guarantor as a matter of law or equity (other than the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all the Obligations or the performance in full of all the Obligations). Each Guarantor expressly authorizes the Secured Parties to take and hold security for the payment and performance of the Obligations, to exchange, waive or release any or all such security (with or without consideration), to enforce or apply such security and direct the order and manner of any sale thereof in their sole discretion or to release or substitute any one or more other guarantors or obligors upon or in respect of the Obligations, all without affecting the obligations of any Guarantor hereunder.

(b) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor waives any defense based on or arising out of any defense of the Borrower or any other Loan Party or the unenforceability of the Obligations or any part thereof from any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, other than the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all the Obligations or the performance in full of all the Obligations. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties may, at their election, foreclose on any security held by one or more of them by one or more judicial or nonjudicial sales, accept an assignment of any such security in lieu of foreclosure, compromise or adjust any part of the Obligations, make any other accommodation with the Borrower or any other Loan Party or exercise any other right or remedy available to them against the Borrower or any other Loan Party, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of any Guarantor hereunder except to the extent the Obligations have been fully and indefeasibly paid in full in cash (other than any Secured Cash Management Obligations, Secured Swap Obligations or contingent indemnification obligations and other contingent obligations not then due or asserted). To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor waives any defense arising out of any such election even though such election operates, pursuant to applicable law, to impair or to extinguish any right of reimbursement or subrogation or other right or remedy of such Guarantor against the Borrower or any other Loan Party, as the case may be, or any security.

SECTION 2.04. Reinstatement . Each Guarantor agrees that this Agreement and its guarantee hereunder shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of any Obligation is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party upon the bankruptcy, insolvency, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or otherwise.

 

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SECTION 2.05. Agreement to Pay; Subrogation . In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation of any other right that the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party has at law or in equity against any Guarantor by virtue hereof, upon the failure of the Borrower or any other Loan Party to pay any Obligation when and as the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, after notice of prepayment or otherwise, each Guarantor hereby promises to and will forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, to the Administrative Agent for distribution to the applicable Secured Parties in cash the amount of such unpaid Obligation. Upon payment by any Guarantor of any sums to the Administrative Agent as provided above, all rights of such Guarantor against the Borrower or any other Loan Party arising as a result thereof by way of right of subrogation, contribution, reimbursement, indemnity or otherwise shall in all respects be subject to Article  V .

SECTION 2.06. Information . Each Guarantor (a) assumes all responsibility for being and keeping itself informed of the Borrower’s and each other Loan Party’s financial condition and assets, and of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that such Guarantor assumes and incurs hereunder, and (b) agrees that none of the Administrative Agent or the other Secured Parties will have any duty to advise such Guarantor of information known to it or any of them regarding such circumstances or risks.

SECTION 2.07. Keepwell . Each Qualified ECP Guarantor hereby jointly and severally absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each Specified Loan Party to honor all of its obligations under this Agreement in respect of Secured Swap Obligations ( provided , however , that each Qualified ECP Guarantor shall only be liable under this Section  2.07 for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this Section  2.07 or otherwise under this Agreement voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section  2.07 shall remain in full force and effect until the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all the Obligations (other than Secured Cash Management Obligations, Secured Swap Obligations or contingent indemnification obligations and other contingent obligations, in each case not then due or asserted). Each Qualified ECP Guarantor intends that this Section  2.07 constitute, and this Section  2.07 shall be deemed to constitute, a “ keepwell, support, or other agreement ” for the benefit of each other Loan Party for all purposes of Section la(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

ARTICLE III

Pledge of Securities

SECTION 3.01. Pledge . (a) As security for the payment and performance in full of the Obligations, each Grantor hereby assigns and pledges to the Administrative Agent, its successors and assigns, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, its successors and assigns, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a security

 

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interest in, all such Grantor’s right, title and interest in, to and under: (i) all Pledged Equity Interests; (ii) all other property of such Grantor that may be delivered to and held by the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of Section  3.01 , Section  3.02 or Section  3.04 ; (iii) subject to Section  3.06 , all other rights and privileges of such Grantor with respect to the securities, instruments and other property referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above; and (iv) all Proceeds of any of the foregoing (the items referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) above being collectively referred to as the “ Collateral ”).

(b) Each Grantor hereby irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent (or its designee) at any time and from time to time to file in any relevant jurisdiction any financing statements with respect to the Collateral or any part thereof and amendments thereto that (i) describe the Collateral in the same manner as described herein or may contain an indication or description of collateral that describes such property in any other manner as the Administrative Agent may determine, in its sole discretion, is necessary, advisable or prudent to ensure the perfection of the security interest in the Collateral granted to the Administrative Agent herein and (ii) contain the information required by Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code of each applicable jurisdiction for the filing of any financing statement or amendment. Each Grantor agrees to provide the information required for any such filing to the Administrative Agent promptly upon request.

Each Grantor also ratifies its authorization for the Administrative Agent (or its designee) to file in any relevant jurisdiction any initial financing statements or amendments thereto if filed prior to the date hereof.

SECTION 3.02. Delivery of the Pledged Equity Interests . (a) Each Grantor agrees to deliver or cause to be delivered to the Administrative Agent any and all Pledged Equity Interests that constitute Pledged Securities (i) on the date hereof, in the case of any such Pledged Securities owned by such Grantor on the date hereof, and (ii) promptly (and, in any event, within thirty (30) days or as otherwise agreed in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent) after the acquisition (by purchase, dividend or otherwise) thereof (and in any event as required under the Credit Agreement), in the case of any such Pledged Equity Interests that constitute Pledged Securities acquired (by purchase, dividend or otherwise) by such Grantor after the date hereof.

(b) Upon delivery to the Administrative Agent, (i) any Pledged Securities shall be accompanied by undated stock powers duly executed by the applicable Grantor in blank or other undated instruments of transfer satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and such other instruments and documents as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request and (ii) all other property comprising part of the Collateral shall be accompanied by undated proper instruments of assignment duly executed by the applicable Grantor in blank and such other instruments and documents as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

(c) If any Grantor shall acquire (by purchase, dividend or otherwise) any additional Collateral at any time or from time to time after the date hereof, such Grantor, in addition to the actions required to be taken pursuant to Sections 3.02(a) and (b), shall deliver a schedule providing the information required by Schedule II with respect to any Pledged Equity Interests included in such additional Collateral; provided that failure to attach any such schedule hereto shall not affect the validity of such pledge of such Pledged Equity Interests. Each schedule so delivered after the date hereof shall be deemed attached hereto and made a part hereof as a supplement to Schedule II and any prior schedules so delivered.

 

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SECTION 3.03. Representations and Warranties . The Grantors jointly and severally represent and warrant to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, that:

(a) Schedule I sets forth the true and correct legal name of each Grantor, its jurisdiction of organization and the location of its chief executive office;

(b) Schedule II sets forth a true and complete list, with respect to each Grantor, of all the Pledged Equity Interests owned by such Grantor and the percentage of the issued and outstanding units of each class of the Capital Stock of the issuer thereof represented by the Pledged Equity Interests owned by such Grantor (other than any Pledged Equity Interests that are not yet required to have been delivered to the Administrative Agent under the terms of this Agreement or the Credit Agreement);

(c) the Pledged Equity Interests have been duly and validly authorized and issued by the issuers thereof and are fully paid and nonassessable;

(d) except for the security interests granted hereunder and Permitted Equity Encumbrances, each of the Grantors (i) is and, subject to any transfers made in compliance with the Credit Agreement, will continue to be the direct owner, beneficially and of record, of the Pledged Equity Interests indicated on Schedule II as owned by such Grantor and (ii) holds the same free and clear of all Liens;

(e) except as disclosed on Schedule II and except for restrictions and limitations imposed by the Loan Documents, Permitted Equity Encumbrances or securities laws generally, and, in the case of clause (ii) below, (i) the Collateral is and will continue to be freely transferable and assignable and (ii) none of the Collateral is or will be subject to any option, right of first refusal, shareholders agreement, charter or by-law provisions or contractual restriction of any nature that might prohibit, impair, delay or otherwise affect the pledge of such Collateral hereunder, the sale or disposition thereof pursuant hereto or the exercise by the Administrative Agent of rights and remedies hereunder;

(f) each of the Grantors has the power and authority to pledge the Collateral pledged by it hereunder in the manner hereby done or contemplated;

(g) no consent or approval of any Governmental Authority, any securities exchange or any other Person was, is or will be required for the validity of the pledge effected hereby (other than such as have been obtained and are in full force and effect);

(h) by virtue of the execution and delivery by the Grantors of this Agreement, when any Pledged Equity Interests are delivered to the Administrative Agent in accordance with this Agreement, the Administrative Agent will obtain a legal, valid and perfected first priority lien upon and security interest in such Pledged Equity Interests as security for the payment and performance of the Obligations and such lien is and shall be prior to any other Lien on such Pledged Equity Interests;

 

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(i) the pledge effected hereby is effective to vest in the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, the rights of the Administrative Agent in the Collateral as set forth herein and all action by any Grantor necessary or desirable to protect and perfect the lien on the Collateral has been duly taken;

(j) the Perfection Certificate has been duly prepared, completed and executed and the information set forth therein, including the exact legal name of each Grantor, is correct and complete as of the Closing Date;

(k) the Uniform Commercial Code financing statements are all the filings, recordings and registrations that are necessary to publish notice of and protect the validity of and to establish a legal, valid and perfected security interest in favor of the Administrative Agent (for the benefit of the Secured Parties) in respect of all Collateral in which a security interest may be perfected by filing, recording or registration in the United States of America (or any political subdivision thereof) and its territories and possessions, and no further or subsequent filing, refiling, recording, rerecording, registration or reregistration is necessary with respect to any such Collateral in any such jurisdiction, except as provided under applicable law with respect to the filing of continuation statements; and

(l) the security interest granted in Section  3.01 constitutes (i) a legal and valid security interest in all the Collateral securing the payment and performance of the Obligations and (ii) subject to the filings described in Section  3.03(k) , a perfected security interest in all Collateral in which a security interest may be perfected by filing, recording or registering a financing statement or analogous document in the United States of America (or any political subdivision thereof) and its territories and possessions pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law in such jurisdictions.

SECTION 3.04. Covenants . (a) Each Grantor agrees (i) to be bound by the provisions of Section 8.10 of the Credit Agreement with the same force and effect, and to the same extent, as if each reference therein to the Borrower were a reference to such Grantor, (ii) to not effect any change to such Grantor’s (A) legal name, (B) location of its chief executive office, (C) identity or organizational structure, (D) Federal Taxpayer Identification Number or organizational identification number, if any, or (E) jurisdiction of organization (in each case, including by merging with or into any other entity, reorganizing, dissolving, liquidating, reorganizing or organizing in any other jurisdiction), unless (1) such Grantor shall have given the Administrative Agent prior written notice (in the form of a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer), or such other notice period agreed to by the Administrative Agent, of its intention to do so, clearly describing such change and providing such other information in connection therewith as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request and (2) such Grantor shall have taken all action reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent to maintain the perfection and priority of the security interest of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties in the Collateral, if applicable, (iii) to provide the Administrative Agent with certified organizational documents reflecting any of the changes described in the foregoing clause (ii), and (iii) to be bound by the provisions of Sections 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9, 8.11, 8.12, 8.13(c) and 8.19 of the Credit Agreement, in each case to the extent such provisions relate to such Grantor or its assets, with the same force and effect, and to the same extent, as if such Grantor were a party to the Credit Agreement.

 

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(b) Each year, at the time of delivery of annual financial statements with respect to the preceding fiscal year pursuant to Section 8.1(a) of the Credit Agreement, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate executed by a Financial Officer of the Borrower setting forth the information required pursuant to the Perfection Certificate or confirming that there has been no change in such information since the Closing Date or, if more recent, the date of the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to this Section  3.04(b) .

(c) Each Grantor (i) shall, at its own expense, take any and all actions necessary to defend title to the Collateral against all Persons and to defend the security interest of the Administrative Agent in the Collateral and the priority thereof against any Lien other than Permitted Equity Encumbrances and (ii) will make no assignment, pledge, hypothecation or transfer of, or create or permit to exist any security interest in or other Lien on, the Collateral, other than Permitted Equity Encumbrances and transfers made in compliance with the Credit Agreement.

(d) Each Pledged Equity Interest that constitutes a Pledged Security now or hereafter acquired (by purchase, dividend or otherwise) by any Grantor shall be a “security” within the meaning of Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code and shall be governed by Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code; and such certificate shall be delivered to the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 3.02(a).

(e) Each Grantor that is a member, manager and/or partner of an issuer of a Pledged LLC Interest or a Pledged Partnership Interest and each Grantor that is an issuer of a Pledged LLC Interest or Pledged Partnership Interest hereby (1) grants its irrevocable consent under each limited liability agreement, operating agreement, membership agreement, partnership agreement or similar agreement to which such Grantor is a party and relating to any Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, each a “ Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement ”) to permit each member, manager and/or partner of such issuer (A) to pledge all of the Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests in which such member, manager and/or partner has rights in connection herewith, and (B) to grant and collaterally assign to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a lien on and security interest in such Pledged LLC Interests or such Pledged Partnership Interests in accordance herewith and subject to the terms and limitations hereof and (2) irrevocably agrees that (A) the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and/or the Lenders shall be entitled to exercise any and all of their rights and remedies against such Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests pursuant to the Loan Documents, including, without limitation any rights to foreclose upon or otherwise effectuate an assignment of such Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests in accordance therewith, and (B) in connection with the exercise of any remedies in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and/or the Lenders (and/or any Affiliate of the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and/or the Lenders and/or any entity formed by the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and/or the Lenders) shall be entitled to be admitted as a partner (including as the general partner) or as a member (including as the managing member) of any issuer of Pledged LLC

 

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Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests, as the case may be, and/or make an assignment of all or any portion of such interest to any Person(s) who shall have the right to be admitted as partner(s) of or as member(s) of any such issuer, as the case may be (each of clauses (1)(A), (1)(B), (2)(A) and (2)(B) collectively, a “ Permitted Assignment ”). For the avoidance of doubt, any assignee of the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and/or the Lenders that shall become a partner or a member of an issuer of Pledged Partnership Interests or Pledged LLC Interests, as the case may be, pursuant to a Permitted Assignment (excluding any assignee that is an entity formed by the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and/or the Lenders and continues to hold an interest as a partner of or member of such an issuer, as the case may be) shall thereafter be subject to the terms of this Section  3.04(e) or any subsequent assignment to be made by such partner or member, as the case may be.

(f) (A) to, upon any foreclosure by the Administrative Agent on such Pledged LLC Interests or such Pledged Partnership Interests (or any other sale or transfer of such Pledged LLC Interests or such Pledged Partnership Interests in lieu of such foreclosure), to the extent permitted by applicable law, transfer to the Administrative Agent (or to the purchaser or other transferee of such Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests in lieu of such foreclosure) such member, manager and/or partner’s rights and powers to manage and control the affairs of the applicable issuer of Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests, as the case may be, in each case, without any further consent, approval or action by any other party, including, without limitation, any other party to any Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement or otherwise and (B) to provide that (1) the bankruptcy or insolvency of such member, manager and/or partner shall not cause such member, manager and/or partner to cease to be a holder of such Pledged LLC Interests or such Pledged Partnership Interests, (2) upon the occurrence of such an event, the applicable issuer shall continue without dissolution and (3) until such time as all the Obligations have been paid in full in cash (other than Secured Cash Management Obligations, Secured Swap Obligations or contingent indemnification obligations and other contingent obligations not then due or asserted), such member, manager and/or partner waives any right it might have to agree in writing to dissolve the applicable issuer upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of such member, manager and/or partner, or the occurrence of an event that causes such member, manager and/or partner to cease to be a holder of such Pledged LLC Interests or Pledged Partnership Interests.

(g) Subject to compliance with applicable law, no further consent, approval or action by any other party, including, without limitation, any other party to the applicable Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement or otherwise shall be necessary to permit the Administrative Agent or its designee to be substituted as a member, manager or partner pursuant to Section  3.04 or 3.05 . The rights, powers and benefits granted pursuant to this paragraph shall inure to the benefit of the Administrative Agent, on its own behalf and on behalf of the Secured Parties, and each of their respective successors, assigns and designees, as intended third party beneficiaries.

(h) Each Grantor and each issuer of a Pledged LLC Interest or a Pledged Partnership Interest agrees that (1) no Pledged Partnership /LLC Agreement shall be amended to be inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement and (2) it shall not directly or indirectly, consent to, approve, authorize or otherwise suffer or permit any waiver, amendment, supplement, cancellation, termination or other modification of the partnership agreement,

 

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operating agreement, charter, certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents of (A) the Company, the Borrower any Qualified Asset Guarantor or any Loan Party that is a direct owner of any Qualified Asset Guarantor, in each case if such waiver, amendment, supplement, cancellation, termination or modification would reasonably be expected to (x) adversely affect any Loan Party’s ability to repay the Obligations or (y) impair the rights or interests of the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party hereunder or under any Loan Document or in any Collateral and (B) any other Subsidiary, in each case if such waiver, amendment, supplement, cancellation, termination or modification would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(i) Each Grantor agrees, at its own expense, to execute, acknowledge, deliver and cause to be duly filed all such further instruments, financing statements, agreements and documents and take all such other actions as the Administrative Agent may from time to time reasonably request to better assure, preserve, protect and perfect the Secured Parties’ security interest in the Collateral and the rights and remedies created hereby, including the payment of any fees and Taxes required in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the granting of the Secured Parties’ security interest in the Collateral and the filing and recording of any financing statements or other documents in connection herewith or therewith. Each Grantor will provide to the Administrative Agent, from time to time upon request, evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent as to the perfection and priority of the Liens created or intended to be created pursuant to this Agreement.

SECTION 3.05. Registration in Nominee Name; Denominations . The Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, shall have the right (in its sole and absolute discretion) (a) to hold the Pledged Equity Interests in its own name as pledgee, in the name of its nominee (as pledgee or as sub-agent) or in the name of the applicable Grantor, endorsed or assigned in blank or in favor of the Administrative Agent and (b) to be substituted for the applicable Grantor as a member, manager or partner under the applicable Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement (and the Administrative Agent or its designee shall have all rights, powers and benefits of such Grantor as a member, manager or partner, as applicable, under such Pledged Partnership/LLC Agreement in accordance with the terms of this Agreement). For the avoidance of doubt, such rights, powers and benefits of a substituted member, manager or partner shall include all voting and other rights and not merely the rights of an economic interest holder. Each Grantor will promptly give to the Administrative Agent copies of any notices or other communications received by it with respect to Pledged Equity Interests registered in the name of such Grantor. The Administrative Agent shall at all times have the right to exchange the certificates representing Pledged Equity Interests for certificates of smaller or larger denominations for any purpose consistent with this Agreement.

SECTION 3.06. Voting Rights; Dividends and Interest . (a) Unless and until an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and, other than in the case of an Event of Default under Section 10.1(h) of the Credit Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall have notified the Grantors that the Grantors rights, in whole or in part, under this Section  3.06 are being suspended:

 

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(i) each Grantor shall be entitled to exercise any and all voting and/or other consensual rights and powers inuring to an owner of Collateral or any part thereof for any purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; provided that such rights and powers shall not be exercised in any manner that could reasonably be expected materially and adversely to affect the rights inuring to a holder of any Collateral or the rights and remedies of any of the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party under this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the ability of the Secured Parties to exercise the same;

(ii) the Administrative Agent shall execute and deliver to each Grantor, or cause to be executed and delivered to such Grantor, all such proxies, powers of attorney and other instruments as such Grantor may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling such Grantor to exercise the voting and/or consensual rights and powers it is entitled to exercise pursuant to Section  3.06(a)(i) ; and

(iii) each Grantor shall be entitled to receive and retain any and all dividends, interest, principal and other distributions paid on or distributed in respect of the Collateral, but only to the extent that such dividends, interest, principal and other distributions are permitted by, and are otherwise paid or distributed in accordance with, the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement, the other Loan Documents and applicable law; provided that any noncash dividends, interest, principal or other distributions that would constitute Pledged Equity Interests, whether resulting from a subdivision, combination or reclassification of the outstanding Capital Stock of the issuer of any Pledged Equity Interests or received in exchange for Pledged Equity Interests or any part thereof, or in redemption thereof, or as a result of any merger, consolidation, acquisition or other exchange of assets to which such issuer may be a party or otherwise, shall be and become part of the Collateral and, if received by any Grantor, and required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent hereunder, shall not be commingled by such Grantor with any of its other funds or property (but shall be held separate and apart therefrom), shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties and shall be forthwith delivered to the Administrative Agent in the form in which they shall have been received (with any endorsements, stock or note powers and other instruments of transfer requested by the Administrative Agent).

(b) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, and, other than in the case of an Event of Default under Section  10.1(h) of the Credit Agreement, after the Administrative Agent shall have notified the Grantors of the suspension of the Grantor’s rights under Section  3.06(a)(iii) , all rights of any Grantor to dividends, interest, principal or other distributions that such Grantor is authorized to receive pursuant to Section  3.06(a)(iii) , shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon become vested in the Administrative Agent, which shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority to receive and retain such dividends, interest, principal or other distributions. All dividends, interest, principal and other distributions received by any Grantor contrary to the provisions of this Section  3.06 shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, shall be segregated from other property or funds of such Grantor and shall be forthwith delivered to the Administrative Agent upon demand in the form in which they shall have been received (with any necessary endorsements, stock powers or other instruments of transfer). Any and all money and other property paid over to or received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to the provisions of this Section  3.06(b) shall be retained by the Administrative

 

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Agent in an account to be established by the Administrative Agent upon receipt of such money or other property, shall be held as security for the payment and performance of the Obligations and shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of Section  4.02 . After all Events of Default have been cured or waived and the Administrative Agent has received from the Borrower satisfactory evidence relating to any such cure, the Administrative Agent shall promptly repay to each Grantor (without interest) all dividends, interest, principal or other distributions that such Grantor would otherwise have been permitted to retain pursuant to the terms of Section  3.06(a)(iii) and that remain in such account.

(c) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, and, other than in the case of an Event of Default under Section  10.1(h) of the Credit Agreement, after the Administrative Agent shall have notified the Grantors of the suspension of the Grantors’ rights under Section  3.06(a)(i) , all rights of any Grantor to exercise the voting and consensual rights and powers it is entitled to exercise pursuant to Section  3.06(a)(i) , and the obligations of the Administrative Agent under Section  3.06(a)(ii) , shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon become vested in the Administrative Agent, which shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority to exercise such voting and consensual rights and powers; provided that, unless otherwise directed by the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent shall have the right from time to time following and during the continuance of an Event of Default to permit the Grantors to exercise such rights. Solely to the extent that any and all Events of Default have been cured or waived or otherwise cease to be continuing and the Administrative Agent has received a certificate from the Borrower certifying as such, each Grantor will have the right to exercise the voting and consensual rights that such Grantor would otherwise be entitled to exercise pursuant to the terms of Section  3.06(a)(i) (and the obligations of the Administrative Agent under Section  3.06(a)(ii) shall be reinstated).

(d) Any notice given by the Administrative Agent to the Grantors suspending the Grantors’ rights under Section  3.06(a) : (i) may be given by telephone if promptly confirmed in writing, (ii) may be given to one or more of the Grantors at the same or different times and (iii) may suspend the rights and powers of the Grantors under Section  3.06(a)(i) or Section  3.06(a)(iii) in part without suspending all such rights or powers (as specified by the Administrative Agent in its sole and absolute discretion) and without waiving or otherwise affecting the Administrative Agent’s right to give additional notices from time to time suspending other rights and powers so long as an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

ARTICLE IV

Remedies

SECTION 4.01. Remedies Upon Default . Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, it is agreed that the Administrative Agent shall have the right to exercise any and all rights afforded to a secured party under the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Grantor agrees that the Administrative Agent shall have the right, subject to the mandatory requirements of applicable law, to (a) subject to Section  3.06 , vote all or any part of the Pledged Equity Interests (whether or not transferred into the name of the Administrative Agent) and give all consents,

 

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waivers and ratifications in respect of the Collateral and (b) sell or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the Collateral at a public or private sale or at any broker’s board or on any securities exchange, for cash, upon credit or for future delivery as the Administrative Agent shall deem appropriate. The Administrative Agent shall be authorized to take the actions set forth in Section  4.03 . Each such purchaser at any sale of Collateral shall hold the property sold absolutely free from any claim or right on the part of any Grantor, and each Grantor hereby waives (to the extent permitted by law) all rights of redemption, stay and appraisal that such Grantor now has or may at any time in the future have under any rule of law or statute now existing or hereafter enacted.

The Administrative Agent shall give the applicable Grantors 10 days’ prior written notice (which each Grantor agrees is reasonable notice within the meaning of Section 9-612 of the New York UCC or its equivalent in other jurisdictions) of the Administrative Agent’s intention to make any sale of Collateral. Such notice, in the case of a public sale, shall state the time and place for such sale and, in the case of a sale at a broker’s board or on a securities exchange, shall state the board or exchange at which such sale is to be made and the day on which the Collateral, or portion thereof, will first be offered for sale at such board or exchange. Any such public sale shall be held at such time or times within ordinary business hours and at such place or places as the Administrative Agent may fix and state in the notice (if any) of such sale. At any such sale, the Collateral, or portion thereof, to be sold may be sold in one lot as an entirety or in separate parcels, as the Administrative Agent may (in its sole and absolute discretion) determine. The Administrative Agent shall not be obligated to make any sale of any Collateral if it shall determine not to do so, regardless of the fact that notice of sale of such Collateral shall have been given. The Administrative Agent may, without notice or publication, adjourn any public or private sale or cause the same to be adjourned from time to time by announcement at the time and place fixed for sale, and such sale may, without further notice, be made at the time and place to which the same was so adjourned. In case any sale of all or any part of the Collateral is made on credit or for future delivery, the Collateral so sold may be retained by the Administrative Agent until the sale price is paid by the purchaser or purchasers thereof, but the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties shall not incur any liability in case any such purchaser or purchasers shall fail to take up and pay for the Collateral so sold and, in case of any such failure, such Collateral may be sold again upon like notice. In the event of a foreclosure by the Administrative Agent on any of the Collateral pursuant to a public or private sale or other disposition, the Administrative Agent or any Lender may be the purchaser or licensor of any or all of such Collateral at any such sale or other disposition, and the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, as agent for and representative of the Secured Parties (but not any Lender or Lenders in its or their respective individual capacities unless the Required Lenders shall otherwise agree in writing) shall be entitled, for the purpose of bidding and making settlement or payment of the purchase price for all or any portion of the Collateral sold at any such public sale, to use and apply any of the Loan Document Obligations as a credit on account of the purchase price for any Collateral payable by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties at such sale or other disposition. For purposes hereof, a written agreement to purchase the Collateral or any portion thereof shall be treated as a sale thereof; the Administrative Agent shall be free to carry out such sale pursuant to such agreement and no Grantor shall be entitled to the return of the Collateral or any portion thereof subject thereto, notwithstanding the fact that after the Administrative Agent shall have entered into such an agreement all Events of Default shall have been remedied and the Obligations paid in full. As

 

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an alternative to exercising the power of sale herein conferred upon it, the Administrative Agent may proceed by a suit or suits at law or in equity to foreclose this Agreement and to sell the Collateral or any portion thereof pursuant to a judgment or decree of a court or courts having competent jurisdiction or pursuant to a proceeding by a court-appointed receiver. Any sale pursuant to the provisions of this Section  4.01 shall be deemed to conform to commercially reasonable standards as provided in Section 9-610(b) of the New York UCC or its equivalent in other jurisdictions.

SECTION 4.02. Application of Proceeds . The Administrative Agent shall apply the proceeds of any collection, sale, foreclosure or other realization upon any Collateral as follows:

FIRST, to the payment of all costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with such collection, sale, foreclosure or realization or otherwise in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any of the Obligations, including all court costs and the fees and expenses of its agents and legal counsel, the repayment of all advances made by the Administrative Agent hereunder or under any other Loan Document on behalf of any Grantor and any other costs or expenses incurred in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy hereunder or under any other Loan Document;

SECOND, to the payment in full of the Obligations in accordance with Section 10.2 of the Credit Agreement (the amounts so applied to be distributed among the Secured Parties pro rata in accordance with the amounts of the Obligations owed to them on the date of any such distribution); and

THIRD, to the Grantors, their successors or assigns, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct in accordance with Section 10.2 of the Credit Agreement.

The Administrative Agent shall have absolute discretion as to the time of application of any such proceeds, moneys or balances in accordance with this Agreement. Upon any sale of Collateral by the Administrative Agent (including pursuant to a power of sale granted by statute or under a judicial proceeding), the receipt of the Administrative Agent or of the officer making the sale shall be a sufficient discharge to the purchaser or purchasers of the Collateral so sold and such purchaser or purchasers shall not be obligated to see to the application of any part of the purchase money paid over to the Administrative Agent or such officer or be answerable in any way for the misapplication thereof. The Grantors shall remain liable for any deficiency if the proceeds of any sale or disposition of the Collateral are insufficient to pay all Obligations, including any attorneys’ fees and other expenses incurred by Administrative Agent or any Lender to collect such deficiency. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the proceeds of any collection, sale, foreclosure or realization upon any Collateral of any Grantor shall not be applied to any Excluded Swap Obligation of such Grantor and shall instead be applied to other Obligations.

 

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SECTION 4.03. Securities Act . In view of the position of the Grantors in relation to the Collateral, or because of other current or future circumstances, a question may arise under the Securities Act of 1933 as now or hereafter in effect or any similar statute hereafter enacted analogous in purpose or effect (such Act and any such similar statute as from time to time in effect being called the “ Federal Securities Laws ”) with respect to any disposition of the Collateral permitted hereunder. Each Grantor understands that compliance with the Federal Securities Laws might very strictly limit the course of conduct of the Administrative Agent if the Administrative Agent were to attempt to dispose of all or any part of the Collateral, and might also limit the extent to which or the manner in which any subsequent transferee of any Collateral could dispose of the same. Similarly, there may be other legal restrictions or limitations affecting the Administrative Agent in any attempt to dispose of all or part of the Collateral under applicable Blue Sky or other state securities laws or similar laws analogous in purpose or effect. Each Grantor recognizes that in light of such restrictions and limitations the Administrative Agent may, with respect to any sale of the Collateral, and shall be authorized to, limit the purchasers to those who will agree, among other things, to acquire such Collateral for their own account for investment, and not with a view to the distribution or resale thereof, and upon consummation of any such sale may assign, transfer and deliver to the purchaser or purchasers thereof the Collateral so sold. Each Grantor acknowledges and agrees that in light of such restrictions and limitations, the Administrative Agent, in its sole and absolute discretion, (a) may proceed to make such a sale whether or not a registration statement for the purpose of registering such Collateral or part thereof shall have been filed under the Federal Securities Laws or, to the extent applicable, Blue Sky or other state securities laws and (b) may approach and negotiate with a limited number of potential purchasers (including a single potential purchaser) to effect such sale. Each Grantor acknowledges and agrees that any such sale might result in prices and other terms less favorable to the seller than if such sale were a public sale without such restrictions. In the event of any such sale, the Administrative Agent shall incur no responsibility or liability for selling all or any part of the Collateral at a price that the Administrative Agent, in its sole and absolute discretion, may in good faith deem reasonable under the circumstances, notwithstanding the possibility that a substantially higher price might have been realized if the sale were deferred until after registration as aforesaid or if more than a limited number of potential purchasers (or a single purchaser) were approached. The provisions of this Section  4.03 will apply notwithstanding the existence of a public or private market upon which the quotations or sales prices may exceed substantially the price at which the Administrative Agent sells.

SECTION 4.04. Information . If the Administrative Agent determines to exercise its right to sell any or all of the Collateral, upon written request, each Grantor shall, from time to time, furnish to the Administrative Agent all such information as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in order to determine the number of shares and other instruments included in the Collateral which may be sold by the Administrative Agent as exempt transactions under the Federal Securities Laws and rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, as the same are from time to time in effect.

 

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ARTICLE V

Indemnity, Subrogation, Contribution and Subordination

SECTION 5.01. Indemnity and Subrogation . In addition to all such rights of indemnity and subrogation as the Guarantors may have under applicable law (but subject to Section  5.03 ), the Borrower agrees that (a) in the event a payment in respect of any Obligation shall be made by any Guarantor under this Agreement, the Borrower shall indemnify such Guarantor for the full amount of such payment and such Guarantor shall be subrogated to the rights of the Person to whom such payment shall have been made to the extent of such payment and (b) in the event any assets of any Grantor (other than the Borrower) shall be sold pursuant to this Agreement or any other Collateral Document to satisfy in whole or in part any Obligation, the Borrower shall indemnify such Grantor in an amount equal to the greater of the book value or the fair market value of the assets so sold.

SECTION 5.02. Contribution and Subrogation . Each Guarantor and Grantor (other than the Borrower) (each such Guarantor or Grantor being called a “ Contributing Party ”) agrees (subject to Section  5.03 ) that, in the event a payment shall be made by any other Guarantor hereunder in respect of any Obligation or assets of any other Grantor other than the Borrower shall be sold pursuant to any Collateral Document to satisfy any Obligation and such other Guarantor or Grantor (the “ Claiming Party ”) shall not have been fully indemnified by the Borrower as provided in Section  5.01 , such Contributing Party shall indemnify the Claiming Party in an amount equal to the amount of such payment or the greater of the book value or the fair market value of such assets (the “ Indemnified Amount ”), as the case may be, in each case multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the net worth of such Contributing Party on the date hereof and the denominator shall be the aggregate net worth of all the Contributing Parties on the date hereof (or, in the case of any Contributing Party becoming a party hereto pursuant to Section  6.12 , the date of the supplement hereto executed and delivered by such Contributing Party). Any Contributing Party making any payment to a Claiming Party pursuant to this Section  5.02 shall (subject to Section  5.03 ) be subrogated to the rights of such Claiming Party under Section  5.01 to the extent of such payment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that any Claiming Party’s right to indemnification hereunder arises from a payment or sale of Collateral made to satisfy Obligations constituting Secured Swap Obligations, only those Contributing Parties for whom such Secured Swap Obligations do not constitute Excluded Swap Obligations shall indemnify such Claiming Party, with the fraction set forth in the second preceding sentence being modified as appropriate to provide for indemnification of the entire Indemnified Amount.

SECTION 5.03. Subordination . (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, all rights of the Guarantors and Grantors under Sections  5.01 and 5.02 and all other rights of the Guarantors and Grantors of indemnity, contribution or subrogation under applicable law or otherwise shall be fully subordinated to the indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Obligations. No failure on the part of the Borrower or any other Guarantor or Grantor to make the payments required by Sections  5.01 and 5.02 (or any other payments required under applicable law or otherwise) shall in any respect limit the obligations and liabilities of any Guarantor or Grantor with respect to its obligations hereunder, and each Guarantor and Grantor shall remain liable for the full amount of the obligations of such Guarantor or Grantor hereunder.

(b) Each Guarantor and Grantor hereby agrees that all Indebtedness and other monetary obligations owed by it to, or to it by, any other Guarantor, Grantor or any other Subsidiary shall be fully subordinated to the indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Obligations.

 

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ARTICLE VI

Miscellaneous

SECTION 6.01. Notices . All communications and notices hereunder shall (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein) be in writing and given in the manner provided in Section 12.2 of the Credit Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to any Subsidiary Loan Party shall be given to it in care of the Borrower in the manner provided in Section 12.2 of the Credit Agreement.

SECTION 6.02. Waivers; Amendment . (a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Letter of Credit Issuers and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section  6.02 , 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 execution and delivery of this Agreement, the making of a Loan or issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Letter of Credit Issuer may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time. No notice or demand on any Loan Party in any case shall entitle any Loan Party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.

(b) 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 Administrative Agent and the Loan Party or Loan Parties with respect to which such waiver, amendment or modification is to apply, subject to any consent required in accordance with Section 12.1 of the Credit Agreement; provided that the Administrative Agent may, without the consent of any Secured Party, consent to a departure by any Loan Party from any covenant of such Loan Party set forth herein or in any other Collateral Document to the extent such departure is not inconsistent with any limitation on the authority of the Administrative Agent set forth in the Credit Agreement.

(c) This Agreement shall be construed as a separate agreement with respect to each Loan Party and may be amended, modified, supplemented, waived or released with respect to any Loan Party without the approval of any other Loan Party and without affecting the obligations of any other Loan Party hereunder.

SECTION 6.03. Administrative Agent s Fees and Expenses; Indemnification . (a) The Guarantors and the Grantors jointly and severally agree to reimburse the Administrative Agent for its fees and expenses incurred hereunder as provided in Section 12.5 of the Credit Agreement as if each reference therein to the Borrower were a reference to the Guarantors and Grantors.

 

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(b) The Guarantors and Grantors jointly and severally agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnitee as provided in Section 12.5 of the Credit Agreement as if each reference to the Borrower therein were a reference to the Guarantors and Grantors.

(c) Any amounts payable hereunder, including as provided in Section  6.03(a) or  6.03(b ), shall be additional Obligations secured hereby and by the other Collateral Documents. All amounts due under Section  6.03(a) or  6.03(b) shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor.

(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, no Guarantor or Grantor shall assert, or permit any of its subsidiaries to assert, and each Guarantor and Grantor hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee (i) for any damages arising from the use by others of information or other materials obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including the Internet), unless determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee, or (ii) on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.

(e) BY ACCEPTING THE BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE GUARANTEES AND SECURITY INTERESTS CREATED HEREBY, EACH SECURED PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE XI OF THE CREDIT AGREEMENT AND AGREES TO BE BOUND BY SUCH PROVISIONS AS FULLY AS IF THEY WERE SET FORTH HEREIN.

SECTION 6.04. Survival . All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made hereunder, in any other Loan Document and in any document, certificate or statement delivered pursuant hereto or thereto, or in connection herewith or therewith, shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof and the making of the Loans and other extensions of credit hereunder. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent, each Letter of Credit Issuer and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any Letter of Credit Issuer or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or Event of Default at the time of any Loan or L/C Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect until Payment in Full. The provisions of Section  6.03 shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit (other than any Letter of Credit that has been Cash Collateralized) and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

 

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SECTION 6.05. Counterparts; Effectiveness; Successors and Assigns . 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 shall become effective as to any Loan Party when a counterpart hereof executed on behalf of such Loan Party shall have been delivered to the Administrative Agent and a counterpart hereof shall have been executed on behalf of the Administrative Agent, and thereafter shall be binding upon such Loan Party and the Administrative Agent and their respective successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of such Loan Party, the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties and their respective successors and assigns, except that no Loan Party may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder or any interest herein or in the Collateral (and any attempted assignment or transfer by any Loan Party shall be null and void), except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or the Credit Agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic imaging shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

SECTION 6.06. Severability . If any provision of this Agreement is prohibited, illegal, invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, (a) such provision shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions..

SECTION 6.07. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process . (a) THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(b) Each party hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (i) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the exclusive general jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York in New York County, the courts of the United States for the Southern District of New York, and appellate courts from any thereof; (ii) consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same; (iii) agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to its address set forth in Section 12.2 of the Credit Agreement or at such other address of which the Administrative Agent shall have been notified pursuant thereto; and (iv) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the right of the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party to sue or bring an enforcement action relating to this Agreement, including any such action or proceeding in connection with the exercise of remedies with respect to the Collateral, in any other jurisdiction.

 

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SECTION 6.08. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN (IN EACH CASE, 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 AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 6.08.

SECTION 6.09. 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 6.10. Security Interest Absolute . All rights of the Administrative Agent hereunder, the grant of the security interest in the Collateral and all obligations of each Loan Party hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional irrespective of (a) any lack of validity or enforceability of the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document, any agreement with respect to any of the Obligations or any other agreement or instrument relating to any of the foregoing, (b) any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any of the Obligations, or any other amendment to or waiver of, or any consent to any departure from, the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document, any agreement with respect to any of the Obligations or any other agreement or instrument relating to any of the foregoing, (c) any exchange, release or non-perfection of any Lien on other collateral securing, or any release or amendment to or waiver of, or any consent to any departure from, any guarantee of, all or any of the Obligations or (d) any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Loan Party in respect of the Obligations or this Agreement.

SECTION 6.11. Termination or Release . (a) This Agreement, the Guarantee Obligations made herein and all security interests granted hereby shall, subject to Section  2.04 , terminate and be released (all without delivery of any instrument or performance of any act by any Person) upon Payment in Full.

(b) A Subsidiary Loan Party shall automatically be released from its Guarantee Obligations under the Loan Documents, and all security interests created by the Collateral Documents in Collateral with respect to such Subsidiary Loan Party shall be automatically released free and clear of the Liens created hereby (x) as required by the Administrative Agent to effect any sale, transfer or other disposition of Collateral in connection with any exercise of

 

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remedies of the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Agreement or (y) upon such Collateral becoming an ownership interest in any Excluded Subsidiary solely to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with the terms of, the Credit Agreement; provided that, if so required by the Credit Agreement, the Required Lenders shall have consented to such transaction and the terms of such consent shall not have provided otherwise. In the event of any such termination or release, Schedule II to this Agreement shall be deemed to be modified to remove the Collateral with respect to which the security interests granted hereby have been so released.

(c) In connection with any termination or release pursuant to this Section  6.11 , the Administrative Agent shall execute and deliver to any Loan Party, at such Loan Party’s expense, all documents that such Loan Party shall reasonably request to evidence such termination or release. Any execution and delivery of documents by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section  6.11 shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 6.12. Additional Subsidiaries . Pursuant to the Credit Agreement, certain Subsidiaries not party hereto on the Closing Date are required to enter in this Agreement. Upon the execution and delivery by the Administrative Agent and any such Subsidiary of a Supplement, such Subsidiary shall become a Subsidiary Loan Party, a Guarantor and a Grantor hereunder, with the same force and effect as if originally named as such herein. The execution and delivery of any Supplement shall not require the consent of any other Loan Party. The rights and obligations of each Loan Party hereunder shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new Subsidiary Loan Party as a party to this Agreement.

SECTION 6.13. Administrative Agent Appointed Attorney-in-Fact . Each Grantor hereby appoints the Administrative Agent the attorney-in-fact of such Grantor for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Agreement and taking any action and executing any instrument that the Administrative Agent may deem necessary to accomplish the purposes hereof, which appointment is irrevocable and coupled with an interest. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall have the right, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, with full power of substitution either in the Administrative Agent’s name or in the name of such Grantor (a) to receive, endorse, assign and/or deliver any and all notes, acceptances, checks, drafts, money orders or other evidences of payment relating to the Collateral or any part thereof; (b) to demand, collect, receive payment of, give receipt for and give discharges and releases of all or any of the Collateral; (c) to commence and prosecute any and all suits, actions or proceedings at law or in equity in any court of competent jurisdiction to collect or otherwise realize on all or any of the Collateral or to enforce any rights in respect of any Collateral; (d) to settle, compromise, compound, adjust or defend any actions, suits or proceedings relating to all or any of the Collateral; and (e) to use, sell, assign, transfer, pledge, make any agreement with respect to or otherwise deal with all or any of the Collateral, and to do all other acts and things necessary to carry out the purposes of this Agreement, as fully and completely as though the Administrative Agent were the absolute owner of the Collateral for all purposes; provided that nothing herein contained shall be construed as requiring or obligating the Administrative Agent to make any commitment or to make any inquiry as to the nature or sufficiency of any payment received by the Administrative Agent, or to present or file any claim or notice, or to take any action with respect to the Collateral or any part thereof or the moneys due or to become due in respect thereof or any property covered

 

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thereby. The Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties shall be accountable only for amounts actually received as a result of the exercise of the powers granted to them herein, and neither they nor their related parties shall be responsible to any Grantor for any act or failure to act hereunder, except for their own gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable judgment).

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

AMERICOLD REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.
  by  

 

    Name: Marc J. Smernoff
    Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

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AMERICOLD ACQUISITION, LLC

AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC

AMERICOLD NEBRASKA LEASING LLC

AMERICOLD PROPCO PHOENIX VAN BUREN LLC

AMERICOLD REAL ESTATE, L.P.

AMERICOLD REALTY, INC.

AMERICOLD SAN ANTONIO PROPCO, LLC

AMERICOLD TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, LLC

ART AL HOLDING LLC

ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER GP LLC

ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER OPCO 2006-2 L.P.

ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER OPCO GP 2006-2 LLC

ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER PROPCO 2006-2 L.P.

ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER PROPCO GP 2006-2 LLC

ART FIRST MEZZANINE BORROWER, L.P.

ART ICECAP HOLDINGS LLC

ART MANAGER L.L.C.

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER GP LLC

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER, L.P.

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO 2006-1A L.P.

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO 2006-1B L.P.

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO 2006-1C L.P.

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO 2006-2 L.P.

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO GP 2006-1A LLC

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO GP 2006-1B LLC

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO GP 2006-1C LLC

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER OPCO GP 2006-2 LLC

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO 2006-1A L.P.

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO 2006-1B L.P.

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO 2006-1C L.P.

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO 2006-2 L.P.

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO GP 2006-1A LLC

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO GP 2006-1B LLC

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO GP 2006-1C LLC

ART MORTGAGE BORROWER PROPCO GP 2006-2 LLC

ART QUARRY TRS LLC

ART SECOND MEZZANINE BORROWER GP LLC

ART SECOND MEZZANINE BORROWER, L.P.

ATLAS COLD STORAGE LOGISTICS LLC

ATLAS LOGISTICS GROUP RETAIL SERVICES (ATLANTA) LLC

ATLAS LOGISTICS GROUP RETAIL SERVICES (DENVER) LLC

ATLAS LOGISTICS GROUP RETAIL SERVICES (PHOENIX) LLC

ATLAS LOGISTICS GROUP RETAIL SERVICES (ROANOKE) LLC

KC UNDERGROUND, L.L.C.

VCD PLEDGE HOLDINGS, LLC

VERSACOLD ATLAS LOGISTICS SERVICES USA LLC

VERSACOLD LOGISTICS, LLC

VERSACOLD MIDWEST LLC

VERSACOLD NORTHEAST LOGISTICS, LLC

VERSACOLD NORTHEAST, INC.

VERSACOLD TEXAS, L.P.

VERSACOLD USA, INC.

  by  

 

    Name: Marc J. Smernoff
    Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

 

26


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as

Administrative Agent

  by  

 

    Name:
    Title:

 

27


Schedule I to

the Guarantee and

Collateral Agreement

Subsidiary Loan Party Information

 

Name

 

Jurisdiction of Organization

 

Chief Executive Office


Schedule II to

the Guarantee and

Collateral Agreement

Pledged Equity Interests

Pledged Capital Stock

 

Grantor

  

Stock Issuer

  

Certificate Number

  

Number and Class

of Capital Stock

  

Percentage

of Capital Stock

Pledged LLC Interests

 

Grantor

  

Limited Liability

Company

  

Certificate Number

  

Number of

LLC Interests

  

Percentage

of LLC Interests

 

Pledged Partnership Interests

 

Grantor

  

Partnership

  

Certificate

Number

  

Type of

Partnership Interests

  

Percentage of Partnership
Interests


Exhibit I to the

Guarantee and

Collateral Agreement

SUPPLEMENT NO.          dated as of [•], 20[•] (this “ Supplement ”), to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement dated as of January 23, 2018, (the “ Collateral Agreement ”), among Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Borrower ”), each subsidiary of the Borrower listed on Schedule I thereto (each such subsidiary individually a “ Subsidiary Guarantor ” and, collectively, the “ Subsidiary Guarantors ”; the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Borrower are referred to collectively herein as the “ Grantors ”) and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., a national banking association, as administrative and collateral agent (in such capacity, the “ Administrative Agent ”).

A. Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of January 23, 2018, (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among the Borrower, the lenders from time to time party thereto and the Administrative Agent.

B. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Collateral Agreement and the Credit Agreement referred to therein, as applicable.

C. The Guarantors and Grantors have entered into the Collateral Agreement in order to induce the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers to make extensions of credit to the Borrower under the Credit Agreement. Section 6.12 of the Collateral Agreement provides that additional Subsidiaries may become Subsidiary Parties under the Collateral Agreement by execution and delivery of an instrument in the form of this Supplement. The undersigned Subsidiary (the “ New Subsidiary ”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Credit Agreement to become a Subsidiary Loan Party, a Loan Party, a Guarantor and a Grantor under the Collateral Agreement in order to induce the Lenders and the Letter of Credit Issuers to make additional extensions of credit under the Credit Agreement and as consideration for such extensions of credit previously made.

Accordingly, the Administrative Agent and the New Subsidiary agree as follows:

SECTION 1. In accordance with Section 6.12 of the Collateral Agreement, the New Subsidiary by its signature below becomes a Loan Party, a Subsidiary Loan Party, a Guarantor and a Grantor under the Collateral Agreement with the same force and effect as if originally named therein as such, and the New Subsidiary hereby (a) agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Collateral Agreement applicable to it in such capacities and (b) represents and warrants that the representations and warranties made by it in such capacities thereunder are true and correct on and as of the date hereof. In furtherance of the foregoing, the New Subsidiary, as security for the payment and performance in full of the Obligations (as defined in the Collateral Agreement), does hereby create and grant to the Administrative Agent, its successors and assigns, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, their successors and assigns, a security interest in and lien on all of the New Subsidiary’s right, title and interest in, to and under the Collateral (as


defined in the Collateral Agreement) of the New Subsidiary. Each reference to a “ Loan Party ,” “ Subsidiary Loan Party ,” “ Guarantor ” or “ Grantor ” in the Collateral Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Subsidiary. The Collateral Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 2. The New Subsidiary represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties that this Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law and hereby makes each of the representations and warranties applicable to a Grantor contained in the Collateral Agreement.

SECTION 3. This Supplement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Supplement shall become effective when a counterpart hereof executed on behalf of the New Subsidiary shall have been delivered to the Administrative Agent and a counterpart hereof shall have been executed on behalf of the Administrative Agent. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Supplement by facsimile or other electronic imaging shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Supplement.

SECTION 4. The New Subsidiary hereby represents and warrants that (a) Schedule I sets forth, as of the date hereof, the true and correct legal name of the New Subsidiary, its jurisdiction of organization and the location of its chief executive office and (b) Schedule II sets forth, as of the date hereof, a true and complete list of all the Pledged Equity Interests owned by the New Subsidiary and the percentage of the issued and outstanding units of each class of the Capital Stock of the issuer thereof represented by the Pledged Equity Interests owned by the New Subsidiary.

SECTION 5. Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Collateral Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 6. THIS SUPPLEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS SUPPLEMENT, AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF RELATING TO THIS SUPPLEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 7. Any provision of this Supplement 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

 

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SECTION 8. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 6.01 of the Collateral Agreement.

SECTION 9. The New Subsidiary agrees to reimburse the Administrative Agent for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel, incurred by it in connection with this Supplement, including the preparation, execution and delivery thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Subsidiary and the Administrative Agent have duly executed this Supplement to the Collateral Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW SUBSIDIARY]
  by  

 

    Name:
    Title:

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
  by  

 

    Name:
    Title:

 

3


Schedule I

to Supplement No.          to the

Guarantee and

Collateral Agreement

New Subsidiary Loan Party Information

 

Name

  

Jurisdiction of Organization

  

Chief Executive Office


Schedule II

to Supplement No.          to the

Guarantee and

Collateral Agreement

Pledged Equity Interests

Pledged Capital Stock

 

Grantor

  

Stock Issuer

  

Certificate

Number

  

Number and Class

of Capital Stock

  

Percentage

of Capital Stock

Pledged LLC Interests

 

Grantor

  

Limited Liability

Company

  

Certificate Number

  

Number of

LLC Interests

  

Percentage

of LLC Interests

Pledged Partnership Interests

 

Grantor

  

Partnership

  

Certificate

Number

  

Type of

Partnership Interests

  

Percentage of

Partnership Interests

Exhibit 10.3

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), is dated this 23rd day of January, 2018, by and between AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company with its principal place of business located in Atlanta, Georgia (the “ Company ”) and FRED BOEHLER (the “ Executive ”).

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, the Executive currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company;

WHEREAS, the Executive and the Company are currently parties to that certain Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated December 14, 2015 (the “ Prior Employment Agreement ”); and

WHEREAS, the Executive and the Company mutually desire to terminate and cancel the Prior Employment Agreement and, in connection therewith, to provide for the continued services and employment of the Executive by the Company on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises contained herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, each intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:

1.     Employment . On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company hereby agrees to continue to employ the Executive, and the Executive hereby agrees to continue such employment, for the Employment Term (as defined below). During the Employment Term, the Executive shall serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and shall report to the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”), performing the normal duties and responsibilities of such position with respect to the business of the Company and such other duties and responsibilities commensurate with such position as the Board may reasonably assign to the Executive from time to time.

2.     Performance . The Executive shall serve the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates faithfully and to the best of his ability and shall devote his full business time, energy, experience and talents to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, as applicable, and will not engage in any other employment activities for any direct or indirect remuneration without the prior written approval of the Board; provided , however , that it shall not be a violation of this Agreement for the Executive to manage his personal investments, to engage in or serve such civic, community, charitable, educational, industry, professional, or religious organizations as he may select, or, with the prior approval of the Board, to serve on the boards of directors of other companies, so long as such service does not create an actual or potential conflict of interest with, or impair the Executive’s ability to fulfill his duties hereunder or conflict with the Executive’s covenants under Section 6 of this Agreement, in each case as determined in the sole judgment of the Board. The Executive’s continued service on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses does not require additional approval of the Board.

 

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3.     Employment Term .

(a)    Subject to earlier termination pursuant to Section 7, the term of employment of the Executive hereunder shall begin on January 23, 2018 (the “ Commencement Date ”), and shall continue for an indefinite period of time, unless terminated earlier pursuant to Section 7 (the “ Employment Term ”).

4.     Principal Location . The Executive’s principal place of employment shall be the Company’s offices located in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area, subject to required travel.

5.     Compensation and Benefits .

(a)     Base Salary . During the Employment Term, the Company shall pay the Executive a base salary, payable in equal installments in accordance with Company payroll procedures, at an annual rate of Eight Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($850,000), pro-rated to reflect any partial year of employment. The Board or a committee thereof shall review Executive’s base salary on an annual basis and may increase Executive’s base salary from time to time, in which case such increased salary then shall become the Executive’s base salary for purposes of this Agreement.

(b)     Annual Bonus . The Executive shall be eligible to receive an annual performance-based cash bonus in respect of each calendar year that ends during the Employment Term, to the extent earned based on the achievement of performance objectives established by the Board or a committee thereof, after consultation with the Executive, no later than 30 days after commencement of the relevant bonus period, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s Short-Term Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time. The maximum annual performance-based cash bonus that the Executive may earn is one hundred seventy five percent (175%), and the target bonus is one hundred twenty five percent (125%), in each case, of the Executive’s annual base salary at the rate in effect at the end of the relevant calendar year, pro-rated to properly reflect any partial year of employment. If the applicable performances objectives, are not attained at least at the minimum level, no annual performance bonus shall be payable. The amount of such annual bonus awarded for a calendar year shall be determined by the Board or a committee thereof after the end of the calendar year to which such bonus relates and shall be paid to the Executive during the following calendar year when annual bonuses for the prior calendar year are paid to other senior executives of the Company generally. The amount of any such annual bonus shall be pro-rated to properly reflect any partial year of employment. Except as otherwise provided in Section 7(b), to be eligible for any such annual bonus under this Section 5(b), the Executive must be in active working status at the time the Company pays bonuses for the relevant year to other senior executives generally. For purposes of this Agreement, “active working status” means that the Executive is employed by the Company.

(c)     Long Term Incentive Plan.

(i)    The Executive shall be eligible to participate in the Americold Realty Trust 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “ Stock Plan ”) in such amounts and at such times as the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Americold Realty Trust (“ ART ”) shall determine in its sole discretion. Any such awards shall be governed by the Stock Plan and any Stock Plan award agreements between ART and the Executive.

 

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(ii)     Restricted Stock Unit Grant . In consideration of the Executive’s entering into this Agreement and as an inducement to remain with the Company, the Executive shall be granted promptly following the Commencement Date, under the Stock Plan, an award of seventy eight thousand one hundred twenty five (78,125) restricted stock units to be settled in shares of the common stock of ART (the “ Restricted Stock Units ”), subject to the approval of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of ART. Such award shall be governed by the Stock Plan and a restricted stock unit award agreement between the Executive and ART. Subject to terms of the Stock Plan and the award agreement for the Restricted Stock Units, the Restricted Stock Units shall vest in equal one-third (1/3) installments on the second, third and fourth anniversary of the date of grant of such award, subject to the Executive’s continuous employment with the Company from the date of grant of such award through such vesting dates, except as otherwise provided in Section 7(b).

(d)     Benefits . During the Employment Term, the Executive shall, subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plan documents in force from time to time and all applicable laws, be eligible to participate in all of the employee benefit, fringe and perquisite plans, practices, policies and arrangements the Company makes available from time to time to its executive employees generally.

(e)     Paid Time Off . The Executive shall be entitled to not less than twenty-nine (29) days of paid time off during each calendar year, pro-rated for any partial calendar year of employment, in accordance with the Company’s policies and practices with respect to its employees generally as in effect from time to time.

(f)     Business Expenses . The Executive shall be reimbursed by the Company for all reasonable and necessary business expenses actually incurred by him in performing his duties hereunder. All payments under this Section 5(f) will be made in accordance with policies established by the Company from time to time and subject to receipt by the Company of appropriate documentation.

(g)     Directors and Officers Liability Insurance . During the Employment Term, the Company shall maintain director and officer liability insurance covering the Executive on terms that are no less favorable than the coverage provided to other senior executives, officers or directors of the Company, as such coverage may be in effect from time to time.

6.     Covenants of the Executive . The Executive acknowledges that in the course of his employment with the Company he will become familiar with the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ and affiliates’ trade secrets and with other confidential and proprietary information concerning the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, and that his services are of special, unique and extraordinary value to the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates. Therefore, the Company and the Executive mutually agree that it is in the interest of both parties for the Executive to enter into the restrictive covenants set forth in this Section 6 to, among other things, protect the legitimate business interests of the Company and those of its subsidiaries and

 

3


affiliates, and that such restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 are reasonable in geographical and temporal scope and in all other respects given the nature of the Executive’s duties and the nature of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ and affiliates’ businesses and that such restrictions and covenants do not and will not unduly impair the Executive’s ability to earn a living after termination of his employment with the Company. The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that (i) the Company would not have entered into this Agreement but for the restrictive covenants of the Executive set forth in this Section 6, and (ii) such restrictive covenants have been made by the Executive in order to induce the Company to enter into this Agreement.

(a)     Definitions . For purposes of this Section 6:

Competing Business ” means any person or entity that engages in a business that is the same as or substantially similar to the business conducted by the Company.

Confidential Information ” means confidential information relating to the business of the Company and/or its affiliates that (i) has been made known to the Executive through his relationship with the Company or its affiliates, (ii) has value to the Company and/or its affiliates and (iii) is not generally known to competitors of the Company and/or its affiliates. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, methods of operation, business strategies, plans for acquisition or expansion, terms of transaction documents (including but not limited to purchase and sale agreements, operating agreements, lease agreements and employment agreements), financial information and projections, pricing and discount information, lists of and information regarding current or prospective customers, vendors, licensees and licensors, product development activities, marketing plans and strategies, non-public personnel information, and any other information of whatever kind that gives the Company and/or its affiliates an opportunity to obtain an advantage over competitors who do not possess such information, regardless of whether such information is marked “confidential.” Confidential Information includes trade secrets (as defined under applicable law) as well as information that does not rise to the level of a trade secret, and includes information that has been entrusted to the Company or any of its affiliates by a third party under an obligation of confidentiality. Confidential Information does not include any information that has been voluntarily disclosed to the public by the Company (except where such public disclosure has been made by the Executive without authorization) or that has been independently developed and disclosed by others, or that otherwise enters the public domain through lawful means.

Customer ” means a current or actively sought prospective customer of the Company during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment with the Company.

Restricted Period ” means the period in which the Executive is employed with the Company together with the one (1)-year period following termination of the Executive’s employment for any reason.

Services ” means services of the type conducted, authorized, offered or provided by the Executive to or on behalf of the Company during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment with the Company.

 

4


Territory ” means each geographic area in which the Company conducted business during the Executive’s employment with the Company; provided , that if the Executive’s duties and responsibilities during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment were limited to particular geographic areas, then the “Territory” shall be limited to such geographic areas.

(b)     Noncompetition . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, own, manage, operate, control, consult with, be employed by or otherwise provide Services to, or participate in the ownership, management, operation or control of, any Competing Business anywhere in the Territory. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive’s ownership solely as an investor of two percent (2%) or less of the outstanding securities of any class of any publicly-traded securities of any company shall not, by itself, be considered to be competition with the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.

(c)     Non-solicitation of Customers . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit or attempt to solicit any Customer for purposes of providing products or services that are competitive with the products and services provided by the Company or (ii) induce or attempt to induce any Customer to reduce or cease doing business with the Company, or otherwise interfere with the relationship between any Customer and the Company.

(d)     Non-solicitation of Employees . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit for employment or attempt to solicit for employment, directly or by assisting others, any person who was an employee or independent contractor of the Company on, or within six (6) months before, the date of such solicitation or attempted solicitation or (ii) induce or attempt to induce any employee or independent contractor of the Company to terminate such person’s employment or independent contractor relationship with the Company, or in any way interfere with the relationship between any such person and the Company.

(e)     Non-disclosure of Confidential Information .

(i)    The Executive acknowledges that all Confidential Information is the property of the Company or its applicable affiliates. The Executive further acknowledges that the Company and its affiliates intend, and make reasonable good faith efforts, to protect the Confidential Information from public disclosure. Therefore, the Executive agrees that, except as required by law or regulation or as legally compelled by court order ( provided that in such case, the Executive shall promptly notify the Company of such order, shall cooperate with the Company in attempting to obtain a protective order or to otherwise restrict such disclosure, and shall only disclose Confidential Information to the minimum extent necessary to comply with any such law regulation or order), during the Employment Term and at all times thereafter, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, divulge, transmit, publish, copy, distribute, furnish or otherwise disclose or make accessible any Confidential Information, or use any Confidential Information for the benefit of anyone other than the Company and its affiliates,.

 

5


(ii)    The Company does not wish to incorporate any unlicensed or unauthorized material into its products or services. Therefore, the Executive agrees that he will not disclose to the Company, use in the Company’s business, or cause the Company to use, any information or material which is a trade secret, or confidential or proprietary information, of any third party, including, but not limited to, any former employer, any competitor or any client, unless the Company has a right to receive and use such information or material. The Executive will not incorporate into his work any material or information which is subject to the copyrights of any third party unless the Company has a written agreement with such third party or otherwise has the right to receive and use such material or information.

(f)     Company Intellectual Property . The Executive agrees to promptly disclose to the Company any and all work product, inventions, artistic works, works of authorship, designs, methods, processes, technology, patterns, techniques, data, Confidential Information, patents, trade secrets, trademarks, domain names, copyrights, and the like, and all other intellectual property relating to the business of the Company and any of its affiliates which are created, authored, composed, invented, discovered, performed, perfected, or learned by the Executive (either solely or jointly with others) during the Employment Term (collectively, together with such intellectual property as may be owned or acquired by the Company, the “ Company Intellectual Property ”). The Company Intellectual Property shall be the sole and absolute property of the Company and its affiliates. All work performed by the Executive in authoring, composing, inventing, creating, developing or modifying Company Intellectual Property and/or other work product to which copyright protection may attach during the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company shall be considered “works made for hire” to the extent permitted under applicable copyright law and will be considered the sole property of the Company. To the extent such works, work product or Company Intellectual Property are not considered “works made for hire,” all right, title, and interest to such works, work product and Company Intellectual Property, including, but not limited to, all copyrights, patents, trademarks, rights of publicity, and trade secrets, is hereby assigned to the Company and the Executive agrees, at the Company’s expense, to execute any documents requested by the Company or any of its affiliates at any time in relation to such assignment. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Company is and will be the sole and absolute owner of all trademarks, service marks, domain names, patents, copyrights, trade dress, trade secrets, business names, rights of publicity, inventions, proprietary know-how and information of any type, whether or not in writing, and all other intellectual property used by the Company or held for use in the business of the Company, including all Company Intellectual Property. The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that any and all derivative works, developments, or improvements based on intellectual property, materials and assets subject to this Section 6 created during the Employment Term (including, without limitation, Company Intellectual Property) shall be exclusively owned by the Company. The Executive will cooperate with the Company and any of its affiliates, at no additional cost to such parties (whether during or after the Employment Term), in the confirmation, registration, protection and enforcement of the rights and property of the Company and its affiliates in such intellectual property, materials and assets, including, without limitation, the Company Intellectual Property.

 

6


(g)     Company Property . All Confidential Information, Company Intellectual Property, files, records, correspondence, memoranda, notes or other documents (including, without limitation, those in computer-readable form) or property relating or belonging to the Company and affiliates, whether prepared by the Executive or otherwise coming into his possession or control in the course of the performance of his services under this Agreement, shall be the exclusive property of the Company and shall be delivered to the Company, and not retained by the Executive (including, without limitation, any copies thereof), promptly upon request by the Company and, in any event, promptly upon termination of the Employment Term. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that he has no expectation of privacy with respect to the Company’s telecommunications, networking or information processing systems (including, without limitation, stored computer files, email messages and voice messages), and that the Executive’s activity and any files or messages on or using any of those systems may be monitored at any time without notice.

(h)     Enforcement . The Executive acknowledges that a breach of his covenants and agreements contained in this Section 6 would cause irreparable damage to the Company and its affiliates, the exact amount of which would be difficult to ascertain, and that the remedies at law for any such breach or threatened breach would be inadequate. Accordingly, the Executive agrees that if he materially breaches any of the covenants or agreements contained in this Section 6, in addition to any other remedy which may be available at law or in equity, the Company and affiliates shall be entitled to: (i) cease or withhold payment to the Executive of any severance payments described in Section 7, for which he otherwise qualifies under such Section 7, and the Executive shall promptly repay to the Company 90% of any such severance payments he previously received (with the remaining 10% serving as consideration for the Executive’s release of claims described in Section 7(d), (ii) institute and prosecute proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction for specific performance and injunctive and other equitable relief without bond or other security or a showing of irreparable harm or lack of an adequate remedy at law, and (iii) an equitable accounting by any court of competent jurisdiction of all profits or benefits arising out of such violation. Additionally, upon a material breach by the Executive of this Section 6, the unvested Restricted Stock Units (and any other unvested stock-based awards held by the Executive) shall be automatically canceled and forfeited without any further action.

(i)     Scope of Covenants . The Company and the Executive further acknowledge that the time, scope, geographic area and other provisions of this Section 6 have been specifically negotiated by sophisticated commercial parties and agree that they consider the restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 to be reasonable and necessary for the protection of the interests of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, but if any such restriction or covenant shall be held by any court of competent jurisdiction to be void but would be valid if deleted in part or reduced in application, such restriction or covenant shall apply in such jurisdiction with such deletion or modification as may be necessary to make it valid and enforceable. The restrictions and covenants contained in each paragraph of this Section 6 shall be construed as separate and individual restrictions and covenants and shall each be capable of being reduced in application or severed without prejudice to the other restrictions and covenants or to the remaining provisions of this Agreement.

(j)     Enforceability . If any court holds any of the restrictions or covenants contained in this Section 6 to be unenforceable by reason of their breadth or scope or otherwise, it is the intention of the parties hereto that such determination not bar or in any way affect the right of the Company and its affiliates to the relief provided in this Section 6 in the courts of any other jurisdiction within the geographic scope of such restrictions and covenants.

 

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(k)     Disclosure of Restrictive Covenants . The Executive agrees to disclose in advance the existence and terms of the restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 to any employer or other service recipient by whom the Executive may be employed or retained during the Restricted Period.

(l)     Extension of Restricted Period . If the Executive breaches any non-competition or non-solicitation covenant set forth in this Section 6 in any respect, the Restricted Period will be extended for a period equal to the period that the Executive was in breach of such covenant, up to a maximum period of one (1) year.

7.     Termination .

(a)     Termination of Employment . The employment of the Executive hereunder and the Employment Term may be terminated at any time:

(i)    by the Company with or without Cause (as defined herein) upon written notice to the Executive;

(ii)    by the Company due to the Executive’s Disability (as hereinafter defined) upon written notice to the Executive;

 

 

(iii)

by the Executive with Good Reason (as defined herein);

(iv)    by the Executive without Good Reason upon thirty (30) days written notice to the Company (which notice period may be waived by the Company in its absolute discretion, in which case, such termination shall be effective immediately upon the Company’s receipt of notice thereof from the Executive); or

 

 

(v)

without action by the Company, the Executive or any other person or entity, immediately upon the Executive’s death.

If the Executive’s employment is terminated for any reason under this Section 7, the Company shall be obligated to pay or provide to the Executive (or his estate, as applicable) in a lump sum within thirty (30) days following such termination, or at such other time prescribed by any applicable plan or applicable laws: (A) any base salary payable to the Executive pursuant to this Agreement, accrued up to and including the date on which the Executive’s employment is terminated, less required statutory deductions; (B) accrued and unpaid time off (if and as required by applicable law or the Company’s policies then in effect); (C) any employee benefits to which the Executive is entitled upon termination of his employment with the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans of the Company, as in place from time to time; and (D) reimbursement for any unreimbursed business expenses incurred by the Executive prior to his date of termination pursuant to Section 5(f) ((A)-(D) collectively, the “ Accrued Amounts ”).

 

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(b)     Termination by the Company without Cause or by the Executive for Good Reason . If the Executive’s employment is terminated (A) by the Company without Cause or (B) by the Executive for Good Reason (in either case, other than a termination due to the Executive’s death or Disability), in addition to the Accrued Amounts, the Executive shall be entitled to receive as severance (subject to Section 7(d)) the amounts set forth in this Section 7(b), provided the Executive executes and does not revoke the Release as required by Section 7(d).

(i)    The Executive shall be entitled to an amount equal to the product of (A) two times (B) the sum of (a) the Executive’s annual base salary (as described in Section 5(a)) as in effect immediately prior to the date of the Executive’s termination of employment, plus (b) the Executive’s target annual bonus (as described in Section 5(b)) as in effect immediately prior to the Executive’s termination of employment (the “ Separation Pay ”), for a period equal to twenty-four (24) months (the “ Severance Period ”), payable starting on the sixtieth (60 th ) day following the date of such termination (but with the first payment being a lump sum payment covering all payment periods from the date of termination through the date of such first payment), in substantially equal installments in accordance with the Company’s payroll practices during the Severance Period following the date of such termination, subject to reduction pursuant to the last paragraph of this Section 7(b) and/or Section 6(h);

(ii)    To the extent performance objectives applicable to the Executive’s annual bonus in the year of termination (including any objectives applicable to the Company’s targeted budget) are earned as of the end of the relevant bonus period, the Executive shall be entitled to the annual bonus earned for the calendar year of such termination pursuant to Section 5(b) of this Agreement, pro-rated based on the number of days the Executive was actively employed by the Company during such bonus period, payable at the time such annual bonus would otherwise be paid in accordance with Section 5(b) of this Agreement;

(iii)    Continued full participation in the Company’s health and welfare benefit programs (including full reimbursement for all health, dental and vision expenses, but excluding participation in the Company’s short- or long-term disability plans) for a period of eighteen (18) months following his termination date (for the avoidance of doubt, this continuation period shall run concurrently with any required COBRA continuation coverage); and

(iv)    Subject to Section 7(b)(v), if any Restricted Stock Units referenced in Section 5(c)(ii) remain unvested at the time of such termination, the next installment of the Restricted Stock Units that would have vested on the next scheduled vesting date shall vest as of the date of termination and the balance of any unvested Restricted Stock Units shall be forfeited. Also, if any awards issued to the Executive under the Stock Plan as to which vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more performance conditions remain unvested at the time of such termination, a prorated portion of the performance-vesting awards shall remain outstanding and eligible to vest based on actual performance through the last day of the applicable performance period, based on the number of days during the applicable performance period that the Executive was employed. Any performance-vesting awards that are earned based on actual performance will vest and settle as provided in the applicable award agreement.

 

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(v)    If such termination of the Executive’s employment by the Company without Cause or by the Executive for Good Reason occurs within the twelve (12) month period following a Change in Control (as such term is defined in the Stock Plan), (A) any Restricted Stock Units referenced in Section 5(c)(ii) which are not vested at the time of such termination shall immediately become vested and (B) any other awards granted to the Executive pursuant to the Stock Plan as to which vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more performance conditions and which are not vested at the time of termination shall immediately become vested based on actual performance through the termination date.

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the payment of the Separation Pay shall be contingent on the Executive acknowledging and certifying by accepting such payments that the Executive has not accepted or obtained any full-time or substantial part-time employment or significant consulting services as of the payment dates. If the Executive accepts full-time or substantial part-time employment or provides significant consulting services at any time during the Severance Period, the Executive shall provide the Company with prompt written notice thereafter and the Executive agrees that the payment of the Separation Pay (or the remaining unpaid balance thereof, as applicable) shall be offset by the total compensation the Executive receives (or is entitled to receive) from such full-time or substantial part-time employment or significant consulting services during the Severance Period. The Executive shall provide such documentation as the Company may reasonably request for purposes of calculating the offset amount.

(c)     Definitions of Certain Terms . For purposes of this Agreement:

(i)    “ Cause ” means the Executive’s (A) commission of an act that constitutes common law fraud or a felony, commission of any other crime involving moral turpitude, or commission of any other tortious or unlawful act causing, or which may likely cause, material harm to the business, standing or reputation of the Company without the good faith belief that such conduct was in the best interests of the Company; (B) material breach of this Agreement, after the Company has given the Executive thirty (30) days written notice and an opportunity to cure such breach to the extent curable; (C) willful failure or refusal to perform the Executive’s material duties or obligations under this Agreement, including, without limitation, failure or refusal to abide by the directions of the Board or any written policy adopted by the Board, in each case after the Company has given the Executive thirty (30) days written notice and an opportunity to cure such failure or refusal to the extent curable; (D) willful misconduct or gross negligence in the performance of the Executive’s duties as an employee, officer or director of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates; or and (E) material misappropriation or embezzlement of any property of the Company.

(ii)    “ Disability ” means a condition entitling the Executive to benefits under the Company’s long term disability plan, policy or arrangement in which the Executive participates; provided , however , that if no such plan, policy or arrangement is then

 

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maintained by the Company and applicable to the Executive, “Disability” shall mean the Executive’s inability to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, his duties under this Agreement due to a mental or physical condition that can be expected to result in death or that can be expected to last (or has already lasted) for a continuous period of 90 days or more, or for an aggregate of 180 days in any 365 consecutive day period, as determined by the Board in its good faith discretion.

(iii)    “ Good Reason ” means the occurrence, without the Executive’s consent, of any of the following events, other than in connection with a termination of the Executive’s employment for Cause or due to death or Disability: (A) a material reduction in the Executive’s rate of base salary stated in Section 5(a) and/or the amount of the Executive’s annual bonus opportunity described in Section 5(b); (B) an action by the Company resulting in a material diminution in the Executive’s titles, authority, duties, responsibilities or direct reports, (C) the Company’s relocation of the Executive’s principal place of employment to a location outside of the fifty (50)-mile radius of Atlanta, Georgia; or (D) a material breach by the Company of this Agreement; provided , however , that none of the events described in this sentence shall constitute Good Reason unless and until (V) the Executive reasonably determines in good faith that a Good Reason condition has occurred, (W) the Executive first notifies the Company in writing describing in reasonable detail the condition which constitutes Good Reason within sixty (60 days) of its initial occurrence, (X) the Company fails to cure such condition within thirty (30) days after the Company’s receipt of such written notice, (Y) notwithstanding such efforts, the Good Reason condition continues to exist, and (Z) the Executive terminates his employment within sixty (60) days after the end of such thirty (30)-day cure period. If the Company cures the Good Reason condition during such cure period, Good Reason shall be deemed not be have occurred.

(d)     Release of Claims . As a condition of receiving any severance for which he otherwise qualifies under Section 7(b), the Executive agrees to execute, deliver and not revoke, within sixty (60) days following the date of the Executive’s termination of employment, a separation agreement containing a general release of claims against the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective affiliates and their respective employees, officers, directors, owners and members, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “ Release ”), such Release to be delivered, and to have become fully irrevocable, on or before the end of such sixty (60)-day period. If the Release has not been executed and delivered and become irrevocable on or before the end of such sixty (60)-day period, no amounts or benefits under Section 7(b) shall be or become payable.

(e)     No Additional Rights . The Executive acknowledges and agrees that, except as specifically described in this Section 7, all of the Executive’s rights to any compensation, benefits, bonuses or severance from the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates after termination of the Employment Term shall cease upon such termination.

 

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8.     Notices . All notices, requests, demands, claims, consents and other communications which are required, permitted or otherwise delivered hereunder shall in every case be in writing and shall be deemed properly served if: (a) delivered personally, (b) sent by registered or certified mail, in all such cases with first class postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or (c) delivered by a recognized overnight courier service, to the parties at the addresses as set forth below:

 

If to the Company:

  

Americold Logistics, LLC

  

10 Glenlake Parkway

  

South Tower, Suite 600

  

Attention: General Counsel

  

Atlanta, Georgia 30328

With copies to:

  

King & Spalding LLP

  

1180 Peachtree Street

  

Attention: C. Spencer Johnson, III

If to the Executive:

  

At the Executive’s residence address

  

as maintained by the Company in the

  

regular course of its business for

  

payroll purposes.

or to such other address as shall be furnished in writing by either party to the other party; provided that such notice or change in address shall be effective only when actually received by the other party. Date of service of any such notices or other communications shall be: (a) the date such notice is personally delivered, (b) three days after the date of mailing if sent by certified or registered mail, or (c) one business day after date of delivery to the overnight courier if sent by overnight courier.

9.     Arbitration . Except as otherwise provided in Section 6(h) in connection with equitable remedies, any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including, without limitation, any dispute, claim or controversy concerning the validity, enforceability, breach or termination hereof, if not resolved by the parties, shall be finally settled by arbitration in accordance with the then-prevailing Employment Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association, as modified herein (“ Rules ”). There shall be one arbitrator who shall be jointly selected by the parties. If the parties have not jointly agreed upon an arbitrator within twenty (20) calendar days of respondent’s receipt of claimant’s notice of intention to arbitrate, either party may request the American Arbitration Association to furnish the parties with a list of names from which the parties shall jointly select an arbitrator. If the parties have not agreed upon an arbitrator within ten (10) calendar days of the transmittal date of such list, then each party shall have an additional five (5) calendar days in which to strike any names objected to, number the remaining names in order of preference, and return the list to the American Arbitration Association, which shall then select an arbitrator in accordance with Rule 13 of the Rules. The place of arbitration shall be Atlanta, Georgia or such other location as mutually agreed in writing by the parties. By agreeing to arbitration, the parties hereto do not intend to deprive any court of its jurisdiction to issue a pre-arbitral injunction or with respect to other proceedings described in Section 6(h) (or delay any such proceedings), pre-arbitral attachment or other order in aid of arbitration. The arbitration shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16. Judgment upon the award of the arbitrator may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. Each party shall bear its or his own costs and expenses in any such arbitration and one-half of the arbitrator’s fees and expenses.

 

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10.     Waiver of Jury Trial . THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION, OR CAUSE OF ACTION (I)  ARISING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR (II)  IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO IN RESPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED HERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, EQUITY, OR OTHERWISE. THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION, OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

11.     Section 409A .

(a)    The intent of the parties is that payments and benefits under this Agreement comply with, or be exempt from, Section 409A of the Code and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder (collectively “ Code Section  409A ”) and the Company shall have complete discretion to interpret and construe this Agreement and any associated documents in any manner that establishes an exemption from (or compliance with) the requirements of Code Section 409A. If, for any reason, such as imprecision in drafting any provision of this Agreement (or of any award of compensation, including, without limitation, equity compensation or benefits) does not accurately reflect its intended establishment of an exemption from (or compliance with) Code Section 409A, as demonstrated by consistent interpretations or other evidence of intent, such provision shall be considered ambiguous as to its exemption from (or compliance with) Code Section 409A and shall be interpreted by the Company in a manner consistent with such intent, as determined in the discretion of the Company.

(b)    A termination of employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits that are considered nonqualified deferred compensation under Code Section 409A upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service” within the meaning of Code Section 409A, and, for purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms shall mean such a “separation from service.” The determination of whether and when a separation from service has occurred for proposes of this Agreement shall be made in accordance with the presumptions set forth in Section 1.409A-1(h) of the Treasury Regulations.

(c)    Any provision of this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if at the time of the Executive’s separation from service, the Company determines that the Executive is a “specified employee,” within the meaning of Code Section 409A, then to the extent any payment or benefit that the Executive becomes entitled to under this Agreement on account of such separation from service would be considered nonqualified deferred compensation under Code Section 409A such payment or benefit shall be paid or provided at the date which is the earlier of (i) six (6) months and one day after such separation from service and (ii) the date of the

 

13


Executive’s death (the “ Delay Period ”). Upon the expiration of the Delay Period, all payments and benefits delayed pursuant to this Section 11(c) (whether they would have otherwise been payable in a single sum or in installments in the absence of such delay) shall be paid or provided to the Executive in a lump-sum, and any remaining payments and benefits due under this Agreement shall be paid or provided in accordance with the normal payment dates specified for them herein.

(d)    Any reimbursements and in-kind benefits provided under this Agreement that constitute deferred compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A shall be made or provided in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 409A, including, without limitation, that (i) in no event shall any fees, expenses or other amounts eligible to be reimbursed by the Company under this Agreement be paid later than the last day of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which the applicable fees, expenses or other amounts were incurred; (ii) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits that the Company is obligated to pay or provide, in any given calendar year shall not affect the expenses that the Company is obligated to reimburse, or the in-kind benefits that the Company is obligated to pay or provide, in any other calendar year; (iii) the Executive’s right to have the Company pay or provide such reimbursements and in-kind benefits may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other benefit; and (iv) in no event shall the Company’s obligations to make such reimbursements or to provide such in-kind benefits apply later than the Executive’s remaining lifetime (or if longer, through the sixth (6th) anniversary of the Commencement Date).

(e)    For purposes of Code Section 409A, the Executive’s right to receive any installment payments shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate and distinct payments. Whenever a payment under this Agreement specifies a payment period with reference to a number of days (for example, payment shall be made “within thirty (30) days following such termination”), the actual date of payment within the specified period shall be within the sole discretion of the Company. In no event may the Executive, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year of any payment to be made under this Agreement, to the extent such payment is subject to Code Section 409A.

(f)    The Company makes no representation or warranty and shall have no liability to the Executive or any other person if any provisions of this Agreement are determined to constitute deferred compensation subject to Code Section 409A but do not satisfy an exemption from, or the conditions of, Code Section 409A.

12.     General .

(a)     Governing Law . Unless preempted by federal law, this Agreement and the legal relations thus created between the parties hereto shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Georgia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Georgia or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the law of any jurisdiction other than the State of Georgia. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Agreement was executed and delivered in the State of Georgia.

 

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(b)     Construction and Severability . Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be prohibited by, or invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under, any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such prohibition, invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement or any other jurisdiction, and the parties undertake to implement all efforts which are necessary, desirable and sufficient to amend, supplement or substitute all and any such prohibited, invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with enforceable and valid provisions in such jurisdiction which would produce as nearly as may be possible the result previously intended by the parties without renegotiation of any material terms and conditions stipulated herein.

(c)     Cooperation . During the Employment Period and thereafter, the Executive shall cooperate with the Company and be reasonably available to the Company with respect to continuing and/or future matters related to the Executive’s employment period with the Company and/or its subsidiaries or affiliates, whether such matters are business-related, legal, regulatory or otherwise (including, without limitation, the Executive appearing at the Company’s request to give testimony without requiring service of a subpoena or other legal process, volunteering to the Company all pertinent information and turning over to the Company all relevant documents which are or may come into the Executive’s possession). Following the Employment Term, the Company shall reimburse the Executive for all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the Executive in rendering such services that are approved by the Company. In addition, if more than an incidental cooperation is required at any time after the termination of the Executive’s employment, the Executive shall be paid (other than for the time of actual testimony) a per day fee based on his base salary described in Section 5(a) at the time of such termination divided by 225.

(d)     Nondisparagement . During the Employment Term and thereafter, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, take any action, or encourage others to take any action, to disparage the Company, its employees, officers, directors, products, services, customers or owners; provided, however, this provision does not apply to the Executive’s oral or written communications made in the performance of his duties as provided in this Agreement, including but not limited to expressions of opinion communicated internally at the Company or to the Company’s directors.

(e)     Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Company and its successors and assigns and the Executive and the Executive’s heirs, executors, administrators, and successors; provided that the services provided by the Executive under this Agreement are of a personal nature, and rights and obligations of the Executive under this Agreement shall not be assignable or delegable, except for any death payments otherwise due the Executive, which shall be payable to the estate of the Executive; provided further the Company may assign this Agreement to, and all rights hereunder shall inure to the benefit of, any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company or any person, firm or corporation resulting from the reorganization of the Company or succeeding to the business or assets of the Company by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise; and provided further that in the event of the Executive’s death, any unpaid amount due to the Executive under this Agreement shall be paid to his estate.

 

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(f)     Executive’s Representations . The Executive hereby represents and warrants to the Company that: (i) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Executive do not and shall not conflict with, breach, violate or cause a default under any contract, agreement, instrument, order, judgment or decree to which the Executive is a party or by which the Executive is bound; (ii) the Executive is not a party to or bound by any employment agreement, noncompetition or nonsolicitation agreement or confidentiality agreement with any other person or entity besides the Company and (iii) upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, this Agreement shall be the valid and binding obligation of the Executive, enforceable in accordance with its teens. THE EXECUTIVE HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES AND REPRESENTS THAT THE EXECUTIVE HAS CONSULTED WITH INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING THE EXECUTIVE’S RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, TO THE EXTENT DETERMINED NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE BY THE EXECUTIVE, AND THAT THE EXECUTIVE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CONTAINED HEREIN.

(g)     Compliance with Rules and Policies . The Executive shall perform all services in accordance with the policies, procedures and rules established by the Company and the Board. In addition, the Executive shall comply with all laws, rules and regulations that are generally applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates and their respective employees, directors and officers.

(h)     Withholding Taxes . All amounts payable hereunder shall be subject to the withholding of all applicable taxes and deductions required by any applicable law.

(i)     Entire Agreement . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and terminates and supersedes any and all prior agreements, understandings and representations, whether written or oral, by or between the parties hereto or their affiliates which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way, including, without limitation, the Prior Agreement and any other existing employment agreement or change of control agreement, which is hereby terminated and cancelled and of no further force or effect, without the payment of any additional consideration by or to either of the parties hereto.

(j)     Duration . Notwithstanding the Employment Term hereunder, this Agreement shall continue for so long as any obligations remain under this Agreement.

(k)     Survival . The covenants set forth in Sections 6 and 12(c) of this Agreement shall survive and shall continue to be binding upon the Executive notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement for any reason whatsoever.

(l)     Amendment and Waiver . The provisions of this Agreement may be amended or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and the Executive, and no course of conduct or course of dealing or failure or delay by any party hereto in enforcing or exercising any of the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, the Company’s right to terminate the Employment Term for Cause) shall affect the validity, binding effect or enforceability of this Agreement or be deemed to be an implied waiver of any similar or

 

16


dissimilar requirement, provision or condition of this Agreement at the same or any prior or subsequent time. Pursuit by either party of any available remedy, either in law or equity, or any action of any kind, does not constitute waiver of any other remedy or action. Such remedies and actions are cumulative and not exclusive.

(m)     Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute one instrument.

(n)     Section References . Section headings in this Agreement are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Agreement for any other purpose. The words Section and paragraph herein shall refer to provisions of this Agreement unless expressly indicated otherwise.

(o)     No Strict Construction . The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring either party hereto by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement. When the context admits or requires, words used in the masculine gender shall be construed to include the feminine, the plural shall include the singular, and the singular shall include the plural.

(p)     Time of the Essence; Computation of Time . Time is of the essence for each and every provision of this Agreement. Whenever the last day for the exercise of any privilege or the discharge or any duty hereunder shall fall upon a Saturday, Sunday, or any date on which banks in New York, New York are authorized to be closed, the party having such privilege or duty may exercise such privilege or discharge such duty on the next succeeding day which is a regular business day.

(q)     No Third Party Beneficiaries . Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended or shall be construed to give any person other than the parties to this Agreement and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors or permitted assigns any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of any agreement or any provision contained herein.

(r)     Protected Rights . Nothing contained in this Agreement limits the Executive’s ability to file a charge or complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other federal, state or local governmental agency or commission (collectively, “ Government Agencies ”), or prevents the Executive from providing truthful testimony in response to a lawfully issued subpoena or court order. Further, this Agreement does not limit the Executive’s ability to communicate with any Government Agencies or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including providing documents or other information, without notice to the Company.

(s)     Defend Trade Secrets Act . The Executive is hereby notified that under the Defend Trade Secrets Act: (i) no individual shall be held criminally or civilly liable under federal or state trade secret law for disclosure of a trade secret (as defined in the Economic Espionage Act) that is: (A) made in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either

 

17


directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and made solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law or (B) made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal so that it is not made public; and (ii) an individual who pursues a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of the law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of the individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal, and does not disclose the trade secret, except as permitted by court order.

(t)     Legal Fees . The Company shall promptly (and in any event prior to March 15, 2018) pay or reimburse the Executive’s reasonable legal fees and costs associated with entering into this Agreement upon the Company’s receipt of appropriate and reasonable documentation thereof, not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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[Signature Page to Employment Agreement]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, have hereunto executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above.

 

   

AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC

Date: January 23, 2018

   

By:

 

/s/ Andrea Darweesh

   

Name:

 

Andrea Darweesh

   

Title:

 

Chief Human Resources Officer

   

FRED BOEHLER

Date: : January 23, 2018

   

/s/ Fred Boehler

 

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Exhibit A: Form of Release

WAIVER AND RELEASE

This Waiver and Release (this “ Release ”) is executed by Fred Boehler (the “ Executive ”) pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Employment Agreement, dated as of [●], by and between [AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC] and the Executive (the “ Employment Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Release have the meanings given to them in the Employment Agreement.

1.     General Release . In consideration of the payments and benefits to be provided to the Executive pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Employment Agreement, the Executive, on behalf of himself and anyone claiming through him, hereby fully and completely releases, acquits and forever discharges the Company, its affiliates and related entities, and each of their respective current and former employees, officers, directors, shareholders, partners, members, managers, agents, employee benefit plans and fiduciaries, insurers, trustees, attorneys, joint venture partners, transferees, successors and assigns (each a “ Released Party ” and collectively, the “ Released Parties ”), collectively, separately, and severally, of and from any and all claims, demands, damages, causes of action, debts, liabilities, controversies, judgments, and suits of every kind and nature whatsoever, foreseen, unforeseen, known or unknown, that arise out of or relate to the Executive’s employment or termination of employment with the Company and that the Executive has had, now has, or may have against the Released Parties (or any of them) at any time up to and including the date the Executive signs this Release, with the exception of the claims set forth in Section  2 below (the claims released in this Release are collectively referred to as the “ Released Claims ”). The Released Claims include all claims arising under any federal, state or local statute or ordinance, constitutional provision, public policy or common law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (the “ ADEA ”), the Equal Pay Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Civil Rights Act of 1871, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (with respect to unvested benefits), COBRA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Georgia Equal Pay Act, the Georgia Prohibition of Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Georgia Equal Employment for People with Disabilities Code, all as amended; all claims arising under discrimination laws, whistleblower laws and laws relating to violation of public policy, retaliation, or interference with legal rights; all claims for compensation of any type whatsoever, including claims for wages, bonuses, commissions, equity, vacation, sick leave, PTO and severance; all claims arising under tort, contract and/or quasi-contract law, including all claims arising under the Employment Agreement; and all claims for monetary or equitable relief, including attorneys’ fees, back pay, front pay, reinstatement, experts’ fees, medical expenses, costs and disbursements. The Executive hereby waives any right to seek or recover any individual relief (including any money damages, reinstatement, or other relief) in connection with any of the Released Claims through any charge, complaint, lawsuit, or other proceeding, whether commenced or maintained by the Executive or by any other person or entity, with the exception of any right to seek an award pursuant to Section 21F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

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2.     Excluded Claims . The Released Claims do not include (a) any claims for vested benefits to which the Executive is entitled upon the termination of his employment in accordance with the terms of the applicable benefit plans (for the avoidance of doubt, no term or provision under the Employment Agreement shall be deemed a benefit plan for purposes of this Release); (b) any claims related to acts, omissions or events occurring after the date this Release is signed by the Executive; (c) any right that the Executive may have to indemnification or insurance coverage under the Company’s organizational documents or any directors and officers insurance policy; (d) any claims that cannot legally be waived by private agreement.

3.     Covenant Not to Sue . Except for an action to challenge the validity of the Executive’s release of claims under the ADEA, or as otherwise provided in Section  5 below, the Executive promises that he will not file, instigate or participate in any proceeding against any of the Released Parties relating to any of the Released Claims. In the event the Executive breaches the covenant contained in this Section  3 , the Executive agrees to indemnify the Released Parties for all damages and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by any Released Parties in defending, participating in or investigating any matter or proceeding covered by this Section  3 .

4.     Representations . The Executive represents and warrants that (a) the Executive has been properly paid for all hours worked and has received all wages, bonuses, vacation pay, expense reimbursements and any other sums due from the Company (with the exception of the payments and benefits to be provided pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Employment Agreement); (b) the Executive has returned all Company property in his possession or control and has permanently deleted any Confidential Information stored on any electronic device, web-based email or other storage location not owned by the Company but within the Executive’s possession or control; (c) the Executive has suffered no work-related injury or occupational disease during the course of his employment with the Company that he has not reported in writing to the Company; (d) the Executive is not aware of any activity by the Company or any other Released Party that he believes to be unlawful or potentially unlawful; (e) the Executive has not filed any complaints, claims or actions against the Company or any other Released Party; and (f) the Executive has not assigned, transferred, conveyed or otherwise disposed of any Released Claims.

5.     Protected Rights . Nothing contained in this Release limits the Executive’s ability to file a charge or complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other federal, state or local governmental agency or commission (collectively, “ Government Agencies ”). Further, this Release does not limit the Executive’s ability to communicate with any Government Agencies or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including providing documents or other information, without notice to the Company.

6.     Consideration Period . The Executive understands that he has [twenty-one (21) days / forty-five (45) days] 1 to consider this Release before deciding whether to sign it. The Executive may sign this Release sooner if he chooses, but no sooner than the date of termination of his employment. If the Executive chooses to sign this Release before the expiration of such [21-day / 45-day] period, he represents that his decision to do so is knowing and voluntary. The Executive agrees that any changes made to this Release after it was delivered to him, whether material or immaterial, do not restart the [21-day / 45-day] period described in this Section. The Company advises the Executive to consult with an attorney before signing this Release.

 

 

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To be determined by the Company at the time of termination in accordance with applicable law.

 

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7.     Right to Revoke . The Executive understands that he has the right to revoke this Release within seven (7) days after signing it. This Release shall not become effective until the eighth day following the date on which the Executive has signed it without having revoked it (the “ Effective Date ”). If the Executive chooses to revoke this Release, he must deliver written notice of revocation to the Company in accordance with Section 8 of the Employment Agreement. Any such notice of revocation must be delivered to the Company in a manner calculated to ensure receipt prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the day prior to the Effective Date. The Executive understands that if he revoke this Release, he will not be entitled to any of the benefits provided hereunder.

8.     General Provisions . The Released Parties expressly deny that they have any liability to the Executive, and this Release is not to be construed as an admission of any such liability. This Release is to be construed under the laws of the State of Georgia. This Release constitutes the entire agreement between the Executive and the Company with respect to the issues addressed in this Release. The Executive represents that he is not relying on any other agreements or oral representations not fully expressed in this Release. This Release may not be modified except in writing signed by the Executive and an authorized Company representative. The headings in this Release are for reference only, and do not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Release. As used herein, the phrase “including” means “including, but not limited to” in each instance. “Or” is used in the inclusive sense of “and/or”. Should any part of this Release be found to be void or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction or Government Agency, such determination will not affect the remainder of this Release.

 

ACCEPTED AND AGREED BY:

 

Fred Boehler

 

Date

 

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Exhibit 10.4

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), is dated this 23rd day of January, 2018, by and between AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company with its principal place of business located in Atlanta, Georgia (the “ Company ”) and Marc Smernoff (the “ Executive ”).

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, the Executive currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company;

WHEREAS, the Executive and the Company are currently parties to that certain Employment Agreement, dated October 2017 (the “ Prior Employment Agreement ”); and

WHEREAS, the Executive and the Company mutually desire to terminate and cancel the Prior Employment Agreement and, in connection therewith, to provide for the continued services and employment of the Executive by the Company on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises contained herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, each intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:

1.     Employment . On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company hereby agrees to continue to employ the Executive, and the Executive hereby agrees to continue such employment, for the Employment Term (as defined below). During the Employment Term, the Executive shall serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company and shall report to the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company (the “ CEO ”), performing the normal duties and responsibilities of such position with respect to the business of the Company and such other duties and responsibilities commensurate with such position as the CEO or the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) may reasonably assign to the Executive from time to time.

2.     Performance . The Executive shall serve the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates faithfully and to the best of the Executive’s ability and shall devote the Executive’s full business time, energy, experience and talents to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, as applicable, and will not engage in any other employment activities for any direct or indirect remuneration without the prior written approval of the Board; provided , however , that it shall not be a violation of this Agreement for the Executive to manage the Executive’s personal investments, to engage in or serve such civic, community, charitable, educational, industry, professional, or religious organizations as the Executive may select, or, with the prior approval of the CEO and Board, to serve on the boards of directors of other companies, so long as such service does not create an actual or potential conflict of interest with, or impair the Executive’s ability to fulfill the Executive’s duties hereunder or conflict with the Executive’s covenants under Section 6 of this Agreement, in each case as determined in the sole judgment of the CEO and Board.

 

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3.     Employment Term .

(a)    Subject to earlier termination pursuant to Section 7, the term of employment of the Executive hereunder shall begin on January 23, 2018 (the “ Commencement Date ”), and shall continue for an indefinite period of time (the “ Employment Term ”).

4.     Principal Location . The Executive’s principal place of employment shall be the Company’s offices located in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area, subject to required travel.

5.     Compensation and Benefits .

(a)     Base Salary . During the Employment Term, the Company shall pay the Executive a base salary, payable in equal installments in accordance with Company payroll procedures, at an annual rate of Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($450,000.00), pro-rated to reflect any partial year of employment. The Board or a committee thereof shall review Executive’s base salary on an annual basis and may increase Executive’s base salary from time to time, in which case such increased salary then shall become the Executive’s base salary for purposes of this Agreement.

(b)     Annual Bonus . The Executive shall be eligible to receive an annual performance-based cash bonus in respect of each calendar year that ends during the Employment Term, to the extent earned based on the achievement of performance objectives established by the Board or a committee thereof, after consultation with the Executive, no later than 30 days after commencement of the relevant bonus period, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s Short-Term Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time. The maximum annual performance-based cash bonus that the Executive may earn is ninety percent (90%), and the target bonus is sixty percent (60%), in each case, of the Executive’s annual base salary at the rate in effect at the end of the relevant calendar year, pro-rated to properly reflect any partial year of employment. If the applicable performance objectives are not attained at least at the minimum level, no annual performance bonus shall be payable. The amount of such annual bonus awarded for a calendar year shall be determined by the Board or a committee thereof after the end of the calendar year to which such bonus relates and shall be paid to the Executive during the following calendar year when annual bonuses for the prior calendar year are paid to other senior executives of the Company generally. The amount of any such annual bonus shall be pro-rated to properly reflect any partial year of employment. Except as otherwise provided in Section 7(b), to be eligible for any such annual bonus under this Section 5(b), the Executive must be in active working status at the time the Company pays bonuses for the relevant year to other senior executives generally. For purposes of this Agreement, “active working status” means that the Executive is employed by the Company.

(c)     Long Term Incentive Plan.

(i)    The Executive shall be eligible to participate in the Americold Realty Trust 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “ Stock Plan ”) in such amounts and at such times as the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Americold Realty Trust (“ ART ”) shall determine in its sole discretion. Any such awards shall be governed by the Stock Plan and any Stock Plan award agreements between ART and the Executive.

 

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(ii)     Restricted Stock Unit Grant . In consideration of the Executive’s entering into this Agreement and as an inducement to remain with the Company, the Executive shall be granted promptly following the Commencement Date, under the Stock Plan, an award of 25,000 restricted stock units to be settled in shares of the common stock of ART (the “ Restricted Stock Units ”), subject to the approval of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of ART. Such award shall be governed by the Stock Plan and a restricted stock unit award agreement between the Executive and ART. Subject to terms of the Stock Plan and the award agreement for the Restricted Stock Units, the Restricted Stock Units shall vest in equal one-third (1/3) installments on the second, third and fourth anniversaries of the date of grant of such award, subject to the Executive’s continuous employment with the Company from the date of grant of such award through such vesting dates, except as otherwise provided in Section 7(b).

(d)     Benefits . During the Employment Term, the Executive shall, subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plan documents in force from time to time and all applicable laws, be eligible to participate in all of the employee benefit, fringe and perquisite plans, practices, policies and arrangements the Company makes available from time to time to its executive employees generally.

(e)     Paid Time Off . The Executive shall be entitled to not less than twenty-nine (29) days of paid time off during each calendar year, pro-rated for any partial calendar year of employment, in accordance with the Company’s policies and practices with respect to its employees generally as in effect from time to time.

(f)     Business Expenses . The Executive shall be reimbursed by the Company for all reasonable and necessary business expenses actually incurred by the Executive in performing the Executive’s duties hereunder. All payments under this Section 5(f) will be made in accordance with policies established by the Company from time to time and subject to receipt by the Company of appropriate documentation.

(g)     Directors and Officers Liability Insurance . During the Employment Term, the Company shall maintain director and officer liability insurance covering the Executive on terms that are no less favorable than the coverage provided to other senior executives, officers or directors of the Company, as such coverage may be in effect from time to time.

6.     Covenants of the Executive . The Executive acknowledges that in the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company the Executive will become familiar with the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ and affiliates’ trade secrets and with other confidential and proprietary information concerning the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, and that the Executive’s services are of special, unique and extraordinary value to the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates. Therefore, the Company and the Executive mutually agree that it is in the interest of both parties for the Executive to enter into the restrictive covenants set forth in this Section 6 to, among other things, protect the legitimate business interests of the Company and those of its subsidiaries and affiliates, and that such restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 are reasonable in geographical and temporal scope and in all other respects given the nature of the Executive’s duties and the nature of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ and affiliates’ businesses and that such restrictions and covenants do not and will not unduly impair

 

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the Executive’s ability to earn a living after termination of the Executive’s employment with the Company. The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that (i) the Company would not have entered into this Agreement but for the restrictive covenants of the Executive set forth in this Section 6, and (ii) such restrictive covenants have been made by the Executive in order to induce the Company to enter into this Agreement.

(a)     Definitions . For purposes of this Section 6:

Competing Business ” means any person or entity that engages in a business that is the same as or substantially similar to the business conducted by the Company.

Confidential Information ” means confidential information relating to the business of the Company and/or its affiliates that (i) has been made known to the Executive through the Executive’s relationship with the Company or its affiliates, (ii) has value to the Company and/or its affiliates and (iii) is not generally known to competitors of the Company and/or its affiliates. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, methods of operation, business strategies, plans for acquisition or expansion, terms of transaction documents (including but not limited to purchase and sale agreements, operating agreements, lease agreements and employment agreements), financial information and projections, pricing and discount information, lists of and information regarding current or prospective customers, vendors, licensees and licensors, product development activities, marketing plans and strategies, non-public personnel information, and any other information of whatever kind that gives the Company and/or its affiliates an opportunity to obtain an advantage over competitors who do not possess such information, regardless of whether such information is marked “confidential.” Confidential Information includes trade secrets (as defined under applicable law) as well as information that does not rise to the level of a trade secret, and includes information that has been entrusted to the Company or any of its affiliates by a third party under an obligation of confidentiality. Confidential Information does not include any information that has been voluntarily disclosed to the public by the Company (except where such public disclosure has been made by the Executive without authorization) or that has been independently developed and disclosed by others, or that otherwise enters the public domain through lawful means.

Customer ” means a current or actively sought prospective customer of the Company during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment with the Company.

Restricted Period ” means the period in which the Executive is employed with the Company together with the one (1)-year period following termination of the Executive’s employment for any reason.

Services ” means services of the type conducted, authorized, offered or provided by the Executive to or on behalf of the Company during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment with the Company.

Territory ” means each geographic area in which the Company conducted business during the Executive’s employment with the Company; provided , that if the Executive’s duties and responsibilities during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment were limited to particular geographic areas, then the “Territory” shall be limited to such geographic areas.

 

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(b)     Noncompetition . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, own, manage, operate, control, consult with, be employed by or otherwise provide Services to, or participate in the ownership, management, operation or control of, any Competing Business anywhere in the Territory. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive’s ownership solely as an investor of two percent (2%) or less of the outstanding securities of any class of any publicly-traded securities of any company shall not, by itself, be considered to be competition with the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.

(c)     Non-solicitation of Customers . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit or attempt to solicit any Customer for purposes of providing products or services that are competitive with the products and services provided by the Company or (ii) induce or attempt to induce any Customer to reduce or cease doing business with the Company, or otherwise interfere with the relationship between any Customer and the Company.

(d)     Non-solicitation of Employees . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit for employment or attempt to solicit for employment, directly or by assisting others, any person who was an employee or independent contractor of the Company on, or within six (6) months before, the date of such solicitation or attempted solicitation or (ii) induce or attempt to induce any employee or independent contractor of the Company to terminate such person’s employment or independent contractor relationship with the Company, or in any way interfere with the relationship between any such person and the Company.

(e)     Non-disclosure of Confidential Information .

(i)    The Executive acknowledges that all Confidential Information is the property of the Company or its applicable affiliates. The Executive further acknowledges that the Company and its affiliates intend, and make reasonable good faith efforts, to protect the Confidential Information from public disclosure. Therefore, the Executive agrees that, except as required by law or regulation or as legally compelled by court order ( provided that in such case, the Executive shall promptly notify the Company of such order, shall cooperate with the Company in attempting to obtain a protective order or to otherwise restrict such disclosure, and shall only disclose Confidential Information to the minimum extent necessary to comply with any such law regulation or order), during the Employment Term and at all times thereafter, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, divulge, transmit, publish, copy, distribute, furnish or otherwise disclose or make accessible any Confidential Information, or use any Confidential Information for the benefit of anyone other than the Company and its affiliates,.

(ii)    The Company does not wish to incorporate any unlicensed or unauthorized material into its products or services. Therefore, the Executive agrees that the Executive will not disclose to the Company, use in the Company’s business, or cause the Company to use, any information or material which is a trade secret, or confidential

 

5


or proprietary information, of any third party, including, but not limited to, any former employer, any competitor or any client, unless the Company has a right to receive and use such information or material. The Executive will not incorporate into the Executive’s work any material or information which is subject to the copyrights of any third party unless the Company has a written agreement with such third party or otherwise has the right to receive and use such material or information.

(f)     Company Intellectual Property . The Executive agrees to promptly disclose to the Company any and all work product, inventions, artistic works, works of authorship, designs, methods, processes, technology, patterns, techniques, data, Confidential Information, patents, trade secrets, trademarks, domain names, copyrights, and the like, and all other intellectual property relating to the business of the Company and any of its affiliates which are created, authored, composed, invented, discovered, performed, perfected, or learned by the Executive (either solely or jointly with others) during the Employment Term (collectively, together with such intellectual property as may be owned or acquired by the Company, the “ Company Intellectual Property ”). The Company Intellectual Property shall be the sole and absolute property of the Company and its affiliates. All work performed by the Executive in authoring, composing, inventing, creating, developing or modifying Company Intellectual Property and/or other work product to which copyright protection may attach during the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company shall be considered “works made for hire” to the extent permitted under applicable copyright law and will be considered the sole property of the Company. To the extent such works, work product or Company Intellectual Property are not considered “works made for hire,” all right, title, and interest to such works, work product and Company Intellectual Property, including, but not limited to, all copyrights, patents, trademarks, rights of publicity, and trade secrets, is hereby assigned to the Company and the Executive agrees, at the Company’s expense, to execute any documents requested by the Company or any of its affiliates at any time in relation to such assignment. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Company is and will be the sole and absolute owner of all trademarks, service marks, domain names, patents, copyrights, trade dress, trade secrets, business names, rights of publicity, inventions, proprietary know-how and information of any type, whether or not in writing, and all other intellectual property used by the Company or held for use in the business of the Company, including all Company Intellectual Property. The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that any and all derivative works, developments, or improvements based on intellectual property, materials and assets subject to this Section 6 created during the Employment Term (including, without limitation, Company Intellectual Property) shall be exclusively owned by the Company. The Executive will cooperate with the Company and any of its affiliates, at no additional cost to such parties (whether during or after the Employment Term), in the confirmation, registration, protection and enforcement of the rights and property of the Company and its affiliates in such intellectual property, materials and assets, including, without limitation, the Company Intellectual Property.

(g)     Company Property . All Confidential Information, Company Intellectual Property, files, records, correspondence, memoranda, notes or other documents (including, without limitation, those in computer-readable form) or property relating or belonging to the Company and affiliates, whether prepared by the Executive or otherwise coming into the Executive’s possession or control in the course of the performance of the Executive’s services under this Agreement, shall be the exclusive property of the Company and shall be delivered to

 

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the Company, and not retained by the Executive (including, without limitation, any copies thereof), promptly upon request by the Company and, in any event, promptly upon termination of the Employment Term. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Executive has no expectation of privacy with respect to the Company’s telecommunications, networking or information processing systems (including, without limitation, stored computer files, email messages and voice messages), and that the Executive’s activity and any files or messages on or using any of those systems may be monitored at any time without notice.

(h)     Enforcement . The Executive acknowledges that a breach of the Executive’s covenants and agreements contained in this Section 6 would cause irreparable damage to the Company and its affiliates, the exact amount of which would be difficult to ascertain, and that the remedies at law for any such breach or threatened breach would be inadequate. Accordingly, the Executive agrees that if the Executive materially breaches any of the covenants or agreements contained in this Section 6, in addition to any other remedy which may be available at law or in equity, the Company and affiliates shall be entitled to: (i) cease or withhold payment to the Executive of any severance payments described in Section 7, for which the Executive otherwise qualifies under such Section 7, and the Executive shall promptly repay to the Company 90% of any such severance payments the Executive previously received (with the remaining 10% serving as consideration for the Executive’s release of claims described in Section 7(d), (ii) institute and prosecute proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction for specific performance and injunctive and other equitable relief without bond or other security or a showing of irreparable harm or lack of an adequate remedy at law, and (iii) an equitable accounting by any court of competent jurisdiction of all profits or benefits arising out of such violation. Additionally, upon a material breach by the Executive of this Section 6, the unvested Restricted Stock Units (and any other unvested stock-based awards held by the Executive) shall be automatically canceled and forfeited without any further action.

(i)     Scope of Covenants . The Company and the Executive further acknowledge that the time, scope, geographic area and other provisions of this Section 6 have been specifically negotiated by sophisticated commercial parties and agree that they consider the restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 to be reasonable and necessary for the protection of the interests of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, but if any such restriction or covenant shall be held by any court of competent jurisdiction to be void but would be valid if deleted in part or reduced in application, such restriction or covenant shall apply in such jurisdiction with such deletion or modification as may be necessary to make it valid and enforceable. The restrictions and covenants contained in each paragraph of this Section 6 shall be construed as separate and individual restrictions and covenants and shall each be capable of being reduced in application or severed without prejudice to the other restrictions and covenants or to the remaining provisions of this Agreement.

(j)     Enforceability . If any court holds any of the restrictions or covenants contained in this Section 6 to be unenforceable by reason of their breadth or scope or otherwise, it is the intention of the parties hereto that such determination not bar or in any way affect the right of the Company and its affiliates to the relief provided in this Section 6 in the courts of any other jurisdiction within the geographic scope of such restrictions and covenants.

 

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(k)     Disclosure of Restrictive Covenants . The Executive agrees to disclose in advance the existence and terms of the restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 to any employer or other service recipient by whom the Executive may be employed or retained during the Restricted Period.

(l)     Extension of Restricted Period . If the Executive breaches any non-competition or non-solicitation covenant set forth in this Section 6 in any respect, the Restricted Period will be extended for a period equal to the period that the Executive was in breach of such covenant, up to a maximum period of one (1) year.

7.     Termination .

(a)     Termination of Employment . The employment of the Executive hereunder and the Employment Term may be terminated at any time:

(i)    by the Company with or without Cause (as defined herein) upon written notice to the Executive;

(ii)    by the Company due to the Executive’s Disability (as hereinafter defined) upon written notice to the Executive;

 

  (iii)

by the Executive with Good Reason (as defined herein);

(iv)    by the Executive without Good Reason upon thirty (30) days written notice to the Company (which notice period may be waived by the Company in its absolute discretion, in which case, such termination shall be effective immediately upon the Company’s receipt of notice thereof from the Executive); or

(v)    without action by the Company, the Executive or any other person or entity, immediately upon the Executive’s death.

If the Executive’s employment is terminated for any reason under this Section 7, the Company shall be obligated to pay or provide to the Executive (or the Executive’s estate, as applicable) in a lump sum within thirty (30) days following such termination, or at such other time prescribed by any applicable plan or applicable laws: (A) any base salary payable to the Executive pursuant to this Agreement, accrued up to and including the date on which the Executive’s employment is terminated, less required statutory deductions; (B) accrued and unpaid paid time off (if and as required by applicable law or the Company’s policies then in effect); (C) any employee benefits to which the Executive is entitled upon termination of the Executive’s employment with the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans of the Company, as in place from time to time; and (D) reimbursement for any unreimbursed business expenses incurred by the Executive prior to the Executive’s date of termination pursuant to Section 5(f) ((A)-(D) collectively, the “ Accrued Amounts ”).

(b)     Termination by the Company without Cause or by the Executive for Good Reason . If the Executive’s employment is terminated (A) by the Company without Cause or (B) by the Executive for Good Reason (in either case, other than a termination due to the Executive’s death or Disability), in addition to the Accrued Amounts, the Executive shall be entitled to receive as severance (subject to Section 7(d)) the amounts set forth in this Section 7(b), provided the Executive executes and does not revoke the Release as required by Section 7(d).

 

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(i)    The Executive shall be entitled to an amount equal to the Executive’s annual base salary (as described in Section 5(a)), for a period equal to twelve (12) months (the “ Severance Period ”), payable starting on the sixtieth (60 th ) day following the date of such termination (but with the first payment being a lump sum payment covering all payment periods from the date of termination through the date of such first payment), in substantially equal installments in accordance with the Company’s payroll practices during the Severance Period following the date of such termination, subject to reduction pursuant to Section 6(h);

(ii)    To the extent performance objectives applicable to the Executive’s annual bonus in the year of termination (including any objectives applicable to the Company’s targeted budget) are earned as of the end of the relevant bonus period, the Executive shall be entitled to the annual bonus earned for the calendar year of such termination pursuant to Section 5(b) of this Agreement, pro-rated based on the number of days the Executive was actively employed by the Company during such bonus period, payable at the time such annual bonus would otherwise be paid in accordance with Section 5(b) of this Agreement;

(iii)    Continued full participation in the Company’s health and welfare benefit programs (including full reimbursement for all health, dental and vision expenses, but excluding participation in the Company’s short- or long-term disability plans) for a period of twelve (12) months following the Executive’s termination date (for the avoidance of doubt, this continuation period shall run concurrently with any required continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“ COBRA ”)); provided that the Company’s obligation to make any payment pursuant to this provision shall cease upon the date the Executive became eligible for coverage under the health plan of a future employer (regardless of whether the Executive elects such coverage) and the Executive shall promptly notify the Company of his eligibility for any such coverage;

(iv)    Subject to Section 7(b)(v), if any Restricted Stock Units referenced in Section 5(c)(ii) remain unvested at the time of such termination, the next installment of the Restricted Stock Units that would have vested on the next scheduled vesting date shall vest as of the date of termination and the balance of any unvested Restricted Stock Units shall be forfeited. Also, if any awards issued to the Executive under the Stock Plan as to which vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more performance conditions remain unvested at the time of such termination, a prorated portion of the performance-vesting awards shall remain outstanding and eligible to vest based on actual performance through the last day of the applicable performance period, based on the number of days during the applicable performance period that the Executive was employed. Any performance-vesting awards that are earned based on actual performance will vest and settle as provided in the applicable award agreement.

 

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(v)    If such termination of the Executive’s employment by the Company without Cause or by the Executive for Good Reason occurs within the twelve (12) month period following a Change in Control (as such term is defined in the Stock Plan), (A) any Restricted Stock Units referenced in Section 5(c)(ii) which are not vested at the time of such termination shall immediately become vested and (B) any other awards granted to the Executive pursuant to the Stock Plan as to which vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more performance conditions and which are not vested at the time of termination shall immediately become vested based on actual performance through the termination date.

(c)     Definitions of Certain Terms . For purposes of this Agreement:

(i)    “ Cause ” means the Executive’s (A) commission of an act that constitutes common law fraud or a felony, commission of any other crime involving moral turpitude, or commission of any other tortious or unlawful act causing, or which may likely cause, material harm to the business, standing or reputation of the Company without the good faith belief that such conduct was in the best interests of the Company; (B) material breach of this Agreement, after the Company has given the Executive thirty (30) days written notice and an opportunity to cure such breach to the extent curable; (C) willful failure or refusal to perform the Executive’s material duties or obligations under this Agreement, including, without limitation, failure or refusal to abide by the directions of the CEO or the Board or any written policy adopted by the Board, in each case after the Company has given the Executive thirty (30) days written notice and an opportunity to cure such failure or refusal to the extent curable; (D) willful misconduct or gross negligence in the performance of the Executive’s duties as an employee, officer or director of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates; or (E) material misappropriation or embezzlement of any property of the Company.

(ii)    “ Disability ” means a condition entitling the Executive to benefits under the Company’s long term disability plan, policy or arrangement in which the Executive participates; provided , however , that if no such plan, policy or arrangement is then maintained by the Company and applicable to the Executive, “Disability” shall mean the Executive’s inability to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, the Executive’s duties under this Agreement due to a mental or physical condition that can be expected to result in death or that can be expected to last (or has already lasted) for a continuous period of 90 days or more, or for an aggregate of 180 days in any 365 consecutive day period, as determined by the CEO or the Board in its good faith discretion.

(iii)     “ Good Reason ” means the occurrence, without the Executive’s consent, of any of the following events, other than in connection with a termination of the Executive’s employment for Cause or due to death or Disability: (A) a material reduction in the Executive’s rate of base salary stated in Section 5(a) and/or the amount of the Executive’s annual bonus opportunity described in Section 5(b); (B) an action by the Company resulting in a material diminution in the Executive’s titles, authority, duties, responsibilities or direct reports, (C) the Company’s relocation of the Executive’s principal place of employment to a location outside of the fifty (50)-mile radius of Atlanta, Georgia; or (D) a material breach by the Company of this Agreement; provided , however , that none of the events described in this sentence shall constitute Good Reason

 

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unless and until (V) the Executive reasonably determines in good faith that a Good Reason condition has occurred, (W) the Executive first notifies the Company in writing describing in reasonable detail the condition which constitutes Good Reason within sixty (60) days of its initial occurrence, (X) the Company fails to cure such condition within thirty (30) days after the Company’s receipt of such written notice, (Y) notwithstanding such efforts, the Good Reason condition continues to exist, and (Z) the Executive terminates the Executive’s employment within sixty (60) days after the end of such thirty (30)-day cure period. If the Company cures the Good Reason condition during such cure period, Good Reason shall be deemed not be have occurred.

(d)     Release of Claims . As a condition of receiving any severance for which the Executive otherwise qualifies under Section 7(b), the Executive agrees to execute, deliver and not revoke, within sixty (60) days following the date of the Executive’s termination of employment, a separation agreement containing a general release of claims against the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective affiliates and their respective employees, officers, directors, owners and members, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “ Release ”), such Release to be delivered, and to have become fully irrevocable, on or before the end of such sixty (60)-day period. If the Release has not been executed and delivered and become irrevocable on or before the end of such sixty (60)-day period, no amounts or benefits under Section 7(b) shall be or become payable.

(e)     No Additional Rights . The Executive acknowledges and agrees that, except as specifically described in this Section 7, all of the Executive’s rights to any compensation, benefits, bonuses or severance from the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates after termination of the Employment Term shall cease upon such termination.

8.     Notices . All notices, requests, demands, claims, consents and other communications which are required, permitted or otherwise delivered hereunder shall in every case be in writing and shall be deemed properly served if: (a) delivered personally, (b) sent by registered or certified mail, in all such cases with first class postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or (c) delivered by a recognized overnight courier service, to the parties at the addresses as set forth below:

 

If to the Company:    Americold Logistics, LLC
   10 Glenlake Parkway
   South Tower, Suite 600
   Attention: General Counsel
   Atlanta, Georgia 30328
With copies to:    King & Spalding LLP
   1180 Peachtree Street
   Attention: C. Spencer Johnson, III
If to the Executive:    At the Executive’s residence address
   as maintained by the Company in the
   regular course of its business for
   payroll purposes.

 

11


or to such other address as shall be furnished in writing by either party to the other party; provided that such notice or change in address shall be effective only when actually received by the other party. Date of service of any such notices or other communications shall be: (a) the date such notice is personally delivered, (b) three days after the date of mailing if sent by certified or registered mail, or (c) one business day after date of delivery to the overnight courier if sent by overnight courier.

9.     Arbitration . Except as otherwise provided in Section 6(h) in connection with equitable remedies, any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including, without limitation, any dispute, claim or controversy concerning the validity, enforceability, breach or termination hereof, if not resolved by the parties, shall be finally settled by arbitration in accordance with the then-prevailing Employment Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association, as modified herein (“ Rules ”). There shall be one arbitrator who shall be jointly selected by the parties. If the parties have not jointly agreed upon an arbitrator within twenty (20) calendar days of respondent’s receipt of claimant’s notice of intention to arbitrate, either party may request the American Arbitration Association to furnish the parties with a list of names from which the parties shall jointly select an arbitrator. If the parties have not agreed upon an arbitrator within ten (10) calendar days of the transmittal date of such list, then each party shall have an additional five (5) calendar days in which to strike any names objected to, number the remaining names in order of preference, and return the list to the American Arbitration Association, which shall then select an arbitrator in accordance with Rule 13 of the Rules. The place of arbitration shall be Atlanta, Georgia or such other location as mutually agreed in writing by the parties. By agreeing to arbitration, the parties hereto do not intend to deprive any court of its jurisdiction to issue a pre-arbitral injunction or with respect to other proceedings described in Section 6(h) (or delay any such proceedings), pre-arbitral attachment or other order in aid of arbitration. The arbitration shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16. Judgment upon the award of the arbitrator may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. Each party shall bear its or his or her own costs and expenses in any such arbitration and one-half of the arbitrator’s fees and expenses.

10.     Waiver of Jury Trial . THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION, OR CAUSE OF ACTION (I)  ARISING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR (II)  IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO IN RESPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED HERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, EQUITY, OR OTHERWISE. THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION, OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

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11.     Section 409A .

(a)    The intent of the parties is that payments and benefits under this Agreement comply with, or be exempt from, Section 409A of the Code and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder (collectively “ Code Section  409A ”) and the Company shall have complete discretion to interpret and construe this Agreement and any associated documents in any manner that establishes an exemption from (or compliance with) the requirements of Code Section 409A. If, for any reason, such as imprecision in drafting any provision of this Agreement (or of any award of compensation, including, without limitation, equity compensation or benefits) does not accurately reflect its intended establishment of an exemption from (or compliance with) Code Section 409A, as demonstrated by consistent interpretations or other evidence of intent, such provision shall be considered ambiguous as to its exemption from (or compliance with) Code Section 409A and shall be interpreted by the Company in a manner consistent with such intent, as determined in the discretion of the Company.

(b)    A termination of employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits that are considered nonqualified deferred compensation under Code Section 409A upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service” within the meaning of Code Section 409A, and, for purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms shall mean such a “separation from service.” The determination of whether and when a separation from service has occurred for proposes of this Agreement shall be made in accordance with the presumptions set forth in Section 1.409A-1(h) of the Treasury Regulations.

(c)     Any provision of this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if at the time of the Executive’s separation from service, the Company determines that the Executive is a “specified employee,” within the meaning of Code Section 409A, then to the extent any payment or benefit that the Executive becomes entitled to under this Agreement on account of such separation from service would be considered nonqualified deferred compensation under Code Section 409A such payment or benefit shall be paid or provided at the date which is the earlier of (i) six (6) months and one day after such separation from service and (ii) the date of the Executive’s death (the “ Delay Period ”). Upon the expiration of the Delay Period, all payments and benefits delayed pursuant to this Section 11(c) (whether they would have otherwise been payable in a single sum or in installments in the absence of such delay) shall be paid or provided to the Executive in a lump-sum, and any remaining payments and benefits due under this Agreement shall be paid or provided in accordance with the normal payment dates specified for them herein.

(d)    Any reimbursements and in-kind benefits provided under this Agreement that constitute deferred compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A shall be made or provided in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 409A, including, without limitation, that (i) in no event shall any fees, expenses or other amounts eligible to be reimbursed by the Company under this Agreement be paid later than the last day of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which the applicable fees, expenses or other amounts were incurred; (ii) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits that the Company is obligated to pay or provide, in any given calendar year shall not affect the expenses that the Company is obligated to reimburse, or the in-kind benefits that the Company is obligated to pay or provide, in any other calendar year; (iii) the Executive’s right to have the Company pay

 

13


or provide such reimbursements and in-kind benefits may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other benefit; and (iv) in no event shall the Company’s obligations to make such reimbursements or to provide such in-kind benefits apply later than the Executive’s remaining lifetime (or if longer, through the sixth (6th) anniversary of the Commencement Date).

(e)    For purposes of Code Section 409A, the Executive’s right to receive any installment payments shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate and distinct payments. Whenever a payment under this Agreement specifies a payment period with reference to a number of days (for example, payment shall be made “within thirty (30) days following such termination”), the actual date of payment within the specified period shall be within the sole discretion of the Company. In no event may the Executive, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year of any payment to be made under this Agreement, to the extent such payment is subject to Code Section 409A.

(f)    The Company makes no representation or warranty and shall have no liability to the Executive or any other person if any provisions of this Agreement are determined to constitute deferred compensation subject to Code Section 409A but do not satisfy an exemption from, or the conditions of, Code Section 409A.

12.     General .

(a)     Governing Law . Unless preempted by federal law, this Agreement and the legal relations thus created between the parties hereto shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Georgia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Georgia or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the law of any jurisdiction other than the State of Georgia. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Agreement was executed and delivered in the State of Georgia.

(b)     Construction and Severability . Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be prohibited by, or invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under, any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such prohibition, invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement or any other jurisdiction, and the parties undertake to implement all efforts which are necessary, desirable and sufficient to amend, supplement or substitute all and any such prohibited, invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with enforceable and valid provisions in such jurisdiction which would produce as nearly as may be possible the result previously intended by the parties without renegotiation of any material terms and conditions stipulated herein.

(c)     Cooperation . During the Employment Period and thereafter, the Executive shall cooperate with the Company and be reasonably available to the Company with respect to continuing and/or future matters related to the Executive’s employment period with the Company and/or its subsidiaries or affiliates, whether such matters are business-related, legal, regulatory or otherwise (including, without limitation, the Executive appearing at the Company’s request to give testimony without requiring service of a subpoena or other legal process, volunteering to the

 

14


Company all pertinent information and turning over to the Company all relevant documents which are or may come into the Executive’s possession). Following the Employment Term, the Company shall reimburse the Executive for all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the Executive in rendering such services that are approved by the Company. In addition, if more than an incidental cooperation is required at any time after the termination of the Executive’s employment, the Executive shall be paid (other than for the time of actual testimony) a per day fee based on the Executive’s base salary described in Section 5(a) at the time of such termination divided by 225.

(d)     Nondisparagement . During the Employment Term and thereafter, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, take any action, or encourage others to take any action, to disparage the Company, its employees, officers, directors, products, services, customers or owners; provided, however, this provision does not apply to the Executive’s oral or written communications made in the performance of the Executive’s duties as provided in this Agreement, including but not limited to expressions of opinion communicated internally at the Company or to the Company’s directors.

(e)     Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Company and its successors and assigns and the Executive and the Executive’s heirs, executors, administrators, and successors; provided that the services provided by the Executive under this Agreement are of a personal nature, and rights and obligations of the Executive under this Agreement shall not be assignable or delegable, except for any death payments otherwise due the Executive, which shall be payable to the estate of the Executive; provided further the Company may assign this Agreement to, and all rights hereunder shall inure to the benefit of, any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company or any person, firm or corporation resulting from the reorganization of the Company or succeeding to the business or assets of the Company by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise; and provided further that in the event of the Executive’s death, any unpaid amount due to the Executive under this Agreement shall be paid to the Executive’s estate.

(f)     Executive’s Representations . The Executive hereby represents and warrants to the Company that: (i) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Executive do not and shall not conflict with, breach, violate or cause a default under any contract, agreement, instrument, order, judgment or decree to which the Executive is a party or by which the Executive is bound; (ii) the Executive is not a party to or bound by any employment agreement, noncompetition or nonsolicitation agreement or confidentiality agreement with any other person or entity besides the Company and (iii) upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, this Agreement shall be the valid and binding obligation of the Executive, enforceable in accordance with its teens. THE EXECUTIVE HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES AND REPRESENTS THAT THE EXECUTIVE HAS CONSULTED WITH INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING THE EXECUTIVE’S RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, TO THE EXTENT DETERMINED NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE BY THE EXECUTIVE, AND THAT THE EXECUTIVE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CONTAINED HEREIN.

 

15


(g)     Compliance with Rules and Policies . The Executive shall perform all services in accordance with the policies, procedures and rules established by the Company and the Board. In addition, the Executive shall comply with all laws, rules and regulations that are generally applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates and their respective employees, directors and officers.

(h)     Withholding Taxes . All amounts payable hereunder shall be subject to the withholding of all applicable taxes and deductions required by any applicable law.

(i)     Entire Agreement . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and terminates and supersedes any and all prior agreements, understandings and representations, whether written or oral, by or between the parties hereto or their affiliates which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way, including, without limitation, the Prior Agreement and any other existing employment agreement or change of control agreement, which is hereby terminated and cancelled and of no further force or effect, without the payment of any additional consideration by or to either of the parties hereto.

(j)     Duration . Notwithstanding the Employment Term hereunder, this Agreement shall continue for so long as any obligations remain under this Agreement.

(k)     Survival . The covenants set forth in Sections 6 and 12(c) of this Agreement shall survive and shall continue to be binding upon the Executive notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement for any reason whatsoever.

(l)     Amendment and Waiver . The provisions of this Agreement may be amended or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and the Executive, and no course of conduct or course of dealing or failure or delay by any party hereto in enforcing or exercising any of the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, the Company’s right to terminate the Employment Term for Cause) shall affect the validity, binding effect or enforceability of this Agreement or be deemed to be an implied waiver of any similar or dissimilar requirement, provision or condition of this Agreement at the same or any prior or subsequent time. Pursuit by either party of any available remedy, either in law or equity, or any action of any kind, does not constitute waiver of any other remedy or action. Such remedies and actions are cumulative and not exclusive.

(m)     Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute one instrument.

(n)     Section References . Section headings in this Agreement are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Agreement for any other purpose. The words Section and paragraph herein shall refer to provisions of this Agreement unless expressly indicated otherwise.

(o)     No Strict Construction . The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring either party hereto by

 

16


virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement. When the context admits or requires, words used in the masculine gender shall be construed to include the feminine, the plural shall include the singular, and the singular shall include the plural.

(p)     Time of the Essence; Computation of Time . Time is of the essence for each and every provision of this Agreement. Whenever the last day for the exercise of any privilege or the discharge or any duty hereunder shall fall upon a Saturday, Sunday, or any date on which banks in New York, New York are authorized to be closed, the party having such privilege or duty may exercise such privilege or discharge such duty on the next succeeding day which is a regular business day.

(q)     No Third Party Beneficiaries . Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended or shall be construed to give any person other than the parties to this Agreement and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors or permitted assigns any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of any agreement or any provision contained herein.

(r)     Protected Rights . Nothing contained in this Agreement limits the Executive’s ability to file a charge or complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other federal, state or local governmental agency or commission (collectively, “ Government Agencies ”), or prevents the Executive from providing truthful testimony in response to a lawfully issued subpoena or court order. Further, this Agreement does not limit the Executive’s ability to communicate with any Government Agencies or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including providing documents or other information, without notice to the Company.

(s)     Defend Trade Secrets Act . The Executive is hereby notified that under the Defend Trade Secrets Act: (i) no individual shall be held criminally or civilly liable under federal or state trade secret law for disclosure of a trade secret (as defined in the Economic Espionage Act) that is: (A) made in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and made solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law or (B) made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal so that it is not made public; and (ii) an individual who pursues a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of the law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of the individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal, and does not disclose the trade secret, except as permitted by court order.

[Signature Page Follows.]

 

17


[Signature Page to Employment Agreement]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, have hereunto executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above.

 

    AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC
Date: January 23, 2018     By:  

/s/ Fred Boehler

    Name:   Fred Boehler
    Title:   Chief Executive Officer, President and Trustee
    MARC SMERNOFF
Date: : January 23, 2018    

/s/ Marc Smernoff

 


 

18


Exhibit A: Form of Release

WAIVER AND RELEASE

This Waiver and Release (this “ Release ”) is executed by Marc Smernoff (the “ Executive ”) pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Employment Agreement, dated as of [●], by and between AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC and the Executive (the “ Employment Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Release have the meanings given to them in the Employment Agreement.

1.     General Release . In consideration of the payments and benefits to be provided to the Executive pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Employment Agreement, the Executive, on behalf of the Executive and anyone claiming through the Executive , hereby fully and completely releases, acquits and forever discharges the Company, its affiliates and related entities, and each of their respective current and former employees, officers, directors, shareholders, partners, members, managers, agents, employee benefit plans and fiduciaries, insurers, trustees, attorneys, joint venture partners, transferees, successors and assigns (each a “ Released Party ” and collectively, the “ Released Parties ”), collectively, separately, and severally, of and from any and all claims, demands, damages, causes of action, debts, liabilities, controversies, judgments, and suits of every kind and nature whatsoever, foreseen, unforeseen, known or unknown, that arise out of or relate to the Executive’s employment or termination of employment with the Company and that the Executive has had, now has, or may have against the Released Parties (or any of them) at any time up to and including the date the Executive signs this Release, with the exception of the claims set forth in Section  2 below (the claims released in this Release are collectively referred to as the “ Released Claims ”). The Released Claims include all claims arising under any federal, state or local statute or ordinance, constitutional provision, public policy or common law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (the “ ADEA ”), the Equal Pay Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Civil Rights Act of 1871, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (with respect to unvested benefits), COBRA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Georgia Equal Pay Act, the Georgia Prohibition of Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Georgia Equal Employment for People with Disabilities Code, all as amended; all claims arising under discrimination laws, whistleblower laws and laws relating to violation of public policy, retaliation, or interference with legal rights; all claims for compensation of any type whatsoever, including claims for wages, bonuses, commissions, equity, vacation, sick leave, PTO and severance; all claims arising under tort, contract and/or quasi-contract law, including all claims arising under the Employment Agreement; and all claims for monetary or equitable relief, including attorneys’ fees, back pay, front pay, reinstatement, experts’ fees, medical expenses, costs and disbursements. The Executive hereby waives any right to seek or recover any individual relief (including any money damages, reinstatement, or other relief) in connection with any of the Released Claims through any charge, complaint, lawsuit, or other proceeding, whether commenced or maintained by the Executive or by any other person or entity, with the exception of any right to seek an award pursuant to Section 21F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

19


2.     Excluded Claims . The Released Claims do not include (a) any claims for vested benefits to which the Executive is entitled upon the termination of the Executive’s employment in accordance with the terms of the applicable benefit plans (for the avoidance of doubt, no term or provision under the Employment Agreement shall be deemed a benefit plan for purposes of this Release); (b) any claims related to acts, omissions or events occurring after the date this Release is signed by the Executive; (c) any right that the Executive may have to indemnification or insurance coverage under the Company’s organizational documents or any directors and officers insurance policy; (d) any claims that cannot legally be waived by private agreement.

3.     Covenant Not to Sue . Except for an action to challenge the validity of the Executive’s release of claims under the ADEA, or as otherwise provided in Section  5 below, the Executive promises that the Executive will not file, instigate or participate in any proceeding against any of the Released Parties relating to any of the Released Claims. In the event the Executive breaches the covenant contained in this Section  3 , the Executive agrees to indemnify the Released Parties for all damages and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by any Released Parties in defending, participating in or investigating any matter or proceeding covered by this Section  3 .

4.     Representations . The Executive represents and warrants that (a) the Executive has been properly paid for all hours worked and has received all wages, bonuses, vacation pay, expense reimbursements and any other sums due from the Company (with the exception of the payments and benefits to be provided pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Employment Agreement); (b) the Executive has returned all Company property in the Executive’s possession or control and has permanently deleted any Confidential Information stored on any electronic device, web-based email or other storage location not owned by the Company but within the Executive’s possession or control; (c) the Executive has suffered no work-related injury or occupational disease during the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company that the Executive has not reported in writing to the Company; (d) the Executive is not aware of any activity by the Company or any other Released Party that the Executive believes to be unlawful or potentially unlawful; (e) the Executive has not filed any complaints, claims or actions against the Company or any other Released Party; and (f) the Executive has not assigned, transferred, conveyed or otherwise disposed of any Released Claims.

5.     Protected Rights . Nothing contained in this Release limits the Executive’s ability to file a charge or complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other federal, state or local governmental agency or commission (collectively, “ Government Agencies ”). Further, this Release does not limit the Executive’s ability to communicate with any Government Agencies or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including providing documents or other information, without notice to the Company.

6.     Consideration Period . The Executive understands that the Executive has [twenty-one (21) days / forty-five (45) days] 1 to consider this Release before deciding whether to sign it. The Executive may sign this Release sooner if the Executive chooses, but no sooner than the date of termination of the Executive’s employment. If the Executive chooses to sign this Release before the expiration of such [21-day / 45-day] period, the Executive represents that the Executive’s decision to do so is knowing and voluntary. The Executive agrees that any changes

  

 

1  

To be determined by the Company at the time of termination in accordance with applicable law.

 

20


made to this Release after it was delivered to the Executive, whether material or immaterial, do not restart the [21-day / 45-day] period described in this Section. The Company advises the Executive to consult with an attorney before signing this Release.

7.     Right to Revoke . The Executive understands that the Executive has the right to revoke this Release within seven (7) days after signing it. This Release shall not become effective until the eighth day following the date on which the Executive has signed it without having revoked it (the “ Effective Date ”). If the Executive chooses to revoke this Release, the Executive must deliver written notice of revocation to the Company in accordance with Section 8 of the Employment Agreement. Any such notice of revocation must be delivered to the Company in a manner calculated to ensure receipt prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the day prior to the Effective Date. The Executive understands that if the Executive revokes this Release, the Executive will not be entitled to any of the benefits provided hereunder.

8.     General Provisions . The Released Parties expressly deny that they have any liability to the Executive, and this Release is not to be construed as an admission of any such liability. This Release is to be construed under the laws of the State of Georgia. This Release constitutes the entire agreement between the Executive and the Company with respect to the issues addressed in this Release. The Executive represents that the Executive is not relying on any other agreements or oral representations not fully expressed in this Release. This Release may not be modified except in writing signed by the Executive and an authorized Company representative. The headings in this Release are for reference only, and do not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Release. As used herein, the phrase “including” means “including, but not limited to” in each instance. “Or” is used in the inclusive sense of “and/or”. Should any part of this Release be found to be void or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction or Government Agency, such determination will not affect the remainder of this Release.

 

ACCEPTED AND AGREED BY:

 

MARC SMERNOFF

 

Date

 

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Exhibit 10.5

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), is dated this 23rd day of January, 2018, by and between AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company with its principal place of business located in Atlanta, Georgia (the “ Company ”) and Tom Novosel (the “ Executive ”).

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, the Executive currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of the Company;

WHEREAS, the Executive and the Company are currently parties to that certain Employment Agreement, dated October 12, 2015 (the “ Prior Employment Agreement ”); and

WHEREAS, the Executive and the Company mutually desire to terminate and cancel the Prior Employment Agreement and, in connection therewith, to provide for the continued services and employment of the Executive by the Company on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises contained herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, each intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:

1.     Employment . On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company hereby agrees to continue to employ the Executive, and the Executive hereby agrees to continue such employment, for the Employment Term (as defined below). During the Employment Term, the Executive shall serve as Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of the Company and shall report to the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company (the “ CEO ”), performing the normal duties and responsibilities of such position with respect to the business of the Company and such other duties and responsibilities commensurate with such position as the CEO or the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) may reasonably assign to the Executive from time to time.

2.     Performance . The Executive shall serve the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates faithfully and to the best of the Executive’s ability and shall devote the Executive’s full business time, energy, experience and talents to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, as applicable, and will not engage in any other employment activities for any direct or indirect remuneration without the prior written approval of the Board; provided , however , that it shall not be a violation of this Agreement for the Executive to manage the Executive’s personal investments, to engage in or serve such civic, community, charitable, educational, industry, professional, or religious organizations as the Executive may select, or, with the prior approval of the CEO and Board, to serve on the boards of directors of other companies, so long as such service does not create an actual or potential conflict of interest with, or impair the Executive’s ability to fulfill the Executive’s duties hereunder or conflict with the Executive’s covenants under Section 6 of this Agreement, in each case as determined in the sole judgment of the CEO and Board.

 

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3.     Employment Term .

(a)    Subject to earlier termination pursuant to Section 7, the term of employment of the Executive hereunder shall begin on January 23, 2018 (the “ Commencement Date ”), and shall continue for an indefinite period of time (the “ Employment Term ”).

4.     Principal Location . The Executive’s principal place of employment shall be the Company’s offices located in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area, subject to required travel.

5.     Compensation and Benefits .

(a)     Base Salary . During the Employment Term, the Company shall pay the Executive a base salary, payable in equal installments in accordance with Company payroll procedures, at an annual rate of Three Hundred Fourteen Thousand Dollars ($314,000.00), pro-rated to reflect any partial year of employment. The Board or a committee thereof shall review Executive’s base salary on an annual basis and may increase Executive’s base salary from time to time, in which case such increased salary then shall become the Executive’s base salary for purposes of this Agreement.

(b)     Annual Bonus . The Executive shall be eligible to receive an annual performance-based cash bonus in respect of each calendar year that ends during the Employment Term, to the extent earned based on the achievement of performance objectives established by the Board or a committee thereof, after consultation with the Executive, no later than 30 days after commencement of the relevant bonus period, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s Short-Term Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time. The maximum annual performance-based cash bonus that the Executive may earn is seventy five percent (75%), and the target bonus is fifty percent (50%), in each case, of the Executive’s annual base salary at the rate in effect at the end of the relevant calendar year, pro-rated to properly reflect any partial year of employment. If the applicable performance objectives are not attained at least at the minimum level, no annual performance bonus shall be payable. The amount of such annual bonus awarded for a calendar year shall be determined by the Board or a committee thereof after the end of the calendar year to which such bonus relates and shall be paid to the Executive during the following calendar year when annual bonuses for the prior calendar year are paid to other senior executives of the Company generally. The amount of any such annual bonus shall be pro-rated to properly reflect any partial year of employment. Except as otherwise provided in Section 7(b), to be eligible for any such annual bonus under this Section 5(b), the Executive must be in active working status at the time the Company pays bonuses for the relevant year to other senior executives generally. For purposes of this Agreement, “active working status” means that the Executive is employed by the Company.

(c)     Long Term Incentive Plan.

(i)    The Executive shall be eligible to participate in the Americold Realty Trust 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “ Stock Plan ”) in such amounts and at such times as the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Americold Realty Trust (“ ART ”) shall determine in its sole discretion. Any such awards shall be governed by the Stock Plan and any Stock Plan award agreements between ART and the Executive.

 

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(ii)     Restricted Stock Unit Grant . In consideration of the Executive’s entering into this Agreement and as an inducement to remain with the Company, the Executive shall be granted promptly following the Commencement Date, under the Stock Plan, an award of 14,063 restricted stock units to be settled in shares of the common stock of ART (the “ Restricted Stock Units ”), subject to the approval of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of ART. Such award shall be governed by the Stock Plan and a restricted stock unit award agreement between the Executive and ART. Subject to terms of the Stock Plan and the award agreement for the Restricted Stock Units, the Restricted Stock Units shall vest in equal one-third (1/3) installments on the second, third and fourth anniversaries of the date of grant of such award, subject to the Executive’s continuous employment with the Company from the date of grant of such award through such vesting dates, except as otherwise provided in Section 7(b).

(d)     Benefits . During the Employment Term, the Executive shall, subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plan documents in force from time to time and all applicable laws, be eligible to participate in all of the employee benefit, fringe and perquisite plans, practices, policies and arrangements the Company makes available from time to time to its executive employees generally.

(e)     Paid Time Off . The Executive shall be entitled to not less than twenty-four (24) days of paid time off during each calendar year, pro-rated for any partial calendar year of employment, in accordance with the Company’s policies and practices with respect to its employees generally as in effect from time to time.

(f)     Business Expenses . The Executive shall be reimbursed by the Company for all reasonable and necessary business expenses actually incurred by the Executive in performing the Executive’s duties hereunder. All payments under this Section 5(f) will be made in accordance with policies established by the Company from time to time and subject to receipt by the Company of appropriate documentation.

(g)     Directors and Officers Liability Insurance . During the Employment Term, the Company shall maintain director and officer liability insurance covering the Executive on terms that are no less favorable than the coverage provided to other senior executives, officers or directors of the Company, as such coverage may be in effect from time to time.

6.     Covenants of the Executive . The Executive acknowledges that in the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company the Executive will become familiar with the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ and affiliates’ trade secrets and with other confidential and proprietary information concerning the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, and that the Executive’s services are of special, unique and extraordinary value to the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates. Therefore, the Company and the Executive mutually agree that it is in the interest of both parties for the Executive to enter into the restrictive covenants set forth in this Section 6 to, among other things, protect the legitimate business interests of the Company and those of its subsidiaries and affiliates, and that such restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 are reasonable in geographical and temporal scope and in all other respects given the nature of the Executive’s duties and the nature of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ and affiliates’ businesses and that such restrictions and covenants do not and will not unduly impair

 

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the Executive’s ability to earn a living after termination of the Executive’s employment with the Company. The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that (i) the Company would not have entered into this Agreement but for the restrictive covenants of the Executive set forth in this Section 6, and (ii) such restrictive covenants have been made by the Executive in order to induce the Company to enter into this Agreement.

(a)     Definitions . For purposes of this Section 6:

Competing Business ” means any person or entity that engages in a business that is the same as or substantially similar to the business conducted by the Company.

Confidential Information ” means confidential information relating to the business of the Company and/or its affiliates that (i) has been made known to the Executive through the Executive’s relationship with the Company or its affiliates, (ii) has value to the Company and/or its affiliates and (iii) is not generally known to competitors of the Company and/or its affiliates. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, methods of operation, business strategies, plans for acquisition or expansion, terms of transaction documents (including but not limited to purchase and sale agreements, operating agreements, lease agreements and employment agreements), financial information and projections, pricing and discount information, lists of and information regarding current or prospective customers, vendors, licensees and licensors, product development activities, marketing plans and strategies, non-public personnel information, and any other information of whatever kind that gives the Company and/or its affiliates an opportunity to obtain an advantage over competitors who do not possess such information, regardless of whether such information is marked “confidential.” Confidential Information includes trade secrets (as defined under applicable law) as well as information that does not rise to the level of a trade secret, and includes information that has been entrusted to the Company or any of its affiliates by a third party under an obligation of confidentiality. Confidential Information does not include any information that has been voluntarily disclosed to the public by the Company (except where such public disclosure has been made by the Executive without authorization) or that has been independently developed and disclosed by others, or that otherwise enters the public domain through lawful means.

Customer ” means a current or actively sought prospective customer of the Company during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment with the Company.

Restricted Period ” means the period in which the Executive is employed with the Company together with the nine (9) month period following termination of the Executive’s employment for any reason.

Services ” means services of the type conducted, authorized, offered or provided by the Executive to or on behalf of the Company during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment with the Company.

Territory ” means each geographic area in which the Company conducted business during the Executive’s employment with the Company; provided , that if the Executive’s duties and responsibilities during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment were limited to particular geographic areas, then the “Territory” shall be limited to such geographic areas.

 

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(b)     Noncompetition . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, own, manage, operate, control, consult with, be employed by or otherwise provide Services to, or participate in the ownership, management, operation or control of, any Competing Business anywhere in the Territory. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive’s ownership solely as an investor of two percent (2%) or less of the outstanding securities of any class of any publicly-traded securities of any company shall not, by itself, be considered to be competition with the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.

(c)     Non-solicitation of Customers . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit or attempt to solicit any Customer for purposes of providing products or services that are competitive with the products and services provided by the Company or (ii) induce or attempt to induce any Customer to reduce or cease doing business with the Company, or otherwise interfere with the relationship between any Customer and the Company.

(d)     Non-solicitation of Employees . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit for employment or attempt to solicit for employment, directly or by assisting others, any person who was an employee or independent contractor of the Company on, or within six (6) months before, the date of such solicitation or attempted solicitation or (ii) induce or attempt to induce any employee or independent contractor of the Company to terminate such person’s employment or independent contractor relationship with the Company, or in any way interfere with the relationship between any such person and the Company.

(e)     Non-disclosure of Confidential Information .

(i)    The Executive acknowledges that all Confidential Information is the property of the Company or its applicable affiliates. The Executive further acknowledges that the Company and its affiliates intend, and make reasonable good faith efforts, to protect the Confidential Information from public disclosure. Therefore, the Executive agrees that, except as required by law or regulation or as legally compelled by court order ( provided that in such case, the Executive shall promptly notify the Company of such order, shall cooperate with the Company in attempting to obtain a protective order or to otherwise restrict such disclosure, and shall only disclose Confidential Information to the minimum extent necessary to comply with any such law regulation or order), during the Employment Term and at all times thereafter, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, divulge, transmit, publish, copy, distribute, furnish or otherwise disclose or make accessible any Confidential Information, or use any Confidential Information for the benefit of anyone other than the Company and its affiliates,.

(ii)    The Company does not wish to incorporate any unlicensed or unauthorized material into its products or services. Therefore, the Executive agrees that the Executive will not disclose to the Company, use in the Company’s business, or cause the Company to use, any information or material which is a trade secret, or confidential

 

5


or proprietary information, of any third party, including, but not limited to, any former employer, any competitor or any client, unless the Company has a right to receive and use such information or material. The Executive will not incorporate into the Executive’s work any material or information which is subject to the copyrights of any third party unless the Company has a written agreement with such third party or otherwise has the right to receive and use such material or information.

(f)     Company Intellectual Property . The Executive agrees to promptly disclose to the Company any and all work product, inventions, artistic works, works of authorship, designs, methods, processes, technology, patterns, techniques, data, Confidential Information, patents, trade secrets, trademarks, domain names, copyrights, and the like, and all other intellectual property relating to the business of the Company and any of its affiliates which are created, authored, composed, invented, discovered, performed, perfected, or learned by the Executive (either solely or jointly with others) during the Employment Term (collectively, together with such intellectual property as may be owned or acquired by the Company, the “ Company Intellectual Property ”). The Company Intellectual Property shall be the sole and absolute property of the Company and its affiliates. All work performed by the Executive in authoring, composing, inventing, creating, developing or modifying Company Intellectual Property and/or other work product to which copyright protection may attach during the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company shall be considered “works made for hire” to the extent permitted under applicable copyright law and will be considered the sole property of the Company. To the extent such works, work product or Company Intellectual Property are not considered “works made for hire,” all right, title, and interest to such works, work product and Company Intellectual Property, including, but not limited to, all copyrights, patents, trademarks, rights of publicity, and trade secrets, is hereby assigned to the Company and the Executive agrees, at the Company’s expense, to execute any documents requested by the Company or any of its affiliates at any time in relation to such assignment. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Company is and will be the sole and absolute owner of all trademarks, service marks, domain names, patents, copyrights, trade dress, trade secrets, business names, rights of publicity, inventions, proprietary know-how and information of any type, whether or not in writing, and all other intellectual property used by the Company or held for use in the business of the Company, including all Company Intellectual Property. The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that any and all derivative works, developments, or improvements based on intellectual property, materials and assets subject to this Section 6 created during the Employment Term (including, without limitation, Company Intellectual Property) shall be exclusively owned by the Company. The Executive will cooperate with the Company and any of its affiliates, at no additional cost to such parties (whether during or after the Employment Term), in the confirmation, registration, protection and enforcement of the rights and property of the Company and its affiliates in such intellectual property, materials and assets, including, without limitation, the Company Intellectual Property.

(g)     Company Property . All Confidential Information, Company Intellectual Property, files, records, correspondence, memoranda, notes or other documents (including, without limitation, those in computer-readable form) or property relating or belonging to the Company and affiliates, whether prepared by the Executive or otherwise coming into the Executive’s possession or control in the course of the performance of the Executive’s services under this Agreement, shall be the exclusive property of the Company and shall be delivered to

 

6


the Company, and not retained by the Executive (including, without limitation, any copies thereof), promptly upon request by the Company and, in any event, promptly upon termination of the Employment Term. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Executive has no expectation of privacy with respect to the Company’s telecommunications, networking or information processing systems (including, without limitation, stored computer files, email messages and voice messages), and that the Executive’s activity and any files or messages on or using any of those systems may be monitored at any time without notice.

(h)     Enforcement . The Executive acknowledges that a breach of the Executive’s covenants and agreements contained in this Section 6 would cause irreparable damage to the Company and its affiliates, the exact amount of which would be difficult to ascertain, and that the remedies at law for any such breach or threatened breach would be inadequate. Accordingly, the Executive agrees that if the Executive materially breaches any of the covenants or agreements contained in this Section 6, in addition to any other remedy which may be available at law or in equity, the Company and affiliates shall be entitled to: (i) cease or withhold payment to the Executive of any severance payments described in Section 7, for which the Executive otherwise qualifies under such Section 7, and the Executive shall promptly repay to the Company 90% of any such severance payments the Executive previously received (with the remaining 10% serving as consideration for the Executive’s release of claims described in Section 7(d), (ii) institute and prosecute proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction for specific performance and injunctive and other equitable relief without bond or other security or a showing of irreparable harm or lack of an adequate remedy at law, and (iii) an equitable accounting by any court of competent jurisdiction of all profits or benefits arising out of such violation. Additionally, upon a material breach by the Executive of this Section 6, the unvested Restricted Stock Units (and any other unvested stock-based awards held by the Executive) shall be automatically canceled and forfeited without any further action.

(i)     Scope of Covenants . The Company and the Executive further acknowledge that the time, scope, geographic area and other provisions of this Section 6 have been specifically negotiated by sophisticated commercial parties and agree that they consider the restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 to be reasonable and necessary for the protection of the interests of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, but if any such restriction or covenant shall be held by any court of competent jurisdiction to be void but would be valid if deleted in part or reduced in application, such restriction or covenant shall apply in such jurisdiction with such deletion or modification as may be necessary to make it valid and enforceable. The restrictions and covenants contained in each paragraph of this Section 6 shall be construed as separate and individual restrictions and covenants and shall each be capable of being reduced in application or severed without prejudice to the other restrictions and covenants or to the remaining provisions of this Agreement.

(j)     Enforceability . If any court holds any of the restrictions or covenants contained in this Section 6 to be unenforceable by reason of their breadth or scope or otherwise, it is the intention of the parties hereto that such determination not bar or in any way affect the right of the Company and its affiliates to the relief provided in this Section 6 in the courts of any other jurisdiction within the geographic scope of such restrictions and covenants.

 

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(k)     Disclosure of Restrictive Covenants . The Executive agrees to disclose in advance the existence and terms of the restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 to any employer or other service recipient by whom the Executive may be employed or retained during the Restricted Period.

(l)     Extension of Restricted Period . If the Executive breaches any non-competition or non-solicitation covenant set forth in this Section 6 in any respect, the Restricted Period will be extended for a period equal to the period that the Executive was in breach of such covenant, up to a maximum period of nine (9) months.

7.     Termination .

(a)     Termination of Employment . The employment of the Executive hereunder and the Employment Term may be terminated at any time:

(i)    by the Company with or without Cause (as defined herein) upon written notice to the Executive;

(ii)    by the Company due to the Executive’s Disability (as hereinafter defined) upon written notice to the Executive;

 

 

(iii)

by the Executive with Good Reason (as defined herein);

(iv)    by the Executive without Good Reason upon thirty (30) days written notice to the Company (which notice period may be waived by the Company in its absolute discretion, in which case, such termination shall be effective immediately upon the Company’s receipt of notice thereof from the Executive); or

(v)    without action by the Company, the Executive or any other person or entity, immediately upon the Executive’s death.

If the Executive’s employment is terminated for any reason under this Section 7, the Company shall be obligated to pay or provide to the Executive (or the Executive’s estate, as applicable) in a lump sum within thirty (30) days following such termination, or at such other time prescribed by any applicable plan or applicable laws: (A) any base salary payable to the Executive pursuant to this Agreement, accrued up to and including the date on which the Executive’s employment is terminated, less required statutory deductions; (B) accrued and unpaid paid time off (if and as required by applicable law or the Company’s policies then in effect); (C) any employee benefits to which the Executive is entitled upon termination of the Executive’s employment with the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans of the Company, as in place from time to time; and (D) reimbursement for any unreimbursed business expenses incurred by the Executive prior to the Executive’s date of termination pursuant to Section 5(f) ((A)-(D) collectively, the “ Accrued Amounts ”).

(b)     Termination by the Company without Cause or by the Executive for Good Reason . If the Executive’s employment is terminated (A) by the Company without Cause or (B) by the Executive for Good Reason (in either case, other than a termination due to the Executive’s death or Disability), in addition to the Accrued Amounts, the Executive shall be entitled to receive as severance (subject to Section 7(d)) the amounts set forth in this Section 7(b), provided the Executive executes and does not revoke the Release as required by Section 7(d).

 

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(i)    The Executive shall be entitled to an amount equal to the Executive’s annual base salary (as described in Section 5(a)), for a period equal to nine (9) months (the “ Severance Period ”), payable starting on the sixtieth (60 th ) day following the date of such termination (but with the first payment being a lump sum payment covering all payment periods from the date of termination through the date of such first payment), in substantially equal installments in accordance with the Company’s payroll practices during the Severance Period following the date of such termination, subject to reduction pursuant to Section 6(h);

(ii)    To the extent performance objectives applicable to the Executive’s annual bonus in the year of termination (including any objectives applicable to the Company’s targeted budget) are earned as of the end of the relevant bonus period, the Executive shall be entitled to the annual bonus earned for the calendar year of such termination pursuant to Section 5(b) of this Agreement, pro-rated based on the number of days the Executive was actively employed by the Company during such bonus period, payable at the time such annual bonus would otherwise be paid in accordance with Section 5(b) of this Agreement;

(iii)    If the Executive is eligible for and timely elects continued health coverage (and, if applicable, the Executive’s eligible dependents) under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“ COBRA ”), the Company will pay or reimburse the Executive’s COBRA premiums for up to nine (9) months following the Executive’s termination date, provided that the Company’s obligation to make any payment pursuant to this provision shall cease upon the date the Executive became eligible for coverage under the health plan of a future employer (regardless of whether the Executive elects such coverage) and the Executive shall promptly notify the Company of his eligibility for any such coverage;

(iv)    Subject to Section 7(b)(v), if any Restricted Stock Units referenced in Section 5(c)(ii) remain unvested at the time of such termination, the next installment of the Restricted Stock Units that would have vested on the next scheduled vesting date shall vest as of the date of termination and the balance of any unvested Restricted Stock Units shall be forfeited. Also, if any awards issued to the Executive under the Stock Plan as to which vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more performance conditions remain unvested at the time of such termination, a prorated portion of the performance-vesting awards shall remain outstanding and eligible to vest based on actual performance through the last day of the applicable performance period, based on the number of days during the applicable performance period that the Executive was employed. Any performance-vesting awards that are earned based on actual performance will vest and settle as provided in the applicable award agreement.

(v)    If such termination of the Executive’s employment by the Company without Cause or by the Executive for Good Reason occurs within the twelve (12) month period following a Change in Control (as such term is defined in the Stock Plan), (A) any

 

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Restricted Stock Units referenced in Section 5(c)(ii) which are not vested at the time of such termination shall immediately become vested and (B) any other awards granted to the Executive pursuant to the Stock Plan as to which vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more performance conditions and which are not vested at the time of termination shall immediately become vested based on actual performance through the termination date.

(c)     Definitions of Certain Terms . For purposes of this Agreement:

(i)    “ Cause ” means the Executive’s (A) commission of an act that constitutes common law fraud or a felony, commission of any other crime involving moral turpitude, or commission of any other tortious or unlawful act causing, or which may likely cause, material harm to the business, standing or reputation of the Company without the good faith belief that such conduct was in the best interests of the Company; (B) material breach of this Agreement, after the Company has given the Executive thirty (30) days written notice and an opportunity to cure such breach to the extent curable; (C) willful failure or refusal to perform the Executive’s material duties or obligations under this Agreement, including, without limitation, failure or refusal to abide by the directions of the CEO or the Board or any written policy adopted by the Board, in each case after the Company has given the Executive thirty (30) days written notice and an opportunity to cure such failure or refusal to the extent curable; (D) willful misconduct or gross negligence in the performance of the Executive’s duties as an employee, officer or director of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates; or (E) material misappropriation or embezzlement of any property of the Company.

(ii)    “ Disability ” means a condition entitling the Executive to benefits under the Company’s long term disability plan, policy or arrangement in which the Executive participates; provided , however , that if no such plan, policy or arrangement is then maintained by the Company and applicable to the Executive, “Disability” shall mean the Executive’s inability to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, the Executive’s duties under this Agreement due to a mental or physical condition that can be expected to result in death or that can be expected to last (or has already lasted) for a continuous period of 90 days or more, or for an aggregate of 180 days in any 365 consecutive day period, as determined by the CEO or the Board in its good faith discretion.

(iii)     “ Good Reason ” means the occurrence, without the Executive’s consent, of any of the following events, other than in connection with a termination of the Executive’s employment for Cause or due to death or Disability: (A) a material reduction in the Executive’s rate of base salary stated in Section 5(a) and/or the amount of the Executive’s annual bonus opportunity described in Section 5(b); (B) an action by the Company resulting in a material diminution in the Executive’s titles, authority, duties, responsibilities or direct reports, (C) the Company’s relocation of the Executive’s principal place of employment to a location outside of the fifty (50)-mile radius of Atlanta, Georgia; or (D) a material breach by the Company of this Agreement; provided , however , that none of the events described in this sentence shall constitute Good Reason unless and until (V) the Executive reasonably determines in good faith that a Good

 

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Reason condition has occurred, (W) the Executive first notifies the Company in writing describing in reasonable detail the condition which constitutes Good Reason within sixty (60) days of its initial occurrence, (X) the Company fails to cure such condition within thirty (30) days after the Company’s receipt of such written notice, (Y) notwithstanding such efforts, the Good Reason condition continues to exist, and (Z) the Executive terminates the Executive’s employment within sixty (60) days after the end of such thirty (30)-day cure period. If the Company cures the Good Reason condition during such cure period, Good Reason shall be deemed not be have occurred.

(d)     Release of Claims . As a condition of receiving any severance for which the Executive otherwise qualifies under Section 7(b), the Executive agrees to execute, deliver and not revoke, within sixty (60) days following the date of the Executive’s termination of employment, a separation agreement containing a general release of claims against the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective affiliates and their respective employees, officers, directors, owners and members, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “ Release ”), such Release to be delivered, and to have become fully irrevocable, on or before the end of such sixty (60)-day period. If the Release has not been executed and delivered and become irrevocable on or before the end of such sixty (60)-day period, no amounts or benefits under Section 7(b) shall be or become payable.

(e)     No Additional Rights . The Executive acknowledges and agrees that, except as specifically described in this Section 7, all of the Executive’s rights to any compensation, benefits, bonuses or severance from the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates after termination of the Employment Term shall cease upon such termination.

8.     Notices . All notices, requests, demands, claims, consents and other communications which are required, permitted or otherwise delivered hereunder shall in every case be in writing and shall be deemed properly served if: (a) delivered personally, (b) sent by registered or certified mail, in all such cases with first class postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or (c) delivered by a recognized overnight courier service, to the parties at the addresses as set forth below:

 

If to the Company:

  

Americold Logistics, LLC

  

10 Glenlake Parkway

  

South Tower, Suite 600

  

Attention: General Counsel

  

Atlanta, Georgia 30328

With copies to:

  

King & Spalding LLP

  

1180 Peachtree Street

  

Attention: C. Spencer Johnson, III

If to the Executive:

  

At the Executive’s residence address

  

as maintained by the Company in the

  

regular course of its business for

  

payroll purposes.

 

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or to such other address as shall be furnished in writing by either party to the other party; provided that such notice or change in address shall be effective only when actually received by the other party. Date of service of any such notices or other communications shall be: (a) the date such notice is personally delivered, (b) three days after the date of mailing if sent by certified or registered mail, or (c) one business day after date of delivery to the overnight courier if sent by overnight courier.

9.     Arbitration . Except as otherwise provided in Section 6(h) in connection with equitable remedies, any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including, without limitation, any dispute, claim or controversy concerning the validity, enforceability, breach or termination hereof, if not resolved by the parties, shall be finally settled by arbitration in accordance with the then-prevailing Employment Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association, as modified herein (“ Rules ”). There shall be one arbitrator who shall be jointly selected by the parties. If the parties have not jointly agreed upon an arbitrator within twenty (20) calendar days of respondent’s receipt of claimant’s notice of intention to arbitrate, either party may request the American Arbitration Association to furnish the parties with a list of names from which the parties shall jointly select an arbitrator. If the parties have not agreed upon an arbitrator within ten (10) calendar days of the transmittal date of such list, then each party shall have an additional five (5) calendar days in which to strike any names objected to, number the remaining names in order of preference, and return the list to the American Arbitration Association, which shall then select an arbitrator in accordance with Rule 13 of the Rules. The place of arbitration shall be Atlanta, Georgia or such other location as mutually agreed in writing by the parties. By agreeing to arbitration, the parties hereto do not intend to deprive any court of its jurisdiction to issue a pre-arbitral injunction or with respect to other proceedings described in Section 6(h) (or delay any such proceedings), pre-arbitral attachment or other order in aid of arbitration. The arbitration shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16. Judgment upon the award of the arbitrator may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. Each party shall bear its or his or her own costs and expenses in any such arbitration and one-half of the arbitrator’s fees and expenses.

10.     Waiver of Jury Trial . THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION, OR CAUSE OF ACTION (I) ARISING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR (II) IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO IN RESPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED HERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, EQUITY, OR OTHERWISE. THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION, OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

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11.     Section 409A .

(a)    The intent of the parties is that payments and benefits under this Agreement comply with, or be exempt from, Section 409A of the Code and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder (collectively “ Code Section  409A ”) and the Company shall have complete discretion to interpret and construe this Agreement and any associated documents in any manner that establishes an exemption from (or compliance with) the requirements of Code Section 409A. If, for any reason, such as imprecision in drafting any provision of this Agreement (or of any award of compensation, including, without limitation, equity compensation or benefits) does not accurately reflect its intended establishment of an exemption from (or compliance with) Code Section 409A, as demonstrated by consistent interpretations or other evidence of intent, such provision shall be considered ambiguous as to its exemption from (or compliance with) Code Section 409A and shall be interpreted by the Company in a manner consistent with such intent, as determined in the discretion of the Company.

(b)    A termination of employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits that are considered nonqualified deferred compensation under Code Section 409A upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service” within the meaning of Code Section 409A, and, for purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms shall mean such a “separation from service.” The determination of whether and when a separation from service has occurred for proposes of this Agreement shall be made in accordance with the presumptions set forth in Section 1.409A-1(h) of the Treasury Regulations.

(c)     Any provision of this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if at the time of the Executive’s separation from service, the Company determines that the Executive is a “specified employee,” within the meaning of Code Section 409A, then to the extent any payment or benefit that the Executive becomes entitled to under this Agreement on account of such separation from service would be considered nonqualified deferred compensation under Code Section 409A such payment or benefit shall be paid or provided at the date which is the earlier of (i) six (6) months and one day after such separation from service and (ii) the date of the Executive’s death (the “ Delay Period ”). Upon the expiration of the Delay Period, all payments and benefits delayed pursuant to this Section 11(c) (whether they would have otherwise been payable in a single sum or in installments in the absence of such delay) shall be paid or provided to the Executive in a lump-sum, and any remaining payments and benefits due under this Agreement shall be paid or provided in accordance with the normal payment dates specified for them herein.

(d)    Any reimbursements and in-kind benefits provided under this Agreement that constitute deferred compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A shall be made or provided in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 409A, including, without limitation, that (i) in no event shall any fees, expenses or other amounts eligible to be reimbursed by the Company under this Agreement be paid later than the last day of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which the applicable fees, expenses or other amounts were incurred; (ii) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits that the Company is obligated to pay or provide, in any given calendar year shall not affect the expenses

 

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that the Company is obligated to reimburse, or the in-kind benefits that the Company is obligated to pay or provide, in any other calendar year; (iii) the Executive’s right to have the Company pay or provide such reimbursements and in-kind benefits may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other benefit; and (iv) in no event shall the Company’s obligations to make such reimbursements or to provide such in-kind benefits apply later than the Executive’s remaining lifetime (or if longer, through the sixth (6th) anniversary of the Commencement Date).

(e)    For purposes of Code Section 409A, the Executive’s right to receive any installment payments shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate and distinct payments. Whenever a payment under this Agreement specifies a payment period with reference to a number of days (for example, payment shall be made “within thirty (30) days following such termination”), the actual date of payment within the specified period shall be within the sole discretion of the Company. In no event may the Executive, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year of any payment to be made under this Agreement, to the extent such payment is subject to Code Section 409A.

(f)    The Company makes no representation or warranty and shall have no liability to the Executive or any other person if any provisions of this Agreement are determined to constitute deferred compensation subject to Code Section 409A but do not satisfy an exemption from, or the conditions of, Code Section 409A.

12.     General .

(a)     Governing Law . Unless preempted by federal law, this Agreement and the legal relations thus created between the parties hereto shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Georgia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Georgia or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the law of any jurisdiction other than the State of Georgia. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Agreement was executed and delivered in the State of Georgia.

(b)     Construction and Severability . Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be prohibited by, or invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under, any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such prohibition, invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement or any other jurisdiction, and the parties undertake to implement all efforts which are necessary, desirable and sufficient to amend, supplement or substitute all and any such prohibited, invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with enforceable and valid provisions in such jurisdiction which would produce as nearly as may be possible the result previously intended by the parties without renegotiation of any material terms and conditions stipulated herein.

(c)     Cooperation . During the Employment Period and thereafter, the Executive shall cooperate with the Company and be reasonably available to the Company with respect to continuing and/or future matters related to the Executive’s employment period with the Company and/or its subsidiaries or affiliates, whether such matters are business-related, legal, regulatory or

 

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otherwise (including, without limitation, the Executive appearing at the Company’s request to give testimony without requiring service of a subpoena or other legal process, volunteering to the Company all pertinent information and turning over to the Company all relevant documents which are or may come into the Executive’s possession). Following the Employment Term, the Company shall reimburse the Executive for all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the Executive in rendering such services that are approved by the Company. In addition, if more than an incidental cooperation is required at any time after the termination of the Executive’s employment, the Executive shall be paid (other than for the time of actual testimony) a per day fee based on the Executive’s base salary described in Section 5(a) at the time of such termination divided by 225.

(d)     Nondisparagement . During the Employment Term and thereafter, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, take any action, or encourage others to take any action, to disparage the Company, its employees, officers, directors, products, services, customers or owners; provided, however, this provision does not apply to the Executive’s oral or written communications made in the performance of the Executive’s duties as provided in this Agreement, including but not limited to expressions of opinion communicated internally at the Company or to the Company’s directors.

(e)     Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Company and its successors and assigns and the Executive and the Executive’s heirs, executors, administrators, and successors; provided that the services provided by the Executive under this Agreement are of a personal nature, and rights and obligations of the Executive under this Agreement shall not be assignable or delegable, except for any death payments otherwise due the Executive, which shall be payable to the estate of the Executive; provided further the Company may assign this Agreement to, and all rights hereunder shall inure to the benefit of, any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company or any person, firm or corporation resulting from the reorganization of the Company or succeeding to the business or assets of the Company by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise; and provided further that in the event of the Executive’s death, any unpaid amount due to the Executive under this Agreement shall be paid to the Executive’s estate.

(f)     Executive’s Representations . The Executive hereby represents and warrants to the Company that: (i) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Executive do not and shall not conflict with, breach, violate or cause a default under any contract, agreement, instrument, order, judgment or decree to which the Executive is a party or by which the Executive is bound; (ii) the Executive is not a party to or bound by any employment agreement, noncompetition or nonsolicitation agreement or confidentiality agreement with any other person or entity besides the Company and (iii) upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, this Agreement shall be the valid and binding obligation of the Executive, enforceable in accordance with its teens. THE EXECUTIVE HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES AND REPRESENTS THAT THE EXECUTIVE HAS CONSULTED WITH INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING THE EXECUTIVE’S RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, TO THE EXTENT DETERMINED NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE BY THE EXECUTIVE, AND THAT THE EXECUTIVE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CONTAINED HEREIN.

 

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(g)     Compliance with Rules and Policies . The Executive shall perform all services in accordance with the policies, procedures and rules established by the Company and the Board. In addition, the Executive shall comply with all laws, rules and regulations that are generally applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates and their respective employees, directors and officers.

(h)     Withholding Taxes . All amounts payable hereunder shall be subject to the withholding of all applicable taxes and deductions required by any applicable law.

(i)     Entire Agreement . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and terminates and supersedes any and all prior agreements, understandings and representations, whether written or oral, by or between the parties hereto or their affiliates which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way, including, without limitation, the Prior Agreement and any other existing employment agreement or change of control agreement, which is hereby terminated and cancelled and of no further force or effect, without the payment of any additional consideration by or to either of the parties hereto.

(j)     Duration . Notwithstanding the Employment Term hereunder, this Agreement shall continue for so long as any obligations remain under this Agreement.

(k)     Survival . The covenants set forth in Sections 6 and 12(c) of this Agreement shall survive and shall continue to be binding upon the Executive notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement for any reason whatsoever.

(l)     Amendment and Waiver . The provisions of this Agreement may be amended or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and the Executive, and no course of conduct or course of dealing or failure or delay by any party hereto in enforcing or exercising any of the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, the Company’s right to terminate the Employment Term for Cause) shall affect the validity, binding effect or enforceability of this Agreement or be deemed to be an implied waiver of any similar or dissimilar requirement, provision or condition of this Agreement at the same or any prior or subsequent time. Pursuit by either party of any available remedy, either in law or equity, or any action of any kind, does not constitute waiver of any other remedy or action. Such remedies and actions are cumulative and not exclusive.

(m)     Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute one instrument.

(n)     Section References . Section headings in this Agreement are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Agreement for any other purpose. The words Section and paragraph herein shall refer to provisions of this Agreement unless expressly indicated otherwise.

(o)     No Strict Construction . The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring either party hereto by

 

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virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement. When the context admits or requires, words used in the masculine gender shall be construed to include the feminine, the plural shall include the singular, and the singular shall include the plural.

(p)     Time of the Essence; Computation of Time . Time is of the essence for each and every provision of this Agreement. Whenever the last day for the exercise of any privilege or the discharge or any duty hereunder shall fall upon a Saturday, Sunday, or any date on which banks in New York, New York are authorized to be closed, the party having such privilege or duty may exercise such privilege or discharge such duty on the next succeeding day which is a regular business day.

(q)     No Third Party Beneficiaries . Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended or shall be construed to give any person other than the parties to this Agreement and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors or permitted assigns any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of any agreement or any provision contained herein.

(r)     Protected Rights . Nothing contained in this Agreement limits the Executive’s ability to file a charge or complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other federal, state or local governmental agency or commission (collectively, “ Government Agencies ”), or prevents the Executive from providing truthful testimony in response to a lawfully issued subpoena or court order. Further, this Agreement does not limit the Executive’s ability to communicate with any Government Agencies or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including providing documents or other information, without notice to the Company.

(s)     Defend Trade Secrets Act . The Executive is hereby notified that under the Defend Trade Secrets Act: (i) no individual shall be held criminally or civilly liable under federal or state trade secret law for disclosure of a trade secret (as defined in the Economic Espionage Act) that is: (A) made in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and made solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law or (B) made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal so that it is not made public; and (ii) an individual who pursues a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of the law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of the individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal, and does not disclose the trade secret, except as permitted by court order.

[Signature Page Follows.]

 

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[Signature Page to Employment Agreement]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, have hereunto executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above.

 

   

AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC

Date: January 23, 2018

   

By:

 

/s/ Fred Boehler

     

Name: Fred Boehler

     

Title: Chief Executive Officer, President and Trustee

   

TOM NOVOSEL

Date: : January 23, 2018

   

/s/ Thomas C. Novosel

 

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Exhibit A: Form of Release

WAIVER AND RELEASE

This Waiver and Release (this “ Release ”) is executed by Tom Novosel (the “ Executive ”) pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Employment Agreement, dated as of [●], by and between AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC and the Executive (the “ Employment Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Release have the meanings given to them in the Employment Agreement.

1.     General Release . In consideration of the payments and benefits to be provided to the Executive pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Employment Agreement, the Executive, on behalf of the Executive and anyone claiming through the Executive , hereby fully and completely releases, acquits and forever discharges the Company, its affiliates and related entities, and each of their respective current and former employees, officers, directors, shareholders, partners, members, managers, agents, employee benefit plans and fiduciaries, insurers, trustees, attorneys, joint venture partners, transferees, successors and assigns (each a “ Released Party ” and collectively, the “ Released Parties ”), collectively, separately, and severally, of and from any and all claims, demands, damages, causes of action, debts, liabilities, controversies, judgments, and suits of every kind and nature whatsoever, foreseen, unforeseen, known or unknown, that arise out of or relate to the Executive’s employment or termination of employment with the Company and that the Executive has had, now has, or may have against the Released Parties (or any of them) at any time up to and including the date the Executive signs this Release, with the exception of the claims set forth in Section  2 below (the claims released in this Release are collectively referred to as the “ Released Claims ”). The Released Claims include all claims arising under any federal, state or local statute or ordinance, constitutional provision, public policy or common law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (the “ ADEA ”), the Equal Pay Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Civil Rights Act of 1871, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (with respect to unvested benefits), COBRA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Georgia Equal Pay Act, the Georgia Prohibition of Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Georgia Equal Employment for People with Disabilities Code, all as amended; all claims arising under discrimination laws, whistleblower laws and laws relating to violation of public policy, retaliation, or interference with legal rights; all claims for compensation of any type whatsoever, including claims for wages, bonuses, commissions, equity, vacation, sick leave, PTO and severance; all claims arising under tort, contract and/or quasi-contract law, including all claims arising under the Employment Agreement; and all claims for monetary or equitable relief, including attorneys’ fees, back pay, front pay, reinstatement, experts’ fees, medical expenses, costs and disbursements. The Executive hereby waives any right to seek or recover any individual relief (including any money damages, reinstatement, or other relief) in connection with any of the Released Claims through any charge, complaint, lawsuit, or other proceeding, whether commenced or maintained by the Executive or by any other person or entity, with the exception of any right to seek an award pursuant to Section 21F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

2.     Excluded Claims . The Released Claims do not include (a) any claims for vested benefits to which the Executive is entitled upon the termination of the Executive’s employment

 

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in accordance with the terms of the applicable benefit plans (for the avoidance of doubt, no term or provision under the Employment Agreement shall be deemed a benefit plan for purposes of this Release); (b) any claims related to acts, omissions or events occurring after the date this Release is signed by the Executive; (c) any right that the Executive may have to indemnification or insurance coverage under the Company’s organizational documents or any directors and officers insurance policy; (d) any claims that cannot legally be waived by private agreement.

3.     Covenant Not to Sue . Except for an action to challenge the validity of the Executive’s release of claims under the ADEA, or as otherwise provided in Section  5 below, the Executive promises that the Executive will not file, instigate or participate in any proceeding against any of the Released Parties relating to any of the Released Claims. In the event the Executive breaches the covenant contained in this Section  3 , the Executive agrees to indemnify the Released Parties for all damages and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by any Released Parties in defending, participating in or investigating any matter or proceeding covered by this Section  3 .

4.     Representations . The Executive represents and warrants that (a) the Executive has been properly paid for all hours worked and has received all wages, bonuses, vacation pay, expense reimbursements and any other sums due from the Company (with the exception of the payments and benefits to be provided pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Employment Agreement); (b) the Executive has returned all Company property in the Executive’s possession or control and has permanently deleted any Confidential Information stored on any electronic device, web-based email or other storage location not owned by the Company but within the Executive’s possession or control; (c) the Executive has suffered no work-related injury or occupational disease during the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company that the Executive has not reported in writing to the Company; (d) the Executive is not aware of any activity by the Company or any other Released Party that the Executive believes to be unlawful or potentially unlawful; (e) the Executive has not filed any complaints, claims or actions against the Company or any other Released Party; and (f) the Executive has not assigned, transferred, conveyed or otherwise disposed of any Released Claims.

5.     Protected Rights . Nothing contained in this Release limits the Executive’s ability to file a charge or complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other federal, state or local governmental agency or commission (collectively, “ Government Agencies ”). Further, this Release does not limit the Executive’s ability to communicate with any Government Agencies or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including providing documents or other information, without notice to the Company.

6.     Consideration Period . The Executive understands that the Executive has [twenty-one (21) days / forty-five (45) days] 1 to consider this Release before deciding whether to sign it. The Executive may sign this Release sooner if the Executive chooses, but no sooner than the date of termination of the Executive’s employment. If the Executive chooses to sign this Release before the expiration of such [21-day / 45-day] period, the Executive represents that the Executive’s decision to do so is knowing and voluntary. The Executive agrees that any changes

 

 

1  

To be determined by the Company at the time of termination in accordance with applicable law.

 

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made to this Release after it was delivered to the Executive, whether material or immaterial, do not restart the [21-day / 45-day] period described in this Section. The Company advises the Executive to consult with an attorney before signing this Release.

7.     Right to Revoke . The Executive understands that the Executive has the right to revoke this Release within seven (7) days after signing it. This Release shall not become effective until the eighth day following the date on which the Executive has signed it without having revoked it (the “ Effective Date ”). If the Executive chooses to revoke this Release, the Executive must deliver written notice of revocation to the Company in accordance with Section 8 of the Employment Agreement. Any such notice of revocation must be delivered to the Company in a manner calculated to ensure receipt prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the day prior to the Effective Date. The Executive understands that if the Executive revokes this Release, the Executive will not be entitled to any of the benefits provided hereunder.

8.     General Provisions . The Released Parties expressly deny that they have any liability to the Executive, and this Release is not to be construed as an admission of any such liability. This Release is to be construed under the laws of the State of Georgia. This Release constitutes the entire agreement between the Executive and the Company with respect to the issues addressed in this Release. The Executive represents that the Executive is not relying on any other agreements or oral representations not fully expressed in this Release. This Release may not be modified except in writing signed by the Executive and an authorized Company representative. The headings in this Release are for reference only, and do not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Release. As used herein, the phrase “including” means “including, but not limited to” in each instance. “Or” is used in the inclusive sense of “and/or”. Should any part of this Release be found to be void or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction or Government Agency, such determination will not affect the remainder of this Release.

 

ACCEPTED AND AGREED BY:

 

TOM NOVOSEL

 

Date

 

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Exhibit 10.6

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), is dated this 23rd day of January, 2018, by and between AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company with its principal place of business located in Atlanta, Georgia (the “ Company ”) and Tom Musgrave (the “ Executive ”).

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, the Executive currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of the Company;

WHEREAS, the Executive and the Company are currently parties to that certain Employment Agreement, dated October 9, 2015 (the “ Prior Employment Agreement ”); and

WHEREAS, the Executive and the Company mutually desire to terminate and cancel the Prior Employment Agreement and, in connection therewith, to provide for the continued services and employment of the Executive by the Company on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises contained herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, each intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:

1.     Employment . On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company hereby agrees to continue to employ the Executive, and the Executive hereby agrees to continue such employment, for the Employment Term (as defined below). During the Employment Term, the Executive shall serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of the Company and shall report to the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company (the “ CEO ”), performing the normal duties and responsibilities of such position with respect to the business of the Company and such other duties and responsibilities commensurate with such position as the CEO or the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) may reasonably assign to the Executive from time to time.

2.     Performance . The Executive shall serve the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates faithfully and to the best of the Executive’s ability and shall devote the Executive’s full business time, energy, experience and talents to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, as applicable, and will not engage in any other employment activities for any direct or indirect remuneration without the prior written approval of the Board; provided , however , that it shall not be a violation of this Agreement for the Executive to manage the Executive’s personal investments, to engage in or serve such civic, community, charitable, educational, industry, professional, or religious organizations as the Executive may select, or, with the prior approval of the CEO and Board, to serve on the boards of directors of other companies, so long as such service does not create an actual or potential conflict of interest with, or impair the Executive’s ability to fulfill the Executive’s duties hereunder or conflict with the Executive’s covenants under Section 6 of this Agreement, in each case as determined in the sole judgment of the CEO and Board.

 

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3.     Employment Term .

(a)    Subject to earlier termination pursuant to Section 7, the term of employment of the Executive hereunder shall begin on January 23, 2018 (the “ Commencement Date ”), and shall continue for an indefinite period of time (the “ Employment Term ”).

4.     Principal Location . The Executive’s principal place of employment shall be the Company’s offices located in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area, subject to required travel.

5.     Compensation and Benefits .

(a)     Base Salary . During the Employment Term, the Company shall pay the Executive a base salary, payable in equal installments in accordance with Company payroll procedures, at an annual rate of Three Hundred Twenty Thousand Dollars ($320,000.00), pro-rated to reflect any partial year of employment. The Board or a committee thereof shall review Executive’s base salary on an annual basis and may increase Executive’s base salary from time to time, in which case such increased salary then shall become the Executive’s base salary for purposes of this Agreement.

(b)     Annual Bonus . The Executive shall be eligible to receive an annual performance-based cash bonus in respect of each calendar year that ends during the Employment Term, to the extent earned based on the achievement of performance objectives established by the Board or a committee thereof, after consultation with the Executive, no later than 30 days after commencement of the relevant bonus period, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s Short-Term Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time. The maximum annual performance-based cash bonus that the Executive may earn is ninety percent (90%), and the target bonus is sixty percent (60%), in each case, of the Executive’s annual base salary at the rate in effect at the end of the relevant calendar year, pro-rated to properly reflect any partial year of employment. If the applicable performance objectives are not attained at least at the minimum level, no annual performance bonus shall be payable. The amount of such annual bonus awarded for a calendar year shall be determined by the Board or a committee thereof after the end of the calendar year to which such bonus relates and shall be paid to the Executive during the following calendar year when annual bonuses for the prior calendar year are paid to other senior executives of the Company generally. The amount of any such annual bonus shall be pro-rated to properly reflect any partial year of employment. Except as otherwise provided in Section 7(b), to be eligible for any such annual bonus under this Section 5(b), the Executive must be in active working status at the time the Company pays bonuses for the relevant year to other senior executives generally. For purposes of this Agreement, “active working status” means that the Executive is employed by the Company.

(c)     Long Term Incentive Plan.

(i)    The Executive shall be eligible to participate in the Americold Realty Trust 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “ Stock Plan ”) in such amounts and at such times as the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Americold Realty Trust (“ ART ”) shall determine in its sole discretion. Any such awards shall be governed by the Stock Plan and any Stock Plan award agreements between ART and the Executive.

 

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(ii)     Restricted Stock Unit Grant . In consideration of the Executive’s entering into this Agreement and as an inducement to remain with the Company, the Executive shall be granted promptly following the Commencement Date, under the Stock Plan, an award of 14,063 restricted stock units to be settled in shares of the common stock of ART (the “ Restricted Stock Units ”), subject to the approval of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of ART. Such award shall be governed by the Stock Plan and a restricted stock unit award agreement between the Executive and ART. Subject to terms of the Stock Plan and the award agreement for the Restricted Stock Units, the Restricted Stock Units shall vest in equal one-third (1/3) installments on the second, third and fourth anniversaries of the date of grant of such award, subject to the Executive’s continuous employment with the Company from the date of grant of such award through such vesting dates, except as otherwise provided in Section 7(b).

(d)     Benefits . During the Employment Term, the Executive shall, subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plan documents in force from time to time and all applicable laws, be eligible to participate in all of the employee benefit, fringe and perquisite plans, practices, policies and arrangements the Company makes available from time to time to its executive employees generally.

(e)     Paid Time Off . The Executive shall be entitled to not less than twenty-nine (29) days of paid time off during each calendar year, pro-rated for any partial calendar year of employment, in accordance with the Company’s policies and practices with respect to its employees generally as in effect from time to time.

(f)     Business Expenses . The Executive shall be reimbursed by the Company for all reasonable and necessary business expenses actually incurred by the Executive in performing the Executive’s duties hereunder. All payments under this Section 5(f) will be made in accordance with policies established by the Company from time to time and subject to receipt by the Company of appropriate documentation.

(g)     Directors and Officers Liability Insurance . During the Employment Term, the Company shall maintain director and officer liability insurance covering the Executive on terms that are no less favorable than the coverage provided to other senior executives, officers or directors of the Company, as such coverage may be in effect from time to time.

6.     Covenants of the Executive . The Executive acknowledges that in the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company the Executive will become familiar with the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ and affiliates’ trade secrets and with other confidential and proprietary information concerning the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, and that the Executive’s services are of special, unique and extraordinary value to the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates. Therefore, the Company and the Executive mutually agree that it is in the interest of both parties for the Executive to enter into the restrictive covenants set forth in this Section 6 to, among other things, protect the legitimate business interests of the Company and those of its subsidiaries and affiliates, and that such restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 are reasonable in geographical and temporal scope and in all other respects given the nature of the Executive’s duties and the nature of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ and affiliates’ businesses and that such restrictions and covenants do not and will not unduly impair

 

3


the Executive’s ability to earn a living after termination of the Executive’s employment with the Company. The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that (i) the Company would not have entered into this Agreement but for the restrictive covenants of the Executive set forth in this Section 6, and (ii) such restrictive covenants have been made by the Executive in order to induce the Company to enter into this Agreement.

(a)     Definitions . For purposes of this Section 6:

Competing Business ” means any person or entity that engages in a business that is the same as or substantially similar to the business conducted by the Company.

Confidential Information ” means confidential information relating to the business of the Company and/or its affiliates that (i) has been made known to the Executive through the Executive’s relationship with the Company or its affiliates, (ii) has value to the Company and/or its affiliates and (iii) is not generally known to competitors of the Company and/or its affiliates. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, methods of operation, business strategies, plans for acquisition or expansion, terms of transaction documents (including but not limited to purchase and sale agreements, operating agreements, lease agreements and employment agreements), financial information and projections, pricing and discount information, lists of and information regarding current or prospective customers, vendors, licensees and licensors, product development activities, marketing plans and strategies, non-public personnel information, and any other information of whatever kind that gives the Company and/or its affiliates an opportunity to obtain an advantage over competitors who do not possess such information, regardless of whether such information is marked “confidential.” Confidential Information includes trade secrets (as defined under applicable law) as well as information that does not rise to the level of a trade secret, and includes information that has been entrusted to the Company or any of its affiliates by a third party under an obligation of confidentiality. Confidential Information does not include any information that has been voluntarily disclosed to the public by the Company (except where such public disclosure has been made by the Executive without authorization) or that has been independently developed and disclosed by others, or that otherwise enters the public domain through lawful means.

Customer ” means a current or actively sought prospective customer of the Company during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment with the Company.

Restricted Period ” means the period in which the Executive is employed with the Company together with the one (1)-year period following termination of the Executive’s employment for any reason.

Services ” means services of the type conducted, authorized, offered or provided by the Executive to or on behalf of the Company during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment with the Company.

Territory ” means each geographic area in which the Company conducted business during the Executive’s employment with the Company; provided , that if the Executive’s duties and responsibilities during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment were limited to particular geographic areas, then the “Territory” shall be limited to such geographic areas.

 

4


(b)     Noncompetition . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, own, manage, operate, control, consult with, be employed by or otherwise provide Services to, or participate in the ownership, management, operation or control of, any Competing Business anywhere in the Territory. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive’s ownership solely as an investor of two percent (2%) or less of the outstanding securities of any class of any publicly-traded securities of any company shall not, by itself, be considered to be competition with the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.

(c)     Non-solicitation of Customers . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit or attempt to solicit any Customer for purposes of providing products or services that are competitive with the products and services provided by the Company or (ii) induce or attempt to induce any Customer to reduce or cease doing business with the Company, or otherwise interfere with the relationship between any Customer and the Company.

(d)     Non-solicitation of Employees . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit for employment or attempt to solicit for employment, directly or by assisting others, any person who was an employee or independent contractor of the Company on, or within six (6) months before, the date of such solicitation or attempted solicitation or (ii) induce or attempt to induce any employee or independent contractor of the Company to terminate such person’s employment or independent contractor relationship with the Company, or in any way interfere with the relationship between any such person and the Company.

(e)     Non-disclosure of Confidential Information .

(i)    The Executive acknowledges that all Confidential Information is the property of the Company or its applicable affiliates. The Executive further acknowledges that the Company and its affiliates intend, and make reasonable good faith efforts, to protect the Confidential Information from public disclosure. Therefore, the Executive agrees that, except as required by law or regulation or as legally compelled by court order ( provided that in such case, the Executive shall promptly notify the Company of such order, shall cooperate with the Company in attempting to obtain a protective order or to otherwise restrict such disclosure, and shall only disclose Confidential Information to the minimum extent necessary to comply with any such law regulation or order), during the Employment Term and at all times thereafter, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, divulge, transmit, publish, copy, distribute, furnish or otherwise disclose or make accessible any Confidential Information, or use any Confidential Information for the benefit of anyone other than the Company and its affiliates,.

(ii)    The Company does not wish to incorporate any unlicensed or unauthorized material into its products or services. Therefore, the Executive agrees that the Executive will not disclose to the Company, use in the Company’s business, or cause the Company to use, any information or material which is a trade secret, or confidential

 

5


or proprietary information, of any third party, including, but not limited to, any former employer, any competitor or any client, unless the Company has a right to receive and use such information or material. The Executive will not incorporate into the Executive’s work any material or information which is subject to the copyrights of any third party unless the Company has a written agreement with such third party or otherwise has the right to receive and use such material or information.

(f)     Company Intellectual Property . The Executive agrees to promptly disclose to the Company any and all work product, inventions, artistic works, works of authorship, designs, methods, processes, technology, patterns, techniques, data, Confidential Information, patents, trade secrets, trademarks, domain names, copyrights, and the like, and all other intellectual property relating to the business of the Company and any of its affiliates which are created, authored, composed, invented, discovered, performed, perfected, or learned by the Executive (either solely or jointly with others) during the Employment Term (collectively, together with such intellectual property as may be owned or acquired by the Company, the “ Company Intellectual Property ”). The Company Intellectual Property shall be the sole and absolute property of the Company and its affiliates. All work performed by the Executive in authoring, composing, inventing, creating, developing or modifying Company Intellectual Property and/or other work product to which copyright protection may attach during the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company shall be considered “works made for hire” to the extent permitted under applicable copyright law and will be considered the sole property of the Company. To the extent such works, work product or Company Intellectual Property are not considered “works made for hire,” all right, title, and interest to such works, work product and Company Intellectual Property, including, but not limited to, all copyrights, patents, trademarks, rights of publicity, and trade secrets, is hereby assigned to the Company and the Executive agrees, at the Company’s expense, to execute any documents requested by the Company or any of its affiliates at any time in relation to such assignment. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Company is and will be the sole and absolute owner of all trademarks, service marks, domain names, patents, copyrights, trade dress, trade secrets, business names, rights of publicity, inventions, proprietary know-how and information of any type, whether or not in writing, and all other intellectual property used by the Company or held for use in the business of the Company, including all Company Intellectual Property. The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that any and all derivative works, developments, or improvements based on intellectual property, materials and assets subject to this Section 6 created during the Employment Term (including, without limitation, Company Intellectual Property) shall be exclusively owned by the Company. The Executive will cooperate with the Company and any of its affiliates, at no additional cost to such parties (whether during or after the Employment Term), in the confirmation, registration, protection and enforcement of the rights and property of the Company and its affiliates in such intellectual property, materials and assets, including, without limitation, the Company Intellectual Property.

(g)     Company Property . All Confidential Information, Company Intellectual Property, files, records, correspondence, memoranda, notes or other documents (including, without limitation, those in computer-readable form) or property relating or belonging to the Company and affiliates, whether prepared by the Executive or otherwise coming into the Executive’s possession or control in the course of the performance of the Executive’s services under this Agreement, shall be the exclusive property of the Company and shall be delivered to

 

6


the Company, and not retained by the Executive (including, without limitation, any copies thereof), promptly upon request by the Company and, in any event, promptly upon termination of the Employment Term. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Executive has no expectation of privacy with respect to the Company’s telecommunications, networking or information processing systems (including, without limitation, stored computer files, email messages and voice messages), and that the Executive’s activity and any files or messages on or using any of those systems may be monitored at any time without notice.

(h)     Enforcement . The Executive acknowledges that a breach of the Executive’s covenants and agreements contained in this Section 6 would cause irreparable damage to the Company and its affiliates, the exact amount of which would be difficult to ascertain, and that the remedies at law for any such breach or threatened breach would be inadequate. Accordingly, the Executive agrees that if the Executive materially breaches any of the covenants or agreements contained in this Section 6, in addition to any other remedy which may be available at law or in equity, the Company and affiliates shall be entitled to: (i) cease or withhold payment to the Executive of any severance payments described in Section 7, for which the Executive otherwise qualifies under such Section 7, and the Executive shall promptly repay to the Company 90% of any such severance payments the Executive previously received (with the remaining 10% serving as consideration for the Executive’s release of claims described in Section 7(d), (ii) institute and prosecute proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction for specific performance and injunctive and other equitable relief without bond or other security or a showing of irreparable harm or lack of an adequate remedy at law, and (iii) an equitable accounting by any court of competent jurisdiction of all profits or benefits arising out of such violation. Additionally, upon a material breach by the Executive of this Section 6, the unvested Restricted Stock Units (and any other unvested stock-based awards held by the Executive) shall be automatically canceled and forfeited without any further action.

(i)     Scope of Covenants . The Company and the Executive further acknowledge that the time, scope, geographic area and other provisions of this Section 6 have been specifically negotiated by sophisticated commercial parties and agree that they consider the restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 to be reasonable and necessary for the protection of the interests of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, but if any such restriction or covenant shall be held by any court of competent jurisdiction to be void but would be valid if deleted in part or reduced in application, such restriction or covenant shall apply in such jurisdiction with such deletion or modification as may be necessary to make it valid and enforceable. The restrictions and covenants contained in each paragraph of this Section 6 shall be construed as separate and individual restrictions and covenants and shall each be capable of being reduced in application or severed without prejudice to the other restrictions and covenants or to the remaining provisions of this Agreement.

(j)     Enforceability . If any court holds any of the restrictions or covenants contained in this Section 6 to be unenforceable by reason of their breadth or scope or otherwise, it is the intention of the parties hereto that such determination not bar or in any way affect the right of the Company and its affiliates to the relief provided in this Section 6 in the courts of any other jurisdiction within the geographic scope of such restrictions and covenants.

 

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(k)     Disclosure of Restrictive Covenants . The Executive agrees to disclose in advance the existence and terms of the restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 to any employer or other service recipient by whom the Executive may be employed or retained during the Restricted Period.

(l)     Extension of Restricted Period . If the Executive breaches any non-competition or non-solicitation covenant set forth in this Section 6 in any respect, the Restricted Period will be extended for a period equal to the period that the Executive was in breach of such covenant, up to a maximum period of one (1) year.

7.     Termination .

(a)     Termination of Employment . The employment of the Executive hereunder and the Employment Term may be terminated at any time:

(i)    by the Company with or without Cause (as defined herein) upon written notice to the Executive;

(ii)    by the Company due to the Executive’s Disability (as hereinafter defined) upon written notice to the Executive;

 

 

(iii)

by the Executive with Good Reason (as defined herein);

(iv)    by the Executive without Good Reason upon thirty (30) days written notice to the Company (which notice period may be waived by the Company in its absolute discretion, in which case, such termination shall be effective immediately upon the Company’s receipt of notice thereof from the Executive); or

(v)    without action by the Company, the Executive or any other person or entity, immediately upon the Executive’s death.

If the Executive’s employment is terminated for any reason under this Section 7, the Company shall be obligated to pay or provide to the Executive (or the Executive’s estate, as applicable) in a lump sum within thirty (30) days following such termination, or at such other time prescribed by any applicable plan or applicable laws: (A) any base salary payable to the Executive pursuant to this Agreement, accrued up to and including the date on which the Executive’s employment is terminated, less required statutory deductions; (B) accrued and unpaid paid time off (if and as required by applicable law or the Company’s policies then in effect); (C) any employee benefits to which the Executive is entitled upon termination of the Executive’s employment with the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans of the Company, as in place from time to time; and (D) reimbursement for any unreimbursed business expenses incurred by the Executive prior to the Executive’s date of termination pursuant to Section 5(f) ((A)-(D) collectively, the “ Accrued Amounts ”).

(b)     Termination by the Company without Cause or by the Executive for Good Reason . If the Executive’s employment is terminated (A) by the Company without Cause or (B) by the Executive for Good Reason (in either case, other than a termination due to the Executive’s death or Disability), in addition to the Accrued Amounts, the Executive shall be entitled to receive as severance (subject to Section 7(d)) the amounts set forth in this Section 7(b), provided the Executive executes and does not revoke the Release as required by Section 7(d).

 

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(i)    The Executive shall be entitled to an amount equal to the Executive’s annual base salary (as described in Section 5(a)), for a period equal to twelve (12) months (the “ Severance Period ”), payable starting on the sixtieth (60 th ) day following the date of such termination (but with the first payment being a lump sum payment covering all payment periods from the date of termination through the date of such first payment), in substantially equal installments in accordance with the Company’s payroll practices during the Severance Period following the date of such termination, subject to reduction pursuant to Section 6(h);

(ii)    To the extent performance objectives applicable to the Executive’s annual bonus in the year of termination (including any objectives applicable to the Company’s targeted budget) are earned as of the end of the relevant bonus period, the Executive shall be entitled to the annual bonus earned for the calendar year of such termination pursuant to Section 5(b) of this Agreement, pro-rated based on the number of days the Executive was actively employed by the Company during such bonus period, payable at the time such annual bonus would otherwise be paid in accordance with Section 5(b) of this Agreement;

(iii)    Continued full participation in the Company’s health and welfare benefit programs (including full reimbursement for all health, dental and vision expenses, but excluding participation in the Company’s short- or long-term disability plans) for a period of twelve (12) months following the Executive’s termination date (for the avoidance of doubt, this continuation period shall run concurrently with any required continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“ COBRA ”)); provided that the Company’s obligation to make any payment pursuant to this provision shall cease upon the date the Executive became eligible for coverage under the health plan of a future employer (regardless of whether the Executive elects such coverage) and the Executive shall promptly notify the Company of his eligibility for any such coverage;

(iv)    Subject to Section 7(b)(v), if any Restricted Stock Units referenced in Section 5(c)(ii) remain unvested at the time of such termination, the next installment of the Restricted Stock Units that would have vested on the next scheduled vesting date shall vest as of the date of termination and the balance of any unvested Restricted Stock Units shall be forfeited. Also, if any awards issued to the Executive under the Stock Plan as to which vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more performance conditions remain unvested at the time of such termination, a prorated portion of the performance-vesting awards shall remain outstanding and eligible to vest based on actual performance through the last day of the applicable performance period, based on the number of days during the applicable performance period that the Executive was employed. Any performance-vesting awards that are earned based on actual performance will vest and settle as provided in the applicable award agreement.

(v)    If such termination of the Executive’s employment by the Company without Cause or by the Executive for Good Reason occurs within the twelve (12) month

 

9


period following a Change in Control (as such term is defined in the Stock Plan), (A) any Restricted Stock Units referenced in Section 5(c)(ii) which are not vested at the time of such termination shall immediately become vested and (B) any other awards granted to the Executive pursuant to the Stock Plan as to which vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more performance conditions and which are not vested at the time of termination shall immediately become vested based on actual performance through the termination date.

(c)     Definitions of Certain Terms . For purposes of this Agreement:

(i)    “ Cause ” means the Executive’s (A) commission of an act that constitutes common law fraud or a felony, commission of any other crime involving moral turpitude, or commission of any other tortious or unlawful act causing, or which may likely cause, material harm to the business, standing or reputation of the Company without the good faith belief that such conduct was in the best interests of the Company; (B) material breach of this Agreement, after the Company has given the Executive thirty (30) days written notice and an opportunity to cure such breach to the extent curable; (C) willful failure or refusal to perform the Executive’s material duties or obligations under this Agreement, including, without limitation, failure or refusal to abide by the directions of the CEO or the Board or any written policy adopted by the Board, in each case after the Company has given the Executive thirty (30) days written notice and an opportunity to cure such failure or refusal to the extent curable; (D) willful misconduct or gross negligence in the performance of the Executive’s duties as an employee, officer or director of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates; or (E) material misappropriation or embezzlement of any property of the Company.

(ii)    “ Disability ” means a condition entitling the Executive to benefits under the Company’s long term disability plan, policy or arrangement in which the Executive participates; provided , however , that if no such plan, policy or arrangement is then maintained by the Company and applicable to the Executive, “Disability” shall mean the Executive’s inability to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, the Executive’s duties under this Agreement due to a mental or physical condition that can be expected to result in death or that can be expected to last (or has already lasted) for a continuous period of 90 days or more, or for an aggregate of 180 days in any 365 consecutive day period, as determined by the CEO or the Board in its good faith discretion.

(iii)     “ Good Reason ” means the occurrence, without the Executive’s consent, of any of the following events, other than in connection with a termination of the Executive’s employment for Cause or due to death or Disability: (A) a material reduction in the Executive’s rate of base salary stated in Section 5(a) and/or the amount of the Executive’s annual bonus opportunity described in Section 5(b); (B) an action by the Company resulting in a material diminution in the Executive’s titles, authority, duties, responsibilities or direct reports, (C) the Company’s relocation of the Executive’s principal place of employment to a location outside of the fifty (50)-mile radius of Atlanta, Georgia; or (D) a material breach by the Company of this Agreement; provided , however , that none of the events described in this sentence shall constitute Good Reason

 

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unless and until (V) the Executive reasonably determines in good faith that a Good Reason condition has occurred, (W) the Executive first notifies the Company in writing describing in reasonable detail the condition which constitutes Good Reason within sixty (60) days of its initial occurrence, (X) the Company fails to cure such condition within thirty (30) days after the Company’s receipt of such written notice, (Y) notwithstanding such efforts, the Good Reason condition continues to exist, and (Z) the Executive terminates the Executive’s employment within sixty (60) days after the end of such thirty (30)-day cure period. If the Company cures the Good Reason condition during such cure period, Good Reason shall be deemed not be have occurred.

(d)     Release of Claims . As a condition of receiving any severance for which the Executive otherwise qualifies under Section 7(b), the Executive agrees to execute, deliver and not revoke, within sixty (60) days following the date of the Executive’s termination of employment, a separation agreement containing a general release of claims against the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective affiliates and their respective employees, officers, directors, owners and members, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “ Release ”), such Release to be delivered, and to have become fully irrevocable, on or before the end of such sixty (60)-day period. If the Release has not been executed and delivered and become irrevocable on or before the end of such sixty (60)-day period, no amounts or benefits under Section 7(b) shall be or become payable.

(e)     No Additional Rights . The Executive acknowledges and agrees that, except as specifically described in this Section 7, all of the Executive’s rights to any compensation, benefits, bonuses or severance from the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates after termination of the Employment Term shall cease upon such termination.

8.     Notices . All notices, requests, demands, claims, consents and other communications which are required, permitted or otherwise delivered hereunder shall in every case be in writing and shall be deemed properly served if: (a) delivered personally, (b) sent by registered or certified mail, in all such cases with first class postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or (c) delivered by a recognized overnight courier service, to the parties at the addresses as set forth below:

 

If to the Company:

  

Americold Logistics, LLC

  

10 Glenlake Parkway

  

South Tower, Suite 600

  

Attention: General Counsel

  

Atlanta, Georgia 30328

With copies to:

  

King & Spalding LLP

  

1180 Peachtree Street

  

Attention: C. Spencer Johnson, III

If to the Executive:

  

At the Executive’s residence address

  

as maintained by the Company in the

  

regular course of its business for

  

payroll purposes.

 

11


or to such other address as shall be furnished in writing by either party to the other party; provided that such notice or change in address shall be effective only when actually received by the other party. Date of service of any such notices or other communications shall be: (a) the date such notice is personally delivered, (b) three days after the date of mailing if sent by certified or registered mail, or (c) one business day after date of delivery to the overnight courier if sent by overnight courier.

9.     Arbitration . Except as otherwise provided in Section 6(h) in connection with equitable remedies, any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including, without limitation, any dispute, claim or controversy concerning the validity, enforceability, breach or termination hereof, if not resolved by the parties, shall be finally settled by arbitration in accordance with the then-prevailing Employment Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association, as modified herein (“ Rules ”). There shall be one arbitrator who shall be jointly selected by the parties. If the parties have not jointly agreed upon an arbitrator within twenty (20) calendar days of respondent’s receipt of claimant’s notice of intention to arbitrate, either party may request the American Arbitration Association to furnish the parties with a list of names from which the parties shall jointly select an arbitrator. If the parties have not agreed upon an arbitrator within ten (10) calendar days of the transmittal date of such list, then each party shall have an additional five (5) calendar days in which to strike any names objected to, number the remaining names in order of preference, and return the list to the American Arbitration Association, which shall then select an arbitrator in accordance with Rule 13 of the Rules. The place of arbitration shall be Atlanta, Georgia or such other location as mutually agreed in writing by the parties. By agreeing to arbitration, the parties hereto do not intend to deprive any court of its jurisdiction to issue a pre-arbitral injunction or with respect to other proceedings described in Section 6(h) (or delay any such proceedings), pre-arbitral attachment or other order in aid of arbitration. The arbitration shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16. Judgment upon the award of the arbitrator may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. Each party shall bear its or his or her own costs and expenses in any such arbitration and one-half of the arbitrator’s fees and expenses.

10.     Waiver of Jury Trial . THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION, OR CAUSE OF ACTION (I)  ARISING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR (II)  IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO IN RESPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED HERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, EQUITY, OR OTHERWISE. THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION, OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

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11.     Section 409A .

(a)    The intent of the parties is that payments and benefits under this Agreement comply with, or be exempt from, Section 409A of the Code and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder (collectively “ Code Section  409A ”) and the Company shall have complete discretion to interpret and construe this Agreement and any associated documents in any manner that establishes an exemption from (or compliance with) the requirements of Code Section 409A. If, for any reason, such as imprecision in drafting any provision of this Agreement (or of any award of compensation, including, without limitation, equity compensation or benefits) does not accurately reflect its intended establishment of an exemption from (or compliance with) Code Section 409A, as demonstrated by consistent interpretations or other evidence of intent, such provision shall be considered ambiguous as to its exemption from (or compliance with) Code Section 409A and shall be interpreted by the Company in a manner consistent with such intent, as determined in the discretion of the Company.

(b)    A termination of employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits that are considered nonqualified deferred compensation under Code Section 409A upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service” within the meaning of Code Section 409A, and, for purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms shall mean such a “separation from service.” The determination of whether and when a separation from service has occurred for proposes of this Agreement shall be made in accordance with the presumptions set forth in Section 1.409A-1(h) of the Treasury Regulations.

(c)     Any provision of this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if at the time of the Executive’s separation from service, the Company determines that the Executive is a “specified employee,” within the meaning of Code Section 409A, then to the extent any payment or benefit that the Executive becomes entitled to under this Agreement on account of such separation from service would be considered nonqualified deferred compensation under Code Section 409A such payment or benefit shall be paid or provided at the date which is the earlier of (i) six (6) months and one day after such separation from service and (ii) the date of the Executive’s death (the “ Delay Period ”). Upon the expiration of the Delay Period, all payments and benefits delayed pursuant to this Section 11(c) (whether they would have otherwise been payable in a single sum or in installments in the absence of such delay) shall be paid or provided to the Executive in a lump-sum, and any remaining payments and benefits due under this Agreement shall be paid or provided in accordance with the normal payment dates specified for them herein.

(d)    Any reimbursements and in-kind benefits provided under this Agreement that constitute deferred compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A shall be made or provided in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 409A, including, without limitation, that (i) in no event shall any fees, expenses or other amounts eligible to be reimbursed by the Company under this Agreement be paid later than the last day of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which the applicable fees, expenses or other amounts were incurred; (ii) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits that the Company is obligated to pay or provide, in any given calendar year shall not affect the expenses that the Company is obligated to reimburse, or the in-kind benefits that the Company is obligated to pay or provide, in any other calendar year; (iii) the Executive’s right to have the Company pay

 

13


or provide such reimbursements and in-kind benefits may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other benefit; and (iv) in no event shall the Company’s obligations to make such reimbursements or to provide such in-kind benefits apply later than the Executive’s remaining lifetime (or if longer, through the sixth (6th) anniversary of the Commencement Date).

(e)    For purposes of Code Section 409A, the Executive’s right to receive any installment payments shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate and distinct payments. Whenever a payment under this Agreement specifies a payment period with reference to a number of days (for example, payment shall be made “within thirty (30) days following such termination”), the actual date of payment within the specified period shall be within the sole discretion of the Company. In no event may the Executive, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year of any payment to be made under this Agreement, to the extent such payment is subject to Code Section 409A.

(f)    The Company makes no representation or warranty and shall have no liability to the Executive or any other person if any provisions of this Agreement are determined to constitute deferred compensation subject to Code Section 409A but do not satisfy an exemption from, or the conditions of, Code Section 409A.

12.     General .

(a)     Governing Law . Unless preempted by federal law, this Agreement and the legal relations thus created between the parties hereto shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Georgia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Georgia or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the law of any jurisdiction other than the State of Georgia. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Agreement was executed and delivered in the State of Georgia.

(b)     Construction and Severability . Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be prohibited by, or invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under, any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such prohibition, invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement or any other jurisdiction, and the parties undertake to implement all efforts which are necessary, desirable and sufficient to amend, supplement or substitute all and any such prohibited, invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with enforceable and valid provisions in such jurisdiction which would produce as nearly as may be possible the result previously intended by the parties without renegotiation of any material terms and conditions stipulated herein.

(c)     Cooperation . During the Employment Period and thereafter, the Executive shall cooperate with the Company and be reasonably available to the Company with respect to continuing and/or future matters related to the Executive’s employment period with the Company and/or its subsidiaries or affiliates, whether such matters are business-related, legal, regulatory or otherwise (including, without limitation, the Executive appearing at the Company’s request to give testimony without requiring service of a subpoena or other legal process, volunteering to the

 

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Company all pertinent information and turning over to the Company all relevant documents which are or may come into the Executive’s possession). Following the Employment Term, the Company shall reimburse the Executive for all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the Executive in rendering such services that are approved by the Company. In addition, if more than an incidental cooperation is required at any time after the termination of the Executive’s employment, the Executive shall be paid (other than for the time of actual testimony) a per day fee based on the Executive’s base salary described in Section 5(a) at the time of such termination divided by 225.

(d)     Nondisparagement . During the Employment Term and thereafter, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, take any action, or encourage others to take any action, to disparage the Company, its employees, officers, directors, products, services, customers or owners; provided, however, this provision does not apply to the Executive’s oral or written communications made in the performance of the Executive’s duties as provided in this Agreement, including but not limited to expressions of opinion communicated internally at the Company or to the Company’s directors.

(e)     Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Company and its successors and assigns and the Executive and the Executive’s heirs, executors, administrators, and successors; provided that the services provided by the Executive under this Agreement are of a personal nature, and rights and obligations of the Executive under this Agreement shall not be assignable or delegable, except for any death payments otherwise due the Executive, which shall be payable to the estate of the Executive; provided further the Company may assign this Agreement to, and all rights hereunder shall inure to the benefit of, any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company or any person, firm or corporation resulting from the reorganization of the Company or succeeding to the business or assets of the Company by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise; and provided further that in the event of the Executive’s death, any unpaid amount due to the Executive under this Agreement shall be paid to the Executive’s estate.

(f)     Executive’s Representations . The Executive hereby represents and warrants to the Company that: (i) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Executive do not and shall not conflict with, breach, violate or cause a default under any contract, agreement, instrument, order, judgment or decree to which the Executive is a party or by which the Executive is bound; (ii) the Executive is not a party to or bound by any employment agreement, noncompetition or nonsolicitation agreement or confidentiality agreement with any other person or entity besides the Company and (iii) upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, this Agreement shall be the valid and binding obligation of the Executive, enforceable in accordance with its teens. THE EXECUTIVE HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES AND REPRESENTS THAT THE EXECUTIVE HAS CONSULTED WITH INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING THE EXECUTIVE’S RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, TO THE EXTENT DETERMINED NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE BY THE EXECUTIVE, AND THAT THE EXECUTIVE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CONTAINED HEREIN.

 

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(g)     Compliance with Rules and Policies . The Executive shall perform all services in accordance with the policies, procedures and rules established by the Company and the Board. In addition, the Executive shall comply with all laws, rules and regulations that are generally applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates and their respective employees, directors and officers.

(h)     Withholding Taxes . All amounts payable hereunder shall be subject to the withholding of all applicable taxes and deductions required by any applicable law.

(i)     Entire Agreement . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and terminates and supersedes any and all prior agreements, understandings and representations, whether written or oral, by or between the parties hereto or their affiliates which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way, including, without limitation, the Prior Agreement and any other existing employment agreement or change of control agreement, which is hereby terminated and cancelled and of no further force or effect, without the payment of any additional consideration by or to either of the parties hereto.

(j)     Duration . Notwithstanding the Employment Term hereunder, this Agreement shall continue for so long as any obligations remain under this Agreement.

(k)     Survival . The covenants set forth in Sections 6 and 12(c) of this Agreement shall survive and shall continue to be binding upon the Executive notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement for any reason whatsoever.

(l)     Amendment and Waiver . The provisions of this Agreement may be amended or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and the Executive, and no course of conduct or course of dealing or failure or delay by any party hereto in enforcing or exercising any of the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, the Company’s right to terminate the Employment Term for Cause) shall affect the validity, binding effect or enforceability of this Agreement or be deemed to be an implied waiver of any similar or dissimilar requirement, provision or condition of this Agreement at the same or any prior or subsequent time. Pursuit by either party of any available remedy, either in law or equity, or any action of any kind, does not constitute waiver of any other remedy or action. Such remedies and actions are cumulative and not exclusive.

(m)     Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute one instrument.

(n)     Section References . Section headings in this Agreement are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Agreement for any other purpose. The words Section and paragraph herein shall refer to provisions of this Agreement unless expressly indicated otherwise.

(o)     No Strict Construction . The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring either party hereto by

 

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virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement. When the context admits or requires, words used in the masculine gender shall be construed to include the feminine, the plural shall include the singular, and the singular shall include the plural.

(p)     Time of the Essence; Computation of Time . Time is of the essence for each and every provision of this Agreement. Whenever the last day for the exercise of any privilege or the discharge or any duty hereunder shall fall upon a Saturday, Sunday, or any date on which banks in New York, New York are authorized to be closed, the party having such privilege or duty may exercise such privilege or discharge such duty on the next succeeding day which is a regular business day.

(q)     No Third Party Beneficiaries . Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended or shall be construed to give any person other than the parties to this Agreement and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors or permitted assigns any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of any agreement or any provision contained herein.

(r)     Protected Rights . Nothing contained in this Agreement limits the Executive’s ability to file a charge or complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other federal, state or local governmental agency or commission (collectively, “ Government Agencies ”), or prevents the Executive from providing truthful testimony in response to a lawfully issued subpoena or court order. Further, this Agreement does not limit the Executive’s ability to communicate with any Government Agencies or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including providing documents or other information, without notice to the Company.

(s)     Defend Trade Secrets Act . The Executive is hereby notified that under the Defend Trade Secrets Act: (i) no individual shall be held criminally or civilly liable under federal or state trade secret law for disclosure of a trade secret (as defined in the Economic Espionage Act) that is: (A) made in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and made solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law or (B) made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal so that it is not made public; and (ii) an individual who pursues a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of the law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of the individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal, and does not disclose the trade secret, except as permitted by court order.

[Signature Page Follows.]

 

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[Signature Page to Employment Agreement]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, have hereunto executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above.

 

   

AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC

Date: January 23, 2018

   

By:

 

/s/ Fred Boehler

   

Name:

 

Fred Boehler

   

Title:

 

Chief Executive Officer, President and Trustee

   

TOM MUSGRAVE

Date: : January 23, 2018

   

/s/ Tom Musgrave

 

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Exhibit A: Form of Release

WAIVER AND RELEASE

This Waiver and Release (this “ Release ”) is executed by Tom Musgrave (the “ Executive ”) pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Employment Agreement, dated as of [●], by and between AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC and the Executive (the “ Employment Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Release have the meanings given to them in the Employment Agreement.

1.     General Release . In consideration of the payments and benefits to be provided to the Executive pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Employment Agreement, the Executive, on behalf of the Executive and anyone claiming through the Executive , hereby fully and completely releases, acquits and forever discharges the Company, its affiliates and related entities, and each of their respective current and former employees, officers, directors, shareholders, partners, members, managers, agents, employee benefit plans and fiduciaries, insurers, trustees, attorneys, joint venture partners, transferees, successors and assigns (each a “ Released Party ” and collectively, the “ Released Parties ”), collectively, separately, and severally, of and from any and all claims, demands, damages, causes of action, debts, liabilities, controversies, judgments, and suits of every kind and nature whatsoever, foreseen, unforeseen, known or unknown, that arise out of or relate to the Executive’s employment or termination of employment with the Company and that the Executive has had, now has, or may have against the Released Parties (or any of them) at any time up to and including the date the Executive signs this Release, with the exception of the claims set forth in Section  2 below (the claims released in this Release are collectively referred to as the “ Released Claims ”). The Released Claims include all claims arising under any federal, state or local statute or ordinance, constitutional provision, public policy or common law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (the “ ADEA ”), the Equal Pay Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Civil Rights Act of 1871, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (with respect to unvested benefits), COBRA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Georgia Equal Pay Act, the Georgia Prohibition of Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Georgia Equal Employment for People with Disabilities Code, all as amended; all claims arising under discrimination laws, whistleblower laws and laws relating to violation of public policy, retaliation, or interference with legal rights; all claims for compensation of any type whatsoever, including claims for wages, bonuses, commissions, equity, vacation, sick leave, PTO and severance; all claims arising under tort, contract and/or quasi-contract law, including all claims arising under the Employment Agreement; and all claims for monetary or equitable relief, including attorneys’ fees, back pay, front pay, reinstatement, experts’ fees, medical expenses, costs and disbursements. The Executive hereby waives any right to seek or recover any individual relief (including any money damages, reinstatement, or other relief) in connection with any of the Released Claims through any charge, complaint, lawsuit, or other proceeding, whether commenced or maintained by the Executive or by any other person or entity, with the exception of any right to seek an award pursuant to Section 21F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

2.     Excluded Claims . The Released Claims do not include (a) any claims for vested benefits to which the Executive is entitled upon the termination of the Executive’s employment

 

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in accordance with the terms of the applicable benefit plans (for the avoidance of doubt, no term or provision under the Employment Agreement shall be deemed a benefit plan for purposes of this Release); (b) any claims related to acts, omissions or events occurring after the date this Release is signed by the Executive; (c) any right that the Executive may have to indemnification or insurance coverage under the Company’s organizational documents or any directors and officers insurance policy; (d) any claims that cannot legally be waived by private agreement.

3.     Covenant Not to Sue . Except for an action to challenge the validity of the Executive’s release of claims under the ADEA, or as otherwise provided in Section  5 below, the Executive promises that the Executive will not file, instigate or participate in any proceeding against any of the Released Parties relating to any of the Released Claims. In the event the Executive breaches the covenant contained in this Section  3 , the Executive agrees to indemnify the Released Parties for all damages and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by any Released Parties in defending, participating in or investigating any matter or proceeding covered by this Section  3 .

4.     Representations . The Executive represents and warrants that (a) the Executive has been properly paid for all hours worked and has received all wages, bonuses, vacation pay, expense reimbursements and any other sums due from the Company (with the exception of the payments and benefits to be provided pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Employment Agreement); (b) the Executive has returned all Company property in the Executive’s possession or control and has permanently deleted any Confidential Information stored on any electronic device, web-based email or other storage location not owned by the Company but within the Executive’s possession or control; (c) the Executive has suffered no work-related injury or occupational disease during the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company that the Executive has not reported in writing to the Company; (d) the Executive is not aware of any activity by the Company or any other Released Party that the Executive believes to be unlawful or potentially unlawful; (e) the Executive has not filed any complaints, claims or actions against the Company or any other Released Party; and (f) the Executive has not assigned, transferred, conveyed or otherwise disposed of any Released Claims.

5.     Protected Rights . Nothing contained in this Release limits the Executive’s ability to file a charge or complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other federal, state or local governmental agency or commission (collectively, “ Government Agencies ”). Further, this Release does not limit the Executive’s ability to communicate with any Government Agencies or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including providing documents or other information, without notice to the Company.

6.     Consideration Period . The Executive understands that the Executive has [twenty-one (21) days / forty-five (45) days] 1 to consider this Release before deciding whether to sign it. The Executive may sign this Release sooner if the Executive chooses, but no sooner than the date of termination of the Executive’s employment. If the Executive chooses to sign this Release before the expiration of such [21-day / 45-day] period, the Executive represents that the Executive’s decision to do so is knowing and voluntary. The Executive agrees that any changes

 

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To be determined by the Company at the time of termination in accordance with applicable law.

 

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made to this Release after it was delivered to the Executive, whether material or immaterial, do not restart the [21-day / 45-day] period described in this Section. The Company advises the Executive to consult with an attorney before signing this Release.

7.     Right to Revoke . The Executive understands that the Executive has the right to revoke this Release within seven (7) days after signing it. This Release shall not become effective until the eighth day following the date on which the Executive has signed it without having revoked it (the “ Effective Date ”). If the Executive chooses to revoke this Release, the Executive must deliver written notice of revocation to the Company in accordance with Section 8 of the Employment Agreement. Any such notice of revocation must be delivered to the Company in a manner calculated to ensure receipt prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the day prior to the Effective Date. The Executive understands that if the Executive revokes this Release, the Executive will not be entitled to any of the benefits provided hereunder.

8.     General Provisions . The Released Parties expressly deny that they have any liability to the Executive, and this Release is not to be construed as an admission of any such liability. This Release is to be construed under the laws of the State of Georgia. This Release constitutes the entire agreement between the Executive and the Company with respect to the issues addressed in this Release. The Executive represents that the Executive is not relying on any other agreements or oral representations not fully expressed in this Release. This Release may not be modified except in writing signed by the Executive and an authorized Company representative. The headings in this Release are for reference only, and do not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Release. As used herein, the phrase “including” means “including, but not limited to” in each instance. “Or” is used in the inclusive sense of “and/or”. Should any part of this Release be found to be void or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction or Government Agency, such determination will not affect the remainder of this Release.

 

ACCEPTED AND AGREED BY:

 

TOM MUSGRAVE

 

Date

 

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Exhibit 10.7

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), is dated this 23rd day of January, 2018, by and between AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company with its principal place of business located in Atlanta, Georgia (the “ Company ”) and Andrea Darweesh (the “ Executive ”).

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, the Executive currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of the Company;

WHEREAS, the Executive and the Company are currently parties to that certain Employment Agreement, dated September 6, 2016 (the “ Prior Employment Agreement ”); and

WHEREAS, the Executive and the Company mutually desire to terminate and cancel the Prior Employment Agreement and, in connection therewith, to provide for the continued services and employment of the Executive by the Company on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises contained herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, each intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:

1.     Employment . On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company hereby agrees to continue to employ the Executive, and the Executive hereby agrees to continue such employment, for the Employment Term (as defined below). During the Employment Term, the Executive shall serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of the Company and shall report to the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company (the “ CEO ”), performing the normal duties and responsibilities of such position with respect to the business of the Company and such other duties and responsibilities commensurate with such position as the CEO or the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) may reasonably assign to the Executive from time to time.

2.     Performance . The Executive shall serve the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates faithfully and to the best of the Executive’s ability and shall devote the Executive’s full business time, energy, experience and talents to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, as applicable, and will not engage in any other employment activities for any direct or indirect remuneration without the prior written approval of the Board; provided , however , that it shall not be a violation of this Agreement for the Executive to manage the Executive’s personal investments, to engage in or serve such civic, community, charitable, educational, industry, professional, or religious organizations as the Executive may select, or, with the prior approval of the CEO and Board, to serve on the boards of directors of other companies, so long as such service does not create an actual or potential conflict of interest with, or impair the Executive’s ability to fulfill the Executive’s duties hereunder or conflict with the Executive’s covenants under Section 6 of this Agreement, in each case as determined in the sole judgment of the CEO and Board.

 

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3.     Employment Term .

(a)    Subject to earlier termination pursuant to Section 7, the term of employment of the Executive hereunder shall begin on January 23, 2018 (the “ Commencement Date ”), and shall continue for an indefinite period of time (the “ Employment Term ”).

4.     Principal Location . The Executive’s principal place of employment shall be the Company’s offices located in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area, subject to required travel.

5.     Compensation and Benefits .

(a)     Base Salary . During the Employment Term, the Company shall pay the Executive a base salary, payable in equal installments in accordance with Company payroll procedures, at an annual rate of Three Hundred Seventy Five Thousand Dollars ($375,000.00), pro-rated to reflect any partial year of employment. The Board or a committee thereof shall review Executive’s base salary on an annual basis and may increase Executive’s base salary from time to time, in which case such increased salary then shall become the Executive’s base salary for purposes of this Agreement.

(b)     Annual Bonus . The Executive shall be eligible to receive an annual performance-based cash bonus in respect of each calendar year that ends during the Employment Term, to the extent earned based on the achievement of performance objectives established by the Board or a committee thereof, after consultation with the Executive, no later than 30 days after commencement of the relevant bonus period, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s Short-Term Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time. The maximum annual performance-based cash bonus that the Executive may earn is ninety percent (90%), and the target bonus is sixty percent (60%), in each case, of the Executive’s annual base salary at the rate in effect at the end of the relevant calendar year, pro-rated to properly reflect any partial year of employment. If the applicable performance objectives are not attained at least at the minimum level, no annual performance bonus shall be payable. The amount of such annual bonus awarded for a calendar year shall be determined by the Board or a committee thereof after the end of the calendar year to which such bonus relates and shall be paid to the Executive during the following calendar year when annual bonuses for the prior calendar year are paid to other senior executives of the Company generally. The amount of any such annual bonus shall be pro-rated to properly reflect any partial year of employment. Except as otherwise provided in Section 7(b), to be eligible for any such annual bonus under this Section 5(b), the Executive must be in active working status at the time the Company pays bonuses for the relevant year to other senior executives generally. For purposes of this Agreement, “active working status” means that the Executive is employed by the Company.

(c)     Long Term Incentive Plan.

(i)    The Executive shall be eligible to participate in the Americold Realty Trust 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “ Stock Plan ”) in such amounts and at such times as the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Americold Realty Trust (“ ART ”) shall determine in its sole discretion. Any such awards shall be governed by the Stock Plan and any Stock Plan award agreements between ART and the Executive.

 

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(ii)     Restricted Stock Unit Grant . In consideration of the Executive’s entering into this Agreement and as an inducement to remain with the Company, the Executive shall be granted promptly following the Commencement Date, under the Stock Plan, an award of 15,625 restricted stock units to be settled in shares of the common stock of ART (the “ Restricted Stock Units ”), subject to the approval of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of ART. Such award shall be governed by the Stock Plan and a restricted stock unit award agreement between the Executive and ART. Subject to terms of the Stock Plan and the award agreement for the Restricted Stock Units, the Restricted Stock Units shall vest in equal one-third (1/3) installments on the second, third and fourth anniversaries of the date of grant of such award, subject to the Executive’s continuous employment with the Company from the date of grant of such award through such vesting dates, except as otherwise provided in Section 7(b).

(d)     Benefits . During the Employment Term, the Executive shall, subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plan documents in force from time to time and all applicable laws, be eligible to participate in all of the employee benefit, fringe and perquisite plans, practices, policies and arrangements the Company makes available from time to time to its executive employees generally.

(e)     Paid Time Off . The Executive shall be entitled to not less than twenty-nine (29) days of paid time off during each calendar year, pro-rated for any partial calendar year of employment, in accordance with the Company’s policies and practices with respect to its employees generally as in effect from time to time.

(f)     Business Expenses . The Executive shall be reimbursed by the Company for all reasonable and necessary business expenses actually incurred by the Executive in performing the Executive’s duties hereunder. All payments under this Section 5(f) will be made in accordance with policies established by the Company from time to time and subject to receipt by the Company of appropriate documentation.

(g)     Directors and Officers Liability Insurance . During the Employment Term, the Company shall maintain director and officer liability insurance covering the Executive on terms that are no less favorable than the coverage provided to other senior executives, officers or directors of the Company, as such coverage may be in effect from time to time.

6.     Covenants of the Executive . The Executive acknowledges that in the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company the Executive will become familiar with the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ and affiliates’ trade secrets and with other confidential and proprietary information concerning the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, and that the Executive’s services are of special, unique and extraordinary value to the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates. Therefore, the Company and the Executive mutually agree that it is in the interest of both parties for the Executive to enter into the restrictive covenants set forth in this Section 6 to, among other things, protect the legitimate business interests of the Company and those of its subsidiaries and affiliates, and that such restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 are reasonable in geographical and temporal scope and in all other respects given the nature of the Executive’s duties and the nature of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ and affiliates’ businesses and that such restrictions and covenants do not and will not unduly impair

 

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the Executive’s ability to earn a living after termination of the Executive’s employment with the Company. The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that (i) the Company would not have entered into this Agreement but for the restrictive covenants of the Executive set forth in this Section 6, and (ii) such restrictive covenants have been made by the Executive in order to induce the Company to enter into this Agreement.

(a)     Definitions . For purposes of this Section 6:

Competing Business ” means any person or entity that engages in a business that is the same as or substantially similar to the business conducted by the Company.

Confidential Information ” means confidential information relating to the business of the Company and/or its affiliates that (i) has been made known to the Executive through the Executive’s relationship with the Company or its affiliates, (ii) has value to the Company and/or its affiliates and (iii) is not generally known to competitors of the Company and/or its affiliates. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, methods of operation, business strategies, plans for acquisition or expansion, terms of transaction documents (including but not limited to purchase and sale agreements, operating agreements, lease agreements and employment agreements), financial information and projections, pricing and discount information, lists of and information regarding current or prospective customers, vendors, licensees and licensors, product development activities, marketing plans and strategies, non-public personnel information, and any other information of whatever kind that gives the Company and/or its affiliates an opportunity to obtain an advantage over competitors who do not possess such information, regardless of whether such information is marked “confidential.” Confidential Information includes trade secrets (as defined under applicable law) as well as information that does not rise to the level of a trade secret, and includes information that has been entrusted to the Company or any of its affiliates by a third party under an obligation of confidentiality. Confidential Information does not include any information that has been voluntarily disclosed to the public by the Company (except where such public disclosure has been made by the Executive without authorization) or that has been independently developed and disclosed by others, or that otherwise enters the public domain through lawful means.

Customer ” means a current or actively sought prospective customer of the Company during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment with the Company.

Restricted Period ” means the period in which the Executive is employed with the Company together with the one (1)-year period following termination of the Executive’s employment for any reason.

Services ” means services of the type conducted, authorized, offered or provided by the Executive to or on behalf of the Company during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment with the Company.

Territory ” means each geographic area in which the Company conducted business during the Executive’s employment with the Company; provided , that if the Executive’s duties and responsibilities during the last two (2) years of the Executive’s employment were limited to particular geographic areas, then the “Territory” shall be limited to such geographic areas.

 

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(b)     Noncompetition . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, own, manage, operate, control, consult with, be employed by or otherwise provide Services to, or participate in the ownership, management, operation or control of, any Competing Business anywhere in the Territory. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive’s ownership solely as an investor of two percent (2%) or less of the outstanding securities of any class of any publicly-traded securities of any company shall not, by itself, be considered to be competition with the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.

(c)     Non-solicitation of Customers . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit or attempt to solicit any Customer for purposes of providing products or services that are competitive with the products and services provided by the Company or (ii) induce or attempt to induce any Customer to reduce or cease doing business with the Company, or otherwise interfere with the relationship between any Customer and the Company.

(d)     Non-solicitation of Employees . During the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit for employment or attempt to solicit for employment, directly or by assisting others, any person who was an employee or independent contractor of the Company on, or within six (6) months before, the date of such solicitation or attempted solicitation or (ii) induce or attempt to induce any employee or independent contractor of the Company to terminate such person’s employment or independent contractor relationship with the Company, or in any way interfere with the relationship between any such person and the Company.

(e)     Non-disclosure of Confidential Information .

(i)    The Executive acknowledges that all Confidential Information is the property of the Company or its applicable affiliates. The Executive further acknowledges that the Company and its affiliates intend, and make reasonable good faith efforts, to protect the Confidential Information from public disclosure. Therefore, the Executive agrees that, except as required by law or regulation or as legally compelled by court order ( provided that in such case, the Executive shall promptly notify the Company of such order, shall cooperate with the Company in attempting to obtain a protective order or to otherwise restrict such disclosure, and shall only disclose Confidential Information to the minimum extent necessary to comply with any such law regulation or order), during the Employment Term and at all times thereafter, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, divulge, transmit, publish, copy, distribute, furnish or otherwise disclose or make accessible any Confidential Information, or use any Confidential Information for the benefit of anyone other than the Company and its affiliates,.

(ii)    The Company does not wish to incorporate any unlicensed or unauthorized material into its products or services. Therefore, the Executive agrees that the Executive will not disclose to the Company, use in the Company’s business, or cause the Company to use, any information or material which is a trade secret, or confidential

 

5


or proprietary information, of any third party, including, but not limited to, any former employer, any competitor or any client, unless the Company has a right to receive and use such information or material. The Executive will not incorporate into the Executive’s work any material or information which is subject to the copyrights of any third party unless the Company has a written agreement with such third party or otherwise has the right to receive and use such material or information.

(f)     Company Intellectual Property . The Executive agrees to promptly disclose to the Company any and all work product, inventions, artistic works, works of authorship, designs, methods, processes, technology, patterns, techniques, data, Confidential Information, patents, trade secrets, trademarks, domain names, copyrights, and the like, and all other intellectual property relating to the business of the Company and any of its affiliates which are created, authored, composed, invented, discovered, performed, perfected, or learned by the Executive (either solely or jointly with others) during the Employment Term (collectively, together with such intellectual property as may be owned or acquired by the Company, the “ Company Intellectual Property ”). The Company Intellectual Property shall be the sole and absolute property of the Company and its affiliates. All work performed by the Executive in authoring, composing, inventing, creating, developing or modifying Company Intellectual Property and/or other work product to which copyright protection may attach during the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company shall be considered “works made for hire” to the extent permitted under applicable copyright law and will be considered the sole property of the Company. To the extent such works, work product or Company Intellectual Property are not considered “works made for hire,” all right, title, and interest to such works, work product and Company Intellectual Property, including, but not limited to, all copyrights, patents, trademarks, rights of publicity, and trade secrets, is hereby assigned to the Company and the Executive agrees, at the Company’s expense, to execute any documents requested by the Company or any of its affiliates at any time in relation to such assignment. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Company is and will be the sole and absolute owner of all trademarks, service marks, domain names, patents, copyrights, trade dress, trade secrets, business names, rights of publicity, inventions, proprietary know-how and information of any type, whether or not in writing, and all other intellectual property used by the Company or held for use in the business of the Company, including all Company Intellectual Property. The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that any and all derivative works, developments, or improvements based on intellectual property, materials and assets subject to this Section 6 created during the Employment Term (including, without limitation, Company Intellectual Property) shall be exclusively owned by the Company. The Executive will cooperate with the Company and any of its affiliates, at no additional cost to such parties (whether during or after the Employment Term), in the confirmation, registration, protection and enforcement of the rights and property of the Company and its affiliates in such intellectual property, materials and assets, including, without limitation, the Company Intellectual Property.

(g)     Company Property . All Confidential Information, Company Intellectual Property, files, records, correspondence, memoranda, notes or other documents (including, without limitation, those in computer-readable form) or property relating or belonging to the Company and affiliates, whether prepared by the Executive or otherwise coming into the Executive’s possession or control in the course of the performance of the Executive’s services under this Agreement, shall be the exclusive property of the Company and shall be delivered to

 

6


the Company, and not retained by the Executive (including, without limitation, any copies thereof), promptly upon request by the Company and, in any event, promptly upon termination of the Employment Term. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Executive has no expectation of privacy with respect to the Company’s telecommunications, networking or information processing systems (including, without limitation, stored computer files, email messages and voice messages), and that the Executive’s activity and any files or messages on or using any of those systems may be monitored at any time without notice.

(h)     Enforcement . The Executive acknowledges that a breach of the Executive’s covenants and agreements contained in this Section 6 would cause irreparable damage to the Company and its affiliates, the exact amount of which would be difficult to ascertain, and that the remedies at law for any such breach or threatened breach would be inadequate. Accordingly, the Executive agrees that if the Executive materially breaches any of the covenants or agreements contained in this Section 6, in addition to any other remedy which may be available at law or in equity, the Company and affiliates shall be entitled to: (i) cease or withhold payment to the Executive of any severance payments described in Section 7, for which the Executive otherwise qualifies under such Section 7, and the Executive shall promptly repay to the Company 90% of any such severance payments the Executive previously received (with the remaining 10% serving as consideration for the Executive’s release of claims described in Section 7(d), (ii) institute and prosecute proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction for specific performance and injunctive and other equitable relief without bond or other security or a showing of irreparable harm or lack of an adequate remedy at law, and (iii) an equitable accounting by any court of competent jurisdiction of all profits or benefits arising out of such violation. Additionally, upon a material breach by the Executive of this Section 6, the unvested Restricted Stock Units (and any other unvested stock-based awards held by the Executive) shall be automatically canceled and forfeited without any further action.

(i)     Scope of Covenants . The Company and the Executive further acknowledge that the time, scope, geographic area and other provisions of this Section 6 have been specifically negotiated by sophisticated commercial parties and agree that they consider the restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 to be reasonable and necessary for the protection of the interests of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, but if any such restriction or covenant shall be held by any court of competent jurisdiction to be void but would be valid if deleted in part or reduced in application, such restriction or covenant shall apply in such jurisdiction with such deletion or modification as may be necessary to make it valid and enforceable. The restrictions and covenants contained in each paragraph of this Section 6 shall be construed as separate and individual restrictions and covenants and shall each be capable of being reduced in application or severed without prejudice to the other restrictions and covenants or to the remaining provisions of this Agreement.

(j)     Enforceability . If any court holds any of the restrictions or covenants contained in this Section 6 to be unenforceable by reason of their breadth or scope or otherwise, it is the intention of the parties hereto that such determination not bar or in any way affect the right of the Company and its affiliates to the relief provided in this Section 6 in the courts of any other jurisdiction within the geographic scope of such restrictions and covenants.

 

7


(k)     Disclosure of Restrictive Covenants . The Executive agrees to disclose in advance the existence and terms of the restrictions and covenants contained in this Section 6 to any employer or other service recipient by whom the Executive may be employed or retained during the Restricted Period.

(l)     Extension of Restricted Period . If the Executive breaches any non-competition or non-solicitation covenant set forth in this Section 6 in any respect, the Restricted Period will be extended for a period equal to the period that the Executive was in breach of such covenant, up to a maximum period of one (1) year.

7.     Termination .

(a)     Termination of Employment . The employment of the Executive hereunder and the Employment Term may be terminated at any time:

(i)    by the Company with or without Cause (as defined herein) upon written notice to the Executive;

(ii)    by the Company due to the Executive’s Disability (as hereinafter defined) upon written notice to the Executive;

 

 

(iii)

by the Executive with Good Reason (as defined herein);

(iv)    by the Executive without Good Reason upon thirty (30) days written notice to the Company (which notice period may be waived by the Company in its absolute discretion, in which case, such termination shall be effective immediately upon the Company’s receipt of notice thereof from the Executive); or

(v)    without action by the Company, the Executive or any other person or entity, immediately upon the Executive’s death.

If the Executive’s employment is terminated for any reason under this Section 7, the Company shall be obligated to pay or provide to the Executive (or the Executive’s estate, as applicable) in a lump sum within thirty (30) days following such termination, or at such other time prescribed by any applicable plan or applicable laws: (A) any base salary payable to the Executive pursuant to this Agreement, accrued up to and including the date on which the Executive’s employment is terminated, less required statutory deductions; (B) accrued and unpaid paid time off (if and as required by applicable law or the Company’s policies then in effect); (C) any employee benefits to which the Executive is entitled upon termination of the Executive’s employment with the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans of the Company, as in place from time to time; and (D) reimbursement for any unreimbursed business expenses incurred by the Executive prior to the Executive’s date of termination pursuant to Section 5(f) ((A)-(D) collectively, the “ Accrued Amounts ”).

(b)     Termination by the Company without Cause or by the Executive for Good Reason . If the Executive’s employment is terminated (A) by the Company without Cause or (B) by the Executive for Good Reason (in either case, other than a termination due to the Executive’s death or Disability), in addition to the Accrued Amounts, the Executive shall be entitled to receive as severance (subject to Section 7(d)) the amounts set forth in this Section 7(b), provided the Executive executes and does not revoke the Release as required by Section 7(d).

 

8


(i)    The Executive shall be entitled to an amount equal to the Executive’s annual base salary (as described in Section 5(a)), for a period equal to twelve (12]) months (the “ Severance Period ”), payable starting on the sixtieth (60 th ) day following the date of such termination (but with the first payment being a lump sum payment covering all payment periods from the date of termination through the date of such first payment), in substantially equal installments in accordance with the Company’s payroll practices during the Severance Period following the date of such termination, subject to reduction pursuant to Section 6(h);

(ii)    To the extent performance objectives applicable to the Executive’s annual bonus in the year of termination (including any objectives applicable to the Company’s targeted budget) are earned as of the end of the relevant bonus period, the Executive shall be entitled to the annual bonus earned for the calendar year of such termination pursuant to Section 5(b) of this Agreement, pro-rated based on the number of days the Executive was actively employed by the Company during such bonus period, payable at the time such annual bonus would otherwise be paid in accordance with Section 5(b) of this Agreement;

(iii)    Continued full participation in the Company’s health and welfare benefit programs (including full reimbursement for all health, dental and vision expenses, but excluding participation in the Company’s short- or long-term disability plans) for a period of twelve (12) months following the Executive’s termination date (for the avoidance of doubt, this continuation period shall run concurrently with any required continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“ COBRA ”)); provided that the Company’s obligation to make any payment pursuant to this provision shall cease upon the date the Executive became eligible for coverage under the health plan of a future employer (regardless of whether the Executive elects such coverage) and the Executive shall promptly notify the Company of his eligibility for any such coverage;

(iv)    Subject to Section 7(b)(v), if any Restricted Stock Units referenced in Section 5(c)(ii) remain unvested at the time of such termination, the next installment of the Restricted Stock Units that would have vested on the next scheduled vesting date shall vest as of the date of termination and the balance of any unvested Restricted Stock Units shall be forfeited. Also, if any awards issued to the Executive under the Stock Plan as to which vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more performance conditions remain unvested at the time of such termination, a prorated portion of the performance-vesting awards shall remain outstanding and eligible to vest based on actual performance through the last day of the applicable performance period, based on the number of days during the applicable performance period that the Executive was employed. Any performance-vesting awards that are earned based on actual performance will vest and settle as provided in the applicable award agreement.

(v)    If such termination of the Executive’s employment by the Company without Cause or by the Executive for Good Reason occurs within the twelve (12) month

 

9


period following a Change in Control (as such term is defined in the Stock Plan), (A) any Restricted Stock Units referenced in Section 5(c)(ii) which are not vested at the time of such termination shall immediately become vested and (B) any other awards granted to the Executive pursuant to the Stock Plan as to which vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more performance conditions and which are not vested at the time of termination shall immediately become vested based on actual performance through the termination date.

(c)     Definitions of Certain Terms . For purposes of this Agreement:

(i)    “ Cause ” means the Executive’s (A) commission of an act that constitutes common law fraud or a felony, commission of any other crime involving moral turpitude, or commission of any other tortious or unlawful act causing, or which may likely cause, material harm to the business, standing or reputation of the Company without the good faith belief that such conduct was in the best interests of the Company; (B) material breach of this Agreement, after the Company has given the Executive thirty (30) days written notice and an opportunity to cure such breach to the extent curable; (C) willful failure or refusal to perform the Executive’s material duties or obligations under this Agreement, including, without limitation, failure or refusal to abide by the directions of the CEO or the Board or any written policy adopted by the Board, in each case after the Company has given the Executive thirty (30) days written notice and an opportunity to cure such failure or refusal to the extent curable; (D) willful misconduct or gross negligence in the performance of the Executive’s duties as an employee, officer or director of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates; or (E) material misappropriation or embezzlement of any property of the Company.

(ii)    “ Disability ” means a condition entitling the Executive to benefits under the Company’s long term disability plan, policy or arrangement in which the Executive participates; provided , however , that if no such plan, policy or arrangement is then maintained by the Company and applicable to the Executive, “Disability” shall mean the Executive’s inability to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, the Executive’s duties under this Agreement due to a mental or physical condition that can be expected to result in death or that can be expected to last (or has already lasted) for a continuous period of 90 days or more, or for an aggregate of 180 days in any 365 consecutive day period, as determined by the CEO or the Board in its good faith discretion.

(iii)     “ Good Reason ” means the occurrence, without the Executive’s consent, of any of the following events, other than in connection with a termination of the Executive’s employment for Cause or due to death or Disability: (A) a material reduction in the Executive’s rate of base salary stated in Section 5(a) and/or the amount of the Executive’s annual bonus opportunity described in Section 5(b); (B) an action by the Company resulting in a material diminution in the Executive’s titles, authority, duties, responsibilities or direct reports, (C) the Company’s relocation of the Executive’s principal place of employment to a location outside of the fifty (50)-mile radius of Atlanta, Georgia; or (D) a material breach by the Company of this Agreement; provided , however , that none of the events described in this sentence shall constitute Good Reason

 

10


unless and until (V) the Executive reasonably determines in good faith that a Good Reason condition has occurred, (W) the Executive first notifies the Company in writing describing in reasonable detail the condition which constitutes Good Reason within sixty (60) days of its initial occurrence, (X) the Company fails to cure such condition within thirty (30) days after the Company’s receipt of such written notice, (Y) notwithstanding such efforts, the Good Reason condition continues to exist, and (Z) the Executive terminates the Executive’s employment within sixty (60) days after the end of such thirty (30)-day cure period. If the Company cures the Good Reason condition during such cure period, Good Reason shall be deemed not be have occurred.

(d)     Release of Claims . As a condition of receiving any severance for which the Executive otherwise qualifies under Section 7(b), the Executive agrees to execute, deliver and not revoke, within sixty (60) days following the date of the Executive’s termination of employment, a separation agreement containing a general release of claims against the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective affiliates and their respective employees, officers, directors, owners and members, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “ Release ”), such Release to be delivered, and to have become fully irrevocable, on or before the end of such sixty (60)-day period. If the Release has not been executed and delivered and become irrevocable on or before the end of such sixty (60)-day period, no amounts or benefits under Section 7(b) shall be or become payable.

(e)     No Additional Rights . The Executive acknowledges and agrees that, except as specifically described in this Section 7, all of the Executive’s rights to any compensation, benefits, bonuses or severance from the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates after termination of the Employment Term shall cease upon such termination.

8.     Notices . All notices, requests, demands, claims, consents and other communications which are required, permitted or otherwise delivered hereunder shall in every case be in writing and shall be deemed properly served if: (a) delivered personally, (b) sent by registered or certified mail, in all such cases with first class postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or (c) delivered by a recognized overnight courier service, to the parties at the addresses as set forth below:

 

 

If to the Company:

  

Americold Logistics, LLC

    

10 Glenlake Parkway

    

South Tower, Suite 600

    

Attention: General Counsel

    

Atlanta, Georgia 30328

 

With copies to:

  

King & Spalding LLP

    

1180 Peachtree Street

    

Attention: C. Spencer Johnson, III

 

If to the Executive:

  

At the Executive’s residence address

    

as maintained by the Company in the

    

regular course of its business for

    

payroll purposes.

 

11


or to such other address as shall be furnished in writing by either party to the other party; provided that such notice or change in address shall be effective only when actually received by the other party. Date of service of any such notices or other communications shall be: (a) the date such notice is personally delivered, (b) three days after the date of mailing if sent by certified or registered mail, or (c) one business day after date of delivery to the overnight courier if sent by overnight courier.

9.     Arbitration . Except as otherwise provided in Section 6(h) in connection with equitable remedies, any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including, without limitation, any dispute, claim or controversy concerning the validity, enforceability, breach or termination hereof, if not resolved by the parties, shall be finally settled by arbitration in accordance with the then-prevailing Employment Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association, as modified herein (“ Rules ”). There shall be one arbitrator who shall be jointly selected by the parties. If the parties have not jointly agreed upon an arbitrator within twenty (20) calendar days of respondent’s receipt of claimant’s notice of intention to arbitrate, either party may request the American Arbitration Association to furnish the parties with a list of names from which the parties shall jointly select an arbitrator. If the parties have not agreed upon an arbitrator within ten (10) calendar days of the transmittal date of such list, then each party shall have an additional five (5) calendar days in which to strike any names objected to, number the remaining names in order of preference, and return the list to the American Arbitration Association, which shall then select an arbitrator in accordance with Rule 13 of the Rules. The place of arbitration shall be Atlanta, Georgia or such other location as mutually agreed in writing by the parties. By agreeing to arbitration, the parties hereto do not intend to deprive any court of its jurisdiction to issue a pre-arbitral injunction or with respect to other proceedings described in Section 6(h) (or delay any such proceedings), pre-arbitral attachment or other order in aid of arbitration. The arbitration shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16. Judgment upon the award of the arbitrator may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. Each party shall bear its or his or her own costs and expenses in any such arbitration and one-half of the arbitrator’s fees and expenses.

10.     Waiver of Jury Trial . THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION, OR CAUSE OF ACTION (I)  ARISING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR (II)  IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO IN RESPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED HERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, EQUITY, OR OTHERWISE. THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION, OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

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11.     Section 409A .

(a)    The intent of the parties is that payments and benefits under this Agreement comply with, or be exempt from, Section 409A of the Code and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder (collectively “ Code Section  409A ”) and the Company shall have complete discretion to interpret and construe this Agreement and any associated documents in any manner that establishes an exemption from (or compliance with) the requirements of Code Section 409A. If, for any reason, such as imprecision in drafting any provision of this Agreement (or of any award of compensation, including, without limitation, equity compensation or benefits) does not accurately reflect its intended establishment of an exemption from (or compliance with) Code Section 409A, as demonstrated by consistent interpretations or other evidence of intent, such provision shall be considered ambiguous as to its exemption from (or compliance with) Code Section 409A and shall be interpreted by the Company in a manner consistent with such intent, as determined in the discretion of the Company.

(b)    A termination of employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits that are considered nonqualified deferred compensation under Code Section 409A upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service” within the meaning of Code Section 409A, and, for purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms shall mean such a “separation from service.” The determination of whether and when a separation from service has occurred for proposes of this Agreement shall be made in accordance with the presumptions set forth in Section 1.409A-1(h) of the Treasury Regulations.

(c)     Any provision of this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if at the time of the Executive’s separation from service, the Company determines that the Executive is a “specified employee,” within the meaning of Code Section 409A, then to the extent any payment or benefit that the Executive becomes entitled to under this Agreement on account of such separation from service would be considered nonqualified deferred compensation under Code Section 409A such payment or benefit shall be paid or provided at the date which is the earlier of (i) six (6) months and one day after such separation from service and (ii) the date of the Executive’s death (the “ Delay Period ”). Upon the expiration of the Delay Period, all payments and benefits delayed pursuant to this Section 11(c) (whether they would have otherwise been payable in a single sum or in installments in the absence of such delay) shall be paid or provided to the Executive in a lump-sum, and any remaining payments and benefits due under this Agreement shall be paid or provided in accordance with the normal payment dates specified for them herein.

(d)    Any reimbursements and in-kind benefits provided under this Agreement that constitute deferred compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A shall be made or provided in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 409A, including, without limitation, that (i) in no event shall any fees, expenses or other amounts eligible to be reimbursed by the Company under this Agreement be paid later than the last day of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which the applicable fees, expenses or other amounts were incurred; (ii) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits that the Company is obligated to pay or provide, in any given calendar year shall not affect the expenses that the Company is obligated to reimburse, or the in-kind benefits that the Company is obligated to pay or provide, in any other calendar year; (iii) the Executive’s right to have the Company pay

 

13


or provide such reimbursements and in-kind benefits may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other benefit; and (iv) in no event shall the Company’s obligations to make such reimbursements or to provide such in-kind benefits apply later than the Executive’s remaining lifetime (or if longer, through the sixth (6th) anniversary of the Commencement Date).

(e)    For purposes of Code Section 409A, the Executive’s right to receive any installment payments shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate and distinct payments. Whenever a payment under this Agreement specifies a payment period with reference to a number of days (for example, payment shall be made “within thirty (30) days following such termination”), the actual date of payment within the specified period shall be within the sole discretion of the Company. In no event may the Executive, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year of any payment to be made under this Agreement, to the extent such payment is subject to Code Section 409A.

(f)    The Company makes no representation or warranty and shall have no liability to the Executive or any other person if any provisions of this Agreement are determined to constitute deferred compensation subject to Code Section 409A but do not satisfy an exemption from, or the conditions of, Code Section 409A.

12.     General .

(a)     Governing Law . Unless preempted by federal law, this Agreement and the legal relations thus created between the parties hereto shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Georgia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Georgia or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the law of any jurisdiction other than the State of Georgia. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Agreement was executed and delivered in the State of Georgia.

(b)     Construction and Severability . Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be prohibited by, or invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under, any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such prohibition, invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement or any other jurisdiction, and the parties undertake to implement all efforts which are necessary, desirable and sufficient to amend, supplement or substitute all and any such prohibited, invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with enforceable and valid provisions in such jurisdiction which would produce as nearly as may be possible the result previously intended by the parties without renegotiation of any material terms and conditions stipulated herein.

(c)     Cooperation . During the Employment Period and thereafter, the Executive shall cooperate with the Company and be reasonably available to the Company with respect to continuing and/or future matters related to the Executive’s employment period with the Company and/or its subsidiaries or affiliates, whether such matters are business-related, legal, regulatory or otherwise (including, without limitation, the Executive appearing at the Company’s request to give testimony without requiring service of a subpoena or other legal process, volunteering to the

 

14


Company all pertinent information and turning over to the Company all relevant documents which are or may come into the Executive’s possession). Following the Employment Term, the Company shall reimburse the Executive for all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the Executive in rendering such services that are approved by the Company. In addition, if more than an incidental cooperation is required at any time after the termination of the Executive’s employment, the Executive shall be paid (other than for the time of actual testimony) a per day fee based on the Executive’s base salary described in Section 5(a) at the time of such termination divided by 225.

(d)     Nondisparagement . During the Employment Term and thereafter, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, take any action, or encourage others to take any action, to disparage the Company, its employees, officers, directors, products, services, customers or owners; provided, however, this provision does not apply to the Executive’s oral or written communications made in the performance of the Executive’s duties as provided in this Agreement, including but not limited to expressions of opinion communicated internally at the Company or to the Company’s directors.

(e)     Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Company and its successors and assigns and the Executive and the Executive’s heirs, executors, administrators, and successors; provided that the services provided by the Executive under this Agreement are of a personal nature, and rights and obligations of the Executive under this Agreement shall not be assignable or delegable, except for any death payments otherwise due the Executive, which shall be payable to the estate of the Executive; provided further the Company may assign this Agreement to, and all rights hereunder shall inure to the benefit of, any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company or any person, firm or corporation resulting from the reorganization of the Company or succeeding to the business or assets of the Company by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise; and provided further that in the event of the Executive’s death, any unpaid amount due to the Executive under this Agreement shall be paid to the Executive’s estate.

(f)     Executive’s Representations . The Executive hereby represents and warrants to the Company that: (i) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Executive do not and shall not conflict with, breach, violate or cause a default under any contract, agreement, instrument, order, judgment or decree to which the Executive is a party or by which the Executive is bound; (ii) the Executive is not a party to or bound by any employment agreement, noncompetition or nonsolicitation agreement or confidentiality agreement with any other person or entity besides the Company and (iii) upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, this Agreement shall be the valid and binding obligation of the Executive, enforceable in accordance with its teens. THE EXECUTIVE HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES AND REPRESENTS THAT THE EXECUTIVE HAS CONSULTED WITH INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING THE EXECUTIVE’S RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, TO THE EXTENT DETERMINED NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE BY THE EXECUTIVE, AND THAT THE EXECUTIVE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CONTAINED HEREIN.

 

15


(g)     Compliance with Rules and Policies . The Executive shall perform all services in accordance with the policies, procedures and rules established by the Company and the Board. In addition, the Executive shall comply with all laws, rules and regulations that are generally applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates and their respective employees, directors and officers.

(h)     Withholding Taxes . All amounts payable hereunder shall be subject to the withholding of all applicable taxes and deductions required by any applicable law.

(i)     Entire Agreement . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and terminates and supersedes any and all prior agreements, understandings and representations, whether written or oral, by or between the parties hereto or their affiliates which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way, including, without limitation, the Prior Agreement and any other existing employment agreement or change of control agreement, which is hereby terminated and cancelled and of no further force or effect, without the payment of any additional consideration by or to either of the parties hereto.

(j)     Duration . Notwithstanding the Employment Term hereunder, this Agreement shall continue for so long as any obligations remain under this Agreement.

(k)     Survival . The covenants set forth in Sections 6 and 12(c) of this Agreement shall survive and shall continue to be binding upon the Executive notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement for any reason whatsoever.

(l)     Amendment and Waiver . The provisions of this Agreement may be amended or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and the Executive, and no course of conduct or course of dealing or failure or delay by any party hereto in enforcing or exercising any of the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, the Company’s right to terminate the Employment Term for Cause) shall affect the validity, binding effect or enforceability of this Agreement or be deemed to be an implied waiver of any similar or dissimilar requirement, provision or condition of this Agreement at the same or any prior or subsequent time. Pursuit by either party of any available remedy, either in law or equity, or any action of any kind, does not constitute waiver of any other remedy or action. Such remedies and actions are cumulative and not exclusive.

(m)     Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute one instrument.

(n)     Section References . Section headings in this Agreement are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Agreement for any other purpose. The words Section and paragraph herein shall refer to provisions of this Agreement unless expressly indicated otherwise.

(o)     No Strict Construction . The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring either party hereto by

 

16


virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement. When the context admits or requires, words used in the masculine gender shall be construed to include the feminine, the plural shall include the singular, and the singular shall include the plural.

(p)     Time of the Essence; Computation of Time . Time is of the essence for each and every provision of this Agreement. Whenever the last day for the exercise of any privilege or the discharge or any duty hereunder shall fall upon a Saturday, Sunday, or any date on which banks in New York, New York are authorized to be closed, the party having such privilege or duty may exercise such privilege or discharge such duty on the next succeeding day which is a regular business day.

(q)     No Third Party Beneficiaries . Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended or shall be construed to give any person other than the parties to this Agreement and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors or permitted assigns any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of any agreement or any provision contained herein.

(r)     Protected Rights . Nothing contained in this Agreement limits the Executive’s ability to file a charge or complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other federal, state or local governmental agency or commission (collectively, “ Government Agencies ”), or prevents the Executive from providing truthful testimony in response to a lawfully issued subpoena or court order. Further, this Agreement does not limit the Executive’s ability to communicate with any Government Agencies or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including providing documents or other information, without notice to the Company.

(s)     Defend Trade Secrets Act . The Executive is hereby notified that under the Defend Trade Secrets Act: (i) no individual shall be held criminally or civilly liable under federal or state trade secret law for disclosure of a trade secret (as defined in the Economic Espionage Act) that is: (A) made in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and made solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law or (B) made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal so that it is not made public; and (ii) an individual who pursues a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of the law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of the individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal, and does not disclose the trade secret, except as permitted by court order.

[Signature Page Follows.]

 

17


[Signature Page to Employment Agreement]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, have hereunto executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above.

 

   

AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC

Date: January 23, 2018

   

By:

 

/s/ Fred Boehler

   

Name:

 

Fred Boehler

   

Title:

 

Chief Executive Officer, President and Trustee

   

ANDREA DARWEESH

Date: : January 23, 2018

   

/s/ Andrea Darweesh

 

18


Exhibit A: Form of Release

WAIVER AND RELEASE

This Waiver and Release (this “ Release ”) is executed by Andrea Darweesh (the “ Executive ”) pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Employment Agreement, dated as of [●], by and between AMERICOLD LOGISTICS, LLC and the Executive (the “ Employment Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Release have the meanings given to them in the Employment Agreement.

1.     General Release . In consideration of the payments and benefits to be provided to the Executive pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Employment Agreement, the Executive, on behalf of the Executive and anyone claiming through the Executive , hereby fully and completely releases, acquits and forever discharges the Company, its affiliates and related entities, and each of their respective current and former employees, officers, directors, shareholders, partners, members, managers, agents, employee benefit plans and fiduciaries, insurers, trustees, attorneys, joint venture partners, transferees, successors and assigns (each a “ Released Party ” and collectively, the “ Released Parties ”), collectively, separately, and severally, of and from any and all claims, demands, damages, causes of action, debts, liabilities, controversies, judgments, and suits of every kind and nature whatsoever, foreseen, unforeseen, known or unknown, that arise out of or relate to the Executive’s employment or termination of employment with the Company and that the Executive has had, now has, or may have against the Released Parties (or any of them) at any time up to and including the date the Executive signs this Release, with the exception of the claims set forth in Section  2 below (the claims released in this Release are collectively referred to as the “ Released Claims ”). The Released Claims include all claims arising under any federal, state or local statute or ordinance, constitutional provision, public policy or common law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (the “ ADEA ”), the Equal Pay Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Civil Rights Act of 1871, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (with respect to unvested benefits), COBRA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Georgia Equal Pay Act, the Georgia Prohibition of Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Georgia Equal Employment for People with Disabilities Code, all as amended; all claims arising under discrimination laws, whistleblower laws and laws relating to violation of public policy, retaliation, or interference with legal rights; all claims for compensation of any type whatsoever, including claims for wages, bonuses, commissions, equity, vacation, sick leave, PTO and severance; all claims arising under tort, contract and/or quasi-contract law, including all claims arising under the Employment Agreement; and all claims for monetary or equitable relief, including attorneys’ fees, back pay, front pay, reinstatement, experts’ fees, medical expenses, costs and disbursements. The Executive hereby waives any right to seek or recover any individual relief (including any money damages, reinstatement, or other relief) in connection with any of the Released Claims through any charge, complaint, lawsuit, or other proceeding, whether commenced or maintained by the Executive or by any other person or entity, with the exception of any right to seek an award pursuant to Section 21F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

2.     Excluded Claims . The Released Claims do not include (a) any claims for vested benefits to which the Executive is entitled upon the termination of the Executive’s employment

 

19


in accordance with the terms of the applicable benefit plans (for the avoidance of doubt, no term or provision under the Employment Agreement shall be deemed a benefit plan for purposes of this Release); (b) any claims related to acts, omissions or events occurring after the date this Release is signed by the Executive; (c) any right that the Executive may have to indemnification or insurance coverage under the Company’s organizational documents or any directors and officers insurance policy; (d) any claims that cannot legally be waived by private agreement.

3.     Covenant Not to Sue . Except for an action to challenge the validity of the Executive’s release of claims under the ADEA, or as otherwise provided in Section  5 below, the Executive promises that the Executive will not file, instigate or participate in any proceeding against any of the Released Parties relating to any of the Released Claims. In the event the Executive breaches the covenant contained in this Section  3 , the Executive agrees to indemnify the Released Parties for all damages and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by any Released Parties in defending, participating in or investigating any matter or proceeding covered by this Section  3 .

4.     Representations . The Executive represents and warrants that (a) the Executive has been properly paid for all hours worked and has received all wages, bonuses, vacation pay, expense reimbursements and any other sums due from the Company (with the exception of the payments and benefits to be provided pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Employment Agreement); (b) the Executive has returned all Company property in the Executive’s possession or control and has permanently deleted any Confidential Information stored on any electronic device, web-based email or other storage location not owned by the Company but within the Executive’s possession or control; (c) the Executive has suffered no work-related injury or occupational disease during the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company that the Executive has not reported in writing to the Company; (d) the Executive is not aware of any activity by the Company or any other Released Party that the Executive believes to be unlawful or potentially unlawful; (e) the Executive has not filed any complaints, claims or actions against the Company or any other Released Party; and (f) the Executive has not assigned, transferred, conveyed or otherwise disposed of any Released Claims.

5.     Protected Rights . Nothing contained in this Release limits the Executive’s ability to file a charge or complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other federal, state or local governmental agency or commission (collectively, “ Government Agencies ”). Further, this Release does not limit the Executive’s ability to communicate with any Government Agencies or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including providing documents or other information, without notice to the Company.

6.     Consideration Period . The Executive understands that the Executive has [twenty-one (21) days / forty-five (45) days] 1 to consider this Release before deciding whether to sign it. The Executive may sign this Release sooner if the Executive chooses, but no sooner than the date of termination of the Executive’s employment. If the Executive chooses to sign this Release before the expiration of such [21-day / 45-day] period, the Executive represents that the Executive’s decision to do so is knowing and voluntary. The Executive agrees that any changes

 

1  

To be determined by the Company at the time of termination in accordance with applicable law.

 

20


made to this Release after it was delivered to the Executive, whether material or immaterial, do not restart the [21-day / 45-day] period described in this Section. The Company advises the Executive to consult with an attorney before signing this Release.

7.     Right to Revoke . The Executive understands that the Executive has the right to revoke this Release within seven (7) days after signing it. This Release shall not become effective until the eighth day following the date on which the Executive has signed it without having revoked it (the “ Effective Date ”). If the Executive chooses to revoke this Release, the Executive must deliver written notice of revocation to the Company in accordance with Section 8 of the Employment Agreement. Any such notice of revocation must be delivered to the Company in a manner calculated to ensure receipt prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the day prior to the Effective Date. The Executive understands that if the Executive revokes this Release, the Executive will not be entitled to any of the benefits provided hereunder.

8.     General Provisions . The Released Parties expressly deny that they have any liability to the Executive, and this Release is not to be construed as an admission of any such liability. This Release is to be construed under the laws of the State of Georgia. This Release constitutes the entire agreement between the Executive and the Company with respect to the issues addressed in this Release. The Executive represents that the Executive is not relying on any other agreements or oral representations not fully expressed in this Release. This Release may not be modified except in writing signed by the Executive and an authorized Company representative. The headings in this Release are for reference only, and do not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Release. As used herein, the phrase “including” means “including, but not limited to” in each instance. “Or” is used in the inclusive sense of “and/or”. Should any part of this Release be found to be void or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction or Government Agency, such determination will not affect the remainder of this Release.

 

ACCEPTED AND AGREED BY:

 

ANDREA DARWEESH

 

Date

 

21

Exhibit 10.8

Americold Realty Trust

2017 Equity Incentive Plan

Effective January 23, 2018


Contents

 

 

 

Section 1. Establishment, Purpose and Duration

     1  

Section 2. Definitions

     1  

Section 3. Administration

     6  

Section 4. Shares Subject to This Plan and Maximum Awards

     8  

Section 5. Eligibility and Participation

     10  

Section 6. Stock Options

     11  

Section 7. Stock Appreciation Rights

     13  

Section 8. Restricted Stock

     13  

Section 9. Restricted Stock Units

     15  

Section 10. Performance Shares

     15  

Section 11. Performance Units

     16  

Section 12. Other Stock-Based Awards and Cash-Based Awards

     16  

Section 13. Effect of Termination of Service

     17  

Section 14. Transferability of Awards and Shares

     17  

Section 15. Performance-Based Compensation

     18  

Section 16. Nonemployee Trustee Awards

     20  

Section 17. Effect of a Change in Control

     21  

Section 18. Dividends and Dividend Equivalents

     23  

Section 19. Beneficiary Designation

     23  

Section 20. Rights of Participants

     23  

Section 21. Amendment and Termination

     24  

Section 22. General Provisions

     26  


Americold Realty Trust

2017 Equity Incentive Plan

Section 1. Establishment, Purpose and Duration

1.1      Establishment . Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust, establishes an incentive compensation plan to be known as the Americold Realty Trust 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, as set forth in this document. This Plan permits the grant of various forms of equity- and cash-based awards. This Plan shall become effective upon shareholder approval (the “ Effective Date ”) and shall remain in effect as provided in Section 1.3. This Plan and each Award granted hereunder are conditioned on and shall be of no force or effect until this Plan is approved by the shareholders of the Company within twelve (12) months after its adoption by the Board.

1.2      Purpose of this Plan . The purpose of this Plan is to enable the Company and its Subsidiaries to attract and retain qualified individuals for positions of significant responsibility and to provide additional incentives to Participants by providing them with, among other things, an opportunity for investment in the Company.

1.3      Duration of this Plan . Unless sooner terminated as provided herein, this Plan shall terminate ten (10) years after the Effective Date. After this Plan is terminated, no Awards may be granted but Awards previously granted shall remain outstanding in accordance with their applicable terms and conditions and this Plan’s terms and conditions.

Section 2. Definitions

Whenever used in this 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      “Award” means a grant under this Plan of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units, Cash-Based Awards or Other Stock-Based Awards, in each case subject to the terms of this Plan.

2.2      “Award Agreement” means a written agreement entered into by the Company and a Participant, or a written or electronic statement issued by the Company to a Participant, which in either case contains (either expressly or by reference to this Plan or any subplan created hereunder) the terms and provisions applicable to an Award granted under this Plan, including any amendment or modification thereof. The Committee may provide for the use of electronic, internet or other non-paper Award Agreements, and the use of electronic, Internet or other non-paper means for the acceptance thereof and actions thereunder by a Participant (including, but not limited to, the use of electronic signatures).

2.3      “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act and the terms “Beneficial Ownership” and “Beneficially Own” shall have the corresponding meanings.

2.4      “Board” means the Board of Trustees (or equivalent governing body) of the Company.


2.5      “Cash-Based Award” means an Award, denominated in cash, granted to a Participant as described in Section 12.

2.6     “ Cause ” means if the Participant is a party to a written employment or service agreement with the Company or its Subsidiaries and such agreement provides for a definition of Cause, the definition contained therein, or if no such agreement exists, or if such agreement does not define Cause, (a) the commission of, or plea of guilty or no contest to, a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude or the commission of any other act involving willful malfeasance or material fiduciary breach with respect to the Company or a Subsidiary; (b) theft or embezzlement of the property of the Company or a Subsidiary; (c) conduct that results in or is reasonably likely to result in material harm to the reputation or business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (d) gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to the Company or a Subsidiary; (e) the willful and continued failure to perform substantially the Participant’s duties with the Company or one of its Subsidiaries; or (f) a material violation of state or federal securities laws.

2.7     A “Change in Control” means, except as may otherwise be provided in an Award Agreement, the occurrence of any one of the following events:

(a)    the acquisition by any Person (other than the Company or a Subsidiary or any Company employee benefit plan (including its trustee)), of Beneficial Ownership, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities;

(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 Trustee subsequent to the Effective Date whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Trustees 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 Trustees or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board; or

(c)    consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets or stock of the Company (a “ Business Combination ”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (i) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners, respectively, of the total number of shares of the Company’s outstanding securities immediately prior to such Business Combination Beneficially Own, directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities immediately prior to such Business Combination, (ii) no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination, or any employee benefit plan (including its trustee) of the Company or such corporation resulting from such Business Combination) Beneficially Owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of, respectively, the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination 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 resulting from such Business Combination were Trustees of the Company immediately prior to the signing of the agreement providing for such Business Combination.

 

2


Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that any Award constitutes a deferral of compensation subject to Code Section 409A, and if that Award provides for payment or a change in the time or form of payment based upon a Change in Control, then, solely for purposes of applying such payment or a change in the time or form of payment provision, a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred upon an event described in Section 2.7 only if the event would also constitute a change in ownership or effective control of, or a change in ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of, the Company under Code Section 409A.

A “Change in Control” shall not result from any transaction precipitated by the Company’s insolvency, appointment of a conservator, or determination by a regulatory agency that the Company is insolvent, nor from any transaction initiated by the Company in regard to converting from a publicly traded company to a privately held company.

2.8      “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. For purposes of this Plan, references to sections of the Code shall be deemed to include references to any applicable regulations thereunder and any successor or similar provision.

2.9      “Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

2.10     “ Committee ” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or any other committee designated by the Board to administer this Plan. The members of the Committee shall be appointed from time to time by and shall serve at the discretion of the Board. The Committee shall consist of three or more Nonemployee Trustees. If the Committee does not exist or cannot function for any reason, the Board may take any action under this Plan that would otherwise be the responsibility of the Committee. To the extent required by applicable law, rule or regulation, it is intended that each member of the Committee shall be (i) an independent director within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange (or such other national securities exchange or quotation system on which the Shares may be listed or quoted) and (ii) a non-employee director within the meaning of Exchange Act Rule 16b-3, or alternatively, the Committee may designate a subcommittee or establish other procedures for purposes of satisfying such requirements.

2.11      “Company” means Americold Realty Trust, and any successor thereto as provided in Section 22.21.

2.12      “Dividend Equivalent” has the meaning set forth in Section 18.

2.13      “Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1.

2.14      “Employee” means any individual performing services for the Company or a Subsidiary and designated as an employee of the Company or the Subsidiary on its payroll records. An Employee shall not include any individual during any period he or she is classified or treated by the Company or Subsidiary as an independent contractor, a consultant or an employee of an employment, leasing, consulting or temporary agency or any other entity other than the Company or Subsidiary, without regard to whether such individual is subsequently determined to have been, or is subsequently retroactively reclassified, as a common-law employee of the Company or Subsidiary during such period.

 

3


2.15     “ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

2.16      “Exercise Price” means the price at which a Share may be purchased by a Participant pursuant to an Option.

2.17      “Fair Market Value” means, as applied to a specific date and unless otherwise specified in an Award Agreement, the price of a Share that is equal to the closing price of a Share on the New York Stock Exchange (or, on such other national securities exchange or quotation system on which the Shares may be listed or quoted) on the date of determination, or if no sales of Shares shall have occurred on such exchange on the date of determination, the closing price of the Shares on such exchange on the most recent date on which the Shares were publicly traded. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Shares are not traded on any established stock exchange, the Fair Market Value means the price of a Share as established by the Committee acting in good faith (and to the extent applicable, based on a reasonable valuation method that is consistent with the requirements of Code Section 409A and the regulations thereunder).

2.18      “Grant Date” means the date an Award to a Participant pursuant to this Plan is approved by the Committee (or such later date as specified in such approval by the Committee) or, in the case of an Award granted to a Nonemployee Trustee, the date on which such Award is approved by the Board (or such later date as specified in such approval by the Board).

2.19      “Grant Price” means the per Share price established at the time of grant of a SAR pursuant to Section 7.

2.20      “Incentive Stock Option” or “ISO” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 6 that is designated as an Incentive Stock Option and that is intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 422 or any successor provision.

2.21      “Nonemployee Trustee” means a Trustee who is not an Employee.

2.22      “Nonqualified Stock Option” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 6 that is not intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 422, or that otherwise does not meet such requirements.

2.23      “Option” means an Award consisting of a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 6 to purchase a specified number of Shares at a specified Exercise Price, which Award may be an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option.

2.24      “Other Stock-Based Award” means an equity-based or equity-related Award not otherwise described by the terms of this Plan that is granted pursuant to Section 12.

2.25      “Participant” means any eligible individual as set forth in Section 5 to whom an Award is granted, and includes any individual who holds an Award after the death of the original recipient.

2.26      “Performance-Based Compensation” means compensation payable under an Award which is conditioned upon the achievement of performance goals based upon one or more Performance Measures as described in Section 15.

 

4


2.27      “Performance Measures” means measures, as described in Section 15.2, upon which performance goals are based pursuant to this Plan in order to qualify Awards as Performance-Based Compensation.

2.28      “Performance Period” means the period of time during which pre-established performance goals must be met in order to determine the degree of payout and/or vesting with respect to an Award.

2.29      “Performance Shares” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 10.

2.30      “Performance Unit” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 11.

2.31      “Period of Restriction” means the period when Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units are subject to a vesting requirement (based on continued service, the achievement of performance goals or upon the occurrence of other events as determined by the Committee, in its discretion) as provided in Sections 8 and 9.

2.32      “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.

2.33      “Plan” means this Americold Realty Trust 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, as the same may be amended from time to time.

2.34      “Restricted Stock” means Shares issued to a Participant that are subject to an Award granted pursuant to Section 8 and to such restrictions on transfer, forfeiture conditions and other restrictions or limitations as may be set forth in this Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.

2.35      “Restricted Stock Unit” means the right under an Award granted pursuant to Section 9 to receive at a future time one Share, or the Fair Market Value thereof, subject to such restrictions on transfer, forfeiture conditions and other restrictions or limitations as may be set forth in this Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.

2.36      “Share” means a share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.

2.37      “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means the right under an Award granted pursuant to Section 7 to receive, in cash and/or Shares as determined by the Committee, an amount equal to the appreciation in value of a specified number of Shares between the Grant Date of the SAR and its exercise date.

2.38      “Subsidiary” means any corporation or other entity, whether domestic or foreign, in which the Company has or obtains, directly or indirectly, ownership of more than 50% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock or comparable interests.

2.39      “Substitute Award” means an Award granted upon the assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, outstanding awards granted by a company or other entity acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines.

2.40      “Termination of Service” means the following:

(a)    for an Employee, the date on which the Employee is no longer an Employee;

 

5


(b)    for a Nonemployee Trustee, the date on which the Nonemployee Trustee is no longer a member of the Board; and

(c)    for a consultant, the date on which service as a consultant to the Company and its Subsidiaries has ceased.

With respect to any payment of an Award subject to Code Section 409A, a Termination of Service shall mean a “separation from service” within the meaning of Code Section 409A.

 

  2.41 “Trustee” means any individual who is a member of the Board.

Section 3. Administration

3.1      General . The Committee shall be responsible for administering this Plan, subject to this Section 3 and the other provisions of this Plan. The Committee may employ attorneys, consultants, accountants, agents and other individuals, any of whom may be an Employee, and the Committee, the Company, and its officers and Trustees shall be entitled to rely upon the advice, opinions or valuations of any such individuals. All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee shall be final and binding upon the Participants, the Company or Subsidiary, and all other interested parties. Any action of the Committee shall be valid and effective even if the members of the Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied all of the criteria for membership in clauses (i) and (ii) of Section 2.10.

3.2      Authority of the Committee . Subject to any express limitations set forth in this Plan, the Committee shall have full and exclusive discretionary power and authority to take such actions as it deems necessary and advisable with respect to the administration of this Plan including, but not limited to, the following:

(a)    To determine from time to time which of the persons eligible under this Plan shall be granted Awards, when and how each Award shall be granted, what type or combination of types of Awards shall be granted, the provisions of each Award granted (which need not be identical), including the time or times when a person shall be permitted to receive Shares pursuant to an Award and the number of Shares subject to an Award;

(b)    To construe and interpret this Plan and Awards granted under it, and to establish, amend, and revoke rules and regulations for its administration;

(c)    To correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in this Plan or in an Award Agreement, in a manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or expedient to make this Plan fully effective;

(d)    To approve forms of Award Agreements for use under this Plan;

(e)    To determine the Fair Market Value of a Share or whether a Change in Control shall have occurred;

(f)    To amend any Award Agreement as permitted under this Plan;

(g)    To adopt subplans and/or special provisions applicable to stock awards regulated by the laws of a jurisdiction other than and outside of the United States, to Cash-Based Awards, or to awards to

 

6


Trustees (as contemplated by Section 16). Such subplans and/or special provisions shall be subject to and consistent with the terms of this Plan, except to the extent the Committee determines that different terms and conditions are necessary or desirable to comply with the laws of a jurisdiction other than and outside of the United States;

(h)    To authorize any person to execute on behalf of the Company any instrument required to effect the grant of an Award;

(i)    To determine whether Awards will be settled in Shares of common stock, cash or in any combination thereof;

(j)    To determine whether Awards will provide for Dividend Equivalents;

(k)    To establish a program whereby Participants designated by the Committee may reduce compensation otherwise payable in cash in exchange for Awards under this Plan;

(l)    To authorize a program permitting eligible Participants to surrender outstanding Awards in exchange for newly granted Awards subject to any applicable shareholder approval requirements set forth in Section 21.1 of this Plan;

(m)    To impose such restrictions, conditions or limitations as it determines appropriate as to the timing and manner of any resales by a Participant or other subsequent transfers by a Participant of any Shares, including, without limitation, “blackout” periods, restrictions under an insider trading policy and restrictions as to the use of a specified brokerage firm for such resales or other transfers;

(n)    To waive any restrictions, conditions or limitations imposed on an Award at the time the Award is granted or at any time thereafter including but not limited to forfeiture, vesting and treatment of Awards upon a Termination of Service;

(o) To permit Participants to elect to defer payments of Awards, provided that any such deferrals shall comply with applicable requirements of the Code, including Code Section 409A;

(p) To certify the satisfaction of, performance goals in compliance with the requirements of Section 15; and

(q) To issue rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan.

3.3      Delegation. To the extent permitted by law, the Committee may delegate to one or more of its members or to one or more officers of the Company or any Subsidiary or to one or more agents or advisors such administrative duties or powers as it may deem advisable, and the Committee or any individuals to whom it has delegated duties or powers as aforesaid may employ one or more individuals to render advice with respect to any responsibility the Committee or such individuals may have under this Plan. To the extent permitted by applicable law and the applicable rules of a stock exchange, the Committee may, by resolution, authorize one or more officers of the Company to do one or both of the following on the same basis as can the Committee: (a) designate Employees to be recipients of Awards; and (b)  determine the size of any such Awards; provided , however , (i) the Committee shall not delegate such responsibilities to any such officer for Awards granted to a Nonemployee Trustees or an officer (as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) of the Exchange Act); (ii) the resolution providing such authorization sets forth the total number of Awards (including Share limitations) such officer(s) may grant; and (iii) the officer(s)

 

7


shall report periodically to the Committee regarding the nature and scope of the Awards granted pursuant to the authority delegated. In the event that the Committee’s authority is delegated to officers or employees in accordance with the foregoing, all provisions of the Plan relating to the Committee shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the foregoing by treating any such reference as a reference to such officer or employee for such purpose. Any action undertaken in accordance with the Committee’s delegation of authority hereunder shall have the same force and effect as if such action was undertaken directly by the Committee and shall be deemed for all purposes of the Plan to have been taken by the Committee.

Section 4. Shares Subject to This Plan and Maximum Awards

4.1      Number of Shares Authorized and Available for Awards . Subject to adjustment as provided under Section 4.4, the maximum number of Shares reserved for issuance under this Plan is 9,000,000 Shares. The maximum number of these reserved Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options may be granted under the Plan is 9,000,000. Each Share with respect to which an Option or stock-settled SAR is granted under the Plan shall reduce the aggregate number of Shares that be delivered under the Plan by one Share and each Share with respect to which any other Award denominated in Shares granted under the Plan shall reduce the aggregate number of Shares that may be delivered under the Plan by one Share. For SARs settled in Shares, each Share with respect to which such stock-settled SAR is exercised shall be counted as one Share against the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be delivered pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan, regardless of the number of Shares actually delivered upon settlement of such stock-settled SAR.

4.2      Share Usage . In determining the number of Shares available for grant under this Plan at any time, the following rules shall apply:

(a) If any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Unit or Other Stock-Based Award granted under the Plan expires, terminates or is canceled for any reason without having been exercised in full, the number of Shares subject to such Award that were not issued with respect to such Award shall again be available for the purpose of Awards under the Plan without reducing the number of Shares that remain available for issuance.

(b)    If any shares of Restricted Stock, Performance Awards or Other Stock-Based Awards denominated in Shares awarded under the Plan to a Participant are forfeited for any reason, the number of forfeited shares of Restricted Stock, Performance Awards or Other Stock-Based Awards denominated in Shares shall again be available for purposes of Awards under the Plan.

(c) Awards that by their terms may only be settled in cash shall not be counted against the foregoing maximum share limitations.

(d)    If any Award is settled in cash in lieu of Shares pursuant to an Award, such Shares shall not become available again for issuance under this Plan.

(e)    Any Shares that are surrendered, withheld or tendered to the Company in payment of the exercise price of an Option or any taxes required to be withheld in respect of any Award shall not become available again to be delivered pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan, and shall be taken into account as Shares issued under this Plan.

 

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(f)    Any Shares subject to Substitute Awards shall not be counted against the share reserve specified in Section 4.1, nor shall they reduce the Shares authorized for grant to a Participant in any calendar year.

(g)    Any Shares delivered pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Shares or Shares acquired by the Company.

4.3      Annual Award Limits . Subject to adjustment as set forth in Section 4.4, the following limits (each an “Annual Award Limit” and, collectively, “Annual Award Limits”) shall apply to grants of such Awards under this Plan:

(a) The maximum aggregate number of Shares for which Options or SARs may be granted to any Participant other than a Nonemployee Trustees or consultant in any calendar year shall be 1,000,000 Shares, (for avoidance of doubt, this limit applies, in the aggregate, to all Awards subject to this paragraph (a), including Incentive Stock Options).

(b) The maximum aggregate number of Shares for which Awards other than Options or SARs that are Performance-Based Compensation that are denominated in Shares, and granted to any Participant other than a Nonemployee Trustees or consultant in any calendar year shall be 1,500,000 Shares (for avoidance of doubt, this limit applies, in the aggregate, to all forms of Awards subject to this paragraph (b)). The foregoing maximum shall apply to any Performance Period that is equal to a fiscal year, which maximum shall be adjusted to the corresponding fraction or multiple of that amount for any Performance Period of a different duration.

(c) The maximum aggregate amount that may be paid to any Participant other than a Nonemployee Trustees or consultant in any calendar year under Awards that are Performance-Based Compensation and that are denominated in cash, shall be $5,000,000 (for avoidance of doubt, this limit applies in the aggregate, to all forms of Awards subject to this paragraph (c)). The foregoing maximum shall apply to any Performance Period that is equal to a fiscal year, which maximum shall be adjusted to the corresponding fraction or multiple of that amount for any Performance Period of a different duration.

4.4      Adjustments . All Awards shall be subject to the following provisions:

(a)    In the event of any equity restructuring (within the meaning of FASB ASC Topic 718 or any successor provision) or similar event that causes the per share value of Shares to change, such as a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, split up, spin-off, rights offering or recapitalization through an extraordinary dividend, the Committee, in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of Participants’ rights under this Plan, shall substitute or adjust, as applicable, (i) the number and kind of Shares or other securities that may be issued under this Plan or under particular forms of Award Agreements, (ii) the number and kind of Shares or other securities subject to outstanding Awards, (iii) the Exercise Price or Grant Price applicable to outstanding Awards, (iv) the Annual Award Limits, and (v) other value determinations applicable to outstanding Awards. In the event of any other change in corporate capitalization (including, but not limited to, a merger, consolidation, 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 to the extent such events do not constitute equity restructurings or business combinations within the meaning of FASB ASC Topic 718 or any successor provision, such equitable adjustments described in the foregoing sentence may be made as determined to be appropriate and equitable by the Committee to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights. The Committee, in its discretion, shall determine the methodology or manner of making such substitution or adjustment. In

 

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either case, any such adjustment shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes of this Plan. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the number of Shares subject to an Award shall always be a whole number.

(b)    In addition to the adjustments required and permitted under paragraph (a) above, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may make such other adjustments or modifications in the terms of any Awards that it deems appropriate to reflect any of the events described in Section 4.4(a), including, but not limited to, (i) modifications of performance goals and changes in the length of Performance Periods, or (ii) the substitution of other property of equivalent value (including, without limitation, cash, other securities and securities of entities other than the Company that agree to such substitution) for the Shares available under this Plan or the Shares covered by outstanding Awards, including arranging for the assumption, or replacement with new awards, of Awards held by Participants, and (iii) in connection with any sale of a Subsidiary, arranging for the assumption, or replacement with new awards, of Awards held by Participants employed by the affected Subsidiary by the Subsidiary or an entity that controls the Subsidiary following the sale of such Subsidiary.

(c)    Any actions taken under Section 4.4 shall be subject to compliance with the rules under Code Sections 409A, 422 and 424, as and where applicable. The determination of the Committee as to the foregoing adjustments set forth in this Section 4.4, if any, shall be conclusive and binding on Participants under this Plan.

4.5      Effect of Plans Operated by Acquired Companies. If a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by shareholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under this Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under this Plan, subject to applicable legal requirements. Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not Employees, Nonemployee Trustees or consultants providing services to the Company or any Subsidiary prior to such acquisition or combination.

4.6. No Limitation on Corporate Actions. The existence of the Plan and any Awards granted hereunder shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Company or any Subsidiary to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in its capital structure or business structure, any merger or consolidation, any issuance of debt, preferred or prior preference stock ahead of or affecting the Shares, additional shares of capital stock or other securities or subscription rights thereto, any dissolution or liquidation, any sale or transfer of all or part of its assets or business or any other corporate act or proceeding.

Section 5. Eligibility and Participation

5.1      Eligibility to Receive Awards . The Committee may designate any of the following as a Participant from time to time:

(a) any officer or other Employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

 

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(b) an individual that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has engaged to become an officer or other employee;

(c) a member of the Board; or

(d) a consultant who provides bona fide services to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as an independent contractor.

The Committee’s designation of a Participant in any year shall not require the Committee to designate such person to receive an Award in another year.

5.2      Participation in this Plan . Subject to the provisions of this Plan, the Committee may, from time to time, select from all individuals eligible to participate in this Plan, those individuals to whom Awards shall be granted and shall determine, in its sole discretion, the nature of any and all terms permissible by law and the amount of each Award.

5.3      Award Agreements . The Committee shall have the exclusive authority to determine the terms of an Award Agreement evidencing an Award granted under this Plan, subject to the provisions herein. The terms of an Award Agreement need not be uniform among all Participants or among similar types of Awards.

Section 6. Stock Options

6.1      Grant of Options . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan, Options may be granted to Participants covering such number of Shares, and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee. Each grant of an Option shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which shall specify whether the Option is in the form of a Nonqualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option.

6.2      Exercise Price . The Exercise Price for each Option shall be determined by the Committee and shall be specified in the Award Agreement evidencing such Option; provided , however , the Exercise Price must be at least equal to 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share as of the Option’s Grant Date, except in the case of Substitute Awards (to the extent consistent with Code Section 409A and, in the case of Incentive Stock Options, Code Section 424), and subject to adjustment as provided for under Section 4.4.

6.3      Term of Option . The term of an Option granted to a Participant shall be determined by the Committee; provided , however , no Option shall be exercisable later than the tenth anniversary of its Grant Date.

6.4      Exercise of Option . An Option shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, at such times and be subject to such restrictions and vesting conditions as the Committee shall in each instance approve, which terms and restrictions need not be the same for each grant or for each Participant.

6.5      Payment of Exercise Price . An Option shall be exercised by the delivery of a notice of exercise to the Company or an agent designated by the Company in a form specified or accepted by the Committee, or by complying with any alternative procedures that may be authorized by the Committee, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is to be exercised, accompanied by full payment for the Shares. Any Shares issued upon exercise of an Option are subject to the transfer

 

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restrictions set forth in Section 14.3. A condition of the issuance of the Shares as to which an Option shall be exercised shall be the payment of the Exercise Price and the payment of applicable withholding taxes. The Exercise Price of any exercised Option shall be payable to the Company in accordance with one of the following methods:

(a)    In cash or its equivalent,

(b)    By tendering (either by actual delivery or by attestation) previously acquired Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the Exercise Price (subject to such procedures and conditions as the Committee may establish),

(c)    By a cashless (broker-assisted) exercise,

(d)    By authorizing the Company to withhold Shares otherwise issuable upon the exercise of the Option having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the Exercise Price to the extent approved by the Committee,

(e)    By any combination of (a), (b), (c) or (d), or

(f)    By any other method approved or accepted by the Committee.

Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, all payments under all of the methods indicated above shall be paid in United States dollars or Shares, as applicable.

6.6      Special Rules Regarding ISOs . Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, an Option granted in the form of an ISO to a Participant shall be subject to the following rules:

(a)    An Incentive Stock Option may be granted only to an Employee of the Company or of any parent or subsidiary corporation (within the meaning of Code Section 424).

(b) An Option will constitute an Incentive Stock Option only to the extent that (i) it is so designated in the applicable Award Agreement and (ii) the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the Option’s Grant Date) of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options held by the Participant first become exercisable in any calendar year (under this Plan and all other plans of the Company and its Subsidiaries) does not exceed $100,000.

(c)    No Participant may receive an Incentive Stock Option under this Plan if, immediately after the grant of such Award, the Participant would own Shares possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or an affiliate (determined in accordance with Code Section 422), unless (i) the exercise price for that Incentive Stock Option is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to that Incentive Stock Option on the Grant Date and (ii) that Option will expire no later than five years after its Grant Date.

(d) Any Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan shall contain such terms and conditions, consistent with the Plan, as the Committee may determine to be necessary to qualify such Option as an “incentive stock option” under Code Section 422.

 

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Section 7. Stock Appreciation Rights

7.1      Grant of SARs . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan, SARs 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. Each grant of SARs shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.

7.2      Grant Price . The Grant Price for each grant of a SAR shall be determined by the Committee and shall be specified in the Award Agreement evidencing the SAR; provided , however , the Grant Price must be at least equal to 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share as of the Grant Date, except in the case of Substitute Awards (to the extent consistent with Code Section 409A), and subject to adjustment as provided for under Section 4.4.

7.3      Term of SAR . The term of a SAR granted to a Participant shall be determined by the Committee; provided , however , no SAR shall be exercisable later than the tenth anniversary of its Grant Date.

7.4      Exercise of SAR . A SAR shall be exercisable at such times and be subject to such restrictions and vesting conditions as the Committee shall in each instance approve, which terms and restrictions need not be the same for each grant or for each Participant.

7.5      Notice of Exercise . A SAR shall be exercised by the delivery of a notice of exercise to the Company or an agent designated by the Company in a form specified or accepted by the Committee, or by complying with any alternative procedures that may be authorized by the Committee, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is to be exercised.

7.6      Settlement of SARs . Upon the exercise of a SAR, pursuant to a notice of exercise properly completed and submitted to the Company in accordance with Section 7.5, a Participant shall be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount equal to the product of (a) and (b) below:

(a)    The excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the Grant Price.

(b)    The number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised.

Payment shall be made in cash, Shares or a combination thereof as provided for under the applicable Award Agreement. Any Shares issued in payment of a SAR are subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in Section 14.3.

Section 8. Restricted Stock

8.1      Grant of Restricted Stock . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan, Restricted Stock Awards may be granted to Participants in such number of Shares, and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee. Each grant of Restricted Stock shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.

8.2      Nature of Restrictions . Each grant of Restricted Stock may be subject to a requirement that a Participant pay a stipulated purchase price for each Share of Restricted Stock, and shall be subject to a Period of Restriction that shall lapse upon the satisfaction of such vesting conditions as are determined by

 

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the Committee and set forth in an applicable Award Agreement. Such conditions or restrictions may include, without limitation, one or more of the following:

(a)    That the Shares of Restricted Stock may not be transferred in any fashion prior to their applicable vesting date,

(b)    That the Shares of Restricted Stock may vest only to the degree that specific performance goals are achieved,

(c)    That the Shares of Restricted Stock may vest only upon completion of a specified period of continuous employment or other service and to the degree that specific performance goals have been achieved, or

(d)    That the Shares of Restricted Stock may vest only upon completion of a specified period of continuous employment or other service.

8.3      Delivery of Shares . Unvested Shares subject to a Restricted Stock Award shall be evidenced by a book-entry in the name of the Participant with the Company’s transfer agent or Plan agent or by one or more stock certificates issued in the name of the Participant. Any such stock certificate shall be deposited with the Company or its designee, together with an assignment separate from the certificate, in blank, signed by the Participant, and bear an appropriate legend referring to the restricted nature of the Restricted Stock evidenced thereby. Any book-entry Shares shall be subject to comparable restrictions and corresponding stop transfer instructions. Upon the vesting of Shares of Restricted Stock, and the Company’s determination that any necessary conditions precedent to the release of vested Shares (such as satisfaction of tax withholding obligations and compliance with applicable legal requirements) have been satisfied, such vested Shares shall be made available to the Participant in such manner as may be prescribed or permitted by the Committee. Such vested Shares are subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in Section 14.3.

8.4      Voting Rights . As set forth in a Participant’s applicable Award Agreement, the Committee shall determine the extent to which a Participant holding Shares of Restricted Stock shall be granted the right to exercise full voting rights with respect to those Shares.

8.5      Section 83(b) Election . The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement that the Award of Restricted Stock is conditioned upon the Participant making or refraining from making an election with respect to the Award under Code Section 83(b). If permitted by the Award Agreement and a Participant makes an election pursuant to Code Section 83(b) concerning a Restricted Stock Award, the Participant shall be required to file promptly a copy of such election with the Company.

8.6      Certificate Legend . In addition to any legends placed on certificates pursuant to Section 8.3, each certificate representing Shares of Restricted Stock granted pursuant to this Plan may bear a legend such as the following or as otherwise determined by the Committee in its sole discretion:

“The transferability of this certificate and the shares of stock represented hereby are subject to the terms and conditions (including forfeiture) of the Americold Realty Trust 2017 Equity Incentive Plan and a Restricted Stock Award Agreement entered into between the registered owner and Americold Realty Trust. Copies of such Plan and Agreement are on file in the offices of Americold Realty Trust, 10 Glenlake Parkway, South Tower, Suite 600, Atlanta, Georgia 30328.”

 

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Section 9. Restricted Stock Units

9.1      Grant of Restricted Stock Units . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan, Restricted Stock Units 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. A grant of Restricted Stock Units shall not represent the grant of Shares but shall represent a promise to deliver a corresponding number of Shares or the value of such number of Shares based upon the completion of service, performance conditions, or such other terms and conditions as specified in the applicable Award Agreement over the Period of Restriction. Each grant of Restricted Stock Units shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.

9.2      Nature of Restrictions . Each grant of Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to a Period of Restriction that shall lapse upon the satisfaction of such vesting conditions as are determined by the Committee and set forth in an applicable Award Agreement. Such conditions or restrictions may include, without limitation, one or more of the following:

(a)    That the Restricted Stock Units may not be transferred in any fashion, subject to Section 14.1;

(b)    That the Restricted Stock Units may vest only to the degree that specific performance goals are achieved;

(c)    That the Restricted Stock Units may vest only upon completion of a specified period of continuous employment or other service and to the degree that specific performance goals have been achieved; or

(d)    That the Restricted Stock Units may vest only upon completion of a specified period of continuous employment or other service.

9.3      Voting Rights . A Participant shall have no voting rights with respect to any Restricted Stock Units granted hereunder.

9.4      Settlement and Payment of Restricted Stock Units . Unless otherwise elected by the Participant as permitted under the Award Agreement, or otherwise provided for in the Award Agreement, Restricted Stock Units shall be settled upon the date such Restricted Stock Units vest (or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter). Such settlement shall be made in Shares unless otherwise specified in the Award Agreement. Any Shares issued in settlement of Restricted Stock Units are subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in Section 14.3.

Section 10. Performance Shares

10.1      Grant of Performance Shares . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan, Performance Shares 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. Each grant of Performance Shares shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.

10.2      Value of Performance Shares . Each Performance Share shall have a value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date. The Committee shall set performance goals that, depending on the extent to which they are met over the specified Performance Period and the satisfaction of applicable service-based vesting conditions, shall determine the number of Performance Shares that shall vest, which may be greater than the target number of Performance Shares granted, and be paid to a Participant.

 

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10.3      Earning of Performance Shares . After the applicable Performance Period has ended, the number of Performance Shares earned by the Participant for the Performance Period shall be determined as a function of the extent to which the applicable corresponding performance goals have been achieved. This determination shall be made by the Committee.

10.4      Form and Timing of Payment of Performance Shares . The Company shall pay at the close of the applicable Performance Period, or as soon as practicable thereafter, any earned Performance Shares in the form of Shares unless otherwise specified in the Award Agreement. Any Shares issued in settlement of Performance Shares are subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in Section 14.3.

Section 11. Performance Units

11.1      Grant of Performance Units . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan, Performance Units may be granted to a Participant in such number, and upon such terms and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee. Each grant of Performance Units shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.

11.2      Value of Performance Units . Each Performance Unit shall have an initial notional value equal to a dollar amount determined by the Committee. The Committee shall set performance goals in its discretion that, depending on the extent to which they are met over the specified Performance Period and the satisfaction of applicable service-based vesting conditions, will determine the number of Performance Units that shall vest (which may be greater than the target number of Performance Units granted), the settlement value of each Performance Unit (if variable), and the settlement amount to be paid to the Participant.

11.3      Earning of Performance Units . After the applicable Performance Period has ended, the number of Performance Units earned by the Participant over the Performance Period shall be determined as a function of the extent to which the applicable corresponding performance goals have been achieved. This determination shall be made by the Committee.

11.4      Form and Timing of Payment of Performance Units . The Company shall pay at the close of the applicable Performance Period, or as soon as practicable thereafter, any earned Performance Units in the form of cash or in Shares or in a combination thereof, as specified in a Participant’s applicable Award Agreement. Any Shares issued in settlement of Performance Units are subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in Section 14.3.

Section 12. Other Stock-Based Awards and Cash-Based Awards

12.1      Grant of Other Stock-Based Awards and Cash-Based Awards .

(a)    Subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan, the Committee may grant Other Stock-Based Awards not otherwise described by the terms of this Plan to a Participant in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions, as the Committee shall determine. Such Awards may involve the transfer of actual Shares to Participants, or payment in cash or otherwise of amounts based on the value of Shares.

 

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(b)    The Committee may grant Cash-Based Awards not otherwise described by the terms of this Plan to a Participant in such amounts and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine.

(c)    Each grant of Other Stock-Based Awards and Cash-Based Awards shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement and/or subject to a subplan or special provisions approved by the Committee.

12.2      Value of Other Stock-Based Awards and Cash-Based Awards . Each Other Stock-Based Award shall be expressed in terms of Shares or units based on Shares, as determined by the Committee. Each Cash-Based Award shall specify a payment amount or payment range as determined by the Committee. If the Committee exercises its discretion to establish performance goals, the number and/or value of Cash-Based Awards or Other Stock-Based Awards that shall be paid to the Participant will depend on the extent to which such performance goals are met and any service-based payment conditions are satisfied.

12.3      Payment of Other Stock-Based Awards and Cash-Based Awards . Payment, if any, with respect to Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards shall be made in accordance with the terms of the applicable Award Agreement in the form of cash, Shares or other forms of Awards under this Plan or a combination of cash, Shares and other forms of Awards. The determination of the form in which Awards subject to this Section 12 will be paid shall be made by the Committee, unless the Committee chooses to provide in an applicable Award Agreement that a Participant may elect, in accordance with such procedures and limitations as the Committee may specify, the form in which such an Award will be paid. To the extent any Award subject to this Section 12 is to be paid in other forms of Awards under this Plan, such Awards issued in payment shall be valued for purposes of such payment at their fair value on the Grant Date of such Awards. If the Committee permits a Participant to elect to receive some or all of an amount that would otherwise be payable in cash under an Award subject to this Section 12 in Shares or other forms of Awards, the Committee may also provide in the applicable Award Agreement that the Fair Market Value of the Shares or the Grant Date fair value of the other forms of Awards may exceed the amount of cash that otherwise would have been payable.

Section 13. Effect of Termination of Service

Each Award Agreement evidencing the grant of an Award shall provide for the following:

(a)    The extent to which a Participant shall vest in or forfeit such Award as a result of or following the Participant’s Termination of Service.

(b)    With respect to an Award in the form of an Option or SAR, the extent to which a Participant shall have the right to exercise the Option or SAR following the Participant’s Termination of Service.

The foregoing provisions shall be determined by the Committee, shall be included in each Award Agreement entered into with each Participant, need not be uniform among all Award Agreements and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination.

Section 14. Transferability of Awards and Shares

14.1      Transferability of Awards . Except as provided in Section 14.2, Awards shall not be transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, subject to the consent of the Committee, pursuant to a domestic relations order entered into by a court of competent jurisdiction. No Awards shall be subject, in whole or in part, to attachment, execution or levy of any kind; and any

 

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purported transfer in violation of this Section 14.1 shall be null and void. The Committee may establish such procedures as it deems appropriate for a Participant to designate a beneficiary to whom any amounts payable or Shares deliverable in the event of, or following, the Participant’s death may be provided.

14.2      Committee Action . The Committee may, in its discretion, approve a Participant’s transfer, by gift, of an Award (except in the case of an ISO), on such terms and conditions as the Committee deems appropriate and to the extent permissible with Code Section 409A and applicable securities laws, (i) to an “Immediate Family Member” (as defined below) of the Participant, (ii) to an inter vivos or testamentary trust in which the Award is to be passed to the Participant’s designated beneficiaries, or (iii) to a charitable institution. Any transferee of the Participant’s rights shall succeed and be subject to all of the terms of the applicable Award Agreement and this Plan, including restrictions on further transferability, compliance with applicable securities laws, and providing required investment representations. “Immediate Family Member” means any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships, a trust in which any of these persons have more than fifty (50%) percent of the beneficial interest, a foundation in which any of these persons (or the Participant) control the management of assets, and any other entity in which these persons (or the Participant) own more than fifty (50%) percent of the voting interests.

14.3      Restrictions on Share Transferability . The Committee may impose such restrictions on any Shares acquired by a Participant under this Plan as it may deem advisable, including, without limitation, minimum holding period requirements, restrictions under applicable federal securities laws, under the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are then listed or traded or under any blue sky or state securities laws applicable to such Shares.

Section 15. Performance-Based Compensation

15.1      Performance-Based Compensation. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may designate any Award as Performance-Based Compensation upon grant.

15.2      Performance Measures . The performance goals upon which the grant, payment or vesting of an Award that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation are conditioned must be based on one or more of the following Performance Measures:

(a)    Total shareholder return (on an absolute and/or relative basis measured against comparable peers or a real estate index),

(b)    Net operating income,

(c)    Funds from operations or adjusted funds from operations,

(d)    Funds available for distribution,

(e)    Dividends or funds available for distribution payment,

(f)    Returns on assets, returns on investment, returns on capital or returns on equity,

(g)    Operating expenses/costs,

 

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(h)    Cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow, cash flow return on equity, and cash flow return on investment),

(i)    Earnings per share,

(j)    Earnings before or after either, or any combination of, interest, taxes, depreciation, or amortization,

(k)    Economic value added (net operating profit after tax minus the sum of capital multiplied by the cost of capital) or economic value created,

(l)    Gross or net earnings or income,

(m)    Gross or net operating margins,

(n)    Gross or net operating profits,

(o)    Gross or net sales or revenues,

(p)    Market share,

(q)    Net earnings or net income (before or after taxes),

(r)    Operating efficiency and/or property operating expense savings,

(s)    Productivity ratios and measures,

(t)    Customer satisfaction survey results,

(u)    Strategic business objectives (including objective project milestones),

(v)    Personal professional objectives (including implementation of policies and plans, negotiations or completions of transactions, and development of long-term business goals)

(w)    Successful negotiation or renewal of contracts with new or existing customers,

(x)    Transactions relating to acquisitions or divestitures, or

(y)    Operating portfolio metrics including leasing and tenant retention.

Any Performance Measure(s) may, as the Committee, in its sole discretion deems appropriate, (i) relate to the performance of the Company or any Subsidiary as a whole or any business unit, division or segment of the Company or any Subsidiary or any combination thereof, (ii) be compared to the performance of a group of comparator companies, or published or special index, (iii) be based on change in the Performance Measure over a specified period of time and such change may be measured based on an arithmetic change over the specified period (e.g., cumulative change or average change), or percentage change over the specified period (e.g., cumulative percentage change, average percentage change or compounded percentage change), (iv) relate to or be compared to one or more other Performance Measures, or (v) any combination of the foregoing. The Committee also has the authority to provide for accelerated vesting of any Award based on the achievement of performance goals pursuant to the Performance Measures specified in this Section 15.

 

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Performance goals shall be established by the Committee as set forth in this Section 15, and may be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. With regard to a particular Performance Period, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall, within the first 90 days of a Performance Period, determine the length of the Performance Period (provided any such Performance Period shall be not less than one fiscal quarter in duration), the type(s) of Performance-Based Compensation Awards to be issued, and the Performance Measures that will be used to establish the performance goals. Following the completion of a Performance Period, the Committee shall review and certify in writing whether, and to what extent, the performance goals for the Performance Period have been achieved and, if so, calculate and certify in writing the amount of the Performance-Based Compensation Awards earned for the period.

15.3      Evaluation of Performance . The Committee may provide in any Award intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation that any evaluation of performance may, among other things, include or exclude the impact, if any, on reported financial results of any of the following events that occurs during a Performance Period: (a) asset write-downs, (b) litigation, claims, judgments or settlements, (c) changes in tax laws, accounting principles or other laws or provisions, (d) reorganization or restructuring programs, (e) acquisitions or divestitures, (f) foreign exchange gains and losses or (g) gains and losses that are treated as unusual in nature or infrequent in their occurrence and which are disclosed in management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the Company’s annual report to shareholders. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, payment or vesting of any such Award that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation shall not be made until the Committee certifies in writing that the applicable performance goals and any other material terms of such Award were in fact satisfied, except as otherwise provided in Section 15.3.

15.4      Adjustment of Performance-Based Compensation . The Committee shall have no discretion to increase the amount payable pursuant to Awards that are intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation beyond the amount that would otherwise be payable upon attainment of the applicable performance goal(s). The Committee may not waive the achievement of the applicable performance goals, except in the case of the Participant’s death or disability or a Change in Control. The Committee shall, however, retain the discretion to decrease the amount payable pursuant to such Awards below the amount that would otherwise be payable upon attainment of the applicable performance goal(s), either on a formula or discretionary basis or any combination, as the Committee determines, in its sole discretion.

Section 16. Nonemployee Trustee Awards

16.1      Awards to Nonemployee Trustees . The Committee shall approve all Awards to Nonemployee Trustees. The terms and conditions of any grant of any Award to a Nonemployee Trustee shall be set forth in an Award Agreement.

16.2      Awards in Lieu of Fees. The Committee may permit a Nonemployee Trustee the opportunity to receive an Award in lieu of payment of all or a portion of future trustee fees (including but not limited to cash retainer fees and meeting fees) or other type of Awards pursuant to such terms and conditions as the Committee may prescribe and set forth in an applicable sub-plan or Award Agreement. If the Committee permits a Participant to elect to receive payment of all or a portion of future trustee fees that would otherwise be payable in cash in the form of an Award, the Committee may also provide in the applicable Award Agreement that the Grant Date fair value of the Award may exceed the amount of cash that otherwise would have been payable.

 

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16.3      Annual Award Limit . Equity-based Awards granted to Nonemployee Trustees shall be subject to the following limitation: The maximum number of Shares subject to any (i) Award of Options, (ii) Award of Restricted Stock or (iii) Award of Restricted Stock Units, which may be granted to any Nonemployee Trustee during any calendar year shall be 50,000 Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the annual award limit set forth in this Section 16.3 shall (i) not apply to any Awards granted in connection with the initial public offering of the Shares, (ii) solely apply to Awards granted under this Plan and (iii) not apply to Shares or Share equivalents granted to a Nonemployee Trustee in lieu of all or any portion of such Nonemployee Trustee’s cash-based trustee fees.

Section 17. Effect of a Change in Control

17.1      Default Vesting Provisions. Unless otherwise provided for in an Award Agreement, and except to the extent that an Award meeting the requirements of Section 17.2(a) (a “ Replacement Award ”) is provided to the Participant pursuant to Section 4.4 to replace an existing Award (the “Replaced Award”), upon a Change in Control, all then-outstanding Awards shall vest in accordance with paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) below.

(a)     Outstanding Options and SARs . Upon a Change in Control, a Participant’s then-outstanding Options and SARs that are not vested shall immediately become fully vested (and, to the extent applicable, all performance conditions shall be deemed satisfied at target performance) and, subject to Section 17.3, exercisable over the exercise period set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

(b)     Outstanding Awards, other than Options and SARs, Subject Solely to a Service Condition . Upon a Change in Control, subject to Section 17.3, a Participant’s then-outstanding Awards, other than Options and SARs, that are not vested and as to which vesting depends solely on the satisfaction of a service obligation by the Participant to the Company or any Subsidiary shall become fully vested and shall be settled in cash, Shares or a combination thereof as provided for under the applicable Award Agreement within thirty (30) days following such Change in Control (except to the extent that settlement of the Award must be made pursuant to its original schedule in order to comply with Code Section 409A).

(c)     Outstanding Awards, other than Options and SARs, Subject to a Performance Condition. Upon a Change in Control, subject to Section 17.3, a Participant’s then-outstanding Awards, other than Options and SARs, that are not vested and as to which vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more performance conditions shall immediately vest and all performance conditions shall be deemed satisfied as if target performance was achieved and shall be settled pro rata, based on the proportion of the applicable Performance Period that lapsed through the date of the Change in Control, in cash, Shares or a combination thereof as provided for under the applicable Award Agreement within thirty (30) days following such Change in Control (except to the extent that settlement of the Award must be made pursuant to its original schedule in order to comply with Code Section 409A); notwithstanding that the applicable Performance Period, retention period or other restrictions and conditions have not been completed or satisfied.

17.2      Definition of Replacement Award .

(a)    An Award shall meet the conditions of this Section 17.2(a) (and hence qualify as a Replacement Award) if: (i) it is of the same type as the Replaced Award (or, it is of a different type as the

 

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Replaced Award, provided that the Committee, as constituted immediately prior to the Change in Control, finds such type acceptable); (ii) it has an intrinsic value at least equal to the value of the Replaced Award; (iii) it relates to publicly traded equity securities of the Company or its successor in the Change in Control or another entity that is affiliated with the Company or its successor following the Change in Control; (iv) its terms and conditions comply with Section 17.2(b); and (v) its other terms and conditions are not less favorable to the holder of the Award than the terms and conditions of the Replaced Award (including the provisions that would apply in the event of a subsequent Change in Control). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Replacement Award may take the form of a continuation of the Replaced Award if the requirements of the preceding sentence are satisfied. The determination of whether the conditions of this Section 17.2(a) are satisfied shall be made by the Committee, as constituted immediately before the Change in Control, in its sole discretion. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee may determine the value of Awards and Replacement Awards that are stock options or stock appreciation rights by reference to either their intrinsic value or their fair value.

(b)    Upon an involuntary termination of service of a Participant (i) by the Company other than for Cause, or (ii) to the extent specifically permitted in the Participant’s Award Agreement, a termination by the Participant for “good reason” (as defined in the Participant’s Award Agreement, change of control agreement or employment agreement, as applicable), in either case occurring within two years following the Change in Control, unless otherwise specified in the award agreement and approved by the Committee as constituted prior to the Change in Control, all Replacement Awards held by the Participant shall become fully vested and free of restrictions and, in the case of Replacement Awards in the form of (x) stock options or stock appreciation rights shall be fully exercisable, (y) performance-based Awards shall be deemed to be satisfied at target level performance and paid pro rata (based upon the proportion of the applicable Performance Period that has lapsed through the date of the Participant’s involuntary termination of service) upon or within 60 days of such termination of service, or (z) service-based Awards (other than stock options or stock appreciation rights) shall be paid upon or within 60 days of such termination of service. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Award that is considered deferred compensation subject to Code Section 409A, settlement of such Award shall be made pursuant to its original schedule if necessary to comply with Code Section 409A.

17.3 Cashout of Awards.

(a)    Unless otherwise provided for in an Award Agreement, in the event of a Change in Control, with respect to any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right, the Committee shall have discretion to cause a cash payment to be made to the person who then holds such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, in lieu of the right to exercise such Option or Stock Appreciation Right or any portion thereof. In the event the Committee exercises its discretion to cause such cash payment to be made, the amount of such cash payment shall be equal to the amount by which (i) the aggregate Fair Market Value (on the date of the Change in Control) of the Shares that are subject to such Option or Stock Appreciation Right exceeds (ii) the aggregate Exercise Price or Grant Price (as applicable) of such Shares under such Option or Stock Appreciation Right. If the aggregate Fair Market Value (on the date of the Change in Control) of the Shares that are subject to such Option or Stock Appreciation Right is less than the aggregate Exercise Price or Grant Price (as applicable) of such Shares under such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, such Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be cancelled without any payment.

(b)    Unless otherwise provided for in an Award Agreement, in the event of a Change in Control, with respect to an Award (other than an Option or Stock Appreciation Right) that would otherwise be payable in Common Shares, the Committee shall have discretion to cause the payment of such Award to be made in cash instead of Shares. In the event the Committee exercises its discretion to cause such cash payment to be made, the amount of such cash payment shall be equal to the aggregate Fair Market Value, on the date of the Change in Control, of the Shares that would otherwise then be payable under such Award.

 

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Section 18. Dividends and Dividend Equivalents

18.1      Payment of Dividends on Restricted Stock. With respect to an Award of Restricted Stock, the Committee may grant or limit the right of a Participant to receive dividends declared on Shares that are subject to such Award to the extent the Award is not yet vested. If the Committee grants the right of a Participant to receive dividends declared on Shares subject to an unvested Award of Restricted Stock, then such dividends shall be paid to the Participant as of the applicable dividend payment dates or such other dates as determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement; provided however, that in the case of an Award of Restricted Stock as to which vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more performance conditions, such dividends shall be subject to the same performance conditions and service conditions, as applicable, as the underlying Award. Dividends shall be paid in cash or reinvested in additional Shares or Awards by such formula and at such time and subject to such limitations as may be determined by the Committee.

18.2      Payment of Dividend Equivalents on Awards Other than Options, SARs and Restricted Stock . Except for Options, SARs and Restricted Stock, the Committee may grant Dividend Equivalents on the units or other Share equivalents subject to an Award based on the dividends actually declared and paid on outstanding Shares. The terms of any Dividend Equivalents will be as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, including the time and form of payment and whether such Dividend Equivalents will be credited with interest or deemed to be reinvested in additional units or Share equivalents. Dividend Equivalents payable with respect to the unvested portion of an Award whose vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more performance conditions shall be subject to the same performance conditions and service conditions, as applicable, as the underlying Award.

Section 19. Beneficiary Designation

The Committee may, from time to time, establish procedures it deems appropriate for a Participant to name a beneficiary or beneficiaries (who may be named contingently or successively) to whom any benefit under this Plan is to be paid in case of the Participant’s death before the Participant 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 Committee, and will be effective only when filed by the Participant in writing, including electronically, with the Company during the Participant’s lifetime. In the absence of any such beneficiary designation, benefits remaining unpaid or rights remaining unexercised at the Participant’s death shall be paid to or exercised by the Participant’s executor, administrator or legal representative.

Section 20. Rights of Participants

20.1      Employment and Service . Nothing in this Plan or an Award Agreement shall (a) interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate any Participant’s employment with, or provision of service to, the Company or any Subsidiary at any time or for any reason not prohibited by law or (b) confer upon any Participant any right to continue the Participant’s employment or service as a Trustee for any specified period of time. Neither an Award nor any benefits arising under this Plan shall constitute an employment or service contract with the Company or any Subsidiary and, accordingly, subject to Sections 3 and 21, this Plan and the benefits hereunder may be amended or terminated at any time in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Board or Committee without giving rise to any liability on the part of the Company, any Subsidiary, the Committee or the Board.

 

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20.2      Participation . No individual 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.

20.3      Rights as a Shareholder . Except as otherwise provided herein, a Participant shall have none of the rights of a shareholder with respect to Shares covered by any Award until the Participant becomes the record holder of such Shares.

Section 21. Amendment and Termination

21.1      Amendment and Termination of this Plan and Awards .

(a)    Subject to subparagraphs (b) and (c) of this Section 21.1, Section 21.3 and Section 21.4 of this Plan, the Board may at any time amend, suspend or terminate this Plan, and the Board or Committee may at any time amend, suspend or terminate any outstanding Award Agreement.

(b)    Without the prior approval of the Company’s shareholders and except as provided for in Section 4.4, no Option or SAR Award may be (i) amended to reduce the Exercise Price or the Grant Price thereof, as applicable; (ii) cancelled in exchange for the grant of any new Option or SAR with a lower Exercise Price or Grant Price, as applicable; or (iii) cancelled in exchange for cash, other property or the grant of any new Award at a time when the Exercise Price of the Option or the Grant Price of the SAR is greater than the current Fair Market Value of a Share.

(c)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendment of this Plan shall be made without shareholder approval if shareholder approval is required (as provided below or otherwise) pursuant to rules promulgated by any stock exchange or quotation system on which Shares are listed or quoted or by applicable U.S. state corporate laws or regulations, or applicable U.S. federal laws or regulations, including but not limited to, the then-applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any requirements under the Code relating to ISOs. Amendments to the Plan that require shareholder approval include, but are not limited to: (i) except as is provided in Section 4.4, an increase the maximum number of Shares which may be sold or awarded under the Plan or increase the maximum limitations set forth in Section 4; (ii) a change the class of persons eligible to receive Awards under the Plan; or (iii) an extension of the duration of the Plan or the maximum period during which Options or SARs may be exercised.

21.2      Adjustment of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events .

(a)    Except as may be limited by Section 15 with respect to Awards intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, 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 4.4) 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 unintended dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under this Plan.

(b) Any subplan may provide that the Committee or its authorized delegate shall retain the discretion to decrease the amount payable pursuant to a Cash-Based Award granted under such subplan

 

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below the amount that would otherwise be payable upon attainment of the applicable performance goal(s) over a Performance Period that does not exceed a term of one (1) year, either on a formula or discretionary basis or any combination, as the Committee or its authorized delegate determines is appropriate.

(c)    The determination of the Committee (or its authorized delegate, if applicable) as to any adjustments made pursuant to subparagraphs (a) and (b) above shall be conclusive and binding on Participants under this Plan. By accepting an Award under this Plan, a Participant agrees to any adjustment to the Award made pursuant to this Section 21.2 without further consideration or action.

21.3      Awards Previously Granted . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, other than Sections 21.2 and 21.4, no termination or amendment of this Plan or an Award Agreement shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under this Plan, without the written consent of the Participant holding such Award.

21.4      Amendment to Conform to Law. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, the Board may amend this Plan and the Board or the Committee may amend an Award Agreement, to take effect retroactively or otherwise, as deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of conforming this Plan or an Award Agreement to (i) any law relating to plans of this or similar nature (including, but not limited to Code Section 409A), and to the administrative regulations and rulings promulgated thereunder, (ii) any applicable stock exchange requirements and (iii) any compensation recoupment policy adopted by the Company. By accepting an Award under this Plan, a Participant agrees to any amendment made pursuant to this Section 21.4 to this Plan and any Award without further consideration or action.

21.5      Deferred Compensation .

(a)    It is intended that any Award under this Plan shall either be exempt from, or shall comply (in form and operation) with, Code Section 409A and shall be limited, construed and interpreted in accordance with such intent. To the extent that any Award is subject to Code Section 409A, it shall be paid in a manner that is intended to comply with Code Section 409A, including proposed, temporary or final regulations or any other guidance issued by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service with respect thereto. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any provision in the Plan that is inconsistent with Code Section 409A shall be deemed to be amended to comply with Code Section 409A and to the extent such provision cannot be amended to comply therewith for any reason, such provision shall be null and void. The Company shall have no liability to a Participant, or any other party, if an Award that is intended to be exempt from, or compliant with, Code Section 409A is not so exempt or compliant or for any action taken by the Committee or the Company and, in the event that any amount or benefit under the Plan becomes subject to penalties under Code Section 409A, responsibility for payment of such penalties shall rest solely with the affected Participant and not with the Company. Notwithstanding any contrary provision in the Plan or Award Agreement, any payment(s) of “nonqualified deferred compensation” (within the meaning of Code Section 409A) that are otherwise required to be made under the Plan to a “specified employee” (as defined under Code Section 409A) as a result of such employee’s separation from service (other than a payment that is not subject to Code Section 409A) shall be delayed for the first six (6) months following such separation from service (or, if earlier, the date of death of the specified employee) and shall instead commence (in a manner set forth in the Award Agreement) upon expiration of such delay period.

(b)    Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan and/or Award Agreement to the contrary, the Company does not make any representation to any Participant or beneficiary as to the tax consequences of

 

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any Awards made pursuant to this Plan, and the Company shall have no liability or other obligation to indemnify or hold harmless the Participant or any beneficiary for any tax, additional tax, interest or penalties that the Participant or any beneficiary may incur as a result of the grant, vesting, exercise or settlement of an Award under this Plan.

Section 22. General Provisions

22.1      Forfeiture Events .

(a)    In addition to the forfeiture events specified in paragraph (b) below, the Committee may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant’s rights, payments and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable treatment of an Award. Such events may include, without limitation, breach of non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality, or other restrictive covenants that are contained in the Award Agreement or otherwise applicable to the Participant, a Termination of Service for Cause, or other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Plan, any Award which is subject to recovery under any law, government regulation, or stock exchange listing requirement, or any policy adopted by the Company or determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement 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 or determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, and the Committee, in its sole and exclusive discretion, may require that any Participant reimburse the Company all or part of the amount of any payment in settlement of any Award granted hereunder.

22.2    Tax Withholding.

(a)     Tax Withholding Generally . 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 applicable federal, state and local tax withholding requirements, domestic or foreign, with respect to any taxable event arising as a result of the grant, vesting, exercise or settlement of an Award to the Participant under this Plan.

(b)     Share Withholding . Unless otherwise required by the Committee, the Company may withhold, or permit a Participant to elect to have withheld, from a payment in Shares the number of Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount required to be withheld to satisfy applicable federal, state and local tax withholding requirements, domestic or foreign, or such greater amount up to the maximum statutory withholding rate under applicable law as applicable to such Participant, if such other greater amount would not result in adverse financial accounting treatment as determined by the Committee (including in connection with the effectiveness of FASB Accounting Standards Update 2016-09).

22.3      Legend. The certificates for Shares may include any legend that the Committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on transfer of such Shares.

 

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22.4      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.

22.5      Severability. In the event any provision of this Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of this Plan, and this Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.

22.6      Requirements of Law. The granting of Awards and the issuance of Shares under this 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. It is the intent of the Company that this Plan satisfy, and be interpreted in a manner that satisfies, the applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3, as promulgated under Section 16 of the Exchange Act, so that Participants will be entitled to the benefit of Rule 16b-3 (or any successor provisions) and will not be subject to short-swing liability under Section 16 of the Exchange Act. If any provision of this Plan would conflict with this intent, such provision to the extent possible shall be interpreted and/or deemed amended so as to avoid such conflict.

22.7      Delivery of Shares. The Company shall have no obligation to issue or deliver Shares under this Plan prior to:

(a)    Obtaining any approvals from governmental agencies that the Company determines are necessary or advisable; and

(b)    Completion of any registration or other qualification of the Shares under any applicable national or foreign law or ruling of any governmental body that the Company determines to be necessary or advisable.

22.8      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 deliver such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.

22.9      Investment Representations. The Committee may require any individual receiving Shares pursuant to an Award under this Plan to represent and warrant in writing that the individual is acquiring the Shares for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares.

22.10      Employees Based Outside of the United States. Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in other countries in which the Company or any Subsidiaries operate or have Employees or Trustees, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to:

(a)    Determine which Subsidiaries shall be covered by this Plan;

(b)    Determine which Employees or Trustees outside the United States are eligible to participate in this Plan;

(c)    Modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to Employees or Trustees outside the United States to comply with applicable foreign laws;

 

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(d)    Establish sub-plans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable. Any sub-plans and modifications to Plan terms and procedures established under this Section 22.10 by the Committee shall be attached to this Plan document as appendices; and

(e)    Take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain approval or comply with any necessary local government regulatory exemptions or approvals.

Notwithstanding the above, the Committee may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate applicable law.

22.11      Uncertificated Shares . To the extent that this 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.

22.12      Unfunded Plan. Participants shall have no right, title or interest whatsoever in or to any investments that the Company or any Subsidiaries may make to aid it in meeting its obligations under this Plan. Nothing contained in this Plan, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind, or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and any Participant, beneficiary, legal representative or any other individual. To the extent that any individual acquires a right to receive payments from the Company or any Subsidiary under this Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company or the Subsidiary, as the case may be. All payments to be made hereunder shall be paid from the general funds of the Company, or the Subsidiary, as the case may be, and no special or separate fund shall be established, and no segregation of assets shall be made to assure payment of such amounts except as expressly set forth in this Plan.

22.13      No Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to this Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, Awards or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.

22.14      Retirement and Welfare Plans. Neither Awards made under this Plan nor Shares or cash paid pursuant to such Awards may be included as “compensation” for purposes of computing the benefits payable to any Participant under the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s retirement plans (both qualified and nonqualified) or welfare benefit plans unless such other plan expressly provides that such compensation shall be taken into account in computing a Participant’s benefit.

22.15      Nonexclusivity of this Plan. The adoption of this Plan shall not be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board or Committee to adopt such other compensation arrangements as it may deem desirable for any Participant.

22.16      No Constraint on Corporate Action. Nothing in this Plan shall be construed to: (i) limit, impair, or otherwise affect the Company’s or a Subsidiary’s right or power to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations or changes of its capital or business structure, or to merge or consolidate, or dissolve, liquidate, sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets; or, (ii) limit the right or power of the Company or a Subsidiary to take any action that such entity deems to be necessary or appropriate.

22.17      Governing Law and Construction. This Plan and each Award Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the state of Georgia excluding any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of this Plan to the substantive law of another jurisdiction.

 

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Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, recipients of an Award under this Plan are deemed to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the federal or state courts of Georgia to resolve any and all issues that may arise out of or relate to this Plan or any related Award Agreement. This Plan shall be construed in a manner consistent with the Company’s status as a real estate investment trust (“ REIT ”). No Award shall be granted, and with respect to any Award granted under this Plan, such Award shall not vest, be exercisable, or be settled: (i) to the extent that the grant, vesting, or settlement of such Award could cause the Participant or any other person to be in violation of the ownership limit or any other provision of the Company’s organizing documents; or (ii) if, in the discretion of the Committee, the grant, vesting, or settlement of such Award could impair the Company’s status as a REIT.

22.18      Delivery and Execution of Electronic Documents. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Company may (i) deliver by email or other electronic means (including posting on a website maintained by the Company or by a third party under contract with the Company) all documents relating to this Plan or any Award thereunder (including without limitation, prospectuses required by the Commission) and all other documents that the Company is required to deliver to its security holders (including without limitation, annual reports and proxy statements) and (ii) permit Participant’s to electronically execute applicable Plan documents (including, but not limited to, Award Agreements) in a manner prescribed to the Committee.

22.19      No Representations or Warranties Regarding Tax Effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, the Company, Subsidiaries, the Board and the Committee neither represent nor warrant the tax treatment under any federal, state, local or foreign laws and regulations thereunder (individually and collectively referred to as the “ Tax Laws ”) of any Award granted or any amounts paid to any Participant under this Plan including, but not limited to, when and to what extent such Awards or amounts may be subject to tax, penalties and interest under the Tax Laws.

22.20      Indemnification. Subject to requirements of the laws of the state of Georgia, each individual who is or shall have been a member of the Board, or a Committee appointed by the Board, or an officer of the Company or other person to whom authority was delegated in accordance with Section 3, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action taken or failure to act under this Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in settlement thereof, with the Company’s approval, or paid by him or her in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her, provided he or she shall give the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf, unless such loss, cost, liability or expense is a result of his or her own willful misconduct or except as expressly provided by statute. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such individuals may be entitled under the Company’s Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

22.21      Successors. All obligations of the Company under this 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 and/or assets of the Company.

22.22      Right of Offset. Subject to applicable legal requirements, including Code Section 409A, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall have the right to offset against the obligations to make payment or issue any Shares to any Participant under this Plan, any outstanding amounts (including travel and

 

29


entertainment advance balances, loans, tax withholding amounts paid by the employer or amounts repayable to the Company or Subsidiary pursuant to tax equalization, housing, automobile or other employee programs) such Participant then owes to the Company or a Subsidiary and any amounts the Committee otherwise deems appropriate pursuant to any tax equalization policy or agreement.

 

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Exhibit 10.9

SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT

by and among AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST

and

THE SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY SIGNATORIES HERETO

Dated: January 18, 2018


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION

     1  

1.1

  

Definitions

     1  

1.2

  

Rules of Construction

     6  

ARTICLE II CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

     6  

2.1

  

Election of Trustees

     6  

2.2

  

Resignation; Removal; Board Vacancies; Board Meetings

     9  

2.3

  

Expenses of Trustees and Yucaipa Observer

     9  

2.4

  

Insurance; Indemnification Agreements

     9  

2.5

  

Information Sharing

     9  

2.6

  

Trustee Compensation

     10  

2.7

  

Cooperation; Voting of Shares

     10  

2.8

  

Yucaipa Observer

     10  

2.9

  

Mirror Voting

     11  

ARTICLE III TRANSFERS

     11  

3.1

  

Condition of Transfer

     11  

3.2

  

Coordination Committee; Transfer Restrictions

     11  

3.3

  

Tag-Along Rights

     13  

3.4

  

Transfer of Shares to the Fortress Investor

     14  

ARTICLE IV COVENANTS

     15  

4.1

  

Regulatory Matters

     15  

4.2

  

Company Logo

     16  

4.3

  

Use of Name

     16  

4.4

  

Certain Activities

     16  

4.5

  

Information Rights

     16  

4.6

  

Tax Matters

     16  

4.7

  

Confidentiality

     18  

4.8

  

Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Bylaws

     19  

ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     19  

5.1

  

Authority; Enforceability

     19  

5.2

  

No Breach

     19  

5.3

  

Consents

     20  

ARTICLE VI EFFECTIVE TIME; TERMINATION

     20  

6.1

  

Effective Time

     20  

6.2

  

Termination

     20  

ARTICLE VII MISCELLANEOUS

     21  

7.1

  

Business Opportunities

     21  

7.2

  

Notices

     23  

7.3

  

Delays or Omissions

     24  

7.4

  

Remedies; Specific Performance

     24  

7.5

  

Assignment

     24  

7.6

  

Governing Law

     25  


7.7

  

Jurisdiction; Court Proceedings; Waiver of Jury Trial

     25  

7.8

  

Share Certificates; Legends

     25  

7.9

  

Entire Agreement

     26  

7.10

  

Additional Securities; Recapitalizations; Exchanges; etc.

     26  

7.11

  

Severability

     26  

7.12

  

Amendment; Waiver

     27  

7.13

  

Counterparts

     27  

 

 

ii


SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT

This SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), dated January 18, 2018, and effective as of the Effective Time, is by and among (a) Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “ Company ”), (b) the Yucaipa Shareholder (as defined below), (c) the GSCP Shareholders (as defined below), (d) Charm Progress Investment Limited (the “ CM Shareholder ”), (e) the Fortress Investor (as defined below) and (f) the Yucaipa Investor.

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Company is undertaking an underwritten initial public offering (“ IPO ”) of shares of its Common Shares (as defined below); and

WHEREAS, in connection with, and effective upon, the consummation of the IPO, the Company, the Yucaipa Shareholder, the GSCP Shareholders, the CM Shareholder, the Fortress Investor and the Yucaipa Investor desire to enter into this Agreement.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION

1.1     Definitions .

Affiliate ” of any particular Person means any other Person Controlling, Controlled by or under common Control with such particular Person. For purposes of this Agreement, none of the Company or its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of any Shareholder, and no Person shall be deemed an Affiliate of any other, by virtue of the existence of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by virtue of its participation therein. In addition, for purposes of this Agreement, neither the Fortress Investor nor the Yucaipa Shareholder shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of the other.

Beneficially Own ” has the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act; provided that, except as provided in the last sentence of Section 2.1(a), for purposes of Sections 2.1, 2.9 and 6.2, no Shareholder shall be deemed to “Beneficially Own” any Shares owned by another Shareholder that is not an Affiliate of such Shareholder.

Board ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.

Bylaws ” means the bylaws of the Company as in effect at the Effective Time, as may be amended from time to time in compliance with its terms and the terms of this Agreement.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.


Committee Members ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.

Common Shares ” means the common shares of beneficial interest of the Company, par value $0.01 per share.

Company ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Control ” or “ Controlled ” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, as trustee or executor, or otherwise. For purposes of this definition, a general partner or managing member of a Person shall always be considered to Control such Person.

Coordination Committee ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.

Declaration of Trust ” means the declaration of trust of the Company as in effect at the Effective Time, as may be amended or supplemented from time to time in compliance with its terms and the terms of this Agreement.

Designation Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

Direct Designation Condition ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(g).

Direct Designation Period ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(g).

Disposing Investor ” has the meaning in Section 3.3(a).

Effective Time ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.

Equity Equivalents ” means rights, options or warrants (or similar securities) to purchase equity securities, and any securities or obligations of any type whatsoever that are, or may become, convertible into or exercisable for equity securities.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as the same may be amended from time to time.

Exempt Transfer ” means any (a) Transfer to an Affiliate of the Transferring Sponsor Investor, (b) Transfer to be effected pursuant to a Public Offering, (c) Transfer to be effected pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, (d) Transfer of Shares by a Sponsor Investor to its partners, members, or other equityholders in the form of a distribution in kind in accordance with the terms of such Sponsor Investor’s constitutional documents, including without limitation a Fortress Transfer and a Partnership Transfer, (e) to the extent not otherwise covered by clause (d) above, a Fund Distribution, (f) Legal or Regulatory Transfers pursuant to Section 3.2, or (g) to the extent not otherwise covered by clause (b) above, Transfer under a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

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Foreign Shares ” means Shares held by the GSCP Shareholders, the Fortress Investor or the Yucaipa Shareholder, as the case may be, which are owned, directly or indirectly, by foreign persons within the meaning of Section 897(h)(4)(B) of the Code.

Fortress Effective Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.4(b).

Fortress Investor ” means CF Cold LP, a Delaware limited partnership.

Fortress Transfer ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.4(a).

Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares ” means, at the relevant time, the number of Common Shares outstanding, assuming all Equity Equivalents then outstanding have been converted, exercised, or exchanged, as the case may be, into Common Shares at the then applicable conversion or exercise price.

Fund Distribution ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2(f).

Fund Investor ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2(f).

Governmental Authority ” means any nation, state, territory, province, county, city or other unit or subdivision thereof or any entity, authority, agency, department, board, commission, instrumentality, court or other judicial body authorized on behalf of any of the foregoing to exercise legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government, including with respect to taxes, in each case whether federal, state, local or foreign.

GSCP Parallel ” has the meaning set forth in the definition of GSCP Shareholders.

GSCP Shareholders ” means GS Capital Partners VI Fund, L.P., GS Capital Partners VI Parallel, L.P. (“ GSCP Parallel ”), GSCP VI Offshore IceCap Investment, L.P. and GSCP VI GmbH IceCap Investment, L.P., IceCap2 Holdings, L.P. and any Affiliate of any of the foregoing that holds Shares at the relevant time.

GSCP Trustee ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b).

IPO ” has the meaning given to such term in the Recitals.

Legal or Regulatory Transfer ” means any transfer which a Shareholder reasonably, in good faith and upon the advice of counsel (either internal or external) believes is necessary to bring any investor in such Shareholder (or such investor’s affiliates) into compliance with applicable law, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Listed Tenant ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.6(a)(i).

 

3


Litigation ” means any claim, action, suit, audit, investigation, inquiry, proceeding or Governmental Authority investigation.

Maximum Tag-Along Sale Number ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.3(a).

MGCL ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.9.

Partnership Transfer ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.4(a).

Person ” means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, unincorporated organization or association, estate, trust (including the trustees thereof, in their capacity as such) or other entity.

Proprietary Information ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.7.

Public Offering ” means an underwritten public offering and sale of equity securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for cash pursuant to an effective Registration Statement under the Securities Act (other than a Registration Statement on Form S-4 or Form S-8 or any successor form), including any bought deal or block sale to a financial institution conducted as an underwritten Public Offering.

Record Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

Registration Rights Agreement ” means the Registration Rights Agreement dated as of the date hereof and effective as of the Effective Time, by and among the Company, the Yucaipa Shareholder and the GSCP Shareholders, as may be amended from time to time.

REIT ” means a real estate investment trust within the meaning of Sections 856-857 of the Code.

Related Party Shareholder ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.6(a)(i).

Representatives ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.7(a).

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Shareholders ” mean the parties to this Agreement (other than the Company) and any other subsequent holder of Shares who agrees or is required to agree to be bound by the terms of this Agreement; provided that neither the Fortress Investor nor the Yucaipa Investor shall be a “Shareholder” under this Agreement unless and until they become a holder of Shares as a result of a Fortress Transfer or Partnership Transfer, respectively.

Shares ” means the Common Shares, Warrants and any other Equity Equivalents of the Company.

Sponsor Investors ” means the Yucaipa Shareholder and the GSCP Shareholders and, solely for purposes of Section 3.3 of this Agreement, the CM Shareholder.

 

4


Subsidiary ” means with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership or other Person (a) of which shares of capital stock or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other similar managing body of such corporation, partnership or other Person are at the time owned or Controlled by such first Person, or (b) the management of which is otherwise Controlled, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries by such first Person.

Tag-Along Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.3(a).

Tag-Along Offer ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.3(a).

Tag-Along Offeror ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.3(a).

Tag-Along Period ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.3(a).

Tag-Along Sale Number ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.3(a).

Third Party ” means, with respect to any Shareholder, a third party that is not an Affiliate of such Shareholder.

Total Number of Trustees ” means the total number of Trustees comprising the Board.

Total Tag-Along Shares ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.3(a).

Transfer ” means any direct or indirect transfer, sale, exchange, assignment, distribution, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or other disposition of Shares, or any legal or beneficial interest therein, in whole or in part, including the grant of an option or other right or the grant of any interest that would result in the transferor no longer having the economic consequences of ownership in, or the power to vote, or cause to be voted, in whole or in part, any Shares, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, including by gift, by contract, by way of merger (forward or reverse) or similar transaction, by operation of law or otherwise.

Trustee ” means a member of the Board.

USRPI ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.6(c).

Warrants ” means the warrants to purchase 11,197,634 Common Shares and 7,376,634 Common Shares issued to the Yucaipa Shareholder, as amended, as may be adjusted from time to time pursuant to the terms and conditions thereof.

Yucaipa Investor ” means YF ART Holdings Aggregator, LLC.

Yucaipa Observer ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.8.

Yucaipa Shareholder ” means YF ART Holdings, L.P. and any Affiliate of YF ART Holdings, L.P. that holds Shares at the relevant time.

Yucaipa Trustees ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

 

5


1.2     Rules of Construction . Unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) References in the singular or to “him,” “her,” “it,” “itself,” or other like references, and references in the plural or the feminine or masculine reference, as the case may be, shall also, when the context so requires, be deemed to include the plural or singular, or the masculine or feminine reference, as the case may be;

(b) References to Articles, Sections and Exhibits shall refer to articles, sections and exhibits of this Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(c) The headings in this Agreement are for convenience and identification only and are not intended to describe, interpret, define or limit the scope, extent or intent of this Agreement or any provision hereof;

(d) This Agreement shall be construed without regard to any presumption or other rule requiring construction against the party that drafted and caused this Agreement to be drafted;

(e) All monetary figures shall be in United States dollars unless otherwise specified;

(f) References to “including” in this Agreement shall mean “including, without limitation,” whether or not so specified;

(g) The word “extent” in the phrase “to the extent” shall mean the degree to which a subject or other theory extends and such phrase shall not mean “if”;

(h) Any action required by this Agreement to be taken on a day that is not a business day, shall be deemed to be required to be taken on the first business day thereafter; and

(i) All references in this Agreement to an amount or number of shares or price per Share shall be deemed to be appropriately adjusted for any share dividends, splits, reverse splits, combinations, reclassifications, recapitalizations, reorganizations and the like occurring after the date hereof.

ARTICLE II

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

2.1     Election of Trustees . Following the Effective Time, the Shareholders and the Company hereby agree that the Board of Trustees of the Company (the “ Board ”) shall, subject to Section 2.1(e) below, initially consist of nine (9) members, and each Shareholder will vote all voting Shares held by it in order that:

(a) Subject to Section 2.1(g), the Yucaipa Shareholder shall have the right to designate a number of individuals for nomination for election as Trustees (the “ Yucaipa Trustees ”) by or at the direction of the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof equal to: (i) if the Yucaipa Shareholder Beneficially Owns 10% or more of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares at a date on which the Yucaipa Shareholder designates such Yucaipa Trustees for

 

6


nomination for election as trustees at a meeting of shareholders (the “ Designation Date ”) and at the related record date for such meeting (the “ Record Date ”), two (2) Trustees; or (ii) if the Yucaipa Shareholder Beneficially Owns 5% or more (but less than 10%) of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares at a Designation Date and the related Record Date, one (1) Trustee. The Yucaipa Trustees shall initially be Jeffrey M. Gault and Joel A. Holsinger. After a Fortress Transfer, solely for purposes of determining the number of Trustees the Yucaipa Shareholder may designate pursuant to this Section 2.1(a) (and not, for example, for purposes of calculating Beneficial Ownership under Section 6.2), the Yucaipa Shareholder shall be deemed to Beneficially Own any and all Shares Beneficially Owned by the Fortress Investor (without duplication).

(b) So long as the GSCP Shareholders collectively Beneficially Own 5% or more of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares at a Designation Date and the related Record Date, the GSCP Shareholders shall have the right to designate one (1) Trustee for nomination for election as Trustee (the “ GSCP Trustee ”) by or at the direction of the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof. The GSCP Trustee shall initially be Bradley J. Gross.

(c) If at any time the Yucaipa Shareholder or the GSCP Shareholders, as applicable, have designated fewer than the total number of individuals that such shareholder(s) is or are then entitled to designate pursuant to Section 2.1(a) or Section 2.1(b), as applicable, the Yucaipa Shareholder or the GSCP Shareholders, as applicable, shall have the right to designate such additional individuals which it is entitled to so designate, in which case, any individuals nominated by or at the direction of the Board or any duly authorized committee thereof for election as Trustees to fill any vacancy on the Board shall include such designees, and the Company shall use its best efforts to (x) effect the election of such additional designees, whether by increasing the size of the Board or otherwise, and (y) cause the election of such additional designees to fill any such newly-created vacancies or to fill any other existing vacancies.

(d) The Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, include in the slate of nominees recommended by the Board or any duly authorized committee thereof at any meeting of shareholders called for the purpose of electing trustees, the persons designated pursuant to this Section 2.1 and use its best efforts to cause the election of each such designee to the Board, including nominating each such individual to be elected as a Trustee as provided herein, and recommending such individual’s election and soliciting proxies or consents in favor thereof. In the event any person designated pursuant to this Section 2.1 is not elected as a Trustee in accordance with the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, appoint such person or another person designated by the nominating Shareholder to the Board and, if necessary, increase the size of the Board in order to permit such appointment.

(e) In addition to any vote or consent of the Board or the shareholders of the Company required by applicable Law or the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any action by the Board to increase the Total Number of Trustees (other than any increase in the Total Number of Trustees in connection with the election of one or more trustees elected exclusively by the holders of one or more classes or series of the Company’s stock other than Common Shares) shall require the prior written consent, in each case delivered in accordance with this Agreement, of (i) the Yucaipa

 

7


Shareholder for so long as the Yucaipa Shareholder Beneficially Owns 10% or more of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares and (ii) the GSCP Shareholders for so long as the GSCP Shareholders collectively Beneficially Own 10% or more of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares; provided that the Total Number of Trustees shall automatically increase by the requisite number of seats in order to effectuate the provisions of Sections 2.1(d) above.

(f)The Shareholders each agree to vote, or act by written consent with respect to, all Common Shares Beneficially Owned by it, at each annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Company at which Trustees are to be elected or to take all actions by written consent in lieu of any such meeting as are necessary, to cause the election of the Yucaipa Trustees and GSCP Trustees.

(g) If one or more Fortress Transfers results in the Fortress Investor Beneficially Owning 5% or more of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares at a time when it is no longer a limited partner of the Yucaipa Shareholder (the “ Direct Designation Condition ”), then the Yucaipa Shareholder shall immediately assign to the Fortress Investor all rights relating to the designation of one Yucaipa Trustee under this Agreement, the Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws (including all rights hereunder and thereunder relating to removal and filling of vacancies with respect to such Yucaipa Trustee); provided that such assignment shall be only effective for the period commencing on the date on which the Direct Designation Condition occurs and ending on the date that the Fortress Investor Beneficially Owns less than 5% of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares (such period, the “ Direct Designation Period ”). The Trustee so designated by the Fortress Investor shall be deemed to be a “Yucaipa Trustee” for all purposes under this Agreement, the Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws, except that the Fortress Investor (and not the Yucaipa Shareholder or Yucaipa Investor) shall be exclusively entitled to exercise the rights of the Yucaipa Shareholder with respect to such Trustee under this Agreement, the Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws during the Direct Designation Period. During the Direct Designation Period, the Fortress Investor shall be deemed to be the “Yucaipa Shareholder” under this Agreement, the Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws to the maximum extent necessary to effectuate the rights assigned to the Fortress Investor under this Section 2.1(g) (but on a co- extensive basis with the Yucaipa Shareholder with respect to the Yucaipa Shareholder’s other Yucaipa Trustee, if any). If this Agreement terminates as to the Yucaipa Shareholder but not the Fortress Investor during the Direct Designation Period, then the Fortress Investor shall nevertheless retain its rights under this Section 2.1(g) through the expiration of the Direct Designation Period as if such termination had not occurred, and the Fortress Investor shall be deemed to be the “Yucaipa Shareholder” for purposes of calculating the Yucaipa Shareholder’s Beneficial Ownership of Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares under Section 2.1(a) to the extent of the Fortress Investor’s rights under this Section 2.1(g).

(h) A Shareholder seeking to designate a Trustee for election by shareholders at an annual meeting of shareholders shall endeavor to submit its designation to the Company on a Designation Date occurring in the month of January in the calendar year in which such annual meeting is to occur.

 

8


2.2     Resignation; Removal; Board Vacancies; Board Meetings .

(a) Each Trustee shall hold his office until his resignation, removal or death, or until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. The Yucaipa Shareholder may remove any Yucaipa Trustee for any reason at the Yucaipa Shareholder’s written request to the Company. The GSCP Shareholders may remove the GSCP Trustee for any reason at the GSCP Shareholders’ written request to the Company. Upon delivery of a written request to the Company described in this Section 2.2(a), the Company and the Shareholders shall promptly take all such action necessary or desirable to cause the removal of the applicable Trustee from office. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing is not in limitation of the right of the shareholders of the Company to remove a trustee for cause to the extent provided in the Declaration of Trust.

(b) If (i) any person designated by the Yucaipa Shareholder pursuant to Section 2.1 shall cease for any reason to serve as a Trustee or shall fail to receive the requisite vote in his or her election, the Yucaipa Shareholder shall have the exclusive right to designate a person to fill the vacancy resulting thereby and (ii) any person designated by the GSCP Shareholders pursuant to Section 2.1 shall cease for any reason to serve as a Trustee or shall fail to receive the requisite vote in his or her election, the GSCP Shareholders shall have the exclusive right to designate a person to fill the vacancy resulting thereby. The Company and the Shareholders take all necessary action to cause the Board to be so constituted.

(c) Any single trustee of the Company, including a Yucaipa Trustee and the GSCP Trustee, shall have the right to call a special meeting of the Board at any time in accordance with the procedures therefor set forth in the Bylaws.

2.3     Expenses of Trustees and Yucaipa Observer . The Company shall reimburse the Yucaipa Trustees, the Yucaipa Observer and the GSCP Trustee for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with their attendance at meetings of the Board, the board of directors (or similar governing bodies) of the Company’s Subsidiaries and any committees thereof, including travel, lodging and meal expenses. If any Yucaipa Trustee is paid a fee (whether in cash or otherwise) for serving on any such board (or any committee thereof), the GSCP Trustee also serving on such board shall also be entitled to such fee, subject to Section 2.6 below.

2.4     Insurance; Indemnification Agreements . The Company shall obtain and cause to be maintained in effect a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance covering each of the Yucaipa Trustees, the Yucaipa Observer and the GSCP Trustee and each member of the board of directors (or similar governing bodies) of the Company’s Subsidiaries in an amount and upon such terms as shall be determined by the Board. The Company shall enter into an indemnification agreement with each of the Yucaipa Trustees, the Yucaipa Observer and the GSCP Trustee in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A .

2.5     Information Sharing . Each Shareholder and the Company agrees that the Yucaipa Trustees, the Yucaipa Observer and the GSCP Trustee may share confidential, non-public information about the Company with the Shareholder that designated such Trustee or observer (and, in the case of any Yucaipa Trustee designated by the Yucaipa Shareholder at the direction of the Fortress Investor pursuant to the limited partnership agreement of the Yucaipa Shareholder, with Fortress) and its Affiliates, as such Trustee deems appropriate, subject to applicable law.

 

9


2.6     Trustee Compensation . In the event that (a) the Yucaipa Shareholder designates, at the direction of its general partner, a Yucaipa Trustee who is an employee of The Yucaipa Companies LLC or one of its Affiliates, (b) (i) the Yucaipa Shareholder designates, at the direction of the Fortress Investor pursuant to the limited partnership agreement of the Yucaipa Shareholder, or (ii) the Fortress Investor designates, pursuant to Section 2.1(g), a Yucaipa Trustee who is an employee of Fortress Investment Group LLC or one of its Affiliates, or (c) the GSCP Shareholders designate a GSCP Trustee who is an employee of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC or one of its Affiliates, then the Trustee designated by such Shareholder shall not receive compensation for service as a Trustee, including compensation in the form of equity awards.

2.7     Cooperation; Voting of Shares .

(a) The Company and each Shareholder shall take all necessary or desirable actions within its control to ensure that at all times the Company’s organizational documents, including the Declaration of Trust and Bylaws, and the organizational documents of the Company’s Subsidiaries (i) comply with and do not at any time conflict with any provisions of this Agreement and (ii) permit each Shareholder to receive the benefits to which it is entitled under this Agreement.

(b) Each Shareholder shall vote all of its voting Shares, execute proxies or, to the extent permitted by the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws, execute written consents, as the case may be, and take all other necessary or desirable actions within its control, including attending and voting at meetings in person or by proxy for purposes of obtaining a quorum, to effectuate the provisions of this Agreement.

(c) No Shareholder shall grant any proxy or enter into or agree to be bound by any voting trust with respect to its Shares, and no Shareholder shall enter into any other agreements or arrangements of any kind with any Person with respect to its Shares, in each case on terms which conflict with the provisions of this Agreement (whether or not such proxy, voting trust, agreements or arrangements are with other Shareholders, holders of Shares that are not parties to this Agreement or otherwise).

(d) The Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, take all necessary or desirable actions within its control (including calling special Board and shareholder meetings, nominating for election to the Board those individuals designated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and providing therefor in the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ organizational documents) to cause the Board to be constituted in accordance with the provisions of this Article II and to otherwise effect the provisions of this Agreement (including this Article II).

2.8     Yucaipa Observer . The Yucaipa Shareholder shall have the right (but not the obligation) to designate an individual (the “ Yucaipa Observer ”) to attend, strictly as an observer, all meetings of the Board, telephone or in-person, it being agreed that the Yucaipa Observer shall have no power or authority to act or to vote at such meeting (but shall be permitted to raise

 

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matters for discussion at such meeting and to participate in discussions at such meeting). The Yucaipa Shareholder shall designate and replace the Yucaipa Observer by written notice to the Company, and subject to the foregoing, the Company shall provide to the Yucaipa Observer all written notices of Board meetings and all written materials that are provided to Trustees in connection therewith, including minutes of previous meetings of the Board, at the same time and in the same manner as provided to the Trustees; provided that the Yucaipa Observer shall not be entitled to be present for or receive any privileged communication from counsel to the Company or the Board if the presence of the Yucaipa Observer would be reasonably likely to adversely affect such privilege. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, for the avoidance of doubt, the Yucaipa Observer shall not owe any duties, statutory or otherwise, to the Company or its shareholders other than obligations of confidentiality set forth in Section 4.7 below and duties imposed by securities laws generally.

2.9      Mirror Voting . At any annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Company at which a vote will be taken (i) to opt-in to the “business combination” provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “ MGCL ”) by revoking, altering or amending Section 15 of Article II of the Bylaws, (ii) to opt-in to the “control share” provisions of the MGCL by revoking, altering or amending Section 13 of Article II of the Bylaws, or (iii) to opt-in to Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the MGCL, or with respect to any written consent with respect to such matter(s) in lieu of a meeting, so long as the Yucaipa Shareholder Beneficially Owns 20% or more of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares as of the record date for such meeting, the Yucaipa Shareholder agrees to vote, or act by written consent with respect to, all Common Shares Beneficially Owned by it, at such meeting or to take all actions by written consent in lieu of such meeting as are necessary, for and against such matter(s) in proportion to the vote taken on all Common Shares not Beneficially Owned by it with respect to such matter(s).

ARTICLE III

TRANSFERS

3.1     Condition of Transfer . The parties hereto hereby agree that it shall be a condition of the Transfer of any Shares to any Person who is not a party to this Agreement that such Transfer shall not be effected unless and until such Person agrees in writing to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement; provided , that the foregoing shall not apply to any transferee in a Transfer of Shares made pursuant to (i) an open market transaction, (ii) a Public Offering or (iii) a Fund Distribution.

3.2     Coordination Committee; Transfer Restrictions .

(a)     Promptly following the Effective Time, the Shareholders agree that the Sponsor Investors shall create a coordination committee (the “ Coordination Committee ”), which shall not be a committee of the Board, and will maintain such committee for so long as required pursuant to this Section 3.2 or until disbanded with the written consent of the Sponsor Investors. The Coordination Committee shall, as provided in this Section 3.2, facilitate coordination of (i) exercises of demand registration rights under the Registration Rights Agreement, (ii) Transfers of Shares by any of the Shareholders to Third Parties, (iii) any distributions of any Shares by any of the Shareholders to its direct or indirect Third Party partners, members, or other equityholders and (iv) any other transactions in Shares with Third Parties effected by any of the Shareholders.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 3.2(a) shall not apply to a Fortress Transfer. Each of the Sponsor Investors, the Fortress Investor and the CM Shareholder shall be permitted to designate one representative (who may, but need not, be a Trustee) to participate on the Coordination Committee (the “ Committee Members ”), and shall be permitted to remove and replace such designee from time to time. The procedures governing the conduct of the Coordination Committee shall be established from time to time by the written consent of the Sponsor Investors. The Coordination Committee shall meet as needed at the request of any Committee Member. Notice of the date, time and place of the proposed meeting shall be given to all Committee Members at least 24 hours in advance by electronic mail. The failure of one or more Committee Members to attend a Coordination Committee meeting shall not invalidate the occurrence of the meeting for which such electronic mail notice was given.

(b) A Shareholder wishing to (i) exercise demand registration rights under the Registration Rights Agreement (if applicable to such Shareholder), (ii) Transfer any Shares to Third Parties, (iii) distribute any Shares to such Shareholder’s direct or indirect Third Party partners, members, or other equityholders or (iv) effect any other transaction in Shares with Third Parties shall consult with the Coordination Committee prior to taking such action or entering into any definitive agreement with respect to such action, and shall use reasonable efforts to minimize any adverse impact to the other Shareholder in respect of such exercise, Transfer, distribution or transaction; provided that no Shareholder shall take any such action that would reasonably be expected to cause the Company to fail to qualify as a REIT or as a “domestically-controlled qualified investment entity” within the meaning of Section 897(h) of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 3.2(b) shall not apply to a Fortress Transfer.

(c) To the actual knowledge of the GSCP Shareholders, as of the date hereof, no more than 46% of the Shares owned by the GSCP Shareholders are Foreign Shares. The GSCP Shareholders shall use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent a change in ownership of the GSCP Shareholders that, taken in the aggregate with all other changes in ownership of the GSCP Shareholders, causes more than 46% of the Shares owned by the GSCP Shareholders to be Foreign Shares; provided , that, no transfer of ownership of the GSCP Shareholders shall be prohibited if such transfer is a Legal or Regulatory Transfer; provided , further , that prior to any Legal or Regulatory Transfer the GSCP Shareholders shall reasonably consult with the Company and reasonably cooperate with the Company in order to mitigate or prevent any liability, harm or regulatory scrutiny that may result from such Legal or Regulatory Transfer.

(d) To the actual knowledge of the Yucaipa Shareholder, as of the date hereof, no more than 46% of the Shares owned by the Yucaipa Shareholder are Foreign Shares. The Yucaipa Shareholder shall use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent a change in ownership of the Yucaipa Shareholder that, taken in the aggregate with all other changes in ownership of the Yucaipa Shareholder, causes more than 46% of the Shares owned by the Yucaipa Shareholder to be Foreign Shares; provided , that, no transfer of ownership of the Yucaipa Shareholder shall be prohibited if such transfer is a Legal or Regulatory Transfer; provided , further , that prior to any Legal or Regulatory Transfer the Yucaipa Shareholder shall reasonably consult with the Company and reasonably cooperate with the Company in order to mitigate or prevent any liability, harm or regulatory scrutiny that may result from such Legal or Regulatory Transfer.

 

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(e) Each Shareholder, the Fortress Investor and the Yucaipa Investor shall consult with and provide draft filings to the Coordination Committee prior to making any filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to the Shares with a reasonable opportunity for the Committee Members to comment thereon.

(f) Prior to the distribution or dividend of Shares by any Fund Investor (as hereinafter defined) to such Fund Investor’s direct or indirect Third Party partners, members, or other equityholders (excluding a Fortress Transfer) (“ Fund Distribution ”), such Fund Investor shall notify the Coordination Committee at least 10 Business Days prior to such Fund Distribution, or the declaration thereof. All Fund Investors and the CM Shareholder shall in good faith discuss and coordinate such Fund Distribution with a view to allowing all other Fund Investors to also make a Fund Distribution of Shares to their respective Third Party partners, members or other equityholders on a pro-rata basis to the initiating Fund Investor or, if applicable, for such other Fund Investors to exercise their respective rights under Section 2.1(k) of the Registration Rights Agreement on a pro rata basis to the initiating Fund Investor, or for such other Fund Investors or the CM Shareholder to otherwise sell to a Third Party (pursuant to an open market transaction, a private sale, or otherwise) on a pro-rata basis to the initiating Fund Investor, such Shares, in each case, substantially concurrently with the initial Fund Investor’s Fund Distribution or, if applicable, in accordance with the timing provided for in Section 2.1(k) of the Registration Rights Agreement. Any sale of Shares by a non-initiating Fund Investor to a Third Party as contemplated by this Section 3.2(f), up to the applicable pro-rata amount, shall not be subject to the tag-along rights of any Sponsor Investor provided for in Section 3.3 below. For purposes of this Section 3.2(f), a “ Fund Investor ” means the Yucaipa Shareholder, the Yucaipa Investor (at such time as it holds Shares), the Fortress Investor (at such time as it holds Shares), and any of the GSCP Shareholders.

3.3     Tag-Along Rights .

(a) In the event that any Sponsor Investor (other than the CM Shareholder and the Fortress Investor) (a “ Disposing Investor ”) proposes to Transfer Shares to one or more Persons (other than in an Exempt Transfer or as expressly provided above in Section 3.2(f)), prior to effecting such Transfer of Shares, the Disposing Investor shall give not less than fourteen (14) days’ prior written notice (the “ Tag-Along Notice ”) of such intended Transfer to the other Sponsor Investors, which shall specifically identify the proposed transferee or transferees (together, the “ Tag-Along Offeror ”), the number of Shares as is proposed to be Transferred by the Disposing Investor(s) to the Tag-Along Offeror (the “ Tag-Along Sale Number ”), the maximum number of Shares that the Tag-Along Offeror is willing to purchase (the “ Maximum Tag-Along Sale Number ”), the purchase price therefor and a summary of the other material terms and conditions of the proposed Transfer, and shall contain an offer (the “ Tag-Along Offer ”) by the Tag-Along Offeror to each other Sponsor Investor, which Tag-Along Offer shall be irrevocable for a period of ten (10) days after delivery thereof (the “ Tag-Along Period ”) (and, to the extent the Tag-Along Offer is accepted during such period, shall remain irrevocable until the consummation of the Transfer contemplated by the Tag-Along Offer), to purchase from such Sponsor Investor at the same price per share (on an as converted basis to Common Shares, if applicable) to be paid to, and upon the same terms offered by the Tag-Along Offeror to, the Disposing Investor, which shall be set forth in the Tag-Along Notice, that number of Shares owned by such Sponsor Investor as is equal to the product of (A) a fraction, the numerator of

 

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which is the Tag-Along Sale Number and the denominator of which is the aggregate number of Shares owned as of the date of the Tag-Along Offer by the Disposing Investor and its Affiliates and (B) the number of Shares owned by such Sponsor Investor as of the date of the Tag-Along Offer; provided that the number of Shares required to be purchased from such Sponsor Investor by the Tag-Along Offeror shall be subject to reduction in accordance with the last sentence of this Section 3.3(a). A copy of the Tag-Along Notice shall promptly be sent to the Company. The Tag-Along Offer may be accepted in whole or in part at the option of each of the other Sponsor Investors. Notice of any Sponsor Investor’s intention to accept a Tag-Along Offer, in whole or in part, shall be evidenced by a writing signed by such Sponsor Investor and delivered to the Tag- Along Offeror and the Company prior to the end of the Tag-Along Period, setting forth the number of Shares that such Sponsor Investor elects to Transfer. In the event that the number of Shares proposed to be sold by the Disposing Investor(s) to the Tag-Along Offeror plus the aggregate number of Shares all Sponsor Investors elect to Transfer to a Tag-Along Offeror (the “ Total Tag-Along Shares ”) is greater than the Maximum Tag-Along Sale Number, the Disposing Investor(s) and each Sponsor Investor shall be entitled to Transfer to the Tag-Along Offeror only that number of Shares that is equal to (1) the number of shares that it sought or elected, as applicable, to be Transferred to such Tag-Along Offeror by the Disposing Investor or Sponsor Investor, as applicable, multiplied by (2) a fraction, the numerator of which is the Maximum Tag- Along Sale Number and the denominator of which is the Total Tag-Along Shares.

(b) All Transfers of Shares to the Tag-Along Offeror pursuant to this Section 3.3 shall be consummated on the later of (i) a mutually satisfactory business day as soon as practicable, but in no event more than fifteen (15) days after the expiration of the Tag-Along Period, or (ii) the fifth business day following the expiration or termination of all waiting periods under the Hart-Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, or receipt of other regulatory approvals applicable to such Transfers, in each case, to the extent applicable, or at such other time and/or place as the parties to such Transfers may agree. The delivery of certificates or other instruments evidencing such Shares duly endorsed for transfer shall be made on such date against payment of the purchase price for such Shares.

(c) Any calculation of an amount or number of shares or price per Share (including Common Shares and Warrants) pursuant to this Section 3.3 shall be determined on an as converted basis to Common Shares.

3.4     Transfer of Shares to the Fortress Investor . Each of the parties hereto acknowledges and agrees to the following:

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Transfer of Common Shares or Warrants (i) to the Fortress Investor by the Yucaipa Shareholder subsequent to the date hereof (such Transfer, a “ Fortress Transfer ”) and (ii) to the Yucaipa Investor by the Yucaipa Shareholder subsequent to the date hereof (such Transfer, a “ Partnership Transfer ”), in each case pursuant to the Yucaipa Shareholder’s partnership agreement, shall not be subject to Section 3.2 or Section 3.3 or any other restriction on Transfer hereunder and shall otherwise be deemed to be made in compliance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

(b) Upon the occurrence of a Fortress Transfer (the “ Fortress Effective Date ”), the Fortress Investor shall subsequently be deemed to be a “Shareholder” under this Agreement (subject to Section 3.4(c) below) with respect to all rights and obligations pertaining to Shareholders thereunder so long as the Fortress Investor continues to own Common Shares.

 

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(c) As of the Fortress Effective Date and so long as the Fortress Investor continues to own Common Shares, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement:

(i) Clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of Section 3.2(a) shall include demand registration rights, Transfers and distributions by the Fortress Investor, as applicable;

(ii) solely for purposes of Section 3.3 of this Agreement, the Fortress Investor shall be deemed to be a “Sponsor Investor” and will be entitled to tag-along rights to the same extent, and subject to the same terms and conditions (as applicable), as the Sponsor Investors under Section 3.3 of this Agreement;

(iii) the Fortress Investor agrees that it shall use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent a change in ownership of the Fortress Investor which, taken in the aggregate with all other changes in ownership of the Fortress Investor, causes more than 46% of the Shares owned by the Fortress Investor to be Foreign Shares; provided that no transfer of ownership of the Fortress Investor shall be prohibited if such transfer is a Legal or Regulatory Transfer; provided , further , that prior to any Legal or Regulatory Transfer the Fortress Investor shall reasonably consult with the Company and reasonably cooperate with the Company in order to mitigate or prevent any liability, harm or regulatory scrutiny that may result from such Legal or Regulatory Transfer; and

(iv) the Fortress Investor agrees that it shall not Transfer any Common Shares to any Disqualified Transferees (as defined in the Yucaipa Shareholder’s partnership agreement).

(d) In the event of a Partnership Transfer as a result of which the Yucaipa Shareholder no longer owns any Shares, but without limitation of the Fortress Investor’s rights under Section 2.1(g), the Yucaipa Investor shall succeed to all the rights and obligations of, and shall be deemed to be, the “Yucaipa Shareholder” under this Agreement.

ARTICLE IV

COVENANTS

4.1      Regulatory Matters . The Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep the GSCP Shareholder and the Yucaipa Shareholder informed of any material events, notices or changes with respect to any criminal (other than petty crimes committed by employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) or material regulatory investigation or other material regulatory action involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries promptly following an officer or Trustee becoming aware thereof, so that such Shareholders will have the opportunity to take appropriate steps to avoid or mitigate any regulatory consequences to them or their Affiliates that might arise from such investigation or action. Additionally, upon and to the extent of a prior written request therefor, the Company shall provide to the GSCP Shareholder and the Yucaipa Shareholder reasonable access during normal business hours to personnel, books and records and such other information as any such Shareholder may reasonably require for tax or regulatory purposes that are customary for investments of this type.

 

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4.2 Company Logo . The Company hereby grants the Shareholders (and their Affiliates) that are private equity funds permission to use the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ name and logo in marketing materials; provided , that any such Shareholder or Affiliate complies with reasonable guidelines and restrictions requested by the Company with respect to any such usage. The Shareholders and their Affiliates, as applicable, shall include a trademark attribution notice giving notice of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ ownership of its trademarks in any materials in which the Company’s or any of its Subsidiary’s name and logo appear.

4.3 Use of Name . The Company agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of the applicable Shareholder (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), (a) use in advertising or marketing the name of such Shareholder or any of its Affiliates or any partner or employee of such Shareholder, nor any trade name, trademark, trade device, service mark, symbol or any abbreviation, contraction or simulation thereof owned by such Shareholder or its Affiliates, or (b) represent, directly or indirectly, that any product or any service provided by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has been approved or endorsed by such Shareholder or any of its Affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 4.3 shall not prohibit the Company from disclosing the names and beneficial ownership of its Shareholders as required by law, legal process, regulation (including filings for federal, foreign and state securities and other laws in connection with the offering of interests in and the making of investments by the Company or its subsidiaries) or the rules of any self-regulatory organization.

4.4 Certain Activities . The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that nothing in this Agreement shall create a fiduciary duty of any Shareholder or any of its Affiliates to the Company or its Shareholders. It is understood that neither any Shareholder nor any Affiliate of any Shareholder is acting as a financial advisor, agent or underwriter to the Company or any of its Affiliates or otherwise on behalf of the Company or any of its Affiliates unless retained to provide such services pursuant to a separate written agreement.

4.5     Information Rights . If requested by the Yucaipa Shareholder, the GSCP Shareholders or, after a Fortress Transfer, the Fortress Investor, the Company shall enter into a non-disclosure agreement with a prospective purchaser of all or any portion of such Shareholder’s Shares, pursuant to which the Company shall provide confidential information regarding the Company to such prospective purchaser as reasonably requested by such Shareholder.

4.6     Tax Matters .

(a) The Company and the Shareholders will use their commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Company to continue to qualify and be taxed as a REIT pursuant to Sections 856-860 of the Code. With respect to issues arising under Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code, the Company’s and the Shareholders’ responsibilities to use commercially reasonable efforts under this Section 4.6(a) shall be as follows:

(i) The Company will send to each Shareholder that owns 10% or more of the Company (each, a “ Related Party Shareholder ”), on a quarterly basis, a list containing each tenant of the Company the revenue from which is expected to represent 1% or more of the gross warehouse revenue of the Company for the calendar year (each, a “ Listed Tenant ”), such notification to be subject to reasonable confidentiality arrangements.

 

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(ii) Upon receipt of the quarterly list, each Related Party Shareholder will use commercially reasonable efforts to make reasonable inquiry into whether it owns an equity interest in a Listed Tenant and will promptly notify the Company of any Listed Tenants in which it identifies ownership of 5% or more of the equity thereof, such notification to be subject to reasonable confidentiality arrangements.

(iii) Any Related Party Shareholder that acquires actual ownership of, or becomes aware that it otherwise owns, 5% or more of the equity of any tenant listed on the most recent quarterly list shall promptly notify the Company of such ownership, such notification to be subject to reasonable confidentiality arrangements.

(iv) Promptly following any notification described in clause (ii) or (iii), if necessary to maintain the Company’s qualification as a REIT, the Company and such Related Party Shareholder (or Related Party Shareholders if more than one Related Party Shareholder owns equity of any Listed Tenant) will use commercially reasonable efforts to cure or mitigate any issues attributable to such Related Party Shareholder’s ownership of Listed Tenants, taking into account the relative costs and benefits of each available alternative; it being understood that such Related Party Shareholder shall in no case be required to divest any interest in a Listed Tenant; and it being further understood that such Related Party Shareholder’s commercially reasonable efforts to cure or mitigate shall in no case bind or require any action (including divestment) on the part of any holders of equity in such Related Party Shareholder.

For purposes of the foregoing, the terms “owns,” “owned,” and “ownership” (unless noted as “actual ownership”) shall mean actual or constructive ownership within the meaning of Section 856(d)(2)(B) as modified by Section 856(d)(5), but, for the avoidance of doubt, shall in all cases be limited to beneficial ownership and, with respect to any GSCP Shareholder, shall not include assets held in accounts on behalf of clients of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. or its Subsidiaries.

(b) The Company and the Shareholders will take commercially reasonable actions to cause the Company not to voluntarily terminate its REIT status.

(c) The Company and the Shareholders will use their commercially reasonable efforts to take all actions necessary (or cease from taking any action, including issuance of Shares of the Company to any Person other than the GSCP Shareholders or amending the Declaration of Trust in a manner that could result in the Company being treated as other than a “domestically-controlled qualified investment entity”) to cause the Company to continue to qualify at all times as a “domestically-controlled qualified investment entity” within the meaning of Section 897(h) of the Code. Upon request of any of the Yucaipa Shareholder, any GSCP Shareholder or the Fortress Investor, or any of their respective Affiliates, the Company will provide a certification meeting the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.897-2(g) (and

 

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shall provide any notice described therein), that Shares of the Company are not United States real property interests (“ USRPI ”) as such term is defined in Section 897 of the Code, based on the Company’s determination that the Company is a “domestically-controlled qualified investment entity.” Each Shareholder shall provide the Company, at such times as the Company may request in connection with any certification by the Company that Shares of the Company are not USRPI, with ownership information in the form attached as Exhibit B hereto. Each Shareholder acknowledges and agrees that any certification provided by the Company pursuant to this Section 4.6(c) will be based upon the information provided by the Shareholders.

4.7     Confidentiality . Each Shareholder shall maintain the confidentiality of any confidential and proprietary information of the Company and its Subsidiaries (“ Proprietary Information ”) using the same standard of care, but in no event less than reasonable care, as it applies to its own confidential information, except (i) for any Proprietary Information which is or becomes publicly available (other than as a result of dissemination by such Shareholder) or a matter of public knowledge generally, (ii) if the release of such Proprietary Information is required by applicable law (including by a subpoena or other order from a court of competent jurisdiction), following delivery of prior written notice to the Company (to the extent permitted under applicable law), (iii) or any information which is developed by the Shareholder or its Representatives (as defined below) without reference to or use of the Proprietary Information or (iv) for Proprietary Information that was known to such Shareholder or its Representatives prior to its disclosure by the Company, or becomes known by such Shareholder or its Representatives, in each case on a non-confidential basis, without, to such Shareholders’ knowledge, breach of any third party’s confidentiality obligations. Each Shareholder further acknowledges and agrees that it shall not disclose any Proprietary Information to any Person, except that Proprietary Information may be disclosed by such Shareholder and its Representatives:

(a) to such Shareholder’s and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees, stockholders, members, partners, agents, counsel, accountants, consultants, insurers, lenders, investment advisers or other representatives (all such persons being collectively referred to as “ Representatives ”) in the normal course of the performance of their duties to such Shareholder or its Affiliates; provided such recipient agrees to be bound by a confidentiality agreement consistent with the provisions hereunder or is otherwise bound under law or contract to a duty of confidentiality to such Shareholder or its Affiliates;

(b) to the extent requested or required by any regulatory authority, governmental authority or stock exchange; provided that to the extent legally permissible and practicable, such Shareholder gives prior notice of such disclosure to the Company, and provided further , that such recipient is advised of the confidential nature of such information;

(c) to the extent related to the tax treatment and tax structure of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including all materials of any kind, such as opinions or other tax analyses that the Company, its Affiliates or any of its Representatives have provided to such Shareholder relating to such tax treatment and tax structure); provided that the foregoing does not constitute an authorization to disclose the identity of any existing or future party to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or their Affiliates or Representatives, or, except to the extent relating to such tax structure or tax treatment, any specific pricing terms or commercial or financial information;

 

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(d) to any Person, including a prospective purchaser of Common Shares, as long as such Person has agreed to maintain the confidentiality of such Proprietary Information; or

(e) if the prior written consent of the Board shall have been obtained.

Nothing contained herein shall prevent the use (subject, to the extent possible, to a protective order) of Proprietary Information in connection with the assertion or defense of any claim by or against the Company or any Shareholder.

4.8 Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Bylaws . Any amendment, alteration or repeal, or adoption, of a provision in the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws which, by the terms of the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws, as applicable, requires compliance with this Section 4.8 in order to be valid, shall only be valid with the prior written consent of the Yucaipa Shareholder, the GSCP Shareholders and, after a Fortress Transfer, the Fortress Investor, in each case if then a party to this Agreement, in addition to any requirements that otherwise apply under the terms of the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws, as applicable.

ARTICLE V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

5.1 Authority; Enforceability . Each of the parties hereto hereby severally represents and warrants to each of the other parties hereto that such party has the legal capacity or corporate power and authority, as applicable, to enter into this Agreement and to carry out each of such party’s obligations hereunder as they may hereafter arise. Such party (in the case of parties that are not natural persons) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of such party’s jurisdiction of organization, and the execution of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated herein have been duly authorized by all necessary action. No other act or proceeding, corporate or otherwise, on such party’s part is necessary to authorize the execution of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed by such party and constitutes such party’s legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against such party in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

5.2 No Breach . Each of the parties hereto severally represents and warrants to each of the other parties hereto that neither the execution of this Agreement nor the performance by such party of its obligations hereunder does or will:

(a) in the case of parties that are not natural persons, conflict with or violate such party’s organizational documents;

(b) violate, conflict with or result in the termination of, or otherwise give any other Person the right to accelerate, renegotiate or terminate or receive any payment or constitute a default or any event of default, with or without notice, lapse of time, or both, under the terms of, any contract or agreement to which it is a party or by which it or any of its assets or operations are bound or affected; or

 

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(c)    constitute a violation by such party of any law, ruling, writ, injunction, award, determination or decree of any Governmental Authority.

5.3 Consents . Each of the parties hereto hereby severally represents and warrants to each of the other parties hereto that no consent, waiver, approval, authorization, exemption, registration, license or declaration is required to be made or obtained by such party, other than those which have been made or obtained, in connection with (a) the execution or enforceability of this Agreement or (b) the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby.

ARTICLE VI

EFFECTIVE TIME; TERMINATION

6.1     Effective Time . This Agreement shall become effective upon the closing of the IPO (the “ Effective Time ”).

6.2 Termination . This Agreement shall terminate on the delivery of a written notice to the Company by the Yucaipa Shareholder, the GSCP Shareholders and, after a Fortress Transfer, the Fortress Investor, in each case if then a party hereto. In addition, except to the extent provided in the final sentence of this Section 6.2, this Agreement shall earlier terminate with respect to (a) the Yucaipa Shareholder at such time as the Yucaipa Shareholder Beneficially Owns less than 5% of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares (for the avoidance of doubt, inclusive of Shares Beneficially Owned by the Yucaipa Investor); provided that, if the Direct Designation Condition occurs prior to or concurrent with such termination, the rights of the Yucaipa Shareholder under Sections 2.1 through 2.7 assigned to the Fortress Investor shall survive any such termination until the expiration of the Direct Designation Period; (b) the GSCP Shareholders at such time as the GSCP Shareholders Beneficially Own less than 5% of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares; (c) the CM Shareholder at such time as (i) the CM Shareholder ceases to Beneficially Own any Shares or (ii) at such time as the GSCP Shareholders Beneficially Own less than 5% of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares and the CM Shareholder Beneficially Owns less than 5% of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares; (d) the Fortress Investor at such time as (i) the Yucaipa Shareholder Beneficially Owns less than 5% of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares and the Fortress Investor Beneficially Owns less than 5% of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares or (ii) after a Fortress Transfer, the Fortress Investor ceases to Beneficially Own any Shares and ceases to be a limited partner of the Yucaipa Shareholder; and (e) the Yucaipa Investor, before the occurrence of the circumstances described in Section 3.4(d), at such time as this Agreement has been terminated as to the Yucaipa Shareholder. Any termination with respect to a particular Shareholder pursuant to this Section 6.2 shall not affect the rights and obligations between or among the remaining parties to this Agreement. In the event that a Shareholder entitled to designate a Trustee under Article II (including without limitation the Fortress Investor, under Section 2.1(g)) ceases to Beneficially Own 5% or more of the Fully Diluted Outstanding Shares after a Designation Date and related Record Date for the designation of a Trustee, and in the event this Agreement would otherwise terminate as to that Shareholder at such time without the operation of this sentence, then the following provisions of

 

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this Agreement shall survive as to such Shareholder until the expiration of the designated Trustee’s term of service on the Board arising from such designation (including as such term may be commenced or completed by a replacement designee pursuant to Sections 2.1(d) or 2.2(b)): Section 2.1(a), Section 2.1(b), Section 2.1(d), the proviso set forth in Section 2.1(e), Section 2.1(f), Section 2.2(a), Section 2.2(b), Section 2.2(c), Section 2.3, Section 2.4, Section 2.5, Section 2.6, Section 2.7, Section 2.8, Section 4.7 and Article VII.

ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS

7.1     Business Opportunities .

(i)     Definitions . For the purpose of this Section  7.1 , the following terms shall have the following meanings:

i. “ Affiliate ” shall mean, with respect to any specified Person, any other Person who or which, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such Person, including, without limitation, any general partner, managing member or partner, officer, director, employee, trustee or other agent of such Person or any private equity fund now or hereafter existing that is controlled by one or more general partners or managing members of, or shares the same management company with, such Person. For purposes of this definition, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by,” or “under common control with” shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of (i) the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise, or (ii) the power to elect or appoint at least 50% of the directors, managers, general partners, or Person exercising similar authority with respect to such Person.

ii. “ Business Opportunity ” shall mean a business opportunity (i) that the Company is financially able to undertake, (ii) that the Company is not prohibited by contract or applicable law from pursuing or undertaking, (iii) that, from its nature, is in the Company’s line of business, (iv) that is of practical advantage to the Company, and (v) in which the Company has an interest or a reasonable expectancy.

iii. “ Fortress Entity ” and “ Fortress Entities ” shall mean the Fortress Investor, its respective Affiliates and any portfolio company in which any of the foregoing has any equity investment (other than the Company and its Subsidiaries).

iv. “ GSCP Entity ” and “ GSCP Entities ” shall mean the GSCP Shareholders, their respective Affiliates and any portfolio company in which any of the foregoing has any equity investment (other than the Company and its Subsidiaries).

v. “ Identified Persons ” shall mean any reference to the Yucaipa Entities, the GSCP Entities, the Fortress Entities, and their respective Affiliates.

vi. “ Non-Employee Trustee ” shall mean a Trustee of the Company who is not an employee of the Company or its Affiliates.

 

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vii. “ Yucaipa Entity ” and “ Yucaipa Entities ” shall mean the Yucaipa Shareholder, their respective Affiliates and any portfolio company in which any of the foregoing has any equity investment (other than the Company and its Subsidiaries).

(ii) In recognition and anticipation that (i) certain Identified Persons may serve as Trustees, officers or agents of the Company and (ii) the Identified Persons may now engage and may continue to engage in the same or similar activities or related lines of business as those in which the Company, directly or indirectly, may engage, or in other business activities that overlap or compete with those in which the Company, directly or indirectly, may engage, the provisions of this Section  7.1 are set forth to regulate and define the conduct of certain affairs of the Company with respect to certain classes or categories of business opportunities as they may involve any of the Identified Persons and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the Company and its Trustees, officers and shareholders in connection therewith.

(iii) To the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Maryland law, each Identified Person, on such Identified Person’s own behalf or on behalf of any other Person, shall have the right to, and shall have no obligation to abstain from exercising such right to: (a) engage or invest, directly or indirectly, in the same or similar business activities or lines of business in which the Company or any of its Affiliates now engages or proposes to engage, (b) do business with any customer, supplier or lessor of the Company or its Subsidiaries or (c) employ or otherwise engage any officer, trustee or employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries.

(iv) If any Identified Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a Business Opportunity, none of the Company or its Affiliates or shareholders shall have any interest in such Business Opportunity or any expectation that such Business Opportunity be offered to it or that it be offered an opportunity to participate therein, and any such interest, expectation, offer or opportunity to participate, and any other interest or expectation otherwise due to the Company or its Affiliates or shareholders with respect to such Business Opportunity, is hereby renounced by the Company on its behalf and on behalf of its subsidiaries and shareholders. Accordingly, (i) no Identified Person will be under any obligation or duty to present, communicate or offer any such Business Opportunity to the Company or any of its Affiliates or shareholders, and (ii) each Identified Person shall have the right to hold and exploit any such Business Opportunity for its own account, or to direct, recommend, sell, assign or otherwise transfer such Business Opportunity to any Person other than the Company and its Affiliates or shareholders and shall be under no obligation or duty to act otherwise.

(v) To the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Maryland law, the Company renounces any interest or expectancy in, or any right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any Business Opportunity that from time to time may be presented to or developed by any Non-Employee Trustee or any Affiliate of any Non-Employee Trustee, unless the Business Opportunity was expressly offered or made known to the Non-Employee Trustee in his or her capacity as a Trustee. To the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Maryland law, in the event that any Identified Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other Business Opportunity, no Identified Person will have any obligation to communicate or offer such transaction or Business Opportunity to the Company or any of the Company’s Affiliates and such Identified Person may take any such opportunity for himself, herself or itself, or offer it to another Person or entity unless the Business Opportunity is expressly offered to such Identified Person in his or her capacity as a Trustee, officer or employee of the Company.

 

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(vi) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 7.1(iv) above, the Company does not renounce any interest or expectancy it may have under applicable law in any Business Opportunity that is expressly offered to an Identified Person solely in, and as a direct result of, his or her capacity as a Trustee, officer or employee of the Company. If the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer or the Chief Financial Officer of the Company (or, during the vacancy of any of those titles, the executive officer performing the functions of such vacant role) shall be an Identified Person by virtue of his or her respective relationship with a Yucaipa Entity, the GSCP Entities or a Fortress Entity, then any Business Opportunity offered to such officer shall be deemed to have been offered solely in, and as a direct result of, such officer’s capacity as an officer of the Company unless such offer clearly and expressly is presented to such officer solely in, and as a direct result of, his or her capacity as an officer, trustee, director, partner, member, manager, employee or other agent of a Yucaipa Entity, the GSCP Entities or a Fortress Entity, as applicable.

(vii) An Identified Person may in his, her or its personal capacity, or in his, her or its capacity as a director, officer, trustee, stockholder, partner, member, equity owner, manager, advisor or employee of any other Person, have business interests and engage, directly or indirectly, in business activities that are similar to those of the Company or compete with the Company, that the Company could seize and develop or that include the acquisition, syndication, holding, management, development, operation or disposition of interests in temperature- controlled warehouses or Persons engaged in related industries.

(viii) No alteration, amendment, termination, expiration or repeal of this Section 7.1, nor the adoption of any provision of this Agreement inconsistent with this Section 7.1 shall eliminate, reduce, apply to or have any effect on (i) the protections afforded hereby to any Identified Person for or with respect to any investments, activities, or opportunities of which such Identified Person, as applicable, becomes aware prior to such alteration, amendment, termination, expiration, repeal or adoption or (ii) any matter occurring, or any cause of action, suit or claim that, but for this Section 7.1, would accrue or arise, prior to such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption.

7.2     Notices . All notices, demands and other communications to be given or delivered under or by reason of the provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given (a) when personally delivered, (b) when transmitted via telecopy (or other facsimile device) to the number set out below or transmitted by electronic mail if the sender on the same day sends a confirming copy of such notice in accordance with immediately following clause (c) or (c) the day on which the same has been delivered to the intended recipient if sent prepaid by (i) with respect to a delivery in the United States, a nationally recognized overnight delivery service (with tracking capability) and (ii) with respect to a delivery outside of the United States, an internationally recognized overnight delivery service (with tracking capability), in each case to the respective parties at the address set forth below, or at such other address as such party may specify by written notice to the other party hereto:

 

If to the Company:    Americold Realty Trust
   10 Glenlake Parkway
   South Tower, Suite 800
   Atlanta, Georgia 30328
   Attn: General Counsel
   Fax: (678) 387-4774

 

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With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
   King & Spalding LLP NE
   1180 Peachtree Street
   Atlanta, Georgia 30309
  

Attn: C. Spencer Johnson, III

Fax: (404) 572-5100

If to any other party hereto:    To the address set forth in Exhibit C ;

7.3     Delays or Omissions . No delay or omission to exercise any right, power or remedy accruing to any party, upon any breach or default of any other party under this Agreement will impair any such right, power or remedy of such party; no such delay or omission will be construed to be a waiver of any such breach or default, or an acquiescence therein, or of any similar breach or default thereafter occurring; no waiver of any single breach or default shall be deemed a waiver of any other breach or default theretofore or thereafter occurring; and no provision of this Agreement shall be implied from any course of dealing between the parties hereto. Any waiver, permit, consent or approval of any kind or character on the part of any party of any breach of default under this Agreement or any waiver on the part of any party of any provisions or conditions of this Agreement must be made in writing and will be effective only to the extent specifically set forth in such writing.

7.4     Remedies; Specific Performance . All remedies, either under this Agreement or by law or otherwise afforded to the parties hereunder, shall be cumulative and not alternative. The parties agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. Accordingly, the parties agree that, in addition any other remedies, each party shall be entitled to enforce the terms of this Agreement by a decree of specific performance without the necessity of proving the inadequacy of money damages as a remedy. Each party hereby waives any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with such remedy. Each party further agrees that the only permitted objection that it may raise in response to any action for equitable relief is that it contests the existence of a breach or threatened breach of this Agreement.

7.5     Assignment . This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding on the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided , that, except as expressly provided herein, no successor or assign will derive any rights under this Agreement unless and until such successor or assign has delivered to the Company a valid undertaking to become, and becomes, bound by the terms of this Agreement to which the transferor of such Shares is subject. This Agreement may not be assigned without the express prior written consent

 

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of the other parties hereto; provided , that the Yucaipa Shareholder, the GSCP Shareholders, the CM Shareholder and, after a Fortress Transfer or a Partnership Transfer, the Fortress Investor and the Yucaipa Investor, respectively, may assign this Agreement to any of its Affiliates, as applicable, or to any Transferee permitted pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, in each case contingent on such assignee agreeing in writing to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

7.6     Governing Law. This Agreement shall in all respects be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws (excluding conflict of laws rules and principles) of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed entirely within such State, including all matters of construction, validity and performance.

7.7     Jurisdiction; Court Proceedings; Waiver of Jury Trial. Any Litigation against any party to this Agreement arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement shall be brought in any federal or state court located in New York County in the State of New York, and each of the parties hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts for the purpose of any such Litigation; provided, that a final judgment in any such Litigation shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Each party irrevocably and unconditionally agrees not to assert (a) any objection which it may ever have to the selection of venue of any such Litigation in any federal or state court located in New York County in the State of New York, (b) any claim that any such Litigation brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum and (c) any claim that such court does not have jurisdiction with respect to such Litigation. To the extent that service of process by mail is permitted by applicable law, each party irrevocably consents to the service of process in any such Litigation in such courts by the delivery of such process in the manner contemplated by Section 7.2. Each party irrevocably and unconditionally waives any right to a trial by jury and agrees that any of them may file a copy of this Section  7.7 with any court as written evidence of the knowing, voluntary and bargained-for agreement among the parties irrevocably to waive its right to trial by jury in any Litigation.

7.8     Share Certificates; Legends .

(a) In addition to any legends required under the Declaration of Trust, each certificate evidencing Shares owned by the Shareholders (or their successors or transferees) will bear the following legend:

THE SHARES EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND MAY BE OFFERED OR SOLD ONLY IF REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR IF AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE. THE SHARES EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE ISSUED, ACCEPTED, AND HELD SUBJECT TO THE TERMS OF THE SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT DATED JANUARY 18, 2018, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND ARRANGEMENTS REGARDING CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ISSUES. A COPY OF SUCH SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT HAS BEEN FILED AT THE PRINCIPAL

 

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OFFICE OF THE COMPANY AND IS AVAILABLE UPON WRITTEN REQUEST WITHOUT CHARGE. THIS CERTIFICATE AND THE SHARES REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY NOT BE SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, MORTGAGED, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED, OR OTHERWISE ENCUMBERED OR DISPOSED OF, EXCEPT AS PERMITTED BY SUCH SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT.

(b)     If any securities become registered pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement or otherwise, the Company, upon the written request of the holder thereof, will issue to such holder a new certificate evidencing such securities without the legend required by Section 7.8(a) endorsed thereon. If any Shares cease to be subject to any and all restrictions on Transfer set forth in this Agreement, the Company, upon the written request of the holder thereof, will issue to such holder a new certificate evidencing such securities without the second, third or fourth sentences of the legend required by Section 7.8(a) endorsed thereon.

7.9     Entire Agreement .    This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior contracts or agreements, whether oral or written, relating to such matter, including without limitation the Shareholders Agreement by and among the Company and the shareholders of the Company party thereto dated December 9, 2010, as amended by the Assignment and Amendment of Shareholders Agreement dated as of February 27, 2015 and the First Amendment to Shareholders Agreement dated as of March 29, 2016, as it may have been amended, which the parties hereto agree is terminated as of the Effective Time. In the event of any inconsistency between this Agreement and any document executed or delivered to effect the purposes of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Bylaws and the Declaration of Trust, this Agreement shall govern as among the parties hereto.

7.10     Additional Securities; Recapitalizations; Exchanges; etc. Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement will apply to the full extent set forth herein with respect to (a) the Shares held by, or issued to, any Shareholder on or after the date hereof; and (b) any and all Shares or shares of capital stock of any successor or assign of the Company (whether by merger, consolidation, exchange, sale of assets or otherwise), which may be issued in respect of, in exchange for, or in substitution for such shares, by reason of any share dividend, share split, reverse split, combination, recapitalization, reclassification, merger, consolidation or otherwise. References to the “Company” in this Agreement will be deemed to refer to any such successor or assign, and such entity will execute an appropriate instrument of assumption agreeing to be bound by the terms hereof.

7.11     Severability . Should any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance be held invalid or unenforceable to any extent: (a) such provision shall be ineffective to the extent, and only to the extent, of such unenforceability or prohibition and shall be enforced to the greatest extent permitted by law, (b) such unenforceability or prohibition in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision as applied (i) to other Persons or circumstances or (ii) in any other jurisdiction, and (c) such unenforceability or prohibition shall not affect or invalidate any other provision of this Agreement.

 

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7.12     Amendment; Waiver . This Agreement may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified only by a written instrument executed by the Company and the other parties hereto, except that (a) with respect to the Fortress Investor, this Agreement may be amended, supplemented or modified in a manner that does not, prior to a Fortress Transfer, disproportionately adversely affect the Fortress Investor and, after a Fortress Transfer, adversely affect the Fortress Investor, without the written consent of the Fortress Investor and (b) with respect to the CM Shareholder, this Agreement may be amended, supplemented or modified in a manner that does not increase the obligations or liabilities of the CM Shareholder in any material respect without the written consent of the CM Shareholder. Neither the failure nor the delay on the part of any party hereto to exercise any right, remedy, power or privilege under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof; no single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege shall preclude any other or further exercise of the same or of any other right, remedy, power or privilege; and no waiver of any right, remedy, power or privilege with respect to any occurrence shall be construed as a waiver of such right, remedy, power or privilege with respect to any other occurrence. No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by the party asserted to have granted such waiver.

7.13     Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed by facsimile or .pdf signatures and in any number of counterparts with the same effect as if all signatory parties had signed the same document. All counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute one and the same instrument.

[ Signature Pages Follow ]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered in its name and on its behalf, all as of the day and year above first written.

 

AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST
By:  

/s/ Marc Smernoff

Name:   Marc Smernoff
Title:   Chief Financial Officer and EVP

 

[Signatures continue on following page]


YUCAIPA SHAREHOLDER:
YF ART HOLDINGS, L.P.

By: YF ART Holdings GP, LLC,

its general partner

By:  

/s/ Henry E. Orren

Name:   Henry E. Orren
Title:   Assistant Vice President and Secretary

 

[Signatures continue on following page]


GSCP SHAREHOLDERS:
GS CAPITAL PARTNERS VI FUND, L.P.

By: GSCP VI Advisors, L.L.C.,

its general partner

By:  

/s/ Bradley Gross

Name:   Bradley Gross
Title:   Vice President
GS CAPITAL PARTNERS VI PARALLEL, L.P.

By: GS Advisors VI, L.L.C.,

its general partner

By:  

/s/ Bradley Gross

Name:   Bradley Gross
Title:   Vice President
GSCP VI OFFSHORE ICECAP INVESTMENT, L.P.

By: GSCP VI Offshore IceCap Holdings Entity GP, Ltd.,

its general partner

By:  

/s/ Bradley Gross

Name:   Bradley Gross
Title:   Vice President
GSCP VI GMBH ICECAP INVESTMENT, L.P.

By: GSCP VI GmbH IceCap Holdings Entity GP, Ltd.,

its general partner

By:  

/s/ Bradley Gross

Name:   Bradley Gross
Title:   Vice President


ICECAP2 HOLDINGS, L.P.

By: IceCap2 Holdings Entity GP, Ltd.,

its general partner

By:  

/s/ Bradley Gross

Name:   Bradley Gross
Title:   Vice President

 

[Signatures continue on following page]


CM SHAREHOLDER:
CHARM PROGRESS INVESTMENT LIMITED
By:  

/s/ Chen Haizhao

Name:   Chen Haizhao
Title:   Director


FORTRESS INVESTOR:
CF COLD LP

By: CF Cold CP LLC, its general partner

By:  

/s/ Constantine M. Dakolias

Name:   Constantine M. Dakolias
Title:   President


YUCAIPA INVESTOR:
YF ART HOLDINGS AGGREGATOR, LLC
By:  

/s/ Henry E. Orren

Name:   Henry E. Orren
Title:   Assistant Vice President and Secretary


Exhibit A

Form of Indemnification Agreement


INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the      day of             , 20     , by and between Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”), and                              (“Indemnitee”).

WHEREAS, at the request of the Company, Indemnitee will serve or currently serves as a trustee [or observer] of the Company and may, therefore, be subjected to claims, suits or proceedings arising as a result of such service [or position]; and

WHEREAS, as an inducement to Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve as a trustee [or observer], the Company has agreed to indemnify and to advance expenses and costs incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any such claims, suits or proceedings, to the maximum extent permitted by law; and

WHEREAS, the parties to this Agreement desire to set forth their agreement regarding indemnification and advance of expenses and to supersede any prior agreement to which the Company and Indemnitee are parties regarding the same; provided that this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the declaration of trust or bylaws of the Company, any agreement entered into after the date hereof or a resolution of the shareholders entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees or of the Board of Trustees, or otherwise.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:

Section 1.     Definitions . For purposes of this Agreement:

(a) “Change in Control” means a change in control of the Company occurring after the Effective Date of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or in response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement; provided, however, that, without limitation, such a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred if, after the Effective Date (i) any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 15% or more of the combined voting power of all of the Company’s then-outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees without the prior approval of at least two-thirds of the Incumbent Board; (ii) the Company is a party to a merger, consolidation, sale of assets, plan of liquidation or other reorganization not approved by at least two-thirds of the Incumbent Board, as a consequence of which members of the Board of Trustees in office immediately prior to such transaction or event constitute less than a majority of the Board of Trustees thereafter; or (iii) at any time, a majority of the members of the Board of Trustees are not individuals from the Incumbent Board.


(b) “Company Status” means the status of a person as a present or former trustee, board observer, officer, employee or agent of the Company or as a director, trustee, board observer, officer, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other foreign or domestic corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person is or was serving in such capacity at the request of the Company. As a clarification and without limiting the circumstances in which Indemnitee may be serving at the request of the Company, service by Indemnitee shall be deemed to be at the request of the Company: (i) if Indemnitee serves or served as a director, trustee, board observer, officer, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise (1) of which a majority of the voting power or equity interest is or was owned directly or indirectly by the Company or (2) the management of which is controlled directly or indirectly by the Company, and (ii) if, as a result of Indemnitee’s service to the Company or any of its affiliated entities, Indemnitee is subject to duties by, or required to perform services for, an employee benefit plan or its participants or beneficiaries, including as a deemed fiduciary thereof.

(c) “Disinterested Trustee” means a trustee of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification and/or advance of Expenses is sought by Indemnitee.

(d) “Effective Date” means the date set forth in the first paragraph of this Agreement.

(e) “Expenses” means any and all reasonable and out-of-pocket attorneys’ fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, arbitration and mediation costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and any other disbursements or expenses incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in or otherwise participating in a Proceeding. Expenses shall also include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding including, without limitation, the premium for, security for and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedes bond or other appeal bond or its equivalent.

(f) “Incumbent Board” includes the individuals who as of the Effective Date are members of the Board of Trustees and any individual becoming a trustee subsequent to the Effective Date for service as a “Yucaipa Trustee” or “GSCP Trustee” (as such terms are defined in the Shareholders Agreement among the Company and certain of its shareholders in effect as of the Effective Date) or whose election by the Board of Trustees, or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the trustees then comprising the Incumbent Board;

 

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provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, no individual shall be considered a member of the Incumbent Board if such individual initially assumed office (i) as a result of either an actual or threatened “election contest” (within the meaning of Rule 14a-11 promulgated under the Exchange Act) or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a person other than the Board of Trustees (a “Proxy Contest”) or (ii) with the approval of the other members of the Board of Trustees, but by reason of any agreement intended to avoid or settle an actual or threatened Proxy Contest.

(g) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporate law and neither is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to or participant or witness in the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification or advance of Expenses hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.

(h) “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing, claim, demand or discovery request, or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, except one pending or completed on or before the Effective Date, unless otherwise specifically agreed in writing by the Company and Indemnitee. If Indemnitee reasonably believes that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding, such situation shall also be considered a Proceeding.

Section 2.     Services by Indemnitee . Indemnitee will serve as a trustee of the Company. However, this Agreement shall not impose any independent obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to the Company. This Agreement shall not be deemed an employment contract between the Company (or any other entity) and Indemnitee.

Section 3.     General . The Company shall indemnify, and advance Expenses to, Indemnitee (a) as provided in this Agreement and (b) otherwise to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect on the Effective Date and as amended from time to time; provided, however, that no change in Maryland law shall have the effect of reducing the benefits available to Indemnitee hereunder based on Maryland law as in effect on the Effective Date. The rights of Indemnitee provided in this Section 3 shall include, without limitation, the rights set forth in the other sections of this Agreement, including any additional indemnification permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”), as applicable to a Maryland real estate investment trust by virtue of Section 8-301(15) of the Maryland REIT Law.

 

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Section 4.     Standard for Indemnification . If, by reason of Indemnitee’s Company Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be, made a party to any Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee against all judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with any such Proceeding or any action, discovery event, claim, issue or matter therein or related thereto unless it is established that (a) the act or omission of Indemnitee was material to the matter giving rise to the Proceeding and (i) was committed in bad faith or (ii) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) Indemnitee actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (c) in the case of any criminal Proceeding, Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

Section 5.     Certain Limits on Indemnification . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement (other than Section 6), Indemnitee shall not be entitled to:

(a) indemnification hereunder if the Proceeding was one by or in the right of the Company and Indemnitee is adjudged, in a final adjudication of the Proceeding not subject to further appeal, to be liable to the Company;

(b) indemnification hereunder if Indemnitee is adjudged, in a final adjudication of the Proceeding not subject to further appeal, to be liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received in any Proceeding charging improper personal benefit to Indemnitee, whether or not involving action in Indemnitee’s Company Status; or

(c) indemnification or advance of Expenses hereunder if the Proceeding was brought by Indemnitee, unless: (i) the Proceeding was brought to enforce indemnification under this Agreement, and then only to the extent in accordance with and as authorized by Section 12 of this Agreement, or (ii) the Company’s declaration of trust or bylaws, a resolution of the shareholders entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees or of the Board of Trustees or an agreement approved by the Board of Trustees to which the Company is a party expressly provide otherwise.

Section 6.     Court-Ordered Indemnification . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, a court of appropriate jurisdiction, upon application of Indemnitee and such notice as the court shall require, may order indemnification of Indemnitee by the Company in the following circumstances:

(a) if such court determines that Indemnitee is entitled to reimbursement under Section 2-418(d)(1) of the MGCL, the court shall order indemnification, in which case Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover the Expenses of securing such reimbursement; or

(b) if such court determines that Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant circumstances, whether or not Indemnitee (i) has met the standards of conduct set forth in Section 2-418(b) of the MGCL or (ii) has been adjudged liable for receipt of an improper personal benefit under Section 2- 418(c) of the MGCL, the court may order such indemnification as the court shall deem proper without regard to any limitation on such court-ordered indemnification contemplated by Section 2-418(d)(2)(ii) of the MGCL.

 

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Section 7.     Indemnification of an Indemnitee Who is Wholly or Partially Successful . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, and without limiting any such provision, to the extent that Indemnitee was or is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Company Status, made a party to (or otherwise becomes a participant in) any Proceeding and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee for all Expenses that are actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee under this Section 7 for all Expenses that are actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each such claim, issue or matter, allocated on a reasonable and proportionate basis. For purposes of this Section 7 and, without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, and a decision by any government, regulatory or self-regulatory authority, agency or body not to commence or pursue any investigation, civil or criminal enforcement matter or case or any civil suit shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.

Section 8. Advance of Expenses for Indemnitee . If, by reason of Indemnitee’s Company Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be, made a party to any Proceeding, the Company shall, without requiring a preliminary determination of Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification hereunder, advance all reasonable Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with such Proceeding. The Company shall make such advance or advances within ten days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding and may be in the form of, in the reasonable discretion of Indemnitee (but without duplication) (a) payment of such Expenses directly to third parties on behalf of Indemnitee, (b) advance of funds to Indemnitee in an amount sufficient to pay such Expenses or (c) reimbursement to Indemnitee for Indemnitee’s payment of such Expenses. Such statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee (provided, however, that following a Change in Control or in the event of a Proceeding brought by or in the name of the Company, Indemnitee shall be required to submit to the Company only summary statements and invoices and, in connection with such submissions, Indemnitee shall have the right to withhold or redact any documents or information that are protected by the attorney-client privilege or the attorney work product doctrine) and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by a written affirmation by Indemnitee of Indemnitee’s good faith belief that the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the Company as authorized by law and by this Agreement has been met and a written undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A or in such form as may be required under applicable law as in effect at the time of the execution thereof. To the extent that Expenses advanced to Indemnitee do not relate to a specific claim, issue or matter in the Proceeding, such Expenses shall be allocated on a reasonable and proportionate basis. The undertaking required by this Section 8 shall be an unlimited general obligation by or on behalf of Indemnitee, shall be interest free and shall be accepted without reference to Indemnitee’s financial ability to repay such advanced Expenses and without any requirement to post security therefor.

 

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Section 9.     Indemnification and Advance of Expenses as a Witness or Other Participant . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is or may be, by reason of Indemnitee’s Company Status, made a witness or otherwise asked to participate in any Proceeding, whether instituted by the Company or any other party, and to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be advanced and indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith within ten days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting any such advance or indemnification from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding. Such statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee. In connection with any such advance of Expenses, the Company may require Indemnitee to provide an affirmation and undertaking substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A .

Section 10.     Procedure for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification .

(a)    To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification; provided that the failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company will not relieve the Company from any liability that it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise to the extent the failure or delay does not materially prejudice the Company. Indemnitee may submit one or more such requests from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in Indemnitee’s sole discretion. The officer of the Company receiving any such request from Indemnitee shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board of Trustees in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.

(b)    Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(a) above, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall promptly be made in the specific case: (i) if a Change in Control has occurred, by Independent Counsel, in a written opinion to the Board of Trustees, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, which Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee and approved by the Board of Trustees in accordance with Section 2-418(e)(2)(ii) of the MGCL, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld; or (ii) if a Change in Control has not occurred, (A) by the Board of Trustees by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Trustees or, if such quorum cannot be obtained, then by a majority vote of a duly authorized committee of the Board of Trustees consisting solely of one or more Disinterested Trustees, (B) if Independent Counsel has been selected by the Board of Trustees in accordance with Section 2-418(e)(2)(ii) of the MGCL and approved by Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, by Independent Counsel, in a written opinion to the Board of Trustees, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (C) if so directed by the Board of Trustees, by the shareholders of the Company, provided, however, that shares held by trustees or officers who are parties to the Proceeding shall not be voted. If it is so determined that

 

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Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall make payment to Indemnitee within ten days after such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary or appropriate to such determination in the discretion of the Board of Trustees or Independent Counsel if retained pursuant to clause (ii)(B) of this Section 10(b). Any Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company shall indemnify and hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.

(c)    The Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel, if one is appointed.

Section 11.     Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings .

(a)    In making any determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 10(a) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of overcoming that presumption in connection with the making of any determination contrary to that presumption.

(b)    The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, or entry of an order of probation prior to judgment, does not create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet the requisite standard of conduct described herein for indemnification.

(c)    The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Company or any other director, trustee, officer, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other foreign or domestic corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining any other right to indemnification under this Agreement.

(d)    For purposes of any determination as to whether or not Indemnitee acted in bad faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have not acted in bad faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on any information, opinion, report or statement, including any financial statement or other financial data of the Company (or other applicable entity) prepared or presented by: (i) an officer or employee of the Company (or other applicable entity) whom Indemnitee reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented, (ii) a lawyer, certified public accountant, or other person, as to a matter which Indemnitee reasonably believes to be within the person’s professional or expert competence or (iii) a committee of the Board of Trustees on which Indemnitee does not serve, as to a matter with its designated authority, if Indemnitee reasonably believes the committee to merit confidence; provided, in each case, Indemnitee has no knowledge concerning the matter in question which would cause such reliance to be

 

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unwarranted. The provisions of this Section 11(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the requisite standard of conduct described herein for indemnification.

Section 12.     Remedies of Indemnitee .

(a)    If (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 10(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advance of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 8 or 9 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 10(b) of this Agreement within 60 days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 7 or 9 of this Agreement within ten days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, or (v) payment of indemnification pursuant to any other section of this Agreement or the declaration of trust or bylaws of the Company is not made within ten days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court located in the State of Maryland, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, or arbitration, conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association, of Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification or advance of Expenses. The judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of the prior adverse determination. Indemnitee shall commence a proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 12(a); provided, however, that the foregoing clause shall not apply to a proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under Section 7 of this Agreement. Except as set forth herein, the provisions of Maryland law (without regard to its conflicts of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration. If Indemnitee seeks an adjudication in a court located in the State of Maryland, the parties agree to request that the action be assigned to the business and technology case management program of the circuit in which the action is filed.

(b)    In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 12, or otherwise arising out of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to indemnification or advance of Expenses, as the case may be, under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advance of Expenses, as the case may be. If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Section 12, or otherwise arising out of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed). The Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 12 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

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(c)    If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 10(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 12, absent a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification that was not introduced into evidence in connection with the determination.

(d)    In the event that Indemnitee is successful in seeking, pursuant to this Section 12, a judicial adjudication of or an award in arbitration to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover from the Company, and shall be indemnified by the Company for, any and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in such judicial adjudication or arbitration. If it shall be determined in such judicial adjudication or arbitration that Indemnitee is entitled to receive part but not all of the indemnification or advance of Expenses sought, the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such judicial adjudication or arbitration shall be appropriately prorated.

(e)    Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at the maximum rate allowed to be charged for judgments under the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland for amounts which the Company pays or is obligated to pay for the period commencing with the date on which the Company was requested to advance expenses in accordance with Section 8 or 9 of this Agreement or was required to make the determination of entitlement to indemnification under Section 10(b) above and ending on the date such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.

(f)    The parties further agree to waive trial by jury with respect to the determination whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or advance of Expenses.

Section 13.     Defense of the Underlying Proceeding .

(a)    Indemnitee shall notify the Company promptly in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, request or other document relating to any Proceeding which may result in the right to indemnification or the advance of Expenses hereunder and shall include with such notice a description of the nature of the Proceeding and a summary of the facts underlying the Proceeding. The failure to give any such notice shall not disqualify Indemnitee from the right, or otherwise affect in any manner any right of Indemnitee, to indemnification or the advance of Expenses under this Agreement unless the Company’s ability to defend in such Proceeding or to obtain proceeds under any insurance policy is materially and adversely prejudiced thereby, and then only to the extent the Company is thereby actually so prejudiced.

(b)    Subject to the provisions of the last sentence of this Section 13(b) and of Section 13(c) below, the Company shall have the right to defend Indemnitee in any Proceeding which may give rise to indemnification hereunder; provided, however, that the Company shall notify Indemnitee of any such decision to defend within 15 calendar days following receipt of notice of any such Proceeding under Section 13(a) above. The Company shall not, without the

 

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prior written consent of Indemnitee, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, consent to the entry of any judgment against Indemnitee or enter into any settlement or compromise which (i) includes an admission of fault of Indemnitee, (ii) does not include, as an unconditional term thereof, the full release of Indemnitee from all liability in respect of such Proceeding, which release shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee or (iii) would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee. This Section 13(b) shall not apply to a Proceeding brought by Indemnitee under Section 12 of this Agreement.

(c)    Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13(b) above, if in a Proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party by reason of Indemnitee’s Company Status, (i) Indemnitee reasonably concludes, based upon an opinion of counsel approved by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, that Indemnitee may have separate defenses or counterclaims to assert with respect to any issue which may not be consistent with other defendants in such Proceeding, (ii) Indemnitee reasonably concludes, based upon an opinion of counsel approved by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, that an actual or apparent conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest exists between Indemnitee and the Company, or (iii) if the Company fails to assume the defense of such Proceeding in a timely manner, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be represented by separate legal counsel of Indemnitee’s choice, subject to the prior approval of the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, at the expense of the Company. In addition, if the Company fails to comply with any of its obligations under this Agreement or in the event that the Company or any other person takes any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any Proceeding to deny or to recover from Indemnitee the benefits intended to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall have the right to retain counsel of Indemnitee’s choice, subject to the prior approval of the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, at the expense of the Company (subject to Section 12(d) of this Agreement), to represent Indemnitee in connection with any such matter.

(d)    Indemnitee shall reasonably assist and cooperate with the Company in any manner reasonably requested by the Company in connection with any Proceeding which may result in the right to indemnification or the advance of Expenses hereunder (whether or not Indemnitee has provided notice as contemplated by Section 13(a) above).

Section 14.     Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Subrogation .

(a)    The rights of indemnification and advance of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the declaration of trust or bylaws of the Company, any agreement entered into after the date hereof or a resolution of the shareholders entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees or of the Board of Trustees, or otherwise. Unless consented to in writing by Indemnitee, no amendment, alteration or repeal of the Company’s declaration of trust, the Company’s bylaws, this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Company Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal, regardless of whether a claim with respect to such action or inaction is raised prior or subsequent

 

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to such amendment, alteration or repeal. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right or remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right or remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prohibit the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.

(b)    Except as provided in Section 16, in the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute, at the request of the Company, all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.

Section 15.     Insurance .

(a)    The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to acquire directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, on terms and conditions deemed appropriate by the Board of Trustees covering Indemnitee for any claim made against Indemnitee by reason of Indemnitee’s Company Status and covering the Company for any indemnification or advance of Expenses made by the Company to Indemnitee for any claims made against Indemnitee by reason of Indemnitee’s Company Status. To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for trustees, officers, employees or agents or fiduciaries of the Company or of any other corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any other person with a similar title or role with the Company. In the event of a Change in Control, the Company shall maintain in force any and all directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies that were maintained by the Company immediately prior to the Change in Control for a period of six years with the insurance carrier or carriers in place at the time of the Change in Control; provided, however, (i) if the carriers will not offer the same policy and an expiring policy needs to be replaced, a policy substantially comparable in scope and amount shall be obtained and (ii) if any replacement insurance carrier is necessary to obtain a policy substantially comparable in scope and amount, such insurance carrier shall have an AM Best rating that is the same or better than the AM Best rating of the existing insurance carrier; provided, further, however, in no event shall the Company be required to expend in the aggregate in excess of 250% of the annual premium or premiums paid by the Company for directors’ and officers’ liability insurance in effect on the date of the Change in Control. In the event that 250% of the annual premium paid by the Company for such existing directors’ and officers’ liability insurance is insufficient for such coverage, the Company shall spend up to that amount to purchase such lesser coverage as may be obtained with such amount.

(b)    Without in any way limiting any other obligation under this Agreement, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee for any payment by Indemnitee which would otherwise be indemnifiable hereunder arising out of the amount of any deductible or retention and the amount of any excess of the aggregate of all judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with a Proceeding over the coverage of any insurance

 

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referred to in Section 15(a). The purchase, establishment and maintenance of any such insurance shall not in any way limit or affect the rights or obligations of the Company or Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights or obligations of the Company under any such insurance policies. If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies.

(c)    Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the Company or any insurance carrier of the Company with respect to any investigation or Proceeding.

Section 16.     Primacy of Indemnification; Coordination of Payments .

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company hereby acknowledges that Indemnitee has or may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance provided by [                 ] and/or certain of its affiliates (collectively, the “ Fund Indemnitors ”). The Company hereby agrees (i) that it is the indemnitor of first resort for any claims made against Indemnitee by reason of his Company Status (i.e., its obligations to Indemnitee are primary and any obligation of the Fund Indemnitors to advance Expenses or to provide indemnification for the same Expenses or liabilities incurred by Indemnitee by reason of his Company Status are secondary), (ii) that it shall be required to advance the full amount of Expenses incurred by Indemnitee by reason of his Company Status and shall be liable for the full amount of all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement to the extent legally permitted and as required by the terms of this Agreement and the Company’s declaration of trust or Bylaws (or any other agreement between the Company and Indemnitee), without regard to any rights Indemnitee may have against the Fund Indemnitors, and, (iii) that it irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the Fund Indemnitors from any and all claims against the Fund Indemnitors for contribution or subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect of any claims made against Indemnitee by reason of his Company Status. The Company further agrees that no advancement or payment by the Fund Indemnitors on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company pursuant to this Agreement shall affect the foregoing and the Fund Indemnitors shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee against the Company as permitted by this Agreement. The Company and Indemnitee agree that the Fund Indemnitors are express third party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section 16(a).

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (a) above,the Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable or payable or reimbursable as Expenses hereunder if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.

 

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Section 17.     Contribution .

(a)    If the indemnification provided in this Agreement is unavailable in whole or in part and may not be paid to Indemnitee for any reason, other than for failure to satisfy the standard of conduct set forth in Section 4 or due to the provisions of Section 5, then, with respect to any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), to the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying and holding harmless Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for Expenses, judgments, penalties, and/or amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.

(b)    Without diminishing or impairing the obligations of the Company set forth in Section 17(a) and provided Indemnitee has met the requisite standard of conduct described herein for indemnification, if, for any reason, Indemnitee shall elect or be required to pay all or any portion of any judgment or settlement in any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), the Company shall contribute to the amount of Expenses, judgments, penalties, and/or amounts actually incurred and paid or payable by Indemnitee in proportion to the relative benefits received by the Company and all officers, trustees or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, from the transaction from which such Proceeding arose; provided, however, that the proportion determined on the basis of relative benefit may, to the extent necessary to conform to law, be further adjusted by reference to the relative fault of the Company and all officers, trustees or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, in connection with the events that resulted in such Expenses, judgments, penalties and/or amounts paid in settlement, as well as any other equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company and all officers, trustees or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, the degree to which their actions were motivated by intent to gain personal profit or advantage, the degree to which their liability is primary or secondary and the degree to which their conduct is active or passive.

(c)    Provided that Indemnitee has met the requisite standard of conduct described herein for indemnification, the Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee from any claims for contribution which may be brought by officers, trustees or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.

Section 18.     Reports to Shareholders . To the extent required by the MGCL, the Company shall report in writing to its shareholders the payment of any amounts for indemnification of, or advance of Expenses to, Indemnitee under this Agreement arising out of a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company with the notice of the meeting of shareholders of the Company next following the date of the payment of any such indemnification or advance of Expenses or prior to such meeting.

 

-13-


Section 19.     Duration of Agreement; Binding Effect .

(a) This Agreement shall continue until and terminate on the later of (i) the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Company or as a director, trustee, officer, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other foreign or domestic corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person is or was serving in such capacity at the request of the Company and (ii) the date that Indemnitee is no longer subject to any actual or possible Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement).

(b) The indemnification and advance of Expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Company or a director, trustee, officer, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person is or was serving in such capacity at the request of the Company, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives.

(c) The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

(d) The Company and Indemnitee agree that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may enforce this Agreement by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which Indemnitee may be entitled. Indemnitee shall further be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertakings in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that, in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by a court, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking.

 

-14-


Section 20.     Severability . If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, void, illegal or otherwise unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be determined to be invalid or unenforceable, the Company in good faith shall expeditiously take all necessary or appropriate action to provide Indemnitee with rights under this Agreement (including with respect to indemnification, advance of Expenses and other rights) that effect the original intent of this Agreement as closely as possible.

Section 21.     Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two (2) or more counterparts (delivery of which may be by facsimile, or via email as a portable document format (.pdf) or other electronic format), each of which will be deemed an original, and it will not be necessary in making proof of this Agreement or the terms of this Agreement to produce or account for more than one (1) of such counterparts. One such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought shall be sufficient to evidence the existence of this Agreement.

Section 22.     Headings . The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.

Section 23.     Modification and Waiver . No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor, unless otherwise expressly stated, shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

Section 24.     Notices . All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (i) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, on the day of such delivery, or (ii) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed:

(a) If to Indemnitee, to the address set forth on the signature page hereto.

 

-15-


(b) If to the Company, to:

Americold Realty Trust

10 Glenlake Parkway, South Tower

Suite 600

Atlanta, GA 30328

or to such other address as may have been furnished in writing to Indemnitee by the Company or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.

Section 25.     Spousal Indemnification . The Company shall provide Indemnitee’s spouse to whom Indemnitee is legally married at any time Indemnitee is covered under the indemnification provided in this Agreement (even if Indemnitee did not remain married to him or her during the entire period of coverage) against any Proceeding that is related to a Proceeding against Indemnitee if Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under the Agreement with respect to the applicable Proceeding against Indemnitee, including, without limitation, any Proceeding that seeks damages recoverable from marital community property, jointly-owned property or property purported to have been transferred from Indemnitee to his or her spouse (or former spouse). Indemnitee’s spouse or former spouse also shall be entitled to advance of Expenses in connection with a Proceeding that is related to a Proceeding against Indemnitee if Indemnitee is entitled to advance of Expenses under the Agreement with respect to the applicable Proceeding against Indemnitee to the same extent that Indemnitee is entitled to advance of Expenses provided under Section 8 or 9 of this Agreement. The Company may maintain insurance to cover its obligations hereunder with respect to Indemnitee’s spouse (or former spouse) or set aside assets in a trust or escrow fund for that purpose; provided, however, that the Company agrees that the provisions of this Agreement shall remain in effect regardless of whether such liability or other insurance coverage is obtained or retained by the Company; except that any payments made to, or on behalf of, Indemnitee’s spouse under such an insurance policy shall reduce the obligations of the Company hereunder.

Section 26.     Time is of the Essence . The parties expressly agree that time is of the essence with respect to all provisions of this Agreement.

Section 27.     Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to its conflicts of laws rules.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

-16-


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

COMPANY:
AMERICOLD REALTY
TRUST
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
INDEMNITEE:

 

Name:  
Address:  

 

-17-


EXHIBIT A

AFFIRMATION AND UNDERTAKING TO REPAY EXPENSES ADVANCED

To: The Board of Trustees of Americold Realty Trust.

Re: Affirmation and Undertaking

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This Affirmation and Undertaking is being provided pursuant to that certain Indemnification Agreement dated the             day of                 , 20    , by and between Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment company (the “Company”), and the undersigned Indemnitee (the “Indemnification Agreement”), pursuant to which I am entitled to advance of Expenses in connection with [Description of Proceeding] (the “Proceeding”).

Terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings specified in the Indemnification Agreement.

I am subject to the Proceeding by reason of my Company Status or by reason of alleged actions or omissions by me in such capacity. I hereby affirm my good faith belief that at all times, insofar as I was involved as a [trustee] of the Company, in any of the facts or events giving rise to the Proceeding, I (1) did not act with bad faith or active or deliberate dishonesty, (2) did not receive any improper personal benefit in money, property or services and (3) in the case of any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that any act or omission by me was unlawful.

In consideration of the advance of Expenses by the Company for reasonable attorneys’ fees and related Expenses incurred by me in connection with the Proceeding (the “Advanced Expenses”), I hereby agree that if, in connection with the Proceeding, it is established that (1) an act or omission by me was material to the matter giving rise to the Proceeding and (a) was committed in bad faith or (b) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty or (2) I actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (3) in the case of any criminal proceeding, I had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful, then I shall promptly reimburse the portion of the Advanced Expenses relating to the claims, issues or matters in the Proceeding as to which the foregoing findings have been established.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have executed this Affirmation and Undertaking on this      day of             , 20    .

 

Name:  

 


Exhibit B

Shareholder Ownership Information

Section 4.6(c) of the Shareholders Agreement provides that the Company and the Shareholders will use their commercially reasonable efforts to take all actions necessary (or cease from taking any action) to cause the Company to continue to qualify at all times as a “domestically- controlled qualified investment entity” within the meaning of Section 897(h) of the Code. Section 4.6(c) further provides that each Shareholder will provide the Company with certain ownership information at such times as the Company may request in connection with any certification by the Company that Shares of the Company are not USRPI.

Shareholder hereby provides the Company with the following ownership information for purposes of the Company’s determination that it is a “domestically-controlled qualified investment entity.”

Please indicate the following:

 

    For U.S. federal income tax purposes, Shareholder is a US person / Shareholder is a non- US person (circle one).

 

    For U.S. federal income tax purposes, Shareholder is a corporation / partnership / disregarded entity / trust / estate / individual / other (please indicate) (circle one).

 

    Number of shares of each class of stock of the Company held at all times during the prior 5 year period ending on                 . Include a separate schedule as necessary.

 

    If Shareholder is not a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, no more than     % of the ultimate beneficial ownership of Shareholder is foreign.

 

    If Shareholder is not the beneficial owner of the shares, no more than    % of the ultimate beneficial ownership of shares owned as of record by Shareholder is foreign.

If you have any questions or need additional assistance, please contact                     .

Please provide the information requested above by                 .


Exhibit C

GSCP SHAREHOLDERS

 

GS Capital Partners VI Fund, L.P.

GS Capital Partners VI Parallel, L.P.

GSCP VI Offshore IceCap Investment, L.P.

GSCP VI GmbH IceCap Investment, L.P.

IceCap2 Holdings, L.P.

  

c/o GS Capital Partners VI Fund, L.P.

 

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282-2198

Attention: Bradley Gross

Facsimile: (212) 357-5505

Email: bradley.gross@gs.com

 

with copies to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

One New York Plaza

New York, NY 10004

Attention: Robert Schwenkel, Esq. and

Randi Lally, Esq.

Facsimile: (212) 859-4000

Email: robert.schwenkel@friedfrank.com and

randi.lally@friedfrank.com

YUCAIPA SHAREHOLDER

YUCAIPA INVESTOR

 

YF ART Holdings, L.P.    c/o The Yucaipa Companies LLC
YF ART Holdings Aggregator LLC    9130 W. Sunset Blvd.
   Los Angeles, CA 90069
   Attention: Robert P. Bermingham
   Facsimile: (310) 789-1791
   Email: legal@yucaipaco.com
   with copies (which shall not constitute notice):
   Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
   350 S. Grand Ave., 50th Floor
   Los Angeles, CA 90071
   Attn: Judith T. Kitano
   Facsimile: (213) 683-4052
   Email: judith.kitano@mto.com


FORTRESS INVESTOR

 

CF Cold LP    c/o Fortress Investment Group
   1345 Avenue of the Americas
   46th Floor
   New York, NY 10105
  

United States of America

Attention: Constantine Dakolias

Telephone: (212) 798 6050

   Facsimile: (404) 264-4775
   Email: ddakolias@fortress.com
   and
   c/o Fortress Investment Group
  

3290 Northside Parkway NW

Suite 350

   Atlanta, GA 30327
   Attention: Joel Holsinger
   Telephone: (404) 264-4775
   Facsimile: (678) 550-9105
   Email: jholsinger@fortress.com
  

with copies (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

   300 South Grand Avenue, Suite 3400
   Los Angeles, CA 90071
   Attention: Jonathan L. Friedman
   Facsimile: (213) 621-5396
   Email: jonathan.friedman@skadden.com


CM SHAREHOLDER

 

Charm Progress Investment Limited    12/F, China Merchant Building
   152-155 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong
  

Attention: Company Secretary, Board of Directors

and Legal Department

   Facsimile: (852) 2587 8811

Exhibit 10.10

 

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

by and among AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST

and

THE SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY SIGNATORIES HERETO

Dated: January 18, 2018

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION

     1  
1.1   

Definitions

     1  

ARTICLE II REGISTRATION RIGHTS

     6  
2.1   

Demand Registrations

     6  
2.2   

Piggyback Registrations

     11  
2.3   

Allocation of Securities Included in Registration Statement or Offering

     13  
2.4   

Registration Procedures

     15  
2.5   

Registration Expenses

     22  
2.6   

Certain Limitations on Registration Rights

     22  
2.7   

Limitations on Sale or Distribution of Other Securities

     22  
2.8   

No Required Sale

     23  
2.9   

Indemnification

     23  
2.10   

Limitations on Registration of Other Securities; Representation

     27  
2.11   

No Inconsistent Agreements

     27  

ARTICLE III UNDERWRITTEN OFFERINGS

     27  
3.1   

Requested Underwritten Offerings

     27  
3.2   

Piggyback Underwritten Offerings

     28  

ARTICLE IV TRANSFERS OF SHARES

     28  
4.1   

Transfer of Shares and Partial Assignment to the Fortress Investor

     28  
4.2   

Transfer of Shares and Partial Assignment to the Yucaipa Investor

     29  
4.3   

GSCP Rights

     30  

ARTICLE V GENERAL

     30  
5.1   

Adjustments Affecting Registrable Securities

     30  
5.2   

Rule 144 and Rule 144A

     31  
5.3   

Amendments and Waivers

     31  
5.4   

Notices

     31  
5.5   

Successors and Assigns

     32  
5.6   

Effective Time

     32  
5.7   

Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Affiliates

     32  
5.8   

Entire Agreement

     33  
5.9   

Governing Law

     33  
5.10   

Jurisdiction; Court Proceedings; Waiver of Jury Trial

     33  
5.11   

Interpretation; Construction

     33  
5.12   

Counterparts

     34  
5.13   

Severability

     34  
5.14   

Remedies; Specific Performance

     34  
5.15   

Further Assurances

     34  
5.16   

Independent Nature of the Rights and Obligations of Holders

     35  
5.17   

Termination as to a Holder

     35  
5.18   

Opt-Out Requests

     35  

 

i


REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), dated January 18, 2018, and effective as of the Effective Time, is by and among (a) Americold Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (“ Americold ”), (b) Yucaipa (as defined below), (c) the GSCP Shareholders (as defined below), (d) the Fortress Investor (as defined below) and (e) the Yucaipa Investor (as defined below).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Americold is currently undertaking an underwritten initial public offering (“IPO”) of shares of its Common Shares (as defined below); and

WHEREAS, Americold, Yucaipa, the GSCP Shareholders, the Fortress Investor and the Yucaipa Investor desire to enter into this Agreement contingent on and effective as of the closing of the IPO.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION

1.1 Definitions .

Additional Piggyback Rights ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(b).

Affiliate ” of any particular Person means any other Person Controlling, Controlled by or under common Control with such particular Person. For purposes of this Agreement, none of the Company or its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of Yucaipa or the GSCP Shareholders, and no Person shall be deemed an Affiliate of any other, by virtue of the existence of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by virtue of its participation therein.

Assign ” means to directly or indirectly sell, transfer, assign, distribute, exchange, pledge, hypothecate, mortgage, grant a security interest in, encumber or otherwise dispose of Registrable Securities, whether voluntarily or by operation of law, including by way of a merger. “ Assignor ,” “ Assignee ,” “ Assigning ” and “ Assignment ” have meanings corresponding to the foregoing.

automatic shelf registration statement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4.

Board ” means the Board of Trustees of the Company.


Business Day ” means any day, other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in New York City are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

Claims ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.9(a).

Common Equity ” means the Common Shares and any and all securities of any kind whatsoever of the Company which may be issued after the date hereof in respect of, or in exchange for, such common shares of the Company pursuant to a merger, consolidation, stock split, stock dividend or recapitalization of the Company or otherwise.

Common Equity Equivalents ” means all options, warrants and other securities convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for (at any time or upon the occurrence of any event or contingency and without regard to any vesting or other conditions to which such securities may be subject) shares of Common Equity or other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, the Warrants, any note or debt security convertible into or exchangeable for Common Equity, or other equity securities of the Company).

Common Shares ” means the common shares of beneficial interest of the Company, par value $0.01 per share.

Company ” means Americold, any Subsidiary of Americold, and any successor to Americold.

Control ”, “ Controlling ” or “ Controlled ” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, as trustee or executor, or otherwise. For purposes of this definition, a general partner or managing member of a Person shall always be considered to Control such Person.

Coordination Committee ” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Shareholders Agreement.

Demand Exercise Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

Demand Registration ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

Demand Registration Request ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

Effective Time ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.6.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as the same may be amended from time to time.

Expenses ” means any and all fees and expenses incident to the Company’s performance of or compliance with Article II, including, without limitation: ( i ) SEC, stock exchange or FINRA and all other registration and filing fees and all listing fees and fees with respect to the inclusion of securities on the New York Stock Exchange or on any other U.S. or non-U.S. securities market on which the Common Equity is or may be listed or quoted, ( ii ) fees and expenses of compliance with state securities or “blue sky” laws and in connection with the preparation of a “blue sky” survey, including, without limitation, reasonable fees and expenses of outside “blue sky” counsel, ( iii ) word processing, printing and copying expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for the Registrable Securities in a form eligible for deposits with The Depositary Trust Company and of printing any prospectus or free writing prospectus), ( iv ) messenger and delivery expenses, ( v ) expenses incurred in connection with any road show, ( vi ) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, ( vii ) with respect to each registration or underwritten offering, the reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for the Participating Holder(s) and one counsel for GSCP or any GSCP Shareholder(s), ( viii ) fees and disbursements of all independent public accountants (including the expenses of any audit/review and/or “cold comfort” letter and updates thereof) and fees and expenses of other Persons, including special experts, retained by the Company, ( ix ) fees and expenses payable to a Qualified Independent Underwriter (but expressly excluding any underwriting discounts and commissions), ( x ) fees and expenses of any transfer agent or custodian, ( xi ) any other fees and disbursements of underwriters, if any, customarily paid by issuers or sellers of securities, including fees and disbursements of underwriters and reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the underwriters in connection with any filing with or review by FINRA and ( xii ) expenses for securities law liability insurance and, if any, rating agency fees.

 

2


FINRA ” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

Fortress Assignment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(a).

Fortress Investor ” means CF Cold LP, a Delaware limited partnership.

Fortress Registrable Securities ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(a).

Fortress Transfer ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(a).

Fund Investor Underwriting ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(k).

Governmental Authority ” means any nation, state, territory, province, county, city or other unit or subdivision thereof or any entity, authority, agency, department, board, commission, instrumentality, court or other judicial body authorized on behalf of any of the foregoing to exercise legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government, including with respect to taxes, in each case whether federal, state, local or foreign.

GSCP ” means the GSCP Shareholders, collectively.

GSCP Shareholders ” means GS Capital Partners VI Fund, L.P., GS Capital Partners VI Parallel, L.P., GSCP VI Offshore IceCap Investment, L.P. and GSCP VI GmbH IceCap Investment, L.P., IceCap2 Holdings, L.P. and any Affiliate of any of the foregoing that holds Registrable Securities at the relevant time.

 

3


Holder ” or “ Holders ” means the GSCP Shareholders, Yucaipa or any transferee of Registrable Securities to whom any Person who is a party to this Agreement shall Assign any rights hereunder in accordance with Section 5.5.

Initiating Holder(s) ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

IPO ” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Litigation ” means any claim, action, suit, audit, investigation, inquiry, proceeding or Governmental Authority investigation.

Majority Participating Holders ” means Participating Holders holding more than 50% of the Registrable Securities proposed to be included in any registration or offering of Registrable Securities by such Participating Holders pursuant to Section 2.1 or Section 2.2.

Manager ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(g).

NASD ” means the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.

Opt-Out Request ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.18.

Participating Holders ” means all Holders of Registrable Securities which are proposed to be included in any registration or offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2.1 or Section 2.2.

Partner Distribution ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(d).

Person ” means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, unincorporated organization or association, estate, trust (including the trustees thereof, in their capacity as such) or other entity.

Piggyback Shares ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a)(iv).

Qualified Independent Underwriter ” means a “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of NASD Conduct Rule 2720.

Registrable Securities ” means ( a ) any shares of Common Equity held by the Holders at any time (including those held as a result of, or issuable upon, the conversion or exercise of Common Equity Equivalents), whether now owned or acquired by the Holders at a later time, ( b ) any shares of Common Equity issued or issuable, directly or indirectly in exchange for or with respect to the Common Equity referenced in clause (a) above by way of stock dividend, stock split or combination of shares or in connection with a reclassification, recapitalization, merger, share exchange or conversion, consolidation or other reorganization and ( c ) any securities issued in replacement of or exchange for any securities described in clause (a) or (b) above. As to any particular Registrable Securities, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when ( A ) a registration statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been disposed of in accordance with such registration statement, ( B ) such securities shall have been sold (other than in a privately negotiated sale in which the transferring Holder’s rights under this Agreement are assigned to the transferee of such securities to the extent permitted under this Agreement) in compliance with the requirements of Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such Rule 144 may be amended (or any successor provision thereto), or ( C ) such securities shall cease to be outstanding.

 

4


Rule 144 ” and “Rule 144A” have the meaning set forth in Section 5.2.

SEC ” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Section 2.3(a) Sale Number ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a).

Section 2.3(b) Sale Number ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(b).

Section 2.3(c) Sale Number ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(c).

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC issued under such Act, as they may from time to time be in effect.

Shareholders Agreement ” means the Shareholders Agreement dated as of the date hereof and effective as of the Effective Time, by and among the Company, Yucaipa, the GSCP Shareholders, Charm Progress Investment Limited, the Fortress Investor and the Yucaipa Investor, as may be amended from time to time.

Shelf Registrable Securities ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(i).

Shelf Registration Statement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(i).

Shelf Underwriting ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(i).

Shelf Underwriting Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(i).

Shelf Underwriting Request ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(i).

Subsidiary ” means with respect to any Person, (i) any corporation, partnership or other Person of which shares of capital stock or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other similar managing body of such corporation, partnership or other Person are at the time owned or Controlled by such first Person, or (ii) the management of which is otherwise Controlled, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries by such first Person.

Valid Business Reason ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b)(iii).

Warrants ” means the warrants to purchase 11,197,634 Common Shares and 7,376,634 Common Shares issued to Yucaipa, as amended, as may be adjusted from time to time in compliance with the Shareholders Agreement.

WKSI ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4.

 

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Yucaipa ” means YF ART Holdings, L.P. and any Affiliate of YF ART Holdings, L.P. that holds Registrable Securities at the relevant time.

Yucaipa Assignment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.2(a).

Yucaipa Investor ” means YF ART Holdings Aggregator LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Yucaipa Registrable Securities ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.2(a).

Yucaipa Transfer ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.2(a).

ARTICLE II

REGISTRATION RIGHTS

2.1 Demand Registrations .    

(a) After the Effective Time, if any of GSCP or Yucaipa wishes to provide the Company with a written request that the Company file a registration statement with respect to Registrable Securities (a “ Demand Registration Request ,” and the registration so requested is referred to herein as a “ Demand Registration ,” and the sender(s) of such request or any similar request pursuant to this Agreement shall be known as the “ Initiating Holder(s) ”), such Initiating Holder(s) shall consult with the Coordination Committee prior to providing such Demand Registration Request.

(b) If the Company shall receive from an Initiating Holder, at any time and from time to time after the Effective Time, a Demand Registration Request, then the Company shall, within five (5) days of the receipt thereof, give written notice (the “ Demand Exercise Notice ”) of such request to all Holders, and subject to the limitations of this Section 2.1, use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect, as soon as practicable, the registration under the Securities Act (including, without limitation, by means of a shelf registration pursuant to Rule 415 thereunder if so requested and if the Company is then eligible to use such a registration) of all Registrable Securities that the Holders request to be registered. The Demand Registration Request shall specify if it is a demand registration of a type described in Section 2.1(k). The Company shall not be obligated to take any action to effect any Demand Registration:

(i) after it has effected (A) two (2) Demand Registrations in the aggregate for GSCP (it being understood that if a single Demand Registration Request is delivered by more than one GSCP Shareholder, the registration requested by such Demand Registration Request shall constitute only one Demand Registration), and (B) four (4) Demand Registrations for Yucaipa, in each case inclusive of any Fund Investor Underwritings requested by an Initiating Holder that are not a Shelf Underwriting or a block trade Shelf Underwriting;

(ii) within ninety (90) days after a Demand Registration pursuant to this Section 2.1 that has been declared or ordered effective;

 

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(iii) if the Company shall furnish to such Holders a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company stating that in the good faith judgment of the Board, any registration of Registrable Securities should not be made or continued (or sales under a shelf registration statement should be suspended) because such registration (or continued sales under a shelf registration statement) would materially interfere with a material financing, acquisition, corporate reorganization or merger or other material transaction or event involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (a “ Valid Business Reason ”), then ( x ) the Company may postpone filing a registration statement relating to a Demand Registration Request (or suspend sales under an existing shelf registration statement) until five (5) Business Days after such Valid Business Reason no longer exists, but in no event for more than forty-five (45) days after the date the Board determines a Valid Business Reason exists and ( y ) in case a registration statement has been filed relating to a Demand Registration Request, if the Valid Business Reason has not resulted from actions taken by the Company, the Company may cause such registration statement to be withdrawn and its effectiveness terminated or may postpone amending or supplementing such registration statement until five (5) Business Days after such Valid Business Reason no longer exists, but in no event for more than forty–five (45) days after the date the Board determines a Valid Business Reason exists; and the Company shall give written notice to the Participating Holders of its determination to postpone or withdraw a registration statement or suspend sales under a shelf registration statement and of the fact that the Valid Business Reason for such postponement, withdrawal or suspension no longer exists, in each case, promptly after the occurrence thereof; provided, however, that the Company shall not defer its obligation in this manner more than once in any twelve (12) month period; or

(iv) in an amount less than the lesser of (x) the amount of Registrable Securities that have an anticipated offering price, net of any underwriting discounts or commissions, of $50,000,000 or (ii) the amount of Registrable Securities then held by the Initiating Holder.

If the Company shall give any notice of postponement, withdrawal or suspension of any registration statement pursuant to clause 2.1(b)(iii) above, the Company shall not, during the period of postponement, withdrawal or suspension, register any Common Equity, other than pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-4 or S-8 (or an equivalent registration form then in effect). Each Holder of Registrable Securities agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company that the Company has determined to withdraw any registration statement pursuant to clause 2.1(b)(iii) above, such Holder will discontinue its disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to such registration statement and, if so directed by the Company, will deliver to the Company (at the Company’s expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies, then in such Holder’s possession of the prospectus covering such offering of Registrable Securities that was in effect at the time of receipt of such notice. If the Company shall have withdrawn or prematurely terminated a registration statement filed pursuant to a Demand Registration (whether pursuant to clause 2.1(b)(iii) or as a result of any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the SEC or any other governmental agency or court), the Company shall not be considered to have effected an effective registration for the purposes of this Agreement until the Company shall have filed a new registration statement covering the Registrable Securities covered by the withdrawn registration statement and such registration statement shall have been declared effective and shall not have been withdrawn. If the Company shall give any notice of withdrawal or postponement of a registration statement, the Company shall, not later than five (5) Business Days after the Valid Business Reason that caused such withdrawal or postponement no longer exists (but in no event later than forty-five (45) days after the date of the postponement or withdrawal), use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect the registration under the Securities Act of the Registrable Securities covered by the withdrawn or postponed registration statement in accordance with Section 2.1 (unless the Initiating Holders shall have withdrawn such request, in which case the Company shall not be considered to have effected an effective registration for the purposes of this Agreement), and such registration shall not be withdrawn or postponed pursuant to clause 2.1(b)(iii).

 

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(c) The Company, subject to Sections 2.3 and 2.6, shall include in a Demand Registration (x) the Registrable Securities of the Initiating Holders and (y) the Registrable Securities of any other Holder of Registrable Securities, which shall have made a written request to the Company for inclusion in such registration pursuant to Section 2.2 (which request shall specify the maximum number of Registrable Securities intended to be disposed of by such Participating Holder) within thirty (30) days after the receipt of the Demand Exercise Notice.

(d) The Company shall, as expeditiously as possible, but subject to the limitations set forth in this Section 2.1, use its commercially reasonable efforts to ( x ) effect such registration under the Securities Act as soon as reasonably practicable (including, without limitation, by means of a shelf registration pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act if so requested and if the Company is then eligible to use such a registration) of the Registrable Securities which the Company has been so requested to register, for distribution in accordance with such intended method of distribution, including a distribution to, and resale by, the members or partners of a Holder (a “ Partner Distribution ”) and ( y ) if requested by the Majority Participating Holders, obtain acceleration of the effective date of the registration statement relating to such registration.

(e) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Company shall, at the request of any Holder seeking to effect a Partner Distribution, file any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendments and otherwise take any action necessary to include therein all disclosure and language deemed necessary or advisable by such Holder if such disclosure or language was not included in the initial registration statement, or revise such disclosure or language if deemed necessary or advisable by such Holder, including filing a prospectus supplement naming the Holders, partners, members and shareholders to the extent required by law, to effect such Partner Distribution.

(f) No Demand Registration shall be deemed to have occurred for purposes of Section 2.1 (i) if the registration statement relating thereto (x) does not become effective, (y) is not maintained effective for a period of at least one hundred eighty (180) days after the effective date thereof (or, with respect to a Shelf Registration Statement, three (3) years) or such shorter period during which all Registrable Securities included in such registration statement have actually been sold ( provided , however , that such period shall be extended for a period of time equal to the period during which the Holders of Registrable Securities refrain from selling any securities included in such registration statement at the request of the Company or an underwriter of the Company) or (z) is subject to a stop order, injunction, or similar order or requirement of the SEC during such period, (ii) if the method of disposition is a firm commitment underwritten public offering and any of the applicable Registrable Securities have not been sold pursuant thereto or (iii) if the conditions to closing specified in any underwriting agreement, purchase agreement or similar agreement entered into in connection with the registration relating to such request are not satisfied (other than as a result of a default or breach thereunder by the Initiating Holders) or are otherwise not waived by the Initiating Holders.

 

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(g) In connection with any Demand Registration, the Holders holding a majority of the Registrable Securities to be included in such Demand Registration shall have the right to designate the lead managing underwriter (any lead managing underwriter for the purposes of this Agreement, the “ Manager ”) in connection with any underwritten offering pursuant to such registration and each other managing and non-managing underwriter for such underwritten offering; provided , that in each case, each such Manager and each other managing and non-managing underwriter is reasonably satisfactory to the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.

(h) If so requested by the Company, all Holders proposing to distribute their securities through such underwriting shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the underwriter or underwriters selected for such underwriting in accordance with Section 2.1(g).

(i) Upon a Demand Registration Request made in accordance with Section 2.1, at any time following such time as the Company shall have become eligible to file a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 in accordance with Rule 415 under the Securities Act (such registration statement, a “ Shelf Registration Statement ”), (i) the Company shall use its best efforts to file a Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 in accordance with Rule 415 under the Securities Act and to effect and maintain in effect a Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 in accordance with this Section 2.1(i) (including, if requested by a Holder, filing a replacement registration statement upon expiration of such Shelf Registration Statement), (ii) such Shelf Registration Statement shall provide for an offer to be made on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act relating to the offer and sale, from time to time, of all of those Registrable Securities held by the Holders that are requested to be registered on such Shelf Registration Statement, (iii) the method of distribution set forth in the shelf registration shall allow for sales pursuant to an underwritten offering and such other methods of distribution as the Holders may request and (iv) the Holders shall have the right at any time and from time to time to elect (without limitation on the number of such elections) to sell pursuant to an underwritten offering Registrable Securities available for sale pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement (“ Shelf Registrable Securities ”), so long as the Shelf Registration Statement remains in effect. The Initiating Holders and such other Holders shall make such election by delivering to the Company a written request (a “ Shelf Underwriting Request ”) for such underwritten offering to the Company specifying the number of Shelf Registrable Securities that the Holders desire to sell pursuant to such underwritten offering (the “ Shelf Underwriting ”), provided that the Holders making such election shall have consulted with the Coordination Committee prior to delivering any such request. As promptly as practicable, but no later than two (2) Business Days after receipt of a Shelf Underwriting Request, the Company shall give written notice (the “ Shelf Underwriting Notice ”) of such Shelf Underwriting Request to all other Holders of record of Shelf Registrable Securities. The Company, subject to Sections 2.3 and 2.6, shall include in such Shelf Underwriting ( x ) the Shelf Registrable Securities of the Initiating Holders and ( y ) the Shelf Registrable Securities of any other Holder of Shelf Registrable Securities which shall have made a written request to the Company for inclusion in such Shelf Underwriting (which request shall specify the maximum number of Shelf Registrable Securities intended to be disposed of by such Holder) within five (5) days after the receipt of the Shelf Underwriting Notice. The Company shall, as expeditiously as possible (and in any event within twenty (20) days after the receipt of a Shelf Underwriting Request), but subject to Section 2.1(b), use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect such Shelf Underwriting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Holder wishes to engage in an underwritten block trade off of a Shelf Registration Statement (either through filing an automatic shelf registration statement or through a takedown from an already existing Shelf Registration Statement), then notwithstanding the foregoing time periods, but provided that the Holder shall have consulted with the Coordination Committee prior to giving such notice, the Holder only needs to notify the Company of the block trade Shelf Underwriting on the day such offering is to commence and the Company shall notify other Holders and other Holders must elect whether or not to participate on the day such offering is to commence, and the Company shall as expeditiously as possible use its reasonable best efforts to consummate such shelf offering (which may close as early as two (2) business days after the date it commences). The Company shall, at the request of any Initiating Holder or any other Holder of Registrable Securities registered on such Shelf Registration Statement, file any prospectus supplement or, if the applicable Shelf Registration Statement is an automatic shelf registration statement (as defined in Section 2.4), any post-effective amendments and otherwise take any action necessary to include therein all disclosure and language deemed necessary or advisable by the Initiating Holders or any other Holder of Registrable Securities registered on such Shelf Registration Statement to effect such Shelf Underwriting. Once a Shelf Registration Statement has been declared effective, the Holders of Registrable Securities may request, and the Company shall be required to consummate, an unlimited number of Shelf Underwritings and underwritten block trades with respect to such Shelf Registration Statement.

 

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(j) Any Initiating Holder may withdraw or revoke a Demand Registration Request delivered by such Initiating Holder at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Demand Registration and such Demand Registration shall have no further force or effect and such request shall not count as a Demand Registration Request under this Agreement. The Company shall give written notice of such withdrawal or revocation to each Holder and thereupon will be relieved of its obligation to register any Registrable Securities in connection with such Demand Registration.

(k) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, if a Fund Distribution (as defined in the Shareholders Agreement) is effected by the initiating Fund Investor (as defined in the Shareholders Agreement) through a registration statement pursuant to a Demand Registration requested by such initiating Fund Investor, then each other Holder party hereto agrees not to exercise its piggyback registration rights in connection with such Fund Distribution without the prior written consent of such initiating Fund Investor. Within forty-five (45) days following the consummation of a Fund Distribution by Yucaipa, the Yucaipa Investor or the Fortress Investor, whether registered or unregistered, if the GSCP Shareholders have not otherwise distributed or sold up to their pro rata allocation of Shares as provided under Section 3.2(f) of the Shareholders Agreement, then the GSCP Shareholders shall have the right to request a Demand Registration or a Shelf Underwriting (including a block trade Shelf Underwriting) which includes a number of Shares not to exceed such undistributed or unsold portion of such pro rata allocation of Shares (a “ Fund Investor Underwriting ”) pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; provided , that no other Holder shall exercise its piggyback registration rights in connection with a Fund Investor Underwriting initiated by the GSCP Shareholders without the prior written consent of the GSCP Shareholders; provided , further , that if the GSCP Shareholders do not request a Fund Investor Underwriting within such forty-five (45) day period, then any Fund Investor that did not initiate the Fund Distribution shall have the right to request a Fund Investor Underwriting on the same terms as applicable to the GSCP Shareholders so long as (i) such Fund Investor has not otherwise distributed or sold up to their pro rata allocation of Shares as provided under Section 3.2(f) of the Shareholders Agreement and (ii) such right is exercised within the next thirty (30) days. In addition, within forty-five (45) days following the consummation of a Fund Distribution initiated by the GSCP Shareholders, whether registered or unregistered, if Yucaipa, the Yucaipa Investor and/or the Fortress Investor have not otherwise distributed or sold up to their respective pro rata allocation of Shares as provided under Section 3.2(f) of the Shareholders Agreement, then Yucaipa, the Yucaipa Investor and/or the Fortress Investor shall have the right to request a Fund Investor Underwriting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; provided , that Yucaipa, the Yucaipa Investor and the Fortress Investor shall have the right to exercise their piggyback registration rights in connection with such Fund Investor Underwriting with respect to a number of Shares not to exceed their respective undistributed or unsold portion of their respective pro rata allocation of Shares under the Shareholders Agreement, and no other Holder shall have piggyback registration rights in connection with such Fund Investor Underwriting without the prior written consent of the Fund Investor initiating such Fund Investor Underwriting. Upon request of the managing underwriter for a Fund Investor Underwriting or of the Fund Investor initiating such Fund Investor Underwriting, each Holder of Registrable Securities not participating in the Fund Investor Underwriting shall enter into a ninety (90) day lock-up agreement, in customary form, in order to facilitate such Fund Investor Underwriting.

 

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2.2 Piggyback Registrations .

(a) If, at any time or from time to time, the Company will register or commence an offering of any of its securities for its own account or otherwise (including but not limited to the registrations or offerings pursuant to Section 2.1) (other than pursuant to registrations on Form S-4 or Form S-8 or any similar successor forms thereto), the Company will:

(i) promptly give to each Holder written notice thereof (in any event within five (5) Business Days); and

(ii) except as set forth in Section 2.1(k), include in such registration and in any underwriting involved therein (if any), all the Registrable Securities specified in a written request or requests, made within twenty (20) days after mailing or personal delivery of such written notice from the Company, by any of the Holders, with the securities which the Company at the time proposes to register or sell to permit the sale or other disposition by the Holders (in accordance with the intended method of distribution thereof) of the Registrable Securities to be so registered or sold, including, if necessary, by filing with the SEC a post-effective amendment or a supplement to the registration statement filed by the Company or the prospectus related thereto. There is no limitation on the number of such piggyback registrations pursuant to the preceding sentence which the Company is obligated to effect. No registration of Registrable Securities effected under this Section 2.2 shall relieve the Company of its obligations to effect Demand Registrations under Section 2.1 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company wishes to engage in an underwritten block trade off of a Shelf Registration Statement (either through filing an automatic shelf registration statement or through a takedown from an already existing Shelf Registration Statement), then notwithstanding the foregoing time periods, the Company shall notify each Holder and each such Holder must elect whether or not to participate on the day such offering is to commence, and the Company shall as expeditiously as possible use its commercially reasonable efforts to consummate such shelf offering (which may close as early as two (2) Business Days after the date it commences).

 

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(b) The Company, subject to Sections 2.3 and 2.6, may elect to include in any registration statement and offering pursuant to demand registration rights by any Person (other than demand registrations of a type described in Section 2.1(k)), ( i ) authorized but unissued shares of Common Equity or (to the extent applicable under Maryland law) shares of Common Equity held by the Company as treasury shares and ( ii ) any other shares of Common Equity which are requested to be included in such registration pursuant to the exercise of piggyback registration rights granted by the Company after the Effective Time and which are not inconsistent with the rights granted in, or otherwise conflict with the terms of, this Agreement (“ Additional Piggyback Rights ”); provided , however , that such inclusion shall be permitted only to the extent that it is pursuant to, and subject to, the terms of the underwriting agreement or arrangements, if any, entered into by the Initiating Holders.

(c) If, at any time after giving written notice of its intention to register or sell any Common Equity or Common Equity Equivalents and prior to the effective date of the registration statement filed in connection with such registration or sale thereof, the Company shall determine for any reason not to register or sell or to delay registration or sale thereof, the Company may, at its election, give written notice of such determination to all Holders of record of Registrable Securities and ( i ) in the case of a determination not to register or sell, shall be relieved of its obligation to register or sell any Registrable Securities in connection with such abandoned registration or sale, without prejudice, however, to the rights of Holders under Section 2.1, and ( ii ) in the case of a determination to delay such registration or sale thereof, shall be permitted to delay the registration or sale of such Registrable Securities for the same period as the delay in registering such other Common Equity or Common Equity Equivalents.

(d) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Company shall, at the request of any Holder (including to effect a Partner Distribution), file any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendments and otherwise take any action necessary to include therein all disclosure and language deemed necessary or advisable by such Holder if such disclosure or language was not included in the initial registration statement, or revise such disclosure or language if deemed necessary or advisable by such Holder including filing a prospectus supplement naming the Holders, partners, members and shareholders to the extent required by law.

(e) Any Holder shall have the right to withdraw its request for inclusion of its Registrable Securities in any registration statement or offering pursuant to this Section 2.2 by giving written notice to the Company of its request to withdraw; provided, however, that such request must be made in writing prior to the earlier of the execution of the underwriting agreement or the execution of the custody agreement with respect to such registration or offering or as otherwise required by the underwriters.

 

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2.3 Allocation of Securities Included in Registration Statement or Offering .

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in connection with an underwritten offering made pursuant to Section 2.1 (including a Shelf Underwriting), if the Manager advises the Company and the Participating Holders in writing that, in its opinion, the number of Registrable Securities requested to be included in such offering exceeds the number (such number, the “ Section 2.3(a) Sale Number ”) which can be sold in such offering without having a material and adverse effect on the price, timing or distribution of the securities offered in such offering, the number of shares of Registrable Securities that may be included in the registration and underwriting shall be allocated as follows:

(i) first, all Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration or offering by the Holders thereof (including pursuant to the exercise of piggyback rights pursuant to Section 2.2); provided , however , that if such number of Registrable Securities exceeds the Section 2.3(a) Sale Number, the number of such Registrable Securities (not to exceed the Section 2.3(a) Sale Number) to be included in such registration shall be allocated on a pro rata basis among all such Holders requesting inclusion thereof, based on the aggregate number of Registrable Securities then owned by each such Holder requesting inclusion in relation to the aggregate number of Registrable Securities owned by all Holders requesting inclusion;

(ii) second, if by the withdrawal of Registrable Securities by a Participating Holder, a greater number of Registrable Securities held by other Holders may be included in such registration or offering (up to the Section 2.3(a) Sale Number), then the Company shall offer to all Holders who have included Registrable Securities in the registration or offering the right to include additional Registrable Securities in the same proportions as set forth in Section 2.3(a)(i);

(iii) third, to the extent that the number of Registrable Securities to be included pursuant to clause (i) and (ii) of this Section 2.3(a) is less than the Section 2.3(a) Sale Number, and if the underwriter so agrees, any securities that the Company proposes to register or sell, up to the Section 2.3(a) Sale Number; and

(iv) fourth, to the extent that the number of securities to be included pursuant to clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of this Section 2.3(a) is less than the Section 2.3(a) Sale Number, the remaining securities to be included in such registration or offering shall be allocated on a pro rata basis among all Persons requesting that securities be included in such registration or offering pursuant to the exercise of Additional Piggyback Rights (“ Piggyback Shares ”), based on the aggregate number of Piggyback Shares then owned by each Person requesting inclusion in relation to the aggregate number of Piggyback Shares owned by all Persons requesting inclusion, up to the Section 2.3(a) Sale Number.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in a registration involving an underwritten offering on behalf of the Company, which was initiated by the Company, if the Manager advises the Company and the Participating Holders in writing that, in its opinion, the number of Registrable Securities requested to be included in such offering exceeds the number (such number, the “ Section 2.3(b) Sale Number ”) which can be sold in such offering without having a material and adverse effect on the price, timing or distribution of the securities offered in such offering, the number of shares of Registrable Securities that may be included in the registration and underwriting shall be allocated as follows:

 

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(i) first, all Common Equity and Common Equity Equivalents that the Company proposes to register for its own account;

(ii) second, to the extent that the number of securities to be included pursuant to clause (i) of this Section 2.3(b) is less than the Section 2.3(b) Sale Number, the remaining Registrable Securities to be included in such registration shall be allocated on a pro rata basis among all Holders requesting that Registrable Securities be included in such underwritten offering pursuant to the exercise of piggyback rights pursuant to Section 2.2, based on the aggregate number of Registrable Securities then owned by each such Holder requesting inclusion in relation to the aggregate number of Registrable Securities owned by all Holders requesting inclusion, up to the Section 2.3(b) Sale Number; and

(iii) third, to the extent that the number of securities to be included pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) of this Section 2.3(b) is less than the Section 2.3(b) Sale Number, the remaining securities to be included in such registration shall be allocated on a pro rata basis among all Persons requesting that securities be included in such registration pursuant to the exercise of Additional Piggyback Rights, based on the aggregate number of Piggyback Shares then owned by each Person requesting inclusion in relation to the aggregate number of Piggyback Shares owned by all Persons requesting inclusion, up to the Section 2.3(b) Sale Number.

(c) If any registration pursuant to Section 2.2 involves an underwritten offering that was initially requested by any Person(s) other than a Holder to whom the Company has granted registration rights which are not inconsistent with the rights granted in, or otherwise conflict with the terms of, this Agreement, and the Manager advises the Company and the Participating Holders in writing that, in its opinion, the number of Registrable Securities requested to be included in such offering exceeds the number (the “ Section 2.3(c) Sale Number ”) which can be sold in such offering without having a material and adverse effect on the price, timing or distribution of the securities offered in such offering, the number of shares of Registrable Securities that may be included in the registration and underwriting shall be allocated as follows:

(i) first, the shares requested to be included in such registration shall be allocated on a pro rata basis among such Person(s) requesting the registration and all Holders requesting that Registrable Securities be included in such registration pursuant to the exercise of piggyback rights pursuant to Section 2.2, based on the aggregate number of securities or Registrable Securities, as applicable, then owned by each of the foregoing requesting inclusion in relation to the aggregate number of securities or Registrable Securities, as applicable, owned by all such Holders and Persons requesting inclusion, up to the Section 2.3(c) Sale Number;

(ii) second, to the extent that the number of securities to be included pursuant to clause (i) of this Section 2.3(c) is less than the Section 2.3(c) Sale Number, the remaining shares to be included in such registration shall be allocated on a pro rata basis among all Persons requesting that securities be included in such registration pursuant to the exercise of Additional Piggyback Rights, based on the aggregate number of Piggyback Shares then owned by each Person requesting inclusion in relation to the aggregate number of Piggyback Shares owned by all Persons requesting inclusion, up to the Section 2.3(c) Sale Number; and

 

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(iii) third, to the extent that the number of securities to be included pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) of this Section 2.3(c) is less than the Section 2.3(c) Sale Number, the remaining shares to be included in such registration shall be allocated to shares the Company proposes to register for its own account, up to the Section 2.3(c) Sale Number.

(d) If any Holder of Registrable Securities disapproves of the terms of the underwriting, or if, as a result of the proration provisions set forth in clauses (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 2.3, any Holder shall not be entitled to include all Registrable Securities in a registration or offering that such Holder has requested be included, such Holder may elect to withdraw such Holder’s request to include Registrable Securities in such registration or offering or may reduce the number requested to be included; provided , however , that ( x ) such request must be made in writing, to the Company, Manager and, if applicable, the Initiating Holder(s), prior to the earlier of the execution of the underwriting agreement or the execution of any custody agreement with respect to such registration and ( y ) such withdrawal or reduction shall be irrevocable and, after making such withdrawal or reduction, such Holder shall no longer have any right to include such withdrawn Registrable Securities in the registration as to which such withdrawal or reduction was made to the extent of the Registrable Securities so withdrawn or reduced.

2.4 Registration Procedures . If and whenever the Company is required by the provisions of this Agreement to use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect or cause the registration and/or participate in any offering or sale of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act as provided in this Agreement, the Company shall, as expeditiously as possible (but, in any event, within forty-five (45) days after a Demand Registration Request in the case of Section 2.4(a) below), in connection with the registration of the Registrable Securities and, where applicable, a takedown off of a shelf registration statement:

(a) prepare and file all filings with the SEC and FINRA required for the consummation of the offering, including preparing and filing a registration statement (including all required exhibits and financial statements) on an appropriate registration form for the disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof (including, without limitation, a Partner Distribution), which registration form (i) shall be selected by the Company (except as provided for in a Demand Registration Request) and (ii) shall, in the case of a shelf registration, be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the selling Holders thereof and such registration statement shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable registration form and include all financial statements required by the SEC to be filed therewith, and the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective and remain continuously effective for such period as any Participating Holder pursuant to such registration statement shall request; provided , however , that as far in advance as reasonably pacticable before filing a registration statement or prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto, or comparable statements under securities or state “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction, or any free writing prospectus related thereto, the Company shall ( x ) furnish to the Participating Holders and to the Manager, if any, copies of reasonably complete drafts of all such documents proposed to be filed (including all exhibits thereto and each document incorporated by reference therein to the extent then required by the rules and regulations of the SEC), which documents will be subject to their reasonable review, and such other documents reasonably requested by the Participating Holders, ( y ) fairly consider such reasonable changes in any such documents prior to or after the filing thereof as the Participating Holders may request, and ( z ) make such of the representatives of the Company as shall be reasonably be requested by the Participating Holders available for the discussion of such documents, and the Company shall not file any registration statement or amendment thereto, any prospectus or supplement thereto or any free writing prospectus related thereto to which the Majority Participating Holders or the underwriters, if any, shall reasonably object;

 

 

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(b) prepare and file with the SEC such pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith and such free writing prospectuses and Exchange Act Reports as may be necessary to keep such registration statement continuously effective for such period as any Participating Holder pursuant to such registration statement shall request and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the sale or other disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the Participating Holders set forth in such registration statement (and, in connection with any Shelf Registration Statement, file one or more prospectus supplements covering Registrable Securities upon the request of one or more Holders wishing to offer or sell Registrable Securities whether in an underwritten offering or otherwise);

(c) in the event of any underwritten public offering, enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form, with the Manager of such offering;

(d) furnish, without charge, to each Participating Holder and each underwriter, if any, of the securities covered by such registration statement such number of copies of such registration statement, each pre- and post-effective amendment and supplement thereto (in each case including all exhibits), the prospectus included in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus and any summary prospectus), any other prospectus filed under Rule 424 under the Securities Act and each free writing prospectus utilized in connection therewith, in each case, in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, and other documents, as such Participating Holder and underwriter may reasonably request in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Participating Holder (the Company hereby consenting to the use in accordance with all applicable law of each such registration statement (or amendment or post- effective amendment thereto) and each such prospectus (or preliminary prospectus or supplement thereto) or free writing prospectus by each such Participating Holder and the underwriters, if any, in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement or prospectus);

(e) use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement under such other securities or state “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions as any Participating Holders or any managing underwriter, if any, shall reasonably request in writing, and do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such Participating Holders or underwriter, if any, to consummate the disposition of the Registrable Securities in such jurisdictions (including keeping such registration or qualification in effect for so long as such registration statement remains in effect), except that in no event shall the Company be required to qualify to do business as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction where it would not, but for the requirements of this paragraph (e), be required to be so qualified, to subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction or to consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction;

 

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(f) promptly notify each Participating Holder and each managing underwriter, if any: ( i ) when the registration statement, any pre-effective amendment, the prospectus or any prospectus supplement related thereto, any post-effective amendment to the registration statement or any free writing prospectus has been filed with the SEC and, with respect to the registration statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective; ( ii ) of any request by the SEC or state securities authority for amendments or supplements to the registration statement or the prospectus related thereto or for additional information; ( iii ) of the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the registration statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; ( iv ) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of any Registrable Securities for sale under the securities or state “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose; ( v ) of the existence of any fact of which the Company becomes aware which results in the registration statement or any amendment thereto, the prospectus related thereto or any supplement thereto, any document incorporated therein by reference, any free writing prospectus or the information conveyed to any purchaser at the time of sale to such purchaser containing an untrue statement of a material fact or omitting to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make any statement therein not misleading (which notice shall notify the Participating Holders only of the occurrence of such an event and shall provide no additional information regarding such event to the extent such information would constitute material non-public information); and ( vi ) if at any time the representations and warranties contemplated by any underwriting agreement, securities sale agreement, or other similar agreement, relating to the offering shall cease to be true and correct in all material respects, and, if the notification relates to an event described in clause (v), the Company shall promptly prepare and furnish to each such Participating Holder and each underwriter, if any, a reasonable number of copies of a prospectus supplemented or amended so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such prospectus shall not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading;

(g) comply (and continue to comply) with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC (including, without limitation, maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f)) in accordance with the Exchange Act), and make generally available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable after the effective date of the registration statement (and in any event within forty-five (45) days, or ninety (90) days if it is a fiscal year, after the end of such twelve (12) month period described hereafter), an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering the period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months beginning with the first day of the Company’s first calendar quarter after the effective date of the registration statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder;

 

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(h) ( i ) ( A ) cause all such Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement to be listed on the principal securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed (if any), if the listing of such Registrable Securities is then permitted under the rules of such exchange, or ( B ) if no similar securities are then so listed, to cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on a national securities exchange and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, take all actions that may be required by the Company as the issuer of such Registrable Securities in order to facilitate the managing underwriter’s arranging for the registration of at least two market makers as such with respect to such shares with FINRA, and ( ii ) comply (and continue to comply) with the requirements of any self-regulatory organization applicable to the Company, including without limitation all corporate governance requirements;

(i) cause its senior management, officers, employees and independent public accountants to participate in, make themselves available, supply such information as may be reasonably requested and to otherwise facilitate and cooperate with the preparation of the registration statement and prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto (including participating in meetings, drafting sessions, due diligence sessions and rating agency presentations) taking into account the Company’s reasonable business needs;

(j) provide and cause to be maintained a transfer agent and registrar for all such Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement not later than the effective date of such registration statement and, in the case of any secondary equity offering, provide and enter into any reasonable agreements with a custodian for the Registrable Securities;

(k) enter into such customary agreements (including, if applicable, an underwriting agreement) and take such other actions as any Participating Holder or the underwriters shall reasonably request in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities (it being understood that the Holders of the Registrable Securities which are to be distributed by any underwriters shall be parties to any such underwriting agreement and may, at their option, require that the Company make to and for the benefit of such Holders the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company which are being made to and for the benefit of such underwriters);

(l) use its commercially reasonable efforts ( i ) to obtain opinions from the Company’s counsel, including without limitation local and/or regulatory or tax counsel, and a “cold comfort” letter, updates thereof and consents from the independent public accountants who have certified the financial statements of the Company (and/or other financial statements) included or incorporated by reference in such registration statement, in each case, in customary form and covering such matters as are customarily covered by such opinions and “cold comfort” letters (including, in the case of such “cold comfort” letter, events subsequent to the date of such financial statements) delivered to underwriters in underwritten public offerings, which opinions and letters shall be dated the dates such opinions and “cold comfort” letters are customarily dated and otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the underwriters, if any, and to any Participating Holders, and ( ii ) furnish to each Participating Holder and to each underwriter, if any, a copy of such opinions and letters addressed to such Participating Holder or underwriter;

 

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(m) deliver promptly to counsel for each Participating Holder and to each managing underwriter, if any, copies of all correspondence between the SEC and the Company, its counsel or auditors and all memoranda relating to discussions with the SEC or its staff with respect to the registration statement, and, upon receipt of such confidentiality agreements as the Company may reasonably request, make reasonably available for inspection by counsel for each Participating Holder, by counsel for any underwriter, participating in any disposition to be effected pursuant to such registration statement and by any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any Participating Holder or any such underwriter, all pertinent financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company, and cause all of the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such counsel for a Participating Holder, counsel for an underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with such registration statement;

(n) use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance or obtain the prompt withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of the registration statement, or the prompt lifting of any suspension of the qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, in each case, as promptly as reasonably practicable;

(o) provide a CUSIP number for all Registrable Securities, not later than the effective date of the registration statement and, if applicable, provide the applicable transfer agent with printed certificates of the Registrable Securities which are in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company;

(p) use its commercially reasonable efforts to make available its senior management, employees and personnel for participation in “road shows” and other marketing efforts and otherwise provide reasonable assistance to the underwriters (taking into account the Company’s reasonable businesses needs and the requirements of the marketing process) in the marketing of Registrable Securities in any underwritten offering;

(q) promptly prior to the filing of any document which is to be incorporated by reference into the registration statement or the prospectus (after the initial filing of such registration statement), and prior to the filing or use of any free writing prospectus, provide copies of such document to counsel for each Participating Holder and to each managing underwriter, if any, and make the Company’s representatives reasonably available for discussion of such document and make such changes in such document concerning the Participating Holders prior to the filing thereof as counsel for the Participating Holders or underwriters may reasonably request;

(r) furnish to counsel for each Participating Holder and to each managing underwriter, without charge, at least one signed copy of the registration statement and any post- effective amendments or supplements thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference, the prospectus contained in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus and any summary prospectus), any other prospectus and prospectus supplement filed under Rule 424 under the Securities Act and all exhibits (including those incorporated by reference) and any free writing prospectus utilized in connection therewith;

 

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(s) cooperate with the Participating Holders and the managing underwriter, if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates not bearing any restrictive legends representing the Registrable Securities to be sold, and cause such Registrable Securities to be issued in such denominations and registered in such names in accordance with the underwriting agreement at least two (2) Business Days prior to any sale of Registrable Securities to the underwriters or, if not an underwritten offering, in accordance with the instructions of the Participating Holders at least two (2) Business Days prior to any sale of Registrable Securities and instruct any transfer agent and registrar of Registrable Securities to release any stop transfer orders in respect thereof (and, in the case of Registrable Securities registered on a Shelf Registration Statement, at the request of any Holder, prepare and deliver certificates representing such Registrable Securities not bearing any restrictive legends and deliver or cause to be delivered an opinion or instructions to the transfer agent in order to allow such Registrable Securities to be sold from time to time);

(t) include in any prospectus or prospectus supplement if requested by any managing underwriter updated financial or business information for the Company’s most recent period or current quarterly period (including estimated results or ranges of results) if required for purposes of marketing the offering in the view of the managing underwriter;

(u) cooperate with any due diligence investigation by any Manager, underwriter or Participating Holder and make available such documents and records of the Company and its Subsidiaries that they reasonably request (which, in the case of the Participating Holder, may be subject to the execution by the Participating Holder of a customary confidentiality agreement in a form which is reasonably satisfactory to the Company);

(v) take no direct or indirect action prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act; provided , however , that to the extent that any prohibition is applicable to the Company, the Company will take such action as is necessary and feasible to make any such prohibition inapplicable;

(w) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registrable Securities covered by the applicable registration statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable the Participating Holders or the underwriters, if any, to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities;

(x) take all reasonable action to ensure that any free writing prospectus utilized in connection with any registration covered by Section 2.1 or 2.2 complies in all material respects with the Securities Act, is filed in accordance with the Securities Act to the extent required thereby, is retained in accordance with the Securities Act to the extent required thereby, will not conflict with a related prospectus, prospectus supplement and related documents and, when taken together with the related prospectus, prospectus supplement and related documents, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

 

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(y) in connection with any underwritten offering, if at any time the information conveyed to a purchaser at the time of sale includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, promptly file with the SEC such amendments or supplements to such information as may be necessary so that the statements as so amended or supplemented will not, in light of the circumstances, be misleading;

(z) if requested by an underwriter or any Participating Holder, promptly incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information as such underwriter or such Participating Holder reasonably requests to be included therein, including, with respect to the number of Registrable Securities being sold by such Participating Holder to such underwriter, the purchase price being paid therefor by such underwriter and with respect to any other terms of the underwritten offering of the Registrable Securities to be sold in such offering; and make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after being notified of the matters incorporated in such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment;

(aa) cooperate with each Participating Holder and each underwriter participating in the disposition of such Registrable Securities and their respective counsel in connection with any filings to be made with FINRA; and

(bb) take all such other commercially reasonable actions as are necessary or advisable in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities;

To the extent the Company is a well-known seasoned issuer (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) (a “ WKSI ”) at the time any Demand Registration Request is submitted to the Company, and such Demand Registration Request requests that the Company file an automatic shelf registration statement (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) (an “ automatic shelf registration statement ”) on Form S-3, the Company shall file an automatic shelf registration statement which covers those Registrable Securities which are requested to be registered. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to remain a WKSI (and not become an ineligible issuer (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act)) during the period during which the Registrable Securities remain Registrable Securities. If the Company does not pay the filing fee covering the Registrable Securities at the time the automatic shelf registration statement is filed, the Company agrees to pay such fee at such time or times as the Registrable Securities are to be sold in compliance with the SEC rules. If the automatic shelf registration statement has been outstanding for at least three years, at the end of the third year the Company shall refile a new automatic shelf registration statement covering the Registrable Securities that remain outstanding. If at any time when the Company is required to re-evaluate its WKSI status the Company determines that it is not a WKSI, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to refile the shelf registration statement on Form S-3 and, if such form is not available, Form S-11 and keep such registration statement effective during the period during which such registration statement is required to be kept effective.

If the Company files any Shelf Registration Statement for the benefit of the holders of any of its securities other than the Holders, the Company agrees that it shall include in such registration statement such disclosures as may be required by Rule 430B under the Securities Act (referring to the unnamed selling security holders in a generic manner by identifying the initial offering of the securities to the Holders) in order to ensure that the Holders may be added to such shelf registration statement at a later time through the filing of a prospectus supplement rather than a post-effective amendment.

 

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It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company to take any action pursuant to Sections 2.1, 2.2, or 2.4 that each Participating Holder shall furnish to the Company such information regarding themselves, the Registrable Securities held by them, and the intended method of disposition of such securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request provided that such information is necessary for the Company to consummate such registration and shall be used only in connection with such registration.

If any such registration statement or comparable statement under state “blue sky” laws refers to any Holder by name or otherwise as the Holder of any securities of the Company, then such Holder shall have the right to require (i) the insertion therein of language, in form and substance satisfactory to such Holder and the Company, to the effect that the holding by such Holder of such securities is not to be construed as a recommendation by such Holder of the investment quality of the Company’s securities covered thereby and that such holding does not imply that such Holder will assist in meeting any future financial requirements of the Company, or (ii) in the event that such reference to such Holder by name or otherwise is not in the judgment of the Company, as advised by counsel, required by the Securities Act or any similar federal statute or any state “blue sky” or securities law then in force, the deletion of the reference to such Holder.

2.5 Registration Expenses . All Expenses incurred in connection with any registration, filing, qualification or compliance pursuant to Article II shall be borne by the Company, whether or not a registration statement becomes effective or the offering is consummated. All underwriting discounts and all selling commissions relating to securities registered by the Holders shall be borne by each Participating Holder pro rata in accordance with the number of shares sold in the offering by such Participating Holder.

2.6 Certain Limitations on Registration Rights . In the case of any registration under Section 2.1 pursuant to an underwritten offering, or, in the case of a registration under Section 2.2, all securities to be included in such registration shall be subject to the underwriting agreement and no Person may participate in such registration or offering unless such Person ( i ) agrees to sell such Person’s securities on the basis provided therein and completes and executes all reasonable questionnaires, and other documents (including custody agreements and powers of attorney, if any) which must be executed in connection therewith; provided, however, that all such documents shall be consistent with the provisions hereof and ( ii ) provides such other information to the Company or the underwriter as may be necessary to register such Person’s securities.

2.7 Limitations on Sale or Distribution of Other Securities .

(a) Each Holder agrees, ( i ) to the extent requested in writing by a managing underwriter, if any, of any registration effected pursuant to Section 2.1, not to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of, including any sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, any Common Equity, or any Common Equity Equivalents (other than as part of such underwritten public offering) during the time period reasonably requested by the managing underwriter, not to exceed ninety (90) days (and the Company hereby also so agrees (except that the Company may effect any sale or distribution of any such securities pursuant to a registration on Form S-4 (if reasonably acceptable to such managing underwriter) or Form S-8, or any successor or similar form which is ( x ) then in effect or ( y ) shall become effective upon the conversion, exchange or exercise of any then outstanding Common Equity Equivalent), to use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause each holder of any Common Equity or Common Equity Equivalents purchased from the Company at any time other than in a public offering so to agree), and ( ii ) to the extent requested in writing by a managing underwriter of any underwritten public offering effected by the Company for its own account, not to sell any Common Equity (other than as part of such underwritten public offering) during the time period reasonably requested by the managing underwriter, which period shall not exceed ninety (90) days.

 

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(b) The Company hereby agrees that, if it shall previously have received a request for registration pursuant to Section 2.1 or 2.2, and if such previous registration shall not have been withdrawn or abandoned, the Company shall not sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of, any Common Equity, or any Common Equity Equivalents (other than as part of such underwritten public offering, a registration on Form S-4 or Form S-8 or any successor or similar form which is ( x ) then in effect or ( y ) shall become effective upon the conversion, exchange or exercise of any then outstanding Common Equity Equivalent), until a period of ninety (90) days shall have elapsed from the effective date of such previous registration; and the Company shall ( i ) so provide in any registration rights agreements hereafter entered into with respect to any of its securities and ( ii ) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause each holder of any Common Equity or Common Equity Equivalents purchased from the Company at any time other than in a public offering to so agree.

2.8 No Required Sale . Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to create an independent obligation on the part of any Holder to sell any Registrable Securities pursuant to any effective registration statement. A Holder is not required to include any of its Registrable Securities in any registration statement, is not required to sell any of its Registrable Securities which are included in any effective registration statement, and, subject to Section 2.7 and the provisions of the Shareholders Agreement, may sell any of its Registrable Securities in any manner in compliance with applicable law (including pursuant to Rule 144) even if such shares are already included on an effective registration statement.

2.9 Indemnification .

(a) In the event of any registration and/or offering of any securities of the Company under the Securities Act pursuant to this Article II, the Company will, and hereby agrees to, and hereby does, indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by law, each Holder, its directors, officers, fiduciaries, employees, stockholders, members or general and limited partners (and the directors, officers, fiduciaries, employees, stockholders, members or general and limited partners thereof), each other Person who participates as a seller (and its directors, officers, fiduciaries, employees, stockholders, members or general and limited partners), underwriter or Qualified Independent Underwriter, if any, in the offering or sale of such securities, each officer, director, employee, stockholder, fiduciary, managing director, agent, affiliate, consultant, representative, successor, assign or partner of such underwriter or Qualified Independent Underwriter, and each other Person, if any, who controls such seller or any such underwriter or Qualified Independent Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, actions or proceedings (whether commenced or threatened) and expenses (including reasonable fees of counsel and any amounts paid in any settlement effected with the Company’s consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) to which each such indemnified party may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise in respect thereof (collectively, “ Claims ”), insofar as such Claims arise out of or are based upon ( i ) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any registration statement under which such securities were registered under the Securities Act or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, ( ii ) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary or final prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, together with the documents incorporated by reference therein, or any free writing prospectus utilized in connection therewith, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or ( iii ) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact in the information conveyed by the Company to any purchaser at the time of the sale to such purchaser, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein, or ( iv ) any violation by the Company of any federal, state or common law rule or regulation applicable to the Company and relating to action required of or inaction by the Company in connection with any such registration, and the Company will reimburse any such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim as such expenses are incurred; provided , however , that the Company shall not be liable to any such indemnified party in any such case to the extent such Claim arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact made in such registration statement or amendment thereof or supplement thereto or in any such prospectus or any preliminary or final prospectus or free writing prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such indemnified party specifically for use therein. Such indemnity and reimbursement of expenses shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of such securities by such indemnified party or any termination of this Agreement.

 

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(b) Each Participating Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless (in the same manner and to the same extent as set forth in paragraph (a) of this Section 2.9) to the maximum extent permitted by law the Company, its officers, directors, partners or agents each Person controlling the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, with respect to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact in, or omission or alleged omission of any material fact from, such registration statement, any preliminary or final prospectus contained therein, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any free writing prospectus utilized in connection therewith, to the extent, if such statement or alleged statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company or its representatives by or on behalf of such Participating Holder, specifically for use therein, and reimburse such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the aggregate amount which any such Participating Holder shall be required to pay pursuant to this Section 2.9(b) and Sections 2.9(c) and 2.9(e) shall in no case be greater than the amount of the net proceeds actually received by such Participating Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement giving rise to such Claim. The Company and each Participating Holder hereby acknowledge and agree that, unless otherwise expressly agreed to in writing by such Participating Holders to the contrary, for all purposes of this Agreement, the only information furnished or to be furnished to the Company for use in any such registration statement, preliminary or final prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto or any free writing prospectus are statements specifically relating to (a) the beneficial ownership of shares of Common Equity by such Participating Holder and its Affiliates and (b) the name and address of such Participating Holder. Such indemnity and reimbursement of expenses shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of such securities by such Holder.

 

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(c) Indemnification similar to that specified in the preceding paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 2.9 (with appropriate modifications) shall be given by the Company and each Participating Holder with respect to any required registration or other qualification of securities under any applicable securities and state “blue sky” laws.

(d) Any Person entitled to indemnification under this Agreement shall notify promptly the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement of any action or proceeding with respect to which a claim for indemnification may be made pursuant to this Section 2.9, but the failure of any indemnified party to provide such notice shall not relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 2.9, except to the extent the indemnifying party is materially and actually prejudiced thereby and shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Article II. In case any action or proceeding is brought against an indemnified party, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to ( x ) participate in such action or proceeding and ( y ), unless, in the reasonable opinion of outside counsel to the indemnified party, a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist in respect of such claim, assume the defense thereof jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party. The indemnifying party shall promptly notify the indemnified party of its decision to assume the defense of such action or proceeding. If, and after, the indemnified party has received such notice from the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense of such action or proceeding other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided , however , that ( i ) if the indemnifying party fails to take reasonable steps necessary to defend diligently the action or proceeding within twenty (20) days after receiving notice from such indemnified party that the indemnified party believes it has failed to do so; or ( ii ) if such indemnified party who is a defendant in any action or proceeding which is also brought against the indemnifying party reasonably shall have concluded that there may be one or more legal or equitable defenses available to such indemnified party which are not available to the indemnifying party or which may conflict with those available to another indemnified party with respect to such Claim; or ( iii ) if representation of both parties by the same counsel is otherwise inappropriate under applicable standards of professional conduct, then, in any such case, the indemnified party shall have the right to assume or continue its own defense as set forth above (but with no more than one firm of counsel for all indemnified parties in each jurisdiction, except to the extent any indemnified party or parties reasonably shall have made a conclusion described in clause (ii) or (iii) above) and the indemnifying party shall be liable for any expenses therefor. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim), unless such settlement or compromise ( i ) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action or claim and ( ii ) does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of an indemnified party. The indemnity obligations contained in Sections 2.9(a) and 2.9(b) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action if such settlement is effected without the consent of the indemnified party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

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(e) If for any reason the foregoing indemnity is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to an indemnified party under Sections 2.9(a), 2.9(b) or 2.9(c), then each applicable indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable to such indemnified party as a result of any Claim in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party, on the one hand, and the indemnified party, on the other hand, with respect to such Claim as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault shall be determined by a court of law by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the indemnifying party or the indemnified party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. If, however, the allocation provided in the preceding sentences of this Section 2.9(e) is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative faults but also the relative benefits of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if any contribution pursuant to this Section 2.9(e) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the preceding sentences of this Section 2.9(e). The amount paid or payable in respect of any Claim shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.9(e) to the contrary, no indemnifying party (other than the Company) shall be required pursuant to this Section 2.9(e) to contribute any amount greater than the amount of the net proceeds actually received by such indemnifying party upon the sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement giving rise to such Claim, less the amount of any indemnification payment made by such indemnifying party pursuant to Sections 2.9(b) and 2.9(c).

 

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(f) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained herein shall be in addition to any other rights to indemnification or contribution which any indemnified party may have pursuant to law or contract and shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made or omitted by or on behalf of any indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by any such party and the completion of any offering of Registrable Securities in a registration statement. In the event one or more Holders effect a Partner Distribution pursuant to a registration statement in which the name of partners, members or shareholders who receive a distribution are named in a prospectus supplement or registration statement, the partners, members or shareholders so named shall be entitled to indemnification and contribution by the Company to the same extent as a Holder hereunder.

(g) The indemnification and contribution required by this Section 2.9 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or expense, loss, damage or liability is incurred; provided , however , that the recipient thereof hereby undertakes to repay such payments if and to the extent it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that such recipient is not entitled to such payment hereunder.

2.10 Limitations on Registration of Other Securities; Representation . The Company shall not enter into any agreement with any holder or prospective holder of any securities of the Company giving such holder or prospective holder any registration rights the terms of which are more favorable taken as a whole than the registration rights granted to the Holders hereunder unless the Company shall also give such rights to such Holders.

2.11 No Inconsistent Agreements . The Company shall not hereafter enter into any agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent in any material respects with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement.

ARTICLE III

UNDERWRITTEN OFFERINGS

3.1 Requested Underwritten Offerings . If the Initiating Holders request an underwritten offering pursuant to a registration under Section 2.1 (pursuant to a request for a registration statement to be filed in connection with a specific underwritten offering or a request for a shelf takedown in the form of an underwritten offering), the Company shall enter into a customary underwriting agreement with the underwriters. Such underwriting agreement shall ( i ) be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Participating Holders, ( ii ) contain terms not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement and ( iii ) contain such representations and warranties by, and such other agreements on the part of, the Company and such other terms as are generally prevailing in agreements of that type, including, without limitation, indemnities and contribution agreements on substantially the same terms as those contained herein. Any Participating Holder shall be a party to such underwriting agreement and may, at its option, require that any or all of the representations and warranties by, and the other agreements on the part of, the Company to and for the benefit of such underwriters shall also be made to and for the benefit of such Participating Holder and that any or all of the conditions precedent to the obligations of such underwriters under such underwriting agreement be conditions precedent to the obligations of such Participating Holder; provided , however , that the Company shall not be required to make any representations or warranties with respect to written information specifically provided by a Participating Holder for inclusion in the registration statement. Each such Participating Holder shall not be required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters other than representations, warranties or agreements regarding its ownership of and title to the Registrable Securities, any written information specifically provided by such Participating Holder for inclusion in the registration statement; and any liability of such Participating Holder to any underwriter or other Person under such underwriting agreement shall be limited to the amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement and shall not relate to anything other than information about such Holder specifically provided by such Holder for use in the registration statement.

 

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3.2 Piggyback Underwritten Offerings . In the case of a registration pursuant to Section 2.2 which involves an underwritten offering, the Company shall enter into an underwriting agreement in connection therewith and all of the Participating Holders’ Registrable Securities to be included in such registration shall be subject to such underwriting agreement. Any Participating Holder may, at its option, require that any or all of the representations and warranties by, and the other agreements on the part of, the Company to and for the benefit of such underwriters shall also be made to and for the benefit of such Participating Holder and that any or all of the conditions precedent to the obligations of such underwriters under such underwriting agreement be conditions precedent to the obligations of such Participating Holder; provided , however , that the Company shall not be required to make any representations or warranties with respect to written information specifically provided by a Participating Holder for inclusion in the registration statement. Each such Participating Holder shall not be required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters other than representations, warranties or agreements regarding its ownership of and title to the Registrable Securities, any written information specifically provided by such Participating Holder for inclusion in the registration statement; and any liability of such Participating Holder to any underwriter or other Person under such underwriting agreement shall be limited to the amount of the net proceeds received by such Participating Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement and shall not relate to anything other than information about such Holder specifically provided by such Holder for use in the registration statement.

ARTICLE IV

TRANSFERS OF SHARES

4.1 Transfer of Shares and Partial Assignment to the Fortress Investor . Each of the parties hereto acknowledges and agrees to the following:

(a) Upon notice from Yucaipa to the Company that it has transferred Registrable Securities to the Fortress Investor subsequent to the Effective Time pursuant to the terms of Yucaipa’s partnership agreement (such transfer, a “ Fortress Transfer ”), effective as of the date of such transfer, ( A ) without limiting Section 4.2 with respect to a Yucaipa Transfer, Yucaipa shall assign, convey and transfer to the Fortress Investor the right, title and interest of Yucaipa in, to and under this Agreement with respect to, and to the extent of, the number of Registrable Securities so transferred to the Fortress Investor pursuant to such Fortress Transfer (the “ Fortress Registrable Securities ”); provided that the Fortress Investor shall have all of the rights of a Holder with respect to all of its Registrable Securities, and ( B ) subject to Section 4.1(c), the Fortress Investor hereby accepts and assumes from Yucaipa all rights of, and obligations to perform all of the duties, terms, covenants and conditions imposed upon Yucaipa under this Agreement with respect to, and to the extent of, the Fortress Registrable Securities (such assignment and assumption, the “ Fortress Assignment ”).

 

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(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, including Section 5.5 hereof, any Fortress Assignment made pursuant to Section 4.1(a) above shall be deemed to have been made in compliance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

(c) Upon the completion of a Fortress Assignment and so long as the Fortress Investor continues to own Registrable Securities:

(i) the Fortress Investor shall be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement as a “Holder” hereunder; provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, including the last sentence of Section 5.5 hereof, the Fortress Investor shall not be entitled to, and shall not be able to exercise or enforce, any rights under this Agreement specifically designated to “Yucaipa”;

(ii) at any time and from time to time, the Fortress Investor shall be entitled to make Demand Registration Requests to the Company to the same extent as GSCP in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.1(b) of this Agreement;

(iii) for purposes of Section 2.1(b)(i) of this Agreement and notwithstanding anything to the contrary therein, the Company shall be obligated to effect for the Fortress Investor in respect of its Registrable Securities, only ( x ) two (2) Demand Registrations, plus ( y ) such number of Yucaipa’s remaining Demand Registrations as it, in its sole discretion, assigns to the Fortress Investor as part of the Fortress Assignment; and

(iv) in connection with the rights granted to the Fortress Investor in clauses (ii) and (iii) above, the Fortress Investor agrees to be bound by and subject to all terms and conditions of this Agreement with respect to a Demand Registration and/or a Demand Registration Request, including, without limitation, Section 2.1 and Section 2.3 hereof (including the priority of allocations contained therein).

4.2 Transfer of Shares and Partial Assignment to the Yucaipa Investor . Each of the parties hereto acknowledges and agrees to the following:

(a) Upon notice from Yucaipa to the Company that it has transferred Registrable Securities to the Yucaipa Investor subsequent to the Effective Time pursuant to the terms of Yucaipa’s partnership agreement (such transfer, a “ Yucaipa Transfer ”), effective as of the date of such transfer, the right, title and interest of Yucaipa in, to and under this Agreement with respect to, and to the extent of, the number of Registrable Securities so transferred to the Yucaipa Investor pursuant to such Yucaipa Transfer (the “ Yucaipa Registrable Securities ”) shall automatically be assigned, conveyed and transferred to the Yucaipa Investor, and the Yucaipa Investor shall accept and assume from Yucaipa all rights of, and obligations to perform all of the duties, terms, covenants and conditions imposed upon Yucaipa under this Agreement with respect to, and to the extent of, the Yucaipa Registrable Securities (such assignment and assumption, the “ Yucaipa Assignment ”).

 

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(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Rights Agreement, including Section 5.5 hereof, any Yucaipa Assignment made pursuant to Section 4.2(a) above shall be deemed to have been made in compliance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

(c) Upon the completion of a Yucaipa Assignment and so long as the Yucaipa Investor continues to own the Yucaipa Registrable Securities, the Yucaipa Investor shall (i) become bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement as a “Holder” and “Yucaipa” hereunder with respect to the Yucaipa Registrable Securities, and (ii) be entitled to, and shall be able to exercise and enforce, any and all rights under this Agreement specifically designated to “Yucaipa”.

(d) For the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of Section 2.1(b)(i) of this Agreement, upon a Yucaipa Assignment, the rights of Yucaipa, including the aggregate number of Demand Registrations the Company shall be obligated to effect for Yucaipa, shall apply in the aggregate to Yucaipa and the Yucaipa Investor and shall not be altered by the provisions of Section 4.1 in connection with any Fortress Assignment (other than, if applicable, pursuant to the proviso contained in Section 4.1(c)(iii) above).

4.3 GSCP Rights . For the avoidance of doubt, the rights of GSCP under this Agreement, including its rights under Section 2.1(b) hereof, shall not be altered by the provisions of Sections 4.1 or 4.2 hereof in connection with any Fortress Assignment or Yucaipa Assignment.

ARTICLE V

GENERAL

5.1 Adjustments Affecting Registrable Securities . The Company agrees that it shall not effect or permit to occur any combination or subdivision of shares of Common Equity which would adversely affect the ability of any Holder of any Registrable Securities to include such Registrable Securities in any registration or offering contemplated by this Agreement or the marketability of such Registrable Securities in any such registration or offering. The Company agrees that it will take all reasonable steps necessary to effect a subdivision of shares of Common Equity if in the reasonable judgment of ( a ) the Initiating Holder(s) or ( b ) the managing underwriter for the offering in respect of such Demand Registration Request, such subdivision would enhance the marketability of the Registrable Securities. Each Holder agrees to vote all of its shares of beneficial interest in a manner, and to take all other actions necessary, to permit the Company to carry out the intent of the preceding sentence including, without limitation, voting in favor of an amendment to the Company’s organizational documents in order to increase the number of authorized shares of beneficial interest of the Company. In any event, the provisions of this Agreement shall apply, to the full extent set forth herein with respect to the Registrable Securities, to any and all shares of beneficial interest of the Company or any successor or assign of the Company (whether by merger, share exchange, consolidation, sale of assets or otherwise) which may be issued in respect of, in exchange for or in substitution of, Registrable Securities and shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividends, splits, reverse splits, combinations, recapitalizations and the like occurring after the Effective Time.

 

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5.2 Rule 144 and Rule 144A . The Company covenants that ( i ) so long as it remains subject to the reporting provisions of the Exchange Act, it will timely file the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (including, but not limited to, the reports under Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act referred to in subparagraph (c)(1) of Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended (“ Rule 144 ”)) or, if the Company is not required to file such reports, it will, upon the request of any Holder, make available other information so long as necessary to permit sales by such Holder under Rule 144, Rule 144A under the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended (“ Rule 144A ”), or any similar rules or regulations hereafter adopted by the SEC, and ( ii ) it will take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by ( A ) Rule 144, ( B ) Rule 144A or ( C ) any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC. Upon the request of any Holder of Registrable Securities, the Company will deliver to such Holder a written statement by the Company that it has complied with the reporting requirements of Rule 144, the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (at any time after it has become subject to such reporting requirements), or that it qualifies as a registrant whose securities may be resold pursuant to Form S-3 (at any time after it so qualifies), a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the Company and such other information as may be reasonably requested in availing any Holder of any rule or regulation of the SEC which permits the selling of any such securities without registration or pursuant to such form.

5.3 Amendments and Waivers . Any provisions of this Agreement may be amended, modified, supplemented or waived with the written approval of each of the Company, GSCP (for so long as GSCP owns Registrable Securities), Yucaipa (for so long as Yucaipa owns Registrable Securities) and, after a Fortress Transfer, the Fortress Investor (for so long as the Fortress Investor owns Registrable Securities). Any amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this Section 5.3 shall be binding upon each Holder and the Company. No delay or omission to exercise any right, power or remedy accruing to any party, upon any breach or default of any other party under this Agreement will impair any such right, power or remedy of such party, nor will it be construed to be a waiver of any such breach or default, or an acquiescence therein, or of any similar breach or default thereafter occurring, nor will any waiver of any single breach or default be deemed a waiver of any other breach or default theretofore or thereafter occurring, nor will any provision of this Agreement be implied from any course of dealing between the parties hereto. Any waiver, permit, consent or approval of any kind or character on the part of any party of any breach of default under this Agreement or any waiver on the part of any party of any provisions or conditions of this Agreement must be made in writing and will be effective only to the extent specifically set forth in such writing.

5.4 Notices . All notices, demands and other communications to be given or delivered under or by reason of the provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given ( a ) when personally delivered, ( b ) when transmitted via telecopy (or other facsimile device) to the number set out below or transmitted by electronic mail if the sender on the same day sends a confirming copy of such notice in accordance with immediately following clause (c) or ( c ) the day on which the same has been delivered to the intended recipient if sent prepaid by ( i ) with respect to a delivery in the United States, a nationally recognized overnight delivery service (with tracking capability) and ( ii ) with respect to a delivery outside of the United States, an internationally recognized overnight delivery service (with tracking capability), in each case to the respective parties at the address set forth below, or at such other address as such party may specify by written notice to the other party hereto:

 

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If to the Company:    Americold Realty Trust
   10 Glenlake Parkway
   South Tower, Suite 800
   Atlanta, Georgia 30328
   Attn: General Counsel
   Fax: (678) 387-4774
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
  

King & Spalding LLP

1180 Peachtree Street

Atlanta, Georgia 30309

Attn: C. Spencer Johnson, III

If to the Holders:    To the addresses set forth in Schedule A .

5.5 Successors and Assigns . Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Company and its successors and assigns and each Holder and his, her and its respective successors, permitted assigns, heirs and personal representatives, personal representatives and assigns of the parties hereto, whether so expressed or not. This Agreement may not be assigned by the Company, without the prior written consent of GSCP and Yucaipa. Each Holder shall have the right to assign all or part of its or his rights and obligations under this Agreement to any Affiliate of such Holder or, otherwise, only in accordance with transfers of 7,000,000 or more Registrable Securities on an as-converted basis (subject to adjustment in the event of stock splits, reverse stock splits and similar transactions) permitted under, and made in compliance with, the Shareholders Agreement, in each case contingent on such assignee agreeing in writing to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Upon any such assignment, such assignee shall have and be able to exercise and enforce all rights of the assigning Holder which are assigned to it and, to the extent such rights are assigned, any reference to the assigning Holder shall be treated as a reference to the assignee.

5.6 Effective Time . This Agreement shall become effective upon the closing of the IPO (the “ Effective Time ”).

5.7 Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Affiliates . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement, none of the provisions of this Agreement shall in any way limit Goldman, Sachs & Co. or any of its Affiliates (other than any GSCP Shareholder as expressly set forth in this Agreement) from engaging in any brokerage, investment advisory, financial advisory, anti-raid advisory, principaling, merger advisory, financing, asset management, trading, market making, arbitrage, investment activity and other similar activities conducted in the ordinary course of their business.

 

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5.8 Entire Agreement . This Agreement, the Shareholders Agreement and the other agreements referenced herein and therein constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersede any prior agreement or understanding among them relating to such matter, whether oral or written, including without limitation the Registration Rights Agreement, dated December 9, 2010, by and among Americold Realty Trust, YF ART Holdings, L.P. as assignee of each of Yucaipa Corporate Initiatives Fund I, LP, Yucaipa American Alliance Fund I, LP, Yucaipa American Alliance (Parallel) Fund I, LP, Yucaipa American Fund II, L.P., and Yucaipa American Alliance (Parallel) Fund II, L.P., GS Capital Partners VI Fund, L.P., GS Capital Partners VI Parallel, L.P., GSCP VI Offshore IceCap Investment, L.P., GSCP VI GmbH IceCap Investment, L.P., and IceCap2 Holdings, L.P., as it may have been amended, which the parties hereto agree is terminated as of the Effective Time.

5.9 Governing Law . This Agreement shall in all respects be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws (excluding conflict of laws rules and principles) of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed entirely within such State, including all matters of construction, validity and performance.

5.10 Jurisdiction; Court Proceedings; Waiver of Jury Trial . Any Litigation against any party to this Agreement arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement shall be brought in any federal or state court located in the State of New York in New York County and each of the parties hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts for the purpose of any such Litigation; provided, that a final judgment in any such Litigation shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Each party irrevocably and unconditionally agrees not to assert ( a )  any objection which it may ever have to the laying of venue of any such Litigation in any federal or state court located in the State of New York in New York County, ( b )  any claim that any such Litigation brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum and ( c )  any claim that such court does not have jurisdiction with respect to such Litigation. To the extent that service of process by mail is permitted by applicable law, each party irrevocably consents to the service of process in any such Litigation in such courts by the delivery of such process in the manner contemplated by Section 5.4. Each party irrevocably and unconditionally waives any right to a trial by jury and agrees that any of them may file a copy of this paragraph with any court as written evidence of the knowing, voluntary and bargained-for agreement among the parties irrevocably to waive its right to trial by jury in any Litigation.

5.11 Interpretation; Construction . The Article and Section headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed to alter or affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement. References to Articles, Sections of Schedules in this Agreement, unless otherwise indicated, are references to Articles, Sections and Schedules of or to this Agreement. The parties to this Agreement have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises with respect to any term or provision of this Agreement, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties to this Agreement, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party to this Agreement by virtue of the authorship of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement. Any reference to any federal, state, county, local or foreign statute or law shall be deemed also to refer to all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, unless the context requires otherwise. For all purposes of and under this Agreement, ( i ) the word “including” shall be deemed to be immediately followed by the words “without limitation;” ( ii ) words (including defined terms) in the singular shall be deemed to include the plural and vice versa; ( iii ) words of one gender shall be deemed to include the other gender as the context requires; ( iv ) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” “hereto,” “herewith” and any other words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole (including all of the Schedules to this Agreement) and not to any particular term or provision of this Agreement, unless otherwise specified; ( v ) the use of the word “or” shall not be exclusive; ( vi ) all monetary figures shall be in United States dollars unless otherwise specified; ( vii ) the word “extent” in the phrase “to the extent” shall mean the degree to which a subject or other theory extends and such phrase shall not mean “if” and ( viii ) any action required by this Agreement to be taken on a day that is not a Business Day, shall be deemed to be required to be taken on the first Business Day thereafter.

 

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5.12 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed by facsimile or .pdf signatures and in any number of counterparts with the same effect as if all signatory parties had signed the same document. All counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute one and the same instrument.

5.13 Severability . Should any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance be held invalid or unenforceable to any extent: ( a ) such provision shall be ineffective to the extent, and only to the extent, of such unenforceability or prohibition and shall be enforced to the greatest extent permitted by law, ( b ) such unenforceability or prohibition in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision as applied ( i ) to other Persons or circumstances or ( ii ) in any other jurisdiction, and ( c ) such unenforceability or prohibition shall not affect or invalidate any other provision of this Agreement.

5.14 Remedies; Specific Performance . All remedies, either under this Agreement or by law or otherwise afforded to the parties hereunder, shall be cumulative and not alternative. The parties agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. Accordingly, the parties agree that, in addition to any other remedies, each party shall be entitled to enforce the terms of this Agreement by a decree of specific performance without the necessity of proving the inadequacy of money damages as a remedy. Each party hereby waives any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with such remedy. Each party further agrees that the only permitted objection that it may raise in response to any action for equitable relief is that it contests the existence of a breach or threatened breach of this Agreement.

5.15 Further Assurances . Each party hereto shall do and perform or cause to be done and performed all such further acts and things and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments, and documents as any other party hereto reasonably may request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

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5.16 Independent Nature of the Rights and Obligations of Holders . The rights and obligations of each Holder hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any Holder, and no Holder shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Holder hereunder. The decision of each Holder to enter into this Agreement has been made by such Holder independently of any Holder. Nothing contained herein, and no action taken by any Holder pursuant hereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Holders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Holders are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated hereby and the Company acknowledges that the Holders are not acting in concert or as a group, and the Company will not assert any such claim, with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated hereby.

5.17 Termination as to a Holder . Any Person who ceases to hold any Registrable Securities shall cease to be a Holder and shall have no further rights or obligations under this Agreement (except with respect to any indemnification or contribution rights or obligations under Section 2.9, which shall survive).

5.18 Opt-Out Requests . Each Holder shall have the right, at any time and from time to time (including after receiving information regarding any potential public offering), to elect to not receive any notice that the Company or any other Holders otherwise are required to deliver pursuant to this Agreement by delivering to the Company a written statement signed by such Holder that it does not want to receive any notices hereunder (an “ Opt-Out Request ”); in which case, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company and other Holders shall not be required to, and shall not, deliver any notice or other information required to be provided to Holders hereunder to the extent that the Company or such other Holders reasonably expect such notice or information would result in a Holder acquiring material non-public information within the meaning of Regulation FD promulgated under the Exchange Act. An Opt-Out Request may state a date on which it expires or, if no such date is specified, shall remain in effect indefinitely. A Holder who previously has given the Company an Opt-Out Request may revoke such request at any time, and there shall be no limit on the ability of a Holder to issue and revoke subsequent Opt-Out Requests; provided , that each Holder shall use commercially reasonable efforts to minimize the administrative burden on the Company arising in connection with any such Opt-Out Requests.

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered in its name and on its behalf, all as of the day and year above first written.

 

AMERICOLD REALITY TRUST
By:   /s/ Marc Smernoff
Name:   Marc Smernoff
Title:   Chief Financial Officer and EVP

[Signatures continue on following page]

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


YUCAIPA:
YF ART HOLDINGS, L.P.

By: YF ART Holdings GP, LLC,

its general partner

By:   /s/ Henry E. Orren
Name:   Henry E. Orren
Title:   Assistant Vice President and Secretary
YUCAIPA INVESTOR:
YF ART HOLDINGS AGGREGATOR, LLC
By:   /s/ Henry E. Orren
Name:   Henry E. Orren
Title:   Assistant Vice President and Secretary

[Signatures continue on following page]

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


GSCP SHAREHOLDERS:
GS CAPITAL PARTNERS VI FUND, L.P.

By: GSCP VI Advisors, L.L.C.,

its general partner

By:   /s/ Bradley Gross
Name:   Bradley Gross
Title:   Vice President
GS CAPITAL PARTNERS VI PARALLEL, L.P.

By: GS Advisors VI, L.L.C.,

its general partner

By:   /s/ Bradley Gross
Name:   Bradley Gross
Title:   Vice President
GSCP VI OFFSHORE ICECAP INVESTMENT, L.P.

By: GSCP VI Offshore IceCap Holdings Entity GP, Ltd.,

its general partner

By:   /s/ Bradley Gross
Name:   Bradley Gross
Title:   Vice President
GSCP VI GMBH ICECAP INVESTMENT, L.P.

By: GSCP VI GmbH IceCap Holdings Entity GP, Ltd.,

its general partner

By:   /s/ Bradley Gross
Name:   Bradley Gross
Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


ICECAP2 HOLDINGS, L.P.

By: IceCap2 Holdings Entity GP, Ltd.,

its general partner

By:   /s/ Bradley Gross
Name:   Bradley Gross
Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


FORTRESS INVESTOR:
CF COLD LP
By: CF Cold GP LLC, its general partner
By:   /s/ Constantine M. Dokolias
Name:   Constantine M. Dokolias
Title:   President

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


Schedule A

GSCP SHAREHOLDERS

 

GS Capital Partners VI Fund, L.P.

   c/o GS Capital Partners VI Fund, L.P.

GS Capital Partners VI Parallel, L.P.

    

GSCP VI Offshore IceCap Investment, L.P.

   200 West Street

GSCP VI GmbH IceCap Investment, L.P.

   New York, NY 10282-2198

IceCap2 Holdings, L.P.

   Attention: Bradley Gross
     Facsimile: (212) 357-5505
     Email: bradley.gross@gs.com
   
     with copies to (which shall not constitute notice):
   
    

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

One New York Plaza

New York, NY 10004

Attention: Robert Schwenkel, Esq. and

Randi Lally, Esq.

Facsimile: (212) 859-4000

Email: robert.schwenkel@friedfrank.com and

randi.lally@friedfrank.com

YUCAIPA

YUCAIPA INVESTOR

 

YF ART Holdings, L.P.

   c/o The Yucaipa Companies LLC

YF ART Holdings Aggregator LLC

   9130 W. Sunset Blvd.
     Los Angeles, CA 90069
     Attention: Robert P. Bermingham
     Facsimile: (310) 789-1791
     Email: legal@yucaipaco.com
   
     with copies (which shall not constitute notice):
   
    

Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP

350 S. Grand Ave., 50th Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90071

Attn: Judith T. Kitano

Facsimile: (213) 683-4052

Email: judith.kitano@mto.com


FORTRESS INVESTOR

 

CF Cold LP

   c/o Fortress Investment Group
     1345 Avenue of the Americas
     46th Floor
     New York, NY 10105
     United States of America
     Attention: Constantine Dakolias
     Telephone: (212) 798 6050
     Facsimile: (404) 264-4775
     Email: ddakolias@fortress.com
   
     and
   
     c/o Fortress Investment Group
     3290 Northside Parkway NW
     Suite 350
     Atlanta, GA 30327
     Attention: Joel Holsinger
     Telephone: (404) 264-4775
     Facsimile: (678) 550-9105
     Email: jholsinger@fortress.com
   
     with copies (which shall not constitute notice):
   
     Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
     300 South Grand Avenue, Suite 3400
     Los Angeles, CA 90071
     Attention: Jonathan L. Friedman
     Facsimile: (213) 621-5396
    

Email: jonathan.friedman@skadden.com